Multiversal Ascension-Chapter 64: Against the Kraken - Second Round!

Two more slashes followed, and the tentacle finally detached, falling lifelessly into the water, staining it red. Without hesitation, Mikael moved on, cutting down a second tentacle using the same method.

The other tentacles quickly reacted, sensing the loss of their companions. Although it seemed as if it had taken a long time, the entire exchange had only lasted a few seconds due to Mikael's supersonic speed. Enraged by the loss of three of its appendages, the Kraken began thrashing its remaining tentacles wildly, targeting the supposed source\ of its pain, the big floating object.

The enormous appendages slammed into the ship with deafening crashes, causing significant damage with every impact. Despite their soft texture, the sheer size of the tentacles made them incredibly heavy, and their weight alone was enough to cause considerable destruction.

Mikael didn't pause for a moment. He severed the fourth tentacle with precision, though it took slightly longer than before, as the tentacle was now thrashing and more difficult to target. He quickly followed up by cutting down the fifth and sixth tentacles. One by one, eight tentacles fell, leaving only twelve remaining.

Realizing that the Kraken changed its strategy, Mikael noticed all the surviving tentacles and even the dead ones submerging themselves back into the water.

As the Kraken retreated, Mikael quickly glanced around the ship and winced at the sight. The damage was severe—most of the sailors on the main deck had been killed, crushed under the attacking tentacles. The ship itself was in bad shape. One of the three masts had fallen, and the main deck was in disarray. The hull had sustained several small holes, and water was pouring in. If nothing was done, the ship would inevitably sink.

His eyes scanned the area until he spotted the vice captain, hiding nearby. He appeared before him in the blink of an eye, his high-speed movement making it seem as though he had teleported.

The vice captain, startled by Mikael's sudden appearance, opened his mouth to ask what was happening. Just moments ago, the Kraken's tentacles had been wreaking havoc, causing catastrophic damage. Now, in an instant, the tentacles had vanished, and Mikael was standing before him.

Before he could speak, Mikael cut him off. "There are holes in the hull, and water is already flooding the ship. I need you to take command and have the crew seal the breaches, or at least slow the water's progress. I'll handle the Kraken and return to help afterward."

With that, Mikael wasted no time and dove into the dark water.

"Kraken? What's that?" the vice captain muttered under his breath before shaking his head. He sighed and got to work, rallying the crew who had taken shelter on the lower deck. Most were unarmed, having been in enclosed spaces out of the Kraken's reach. Ruimis quickly divided the crew into two groups. The smaller group was tasked with moving the injured from the main deck to the infirmary below, while the larger group spread out across the ship, either sealing the breaches or, if that wasn't possible, slowing the water's infiltration.

Meanwhile, as Mikael dove into the water, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim depths. The sight below the ship made him grimace. 'What an ugly bastard,' he thought. The Kraken loomed beneath, an enormous monstrosity spanning dozens of meters. Its squid-like head bore piercing orange eyes that were now fixed on him. Instead of a traditional mouth, twenty writhing tentacles extended from its face, each connected to a maw lined with rows of sharp, jagged teeth.

What made the situation even worse was that the eight tentacles he had previously severed were still in the water and already beginning to regenerate.

For a few tense seconds, the two adversaries locked eyes. Then, the Kraken made its move. Its massive tentacles lashed out with incredible speed, aiming directly at Mikael. Though he managed to dodge by propelling himself with explosive bursts of fire mana, the water slowed his movements while amplifying the Kraken's attacks speed as it was in its natural habitat, making his evasions more taxing.

Mikael weaved through the onslaught of writhing appendages, counterattacking whenever he saw an opening. This time, he approached the battle with greater caution. Unlike before, he was no longer racing against the Kraken's relentless assault on the ship. His strikes became methodical, and as his swords danced through the water, the number of active tentacles steadily decreased.

After cutting down yet another appendage taking the number of surviving tentacles to five, Mikael suddenly felt a powerful presence behind him. Turning sharply, he saw an enormous tentacle speeding toward him. With no time to fully evade, he crossed his swords in front of him and braced himself. The impact struck like a battering ram, sending him hurtling through the water.

As he tumbled backward, he sensed another attack closing in from backward. Without hesitation, he unleashed an explosion of energy at his head, propelling himself downward. A massive shadow swept above him, narrowly missing. Seizing the moment, Mikael retaliated, slashing upward with both swords. Blood spurted from the tentacle, but his expression darkened.

The reason? His strike barely made a dent. Unlike the smaller tentacles, this one was far tougher, resisting his attacks with alarming durability. Retreating to reassess, Mikael surveyed the battlefield.

Several lifeless tentacles floated in the water, but to his frustration, the number of active ones had increased again, rising from five to eight. The situation worsened as he noticed two new tentacles joining the fray. These were far larger than the others, nearly ten meters wide compared to the usual four, and they exuded a menacing aura.

'These main tentacles are a problem,' Mikael thought, his gaze shifting to the Kraken's immense head below. He briefly considered attacking its core, but one of the massive tentacles was guarding it. 'I need to cut down all the tentacles before I can go for the kill. With those two giants in the way, it'll be nearly impossible to attack its head directly. I have to clear the field first.'

