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chapter 176
In the middle of the Black Sea.
A violent explosion erupted.
KWAAAANG!!
Kuurung, Kuurrrung—
Kwarrrr…!!
[The great beings attempt to manifest. Immense divine power deeply intervenes in the narrative of <Jack and the Beanstalk>.]
Above, three explosions occurred in the sky, far more intense than anything in the White Sea.
The Sea Kings and sea creatures were massacred without even a scream. The few survivors either fled or lowered their heads in submission.
The great beings were approaching.
Entities that mere mortals could not even hope to confront…
It was Son Goku and his companions.
Paaaat—
They became three streaks of light, piercing through the Black Sea and reaching the deepest depths.
This was the very site where Raphael and his angelic legion had sealed the Demon King of Demons, as testified by the Giant Queen Hela.
‘…….’
‘…….’
‘…….’
At the heart of the pitch-black Black Sea.
Following the wide underwater terrain, a massive iron gate appeared.
It was already rusted beyond repair. Shells and barnacles clung to it, and here and there, traces of deformation marred its surface.
Its appearance was grotesque, as if it could collapse at any moment, yet…
Its size was staggering.
It seemed as though it could cover the entire abyss of this world.
Above all…
Gooooo…!
From the seams of the iron gate, rough demonic energy leaked out.
A sign that the seal was slowly breaking.
This energy would mix with the sea creatures, becoming part of the seawater itself.
In effect, the world had been corrupted and brought to the brink of destruction by this demonic energy.
But the real problem was…
“The malice is too strong… it’s tilting the mental state completely toward evil. What could have happened?”
The Demon King’s mind was not merely filled with resentment over being sealed. Something fundamentally was twisted.
Even the Demon Lord read this, his expression stiffening.
‘…We have to go in.’
Some things can only be seen firsthand.
Son Goku approached the iron gate and placed his palm on it.
At that moment,
Fwaaah!
A cluster of light spilled out from the cracks in the gate.
Queen Hela raced through the chaos, swinging her halberd and warhammer with fierce precision.
Chaaak, chaaak—
Bang! Kwaaang!!
The heads of the sea creatures shattered, brains splattering, limbs severed, fountains of blood erupting.
Craak!
Something that emerged from the white earth bit her thigh.
Agonizing pain.
Yet Hela struck down with her warhammer without flinching.
Craak!
The creature perished.
Had it bled too much? Or was it poisoned by the sea creatures’ toxins?
Her body wobbled as if about to collapse, but…
“Your Majesty,”
“Do not fuss. I am still fine.”
A guard hurried to support her, but Hela raised her hand to stop him.
She could not show weakness here.
War was a battle of morale. One moment of weakness could plummet the spirits of her troops.
The sea creatures would detect it instantly and rage even more.
‘I’m fine… still!!’
Hela gritted her teeth, regaining her balance with the warhammer as a staff.
Fire erupted from her eyes.
And from her, formidable combat aura radiated once more.
The guard watching her was visibly moved.
“What’s the state of the battle?”
Surveying the area, it was difficult to gauge the battlefield. They had gone far too deep.
“We’ve managed to pull the enemies away from the fortress! Most of the threatening flying sea creatures were intercepted, making the drive successful! Control over the Sea Kings was also easier…!”
Hela nodded at each report. Things were unfolding as intended.
“The royal court mage you brought is extraordinary. All the officers are amazed. Where did you find someone like that?”
Hela smiled lightly.
Where did she…? She knew nothing about Lee Hyun, only that he was a guest from afar.
She didn’t even know what his face looked like under the mask.
‘He might not even be a real mage.’
But it didn’t matter. If escape from this world succeeded…
‘Is the teleportation spell ready?’
Hela glanced at the fortress barely visible.
Though the castle itself was hidden, waves of light spread wide, and behind it, the space shimmered like a mirage.
That must be where the [Gate] would open.
‘They said it takes a while, but hurry as much as possible… our stamina isn’t limitless.’
Suppressing her fatigue, Hela gripped the warhammer tightly and shouted with her remaining strength:
“Just a bit more! Push them back a little further!!”
Her mission: keep the sea creatures as far from the soon-to-open [Gate] as possible.
She could not afford to let her guard down.
Charging at another Sea King in sight:
“Protect the Queen!”
“Prevent the Sea Creatures from approaching the fortress!”
“Set them ablaze! Cut all the beanstalks!!”
The dungeon giants, fatigued but inspired by their leader, pushed forward with renewed strength.
Then—
Thud! Thud! Thud…!!
A tremendous rumble from the Black Sea.
‘…What is this power!?’
The beanstalk shook violently, visible to the naked eye.
Hela’s gaze snapped toward it.
Though she had fought countless types of Sea Kings, she had never seen such overwhelming force.
‘The sea creatures are trembling…?’
Before she could comprehend it,
Fwaaah!
Something pierced through the mists of the White Sea, landing among the sea creatures.
