《Tides from the Deep》


 Chapter 1 – Hero

    In a distant past, within a realm of numerous islands stretching to the edge of the earth, an unconquerable creature known as the Kraken terrorized all four Seas.


    Every time the beast started murdering innocents, heroes arose, giving their lives in order to destroy it, granting the people of the Great Archipelago a few years of peace.


    Sadly, the Kraken would always return as its immortal nature appeared impossible to tame.


    That was until the last Kraken Slayer, Yalena, used a spell that seemingly killed the monster for good.


    But she disappeared soon after, leaving behind two daughters, one of which bore ominous marks on her body, leading everyone to believe she had been cursed because of her mother¡¯s deeds.


    Growing up hearing about her mother¡¯s heroic adventures, the young Talia found her desire to be a hero at odds with everyone treating her as a monster. Some say it was how people treated her that forced her to become so resourceful. Others say it was her mother¡¯s blood running through her veins.


    This is the story of how a girl who was feared and hated had to embrace her darkness in order to fulfill her aspirations.


    ***


    ¡°Come on, come on, come on,¡± Talia bit her lower lip.


    She waited in trepidation as the sun''s rays ever-so-slowly touched the waking hour carved into her hut''s wall. Talia fidgeted with the wide bracelets that covered her wrists. When the light finally reached the dim rune, making it glow brightly and vibrate, she shot out of her bed faster than a Flashscale.


    It was time.


    ***


    It was time to change the guard in front of the cursed girl¡¯s hut.


    Two brutish guards walked shoulder to shoulder, chests puffed up with pride, tall like obelisks, rejoicing that they got to guard the twiggy teen.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Elders finally came to their senses,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°The spawn must be bawling her eyes out,¡± the other laughed raucously.


    From behind them, a groan escaped a third guard¡¯s throat, snapping the other guards¡¯ heads back.


    ¡°Do you have a problem over there?¡± One of the brutes growled.


    ¡°She¡¯s a kid without a mother and a father, a Keikikahi, an orphan.¡±


    ¡°Keikikahi? The Kraken is her father,¡± the other guard halted and barked. ¡°She¡¯s a demon, a monster. The Elders waited far too long to bar her from taking the Initiation Test!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The other rebuked, gritting his teeth as he scrutinized the bigger guard with disgust. ¡°Why do we worry about a girl whose biggest obsession is to become a Water Rider and slay monsters?¡±


    ¡°Monsters cheat and lie, of course,¡± the other gurgled. ¡°What if she becomes a monster like her father, the Kraken?¡±


    ¡°She''s the blood of the H¨¡kai P¨­, the Kraken Slayer, not the Kraken¡¯s damn child!¡±


    ¡°Whatever she is, we¡¯re not about to find out. She¡¯s never getting Initiated,¡± the brutish guard waved dismissively and started walking back toward the cursed girl¡¯s isolated hut.


    The kinder guard let his head hang low and ambled toward the post.


    Maybe I could give her a break? If I station myself by her window ¨C I could even let her escape.


    Arriving at the old decrepit hut the Elders had decided to keep the girl in, the kind guard skipped the niceties with the two that were stationed in the front and went directly to the only window on the small hut, where a third gloomy guard stood post.


    Oh, shit, the man thought.


    ¡°Mataku,¡± the guard sighed. ¡°I¡¯m here to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my post. I¡¯m guarding the spawn myself,¡± a deep-voiced guard wrapped head to toe in his cloak replied.


    The kind guard tried to play nice. ¡°Hey, man, it¡¯s ok. I bet you¡¯re tired and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not leaving my post. This monster shall never level up.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± the kind guard replied, his good intentions abandoned already. He knew Mataku hated the girl with all his being, and there was no way to convince him to leave his post.


    ¡°Any movement?¡± The kind guard asked before walking back to her hut, peering into the window.


    ¡°No,¡± Mataku replied with a scornful voice. ¡°She''s been lying still in bed since dawn.¡±


    ¡°Mind if I take a look?¡± the other replied, confused.


    It seemed unreal that the girl wouldn''t try escaping.


    Mataku stepped away from the window and let the guard take a look through the wooden bars.


    She''s actually sleeping, the guard thought, looking at the girl lying in a fetal position under the covers.


    He looked at the auburn hair peeking out and shook his head, relieved he didn¡¯t have to look into her penetrating eyes.


    Most islanders turned their heads away when she passed, refusing to peer into the teenage girl''s deep yet resplendent blue eyes. The two blue circles seemed to emanate light. Most took that as a sign that she was indeed possessed by the malicious Kraken, which had two sapphire-like, glowing blue eyes.


    It was, however, only the second most feared feature of hers.


    The cursed girl, whose sixteenth birthday was today, had shown Mana control beyond her years and even beyond her prodigy of a sister.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    At sixteen, one would normally unlock the ability to produce Mana, allowing them to be tested by the Water Riders. This evaluation would determine if their Primary Mana Channel had developed sufficiently to join their ranks. The power of one''s Primary Mana Channel typically correlated closely with the control they could exert while practicing Cantrips. And among all candidates, none had demonstrated a more chilling mastery of Mana control than the cursed girl.


    This was the main reason she was being barred from taking the test: people feared her powers and, possibly, the retribution for having treated her so poorly over the years.


    Even the kind guard shuddered at the thought of what she might become if, once Initiated, she went down the wrong path.


    She could become a monster more fearsome than the Kraken itself, as her current talent overshadowed even her mother¡¯s. And since Yalena, her mother, had been the last, perhaps the only one, to kill the Kraken, it wasn¡¯t unthinkable to fear that her daughter had the chops to become one of the strongest warriors ever. That, though, made even the kind guard think twice about helping the girl.


    Maybe it¡¯s for the best, the man told himself, looking at Mataku. Maybe Initiating her is too dangerous.


    The guard exhaled and looked up at Mataku with a defeated expression.


    ¡°If she wakes up or starts stuff, just... don¡¯t hurt her, Mataku. She¡¯s not a monster.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, get lost,¡± Mataku replied wearily.


    For a moment, the guard looked strangely at the other man, thinking he had heard his voice crack, but he just shook his head.


    I didn¡¯t sleep enough, clearly.


    ***


    ¡°I heard something coming from the forest,¡± Mataku told the two brutish guards once the sun hung high in the sky.


    Even after a full night of guarding the accursed hut, he was still alert and diligent. ¡°The Initiation is about to start. We should check whether the son of the traitor might be coming to try and help her.¡±


    The brutish guards¡¯ disgust showed on their faces and they internally praised Mataku''s thoroughness.


    Indeed, on the entire island, no one hated that girl quite as much as that young man.


    Mataku was the oldest son of the Head Elder, and even though he didn''t have any talent that allowed him to leave the Island of Solara, he took his duties incredibly seriously. The most important of which was, clearly, to hate and surveil the cursed girl. That¡¯s why it hadn''t been a surprise when he had refused to give up the post after the end of the night shift¡ªhe really wanted to make sure she wouldn''t be Initiated.


    He was beyond reproach when it came to guarding the girl, which was why no one questioned his current proposal.


    ¡°Go check,¡± the guard nodded. ¡°I''ll stand by the window to make sure she doesn''t move. Hopefully, no Water Rider will stumble upon this part of the island.¡±


    What they were doing wouldn''t be seen favorably by the Water Riders¡ªbut no one on the island cared. The Kraken had devastated the place when, for the first time, it had gone outside the Deep Belt. The death toll had been so high and sudden that it left a permanent scar, both physical and spiritual, on the whole island.


    They couldn''t take any chances and allow its spawn to grow strong enough to do the same.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mataku nodded, still covered in his cloak.


    The guard watched Mataku walk toward the forest with a decisive stride and smiled to himself.


    With the guards around, there was no way for the Kraken''s spawn to reach the opposite side of the island where the Initiation would occur.


    They had made it.


    They had finally managed to restrain her.


    ***


    The cloaked guard, once deep into the island''s forest, brought a hand to the hood that fully covered his face, and pulled it down, revealing the face of a girl instead of Mataku''s.


    Two resplendent blue eyes caught the light of the sun through the foliage, shining like sapphires.


    She shed the cloak, letting it fall to the ground, and smiled.


    ¡°That was easier than I thought,¡± Talia smirked.


    Her escape had been the result of meticulous planning and preparation that had begun months ago.


    She had had to plan it down to the finest details, the most important of which had been to have Mataku guard her window. If anyone else had been stationed there, her whole plot might have failed. Luckily enough, though, she had provoked the young man so much in the past six months that he had taken it upon himself to guard her window.


    And that had made all the difference.


    So, that morning, as the sun''s blades had slowly touched the waking hour carved into her hut''s wall, Talia had waited with trepidation. She had fidgeted with the wide bracelets covering her wrists, her heart racing. When the light had finally reached the dim rune, making it glow brightly and vibrate, she had shot out of her bed faster than a Flashscale.


    It had been time.


    Talia had crept to the window, carefully removing the bars she had painstakingly unscrewed over the past week. She had spotted Mataku standing with his back to the hut, his body wrapped in a thick cloak.


    ¡°Pss, Mataku,¡± Talia had whispered after removing the bars.


    As soon as the man had turned, Talia, hanging halfway outside the window, had swiftly put a hand over his mouth. In the same fluid motion, she had scratched his cheek with the needle of a Stillfish she had carefully hidden in her palm. The young man''s body had immediately gone limp, and Talia had used all her strength to pull him in through the window.


    With a grunt of effort, she had managed to lay him down on her bed in a fetal position.


    Talia had then carefully arranged some hair around Mataku''s head - hair she had cut from her own head the previous year and saved for in case she had ever needed a wig.


    She had looked at the man''s wide, paralyzed eyes and had been almost tempted to taunt him, but instead had simply covered his face with the blanket.


    Just then, she heard a shout from the front of the hut. ¡°Hey, Mataku! Shift change!¡±


    Moving quickly, Talia had grabbed the detached window bars and had jumped out of the window while simultaneously donning a cloak identical to Mataku''s. She had screwed two long nails into the hut¡¯s wall, which she had then used to hastily hang the wooden bars back in place.


    Just as she had finished, she pulled the hood of the cloak over her head, completely obscuring her face.


    ¡°Mataku,¡± the guard sighed. ¡°I¡¯m here to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my post. I¡¯m guarding the spawn myself,¡± Talia had replied, perfectly imitating Mataku''s voice - something she had practiced tirelessly for months. She had known Mataku''s hatred for her would make her next words entirely believable.


    The guard had tried to play nice. ¡°Hey, man, it¡¯s ok. I bet you¡¯re tired and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not leaving my post. This monster shall never level up,¡± Talia had grunted back, keeping close to the window to maintain the illusion.


    Then, after a few more exchanges, the man had given up and left.


    Everything had gone according to plan.


    Talia had chosen Mataku as her target months ago, knowing the boy had been thin and her exact height; he was a little short for a guy but still on the tall side for a girl.


    Furthermore, she had spied on multiple gatherings of guards and Elders, piecing together their plans for today. This had given her all the time she had needed to prepare and perfect her impression of Mataku.


    For the next two hours, Talia had stood vigil by the window, her heart pounding with every passing minute. She had known the Stillfish''s poison would keep Mataku stunned for half a day since he wasn''t Initiated, but she had kept worrying that something might go wrong at any moment.


    Finally, when she had been sure the time was right, she had made her move.


    Talia had told the other guards she had heard something in the forest, convincing them to let her investigate while they had watched the hut. Once out of sight, she had made her escape into the dense forest.


    Now, standing amidst the trees, Talia felt a surge of adrenaline.


    She had done it.


    She had taken the first step toward proving to everyone that she wasn''t a monster, that her wrist marks meant nothing.


    Talia knew who she was¡ªor at least, what she would be after being Initiated.


    Not a monster.


    A hero.


    Just like her mother.

 Chapter 2 – Initiation

    Every year on the same day, the inhabitants of the island of Solara, dressed in their best cotton, bearing ceremonial tattoos, and donning tall and spiky weaved hats, would stand on the forbidden shore for the arrival of the Water Riders.


    Most fidgeted, knowing monsters lurked in the dark, nearby waters north of their island. There began the Deep ¨C the world of the Initiated.


    Solara was the northernmost island of the peaceful southern archipelago, making it the first stop for the Water Riders looking for new recruits.


    The golden, dawn-kissed sand was still cold under Talia¡¯s feet but not as cold as the sweat running down her back.


    At sixteen years old, she was finally old enough to test during the Water Riders¡¯ visit and become an Initiated if her talent proved enough.


    ¡°Takai! Are you there? Come on, let¡¯s go! The sun is rising twice above the sea!¡± Talia called out at the rendezvous spot.


    A scrawny boy peeked from behind a tree and sighed in relief when he saw his friend.


    ¡°Talia,¡± Takai smiled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the girl didn¡¯t waste any time. ¡°Keep your head down, and let¡¯s follow the tree line. We only come out after the Water Riders land on the beach.¡±


    The boy, one year older than her, nodded.


    ¡°Talia, I don¡¯t know that I should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start,¡± she said. ¡°We practiced together. There¡¯s a good chance your Primary Mana Channel might have reached Level Two.¡±


    To enter the Water Riders Academy, one would need, at the very least, a Level Two Primary Mana Channel and develop it to a Level Five to fully graduate.


    Takai had already tested the previous year and he had not made the cut. His Primary Mana Channel was barely Level One. He had trained hard together with Talia, but his chances weren¡¯t great. Leveling up a Primary Mana Channel was very hard and usually not something that could be accomplished by someone not Initiated.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Takai asked as they walked toward the northernmost shore of the island.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Talia said, balling her fists.


    ¡°You¡¯ll leave everyone holding dead fishes,¡± Takai said, confident in his friend.


    Talia had been waiting for Initiation Day her whole life. She had been treated like a monster despite her mother, Yalena, being the last H¨¡kai P¨­, the Kraken Slayer.


    Today, on the day of her sixteenth birthday, and also the day the Kraken was defeated sixteen years ago, she would finally enter a different world.


    Once she passed the test, she would follow the Water Riders into the Deep Belt, where their Academy was located amidst the waters infested by the Abyssal Creatures.


    Her mother, the most celebrated hero in N¨¡ Moku Kai, the Great Archipelago, had possessed a Level Ten Primary Mana Channel. Her sister, unsurprisingly, had tested a Level Nine.


    Talia was confident that now that she had finally unlocked her Mana, she could easily test as high as her sister or even aim for her mother¡¯s level.


    I¡¯m going to show everyone...


    I will be stronger than Mom.


    I¡¯m not a monster.


    I will be the next H¨¡kai P¨­.


    Now that she was going to become an Initiated, she could show everyone that she wasn¡¯t a monster, that she wasn¡¯t the Kraken spawn, but Yalena¡¯s daughter.


    In fact, Talia fully expected to unlock Star Water the moment she got Initiated, just like her sister did.


    ¡°Takai,¡± Talia whispered, pointing forward.


    Talia and Takai crouched behind the dense foliage at the edge of the beach, observing the scene before them.


    The golden sand was now teeming with life as what seemed like the entire population of Solara had gathered for the momentous occasion.


    The crowd was a brilliant mix of colors. Men, women, and children of all ages stood eagerly waiting for the Water Riders, their best cotton garments fluttering in the gentle sea breeze.


    Many wore ceremonial tattoos on their arms and faces, blue and green like the ocean, to propitiate the outcome of their children¡¯s test.


    The most striking sight was the tall, spiky woven hats that rose above the crowd like a forest of exotic plants.


    Each hat was unique.


    At the forefront of the crowd stood the village elders. Their hats were the tallest and most elaborate. Among them, Talia spotted the Head Elder, Noelo, with his stern gaze fixed on the horizon.


    Despite the jovial atmosphere, tension permeated the crowd.


    Many kept casting nervous glances toward the dark waters to the north, where the Deep began. Even from their hiding spot, Talia could sense the mixture of excitement and fear that permeated the air. Families huddled together, parents holding their eligible children close, whispering last-minute advice and encouragement. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Younger siblings watched with wide eyes, dreaming of the day it would be their turn to face the Water Riders'' test.


    As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting its warm light across the scene, a hush fell over the crowd.


    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± one of the adults said, pointing toward the sea. In the distance, following his finger, people saw a group of half a dozen Water Riders.


    Talia felt a shiver running through her body.


    Far away, shapes began to appear on the horizon ¨C the silhouettes of the approaching Water Riders.


    Talia felt her heart race with anticipation. This was the moment she had been waiting for her entire life. She turned to Takai, her eyes shining with determination.


    ¡°It''s time,¡± she whispered. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Takai nodded, his face a mixture of nervousness and resolve. Together, they prepared to step out of their hiding place and join the throng.


    As Talia and Takai finally stepped into the gathering, an adult screamed, ¡°What is she doing here?!¡±


    Everyone turned.


    Whispers and sidelong glances followed right after.


    A group of teenagers huddled together, pointing and snickering.


    ¡°Look, it''s the traitor''s son and the Kraken''s daughter,¡± one of them hissed, loud enough for Talia and Takai to hear.


    ¡°Shh! Don''t look her in the eyes. My mom says she might be able to turn us into stone,¡± a third whispered fearfully.


    Takai hunched his shoulders to make himself smaller, but Talia straightened her spine and glared at the group. A few of them flinched and looked away, remembering past encounters with her fierce temper.


    The older men looked at her with narrowed eyes, but Talia knew it was too late for the Elders to do anything about this.


    And so, as the Water Riders got closer, they attracted all of Talia¡¯s attention.


    A school of Flashscales, excited by the presence of the Water Riders, jumped in and out of the water. Their gleaming yellow scales reflected the first rays of dawn, like melted gold snaking atop the water''s surface.


    She held her breath as the first man jumped up in the air with his Mana board, placed it below his arm, and landed gently on the shore before them. He had a head of messy hair reaching his shoulders and a sculpted physique highlighted by his rich tan. He walked barefoot on the sand, slowly reaching for the elders and bowing in front of them.


    ¡°Talava,¡± the man spoke in the ancient tongue.


    ¡°Quani,¡± they replied.


    Then, as the rest of the Water Riders started dismounting, the young man approached one of the elders and hugged him.


    ¡°That¡¯s Ika?¡± Talia whispered incredulously, blushing.


    ¡°He looks the same,¡± Takai shrugged. ¡°Still a kid.¡±


    Talia looked at the scrawny boy next to her without saying a word before returning to the Water Rider¡¯s sculpted abs and bulging biceps.


    Ika had been one of the islanders in Solara, the most talented Water Rider to join the Azure Ascend Archipelago¡¯s protectors in the last ten years ¨C excluding her sister. But, most importantly, during his time away, he had morphed into the hottest guy she had ever seen.


    Ika, now five years older than Talia and the same age as her sister, started walking toward them. A pearly smile graced his lips.


    ¡°Talia, Takai!¡± Ika smiled. He moved to give Talia a hug and, unbeknownst to him, almost a heart attack.


    ¡°Ika, you... you look completely different!¡± Talia exclaimed as he released her.


    ¡°It¡¯s the levels,¡± Ika smiled. ¡°I¡¯m close to breaking through Adept!¡±


    But before they could continue their conversation, one of the older Water Riders, cleared his voice, ¡°Ika, we are here on official business. Come here. You will have time to catch up later. You promised you would behave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Savali,¡± Ika replied. However, before running back to them, he winked at Talia, making her blush, ¡°Good luck!¡±


    Talia''s cheeks were burning, and she waved at him as he walked back. Before he left, Ika was the only other kid who had never treated Talia any differently despite the freakish marks on her wrists. And that was incredible, considering that Ika¡¯s older brother, Mataku, hated her guts.


    As the murmurs grew louder and the tension in the air thickened, Noelo, Ika and Mataku''s father, stepped forward. His face was set in grim determination as he approached Talia.


    ¡°Talia,¡± he said, his voice carrying across the now-hushed beach.


    ¡°Elder Noelo,¡± Talia said with a cold expression.


    ¡°Talia, I''m afraid I have some news that you''re not going to like.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± She smirked.


    She knew the man was behind the plan to keep her shut in her hut.


    The Elder put on a complacent expression before continuing.


    ¡°You''re not going to take the test today. Not on my watch.¡±


    The girl felt her heart sink for a moment but then steeled herself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have any say in this matter,¡± Talia rebuked with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re not Initiated nor a Water Rider. Water Riders¡¯ honor laws impose that whoever wants to participate in the test can and will participate.¡±


    ¡°I know the laws,¡± the Elder smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why I sent a message to the Academy in advance. See, I knew you might escape from the hut somehow. That¡¯s why I have fully explained the situation and how it¡¯s too dangerous to let you be Initiated. You might be surprised, but even with what your mother did, some don¡¯t want to tempt the Deep and allow a cursed child to gain levels and potentially turn into a monster. I¡¯ve had an Elder confirm it¡ªyou¡¯re not to be Initiated.¡±


    The words hit Talia like a physical blow. She staggered back a step, her eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°W¡ªWhat?! They¡ªthey can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I''ve received official word from the Water Riders'' emissaries,¡± Noelo continued. ¡°We''ve already agreed on this. It''s for the best, Talia. For everyone''s safety.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Ika was stunned. ¡°What are you saying?! Talia is not a monster!¡±


    ¡°Silence, Ika,¡± Noelo replied. ¡°You are a Water Rider now, but I¡¯m still an Elder on this island.¡±


    Talia felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet.


    ¡°This isn''t fair!¡± Talia cried out, her voice cracking with emotion. Everything she had worked for and dreamed of was crumbling around her. ¡°I''m not a monster, I''m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Noelo cut her off, his tone final. ¡°The decision has been made. I''m sorry, Talia, but you will not be taking the test today.¡±


    As Noelo''s words sank in and the older man stepped back toward the elders, Talia felt something inside her break.


    She looked around desperately, hoping to find a friendly face other than Takai¡¯s, someone who would stand up for her. But all she saw were expressions of relief, pity, and, in some cases, triumph.


    Not even Ika said anything after Noelo reprimanded him.


    But then, a large, dark man stepped onto the shore, carrying a massive glaive in his right hand, and his voice thundered.


    ¡°Who dares interfere with Water Rider law?¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 3 – Tulo

    Talia¡¯s head immediately snapped to the tall, dark man who had just spoken.


    Noelo, the Elder, seemed momentarily speechless.


    ¡°I said, who dares interfere with Water Rider law?¡± The man repeated.


    ¡°I¡ªI spoke with the Academy and¡ª¡± Noelo stumbled on his words as he tried to articulate a rebuttal.


    The tall man looked around at the other Water Riders, who all lowered their heads.


    ¡°I see,¡± the dark man said harshly. ¡°However, no law will be violated in my presence on pain of death.¡±


    Everyone immediately shut up and Talia sighed in relief, having to rest her hands on her knees to keep herself from falling.


    ¡°Shall we proceed?¡± The man asked the Elder. ¡°Solara is only the first of many stops we have to make.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Noelo said with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Ika,¡± the dark man said, ¡°take my weapon.¡±


    Ika walked up with a deferential expression, lowering his head and accepting the glaive.


    Then, the man who looked like the leader of the Water Riders, spoke ceremonially.


    ¡°We are here to perform the test of the waters. Who will present the young promises to me, Tulo Verdania?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Noelo replied, stepping forward. ¡°Noelo Solara.¡±


    Men and women got their last names from the island they were born on.


    ¡°Noelo Solara,¡± the other thundered, his previous enmity seemingly forgotten now. ¡°Are your youth strong and loyal?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Noelo replied.


    ¡°Are they prepared to die against the Abyssal creatures?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Noelo replied again.


    However, as the last question still rang through the ears of the youngsters, Tulo released a minor flash of killing intent. Immediately, a few of them started crying their eyes out. The ceremony stopped momentarily, with the parents of said teenagers shaking their heads as the crying ones were separated from the rest who stood upright behind Noelo.


    ¡°So, Noelo Solara, are your young promises ready to ride the sea and dive into the depths?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Noelo replied firmly.


    ¡°Let us not hesitate further and see with our eyes if they deserve to join our ranks,¡± the man nodded. ¡°Bring your first promise. And remember, young promises, the Water Riders'' motto is honor before everything.¡±


    A lanky kid was ushered forward, briefly scrutinized by Tulo.


    The Water Rider waited for the kid to turn his palm upward, then extended his hand above and turned his palm downward to face his. A ball of water slowly gathered between their palms.


    ¡°A Water Rider faces the sea and its waters,¡± Tulo spoke the lines of the ceremony. ¡°Are you ready to ride?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± the lanky kid spoke.


    ¡°Receive the water, then,¡± Tulo said, with the floating ball between their palms vibrating as the adult removed his palm.


    The test showed how developed someone¡¯s Water Channel was.


    Everyone in the N¨¡ Moku Kai Great Archipelago had a Primary Mana Channel with Water Affinity. There were no exceptions. Most would also already have or develop one to three additional Mana Channels with different Affinities as soon as they were assisted in killing their first Abyssal Creature. However, one¡¯s future talent and overall potential could be easily assessed with a simple test of their Primary Mana Channel.


    Today, as the tests were carried out, they would see who had the talent to become a great Water Rider and who, instead, would stay behind on the island.


    In addition to potential, a powerful Primary Water Channel was essential because it tested one¡¯s aptitude for basic hydromancy.


    Hydromancy was the magic of the sea that allowed water riders to steer their Mana boards and travel unbothered even across storms and without ships. Furthermore, to battle in the Deep, whether above or underwater, they had to use the one ubiquitous element: water. Without it, any fighting would be nearly impossible.


    One might consider it a merciful act that individuals with a weaker Primary Mana Channel were not chosen.


    To choose their new recruits, the Water Riders had developed a simple method that required someone who could already control Mana.


    And that¡¯s why the test was done with the help of another Initiated, who would inject part of his own Mana into a globe of water. Uninitiated people didn¡¯t have much Mana, but they could, if they wanted, learn techniques to control it and, on their 16th birthday, inject just enough to sustain a floating globe of water.


    That would allow those administering the test to roughly gauge their aptitude for Hydromancy.


    Of course, they couldn¡¯t see their Primary Mana Channel level clearly since they had not been Initiated.


    Still, they could guess by how long one could keep a globe of Mana-infused water afloat before the Mana dispersed. If their Primary Mana Channel had a high level, they could make the water float for as much as a couple of minutes, thanks to their control and Mana reserves. On the other hand, for those without significant Levels in their Primary Mana Channel, the water would slowly drop into their palms the moment the tester cut their Mana supply to the globe.


    You had to keep the ball of water from touching your palm for about ten counts to pass the test, which proved your Primary Water Channel was at least Level Two.


    The longer you could go, the higher your Primary Water Channel level. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Most people on Solara had never interacted with Water Riders nor were Initiated ¨C or they had simply just turned sixteen, like Talia ¨C so no one from the current batch of candidates had already been tested other than Takai.


    Today was going to be full of surprises.


    And so, with a focused expression, the lanky kid made the globe of water float above his palm as Tulo removed his hand.


    The water almost immediately started vibrating, indicating his control wasn¡¯t great. However, as Tulo softly counted out to ten, the globe was still an inch or two from the kid¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You will ride the waves, young promise,¡± Tulo smiled as the water finally touched the kid¡¯s hand and fell formlessly to the ground.


    Another teen came forward ¨C a girl.


    This time, as soon as Tulo removed his hand, the globe started trembling so hard that a few droplets spilled onto the sand. The girl couldn¡¯t hold out for more than half a breath before the globe lost its form and fell to the ground.


    ¡°The sea is deep and dangerous. Your future is on the island,¡± the dark Water Rider declared.


    Not too disappointed, the girl sighed and returned to her parents.


    ¡°Takai,¡± Noelo called, and the scrawny kid trembled all the way up to Tulo.


    It was unusual to take the test twice, and Talia could hear the other teens snickering.


    Her heart clenched as she watched her friend approach the Water Rider. She knew how much this moment meant to Takai - it was his chance to step out of his father¡¯s shadow and prove to everyone that he wasn¡¯t defined by his family¡¯s past.


    ¡°Are you ready to ride?¡± The Water Rider asked, his voice steady and impartial.


    Takai swallowed hard, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing visibly. ¡°I am,¡± he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Receive the water, then,¡± Tulo nodded, forming the water globe between their palms.


    As the test began, Talia found herself holding her breath.


    She silently willed the water to stay afloat as if her desire alone could keep it from falling.


    But barely three counts in, the water globe started trembling uncontrollably.


    Takai¡¯s face contorted with concentration, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    On the fifth count, despite his visible struggle, the water globe just fell.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Takai gritted his teeth. His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles white with the force of his grip.


    ¡°The sea is deep and dangerous¡ª¡± Tulo began, but Takai was already walking away, his shoulders hunched, and his head bowed.


    The boy pushed through the crowd, ignoring the scornful remarks.


    He didn¡¯t even meet Talia¡¯s gaze.


    Talia¡¯s heart broke for her friend. She knew how incredibly important it was for Takai to become a Water Rider, to forge his own path, and to prove his worth. But somehow, Takai had not inherited any of the talents of his infamous old man. But...


    She wanted to run after him, to offer him comfort, but the ceremony held her in place.


    I was really hoping he would make it, Talia sighed inwardly.


    And so, the ceremony continued, with some passing and some failing. Nothing seemed exceptional until it came to Fiora, the most courted girl on the island.


    Talia was not on good terms with the girl who had always been fawned over by all the boys.


    Talia wouldn¡¯t have gone as far as to say that Fiora was her mortal enemy, but there certainly wasn¡¯t any goodwill among them.


    Especially since a month ago, they had gotten into an animated spat that ended with Talia slapping the girl across the face.


    That mistake had been the excuse used by the Elders for Talia to spend an entire month being grounded in her hut.


    Fiora stepped forward, her blonde hair rippling and her green eyes shining like emeralds in the sun.


    When Tulo removed his hand, the ball didn¡¯t even flinch. It just stayed afloat as if frozen in time. Her control was so perfect that the man almost forgot to start the count.


    ¡°One,¡± he started hurriedly. ¡°Two.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Two-hundred-and-three,¡± Tulo¡¯s eyes were wide open. ¡°Two-hundred-and-four.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Five-hundred-and-nine.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Six hundred.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until the six-hundredth count that Fiora¡¯s control finally broke, ever so gracefully, and the globe dispersed. Even then, it looked like the water slid around her hand elegantly, as if Fiora¡¯s affinity with the water didn¡¯t stop at the globe¡¯s control.


    ¡°You will ride the waves,¡± Tulo said and paused momentarily, ¡°and the waves will bend at your feet.¡±


    It was a different formula, a rarer one to acknowledge a great talent.


    The crowd erupted into cheers and applause.


    Fiora beamed, her face glowing with pride as she basked in the adulation.


    Noelo, the Elder, smiled approvingly, his earlier harshness forgotten in the face of such a promising future Water Rider. Even Tulo, the dark Water Rider, nodded his head in acknowledgment of Fiora''s exceptional talent.


    Talia couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the accolades showered upon Fiora.


    As far as she knew, the only person to do better than six hundred counts ¨C a hundred breaths ¨C had been her mother, Yalena, and her sister, Riala.


    Talia tightened her fists.


    I¡¯ll show her. I¡¯m going to do even better.


    I¡¯ll do even better than Mom and Riala.


    ¡°What is your name, young promise?¡± Tulo asked.


    ¡°Fiora Solara,¡± the girl smiled smugly.


    ¡°Fiora Solara, you have a great gift,¡± he nodded. ¡°The people on this island are blessed with talent. Yours is even greater than Ika''s ¡ª hopefully, you¡¯ll soon contribute to protecting the archipelago. Congratulations.¡±


    Talia was fuming when the ceremony was temporarily interrupted, and everyone started fawning over the blonde girl again.


    But the worst came when Fiora walked back toward the others and smiled widely at her.


    ¡°Hey, Talia, I hope all your training will help.¡±


    Noelo had to stare Talia down to stop the girl from punching her again.


    ¡°Talia, it¡¯s your turn,¡± the Elder said with a sigh.


    A hush fell over the crowd as Talia stepped forward.


    All eyes were on her - some curious, some fearful.


    As she positioned herself before the Water Rider, she caught sight of the faces in the crowd.


    Some parents pulled their children closer as if to shield them. Others watched with wide, anxious eyes, their bodies tense as if ready to flee at a moment¡¯s notice. A few elders hunched their backs, scrawling their faces with worry.


    Under Fiora¡¯s taunting gaze, Talia stretched her hands forward.


    Tulo summoned the globe of water, and Talia focused all her attention on it.


    She started doing the visualization exercises, picturing the water bending to her will, and she focused on injecting Mana into the globe Tulo had just created.


    She imagined it floating effortlessly in her mind, defying gravity count after count.


    The cursed child.


    The whisper seemed to ripple through the crowd, barely audible but impossible to ignore.


    Talia lifted her chin, determined to prove them all wrong.


    During practice, she had shown immense potential, and this was finally the moment of truth.


    The cursed child steeled herself.


    I¡¯ll reach a thousand, she thought to herself as Tulo removed his palm. I¡¯ll show them.


    The crowd collectively held their breath.


    Time seemed to slow as all eyes focused on the shimmering water globe. Some leaned forward in anticipation, while others took a step back, fearing what might happen. The air had never been this charged for a test.


    But then, something happened that no one expected.


    The globe of water didn¡¯t levitate, vibrate, or even wait one second.


    It fell straight into Talia¡¯s palm, splashing all over and leaving everyone stunned.

 Chapter 4 – Level Zero Talent

    Talia looked down at her wet palm, unable to process what had just happened.


    She could hear some people audibly sighing in relief and felt her blood boiling.


    ¡°The Kraken¡¯s spawn doesn¡¯t have any talent,¡± a man shouted, exhaling loudly.


    ¡°Young one,¡± Tulo said with a frown, clearing his voice to silence the onlookers, ¡°did you focus on the globe¡¯s Mana?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI...¡± Talia stuttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know? Can I try again?¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow. Not even one count,¡± she heard Fiora from behind and bristled with anger. The blonde was giggling as loudly as possible for her to hear.


    ¡°Please, let me try again,¡± Talia said between her teeth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready.¡±


    Tulo agreed and generated another globe. This time, before removing his hand, he said, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she spoke with narrowed eyes, intensely focused on the globe of water, mentally rehearsing all the practice she had done with the Elders and alone. She had visualized this moment for years. She was not going to¡ª


    Yet, the instant Tulo withdrew, the sphere plummeted, meeting no resistance until it splashed over her hand, disintegrating. Talia''s eyes, wide with disbelief, were fixed on her hand.


    ¡°Give me your hand,¡± Tulo said to Talia, looking harshly at Fiora, who had just bursted out laughing.


    He grabbed her still-wet hand without waiting and grimaced.


    ¡°Try to push my Mana back,¡± he said.


    Talia, still in a daze, did as instructed.


    A few instants passed and then turned into almost ten counts before Tulo gently removed his hand from hers.


    ¡°Your channels are completely blocked,¡± he said slowly. ¡°I can¡¯t push my Mana through your palm, nor can I feel any resistance. It¡¯s a rare condition that makes you unable to control Mana. Your Mana control is completely crippled. It¡¯s as if your Primary Water Channel was Level Zero.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my!¡± Fiora started laughing so hard that she had to bend over. ¡°The Mana Princess can¡¯t use Mana!¡±


    Tulo slowly looked up from the trembling girl in front of him toward the great prospect that they had found today.


    He was a man of honor and discipline. Most importantly, he was fiercely loyal to the Water Riders and their principles.


    And that meant taking a very hard decision today.


    ¡°Fiora Solara, your lack of empathy¡ªbut most importantly, your undeserved cruelty, just lost you your spot among the Water Riders.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Fiora¡¯s tan skin suddenly became extremely pale, and her mouth hung open in front of Tulo¡¯s cold expression.


    ¡°The Water Riders protect those without the talent to fight. When in battle, they must have each other¡¯s backs under all circumstances. Your scorn and cruelty are not welcome among us. Therefore, by my authority as Captain and on my honor, I declare that you will never be Initiated by a Water Rider on the count of treason. You will be left on this island. I will personally report to our academy¡¯s Elders on your behavior¡ªdo not try to con your way into the academy to be Initiated, Fiora Solara. This has happened before, and the sour promises had tried to go to other islands in order to retake the test. It will not work. They were all thrown into the Deep for their lies.¡±


    ¡°But I¡ªI was just joking!¡± Fiora screamed, beside herself.


    ¡°You won¡¯t ever be Initiated by us,¡± Tulo replied fiercely. ¡°You will remain on this island. And I won¡¯t tolerate your cheap lies. Elder Noelo, please, take this girl back to your village.¡± Tulo turned toward those who had passed the test and said with heavy words, ¡°Honor before everything.¡±


    Noelo hesitated just a moment before complying with a rueful expression.


    ¡°You foolish girl,¡± he said softly to Fiora as he and a few other adults had to literally drag her away as she screamed and kicked, foaming at her mouth.


    ***


    Talia was still catatonic, having barely even registered what had just happened to Fiora. She just kept looking at her own traitorous hands.


    Why?! Mom¡¯s talent is... isn¡¯t it? Riala had mom¡¯s Primary Water Channel and her Star Water! Shouldn¡¯t I have some of that talent?! How is it possible?! She thought.


    Tulo, who had not moved, looked at all the onlookers.


    ¡°We are done here. Bring the young promises who have passed the test to the safe shore and arrange for their travel,¡± he spoke back to his men. ¡°I will join you in a moment. I shall have a word with the girl.¡±


    Everyone started dispersing quickly: they had understood that messing with this man was not a good idea. Tulo emanated a stern aura that had everyone stand straighter.


    And once they had left, leaving only the two of them on the shore that faced the Deep, Tulo placed his hands on the girl¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Talia,¡± he spoke with uncanny familiarity.


    As soon as she heard her name, she snapped out of the reverie, and huge tears started streaming out of her eyes.


    ¡°Talia,¡± Tulo said again, ¡°look at me.¡±


    The girl kept sobbing, but she raised her shining blue eyes to meet Tulo¡¯s.


    ¡°I knew your mother,¡± he spoke slowly. ¡°I fought under her. She saved my life multiple times. I was there when... when she defeated the Kraken. I was the one who found you.¡±


    Tulo paused, looking at the girl and grimacing. He had never been a great communicator.


    ¡°You found me?¡± Talia asked, confused.


    She had no recollection of this man, and she was pretty sure she had never seen him set foot on Solara before.


    ¡°I sent letters to your sister¡ªI wasn¡¯t allowed here,¡± the man said, shaking his head.


    Letters? I never got any letter, Talia frowned.


    ¡°Even now, we¡¯re still dealing with the damages that the last Kraken appearance has left behind. The abyssal creatures have never been this active... Plus, I broke many rules the day I agreed to follow your mother. I was amending my mistake: that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t visit before, but I thought I would come here for your Init¡ª¡±


    Tulo cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued, ¡°your mother, my Savali, she taught me everything I know. I had to violate our code to come here at least this once, but it¡¯s nothing compared to what I owe Yalena.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Only the rhythmic sound of waves filled the next moment as Tulo scrutinized Talia¡¯s eyes, identical to her mothers¡¯.


    Despite the fact that Talia had never really given any weight to the rumors that she was a monster, she now felt a lump in her throat, and a question came upon her lips before she could catch herself.


    ¡°Am I my mom¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, child,¡± Tulo sighed, ¡°those kids don¡¯t know anything. I was there. I was there. You¡¯re Yalena¡¯s daughter, Talia.¡±


    ¡°But she had white hair!¡± Talia rebuked. Her sister, Riala, had white hair like her mother. She, instead, had auburn hair.


    ¡°You have your mother¡¯s kind eyes, not the Kraken¡¯s,¡± Tulo sighed. ¡°Most might not know what Yalena looked like, but you¡¯re her spitting image. Do not ever think you¡¯re the spawn of the Scourge of the Deep. I wish I knew how these ignorant children and fools treated you. Your sister has never said anything about this in her letters...¡±


    Talia tightened her fists.


    ¡°I never received any letters!¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Tulo looked surprised.


    Knowing her relationship with Riala, her sister, she wasn¡¯t even going to question Tulo¡¯s words. So, she changed the topic.


    ¡°Do you think my mother¡¯s still alive?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tulo admitted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find her!¡± Talia said with crazed eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll find my mom, and I¡¯ll become a Water Rider!¡±


    Tulo opened and closed his mouth, not sure what to say, before smiling.


    ¡°Your mother has the longest-standing series of infractions among the Water Riders. She always did the impossible. Perhaps that¡¯s what you¡¯re destined to do as well.¡±


    Talia, her jaw clenched, stared at the ground while her tears fell from her pointy nose. Then, another question came to mind.


    ¡°Did you know my father?¡±


    ¡°I... no. No, I don¡¯t,¡± Tulo said with clear hesitation in his eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost out of time,¡± he continued. ¡°The others must be waiting for me. Is there anything else you want to ask?¡±


    She breathed in the marine breeze, wetting her lips and tasting the slight saltiness that came with living in the middle of the sea. Then, she exhaled slowly and asked her last question.


    ¡°Is there any way I can learn to manipulate water?¡±


    A shadow of hesitation washed over Tulo¡¯s face as he hesitated to speak, ¡°Even if you were somehow Initiated... no. You won¡¯t be able to become a Hydromancer with your channels blocked. You won¡¯t be able to cast any magic whatsoever. I wish I knew a solution, but perhaps the best option for you is to stay on the island, to find a trade and a good man to marry.¡±


    ***


    In the Southern Archipelago, people didn¡¯t have to worry about the elements.


    At most, the weather would change from happily sunny to a festive drizzle that would allow vegetation and cultivations to grow. In fact, everyone lived in nothing more than huts since building anything more elaborate would require not just a lot of work but would also occupy the beautiful space of the island with ugly constructions. Moreover, the islanders¡¯ culture was one of community and experience: there was no shutting yourself in your own hut. People would think you have gone nuts.


    Even the introverts would, at best, sit under a palm tree and watch others play, perhaps while reading scrolls or solving a wooden puzzle.


    Stealing, too, wasn¡¯t much of an issue.


    This meant that people would just leave most of their belongings in their huts.


    Again, on such a small island, no one really had a way to hide things from each other anyway.


    That¡¯s why Talia was currently staring at her mother¡¯s first glaive.


    It was a beautiful weapon, rather heavy and unwieldy, and also something that wasn¡¯t allowed to just be carried around the island.


    Up until now, it had been gathering dust in one of the storage places the islanders had and that was managed by one of the Elders.


    This glaive was supposed to be passed onto the first of the two sisters to graduate from the Water Riders academy.


    It was also too heavy to be wielded by someone with no Attributes.


    Since Riala hadn¡¯t yet graduated and Talia hadn¡¯t even passed this test, the glaive had yet to be entrusted to any one of them.


    The villagers said that their mother, before leaving for the final battle, had declared: ¡°Only the one ready to sacrifice everything to challenge the Deep can be its next owner.¡±


    Yalena had later clarified that graduating from the Academy and venturing on solo missions was what she meant, but that wasn¡¯t what Talia had in mind.


    Funny for you to say it like that, Mom, she thought, unracking the glaive and almost falling backward as she felt her body strain under the massive weight.


    Even though the weapon was extremely heavy for her, it wasn¡¯t impossible to carry.


    She slung it over her shoulder, trying hard not to fall over, and donned a smirk.


    Just the right weight, she thought with a strained smile as she walked out of the storage room, wobbling.


    The Elder responsible wasn¡¯t there today ¨C he was with everyone else, celebrating the young promises and their future adventures.


    Meanwhile, Talia had been left behind¡ªor at least, that¡¯s how anyone else would have thought of it.


    For a moment, she felt her blood boil, felt the need to cry, to hug Takai, and say goodbye to him, to tell him what she was about to do.


    But she knew that if she did, she would not be able to get away with it alone: Takai would definitely want to come ¨C and that wasn¡¯t something Talia wanted.


    He was too weak for what she was about to do.


    And so, Talia walked toward the inner island, the forested part, where vegetation and nature coexisted with humankind.


    She took one of the less used paths that led to the highest point on the island, already feeling her arms and legs protesting under the weight of the glaive.


    Still, there wasn¡¯t a single fiber in her entire body that, albeit in pain, would have given up in that moment.


    Sure, not one inch of her wasn¡¯t shouting in her head during the first five minutes to give up, to not be crazy, that she would just go kill herself like this.


    But she couldn¡¯t give up.


    She needed to reach the summit of the island, roughly a mile away from the shore.


    From there, she had another place to be¡ªbut her only way to reach it was to pass through the summit.


    Otherwise, all the rest of the people gathered alongside the shore would see her.


    Her trek continued, even though she had to stop to take a few ragged breaths, even after she had transitioned to using the glaive as a walking stick ¨C which turned out to be a worse idea than carrying it on her back ¨C and even though she felt like she was about to pass out from exhaustion.


    After the halfway mark, Talia started seeing black at the edge of her vision, afraid that if she stopped, she would just collapse on the ground and not get up until someone, worried about her, would find her.


    It took all she had and more.


    ¡°You¡¯re the strongest girl I know, Talia.¡±


    She had once had a vision of her mother telling her that.


    As usual, no one had believed her since she often made these visions up to confuse people. But this one time, she had seen her mother with so much clarity and detail that she had sworn to her sister that she wasn¡¯t lying.


    Her mother¡¯s words resounded in her ears every time she was about to quit, every time she was so close to passing out that only a pinprick of her field of vision was available to her at once.


    When she finally reached the summit, she let the glaive fall to the ground, grabbed her knees, and puked.


    It wasn¡¯t a glorious and satisfying moment like she had envisioned it¡ªinstead, she retched a few more times, her auburn hair completely in disarray, while her vision flashed with red and yellow patches.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± She heard a broken voice, sobbing.


    ¡°Blergh,¡± was her response as she opened her mouth. Her stomach was apparently not empty yet.


    ¡°Who¡ª¡± She heard the voice pause, and it took all her strength to pull herself back up and look at the other girl whose hopes had been completely shattered today.


    Fiora, with her blonde hair and red, puffy eyes was staring right back at Talia, a mix of confusion and anger tweaking in her eyes.


    ¡°What are you doing here, freak?¡± The blonde asked, trying to clean up the mess on her face. ¡°And what happened to you? Are you sick or something?¡±


    Talia breathlessly pointed at the glaive, then forward. In between each word, she wheezed and coughed.


    ¡°Deep... entrance... kill... monster...¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Fiora frowned.


    ¡°Initiation...¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 5 – Rolling in the Deep

    Talia was slowly breathing herself back to normal as she picked up the glaive from the ground and used it to prop herself up.


    She looked at Fiora, whose expression went from angry to confused, then kind of angry, and ending with complete disbelief at the end.


    ¡°You are going to Initiate yourself? You want to kill a monster with that?¡± Fiora pointed at the other girl¡¯s unwieldy weapon, clearly meant for someone with heaps of Attributes dumped into Strength.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Talia breathed out. ¡°I need to.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Fiora looked at her like she was crazy, which was actually quite a fair assessment. ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡±


    Even though Fiora didn¡¯t like Talia, this was folly.


    In fact, even if the islanders had heard the girl¡¯s plan, they would not have cared about her Initiating herself because it was simply impossible ¨C a literal suicide mission. The Abyssal Creatures weren¡¯t normal sea beings¡ªthey continuously absorbed the Mana that circulated in the Deep, making them grow stronger and more monstrous. To fight them without Attributes or Skills was just asking to be killed.


    Fiora had the instinct to tell Talia not to, but then she stopped herself.


