Small and slender, yet all the more sharp for it.
As a fiercely sharp ice flew towards him, Titan, who had belatedly discovered him, swung his hand. Despite the slightly delayed reaction, the ice shards that couldn't penetrate the tough skin shattered and fell. Kang Sihyun recombined the falling ice shards and continually attempted attacks.
No matter how small, a persistently flying and biting insect becomes a nuisance. It seemed ineffective for now, but eventually, a gap would appear.
Persistently manipulating the ice shards to catch his attention, Titan, who had been dealing with both the ice and Taeju with one hand, opened his mouth and howled. Though incomprehensible, the sound was infused with rage, something one could discern.
At the forefront, the children and Bandal blocked the chains, allowing Kang Sihyun to focus solely on the attack. His eyes bloodshot, Kang Sihyun again controlled hundreds of ice spears.
Gradually, Titan's punches became more ferocious. Swiftly dodging the grasp and swings, Haehyuk and Inyeong returned to Taeju's side, and the tide of battle decidedly turned.
Thunder rumbled as if sympathizing with Titan's fury. Flash! Lightning struck from afar as Titan's chains once again rose from the sea. With the situation dire, Titan abandoned attacking Kang Sihyun and swung two chains at the enemies above. The chains coming from both sides knocked Inyeong out first. Kang Sihyun healed the members who had been struggling to block the chains and ordered them to assist Haehyuk.
Soon, only Lee Hamin, who had originally been responsible for protection, remained by Kang Sihyun's side.
Five people moved dazzlingly in mid-air, dodging chains and seeking openings to strike. Haehyuk demonstrated the skill of dodging attacks through the small links of the chains, getting closer to Titan. Kang Sihyun also consistently aimed at Titan with his ice spears.
Crack!
Finally, a spear pierced through the defense and lodged in Titan's eye. Then two, then three. Seizing the moment Titan flinched from pain, five of the hundreds of spears lodged into his large eyeballs. Kang Sihyun focused on the mana flow, controlling the ice lodged in the eye.
The five spears merged into a larger spear, inflicting greater agony. Titan writhed and screamed, flailing his arms. The more hefty and savage attack was fierce, but there were no awakened individuals here who would be outmatched by a one-eyed Irregular.
The members smoothly dodged the blind attacks, successively striking Titan's body. It was at that moment.
"Rooooar!"
With his mouth wide open, Titan let out an even more intense groan and rolled his feet as if glowing. The waves surged, and the cries of marine life spread. Kang Sihyun looked up to check if someone had attacked Titan.
However, no wound seemed severe enough to cause such a violent reaction.
That meant the scream signified only one thing.
The attack from below was successful.
Recalling the two who had plunged into the sea targeting Titan's weakness, Kang Sihyun slightly twisted his lips upwards. Victory seemed certain. What remained was Titan's downfall.
The giant Irregular twitched and flailed its chains recklessly. The chains plunged here and there, repeating lifting and dropping. The sea was tumultuous, and the sky groaned. Each time Titan swung his chains, a strong wind made it hard to maintain position in the air.
"Kuh!"
To solidify their momentum amid the chaos, Kang Sihyun and his companions dodged the attacks while frowning.
Excitement caused even the standardized attacks to lose pattern, making it difficult to predict.
Bang! Bang!
Each time Titan rolled his foot in resistance to the pain, the ground shook as if an earthquake occurred. When Titan lifted his knee to his waist, revealing his sole, Kang Sihyun could see two people clinging to the giant's foot.
Haru and Yeonju had knives plunged into the foot, clenching their teeth and using their skills.
Despite the struggle evident on their faces, neither gave up. Haru, holding the deeply inserted sword to not fall, also stabbed and removed a small dagger repeatedly.
The sight was so frenzied and persistent, it seemed it would have terrified Titan had he seen it.
Thump, Titan's foot came down, and the two disappeared back into the sea. Hoping for their safety, Kang Sihyun joined the all-out attack.
"Bite down as if it's the last!"
Taeju raised his voice. A more murderous and ominous aura than ever before emanated from everyone's swords, attacking Titan.
This time, Kang Sihyun's spear was also there.
Seven swords and spears dodged the chains and hands, clawing and biting into Titan's body. The tough skin was either weakened by the repeated attacks or carved out significantly.
"Rooooar!"
Titan let out another scream, this time with a sharper edge, as if making a final desperate effort, swinging two chains overlapped. The long, large chains indiscriminately struck everyone in the air, violently knocking them away.
"Cough!"
Those hit by the chains were helplessly thrown away, crashing into a shipwreck. Kang Sihyun was no exception. He hastily erected a protective barrier, but it shattered instantly, and he, along with his companions, fell onto the broken ship. Next to Kang Sihyun, Inyeong flew in and coughed together.
"Cough!"
The people coughed out, some spitting blood, and others too drained to rise. As Kang Sihyun struggled up using the shipwreck, Titan gasped as if running out of breath.
"Ugh…."
His groan resonated over the sea, sounding almost like a cry, which soon faded away gradually.
As if receiving a cease-fire signal, Titan stopped all attacks.
The chains flailed, losing their power and falling downwards. Titan's head also dropped, looking at the ground.
