[Trantor – Night]


    [Proofreader – Gun]


    Chapter 177: The Mermaid (4)


    It, who had been devouring the fragile and delicious prey outside, realized that some of the prey had escaped.


    It remembered that they couldn’t escape before, but it seemed some restriction had been lifted, allowing them to flee all at once.


    However, it didn’t care.


    There were no more restrictions.


    It would find and devour the remaining prey and then search for the others afterward.


    It was very happy.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    * * *


    Baker spoke nonchntly.


    “Isn’t it just an illusion? The more scared an animal is, the more it thrashes around. Probably something like that.”


    “Well… I suppose so. I’m still inexperienced. It seems I didn’t grasp the situation properly.”


    Aquaz took her hand away and looked at Ketal.


    “Is this alright?”


    Ketal nodded with a peculiar expression.


    Aquaz raised her hand, creating a spear of light that pierced through the monkey’s chest.


    Crack.


    Red blood flowed out.


    The monkey, its chest pierced, twitched and struggled but soon its movements gradually ceased.


    “It has a heart. Its basic bodily structure seems to resemble that of a monkey.”


    Aquaz shook her hand and pulled out a dagger.


    “I will proceed with the dissection. Those with weak stomachs, please step out of the pir of light.”


    * * *


    An hourter.


    Aquaz emerged from the pir of light and said,


    “The basic bodily structure is simr to monkeys onnd. There aren’t any significant differences.”


    “…Really?”


    Baker looked bewildered.


    “…Then how does it breathe underwater?”


    “I don’t know… Maybe the lungs serve a different function? Ick the specialized knowledge to determine that.”


    But it wasn’t of great importance.


    The crucial point was that the monkey’s vital points were not significantly different from those ofnd monkeys.


    There were about forty monkeys in total.


    They could exert a momentarily strong force.


    Their vital points were the same asnd monkeys.


    Their bodies could be prated by a superhumanly strong person exerting proper force.


    Aquaz, gauging the information, nodded.


    “…It seems possible.”


    “Oh, ohhh!”


    Kukulitan’s face brightened.


    It was only natural.


    Aquaz had just said that they could handle the monkeys.


    “This is fortunate news! Thank you! Then, we will need support, right? How long will it take for external help to arrive?”


    Kukulitan quickly asked.


    Behind Aquaz and Baker were the Sun God and the Magic Tower.


    Proper support from them would surely be a great help.


    But Aquaz shook his head.


    “No. We don’t need any help.”


    “…Pardon?”


    “We three can handle this. I was worried because they were creatures of the Forbidden Lands, but they aren’t that formidable.”


    “Wait, what? You don’t need any help?”


    Just the three of them, handling forty monkeys that had destroyed a city?


    It was hard to believe, but Aquaz’s expression was calm.


    Baker looked a bit uneasy but did not refute.


    It meant her words were true.


    “Uh…”


    “It’s easier to gather them all and sweep them away at once since they might escape. But that poses a problem.”


    How to gather those monkeys in one ce.


    The mermaid city was not an option.


    With mermaids hiding there, they had to lure the entire group of monkeys to a specific location.


    That was the problem.


    “It would be easier to capture one and make it call its kin. Let’s go find a monkey.”


    “No. That’s unnecessary.”


    “What?”


    “I will handle it.”


    Ketal said calmly.


    * * *


    They moved to an empty spot in the sea through Kukulitan.


    It was a reasonable distance from the mermaid city.


    Aquaz, surveying the area, nodded.


    “This should do. What do you think, Mr. Baker?”


    “This is fine.”


    “Then let’s get ready.”


    “Are… Are you really sure about this?”


    Kukulitan asked with a worried face.


    Handling the monkeys with just three people seemed impossible.


    From his perspective, they definitely needed support.


    But Aquaz’s face was very calm.


    “Don’t worry. This will be over soon.”


    “Ah, alright…”


    Kukulitan couldn’t help but step back at such a calm remark.


    They began preparing for battle.


    Aquaz offered prayers to umte divine power, and Baker pre-chanted to store a great spell.


    The preparation took a considerable amount of time, about an hour.


    Ketal, with an intrigued expression, asked,


    “Does it always take this long to prepare?”


    “We need to manifest not just simple power, but perfect power. It’s done now. Sorry for making you wait.”


    “No need to apologize. So, should I call them now?”


    “Yes. But… is it really possible?”


    Ketal had said he would call the monkeys.


    But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t think of a way to call them.


    Ketal asked Kukulitan instead of answering.


    “They have poor hearing but are aggressive, right? Theye to catch anything they see.”


    “That’s correct, but…”


    “Then it’s fine. Catching a monkey to call them isn’t a bad idea, but… we can’t be sure if the scouts will hear it. It’s better to be certain. Everyone, cover your ears and protect your bodies.”


