"ROOAAAR!!!"
A power so incredible that even its aftershocks were enough to keep the men who lived their lives on the sea from standing firm. A miracle—or perhaps a nightmare—began to unfold before their eyes. Amidst the sudden explosion of dust and smoke, a massive black shadow began to reveal its silhouette.
"ROOAAAR!!!"
The continuous roars were so violent they ruthlessly tore the clouds in the sky apart, yet the surrounding dust showed no signs of dissipating. That terrifying giant, whose form remained obscured by the haze, was striking the already shattered ship again and again with desperate ferocity!
"What... what is that thing!?"
It wasn't just the slave traders; even Kirito, who had just arrived, could only stare blankly at the entity buried in the mist. His physical instincts screamed at him that if he got close, he would receive a fatal blow in an instant!
But before he even had time to process his shock, a very familiar figure began to approach the unknown monster.
"Doctor!"
The figure, with his back to everyone, walked with a steady gait. Step by step, there wasn't a single discordant break in his rhythm; he moved as if he were merely taking a leisurely stroll after dinner.
Chu Feng waved his hand, signaling for everyone behind him to stay back, while he himself approached the enemy seemingly without any defenses.
"An... EVA?"
"ROOAAAR!!!! ROOOAAAR!!!"
His kind words clearly failed to have the intended effect. The horrific creature naturally focused its attention on the approaching man. Within that rolling white smoke, a single, massive, crimson eye finally appeared in everyone's field of vision!
There was no mistake. A giant made of flesh and blood had appeared here so abruptly—this was truly a monster sent by the heavens!
"I won't hurt you," his eyes seemed to convey this message, yet as Chu Feng drew closer, he spoke words that were entirely different:
"And you won't hurt this world."
The man wore his usual wide smile, as if all anxiety, fear, and tension—emotions typically detrimental to humans—could never manifest within him.
"Right?"
"ROOAAAR!!!!!"
He was answered by a massive palm thrusting out of the smoke. The thing was not human; its giant, sharp claws shimmered with a terrifying light under the sun. Its speed and explosive power far exceeded that of an ordinary Giant, to the point where people only noticed how staggeringly large the fingers were after one had already impaled Chu Feng's chest!
"DR. CHU FENG!!!"
Dark Repulser instantly appeared in Kirito's left hand, and along with Elucidator in his right, it flickered with an ominous glow.
"Stay back."
The voice was unchanged, as if the one who had been wounded wasn't him at all. That blood-stained hand once again stubbornly blocked Kirito's path.
"But—!"
"Enough, stay where you are!"
For the first time, Chu Feng's voice carried a hint of sternness.
Leave this to me.
Though he didn't say it aloud, Kirito read that message clearly from the man's blood-flecked face.
...
Turning back, Chu Feng fixed his gaze once more on the phantom that had yet to fully emerge from the smoke. Fresh blood leaked continuously from the corners of his mouth, yet not a trace of pain could be seen on his face.
"See," he said, his tone as relaxed as if he were making one of his usual jokes. "You won't hurt this world."
Before he could finish, the sheer volume of blood overflowing from his nose and mouth made his words utterly unconvincing.
"ROOAAAR!!!" The monster's voice suddenly turned shrill and agonizing. The massive knuckle was crudely withdrawn from Chu Feng's chest, bringing with it fragments of internal tissue. Yet, the man who should have been dying didn't care in the slightest.
Taking a slightly weak step forward, Chu Feng took a deep breath, as if exhaling his injuries out of his body.
At that exact moment, a miracle occurred—a miracle that made everyone's skin crawl!
Around the wound, the mangled shreds of flesh began to squirm frantically with tiny, rapid movements. In the blink of an eye, the injury that had nearly torn Chu Feng in two miraculously shrank to the size of a fist. This self-regeneration mechanism didn't stop; after just a few breaths, amidst the monster's fading roars, the fatal wound that would have killed a normal person ten times over vanished as if it had never existed...
Everyone witnessing this scene began to tremble. Compared to the monster from before, perhaps this elegant-looking man was the true "Heaven-sent Monster."
Ignoring everyone's stares, Chu Feng walked into the smoke with a sweet smile. No one but him noticed that at some point, the terrifying roars had vanished into thin air, leaving only the stubborn mist that refused to scatter.
[The "Fateful Encounter" Divider]
She had blue hair—the color of the sea, as pure as the sky.
Her skin was so white it was breathtaking; a fatal charm, and a fatal misfortune.
What was most unforgettable were her deep crimson pupils.
"It's not scary at all."
In a sense, those eyes were the only evidence of her existence.
Finally, the battered figure reached the girl.
"It's quite rude of me to meet you like this."
Taking off his equally tattered coat, Chu Feng carefully wrapped it around the unclothed girl and took her into his arms.
"So, according to your customs," he lowered his head and spoke softly into her ear. "I am Chu Feng. Please look after me."
"I am..." The girl spoke for the first time, her voice like that of an infant who had just learned to vocalize.
"I am... Rei... Ayanami." It wasn't shyness; the girl's cheeks remained as deathly pale as they were at the start. In those red pupils, there was only an emotion called curiosity.
And perhaps, a sense of stability that most people take for granted.
"Hi. We've been waiting for you for a long time, Rei."
Next Step: It looks like Rei Ayanami has joined the crew! Would you like me to translate the next chapter to see how Kirito reacts to this new addition, or would you like to explore more about Chu Feng's "Heaven-sent Monster" abilities?