    Something about Talia''s attitude touched her very soul.


    Fiora had been waiting all her life for the moment to prove herself, to show that she was more than a beautiful girl, that she had really trained hard to become a Water Rider. But then, in what seemed like an interminably tragic moment, she had lost everything. Her dream had shattered because of her mocking the girl in front of her ¨C the same girl who would clearly rather give up her own life than give up.


    That, despite the blonde¡¯s feelings for Talia, resonated with her.


    On the other side of the conversation, Talia looked at the blonde with a pensive face.


    Fiora had always been mean to her, very mean. At the same time, as she looked at the puffy, crying face of the girl, she felt something stir in her stomach. Talia wanted nothing more than to become the strongest hero, a legend, and to be looked at the way her mother was once revered, and now her sister, instead of being looked at as a monster.


    But still, despite her jealousy of Fiora¡¯s talent, she felt bad for her.


    If I were to bring her along, she would definitely grow stronger than me. Six-hundred counts means that her Primary Water Channel is at least Level Eight.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll die,¡± Talia nodded, and a smirk jumped on her lips.


    Fiora turned her face away, still frustrated and furious, which only made Talia more curious.


    Even though she knew how popular Fiora was, she could feel the same loneliness that had plagued her for years inside the other girl.


    Fiora glared from the corner of her eye at Talia and started walking away.


    At this point, Talia had the opportunity to be selfish, to leave this mean girl behind and grow much more powerful than she could ever imagine.


    And despite having a Level Zero Primary Water Channel, she had no doubt she would be able to be a hero in the future.


    So, why would she bring Fiora along, right?


    Imagine her face if I Initiated myself and she had not come, said the devil on Talia¡¯s shoulder.


    But then, she shook her head and cleared her throat.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Fiora snapped, turning her head.


    ¡°Want to come with me?¡±


    ***


    The blonde just stared at the girl with blue eyes, trying to understand if Talia was mocking her: indeed, the girl with the glaive had been the reason she had lost her chance to become a Water Rider.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± Fiora stated matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Same,¡± Talia nodded back.


    ¡°Why are you asking me, then? Do you want to kill me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll make it easier to kill a monster. I know that my mother used to say that trusting people with a common interest is better than trusting friends ¨C Riala used to repeat that to me all the time. Plus, I¡¯m a much better swimmer than you are.¡±


    ¡°Barely,¡± Fiora wrinkled her nose.


    ¡°Well, I also have a small raft that we can bring to the Deep in a few hours of sailing. We can stay on the outskirts and hope that a weak monster will float our way so we can poke it dead with this,¡± Talia pointed at the glaive.


    ¡°Let¡¯s assume for a moment that I¡¯m stupid enough to come and get killed with you. Why would I do that? You cost me my chance to become a Water Rider.¡±


    ¡°The Water Riders choose to Initiate people they want to bring to their Academy,¡± Talia corrected her. ¡°But anyone can join the Academy if they¡¯re Initiated. Tulo said that they won¡¯t Initiate you¡ªhe didn¡¯t say anything about you not being able to join the Academy.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s mouth opened and closed multiple times before realizing that the other girl was right.


    ¡°So,¡± Talia pointed toward the forbidden shore, ¡°are you coming?¡±


    Fiora considered what would be of her life if she didn¡¯t get Initiated: she would end up being someone¡¯s wife, someone else¡¯s greatest achievement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll steer the raft,¡± Fiora said begrudgingly, turning her back to Talia. ¡°And I¡¯m done with you after we get Initiated. I don¡¯t want to see your face ever again.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I just needed some bait anyway,¡± Talia replied.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Nothing, nothing. Hey, could you help me carry the glaive? It¡¯s so damn heavy.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ***


    The Deep represented a stretch of the sea that housed monsters.


    To be more precise, it was a zone with an elevated concentration of Mana that allowed creatures to level up. Once leveled up, though, they couldn¡¯t really leave the place anymore. Unlike humans, who were self-sufficient in their magic and had their own souls to hold their Mana, monsters relied on the environment to continuously circulate Mana through their bodies, as they continuously expended that energy to move around and just to exist.


    Humans could kill said monsters, and thus, some of their energy would be absorbed by them, allowing them to level up.


    That¡¯s why two teenagers were slowly pushing a small raft off the shore, grunting and swearing at each other.


    ¡°Shoddy craftsmanship,¡± Fiora sighed as they started floating on the water, looking at the sail made of woven reeds. ¡°But it¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind coming off the seat?¡± Talia complained.


    She had built the raft in her spare time in case something like this happened or just to escape the island if she ever needed to.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Captain,¡± Fiora snorted. ¡°That¡¯s why I get the seat.¡±


    It was when the raft started picking up some wind that they both saw someone running along the shore.


    ¡°Talia!¡± The voice, strained with desperation, pierced the tranquility of the moment like a shard of ice.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Fiora narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s... Takai. Oh, dammit,¡± Talia swore.


    Takai had been the only other person to know about her escape plan.


    She had gotten help from the boy to put away some supplies and cut the wood for the raft.


    He was the only other kid she could trust with such a secret. But he was too weak.


    If he came with them, he would die without a doubt.


    And, unlike Fiora, Talia would actually feel really bad if Takai drowned.


    ¡°Talia! Wait! Wait! Let me come!¡±


    His plea, carried over the waves, echoed every fear Talia had tried to outrun.


    The sword he brandished above his head seemed so fragile against the relentless pull of the sea.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± Fiora asked, looking nonplussed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t take him; he¡¯s going to die in the Deep,¡± Talia whispered.


    ¡°He looks like he¡¯s about to die right now,¡± Fiora said, looking at Takai getting swept by one of the waves as he had already reached the part of the water where he needed to swim.


    ¡°That mollusk,¡± Talia groaned, seeing Takai finally emerging from the water and awkwardly swimming towards them.


    Watching him struggle against the waves, she felt a resolve steel within her.


    ¡°He¡¯ll actually get killed right here if we don¡¯t pick him up. Turn the raft before he pokes his eyes out with the sword.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Man, that was tough,¡± Takai coughed up some water as he rested on the raft, laying on his back on the small surface.


    ¡°Takai, you can¡¯t come,¡± Talia declared.


    ¡°I have to,¡± the boy didn¡¯t even look at her; he just kept staring at the sky.


    The two girls glanced at each other, and Fiora shrugged, ¡°We need bait anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the bait,¡± Takai said vigorously, almost tripping over his own words, and turned to stare at Fiora with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    Even the blonde seemed taken aback by the boy¡¯s eagerness.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Talia groaned. ¡°How did you know I was going to take the raft?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you failed the test,¡± Takai said, propping himself up into a sitting position. ¡°I knew you would try and kill a monster yourself. I didn¡¯t want to be left behind when you did.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got some remarkable trust in you,¡± Fiora said with a raised eyebrow.


    Talia sighed and nodded.


    ¡°Ok, just... don¡¯t get killed, ok?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Takai smiled ingenuously.


    And so, they kept the raft on course while discussing the approach.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there in a few hours. We''ll attract a monster, then, someone has to jump into the water to distract it, and then as it¡¯s coming up, you get out of the way, and I jump on it with the glaive,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Takai said.


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re going to get us killed,¡± Fiora groaned.


    ***


    As the small raft bobbed gently on the deep, midnight-blue waters, a palpable tension hung in the air.


    Talia stood at the ready with a tight grip on the heavy glaive. Beside her, Fiora clutched Takai''s sword nervously.


    In the water, Takai paddled with his legs while clutching the side of the raft, trying to attract the attention of any nearby monster.


    ¡°Be ready,¡± Talia said.


    The Deep, with its almost impenetrable darkness, stared harshly at them.


    It was into this abyss that they stared back, hearts racing, as they awaited the appearance of a monster that would either mark their Initiation or their death.


    Suddenly, Talia''s eyes widened in horror.


    A sleek shape, reminiscent of a barracuda but imbued with the menacing aura of the Deep, cut through the water with terrifying speed.


    [Abyssal Cuda - Lv. 7]


    ¡°Takai! Get back on the raft now! It''s an Abyssal Cuda!¡±


    Abyssal Cudas were rare this close to the coast, and not even a normal first-year recruit of the Water Riders Academy should ever face one alone.


    If they faced such a monster head-on, they would certainly die.


    Takai scrambled toward safety, but the monster suddenly changed its trajectory from the boy to the raft itself.


    With a force that seemed to rumble the very sea, the creature headbutted the raft from below.


    The impact was catastrophic, capsizing the frail raft and tossing its occupants into the churning waters.


    In the chaos, Talia lost her grip on the glaive, watching helplessly as it sank into the depths.


    The Abyssal Cuda, sensing its prey''s vulnerability, darted toward Talia.


    Its razor-sharp teeth tore into her side, drawing a pained cry from her lips.


    Blood bloomed into the water around her, a stark crimson against the deep blue.


    As the monster circled back for another attack, its jaws wide-open and aimed at Talia''s throat, a flash of steel cut through the water. Fiora, wielding Takai''s sword with desperate strength, slashed at the creature. The blade bit deep, sending the Abyssal Cuda reeling away from Talia.


    ¡°Talia!¡± Fiora shouted, terrified, emerging from underwater. ¡°Swim!¡±


    Talia, stunned by the pain and the sudden turn of events, realized with crystal clarity that Fiora had just saved her life.


    Without the blonde girl''s intervention, she would have been torn apart by the monster''s second attack.


    But their moment of respite was short-lived.


    The Abyssal Cuda, enraged by its wound, charged again.


    This time, its target was Fiora. The creature''s teeth sank deep into Fiora''s stomach, eliciting a gut-wrenching scream from the girl whose head was just above the water.


    ¡°No!¡± Talia cried out, watching helplessly as Fiora''s blood joined her own in the ocean blue.


    Takai, who had managed to stay close to the capsized raft, lunged forward. With strength born of desperation, he grabbed Fiora and pulled.


    The Abyssal Cuda thrashed and inflicted deeper wounds on the girl but soon backed away, looking at Takai, who was dragging Fiora toward the overturned raft.


    As Talia treaded water, trying to reach the capsized raft as her wound was painfully throbbing, she suddenly became aware of something strange.


    The blood¡ªher blood and Fiora''s¡ªwasn''t dispersing as it should.


    Instead, crimson filaments hung suspended in the water before her eyes, twisting and curling in unnatural patterns.


    A peculiar sensation washed over her, a pull she couldn''t explain. It was as if the blood itself was calling to her, responding to some hidden part of her being.


    The crimson threads began to move, swirling and coalescing in the water around her.


    As the Abyssal Cuda circled back, its eyes fixed on her, Talia felt a surge of... something.


    Power?


    Magic?


    She couldn''t name it, but as the blood continued to twist and writhe in the water, she suddenly felt something budge against her hand.


    <div>

 Chapter 6 – Eyes of the Abyss

    Talia was brought back to reality as the Abyssal Cuda circled her cautiously, feeling something unsettling arising from the girl.


    She looked at her right hand and found her mother¡¯s glaive in it.


    Talia briefly looked down toward the blackness of the bottom of the ocean, wondering how the weapon had traveled back to her, but then, seeing the Abyssal Cuda ready to strike again, she wielded the weapon with both hands, paddling with her feet to stay afloat.


    Like trails of smoke gently levitating in the air, Talia saw the filaments of her blood float from her wound in front of her.


    Before being able to process what was happening, the Abyssal Cuda propelled itself at her at incredible, skill-enhanced speed with its malicious eyes and opened its vicious mouth to tear her apart.


    She felt a pull inside her chest and followed the instinct that was telling her body how to move.


    She brought the glaive to her side and then swung.


    Her arms barely strained now that she was underwater, and as the blade reached backward, the filaments of blood that had been floating in front of her now shot to the glaive¡¯s edge.


    A moment later, the blood congealed into a foot-long blade as she swung it through her weapon at the beast.


    The Abyssal Cuda approached rapidly.


    In an instant, Talia''s fear of imminent death transformed into astonishment.


    The Cuda''s head had been cleanly severed from its body.


    Although Talia herself remained still, the underwater current listlessly pushed the monster''s decapitated body away from her.


    [You have slain Abyssal Cuda Level 7!]


    [Choose your Class to distribute the Experience!]


    ...


    Even with her powerful lungs, it had been hard to resurface while carrying the glaive and latching onto the capsized raft.


    She looked at it and found Takai trying to press his shirt right into Fiora¡¯s large wound.


    Talia saw the blonde¡¯s complexion become more and more ashen by the second.


    ¡°She¡¯s dying!¡± Takai shouted, half-crying.


    No! She saved my life!


    Talia scrambled onto the raft, throwing the glaive onto it and kneeling beside the blonde.


    There was only one way she could possibly save Fiora.


    [Choose your Class to distribute the Experience!]


    [You currently qualify for ¡®1¡¯ Class!]


    [Lifestealer: You draw on blood powers to manipulate life energy, transmuting it and also healing and growing stronger from your enemies'' spilled blood.]


    She hesitated for an instant, able to hear the voices of all the islanders.


    Monster.


    Kraken¡¯s spawn.


    Disgusting.


    But she had no time to bother with those.


    [Will you accept ¡®Lifestealer?¡¯]


    She immediately accepted and frantically skipped all the notifications in her head to move on to her skills until she found something that she could use to help Fiora.


    [Blood Siphon]


    She immediately activated the skill and felt the instinctual knowledge of how it worked pour into her head.


    Talia¡¯s head snapped to the water, now turning red from the Abyssal Cuda¡¯s blood, and opened her palm toward it while she laid the other onto Fiora¡¯s stomach, removing the ripped shirt and Takai¡¯s hands.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Move! I¡¯m healing her!¡± Talia shouted at Takai.


    Spooked, the boy backed off.


    As she channeled the skill, she could feel all the vitality from the Level 7 monster slowly getting dispersed in the water.


    And so, she started siphoning that vitality into the rapidly dying blonde.


    The large wound on the girl¡¯s stomach knit itself back to its original form in real-time, with squelching sounds that made her want to retch.


    Only when the Abyssal Cuda¡¯s vitality that she was siphoning couldn¡¯t be pushed into Fiora anymore, and the blonde had regained color, she sighed in relief.


    However, she noticed that the skill was still working. There was still a good chunk of the Abyssal Cuda¡¯s vitality that she was absorbing.


    She looked down at her side, expecting to see her own flesh starting to heal, but she found that her wound had already mysteriously disappeared, leaving only a partially ripped shirt in its place.


    As she curiously siphoned away the Abyssal Cuda¡¯s vitality, she suddenly heard a notification going off in her head.


    [You have absorbed the Abyssal Cuda Life Force.]


    [+0.1 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.1/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.3 to your Agility (0.3/1 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have absorbed a Skill from Abyssal Cuda.]


    [You have learned ¡®Missile Swimming.¡¯]You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ...


    After Fiora had woken up, they had managed to turn the raft back up and started heading back to Solara.


    It didn¡¯t matter that it was Talia to kill the monster, Takai and Fiora had participated in the fight, meaning they both got contribution experience and were now also Initiated.


    But Talia was sitting in the corner of the raft, not talking to either Takai or Fiora.


    She was hugging her knees as she stared at the distant horizon in the Deep Belt.


    Some might have been excited by the powers she had just received with her Class, but Talia had lived all her life waiting to prove to the people around her that she wasn¡¯t a monster.


    Now, she had powers that closely resembled one of the best-known abilities of the Kraken.


    Hemomancy, Blood Magic.


    Secondary Mana Channels with a Blood Affinity weren¡¯t unheard of, but the ability she had just used defied all she knew about Classes and, most importantly, went hand-in-hand with one of the legends about the Scourge of the Deep.


    Most said that after the Kraken killed a powerful warrior, it would not only grow stronger, but it would suddenly be able to copy the magic of its prey.


    That seemed to confirm all the rumors about her.


    Perhaps, she thought, I really am the Kraken¡¯s spawn.


    Then, suddenly, she felt someone kick her back.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± Talia said, turning to see Fiora towering over her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the Kraken¡¯s spawn, idiot.¡±


    Talia, while still in shock, had explained what had just happened to her to both Takai and Fiora.


    That had been stupid to do this, especially considering how calculating and careful she usually was with everything else.


    The emotions of the moment had overwhelmed her in a way she hadn¡¯t expected.


    She had regretted it almost immediately, knowing the implications of her power, but the net had torn, and the fish had escaped; there was no way to put things back to how they were.


    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Fiora repeated, flicking a blonde strand of hair over her shoulder. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense, stupid. You might have been cursed, sure. But that only gave you a strong Class. You said you might be able to level up your Primary Water Channel by killing and absorbing monsters, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Talia said in a low voice.


    ¡°Well, that means that even if you have a Level Zero Primary Mana Channel, you can raise that level, possibly without limits. Most people need to go through life and death or worse to become stronger. This power is strong. Why do you look so upset?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI... it¡¯s evil,¡± Talia muttered.


    ¡°Who cares, ugh!¡± Fiora groaned. ¡°Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You¡¯re making me sick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a damn monster!¡± Talia suddenly shouted at the blonde.


    Fiora, however, didn¡¯t seem fazed in the slightest.


    She turned to Takai and asked matter-of-factly.


    ¡°You, do you think she¡¯s a monster?¡±


    Takai immediately shook his head.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Fiora turned back to Talia with an asking face.


    ¡°What about the people back¡ª¡±


    ¡°They already think you¡¯re a monster, so, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Talia was taken aback by that statement.


    ¡°Your one friend doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re a monster, right? That¡¯s all that matters to you. And you can now, perhaps, raise the Water Affinity of your Primary Mana Channel to Level Two ¨C high enough to enter the Water Riders Academy. Isn¡¯t that what you always yapped about? You wanting to become a hero and a Water Rider?¡±


    Talia was stunned into silence, barely letting out a nod.


    ¡°Great. That¡¯s it, then. Now, stop moping. I¡¯ll get wrinkles if you keep bringing the mood down. We all got Initiated¡ªit was a miracle, and... you made it happen, idiot.¡±


    Talia nodded and slowly rose to her feet, staring at the girl.


    She realized that Fiora was right, that Takai was the only person whose opinion she should care about.


    But still, there was another person whose opinion she might be interested in now.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a monster?¡± Talia asked the blonde with a disarming ingenuity.


    ¡°Monsters don¡¯t heal people,¡± Fiora said, turning away, blushing. ¡°You¡¯re not a monster. You¡¯re just... stupid.¡±


    That said, Fiora went to kick Takai out of his seat and took the rudder, steering the raft back to the island.


    Once they notified the Elders about becoming Initiated, they¡¯d gain passage to the Water Riders Academy¡ªall three of them.


    Talia looked at the icy Fiora and felt a small smile blossom on her lips.


    Now, though, it was time to check all the notifications she had ignored and been too scared to check before.


    I¡¯m not a monster... Talia told herself as she closed her eyes and started sifting through all the text.


    [You have accepted ¡®Lifestealer.¡¯]


    [You have been Initiated.]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 2!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [You gain one Talent Point!]


    [You have unlocked your Akashic Record.]


    [Blood Siphon reaches Level 2!]


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 2]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 0.3 {Dormant}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 5 {Flowing}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 2]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 1]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 1]


    [Strength: 0]


    [Agility: 0.3]


    [Constitution: 0]


    [Intelligence: 0]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 4]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hemomantic Artisan</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Crimson Sage</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 1]


    Talia surveyed the three skills she had gained ¨C Blood Syphon, Hemomancy ¨C the abilities to control blood, which she had used against the Abyssal Cuda, and Eyes of the Abyss.


    ¡°Eyes of the Abyss?¡± She muttered.


    Curious about her newfound abilities, Talia decided to explore the mysterious ¡°Eyes of the Abyss¡± skill. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and activated it.


    When she opened her eyes again, the world had changed. She turned to look at Takai and Fiora, gasping softly at what she saw.


    Their bodies seemed to glow from within, pulsing with an inner light that she instinctively understood to be their vitality. Fiora''s light burned brighter and stronger because of her natural talent. Takai''s vitality was dimmer in comparison, but Talia''s eyes widened as she noticed something peculiar¡ªa core of blindingly bright light nestled in his abdomen, outshining everything else.


    Intrigued, Talia shifted her gaze to the water surrounding their small raft.


    The sea, once an opaque blue, now seemed as clear as glass. She could see fish darting beneath the surface, their own small lights flickering as they moved. In the distance, larger, and more ominous fuzzy shapes loomed¡ªthe Abyssal Creatures, their vitality a dark, pulsing red that sent a shiver down her spine.


    Fascinated, Talia let her eyes wander further towards the horizon where the Deep Belt stretched endlessly.


    As her gaze reached the edge of her vision, the world suddenly shifted.


    The sea and sky melted away, replaced by an impenetrable darkness.


    In this void, two enormous azure eyes blinked open, glowing with an ancient, malevolent intelligence.


    Talia felt her heart stop as she instinctively recognized them.


    Before she could react, spectral tentacles materialized from the darkness, wrapping around her body.


    She could feel their cold, slimy touch as they constricted, pulling her deeper into the abyss.


    Talia tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips.


    She twisted her body, but she felt rooted on the spot, immobilized.


    The tentacles dragged her down into a deep darkness that started to suffocate her.


    She tried to breathe, but she felt like the darkness was obstructing her airways.


    Her consciousness began to fade.


    ¡°Talia! Talia, wake up!¡±


    She jolted back to reality, gasping for air.


    Takai was shaking her shoulders, his face full of concern.


    Fiora stood behind him, trying to mask her worry with a scowl.


    ¡°It''s alive!¡± Talia shouted, her voice hoarse and her body trembling. ¡°The Kraken¡ªit''s still alive!¡±

 Chapter 7 – Lani

    Talia considered herself a calm and collected person.


    However, the events of today had honestly made her doubt all she had known of herself.


    When Fiora and Takai had heard about the Kraken, they had looked tense, but they had been reluctant to fully believe her.


    It wasn¡¯t just because she said it; no one wanted to actively believe that the Kraken could still be around.


    It was just a vision, to be honest. Maybe there¡¯s nothing to it¡ªI was just convincing myself I¡¯m somehow connected to the Kraken, Talia told herself, even though her gut instinct and her intuition were telling her otherwise.


    As Lani, Takai¡¯s mother, offered her some soup, she stared into the fishy concoction and silently thanked her.


    She studied the middle-aged woman who spent most of her days in a rather isolated hut, a good trek away from the village.


    Lani was tall and slender; her arms and legs were tan and toned.


    Talia didn¡¯t know what Takai''s mother did to get her income, as he was very reluctant to talk about his only remaining parent, but it was clear that the woman kept active.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± Takai said, taking the bowl of food. ¡°And thanks for letting Talia stay with us until it¡¯s time to go to the Water Riders Academy.¡±


    It had been an eventful day after they had landed ashore.


    When they had come back to the island and notified the Elders that they had Initiated, the leaders of the village had been in complete disbelief.


    Noelo had looked positively horrified by the quick recounting of what had gone down with the Abyssal Cuda - so much so that the Elders had initially refused to believe them.


    Only after Fiora had given a rather poignant demonstration of her just-awakened Sun Water had they swallowed their incredulity.


    They had even acknowledged Talia¡¯s and Takai¡¯s Initiation after Fiora had guaranteed for both of them and they showed them a few sparks of their Mana.


    Now, they just had to wait three days for the Water Riders'' boat that would take the Promises to the Water Riders Academy.


    ¡°Lani Alovai,¡± Talia said, using the formal address for adults, ¡°your son was very valiant today.¡±


    ¡°And he almost died, too,¡± Lani deadpanned, ignoring the tentative approach from the girl to make conversation.


    Lani had been very cold and distant to Talia - it had always been like that for some reason.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Takai complained. ¡°Talia killed the Abyssal Cuda! She¡¯s the reason Fiora and I survived!¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have needed saving if you hadn¡¯t followed her, would you?¡± Lani replied curtly and got up.


    ¡°Lani Alovai, I apologize for¡ª¡± Talia tried to smoothen the waters, but the woman tched in response.


    ¡°Drop the formalities. I care not for them,¡± Lani said.


    Talia sighed, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me here, I¡¯ll understand.¡±


    The combative Lani sighed and passed a hand over her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine. But do understand that I have only one man left in my life. And now, he¡¯s going away because of you.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡ª¡± Takai started.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Talia nodded, taking a big breath. ¡°Lani Alovai, would it make your heart lighter if I said I would give my life to save your son¡¯s?¡±


    A hint of a smile crept onto Lani¡¯s face.


    ¡°It would.¡±


    ***


    Talia hadn¡¯t lied to Lani.


    She was ready to take responsibility for Takai¡¯s safety at the Water Riders Academy.


    The Academy was infamous for being a dangerous place, especially considering the kind of missions one had to complete to reach full graduation.


    It¡¯s important to note that each year, up until the fifth year, there was a minor graduation ceremony. This allowed many Water Riders who hadn¡¯t completed the full academic path to still graduate with a smaller credential. Many of these students chose¡ªor were forced to¡ªnot to pursue the full academic path but instead decided to focus on completing missions for a living.


    In fact, lessons and on-site training were only a small part of the curriculum, which instead included many more hands-on approaches.


    So, in order to prepare herself for what was about to come, Talia went into the forest to test her newfound power.


    Not a monster, not a monster, she told herself as she tried to examine her powers rationally.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 2]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 0.3 {Dormant}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 5 {Flowing}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 2]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 1]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 1]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 1]


    [Strength: 4]


    [Agility: 0.3]


    [Constitution: 0]


    [Intelligence: 0]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 0]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hemomantic Artisan</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Crimson Sage</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 1]


    Her arms strained, but now her mother¡¯s glaive was much lighter than before.


    She still had trouble swinging the imposing weapon, which clearly would require Strength to reach its first cornerstone at twenty-five.


    Mom was famous for having many points in Strength, even though she was a powerful caster, Talia reflected, straining herself to swing at a tree.


    The blade went through the bark and wood like a hot knife through a fisheye.


    Not bad at all, she said to herself, admiring the blade of the glaive. This is going to be very useful.


    She wondered how Riala would react once she saw her with their mother¡¯s weapon.


    She knew it wasn¡¯t going to be a warm welcome, though.


    But she decided not to think about it.


    I don¡¯t know much about the Academy, she thought. That¡¯s my first order of business as soon as I land¡ªto gather as much information as possible. Riala has had five years to establish herself. I must catch up as quickly as possible.


    Talia resisted the temptation of cutting herself to try out her Hemomancy and instead turned to her Talent Trees.


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hemomantic Artisan</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Crimson Sage</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 1]


    Talent Trees were the principal way of getting skills from one¡¯s class.


    Even within the same class, the endless combinations of skills from Talent Trees made each person unique in their fighting style. The problem with such a weird Class like Talia¡¯s was that she had no idea what to expect from the Talent Trees beyond what their names suggested. Bloodborne Warrior, for example, clearly held offensive skills, and Sanguine Guardian defensive ones, but how was she supposed to choose?Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    She had always imagined that she would get her mother¡¯s famous class, Starfighter, and she had already made up her mind about how to copy her mother¡¯s build after she had gathered information about her from her sister and the villagers.


    But with this new Class, she was completely out of her depth.


    Talia sighed, rubbing her face.


    ¡°I also need to kill more monsters before the official ceremony at the Academy,¡± she reasoned.


    She had taken the day to rest and formulate a plan, but it was becoming increasingly clearer that she wouldn¡¯t have time to level up after they left the island.


    The boat would take them directly to the Academy and there, those who had not been Initiated already would be tested again to determine their Primary Mana Channel Level.


    This meant that Talia wouldn¡¯t be admitted into the Academy, as she''d need at least a Level Two.


    And so, she was already planning on going back into the Deep Belt.


    I wish there was a better option, Talia reasoned. But it doesn¡¯t matter how much I plan for this and how much I prepare. In the water, it will come down to whether I¡¯m strong enough. Plus, there are two skills I can use to gain a substantial advantage.


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 1]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 1]


    She trembled as she thought of the vision she had had on the raft, but she steeled herself.


    If I¡¯m going out again, I need to make sure it doesn''t paralyze me while I¡¯m fighting for my life.


    So, Talia activated [Eyes of the Abyss] and held her breath, bracing herself for another terrifying vision.


    To her surprise and relief, nothing material happened.


    She turned toward the Deep and saw several extremely fuzzy points moving around.


    She kept her eyes on them before turning her eyes at the area around her.


    The world around her simply shimmered with an ethereal quality, revealing the life force of plants and small creatures in the forest.


    She exhaled slowly, relief washing over her.


    Now I know I can use it without being paralyzed, she thought, deactivating the skill and clutching the glaive tightly in her hands.


    ***


    As the sun began to set, casting long shadows along the trees, Talia made her way back to Lani¡¯s hut.


    There was a thick scent of medicinal herbs.


    She found Lani outside sorting through an assortment of exotic sea plants spread out on a woven mat.


    After spending some time with the woman, Talia understood roughly what Lani did for a living.


    She dove into the sea to collect Mana-rich herbs.


    Solara, being so close to the deep, hosted a variety of relatively potent and exotic sea herbs, many more compared to the islands further away from the Deep.


    One could safely dive into Solara''s waters without the risk of being attacked by the Abyssal Creatures, making it arguably the best island for scouting sea herbs for the Uninitiated.


    Thanks to the residual Mana that partially touched the waters around Solara ¨C not enough though for the Abyssal Creatures to live on ¨C the herbs here grew much stronger than in any other place in the Calm Belt.


    Talia looked at the herbs, trying to see if she could recognize them.


    Although her knowledge of sea herbs was quite good, as she looked upon them, some appeared unusually exotic.


    Now that she was at peace with using [Eyes of the Abyss], she activated the skill to see what the Mana-rich herbs looked like under its effect.


    What she saw left her wondering.


    Most herbs contained a minute quantity of Mana, nothing outside the realm of normalcy.


    However, when Talia gazed upon a bunch of thick, red algae, she saw them throbbing with an impressive quantity of Mana.


    Most importantly, Talia, despite being an excellent swimmer and diver, had never seen such herbs in her sixteen years on Solara.


    The plant was so powerful that it clearly came from the Deep.


    If Talia had been on better terms with Lani, she would have asked where the woman had gotten it, along with a few more suspiciously powerful herbs.


    But knowing their relationship wasn''t so amicable, Talia decided to keep her mouth shut.


    As Talia observed the woman, Lani suddenly looked up, her expression softer than during their previous interactions.


    ¡°Come,¡± Lani said, gesturing to the space beside her, ¡°I need to untangle some of these.¡±


    She pointed at some common algae tangled in a net she used to scoop them up.


    Talia nodded, settling down next to her.


    They worked in silence for a while, the only sound being the rustling of the net and leaves in the evening breeze.


    Trying to make small talk, Talia said, ¡°So, you dive for herbs, right?¡±


    ¡°It''s the only way I know how to make a living,¡± Lani replied, her hands stilling over a bundle of common seaweed. ¡°After what happened to my husband, Takai''s father¡­ Let''s just say my options became limited.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Talia said, realizing that people must have made life on Solara hard for her. ¡°It must have been difficult.¡±


    Lani''s eyes met hers.


    ¡°It was, it still is, but we''re both good at enduring difficult situations, apparently.¡±


    As Talia reached for another bundle of herbs, she accidentally nicked her finger on a sharp coral.


    Strangely, as a drop of blood welled on the tip of her finger, it started levitating in front of her.


    Damn it, Talia thought, trying to reel her magic in.


    It wasn¡¯t uncommon for those who had just become Initiated to have their Mana act up.


    However, Talia really wasn''t looking forward to discussing her powers with anyone as long as she could avoid it.


    Even though Blood Magic wasn''t inherently evil, it wasn''t nearly as well-regarded as Star Water.


    And she had been bragging that on the day she would be Initiated, she would have received the same Affinity as her mother.


    But seeing her blood rise into the air contradicted all the dreams she had ever had about Star Water and, most importantly, gave her the ominous feeling that she had always tried to avoid.


    Her blood twisted in the air like a crimson snake and Talia felt her eyes getting wet.


    She willed the blood to stop, but it only writhed more violently.


    Come on! Talia gritted her teeth, frustrated.


    Lani''s hands clasped over hers, firm and still.


    ¡°Breathe, Talia,¡± she instructed calmly. ¡°It¡¯s normal for Mana to act up at this point. Focus on your center, behind your navel. Your Mana flows from there, Primary and Secondary Channels alike. Guide it, do not fight it. Attune to it.¡±


    Talia stared at Lani with lucid eyes, perplexed by her composure.


    Nevertheless, she followed the instructions, closing her eyes and concentrating on the spot behind her navel, taking a deep breath.


    Finally, she felt the erratic pulse of her Mana subside.


    When she opened her eyes, the blood had settled back onto her skin.


    Lani studied her with curiosity.


    ¡°A Secondary Mana Channel with Blood Affinity is rare. It¡¯s a powerful Affinity, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Talia said, breathing heavily, still a little shocked.


    She hadn''t told the Elders about her Secondary Mana Channel Affinity yet.


    She found it unnerving that these people would know about it and could somehow infer it was related to the powers of the Kraken.


    It was irrational, and Talia knew it, but she couldn''t help it.


    ¡°Why did you lose control like that?¡± Lani asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You might fool the Elders and my son, but I see you, Talia.¡±


    Talia looked confused at the mention of Lani seeing her, but before she could respond, a sharp knock at the door snagged both women''s attention.


    Lani''s demeanor changed instantly.


    She quickly gathered up the rarest herbs, concealing them behind a blanket.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she called, her voice carefully neutral.


    The door swung open, revealing a woman Talia had only seen a few times before.


    She was tall and elegant, with an air of authority that seemed to fill the small hut.


    Her eyes, sharp and calculating, swept over the room before settling on Lani.


    ¡°Akua,¡± Lani greeted, her tone polite. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Akua''s lips curled into a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes.


    ¡°Just checking in, Lani. I¡¯ve just landed on Solara. I heard you''ve had quite the haul recently. When can I expect to sell your wares?¡±


    She¡¯s the merchant, Talia realized.


    She had heard about her¡ªAkua, the merchant.


    As Lani presented her collection of herbs, Talia noticed some tension in her posture.


    Akua examined each bundle, making a few remarks about those she didn''t like.


    Suddenly, as if just noticing Talia''s presence, Akua''s piercing gaze turned to the girl.


    ¡°And who might this be?¡±


    ¡°Talia,¡± she answered, fighting the urge to shrink under Akua''s scrutiny.


    ¡°Ah, yes, Yelena''s daughter. Recently Initiated, I''ve heard,¡± Akua''s eyes glinted with interest. ¡°Might I inquire what powers you''ve awakened? Are they anything like your mother''s Star Water?¡±


    Talia put on a cheeky smile.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Akua''s smile dimmed, with increasingly less warmth in it.


    ¡°I look forward to hearing more about your progress, then,¡± she said.


    As Akua moved to leave, her arm brushed against a small table, knocking over a glass pot where some herbs had been soaking.


    The delicate glass shattered as it hit the ground, spilling its contents across the floor.


    ¡°Oh, how clumsy of me,¡± Akua said, not sounding sorry at all. ¡°Be careful cleaning it up, Lani. Some of these herb mixtures can be surprisingly potent.¡±


    Lani just nodded.


    ¡°Don''t worry, Akua. I''ve got it.¡±


    After Akua''s departure, an awkward silence fell over the hut.


    Lani''s hands trembled slightly as she began to clean up the broken glass.


    ¡°Talia,¡± Lani said quietly, reaching for her small pouch, ¡°take these.¡± She pressed the bag into Talia''s hands.


    Inside were some herbs that, as Talia activated her skill, glowed even brighter than the red algae she had seen before.


    ¡°These are¡ª¡± Talia began.


    ¡°For you, my dear. You and my son will need money. There''s a large market there. I''ve included a list of herbs that will be more than enough to sustain you throughout the first year at the Academy.¡±


    Talia was confused. ¡°Why not give this to Takai?¡±


    Lani just stared at her.


    Talia reasoned out loud.


    ¡°You''re afraid he''s going to be robbed. So you want to give it to me so I can sell it and give the money to Takai.¡±


    ¡°My son is quite different from my husband,¡± Lani said. ¡°While my husband was never one to be swindled by scams, Takai has a pure heart... but those with a pure heart are very easily swindled.¡± She paused, seeing Talia hesitate. ¡°Am I asking too much of you?¡±


    Straightening her back, Talia shook her head.


    ¡°No. I am perfectly capable of this.¡±


    Lani smiled.


    ¡°One last thing,¡± she said as she gathered the herbs. ¡°Be careful at the Academy. Look out for Takai, but more importantly, look out for yourself. Not everyone there will have your best interest at heart. Yelena wasn¡¯t as loved as you might imagine.¡±


    With that cryptic statement, Lani retired to her room.


    ***


    Later that night, as Solara slept under the clear sky, something stirred in the waters of the northernmost shore.


    Dog-sized, crab-like creatures emerged from the water and began scuttling over the sand.


    As they spread out across the island, their eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, the same shade as the eyes of the Kraken in Talia''s vision.


    <div>

 Chapter 8 – Abyssal Creatures

    The pre-dawn light cast long shadows across the beach as Talia made her way through the sparse vegetation lining the shore.


    Her footsteps were silent on the cool sand.


    As she neared the hiding place where she had left the raft, she felt anticipation building up in her chest.


    It was as if the gentle lapping of waves against the shore grew louder as she approached her destination.


    Pushing aside a curtain of hanging vines, Talia stepped into the secluded inlet where the raft waited, covered by a canvas tarp that blended with the surrounding rocks.


    She laid her eyes on the raft, soon slinging the two ropes she had fastened across it over her shoulders and began to carry it toward the sand.


    Talia could scarcely believe the turn of events.


    Despite having a non-existent Level 0 Primary Mana Channel, Talia now had the chance to bring it up to Level 2 thanks to her new skill, [Blood Siphon].


    However, the same [Blood Siphon] skill made her prone to believing the villagers who called her a monster.


    She paused, looking at the large snap-on bracelets covering her wrists.


    Beneath them, nasty tentacle-like marks had been living on her skin since her birth.


    It doesn''t matter, Talia thought to herself. As long as I use these powers to show them I''m not a monster, it doesn''t matter at all.


    Once she had experimented with her skills and calmed down the day before, she realized her powers were extremely handy.


    She didn''t know how difficult it would be to keep leveling up her Primary Mana Channel, but she knew it would be possible, regardless of the usual difficulties one had in doing so.


    Most importantly, the fact that she could absorb skills and Attributes made Blood Siphon the most powerful skill she had ever heard of, at least in the long term.


    Now all that remained was to venture to the outskirts of the Deep and keep killing monsters.


    She had already faced the worst possible monster there is in the Deep¡ªthe Abyssal Cuda.


    Solara being the southernmost island in the Great Archipelago of N¨¡ Moku Kai meant that nearby monsters could only get so strong.


    Therefore, with Hemomancy at her fingertips, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to assume she could easily take care of herself against any monster she found in the South Deep.


    The South Deep was known for being the least dangerous.


    In contrast, the East and West Deeps had more monsters as well as Initiated people, with the Water Riders Academy situated between them.


    The North Deep, instead, was the most treacherous but also the richest in resources and opportunities.


    It was also where the Kraken would usually reappear.


    Talia felt confident she could handle the edges of the Southern Seas and gain enough levels to satisfy the Water Riders Academy requirements.


    It had been her dream all along; finally, she would enter the Academy and follow in her mother''s footsteps.


    Perhaps this was the first step toward discovering whether her mother was still alive, somewhere out there.


    As she neared the shoreline, a series of clicks and scrapes made her pause.


    Talia slowly lowered the ropes she used to carry the raft off her shoulders.


    ¡°What in the name of the Deep?¡± she muttered, crouching low and peering through the sparse vegetation.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief.


    There, scuttling across the dawn-lit sand, were creatures she had never seen before.


    Two dog-sized, crab-like monsters with brownish shells stood before her, each with a tag hovering above them.


    [Abyssal Scuttler ¨C Lv. 2]


    [Abyssal Scuttler ¨C Lv. 3]


    Abyssal Scuttlers were not a great threat.


    In fact, they could barely be defined as a threat at all.


    They were at the very bottom of the Abyssal Monsters hierarchy, so much so that they could barely be considered a danger even for Uninitiated people who knew what they were about.


    An islander with a spear would be able to take care of those two monsters.


    Even Uninitiated people weren¡¯t defenseless, especially when one had to grow up around the sea.


    Talia raised an eyebrow and stared at the two monsters for a second, seeing them scuttle about aimlessly on the sand before thinking about the villagers.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Two monsters are not a problem. But if there are two of them, there could be more.


    Right as she thought that she heard leaves rustling by her side and turned just in time to see a large pincer swoop by her head.


    The Abyssal Scuttler''s pincer whistled through the air, missing her face by mere inches as she instinctively jerked backward.


    The acrid stench of brine and rotting seaweed assaulted her nostrils, emanating from the creature''s chitinous body.


    This one was stronger than its friends on the beach, its shell a darker shade of brown with jagged protrusions.


    Talia''s mind raced ¨C her glaive was still on the raft and out of reach.


    She had left it there to have an easier time carrying the raft.


    But that decision might get her killed now.


    She needed to get past the monster and to her weapon.


    The Scuttler¡¯s beady black eyes fixed on her, alien and unblinking. Its pincers clicked as it sidled closer, sand crunching beneath its multiple legs. Talia''s bare feet sank into the cool, damp sand as she shifted her weight, ready to move.


    ¡°Come on, then,¡± she muttered.


    The Scuttler lunged again, its pincer snapping shut with a sharp clack.


    Talia ducked and rolled, feeling the rush of displaced air above her head.


    Sand clung to her skin and clothes as she came up in a crouch, her heart pounding in her ears.


    She needed something to keep those pincers at bay until she could reach the raft.


    Her eyes darted around, finally landing on a piece of driftwood half-buried in the sand.


    Without hesitation, she dove for it, her fingers closing around the weathered wood just as the Scuttler scrabbled toward her.


    Talia swung the makeshift club with all her might, connecting solidly with the creature''s side.


    A satisfying crack echoed across the beach, followed by a high-pitched keening that set her teeth on edge.


    The monster stumbled, green ichor oozing from a crack in its shell.


    The commotion had attracted the attention of the other two Scuttlers on the beach.


    They turned as one, their legs propelling them across the sand with alarming speed.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Talia hissed, darting past the injured Abyssal Scuttler after throwing the driftwood on the sand.


    The monster¡¯s pincher grazed her arm, leaving behind a long wound, but she ignored it and jumped on the raft, grabbing the heavy glaive and swirling back toward the monsters.


    The three Abyssal Scuttlers now surrounded the raft while staring at her with foam at their mouths.


    While it was true that dealing with one of these monsters wasn¡¯t impossible for an Uninitiated, three of them made for a much greater challenge.


    She glanced down, wincing at the sight of blood running down her arm.


    But something was amiss. The wound was... fizzling. It was actually closing in real time!


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Talia shook her head and raised the glaive to her chest, focusing on the battle.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Talia muttered, ¡°let''s see how you like a taste of Hemomancy.¡±


    A flicker of excitement mixed with guilt coursed through her veins.


    She had spent her whole life trying to prove she wasn''t a monster, yet here she was, eager to unleash the powers that seemed to confirm everyone''s fears.


    But these abilities, as unsettling as they were, represented her best chance at surviving and achieving her dreams.


    Most importantly, though, if she had easily killed the Abyssal Cuda with this skill, she should be able to make short work of the Abyssal Scuttlers.


    She focused on the blood trickling down her arm, willing it to coalesce and form deadly projectiles as it had against the Abyssal Cuda.


    But something was wrong.


    The blood barely stirred, forming small, sluggish droplets that hovered uncertainly in the air.


    ¡°What?¡± Talia''s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Come on, work!¡±


    She redoubled her efforts, straining to manipulate the blood, but it remained stubbornly inert.


    The largest Scuttler, seeing an opening, lunged forward with surprising speed.


    Talia barely managed to lift the glaive up in time, deflecting the monster''s snapping pincers with the shaft.


    The impact sent shockwaves down her arms, nearly causing her to lose her grip on the weapon.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she growled, abandoning her attempts at Hemomancy. ¡°We''ll do this the old-fashioned way.¡±


    As the Scuttler reeled back from its failed attack, Talia went on the offensive.


    She swung the glaive in a wide arc, its blade whistling through the air.


    The weapon''s weight threw her slightly off-balance, but she managed to maintain her footing on the unsteady raft.


    The glaive''s edge caught the largest Scuttler across its shell, carving a deep gash.


    Greenish ichor spurted from the wound as the creature let out a high-pitched shriek of pain.


    Emboldened by her success, Talia pivoted to face the other two Scuttlers. They had spread out, trying to flank her.


    She kept her glaive moving, using its reach to keep them at bay.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± she panted, ¡°stay back, you oversized crabs.¡±


    But the Scuttlers were relentless.


    The two uninjured ones tested her defenses.


    Talia managed to land a few glancing blows, but nothing decisive due to how unwieldy the glaive was for her.


    If this had been in the water, I would have it much easier, Talia thought, frustrated.


    Managing the weight of the glaive outside of the water, even with four points into Strength, hadn¡¯t gotten that much easier.


    She was pretty sure that the bare minimum to swing the weapon efficiently was twenty-five Strength.


    Talia''s arms began to ache from the weight of the glaive.


    She knew she couldn''t keep this up forever.


    Desperately, she tried to summon her Hemomancy again, focusing on the blood now coating the glaive''s blade.


    To her relief, the blood responded this time, albeit sluggishly.


    It formed a thin, wavering tendril that snaked towards the nearest Scuttler.


    But before it could strike, the tendril lost cohesion, splattering harmlessly onto the sand.


    ¡°No!¡± Talia cried out in frustration.


    Her momentary distraction cost her, though.


    One of the Scuttlers darted in, its pincer clamping down on the shaft of her glaive.


    With a sharp twist, it wrenched the weapon from her grasp, sending it clattering to the edge of the raft.


    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Talia swore, looking at the three monsters slowly closing in on her.


    <div>

 Chapter 9 – Talent Trees

    Only one thing could save Talia¡¯s life.


    The current situation was desperate.


    Talia had just been disarmed, and her Hemomancy had stopped working. Since both Blood Siphon and Eyes of The Abyss were useless as offensive abilities, none of her core skills were going to save her life. This meant, as far as hasty choices were concerned, she had to quickly recur to the one thing that could save her life, the last arrow in her quiver, before the monsters would tear her apart.


    So, Talia frantically opened the main page of her Akashic Record.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 2]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 0.3 {Dormant}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 5 {Flowing}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 2]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 1]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 1]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 1]


    [Strength: 4]


    [Agility: 0.3]


    [Constitution: 0]


    [Intelligence: 0]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 0]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hemomantic Artisan</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Crimson Sage</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 1]


    The one thing that she had at her disposal was on the last line.


    [Free Talent Points: 1]


    Only getting the right ability from a Talent Tree could save Talia now.


    Since her Core Abilities and [Missile Swimming] were useless in her current situation, she needed something that would allow her to either kill the Abyssal Scuttlers or reach her glaive. That was why Talia¡¯s eyes zoomed onto the six Talent Trees at her disposal. Breathing hard and feeling the clicks of the monsters getting closer, she knew that the right Ability would be the literal difference between life and death.


    But there was still one problem.


    You couldn¡¯t see a Talent Tree''s Abilities before unlocking the Tree.


    Talia had to choose without knowing what she would get.


    She had six options at her disposal, and as far as she knew, only one of them might be able to save her life.