Resolving to eliminate the smaller tentacles before focusing on the main ones, Mikael surged forward. As he closed in, the tentacles lashed out in unison, forcing him into a relentless dance of evasion and counterattacks. He concentrated on dispatching the smaller ones while skillfully avoiding the devastating strikes of the only colossal tentacles that was attacking him, the other focused on defending its head.

Minutes passed in this grueling rhythm. The Kraken's larger tentacle slammed toward him repeatedly, but Mikael's agility and precision kept him just out of its reach. One by one, the smaller tentacles fell, leaving only the two main appendages. Knowing he had a brief window before the others regenerated, Mikael concentrated himself.

He poured an immense amount of aura into his swords, far more than he typically used, fully aware that anything less would be futile against the colossal tentacles before him. 'This has to work,' he thought, bracing himself for the challenge ahead. This confrontation would undoubtedly be far tougher than his earlier battle against the smaller tentacles.

He gripped his swords tightly and rushed toward the colossal tentacle that wasn't guarding the Kraken's head. As the tentacle struck, Mikael dodged beneath it, using the momentum to deliver a slash with his swords, now sharper than ever.

The cut was deep, but on a tentacle over ten meters wide, even a one-meter wound seemed insignificant. The Kraken retaliated instantly, swinging the massive appendage back to crush Mikael, who narrowly evaded with his smaller, more agile frame.

As he dodged, the first tentacle performed an encircling motion, aiming to trap him. Recognizing the danger, Mikael propelled himself out of harm's way with a burst of explosive force. However, just as he escaped, the second colossal tentacle, previously acting defensively, surged forward, joining its counterpart in surrounding him. The two massive appendages created an impenetrable cage, leaving Mikael no room to escape.

Inwardly cursing, Mikael realized how dire the situation had become. The stakes grew even higher when the tentacles' suckers, previously harmless, sprouted rows of razor-sharp teeth. The Kraken, sensing that its prey was finally cornered, gleefully began contracting the space, aiming to devour him.

'Damn it,' Mikael thought, sweat dripping down his face as his mind raced. He knew that even with his enhanced durability, those teeth would tear him apart. He had mere fractions of a second to act.

Chained Sword Style – 1st Form: Blade Tempest

Channeling every ounce of his strength, Mikael unleashed a whirlwind of attacks. Enhanced by his Explosive Style, the strikes concentrated on a single point, carving a small hole in the encroaching wall of flesh. Without hesitation, he detonated an explosion behind him, propelling himself through the gap.

In a blur, Mikael escaped the deadly trap, but not without cost. As he darted through the opening, the razor-sharp teeth grazed him, leaving a bloody hole in his left shoulder and right side. He emerged just as the two colossal tentacles fully collapsed the space where he'd been moments earlier, ensuring his certain death had he remained.

Gritting his teeth against the pain and fear of what could have been, Mikael didn't allow himself a moment to falter. Immediately, he launched another Blade Tempest against the colossal tentacles, slicing through their thick flesh. Cuts began to appear across their massive forms, but Mikael knew it wasn't enough. 'Faster,' he urged himself, pushing his body to its limits.

The tentacles, enraged by the mounting injuries, switched tactics and attacked him with renewed ferocity. However, Mikael, now hyper-aware of the danger, refused to be trapped again. He continued to weave through their strikes, his relentless Blade Tempest carving more wounds into the colossal limbs.

Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity. Occasionally, smaller tentacles regenerated and rejoined the battle, but Mikael swiftly dispatched them without losing focus on his primary targets.

Finally, one of the colossal tentacles collapsed, lifeless. Mikael's eyes narrowed. He knew he had only a short window to eliminate the second one before the first could regenerate. Pushing himself harder than ever, he combined Blade Tempest with his Explosive Style, driving his battered body to the brink. His arms throbbed with pain as his overstrained muscles tore, blood dripping from self-inflicted injuries.

The relentless assault paid off. After several more minutes of high-intensity combat, the second colossal tentacle fell. Mikael glanced at the first one and saw that it was already beginning to heal. He estimated he had less than two minutes before it rejoined the fight.

Turning his gaze to the Kraken's massive form, his eyes were cold with determination. The creature, sensing the threat to its life, began a swift retreat into the depths of the ocean.

'Not on my watch,' Mikael thought as he launched himself toward the Kraken, leaving a trail of blood behind him from his injuries. The Kraken, sensing what it thought was prey but realizing too late it was facing a predator, panicked and increased its efforts to flee.

Even at full strength, the Kraken would have been slower than Mikael. Without its tentacles, it was utterly defenseless. Mikael closed the distance swiftly, unleashing Blade Tempest as he reached the Kraken's head. Multiple deep cuts appeared across its massive form.

The Kraken let out a silent, desperate roar, but without its tentacles, it was powerless—a tiger without teeth. As Mikael's relentless assault continued, the creature's injuries accumulated rapidly. A few of its smaller tentacles regenerated during the fight, but they were effortlessly severed by Mikael.

In a desperate bid for survival, the Kraken tried retreating into the depths, hoping the increasing water pressure would protect it. To some extent, it worked. Mikael's attacks lost some of their force, but he didn't relent. The damage continued to mount as he pushed through the strain.

Two minutes passed, and the Kraken was still alive, its immense size hindered Mikael from delivering a decisive blow. The first colossal tentacle, now fully regenerated, lashed out in an attempt to crush him. Mikael dodged it with ease, the Kraken's injuries making its movements sluggish and predictable.

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