Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 368 – Craspio vs. Lee Han-Yeol (4)

“Mavros! Damn it!”

He might have reached his second form, but he was still easily thrown back by a single attack from Craspio.

'How are we supposed to win?'

Han-Yeol felt nervous. He had anticipated Craspio's strength, but hadn't expected it to be this overwhelming.

'Why does my luck always fail me with monsters?' he cursed his rotten luck.

He had handled defeating powerful monsters like the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva before, which marked the beginning of his misfortune.

But what could he do? All he could do was his best.

'Well, I guess if everything else fails, we'll have to run... Mariam!'

[Yes, Han-Yeol-nim?]

'I think it'll be tough for Nagoya to hold. Evacuate civilians to the east and north. I have a feeling the battle against Craspio won't be easy, and if they stay here, all survivors might get caught in the crossfire and perish.'

Han-Yeol was the strongest human alive, yet hearing him say something like this was devastating news. Why? Because if Han-Yeol failed to stop Craspio, there'd be no hope left for the world.

'Hurry!'

[Y-Yes, Han-Yeol-nim.]

Mariam gritted her teeth and once again used telepathy to instruct civilians to evacuate toward the north and east as Han-Yeol had suggested.

The Black Orcs were still gathered to the north of the city, so evacuating civilians eastward was imperative before they could proceed further.

[L-Let's pick up the pace!]

[Another evacuation...?]

[Has heaven forsaken our country?!]

The city's residents despaired at the news but hurriedly packed their belongings, preparing to evacuate eastward.

Though the evacuation began promptly after Han-Yeol's command, it wasn't as simple as it might seem, considering the city housed over a million people. To be precise, two thousand perished in the earthquake, leaving 1,198,000 still in the city. Evacuating this vast number wasn't an easy task.

Bam!

'Keuk!'

"Argh!"

Meanwhile, Han-Yeol and Tayarana did their utmost to keep Craspio occupied while the evacuation was in progress. Unfortunately, the monster proved to be overwhelmingly strong.

“Kiiiieeeeng!”

Each of Craspio's cries released shockwaves that triggered special attacks.

Krwaaaang!

“Avoid it! Tara!”

“Euk!”

Craspio’s vibration waves twisted space itself. Tayarana narrowly avoided the attack but couldn't evade it completely, the attack grazing her wing.

“Kyak!”

“Tara!”

Craspio's attack was so unpredictable that even Tayarana, with her extremely fast reflexes, failed to react in time, resulting in her wing being caught. The Horus Suit heavily relied on its wings for flight, causing her to struggle to maintain balance mid-air.

Whoosh! Tak!

Han-Yeol, mounted on Mavros but utilizing his own wings, swiftly reacted and caught her. A crash from this height would have caused severe injuries. He then retrieved a mana stone and used Enhance on her.

Woooong!

The Horus Suit absorbed the mana, self-repairing the damaged part of its wing. This ability didn't belong to Han-Yeol; it was the unique property of the jewel embedded in the center of Tayarana's Horus Helmet. The jewel possessed an overpowered ability to repair other artifacts.

‘Wow... Tayarana is already strong, but her overpowered artifacts make her even more formidable... She could have been the protagonist if I wasn’t around...’ Han-Yeol thought.

“E-Excuse me...” Tayarana muttered, her face flushed red for some reason.

“W-What happened, Tara? Did you get hurt somewhere? Why is your face so red?” Han-Yeol asked, concerned that she might have been injured in the attack.

He leaned closer to examine her, but her face reddened further.

“C-Can you let go of me?”

“A-Ah! Of course!”

It was only then that he realized and understood what was causing her embarrassment. He tried to conceal his own reddened face as he released her.

“S-Sorry...”

“It’s... alright...”

“...”

Despite the awkwardness between them, they couldn't afford such luxuries at this moment.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

[Master, I apologize for interrupting your moment, but could you assist me here?] Mavros's tone wasn't urgent, but his SOS call was evident.

Boom!

“Kieeeeng!”

Mavros engaged in a one-on-one duel with Craspio. Despite advancing to his second form, his opponent was a monster far stronger than anything in the first dimension.

Bam!

Craspio's gigantic fist struck Mavros.

[Ack!]

“Mavros!”

Han-Yeol and Tayarana swiftly flew toward him.

Chwak! Chwak!

They attacked Craspio to divert its attention from Mavros.

“Kieeeeng!”

Fortunately, the monster didn't land a finishing blow on Mavros, redirecting its focus toward Tayarana and Han-Yeol.

‘Damn it...’

“Tara! Dodge!”

“Argh!”

Boom!

However, what Craspio did caught them off guard. It attacked suddenly, without any indication, nearly catching them unprepared.

Craspio could unleash its ability without opening its jaws, creating a magic circle to shoot out vibration waves.

Shwiiing... Boom!

Thankfully, they narrowly avoided the monster's surprise attack. Yet, the impact of the vibration waves created a colossal crater in the area they landed.