    Ketal took a deep breath.


    He removed the false veil that covered his body.


    His body was exposed to the deep sea.


    The strong water pressure pressed down on his entire body, but he didn’t flinch.


    “…Wait.”


    Aquaz’s expression changed.


    She hurriedly spread a divine barrier around everyone except Ketal.


    Then Ketal opened his mouth.


    “Ah. Ah. Aaaah!”


    A roar burst out.


    A rough and loud shout echoed through the sea.


    The currents in the water suddenly surged violently, as if a tsunami had urred underwater.


    The sea trembled as if there was an earthquake.


    “Uwaaahhh!”


    “Ugh!”


    Rumble!


    The ground shook.


    The soil on the seabed trembled violently.


    The view became cloudy as a sandstorm rose.


    The roar traveled forward through the water.


    The seabed turned over, revealing what was buried.


    Fish swimming around couldn’t withstand the vibrations and their insides burst, killing them.


    It was as if an earthquake had struck the sea.


    A natural phenomenon was urring due to a human’s roar.


    Crack!


    Cracks appeared in the divine barrier Aquaz had set up.


    The great wall of the god was about to shatter from a mere shout.


    Aquaz opened her eyes wide.


    And after a moment.


    Rumble!


    A rough sound was heard as something approached them.


    “They’reing.”


    Ketal smiled.


    Aquaz, who had barely uncovered her ears, couldn’t believe her eyes.


    “What, what is this?”


    Could a human really possess such power?


    Baker, who hade to his senseste, murmured in disbelief.


    “…He really seems like a creature of the Forbidden Land.”


    * * *


    Baker spoke jokingly, but Aquaz smiled bitterly for a moment.


    She knew that Ketal was a barbarian from the white snow ins.


    In that sense, Baker’s guess was quite sharp.


    From a distance, monkeys were crying out and running towards them.


    Judging by their numbers, it seemed that all the monkeys from the city and the scouts had gathered.


    “Then please.”


    Ketal stepped back with an expectant look.


    Aquaz took a short breath and stepped forward.


    Monkeys from the Forbidden Land.


    Their skin was imprable by mere first-rate warriors, and their strength could shatter even holy books.


    They were indeed powerful beings.


    But she was stronger than the monkeys.


    She was an Inquisitor of the Sun God.


    A genius of the church, who reached the realm of superhumans at around the age of twenty.


    “Material Chapter 4, Verse 2. Your light envelops those who have sinned.”


    Screech!


    A great barrier of light surrounded the monkeys.


    Aquaz quickly continued speaking as if it wasn’t over.


    “Material Chapter 12, Verse 45. The great prison of the Sun has been manifested. Only those acknowledged by the Sun God could pass through it.”


    Rumble!


    Pirs of light sessively struck down into the sea.


    Realizing something was wrong, the leader monkey let out a cry.


    The monkeys tried to follow the leader and escape.


    But the prison of light had already surrounded all the monkeys.


    [Screeeech!]


    [Trantor – Night]


    [Proofreader – Gun]


    The leader cried and struck the pirs as if trying to break out.


    Aquaz didn’t stop.


    “Material Chapter 6, Verse 11. The impure beings dare to challenge the majesty of the Sun God. The Sun God, displeased, showed a veil equal to His authority.”


    The pirs of light became even stronger.


    The leader monkey gathered its strength roughly.


    It used its ultimate power to strike the pirs.


    Boom!


    But the leader monkey’s body was pushed back.


    “Ooh.”


    Ketal admired the ovepping power of the scriptures.


    ‘Impressive,’


    He thought.


    Even if Ashetiar were to reappear, she wouldn’t be able to scratch the divine power Aquaz had just disyed.


    ‘This is the power of a fully prepared superhuman.’


    Ketal had met many superhuman warriors.


    But none of them were in their optimal state.


    Arkamis and the Saint of Kalosia had exerted all their strength to face sudden enemies, but they weren’t fully prepared.


    This time was different.


    Aquaz had gathered all the information about the monkeys and spent an hour preparing for the battle in advance.


    The power of a fully prepared superhuman was indeed a spectacle.


    “Material, Chapter 22, Verse 1. Thus, the Sun God protected His people. His light and heart will never be forgotten in their hearts.”


    A brilliant realm of light was manifested beneath the sea.


    “Hoo.”


    Aquaz caught her breath.


    The monkeys beat the pirs frantically, but they did not budge.


    “Then, please, Baker.”


    “Got it.”


    “Oh.”


    Ketal’s eyes lit up.


    The power of a fully prepared devotee was this impressive.


    How powerful would magic be when it waspleted through preparation and design?


    [Behold.]


    Baker intoned.


    The condensed and prepared mana began to move ording to the design.


    [Stars beyond. Numerous phenomena that shake within them.]


