15: Shockwaves and Rest
As soon as the black octopus was slain, both Moon and Kai collapsed onto the wet ground. Neither lost consciousness, but their bodies were clearly drained. Their breathing was heavy, muscles sore, and spirits on the edge.
Suddenly, a system notification appeared in front of both of them.
> ✅ You have slain "Awakened Obscure Octopus"
🎖️ You have received 5 Fighter Essence Points
The same alert echoed in Kai's mind. Since both had contributed almost equally, the system rewarded them the same.
Right then, Kai's —Asphaleios Body—timed out.
> ⚠️ Your Asphaleios Body has timed out
➖ All stats and control returned to normal
A moment later, the massive chunk of water that had been hovering above suddenly crashed down. Kai instinctively moved, shielding Moon from the full impact as the water exploded around them like a small tsunami.
---
Three Minutes Earlier – On the Shore
Back on the shoreline, the other five hunters—James, Violet, Oliver, Lisa, and Nate—stood frozen in shock.
A colossal mass of water was floating mid-air above the lake, as if reality itself was bending. None of them could believe their eyes. These two guys were rookies—how could they possibly cause something like this?
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed from the center of the lake: the painful cries of a beast and the thunderous slap of its tentacles smashing.
They waited.
Then, the hovering water finally came crashing down, creating an enormous splash that soaked all five of them from head to toe. Still, none of them moved. They kept watching.
Slowly, the dark head of the massive octopus beast surfaced—dead, but terrifying. A cold silence spread through the group. For a second, they feared the worst.
"Did… did those two die?" someone whispered.
But just then, a figure appeared.
Dragging one of the beast's giant tentacles was a young man in a black tracksuit bottom, barely able to walk. Over his shoulder was another man in a blue tracksuit, completely unconscious.
It was Moon, carrying Kai.
As soon as they realized the truth, relief flooded the group. They broke into cheers, but those cheers faded quickly when they saw Kai's condition.
He wasn't moving. His breathing was shallow.
Everyone rushed forward to help.
Nate was the first to grab the same tentacle Moon was dragging. The others joined in, working together to pull the beast's corpse to shore.
Moon turned to Oliver. "Put this in your storage ring," he said with a faint voice.
No one questioned it. They simply helped Kai and Moon reach a large tree nearby and laid them both down under the shade.
Within seconds, Moon fell asleep. Kai was already half-unconscious.
The others sat nearby, completely overwhelmed. None of them could really process what had just happened. It had taken a heavy mental toll on all of them.
Nate opened his backpack and pulled out a small pouch filled with a special mixture that could keep essence creatures away. He spread it in a 30-meter radius, ensuring they'd be safe .
Soon, they too fell asleep.
---
Midnight Conversation
Around midnight, the five woke up again—but Kai and Moon were still deeply asleep.
They took turns guarding the area.
Oliver glanced at James. "You really think these two are just rookies? That strength, that speed… even a Fighter-level hunter doesn't have this kind of presence."
Violet jumped into the conversation. "Forget strength, did you see what Kai did? He lifted that entire water chunk into the air! I don't care what anyone says—I'm officially a Kai fan now."
Nate chuckled. "Yeah, Kai was insane… but don't forget about Moon. He wasn't any less impressive. Did you not see how many electric shocks he blasted at that octopus? Dude was ruthless."
Lisa smirked. "Forget their powers—did you see their bodies? Shredded… lean… perfect."
She gave a dreamy sigh, and Violet nodded in agreement.
The boys all groaned and slowly backed away from that conversation, deciding it was safer to stay alert instead.
---
Morning Light
By morning, Kai stirred awake first. A few minutes later, Moon slowly opened his eyes.
As soon as the others saw them awake, they rushed over with relieved smiles.
James quickly handed them clean clothes. Moon accepted without question. Kai, being Kai, inspected the fabric before finally putting his on.
Now dressed in plain white t-shirts and black pants, the two looked simple—but the battle aura still lingered on them.
Without wasting time, they began moving again. Their destination: the next human base.
Throughout the six-hour journey, they encountered a few minor creatures—but the five group members handled them easily. Kai and Moon didn't even have to lift a finger.
Finally, in the distance, a new base city came into view.
A large metallic sign read: HUMAN BASE #12072009
Kai looked up, eyes calm but thoughtful.
> "So this is our neighboring base," he said softly.
---
To Be Continued…