Chapter 325 The Hunt

A clear vast ocean lay in front of the man and his Grass-Type Army. It was a surreal view, one that was tranquil, peaceful, and really breathtaking. And yet, despite the picture-perfect scenery in front of him, the man was utterly disappointed. Here he was, looking for a fight, and yet there was nothing there. The Kraken Army was once a formidable attraction in that area and was nowhere to be found.

It was obvious that they'd dispersed for good. But how? The man could only think of one thing that could happen. Of course, someone was able to tame the supreme leader of the Kraken Army.  Nevertheless, the man still couldn't accept the fact that the Kraken Army had already been defeated. Something like that should've made the news right now. But no, he hasn't heard anyone ever claiming that they've defeated the Kraken Army.

"Maybe it was someone else from another dimension? No, that's impossible. No one's capable of such a feat unless I know him or her. Or maybe... the person who defeated the Kraken Army is just like me... A Disciple." The man continued.

"No, wait... it's possible. If that person is a Disciple... then that explains his behavior. He wouldn't gain anything from announcing such an incredible feat. After all, we Disciples are competing for the same price. If we can rise to the top, then nothing else matters." The man heaved a sigh as he turned around to face his Grass-Type Army.

Heaving a sigh, the man decided to recall all his tamed beasts, and he sat in front of the open ocean, listening to the soft waves that crashed upon the shore. He still had at least half an hour before his destined first match in the Official Beast Tournament, so he still had some time to kill.

"I guess I should just relax for now. There was no way I could've foreseen such an outcome... Besides, right now, I can't do anything about it. I guess I should just let it all go and relax. It's not like it's the end of the world if I don't have the boss of the Kraken Army. My Representative is more than enough to sweep through the Official Beast Tournament. This is my debut tournament, and I'm sure I'm going to win." The man said to himself, clenching his fist as he pointed it towards the sky in some form of salute.

He then let himself fall to the ground. As he lay down and looked at the sky, he wondered what awaited him at the Official Beast Tournament. He was a strong beast tamer, and no one could rival him. That's why he was confident in himself.

What he didn't know, though, is that there are a lot more Disciples in the Official Beast Tournament. To each their own, with the same ambition as him and with the same drive to win no matter what.

.....

A couple of hours ago.

Usually, Grado would wake up at first light and kiss his wife on the forehead before heading out to prepare some coffee. He would brew his own coffee and then head outside by the porch to watch the sun peer through the horizon with its intense bright gaze illuminating a portion of the world.

The prospect of the universe had always fascinated Grado, and that's why he would always spend a small amount of time during the mornings to meditate and calm his mind. The quietude of the rural area helped with his peace of mind.

This was how Grado's morning was usually gone. But today was oddly different. For the first time in a few years, Grado decided to wake up a little early, brew his coffee, and watch the world while the sun had not yet appeared. It was already bright, but Grado didn't wait for the day's first light.

Lize, who had never seen her husband act like that, was concerned. This was the first time her husband had broken her habit, which worried her. Even though it was still early, she also got up to accompany her husband by the porch as he drank his early morning coffee.

"You're awake." Grado greeted, scooting over to the side to give space for his wife. He could already tell what his wife was thinking, so he didn't ask any questions.

"Are you going to do something? Are you going somewhere? It's unusual for you to be waking up this early. Is something bothering you, dear?" Lize asked concernedly, grabbing Grado's hand and squeezing it.

"Yes, I'm going somewhere. You know I'm strong, right? Way stronger than my son and my grandson." Grado began, taking another swig of his cup of coffee. "There's something that only I could do right now... and that is to give my whole support to my grandson. That's why I need to go somewhere, tame a beast that would aid him in his future battles." Grado continued.

It had been more than fifty years since Lize and Grado first took the oath in front of the altar and exchanged their vows. That's why Lize knew her husband all too well. Once he decided to do something, there was nothing she could do to stop him. Of course, Grado never did anything ridiculous, but Lize would still worry. "Then... take me with you. With the two of us, the chances of winning will be higher, right?"

"No, honey, you know that it all comes down to my pride as a man, right? You've given our son and grandson all the support they needed. All these years, I couldn't do anything for them. I couldn't even do anything for my grandson because he didn't awaken his superpower. But now that fate has given him a second chance... I'm going to give him my full support. This is my mission as his grandfather; I hope you understand."

"Then, let me at least prepare sandwiches. You're bound to get hungry while hunting that leader of the Kraken Army, right? You need all the energy you can get." Lize stood up and dusted her skirt before she headed inside.

"Wha— but I never told you that I would be hunting down the— how did you know?" Grado's face reddened in embarrassment. His wife had seen right through him. Just as he thought, a woman's intuition is really something formidable.

"I've known you for more than fifty years. I already spend a significant portion of my lifetime with you. It's only fitting that I could read your mind from time to time." Lize wore a smile as she headed inside.

...

A few minutes later, Grado already did all his preparations. As he was tying his shoelaces by the front porch, Lize appeared behind him and hugged him before giving him a basket for lunch. "Take care of yourself out there."

"Of course, I'll be back before breakfast. This should be easy." Grado muttered to himself as he activated his superpower. A compressed ball of air surrounded him. Rocks, embers, and orbs of water swirled around him as he floated upwards. When he reached an optimal altitude, he flew even faster, aiming for the Dimensional Portal by the center of New York City.

It didn't even take him a minute to get there. As soon as he arrived, he showed his identification to the person in charge and was let in without another word.

The sudden change in the atmosphere gave Grado a thrill as he took a deep breath. "Now it's time," Grado muttered to himself, his eyes turning a nice shade of blue as he leaped forward. A crater formed where his feet were a second ago, and he shot through the air like a loose cannonball.

From a distance, Grado could already sense the multiple entities near the Water Area of the Beast Dimension. Underneath the shallow waters of the open ocean resides the Kraken Army. Everyone knows that for a fact. Even then, Grado had no hesitation inside as he continued charging toward the place.

The Kraken Army emerged before Grado could even reach the edges of the beach. Of course, with his killing intent seeping out of him, it didn't surprise him that the Kraken Army came to greet him. Grado didn't decelerate, though. In fact, he charged even faster.

The first Kraken that appeared brought down its tentacles at Grado, but Grado pierced straight through, cutting the Kraken's tentacle and penetrating the Kraken's body, making it explode with blood, gore, and black ink.

This enraged the entirety of the Kraken Army, and they raged as they tried to team up against Grado. However, Grado was cutting through them as if they were semi-melted butter. He didn't even bat an eye when he continued murdering the Krakens.

KIAAHHKKKKK~!!!

An ear-piercing shriek could be heard from the furthest part of the ocean. It was none other than the leader of the Kraken Army. However, the shriek didn't sound like a signal for an attack, so Grado decided to stop his attacks.

And he was right for what he did. The moment the Kraken Army heard the shriek, they also stopped their rage.