The sea creatures were coming in gargantuan numbers ..so many that the water itself seemed to boil with movement. They swarmed together in dense, writhing masses, their bodies colliding and shoving each other forward in blind fury. The current twisted violently as fins, scales, and tails tangled together in chaos.

Their instincts were simple and absolute ..attack the intruders.

Somewhere deep within their primal minds, an command pulsed like a drumbeat: No one crosses this border. No one leaves this sea.

So they charged. Even when the creatures at the front were torn apart, even as blood spread thickly into the water like clouds of crimson smoke, the rest did not hesitate. They didn't retreat or scatter. Instead, they surged forward faster driven purely by instinct.

Razeal, Maria, and Neptunia were at the center of it all ..cutting through the chaotic swarm like streaks of light in an ocean of madness.

The deep sea rumbled with sound.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Small explosions echoed every few seconds, shockwaves rolling through the water. Each time, three or four monsters would burst apart mid-charge, their flesh shredded into a mist of red. Blue and golden streaks of energy flashed around Maria and Neptunia the glowing trails of their arrows as they intercepted anything that tried to flank from behind.

Neptunia released another arrow and sighed faintly, her eyes following Maria's shots for a moment before speaking. "You chose the right weapon but you really need to work on your archery skills."

Maria loosed another shot without looking, her expression unbothered. "Bow isn't my main combat form," she replied evenly. "So yeah, I know. But don't worry about it.. I'm learning. And, well…" her eyes flicked toward the massive school of monsters surrounding them, "…in this place, I don't think I need to aim. No matter which way I fire, I'll hit something anyways. As even missing counts as a hit." She released the string; another monster exploded ahead in a burst of light and blood.

All around them, countless beasts pressed closer.. sharks, serpents, and massive orcas, their forms twisting in the dim, shifting light. Above, below, and behind, the creatures filled every direction. They were completely surrounded, and yet, they moved.. fast, steady, synchronized Razeal cutting the path, the two women guarding the rear.

Despite the suffocating number of enemies, they kept advancing. The sea churned violently behind them, but the monsters' own density worked against them.. those from behind crashed into those ahead, slowing the entire swarm.

"Well, that's true…" Neptunia said between shots, her tone softening slightly. "I can see your skills improving. In the last hour, you've grown better. Really talented that's all i can say. Honestly hard to believe you're from the Seventh Sea .. respectfully, of course."

Maria didn't respond to the compliment, her focus fixed on her bow. The faint glow of the power disk pulsed through the water as she fired again, her arrow striking a serpent that tried to dart from above.

Neptunia continued anyway, her voice drifting over the sound of battle. "Still, I'm shocked he isn't recognized by any Ocean Lord or powerful house. A man with that much strength and talent… normally, someone like him would've already been recruited by the Royal Army or a Noble family by now. Maybe even married into one." She chuckled softly, the sound muffled by the water. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if some noble girl offered herself just to make him her father's son-in-law."

Her words were casual, teasing.. but her eyes remained sharp, always scanning the water ahead. Every time she blinked, another monster died.

Maria didn't answer, but her gaze flicked briefly to Razeal's silhouette ahead. His movements were nothing short of terrifying.

From where they swam, Razeal's figure couldn't even be clearly seen. He moved too fast.. just a black and red blur amid the water, his sword leaving faint trails of red. Every second, hundreds of creatures were being cut apart; every slash split through multiple targets. Bodies fell apart in layers, blood bursting outward in red waves.

The creatures didn't even see him coming. One instant they were alive, the next they were shredded.. their remains spiraling downward like rain.

Maria and Neptunia could only watch from behind, both feeling a rare, quiet sense of awe.. and a bit of envy.

Neptunia, who had trained since childhood in the depths, had never seen anything like it... Atleast at the age Razeal looks.. Yeah there are many powerful beings who can do this but.. Again most relying on there relicas.. And ge hasn't even taken it out yet..