    Which is why she immediately discarded [Sanguine Guardian], [Hemomantic Artisan], [Crimson Sage], and [Life Thief].


    She couldn¡¯t bet on any of those to guarantee an Ability that would directly save her life.


    The choice, following her instincts, clearly rested between [Bloodborne Warrior] and [Carmine Thunder].


    Only those two offered clear solutions.


    [Bloodborne Warrior] would most likely net her an offensive ability to kill the monsters, perhaps directly,  since it was a Strength-Based Talent Tree.


    Instead, [Carmine Thunder] would probably offer a movement ability that she could use to get to her glaive or even escape as it was the Agility-Based Talent Tree.


    In Talia¡¯s mind, however, there was only one way to go about this.


    She regarded [Carmine Thunder] as the superior solution.


    While [Bloodborne Warrior] did offer a potential fix, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed it would allow her to survive.


    However small, there was a chance that choosing [Bloodborne Warrior] might provide her with a minor buff to Strength or, worse, a weapon-based ability.


    Both things would spell her doom. She needed something that would guarantee her immediate survival, not something that would only work in ideal conditions. And most importantly, Abyssal Scuttlers were quick with their pincers, meaning that if she somehow got caught by an ankle or an arm while trying to reach for her glaive, she would be torn apart moments later.


    That was why she was already halfway through spending her Talent Tree Point on [Carmine Thunder], hoping for an evasive ability or even just a buff to Agility.


    Suddenly, time seemed to still.


    Right when Talia was about to make her choice, everything seemed to lose color and she felt her body not responding to her anymore.


    She tried to move, twisting her head, unsuccessfully trying to escape whatever had just happened.


    Time was still frozen, and she couldn¡¯t do anything until she looked at her Akashic Record again.


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hemomantic Artisan</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Crimson Sage</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    What the hell?! Talia thought.


    The [Crimson Sage] Talent Tree was shining with an ominous red light.


    It shone brighter and brighter, inviting and attractive, putting every nerve ending of Talia¡¯s on fire.


    It clearly wanted her to choose it.


    But she didn¡¯t know whether this was a good thing or something malicious, like the rest of her powers.


    So, she was at an impasse.


    Suddenly, though, she felt a hand on her shoulder and two warm lips close to her ear, whispering in a voice she had heard before in her dreams.


    Her mother¡¯s.


    ¡°Talia, you won¡¯t save the island with [Carmine Thunder],¡± came the voice, half-sweet, half-stern.


    For a moment, Talia didn¡¯t even listen to the words.


    She tried twisting her neck, wringing it almost ¨C she was ready to break it as long as she could get a single, desperate glimpse of her mother.


    It had been far too long since she had appeared to her in a dream, with words that no one believed when Talia had reported them. Most importantly, her mother had never said a single thing to her that had turned out to be wrong.


    And even though Talia knew, on a rational level, that this could be an evil vision coming from her powers meant to destabilize her, she listened.


    She listened with all her heart.


    ¡°It will be a harder battle if you choose [Carmine Thunder],¡± said the woman without showing herself.


    ¡°W¡ªwhy?¡±


    Talia wasn¡¯t indeed sure why it would be harder.


    [Carmine Thunder] was the only Talent Tree that would allow her to possibly move fast enough to reach the glaive or escape the monsters.


    All the other options would be a coin toss ¨C and there was her life on the other end of that bet.


    So, why would she not go along with her original option? It didn¡¯t make any sense.


    And that¡¯s why she wasn¡¯t so inclined to listen to the voice ¨C not even if it was her mother¡¯s.


    ¡°[Carmine Thunder] won¡¯t save Solara,¡± was the only thing her mother said, repeating herself.


    Talia didn¡¯t understand what that meant.


    Save Solara?


    She was just trying to save herself at the moment!


    [Crimson Sage], given its position in the selection, was a Wisdom-based Talent Tree, and she currently had no Wisdom at all! It made absolutely no sense to pick it!


    She still resisted her mother¡¯s suggestion, thinking her own strategy to be superior.


    ¡°A Hero can never think of themselves first,¡± her mother whispered.


    Then, Talia felt her mother¡¯s presence starting to disappear.


    ¡°M¡ªMom,¡± Talia squeezed the words out of her half-shut lips in a superhuman effort to communicate with the woman.


    ¡°Our time is already up,¡± she heard the woman sigh and remove her hand from her shoulder, brushing it against her cheek for a second. ¡°You¡¯re strong, Talia. Choose right. Your choice will save those idiot islanders from themselves. And you will also meet¡ª¡±


    The voice dissipated before it could finish the sentence, leaving her alone.


    Meet what?


    Before she could analyze her mother¡¯s words, she saw the surroundings slowly unfreeze as the Abyssal Scuttlers closed in ever-so-slowly.


    She had to make a choice.


    And a choice she made.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± She roared, mentally slamming her will and the Talent Tree Point into [Crimson Sage].


    [You unlocked the Crimson Sage Talent Tree.]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Crimson Wisdom]


    [Synergy Unlocked!]


    [Crimson Wisdom has great synergy for Eyes of the Abyss!]


    An explanation of what [Crimson Wisdom] did poured into her mind instantaneously as if she had always known how it worked.


    [Crimson Wisdom] allowed her to gain deeper insight into [Hemomancy], functioning basically as an intuition-enhancing Skill.


    Furthermore, it also synergized with [Eyes of the Abyss], and she instinctively knew that using them together would help her study her own blood magic much better than if she just kept at it as it was.


    Thanks to the greater understanding the skill provided, it meant that she would be able to level up all her blood-related skills faster.


    However, Talia didn¡¯t see how this would save her life in her current predicament.


    Not knowing what else to do, Talia drew from her Mana and activated both [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom].


    The Abyssal Scuttlers started glowing with weak energy, but nothing else happened. This is why, taken by desperation, she summoned her [Hemomancy] again, trying to create the same razor-sharp blade with which she had killed the Abyssal Cuda. This time, as the blood coalesced in front of her, she saw it pulse and resonate. More importantly, she saw it resonate with a different frequency in each strand as they melded together for the attack.


    Taken by a quick intuition, she imagined smoothing these vibrations to the same frequency as the attack formed mid-air.


    A large sickle suddenly burst forward, and Talia looked at it excitedly, expecting to bisect the two Abyssal Scuttlers in front of her as she dove to dodge the third¡¯s attack.


    However, the two crab-like monsters, impacted frontally by the attack, were simply knocked back. As Talia assessed the damage delivered by her spell, she realized there was barely a dent in their shells, almost as if the attack had never hit them in the first place. They had shaken it off like nothing and were, once again, advancing on her.


    And what this meant was that she was soon about to die, mutilated by her pincers.


    As she shakily stood again up, trying to summon another sickle of blood from the little blood that remained on her, she suddenly felt like something was pulling at her.


    Instinctively, Talia raised her right arm and, without even knowing how she found that her mother¡¯s glaive had materialized in it.


    Without wasting a moment to wonder about how this happened not once, but twice by now, she grabbed the weapon with both hands and readied herself.


    The first Abyssal Scuttler, the one she hadn¡¯t knocked back, pounced on her, jumping. Talia quickly slid her wrist over the glaive and awkwardly swung the heavy blade toward the monster. Luckily, it didn¡¯t matter that the swing had been pathetic because, thanks to the resonance of the blood she could now control through [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom], she finally generated a sharp sickle that finally accomplished what she had been trying to do since the battle had begun.


    The monster fell to her sides, perfectly split in two, a terrific feat for someone her level.


    Before the other two could reach her again, she swung horizontally, using the rest of the blood she had drawn to create another blood blade that caught the two monsters and killed them on the spot.


    [You have slain Abyssal Scuttler Level 4!]


    [You have slain Abyssal Scuttler Level 2!]


    [You have slain Abyssal Scuttler Level 3!]


    Even with her wound mysteriously closing up by itself, Talia decided to use [Blood Syphon] without thinking twice.


    [You have absorbed Lv. 4 Abyssal Scuttler Life Force.]


    [+0.02 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.12/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.1 to your Constitution (0.1/1 to 1 Constitution)]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 3 Abyssal Scuttler Life Force.]


    [+0.01 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.13/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.05 to your Constitution (0.15/1 to 1 Constitution)]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 4 Abyssal Scuttler Life Force.]


    [+0.01 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.14/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.05 to your Constitution (0.2/1 to 1 Constitution)]


    Talia looked satisfied with the progress and exhaled as the vitality she had absorbed replenished her stamina.


    However, as she turned toward the inner island with [Eyes of the Abyss] still active, she felt her breath get caught in her throat.


    Hundreds of fuzzy energy points scuttled around the island, so many she could barely make them out from each other.


    Talia deactivated the skill for a moment to think about her next move.


    But as soon as she did, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye.


    Something glowing on the sand of the Northernmost shore of Solara.


    <div>

 Chapter 10 – Sunwater

    As death loomed over the island, Fiora excitedly awaited to become the only thing standing between the villagers and the incoming tide of carnage.


    For years, Fiora¡¯s talents had been discounted because of her being so pretty. No one had even wanted to recognize the actual effort she had put into her training every day, instead they only commented on how much time she spent swatting boys away and eventually giving up, and letting them give her gifts and waste her time. She had tolerated it for far too long.


    With the island facing a critical situation, she realized it was her chance to prove her worth and earn respect.


    Especially now that monsters were overwhelming Solara.


    After the first light of dawn, screams had erupted around the island. The entire village had awoken as one as guards that would lazily patrol the safe sandy island roads found dozens of Abyssal Scuttlers emerging from the surrounding vegetation. Immediately, all the population had been evacuated to higher ground, following the same plan that had been put into place when the Kraken had invaded.


    Thanks to the relatively low danger posed by Abyssal Scuttlers, they had made it to the summit safely.


    However, the situation was growing dire.


    Abyssal Scuttlers were not dangerous when taken individually. In fact, they were at the bottom of the food chain as far as Abyssal Creatures were concerned ¨C a routine meal for most predators of the Deep. But Abyssal Scuttlers, because of their nature as prey, were used to hunting and migrating in packs.


    And even though even the Uninitiated were capable of fending them off, their overwhelming numbers were slowly chipping at the guards'' stamina. More importantly, in such prolonged battles, it was easy for the  Uninitiated to have their concentration falter, even for a second, ending up in someone possibly losing their life.


    It was extremely dangerous to fight any Abyssal Creature without Attributes.


    So, Fiora obviously expected that soon, the villagers would be begging her to help.


    The guards were taking turns around the tight perimeter that had been established close to the summit, using the higher ground and spears and taking turns to their advantage to fend off the crab-like monsters. But Fiora had seen more than one man get their spear caught in a claw and release it almost one second too late. The monsters were predictable, sure, but they were also dangerous.


    And with tiredness starting to crawl up the guards'' bodies, Fiora knew that the next obvious step would be to ask the Initiated ¨C yes, even the pretty girl ¨C for help.


    Fiora walked up to a warrior who had almost been killed a moment ago and was still breathing hard, anticipating the begging, planning to play a little difficult to get before caving into the would-be supplicants.


    But as she waited with an arrogant smirk on her face, standing patiently next to the sturdy guard, she saw the man turn to her with a confused expression.


    ¡°Go back¡ªit¡¯s dangerous here,¡± he panted, his eyes shooting at the carcass of the Abyssal Scuttler that his friends had just impaled.


    Fiora raised an eyebrow, ¡°Dangerous? I¡¯m Initiated. You should be asking for my help, clearly.¡±


    The guard, someone Fiora didn¡¯t know, but who was stationed in the thickest part of the perimeter, looked amused. She could see in his eyes that he didn¡¯t take her seriously at all ¨C something that she had been used to. But she had always expected people to radically change their attitude toward her after her test with the Water Riders and especially after they found out she Initiated herself.


    That was clearly a sign she was extremely capable.


    Being Initiated, but not by the Water Riders, was essentially unheard of. Even though Talia had done the greater part of the heavy lifting against the Abyssal Cuda, Fiora¡¯s contribution had still been registered¡ªotherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten any experience to unlock her Akashic Record. That made her special.


    Especially considering the kind of power she had unlocked.


    Fiora had awakened Sunwater ¨C a skill only slightly weaker, if at all, than Starwater ¨C and had impressed all the Elders.


    Noelo had been speechless when Fiora had explained that Takai, Talia, and she would need to get on the same ship as the other young promises. When the Elder had asked for further explanations, Fiora had given him a brief rundown of what had happened and then showed him a glimpse of her powers. That had been enough to make the usually overbearing man cower.


    And now, she expected the same reaction from the guard in front of her.


    But the guard laughed at Fiora.


    ¡°Stay back, pretty face. This is actually dangerous, but if you need a shoulder to cry on, just wait for the end of my shift, and I¡¯ll be right there to comfort you.¡± The man added smooching sounds to his statement.


    The blonde looked back with a stunned expression.


    Out of nowhere, Fiora¡¯s mother, Hali, materialized behind her daughter as if instinctively knowing that the pretty blonde might have been moments from murdering the cocky young man.


    Hali knew her daughter too well not to imagine what she was about to say. The thin blonde had always been so different from her mother, who had often advised her to give up on becoming a Water Rider, given how dangerous the profession was. Now that she had somehow Initiated herself, she could only prevent her from risking her life against this unexpected tide of monsters.


    She had always wished her daughter would just focus on finding a good man and settling down, especially considering how beautiful she was ¨C something that, deep down, she envied.


    For now, Hali just tried to calm her daughter down.


    She gently placed a hand on Fiora''s shoulder, feeling the tension in her muscles. Hali knew that her daughter''s pride had been wounded, and she feared that Fiora might do something rash to prove herself. The situation was already precarious enough without adding her daughter''s impulsiveness to the mix.


    ¡°Fiora, darling, let''s step back and give the guards some space,¡± Hali said softly.


    But Fiora, who had always despised the way her mother thought, just got angrier.


    How could she not understand that she had been waiting for this her entire life; that even though they didn''t share the same values, this really mattered to her. Couldn''t she see that this could be her moment?


    Fiora could read her mother''s mind like an open book¡ªa collection of familiar narratives that had been voiced over and over throughout her upbringing. Girls could have it much easier than boys if they just knew how to use their unique gifts. Girls were smarter and, therefore, didn''t need to work as hard as men because they could just get a nice boy to take care of them. Sadly, that had not worked for her mother. She saw her husband run away from her, even though she had put so much effort into having a perfect little marriage.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    All of this meant Fiora would never get on board with her mother. Fiora had just gotten the power she¡¯d always craved, so how could she stay still now? Now, everything she had wished for was at her fingertips.


    And so, she decided she had to do something.


    Fiora used her newly-found strength to free her arm. She ignored her mother''s pleading to go where the rest of the women and children were kept safe, and decided to walk toward the part of the perimeter with the least men manning the line.


    This is where she was going to leave her mark, ignoring all the stares and the meaningless remarks she received from the other guards.


    She briefly surveyed her Akashic Record while waiting for more monsters to appear.


    [Name: Fiora]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Sunburst Hydromancer Lv. 2]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 8 {Surging}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Sunwater): Level 6 {Flowing}]


    [Core Skill #1: Zenith Lv. 1]


    [Core Skill #2: Sunwater Manipulation Lv. 3]


    [Core Skill #3: Solar Constitution Lv. 1]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Solar Glyph Mastery Lv. 1]


    [Strength: 0]


    [Agility: 0]


    [Constitution: 0]


    [Intelligence: 3]


    [Wisdom: 2]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 0]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sunforged Champion</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Plasma Surfer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Solar Fortitude</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">R¨¡ Mage (1)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Solarian Sage</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sun Herald</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 0]


    Fiora had already distributed her Free Attributes and the one Talent Point because she already knew what she wanted to be.


    Unlike that brute, Talia, Fiora had always dreamt of being a caster. That was why she had chosen Wisdom and Intelligence as the main Attributes to raise, choosing the Intelligence-based Talent Tree instead of any other ¨C something she had not hesitated one second on doing. Being a caster was, in her opinion, the superior solution in battle, more so considering the kind of monsters one would usually face in battle. In fact, at low levels, Strength, Agility, and Constitution were subpar options because the monsters would always be physically stronger than their human counterparts. So, Fiora had made what she considered the obvious choice.


    From the get-go, she was gearing up to be a tremendously powerful caster.


    As she saw an Abyssal Scuttler come towards her, she smiled, knowing that the opportunity to prove her skills had finally appeared.


    [Abyssal Scuttler Lv. 3]


    While the guards were readying their spears and getting into formation to face the monster, Fiora simply raised a hand, summoning a golden-tinged globe of Sunwater.


    Before anyone could even understand what happened, the globe shot from her hand in an arched trajectory, hitting the monster right on top of its shell. Those who didn¡¯t know how Sunwater worked gave a quick frown and turned to Fiora, but the terrifying shriek the monster belched made everyone¡¯s head snap back in its direction. The Abyssal Scuttler was rapidly dying, boiled alive.


    That was the Sunwater¡¯s doing, the golden-tinged magic that burned hotter than fire itself.


    [You have slain Abyssal Scuttler Level 3!]


    She looked smugly around, expecting stunned eyes and cheers, but she only saw contempt and discontent in the men¡¯s faces.


    The guards looked at her and her skill, which she had stayed up all night to train in an excited, manic state as if she had just betrayed them. No one looked happy that she had avoided potential fatalities by taking swift care of the monster. No, despite how ridiculous their behavior was, they all seemed rather displeased that the girl had taken their job away from them.


    And they weren¡¯t hiding it.


    ¡°Good job,¡± a guard said dismissively.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± another chimed, tightening his grip on his spear, ¡°for a girl.¡±


    Fiora looked at them from head to toe with her lips curled in disgust and then focused again on the tree line in front of them.


    She tried to ignore the little snide remarks that came not-exactly-in-whispers and balled her fists, thinking herself superior to such ridiculous idiocy.


    But soon, she started to feel her blood boil. She had been waiting to have real powers at her fingertips for too long to accept a bunch of incapable guards making fun of her after she killed an Abyssal Scuttler without breaking a sweat. In fact, she was growing more and more agitated the longer they waited.


    And when the next monster finally came, she was like a pressurized container on the verge of exploding.


    So, as the next Abyssal Scuttler emerged with an entire group of seven more monsters behind it, she ignored all the shouts that had been coming from the guards about strategy, plans, and whatnot.


    She was going to show these idiots what real power looked like.


    Using [Sunwater Manipulation], Fiora summoned the first orb of Sunwater and killed the Abyssal Scuttler at the front in the same way she had killed the one before ¨C boiling it alive. Then, she quickly summoned two more orbs and killed the two behind it. In a matter of seconds, the group of monsters had lost almost half of its numbers.


    Fiora was putting on a real show of power.


    The only problem was that the monsters had already closed almost all the distance and so when Fiora saw that her next target had gotten close to a guard, she shouted to the man, ¡°Get back!¡±


    When she saw the man not listening to her ¨C the only person capable of killing more than one of these monsters in one engagement ¨C she saw red.


    She didn¡¯t listen to the rational part of her mind, the one telling her to simply change position, get behind the guards, and wait for her opportunity. No, she just summoned a slightly smaller globe of Sunwater and attacked the monster. The attack did hit the Abyssal Scuttler, making it shriek in immense pain moments before its demise, but it also grazed the guard. Golden droplets splashed onto him, immediately creating blisters over his exposed arms.


    In the madness, Fiora just ignored him.


    ¡°Move back!¡± She shouted again to another guard engaged with an Abyssal Scuttler.


    Once again, she was ignored.


    And then again, and then twice, and once more, she repeated what she had done with the first guard. Her magic boiled alive all the Abyssal Scuttlers that had appeared, but she had also caused great pain ¨C if not actual injuries ¨C to the men that had been stationed on this side of the perimeter. And even though she had killed all the monsters, the guards were looking at her with abject fury in their eyes.


    A burly guard closed in on her, shouting in her face.


    This time, unlike the previous scowls, the disapproval came in a much more corporeal form.


    ¡°Have you lost your damn mind?! What was that?! Do you want to kill us too?!¡±


    The man shouted in her face, grabbing one of her arms and shaking her.


    Fiora actually considered backing down for a moment, but then she saw everything she didn¡¯t want to be reflected as a hesitant, pretty girl in the angry man¡¯s eyes.


    She knew she had just lost her composure, that she had given in to her rage. She had left wounds on the men, and they were partially right to be angry at her. However, for all their rage was justified as far as the wounds went, they had not listened to the one person who could actually make a difference on this battlefield, since Talia was nowhere to be seen, and Takai had been injured at the very beginning of the fight. More importantly, she knew the reason they treated her like this was that they didn¡¯t see her as anything more than what her own mother saw her as a pretty girl. It didn¡¯t matter that she had talent in spades and a fearful ability¡ªshe was just a girl in their eyes.


    For all Fiora would have loved to see admiration and recognition in the eyes of these men, which would have perhaps made someone else back down to avoid antagonizing them more, she decided to stand her ground.


    Looking straight into the guard¡¯s eyes, she relinquished any expectation that she would get the recognition that was rightfully hers ¨C she just barked an order.


    ¡°Let go,¡± she said icily.


    ¡°Have you heard me, girl?! I said¡ª¡±


    Fiora activated [Solar Constitution], increasing her strength beyond that of an average Uninitiated, making her skin burn as hot as her Sunwater.


    The man who had just been grabbing her screamed in pain, falling backward onto his ass, holding his hand, and looking at the rapidly forming blisters.


    ¡°There are more monsters coming. If you can¡¯t listen to your betters, just go back and tell the Elders a pretty girl just took over this side of the battlefield¡ªand to send me someone who¡¯s not a complete imbecile if they want to hold the island.¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 11 – Villagers

    When Talia found a bloodied man close to where she had tracked down the villagers, she knew she would need to make some hard choices that day.


    She scoured the vicinities with [Eyes of the Abyss], making sure that no Abyssal Scuttlers were in the vicinity. She had spent too much Mana and energy to reach the center of the island, and even though she could replenish the latter with [Blood Syphon], the fatigue was starting to kick in. She feared that soon, she would actually pass out from the mental exhaustion.


    That¡¯s why she needed to check whether this guy was still alive, attempt to help him, and then reach the rest of the villagers.


    When she turned the man onto his back and saw Mataku¡¯s almost unrecognizable visage, she knew she had an even harder choice on her hands.


    This wasn¡¯t about whether she would be capable of saving the man or not ¨C especially since she already saw Mataku¡¯s chest slowly rise and fall.


    No, the problem here was completely different.


    If she helped Mataku by transferring vitality from some nearby carcasses of the Abyssal Scuttlers into him, there was a very good chance he would realize that her powers were eerily similar to the Kraken¡¯s.


    She was sure that as soon as she finished healing him, he would run over to his father, Noelo, and tell him everything Talia had tried to hide since coming back from her self-Initiation.


    And then, everyone would look at her knowing that she was a monster ¨C knowing that the fact that she had hidden her powers from them pretty much proved them right.


    And she wasn¡¯t sure what would happen to her then.


    Nonetheless, she shook her head, chasing those thoughts away.


    Mataku was still alive, and she couldn''t afford to let him die.


    The fact that he was an ass didn¡¯t mean Talia wanted him to become feed for the monsters crawling all over the island.


    She decided to take the risk that the idiot would tell everyone that she was a monster, rather than become a real monster out of fear of being treated as one.


    That¡¯s why she briefly looked around with her eyes glowing with Mana, locating some residual vital energy from the nearby dead monsters.


    Then, she pointed her hand at two Abyssal Scuttler carcasses and channeled [Blood Syphon].


    Halfway through the healing process, Mataku regained consciousness and immediately screamed at her.


    The wounds on his chest and arms had completely disappeared and when he came to his senses, he saw a red flux of Mana traveling from the bushes to Talia, and then to him. Out of all the Kraken¡¯s powers, the one that was better documented was exactly the one to heal and absorb monsters and humans. Which was why Mataku immediately put two and two together in his head, especially since he already considered Talia the Scourge¡¯s spawn, shot to his feet, and ran toward where the rest of the island was holding their own against the monsters.


    He didn¡¯t even stop to thank her or look back once ¨C he just kept screaming at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°She¡¯s a monster! She¡¯s a damn monster!¡±


    Talia followed Mataku through the last stretch of the vegetation, with her head low, already having an idea of what was about to happen next.


    She had not wanted to showcase her powers to others. That¡¯s why she had initially decided to go to the Deep by herself, preferring to hunt monsters on her own and level up her Primary Mana Channel to the Academy¡¯s requirements, perhaps even picking an actual water-based ability on the way. But the arrival of the Abyssal Scuttlers had been like a giant, sharp underwater reef tearing through her plans. But in reality, the coming of the monster had actually not been that worrying to Talia, apart from the secret she had uncovered on the northernmost shore and the disconcerting, cryptic vision of her mother.


    No, the worst was just about to come.


    In fact, as soon as she reached the islanders, she found Mataku screaming to the closest guards about Talia¡¯s creepy powers.


    ¡°She used the Kraken¡¯s ability! She sucked the life out of the Abyssal Scuttlers, and they turned to dust! I saw it!¡±


    The other guard was listening to Mataku, stunned.


    ¡°Look, look at my wounds!¡± The man said, tearing his already tattered clothes off, showing a bloody but smooth skin beneath them. ¡°She healed me with the Kraken¡¯s ability! You saw my wounds! You were there! I thought I was dead!¡±


    Mataku kept on screaming and attracting the attention of pretty much every guard standing close-by who wasn¡¯t fighting.


    Soon, a small circle had formed around the man, with even the civilians starting to ask questions about Talia.


    This had been a moment Talia had feared for years. In fact, this fell short of her worst nightmare only because they hadn¡¯t tied her up with ropes and thrown her onto a giant pyre yet. But other than that, the maliciousness she could perceive as the people started turning to her with judgmental eyes¡ªthat was exactly what she would describe as her biggest fear. When you live your entire life trying to prove that you¡¯re not a monster, having someone trying to prove the opposite was almost as bad as it could get.


    She could feel her body rapidly turn to jelly, just waiting for a mob to form and capture her.


    Suddenly, though, Fiora, sweaty and far from her usual composed self, stomped her way up to Mataku and the rest of the guards that had been eyeing Talia viciously.


    The blonde hit Mataku on the back of his head so strongly that the young man immediately passed out and she started barking insults.


    ¡°Have you idiots lost your mind?! What is this cretin babbling about?! He just said Talia saved his life, no? Would the damn Kraken do that?¡±


    That barrage of questions immediately poked holes in the nonsensical rambling that Mataku had made.


    And what came after all but wiped out Mataku¡¯s accusations from their mind.


    ¡°Why are you abandoning your posts?! Go back to take care of the monsters instead of listening to this ungrateful bastard before I fry all of you!¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Without a word of protest ¨C which stunned Talia ¨C all the guards dispersed in an instant, save for one that picked up Mataku and leaned him against his shoulder and ¨C under Fiora¡¯s orders ¨C and carried the man to where the Elders were staying in the distance.


    Talia had no idea how Fiora had just managed that.


    The blue-eyed girl knew very well how little guards considered girls. There were no women in their ranks, and among the Uninitiated, men were infinitely stronger than women ¨C something that wasn¡¯t the case after people had learned some Attributes, though. But among the common people, it was very, very normal and sensible for women not to take on physical jobs or leader positions.


    That¡¯s why Talia was flabbergasted by Fiora¡¯s exploit.


    Grabbed by the blonde, Talia was taken to a tent where she found Takai and Lani.


    On the way over, she quickly asked, ¡°Did you level up?¡±


    She had seen with her [Eyes of the Abyss] that Fiora¡¯s energy looked brighter and denser than before.


    ¡°I¡¯m already level 5,¡± Fiora said, ¡°but I¡¯m low on Mana. You can¡¯t restore Mana with your skill, can you?¡±


    It was strange for Talia to hear her creepy skill being talked about so casually by the blonde.


    Still, she shook her head.


    ¡°No, [Blood Syphon] can¡¯t do that. Not for now, at least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bad,¡± Fiora commented as she pushed open the tent where the only other Initiated on the island and his mother were located.


    ¡°See if you can talk some sense into her. There¡¯s still too many monsters around, Talia. We need Takai to help.¡±


    With that said, Fiora left.


    ¡°Hey, Talia,¡± Takai said weakly.


    The girl turned her eyes to her friend only to see that Takai¡¯s torso had been bandaged and his mother was currently applying herbs all over his body.


    The herbs that she was using made his flesh sizzle and they were closing a large wound on his chest even faster than [Blood Syphon] would, making her eyebrows shoot up.


    Most importantly, though, all the assumptions that Talia had been building up in her mind had basically just been confirmed. And so, she could go ahead with what she was plotting.


    Before she could take care of her business, though, she heard the woman speak up.


    ¡°You won¡¯t go back out there,¡± Lani told Takai.


    ¡°Mom, Fiora said¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what that uppity girl says! You¡¯re wounded!¡±


    ¡°Your herbs already healed me!¡± Takai protested.


    ¡°You need to rest, Takai! You¡¯re only Level 2! What do you think you can do?!¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not a kid!¡± Takai said, actually sitting up and moaning in pain. ¡°I¡¯m always going to be Level 2 if I can¡¯t fight!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move! You¡¯re going to reopen your wounds!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid!¡± Takai shouted again, his face red.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to throw your life away like this, Takai! I will do anything to prevent you from being as stupid as your father!¡± Lani shouted, completely beside herself.


    Talia, finding her position more and more awkward, excused herself.


    She left the tent and reached Noelo  where several other Elders and some wounded guards were staying.


    She found them in a huddle around Noelo, with Mataku being laid to rest not too far from them. However, the conversation that was going on did not regard the young man knocked out by Fiora, but rather, what to do to save everyone on the island. And while Talia got a few disapproving glances, she was allowed to stand among them and listen to them talk.


    She found the options being discussed very limited.


    ¡°We can make a break for the shore,¡± an Elder suggested.


    ¡°We have too many wounded already,¡± Noelo sighed, ¡°and the path to the closest ship is too narrow. We would have to walk in a single long line and the monsters would pick us apart with no problem. No, that¡¯s not an option.¡±


    ¡°We can send someone to call for the Water Riders,¡± another Elder suggested. ¡°We can try and keep our position here and wait for help.¡±


    ¡°Our guards are growing increasingly tired. What happens when the night comes and we can barely see? We don¡¯t even have any food with us here. And while some guards might be able to retrieve some food from the village, it would leave us exposed,¡± Noelo picked apart that argument as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s no good option,¡± the head Elder said, ¡°if we stay, we might be torn apart before the next dawn. If we don¡¯t, we might die in the troves anyway.¡±


    Frustration was evident in the air.


    But someone came forward with a different proposal.


    ¡°Noelo Alovai,¡± Akua, the merchant, spoke with deep respect. ¡°You might not remember me because I don¡¯t usually stay on Solara for more than a few days. I¡¯m Akua, a merchant.¡±


    ¡°Akua?¡± Noelo frowned. ¡°What do you have to say?¡±


    ¡°I have a stash of supplies and wares that I keep close-by. They''re by the river where I keep my enchanted ship. There¡¯s food and water for the entire village to live off for multiple days.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t solve the problem of sending too many guards away to retrieve it,¡± Noelo harrumphed.


    ¡°Furthermore, Noelo Alovai,¡± Akua said, using the honorific that was usually reserved for children addressing adults, ¡°I have enough rare herbs shielded by an artifact in my warehouse that turning off the protection spell I have on right now might attract many of the monsters toward there, leaving everyone else free to flee the island.¡±


    Everyone looked at Noelo in excitement after hearing that.


    ¡°Even if what you say is true and you could attract the monsters there, we wouldn¡¯t have any supplies to make the trip after we reached the shipyard. And the ones you have on your boat can¡¯t be transported if you plan on gathering the Abyssal Scuttlers there. You would never be able to leave with the ship where you keep the food.¡±


    ¡°I have a Deep Chest,¡± Akua smirked. ¡°All the food is in a chest I could carry back by myself. And as for the escort, perhaps I don¡¯t even need your guards.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Noelo raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°No, I was thinking of taking someone else,¡± Akua said, turning her head and prompting everyone else to do the same.


    For the first time today, as everyone looked at Talia, there was not hate in their eyes but surprise.


    In fact, before anyone could say anything disparaging, Akua seized the moment.


    ¡°I heard that the young girl has her mother¡¯s talents and has been Initiated. She came here after healing your son, no?¡± It was a question Akua didn¡¯t let Noelo answer. ¡°So, if she¡¯s so capable and strong, I would bring only her. She could help me carry the Deep Chest to retrieve the supplies and use the herbs to attract the bulk of the monsters to my stash. That would leave you plenty of time to leave the island in complete safety.


    ¡°Well,¡± Akua continued, ¡°as long as Talia accepts to be my escort.¡±


    Talia looked around, finding everyone''s eyes on her that, for the first time, gleamed with something she had never seen directed at her before.


    Hope.


    Noelo broke the silence.


    ¡°Talia, is this something you can do? Would you be willing to escort Akua?¡±


    Talia took a deep breath, steadying herself.


    This was her chance ¨C not just to help save the village, but to prove herself once and for all.


    She nodded firmly.


    ¡°Yes, I can do it. I''ll keep her safe and help retrieve the supplies.¡±


    A collective sigh of relief rippled through the gathered crowd.


    Noelo''s expression softened slightly, though concern still creased his brow.


    ¡°It will be dangerous. Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Talia replied, her voice stronger now. ¡°I''ve been training. I can handle this.¡±


    Akua clapped her hands together.


    ¡°Excellent! We should leave immediately. Every moment counts.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± Talia said with a smile, ¡°I just need a moment to make a few arrangements.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    As Akua left, Talia turned to Noelo with a cryptic expression.


    ¡°Elder, may I have a quick word?¡°


    <div>

 Chapter 12 – Plans

    It was a day of reckoning, a day when Talia felt she would either become a monster, like she had always feared, or a savior ¨C but most importantly, it was a day where the Deep would exact its dues.


    It was a Water Rider saying ¨C the Deep always exacts its dues. It meant that reality always caught up with perpetrators of crimes, monsters, and even the Kraken itself. At first, it could sound as if the Water Riders believed that the Deep was on the side of Abyssal Creatures and their king, the Kraken, but that was not what the saying truly meant. The Water Riders believed that no creature, human or otherwise, could run unchecked for too long, not even the Scourge of the Deep itself.


    This was their explanation of how a Water Rider eventually managed to kill the Kraken for long enough to give the many inhabitants of the Great Archipelago of N¨¡ Moku Kai peace and respite from the carnage.


    ***


    ¡°Do you see any monsters?¡± Akua asked with a tone that sounded a little too relaxed, considering that they were hiking through a monster-infested island and that she wasn¡¯t Initiated.


    In fact, even though Talia had used [Eyes of the Abyss] to locate the Abyssal Scuttlers and avoid them, Akua seemed way too comfortable for someone whose only escort was a teenage girl. Even a guard with a lance in their hand would be nervous about an off-road track like the one Talia was leading them through in order to dodge as many monsters as possible. Instead, Akua strolled comfortably a few paces behind her, seemingly not worried in the least.


    ¡°There are none in our vicinity,¡± Talia said, glancing over the merchant¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No monsters.¡±


    Akua didn¡¯t know it, but her behavior and what her eyes could see ¨C a skill that no one but Takai and Fiora knew about ¨C confirmed all of Talia¡¯s suspicions.


    Talia knew that there had been foul play involved in the monsters invading the island.


    Abyssal Scuttlers, and the creatures of the Deep in general, wouldn¡¯t normally leave the Deep. There simply wasn¡¯t enough Mana to keep them alive and, unlike humans, they didn¡¯t have a self-regenerative reserve of Mana: they depended on the ambient Mana found in the dark waters of the Four Seas. Therefore, the Abyssal Creatures never trespassed into the Calm Belt as a matter of self-preservation.


    Not unless someone provoked them, Talia thought, looking over her shoulder.


    Nonetheless, the monsters weren¡¯t the only thing to worry about.


    For now, the citizens would be safe, and if her plan worked, they would be able to leave the island without any trouble.


    The problem for her immediate future, as soon as the crisis was resolved, though, was that the Abyssal Scuttlers hadn¡¯t made a great impact on her Primary Mana Channel Level.


    She needed a Primary Mana Channel at Level 2 if she wanted to pass the second test that would be administered to the self-Initiated, aspiring Water Riders at the Academy. Without that, even though she had Initiated herself, she wouldn¡¯t be considered worthy of teaching all the Hydromancy-related knowledge that had been accrued over centuries at the Academy; that was because a Primary Mana Channel roughly established how many levels one could gain in a Class before leveling up became a miserable endeavor and slowed down to a crawl. Without a Primary Mana Channel at Level 2, it was almost impossible to reach even the end of the first year or to complete the easiest missions, as one could barely reach Level 20.


    So, Talia needed to find a way ¨C any way ¨C to bring her Primary Mana Channel up to speed, especially considering that the Water Riders would probably show up sooner rather than later after hearing of the monsters¡ªwhich also meant they might speed up the transportation process to the Academy¡­


    All considered, her chances of passing this year¡¯s test were looking rather grim.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 4]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 0.4 {Dormant}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 5 {Flowing}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 2]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 3]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 2]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 1]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 2]


    [Strength: 8]


    [Agility: 0.3]


    [Constitution: 1.1]


    [Intelligence: 1]The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 0]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li>Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li>Carmine Thunder</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li>Sanguine Guardian</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li>Hemomantic Artisan</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li>Crimson Sage (1)</li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li>Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 0]


    At least she had leveled-up twice and gotten a free Int point thanks to her use of [Crimson Wisdom] to enhance her [Hemomancy].


    One could get free Attributes, especially when those Attributes were very low, just through training and combat. Some even advised the cadets of the Water Rider Academy to keep as many Free Attributes as they could until they gained more Skills ¨C a luxury Talia had not been able to afford since she had to carry the heavy glaive with her. In her specific case, though, she wasn¡¯t too worried about not gaining enough Attributes through the traditional methods.


    Thanks to [Blood Syphon], she had gotten a whole point in Constitution, thanks to all the monsters she had slain on the way over.


    ¡°You¡¯re really brave,¡± Akua broke the silence while Talia was doing some mental math about her Primary Mana Channel and how many monsters she still needed to kill.


    ¡°I¡¯m Initiated, you¡¯re not,¡± Talia stated matter-of-factly without turning. ¡°You are the brave one.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not secretly Initiated?¡± Akua smirked, prompting Talia to give her a second look with [Eyes of the Abyss].


    Akua¡¯s energy looked very unremarkable. Even though she did look like she had more energy than the average islander, Talia attributed that to the herbs that the woman traded and most likely consumed. But still, there was no chance Akua was Initiated¡ªeven Takai had more Mana in his body than her.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Talia shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t know for sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met your mother before, you know?¡± Akua said, trying to keep the conversation alive.


    And that did indeed catch Talia¡¯s attention.


    ¡°When?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°Before she fought the Kraken, of course,¡± Akua said with a strange inflection when mentioning the Scourge of the Deep. ¡°My mother was a merchant, too. We met your mom during one of her trips to the North Deep.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to the North Deep?¡± Talia frowned. ¡°Uninitiated?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of Uninitiated people in the Calm Belt and close to the North Deep. And the outskirts are not as dangerous as people make them to be, you know?¡±


    Talia was stunned.


    The North Deep was the most dangerous of the Four Seas, the one where the Kraken would usually respawn.


    ¡°What about my mom?¡± Talia asked warily. ¡°Did you spend time with her?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Akua cleared her throat, ¡°it was a rather sudden meeting. We didn¡¯t stay with your mother for long. She just¡­ purchased some wares.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Talia muttered, for a moment forgetting about what she knew about the woman. ¡°What type was she? Everyone always tells me she was a hero, but I never get a real description.¡±


    ¡°She was a hero, alright,¡± Akua said with a weird bitterness, which made Talia¡¯s eyebrows jump as she looked ahead, her expressions hidden from the merchant. ¡°She was very, very interested in justice, in what was fair, and all those things. She could barely stand the idea that not everyone considered the Kraken a monster, for example.¡±


    ¡°Like who? The Cultists?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°No,¡± Akua laughed. ¡°Just normal people who don¡¯t care. See, your mother was one of those people that cared about everything. That was my quick impression of her. But don¡¯t take my word for gold¡ªit was many years ago.¡±


    Hearing someone not describe her mother as a hero for the first time in so long made her somewhat lighter for a moment.


    It was always hard to imagine living up to the perfect heritage left behind by her mother, the H¨¡kai P¨­, the Kraken Slayer¡ªpossibly the last of them.


    And considering how hard it was for Talia to merely prove to people that she wasn¡¯t a monster, the Kraken¡¯s spawn, she couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the thought of her mother being a bit of an asshole.


    Her self-indulgence in those thoughts was quickly brought to an end when she saw the forest starting to clear up.


    ¡°We¡¯re at the river,¡± Talia said, sighing and clenching her glaive tighter.


    Akua was surprised by the fact that Talia had led them to their destination without meeting almost any monsters, and even those they had met, the girl had dispatched without using any Mana, almost as if she didn¡¯t want to showcase her powers.


    While Akua was taking in the view of her large, enchanted storage that no one but her had access to, she turned to study the teenage girl that now stood by her side.


    The young man who had come screaming moments before the girl had reached the rest of the villagers had called her the Kraken''s spawn. Akua had heard the rumors before, but she had considered it to be like all rumors on an island of bored, Uninitiated people: drivel. But when the young man had described in vivid detail one of Talia¡¯s skills, it sounded eerily similar to one of the better-known abilities of the Kraken. This had given Akua pause, and she had immediately elaborated a new plan.


    And Talia was central to this plan.


    ¡°You know, Talia, there are a few things I haven¡¯t told you,¡± Akua smirked. ¡°See, behind us¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, Lani!¡± Talia called out before Akua could say anything else.


    The merchant looked at the girl, flabbergasted, and turned in the same direction she was looking.


    Uncertain, Lani appeared from behind the trees and slowly walked up to them. Takai¡¯s mother looked at Akua quizzically, and Akua looked at her with the same confusion etched on her face. Neither of them had any idea how Talia had spotted her.


    But they were soon to find out that the girl knew much more than the fact that Lani had followed them.


    ¡°Akua,¡± Talia cleared her voice, ¡°I know you¡¯re the one who brought the Abyssal Scuttlers to the island. And, as a future Water Rider, I declare you under arrest.¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 13 – Warehouse

    ¡°Under arrest?¡± Akua laughed nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t think you realize the situation you¡¯re in. Lani, restrain this idiot child and put her on the boat.¡±


    Talia watched expectantly as Akua went through various emotions at once.


    She was extremely pleased with herself for having guessed exactly what had happened and prepared for it.


    Not only that, but she couldn¡¯t wait to show the criminal in front of her just how prepared she had come into this.


    ¡°I know that Lani is Initiated, among other things,¡± Talia smirked.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure it out,¡± the teenage girl continued. ¡°The sigil on the beach was left to attract monsters here. And even though I don¡¯t know why you did it, I know that Lani must be Initiated to be able to dive and retrieve herbs this potent,¡± Talia slapped the bag of herbs she was still carrying with her. ¡°It¡¯s actually surprising I was the only one who figured this out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you think you know everything?¡± Akua frowned, increasingly nervous.


    ¡°No, not everything, but I¡¯m not done,¡± Talia said, tightening the grip on her glaive.


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re blackmailing Lani,¡± the girl explained.


    ¡°And if I had to make an educated guess, I would say that Lani was involved in her husband¡¯s activities, who, in turn, was somehow involved with you, which would explain how you know about her secret. Now, if she was involved in some unsavory activities, it would easily explain why she doesn¡¯t want her secret out, choosing instead to stay on an island where the Water Riders never come to sniff around, instead of going to any other place on the Four Seas, where she could probably make a better living.¡±


    ¡°How do you¡ª¡± Lani looked flabbergasted, which only confirmed Talia¡¯s wild guesses.


    ¡°If you know all of this,¡± Akua frowned, ¡°why did you come here? You¡¯re about to be abducted since Lani knows I have her future in my palm.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± Talia smiled, ¡°Lani, I hope you¡¯ll forgive me, but I had to tell you everything to Noelo, who¡¯s currently keeping Takai in custody until you and I return. If we don¡¯t, he will be tried for your crimes.¡±


    Lani and Akua¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°How could you?!¡± Lani shouted. ¡°My son¡ªand he¡¯s your friend, too!¡±


    ¡°I asked Takai¡ªthat¡¯s how I could. I told him that his mother would keep suffering through a terrible life if he didn¡¯t accept to act as a temporary hostage. And believe it or not, he was more than willing to put his life at stake for yours. Plus, if we come back with Akua, I¡¯ve got Noelo¡¯s word that you¡¯ll be treated fairly. We¡¯re talking about very old crimes here, and I¡¯ve worked out that, in exchange for saving the island and delivering Akua to justice, you¡¯ll only have to keep doing what you¡¯re doing ¨C dive for rare herbs ¨C and use the profit to help out the island.¡±


    Talia saw Lani shaken to the core after she fell silent.


    It hadn¡¯t been an easy choice to put her own friend in the middle of this, but what she hadn¡¯t told Lani was that Takai wasn¡¯t actually at risk.


    The Water Riders did not consider the children of criminals guilty ¨C it was in their honor codes. Fortunately, Talia had had enough time in her life to study the laws of the Water Riders to a T, which allowed her to make several calls that, if everything played out like she imagined, would allow Lani to live a free life without having to succumb to the blackmail of this nasty merchant.


    But in order for this to work, Lani had to accept her offer first.


    And from the looks of it, she was still conflicted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust Noelo,¡± Lani said, almost growling, ¡°they don¡¯t know what I had to do to survive! They don¡¯t know what my husband put me through! They¡¯ll just judge me! They¡¯ll just see me as a monster! What kind of life do I have to look forward to even if the Water Riders forgive me for my crimes?!¡±


    Those were all fair questions.


    ¡°So, little girl, do you have a good answer? Or do you really think that the Water Riders and your dear villagers will play fair and square?¡± Akua taunted Talia, trying to sway Lani into siding with her.


    ¡°No, they¡¯re terrible people,¡± Talia laughed, unlocking the thick golden bracelets on her wrists and letting them fall to the ground, showcasing the infamous tentacle marks she had had since the day she was born. ¡°I had to plan for months in order to escape my hut and take the Initiation Test just because these people are afraid of my marks,¡± she pointed at her wrists. ¡°They tried extremely hard to take that away from me and more. People have come to my hut at night, drunk, shouting insults, and, a couple of times, trying to burn it down. And their punishment was nothing more than a slap on the wrist.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be a convincing argument?¡± Akua snickered.


    ¡°It is,¡± Talia nodded, ¡°because the alternative is to kill a bunch of drunks in retaliation: drunk idiots who come bother you at night, trying to set fire to your tent. You can exchange hate with hate, but that only goes so far. There¡¯s a better alternative than becoming the monster that people see in you: to choose to do the right thing, no matter what.


    ¡°So, Lani, what do you choose?"


    ¡°Will you be the monster Akua saw in you, or will you be Takai¡¯s mother?¡±


    The merchant, now seeing how rounded Talia¡¯s argument was, tried hard to convince Lani not to follow the girl.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her!¡± Akua shrieked. ¡°They¡¯ll take everything away from you, Lani! Including Takai! Let¡¯s take this stupid girl away, and we¡¯ll get your child back at night! You know who the real monsters are ¨C those disgusting Water Riders that don¡¯t understand what we have to do to survive!¡±


    Those words seemed to put a crack in Lani¡¯s countenance.


