"That should be enough, Princess," the sphere in Nova's hand uttered. The voice flowed more naturally now, having absorbed enough vocabulary to form coherent sentences. Each word carried the musical quality of Princess Naia's speech, only somewhat compressed through the magical device. "Thank you for your help."

Hearing Nova's words through the sphere, Princess Naia nodded eagerly. Her silver tiara caught the blue light as she moved, casting tiny rainbows across the coral walls. "I'm happy to be of assistance, Nova. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Nova studied the glowing orb in his palm, still amazed by how well the spell had worked. The princess had provided him with hundreds of words during their conversation. "There's no need to be so helpful." He paused, his stomach choosing that moment to remind him of their more immediate needs. "But... perhaps you know any good ways to cook food underwater?"

Princess Naia's webbed fingers drummed against her staff as she considered the question. "Oh, we don't eat much fish, and what little we do eat is mostly just raw," she explained, waving her free hand dismissively. "The sea provides everything we need without preparation. But..." Her eyes brightened with sudden realization. "If you want, I could remove the water from this room so you can do what you usually do."

"What? That was an option from the start?" The sphere's artificial voice couldn't quite convey Nova's surprise, but his wide eyes and raised eyebrows made his reaction clear. He gestured around the chamber with his free hand. He could have asked earlier, having witnessed the ability when they first entered her chambers in the mansion. But he had assumed the princess would have offered if it were possible without consequence.

"Sure!" Princess Naia's fins fluttered with enthusiasm. "Any room that's sealed off, I can temporarily remove the water from. The barrier I created around us counts as a seal." She pointed toward the shimmering wall of magic that surrounded their small area.

"Then please do." Nova's eagerness came through despite the sphere's mechanical delivery.

Princess Naia nodded, and suddenly her expression shifted to one of focused concentration. "Give me one moment." She swam to the center of the chamber with graceful strokes, and raised her staff above her head.

The moonlike orb at its tip began to glow with increasing brightness, casting silver light that mixed with the blue coral glow. The water around them started to respond immediately, drawn to the magical focus like iron filings to a magnet.

Tiny bubbles emerged throughout the chamber, appearing first as pinpricks of air that sparkled in the mixed light. They gathered momentum quickly, clustering together into larger and larger groups that rose toward the ceiling in lazy spirals. The water itself began to move, forming spiraling patterns that centered on the staff like a liquid whirlpool turned sideways.

Nova watched in fascination as the princess demonstrated precise control over her element, carefully gathering and compressing the water. Small fish that had been swimming through the chamber were gently guided toward the lower area, unharmed by the magical manipulation.

'I wonder if this is using an advanced alchemical spell to convert the water into air, or if it's something I haven't seen before… In any case, it seems far more efficient than the spell I know. That one wouldn't work here since the air would be too dense.'

The process took less than a minute in total. The coral walls began to gleam with moisture as they were exposed to air for the first time in who knew how long.

Finally, the princess lowered her staff. She stopped the process after half the floor had been bared, leaving a small pool near the entrance where she could remain comfortable. She settled into the shallow water with a satisfied sigh, brushing the wet hair from her face. "There. You should be able to breathe and cook normally now."

Nova took an experimental breath, feeling the strange sensation of air filling his lungs after the underwater breathing. The process had become much easier by now, as he could keep his instincts in check.

After that, he wasted no time in preparing their meal. Sitting himself down by the water, he retrieved preserved meat and vegetables from his storage ring, along with a small metal pan. Using a simple heating formation traced onto the coral floor, he cooked strips of seasoned meat until they sizzled and filled the air with savory aromas. The princess watched with fascination as he worked, clearly intrigued by surface-dweller cooking methods.

Nova and Anny both ate eagerly, having waited a bit too long after their last meal. The hot meal was a welcome comfort after hours of swimming through cold dungeon waters. The princess tried some of the cooked food with obvious delight, but she still seemed to prefer what she was used to.

As they finished eating, Nova noticed Anny's subtle glances in his direction. The hunger still showed in her eyes. Without needing to discuss it, he extended his arm while Princess Naia was distracted cleaning up.

Anny's fangs had already extended as she leaned close, piercing his wrist with ease. The warmth of her lips against his skin still felt strange to him, but he kept his gaze fixed on the coral formations above, giving her the privacy she preferred.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

When she pulled away, her cheeks held a faint flush that she tried to hide by busying herself with their supplies. Nova's wound had already sealed, leaving no trace of what had transpired.