The once chaotic battlefield quieted down as the people who had been fighting caught their breath.
Silence ensued.
It was hard to imagine that a life-and-death battle had taken place just moments ago, such was the peaceful silence. Only intermittent coughing and groaning revealed the aftermath of the battle.
Everyone caught their breath while looking at Titan. The head-bowed figure did not move an inch, standing as if powered down.
"Haah…!"
The two who had been submerged deep in the sea surfaced, wiping their wet faces and gasping for air. Now, only the sound of waves and their gasping breaths remained above the sea.
After a tense standoff, Haehyuk, wiping his mouth, attempted to fly to check Titan's condition when the giant's body tilted backward.
"Ah…"
A sigh of relief escaped someone's mouth. The fierce Irregular had lost all its power and fell, meeting the sea.
Splash!
As the hefty body fell, it created a large splash. The sea violently swallowed the shipwreck. The high waves, giving no time to escape, crashed over Kang Sihyun and his companions.
"Be careful not to get swept away!"
Haehyuk shouted, and the companions were startled. Just before being swept away by the wave, grabbing onto a piece of the ship prevented Kang Sihyun from being dragged far away. He coughed up the salty sea water, his nose stinging and hair soaked. Swallowing the physiological reaction, tears formed as he spat out the sea water.
Showered like rain with the falling water, Kang Sihyun leaned on the debris, looking around. The companions were climbing onto the highest part of the still unsunk shipwreck. All coughing, they climbed the ship in the now quiet sea.
Swimming to them seemed difficult due to the distance. Intending to wait until mana recovered, Haru approached and helped Kang Sihyun onto the ship.
Finally, all ten members escaped the sea and climbed onto the ship. Since the ship would soon sink, they couldn't stay long.
But the duration in the water wasn't what mattered now.
Drenched like drowned rats, the people looked around with tense eyes. Without anyone commanding, they all shared the same suspicion, looking around.
In case the giant Irregular would rise again or its minions appeared to attack.
Even fatigued from the intense battle, they did not show it and focused on searching. The alert stance lasted for about five minutes when Taeju finally spoke.
"...It's over."
No one responded to his weary statement. Although it was a situation worthy of celebration, no joy or surprise was shown. They just incredulously watched the calm sea.
Kang Sihyun did the same.
Eyes filled with the sea, Kang Sihyun swallowed an indescribable emotion and tightly gripped his staff.
Thud.
Whether from exhaustion or relief, Inyeong sat down. Still spitting out water, he coughed as Inyeong and Lee Hamin sat beside him, expelling the remaining water. Kang Sihyun patted their backs, helping them spit it out. Watching them, the companions gradually sat down.
Dawn was breaking.
The battle that started at dawn had ended as dawn approached again, leaving everyone drained. Together, they watched the rising sun, inhaling deeply. Haemin, who had been receiving pats, brushed back his wet hair and stared at the sea.
"Did we get it…?"
Hearing his murmur, Kang Sihyun twitched. Lacking the energy to admonish him about jinxing, Kang Sihyun lightly smacked his back and, following Soowoo, lay down on the ship to look at the sky.
The darkness lifted, and the sky began to clear beautifully. Despite wanting to enjoy the view, the fatigue from fighting without proper rest overwhelmed them, and as they closed their eyes, Haehyuk's voice could be heard.
"We won."
At that statement, everyone simultaneously released a breath they didn't know they were holding.
It was finally over.
The predicted battle concluded not with the victory of the Irregulars but with humans prevailing.
This moment of triumph, however, was tinged with an overwhelming sense of exhaustion and relief rather than outright celebration. They lay scattered across the ship, too tired to even cheer, their bodies and spirits worn from the prolonged combat.
As the sky brightened with the first light of dawn, it seemed to signal not just the end of the night but also the conclusion of a long and arduous journey. Despite the physical and emotional toll, the sight of the sun rising over a calm sea offered a serene contrast to the chaos and turmoil that had preceded it.
The group, now silent, allowed themselves a moment to take in the peace that had been so hard-won. The sea's gentle lapping against the ship served as a soothing backdrop to their collective recovery, a stark reminder of the battle's intensity and their miraculous survival.
Amid the quiet, the reality of their victory began to sink in. They had faced an Irregular of immense power and emerged victorious, a testament to their strength, resilience, and unity. The battle's scars would linger, both physically and mentally, but so too would the sense of accomplishment and the bonds forged in the heat of conflict.
As the sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over the weary but victorious group, the tension that had gripped them for so long finally began to ease. They had faced the abyss, battled a nightmare made flesh, and returned to tell the tale. Now, as the new day dawned, they could look forward to a future that, thanks to their efforts, held promise once more.
Exhausted but emboldened, they knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. And in the aftermath of their victory against such overwhelming odds, a new chapter awaited, one filled with hope, rebuilding, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
The end of the battle did not just signify a triumph over an enemy but also marked the beginning of healing and reflection. As they slowly gathered themselves, ready to leave the remnants of the night's battle behind, they carried with them the lessons learned and the memories of those who had stood beside them, in the heart of darkness, shining the brightest.
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