CHAPTER 153: [BLACK INK]

The water around them rippled—not from movement, but from the weight of tension hanging thick in the air.

Each breath felt heavier than the last, the echoes of the octopus’s distant thrashing filling the silence between them.

Zaira’s tired gaze darted between the two of them, lips parting slightly as if to speak—but she didn’t. No one did.

The air was too sharp, too fragile, like one wrong word would shatter it completely.

Eli’s fists trembled at his sides.

His heart pounded so violently that it drowned out everything else—the dripping water, the faint hum of mana, even Kairo’s steady breathing.

"Even Caelen—" He bit his lip, the name coming out hoarse, raw. His throat burned, but he forced the words out anyway.

Even Caelen didn’t look down at him.

’Caelen had his frustrating, annoying, absolute fuckass attitude—and he kept throwing me into dangerous situations—but at least he didn’t treat me like I was weak.’

Kairo’s expression darkened. "Even Caelen what? He put you in danger knowingly. You were just in the hospital, Eli. Are you actually—"

"Am I still not in a dangerous situation right now?!" Eli snapped, his voice cracking under the weight of his frustration.

"That’s exactly why I’m trying to protect you," Kairo shot back, his tone rising. His hand came up to his temple, his composure finally slipping.

"How does that make me a bad person? I’ve been protecting you all this time—you—"

"Protecting is different from coddling!" Eli’s voice was shaking now, but there was fire in it. "I understand wanting to keep me safe, but you’re holding me back! You won’t even let me help, when that’s exactly what we need right now—"

Kairo cut him off, stepping forward, voice sharp and unrelenting. "You can barely do anything besides sense danger! And even then, your body freezes every time! I never said you were weak, but—"

"But I’ve been the only

one figuring things out!" Eli’s words tore through the air like lightning. "I’m smart, Kairo! You can protect me if it comes to that—but you need to let me do my part! You won’t even know if I need help unless you let me try!"

Kairo’s jaw clenched, eyes blazing. "You’ll need it, because if you can’t even see that giant fucking octopus—one hit, and you’ll be—"

He didn’t finish.

Because before he could—

"SCCCRRREEEEAAAAA!!!"

A deafening, guttural roar split through the cavern. The sound hit like a shockwave, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

Everyone froze.

The octopus was screaming—a blood-curdling, inhuman wail that made the walls tremble.

The water churned violently as red light pulsed beneath its skin, the same rhythmic beating Eli had seen earlier now surging like a living drum.

Eli’s entire body tensed, his hands flying to his ears as pain shot through his skull.

The noise wasn’t just loud—it was suffocating, vibrating in his bones, in his teeth, crawling under his skin. His vision blurred at the edges.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS IT DOING?!" Mel’s voice barely reached him over the noise—whether Mel was shouting in panic or just to be heard, Eli couldn’t tell.

His chest heaved, air refusing to come in properly.

The water trembled. The air felt wrong.

And through the ringing in his ears, Eli could only think—

But then—

Something shifted.

The water’s rhythm changed, the ripples distorting as if the entire cavern had exhaled.

Eli blinked, squinting through the haze of red light and steam. "It’s... releasing something," he mumbled, voice trembling.

He narrowed his eyes—and then he saw it. Something black was seeping from beneath the octopus, swirling out into the water like smoke.

"At first it looked like blood," Zaira muttered, eyes widening. "But... is that ink? Like the ones squids release? Is that—Is that even possible?!"

"It’s a cephalopod," Eli said quickly, his voice low, uncertain but urgent. "I’m pretty sure all cephalopods can release ink."

The monster’s roar faded into an eerie silence.

Its massive body went still for a heartbeat—then began to move.

Slowly. Deliberately. Turning toward them.

The ink spread faster now, black clouds curling through the water like venomous smoke.

The surface bubbled faintly where it touched, releasing a faint, acrid smell that made Eli’s chest tighten.

Then—pain.

A pulse.

Eli flinched, gripping his head as a sharp throb shot through his temples.

His danger sense flared like wildfire, every nerve in his body screaming at once.

"It’s going to attack us—" He barely got the words out before instinct took over. His legs moved before his mind caught up. "It’s coming for us! We have to—"

"Move!" Kairo barked.

Everyone did.

The ground shook under their feet as they bolted through the flooded cavern.

Water splashed violently, echoing in rhythm with their pounding footsteps.

"We have to run!" Eli yelled, but before he could even take two more steps, Kairo was already there—grabbing him by the waist and hauling him up like he weighed nothing.

"Not again—!" Eli wheezed, but Kairo didn’t respond.

His focus was razor-sharp, eyes fixed forward as he sprinted, each stride cutting through the water like a blade.

Mio turned to grab Zaira, but she pushed him away, forcing herself to stand.

"I’m okay! Just go!" she shouted, voice rough but steady. Her legs shook, but she ran—her reflection rippling against the water as Mel and Mio followed close behind.

Eli’s gaze flicked over Kairo’s shoulder—and his blood ran cold.

The octopus was advancing.

Its enormous body surged forward, gliding through the ink it had released, almost blending into it.

Every movement was faster, smoother—the waves behind it exploding outward as it propelled itself toward them.

The air was vibrating again, heavy with pressure. The inky water foamed around its limbs like boiling tar.

Eli’s head throbbed harder, the pain splitting through his skull like a warning siren.

"It’s going to catch up!" he shouted aloud, voice breaking.

Mio’s voice came next, sharp and tense. "We have to do the plan now, Captain!"

"No!" Eli snapped immediately, eyes darting back toward the spreading ink.

"Not yet!" He could barely breathe, the air thick with the stench of metal and salt. "We don’t know what that ink is—it could be toxic, or poisonous!"

As soon as the words left Eli’s mouth, the octopus convulsed again—its body rippling violently before a fresh surge of black fluid poured out from beneath it.

The ink spread fast.

Thick, oily waves of darkness rolled across the water, twisting and curling like smoke underwater.

It didn’t look like normal ink—it was too heavy, too alive.

The substance shimmered faintly, reflecting streaks of red from the wounded eye above, like liquid shadow devouring the light.

"Shit—Captain, the ink!" Mio shouted, voice sharp with panic as he skidded back, eyes darting between the spreading darkness and the monster’s massive shape.

Kairo’s jaw tightened. He let out a low groan—barely audible, but Eli caught it.

The sound wasn’t from pain; it was frustration.

A quiet, dangerous kind of frustration.

Eli’s heart jumped to his throat. He followed Kairo’s gaze—and his blood ran cold. The black ink was only a few meters away, creeping toward them in thick, undulating waves.

It didn’t just float; it moved, like it was reaching for them.

"Kairo—" he started, his voice faltering as he watched the ink slither closer, only inches from Kairo’s boots.

The air seemed to shift. The water hissed where the ink touched, releasing faint bubbles as if it was burning.

Eli’s pulse spiked.

’What could this be?!’