Book 18 Chapter 5
Underwater Battle Royale,
Naga Kingdom (1)
“Priestess, this sea route is too dangerous. Please reconsider!”
Said the mayor of the green city, <Karshiko>.
In this Republic of Yongin, where political leaders are elected by vote unlike in the Empire, the mayor of one of the seven great cities signifies the most powerful person in that region.
Yet, there is someone even such a mayor must treat with utmost respect: it is Friede, the Priestess of the Fire Dragon!
“But this is the so-called fastest sea route, leading straight to the Adrion Continent. There are hardly any reefs, and it’s a whole week faster than the second fastest route.”
“That is true, but countless fishing boats, merchant ships, refugee ships… and even warships have disappeared on this route! Without a trace of a shipwreck!”
“What?”
“There are 284 officially reported missing cases! As you can see, they form a triangle, so we call this the Damuver Triangle. Currently, only fools who don't care about their lives travel via this sea route.”
“Fools, fools, only fools.”
Pipi bobbed its head on Friede’s shoulder. Friede slightly lifted the brim of her pointed hat and looked at Reista.
“Reista, it seems better to take the safe sea route, as the mayor said. You also… have unavoidable circumstances.”
Is it a sea route where unknown dangers lurk…? Reista pondered.
‘Is it right to confront that danger head-on?’
Or is it right to seek safety until they reach the battlefield?
‘Friede said she couldn’t even guarantee how much longer my lifespan would be…’
At that moment, Lyn, who had been silently reading a grimoire by the window of the mayor’s office, let out a sneer!
“Hmph…”
The arrow of that sneer was aimed directly at the mayor! The mayor flinched and protested.
“It seems like you're laughing as if that much is nothing to us, but you absolutely, absolutely must not take this place lightly!”
“Heh…”
“It seems like you're laughing as if to say, ‘What do you know about us?’, but I only spoke for the safety of you, the Hero Party!”
After the mayor's urgent protest, no answer returned.
A strange silence fell.
A moment later, with a rustle… of a page turning, a voice signaling the end of this debate was heard.
“That much?”
Reista’s eyes widened instantly.
That’s right. As Lyn said.
No matter how serious, it must be a danger that won't pose a great threat. Who were they? Weren't they the Hero Party who even defeated the ancient Sea Gate Commander?
‘We must break through and move forward so that others can be guaranteed safety. This isn't the time to worry about my lifespan. I’m a hero, after all.’
Thank you always, Lyn.
For reminding me of what's important.
Reista exchanged nods with her comrades present to get their permission.
[<(ㅇㅅㅇ)>]
Kies yielded her judgment to Friede with an emoticon of placing hands on both flanks. Master!
Lyn also seemed to agree, remaining silent without taking her eyes off the grimoire.
After a long pause, Friede let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh and swore.
“Damn it, do whatever you want. You’re not the kind of person to listen if I tell you not to, anyway, are you?”
Reista finally pointed her index finger at the large sea chart spread out on the office desk.
“We will take this sea route. I would appreciate it if you could make the necessary preparations, Mayor.”
“He-Hero…!”
“Ah, it’s more comfortable for us without sailors… so you don’t have to worry about finding people. However, we plan to depart at night, so just make sure the lighthouse is properly maintained.”
Surely, they must have left the city so coolly… The next day, Friede felt the sensation of a bulging vein above her forehead with painful clarity.
“But why are we starving on this vast ocean? Stand up straight, Hero. Do you want a taste of my spell?”
Reista was kneeling submissively before Friede, head bowed low, sniffling.
“Hoo…hoo…”
Lyn, who walked out of the cabin with a yawn, felt an odd sense of déjà vu at the sight.
‘Did I have a dream?’
She felt like she’d experienced a 99.9999% similar situation before, so why was this happening again?
“Friede, why are you so glum first thing in the morning?”
“Reista is pissing me off, you bitch. Look at this! There’s nothing! No food, nothing at all! The hold is empty!”
“Why? Why is there not a single bit of food on board? Seriously, I don’t know.”
At Lyn’s question, Reista snapped her head up, tears welling in her eyes.
