Chapter 324: Tanky

Alex took a deep breath and activated Advanced Battle Instinct Spell, gradually increasing its output until he pushed it into overdrive. His surroundings seemed to dull as his perception sharpened considerably, allowing him to follow even the smallest movements of the approaching monsters.

Next, he channeled mana through the Lightning Element Rune hanging around his neck, producing Lightning Element Mana that stimulated his nerves and improved his reflexes. A tingling sensation spread throughout his body as he activated it with Superior Body Reinforcement Spell, causing his muscles to tighten and his bones to creak slightly under the enormous power flowing through them.

He then pushed Advanced Blood Vitalization Spell into overdrive, further enhancing his physical capabilities. Finally, four Mana Bullets appeared around him, each coated with a layer of Disruption Mana.

’Let’s see how much stronger I’ve become,’ Alex thought, feeling the combined effects of his enhancements spreading throughout his body.

With everything ready, he leaned forward and dashed toward the approaching Krakens.

Alex could barely hear anything around him in the dull world created by Advanced Battle Instinct Spell. However, the moment his foot struck the ground, he felt as though a shockwave had exploded beneath him.

In a fraction of a second, he covered almost a hundred meters and appeared directly in front of the High Rank Species Kraken. The monster immediately reacted, stabbing its tentacles toward him like enormous spears. Alex ducked beneath the first tentacle before shifting sideways to avoid the second, continuing forward without slowing down.

As he moved, Alex decided to try something he had been considering for a while. He covered his entire body with Kinetic Mana, allowing it to interact with the momentum generated by his movements.

At his current speed, making sudden turns was becoming increasingly difficult, since changing direction required considerable force. He could use mana threads beneath his feet to anchor himself to the ground, but that method wasn’t particularly efficient, so he wanted to try something different.

Just as another tentacle approached, Alex absorbed his momentum using Kinetic Mana, bringing himself to an almost instantaneous stop. He immediately dashed sideways, releasing the stored kinetic energy to accelerate himself in a different direction.

His surroundings nearly blurred as his speed increased further, allowing him to slip past the remaining tentacles before the Kraken could react. Alex then jumped, passing above the monster’s enormous head and lightly tapping it with his hand.

The contact confirmed something important. He had gotten close enough to strike the monster directly, and if he had used an offensive Spell, he could have seriously injured or possibly killed it.

Satisfied, Alex ignored the High Rank Species Kraken and rushed toward the four Mid Rank Species monsters behind it. One of them had already formed an enormous water sword and launched it toward the passage behind Alex, apparently targeting his companions.

Alex immediately released the four Mana Bullets he had prepared, sending them toward the approaching attack. The bullets struck the water sword, and the Disruption Mana covering them broke apart the Origin Energy holding it together, causing the enormous weapon to disintegrate.

However, before Alex could take another step, an enormous tentacle descended toward him from above. He could have dodged it, and considering the force behind the attack, avoiding it would have been the sensible decision.

The tentacle carried almost as much power as the attacks of the Wild Orcs he had encountered previously, if not more. Alex still remembered how a single blow from one of those monsters had smashed him through dozens of floors of a building and nearly killed him, so logically, he should dodge the attack.

A faint smile appeared on his face as he planted both feet firmly against the ground and crossed his arms above his head. He wanted to see whether his improved body could withstand such an attack.

The tentacle struck, producing an enormous explosion that instantly shattered Alex’s eardrums.

His bones creaked under the pressure, and several fractures appeared almost immediately as the overwhelming force threatened to crush him. Alex rapidly adjusted Superior Body Reinforcement Spell, directing more mana toward the parts of his body that were struggling to withstand the impact.

At the same time, he activated Minor Heal Spell and used Kinetic Mana to absorb as much of the incoming force as possible. Although the impact lasted barely a second, it felt considerably longer to Alex, who constantly adjusted his spells to prevent his body from collapsing.

Eventually, the pressure disappeared as the Kraken began withdrawing its tentacle. However, Alex had no intention of allowing it to retreat so easily.

He pulled his fist backward and released all the kinetic energy he had accumulated, directing it into a single upward punch. His fist struck the tentacle before the monster could withdraw it, producing another enormous shockwave.

The result was devastating. The Kraken’s tentacle was torn completely from its body, while the shockwave traveled upward and shattered several sections of the ceiling. Cracks spread across the metal structure, and water began dripping through the damaged areas.

Alex stood beneath the injured monster, breathing heavily as he looked down at his right arm. A broken bone was protruding through his skin, and despite Advanced Battle Instinct Spell reducing the effect of the pain, the sensation was still nearly unbearable.

He immediately condensed mana around the injured area, carefully pushing the bone back into position before holding it in place. Minor Heal Spell continued repairing the surrounding tissue, although the damage was severe enough that recovering completely would take some time.

Despite his injuries, Alex couldn’t stop himself from smiling. He had actually managed to withstand an attack from a monster almost as large as a building, something that would have been impossible for him not long ago.

’I did it. I can actually block attacks like that now,’ Alex thought, feeling an enormous sense of satisfaction. Until now, whenever he encountered giant monsters like the Wild Orcs, he had been forced to dodge their attacks or kill them before they could land a proper hit.

However, with his current abilities, he finally had another option.

..

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