    She looked conflicted.


    Lani had been hiding herself for so long that she didn¡¯t even contemplate what it would mean not to hide anymore. She had spent so long thinking how, if the villagers knew about her real identity, they would turn her into the Water Riders that now, she couldn¡¯t imagine living normally among them, especially with her son becoming a Water Rider himself. And it was exactly the last thought that drove her to make a decision.


    With Takai on his way to becoming a Water Rider, she couldn¡¯t jeopardize his future with her egoism anymore.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Lani said to Talia. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°I hope so, too,¡± Talia winked at the woman and turned to Akua.


    ¡°So, was what you said about monsters being attracted to your wares true?¡± The girl asked the merchant.


    Akua refused to respond until Lani, with her resolve hardened, went over to her and twisted her arm behind her back.


    ¡°Yes, yes! It was true! If you have destroyed the sigil on the Northern shore, not only would the monsters start dispersing soon, but they would also fiend for the herbs I have.¡±


    That revelation made Talia sigh in relief.


    They really needed that part of the plan to actually be real.


    Without the herbs, she didn¡¯t know if they could hold out long enough to avoid any further casualties.


    ¡°Well, how do I deactivate the spell?¡± Talia asked, walking toward the warehouse.


    ¡°Fuck you¡ªAHH!¡± Akua screamed when Lani twisted her arm viciously. ¡°Just open the stupid door and take out the protective artifact! I have the key here!¡±


    Lani looked at Akua¡¯s belt and ripped the key from it, tossing it to Talia.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Talia smiled to herself, ¡°later, you¡¯ll also tell us why you called all these monsters to the island. For now, though, we need to give everyone some time to escape.¡±


    The shipyard was on the opposite side of the river they were currently at, meaning once the monsters swarmed here, the villagers would have it fairly easy to reach it from the other side. Talia would then take a longer road, together with Lani and Akua, trying to dodge as many monsters as possible, and reach the shipyard to escape with the others.


    It was a foolproof plan.


    Or at least Talia thought so.


    However, when she got close to the warehouse, which faced the river and not them, she turned the corner to find a massive, wet hole in the wall.


    She frowned as she examined what looked like a very recent opening that, for some reason, was dripping water.


    It was oddly smooth as if it had been blasted by energy instead of a physical object.


    And as Talia tried to peek inside, her heart stopped in her throat.


    A monstrosity she had never seen was crouched there, consuming heaps of rare herbs that were kept inside the warehouse.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Talia swore under her breath as the monster suddenly turned on its many legs and stared at Talia with two big eyes ¨C as big as her head.


    [Abyssal Scuttler {Boss} ¨C Lv. 21]


    Talia took a few steps back, flabbergasted at the monster''s level and grade.


    Monsters marked as {Boss} could only come from a recently-destroyed Dungeon whose destruction hadn¡¯t included clearing out its Boss. Most importantly, a Boss monster was significantly stronger than its average counterparts, with very little limit on how high its level could get since Dungeons were naturally formed Mana-gathering locations. This meant that a Boss, a monster that emerged victorious in the intra-species fighting for the control of the Dungeon, could absorb as much Mana as it wanted.


    Unfortunately for Talia, this meant that despite being the rarest oddity in the South Deep, she had just encountered a foe she had no hope of defeating.


    The gigantic Abyssal Scuttler, three times her height, looked maliciously at her and started summoning jets of water that coalesced in front of him into a gigantic orb.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Talia swore, diving back around the corner as the giant ball of water destroyed the ground where she had been standing just a second ago.


    ¡°There¡¯s a Boss!¡± She shouted at the top of her lungs.


    But that wasn¡¯t all.


    Suddenly, Talia, who had kept [Eyes of the Abyss] activated, felt a ripple of energy coming from behind.


    The attack the Boss had just unleashed had hit the artifact that suppressed the herbs¡¯ Mana, which is exactly what they had come here to do: signal to every other monster on the island to come there.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck,¡± Talia scrambled away and ran toward Lani. ¡°There¡¯s a Level 21 Boss!¡±


    But she didn¡¯t really need to tell her.


    The gigantic Abyssal Scuttler came out of the warehouse releasing a heart-stopping shriek and agitating two massive claws as big as the humans in front of it.


    When Lani saw it, she was so stunned her grip on Akua relented, and the merchant bolted away.


    The strangest thing was that Akua ran in the monster¡¯s direction.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Talia screamed, her whole body trembling as she and Lani faced the monster.


    But what was most unbelievable was that when Akua ran a few paces behind the monster and toward the boat anchored to the river, the giant Abyssal Scuttler didn¡¯t even glance at her.


    It was as if Akua had been fully invisible to it.


    Which meant the monster was fully focused on Talia and Lani.


    ¡°Can you take it?!¡± Talia asked desperately. She had to ignore Akua¡¯s escape, given the huge killing machine in front of them.


    ¡°What?! Alone?! I¡¯m Level 23!¡± Lani shouted.


    That was truly bad news.


    Boss monsters were on a whole different level ¨C while a person could usually kill a monster their level and slightly above, as a rule of thumb, it took an entire team of five-levels-above the Boss to clear it safely. That put Talia and Lani in a terrible situation. There was no way to face the monster without a high chance of losing their lives.


    ¡°You run! I¡¯ll keep it occupied!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Talia refused.


    She had brought Lani here, thinking that she had it all figured out, that she would not only catch a criminal that had brought monsters on the island but also allow Lani to live a better life. Even though she could not have imagined a Boss monster making its way into the spell-protected warehouse, she had still put Lani¡¯s life in mortal danger. Leaving her to face the monster alone was simply out of the question.


    Not even if that meant putting her own life at stake.


    ¡°Dodge!¡± Lani shouted, tackling Talia to the ground after the giant Abyssal Scuttler summoned another stone-cutting jet of water, obliterating a sizable patch of ground.


    With Lani by her side on the ground, looking back at the monster in abject fear, something went off in Talia¡¯s head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea!¡±

 Chapter 14 – Talia’s Idea

    Talia¡¯s idea was fairly simple, perhaps too simple.


    During her fight with the average-size Abyssal Scuttlers on her way to the top of the island, she had found out that [Blood Syphon] didn¡¯t just work after the monster¡¯s death.


    In fact, as soon as they started bleeding, she could activate the skill and suck their vitality out in the middle of the battle.


    Granted, it was way less effective and potent than using it on a corpse.


    But it was also the only resource she could think of to tackle the giant monstrous Boss she and Lani were now facing.


    ¡°I need you to draw blood from the Boss so I can use a skill to slowly drain him! Can you do that?!¡± Talia shouted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a weapon!¡± Lani said nervously, looking around, trying to see if there was anything that she could use.


    Talia looked down at her mother¡¯s glaive and gritted her teeth, knowing what she had to do.


    ¡°Take it!¡± Talia threw her weapon to Lani and eyed the monster.


    The giant Abyssal Scuttler had been unfazed by Akua running past it and onto her vessel, but it was now summoning another attack to take her and Lani down.


    It seemed that it didn¡¯t have any reserves about killing humans other than the merchant.


    The Abyssal creature clearly wanted them dead and it wasn¡¯t sparing its Mana to achieve that goal.


    But as Talia threw herself to the side to dodge yet another magical attack, Lani stood her ground and slashed with the glaive.


    The giant flux of summoned water was stopped dead in its tracks.


    Instead, a humongous blade had appeared after Lani¡¯s attack and had taken the shape of a shark.


    Soon, another one followed it and impacted the claw the monster had raised to shield itself from Lani¡¯s vicious counter.


    The Boss screeched, but as Talia looked expectantly at the point of impact, she found no blood emerging.


    And that was just the beginning of their troubles.


    Talia turned around to find that two more Abyssal Scuttlers were barreling at Lani at full speed.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t allow these monsters to interfere with the woman¡¯s attacks until the Boss was bleeding.


    Even at her level, Lani needed all her focus to be on the giant Boss.


    So, there was only one option left.


    She had to kill the Abyssal Scuttlers without the glaive.


    Talia drew a knife she had kept in her belt and slashed both her palms in quick succession, putting herself between the two Abyssal Scuttlers and the woman.


    She activated [Crimson Wisdom] alongside [Eyes of the Abyss].


    With [Crimson Wisdom] and [Eyes of the Abyss] active, she could see the vibrations in her blood more clearly than before.


    As the two Abyssal Scuttlers charged at her, Talia focused on the blood dripping from her palms.


    She willed the blood to coalesce into razor-sharp blades through her [Hemomancy], extending from her hands like crimson daggers.


    She prayed they would be strong enough to resist the attacks of the monsters.


    Within seconds, she put the blades to the test.


    The first Abyssal Scuttler lunged at her, its pincers snapping at her neck.


    Talia ducked and slashed upward with her blood blade.


    The creature screeched as the makeshift weapon sliced through its softer underbelly.


    Green ichor spilled onto the ground as the Abyssal Scuttler stumbled back.


    One down, she told herself, clenching her teeth.


    And while the first screeched in pain, momentarily stunned, the second changed its approach.


    Talia spun to face it, ready to use the same tactic as before.


    But this Scuttler was more cautious, circling her warily.


    She knew more monsters would appear soon and she couldn''t wait for it to strike first.


    I hope this works, Talia prayed in silence.


    She flicked her wrist, sending a spray of blood droplets toward the creature.


    Mid-flight, the droplets elongated into needle-like projectiles, piercing the Scuttler''s eyes and sensitive areas around its mouth.


    As both creatures writhed in pain, Talia activated [Blood Syphon].


    She felt a rush of energy as she absorbed their vitality, immediately restoring her stamina and slowing down both her heartbeat and breath.


    Contrastingly, the Scuttlers'' movements grew sluggish, then ceased altogether as they quickly collapsed.


    [You have slain Abyssal Scuttler Level 4!] This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    [You have slain Abyssal Scuttler Level 5!]


    She paid no heed to the other notifications and barked at Lani.


    ¡°You have to hurry up!¡± She said, ¡°There¡¯s more of them coming! I can¡¯t kill them all!¡±


    Lani, however, had gotten into a melee range with the Boss to prevent it from using its ranged Mana attacks.


    And it wasn¡¯t going well at all.


    The glaive whistled through the air as she swung it in wide arcs, keeping the massive creature at bay. Her water constructs ¨C sharks, eels, and other predatory sea creatures ¨C harried the Boss from all angles. Yet, despite Lani''s skill and the power behind her attacks, the Boss''s shell remained unbroken.


    Its carapace seemed to shimmer with Mana, deflecting even the sharpest blows.


    ¡°I can¡¯t use my strongest Skill with a glaive!¡±


    Talia realized that Lani must have been a swordsman, just like her infamous husband.


    Lani¡¯s husband, who was still at large, was one of the most well-known swordsmen in the four seas. Even though the woman was clearly much weaker than him, Talia had imagined that her skills lay in the same domain. And since, while leveling up, the strongest skills one would acquire were weapon-specific, Lani''s best skills were meant to be used with a sword.


    Sadly for both women, there was no sword in sight.


    Or was there?


    ¡°Keep the Boss away from the warehouse!¡± Talia shouted, running toward the ripped-open building.


    If there was a sword, which Talia had just realized, it could only be in Akua¡¯s warehouse. Nowhere else could they find a weapon. Not in the middle of the forest, for sure.


    And so, Talia ran inside the building through the same hole the monster had made to get in.


    Unsurprisingly, the inside of the building was a complete disaster.


    The boss had trashed the entire place to find the crates of herbs, most of which lay on the ground half chewed-up, or in the case of the lesser ones, stomped.


    That made looking for a weapon, well, looking for anything really, extremely hard.


    But Talia didn''t have time to hesitate.


    If she didn''t find a sword in the midst of all this chaos, both her and Lani would die.


    She walked to a collapsed shelf where several fragments of metal rested on the ground.


    She started pawing at the debris, looking for any glimmer in the dark.


    She hoped that seeing metal catching the light would guide her to a sword.


    And so she dug and dug, each second feeling like an eternity.


    Finally, after what couldn''t have been more than a minute, she pulled out a sword from a scrambled mess of broken blades and various other weapons.


    Talia held up the blade in front of her.


    Luckily enough, the blade''s edge was still intact.


    Most importantly, the sword also had the faintest coating of Mana that Talia could see with her [Eyes of the Abyss].


    That was fantastic news.


    She had just found an enchanted weapon.


    Enchanted weapons could only be made by Initiated people who had either received or later chosen a crafting-based class.


    These weapons were absolutely essential for anyone hoping to clear a dungeon or fight abyssal creatures at high levels.


    They were fundamental to kill all the stronger monsters in the Deep that, like the Boss Lani was fighting, had Mana or Skills protecting them.


    Enchanted weapons were so important that it wasn''t unusual for even the weakest team going on a mission to be outfitted with ¨C at the very least ¨C all enchanted weapons, if not enchanted armor or other artifacts.


    In fact, Talia was certain that her glaive was also enchanted, as it had appeared in her hand twice already.


    And she suspected that there might be even more enchantments on it that she wasn''t privy to just yet.


    Looking knowingly at the sword in her hand, she ran out, ready to toss it to Lani.


    But the scene she saw outside made her heart skip a beat.


    Lani was on her knees.


    One of her arms was bent unnaturally, snapped into two floppy ends.


    Whatever had happened in that minute had clearly been enough for the boss to gain the upper hand.


    Talia''s glaive was on the ground.


    Several paces from Lani.


    Now, the boss stood over the woman with a claw raised and Mana gathering into a globe of water in front of him.


    The monster clearly hadn''t taken Lani lightly and, with a spark of a malicious intelligence in its eyes, prepared for a devastating attack that would kill her in a single blow.


    Even though Talia had managed to find the sword that Lani could have used to kill the monster, the woman was at the end of her rope, and the weapon was now useless.


    The plan of using [Blood Siphon] to slowly whittle down the vitality of the monster seemed completely foolish now.


    She didn¡¯t even know if by using [Blood Siphon] she could have actually killed the monster or gained enough time for Lani to land a killing blow.


    And now, all had been for naught.


    All had been for naught.


    Talia realized that she had made the wrong decision.


    She had chosen to fight the Boss when really, the best alternative would have been to just try and run.


    She knew that the giant, crab-like monster would have probably outrun them both.


    But given the current outcome, trying to run would have been better than witnessing Lani''s impending death.


    A part of her immediately recognized that she had taken this choice because the idea of defeating a giant Boss monster on her own would have made her a hero in the eyes of the villagers.


    Even the most bigoted villagers would have had to acknowledge that she had accomplished an immense feat and saved all their lives in the process.


    The truth was that her arrogance had gotten the best of her.


    And it was also true that she couldn''t have predicted this situation.


    But once again¡­


    Her deep-seated desire to be like her mother had led her astray, period.


    And now, all Talia could do was watch as the monster finished casting the spell, with the jet of water soon to take Lani''s life.


    She could do nothing else ¨C just stand helplessly with the useless sword in her hands.


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>

 Chapter 15 – Sightings

    ¡°Elder,¡± said a beautiful woman, entering the study of the most powerful man at the Water Riders Academy.


    ¡°Yes, Naia?¡± An old, wizened man raised his eyes from a long piece of parchment. Deep in his irises, despite his age, one could see an insurmountable level of power.


    This was the strongest man currently alive ¨C the one maintaining peace over the Four Seas and presiding over the training of the new generation of Water Riders as the principal of the Academy.


    Elder ¨C or better, Principal ¨C Kaimana, the Mighty.


    Elders were the highest-ranked officials at the Water Academy, each in charge of an entire division.


    They commanded respect and, most importantly, troops.


    That was due to their personal strength and achievement. One couldn¡¯t just become an Elder out of longevity or seniority. While it wasn¡¯t common, even young people had gotten the role before, the most notable of whom had been the last H¨¡kai P¨­, who became an Elder right before her final battle.


    Among all the Elders, the strongest, Principal Kaimana, was the only one capable of summoning or ordering around the others of his rank.


    Even though the man looked so old and frail that he might be blown away by the wind, no one in the Academy was foolish enough to disrespect him.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°May I?¡± The woman asked, standing by the threshold, itching to enter.


    ¡°Please, Naia, dear. I¡¯ve told you multiple times not to be so courteous with an old man like me. Please, just come in.¡±


    ¡°Elder,¡± the woman spoke with a reverent tone. ¡°We have received word of a sighting of the Pau O Ka L¨¡.¡±


    The Pau O Ka L¨¡, more simply known as the Sun Devourer, was one of the strongest people in existence, alongside Principal Kaimana.


    Most importantly, the Sun Devourer had a much more troubled past than the principal. He was tied to the tragic events of sixteen years prior. He was tied to them very closely.


    And now, apparently, he had resurfaced again.


    ¡°Communicate to our men not to engage, Naia,¡± Principal Kaimana said with a serious tone. ¡°I don¡¯t want to suffer meaningless losses. The Sun Devourer has... he¡¯s not the person he used to be anymore.¡±


    ¡°Elder,¡± the woman seemed to hesitate. ¡°He¡¯s in the South Deep at the moment.¡±


    Principal Kaimana raised an eyebrow.


    The fact that the Sun Devourer was in the South Deep could only mean one thing.


    The man had stopped all communication with the Water Riders after the death of Yalena, the last Kraken Slayer. He had refused to see anyone, only briefly reemerging under very suspicious circumstances. The fact that he was now moving right under their noses,  not caring about people or artifacts spotting him, could only mean one thing.


    ¡°Please, immediately summon Elder Krakatoa and Elder Kahua,¡± the old man said. ¡°And send a missive to the Great Cities. They must warn the other Elders.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Principal,¡± Naia bowed. ¡°What shall the missive say?¡±


    Principal Kaimana seemed to think for a moment and then sunk into his chair, the weight of his age heavy on him.


    ¡°Tell them that the sun will be darkened once again.¡±


    Naia scribbled down the message and, before leaving, asked another question.


    ¡°Principal, do you have any idea why he might be back?¡±


    ¡°I fear I might know exactly why, Naia,¡± the old man said. ¡°I believe he might be en route to meet his daughter.¡±

 Chapter 16 – The Sun Devourer

    Talia watched helplessly as the Boss prepared to unleash a devastating attack upon Lani.


    The giant Abyssal Scuttler was about to complete its spell while Lani knelt by his feet, bleeding profusely. The woman clearly had no way of evading the attack now that she was injured ¨C not with how fast the monster could launch the spell. A large gash crawled up from Lani¡¯s right upper thigh to her shoulder, her arm hanging limp because of it.


    She was going to die.


    There was no other way to put it.


    Talia, with the sword she had retrieved from the warehouse in her hand, shouted at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°No!¡±


    But even if she had wielded the glaive, she wouldn¡¯t have been able even to scratch the monster''s carapace.


    The difference between a Level 4 Class and a Level 21 Boss was like the difference between the sky and the earth. Blood Magic or not, it would all be useless. Only someone several levels above the Boss could have saved Lani.


    But sadly, the two women were completely alone here while the villagers fled to the shipyard.


    Or so Talia thought.


    A low humming suddenly propagated through the air, making all of her hairs stand like spikes.


    The horde of smaller Abyssal Scuttlers that had been swarming the area, hoping to devour Akua¡¯s herbs, suddenly stilled and crouched to the ground.


    The Boss¡¯s attack fizzled out as if it had never existed.


    The vibrations circulated through Talia¡¯s bones, making her teeth chatter.


    A strange, almost metallic smell mixed with the familiar scent of the ocean and fresh air.


    Talia''s skin tingled with an electric charge, goosebumps rising despite the sweltering heat.


    A series of crashing sounds and splintering wood rose from the tree line, making both Talia and Lani turn abruptly.


    The trees behind the Boss suddenly collapsed to the ground as if an invisible pressure had blown them into the terrain their roots were planted.


    A man with a long scar across his left eye and messy, auburn hair walked through the opening.


    What immediately stood out to Talia were his eyes.


    The man¡¯s eyes were identical to hers.


    He approached the Boss, who started screeching in terror, trying to get away, but was held in position by an invisible force.


    The mysterious man lightly tapped one of the monster''s legs, and, in the next moment, the creature, just like the trees behind him, was flattened to the ground.


    Killed in an instant.


    The man looked at all the minor Abyssal Scuttlers and repeated the same process from a distance, killing them all in the same vicious manner.


    What kind of magic is that? Talia thought.


    She had never seen anything like that.


    ¡°Dark Water,¡± the man smiled, turning toward her.


    ¡°W¡ªwho are you?¡± Talia trembled, tightening her grip on the sword.


    ¡°Heal your friend here first,¡± the man said, pointing at the bleeding Lani.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lani said feebly, trying to stand up and failing miserably, landing on her chest and losing her senses now that the adrenaline had drained away.


    Talia gritted her teeth and ran to Lani¡¯s side, pointing a hand at the Boss.


    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough to absorb his vitality,¡± the man sighed, taking her hand and redirecting it to one of the lesser Abyssal Scuttlers.


    ¡°How do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your friend is bleeding out,¡± he pointed out.


    This time, Talia activated [Blood Syphon], focusing all her energy on drawing the vitality out of the carcass of the closest Abyssal Scuttler.


    But since Lani was much stronger than her, it took Talia several carcasses before she saw the woman''s vitality replenish through [Eyes of the Abyss].


    ¡°Your control on the spell is incredible,¡± the man said, praising her as if he hadn¡¯t just obliterated a swarm of monsters by simply looking at them.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Talia said awkwardly, finishing the healing process and rising to her feet, staring at the man quizzically.


    ¡°Who am I?¡± He asked with a smile.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°My name is Maui. I¡¯m your father.¡±


    ***


    Among the vast number of things Talia had expected to happen today, meeting her father had not been on the list.


    Maui had stood there, garbed in simple linen clothes, his resplendent blue eyes making her squirm.


    Talia''s first instinct, as soon as she had heard the revelation, had been to deny the fact.


    It didn¡¯t make any sense that her father, who never showed up anywhere and was never mentioned by anyone, would just appear out of thin air the moment she was facing an Abyssal Creature too strong for her to deal with. At the same time, it strangely made sense. Especially since, by the way he had introduced himself, he seemed to have a propension for dramatic entrances and looks.


    So, she didn¡¯t start her questioning by asking about their blood relationship.


    Instead, she chose a different angle.


    ¡°Why are you here now?¡±


    ¡°I have some knowledge regarding your Class and a connection to it,¡± he said cryptically, ¡°this morning, you learned a skill that signaled to me that you were ready to meet me.¡±


    Talia felt a chill run down her back.


    She had learned [Crimson Wisdom] because she had had a vision of her mother suggesting her to do so.


    Now she was questioning whether her mother suggesting that the skill would save the islanders actually referred to this ¨C her meeting Maui, her father.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t really answered my question,¡± Talia pressed the man. ¡°You gave me a circumstantial answer.¡±


    ¡°Sharp,¡± he commented proudly, ¡°your sister is more like your mother, you know? Impulsive. You clearly have more of my blood.¡±


    As he said that, he extended a hand toward Talia¡¯s face, but she backstepped with a frown.


    ¡°My bad,¡± he retracted his hand. ¡°Our familiarity is¡­¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Talia completed his sentence. ¡°I don¡¯t know you. Thank you for saving Lani, but I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    As she spoke, more emotions seemed to rise from her throat.


    ¡°If you are my father, why didn¡¯t you come before today?¡± She said, feeling anger heating up her chest.


    Could she have had a different childhood? Could she have had at least one family member who loved her, who could have raised her and nurtured her? Did he even know of the kind of treatment she had received on this island?


    She realized, perhaps for the first time in her life, just how much she had craved a different life.


    Talia wanted nothing more than to have two parents, but even just one would''ve been more than enough.


    She had never desired anything else than not being looked at as a monster. She had never wanted anything other than to witness people looking at her with the look of pride her alleged father currently had in his eyes. She had never wanted anything else than to look into another person¡¯s eyes and see the same resplendent blue that she had in hers, ensuring her that she wasn¡¯t the Kraken¡¯s daughter.


    She had craved a different life so much that she didn¡¯t even realize the tears streaming down her face.


    Maui seemed to darken in his face as he observed his daughter cry.


    He lowered his gaze, temporarily closing his eyes. His simple clothing stood at odds with the terrifying image he had projected upon his arrival, but it also gave him a strange sense of familiarity.


    ¡°Rules and plans don¡¯t have to make sense as long as they work,¡± he said poignantly. ¡°I had some boundaries to respect. Now, however, there are no more shackles to keep me from my daughter.¡±


    Talia¡¯s heart jumped into her throat, but the logical part of her brain went into overdrive, completely taking over.


    ¡°Did you say the same to Riala?¡±


    Maui shook his head.


    ¡°I have met your sister ¨C my other daughter ¨C but she didn¡¯t care for my presence in her life.¡±


    That revelation made Talia frown and recompose herself, wiping away the tears.


    ¡°Why would I be interested in spending time with you?¡±


    ¡°For starters,¡± Maui said, ¡°I can help you evolve your powers ¨C I can provide guidance no one else can, Talia. Because I am the only one who knows why you carry and hide those marks on your wrists.¡±


    Talia looked at the golden snap-on bracelets and nearly tucked her hands behind her back.


    ¡°Am I the Kraken¡¯s spawn?¡±


    Maui laughed and shook his head.


    ¡°No, Talia. I told you ¨C you¡¯re my daughter.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the price for learning about the marks on my wrists and my powers?¡±


    Talia asked the question because, from the way the man talked, there was clearly some condition to his help and guidance.


    This might be her father, but she wasn¡¯t born yesterday.


    ¡°In the spirit of honesty,¡± Maui said, his shiny eyes poring over her, ¡°I am currently considered a criminal. If you follow me, you won¡¯t be able to enter the Academy.¡±


    Talia¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I know they will never talk about me and that they have removed my name from the history books ¨C something that they would have tried to do with your mother as well if it wasn¡¯t for her great notoriety.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Talia repeated, stunned by her father''s revelation. ¡°What do you mean they tried to remove Mom from history? And why are you considered a criminal?¡±


    Maui''s expression darkened.


    ¡°It''s a long and complicated story, Talia.¡±


    He paused, seeming to weigh his words carefully. ¡°Your mother and I... we discovered things about the nature of the Deep and the Kraken that the Water Riders would prefer to keep hidden. It''s knowledge that could shake the very foundations of their authority.¡±


    Talia felt her head spinning. Everything she thought she knew about her parents and the Water Riders suddenly seemed uncertain.


    ¡°Ok, just tell me! Why are you being so cryptic?!¡±


    ¡°Because if I told you the whole truth, from start to finish, you wouldn¡¯t follow me,¡± Maui said candidly.


    Talia gaped at the man, not understanding which angle he was trying to work her from.


    ¡°What kind of stupid thinking is that? If you have a good reason for being considered a criminal for doing whatever it is that you do, why wouldn''t you just tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re young,¡± Maui smiled. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the things I want to show you. Instead, if you come with me, you¡¯ll be labeled a criminal, a monster, but I promise you, you will understand why I do what I do.¡±


    ¡°Given what you''ve just said, you do understand why I can¡¯t say yes, right?¡± Talia frowned, feeling her skin crawl at the mention of being considered an actual monster and a criminal.


    She had been trying her entire life to prove she wasn¡¯t a monster, and she wasn¡¯t going to throw all that hard work away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with you not making your choice now,¡± Maui smiled, walking over to Lani¡¯s unconscious body and gently taking the glaive into his hands.


    He smiled as he passed his finger over the blade, drawing blood.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already spilled your blood onto it, good. This should complete the bonding.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    Before Talia could say anything, she heard a notification in her head.


    [Bonding with Soul Weapon completed with success.]


    [You acquire ¡®Star Glaive.¡¯]


    [You can see Star Glaive¡¯s Abilities from your Akashic Record.]


    Talia looked flabbergasted at the weapon as her father handed it to her.


    ¡°I figured your mother didn¡¯t leave you any instructions ¨C this is a Soul Weapon. It wasn¡¯t the one she used in her final battle, but¡­ it¡¯s the second strongest glaive she ever used. It lost all its power during the last sixteen years, so you will have to fill it with yours as it grows alongside you.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Maui said, taking a step back. ¡°I figured you might not accept my offer. When you get to the Academy, however, do remember one thing.¡±


    Talia perked her ears up.


    ¡°Your mother wasn¡¯t killed by the Kraken ¨C it was one of the Elders who killed her.¡±

 Chapter 17 – Akua

    Akua steered the enchanted boat West in order to avoid meeting any Water Riders.


    She knew that the Water Riders would first stop in Solara for their rounds and slowly make their way through the Southern Archipelago going West. They would later split to make the rounds in the Western part, but it would take more than a week for them to visit all the islands. That was because only a very few Water Riders would be assigned to the weak Southern Archipelago.


    So, Akua had all the time in the world to plot her next moves.


    She had not foreseen that detestable girl figuring out that she had sunk her claws into Lani.


    So far, she had used Lani to fetch rare herbs at a risible price, thanks to the fact that she knew about her past criminal exploits. Without Lani, her trades would have been stagnant since she would be easily recognized by the guards in several cities in the South Deep if she ever tried to get her hands on new wares there. Lani had basically been her lifeline ¨C she was what had allowed her to take on a very cushy life while secretly working toward her true purpose.


    And now, it was all gone.


    Essentially, she had to start from zero.


    It would also be much more difficult, considering that she fully expected the hateful girl to spread the news about her far and wide.


    At least I¡¯ve got rid of her.


    And if I¡¯m lucky, the Boss will have killed them both.


    Those gullible villagers might even believe me if the girl was out of the picture.


    Right as Akua kept plotting in her head, she heard a wet thud behind her, nearly making her jump out of the boat.


    ¡°You¡¯re under arrest,¡± said a voice out of breath.


    Akua turned to stare at the same girl who had thrown a wrench in her plans.


    ¡°How¡ª¡±


    Talia raised the glaive and nodded at the wet rope at Akua¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Under arrest,¡± Talia spelled slowly, syllable by syllable.


    ***


    Talia stared at Akua, her heart beating wildly in her chest.


    Without her [Missile Swimming] Skill and her newly awakened Star Glaive, she would have never made it here.


    After the last conversation with her father, she had woken up Lani and checked out the new weapon in her Akashic Record.


    [Name: Star Glaive]


    [Class: Soul Weapon]


    [Level: 1]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Core Skill #1: Reclaim Lv. 1]


    [Core Skill #2: Skill Enhance Lv. 1]


    The weapon had a whole page dedicated to it in the Akashic Record, akin to her own status. Most importantly, its first skill explained the strange ability Talia had already seen in action.


    [Reclaim] allowed her to retrieve the glaive from anywhere in a radius that she felt spanned about 50 feet.


    It would have been extremely useful if she could have used it against the very first Abyssal Scuttlers that she had met on the Northern shore.


    But the most interesting Skill that Star Glaive possessed so far was [Skill Enhance].


    Even though her father had explained to her how rare and powerful a Soul Weapon was, she still didn¡¯t believe her own eyes. But she had had to believe her own eyes once the description of the skill had come pouring into her mind. It was amazing.


    [Skill Enhance] allowed her to select a skill once per day and temporarily empower it to five levels higher than its current one.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Talia, who hadn¡¯t forgotten about Akua and had been assured by her father that he had killed all the monsters on the island, had decided to immediately put the glaive to the test and use [Skill Enhance] on the one Skill she hadn¡¯t used yet.


    [Missile Swimming Lv. 7 (2)]


    Even though her whole body ached by now, the skill she had absorbed from the Abyssal Cuda had shown impressive results.


    [Missile Swimming] consumed Mana in exchange for turning Talia into a torpedoing underwater force. It worked similarly to the [Water Board] Skill that the Water Riders learned but underwater. She was essentially wrapped in a thin film of Mana that propelled her forward at incredible speed. In all honesty, and perhaps because of her hubris, she felt confident she could become a real terror to the Abyssal Cudas with [Missile Swimming] at Level 7.


    The thing she was most happy about, though, was that she had managed to track down Akua.


    Talia had quickly thought about what route the woman might take and had decided to jump in the water as soon as she had made sure that Lani was well.


    Takai¡¯s mother had been shaken by the event, but she had quickly sworn not to tell the islanders anything about the mysterious man after Talia had asked her. Talia was quite sure Lani had been completely knocked out during her conversation with him anyway, but it was best for neither of them to mention his appearance. It would have otherwise led to some very difficult questions that Talia had no intention of answering.


    ¡°Tie your hands up right now,¡± Talia ordered the woman.


    ¡°Lani killed the Boss?¡± Akua asked, incredulous.


    Talia just smiled in response, tightening her grip on the weapon.


    After seeing her reaction, though, Akua regained her composure, and something settled in her eyes.


    ¡°You know,¡± the merchant said, ¡°I told you that I met your mother.¡±


    ¡°Tie your wrists!¡±


    ¡°What I didn¡¯t tell you,¡± Akua continued, unfazed, ¡°is that I met her because she¡¯s the one who killed my mother. Right in front of me.¡±


    Talia frowned.


    ¡°Was your mother a criminal?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the first question that goes through her daughter''s head¡ªnot why would someone kill a mother in front of their daughter, right?¡±


    Akua snickered, taking a step forward.


    ¡°Stay where you are!¡±


    ¡°I saw your mother impale my own with a weapon very much like this one ¨C maybe it was this one. It was your mother¡¯s, right?¡±


    Akua took another step forward, getting dangerously closer to the blade, and, this time, it was Talia who had to take a step back.


    ¡°Your mother never cared that I was right there, that she would be leaving behind a motherless, orphaned little girl. It was commendable how ruthless that woman could be and how little she cared about what others thought of her cruelty.¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Talia shouted when Akua took another step forward.


    ¡°I know monsters ¨C people who are shunned by society for what they do. And I also know that a good chunk of them would look pathetic compared to who your mother was and what she did to many of the people I loved.¡±


    ¡°If you get any closer, I will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kill me?¡± Akua said, taking another step, having backed Talia against the wooden wall of her ship''s cabin. ¡°Where do you think this is going, Talia?¡±


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    Without another word, Akua pushed herself forcefully upon the blade, impaling herself through the abdomen on the terribly sharp weapon, missing the heart by mere inches.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting the Water Riders take me,¡± Akua said, tears streaming from her eyes. ¡°I know too much.¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡± Talia shouted, trying to dislodge the weapon so that she could maybe find a way to heal the woman.


    But Akua had a death grip on the handle of the glaive.


    Somehow, the woman had surprising strength for an Uninitiated person.


    ¡°I wanted to bring you to them, initially,¡± Akua said, with blood now gurgling from her mouth, falling from her lips in two watery threads. ¡°Not to hurt you, but because I thought you had Abyssal Magic in you¡­¡±


    Akua struggled to keep the glaive in her as her strength started leaving her, while Talia squirmed around, unwittingly creating even more damage to her insides.


    ¡°I surprised myself when I found out I was holding no grudge against you. I didn¡¯t want you dead. When I saw that you didn¡¯t have any Abyssal Magic, I even lost interest in bringing you along, even though they asked for you¡­ But they could have met you at the Academy¡­¡±


    ¡°They? Who are they?! Who are you?!¡± Talia screamed.


    Color was rapidly draining from Akua¡¯s face.


    Akua''s body sagged against the glaive, her weight pulling her down as her strength ebbed away continuously.


    Talia could feel the woman''s grip weakening, her fingers trembling as they struggled to maintain their grip.


    The sharp metallic scent of blood filled the air, mixing with the salty sea breeze.


    Akua''s skin, once sun-kissed and vibrant, now took on an ashen pallor.


    Her eyes, which had burned with determination moments ago, began to glaze over, the light in them flickering like a candle in the wind.


    Her breaths came in ragged gasps, each one a wet, gurgling sound that made Talia''s stomach churn.


    Blood continued to seep from the wound, staining Akua''s clothes a deep crimson.


    It spread across the fabric like spilled ink, warm and sticky where it touched Talia''s hands.


    The coppery taste of fear lingered on Talia''s tongue as she watched life slowly drain from the woman before her.


    Akua''s lips moved, trying to form some last words but only managing to produce a faint whisper that was nearly lost in the gentle lapping of waves against the boat''s hull.


    Her body shuddered, an involuntary spasm that sent a jolt through the glaive and into Talia''s arms.


    As she began to hunch over life leaving her body, she left her last words to the world for Talia¡¯s ears only, but without answering the girl¡¯s questions.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy¡­ to die¡­ like my Mom.¡±


    Akua¡¯s body fell to the side, the glaive''s blade leaving a giant wound that spanned across almost all of her abdomen.


    Talia trembled and she dropped the weapon, falling to her knees.


    This was the first life she had ever taken.


    She had always imagined that one day, she would have to kill someone.


    But she had also thought that it would feel right, that she would be grimly doing her duty to the world by ridding it of a criminal.


    Instead, it felt¡­


    Wrong.


    All kinds of wrong.


    Looking down at Akua¡¯s lifeless body, at her glassy eyes, she didn¡¯t feel righteous. She didn¡¯t feel like she had done something necessary.


    No.


    She only felt like a monster.


    Only what came after managed to distract her from these thoughts.


    [You have slain Abyssal Cultist Merchant Level 7!]

 Chapter 18 – Skewers

    In the end, the islanders quickly returned to the island before nightfall.


    Missives had been sent, carried by the fastest vessels, to the nearby islands, warning them of potential swarms of monsters and advising them to stay in safe places, possibly near their ships, for the next few days.


    Talia had already explained to Noelo about the foul play and Akua, giving him a complete account of what had happened ¨C without, of course, mentioning her father.


    Now, the villagers could finally enjoy the party they usually held the night before the departure of those who had passed the Initiation test.


    The bonfire crackled, sending sparks spiraling into the night sky.


    Talia stood at the edge of the celebration, her blue eyes reflecting the distant flames.


    The rhythmic beating of drums pulsed through the air, mingling with laughter and the strumming of ukuleles.


    The villagers swarmed the beach, their faces alight with joy and relief.


    Children darted between adults, kicking up sand as they chased each other.


    The scent of grilled fish and roasted pork wafted through the breeze, making Talia''s stomach growl.


    She watched Fiora and Takai huddled with other young promises near the fire.


    Their excited chatter about the Academy carried over the general din.


    Talia''s fingers unconsciously traced the golden bracelets on her wrists, covering the marks that had set her apart for so long.


    Noelo moved through the crowd, his usual stern expression softened by the festivities.


    His eyes met Talia''s briefly as he passed.


    She couldn''t read his expression ¨C was it suspicion? Begrudging respect?


    He moved on without a word.


    The weight of recent events pressed down on Talia''s shoulders.


    The monsters. Her father''s appearance. Akua''s death.


    Each memory felt like a stone in her gut, dragging her down while everyone else celebrated.


    She should be excited.


    This was what she''d fought for ¨C a chance at the Academy and to follow in her mother''s footsteps.


    Instead, doubt gnawed at her.


    Her father''s revelation echoed in her mind, drowning out the cheerful music.


    Had her mother really been killed by an Elder?


    Talia promised herself to find out after getting to the Academy.


    Then, there was Akua¡¯s death.


    She had been a Cultist, apparently.


    But what did that mean?


    Talia had been really confused as to what made Akua¡¯s energy invisible to her [Eyes of the Abyss].


    I haven¡¯t met anyone ¨C or anything, for that matter ¨C that was invisible to it.


    I even saw the Kraken, or¡­ what looked like its energy.


    So, why had Akua been invisible to her?


    She mulled over it, incapable of coming up with an answer.


    Talia glanced at her side where her glaive rested.


    She had decided to keep the weapon on her at all costs since she wasn¡¯t completely sure about how the islanders felt about her at the moment.


    And as she observed the festivities, with children running around and shouting at each other with their crystalline voices, she let herself slip into a fantasy.


    She pictured what it could have been like if she had a father and whether she would have been allowed to join the same games the other kids played instead of always being sidelined.


    Talia saw a kid fall and scrape his knee on the hard sand, his father immediately going over and taking him into his arms.


    She wondered whether her own father would have taken her into his embrace.


    She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to imagine the warm skin of the man she had met earlier today, cradling her when she was still a frail little girl.


    She imagined her mother, Yalena, reprimanding Maui for being too reckless.


    Or perhaps the opposite ¨C a still-young Yalena bringing her two daughters to fish for big game in the Deep.


    It made sense ¨C her father looked very rational and not at all hot-blooded like she had heard her mother described so far.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    For a moment, she could hear her father¡¯s voice, telling something to her mother.


    But such memories were so distant even in her imagination that even the gentle crashing of the waves easily dispersed them.


    Talia turned away from the festivities, drawn to the dark expanse of the sea as she sat on one of the logs used as benches.


    Somewhere out there lay the Academy and, beyond that, answers to the questions she wasn''t sure she wanted to ask.


    Out there, she had killed Akua.


    She had thrown up immediately after the incident, unsure of what to do next.


    She had found some sheets to cover her body and brought it back to the island for the Elders to dispose of.


    Talia had been tempted to just throw it into the sea ¨C give it its final rest.


    That was because Akua¡¯s words still haunted her.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy¡­ to die¡­ like my Mom.¡±


    It was as if the gurgling sound was stuck in her ears.


    Talia had never doubted that her mother was a hero for the ages.


    However, considering what her father and Akua had told her in the short span of a few hours, Talia had felt her conviction waiver.


    Clearly, not everyone regarded her mother as a hero.


    ¡°Miss Talia?¡±


    Talia turned away from the sea and back to the bonfires.


    In front of her stood a small girl, no more than six or seven years old.


    Her dark hair was tied into two messy pigtails, wisps of locks escaping to frame her round face.


    She wore a simple sundress with colorful flowers, its hem stained with sand.


    In her small hands, she clutched a fish skewer, the grilled meat still steaming slightly from the heat of the fire.


    Behind the girl, a few paces away, her parents hovered anxiously. The father''s hand rested protectively on his wife''s shoulder.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Talia asked, clearing her voice.


    The crackling of the nearby bonfire seemed to grow louder in the moment of silence that followed.


    ¡°This is for you,¡± the girl thrust the fish skewer forward, her eyes fixed on the sand between her feet.


    Her cheeks flushed pink, whether from the heat of the fire or the embarrassment; it was hard to tell.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Talia said, carefully taking the skewer. Its warmth seeped into her fingers, in stark contrast to the cool night air. ¡°Huh, thank you.¡±


    The girl nodded, her head still bowed.


    The beads in her hair clinked softly with the movement.


    Talia saw the girl''s parents flinch behind her, their bodies tensing as if ready to intervene at any moment. The weight of their unspoken fears hung in the air, thick and palpable.


    Feeling obligated to ease the tension, Talia tried to say something else.


    ¡°What''s your name?¡± she asked, her voice softer now, almost gentle.


    The girl lifted her head slightly, peeking up at Talia through her lashes.


    ¡°Aleka,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Do you practice your Cantrips, Aleka?¡±


    The girl vigorously nodded her head up and down.


    ¡°I want to become a Water Rider,¡± Aleka said. ¡°I want to fight big, bad monsters and keep mom and daddy safe.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Talia smiled, taking a bite out of the skewer.


    The little Aleka hesitated before asking another question.


    ¡°Is it true you defeated a big, bad monster? My friends say you did.¡±


    Talia raised an eyebrow and looked at her parents, who were less apprehensive and more curious to hear her reply now.


    She had told Noelo that Lani had done the heavy lifting in killing all the monsters, which had granted her a lot of social points with the villagers.


    However, there seemed to be an undercurrent created by the mix of fear and admiration for Talia.


    She had already overheard several people think that it had been her, not Lani, killing the Boss. They thought that Talia wanted to keep her true strength a secret ¨C it was all very conspiratorial, but it somewhat made sense from their perspective. In fact, since it tinged their perception of her with reverence, which had replaced a lot of the fear, she wholly accepted the rumor.


    Still, she didn¡¯t want to ruin Lani¡¯s newly gained reputation.


    ¡°Lani did the majority of the work,¡± Talia explained with a smile. ¡°However¡­¡±


    She saw both the girl and her parents tense.


    ¡°I did land a blow or two¡­¡± Talia lied for the sake of keeping her father¡¯s appearance a mystery and, well, to receive some manner of appreciation after all those years of hate.


    ¡°If you behave,¡± Talia said with a lowered voice, ¡°I¡¯ll show you which moves I used when I come back from the Academy. But you have to practice every day and listen to your parents. Deal?¡±


    Aleka''s eyes widened with excitement, a broad smile spreading across her face.


    ¡°Really? You promise?¡±


    Talia nodded solemnly.


    ¡°I promise. But remember, it''s our secret, okay?¡±


    The little girl nodded vigorously, her pigtails bouncing. She glanced back at her parents, who now wore bemused expressions, their earlier tension melted away.


    ¡°Go on now,¡± Talia said gently. ¡°Enjoy the party with your family.¡±


    Aleka gave a little bow before scampering back to her parents.


    As they walked away, Talia saw the girl tugging on her father''s hand, whispering excitedly.


    The man cast a grateful look back at Talia before they disappeared into the crowd.


    Talia''s smile faded as she turned back to the sea, taking another bite of the fish skewer.


    ¡°That was kind of you,¡± a familiar voice said.


    Talia turned to see Fiora standing nearby, arms crossed over her chest, her blonde hair gleaming in the firelight.


    ¡°Didn''t expect to see you playing nice with them,¡± Fiora continued, a hint of amusement in her tone.


    Talia shrugged.


    ¡°She¡¯s a kid. If Noelo had come asking, I might have punched him in the nose.¡±


    Fiora studied her for a moment before sitting down on the log beside her.


    ¡°You''ve been avoiding everyone.¡±


    It wasn''t a question, but Talia felt compelled to answer anyway.


    ¡°I''ve had a lot on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Like the fact that neither you nor Lani killed the beast that was literally flattened into the ground? And the same goes for almost every other monster on the island that mysteriously got killed by the same type of spell?¡±


    Talia smirked, almost pleased by how sharp Fiora was, but didn¡¯t say anything in return.


    Fiora leaned in, her voice low.


    ¡°I''m not stupid, Talia. Something happened out there that you''re not telling anyone. And don''t give me that story about Lani doing all the work. I saw her scar ¨C how did she get such a wound without nearly dying?¡±


    ¡°Ask the stars,¡± the other shrugged. ¡°Luck, maybe? Fate? A generous breakfast and good training? Who knows what made the difference.¡±


    Fiora scoffed. ¡°Don''t patronize me. We''re about to enter the Academy together. If there''s something going on that could affect us, I deserve to know.¡±


    For a moment, Talia considered telling Fiora everything ¨C about her father''s appearance, his cryptic warnings, and Akua''s final words.


    But the weight of those secrets felt too heavy to share, even with someone who had unexpectedly become an ally ¨C well, sort of.


    ¡°I can''t tell you everything,¡± Talia said finally. ¡°Not yet. But I promise, if it becomes relevant to our safety at the Academy, you''ll be the first to know.¡±


    Fiora studied her face, searching for any sign of deception. After a long moment, she nodded.


    ¡°Fine. But don''t think this conversation is over.¡±


    ¡°I know it isn¡¯t,¡± Talia laughed under her breath.


    As Fiora stood up to leave, Talia called out.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why do you care anyway? I thought you hated me.¡±


    Fiora paused, looking back over her shoulder.


    ¡°Let''s just say, after everything that''s happened, I''m starting to realize we might have more in common than I thought.¡±


    After having said that, Fiora walked away, leaving Talia alone with her thoughts and the vast sea.


    Talia gripped her glaive, its weight anchoring her to reality.


