Chapter 84: Megaleledonidae

[... I don't even want to know how you guys hit 900 powerstones so quickly...]

"… Holy shit."

These were the only words Leonel could say. He had never seen such a scene in his lifetime. The sight was so shocking that he didn't even have the mind to pay attention to the stomach churning scent.

In that moment, the world seemed to slow to a crawl. Leonel's pupils flickered continuously, his mind running several calculations at once.

A split second later, he dropped into a low squat, jumping almost five meters into the air.

If someone was watching this scene, they would think he had lost his mind. Such a jumping height was indeed impressive in comparison to a normal human. More than impressive, in fact. It was simply inhuman.

However, it did him absolutely no good. What was five meters to a monster so large? Not to mention the fact… Leonel was jumping right toward it!

The resolution in Leonel's eyes didn't fade. Just when his body was about to lose its upward momentum, the sole of his right foot erupted with a bright green light, causing a square platform of just over a foot in length to appear.

Leonel's thigh bulged as small measures of Force erupted from his leg, sending him another over ten meters into the air.

His pupils constricted.

'I miscalculated. I didn't account for the fact these platforms could also increase my leaping ability. I'll reach that point 0.2 seconds faster than I calculated, but I'll also be able to save a platform jump.'

Leonel's gaze carried a steely coldness, a hidden blazing green light crouching behind like a lurking beast.

His body soared through a gap in the beast's tentacles, appearing above its falling form in a flash.

As expected, the creature hadn't reacted to him until it was too late. This was exactly why he hadn't used his Force for his first jump. This way, the creature wouldn't be able to lock onto him too soon.

However, what Leonel couldn't have imagined was that the moment he appeared 'above' the creature, he would be faced with a massive eye the size of his body, gazing at him with murderous intent.

One figure rising, the other descending.

For a moment, it seemed that time had stopped. A cold sweat matted Leonel's back. He felt that if this creature had a mental attack like the wererat… he really wouldn't be able to resist it this time.

BOOM! SKKKRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE

The beast landed on the ground, immediately launching several tentacles toward Leonel who was above its bulbous head.

Many years after this, Leonel would still cry tears about this battle. Even after so much time passed, he wouldn't know how he got so unlucky to have an octopus attack him on land.

That massive round head, those weird S-shaped eyes, those tentacles… After seeing the top of its body, it was undeniable.

Now, he was certain that this octopus's vision was only obscured before. He had taken a marine biology class in the past only because Aina took it. They had vision sharper than even humans. And, who knew what kind of mutations had appeared afterward. This creature's vision might very well be even better than the norm.

Leonel didn't have time to think anymore about it. He had thought of blinding it, but he completely gave up on the idea. Not only was it too dangerous, but it might not even be useful.

Normal octopuses had complex sensors on their tentacle suction cups. It was appropriate to assume that the senses of this octopus had evolved, or how else could it have accurately swatted a shuttle moving at 300 kilometers an hour with a single tentacle all while its vision was obscured? And, how else had it locked onto him again despite how far he had run away without activating his Force?

At that point, Leonel felt that he was incredibly lucky he had thought ahead enough to not use his Force on his initial jump.

'The tentacles of normal octopuses can touch and smell. These evolved tentacles can likely also sense Force. In that case...'

Leonel's left shoes glowed a bright green light before he leaped with all his might to the right.

His instantaneous speed was blinding. He left streaks in the air, barely managing to leap over the tentacle that was sweeping toward him. He had already calculated the longest reach of the octopus after it attacked the shuttle. He wouldn't forget such an important tidbit at such a time.

Leonel landed on the top of a dilapidated building, his feet sliding across its roof.

'58 second cool down on the right. We were ten minutes away from the Fort according to the shuttle. That's 50 kilometers. There's no way I can cross such a distance with this thing hounding me. It's destructive capability is too great and it isn't even hampered by speed with that insane jumping ability. Its agility is also covered thanks to its eight tentacles…

'… I need to kill it.'

Leonel's jaw clenched as he jumped from the building without hesitation.

SSSKKKRRRREEEEEEE

The building collapsed. Leonel had hardly leapt from it when the octopus flattened it to the ground. However, even it could not imagine that Leonel would actually jump back down toward it.

Leonel knew that running would put him at a disadvantage. His best chance to run was right after the shuttle had been destroyed when this thing had yet to lock onto him. But, who knew it would find him again so quickly?

If he tried to run now, he would fall victim to that jumping attack again. If he was unlucky enough to get caught before the cool down of his shoes ended, he would be finished.

This wasn't even the worst possibility. With how monstrous this thing was, knocking down buildings like they were houses of cards, Leonel just might get flattened to death just by its attempts at chasing him.

In that case, his best choice was to stay close to it.

"Can you scan this thing and tell me its power, abilities and weakness?" Leonel yelled as he fell from the top of the building toward the octopus.

He was shooting a shot in the dark. But, if this thing could scan a shuttle it didn't have in its database, and even potentially scan Zones, maybe it could do this too…?

Finally, it seemed someone was smiling down upon Leonel.

[ *Ping* Evolved marine life form detected. ]

[Kingdom: Animalia]

[Phylum: Mollusca]

[Class: Cephalopoda]

[Order: Octopoda]

[Superfamily: Octopodidae ]

[Family: Megaleledonidae]

[State: Evolved]

[ Abilities: … *Ping* Generating nomenclature… ]

[ Reinforced Suction Cups: Can alternate between softness and hardness. Can compress and explode with force, multiplying power several times. ]

[ Ultra Sensitive Tentacles: Has gained high grade Force talent. Can absorb Force through its numerous limbs. Sense similar to Internal Sight maturing from tentacles. Still in its infancy stages. ]

[ Weakness: Head ]

[ Evaluating power… *Ping* ]

[ Evolution Stage: Peak Tier 7 Black ]

Leonel landed heavily on the ground, Aina's ax being tightly held by his two hands.

He no longer held back, his Force erupting. The space around him became like a billowing hurricane, ripping the wind around him apart.

His hair danced, the hidden green light in his eyes blazing to life.

This damned octopus was actually an S-grade monster. But that was fine.

Shackles that usually held Leonel back were released in full force. He might foolishly hesitate against a human. But, against a beast… he had no qualms.

This beast might be a monster. But he was one too.

[Leonel Morales (Force Amplified)]

[Strength: 1.30; Speed: 1.30 ; Agility: 1.30; Coordination: 1.70; Stamina: 1.50 (+0.05 - nullified); Reactions: 1.70; Spirit: 1.30; Force: 0.40]