"Oh. That's going to be a problem…"

Nova stared past the blue screen in front of him, looking out of the starting room and into the ninth floor. The shimmering surface rippled with distortion, revealing only watery shadows beyond the entrance.

[Floor 9 - Special Effect: The entire level is submerged underwater.]

[Objective: Bring the hearts of the Prince and Princess to the Mermaid King.]

[Party Size: 2]

[Note: All loot is shared evenly among party members.]

"What kind of fucked up mission is that?" Anny asked, scowling at the screen. Her scales flashed with irritation as she read the objective again, disbelief evident in her expression.

Nova ran a hand through his white hair, racing through possible solutions. "It's an entirely different type than what we've seen so far. But more importantly, how the hell are we going to beat this underwater? Your sword can't be used at all like this."

"What?! No, Nova, please! I have to try it!" Panic flashed across Anny's face. She clutched the sword at her side protectively, wrapping around the hilt with fierce determination.

"Do you not know how electricity works underwater?" Nova furrowed his brows in worried wonder, glancing up at Anny's eyes. The height difference was getting annoying.

"I do..." Anny frowned, then lifted her chin defiantly. "But does it discharge its power no matter how I wield it? I need a weapon!"

He sighed, watching her grip tighten around the sword. It would be a significant loss in combat power to make her fight without a sword, but as things were, they didn't have much of a choice. The Manticore Blade likely wouldn't survive a single slash with her new strength.

"Well, even if you have a weapon, how are you going to survive the water?" he asked, gesturing toward the barrier ahead.

The question seemed to catch Anny off guard for only a moment. Then her expression shifted to triumph. She smiled and pointed at her neck, which formed slits on each side. "Gills." Then she spread her fingers, showing off the webbing that had formed between them. "And webbed hands."

"Oh, right." He felt silly for not having anticipated that much. The beast powers were incredible for adapting to special environments. "Maybe this won't be as impossible as I feared."

"What about you?"

He took a deep breath, still working through the options in his head. "Well, there is a spell that converts water into breathable air, but it's mostly a temporary measure if you're caught unprepared... I could form a large barrier around myself here to carry the air with me, but this floor will likely take several days. Plus, any attack would put me in grave danger."

"...Were there any fish-hearts or anything in the loot we've received so far?"

"No..." Nova shook his head, frustration building inside him. He was eager to leave the starting area and search for Millie with his ring again, but nothing would come from rushing headlessly forward.

Anny snapped her fingers suddenly, eyes widening with realization. "Oh! Didn't you get mermaid tears or something from the church? They're supposed to allow people to breathe underwater!"

"Oh? For how long?"

"Uhm... I'm not sure, but I think like a day or so." Anny scratched her cheek, likely searching her memories for a certain passage in a book.

"That's not very encouraging... But these are Tears of the Mermaid Princess, so they should have a greater effect." Nova felt his spirits lift slightly. There had to be a reason the Princess title was included in the name.

He summoned his new staff from his ring. It materialized in his hand with a brief shimmer of light. He held it by the top, examining the vial of iridescent liquid inserted there. The tears caught the blue dungeon light, swirling with mysterious power inside their glass prison.

"This was supposed to help me cast spells, but if you're right..."

"Oh, you've already used it?" Anny stepped closer, peering at the staff with newfound interest.

"Yeah, but just as a focus for my spells to work faster. I can still remove them, or at least I think I can." Nova turned the staff in his hands, examining the connections between the vial and the wood.

He had never tried changing a completed equipment before, and considering the system interacted with them in a way he wasn't used to, it was hard to say what would happen. The thought made him uneasy, but they needed a solution quickly.

"But either way, the staff is less valuable than the ability to breathe underwater right now." He said the words firmly, convincing himself as much as Anny.

Anny frowned, considering alternatives. "...Maybe I could leave and get you some more tears instead? I'm sure there are mermaids here since we're fighting a mermaid king at the end."

Nova shook his head immediately. "That is extremely risky. Do you even have any experience fighting underwater?"

"Some." Anny shrugged, not meeting his eyes directly.

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"No, I'd rather break the staff. Besides, we can't get monster parts with essence remaining inside before beating the level."

"Oh, yeah..." Anny nodded in realization. "Go ahead, then."

Nova took a deep breath, steadying his hands as he prepared to dismantle his creation. Hopefully, he would find something better to use on this floor. Or even another vial of the same material, judging by the objective.

"Hold this," he said, handing Anny the lower portion of the staff.

She took it without question, watching intently as Nova's fingers worked at the bindings securing the vial. It was shaped like a teardrop with the opening at the thin end, which was hidden inside the staff itself. Only a round sphere was visible normally.

With a final twist, the vial came free. The staff dimmed immediately, almost like it powered down without the magical material. Nova held the small crystal container up to the blue light, studying the swirling liquid inside.

"I really hope this works," he said, uncorking the vial. "If not… Well, I'll figure something out."