"We should rest before moving on," Nova suggested, noting the fatigue in both their postures. The princess nodded agreement, diving under the water and creating sleeping areas with carefully shaped coral formations.

As they settled down for the night, Nova's mind turned to the challenges ahead. Tomorrow would bring new dangers, and they would need every advantage they could get.

Nova woke to the gentle sound of water lapping against coral. The air pocket Princess Naia had created still held, though he could see droplets of moisture gathering on the curved barrier above them. Soft blue light filtered through the magical wall, casting rippling patterns across their makeshift camp.

He sat up carefully, noting that Anny was already awake beside him. Her dark hair was tousled from sleep, and she watched him with those sharp eyes that seemed to catch every detail.

"Sleep well?" she asked quietly, not wanting to wake the princess who floated peacefully in her pool nearby.

"Well enough." Nova stretched, working out the stiffness from sleeping on coral formations. He decided not to address how she had been watching him sleep. "You?"

Anny nodded, but something in her expression seemed distant. Nova hadn't forgotten how she was constantly working to endure her love for him, but she managed to hide it fairly well—with certain exceptions.

'We're all weaker in the mornings, I guess. Especially after being lost in a nice dream… But, there's nothing to it but to move forward.'

Nova made his decision quickly, knowing they would need every advantage for what lay ahead. He reached into his core, summoning the kilosouls they had been saving. The spheres of concentrated power materialized in his palms, swirling with blue and white energy.

"Time to get stronger," he said, more to himself than to Anny.

"Yeah, use them as you feel is best." She watched with interest as he began the absorption process. Unlike the violent transformation she had experienced, Nova's approach was methodical. He split the souls carefully between himself and the Regis fragment, feeling the power settle into his body like warm sunlight.

His Soul Power increased to one hundred and eighty thousand, while the fragment surged to nearly five hundred thousand. The sensation was intoxicating—raw strength flowing through every cell, every nerve ending alive with potential.

'This means I will likely have to absorb the fragment before floor ten, but that's fine. Even if I lose one of the traits, I have plenty of other ones that will be useful. Hopefully I won't lose either, though...'

The process completed, Nova felt the difference immediately. His essence reserves had deepened, his mental aspects sharpened. Even his physical form felt more solid, more real.

"How do you feel?" Anny asked, studying his face for changes.

"Powerful," Nova admitted. "More than I've felt since arriving in this world."

A splash of water announced Princess Naia stirring in her pool. She surfaced gracefully, with her hair streaming behind her as she oriented herself. "Good morning, travelers. Did you rest well in my air bubble?"

"Very well, thank you," Nova replied, casting the Mermaid's Echo again to prepare for the water. The device felt more responsive now, charged by his increased essence.

"Are we ready to leave?"

"Ready to leave," Nova confirmed, already packing their supplies back into his storage ring. The familiar ritual helped center his thoughts for the challenges ahead.

Anny gathered her equipment, putting most of it back into the ring. But as she reached for her sword, hesitation flickered across her features.

(How far away would I have to be from you two to use the sword?) she asked through their ring connection.

Nova paused in his packing, considering the physics of the question. It was hard to judge accurately. (I'd say at least fifty meters. But I don't want you to take any unneeded risks. I won't be able to help you if you're that far away, and it's possible I won't even be able to get close safely.)

Frustration radiated through their mental link. (...What do I do, then?)

(Make one hand into something that can deflect sharp attacks? Or a middle ground, like the drake form.) Nova suggested, though he knew it wasn't the answer she wanted.

(...I guess the scales of the drake hand would withstand most slashes.) Her mental voice carried resignation. (But it feels like such a waste.)

(Why have you stopped using that form?) Nova asked, genuinely curious. He remembered how devastating she had been in full drake transformation.

Anny flexed her fingers, watching the subtle play of muscle and tendon beneath her skin. (...It feels limiting now. My own body feels stronger, and easier to move around in.) She clenched her hand into a fist, testing the sensation. (The drake form is powerful, but it's not... me anymore.)

(Oh? Has the Thousand Beast Sovereign technique made your body that much better than the individual beast powers?)

(Doesn't that make sense?) Anny's mental tone grew more animated as she worked through the logic. (Since the power in my body comes from them, they're not enhancing anything that's not already enhanced. Only useful things, like these gills, are really important now...) She touched her neck where the slits had formed. (Unless I get some new beast heart that's far stronger than me again.)

Nova nodded. (We might find something. If not here, where everything lives underwater, then on the next level.)

(Sure.) The conversation seemed to have restored some of her mood, judging by the light tone of her mental voice. (Let's head out!)

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.