So for a moment, she forgot the battle entirely, her eyes following the faint streaks of movement ahead. Then, out of nowhere, she asked ..her tone light, but her question sudden enough to make Maria blink.

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

Huh?... Maria turned her face toward Neptunia, her eyebrow arching high, genuine surprise flickering across her features. For a moment, she simply stared.. eyes narrowing slightly as she looked her up and down, trying to decide whether Neptunia was joking or just weird to ask something like that in the middle of a battlefield. Still, without breaking eye contact, she released the water arrow she had drawn, letting it fly off into the swarm.. it didn't even matter where it hit; with this many monsters, she was bound to strike something anyway.

"I mean," Neptunia continued casually, shrugging as she swam alongside her, her tone light as if she hadn't just dropped a completely ridiculous question, "you aren't in any relationship with him, right? Except that… Bitch thing you said before. So I figured you wouldn't mind me asking."

"No one does.. I mean I don't," Maria said finally, her tone dry, though the faint disbelief in her eyes made it clear she still couldn't process what she was hearing. She gave Neptunia a weird look, one eyebrow raised as she spoke. "You can have a go if you want. Seems like he's managed to charm you already."

The disbelief was genuine. She still couldn't wrap her head around the idea that that guy, with his cold expression and arrogant tone, could make any girl interested in him.

Neptunia immediately waved her hand, shaking her head quickly. "No, no, I don't," she said with a light laugh. "I already have a fiancé being prepared for me.. so leave it." Her tone was casual, almost indifferent, but the way she said "prepared" made Maria blink.

"Prepared fiancé?" Maria echoed, her tone skeptical. "Umm… whatever. But if you already have someone lined up, then why ask in the first place?" She tilted her head slightly, her curiosity clearly piqued.

Neptunia's eyes flicked toward Razeal ahead, his figure cutting through the waves like a living blade. She let out a small breath, pretending to brush off Maria's question as she raised her bow and fired another arrow.. this time behind her, striking an octopus that had tried sneaking from below. The creature burst in a puff of red.

"Nothing," she said at last, "I was just… a little interested, you could say." Her voice was light, but the faint glimmer in her eyes betrayed the truth.

"Interested, oh…" Maria muttered, her right eye twitching slightly for some reason. She wasn't sure if it was annoyance or amusement ..maybe both.

Neptunia grinned faintly, clearly not noticing or perhaps choosing to ignore Maria's tone. "So," she continued, shooting another arrow smoothly, "did he ever have a past relationship then? I mean, if not now, anyone before?"

Maria hesitated for a moment before answering, glancing toward Razeal's dark silhouette ahead of them. "Umm, well, yeah… you can say that," she said at last. "He was engaged before. Had a fiancée since childhood, actually. But…" she shrugged, her voice dropping lower, "she broke it off. A few years ago."

"Broke off the engagement?" Neptunia's eyes lit up immediately, her excitement almost comedic. "Wait.. which woman in the world breaks off an engagement with someone like him? I mean.. Lets ignore his attitude.. but look at that strength and.. even that face! Why would anyone?" Her tone was almost scandalous, eyes gleaming with curiosity like someone handed her the juiciest gossip of the century.

Maria just gave a small, unreadable smile. "Well… many things happened," she said simply, her voice calm but laced with weight. Of course, she knew better than to share that story.

"Ah, no, no, no.. you can't just stop there!" Neptunia exclaimed, clearly too invested now. She swam a bit closer, her bow still held casually in one hand as she gestured animatedly with the other. "You can't start with that and not finish! You have to tell me what happened. Come on!"

Maria blinked slowly, unimpressed.

Neptunia grinned mischievously, her voice turning playful and sing-song. "Okay, okay, how about this.. you tell me the rest of the story, and I'll personally teach you proper archery. Deal? You won't regret it!" she said, beaming, her tone teasing but genuinely curious.

Maria couldn't even respond this time. Her face just blanked, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. Is she really trying to bargain gossip in the middle of a damn battle?

Before she could answer, a voice suddenly cut through the water around them..