    Challenges loomed over her, but she''d face them.


    She finished her skewer, the taste of smoke and fish lingering on her tongue.


    Tomorrow would bring change.


    But tonight, surrounded by the sounds of celebration, Talia felt something unfamiliar.


    It wasn''t quite the feeling of belonging, but she was also no longer an outcast.


    For the first time, she wasn''t just tolerated but acknowledged.


    It wasn''t acceptance ¨C not yet.


    But it was a start.

 Chapter 19 – Flick of the Wrist

    The Siren''s Song cut through the waves of the Deep, its wooden hull creaking with each swell.


    Talia leaned against the starboard railing, her eyes fixed on the endless expanse of midnight blue.


    The vastness of it all still amazed her, even if she grew up on an island. But this ¨C this was different. They had left the relative safety of Solara''s waters behind, venturing into the true Deep, where the Abyssal Creatures lurked.


    This was the realm of danger but also adventure.


    The Water Riders sent special vessels manned by their men ¨C not the same men that had administered the test on the islands ¨C to gather the Promises that had to be Initiated.


    These vessels were not only made with special wood that was much more resistant than its common counterpart but they were imbued with all sorts of skills and enchantments. Even though Talia and the others were currently still in the South Deep, the weakest of the Four Seas, it didn¡¯t mean that the Abyssal Creatures were innocuous ¨C the giant Abyssal Scuttler Boss had proven that. Therefore, these vessels were much faster than most creatures except for the few Agility-based monsters like the Abyssal Cudas.


    Those, however, posed no threat to a manned Water Rider ship.


    Not with the kind of crew that manned them, at least.


    No Water Rider under level 25, except for a few cabin boys sourced from the second year students, was allowed on board.


    And this was the standard for the South Deep. It was rumored that the vessels gathering the scions of the Great Families ¨C the descendants of Kraken Slayers who had accumulated incredible fortunes ¨C would sometimes be accompanied by Elders or Tide Masters. Tide Masters were those on the path to becoming Elders themselves. And even when either of those were too busy, there would be at least the Head of a Great Family to gather and deliver the Promises of the North Deep to the Academy.


    The Water Riders took their duty to protect the new recruits extremely seriously.


    This ship, unlike the Water Riders administering the test, had started from the last stop the testers had made and arrived at Solara as its last stop before the Academy.


    From there, all young Promises, who had been escorted onto the massive galleon, would only descend again once they reached the Academy.


    It was an unofficial tradition for the Promises not to touch any other land after leaving their native islands.


    The salty breeze tugged at Talia''s hair, carrying the scent of the sea.


    Talia inhaled deeply, tasting the unfamiliar tang of the open Deep that she had been too nervous to enjoy while she was on the rickety raft with Takai and Fiora.


    It should have been exhilarating, this moment she had dreamed of for so long.


    Yet a gnawing worry persisted, dulling the edges of her excitement.


    Her Primary Mana Channel was still far from the level required by the Academy.


    She had hoped that her encounters on Solara ¨C the fight with the Abyssal Scuttlers, the confrontation with the Boss Scuttler ¨C would have boosted it more significantly. But her progress had been frustratingly slow, barely inching towards the threshold she needed to cross. This was a serious problem.


    If she didn¡¯t find a way to reach Level Two in her Primary Mana Channel, she was looking at being rejected right at the gate.


    And considering how poor her rep had been, she wasn¡¯t sure she could have another shot the year after.


    Talia''s fingers absently traced the outline of her golden bracelets, the metal cool against her skin.


    ¡°You''re brooding again,¡± Fiora''s voice cut through her thoughts, sharp and clear as always.


    The blonde leaned against the railing beside her, golden hair shimmering in the sunlight.


    Despite the early hour, she looked immaculate ¨C not a strand out of place.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Talia sighed, shoulders slumping slightly.


    ¡°Just thinking about the Academy''s requirements. My Primary Mana Channel¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is still not good enough,¡± Fiora finished for her, rolling her eyes. ¡°You''ve mentioned it. Repeatedly. In fact, I''m pretty sure you mumble about it in your sleep.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Talia muttered, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice. ¡°You''re not the one who might get turned away at the gate.¡±


    Fiora''s expression turned softer.


    ¡°Look,¡± Fiora said, her voice lower now, almost gentle. ¡°Whatever happens, you¡¯ll figure it out. You didn''t come this far to give up now. And besides,¡± a hint of her usual smirk returned, ¡°who else am I going to leave in the dust if you''re not there?¡±


    Talia nodded, grateful for the unexpected support.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re being so nice,¡± Talia said conspiratorially, gesturing for Fiora to get closer.


    ¡°What?¡± The blonde asked.


    ¡°They usually Initiate people on these boats,¡± Talia told her.


    She had gotten that information from Maui, her father.


    Maui, apart from refusing to give her the most important information he had and also refusing to tell her more about himself, had actually been quite helpful.


    In the short span of time he had spent with Talia before leaving, he had not only unlocked her glaive, awakening the Soul Weapon, but had also given her a lot of tips for the Academy. She had asked why he would tell her these things given that he didn''t seem to like the idea of her joining the Water Riders, but his response was just a cryptic utterance, proclaiming that if his daughter had to go, she might as well go prepared.


    And apparently, the first trial that a future Water Rider would face was their Initiation.


    Talia had never known that the Water Riders used Initiations as tests.


    It was apparently kept secret ¨C on the pain of death ¨C to avoid anyone messing with the recruiting process. They used it as the first filter ¨C they''d get some weaker monsters on board in order to test the resolve of those recruits who thought they had already made it. It was devious, but it worked.


    In fact, it was an excellent method to create an effective filter for attitude, too.


    ¡°But we¡¯re already Initiated,¡± Fiora frowned after listening to Talia¡¯s explanation. ¡°And how do you know this?¡±


    ¡°Trade secret,¡± Talia smirked. ¡°Even though we¡¯re Initiated, they¡¯ll at the very least ask us to kill a monster.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Fiora scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    Talia gazed at the blonde from head to toe.


    ¡°They¡¯re not going to give you an Abyssal Scuttler. Don¡¯t take this lightly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about myself,¡± Fiora smirked. ¡°But if I were you, I would be worrying about¡­¡± The blonde pointed her thumb behind them, and Talia followed an imaginary line that led to Takai napping with his back against the main mast.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told him,¡± Talia sighed.


    ¡°Well, thanks,¡± Fiora said, feeling slightly awkward now that the conversation had come to a halt. ¡°You don¡¯t disgust me as much anymore,¡± she added, trying to compliment Talia.


    ¡°Thanks?¡± Talia laughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Fiora nodded to herself before going away.


    As Fiora walked away, her confident stride drawing the eyes of the nearby sailors, Talia''s attention returned to the vast waters ahead.


    The Deep was different here, she realized.


    The very air felt charged, crackling with an energy that made her skin prickle.


    It was as if the water itself was alive, pulsing with ancient, unknowable power.


    Much more than the waters at the edge of the Calm Belt.


    After half an hour of observing the water, a strange sensation coursed through her arms.


    Suddenly, the skin beneath her bracelets began to tingle and burn almost. Talia glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before carefully sliding off one of the golden bands.


    Her eyes widened.


    The dark, tentacle-like marks on her wrists were... moving.


    Subtle undulations rippled across her skin as if responding to some unheard call.


    As she watched, transfixed, she became aware of something else ¨C wisps of power, faint but unmistakable, were emanating from the marks.


    With her heart racing, Talia cautiously reached out with her senses, probing the strange energy.


    It felt... familiar somehow.


    Ancient and vast, yet intimately connected to her very being.


    Also¡­ it felt distant.


    Intimate but¡­ distant.


    The wisps of energy seemed to dance just beyond her grasp.


    Talia closed her eyes, focusing on them.


    She imagined reaching out. For a heartbeat, she felt connected to something immense, a vast ocean of power that made her abilities seem like a mere droplet in comparison. Visions flashed behind her closed eyelids ¨C dark depths teeming with bioluminescent life, ancient structures pulsing with raw Mana, and always, always, the sense of something colossal moving just beyond her perception.


    The tentacle-like marks on her wrist burned painfully now.


    ¡°Argh,¡± she stifled a shout with gritted teeth.


    Talia''s eyes snapped open, and she slammed the bracelet back on with trembling hands.


    Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she struggled to calm her racing thoughts.


    As quickly as the connection had formed, it disappeared, terror now gripping her heart.


    She could see the tentacles had suddenly stopped moving, resting dormant.


    The railing creaked under her white-knuckled grip.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Takai''s concerned voice startled her.


    He stood a few paces away, worried.


    His hair was tousled from sleeping, and he squinted against the morning sun.


    Talia forced a smile, hoping it didn''t look as strained as it felt.


    ¡°Yeah, just... seasick,¡± she lied, hating how easily the deception came out of her lips. ¡°Still getting used to the motion, I guess.¡±


    Takai nodded sympathetically.


    ¡°The navigator said we should reach calmer waters by midday. Maybe try some of that ginger tea Mom packed for us? It might help settle your stomach.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I''ll give it a try,¡± Talia said, grateful for his kindness even as guilt gnawed at her for the lie.


    As Takai moved on, heading towards the galley, Talia cast one last glance at her covered wrists.


    What the fuck was that? Talia wondered.


    But she didn¡¯t want an answer.


    She really didn¡¯t.

 Chapter 20 – The First Test

    Talia had been sleeping soundly in one of the many hammocks set up on the mid-floor of the galleon when an astoundingly loud shout shook her, and the rest of the Promises awake.


    ¡°Alright, you barnacle-encrusted bilge rats! Time to prove your worth or be tossed into the Abyss!¡±


    Talia almost fell straight to the ground as she tried to look up to see one of the older Water Riders shouting at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo is waiting to get your sorry mugs wet!¡±


    Fuck, was her only thought as she rose to her feet. I hope they¡¯ll let us have breakfast at least. I¡¯m starving.


    ***


    They did not, in fact, let Talia have breakfast.


    She was dragged onto the deck, still half-asleep, while a rough-looking man with messy hair and an unkempt stubble of a beard sitting on a stool, sloshed the content of a bottle against the sun and swore at it.


    ¡°Have we run out of rhum already?¡± The man talked to himself, ignoring the lines of students that had gathered on deck.


    Even from afar, he smelled like rum, and something earthy¡ªperhaps seaweed.


    His face was marked by a big, jagged scar running from his left temple to his chin.


    Despite his rough appearance, however, there was a sharpness in his eyes that contradicted his apparent inebriation.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo?¡± one of the older Water Riders ventured cautiously, clearing his throat.


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Iakopo muttered, pushing himself to his feet with a groan.


    He scanned the fresh recruits before him, his gaze lingering on each face.


    When his eyes met Talia''s, she felt a chill run down her spine.


    There was something in that look¡ªrecognition? Or maybe curiosity?


    There was something that unsettled her.


    She felt recognized in a chilling way, a way that didn¡¯t feel good at all.


    The next moment, the man grunted, tossing the empty bottle aside.


    It clattered across the deck, rolling to a stop at Talia''s feet.


    She instinctively took a step back to avoid it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t break formation,¡± the Professor told Talia.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the bottle¡ª¡±


    ¡°The bottle doesn¡¯t bite,¡± the Professor said.


    A few laughs came from behind Talia.


    ¡°Flinching in the face of a little threat means you might get someone killed during your first battle,¡± Professor Iakopo continued.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°So,¡± he began, his voice gravelly but clear, ¡°you lot think you''ve got what it takes to be Water Riders, eh?¡±


    He paced in front of them, hands clasped behind his back.


    ¡°Well, let me tell you something¡ª¡±


    The man seemed suddenly lost in his trail of thought.


    ¡°What was I saying?¡± He frowned.


    ¡°Heh, whatever.¡±


    The man who had woken the Promises up facepalmed and looked away, cringing at the Professor¡¯s theatrics.


    ¡°The Water Riders do¡­¡±


    He let the words hang, drawing the attention of every single recruit who now waited for an important speech.


    ¡°Tough stuff,¡± he concluded.


    The recruits immediately started looking at each other with raised eyebrows and whispering about the Professor¡¯s competence and the inebriated state he was currently versed in.


    Talia exchanged a quick glance with Fiora, who rolled her eyes dramatically.


    Even Takai, usually so eager to please everyone, looked uncertain.


    But something her father had mentioned brought her attention back to the man.


    ¡°Never trust appearances in the Academy. Never.¡±


    Talia looked at the Professor, who, under the guise of drunkenness, examined his pupils with sharp eyes, one after another.


    ¡°Shaker,¡± Professor Iakopo turned toward the rowdy-looking sailor that had woken them up, ¡°tell them how the Initiation works¡ªI need to sit.¡±


    ¡°Yessir,¡± Shaker stroked his brownish-blonde beard and laughed, showing several missing teeth from his maws.


    Shaker stepped forward, a wicked grin spreading across his scarred face.


    ¡°Listen up, you sorry excuses for flotsam!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Professor Iakopo here''s gonna see which of you landlubbers has the guts to become real Water Riders!¡±


    He paced along the line of recruits, eyeing each one critically.


    ¡°Now, I''ll let you in on a little secret,¡± he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial growl. ¡°Our esteemed Professor here? He''s got quite a reputation. They call him the ''Recruit-Killer.''¡±


    Iakopo, sitting behind on his stool, exhaled.


    ¡°It¡¯s an exaggeration ¨C not that many recruits have died under me. They¡¯ve just failed out of the Academy because of me.¡±Stolen story; please report.


    Shaker looked back at the Professor with an affronted look for having interrupted his speech and then back at the students.


    The students were sure that Professor Iakopo had just said that to reassure them, but because of the way the man carried himself, they were now much more scared than after hearing Shaker call him a Recruit-killer.


    In fact, the Professor denying it made them really nervous.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± Shaker continued, clearly relishing the fear he was instilling. ¡°Less than one in ten makes it through Professor Iakopo''s test. The rest? Well, let''s just say the Deep''s always hungry.¡±


    He paused for dramatic effect, his eyes gleaming with malicious amusement.


    ¡°So here''s how it''s gonna work. The good Professor cooked up something special for you a lot. You''ll be facing your fears and testing your mettle against the horrors of the Deep. And if you''re lucky ¨C or tough enough ¨C you might just survive to become Water Riders.¡±


    Talia glanced at Fiora and Takai.


    The blonde had her jaw locked in place, her teeth grinding manically.


    Takai, instead, looked extremely pale.


    ¡°Any questions?¡± Shaker asked, his tone suggesting that questions were not, in fact, welcome.


    A timid hand rose from the back of the group.


    ¡°W-what kind of test is it exactly?¡± a trembling male voice asked.


    Shaker''s grin widened, revealing more gaps in his teeth.


    ¡°Oh, you''ll find out soon enough, lad. Let''s just say it''ll make you wish you''d stayed in your mother''s arms.¡±


    As if on cue, a low, ominous rumble began emanating from beneath the ship.


    The deck trembled slightly, and several recruits stumbled.


    Professor Iakopo, who had been seemingly dozing off on his stool, suddenly stood up.


    His eyes were clear and sharp, all traces of drunkenness gone.


    ¡°It''s time,¡± he said, his voice carrying an authority that hadn''t been there before. ¡°Prepare yourselves, Promises. Your trial begins now.¡±


    The ship lurched violently, and chaos erupted on the deck.


    The galleon tilted sixty degrees to the left, so much that it looked like it might capsize.


    Most recruits, who had been standing at attention, immediately tumbled to the ground.


    Talia, who had seen something coming, immediately called upon the glaive she had left below deck with [Recall].


    As soon as the weapon hit her hand, she slammed it into the floor of the galleon, using it to prop herself upright and assess the situation around her.


    Things weren¡¯t looking great.


    Most islanders, if not all of them, had sailed on boats of all sizes.


    That meant that even the most inexperienced recruit wasn¡¯t a land-hugger and, therefore, not completely helpless while the boat tilted. However, even though most had managed to avoid being thrown overboard, the majority slammed into the railing, one against the other, cracking ribs or worse. Some had been close enough to one of the masts to hold onto the rope or the opposite side of the railing above.


    But only a few were doing better.


    Among those, Fiora. She had jumped as soon as the boat started tilting, sprinting for the rope attached to the main mast.


    She clung to it with a raised eyebrow, scanning the others, crossing Talia¡¯s gaze as they both exchanged a knowing nod.


    Behind Talia, instead, Takai, who had now fully healed the injuries he had received from the Abyssal Scuttlers, had been lucky enough to be close to the door that brought below deck.


    He hugged the casing on both sides of the door with his midriff glued to its jamb.


    Talia noticed that aside from the three Initiated, who were at a clear advantage thanks to their Attributes, another teen was faring pretty well, considering the sudden challenge.


    The recruit had unsheathed two daggers from his side and planted them hard into the deck, keeping his body low to minimize the outward swing.


    ¡°Well,¡± Professor Iakopo said, still magically sitting on his stool as if it was nothing, ¡°we have eliminated a few already. Careful now¡ªall those who fall into the water are out.¡±


    Then, as fast as the boat had swung one way, it swung the other way.


    The ship''s violent lurch back to starboard sent a wave of chaos cascading across the deck.


    Bodies and loose objects alike became projectiles.


    Talia gripped her glaive tighter, setting it deeper into the wooden planks as she braced herself.


    She found herself in the path of a hurtling mass of limbs, though ¨C several recruits who couldn¡¯t hold onto the railing of the ship.


    With a swift, fluid motion, she pulled her glaive free and used its momentum to pivot her body.


    The group of recruits tumbled past, missing her by inches.


    Talia''s heart raced as she slammed the glaive back onto the deck, panting from the exertion, ever grateful for having invested all her Free Attributes into Strength.


    She had barely regained her balance when a heavy coil of rope slid across the deck, almost sweeping her off her feet.


    Quickly jumping up and tucking her knees to her chest as the rope whipped beneath her, Talia avoided the object by a narrow margin.


    It briefly impacted the glaive, but thankfully, the weapon only budged a little, making the floorboards below creak ominously.


    On the other side, Fiora, lithe and nimble as a Flashscale, swung gracefully on her rope.


    With catlike reflexes, she twisted her body, narrowly avoiding a flailing recruit who careened past her.


    Not far from them, the dagger-wielding teenager showcased a different kind of grace.


    As a heavy crate skidded toward him, he didn''t panic.


    Instead, he waited until the last possible moment before executing a tight roll. The crate scraped by, missing him by a hair''s breadth. He came up in a crouch, daggers still firmly planted on the deck.


    Who is that? Talia thought, still looking at the railing, expecting perhaps something ¨C or someone ¨C to fall.


    But as the ship stopped its tilt at the sixty-degree angle, she saw that all the recruits on the above side of the railing were gripping the wood as if their life depended on it ¨C which, given the circumstances, it might as well have.


    Talia allowed herself a moment to catch her breath.


    A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.


    I wasn¡¯t that far from being eliminated, she thought, sighing.


    It was in this moment of relative stability that the impossible occurred.


    A large wooden barrel seemed to materialize from the very air itself.


    Talia couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, scrambling to figure out what had just happened.


    She knew, with absolute certainty, that no such barrel had been on deck mere heartbeats ago.


    Yet here it was, all too solid, all too real, and hurtling directly at her with frightening speed.


    Time seemed to slow as Talia''s instincts screamed at her to do something.


    But the barrel was too close to do anything.


    She could only watch, eyes wide with disbelief, as the barrel bore down upon her.


    In that stretched moment, she noticed some details with unnatural clarity: the wood grain, a spot of pitch on one of the iron bands, and the way the sunlight gleamed off its curved surface.


    Then, time snapped back into its normal flow, and the barrel struck her.


    The impact was devastating ¨C a sledgehammer blow that sent shockwaves through Talia''s body.


    Air exploded from her lungs in a pained gasp.


    Her grip on the glaive, so sure just moments ago, was torn away as if it were nothing more than a child''s toy.


    Talia felt her feet leave the deck, and her body launched into an uncontrolled arc through the air.


    As she tumbled, the world became a dizzying blur of sky and sea.


    Talia''s stomach lurched, her sense of up and down completely disoriented.


    Through the chaos of her flight, one thought crystallized in her mind with terrifying clarity: she was going overboard.


    The Deep was to receive her, her aspirations, and all her dreams of making it into the Academy.


    ¡°Talia!¡± Fiora''s voice cut through the chaos.


    Talia saw Fiora release the mast, sprint across the deck, and grasp a coil of rope.


    With a fluid motion, Fiora sent the rope snaking through the air.


    It cut a graceful arc, uncoiling as it flew, aimed towards Talia''s tumbling form.


    Hope surged in Talia''s chest as she saw the rope approach.


    Her hand stretched out.


    For a breathless moment, it seemed she would make it.


    The rough fibers of the rope brushed Talia''s fingertips, so close she could almost close her grip around it.


    But then, inexplicably, impossibly, the rope moved.


    It twisted in mid-air as if imbued with a life of its own.


    It curved away from Talia''s desperate grasp.


    Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.


    In that fractional moment, a certainty settled in her gut: this was magic.


    Subtle, insidious, and undeniably intentional.


    The rope''s unnatural trajectory left Talia grasping at empty air, her fingers closing on nothing but the salt-tinged breeze.


    Her momentum, unabated, carried her past the point of no return.


    She felt the exact moment when her whole body tipped over the railing, suspended for a heartbeat between ship and sea, as her gaze locked with Fiora''s.


    She saw shock there. And fear.


    Then, she realized something.


    Fiora had seen it, too ¨C the unnatural movement.


    It¡¯s foul play, she realized.


    And then, as gravity reasserted its hold on her, Talia plummeted toward the roiling waves.

 Chapter 21 – Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

    Talia glanced over her shoulder, seeing the vast expanse of sapphire-colored water beneath her.


    All her dreams would be shattered the moment she touched the water.


    She stared at Fiora, slowly sliding toward the railing with an open mouth.


    She heard Takai shout something, but her mind was completely overwhelmed.


    Overwhelmed with rage.


    The appearance of the barrel had been highly suspicious.


    However, seeing the rope snake away from her had been the confirmation that there had indeed been foul play involved in the test.


    In this slowed second of time, she glanced at Professor Iakopo, who just stared at her with a muted smile.


    And then, something happened.


    Her entire body seemed to ripple with rage ¨C burning red anger that coalesced around her wrists.


    Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the shouts from above.


    Then, out of nowhere, she felt a surge of power coming from her wrists.


    In that moment of desperation, her fear of failing outweighed her terror of the strange energy within her.


    And so, Talia reached for it.


    She reached deep inside herself, reaching for the energy she''d felt stirring beneath her bracelets, hiding in her wrist marks.


    It responded instantly as if it had been waiting for her call.


    Power shot through her body, starting at her wrists and spreading like wildfire through her veins.


    It was overwhelming, almost painful in its intensity.


    Her senses sharpened to an impossible degree.


    The world came into crisp focus ¨C she could see individual droplets of water in the air and count the planks on the ship''s hull. The salt in the air became a tangible taste on her tongue. She could hear the creaking of the ship''s timbers and the whisper of the wind through the rigging.


    Her muscles tensed and coiled with newfound strength.


    It felt as if all her Attributes had suddenly multiplied tenfold.


    An idea flashed through Talia''s mind, born of desperation and only possible because of this new, raw power.


    Without hesitation, she brought her hand to her mouth and bit down hard. The pain was sharp, immediate, but also distant ¨C overwhelmed by the rush of energy coursing through her. Blood welled from the wound, and she directed it with her Hemomancy.


    The blood shot out in two streams, coalescing into small, solid platforms floating in the air beneath her.


    Twisting her body in mid-air, Talia managed to plant her feet on the blood platforms.


    They held firm, defying gravity.


    Using the mysterious energy coursing through her, she pushed off with all her might.


    The force surprised her ¨C she rocketed upwards, the wind whipping at her face.


    As she neared the ship, Talia reached out. Her fingers grasped the railing.


    The rough wood felt amazing against her skin.


    With strength she didn''t know she possessed, she pulled herself up and over in a fluid somersault, landing on the deck in a crouch.


    The movement felt natural and instinctive, as if her body had always known how to perform such feats.


    The moment her feet touched the planks, the surge of power left her body as quickly as it had come.


    Talia gasped, suddenly feeling drained.


    Her muscles ached, protesting the sudden exertion.


    She glanced at her wrists, catching a glimpse of the marks writhing beneath her bracelets before settling back into stillness.


    The sight sent a shiver down her spine.


    As the galleon turned upright, this time once and for all, Talia pushed herself to her feet, her legs shaky.


    The marks on her wrists seemed to pulsate, but she was distracted by Fiora grabbing her.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± Talia stuttered.


    ¡°What you did was¡ª¡±


    Before the blonde could finish her thought, Professor Iakopo¡¯s voice interrupted them.


    ¡°Congratulations to all those who managed to stay on board,¡± he yawned, taking out a bottle of rhum from his jacket, even though there clearly hadn¡¯t been one there just moments ago.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    A collective sigh went through the remaining students, only to left them choking on it when the man spoke next.


    ¡°Now we can start the second part of the test,¡± the Professor smiled.


    ¡°What?!¡± Fiora shouted.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t it?!¡± Another recruit chimed in, stunned.


    ¡°None of you has been Initiated yet, you useless flotsams!¡± Shaker, the Professor¡¯s assistant, barked.


    ¡°Shaker is right,¡± Iakopo nodded. ¡°Now, a few monsters are about to climb up those railings, so you might want to get away.¡±


    As if on command, four tentacled forms slithered over the ship''s railing.


    ¡°Remember,¡± Professor Iakopo called out, taking a swig from his bottle, ¡°teamwork makes the dream work! You need to kill all four! Oh, and if more than half of you lot are out, you all fail. The clock''s a-ticking!¡±


    The monsters¡¯ bulbous bodies glistened with a slick sheen.


    These Abyssal Creatures were about the size of a rowboat.


    They sported thick, muscular tentacles, adorned with rows of suction cups which they used to disgustingly glide through the deck toward the students by anchoring themselves to the wood and dragging their bulbous heads along.


    Also, where their appendages touched, the planks sizzled and smoked, leaving behind circular marks.


    [Abyssal Squid - Lv. 7]


    [Abyssal Squid - Lv. 6]


    [Abyssal Squid - Lv. 8]


    [Abyssal Squid - Lv. 7]


    Talia looked at the monsters and finally smiled confidently.


    As long as we don¡¯t lose our calm, this should be easy. We have three Initiated people. This is just to test how stupid we are.


    Abyssal Squids regenerate fast, but they¡¯re not a big threat.


    Talia knew that from her studies.


    This is clearly just a test of our teamwork skills - the Professor even said as much.


    All we have to do is not panic and communicate clearly so that we can surround the monsters.


    ¡°Guys¡ª¡± Talia tried to speak, but her voice was immediately swallowed by panicked shouts.


    Chaos erupted on deck as the recruits scrambled away from the encroaching monsters.


    Screams of terror mingled with the wet slapping sounds of tentacles hitting the planks.


    Talia felt flabbergasted.


    Before she could even move, she saw a recruit, paralyzed by fear, get snatched by an Abyssal Squid and get slammed against a wooden wall, immediately knocking the poor guy out.


    ¡°One down,¡± Professor Iakopo said calmly from his stool.


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Talia wanted to curse at the man, but she saw another guy get snatched and cursed. ¡°Damn it! [Recall]!¡±


    Before the Abyssal Squid could take another student, Talia activated both [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom], using her control over Blood Magic to swing her glaive and send a scythe that cut the tentacle off the monster, liberating the trembling recruit.


    Talia saw Fiora throw an orb infused with Sun Water at a squid, but the damage done to the Abyssal Creature was soon offset by the freakish regeneration potential of the monster.


    They regenerate too fast, Talia realized, looking at the monster in front of her already regrowing the tentacle she had cut.


    She knew that Abyssal Squids could indeed regenerate extremely fast.


    However, it was one thing to know it but a whole different matter to witness it with her own eyes.


    And suddenly, it all made even more sense.


    ¡°The monsters regenerate too fast!¡± Talia shouted in Fiora¡¯s direction. ¡°The Professor is testing us! If we don¡¯t pool our strength, we won¡¯t be able to kill them before all the other recruits are eliminated or our Mana runs out!¡±


    Fiora looked at Talia from the corner of her eye and nodded fiercely.


    ¡°What now?!¡± The blonde asked.


    ¡°Gather the damn recruits!¡± Talia shouted curtly, kicking the one recruit who had been getting up against the wooden wall of the galleon. ¡°Everyone go over there to the wall!¡±


    She turned, looking for Takai.


    She found him still hugging the door, looking away from the fight, shivering.


    Damn it, Talia thought.


    He was clearly scared out of his wit.


    But then something happened.


    The one guy with two daggers moved with supernatural speed, cutting off two tentacles and then kicking two recruits toward the one Talia had already sent to the wall.


    ¡°Go over there!¡± The boy said to the other confused recruit.


    He¡¯s Initiated, Talia thought and then limited herself to nodding at him.


    The difference between someone who was Initiated and someone who was not, especially when confronting Abyssal Creatures like these, was enormous.


    An Uninitiated person would never be able to deliver enough damage at once to kill the big monsters.


    Never.


    Which meant the burden here was left on the four Initiated people present¡ªor maybe three, considering Takai was still shaking and looking away.


    Talia, Fiora, and the dagger-wielding boy jumped in the middle of the fray, all very much aware that gathering the other recruits was their first step toward a chance at survival.


    Talia used her glaive to fend off more tentacles as she corralled the panicked recruits towards the wall with the door leading below deck.


    ¡°Move it!¡± she shouted, her voice cutting through the din. ¡°Get to the door ¨C now!¡±


    Fiora, in the meanwhile, used her Sunwater abilities to carefully pepper the monsters with a barrage of attacks every time they were about to attack a student, momentarily disorienting the Abyssal Squids and buying precious seconds for the others to move.


    In between her attacks, she even managed to herd a few recruits herself.


    ¡°Unless you want to become squid food, follow the girl with the glaive!¡± she yelled.


    The dagger-wielding boy proved to be a force to be reckoned with, his blades flashing as he severed tentacles left and right.


    He used his exceptional speed to dash to the farthest corners of the deck, snatching up stragglers and depositing them near the gathering point.


    Slowly but surely, their strategy began to pay off.


    With each passing moment, more recruits found themselves pressed against the relative safety of the door and the surrounding wall, protected by the three Initiated recruits.


    The chaotic scattering of the terrified individuals gradually transformed into a more organized defense.


    As the last few stragglers were brought into the fold, Talia, Fiora, and their new ally formed a protective semicircle in front of the gathered recruits.


    ¡°What now?¡± The guy shouted, holding his daggers tightly as the Abyssal Squids slowly encroached on them.


    Talia saw Shaker liberate one student from the squid that had remained behind, kicking the monster in their direction and gritting her teeth.


    ¡°Abyssal Squids are very hard to kill!¡± Talia shouted.


    Given their current level, they would first exhaust their Mana before the Abyssal Creatures¡¯ vitality would run out.


    ¡°We have to pierce them between their eyes, or we won¡¯t be able to kill them!¡± Talia said.


    That¡¯s where a squid¡¯s brain was.


    ¡°Easier said than done,¡± Fiora grunted, aiming another orb at a monster¡¯s face.


    However, the orb failed to hit its target since the squid, with extremely fast reflexes, used a tentacle to shield itself.


    Talia knew that she, with the glaive, a weapon with longer range than the boy¡¯s dagger, was the prime candidate for killing the Abyssal Squids.


    Fiora, with her casting, could attack from further away, but she didn¡¯t pack enough punch to break through the monsters defenses.


    However, Talia also knew that neither Fiora nor the dagger guy ¨C she suspected ¨C had great defensive capabilities.


    This meant that if she stepped out to take care of a monster, the rest might get overwhelmed.


    She really wished Takai would step up.


    She knew for a fact that his abilities would be perfect for this situation.


    ¡°Takai! Damn it, we need help!¡± Talia shouted.


    She glanced at her friend and saw him trembling, his back against the wall.


    There was only fear in his eyes.


    Talia turned her eyes back to the monsters.


    If Takai didn¡¯t step up to help them, soon, they would all run out of Mana.

 Chapter 22 – Takai

    Takai was terrified.


    There was no other way to put it.


    There wasn¡¯t a single thing in the whole world that he feared more than facing the giant squids that had climbed up on the deck of the galleon at the moment.


    He wasn¡¯t thinking of anything, truly.


    There wasn¡¯t any deeper thought in his mind other than ¡®I am dead afraid for my life right now.¡¯


    And he was within reason.


    When he had faced the Abyssal Scuttlers back on Solara, Takai had known that his help would have been very valuable to the village as an Initiated.


    And that was why he volunteered to kill the crab-looking monsters.


    But, excluding the fiery feeling elicited by his mother¡¯s overprotectiveness, he hadn¡¯t been eager to fight.


    Not at all.


    Unlike Talia, who really wanted to prove everyone wrong, Takai had nothing to prove.


    The only thing he wanted was to help.


    He was dead afraid then and he was dead afraid now.


    Nothing had really changed.


    Plus, the reason why he had gotten injured in the first place against such a weak monster like an Abyssal Scuttler was that he had gotten cocky.


    After killing two of the monsters with his Sword Skills, he simply relaxed.


    And then, the moment fear had left him, Takai had lowered his guard and an Abyssal Scuttler had almost ripped an arm off him.


    In fact, if it hadn¡¯t been for one of the other guards, he would have indeed lost the arm forever.


    That¡¯s what was stopping Takai from jumping into the fray: knowing that he could get hurt.


    Others loved to think about how heroic they would look or the power they¡¯d gain from this, or perhaps even their future as Water Riders.


    But him?


    He thought that if an Abyssal Squid landed a good hit across his neck, he¡¯d be done.


    Forever.


    Sure, he didn''t like how his mother had babied him when he had gotten injured, but the truth was that hidden behind his protests to return to the fight again, Takai had really wanted nothing more than to be done with the fighting.


    He might have never even been Initiated in the first place if he wasn¡¯t friends with Talia.


    It had always been Talia telling him to try harder when he had failed the talent test to qualify to be Initiated.


    He would have been honestly fine doing nothing all day on the island and picking up a trade.


    But he also listened to Talia when she said that he had talent in spades with a sword.


    Still, when he had heard that Talia had failed the test, Takai had been really tempted not to go through with the idea of following her.


    He knew that they were made of a different cloth.


    Talia dove head-first into things that could get her killed, and she also had some weird juju about her that allowed her to pull through pretty much anything¡ªshe had proven it barely minutes ago when she had somersaulted into the air and gotten back on deck while everyone else in her position would have fallen in the water.


    Even now, he had no idea how she had managed that.


    No idea whatsoever.


    And he was supposed to follow her cat?


    Him?


    How?


    Takai wasn¡¯t sure how he hadn¡¯t died yet.


    He was extremely self-conscious about the fact that his life wasn¡¯t Talia¡¯s and that even if he had some capabilities with the sword, that didn¡¯t make him special.


    Instead, he knew for a fact that Talia was.


    And Fiora, too.


    And even the weird guy with two daggers.


    He knew that all three of them had something special going on.


    Perhaps a few loose screws too, but who was he to judge?


    He just knew that, deep down, he was just another guy going to the Academy, a guy who wasn¡¯t destined for it or anything similar.


    He was just¡­


    There.


    And pissing himself from fear.


    But when he saw Talia struggling, dealing with two monsters at once, he felt a tug at his heart.


    The same tug that had made him keep training, the same tug that had made him get on that rickety raft with her and not allow her to leave him behind.


    Takai didn¡¯t know what it was exactly.


    He only knew what felt right and what felt wrong.


    Now, standing still felt all kinds of wrong.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± he cried, using his sleeve to dry the snot going down his face and finally leaving the door.


    Takai approached the front line with shaky legs.


    He gripped his sword so tightly his skin felt like it would split.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    And his heart threatened to burst through his ribcage.


    ¡°I-I''m here,¡± he stammered, positioning himself beside Talia. His voice cracked, immediately betraying his resolution.


    Talia glanced at him, relief and concern warring in her expression.


    ¡°Takai! Are you ready to-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he interrupted her, swallowing hard.


    But when an Abyssal Squid lashed out with its tentacle, aiming for Talia¡¯s head, he inhaled deeply and moved his dominant foot forward.


    Before a few days ago, Takai had never understood how his mother could know so much about swordsmanship if she had never been Initiated.


    It made terrible sense when Talia revealed the truth about his mother in order to stop Akua from abusing her and hurting the village any further.


    For years, Takai had practiced under Lani, his mother.


    And that had made all the difference.


    She had imparted everything she knew ¨C or that¡¯s what she always said, at least.


    But the day Takai had come back with the raft from the Deep, Initiated alongside Talia and Fiora, his mother had not reacted well to his news.


    That¡¯s because he had inherited his father¡¯s Affinity and Class.


    That¡¯s right, he was starting from exactly the same position as his father, the Sword Demon.


    ¡°[Silver Draw]!¡± Takai shouted the Skill after bringing the sword back to his side.


    The tentacle that was about to smack Talia with its acidic suction cups flew over both of their heads.


    Talia looked at him with wide eyes but immediately regained her focus.


    ¡°Give me an opening with this one!¡± The girl shouted at him, pointing her glaive at one of the two monsters in front of him.


    Takai took a second to observe the situation, just like his mother had taught him to.


    Battlefield awareness, Takai.


    Those were his mother¡¯s words.


    And in a split-second, he saw Fiora struggle with her Abyssal Squid while the guy with daggers was still holding his own without a problem.


    He felt like Talia¡¯s judgment call wasn¡¯t optimal.


    Fiora was struggling too much, and it would take time to kill the two monsters Talia was personally dealing with.


    Nonetheless, he decided to follow her lead.


    Takai gritted his teeth, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he hacked at the Abyssal Squids'' writhing tentacles.


    Tentacles fell to the deck with wet thuds, only to be replaced by new ones moments later.


    ¡°[Double Slash]!¡± he called out, his blade blurring as it cut through two tentacles simultaneously.


    Talia nodded in appreciation, readying her glaive. ¡°Just a few more, Takai! I need a clear shot at its head!¡±


    But for every tentacle Takai severed, two more seemed to take its place.


    The Abyssal Squid''s regeneration was relentless, its bulbous body pulsing as it kept regrowing lost limbs at an alarming rate.


    Every second that passed, Takai could feel in his bones how wrong this approach was.


    Talia wasn¡¯t even looking at Fiora.


    She was too focused on the enemy ahead!


    ¡°I can''t keep this up forever!¡± Takai shouted.


    The Abyssal Squids regenerated so fast that, not even a minute into the fray, he could feel the muscles in his arms burning from the exertion.


    Talia''s eyes narrowed in concentration.


    Blood gathered around her glaive, forming a deadly, crimson edge.


    ¡°Just one more push!¡± She told him.


    As Takai prepared another strike, they heard a moan of pain from behind.


    Damn it! Takai thought, his fear momentarily forgotten.


    He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw Fiora stumbling backward, clutching her arm where an Abyssal Squid''s tentacle had struck her.


    The blonde''s face was contorted in pain, her Sunwater attacks faltering.


    ¡°Fiora!¡± Takai called out.


    In that moment of distraction, a tentacle whipped past his guard, narrowly missing his face.


    He stumbled back, barely keeping his footing.


    ¡°Focus, Takai!¡± Talia snapped.


    Takai found himself torn.


    Talia needed his help to create an opening, but Fiora was clearly struggling. The dagger-wielding recruit was too far away to assist her, locked in his own battle with the fourth Abyssal Squid. With a deep breath, Takai made his decision.


    He knew Talia wouldn''t approve, but he couldn''t stand by like this.


    ¡°You two, go help Fiora! I can take these three for a moment!¡± Takai suddenly shouted with an asserting voice.


    ¡°What?!¡± Talia sounded incredulous.


    The guy with two daggers just gave him a cursory glance before returning to his battle.


    ¡°I can do it, Talia! Go, please!¡±


    ¡°You¡ªAre you¡ªok! Just don¡¯t die on me!¡± Talia shouted, dodging a tentacle and rolling toward Fiora.


    Professor Iakopo observed curiously as the drama unfolded before his eyes.


    ¡°Kill that one, I¡¯ll keep these three at bay!¡± Takai said, and this time, even the dagger-wielding boy followed suit.


    Takai¡¯s first two Core Skills were nothing impressive.


    [Silver Draw] was a Skill that relied on his Secondary Affinity, Silver Water, to empower a drawing strike.


    Silver Water was the most powerful and the most limited, empowering Affinity.


    Most Affinities granted a degree of magic and spells that allowed the users to execute incredible attacks right out of the box. Silver Water, instead, was an Affinity that was solely responsible for empowering the body of the wielder. That meant that whoever had Silver Water as their strongest Affinity was responsible for figuring out their own techniques.


    If one didn¡¯t know how to wield a weapon properly, Silver Water was essentially useless.


    However, if someone did, it could be a devastating Affinity.


    Takai clutched the sword and jumped in the middle of the three Abyssal Squids.


    I shouldn¡¯t have been so afraid of a Skill.


    Many Skills, at their most basic level, like [Double Slash], were basically useless.


    They were little more than empowered strikes that one could execute with a greater mastery over their Mana. However, the simplest Skills were also the ones that could evolve into the most terrifying Skills. [Double Slash], for example, could evolve into [Blade Tempest], one of the most powerful Skills a swordsman could wield without burning excess Mana.


    He had one of such seemingly simple but devastating Skills ¨C the same one that his father had honed until it made him the strongest swordsman of all and earned him the title of Sword Demon. Just like his old man, Takai had received it as soon as he had gotten the Class.


    A Skill he had been afraid to use up to this moment.


    His mother had told him to be very careful, that people might associate him with his father because of it, and that they would start treating him like they treat Talia.


    But Takai was already an outcast.


    And this was their only shot at passing Professor Iakopo''s test.


    ¡°[Silver Mist]!¡± Takai shouted, hearing several gasps from the recruits behind him.


    He felt his Mana rapidly leave his body.


    As Takai activated [Silver Mist], a shimmering, silvery haze erupted from his body, quickly enveloping the area around him and the three Abyssal Squids.


    The mist swallowed half the deck, creating an otherworldly, ethereal effect upon the otherwise clear, sunny sky.


    Takai felt his Mana rapidly evaporating, pouring out of him in the form of a misty landscape.


    But as his energy drained, his senses sharpened exponentially.


    Through the silver haze, he could perceive every minute movement of the Abyssal Squids with crystal clarity.


    Each twitch of a tentacle and each ripple of their bodies became as clear to him as if they were moving in slow motion.


    He could see the entire battlefield with his eyes closed.


    This was the legendary skill of the Sword Demon.


    [Silver Mist] allowed its user to coat an area in a special mist that had a double effect.


    Firstly, through [Silver Mist], one could easily see the enemies'' and allies'' every move. And it wasn¡¯t a fuzzy, distant feeling ¨C it was astoundingly precise even at Level 1.


    The more one leveled the Skill, the more precise it became, with the higher levels allowing for a weak version of foresight that would grant one the ability to know immediately where the enemy would hit first.


    Secondly, [Silver Mist] empowered blade strikes and, at higher levels, could be used to generate [Mist Blades] that worked as copies of one¡¯s blade.


    The recruits behind him gasped in awe.


    This was the simplest, yet deadliest Skill a Silver Water user could wield.


    An Abyssal Squid to his left lashed out with two tentacles.


    Takai saw the attack coming as if it had been telegraphed minutes in advance.


    He pivoted smoothly, his blade flashing as it cleaved through both tentacles in one fluid motion.


    The monster screeched in pain, but another was already flanking him from behind.


    Without even turning his head, Takai sensed its approach. He spun, his blade describing a perfect arc that caught the monster inches from its head.


    The Abyssal Squid recoiled, dark ichor spilling from the wound.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± Takai heard someone murmur behind him.


    But he couldn''t afford to lose focus like he had done with the Abyssal Scuttlers.


    The third Squid, perhaps sensing the danger Takai now posed, began to retreat.


    But within the [Silver Mist], there was nowhere to hide.


    Takai lunged forward with a blindingly fast dash.


    With the two other monsters still confused amidst the mist and this one showing him its back as it tried to flee toward the main mast, Takai sensed an opportunity.


    Now or never, he held his breath as he brought the sword to his side.


    ¡°[Silver Draw]!¡± He felt the mist aiding his body, making it move faster and propelling the blade forward even quicker than before.


    And so, his sword pierced the space behind the creature''s head, right between its eyes, and poked out from the other side.


    The Abyssal Squid convulsed once, then went still.


    [You have slain Abyssal Squid Level 7!]

 Chapter 23 – Mana Control

    Talia watched as the silver mist erupted from Takai, engulfing him and the three Abyssal Squids.


    The haze obscured half the deck, leaving behind only vague silhouettes visible through the fog.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Fiora asked, wincing as she clutched her injured arm.


    They had never seen anything like that, and Takai had certainly not mentioned it when they had been together on the raft.


    Now that Talia thought about it, in fact, she distinctly remembered Takai being quite evasive when talking about one of his Skills, saying it was not a big deal.


    But if this was not a big deal, then Talia had just turned into a Stillfish.


    ¡°I have no idea what he¡¯s doing,¡± Talia admitted, stunned by the complete change in his friend¡¯s demeanor.


    She''d never seen Takai use anything like this before.


    A screech pierced the air, followed by the distinctive sound of something heavy hitting the deck.


    Talia''s grip tightened on her glaive.


    Had Takai actually managed to take one down?


    ¡°Incoming!¡± The dagger-wielder''s shout snapped Talia''s attention back to their own battle.


    A tentacle whipped toward her head.


    Talia ducked, feeling it whistle past.


    She silently cursed herself for getting distracted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on this one,¡± she said as much to herself as to the others. ¡°We need to kill it!¡±


    Fiora nodded through the pain.


    ¡°I can take it down, but I need you two to keep it busy,¡± Fiora told Talia and the dagger-wielding boy.


    Talia didn''t waste time asking questions.


    ¡°You heard her,¡± she told the dagger-wielder. ¡°Let''s give it something to think about.¡±


    The boy grinned, dodging one of the tentacles with and winking at her midway through the motion.


    ¡°On it,¡± he said as he regained his balance.


    Talia drew her glaive back and passed a hand over it, feeling the blood trickle down her palm.


    She used her [Hemomancy] Skill to control the blood, coating the blade in a crimson edge.


    She and the dagger-wielder moved in, attacking from each side of the monster.


    Talia''s glaive swept wildly, forcing the Squid to focus its attention on defending itself to avoid getting chopped up.


    But that opened the monster to the guy, who tried to deliver as much damage as possible while Fiora did whatever it was that was was doing.


    The Abyssal Squid lashed out with its tentacles, but now that there was only one to deal with, it wasn¡¯t such a daunting task for the two aspiring Water Riders.


    Talia batted a tentacle aside with the shaft of her glaive, ducking under another as she started to feel the exhaustion catching up with her.


    She briefly looked over her shoulder and saw Fiora with both her palms out, breathing heavily, and with Mana flashing around her arms in small motes that seemed absorbed from the sun rays that bathed the deck of the ship.


    It was as if Fiora was coalescing the light in the middle of her palms.


    ¡°Any time now, Fiora!¡± Talia called out, parrying another strike.


    ¡°Almost ready,¡± Fiora replied, her voice strained, and a giant orb of Sunwater Mana gathering between her palms. ¡°Clear out!¡±


    Talia and the dagger-wielder disengaged, creating space between themselves and the Squid.


    Fiora''s eyes blazed with golden light.