    The Starrail School was the school that gazed at the stars.


    And the stars were immense.


    The Starrail School had often been called upon inrge-scale wars.


    The range of their magic was vast, making it difficult to utilize perfectly in small battles.


    Now, a suitable environment for the Starrail School to exert its power had been created.


    [Trembling heatwaves. Falling meteors. Scorchingnd. Sea of high heat. Cold, severe frost.]


    Screech!


    The immense mana twisted space.


    It opened the space and drew out the power of the stars beyond.


    Cracks appeared above the monkeys’ heads.


    Feeling the ominousness, the monkeys struggled harder, but the pirs held firm.


    [Lives that cannot exist on our stars. Extreme environments that exist only there. I call upon you here.]


    Baker lowered his hand.


    [Stars, descend here.]


    And the space opened.


    Crack.


    Countless meteors descended through the opened space.


    They exploded, sweeping through the inside of the pirs.


    Boom!


    [Screech!]


    The fragments of the exploding meteors pierced the monkeys’ bodies.


    It didn’t stop there.


    Crack!


    The sea froze.


    An almost absolute cold swept through.


    But that wasn’t all.


    The frozen sea boiled instantaneously.


    Extreme heat and cold, where no life could survive, shed, destroying the environment.


    Rumble!


    Harsh environments from a star where life could not exist descended upon the tranquil continent.


    If Aquaz hadn’t blocked it with the pirs of light, the surrounding sea would have been ruined.


    Naturally, the monkeys of the Forbidden Land couldn’t remain unscathed.


    The monkeys froze instantly.


    Exposed to the extreme heat, they melted and died while still frozen.


    [Screech!]


    [Scream!]


    The monkeys fell in an instant.


    Kukulitan was astonished.


    “This, this is…”


    It was a level of power that he, as a first-rate warrior, couldn’tprehend.


    Ketal also marveled greatly.


    “Oooh! Magnificent!”


    It was the first time he had seen suchrge-scale magic.


    Strictly speaking, it wasn’t the very first time.


    The Tower Master had once used magic to put the entire royal castle to sleep.


    But that wasn’t offensive magic, so it wasn’t very impressive.


    This was different.


    It wasrge-scale magic that shook and destroyed the space itself, achieved through long preparation and design.


    It was truly a spectacle.


    Ketal excitedly patted the shoulder of Baker, who was catching his breath.


    “Amazing! Truly amazing, Baker!”


    “Uh, uh?”


    “Absolutely splendid! Remarkable!”


    Ketal was genuinely impressed by Baker’s power.


    Hearing the praise in bewilderment, Baker’s face slowly brightened.


    “Oh… really?”


    “Yes! This magic exceeded my imagination! You are indeed an excellent magician! I’m genuinely impressed! I even respect you! Splendid!”


    “Oh, oh…”


    Hearing the praise, Baker trembled.


    He was afraid of Ketal.


    But when Ketal praised his magic on the ship, he felt a strange emotion.


    It was a feeling that was both embarrassing and pleasant.


    Since then, whenever he heard Ketal’s praise, he felt simr emotions.


    And now, with Ketal praising him so highly, that emotion exploded within him.


    Every word of Ketal’s praise stirred his emotions.


    It was simr to the feeling he had when his very strict master praised him for the first time in his childhood.


    He was enchanted by Ketal’s words.


    ‘I want to hear more….’


    It was like a child yearning for their parent’s praise.


    Baker gazed at Ketal as if spellbound.


    [Screech…]


    [Whimper…]


    The energy subsided, and the monkeys let out groans of pain.


    Baker’s magic was incredibly powerful, but it wasn’t enough to annihte the monkeyspletely.


    Quite a few monkeys were still alive, groaning in pain.


    Both Aquaz and Baker had used up all their strength and had no energy left.


    Now, it was his turn.


    “Good job, everyone.”


    Ketalforted the two of them.


    He walked over leisurely.


    “Well then.”


    Ketal approached.


    Although the pirs of light had disappeared, the monkeys were too injured to escape.


    However, there was one monkey that remained unscathed.


    [Screech.]


    The leader monkey, clearlyrger than the others, bore no injuries despite the severe magic.


    It was clearly stronger than the other monkeys and looked at Ketal with eyes full of hostility.


    But Ketal’s expression was ambiguous.


    “The leader monkey… is it?”


    A primate breathing and living in the deep sea.


    A creature of the Forbidden Land like Nano.


    The strongest among them was the monkey in front of him.


    Ketal gave a curious smile.


    “Are you really the leader of the monkeys?”


    [Screech!]


    The leader monkey lunged at Ketal.


    Ketal calmly raised his hand.


    “Well, alright. I guess I’ll just have to find out now.”


    [Trantor – Night]


    [Proofreader – Gun]