"Would you two rather focus on something important," Razeal's voice echoed, sharp and even, "instead of wasting time with useless talk?"

Both Maria and Neptunia jolted slightly, their bodies tensing as they turned.. and there he was.

Razeal had appeared right between them, his expression unreadable, water rippling gently around his figure as if the ocean itself dared not disturb him. Neither of them had sensed him coming; he'd just… appeared, like a shadow slipping through space.

Neptunia blinked, trying to recover. "Wait ..you're here? Then what about the.."

But she stopped. Her words froze in her throat as her gaze darted forward.. Thanking hat he left his job in middle.. So who gonna stop monsters now..

But

All around them the monsters, the thousands upon thousands that had filled the sea only moments ago.. were gone.

Or rather, what was left of them floated quietly through the water in torn, drifting pieces.

Shreds of flesh. Severed fins. Splintered scales.

In a circular radius of almost two hundred meters around them, the water was eerily clear of any living creatures. Not a single one had survived. The silence of it was suffocating ..only the faint shimmer of blood particles floating like mist.

Farther away, she could still see more monsters.. far in the distance, coming towards them.. But again it was some distance away..

Razeal exhaled quietly, lowering his sword. His eyes flicked toward Maria first. "And you.. I thought having a Power Disk would make you a little more useful than just playing around with useless attacks."

Maria blinked, taken aback for a second. Her gaze moved around the area.. the field of absolute destruction he'd just carved out and she couldn't help the thought that flashed through her mind. If he can do this… why the hell is he even letting us bother shooting arrows?

But before she could think much, his words hit..

"I'm using it the way it's supposed to be used," Maria said back defensively, frowning slightly.

Razeal didn't even give her the chance to finish her thought.

"Sylvia," he said flatly, "could create millions of arrows with her disk.. each one thousands of times stronger than yours. And here you are, treating and using.. it like a toy." His tone was calm, but his words were sharp enough to slice through her confidence. "She would've cleared this entire army by nowwww."

Maria at his piercing words.. shut her mouth, biting back a response but only for a second. Her lips parted again almost immediately, frustration flaring through her expression.

"So why didn't you bring Sylvia with you then?" she shot back sharply, her voice louder than she intended. "If you liked her that much, you should've taken her with you. She could've fought right beside you!"

The words came out fast, filled with equal parts anger and disbelief.

Razeal glanced at her over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. His eyes lingered on her face for just a moment.. seeing her flushed cheeks and clenched jaw before he exhaled through his nose and muttered quietly, "Useless."

He didn't stay to argue. Without another word, he turned back around, swimming ahead as his sword sliced effortlessly through another wave of monsters.

The creatures around them screeched, their blood turning the surrounding water crimson. Each swing of his blade cleared meters of space. Razeal didn't even seem to notice how the blood clouded around him; his movements were sharp and rhythmic.

Behind him, Maria stood frozen for a heartbeat. Then her face went completely red.. bright, furious red ..her jaw tightening so much that it hurt. This bastard just called me useless.. Again.

Her nostrils flared slightly, and her grip on her bow tightened until her knuckles went pale. Her thoughts swirled with irritation and disbelief. This fucking moron..

Neptunia, who had been silently following behind, raised an eyebrow at the outburst, her eyes shifting between the two of them curiously. "So… who is this Sylvia girl?" she finally asked, genuine curiosity slipping into her tone. A small frown appeared on her face as she spoke, her mind still replaying what Razeal had said earlier.. millions of arrows, thousands of times stronger. Same kind of thing she is using?

What does he mean by that? she thought. Is there someone else who can use the same type of Relica as Maria? Or are there more of other unique relicas? The possibilities raced through her head, but she didn't voice them. Instead, she only asked what she thought she safely could.

"The girl that kicked his ass," Maria answered flatly, still clearly fuming, her tone clipped and cold. She didn't even look at Neptunia as she spoke. Instead, she just turned away and started shooting arrows blindly into the mass of sea creatures again, each arrow ripping through water and tearing into anything in its path.

