?? In a very distant location... ?


    "Keeeep... your hands and other... appendages... inside the ferry at all times," The ferryman whispered in a raspy voice.


    Tycondrius pursed his lips, "Not to be rude, friend, but... is that notmon sense?"


    The ferryman lifted his head, revealing the crystalline skull underneath his hood... "Policy... dictates that passengers be warned... due to... previousss... incidents."


    "...Fair," Tycon nodded... "In that case, you''ve my gratitude for your diligence."


    "Of... courssse."


    ? The group of three had traversed River Letherna for over a bell, the river widening to nearly half-a-malm. All manners of ghostly creatures swam underneath its surface... though only the predators were noteworthy.


    Tycon had no wish to contest any of them.


    It would be folly to face one of those creatures in their natural habitat. Their diet consisted of spirits belonging to varying species and ages... some of even higher caliber than himself.


    Like a proper predator, Tycon preferred to prey on those weaker than himself... or at the least, on his own terms.


    Hades, god of death and the dead, adjusted his posture... which rocked theparably small water vessel just shy of terrifying.


    Tycon gripped the sides of the boat and looked to the ferryman.


    They did not appear to be concerned.


    Therefore... as ufortable as he was, he was probably fine.


    ...Logically, however... that fellow put far too much faith in the boat''s craftsmanship. Hades was ''crafted'' farrger than a gentleman with his bloodline had the right to be.


    "Auhhhhh..." Hades groaned-- or yawned, "I still dunno why you wanna go to that ce, guy."


    "I''ve exined my ns twice over," Tycon smiled politely. "I grow weary of it. If you are truly curious, then perhaps our noblepanion might exin."


    "Nahhhh," The ferryman sighed... "To perform adequately... in this profession... mind-altering substances... aremonly avable."


    ...From those words, Tycon no longer trusted their boat.


    Hades pointed at the hooded undead with his thumb while ''whispering'' to Tycon, "Cursed to do this for eternity. We really need to hire more of ''em, though."


    "Is... that so?" Tycon frowned.


    "I... can hear you..." The ferrymanined... "Also, this is... volunteer... work."


    ...If that was a lie, Tycon did not believe it.


    If it were true, it was somewhat pitiable.


    "But''cha know, Tycon..." Hades crossed his arms, "I can''t go with ya this time. A group o'' gods put a seal on that ce. Outta all of us, only the sea god can get in there, really-- and maybe the elf god."


    Tycon furrowed his brows... "Were you not present at the sealing ritual?"


    Hades'' eyes grew clear for a brief moment... "Tycon..."


    "Yes, Brother-Hades?"


    "I do a lot of f*cking drugs."


    Tycon averted his gaze, staring off at the distant shore, "Granted."


    So the death god was, in fact, present.


    Something caught Tycon''s attention... and he channeled mana into his eyes to sharpen his vision.


    "Boatman, take us closer to shore," He pointed.


    "...Actually," The hooded skeleton tilted its head, "I... am a woman."


    "...Oh, this is embarrassing," Tycon pursed his lips and bowed lightly. "I apologize for assuming. You uh... ah, no. Please ept my apology."


    The pitch of the ferrywoman''s mana-voice was not indicative of their gender. Also, her robes hid the shape of her bones.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Neither excuse would be particrly effective at absolving his mistake.


    "It''s... fine," The boatwoman waved. "But... ording to policy..."


    "Eh?" Hades sat up-- shaking the boat and sending up a few small waves, "Whaddya mean policy? I''m your boss, so you should jus'' do as you''re told!"


    "Even sssoooo," The skeleton ced a skeletal palm on her chest and lowered her head... "I would... need... to talk to my team leaaaader..."


    "Hades," Tycon waved his hand before hispanion could grow more upset.


    Two out of the three persons present were immune to the river''s properties.


    He was not.


    "...It''s just water, dude," Hades pouted.


    Tycon waved to catch the ferrywoman''s attention, "Miss, correct me if I am wrong, but our contract requires that I be taken to my chosen destination, yes?"


    "Yes... Once we arrive... we can arrange a new contract... which requiresss... another payment..."


    "Aha... yeah, that ain''t gonna happen," Hades chuckled. "Tycon''s real stingy about-- ''ey, where ya goin''?"


    Tycon leapt off the boat, creating mana footholds above the water''s surface.


    It was a Skill he had previously thought was more ostentatious than functional... something he''d brazenly copied from the gentleman known as King.


    However, the movement technique was simr enough to practice in conjunction with the instant-burst-and-retract style of sword Skillsmon of the Screaming Silence''s highest level arts.


    He still felt he looked stupid, though.


    An undead leviathan skimmed the surface of the river, allowing Tycon a brief moment to run across its skeleton.


    A four-eyed fish, wide-mouthed and fanged, lunged out of the water.


    It probably thought of him as easy prey.


    "Avernan Snapper," Tycon whispered under his breath. "So the boy spoke true..."


    Though it was one of the smaller predators, it was still the size of a carriage... or a particr orc.


    Tycon leapt up in the air before the leviathan submerged itself and drew his curved de. Even without the ground beneath him, he was confident in rejecting a single bottom-dwelling fish.


    He sliced through the snapper''s maw with ease, then pointed his palm forward, "HAH!!"


    ? ?Kiai Shout? activated. ?


    Therge fish was rejected backward, along with the water that came with it, crashing back into River Letherna.


    "Oh,e ON!!" Hades shouted in the distance, "I don''t have a change of robes!!"


    It seemed he and the ferrywoman were caught in the resulting ssh.


    The god of death and the dead looked quite upset... even though it was just water.


    ...Ah, no, that was unfair.


    Tycon apologized in his heart as he swiped his de downward, "?Caustic Burst.?"


    A noxious green st of mana shot out of his sword, propelling him towards the shore.


    Hended on the beach, rolling onto the rough and rocky sand.


    Stopping his momentum with his heel, he knelt in the sand... and returned his curved de back into his adamantine scabbard.


    Tycon stood up with confidence, raising his chin defiantly.


    "Ladies. Gentlemen. Good afternoon."