    She thrust her hands forward, and a torrent of Sunwater erupted from her palms.


    ¡°Zenith!¡±


    The golden liquid completely engulfed the Abyssal Squid, steam hissing where it made contact.


    The monster thrashed, its screeches rising in pitch as the Sunwater scalded its flesh.


    But the monster had placed its tentacles between itself and the attack, losing several while trying to defend but also preventing a one-shot kill.


    ¡°Now!¡± Fiora shouted.


    Talia understood immediately.


    The Sunwater was superheating the Squid''s body, negating its regeneration.


    This was their chance.


    She charged forward.


    As she closed in with the boy in tow, Talia swung her glaive.


    The boy, instead, leapt with his daggers aimed at the creature''s eyes.


    Her blade cut through two weakened tentacles at once, the blood-edge sizzling as it carved through weakened flesh and created an opening.


    The dagger-wielder''s strike found its mark in the Squid''s eyes, one for each dagger.


    For a moment, everything seemed to pause.


    Then, the Abyssal Squid collapsed, its tentacles twitching before going still.


    [You have slain Abyssal Squid Level 8!]


    Talia exhaled sharply, allowing herself a brief moment of relief.


    ¡°Good work,¡± she said to the other two.


    Fiora managed a weak nod, clearly drained.


    The dagger-wielder gave a quick thumb-up as he caught his breath and looked toward the mist.


    Their reprieve was short-lived, though.


    The silver mist on the other side of the deck began to dissipate, drawing their attention.


    As the haze cleared, Talia''s eyes widened.


    Two Abyssal Squid corpses lay on the deck, their bodies chopped up by sword strikes.


    Takai stood among them, his blade gleaming with a silver sheen.


    ¡°Takai?¡± Talia called out.


    He turned, and Talia saw something different in his eyes as some of the mist still hugged his features ¨C a focus, a confidence she''d never seen before.


    Then he smiled, and she glimpsed the familiar warmth beneath.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one left,¡± he said weakly, wobbling.


    Talia opened her mouth to respond, but some movement caught her eye.


    The remaining Abyssal Squid, forgotten in the aftermath of their victory, was making a desperate lunge at the huddled group of recruits.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Talia shouted, already knowing she was too far to intercept.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Takai reacted instantly, though.


    He blurred into motion, faster than Talia had ever seen him move.


    His sword flashed once, twice, three times in rapid succession.


    The Abyssal Squid''s tentacles fell away, all severed cleanly off, so fast that not one could regenerate before the others followed suit.


    It tried to retreat, but Takai was right in its ugly mug again, his blade piercing it directly between its eyes.


    Silence fell over the deck.


    Talia stared at Takai with an open mouth, trying to reconcile the skilled swordsman before her with the hesitant friend she''d known for years.


    ¡°I leveled up twice,¡± Takai suddenly said, returning to his usual shy self and then collapsing onto the deck, his eyes fixated on the azure sky above. ¡°Wow.¡±


    Fiora and Talia simply stared at him with wide eyes while the dagger guy scoffed.


    Then, a slow clap brought them back to reality, and they turned to see Professor Iakopo looking at them with a frown.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± the Professor said, ¡°that was impressive.¡±


    Talia could clearly hear a sour note in the Professor''s voice, which immediately made her suspicious.


    Then, shouts and applause erupted from the other recruits.


    They had all made it.


    All of them.


    But still, Talia couldn¡¯t shake a thought as she turned toward a stiff Professor Iakopo.


    It¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it?


    He tried to eliminate me.


    Why?


    Does he know Mom?


    Is it like Dad said, not everyone at the Academy supported Mom?


    But she could also see that for someone famous for not letting more than ten percent of the students pass, like Shaker had said, having so many recruits passing the test was a problem.


    In fact, Talia would put the survival rate of the recruits above eighty percent.


    And considering that they had been somehow involved in the fight, they had most likely all been Initiated.


    However, it was an extremely close call.


    If she hadn¡¯t immediately figured out that this was going to be a teamwork test, they might have all been eliminated. Abyssal Squids¡¯ regeneration capabilities were no joke, and they would have all gotten tired sooner rather than later, which would have disqualified them. Professor Iakopo was clearly vicious in his methods.


    For someone with such a weird inclination to eliminate entire batches of recruits, this meant he couldn¡¯t be happy with them at all.


    Professor Iakopo''s frown deepened as he surveyed the deck, littered with Abyssal Squid corpses and cheery but emotionally and physically exhausted recruits.


    His eyes lingered on Talia, narrowing slightly before moving on.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, his voice devoid of any real enthusiasm, ¡°it seems we have more survivors than usual this year. Congratulations indeed.¡±


    Talia felt a chill run down her spine at his tone.


    I¡¯m right about him, aren¡¯t I?


    There was something in the way he looked at her, a mixture of frustration and... spite?


    Shaker stepped forward with a sneer painted across his face.


    ¡°Don''t get too comfortable, bilge rats. This was just the first hurdle. The Academy''s got plenty more ways to weed out the weak.¡±


    Professor Iakopo waved a dismissive hand.


    ¡°Yes, yes. For now, tend to your wounds and get some rest. We''ll be arriving at the Academy in a few days.¡±


    He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group once more.


    ¡°And don''t think this little display of teamwork means you''re all friends now. There are no friends at the Academy. You better keep that in mind if you want to make it out alive.¡±


    As the Professor turned to leave, Talia exchanged glances with Fiora and Takai.


    ¡°We should talk,¡± she murmured to them. ¡°Privately.¡±


    Fiora nodded, wincing as she cradled her injured arm. ¡°Agreed. But first, could you?¡± The blonde nodded at the injury.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Talia sighed, by now completely accepting that her abilities would sooner or later come out anyway.


    She raised her palm above a Squid corpse and began siphoning its residual vitality to heal Fiora.


    As Talia channeled the vitality from the Abyssal Squid''s corpse into Fiora''s wound, she felt the familiar tug of [Blood Siphon].


    The blonde''s injury began to knit close, the angry red flesh fading to pink and finally turning into unblemished skin.


    When Fiora saw Talia stop after healing her, she slapped the girl¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare let those corpses go to waste. We killed them. Go absorb all the stuff.¡±


    Talia hesitated as she looked around, but for now, all the other recruits seemed to perceive them as heroes, with a couple of girls already approaching Takai and complimenting him.


    With a deep breath, she decided to seize the opportunity.


    She extended her hand toward the nearest Abyssal Squid corpse, activating [Blood Siphon].


    A faint red mist arose from the creature''s body, coalescing around Talia''s outstretched palm.


    As the energy flowed into her, she felt a familiar warmth spread through her body.


    [You have absorbed Abyssal Squid Level 6 Life Force.]


    [+0.1 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.44/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.5 to your Constitution (0.9/1 to 1 Constitution)]


    Talia''s eyes widened slightly.


    The gains were much better than the ones from the Abyssal Scuttlers.


    Was it because these were bona fide monsters from the Deep ¨C not just from the outskirts ¨C and therefore, they had more Mana to live on?


    [You have absorbed Abyssal Squid Level 7 Life Force.]


    [+0.15 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.59/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.5 to your Constitution (1/1 to 1 Constitution)]


    [Congratulations!]


    [You gained 1 Constitution!]


    As she absorbed the third Squid, Talia felt a few curious glances from nearby recruits land on her.


    [You have absorbed Abyssal Squid Level 7 Life Force.]


    [+0.15 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.74/1 to Level One)]


    [+0.5 to your Constitution (0.9/2 to 1 Constitution)]


    Finally, she moved to the last corpse with a determined look on her face.


    [You have absorbed Abyssal Squid Level 8 Life Force.]


    [+0.2 to your Primary Mana Channel (0.92/1 to Level One)]


    [+1.1 to your Constitution (2/2 to 1 Constitution)]


    [Congratulations!]


    [You gained 1 Constitution!]


    As the last of the energy flowed into her, Talia let out a small sigh.


    Her Primary Mana Channel was still frustratingly short of Level One, but she was making progress.


    Also, there were a few more important notifications awaiting her.


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 5!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [You gain one Talent Point!]


    [Blood Siphon reaches Level 4!]


    [Blood Siphon reaches Level 5!]


    [Crimson Wisdom reaches Level 4!]


    [Eyes of the Abyss reaches Level 4!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 6!]


    Yet, the thing that left the biggest impression on Talia wasn¡¯t the onslaught of Skill Levels she had just gotten.


    As the Abyssal Squids turned to dust, drained of their vitality, the other recruits actually didn¡¯t look at her with fear or prejudice but rather with genuine admiration.


    A tall, lanky boy with curly hair stepped forward.


    ¡°That was amazing,¡± he said, his voice tinged with genuine reverence. ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    Before Talia could respond, Fiora interjected.


    ¡°It''s her Class ability,¡± the blonde explained, her tone matter-of-factly. ¡°She can absorb the energy from defeated monsters.¡±


    Talia tensed, waiting for the inevitable backlash. But it didn''t come.


    ¡°That''s so cool!¡± a freckled girl exclaimed. ¡°Is that how you healed her, too? I have a scratch here, could you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think of asking other people,¡± Talia apologized. ¡°I already drained all the corpses.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a problem,¡± the girl shrugged. ¡°We only passed the test thanks to you guys, anyway. We are very grateful.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, you¡¯re¡­ welcome?¡± Talia said, caught by surprise by their kindness again.


    The dagger-wielding boy who had fought alongside them approached her, his expression thoughtful. ¡°Interesting Class,¡± he mused. ¡°I''ve never heard of anything quite like it.¡±


    ¡°What''s your name?¡± Talia asked, realizing she still didn''t know who he was.


    ¡°Keanu,¡± he replied with a slight bow. ¡°And I must say, your abilities are quite impressive. All of you,¡± he added, nodding to Fiora and Takai too.


    Talia stared into his eyes for a moment, seeing something that was vaguely familiar there. But her observation was interrupted by all the other recruits that pressed onto them, wanting to ask questions, congratulate them, thank them, or just touch them for a moment.


    For the first time in her life, Talia found herself admired.


    ***


    After finally getting rid of their new fans, Talia had brought Takai, Fiora, and Keanu in the storage room of the galleon.


    ¡°I have some info I think I should have shared with you earlier,¡± Talia said with a grimace.


    ¡°Why the secrecy?¡± Takai asked, confused.


    ¡°Shut up and listen,¡± Fiora snapped.


    She wasn''t happy about the fact that Takai had been getting much more attention than her.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Takai said timidly.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Talia cleared her voice. ¡°I talked to someone who knows things about the Academy. I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s actually much more dangerous than we think.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Fiora asked, skeptical. ¡°You mean, like, missions?¡±


    ¡°No, not just that,¡± Talia shook her head. ¡°Politics.¡±


    ¡°Ok?¡± Fiora frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not new, is it?¡±


    ¡°No. But¡­ Apparently, there¡¯s a lot of backstabbing at the Academy. There are factions. I just wanted to take a second to warn you all,¡± Talia explained. ¡°We should watch each other''s backs.¡±


    Fiora raised an eyebrow. ¡°And who exactly told you this? Your mysterious source again?¡±


    Talia hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Yes. Someone who knows the inner workings of the Academy very well.¡±


    Keanu leaned against a stack of crates, his expression thoughtful.


    ¡°It''s not surprising. Any institution with power will have its share of politics and rivalries. But why tell us specifically¡ªwell, why tell me, I guess? You guys already know each other, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Takai nodded.


    ¡°Because,¡± Talia interjected, her voice lowering, ¡°I think we might become targets. Or at least, I might. And since you helped us, you might get associated with us.¡±


    Takai''s eyes widened.


    ¡°What? Why are we targets?¡±


    Talia took a deep breath.


    ¡°It''s... complicated. But it has to do with my mother. And possibly my abilities.¡±


    Fiora crossed her arms.


    ¡°Your mother? The Kraken Slayer? I thought she was revered at the Academy.¡±


    ¡°So did I,¡± Talia admitted. ¡°But apparently, not everyone saw her the same way.¡±


    Keanu''s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°You think Professor Iakopo was targeting you specifically during the test?¡±


    Talia didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    She had brought him here because he seemed like a solid guy, given how collaborative he had been during the test.


    But she didn¡¯t know whether she was ready to make such an accusation out loud.


    Talia hesitated, weighing her words carefully. ¡°I''m not sure, but¡ª¡±


    Her response was cut short by the sudden creaking of the storage room door.


    All four students whirled around.


    Professor Iakopo stood in the doorway.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± he drawled, a hint of amusement in his gravelly voice. ¡°What do we have here? A little secret meeting?¡±


    The tension in the room could be cut with a knife.


    ¡°We were just discussing the test, sir,¡± Talia said, trying to keep her voice even.


    Professor Iakopo''s lips curled into a smirk.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He took a step into the room, his presence seemingly filling the space. ¡°Well, I''m afraid I''ll have to cut this little gathering short. Talia, I''d like to have a word with you.¡±


    The way he said her name sent a chill down her spine.


    ¡°Alone,¡± he added, his tone leaving no room for argument.


    ¡°Of course, Professor,¡± Talia said, her voice steadier than how she felt.

 Chapter 24 – The Academy

    Professor Iakopo''s personal cabin was nothing like Talia had imagined.


    The small room was surprisingly austere, with polished wooden walls and a single porthole that cast a circle of sunlight onto the floor.


    There wasn''t a bottle of rum in sight, nor any of the clutter she''d imagined would keep the seemingly disheveled instructor company.


    Given how insidious the man appeared to be, Talia wondered if he had presented himself so ridiculously on purpose to confuse the students.


    His space was so clinically neat that he had either suffered from a split-personality ailment or he was a very complex and very deceiving man.


    She looked at a narrow bunk tucked against the wall; its blanket pulled taut without a single wrinkle. Beside it rested a small bookshelf with several leather-bound tomes.


    To top it off, there was a small incense holder on a shelf that granted the room a temple-like atmosphere.


    The only break in this orderly environment was the Professor¡¯s desk.


    It stood in stark contrast to the rest of the cabin.


    On it, there was a sprawl of papers, charts, and weird objects. Star charts and nautical maps spilled across the table¡¯s surface, held down by an assortment of paperweights ¨C smooth stones, seashells, and what looked like a tiny model of the Kraken carved from driftwood. A half-melted candle stood over the mess, its wax forming abstract patterns on the wood beneath.


    It was in such a contrast to the rest that Talia¡¯s eyebrows jumped at the sight.


    As Talia''s eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, she noticed something that gave her pause.


    A well-worn cutlass hung on the wall, its blade gleaming dully in the filtered sunlight.


    Beneath it, a small portrait in an ornate frame caught her attention.


    It showed a much younger Iakopo standing beside a woman with striking white hair ¨C a woman Talia recognized instantly.


    Her mother.


    ¡°We knew each other quite well,¡± the Professor said, taking a seat at his desk and taking the small portrait into his hand, observing it for a few seconds, and then handing it to Talia.


    Talia took the portrait and studied the image of her mother.


    Yalena looked so young, her white hair flowing freely in the sea breeze.


    ¡°She was an exceptional Water Rider,¡± Professor Iakopo said, his voice tinged with an emotion Talia couldn''t quite place. ¡°Brilliant, powerful, and utterly fearless. But also...¡± He trailed off, shaking his head.


    ¡°Also?¡± Talia prompted, unable to contain her curiosity.


    Iakopo''s eyes met hers, and, for a moment, there was a twisted, malicious twinkle in his eyes.


    ¡°Reckless. Stubborn. Many good Water Riders and other innocents got killed because of her ways. I know you probably think your mother was a hero, the famous H¨¡kai P¨­, the Kraken Slayer. Who wouldn¡¯t love her, right?¡±


    Talia maintained her calm, immediately aware of where this was going but not willing to give the man the satisfaction of seeing her flustered.


    ¡°I actually know that many people thought my mother was wrong, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Do you? And what do you think of those people?¡±


    The man actually frowned, scratching the scar on his face lazily.


    ¡°Losers,¡± Talia smiled widely. ¡°They¡¯re losers who cannot accept that my mother inflicted such grievous wounds on the Kraken that no other Kraken Slayer could ever compare¡ªnot even the ones from the Great Families. In fact, sixteen years have passed, and the Scourge of the Deep is nowhere to be seen, is it? How long was the longest we had gone without the Kraken, Professor?¡±


    The man stopped touching his face, his expression hardening.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Arrogance must run in the family,¡± the man said with a scornful expression.


    ¡°It must,¡± Talia replied, crossing her arms.


    The Professor studied her for a few more moments, extending a hand and taking the portrait of her mother and him back.


    ¡°You have heard the voices, but you don¡¯t think your mother could have possibly done anything wrong, do you?¡± Iakopo shook his head. ¡°How I wish I was you, child.¡±


    ¡°Have you called me in here to insult me and my mother?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the Professor sighed, ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that you should drop out.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Do I speak like an Abyssal Creature?¡± The man spoke with sarcasm. ¡°You¡¯ll find that I almost did you the greatest favor of your life. The Academy is not a place for you.¡±


    Talia stared at him with disdain.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    She expected the Professor to say something, but he only laughed to himself.


    ¡°Whatever. You will see. Those who want to graduate the first year must pass my Mana Control Class ¨C it is the hardest class of the first year.¡±


    ¡°Will you just fail me upfront?¡± Talia asked.


    She didn¡¯t bother arguing whether it would be unfair or not.


    This man clearly did not care one bit about fairness.


    ¡°I won¡¯t need to. Your Primary Water Channel is clearly weak. You have a decent Secondary Affinity, but as things stand, you would need to drain ten times your blood to generate a Mana Board with your Blood Affinity. Below Level Three, no Primary Water Channel is strong enough to properly control and learn the [Mana Board] skill. Level Three is the bare minimum to even hope to pass my Class.¡±


    Talia started laughing at that, at this man, and at his stupid pettiness.


    ¡°Is that it? Level Three?¡± She got up. ¡°Professor, I am going to be the next H¨¡kai P¨­. I will be stronger than my mother even ¨C much stronger. This?¡± She gestured around the room. ¡°This is nothing.¡±


    That said, Talia left the room.


    But instead of getting mad, a smirk appeared on the Professor¡¯s face. He looked at the picture of Yalena again, touched the scar on his face, and muttered to himself.


    ¡°Arrogant like her father, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ***


    A few days later, as the galleon cut through the azure waves, the recruits lined the deck, their eyes fixed on the horizon.


    Talia gripped the railing, her knuckles white.


    She had been waiting for this moment her entire life.


    Beside her, Fiora stood tall, her chin lifted with pride, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of uncertainty.


    ¡°There it is,¡± Takai''s quiet voice cut through the excited murmurs of the other recruits.


    He pointed at a shimmering mirage in the distance.


    As they drew closer, the mirage solidified into a breathtaking sight.


    A massive lagoon stretched before them, its waters colored of a bright shade of turquoise.


    But it was what rose from the center of the lagoon that drew gasps from even the most stoic among them.


    The Spire.


    It pierced the sky like a challenge to the heavens themselves.


    A colossal tower that seemed to be made of water, frozen in a perpetual upward flow.


    The magic that held it together apparently included a spell that drew water from the lagoon and let it flow in a spiral-like motion across its surface¡ªhence the name.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± Fiora whispered. ¡°It''s... magnificent.¡±


    Talia nodded, speechless.


    The Spire was the most famous structure of the Academy by far.


    It had been created so long ago that no one could really date it. It housed Elders and, most importantly, the Principal, the strongest man in the world.


    Talia didn¡¯t know much more about it other than that some of its floors were used for advanced classes and that the Spire also extended underground and underwater.


    It was the most mysterious place in the world.


    ¡°Look there!¡± someone shouted.


    All eyes turned to see some figures moving through the air.


    Although a lesser-known fact among the inhabitants of the Southern Archipelago, high-level Water Riders could fly.


    It was all thanks to an evolution of the [Mana Board] Skill.


    Talia gritted her teeth thinking of the skill and the Professor that would be teaching it to her.


    The central lagoon opened into a network of canals that wound their way through a complex of smaller islands and structures that surrounded the Spire.


    Many bridges arched over the waterways, their designs ranging from practical stone ones to some that seemed made of soft, pinkish coral.


    The air hummed with energy that made Talia''s wrists tingle.


    She could feel the immense concentration of Mana that saturated the place, finally understanding why the Academy was considered the heart of water magic in the world.


    Most importantly, she kept feeling her wrist marks tingle, which made her heart skip a beat.


    Takai leaned over the railing, his eyes wide with wonder.


    ¡°It''s like a city and the ocean had a baby,¡± he murmured, earning a snort from Fiora.


    As they approached what appeared to be the main harbor, Talia''s gaze was drawn back to the Spire.


    From this angle, she could see how it served as the anchor point for the whole Academy.


    All the canals and structures seemed to radiate outward from its base.


    Suddenly, Shaker''s gruff voice cut through their awe-struck silence.


    ¡°Alright, you barnacle-brained lot! Get yourselves ready!¡± He strode down the deck, his scarred face set in its usual scowl. ¡°Today''s the big day when all the recruits from around the Four Seas pour in! For those of you that are already Initiated: you''ll be taking your aptitude test alongside ''em other idiots who couldn¡¯t wait for the Water Riders to do it, so don¡¯t go dilly-dallying around and forgetting about it, embarrassing yourselves ¨C or me!¡±


    Talia exchanged a few glances with Fiora and Takai.


    The aptitude test.


    Dammit, this is it, Talia swore internally.


    She hadn¡¯t yet reached Level Two, and the moment they tested her, given that she had Initiated herself, she would fail to keep the globe of water over her hand for more than ten seconds, it didn¡¯t mean she could just¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± Fiora said from the side, patting her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Takai said much more uncertainly. ¡°I¡¯m sure that they, huh, let¡­ err¡­ awesome people in.¡±


    Fiora incinerated him with a stare, and Talia sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Talia lied to herself and to her friends.

 Chapter 25 – Great Families

    They had disembarked at a shipyard close to the Spiral.


    From there, the Promises had been herded quickly to the gigantic structure.


    ¡°Get moving, you useless floaters!¡± Shaker screamed, kicking a recruit who had stopped to admire a coralline bridge in the butt. ¡°If we¡¯re late, I¡¯ll send you home with a harpoon stuck up your¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shaker,¡± Professor Iakopo sighed. ¡°Please, keep it down.¡±


    ¡°Professor, we are¡ª¡±


    The man gave his assistant an eyeful, and Shaker begrudgingly stayed quiet.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll be arriving shortly at the site where those of you who have already passed the Test will be assigned a general dormitory or, in case someone vouched for you, a School dormitory. For all those who don¡¯t have a School, please do not fret nor bombard me or Shaker with questions. You¡¯ll have time to get selected in the upcoming weeks. And for those who have come to the Academy having Initiated themselves, you¡¯ll be tested to assess your Primary Mana Channel Level first.¡±


    Talia had discussed Schools with the others at length.


    Simply put, Schools were Elder-led or otherwise-formed factions.


    Each Elder had their own School, which afforded their members some special privileges. Such privileges ranged from nice cafeteria spots to much more important ones, including many that reflected on which Classes a recruit could take. The stronger the School ¨C something that was decreed based on Missions and Academic results ¨C the more privileges would be afforded to its members.


    In short, to maximize one¡¯s chances of succeeding at the Academy, it was essential to be picked by the right School.


    If Talia hadn¡¯t been sick with worry about her Primary Mana Channel not having reached Level One yet, she would have been stressing about which School would take her in.


    She felt decently confident that Riala would put a good word in for her in whatever faction she had ended up joining. Considering that her sister wielded Star Water and had a Level Nine Primary Water Channel, Riala must have been rubbing shoulders with some pretty powerful people. Talia, despite the relationship with her sister being a bit shaky, was really banking on that.


    Without Riala¡¯s support, she knew she¡¯d be a pariah.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine how people would treat her here.


    She had been treated like a monster at home, among those who had already judged her even before seeing her Skills. And back on Solara, the islanders had only seen the Kraken once. Here, dead in the middle of the Four Seas, plenty of people had friends, family, or lovers who had been lost to the Kraken.


    And if they believed that Talia was associated with the Scourge of the Deep, she knew for a fact that they would come after her.


    As they walked, the group of recruits found themselves entering a large open plaza.


    The space was already teeming with other young hopefuls from across the Four Seas standing in orderly lines.


    Professor Iakopo swore under his breath.


    ¡°Damn it all, the address is about to begin. Shaker, I have to go! Take care of them!¡±


    Without missing a beat, Shaker barked out orders.


    ¡°You heard the Professor! Form up, you bilge rats! Straight lines, shoulders back, chins up! Move it!¡±


    The recruits scrambled to obey, falling into formation with varying degrees of success.


    Talia found herself sandwiched between Fiora and a nervous-looking boy she didn''t recognize.


    A hush fell over the crowd as all eyes turned to the raised podium at the front of the plaza.


    The structure was crafted from polished white stone that shimmered with magic and was adorned with carved waves and warriors.


    They waited in silence for a few minutes.


    Then, at the base of the podium, a group of figures emerged and stood at attention.


    Their uniforms were a deep blue trimmed with silver.


    ¡°The Professors,¡± someone muttered.


    Among them, Talia recognized Professor Iakopo, who had clearly just changed from his everyday clothes ¨C his usually disheveled appearance seemed magically replaced by a crisp look and slicked-back hair.


    How did he do that?


    Anticipation brewed among the recruits gathered there, as more movement caught their attention.


    From a side entrance, partially obscured by a shimmering veil of water, a figure had emerged.


    It was a very old man.


    He leaned heavily on a tall staff, its surface carved with glowing runes that pulsed softly with each move.


    ¡°That¡¯s Principal Kaimana,¡± Talia heard a recruit whisper.


    Principal Kaimana looked so old that it appeared he would fold in half at any moment.


    Despite his apparent physical frailty, there was an unmistakable aura of power that seemed to radiate from him, causing the air around him to shimmer.


    ¡°They say he¡¯s Level 90,¡± someone whispered.


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s ridiculous! No one¡¯s above Level 80!¡±


    ¡°The last Kraken Slayer was, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    When Talia heard her mother being mentioned, she stood a bit straighter, feeling pride coursing through her body.


    As Principal Kaimana began his ascent on the podium steps, the entire plaza seemed to hold its breath.


    The only sounds were the soft tapping of his staff against stone and the distant lapping of waves against the Academy''s shores.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Talia found herself leaning forward slightly, straining to get a better view.


    This was the man who led the Water Riders and who was said to be the most powerful warrior in existence.


    Principal Kaimana reached the podium, his weathered hands gripping its edges as he surveyed the sea of young faces before him.


    The Spire loomed behind him.


    ¡°Welcome, young ones, to the Water Riders Academy,¡± Principal Kaimana began, his voice magically amplified to reach every corner of the giant plaza. ¡°You stand here today at the threshold of a great journey; one that will test your limits, challenge your beliefs, and forge you into the guardians of our world.¡±


    He gestured behind him to the towering Spire.


    ¡°Like this great structure behind me, you too shall rise. No matter if you come from a great family, the Water Riders, or have humble beginnings, you will all ascend alike to heights you never thought possible.¡±


    Principal Kaimana paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled recruits.


    ¡°The path ahead will not be easy. You will face trials that will push you to your very limits. Some of you may falter, some may fall. But those who persevere, those who embrace the challenges that lie ahead ¨C you will become the bulwark against the darkness that threatens our world.¡±


    His voice grew softer, yet somehow more intense. ¡°For make no mistake, young ones. The Deep is stirring. We have never seen so many Abyssal Creatures swarming our shores.¡±


    The old man took a deep breath.


    ¡°Now, more than ever, we need new Water Riders to protect our people.¡±


    Principal Kaimana straightened, his form seeming to grow taller, more imposing.


    ¡°So, I ask you of you now: Are you ready to dedicate yourselves to this cause? To sacrifice comfort for duty and safety for purpose? Are you ready to become Water Riders?¡±


    A resounding cheer erupted from the crowd.


    Talia found herself joining in.


    As the cheers died down, Principal Kaimana nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips.


    ¡°Then, let us begin,¡± he said. ¡°May the tides favor you all.¡±


    ***


    After Principal Kaimana''s speech, the recruits were quickly divided into groups.


    Talia and Takai found themselves ushered toward a section where Academy officials and some older students waited to assess those who had Initiated themselves.


    Meanwhile, Fiora, ever ambitious, spotted a group of well-dressed young people nearby.


    Seeing they were dressed much more nicely than everyone else, she guessed they came from the Great Families. She immediately saw it as an opportunity to secure a place in a prestigious School early on.


    Smoothing her hair and putting on her most charming smile, Fiora approached the group.


    ¡°Hello, there,¡± she said brightly. ¡°I''m Fiora. I was wondering if you could tell me more about the different Schools there are at the Academy?¡±


    The group ¨C three young boys and two girls ¨C turned to look at her.


    Their expressions ranged from mild amusement to outright disdain.


    One of the young men, tall with broad shoulders, raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°And you are...?¡±


    Fiora''s smile faltered slightly.


    ¡°I''m Fiora. From Solara Island. I¡¯ve just arrived and-¡±


    ¡°Solara?¡± One of the two girls, clearly older than Fiora, interrupted her with a laugh. ¡°Where is that?¡±


    ¡°In the Southern Archipelago, see, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°A backwater island in the Southern Archipelago? Are you trying to get chummy with us, hoping to get into our School? Do you even know who you¡¯re talking to?¡± The older girl replied, irritated.


    The others snickered, and Fiora felt her cheeks burn. Before she could respond, a familiar voice boomed from behind her.


    ¡°You, there! What do you think you''re doing?¡±


    Fiora turned to see Tulo striding towards her, his face thunderous.


    ¡°How did you get in here? This area is for registered recruits only!¡±


    ¡°Captain Tulo, I can explain-¡± Fiora began, but Tulo cut her off.


    ¡°Explain? Explain how you managed to sneak past our security? Do you have any idea how serious this is? You mocked a failed Recruit ¨C the daughter of the H¨¡kai P¨­!¡±


    Fiora''s temper flared. ¡°I didn''t sneak in! I Initiated myself! We killed an Abyssal Cuda, and if you just listen-¡±


    ¡°An Abyssal Cuda?¡± Tulo scoffed. ¡°Do you expect me to believe that? Let me find someone to escort you out.¡±


    Just then, Talia approached, having noticed the commotion and hoping to smooth things over.


    ¡°Captain Tulo? Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Talia?¡± The gruff man looked surprised.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°I heard what Fiora was saying¡ªwe did Initiate ourselves, sir.¡±


    ¡°And your Primary Mana Channel¡­¡± The man was stunned.


    ¡°That problem was solved, too.¡±


    After hearing Talia¡¯s words, Tulo took a step back and re-evaluated Fiora.


    But as far as Fiora¡¯s reputation went with those five scions of the Great Families, she had not only lost a lot of respect for her crude approach but was now also being mocked for how Tulo had reprimanded her.


    ¡°You two Initiated yourselves together?¡± Tulo frowned.


    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Talia nodded.


    ¡°You mocked the daughter of the H¨¡kai P¨­?¡± The older girl from the Great Families sounded angry. ¡°Do you have no shame?¡±


    Talia was shocked to hear that.


    ¡°Lady Nami,¡± Tulo cleared his voice, taking the opportunity to give Talia an assist, ¡°she¡¯s actually standing right in front of you. This young girl here is the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter¡ªthe infamous one.¡±


    Talia felt the sting of those words, wondering why Tulo had to put it like that.


    But such harsh words seemed to be received completely differently by the Great Family scions.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± the older girl said, putting a hand in front of her mouth, ¡°you¡¯re the one with the marks?!¡±


    Talia nodded, already exhausted by the thought of what might be coming her way.


    Talia braced herself, expecting the usual reactions of hate, fear, and disgust that she had experienced her whole life on Solara.


    She anticipated scorn and rejection from these elite Academy students, assuming they would want nothing to do with the ¡°cursed¡± daughter of the Kraken Slayer. Talia had already made peace with being excluded and ostracized again, figuring that these prestigious recruits from Great Families would shun her just like the villagers back home. She steeled herself for the familiar pain of being treated like a monster, an outcast to be avoided at all costs.


    With a heavy heart, Talia prepared to face more of the same prejudice and isolation that had defined her existence up until now.


    But surprisingly, it didn¡¯t come.


    The girl took her hands in hers and kissed them.


    ¡°Your mother saved our entire city. When the Kraken came back at full strength, even though your mother was wounded from another battle with a Boss and wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as when she actually killed the Scourge, she fought through the night together with our families. Ultimately, she was the reason they managed to repel the Kraken¡­¡±


    The girl hesitated, realizing she had been squishing Talia¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Pardon my boldness and my rude manners. I am Lady Nami Moana from Tempest City, of the Moana Family,¡± the girl curtsied, and Talia was caught completely off-guard.


    ¡°I¡ªI am sorry, my name¡¯s Talia, from Solara.¡±


    ¡°Pardon my older sister,¡± the younger girl came forward, curtsying herself. ¡°She¡¯s very impulsive. I am Princess Lilo Moana from Tempest, heir to the Moana Family.¡±


    A stream of lessons on Great Families made its way back into Talia¡¯s mind.


    Tempest City was the biggest city in the West Deep, close to the border with the North ¨C a frequent target of Kraken¡¯s attack.


    Most importantly, it housed the Moana Family, who took their name after their first Kraken Slayer, Moana.


    If Talia remembered correctly, they had more than five Kraken Slayers in their bloodline, which put them right up with the strongest Great Families in existence, perhaps rivaled and overshadowed by only one or two Great Families in the North Deep.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure,¡± Talia said, embarrassed.


    Under any other circumstance, she would have defended Fiora and wouldn¡¯t have been swayed by the rank of these people.


    However, this was perhaps the very first time that someone truly showed admiration for who she was.


    ¡°Is it true that you killed an Abyssal Cuda without any levels? Did you use magical weapons or artifacts?¡± Lilo inquired curiously.


    ¡°No levels and no artifacts. I had this,¡± Talia coughed, taking the glaive off her back. ¡°But I didn¡¯t even know it was magical. It¡¯s my mother¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°BY THE DEEP!¡± Lilo screamed. ¡°THAT¡¯S THE GLAIVE THAT SLAYED THE KRAKEN?!¡±


    That made literally everyone turn.


    Nami, her older sister, had to shake her by the arm.


    ¡°Lilo, the actual weapon is in the Leviathan¡¯s Arsenal. That¡¯s the Kraken Slayer¡¯s first weapon.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lilo seemed embarrassed for the commotion she had created.


    Talia wanted to steer the conversation in another direction, trying to mention Fiora¡¯s contribution.


    She was sure that the blonde really cared about the Schools, and while Talia had Riala to count on, Fiora had no one.


    But despite Talia''s attempts to include her in the conversation, Fiora found herself pushed to the edge of the group, her earlier humiliation compounded by being overshadowed so quickly.


    As the Great Family scions peppered Talia with questions about her mother and her own abilities, Fiora clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.


    The admiration in their eyes, so quickly bestowed upon Talia after dismissing her, made her blood boil.


    Tulo looked sheepish. ¡°I apologize for the misunderstanding, Fiora,¡± he said, though his attention was clearly more focused on Talia. ¡°I had no idea you had managed such a feat.¡±


    Fiora forced a tight smile.


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± she said, her voice strained.


    But internally, she seethed.


    This wasn''t over.

 Chapter 26 – Sisters

    ¡°I''m sorry, but I need to go take the test now,¡± Talia said, interrupting the stream of questions from Nami and Lilo.


    The two sisters exchanged confused glances.


    ¡°Test?¡± Nami asked, her brows furrowing. ¡°But you''re already Initiated, aren''t you? I mean, you''re the daughter of the Kraken Slayer...¡±


    Talia shifted uncomfortably.


    ¡°It''s... complicated. I Initiated myself, but I still need to prove my Primary Mana Channel Level meets the Academy''s requirements.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lilo said, her eyes widening with understanding. ¡°I see. Well, good luck, then! Not that you''ll need it, of course.¡±


    As Talia prepared to leave, she noticed Fiora slipping away.


    A pang of guilt shot through her.


    ¡°Before I go,¡± Talia said, turning back to Nami, ¡°I wanted to mention something about that girl. She''s actually a really talented Water Rider with great potential. You should give her a chance.¡±


    Nami''s expression softened slightly. ¡°Is that so? Well... we''ll think about it.¡±


    Talia nodded, hoping she''d done enough to smooth things over.


    She made her way to the testing area, spotting Takai nervously fidgeting as he waited for his turn.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she called out, approaching her friend. ¡°You ready for this?¡±


    Takai gave her a shaky smile.


    ¡°As ready as I''ll ever be, I guess. You?¡±


    Talia took a deep breath, feeling the weight of everything riding on this moment.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. ¡°Let''s do this.¡±


    They walked toward a huddled mass of people that were shielding the examiners.


    ¡°We can choose whom we go to?¡± Takai asked.


    ¡°It seems like it,¡± Talia commented, sizing up the small crowd. ¡°You want to go first?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Takai stepped forward, making his way to the crowd, falling in line behind the other recruits.


    His whole body felt heavy, and sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool breeze coming from the lagoon.


    Talia watched her friend''s approach, noting the slight tremor in his hands and the way his Adam''s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.


    More guilt went through her as she realized she''d never actually asked Takai about his Primary Mana Channel Level.


    Had he been struggling all this time?


    It seemed at odds with his performance against the Abyssal Squids, but doubt gnawed at her, nonetheless.


    Perhaps he had a strong Secondary Mana Channel like her, but his first was still weak.


    It would be quite unusual, even though that was exactly Talia¡¯s case.


    Normally, when one was Initiated, their Primary Mana Channel would unlock, rising even by several levels.


    That wouldn¡¯t happen, of course, if one had a strong Primary Mana Channel to start with.


    But the whole reason why the Academy received those who Initiated themselves or got Initiated by their family was because of this jump in power.


    While it would be inefficient for the Academy to Initiate every single aspiring recruit, they were open to those with enough guts or resources to get Initiated on their own.


    Well, they were open to them as long as their Primary Mana Channel was, at the very least, Level Two.


    Finally, as the queue slowly whittled down, Takai found himself in front of an examiner.


    The woman responsible for the testing stood tall and rigid, her gray hair pulled back so tightly it seemed to stretch her skin.


    Her eyes, sharp and assessing, fixed on Takai as he approached.


    ¡°Name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°T-Takai, from Solara,¡± he stammered.


    The examiner nodded curtly, her hands moving in practiced motions as she formed a globe of water between her palms.


    The sphere hung there, perfectly still ¨C a tiny ocean suspended in the air.


    ¡°You know the procedure. Maintain the globe''s levitation for as long as you can.¡±


    Takai nodded, his face ashen.


    As the examiner removed her hands, leaving the globe floating between the two of them, Takai extended his palms.


    For a heartbeat, the water sphere quivered in place like a leaf clinging to a branch in a storm.


    Then, to the shock of everyone watching, it simply fell.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The globe burst on impact with the ground, sending a spray of droplets across Takai''s shoes and the examiner''s robes.


    The crowd''s reaction was immediate.


    Several people giggled.


    Talia felt her stomach clench and a sour taste rise into her throat.


    This couldn''t be happening, not after everything they''d overcome.


    Takai stood motionless, his eyes wide with disbelief and shame.


    The examiner''s mouth tightened, lips pressing into a bloodless line.


    ¡°I''m sorry for your trip, but that''s a clear fail-¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Takai''s voice cut through the murmurs, suddenly firm and clear.


    He straightened his back, squaring his shoulders.


    A determined glint sparked in his eye, replacing the earlier fear.


    ¡°I... I''d like to try again. Please.¡±


    The examiner''s eyebrow arched high, but she gave a curt nod.


    ¡°Very well. One more attempt,¡± she sighed.


    As she formed another water globe, Takai took a deep breath.


    His chest expanded fully, and as he exhaled, some of the tension seemed to leave his body.


    Why do I care what these people think?


    I''ve faced real danger.


    I''ve fought monsters.


    This is nothing.


    This time, when the examiner removed her hands, Takai was ready.


    The water globe remained aloft.


    Seconds ticked by, stretching into a minute.


    The whispers of the crowd finally quietened down.


    Finally, after two full minutes, the globe touched Takai¡¯s hand, and the examiner nodded.


    ¡°You pass,¡± she said, unable to keep the surprise from her voice. ¡°Your Primary Mana Channel is... Level Six. Congratulations.¡±


    A few people surprisingly cheered from the crowd.


    Not everyone there was an asshole, apparently.


    His face broke into a relieved grin as he turned to Talia, who stared at him with a mixture of amazement and pride.


    ¡°Takai, that was great!¡± she exclaimed as he rejoined her, clapping him on the back. ¡°But... what happened the first time?¡±


    Takai rubbed the back of his neck, with a sheepish look crossing his face.


    ¡°I just... froze. All those eyes on me, the pressure... But then, I mean, you know¡­ If I can face an Abyssal Squid, I can definitely pass a test like this.¡±


    Talia squeezed his shoulder, pride swelling in her chest at her friend''s performance.


    Sure, a Level Six Primary Mana Channel wasn¡¯t that impressive, but Takai had barely had a Level One by the time they had departed to Initiate themselves.


    But as the examiner called for the next candidate, a knot of anxiety formed in her stomach, hard and cold.


    It was her turn now, and she knew her Test wouldn''t be nearly as straightforward.


    ¡°Next,¡± the examiner said again, looking at Talia with an annoyed frown.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Talia swallowed her words.


    As she stepped forward, she saw someone she recognized.


    ¡°Riala!¡± Talia screamed, immediately jumping out of the queue.


    She saw her older sister administering the Test.


    Talia rushed toward her sister.


    Riala stood tall and poised, her long white hair flowing down her back, completely different from Talia''s auburn locks.


    Despite being sisters, they looked strikingly different, except for their eyes.


    Riala''s purple eyes, so like Talia''s, widened in surprise as she spotted her younger sister approaching.


    Her lips curved into a small, restrained smile.


    ¡°Riala!¡± Talia called out again as she drew closer. ¡°I can''t believe you''re here!¡±


    However, as Talia took the place of a protesting recruit who had been about to take the Test, Riala¡¯s face froze, and her smile turned into a scowl.


    Talia slowed down and felt confusion wash over her for a moment.


    But only for a moment.


    The younger sister followed Riala¡¯s gaze over her shoulder and understood what was happening.


    ¡°Riala, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, of course. Of course, you take the glaive. It¡¯s not like mother left precise instructions.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI listen, I didn¡¯t pass the Test,¡± Talia sputtered. ¡°I¡ªI needed a weapon!¡±


    ¡°Conveniently, you took mother¡¯s weapon,¡± Riala curled her lips downward.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Talia said, taking her older and taller sister¡¯s arm and pulling her to the side. ¡°I need help.¡±


    ¡°What now, Talia?¡± Riala sighed. ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°This is serious!¡± Talia whispered urgently.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Riala said, passing a hand over her face and adjusting a lock of the snow-white hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain about the glaive, really,¡± Talia said, feeling extremely guilty about it. ¡°I know I wasn¡¯t supposed to, but¡­ I really needed it. I would have died without it.¡±


    ¡°Talia, you¡¯re holding up the line,¡± Riala sighed. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    Talia hunched closer to her sister and lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper, speaking right into Riala¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I need you to help me cheat. My Primary Mana Channel is still at Level One. If you don¡¯t help me out, they¡¯re not going to let me in!¡±


    Talia backed up to look at her older sister.


    But there was no surprise, no indignation on Riala¡¯s face.


    Only annoyance.


    ¡°Is this another one of your pranks? An elaborate plan to embarrass me?¡±


    ¡°What?! No! Riala, please, I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    ¡°Talia, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this. I¡¯ve stopped questioning why you do anything. You¡¯re our mother¡¯s child: your Primary Mana Channel should be at least Level Seven¡ªthat is, if you had the worst possible luck. So, can you please just take the Test? My master will check on me soon, and I would like to avoid being embarrassed by your antics.¡±


    Talia¡¯s mouth hung open.


    Riala truly didn¡¯t believe her.


    To be honest, if this was a moment where Talia could think rationally, she would have understood why.


    Her relationship with her sister had always been somewhat strained.


    Talia had always been the needy, attention-attracting child between the two.


    But now, right when she needed Riala to believe her the most, her older sister didn¡¯t believe her at all.


    ¡°Riala, fuck,¡± Talia swore. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pass the Test. I need you to keep the globe afloat for ten seconds. Please.¡±


    Then, suddenly, before Talia could reply, a strong pressure enveloped all the recruits present.


    Talia could feel her breath caught in her lungs, trapped.


    ¡°Riala,¡± a man with salt and pepper hair and a long crimson robe walked up to the girl with white hair.


    ¡°Elder Kahua,¡± Riala struggled to speak.


    As Elder Kahua approached, his presence seemed to dominate the entire area.


    The pressure in the air intensified, making several recruits faint on the spot.


    What is he doing? Talia thought, gritting her teeth.


    She glanced at Takai, who had come closer to her, and noticed that he was ghastly white.


    Meanwhile, the crimson robe of the Elder rippled despite the lack of wind.


    Elder Kahua was a middle-aged man with harsh eyes.


    His irises were a stormy gray and held a penetrating gaze that seemed to pierce through anyone he looked at.


    As he neared Riala and Talia, the Elder''s expression remained impassive, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes as they flickered between the two sisters.


    ¡°Riala,¡± he called again, his voice deep and resonant. ¡°Is there a problem here?¡±


    Riala straightened immediately, her demeanor shifting from an annoyed sister to a respectful student in an instant.


    ¡°No, Elder Kahua. Just a minor delay. I''ll handle it immediately.¡±


    Elder Kahua''s gaze settled on Talia, who felt as if she were being dissected by his scrutiny.


    ¡°And who might this be?¡±


    Before Riala could answer, Talia gathered all her strength and stepped forward, mustering her courage.


    ¡°I''m Talia, sir. Riala''s sister.¡±


    A flicker of recognition passed over the Elder''s face. ¡°Ah, yes. The younger daughter of the Kraken Slayer. I''ve heard... interesting things about you.¡±


    Talia swallowed hard, unsure whether to take that as a compliment or a warning.


    She opened her mouth to speak, but Elder Kahua raised a hand, silencing her.


    ¡°Whatever discussion you two were having can wait. We have a schedule to keep and many more recruits to test.¡± He turned to Riala. ¡°Proceed with the examination.¡±


    Riala nodded, her face a mask of professionalism. ¡°Of course, Elder. Talia, are you ready?¡±


    Talia felt panic rise in her chest.


    This was it.


    Without Riala''s help, she would fail spectacularly in front of not just her sister, but one of the most powerful figures at the Academy.


    As Riala began forming the water globe, Talia gathered all her wits.


    She had to find a way out of this, or everything she''d fought for would be lost.

 Chapter 27 – Elders

    Talia stared at the water globe forming between Riala''s palms, feeling her heart crawling out of her throat: it pounded so heartily that even her ears started ringing.


    The shining globe of water reflected in the black of her pupils.


    This one test held her fate in its delicate surface.


    Elder Kahua stood by, watching.


    Damn it! Why is he here?! Talia wrecked her brain. How am I getting out of this?!


    ¡°Well, girl? What are you waiting for? Take the test.¡±


    Talia swallowed hard, her fingers slowly approaching the bottom of the water globe.


    She could feel the eyes of everyone on her ¨C Elder Kahua''s piercing gaze, Riala''s annoyance, and the stares of the other recruits.