“I… I told them not to give us any. But they packed a few days’ worth, so I gave it all away to the people at the port.”
“?”
“But, but…! The world is so hard right now! I couldn't ask for food when they barely had any! I’m a hero! It’s okay if I starve, because I’m a hero!”
Friede burst into tears and covered her mouth with both hands.
“Oh, oh, oh, Reista! I didn’t understand what you meant…!”
“Yeah, yeah, Friede…!”
“But you bitch, why did you scold me last time? Huh? What’s the difference between you and me, you crazy woman!”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Friede delivered an angry fist-twister to Reista’s head, and the scream of pain echoed far across the surface of the sea.
‘There’s never a quiet day.’
Lyn sighed.
Link was sitting on the ship’s rail, dangling something unusually shaped into the sea.
“Awake, Lyn? Look at this. Our A-in technology is the best in the world! The bait hooked here isn’t just simple bait.”
“Then… could it be [The Ultimate Bait]?”
“Gwahahaha! If I had to explain it, yes! I’ve hooked bait that emits sound waves to attract powerful creatures. Watch closely, Link and I will catch a huge tuna with this fishing rod!”
However, this was the Southern Sea!
With the Red Dragon Army’s surveillance lax, all sorts of marine monsters began to run rampant, making it truly a den of monsters!
Just as the fishing line seemed to pull taut, Link’s upper and lower arm muscles began to swell wildly.
“Oh, ohhhhhhh! Did you really catch something? How amazing is it that Link is snorting so much?”
“Re-Link, Link, Linkkkhhh…!”
“Don’t lose, Link! This is a battle between man and nature! You must not lose to nature!”
Link did not lose.
Even as he smashed the ship’s rail he was using as a brace, he made his catch soar into the sky! A crazy master!
But… what was it? Suddenly, it was as if night had fallen, and the entire world turned dark.
That’s right.
The captured object was too, abnormally gigantic.
“Wow, crazy! You really caught something serious!”
“See? [The Ultimate Fishing Rod] definitely works, right? What did I tell you? Our A-in technology is the best in the world.”
“Link, Link, Link!”
Friede, who had been twisting her fists on Reista's temples, noticed something strange and looked up.
“?”
It wasn't a tuna.
A Liopleurodon!
A monstrous sea creature measuring a whopping 20 cheok in length! This beast was a calamity of the sea, famous for devouring even huge merchant ships in one bite!
“Wh-what the hell! Th-those crazy idiots, what are they doing not stopping it! They say madness and genius are two sides of the same coin! Hey, Reista! Get up!”
“I-I’m sorry, please forgive me, I’ll live a good life, I won’t do it again, boohoohoo.”
“Enough, get up! Call Surpen, call Surpen! Hurry!”
Friede grabbed Reista’s body and made her stretch out her arm, and the Extreme Holy Sword, Surpen, flew into her hand.
At that moment!
Reista’s eyes gleamed bluer than the sea.
“Ah, this cold yet warm sensation. It’s time to return as Hero Reista.”
It was almost simultaneous.
Lyn deployed a barrier in the sky to protect the ship, and Reista’s fantastic sword dance began.
The blade that cut even time sliced through the barrier and further tore the monster’s body into dozens of pieces. A truly insane master!
“Perish before the light of the holy sword, nameless monster…”
Reista landed in a graceful posture and murmured quietly.
Lyn was silent.
Niles and Friede stared at the sky with pale faces.
“Wo-wo-woahhhhhhh!”
Reista must have felt quite awkward about her comrades' reactions, as she twirled her body, wiping under her nose.
“What’s wrong? Don’t be embarrassed. It’s not like you’ve never seen it before.”
It was a moment later that she realized it wasn’t an exclamation, but a scream.
Liopleurodon!
Was there any need to explain the weight of its unrealistic body, measuring a whopping 20 cheok!
“Runnnnnnnnnnn!”
The fact that it was falling in many fragments was no different from meteorites falling from the sky.
“Eh.”
Pow-pow-pow-pow-pow-pow… The ship, having been hit directly dozens of times by that murderous weight, naturally sank.
Contrary to what was recorded in history, the journey of Reista’s party actually ended here.
Hero, rest in peace.