Her anger fueled her rhythm.. each release faster and sharper than before.

This bastard, she thought bitterly, does he not understand that not everyone's born into some overpowered, cheating family like the damn Faereliths?

Her mind ran wild as her arrows sliced through the ocean. My mana and elemental affinity are limited. He knows that for sure, Yeah I might be inside water right now, my terotary.. where I don't need to create water from scratch, just mold it… but that doesn't mean it's unlimited.

Every thought grew harsher, angrier.

Yeah, I have buffs here.. this is my field, I know that but there's still a limit! I can't just go firing off thousands of arrows at once like some monster. Yeah she could for once or twice, maybe, but then what? We still have a long way to go.. at least twenty kilometers or more through this damned wild sea. If i drain myself dry of mana here, where am I supposed to go after that? Float helplessly to the bottom as fully trusting him? Or die? Only an idiot would do that just to show off!

Maria clenched her jaw tighter, her blood practically boiling in her veins. The water around her trembled faintly, reacting to her rising irritation.

Razeal, of course, didn't responded not that he could hear her throughts.. His movements stayed steady, precise, efficient. The dark aura around his sword flared as he swung again, cutting through another cluster of sea creatures.

Each motion was smooth and terrifyingly effortless.

The system's voice echoed faintly in his mind as he moved.

[Killing Point +1]

[Killing Point +1]

[Killing Point +1]

The notifications rang in his head one after another.. in his head

Razeal's gaze flicked momentarily toward his skill panel, his mind half-focused even while fighting.

[Killing Intent (SSS) – (B): 165,777 / One Billion]

He frowned slightly. "Still too slow," he muttered under his breath.

In just the past hour, he'd killed more than a million and a half of these sea creatures.. an insane number by normal standards but even then, it barely made a dent in his progression.

His blade sliced through another swarm, the water turning dark red around him.

It wasn't even that hard for him as his strength far surpassed theirs..

Still, it irritated him.

This pace is pathetic.

And worse, his mind kept circling back to one persistent frustration his lack of dark mana. Without it, his combat felt incomplete, limited.

If he had mana to use shadow abilities he could've finished this entire stretch in minutes.. as created whole path.. but now without it, everything felt restrained, dulled, like fighting with one arm tied behind his back. Maybe he really got too dependent of shadow abilities of his..

He had thought he'll get many monster's in here.

But no.. luck just wasn't on his side. Not even a single real monster had appeared so far. Not one from the portals .. the ones that carried actual monster cores inside them.

He'd thought he could at least gather some cores along the way, absorb them, and restore his dark mana bit by bit. It would've been the perfect.

But there was nothing. Just these empty, artificial things shells without life or essence. which doesn't even give fucking complete killing point's..

And if that wasn't enough the blade in Razeal's hand finally began to show signs of strain. Fine cracks had formed along its surface, faint but spreading like thin spiderwebs across the metal. Even though he'd reinforced it with his killing aura, it wasn't enough to keep the weapon from wearing down. After carving through so many creatures, slicing through armor-thick scales and bones, the sword had nearly reached its limit.

Each strike was still clean, still sharp.. but the faint tremor in the steel told the truth. It was just about to crumble into dust.

Razeal exhaled slowly through his nose, his gaze flicking to the blade. "Hah… What a bother."

He sighed, adjusting his grip on the hilt.

"Just fifteen or so kilometers more," he muttered to himself, his tone tired but steady. "Fifteen more, and we'll be out of this damned stretch."

That was all that kept him moving now. The only thing left to enjoy in this dull, endless massacre was the act of killing itself.. the rhythm of motion, the constant hum of steel through flesh, the red mist rising through the water.

But then, suddenly… something changed.

Without warning, the sea went still.

Every creature around them.. the thousands upon thousands that had been surging toward him with endless hunger.. suddenly froze in place. It was as if time itself had stopped. The water grew eerily silent, the sound of distant growls fading into nothing.

Even the faint current of movement in the sea seemed to slow.

Razeal's eyes narrowed slightly as sensing something coming..