    ¡°I said, take the test, stop holding up the line,¡± Elder Kahua repeated, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. ¡°We don''t have all day.¡±


    Talia''s brain was working quickly, trying hard to find a way out of this situation.


    Could she fake an illness?


    Cause a distraction somehow?


    But as each idea flashed through her mind, she dismissed it just as quickly.


    There was no escape from this.


    With a deep breath, she swore internally and decided to make her move.


    If she was going to fail, she might as well get over it with.


    Her fingertips were a hair''s breadth from the water globe now.


    She could feel the cool moisture over the soft parts of her digits.


    Just as she was about to start releasing Mana into the globe, a voice echoed across the plaza.


    ¡°Hold on! Is that who I think it is?¡±


    All heads turned to see an imposing figure striding toward them.


    It was yet another man with a crimson robe and hair to match.


    An Elder.


    As the man walked, Talia¡¯s eyes darted between the two Elders.


    Immediately, she could tell the difference between the patterns on their robes.


    Elder Kahua had two blue patches on his sleeves, one on each. At the center of the deep blue, there was a silvery star.


    Instead, on this other¡¯s man robe, there were darker red circles on his sleeves, deeper than the robe¡¯s crimson shade.


    At their center, embroidered in pitch-black threads, stood a menacing volcano.


    But most importantly, where his right arm should have been, a stream of brilliant red magma flowed and shifted, taking on the rough shape of a limb.


    ¡°That¡¯s Elder Krakatoa!¡± A student said.


    Elder Krakatoa? Talia thought.


    Elder Krakatoa had been involved with her mother in the final battle against the Kraken¡ªor at least, that¡¯s what she¡¯d heard.


    On top of that, the man had been her mother¡¯s mentor and teacher.


    Elder Krakatoa was a practitioner of Magma Water, his signature magic, and, as Vice Principal of the Academy, he was rumored to be the second strongest after Principal Kaimana.


    As he drew closer, Talia could see the network of scars that marked his neck, but his eyes sparkled with warmth as they locked into hers from behind a pair of rose-tinted spectacles.


    ¡°By the Deep, it really is you!¡± Elder Krakatoa exclaimed, his face breaking into a wide grin. Without warning, he swept Talia up in a one-armed embrace that lifted her off her feet. ¡°I can''t believe it! The youngest child of Yalena, finally here at the Academy!¡±


    Talia gasped, partly from surprise and partly from the searing heat emanating from his magma arm.


    As he hugged her close, Elder Krakatoa¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper only she could hear.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll take care of this.¡±


    Before Talia could respond, Elder Krakatoa straightened up, addressing the group at large.


    ¡°Elder Kahua, Riala ¨C I hope you don''t mind if I borrow our new recruit for a moment? There''s an urgent matter I need to discuss with her.¡±


    ¡°Krakatoa, she hasn¡¯t taken the test yet,¡± Elder Kahua said with strong disapproval in his voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re doubting Yalena¡¯s child?¡± Elder Krakatoa laughed heartily and with so much conviction that many of the recruits started nodding along. ¡°Kahua, have the recent years of peace dulled your discernment? I¡¯ll give her the test myself later if you must insist.¡±


    ¡°How lightly you speak of the Kraken Slayer¡¯s name,¡± Elder Kahua said, wrinkling his nose.


    ¡°A master should be close to their disciples, Kahua. Perhaps your disciples would appreciate you more if you were less bitter.¡±


    ¡°Are you bringing offense to my name, Krakatoa?¡± The question came with another burst of Kahua¡¯s aura that made more recruits faint.


    Krakatoa looked around with a smile and shook his head.


    ¡°Abusing recruits, I see. Why don¡¯t we just leave the Promises alone and leave this be, Kahua, before we¡¯ll need to involve the Principal? It is not becoming of either of us to behave like this. Whatever offense I might have brought onto you, let our Schools settle it.¡±


    A current of whispers swept over the students and the recruits who hadn¡¯t fainted.


    ¡°You are taking a student away in the middle of an examination. Whatever matter you have to discuss with her, it can wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid it can''t,¡± Elder Krakatoa cut him off, his tone leaving no room for argument. ¡°It¡¯s Vice-Principal, Academy-related business, you must understand. Very hush-hush.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, he placed his good hand on Talia''s shoulder, steering her away from the testing area.


    ¡°Come along now, dear. We have much to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Hi!¡± Nami said with a smile as Talia was steered toward the scion of the Moana Family.


    ¡°Nami, take care of her. We¡¯ll situate her in our School until she decides to join one for good.¡±


    That said, Krakatoa didn¡¯t wait for a response and started walking away, gently pushing Talia forward.


    ¡°Do not turn,¡± Elder Krakatoa whispered under his breath, adjusting the rose-tinted spectacles on his face as they walked. ¡°You don¡¯t want to anger Kahua any more than this. He can be very nasty.¡±


    Riala nodded, confused, afraid, but also heartened that someone would treat her with such familiarity.


    Especially someone so close to her mother.


    ¡°Thanks, Elder,¡± Talia whispered back.


    ¡°No problem, kid,¡± the man laughed. ¡°If we didn¡¯t let Yalena among our ranks just because she broke some rules, we would have never witnessed the rise of the strongest Kraken Slayer.¡±


    ***


    Elder Krakatoa''s School occupied a large complex on one of the greater islands surrounding the Spire.


    The two had swiftly reached it with the help of boats that navigated the narrow canals and the short stretches of water in between the landmasses.


    The Elder had told Talia to get comfortable there before coming to him again.


    He had left her in the hands of Nami and Lilo and, well, the three other boys.


    Koa, Kahale, and Nainoa.


    Those were the names of the cousins of the two sisters, three more scions of the Moana Family from Tempest City.


    As Nami and Lilo led Talia through the grounds, her eyes widened at the opulence of it all.


    The dormitory of Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School building was pretty impressive, with exterior tiles that seemed to change color in the sunlight.


    Well-maintained gardens surrounded the building, dotted with fountains and small streams, making it luxurious and clearly a playground for nobles.


    Inside, the common areas were filled with more feathered cushions than Talia had even seen¡ªshe didn¡¯t even know so many birds existed to produce such a number of soft feathers.


    Even in the corridors, there were plush seats in blues and greens, complementing the wooden furniture.


    And behind them, large windows offered views of the entire lagoon and the Spire.


    Considering that Talia had had one small window in her dilapidated hut, she didn¡¯t even know if this was real or if she had been stuck in a dream caused by some Abyssal Creature¡¯s toxin.


    As they reached Talia''s assigned room, Nami couldn''t contain her excitement.


    ¡°You''re going to love it here! The room is still barebone because this was all last minute, but the view is great!¡± she exclaimed, pushing open the door with a flourish.


    When Talia saw her room, her heart almost stopped.


    Spacious would be an understatement ¨C it was so much larger than her hut on Solara that she could probably build two huts inside of it.


    It had a huge bed, a study area with a desk and chair, and a balcony.


    The view, as Nami had pointed out, was breathtaking.


    She could see the Spire¡¯s twirling water right in front of her.


    The greatest marvel of the Water Riders Academy was just¡­ there.


    There for her eyes to drink in.


    Nami also had to show her the en-suite bathroom, since Talia had asked about a common bathroom, which had scandalized the two sisters equally.


    ¡°Everyone gets their own?¡± Lilo, the younger sister, tried to explain, very confused by Talia¡¯s questions.


    The bathroom was just as nice, with a large tub where the water seemed to keep flowing ¨C and steaming ¨C at all times.


    ¡°How?¡± Talia looked at the bathtub, consternated.


    Curious, she brought a cupped hand across the water and then to her mouth, making both sisters laugh.


    ¡°This is¡­ drinkable water,¡± Talia said. ¡°How¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just take some time to rest,¡± Nami said. ¡°Elder Krakatoa said to let you settle in. When do the rest of your clothes arrive anyway?¡±


    Talia looked at the rucksack she had dragged in with her that contained a few clothes changes and¡ªnothing else.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll sort that out,¡± Nami smiled. ¡°Just rest now, ok? We¡¯ll come fetch you later and take you to the Elder.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Talia said, still reeling.


    After they left, Talia stood in the dead center of the room, unsure of what to do.


    She approached the bed slowly, almost afraid that if she went too fast, all of this would be taken away from her.


    She gently placed her hand on the soft bed, and it was immediately swallowed by the puffy covers.


    Talia smiled like an idiot and felt a tear coming out of her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Talia said, feeling more tears coming out. ¡°It¡¯s just a bed.¡±


    She turned and slowly lowered herself on the bed, feeling the softness against her clothes and her skin.


    She raised her eyes to the ceiling, noticing for the first time all the frescoes and carvings that decorated it.


    Talia stared absentmindedly at the images for a while.


    She couldn¡¯t even describe them or remember them.


    For the first time in so many years, her mind wasn¡¯t running plans, scheming to stay alive, wondering about who might stab her in the back, who might stab her in the front, or who might just stab her anywhere else because she had some weird marks on her wrists.


    She caressed the golden bracelets that covered her marks and kept smiling, allowing her mind to be completely blank and at peace for once.

 Chapter 28 - Schools

    As Talia explored her new accommodation, a steady stream of students from Krakatoa''s School stopped by to introduce themselves.


    ¡°If you need anything at all, don''t hesitate to ask,¡± one upperclassman said, patting Talia''s shoulder.


    Talia didn¡¯t even register the name of the guy she had just chatted with for half an hour.


    She was completely starstruck by the treatment she had been receiving since she set foot in Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School ¨C or was it Vice-Principal Krakatoa?


    Students seemed to alternate between the two names when referring to Talia¡¯s savior.


    Without him, she wouldn¡¯t have been granted entry to the Academy, as her Primary Mana Channel still wasn¡¯t even Level One.


    But even more surprising than an Elder sticking his neck out for her was the fact that so far, in this School, she had not once felt like a repugnant monster to be kept separate from decent people.


    If anything, Talia felt like a minor star.


    She heard someone knock on her door and cleared her throat.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she said awkwardly, unaccustomed to people actually knocking before entering her place.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Nami, Lilo¡¯s older sister, entered and gave Talia a knowing smile. ¡°You haven¡¯t rested one bit, have you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Talia was embarrassed.


    She had wanted to rest, especially after spending so many days at sea, but so many people had come to her, and she hadn¡¯t had the heart to turn them away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the other students to stop bothering you. But¡­ You¡¯re the daughter of the Kraken Slayer,¡± Nami shook her head. ¡°How can you not be accustomed to dealing with this amount of attention?¡±


    ¡°People on Solara were¡­ different,¡± Talia replied.


    ¡°Nobles live and die by their gossip,¡± Nami said, sitting beside Talia on the extremely fluffy bed. ¡°You need to learn to push them away¡ªpeople get really bored between lessons.¡±


    Talia really wanted to ask how Nami knew so much if she had just come to the Academy herself.


    More importantly, why had she come together with her younger sister? Why not come before, when she actually turned sixteen?


    But Talia didn¡¯t want to pry ¨C she had just listened to Nami¡¯s explanation about nobles being nosy and she wanted to avoid picking up such a bad habit right as she arrived.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll talk to the senior students and the servants. I¡¯ll let everyone know not to bother you too much. Just know that some will still be interested in knowing you. Your mother¡­ she was the most special H¨¡kai P¨­ anyone has ever seen, Talia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Talia smiled.


    ¡°Now, though, you must go meet Elder Krakatoa. Usually, a senior student would help you choose which classes to attend for your first-year graduation. However, given your status, you must see an Elder. It would be shameful for the Academy to send anyone else.¡±


    Talia nodded along, her head still reeling.


    ***


    Nami led Talia through the complex of Elder Krakatoa''s School.


    The hallways were wide, high-ceiled, and airy, making Talia feel tiny.


    As they walked, she kept marveling at the scale of the building.


    Compared to the humble dwellings of Solara, this was a world apart.


    Students in uniforms with a volcano emblem on their hearts walked past them, some nodding respectfully at Nami and casting curious glances at Talia.


    ¡°We get the School¡¯s uniform in the second year,¡± Nami explained. ¡°The first-years wear simple ones.¡±


    As they were going through a long, empty corridor, Talia heard a voice.


    She casually turned her head around but found no one there.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Talia heard some unintelligible words again coming from the wall.


    At that point, she halted in her tracks.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Talia asked, pointing at a faucet that stuck out above a marble basin carved out from the wall. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°...on the third floor, in the library... at midnight¡­ they kissed!¡±


    ¡°That faucet,¡± Talia said, pointing. ¡°It''s... talking?¡±


    Nami''s expression cleared, and she let out a small laugh. ¡°Oh, that! It''s a Whisper Spout. They''re all over the School. This is probably a three-way one or more.¡±


    Nami moved her ear closer to the faucet and smirked.


    ¡°They¡¯re gossiping about a senior kissing a first-year student.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s a Whisper Spout?¡± Talia asked, intrigued.


    ¡°They''re enchanted water fixtures. Students use them to pass messages or share gossip. It''s much faster than sending notes and harder for professors to intercept.¡±


    Talia''s eyes widened with understanding.


    ¡°So, anyone can use them to send messages?¡±


    ¡°Well, not just anyone,¡± Nami explained. ¡°Nothing happens if I just talk in it. Otherwise, they¡¯d be overhearing our conversation right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how do you use it, then?¡±


    ¡°You need to know the right key. Each Whisper Spout has a different one. It''s usually a simple spell, but they¡¯re secret. You have to trade with a Secret Dealer to get the keys.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    Talia stared at the Whisper Spout, fascinated by this new piece of Academy magic.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Nami said gently, tugging at Talia''s sleeve. ¡°I¡¯ll explain at another time. We don''t want to keep Elder Krakatoa waiting. I promise I''ll tell you more about the Whisper Spouts later.¡±


    Talia nodded, tearing her gaze away from the talking faucet.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ***


    Nami led Talia to a large wooden door at the end of a hallway.


    She knocked twice and opened it, ushering Talia inside before closing the door behind her.


    Elder Krakatoa''s study was spacious and meticulously organized.


    Bookshelves lined the walls, all filled with neatly arranged tomes and scrolls.


    A large desk dominated the center of the room. It had a polished surface and was almost completely empty except for a single stack of papers and an inkwell.


    The light streamed in through the tall windows, highlighting the room''s spotless condition.


    After the mess Talia had seen on Professor Iakopo¡¯s ship, this almost made her do a double take.


    A quick thought bounced into her head.


    This is the second strongest man in the Academy.


    Elder Krakatoa sat behind the desk, reading a book that levitated in front of him.


    His crimson robe was carefully draped over the back of his chair ¨C he was wearing rather simple leathers for someone of his stature.


    Without his robes, Talia could fully see that his magma arm extended past his elbow and up to his shoulder socket.


    ¡°Ah, Talia. Come in, come in,¡± Krakatoa said, waving at her with his good hand. ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    Talia sat in one of the two chairs facing the desk.


    ¡°Nami, would you mind waiting for her outside? I would like you to show her the rest of our School, including where to have meals.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Vice-Principal,¡± Nami bowed and made herself scarce.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Krakatoa said, leaning forward. ¡°I imagine you have questions.¡±


    Talia nodded.


    ¡°Why did you help me? You don''t even know me¡ªis it just because of my mother?¡±


    Krakatoa''s eyes crinkled as he smiled.


    ¡°Just because of your mother? That''s more than enough for me.¡± He paused, studying her face. ¡°Though I admit, you look more like your father.¡±


    ¡°You knew my father too?¡± Talia asked, surprised.


    The Elder''s expression darkened slightly.


    ¡°That''s... a complicated matter. One for another time, perhaps.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°For now, let''s focus on you. Your Primary Mana Channel ¨C it''s not at the level it should be, is it?¡±


    Talia shook her head, looking down at her hands.


    ¡°I see,¡± Krakatoa said. He didn''t sound surprised. ¡°Well, we''ll have to do something about that, won''t we?¡±


    ¡°You knew, right?¡± Talia frowned.


    Elder Krakatoa nodded.


    ¡°I had the report from Solara. Captain Tulo pegged your Primary Mana Channel at a Level Zero. It is a very unlikely event. Almost unique.¡±


    The Elder smiled widely.


    ¡°But I can see, through these,¡± the man tapped on his rose-tinted spectacles, ¡°that it is not Level Zero anymore¡ªnot fully Level One, though. Would you mind telling me which encounters made you jump a whole level but not quite?¡±


    Talia pondered for a second whether to tell the man or not, but she knew that the secret of her Class would sooner or later emerge anyway.


    In fact, more than one person had already seen her use [Blood Siphon].


    For all she knew, Elder Krakatoa might be testing her to see if she would tell him the truth. It wasn¡¯t crazy to imagine the man had his way of getting the information he needed and that he had already read a report of some kind on her.


    ¡°I can absorb monsters and, sometimes, I can get their abilities in the form of Skills. Every time I kill a monster close to my level, I can absorb it, and it increases an Attribute and my Primary Mana Channel.¡±


    A ripple went through the man¡¯s volcanic arm, and his eyes widened.


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m afraid it might be because of my wrists¡­ Maybe I¡¯m cursed by the Kraken¡­¡±


    Talia expected confirmation from the man or, at the very least, an admonition for her nature.


    Instead, all she got was a big, hearty laugh.


    ¡°What?!¡± The man wheezed. ¡°Darling, I don¡¯t want to make fun of your intellect, but that is nonsense. You won¡¯t turn into the Kraken anytime soon, I can tell you that without any shadow of a doubt.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Talia rebuked defensively.


    ¡°Because I was there, remember? Captain Tulo found you after your mother had disappeared. But I was there. I fought alongside your mother the very beast which you¡¯re afraid might share your blood. And I can tell you, without any doubt, that you¡¯re not going to turn into a monster. Ever.


    ¡°Never forget that.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa''s eyes flashed, a molten red glow overtaking their usual color.


    The temperature in the room suddenly spiked, causing sweat to bead on Talia''s forehead.


    The Elder''s volcanic arm pulsed with an angry, fiery light.


    ¡°Never,¡± he growled, his voice low and intense, ¡°let anyone tell you that you''re cursed or that you''ll become a monster. You are Yalena''s daughter.¡±


    A ripple of Mana was contained in the man''s last words, and Talia almost jumped from her seat, feeling the overwhelming power held within them.


    The air around them seemed to shimmer with heat, and Talia could swear she saw the faintest outline of flames dancing around Elder Krakatoa''s form.


    But as quickly as it had come, the intensity faded.


    The room swiftly cooled, and Elder Krakatoa''s eyes returned to normal.


    He took a deep breath, visibly calming himself.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said, his voice returning to its usual tone. ¡°It... pains me to think of how you''ve been treated ¡ª I received a report on that as well and oversaw the punishment of the idiots who would have stopped you from taking the test.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Talia cleared her voice, suddenly remembering Noelo and the fact that the old man had mentioned an Elder who had wanted to bar her from coming to the Academy. ¡°I heard that there was an Elder involved in that?¡±


    Krakatoa nodded gravely.


    ¡°I am not certain who¡¯s behind it. At the moment, there are only three Elders at the Academy, including me. The others are on a mission inside Dungeons and fighting Abyssal Creatures. Such an order might have come from anyone¡ªthe ones who were punished for trying to reject you weren¡¯t members of any School, which would have given away the Elder¡­ so, we don¡¯t know who was.¡±


    Talia frowned.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry,¡± Elder Krakatoa said reassuringly. ¡°I will personally take care of this. You¡¯re under my protection, Talia. And whether you decide to leave for another School or not, you can always come to me with your problems.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Your mother was an extraordinary woman, Talia. She had a way of seeing things in ways no one else could. I hope you¡¯ll develop that same quality, even though¡­¡±


    He paused, his eyes growing distant for a moment. ¡°You know, there was this time when your mother¡­¡±


    Elder Krakatoa trailed off, shaking his head with a small smile. ¡°But that''s a story for another day. We should focus on your future here at the Academy.¡±


    Leaning forward, he clasped his hands on the desk, though Talia noticed a faint wisp of steam rising from where his volcanic arm touched the wood.


    ¡°Now, about the Schools. As I¡¯ve already said, you''re not obligated to choose mine, though I''d be honored to have you. The beauty of our system is that you have options. If you decide to stay with us, you won''t need to take any additional tests. But the choice is yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be shameless, Elder Krakatoa,¡± Talia said sheepishly, ¡°but would you tell me which Schools are currently the best and what options you think I might have?¡±


    ¡°Shameless?¡± The man laughed, reclining on the chair. ¡°You¡¯re just being smart.¡±


    Then, he pointed at the wall to his left, and Talia saw four banners hanging there.


    ¡°There are four Schools that compete for the Academy¡¯s resources at the moment. That¡¯s mine,¡± the man said, pointing at the first on the right.


    It had a black volcano, Elder Krakatoa¡¯s sigil, embroidered on a scarlet background.


    ¡°We won last year¡¯s Academy¡¯s competitions for almost all grades, and our students placed first in almost all classes. You could say that, currently, we¡¯re the strongest.¡±


    The man continued, this time pointing at another banner.


    This one had a silver star on a deep blue background.


    ¡°That¡¯s Elder Kahua¡¯s School. Right now, they¡¯re our only real adversary. They have fewer people, but, including your sister, they have some remarkable members.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa looked at the banner for a moment longer.


    ¡°To be quite frank, I do expect you to evaluate them as your second-best option. Our first-year students will carry the most weight in the competition this year. I suspect that whoever might get you on their side will be the favorite.¡±


    Without giving Talia time to reply or even blush, the man continued.


    ¡°These two are Lady Naia¡¯s School,¡± he pointed at a green banner with a sea snake on it, ¡°and Elder Kawena.¡± The man pointed at a yellow banner with a red sun.


    ¡°However, Elder Kawena is away, and her School is not that popular. She¡¯s been away for five years now, an entire graduation cycle.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Talia said, not knowing an Elder could be away from the Academy for that long.


    ¡°Lady Naia is Principal Kaimana¡¯s proteg¨¦, but she¡¯s only at the Tide Master level. She¡¯ll be an Elder one day, but for now, she doesn¡¯t have enough pull to be a threat to my School or Elder Kahua¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°That means it¡¯s either you or Elder Kahua if I want to be in a strong school with a lot of resources,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Elder Krakatoa responded. ¡°You should talk to your sister, maybe take Elder Kahua¡¯s test, and then make a decision.¡±


    Talia nodded.


    ¡°And what about the classes?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Krakatoa said, reaching for a sheet of paper. The parchment curled slightly at the edges as his fingers brushed it. ¡°You''ll need to choose your courses. Given your unique weapon,¡± he nodded at the glaive, ¡°I''d strongly recommend my Weaponry class. It''s good for one of the three mandatory slots you need to fill to graduate from the first year.


    ¡°As another option, I''d suggest Abyssal Survival with Elder Kahua. It''s a combat and survival class that could prove invaluable, especially given your... unique situation. You¡¯ll have to take Missions and slay as many monsters as you can to grow stronger.¡±


    Talia nodded at that, and Elder Krakatoa continued.


    ¡°Those would fill two of your three required courses. For the third, well, I¡¯ll leave that up to you. What subjects interest you most, Talia?¡±

 Chapter 29 – The Others

    Fiora stared at the blank walls of her small dormitory room, fighting back tears of frustration.


    This wasn''t how it was supposed to go.


    She was meant to dazzle everyone with her talents and secure a spot in a prestigious School right from the start.


    Instead, she found herself relegated to the common residences ¨C just another face in the crowd of unremarkable students.


    The small room was functional but pitiful - it had a narrow bed, a simple desk, and a small wardrobe.


    It was a far cry from the opulent accommodations she had imagined for herself.


    The window offered a view of another window close by.


    A soft knock at the door pulled Fiora out of her brooding thoughts.


    She quickly wiped her eyes, composing herself before calling out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door creaked open, revealing Talia.


    Fiora''s heart clenched at the sight of her ¨C the girl who had so effortlessly captured the attention and admiration that Fiora had craved for her abilities.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Talia said, her voice tentative. ¡°I wanted to check on you. How are you settling in?¡±


    Fiora forced a smile that didn''t reach her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, you know. It''s cozy,¡± the blonde said with sarcasm dripping from her every word.


    Talia shifted uncomfortably, clearly aware of the tension between them.


    ¡°Listen, I talked to Elder Krakatoa. He said I could bring a friend to visit the School. I thought maybe you''d like to come. It could be a good opportunity to meet the others again and-¡±


    ¡°And what?¡± Fiora interrupted, her voice sharp. ¡°To see what I''m missing out on? To be paraded around as your charity case?¡±


    Talia''s eyes widened. ¡°What? No, Fiora, that''s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Save it,¡± Fiora snapped, turning away. ¡°I don''t need your pity, Talia. I don''t need you to hold my hand and introduce me to all your new, important friends. I''ll make my own.¡±


    ¡°Fiora, please,¡± Talia pleaded. ¡°It''s not like that. The people there, they''re not-¡±


    ¡°Not what? Not looking down on me?¡° Fiora''s voice cracked slightly, betraying the hurt beneath her anger. ¡°I saw how they all looked at me. I''m not stupid, Talia.¡±


    Talia took a step forward, her hand outstretched. ¡°That''s not true. You can join the School, trust me. Just come. Don¡¯t be stupid, Fiora.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Fiora said firmly, squaring her shoulders. ¡°I appreciate the offer. But I''m going to do this on my own. I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help. Not even yours.¡±


    The silence that followed was heavy.


    Finally, Talia nodded ruefully.


    ¡°Okay. If that''s what you want. But Fiora, if you change your mind...¡±


    ¡°I won''t,¡± Fiora said, her tone final. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Fiora pushed Talia out and slammed the door in her face.


    ***


    Out in the corridor, Talia leaned against the wall by Fiora¡¯s door.


    She hadn''t expected Fiora to react so strongly and to be so hurt by what had happened.


    A pang of guilt twisted in her stomach as she realized how Fiora must have felt, watching Talia be welcomed with open arms while she was left on the sidelines.


    The truth was, the people from the Moana Family hadn''t been as dismissive of Fiora as the blonde seemed to think.


    Talia had spoken to Nami and Lilo about it, and they had explained that nobles were often wary of non-nobles who approached them too eagerly.


    It wasn''t personal ¨C it was a defense mechanism against the constant barrage of people trying to curry favors and secure a spot in their School.


    ¡°It''s hard to get into a good School from day one,¡± Nami had explained. ¡°Everyone wants to make connections, to find a way in. We have to be careful, or we''ll be overwhelmed.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ***


    Takai flopped onto the narrow bed in his small dormitory room with a contented sigh escaping his lips.


    Unlike some of the other recruits, he wasn''t bothered by the modest accommodation.


    After all, it was still a significant upgrade from the simple hut he''d shared with his mother back on Solara.


    He stretched out, marveling at the novelty of having a place all to himself.


    A grin spread across his face as he thought about the events that had led him here.


    Just days ago, he''d been a nobody on a backwater island.


    Now, he was a student at the prestigious Water Riders Academy.


    Takai''s thoughts drifted to the impressive displays of power he''d witnessed since arriving.


    A part of him wondered if he truly belonged among such talented individuals.


    But then, he remembered the rush of using [Silver Mist] during the test on the ship and the way his body had moved in such a way that he had stunned himself.


    Maybe I do have what it takes, he mused.


    Takai wasn''t overly concerned with which School he might join or what others thought of him.


    His main worry was whether any School would want him at all.


    He chuckled to himself, imagining begging a minor School to take him in.


    At least then I''d have somewhere to belong, he thought. It doesn''t matter if it''s not the most prestigious one. I just want to learn.


    A sudden knock at the door interrupted his musings.


    Curious, Takai got up and opened it, revealing a well-dressed man with a kind but serious expression.


    ¡°Takai Solara?¡± the man asked, his tone respectful.


    Takai nodded, slightly taken aback by the formal address.


    ¡°I come with a message from Principal Kaimana,¡± the man continued. ¡°He extends an invitation for you to join his School.¡±


    Takai''s jaw dropped. ¡°P-Principal Kaimana? But... why me?¡±


    The man smiled.


    ¡°The Principal acknowledges that his School isn''t in competition for the grand prizes of the Academy. However, he feels that you, in particular, would be best suited under his tutelage.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Takai asked, still stunned by the offer.


    ¡°The Principal will explain more,¡± the man replied. ¡°However, as his trusted aide, I can tell you this: Principal Kaimana once taught your father, the Sword Demon.¡±


    Takai felt as if the floor had dropped out from beneath him.


    His father ¨C the infamous Sword Demon ¨C had been taught by Principal Kaimana himself?


    ¡°I... I don''t know what to say,¡± Takai stammered.


    The aide smiled kindly.


    ¡°You don''t have to decide immediately. Take some time to consider the offer. Principal Kaimana will be happy to meet with you and answer any questions you might have.¡±


    As the aide turned to leave, Takai found his voice again.


    ¡°Wait! Please... tell the Principal I''m honored. And that I look forward to speaking with him.¡±


    The man nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes.


    ¡°I''ll convey your message. Welcome to the Academy, Takai.¡±


    Whatever Takai had expected from his time at the Academy, this certainly wasn''t it.


    ***


    Riala stood by the window of her private quarters in Elder Kahua''s School.


    Her fingers absently traced the intricate star patterns embroidered on her sleeve ¨C the mark of her status as a top student.


    She should have felt proud and accomplished.


    After all, she had worked tirelessly to earn her place here.


    Yet, as she watched the groups of students milling about below, her thoughts kept drifting back to her encounter with Talia earlier that day.


    ¡°Stupid girl,¡± Riala muttered, shaking her head. ¡°What was she thinking, trying to cheat on the entrance exam?¡±


    But even as the words left her lips, doubt gnawed at her.


    Could Talia have been telling the truth about her Primary Mana Channel?


    It seemed impossible ¨C Talia was Yalena''s daughter, just like her, after all.


    She should have inherited their mother''s immense talent.


    Then again, Talia had always been... different.


    She had always been hyperactive, challenging, and arrogant. Her younger sister had always had knack for getting herself into trouble.


    A soft knock interrupted Riala''s brooding. ¡°Come in,¡± she called, turning from the window.


    The door opened to reveal Elder Kahua.


    His silver hair gleamed in the late afternoon light, and his piercing gray eyes fixed on Riala with their usual intensity.


    ¡°Master,¡± Riala said, bowing her head respectfully. ¡°To what do I owe the honor?¡±


    Kahua''s lips quirked into a small smile.


    ¡°Can''t an old man check on his most prized student?¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± Riala asked, dumbfounded by the man¡¯s attempt at being humorous.


    Seeing that his attempt to lighten the atmosphere didn¡¯t have the desired effect, Elder Kahua¡¯s expression grew more serious.


    ¡°I wanted to discuss your sister''s arrival.¡±


    Riala tensed.


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°You seemed... unsettled during her examination,¡± Kahua observed. ¡°Is there something I should know?¡±


    For a moment, Riala considered telling the truth to her mentor.


    But the memory of Talia''s desperate plea stopped her.


    Whatever was going on with her sister, she couldn''t betray that trust ¨C not yet, at least.


    ¡°It''s nothing, Master,¡± Riala said, forcing a smile. ¡°Just surprised to see her, that''s all.¡±


    Kahua''s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn''t press the issue.


    ¡°I see. Well, I hope you''ll keep an eye on her.¡±


    ¡°Of course, master,¡± Riala nodded.


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have come here, Riala,¡± the man commented cryptically.


    ¡°I know,¡± Riala nodded, looking away. ¡°I know.¡±


    ***


    Keanu was tucked away in his room.


    He pulled out a small, iridescent shell from his pocket, bringing it close to his lips.


    ¡°I''m in,¡± he whispered. The shell pulsed with a faint blue light in response.


    A voice, barely audible, emanated from the shell. ¡°Good. And the target?¡±


    ¡°Confirmed. She''s here, just as we predicted. Elder Krakatoa''s taken her under his wing.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the voice mused. ¡°Keep close to her. Gain her trust.¡±


    Keanu''s jaw tightened.


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°You know your orders. Do not deviate from the plan.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Keanu replied, his tone neutral.


    The shell''s glow faded.


    Keanu tucked it away, his expression troubled.


    With a deep breath, he closed his eyes, focusing inward.


    He whispered an incantation, and a shimmering veil seemed to lift from his face.


    When Keanu opened his eyes again, they were no longer the deep brown they had been moments ago.


    Instead, they shone with an otherworldly blue ¨C the same shade as Talia''s.


    He blinked several times and rubbed his face. Then, he re-applied the spell, and his eyes returned to normal.


    Straightening his uniform, Keanu stepped out of his room, blending seamlessly into the Academy¡¯s crowd.

 Chapter 30 – Weaponry

    ¡°Abyssal Survival with Elder Kahua and Weaponry with you?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°That is my suggestion,¡± Elder Krakatoa smiled. ¡°You have three spots to fill, and few courses qualify for them. Did you already have an idea of what to pick, or would you like for me to suggest one more? I hear that this year, Lady Naia will be teaching Ench¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mana Control,¡± Talia said curtly. ¡°With Professor Iakopo.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa winced at that.


    ¡°Darling,¡± Elder Krakatoa seemed almost embarrassed, ¡°I would strongly advise against that.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mana Control a requirement to graduate?¡± Talia frowned.


    That¡¯s what Professor Iakopo had told her, at least.


    ¡°Because of Professor Iakopo not being affiliated with any School and the abysmal passing rates of his class, it¡¯s usually considered a must for most ambitious students. The points each School earns are also based on how difficult and impartial the various classes are. And, well, the top student of Professor Iakopo¡¯s class gathers as many points as the next top ten classes.¡±


    Talia frowned at that figure.


    ¡°So, if I joined your School, why wouldn¡¯t you want me there? I have better Mana Control than my sister.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± Elder Krakatoa coughed. ¡°But you see, Professor Iakopo really prides himself on being the harshest, which he can only do because, again, he¡¯s not affiliated with any School. If he were, some Elder would pressure him into making the class easier. Now, that said, imagine how he would feel about someone who allowed for two-thirds of the Initiated students to pass his test ¨C a test that normally has a less than 10% passing rate.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that because of what I did on the boat, he now hates me?¡±


    Elder Krakatoa hesitated, and Talia prodded further.


    ¡°I have the impression that Professor Iakopo had it out for me from the start, Elder. And not just because of the first test he gave us.¡±


    Talia didn¡¯t mention the fact that she believed the Professor had actively tried to sabotage her during the test.


    Weirdly enough, Elder Krakatoa didn¡¯t seem willing to speak on the matter.


    ¡°Is it because he has some history with my mother?¡± Talia frowned, remembering the portrait Professor Iakopo had shown her. ¡°Were they rivals?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Krakatoa nodded with a careful tone. ¡°See, Professor Iakopo was a Promised Slayer. Well, the Promised Slayer.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t grown up around nobles, so it¡¯s only natural you don¡¯t know. You¡¯ve met Lilo, Nami¡¯s sister, am I correct?¡± The man asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Each Great Family designs their greatest talent for the consumption of all their resources¡ªmoney, artifacts, consumables, everything you can think of.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa took a mouthful of air.


    ¡°They¡¯ll choose a Promised Slayer every twenty to forty years. Lilo is the current Chosen for the Moana Family. Professor Iakopo¡­ his relationship with his family is beyond strained by now, but he¡¯s part of the K¨¡ne Family, Talia.¡±


    The man let the words hang.


    Talia¡¯s eyes widened.


    She had brushed up her knowledge of the Great Families on the trip, and she knew that while the Moana Family was the strongest in the Eastern Deep, the K¨¡ne Family was the strongest family in the North Deep and, by extension, in the Four Seas.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo is really part of the K¨¡ne Family?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t reconcile that wretched man with the legendary tales of a Great Family that allegedly had more than twenty Kraken Slayers under their name, including the first Slayer of all, K¨¡ne.


    ¡°Not only that,¡± the Elder sighed. ¡°He was the star child of the main branch of the family. Plus, being the Chosen for the K¨¡ne Family means that you¡¯re sure to become a Kraken Slayer. No one before Iakopo had ever been selected as Chosen and then not killed the Scourge of the Deep at least once¡ªthat¡¯s how powerful a Chosen is.¡±


    ¡°But what does that have to do with my mother?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°Every Promised Slayer - every Chosen - has a Shield and a Retinue,¡± Elder Krakatoa started explaining. ¡°A Shield¡¯s job, usually befalling on the second strongest sibling of the main family branch, is to protect the Promised Slayer until they mature into a real powerhouse. This is because at lower levels, like Level 10 or Level 20, the difference between the fighters is not as marked as, say, someone at Level 60 and someone at Level 70. A Retinue can be selected from a more removed family, which is why the young Lilo has her three cousins following her around.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What did my mother do?¡± Talia frowned. ¡°What did she do that Professor Iakopo hates me? Did she just steal his place as the Kraken Slayer?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, dear,¡± Elder Krakatoa sighed. ¡°There were other Promised Slayers in your mother¡¯s generation. It¡¯s an honor to grow strong enough to slay the Kraken, but it¡¯s not what drove Iakopo to¡­¡±


    The man let his words trail.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Then what was it?¡±


    Elder Krakatoa sighed and wetted his lips.


    ¡°Understand, please, that this is a matter that should not be spoken of lightly, Talia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder,¡± Talia said impatiently.


    ¡°Your mother is the one responsible for the death of Iakopo¡¯s Shield, his older sister, and his entire Retinue, which was composed of his younger siblings and his aunt.¡±


    ¡°H¡ªhow?¡± Talia almost choked on her own spit when she heard that.


    ¡°I am not at liberty to discuss what your mother did. Not for now, at least. But just know that your mother almost single-handedly ended the main branch of the K¨¡ne Family, Talia.¡±


    ***


    Elder Krakatoa had Talia promise him thrice that she wouldn¡¯t talk about this with anyone, especially not Professor Iakopo.


    For some reason, even the Elder seemed preoccupied with what the Professor would do in case Talia went ahead and provoked him.


    Despite that, however, she had stubbornly decided to still join the man¡¯s Mana Control class.


    If he was really a good Professor, she would learn.


    And if the occasion arose to show him her own incredible Mana Control, she¡¯d happily humiliate the man and get the first ranking in his class.


    Elder Krakatoa had tried to dissuade her, but he didn¡¯t realize that making her change her mind about this only motivated her further.


    Not only was Talia¡¯s greatest gift her control over her Mana, especially after putting one Talent Tree Point into [Crimson Sage], which had resulted in her getting [Crimson Wisdom], but also because this was clearly the kind of crucible she could use to forge herself into a stronger individual and closer to the ideal she was chasing.


    So what if her mother had somewhat caused the death of the Professor¡¯s family?


    Talia knew that her mother was a hero and that she would have never killed them in cold blood or without a reason.


    As far as she knew, it was likely that Yalena had brought Iakopo and his family members into a dangerous Dungeon and that maybe they had chickened out or something.


    ***


    ¡°So, Talia,¡± Lilo chirped, her eyes sparkling, ¡°what do you think of the Academy so far?¡±


    Talia hesitated, still overwhelmed by the luxury of her new surroundings. ¡°It''s... different,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°Very different from Solara.¡±


    The sisters had insisted on escorting her to her first Weaponry class, claiming it was their duty as her new friends to show her around.


    Nami chuckled.


    ¡°I can imagine. It must be quite the change from a small island to... all this.¡±


    She gestured expansively at the ornate hallways around them.


    ¡°Lilo,¡± Talia began cautiously, ¡°I heard that you''re... a Promised Slayer?¡±


    Lilo''s cheeks flushed slightly, but she nodded.


    ¡°Do you mind me asking, like, what that means?¡± Talia frowned. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Nami took over and started explaining in a droning voice.


    ¡°Being a Promised Slayer means that consuming the right elixirs and potions before being Initiated and spending time in an extremely Mana-rich environment while practicing the right techniques will raise your Primary and Secondary Mana Channel Affinities. But even the Great Families only have so much they can invest. Usually, while everyone receives some form of allowance, the bulk of the resources is concentrated on the Chosen, the one Promised Slayer.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me for my ignorance,¡± Talia said warily, ¡°but does that mean that, basically, every Kraken Slayer is a Chosen from a Great Family?¡±


    This time, it was Lilo answering.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the younger girl nodded, putting a strand of her jet-black hair behind her ear. ¡°Do you know what the average Primary Mana Channel of a member of a Great Family is?¡±


    Talia shook her head.


    ¡°Four. Level Four,¡± Lilo explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good?¡±


    ¡°Let me contextualize this for you,¡± Nami interjected, ¡°only one person in one hundred naturally awakens a Level Four Primary Mana Channel after being Initiated.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow,¡± Talia frowned. ¡°How is it possible that you guys have such an advantage then?¡±


    ¡°You and your sister inherited your mother¡¯s talent, no?¡± Lilo smiled. ¡°You are the first generation, one degree removed from the Kraken Slayer. Affinities are developed in one¡¯s blood and passed down through birth, together with a part of the strength of the parents¡¯ Mana Channels, no matter if Primary or Secondary. However, the more removed one is from their strongest ancestor, the more their blood thins out.¡±


    ¡°The Great Families must place themselves in great danger every generation to try and prevent the ones closest to the main bloodline from dying,¡± Nami continued. ¡°If we don¡¯t prove to be the strongest, we would lose our spot¡ªand together with that, we would lose the ability to reliably create Slayers and strong Water Riders. If enough Great Families fell in disrepair, as it happened to the current generation of the K¨¡ne Family, the Kraken would eventually destroy everything.¡±


    Talia finally understood what the girls were explaining.


    Essentially, without the guarantee that someone would arise from the Great Families as the next Kraken Slayer, it wouldn¡¯t be guaranteed that they would be able to stop the Kraken when it inevitably returned.


    ¡°I see,¡± Talia said thoughtfully. ¡°So being a Promised Slayer comes with a lot of responsibility.¡±


    Lilo nodded solemnly. ¡°It''s an honor but also a heavy burden. The fate of so many rests on our shoulders.¡±


    ¡°Does a Kraken Slayer usually kill the Kraken more than once?¡±


    Lilo nodded.


    ¡°A Kraken Slayer can usually kill the Kraken two times reliably. Very few have gone beyond four. Your mother was one of the very few to die against the Scourge of the Deep the first time around, but she was also the only one to neutralize the Kraken for this long.¡±


    ¡°Even though most Great Families believe the Kraken might come back, many still believe that your mother might have killed it for good,¡± Nami added.


    ¡°If a Slayer killed the Kraken once, why can¡¯t they keep killing it?¡±


    ¡°The Scourge learns,¡± Lilo said with a low voice. ¡°It learns your spells, your skills, and by the third time you face it, it will have a counter for whatever you throw at it.¡±


    ¡°Some Slayers tried alternating, thinking they would keep the Kraken from learning too much all at once,¡± the younger sister continued. ¡°But that almost led to the destruction of the entire Great Archipelago. The Scourge slowly forgets the counters, sort of resetting the cycle. But if more than one Slayer goes against it at once or even in succession, the Kraken will not grow any weaker, and it will learn from both.¡±


    ¡°If all the Great Families attacked the Scourge at once,¡± Nami clarified, ¡°it would make it so strong that we could all die. That¡¯s why we have a Chosen, a Shield, and a Retinue. And that¡¯s why only the Chosen is usually allowed to attack the Scourge of the Deep directly.¡±


    ¡°How did my mother do it without a Shield?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°She did have one by the time she faced the Kraken,¡± Nami said. ¡°It was Elder Krakatoa¡ªthey say the man lost his arm to buy enough time for your mother to unleash the most powerful spell the Great Archipelago has ever witnessed¡ªthey say the sky blackened over the entire Archipelago, that the ground trembled, and the sun didn¡¯t rise the next day. That¡¯s why so many think the Kraken might be dead for good.¡±


    Talia felt pride surge in her heart.


    Unfortunately, she also knew that her mother hadn¡¯t actually killed the monster since she had seen it for herself.


    I¡¯ll show you, Mom, she thought, I¡¯ll be the next one. And I¡¯ll finish the job this time.


    ***


    The Weaponry classroom was unlike anything Talia had ever seen.


    It was a vast, circular arena with high ceilings and walls lined with every imaginable type of weapon.


    In the center stood Elder Krakatoa, his volcanic arm pulsing with barely contained energy.


    ¡°Welcome, students!¡± his voice boomed through the space. ¡°Today, you begin your journey into the art of wielding weapons imbued with magic.¡±


    As the class gathered around, Elder Krakatoa''s eyes fell on Talia and her glaive.


    A small smile played on his lips.


    ¡°Now then, who would like to demonstrate their weapon skills to the class?¡± he asked.


    Before Talia could even consider volunteering, Lilo''s hand shot into the air.


    ¡°I would, Elder Krakatoa!¡±

 Chapter 31 – Tempest Water

    Lilo stepped forward.


    Talia could see an intensity in her eyes that the rather diminutive girl hadn¡¯t displayed before.


    In fact, even though Lilo was quite a bit smaller than her older sister, Nami, she displayed an imposing aura that made her feel larger than she actually was.


    If Talia had to really think about it, it had looked almost counterintuitive that it was Lilo, not Nami, who was the Promised Slayer, the chosen one.


    However, as Lilo stepped forward, an aura blossomed around her, as if her Mana was visibly boiling.


    That instantly made it clear to Talia that she had been evaluating only the girl¡¯s appearance and not the substance.


    Elder Krakatoa himself nodded as his gaze swept over the Promised Slayer of the Moana Family.


    Talia thought that the man must have been extremely happy and satisfied that she was in his school.


    In fact, she should have asked more about how valuable it was to have a Promised Slayer in one¡¯s ranks.


    The Elder looked around the classroom, his eyes sweeping across the students.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, ¡°who shall assist Lilo in this demonstration?¡±


    No one came forward.


    Talia actually considered making her way to the front to confront the little girl and see how strong she was for herself.


    The thought of experiencing what a strong noble such as Lilo was capable of excited her.


    But Elder Krakatoa was clearly setting this up to be a display of knowledge on Lilo¡¯s behalf more than an actual duel.


    Talia felt her mother¡¯s glaive hanging on her back, its weight resting right on her shoulders.


    She knew that Lilo was probably armed to the teeth by the Moana family, but she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how her Soul Weapon would stack against the sword Lilo held by her side.


    Talia thought that, perhaps, now that her father had unlocked Star Glaive¡¯s potential, she might be able to give herself quite the display of, well, as the course put it, weaponry.


    But before she could muster up the resolve to step forward and challenge Lilo, something unexpected happened.


    ¡°Well, it looks like we have a legacy name with us. Why don¡¯t you come forward?¡±


    With that, Elder Krakatoa extended his hand, and every person in the classroom turned.


    He was pointing at Takai.


    Talia hadn¡¯t even noticed that her friend had come to the class.


    Takai looked frazzled by the attention.


    He stuttered, ¡°Elder Krakatoa, I¡¯m not sure¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Elder Krakatoa cut him off with a kind tone. ¡°Step forward, son. Your father wielded some of the greatest artifacts this Academy has ever seen¡ªand probably still does. He always had a soft spot for magical weapons. If he wasn¡¯t out there being a criminal, trust me, I would praise him even more. Few people had such an intimate relationship with a sword like your father. Since you and Lilo both wield swords, you¡¯re a good match to introduce the course. This is just a demonstration, after all.¡±


    Takai¡¯s eyes were wide with surprise, and the mention of his father had somehow spooked him. But still, he nodded and stepped into the center of the arena to face Lilo, drawing the plain sword he carried with him.


    Lilo drew her sword, a slender, thin blade that seemed to shimmer with an inner white light.


