Endless Ocean: Survival Begins with a Dugout Canoe-Chapter 42 - 410: Giant Beast in the Sea

Shi Ming blinked. After confirming that no skill had dropped, he shook his head in frustration and disappointment.

’Oh well. Increasing my speed and Physical Strength is still a gain,’ he thought. ’As long as I gained something, it wasn’t a loss.’

’Besides, useless skills turning into points is actually pretty good. It means my growth potential is high.’

"In any case, this expedition confirmed my earlier suspicions about the nautical chart."

"From now on, I’ll have a clear and reliable lead for hunting sea beasts."

He glanced down at himself. His gray tank top was stained blood-red. It looked like it was ruined beyond washing.

’I should have just fought shirtless.’

Drenched in Sea Beast Blood, he couldn’t wait to take a hot shower.

The sea beast’s blood was sticky, making him feel disgusting all over.

But just then, a strange, muffled sound came from beneath the water’s surface.

GLUG GLUG—

It sounded like something was chanting.

He took two steps to the edge of the deck and stared into the watery depths.

Huge clusters of bubbles were constantly rising from the dark depths, where a massive shadow loomed! He glanced at the headless Scolding Scale Flying Fish. It had long since stopped struggling. A large amount of blood poured from the stump, mingling with the putrid fluids of other rotting sea life as it sank heavily toward the seafloor.

"This is bad!"

"Abandon the catch! Get back to the ship, now!"

The crew members already on the smaller retrieval boat realized something was wrong. They frantically grabbed the climbing ropes dangling from the main ship and scrambled back up, not even having time to retrieve the hunting nets and harpoons!

"Hurry up!"

Shi Ming tightened his grip on his Reinforced Cross Saber, ready for battle.

’The nautical chart only had one black dot at these coordinates. That meant there was only one D-class sea beast here—the Scolding Scale Flying Fish I just killed!’

’If there’s another sea beast, it’s definitely not D-class!’

In a flash, the entire retrieval team was back on board.

By now, Shi Ming could see the shadow in the deep. It was several times larger and more imposing than the Scolding Scale Flying Fish. In fact, the dark mass was nearly half the size of their entire ship!

A colossal sea beast!

"Full retreat, now!"

The threat was unknown. For the sake of the entire ship, Shi Ming wasn’t just some muscle-brained idiot who only lived for the thrill of a fight. Directly confronting a sea beast of an unknown level was not a wise choice. A strategic retreat was the best option.

The ship, which had been holding its position for some time, started up again. A powerful roar echoed across the water.

WHOOSH!

A massive pillar of water erupted from beneath the Scolding Scale Flying Fish’s corpse. A huge volume of seawater was thrown into the sky by some incredible force before crashing back down like a torrential downpour.

Drenched to the bone, Shi Ming stared grimly at the water’s surface. An immense tentacle was wrapped tightly around the headless Scolding Scale Flying Fish, brazenly shoving its newfound prize into the maw of a gigantic head.

Shi Ming finally got a clear look at the behemoth’s true form.

"Retreat at full speed!"

D, C, B, A, S... A vast gulf existed between each rank, but the ranks for sea beasts were not equivalent to those for humans.

An S-rank defensive skill was naturally as unshakeable as a mountain. It could even have the miraculous effect of snatching life from the jaws of death, fully living up to its S-rank name! But everyone has their specialty. Shi Ming, who had awakened an S-rank defensive skill, couldn’t possibly kill an S-rank Xuanwu; he could only guarantee his own relative safety.

Likewise, when facing this colossal, unranked sea beast, he had to consider the safety of the entire ship.

A temporary retreat was the wisest decision.

It was a giant octopus. It had now surfaced, its house-sized head bobbing in and out of the water. Eight massive tentacles writhed continuously, and its gaping, tooth-filled maw was still chewing its recent meal.

It let out a series of roars. Its deadly tentacles churned the water into massive waves as its emotionless eyes scanned the steel behemoth before it. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Shi Ming stood on the bow, holding his cross saber, and met its gaze coldly.

His Black Tortoise Bloodline was fully activated. A powerful and vibrant energy surged from his blood and body, carrying the intimidating aura of a natural superior.

Retreating didn’t mean he was afraid.

The giant octopus seemed enraged by this tiny human. A few of its tentacles whipped up a storm of seawater as they slammed against the ship’s steel hull and railings. Fortunately, Shi Ming had recently upgraded the ship’s materials and resilience. The massive hull only shuddered violently but suffered no damage.

"A ship this size needs at least ten seconds to get moving again after stopping!"

SWOOSH!

A dark shadow descended on Shi Ming’s position like a thundercloud.

’So fast!’

Shi Ming pushed off with his feet, swiftly dodging the tentacle. After missing its target, the appendage’s movements grew terrifyingly agile. Shi Ming hastily stepped back, raising his cross saber to block. The moment it connected, he used the force of the rebound to launch himself backward into a dive, easily dispelling the momentum and evading the follow-up strike.

"Captain, hold on tight!"

With a great RUMBLE, massive waves churned at the ship’s stern. The vessel, which was twice the size of the octopus, finally surged forward!

WHOOSH!

The giant octopus abandoned its attack on Shi Ming. Its thickest tentacle shot toward the sky like a pillar supporting the heavens, then crashed down with immense force, targeting the control room in the center of the ship!

"Fuck! You treacherous bastard!"

The control console and helm were located in the very center of the ship—its absolute core. Normally, it would be impossible for an enemy to direct their attacks there. But this octopus’s tentacle was just too long. Covered in protruding, fleshy growths and as thick as an ancient tree, the appendage descended with crushing pressure.

"Goddammit! You think I’m a pushover just because I haven’t gotten serious?"

Shi Ming kicked the hilt of his cross saber, which lay nearby from his previous tumble. As the blade flipped into the air, he stomped his foot, the explosive force launching him upward. He snatched the saber out of the air. His body shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. Power generated from his legs surged through his entire frame as he soared into the sky to meet the descending fleshy pillar.

"Black Tortoise Shield!"

His invincible golden form materialized just in time. The immense impact struck Shi Ming’s body as if hitting an immovable object, and half of the force was reflected right back.

GURGLE—

In agony, the octopus made a strange gurgling sound as it sprayed water. The impacted tentacle went rigid, losing its former flexibility.

Shi Ming used the force of the blow to stabilize himself in mid-air. Red markings on his right arm flared with light, glowing from his chest all the way to his hand. The gleam of his cross saber accelerated along an arc. His blade, like an arrow loosed from a fully drawn bow, left a visible afterimage as it moved—

SHIINNG!

The formidable slash landed squarely on the middle of the octopus’s tentacle. As if cutting through tofu, it cleanly severed the massive appendage, sending the ten-meter-long back half plummeting into the sea!