Heir Of The Supreme
Chapter 60: Underground Odyssey (5)

Chapter 60: Underground Odyssey (5)

Fishing.

It was a pastime that bridged the gap between leisure and necessity. Many found peace in the rhythmic cast of a line, the gentle lapping of water against the shore, and the patient wait for a bite.

Others, however, relied on it as a means to fill their stomachs or line their pockets.

Yet, in this world, fishing was not without its risks.

Oceans remained treacherous, their depths teeming with Unknowns that crawled their way into the world through tears.

While killing Unknowns on solid ground was still possible, the Ocean was their territory.

However, this didn’t mean freshwater lakes and rivers are entirely safe either.

Though the creatures dwelling within them were typically weaker Rank-1 fish-like magical beasts, they still posed a significant danger to normal humans.

Most were equivalent in power to Goblin-class threats or lower, manageable with the right equipment and a steady hand.

Such creatures were a formidable challenge for the average person armed with a mana-powered blaster.

But for those trained in combat and survival, they were little more than obstacles.

Blaine Lionheart happened to be one such individual.

Having honed his skills from a young age, he had mastered many techniques necessary for survival in the wilderness. Fishing had become second nature to him, another craft woven seamlessly into his extensive repertoire. At this point, the rod was no different than a blade, an extension of himself, a tool of precision and control.

However, there were times when his skill became almost... Too effective.

Over the years, Blaine had reeled in some genuinely bizarre catches—some amusing, others utterly horrifying. Those who had accompanied him on these excursions often found themselves caught between awe and sheer terror.

This was one such moment.

Cecelia’s eye twitched as she stood frozen in disbelief.

Fishing in rapid currents was already a daunting challenge. The water was wild and unpredictable, making the act of luring in prey a battle against nature itself. But somehow, some way, Blaine had managed to do the impossible... He had fished up an Unknown.

Cecelia didn’t even want to try to understand the logic behind that

A towering, grotesque beast, easily dwarfing Blaine in size, writhed before them. Its dark, glistening body seemed to pulse with unnatural energy, nine gleaming eyes locking onto them with unrestrained hunger.

Surely... This was a joke.

Instead of securing a meal, they had effectively put themselves on the menu.

A guttural growl rumbled from the creature’s maw, its elongated limbs coiling in anticipation. It was starving. Just as the two adolescents struggled to find food, so did this monster. The lack of prey in the underground depths had left it famished and desperate.

A second passed as it studied the youths with ravenous hunger. Then another.

...And then it finally lunged.

The force of its launch shattered the rocky ground beneath it, sending shards of stone flying. It moved with terrifying speed, closing the distance in an instant. Cecelia barely had time to register its movement, her breath hitching in her throat.

But Blaine was already in motion.

From the moment the creature had emerged, Blaine’s gaze had been locked onto it. He had been watching, analyzing—reading every minute twitch of its muscles, every subtle shift in its stance.

That’s why, the instant it attacked he was already prepared to react.

Pivoting on his heel, he twisted his lithe body with practiced fluidity, narrowly slipping past the creature’s dagger-like claws. The air whistled as they sliced through the space he had occupied mere milliseconds before.

And then... Blaine utilized this momentary opening to counter-attack.

In one swift motion, he channelled his mana into his Rank-3 artifact dagger and drove the weapon into the creature’s outstretched arm. As the blade sank in, a thick, viscous purple liquid coated its surface.

The Unknown screeched, its nine eyes flashing with agony. It recoiled, its injured limb jerking away in reflex. Yet even as it writhed, its fury did not wane.

It twisted toward Blaine with a snarl, pure malice burning in its gaze.

Blaine, however, was already moving. He relinquished his grip on the dagger, letting it remain embedded in the creature’s rubbery flesh. Darting to the side, he slipped just beyond the reach of its uninjured arm, keeping himself within striking range but out of immediate danger.

It didn’t help that two of the creature’s four arms were far too tiny to attack with, being glorified vestigial structures at best.

However the main factor for their current stalemate was the boy himself.

The Unknown lashed out wildly, but Blaine was a ghost, weaving between its attacks with near supernatural grace. It was as if he could see the future, anticipating every move before it even happened.

But there was something the creature had failed to notice.

Not only was Blaine reading its movements, but with each attack, its swings were growing sloppier. Slower. More sluggish.

Snarling, the Unknown swung its wounded limb in a last-ditch attempt to strike the youth down.

Blaine’s eyes narrowed. He bent backward at an impossible angle at the last possible second as the clawed limb whistled harmlessly past his face.

And in that brief moment, he reached out.

His fingertips brushed the hilt of the dagger still lodged in the creature’s arm. A surge of mana pulsed from his palm, flooding into the weapon in a concentrated burst.

Still, he left the blade where it was. There was no need to retrieve it... At least not yet.

As the battle raged on, Cecelia watched with wide eyes. Her fingers tightened around the Power Analyzer, her only means of possibly contributing to the fight.

She needed to know what they were dealing with and then relay that information to Blaine.

Perhaps then he’d have a better idea of what to expect.

Lifting the device, she pointed it toward the Unknown, waiting for the readings to stabilize.

However, she froze as she glanced at the device in her hands.

The numbers flickered wildly, unable to stabilize. The readings jumped from one extreme to another, erratic and nonsensical.

Her heart pounded as a dreadful realization settled over her.

The device was malfunctioning.

Given that the device was still a prototype, it was understandable that it would have some bugs to fix.

However, there was also another option...

The device had broken.

Given the rough treatment it had endured, it was understandable if the device failed her at this point.

Still, Cecelia prayed that wasn’t the case.

She had no way of repairing it out in the middle of nowhere.

She bit her lip, adjusting the device’s angle in a desperate attempt to get an accurate reading. Finally, after several adjustments, the display stabilized, but coincidentally, it was only when she aimed it away from Blaine.

Cecelia, however, was too fixated on the creature and the device in her hand to notice this key detail.

Looking up, she saw Blaine still locked in combat, his every movement calculated, his every action executed with razor-sharp precision.

But he was barely holding on.

Every step he took was a gamble, every dodge a narrow escape. He was surviving through sheer skill and instinct, treading the line between life and death with no margin for error.

It was the equivalent of walking a tightrope over an abyss with no safety net.

A dance with death itself.

Evidently, her guard needed every advantage, even if it was only something as minor as this.

"...It’s a Rank-2 Goblin," Cecelia finally announced, her voice tense.

Blaine, mid-dodge, nodded. He had already suspected as much. After all, they had encountered similar creatures just days ago when they left Redpine City.

He had already slain plenty of this monster’s kin.

It was only right that he sent this new one to join them.

Even if it was only in death.