KWAAAANG!!
“…!”
“…!”
“…!!”
The dungeon giants stared in shock.
An enormous figure, at least 40 meters tall, with a massive body and a wrinkled jaw.
It resembled a giant lizard crawling on the ground, yet its skin was covered with the horrific faces of entangled sea creatures.
Hundreds of sea creatures and Sea Kings combined into this monstrous form.
‘What… is that?’
[A hidden new form of boss monster has appeared!]
The impact of its landing created a crater, crushing hundreds of sea creatures.
Even then, they dared not look it in the eye, heads bowed as if looking would mean certain death.
Shivers ran down their spines.
‘The owner of the Nimbus Cloud has appeared… they must be here…?’
Shockingly, it could even speak. Unlike the ordinary Sea Kings, this one had high intelligence.
Slow movements, but eyes sweeping the battlefield with razor-sharp precision.
‘No! That voice…!’
“Demon King!!”
Hela’s eyes blazed.
The Demon King of the perverted Sea King turned its crescent-shaped eyes toward her.
‘Oh, what’s this? My daughter. My disciple. Isn’t that Hela?’
“Who… are you calling your daughter?”
Anger leaked from Hela’s tightly clenched lips.
But it merely smiled.
‘You know, don’t you? I become one with those I devour. Your father was eaten by me as well, so what’s the problem?’
“…!!”
Hela’s eyes turned blood red.
The final voice she heard was that of her deceased father.
‘Haha. The knife you lodged into my heart was so deep that it was difficult to remove. Only now can I send my consciousness outside.’
She gripped her warhammer tightly.
‘Still, it’s refreshing to breathe outside air after so long.’
The Demon King spoke with the warm tone of her father, then shifted the topic:
‘By the way, daughter, it seems the owner of the Nimbus Cloud has appeared. Do you know where?’
‘He must not meet Pater. If interrupted now, everything is over.’
Hela tried to block the Sea King with a resolute expression.
Flash!!
[A new gate leading outside has opened!]
A beam of light descended from above the fortress sky, and the [Gate] to another world began to open, pushing space as if distorting it.
Beyond it, dense forests rarely seen in <Jack and the Beanstalk> stretched endlessly.
‘There it is… trying to clear this dungeon, were they?’
The Sea King moved with a sinister grin.
“The warrior corps, block it—”
Fwaaah!
At that moment, Lee Hyun appeared before Hela in a flash, his platinum coat fluttering.
“Run.”
“…!”
“Hurry.”
Hela didn’t say anything else. She bit her lip and shouted:
“Warrior corps, head for the [Gate]! Before it closes!!”
“…!!”
“Follow the Queen!”
“Carry the wounded! Ignore the Sea Creatures and run!! Quickly!!”
“Ruuuun!!”
The dungeon giants pushed the sea creatures aside and charged toward Utgard Castle.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
‘Haha. Utgard’s great warriors, showing such pathetic backs while the enemy is ahead… I must educate them again.’
The lizard-like Sea King’s vertical pupils narrowed, preparing to strike as a hunter.
Crackle!!
A bolt of lightning blocked its path.
“Demon King Du (斗), that’s enough.”
‘You carry the scent of the youngest one? Indeed, awakened. But I also smell Ryeo and Mae… Have they passed everything to him? Fascinating child.’
Lee Hyun said calmly:
“I anticipated your appearance. The Nimbus Cloud has already been reclaimed by me, the rightful successor. The Great Saints should have just arrived at the seal site to release your confinement.”
‘Oh, really? So your brothers have come?’
The Sea King turned fully toward Lee Hyun, grinning.
Chilling yet strangely satisfying.
Yet, Lee Hyun felt uneasy, a different sensation from meeting the Demon Lord or the Wuyong King for the first time.
“Yes. You may now summon the sea creatures. Neither Raphael nor any other celestial being can intervene here.”
Back then, he felt relieved; now, it felt ominous.
“Then come with us without worry.”
‘Very well.’
The Demon King nodded, then tilted his head.
‘So?’
“…!!”
[Legacy, ‘Day Goblin Dance’ activated!]
Lee Hyun instinctively leapt back, tracing the trajectory of brilliance.
KWAANG!!
The Sea King’s jaw landed precisely where he had been.
‘Indeed, the youngest disciple is perceptive.’
Beneath the demonic mask, Lee Hyun’s eyes hardened.
“You… intended this from the start.”
[The Great Demon King of the Northern Sea is now deeply tainted by strong malice!]
[The Great Demon King perceives you as prey.]
“Even speaking of a savior before being sealed was just to fully claim the Nimbus Cloud, wasn’t it?”
‘So perceptive. Difficult to deal with.’
The Sea King slowly raised its head.
‘Yes. Sorry, youngest disciple. You must also become one with me. For me to survive… I desperately need the Nimbus Cloud.’
The malice of the Demon King gleamed in the Sea King’s eyes.
