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Chapter 145: Who is Conquering Whom

Suddenly being held by the hand made Leanna’s heart skip a beat.

But when she turned back, she feigned calmness, “Junior, are you going to miss me?”

“It’s fine, just a little separation. I don’t mind.”

Yet the grip on her hand didn’t loosen at all, and he stared right at her, “But I mind.”

“Huh?”

“No matter how nice the fish schools are, it’s you, senior, that matters most. Otherwise, there’s no point in going anywhere.”

The sea swayed, light danced like drapery over the boy and girl.

The brown-haired girl, caught up in her fluttering emotions, could no longer hide her expression behind a mask of indifference, frozen in place.

The black-haired boy also realized that his words were too ambiguous and timidly averted his gaze.

But he still didn’t want to let go.

“What I mean is, you don’t have to go off alone.”

“Aren’t you the one who wants to see the fish? Just leave it to me.”

Roy placed his free palm on the glass, activating the False King‘s bloodline.

His skin turned a light blue, and one of his black eyes shimmered with a water-blue glow. Unseen ripples spread from his palm through the glass, extending deep into the ocean.

Merfolk Transformation.

Roy never expected that the first power he’d use after gaining the Ocean Emperor’s Blessing would be this one.

Though he was unsure if he’d end up looking ugly after the transformation, that detail no longer seemed important.

After becoming a merman, Roy felt colorful lights floating up from his pitch-black subconscious.

These were the emotions of marine life.

The ocean’s denizens sensed the king’s call, instinctively coming to pay their respects like humble subjects.

In an instant, schools of shimmering gold and silver fish assembled into a majestic procession, elegantly gliding through the vibrant corals, creating a stunning watercolor scene that rippled through the azure world.

A giant white whale, from who knows where, surged past overhead, leading the colorful fish in a grand, surreal aquatic spectacle.

Children chased the whale’s path, laughing endlessly, while young men and women cozied up amidst the swirling fish, and the visiting tourists gasped in even more rapturous amazement than before. Even the guide responsible for them couldn’t resist stopping to marvel at this rare fish parade.

Roy realized that the Merfolk Transformation was merely a change in skin color, without the sprouting of any weird features, and he couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

Leanna pressed her palm against the glass, and the little fish weren’t avoiding her anymore; they happily flocked around, swirling in her palm. When she waved her hand, the fish danced about like ballet dancers, gliding in sync with her fingertips.

Looking at the girl who smiled childishly in satisfaction, Roy thought that even if the transformation came with some ugly price, it wouldn’t matter.

Leanna gazed at the fish clinging to her palm, giggling, “I didn’t expect you to have such tricks up your sleeve to charm a girl.”

“A piece of cake.” Roy couldn’t help but grin, “But I didn’t expect you to like it here so much.”

“Hmm, is it weird for a girl to like romance?”

The brown-haired girl adjusted her straw hat and turned back, her back to the shimmering waves and the dazzling corals, holding the boy’s hand and offering a gentle smile.

The dancing fish seemed to fall under her spell.

The dreamlike scenery suddenly felt dim.

“If this keeps up, I might just be conquered by you, junior~”

The white whale called out, and the schools of fish swirled in a dazzling display, prompting cheers from the tourists.

The girl, drawn by the spectacle, turned to have her attention captivated by the beautiful view.

Yet, all the while, the black-haired boy could only focus on the graceful figure of the brown-haired girl, smiling silently.

Who, in the end, is conquering whom?

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“We’re going to be conquered!”

Amidst the raging winds and waves, a voice shouted out, expressing the despair in everyone’s hearts aboard the ship.

Lightning flashed, thunder roared, dark clouds gathered, and waves crashed relentlessly against the ship. The scariest part was the heavy tentacles covering the deck, launching a more violent assault than a tsunami.

Facing a Sequence 6 sea monster, a Ghost Hand octopus that made the coastal defense force of the Southern Sea tremble, even the extraordinary beings on this ship were feeling powerless.

After forcing one tentacle back with flames, the Lionheart Princess, barely stabilizing herself, couldn’t help but howl at the sky, resembling a cat drenched from sudden rain—furious yet helpless.

“It’s all someone’s fault! Saying we should take a shortcut! Look at the shortcut we ended up with!”

The elven girl who had just been thrown overboard and barely climbed back onto the ship using her twin swords pushed seaweed off her head and gasped angrily, retaliating.

“Like it’s all my fault! Wasn’t it because you insisted the waves were light and didn’t want to slow down, rushing into this stormy area?!”

Nia gritted her teeth and complained, “Damn it. While we’re wasting time, Roy might already be off having a date at an aquarium or something!”

“Shut up! Who asked you?!” Charlotte replied, nearing the edge of madness.

In mid-air, the captured guide, Gerard, was crying tears of despair.

“Is this really the time to be saying these things?!”

“It’s clearly both of your faults! I told you this place is a no-go, no rush in two days, why the hurry?!”

“Shut up! *2”

The two of them acted simultaneously, unleashing flames and blade lights to smash a tentacle into bits, saving Gerard.

Yet Gerard had no joy of survival.

Because more tentacles were crawling up the deck in a dense mass.

The ugly, massive head of the octopus slowly emerged from the sea, casting a mocking human-like gaze.

“Holy Light above! Goddess, I swear, if we get out of this, I’ll be a good person…” Gerard had begun to pray.

Even though this ship had several Sequence 7 experts among its extraordinary beings, facing a mid-tier monster on its home turf was still overwhelming!

After all, Sequence 6 was hailed as worth a thousand, while this monster had genuinely shattered naval forces of a thousand men! They were doomed!

Seeing a giant tentacle crashing down, Gerard screamed in despair.

But in an instant, silver light flickered, the tentacle fell, blood sprayed, and the monster wailed.

Gerard widened his eyes in disbelief.

Because the one who had just saved him was a maid wielding a steel sword.

Despite her beautiful, flowing blonde hair being tousled by the storm, her slender and petite form stood firm in the raging winds and rain, her icy blue eyes devoid of fear, sharp as frost.

Holy Light above, to Wizeta, was more a saying, like Roy’s previous life’s “Heaven help us.”

But at this moment, watching the blonde girl standing firm against the sea monster, sword in hand, Gerard suddenly realized he had found real faith.

“Holy Light above! Holy Light above!”

The catgirl companion, Vanilla, slapped her palm on her head, “Holy what? Her name’s Alice!”

Not just one pirate, adventurer, or even a griffin knight was saved by the golden-haired maid, they cheered her name, following behind her, reinvigorated.

Yet Alice cared for none of that.

In her eyes, there was only the sea monster before her.

That was the obstacle blocking her from reuniting with her master.

With her bloodied sword in hand, she slowly stepped forward and asked in a hollow voice, “If I kill it, then I can go meet my master… right…”

 

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