He tipped his head back and drank the tears in one swift motion. The liquid tasted strange—not salty as he expected, but sweet with an underlying bitterness. It slid down his throat like cold silk.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then a chilling sensation spread from his stomach, coursing through his entire body. The air drained from his lungs as the cool energy coursed through them, driving Nova to his knees.

[Your body has absorbed the remaining essence of the Tears of the Mermaid Princess, granting you its full effect. Your lungs can now absorb oxygen directly from water, allowing you to breathe underwater.]

Anny knelt beside him, looking at him with concern. "Nova?"

He touched his chest, finally able to breathe in again. The air felt cooler in his lungs, and somehow lighter than normal.

"It worked," he managed, voice raspy from the transformation. "It's permanent, so no need to worry about time."

"Oh, that's incredible! But I guess it's to be expected from a tier nine material like that?"

"...It should at least do this much, huh?" He looked down at the hollow crystal in his hand.

The now-empty vial crumbled to dust, only existing as a container for the liquid. The staff, which was still in Anny's grip, looked ordinary now. Just a piece of finely carved wood without its magical focus.

"We'll need to find some kind of replacement for the staff later," he said, rising to his feet. The momentary weakness passed quickly, replaced by a strange new vigor. His body felt lighter somehow, ready for the water.

"Ready to swim?" Anny asked, securing her sword to her back. Though she knew the electricity would be useless underwater, she clearly wasn't willing to part with the weapon.

Nova nodded, turning toward the shimmering barrier. "I hope so… I'm nervous about searching for Millie again, though…"

Anny shot him a careful smile. "Either way, we'll know for sure soon…" She adjusted her armor straps, trying to sound more confident than she felt. The uncertainty in her eyes betrayed her concern.

"You still intend to tell me it's not worth it if she's on the next floor?"

Anny paused, looking down at the coral-encrusted floor. "...I can see in your eyes that it won't matter what I say. So why bother?" She met his gaze again, looking both resigned and annoyed.

"...You might be able to convince me," Nova spoke slowly, not sure if that was true. He was following his heart, not reason. She would have to argue well.

But Anny shook her head. "You'd hate me for it."

"...Yeah, you're probably right."

"Besides, it's not like I don't want to rescue her."

"Let's focus on this floor first. We still don't know…" He left the sentence unfinished, unwilling to voice the possibility that Millie might not be here either.

Anny brushed her scales, checking her equipment one final time. "Make sure your rings don't get damaged. Otherwise we would have to use sign language or something."

(Noted.) Nova projected through their mental link, testing the connection before they entered the water.

They stepped through the blue membrane together. The water enveloped them instantly—cool, dense, and surprisingly clear. Nova's first instinct was to hold his breath, but he knew he would have to get used to it right away.

Focusing his mind, he let his breath out nearly all the way. Then he hesitated, before finally trying to breathe in water. It arrived at his trachea before his body forced him to stop, making his mind panic.

(Nova, calm down!) Anny's mental voice cut through his rising fear.

But he couldn't. Ancient instincts were taking over, forcing him to act against his own thoughts. He pushed back against the blue membrane, trying to get back to air, but it was impossible to break through.

Anny embraced him tightly from behind, forcing his arms to stop swaying through the water.

(Calm, Nova. You can breathe in, slowly. Or use the spell to make air if you really are in trouble.) Her mental tone remained steady, anchoring him amid his panic.

Nova could feel his body relaxing after a while, letting him back in the driver's seat. His lungs had already filled halfway with water, so he forced himself to breathe out the last bit of air, and then back in. The bubbles floated up to the ceiling while his lungs filled completely with water, bringing oxygen back to his brain.

(Ahh, that was terrible! Thanks, Anny.)

(Don't worry about it. My instincts seem to merge with whatever beast I'm using, but I still had trouble the first few times I tried.) Anny released him slowly, making sure he was stable before letting go.

(I really thought I would be fine… But breathing is one of the more ingrained instincts we have.)

Now he could finally look in front of him, focusing on the dangers ahead.

The dungeon stretched before them, transformed into an underwater palace. Coral formations grew from what would have been the floor, creating natural archways and tunnels. Schools of small fish darted between waving sea plants. Above, crystal formations in the ceiling cast rippling blue light throughout the vast chamber.

Nova closed his eyes, concentrating on the ring connection that would lead them to Millie. He sent out a pulse of essence, searching for that familiar signature.

His eyes snapped open.

(I sense her!) His words came out like a cheer. (I sense her below us!)

Relief flooded through him, so powerful he nearly forgot to breathe. After all this time, after all the floors they'd fought through, they'd finally found her. But the sense of relief quickly gave way to concern. What state would they find her in? And how much longer would she last?

Anny was already scanning the underwater landscape for threats. (That's great! But I guess that means she's on the next floor, then.) She sounded less excited, but Nova could clearly hear the joy in her voice.

(Let's go,) he said, kicking off from the coral floor.

'God damn finally! I was starting to lose hope there for a minute, but the fact that the ring still is charged means she's alive! I'm coming, Millie!'

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