Maria and Neptunia, swimming behind him, stopped as well. Both turned in confusion, glancing around at the motionless hordes surrounding them.

"What happened?" Maria asked, her voice carrying faintly through the water.

Razeal, however, didn't seem surprised. He shook his head slowly, exhaling again. "I think," he said quietly, his tone laced with even more irritation, "our sea lord is here."

Both women looked at him immediately.. and even before they could ask, he continued, muttering under his breath sighing, "Talk about luck… again."

Because of course, it would happen to him.

Just as the words left his mouth, a massive movement stirred within the horde ahead. The countless creatures that had filled the water began to shift, parting in two neat lines as though making way for something.. or someone.

The pressure in the water changed, growing heavier.

Then, from the midst of the formation, a figure appeared.. riding calmly on the back of an enormous shark.

He wasn't armored like one would expect of a ruler. In fact, he looked oddly out of place in this hostile setting.. half-naked, wearing only ragged black pants, his upper body lean and skinny taut under pale skin. A necklace of seashells hung around his neck, bound together by thick black thread, giving him a strange, almost weird appearance.

Despite the sharpness of his facial features the kind that might once have been considered handsome.. his sunken cheeks and hollow eyes made him look like someone half-dead. His hair was trimmed short, almost a buzz cut, and his expression seemed oddly detached, almost bored.

Neptunia's lips parted slightly as recognition crossed her face. "Yeah…" she said softly, almost sighing. "That's him. The Sea Lord of the Third Sea.. Antonio."

Maria and Razeal both stayed silent, studying him as the man stopped a few meters away, standing tall atop the shark. His posture was lazy, casual even hands tucked loosely into his pockets, gaze drifting over the three of them.

No one spoke for several seconds. The tension was thick, the only sound the faint hum of the water between them.

Then, unexpectedly, the man broke the silence.

"Yoooooooo!!" Antonio suddenly raised one hand, his grin wide and unbothered, waving as if greeting old friends.

The abrupt cheerfulness clashed hard against the deadly silence of the moment.

Razeal blinked once, expression blank, before turning his head slightly toward Neptunia.

She gave a helpless shrug, exhaling softly. "He's… like that," she said, half-embarrassed. "Not really serious about anything."

Razeal rolled his eyes faintly. "Great."

His gaze returned to Antonio, meeting the Sea Lord's lazy, amused stare.

"So," Razeal said evenly, his tone sharp, "you're here to stop me now?"

Antonio tilted his head slightly, pretending to think about it. "Hmm… we can make a deal about that," he said after a pause, his voice light, almost joking. "I don't really get much out of stopping you, you know? And besides, you've already proved you're strong enough to receive my test... the one that old man asked me to give you."

He lifted a hand, covering his mouth as he let out a drawn out yawn. "So boring…"

Razeal didn't blink. "What kind of deal?"

Antonio hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin with exaggerated seriousness. "Well, that depends," he said finally. "Depends on my mood. Whether I feel like letting you pass or not."

Even as he spoke to Razeal, his gaze kept drifting.. sliding sideways toward Neptunia. His eyes, sharp and unsettling, trailed up and down her figure secretly..

Still

Antonio chuckled softly, looking back at him. "Well, well," he said, his tone dripping with sweetness. "It's rare to see someone like you.. a boy that beautiful and with physical strength like that."

The shark beneath him stirred slightly as he leaned forward, his grin widening.

"You'd really come in handy, you know? So how about…" He paused, licking his lips slightly, eyes gleaming with disturbing amusement. "You give me some of your sperm."

The words hung in the water, twisted and strange but the meaning behind them was clear enough.

Razeal's expressionlessly looked at him.m as speachlessly.. But

Antonio laughed lightly, raising his hands. "What? Don't look at me like that," he said with a playful tone that didn't match the tension rising in the water. "It'll be really useful for my collection, I promise. After all…"

His grin widened, his gaze gleaming with madness. "There's nothing more valuable than the seed of something strong."

----

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