‘We're finished if that hits us!’ Han-Yeol inwardly exclaimed, surveying the crater.

Craspio was massive, swift, and powerful. Adding this overpowered ability to freely shoot out vibration waves made it seem unbeatable.

‘This is maddening... How can we face this creature with just the three of us?’ Han-Yeol had to admit the daunting challenge of this raid.

It was then.

Tak! Tak!

[Power Slash!]

Kwachik!

“Kieng?!”

In an abrupt move, someone sprinted forth and swung an ax at the monster's neck. The strike didn't inflict substantial damage, yet it caused Craspio to grimace.

But that was far from the conclusion.

Whiiish! Puuuk!

“Kieng!”

Suddenly, another assailant lunged at Craspio, managing to pierce through the monster's tough skin.

Chwak! Chwak!

Then, a third combatant appeared seemingly out of thin air, viciously clawing at the beast. The sudden barrage of attacks disoriented Craspio momentarily.

[Ha! You foul creature!]

[Yes, indeed, it's repugnant.]

[Hoho! Finally, an opponent I can engage without restraint! It's been so long!]

These formidable fighters were none other than the three mightiest warriors from the Bastro Dimension: Riru, Kandir, and Taichin.

Chwaaaak! Pukeok!

There was one more.

[I'm also present!]

It was Han-Yeol’s chain-swinging comrade, the Oxen Warrior, Camelot.

“You guys... What about the Black Orcs?” Han-Yeol was moved by their sudden appearance, but he recalled the Black Orcs besieging the city.

Despite the touching reunion to fight together, his abrupt question about the orcs shattered the mood. However, they all understood his concern and saw it as his way of expressing care.

[The Black Orcs have withdrawn three kilometers from the city and show no signs of attacking. They've likely realized they stand no chance against us. Moreover, the arrival of this big fella probably scared them off from coming anywhere near this place.]

The one responding to Han-Yeol’s inquiry was his most devoted subject, Kandir.

Be it now or in the past, Kandir remained the most loyal among the three.

***

Kandir was right. The Black Orcs did not dare attack Nagoya after Craspio emerged.

“Chwik! Chwiiik!”

[W-We will retreat for now and observe the situation!]

[Understood, commander!]

Bwooooo!

The horn blared, signaling the retreat immediately after the Black Orc Commander issued the order to withdraw. The Black Orcs swiftly retreated even farther, gripped by fear of the indomitable Bastro Warriors, who seemed impervious no matter what actions the orcs took.

“Chwik!”

“Chwiiik!”

“Chwik! Chwik! Chwik!”

The Gurkha raid party members finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew... We can finally catch a break...”

“Yeah, I’m exhausted...”

There were no fatalities this time, showcasing the vast power gap between the Bastro Warriors and the Black Orcs.

Han-Yeol's healing abilities had been pivotal in safeguarding the raid party and averting casualties. However, his assistance ceased following Craspio's emergence. Despite this, the Gurkha raid party shifted to supporting the Bastro Warriors from the rear, minimizing their losses and preventing any fatalities, even in Han-Yeol's absence.

Nevertheless, the prolonged siege by the Black Orcs had taken a toll on their mental stamina. The Gurkha raid party sought immediate refuge at a secure location to recuperate.

"I'm utterly exhausted..."

"I could really use a bottle of Bacchus..."

Bacchus had become the preferred energy drink among the Gurkha raid party members after they developed a liking for it upon their arrival in South Korea.

***

“We can’t face people if we all fail to defeat a single monster, can we? It’s time to unleash our full strength!” Han-Yeol exclaimed.

“Agreed,” Tayarana replied, nodding in affirmation.

Clang!

[As you wish, Han-Yeol-nim.]

[Yes yes! Ah, this feels just like the old times.]

[Hoho~ This sounds fun!]

[Bwahahaha!]

Kandir bowed in response, Riru smiled with a nostalgic air, and Camelot burst into laughter. However, Taichin's response differed as she had no obligation to obey Han-Yeol’s commands. Though suspecting Han-Yeol to be Harkan, she held a unique position as a Feline Warrior and the Lord of the Felines.

Han-Yeol, or rather Harkan, belonged to the canine race, which historically stood at odds with the felines. Taichin had a tendency to resist following Harkan’s orders, even after he ascended as the Dimension Lord. It seemed ironic for her to comply with Han-Yeol's directives, especially considering he was the reincarnation of the weaker version of Harkan.

However, her cooperation and adherence to his commands stemmed solely from his assistance to the feline community. Taichin firmly believed that the human known as Han-Yeol held the key to saving the Bastro Dimension—a viewpoint distinct from the average Bastro Warrior's perspective.

‘That human must swiftly grow stronger... It’s the only way to reclaim our home from the hyenas...’

Taichin, one of the most astute scholars in the Bastro Dimension, relied on her intelligence, identifying him as their sole beacon of hope.

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