Chapter 4: I Became Hoaquin (4)
"Uaaaaaaahhh!"
Together with the Ball, I was swallowed whole into Barracuda's mouth.
The beast thrashed violently, its jaws clashing as it tried to chew me apart.
All I could do was cling desperately to the sword lodged in the Ball and hold on with all my strength.
What now? What should I do?
The test was to destroy the Ball—so maybe if I break it, Headon will come to save me?
No, judging by that sly bastard's personality, he'd probably grin and say,
"The test is only complete once you destroy the Ball and escape alive."
I couldn't trust him at all.
Still, first thing's first—I needed to burst that Ball…!
Crack.
Ha-ha… nothing ever goes right, does it?
A moment ago it was stuck like Excalibur in stone,
but now—of all times—it just slipped free.
In an instant, my body was sucked toward Barracuda's throat.
I couldn't afford to become its snack, so I plunged the sword into the roof of its mouth and hung from it with all my strength.
The creature didn't even seem to feel pain.
It just thrashed harder, smashing its head around, trying to shake me off.
Unlike the white armored eel, it didn't spit me out—
it was far more ferocious, far more monstrous.
There was no way to win by just holding on.
If I stayed like this, I'd either tire out and slide into its belly, or get crushed between those teeth.
I had to attack.
But how?
Even if I swung the sword inside its mouth, I'd be crushed before I could land a proper hit.
It was shaking so violently that even getting close to the Ball was impossible.
I needed a way to strike from inside…
"…Ah!"
Right—this was inside Barracuda's body.
As the thought hit me, an idea flashed in my mind like a lightbulb.
It was… unpleasant, to say the least.
But if I wanted to live, I had to do it.
I took a deep breath and yanked the sword free from the roof of its mouth.
Please, let this work.
Immediately, I was sucked down its throat.
Perfect.
Its massive size meant its gullet was large enough for several adults to fit through, so I quickly reinforced my legs with Shinsu and dove deeper into its stomach.
It was dark—pitch black—yet, somehow, I could still see.
Apparently the Arie Family had excellent night vision.
The deeper I went, the more of that strange liquid filled the stomach.
Was that… digestive fluid?
I needed to hurry.
"This should be far enough."
I jammed the sword into the flesh and fixed it in place—probably near the esophagus.
Barracuda must have sensed I was still alive, because its entire body convulsed in rage.
Good. Stay angry.
The more it raged, the more damage it did to itself.
One hand held the sword for stability, the other pressed against the inner wall of its throat.
The moment I touched it, I could feel the creature's Shinsu flow—wild, violent, surging like a flood.
So this was the most ferocious divine sea creature in the Tower…
The currents within it were insanely fast.
Next, I focused on the Shinsu within my own body.
Compared to Barracuda's, mine was calm—gentle.
This was going to be hard.
"Let's see… was it like this?"
I had no choice but to try.
Carefully, I began to accelerate my inner Shinsu,
bit by bit, making sure not to strain my body.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster!
Gradually, my Shinsu flow matched Barracuda's in speed.
That alone would count as Shinsu Body Reinforcement—but that wasn't my goal.
To succeed, I had to go beyond.
Far beyond Barracuda's speed.
Faster—faster—faster—faster!
I kept accelerating endlessly.
At first, the flow responded smoothly, but soon I hit a wall—it refused to go any faster.
Maybe I was being too cautious to avoid tearing my body apart…
But if I stayed careful, I'd die anyway.
I steadied my breathing and tried to accelerate again—still, no improvement.
This was the limit of what I could do safely.
So, there was no choice.
I had to break that limit.
Gulp—
The moment I forced it, I coughed up a mouthful of blood.
But there was no turning back now.
If I stopped, I'd die anyway.
Fine then.
Let's see who dies first—me or you, fish.
I clenched my teeth and drove the Shinsu harder.
Until now, I'd been lightly pressing the brakes—now I slammed the pedal to the floor.
It's like braking a car: if you do it gently, it's safe.
Do it all at once, and you might stop faster—
but you might also flip the car.
"Khkk—!"
I coughed up more blood, but the flow that had been blocked suddenly surged forward again.
The wall shattered.
The current within me skyrocketed, unstoppable.
Faster. Faster. Faster. Faster.
Even faster!
The Shinsu in my body now flowed at least twice as fast as Barracuda's—and still it kept accelerating.
My small body wasn't built for this, and I could feel blood pouring from my nose and mouth.
That was enough.
Any more, and I'd really die.
I pressed my hand once again to Barracuda's throat.
The flow that had seemed so fast before now felt sluggish.
I could read every current clearly.
Now all I had to do was this: Take the overwhelming, high-speed Shinsu running through my body
and pour it into Barracuda.
Barracuda wouldn't be able to handle it.
And in that instant, I'd break his internal flow, seize it, and make it mine.
It was a forbidden FUG technique—a secret art that weaponized the opponent's own Shinsu flow against them.
To accelerate one's own flow far beyond the opponent's, forcefully reverse the opponent's current from within, and then redirect the recoil through one's body to survive— destroying the target in the process.
Yes—what I was about to use was a FUG-exclusive technique.
Still gripping Barracuda's inner flesh, I unleashed my Shinsu into its body.
"Khhk! Kuhh… Flower… Dispersing… Strike!"
KWA-AAAAANG!
A crimson flower bloomed inside Barracuda's body.
The Flower Dispersing Strike—a destructive technique that disrupts and tears the opponent's insides apart.
Used from inside their body, its power would be exponentially greater.
KRRRRAAAAHHH—!
As expected, Barracuda spewed blood, its screams echoing with pure agony.
Its frenzied movements faltered; its strength was fading.
This was it—the moment I'd been waiting for.
Covered head to toe in its blood, I escaped through its mouth.
As I emerged, I saw the Ball—slick with red fluid, but intact.
KRAAAHH—!
Barracuda's blood-red eyes glared at me, but it couldn't even stand straight, staggering helplessly.
Seizing the chance, I rushed at the Ball and hammered it relentlessly with my sword.
After witnessing its ridiculous durability earlier, I didn't bother slashing— I reinforced the weapon with Shinsu and just kept pounding.
Even so, it only dented slightly—refusing to break.
What the hell is this thing made of?!
Why won't it break?!
Barracuda was regaining its balance, its eyes burning hotter than fire.
If I didn't destroy this Ball now, I'd end up as fish food.
"Just—break already!"
I shouted furiously, striking it over and over, but it still wouldn't burst.
Barracuda was already restoring its disrupted Shinsu flow, grinding its teeth, preparing to attack again.
I was so close—to die now would be unbearable.
No matter how hopeless, the only thing I could do was keep hitting it.
Pure despair.
—That's not how you use a sword.
"…What?"
A voice echoed in my head.
At the same moment, my arms moved on their own—
gripping the sword properly, shifting into a stance.
My body moved instinctively, and with it came a flood of knowledge— everything about the sword.
My arm lifted the blade high, my legs braced, and—
I swung down.
One single slash.
—Saja Ryeoljeok.
A brilliant white-and-blue light erupted from the sword, beautiful and fierce, and the indestructible Ball—was consumed, and vanished.
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