Chapter 158: How the fuck is there an octopus in the swamp?

"Um, Kanan, are you sure you know what his plan is? I mean, what would his plan have to do with a tentacle? And what is a mother beast?"

"Think back, Terin. When Carl rescued us from the swarm of Gator Beasts in their main village, he had told us that if we stayed any longer, we’d awaken the mother beast. As for what the mother beast is, I have no idea, but it can’t be anything good."

"Hmmm, nope, I don’t remember that."

"I’m not surprised. But we need to quickly confirm the existence of this mother beast. If my theory is correct, then Carl wanted to weaken the village with the recent attack, use the Verminus plant to infect the population, then use the mother beast to wipe out what was left of the Helsik tribe."

"Why would he want to do that?" Terin didn’t understand how that would benefit Carl in any way.

"That’s a good question, and I don’t have the answer to it. All I can guess is that Carl is being controlled by the plant, just like Chief Woton and Anuwol were. Other than that, I have nothing."

"Whatever the case is, I get to break some bones and blast wind in faces if what you’re saying is true. Haha! I can’t wait for a fight!"

After leading Kanan to the place where he had found the tentacle, Terin told him to dive in until he reached the bottom.

At first, Kanan thought he was joking. This was the deeper side of the swamp, a spot where people could drown. Kanan didn’t know why, but he expected Terin to have led him to a shallow part.

Then again, Kanan remembered that Terin was all guts and glory, so it should be surprising that he dove into the deep end just to find a poisonous plant to eat.

’The plant probably wasn’t even poisonous, and Terin was simply eating swamp bacteria.’ Whatever the case was, Kanan dove into the water after some hard consideration.

The water was murky, nasty, monster-ridden, and he could barely see. It was thanks to Nyalok that he was able to see well, since her tortoise cleared all of the nasty stuff out of the way.

’A tentacle. I’m looking for a tentacle.’ Holding his breath was nothing, so Kanan had all the time in the world to search around for a tentacle. However, he couldn’t find one, even after searching all around.

When he got out of the water, he asked Terin if he was sure of what he had seen.

"I’m sure I saw a tentacle."

"How sure are you?" Kanan asked with a sigh.

"I’m...I’m almost certain I saw a tentacle. I ran into it, remember. Or maybe I was just seeing things since I had taken a crap load of poisonous plants before diving into the water."

"Ugh, dammit, Terin! I was certain that this would be what we were looking for. The mother beast, Terin, it has to be the mother beast. If we find it, then we can thwart Carl’s plans. Help me look for the tentacle."

"Well, if you couldn’t find it, then it would be gone already, right? At least that’s what I think."

"Just help me look."

"Alright." But right as they both turned around to dive back into the water, a large tentacle wrapped itself around Terin’s waist.

"Oh, good news, Kanan. I found the tentacle. Unfortunately, I think I’m fuuuuuuuuuuuuuked!" The tentacle yanked Terin into the air, then into the water.

"Terin!" Kanan didn’t hesitate to fly after him, seeing his best friend struggling under the water as his hands and feet were kicking the water’s surface.

"Akk! Globbbakkkkkughh! K-Kaaangughhhh! Hellllpppp!"

"I’m coming! Just hang on!"

"I-I am hanging on! Akkk!" He was pulled back under the water.

Kanan didn’t understand how something so large could move so fast. It was as if the tentacle was a torpedo. But as long as he was able to keep up with it, it didn’t matter how fast it moved.

Charging spirit energy into his palm, Kanan formed a blade around his hand, then swiped at the air, sending an arc-beam right at the tentacle.

The moment his attack connected, it instantly shattered against the tentacle’s skin.

"The fuck?"

"Kanan! Are you trying to kill me?! That nearly cut off my head!"

"Then stop flailing around like a fish out of water!"

"I AM A FISH OUT OF WATER!"

"Grrr! Damn tentacle!" This time, Kanan summoned his staff and put all he had into it. He made a massive energy axe, then flew at the tentacle as fast as he could and swung as hard as he was able to, cutting the tentacle in half.

The force of his swing was so great that it launched Terin, who was still attached to the other end of the tentacle, into the air.

"Haha! Kanan! I’m free! Thank you! Thank you so–"

The tentacle wrapped around Terin began bubbling, then rapidly regenerated, connecting back into the tentacle that was in the water.

"What the hell?!" Kanan and Terin shouted in unison.

"Kanan!" Terin was dragged back underwater, not being able to free himself in time.

"I’m coming! I got you, Terin! Just hang on a bit longer! Dammit, where’s Reda when you need her?!"

---

"Ahh, you know, we should incorporate lounging areas like this in our village once we get back."

Currently, alongside Lopis and Fera, Reda was getting a massage from the locals due to their aid in protecting the tribe.

"Yeahhhh. This is nice. Kanan and Terin are missing out, isn’t that right, Alue." Fera asked

Alue was knocked out as the massage was too good.

"Heh."

---

No matter how many times Kanan cut through the tentacle, it would rapidly regenerate, making all of his efforts go to waste.

"I’ll have to pry you open instead!"

"Kanan! Watch out!"

"Huh? What–oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!" Where there was one tentacle, there was another, and that other tentacle slammed into Kanan’s body, crushing him underneath its weight, then grabbed him like Terin.

They were both dragged for miles, each of them having to fight to get some air while also attempting to pry themselves out of the tentacle’s grasp.

Eventually, they slowed down and soon came to a screeching halt.

"T-That will show you! D-Damn Tentacle!" Terin felt as if he was about to puke. "K-Kanan! While it’s stopped, let’s break free!"

He got no answer.

"Kanan. Come on! What are you even staring...at–Oh my Nemean! W-What in the world is that?!"

"H-How," Kanan gulped hard, staring into the massive eye of the creature. "How the hell is there an octopus in the damn swamp?!"