    ¡°Pay close attention,¡± Elder Krakatoa addressed the class. ¡°Lilo will demonstrate the basics of integrating Mana into swordplay without any skills. She, like most of her family, wields Tempest Water.¡±


    Talia had heard of Tempest Water when researching the Great Families.


    Like Takai¡¯s Silver Water, Tempest Water was mostly an enhancement-geared affinity.


    However, unlike Silver Water, which was completely geared toward enhancement and crowd control, Tempest Water presented great offensive capabilities.


    On top of that, it was strictly an offensive affinity with close to no defensive capabilities.


    It was extremely hard to wield properly, but if one managed to master Tempest Water, it was among the most dangerous affinities to face.


    When fighting a wielder of Tempest Water, death could come in the blink of an eye, before you could even notice your own demise.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Lilo closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    When she opened them again, there was a faint, deep blue glow emanating from her sword.


    The air around her began to shimmer in earnest as if heat was rising from her body. Most importantly, the shimmer seemed to be concentrated, especially around her sword, where the very space seemed to distort.


    ¡°Begin,¡± Elder Krakatoa¡¯s voice rang out.


    What followed was less a duel and more a display of overwhelming skill.


    Lilo moved with incredible speed, closing the distance between her and Takai in a flash.


    Takai, even before they crossed swords, and despite his own heritage as the son of the Sword Demon, seemed completely outmatched.


    He barely managed to parry Lilo¡¯s first strike, with the clash of the blades sounding more like the clap of thunder.


    The boy backstepped and awkwardly parried two more strikes.


    But Lilo¡¯s attack was relentless.


    There were miniature whirlwinds forming around her blade, enhancing its speed and power.


    Takai stumbled back again and again, struggling to keep up with the simple slashes that Lilo was unleashing.


    Even without using any skills, Lilo¡¯s attacks contained power that Takai could currently only dream of.


    Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the arena.


    Takai¡¯s sword, unable to withstand the force of Lilo¡¯s Tempest Water-enhanced strikes, had developed a large fissure along its length.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Elder Krakatoa called a halt to the demonstration, and Talia watched as Takai stared at his damaged weapon, shocked.


    We need to do something about that, Talia thought.


    The herbs that Alani gave her to sell at the Academy would perhaps buy Takai a better artifact.


    Talia didn¡¯t really need the money.


    She had a powerful class and weapon that convinced her she didn¡¯t need to spend a single coin on herself for now.


    Her mother hadn¡¯t left her any money that she knew of, but she was confident that completing missions would be enough to net her a small fortune.


    Water Riders, despite all the resources that they needed, rarely went broke since there were so few of them and because so many kept dying on dangerous missions.


    Thankfully, those dangerous, deadly missions often had large rewards, though.


    Elder Krakatoa stepped closer to Takai and, as if by magic, fished a sword out of his sleeve, giving it to him.


    ¡°This is a simple sword with a reinforcement enchantment,¡± the Elder said, coughing awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry your sword broke. I hope it didn¡¯t have sentimental value.¡±


    Takai shook his head.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t,¡± Takai said, taking the sword from Elder Krakatoa and putting it in the sheath at his side.


    Weirdly, the Elder had managed to match the size of the sword so well that it perfectly fit into the sheath of the old one.


    What Talia found interesting was that there was clearly some manner of confusion in Elder Krakatoa¡¯s eyes.


    He was probably wondering how Takai, being the son of the Sword Demon, didn¡¯t wield a stronger weapon.


    But knowing the lengths Lani had gone to in order to hide herself and to sever Takai¡¯s connection with his father, there was no way that one of his father¡¯s swords was somehow just left lying around.


    It was a shame, Talia reasoned.


    A swordsman was only as good as their sword, just like the recent duel ¡ª if it could even be called that ¡ª had proven.


    Although a sword alone didn¡¯t make you a swordsman, no swordsman could be one without a good sword.


    I don¡¯t know anything about the price of weapons, Talia thought. I should go to the market in town and see for myself how expensive it would be to buy a decent sword.


    She didn¡¯t want Takai to fall behind, and it was imperative that they managed to find him a good weapon, no matter what.


    Elder Krakatoa addressed the class again with a measured tone.


    ¡°Let''s discuss Enchanted Artifacts. In fact, they¡¯re instrumental, or even a strict requirement, for a Water Rider¡¯s survival.¡±


    He gestured to Takai''s new sword.


    ¡°This sword Artifact has a basic reinforcement Enchantment, increasing its durability. However, there¡¯s a great variety of Enchanted weapons, armor, and trinkets beyond simple Enchantments such as this one.¡±


    The man took a second and continued.


    ¡°Despite this not being an optimal classification, we distinguish between Single-Effect, Multi-Effect, Legendary, and Soul Artifacts.


    ¡°Single-Effect Artifacts are the most common, with enchantments like increased durability or elemental damage. Multi-Effect Artifacts combine two or more enchantments. Legendary Artifacts possess unique enchantments and are almost impossible to fabricate en-masse. They¡¯re usually made of naturally formed materials from the strongest Dungeons and are refined by our craftsmen into actual unique weapons.¡±


    He paused briefly.


    ¡°Usually, we consider Soul Artifacts above the Legendary ones. That¡¯s because a Soul Artifact forms a bond with its wielder, evolving in strength over time, with no seeming limit on how powerful it can become. They''re exceptionally rare, often tied to prominent lineages or remarkable individuals.


    ¡°The problem with Soul Artifacts, however, whether it¡¯s a weapon or armor, is that they don¡¯t start at their strongest. The most basic effects they have will stay active even when they¡¯re passed down, but to develop them into their strongest form takes decades.¡±


    The Elder produced a large sphere from his seemingly bottomless sleeve.


    ¡°This is one of my Legendary Artifacts. This one has served me much better than most Soul Weapons would have ever had. It took me three decades to make my Soul Weapon stronger than this orb here. That¡¯s because anyone with enough Mana can activate a Legendary Artifact.


    ¡°In fact, most of you would be better served by a Single-Effect Artifact than a Soul Weapon as things stand currently.¡±


    Krakatoa turned to Lilo.


    ¡°Lilo is wielding the famous Soul Weapon of the Moana Family. Would you mind showing us again?¡±


    Lilo proudly raised the thin white sword over her head.


    ¡°White Rose, a Moana Family heirloom,¡± Elder Krakatoa stated. ¡°Could you tell your fellow students about its public, most-known effects?¡±


    ¡°It amplifies the user''s Tempest Water affinity,¡± Lilo said. ¡°It also allows its user to gradually develop and evolve a Wind Water Affinity and an Ocean Affinity.¡±


    ¡°It develops Affinities?¡± Talia mumbled, flabbergasted.


    Even Star Glaive, her mother¡¯s Soul Weapon, whose Skills Talia had considered otherworldly up to now, seemed to pale compared to White Rose.


    As she spoke, a faint mist formed around the thin blade.


    ¡°Soul Weapons evolve with their wielders,¡± Krakatoa explained. ¡°As Lilo grows stronger, White Rose will unlock new abilities.¡±


    Talia reached for the thick pole of her glaive, frowning and suddenly feeling inadequate.


    Talia wondered if her mother''s weapon had once been as powerful as White Rose or if it had lost some of its strength over the years.


    Her thoughts were interrupted as Elder Krakatoa addressed the class again.


    ¡°Now, I want you all to pair up and practice channeling your Mana into your weapons. Even if you don''t have an enchanted weapon, this exercise will help you understand the principles behind weapon enhancement. I¡¯ll explain how in a moment.¡±


    As the students began to move, Talia felt a tap on her shoulder.


    She turned to see Keanu standing there with a friendly smile on his face.


    ¡°Want to partner up?¡± he asked.

 Chapter 32 - Mana Coating

    Talia and Keanu carved out a space in Elder Krakatoa¡¯s large arena-like classroom.


    Talia eyed Keanu¡¯s two small daggers, then glanced at her own unwieldy glaive.


    Despite having grown stronger and leveled up, she still struggled to swing the weapon with ease.


    She reasoned that in a real fight, Keanu would probably stab her before she could even realize it.


    For now, rogues were definitely the biggest threat to her in battle since she couldn¡¯t easily wield the heavy, metallic glaive.


    Keanu put his hands on his sheathed twin dagger pommels.


    ¡°Have you ever tried channeling Mana into your glaive?¡± Keanu asked.


    Talia shook her head.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve used my blood magic with it, but that¡¯s different.¡±


    Keanu frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter, and you don¡¯t know how to coat your weapon with Mana?¡±


    Talia shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never even met my mother.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Keanu said, raising his hands. ¡°But it¡¯s not hard. Here, I can show you.¡±


    He unsheathed a dagger and held it in front of him.


    ¡°Once you know how to control your Mana, just imagine it flowing from your navel through your arm and into the weapon. The better you can visualize this process, the more Mana you can discharge onto the blade. Once the Mana is on the blade, the second step is to keep it there and shape it.¡±


    Keanu cut himself off as a deep red Mana coating appeared on Talia¡¯s glaive blade.


    ¡°Wait, were you actually making fun of me?¡± Keanu asked, slightly upset.


    Talia didn¡¯t look at him, focusing instead on the coalescing Mana on the blade.


    In seconds, the Mana shaped itself over the blade, making it slightly longer and somehow even sharper.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve done it,¡± Talia said, examining the blade. ¡°Is this it? I¡¯ve done this with my own blood already. I didn¡¯t know you could do it with just Mana.¡±


    Keanu¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°Is this it? Are you joking? Did you really just learn how to do that?¡±


    Talia nodded.


    ¡°Let me be clear. Did you actually just learn how to coalesce Mana onto your blade and pull it off just like that?¡± Keanu clarified.


    Talia nodded again.


    ¡°I¡¯m good at Mana control,¡± Talia shrugged.


    ¡°Good?¡± Keanu said, bringing a hand to his forehead. ¡°You call that good?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m pretty good,¡± Talia laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Keanu said, almost irritated. ¡°It¡¯s infuriating how good you¡¯re at it.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Anyway, the third step, which I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to mention, is making the Mana denser. Monsters have naturally stronger resistance to weapons the higher their level, and of course, based on their species. The squids we faced had very low defense but higher regeneration. Some monsters, especially dungeon bosses, will have incredible resistance. Most Water Riders can¡¯t even injure a boss at their level.¡±


    Talia thought of Lani and how she hadn¡¯t been able to inflict any wounds on the Abyssal Scuttler boss.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied, looking at her glaive. ¡°How do you make it denser?¡±


    ¡°This is more complicated,¡± Keanu said, scratching his head. ¡°Density is created by essentially pressurizing the Mana, but also circulating it along its natural patterns until it becomes crystallized. Every Affinity has different patterns, though. You have a blood Affinity, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Talia replied.


    ¡°Well, I have a rare Affinity myself,¡± Keanu said, showing the vibrant yellowy light over his dagger. ¡°Rare affinities are usually the ones we know the least about when it comes to control. I can¡¯t really help you with Blood Water. All I can say is look at the flow of your magic over the blade and try to channel more Mana along the paths you¡¯re able to see. Once you master Mana Crystallization, you¡¯ll be able to slash through pretty much any monster at the Novice Rank.¡±


    Unbeknownst to Keanu, while he had been explaining things, Talia had activated both [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom].


    She could now see how her magic was creating little vortices and currents over the blade.


    They were faint, but she could clearly make them out thanks to the skill.


    She tried to channel more Mana into the blade, imagining it following those directions.


    Suddenly, the Mana shrank, adhering much more tightly to the blade as if the steel had been coated in a fine layer of rubies.


    ¡°You must be joking,¡± Keanu said, half laughing, half crying. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not making fun of me?¡±


    ¡°I have a skill that helps me see Mana,¡± Talia explained. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated.¡±


    Keanu grinned.


    ¡°I wish I had that kind of ¡®complicated¡¯ in my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you would like it,¡± Talia replied with a grimace.


    ¡°Anyway, do you mind me asking what your Affinity is?¡± she continued.


    ¡°Luminescent Water,¡± he explained. ¡°Watch this.¡±


    With a flick of his wrist, Keanu slashed at the air.


    The glowing blade left a trail of light in its wake, and Talia could hear a faint hum as if the blade was cutting through more than just air.


    ¡°Is that a weapon-enhancing Affinity?¡± Talia asked.


    Keanu shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a part of what it does. The rest, well, if we ever go on a mission together, I¡¯ll show you. I don¡¯t want to reveal all my secrets, you know?¡±


    Talia shrugged.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Whatever suits you,¡± she said.


    They looked around and realized that everyone else was still struggling to coalesce Mana over their blades, with a few exceptions, like Lilo and Nami, who had the same crystal-like Mana coating their blades that Talia had just summoned over her glaive.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re done for today,¡± Keanu said. ¡°It looks like it.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind me asking,¡± Keanu continued, ¡°your mother was the Kraken Slayer, right? How come you don¡¯t have her Affinity? Usually, such a strong Affinity would be passed down directly. Even if you had multiple affinities, you¡¯d still show at least the lowest level of your mother¡¯s Affinity. Or do you have Star Water but don¡¯t use it?¡±


    ¡°I only have Blood Water,¡± Talia replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t inherit my mother¡¯s Affinity.¡±


    Keanu realized he had touched on a sensitive topic.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pry,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve really never met your mother?¡±


    Talia shook her head.


    ¡°I never have. I¡¯ve dreamed of her as if she could appear to me in visions, but nothing more than that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± Keanu said. ¡°And what about your father?¡±


    ¡°Never met him,¡± Talia replied without missing a beat.


    ¡°Must have been hard,¡± Keanu shrugged and continued. ¡°I haven¡¯t met my parents either. I was raised by some friends of my family, and everyone in my little village pitched in.¡±


    ¡°Well, you could say something similar happened to me,¡± Talia replied, almost laughing out loud at the thought of describing the villagers as ¡®pitching in and helping.¡¯


    But she didn¡¯t want to dwell on her negative emotions.


    ¡°What about your eyes?¡± Keanu asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°What about them?¡± Talia replied.


    ¡°They¡¯re quite unique,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªthey¡¯ve always been like this,¡± Talia replied. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ always had them? I don¡¯t really know what else to say.¡±


    Keanu gave her a smile and raised his hands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to pry too much. It¡¯s just, you¡¯re a very interesting person. I was just curious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Talia said, ¡°it¡¯s all right. In fact, you really helped us with Professor Iakopo¡¯s test. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to pass it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I did the heavy lifting. It was all you and your swordsman friend,¡± Keanu replied modestly.


    ¡°Well, you still helped,¡± Talia said. ¡°And Elder Krakatoa asked me if I¡¯d like to bring someone to take the School¡¯s test. I¡¯m thinking I might join Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School, so would you be interested?¡±


    Keanu smiled widely and nodded enthusiastically.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to. I don¡¯t really have any ties here, and I¡¯d take all the help I can get.¡±


    Talia felt good about herself for offering Keanu the opportunity.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t Fiora or Takai, whom she still had to invite, he was a more familiar face than the rest.


    The fight aboard Professor Iakopo¡¯s ship and the subsequent days they spent together before arriving at the Academy had forged a bond between them.


    After a while, Talia saw Takai taking a break from his sparring partner and approached him.


    But before she could reach him, she saw Lilo, with a reddish hue on her cheeks, approach the scrawny guy, who was sitting alone on a wooden bench, toweling off his sweat with his shirt.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Lilo said, addressing Takai.


    Takai looked up, his eyes widening as he froze.


    He didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for breaking your sword,¡± Lilo said.


    Takai spasmed, almost not believing that such a beautiful girl, the heir of a Great Family and a promised Kraken Slayer, was talking to him and actually bothering to apologize for damaging a random sword he¡¯d gotten on Solara and which was probably less expensive than Lilo¡¯s hairpin.


    Takai, not knowing what to do with his hands, just flailed them around and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Talia stopped in her tracks, watching the surreal scene and not knowing whether to laugh out loud or go over and help Takai in this interaction.


    Before she could decide, Lilo spoke again.


    ¡°Your stance was actually very good. Have you ever been taught by your father?¡±


    Takai shook his head.


    ¡°My mother taught me. I don¡¯t really remember my father. I was very little when he left.¡±


    Lilo nodded.


    ¡°Well, you look like you have a lot of talent, and you are the Sword Demon¡¯s son. I think you would do well if you tried taking the entrance test for Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School. I can vouch for you.¡±


    Talia¡¯s jaw almost hit the floor.


    What is happening? she thought. Does Lilo have an interest in Takai?


    But before she could process what was happening, Takai refused.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really nice of you. But I¡¯ve already joined another school. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Lilo, who probably thought Takai would be over the moon because of her offer, frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve joined another school? What minor School have you joined? You can still leave them and come to Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School.¡±


    Takai smiled apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯m really, really sorry. I joined Elder Principal Kaimana¡¯s School.¡±


    Lilo stared at Takai, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°He invited me personally,¡± Takai continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to his study in a bit to accept the offer formally. I think I already did, though. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Lilo looked at Takai again.


    This time, she nodded, almost satisfied with his response.


    Without saying another word, she turned on her heel, giving Takai one last look over her shoulder as she walked away.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Talia said, laughing as she approached Takai.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Takai replied. ¡°I really have no idea.¡±


    Before they could continue, Elder Krakatoa¡¯s voice boomed.


    ¡°This will be all for today. Please, practice your Mana coating. I will review your progress in our next lesson.¡±


    Soon, all the students left Elder Krakatoa¡¯s classroom.


    Talia still had [Eyes of the Abyss] activated when something in one of the corners of the Class caught her attention.


    ¡°Talia!¡± She heard Nami''s voice calling from across the room. ¡°Lilo and I were thinking we could show you around the¡ª¡±


    But Talia''s attention was fully on a statue that she hadn¡¯t even noticed before, a woman holding a glaive.


    There were many statues of figures holding different weapons and this one didn¡¯t seem particularly out of place¡ªor wouldn¡¯t have if it hadn¡¯t been for Talia¡¯s [Eyes of the Abyss].


    What drew her eyes, though, wasn''t the statue''s appearance but the way it pulsed with Mana.


    Unlike the flowing, ever-changing patterns of living beings, the statue''s Mana was like a complex runic diagram etched in light.


    It bristled with power, far stronger than any inanimate object should possess.


    Drawn by a curiosity she couldn''t quite explain, Talia found herself moving toward the statue.


    Distantly, she was aware of Nami calling her name a few more times, but it seemed unimportant compared to this.


    As she approached, the Mana patterns became clearer.


    They formed swirling designs across the statue''s surface.


    Without thinking, Talia reached out, her fingers tracing one of the glowing patterns.


    The moment her skin made contact, the world around her lurched.


    The training room, her classmates, and everything else blinked out of existence in an instant.


    There was a sensation of falling, of being pulled in every direction at once, and then¡ª


    Talia stumbled, nearly losing her balance as her feet suddenly met solid ground again.


    She blinked, trying to orient herself in this new space.


    She found herself in a vast, circular chamber.


    The walls were adorned with the same intricate Mana patterns she''d seen on the statue, now glowing with a soft, pulsating light.


    Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber.


    Acting on instinct, she ducked behind one of the massive stone columns that ringed the room.


    The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by a strange, wet scraping sound.


    Talia held her breath, willing herself to be as silent as possible.


    After a moment, she summoned the courage to peer around the edge of the column.


    What she saw made her blood run cold.


    Professor Iakopo was striding across the chamber floor.


    But it wasn''t the professor''s presence that shocked Talia ¨C it was what he was dragging behind him.


    A humanoid creature thrashed weakly on the ground, leaving a trail of dark, viscous liquid in its wake.


    Its skin was a mottled gray green, covered in patches of what looked like barnacles or coral.


    Where its arms and legs should have been, there were only ragged stumps, as if the limbs had been violently torn off.


    Talia clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp.


    She didn¡¯t look long enough to see its tag, but she knew it was an Abyssal Creature.


    She had never seen one like this, though, mutilated and seemingly powerless and so¡­ humanoid.


    Professor Iakopo paid no heed to the creature''s struggles.


    As Talia peeked a few more times, wide-eyed and trembling, Professor Iakopo began to mutter something under his breath.


    ¡°You better have the damn answer.¡±


    Then, he walked up to another column, fished something from his pocket, and touched an inscription on the stone with it.


    And just as quickly as he had appeared, he dematerialized.


    But in the millisecond before the man disappeared completely, Talia got the impression that he had seen her from the corner of his eye.


    Talia pressed herself harder against the column.


    She heard the renewed silence and slowly peeked from behind the column again.


    The Professor wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    But what had he been doing there?


    It was right then that a connection was formed in Talia¡¯s mind.


    She suddenly remembered Akua mentioning someone who would have met her at the Academy ¡ª the same someone the now-dead merchant had wanted to introduce Talia to.


    Naturally, Talia hadn¡¯t understood whom Akua was talking about at the time.


    She had only figured it out after she had involuntarily killed her.


    The They referred to other Cultists like Akua.


    The Cultist had infiltrated the Academy.


    And if Akua could be around Abyssal Creatures without getting attacked, seeing Professor Iakopo dragging an Abyssal Creature through whatever secret passage she had stumbled into made him a prime suspect.


    Akua had hated her mother, and Iakopo seemed to hate her all the same.


    Maybe Professor Iakopo is a Cultist¡­


    Talia¡¯s blood went cold when she heard someone else step into the secret passage.

 Chapter 33 – Target Practice

    The sun shone brightly on the casting fields.


    Fiora had chosen a casting class as one of the three obligatory classes to graduate for the first year at the Academy.


    It was a large circular field that could accommodate hundreds of students and twice as many practice targets.


    The teacher gave a brief explanation before telling them to find a spot and showcase their abilities.


    This would allow the teacher and assistants to rank and distribute them into subgroups accordingly.


    Fiora saw this as her opportunity to showcase her skills.


    She had been ridiculed by the members of the Moana family, so she decided against taking the entrance test for Elder Krakatoa''s school.


    She had been humiliated enough, even before Talia had taken pity on her and offered her a chance to embarrass herself in front of those nobles once again.


    Fiora''s opinion of Talia had changed since they had Initiated themselves, but the old hateful feelings had definitely resurfaced after their roles had been reversed.


    Fiora had always been lauded, pursued, and admired.


    Never before had she been a pariah ¨C someone excluded from the main social circles.


    On Solara, she had been the social circle everyone wanted to be in.


    Now, instead, people seemed to give her a wide berth wherever she went.


    She moved forward, taking her spot thirty feet from the shooting target.


    She glanced at Professor Luana, a stern-faced woman with a few silver strands elegantly woven into her dark braids.


    The professor was waiting for the various first-year students to start their practice.


    Fiora had noticed a few nobles getting ready, but no one had actually started their practice yet.


    Professor Luana had explained that the first test would be with stationary targets and the second would entail the moving ones.


    And while everyone else hesitated, Fiora extended her hand.


    This was her moment, her time to shine.


    She would show Talia and those arrogant brats what she was capable of.


    A globe of golden, shimmering water coalesced above her palm.


    Unlike normal water, her Sun Water radiated heat and light in golden waves.


    It was as if liquid gold swirled through the water magic she wielded.


    Fiora''s eyes locked on the target ¨C a small disk about 30 feet away.


    She shaped the Sun Water orb to be smaller than the ones she had used against the Abyssal Scuttlers.


    This was because she needed more precision than power in this test.


    Without even moving her hand, she propelled the orb with her Mana.


    The projectile struck the dead center of the disk, instantly vaporizing a small hole through its surface.


    A satisfied smile blossomed on her face.


    She summoned three more orbs, hitting the other three targets at forty, fifty, and even sixty feet away.


    Her Primary Mana Channel at Level 8 and her trained Mana control meant that even the average nobles in this class weren''t at her level.


    But even after nonchalantly hitting all the stationary targets that Professor Luana had arranged for them, an intrusive thought made her grit her teeth.


    The only person she thought could rival her expertise and, perhaps, even trump her Mana control was none other than Talia.


    But it didn''t matter.


    Now that she had proven what she was capable of, she waited for the others to finish.


    She spectated as the rest of the students started their target practice.


    To her left, not too far away, a boy shot jets of steam water that turned into spear-like projectiles.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    They blasted the targets much faster than her Sun Water, albeit with less destructive power.


    On her right, a girl had summoned what Fiora thought was Coral Water and was trying to pepper her targets with razor-sharp coral shards.


    Sadly for this girl, her aim was quite terrible.


    Soon, every student had either missed or hit their target, and the professor''s assistants escorted some of the students straight out of the classroom while the others were divided into subgroups.


    Fiora found herself in a group with two guys and a girl.


    The two boys were wearing Elder Kahua''s School robes, whereas the girl wore a symbol that Fiora didn''t quite recognize.


    There were others ranked at the top like them, but the professor was dividing even the best ones into smaller groups for the next round.


    ¡°Now,¡± Professor Luana''s voice boomed, ¡°your task is to hit the moving targets before they disappear. You must show finesse in your casting if you want to pass this step.


    ¡°You can still graduate if you can''t hit these targets now, but you will have to be able to do it by the end of the year.


    ¡°Those who manage to hit at least five targets right now will be placed into an advanced class, where we will focus on each individual''s skills rather than just target practice and the fundamentals of casting.¡±


    All students frowned in unison when the moving targets appeared.


    Even Fiora felt her confidence beginning to waver.


    These weren''t just simple discs floating in the air ¨C they were erratic, fast-moving spheres that seemed to follow no discernable pattern in their movement.


    Fiora had thought they would have had a few discs moving in a straight line and that it would have been rather easy to shoot them down.


    Truly, she had imagined it would have been the same as those wooden targets at the festivals on Solara that they moved with a rope and a pulley¡ªthe same ones that kids loved to shoot with their slingshots.


    ¡°This is how Abyssal Creatures move! Unpredictably!¡± The Professor thundered. ¡°Get in a queue and start shooting! Stop wasting my time!¡±


    As Fiora watched, the two young men from Elder Kahua''s School, who looked identical, stepped up to take their turns.


    ¡°Come on, Akoni, brother,¡± one said. ¡°Do your best.¡±


    They were both tall with close-cropped hair and broad shoulders.


    Are they twins? Fiora briefly wondered before stepping back and making space for Akoni to prepare his shots.


    His face was scrunched in concentration as he raised his hands, fingers splayed wide.


    The air around his digits began to shimmer and distort with heat.


    Steam Water? Fiora wondered.


    With a deep breath, Akoni summoned his magic.


    A swirling vortex of superheated vapor formed at his fingertips, growing rapidly in size and intensity.


    This guy is much stronger than the other practitioner of Steam Water from before, Fiora reasoned.


    The other guy had barely been able to summon streaks of Steam Water, while Akoni seemed to be able to conjure much more at once.


    The nearby students instinctively took a step back, feeling the waves of heat emanating from his position.


    Akoni''s eyes darted across the field, tracking the wildly moving targets.


    Suddenly, he sent a jet of pressurized steam hurtling toward one of the targets around the twenty-foot line.


    The steam condensed mid-flight, forming a needle-thin projectile that cut through the air with a high-pitched whistle.


    It struck the edge of a sphere just before it zipped out of view, leaving a scorch mark on its surface.


    Akoni quickly followed up with two more shots in rapid succession.


    One missed entirely, disappearing into the distance, but the other clipped another target at the twenty-foot line, sending it spinning wildly.


    Akoni kept shooting, missing more and more as he started taking on the ones forty feet away.


    When it came to the sixty-foot ones, he only managed to graze one.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Professor Luana nodded approvingly. ¡°But work on your reaction time. In a real fight, you won''t have the luxury of hesitating nor taking your time to aim.¡±


    Akoni bowed his head respectfully, sweaty from the effort.


    ¡°Yes, Professor,¡± he said before turning to his alleged twin brother, ¡°Keone, it¡¯s all yours now.¡±


    Keone had harsher eyes than Akoni and cracked his neck before starting to shoot.


    While Akoni had radiated heat, the air around Keone began to chill noticeably.


    Frost patterns formed on the ground at his feet.


    Ice Water? Fiora frowned.


    She found it ironic, considering his brother¡¯s Affinity.


    Keone''s approach was different from Akoni''s.


    Rather than forming a single powerful attack, he began to crystallize multiple ice shards in the air around him.


    Soon, he was surrounded by a swirling cloud of jagged projectiles.


    With quick, precise movements of his hands, Keone began to launch his icy volley.


    The shards shot out in rapid succession, each one aimed at a different target.


    He didn¡¯t miss any targets at the twenty-foot line.


    How is he doing this? Fiora swore internally.


    He soon moved to the forty-foot line.


    Two of his ice shards found their marks immediately, shattering against the targets with a satisfying crack.


    Another one came close, grazing the sphere it was aimed at.


    He roughly managed to hit three out of four targets at the forty-foot line and one in three at the sixty-foot line.


    ¡°Good prediction,¡± the professor commented, her eyes narrowed as she assessed his performance.


    ¡°Your reaction and aim are impressive. But mind your Mana efficiency. In a prolonged engagement, that approach will drain you fast in a real battle.¡±


    Keone nodded, his chest heaving slightly from the effort.


    As the two young men stepped back, there was a murmur of appreciation from the other students.


    While neither had mastered the exercise, their performance was impressive, especially given the difficulty.


    It was clear why they had earned their places in Elder Kahua''s School.


    Fiora stepped forward without wasting another glance for either of them.


    Now, it was her turn.


    Immediately, she summoned a globe of Sun Water.


    She took aim at one of the nearest targets ¨C a small orb zig-zagging about twenty feet away.


    Using her hand to aim, she gently flicked her wrist and launched the attack.


    The first disc shot out, with Fiora holding her breath until the target was hit.


    She sighed in relief.


    The targets were fast, but not too fast.


    She was so slow to continue that the Professor shouted at her.


    ¡°Abyssal Creatures don¡¯t wait for your lazy ass to take your sweet time! Chop-chop! Get to casting!¡±


    Fiora felt her cheeks burn as the other students behind her laughed.


    Focus. Show them.


    The Sun Water projectiles sizzled through the air one after another, striking all the spheres at the twenty-foot line.


    She could hear the voices drop to whispers and then to complete silence with each target she managed to hit.


    When she passed the forty-foot line, however, she felt her casting arm tremble.

 Chapter 34 – Refused

    Fiora hesitated.


    Of course, she knew that entering the advanced class among the other scions of the Great Families was of utmost importance.


    In fact, given her tainted reputation, it was probably her only chance of getting into one of the major Schools.


    But she had also just witnessed the two twin brothers put on a tremendous display of skill.


    Perhaps if she could manage to hit at least the same number of targets as Akoni, the first of the two brothers, she might be able to secure an invitation to take the Elder Kahua School test.


    But the reality was that Fiora wasn''t very confident in her skills at the moment.


    What she had just seen was an extremely high level of skill for someone who had supposedly been initiated this year, just like her.


    While it was true that Fiora had great talent for someone coming from the Southern Archipelago and a minor island outside the Deep, like Solara, she didn''t have the same resources or grooming that they had.


    She looked at the discs at the 40-foot line and licked her lips, preparing her first attack.


    She carefully evaluated the distance between herself and the small targets before shooting the first orb of Sun Water.


    She held her breath as the orb arched slightly and almost missed. Thankfully, the edge of the globe luckily hit the plate, making it spin through the air and fall to the ground, partially consumed by her Sun Water.


    She sighed in relief and then aimed at another disc.


    Fiora found herself wishing she had dedicated more time to studying one of the three main skills she had received when she got her class, Sunburst Hydromancer.


    She had gotten two skills that couldn''t help her much in the current test, namely [Zenith], which she had used with much success during Professor Iakopo¡¯s test on the boat, and [Solar Constitution], which increased her physical attributes, her defenses, and also gave a natural corrosive aspect to her skin if someone tried to attack her directly.


    The one skill she was mostly relying on right now was [Sunwater Manipulation].


    It helped her control the water she conjured, spend less Mana while doing so, and, most importantly, gave her fine control over the trajectory of her spells.


    However, to be completely honest, [Solar Glyph Mastery] would have come in really handy at the moment.


    [Solar Glyph Mastery] was an unorthodox skill that didn''t level up merely with practice.


    Fiora would be given a full Glyph with a special effect every five levels of the Skill. But to fully acquire the Glyph, she needed to bring up the Skill, currently, to Level Five.


    Sadly, right now, it was only at Level Three because Fiora had trouble understanding the intricate Mana pathways of the first Glyph.


    [Solar Glyph Mastery] essentially created one new Glyph every five levels for the user to understand and absorb.


    Once the Glyph was fully absorbed into the Akashic record, she would be able to use it.


    The first Solar Glyph that Fiora had the opportunity to learn was a Speed Glyph, something that would have been tremendously useful right now, given the jerky movements of the targets.


    In fact, if she had mastered even the first Glyph, she might have been able to imbue her Sun Water with such increased speed that she wouldn''t have been worrying about the discs changing direction midway through her projectile reaching them.


    But sadly, Fiora had barely scratched the surface of the first Solar Glyph, currently sitting at Level Two, and without that foundational knowledge, she couldn''t access its power.


    So now, all she could do was rely on her raw talent and control.


    ¡°Focus,¡± Fiora muttered to herself, summoning another globe of Sun Water.


    She threw the globe, praying that it would hit the target, and surprisingly, it did.


    Fiora sighed audibly in relief and calmed down.


    Even without the Glyph, her aim was unbelievably precise.


    Unbeknownst to Fiora, what had really contributed to her aiming skills was the life-and-death practice she had had back on Solara while fighting real monsters ¨C something the scions here lacked.


    And while it was true that they had practiced so much that they were probably better than her at this, the fact that she could somehow go head-to-head with them meant that nothing could replace real, possibly near-death experience she had gone through on Solara.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    When it came to the 60-foot line, however, things started to get pretty dicey.


    Twenty feet further didn¡¯t seem that much further, but she almost felt dizzy seeing how far the discs were.


    Fiora launched the first globe of Sun Water and missed the target by two feet since the disc had moved while the attack had been reaching it.


    I can¡¯t predict where they¡¯ll go¡ªnot reliably.


    How am I going to do this?


    She blew air through her mouth, puffing her cheeks and feeling several students, not just those in her little group, watching her.


    Did the Professor even say how many of these we have to hit?


    Professor Luana hadn¡¯t mentioned what the exact requisites for getting admitted into the advanced class were, which made the test even more unnerving.


    She did some mental math, realizing that Akoni must have hit three out of ten targets, roughly.


    I have an idea how to do that.


    Fiora raised both hands in front of her and started pulling at her Mana reserves like crazy.


    I can¡¯t use [Solar Glyph Mastery], but maybe I can do something similar with [Zenith].


    She had thought at first that [Zenith] wouldn¡¯t be useful, especially given how much Mana it consumed, but given the current circumstances it was her only choice, really.


    The main difficulty when it came to hitting the targets at sixty feet was that they would move too far off before the projectile actually reached them.


    Therefore, there was only one way to make this easier.


    Increasing the speed.


    But since Fiora hadn¡¯t mastered the first Solar Glyph yet, this was the only way.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have all day!¡± One of the students from another group shouted sarcastically at Fiora.


    Even Professor Luana gave the blonde a long glance before raising an eyebrow and keeping to herself.


    Akoni and Keone looked at each other behind her, not understanding what Fiora was waiting for.


    Instead, the other girl just smirked.


    Then, as sweat beaded on Fiora¡¯s brow, she pushed her Mana reserves to the limit.


    ¡°[Zenith]!¡± Fiora called out, feeling a massive recoil as the first empowered globe of Sun Water shot from the space between her palms at thrice the speed the past ones had.


    A disc on the sixty-foot line was instantly obliterated.


    The Sun Water had moved so fast that it shaped itself into a spear and destroyed the disc without a problem.


    Fiora repeated the maneuver twice more, wheezing from exhaustion by the end.


    But still, she had managed to hit two more targets.


    It was genuinely a great call to use [Zenith] to empower her projectiles¡¯ speed because it was impossible for the targets to dodge.


    Knowing she was at her limit by now, she just flicked a few orbs randomly, missing all the remaining targets, and then stepped back.


    She ended up hitting roughly two out of three targets at the forty-foot line and one out of three at the sixty-foot line.


    ¡°Crafty,¡± Professor Luana commented, giving Fiora a half-evaluating, half-approving stare.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Fiora huffed, trying to wipe the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.


    She smiled to herself as she turned to talk to the twins.


    Her current display of skills assured her that there would be no way for them to refuse her.


    The girl with Elder Kawena¡¯s School¡¯s symbol on her robe smiled at Fiora and winked at her as she walked up to the shooting post.


    ¡°That was some impressive Sun Water manipulation, wasn''t it?¡± Fiora said, trying to keep her voice casual.


    The brothers turned to look at her with a grimace.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Akoni muttered.


    ¡°You two did well¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting an invitation,¡± Keone, the one with the Ice Water Affinity said. ¡°You can¡¯t join our School.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡ª¡± Fiora almost swallowed her tongue.


    ¡°Keone,¡± Akoni sighed and facepalmed, pulling his brother behind him. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry for my brother¡¯s manners. He doesn¡¯t mean to be rude. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°I have talent, and I just want to be around other people who have talent,¡± Fiora said. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Everyone heard about Captain Tulo¡¯s report, Miss,¡± Akoni said. ¡°You are not a noble, and you offended the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Fiora bristled but forced a smile.


    ¡°Yes, that''s right. I did. I made a mistake, and Talia, the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter, forgave me.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what your current relationship with her is,¡± Akoni said sincerely. ¡°But our School¡¯s Champion is her sister. We really wouldn¡¯t want to presume anything with that being the case. They could kick us out just by merely suggesting your name. Honor is taken very seriously at the Academy.¡±


    ¡°B¡ªbut Talia and I are friends!¡± Fiora almost shouted.


    ¡°Miss,¡± Akoni cleared his voice, remaining very diplomatic. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, please, just tell your friend to tell that to everyone else. It¡¯s¡­ you¡¯re still going to get flak from students, but at least you¡¯ll also be able to join a School. Trust me, you won¡¯t find many people willing to take you in with the current rumors still spreading.¡±


    ¡°I have to beg Talia for a recommendation, or no one will let me in?¡± Fiora balled her fists.


    ¡°I am just telling you what others are not saying out loud,¡± Akoni shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that you were barred from being Initiated by the Water Riders? I heard you mocked the daughter of the Kraken Slayer for failing the test, even though she ended up Initiating herself later.¡±


    Fiora felt her face grow hot. ¡°That''s not... I mean, it wasn''t like that. There was a misunderstanding, and she had punched me and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Talk to your friend,¡± Akoni said plainly. ¡°If you want to enter a School, that is. Otherwise, plenty of other Water Riders only got a master much later on, including your friend¡¯s mother. She was without a School until she graduated. Only then did she get to join Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School.¡±


    Fiora trembled in fury.


    She barely even heard what the guy ¨C who had been nothing but kind so far ¨C was saying.


    She had waited so long to come here, to become what she was always meant to become: a strong, respected Water Rider.


    What kind of idiocy was this, then?


    She had to beg Talia for a spot?


    Was that really what it took?


    For a second, she almost regretted not accepting the girl¡¯s offer, but she knew that it was probably too late, considering how she had reacted.


    But then, as the girl from Elder Kawena¡¯s School finished her test and did even better than Keone, Fiora felt her hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°You want to join a School? I can put in a good with Elder Kawena. She won¡¯t care about any of this nonsense.¡±


    The two guys stepped back, giving a wide berth to the girl.


    ¡°Really?¡± Fiora looked at the taller girl, finally taking in her traits.


    The girl stood a full head above Fiora.


    She had an athletic frame and two rather muscular arms.


    She had short-cropped hair and sharp, angular facial features.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Kaia,¡± the girl said, patting her shoulder. ¡°And trust me, Elder Kawena''s School is where the real action is, even if the old crone has been away for a while now. She¡¯s due to come back next year, you know?¡±


    ¡°I''d love to hear more,¡± Fiora replied, feeling a spark of hope ignite in her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± Kaia grinned. ¡°But I¡¯ll need a favor in return.¡±

 Chapter 35 – Dusk

    ¡°I see that you have found the Siren¡¯s Passages.¡±


    Talia spun on her heel, turning back to look at Elder Krakatoa with wide eyes.


    ¡°I¡ªI...¡± Talia stuttered. ¡°I don''t even know how I got here.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa smiled knowingly and nodded.


    ¡°Many students lose themselves in the Siren''s Passages. It''s not unusual. When Nami told me that you were nowhere to be found and had seemingly disappeared, I knew you would probably be here. This is the Leviathan''s Hall, one of the lesser-known passages and one of the harder ones to unlock. But you seem to have a natural aptitude for seeing and perceiving Mana. That¡¯s what led you here, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Elder, I didn''t mean to¡ª¡± Elder Krakatoa raised his hand, cutting Talia off.


    ¡°It''s alright. You didn''t do anything wrong. I was just worried that you wouldn''t know how to come back from here. The knowledge of these passages is not as widespread as one might imagine. This is an old academy, Talia. Many of the Siren''s Passages are secret knowledge that most hold close to their chests. Some schools fully monopolize them to access secret rooms and special places inside the Academy. You actually made yourself some money by finding this passage.¡±


    ¡°I can sell the knowledge about this passage?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°This is not a passage that my School uses, nor do I know how to access the other places it leads to. However, senior students trying to get access to very rare artifacts, and perhaps even some professors, might be interested in paying gold for such information¡ªand more gold if you show them how to get in. I wouldn''t want to play favorites, so I suggest you ask Nami about this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Talia said, slightly confused. ¡°So are these passages, by any chance, used for... well, unsavory things? Let''s say I think I saw something, but I''m not sure I should even mention it.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly.


    ¡°The Academy is a very complicated place. People go about their business and might be involved in things that you might not understand right now. I would ask you not to tell me what you saw, Talia. I am the Vice Principal; if there is something suspicious going on, I would need to investigate, and the result of that investigation might lead back to you, creating problems for your future.¡±


    Talia frowned, not fully understanding.


    ¡°Politics, child,¡± Elder Krakatoa laughed. ¡°You don''t want to step on any toes, not in your first year. Otherwise, you might find yourself isolated, and trust me, you don''t want that.¡±


    Talia took in the words of advice and decided to keep quiet about seeing Professor Iakopo.


    It was unlikely that the man was a Cultist, or so Talia wanted to believe.


    For all she knew, Elder Krakatoa himself might have been a Cultist.


    She regarded the man with a quick glance before turning to where they had come from.


    ¡°So, how do we get out of here?¡± Talia asked, confused.


    Elder Krakatoa laughed.


    ¡°Got any money on you? Because that information will cost you.¡±


    ***


    Thankfully, Elder Krakatoa had just been joking.


    He showed Talia how to get out of the Leviathan''s Hall and further explained that it connected to several places, most of which were unknown.


    Apparently, each column inside the large chamber was connected to another room, chamber, or perhaps even another weird Siren''s Passage.


    Talia found it strange that these passages ¡ª these magical shortcuts or whatever they were ¡ª had been named after the terrible monsters that lived in the deepest parts of the North Deep.


    Sirens were humanoid monsters that, much like the one Professor Iakopo had been dragging through Leviathan''s Hall, looked like normal humans but were terrifying, high-level beasts capable of incredible magic.


    Talia shuddered at the thought of one day meeting the same monsters she had seen in books so many times.


    ¡°Talia!¡± Nami called from her doorway as Talia walked across the corridor leading to her room. ¡°There you are! Come in; I''ve been looking for you.¡±


    Talia followed Nami into her room, which was as luxurious as Talia''s own accommodation.


    Nami led them out to a spacious balcony overlooking the Academy grounds and the shimmering waters beyond.


    As they settled into some comfortable chairs, Nami turned to Talia with curiosity in her eyes.


    ¡°So, where did you disappear to earlier? We were worried when we couldn''t find you after class ¡ª we even notified Elder Krakatoa.¡±


    ¡°I found a Siren¡¯s Passage, apparently,¡± Talia was still so weirded out by that experience that the laugh that came out of her mouth sounded almost hysterical.


    ¡°What? Really? Which one?!¡±


    ¡°Elder Krakatoa said it¡¯s called the Leviathan Hall.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky,¡± Nami said with wide eyes. ¡°You can sell that!¡±


    ¡°Elder Krakatoa said the same,¡± Talia nodded. ¡°He told me to ask you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be honored to help you out,¡± Nami grinned. ¡°It¡¯s so cool to deal in secrets this early on! It usually takes a couple of years for students to get something so valuable! Do you know that it¡¯s rumored that entire classes are held in the Siren¡¯s Passages?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Talia raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes! When they allocate points to the various Schools, there are always a few points that are hard to track down. Those come from the Secret Classes!¡±


    ¡°Secret Classes? Isn¡¯t that¡­ impractical?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re silly,¡± Nami laughed. ¡°Secrets are everything here. And out there, too. What do you think the Great Families thrive on, salt water?¡±


    Talia kept getting whiplash from all the revelations she was subjected to at the Water Riders Academy.


    First, she had been received with the warmest of welcomes after almost being ejected not once but twice.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Both Professor Iakopo and Elder Kahua had been close to kicking her out of the Academy ¨C albeit the second unknowingly.


    And then, she had found so many students welcoming her, not caring one bit about the clunky bracelets she used to hide her wrists nor about the fact that some people thought she was the Kraken¡¯s spawn.


    Talia really took pride in being smart, in being someone who planned ahead, but every time she thought she was finally grasping something about how the Academy worked, and about what to expect, her world kept getting thrown upside down.


    ¡°You know,¡± Talia said, sighing, ¡°Solara was small. I always thought I wouldn¡¯t miss it at all. But¡­¡±


    Nami leaned against the chair, waiting for Talia to speak and gesturing to the servant who had been tidying up her room to bring refreshments.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy back home, but it was simple. When someone doesn¡¯t like you, you know how to act. It¡¯s straightforward. I knew who all my enemies were and where to find my friend¡ªwell, friends by the end of it.¡±


    A servant came and put some biscuits and hot tea on the small coffee table as Talia kept talking.


    ¡°Now, I really like the Academy, but¡­¡±


    ¡°The politics?¡± Nami guessed, biting into a buttery biscuit.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Talia scrunched her face. ¡°Am I being stupid? Should I not complain?¡±


    Nami took that question seriously and looked up at the sky, which was slowly turning pink as the sun started to set.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I know much more than you,¡± Nami said. ¡°I was raised to know all the names, all the Great Families, and all the minor nobles. I know things about the Academy and maybe things about Classes and Skills that are not public knowledge. I know that some people ¨C like you, for example ¨C are to be befriended. I know that others are to be avoided and, most importantly, not angered, like Professor Iakopo Kane. I have learned many such rules, but¡­ the Academy and just everything is still so hard to grasp.¡±


    Talia was surprised by the sudden, sincere declaration and the vulnerability that Nami was showing her.


    Then, she burst out laughing, causing Nami to stare at her in puzzlement.


    Talia, however, couldn¡¯t hold it in and just kept laughing hysterically.


    ¡°What?¡± Nami asked, amused.


    ¡°I come from a backwater island and you¡¯re a fancy noble,¡± Talia tried to calm down, drying the tears of laughter escaping her eyes, ¡°and you feel overwhelmed here. Imagine that.¡±


    ¡°Even nobles have their challenges.¡±


    ¡°You do,¡± Talia laughed.


    ¡°But at least we¡¯ve got biscuits,¡± Nami winked at the girl.


    ¡°We do, I guess,¡± Talia said, toasting in the air with one of the buttery biscuits.


    They just watched the pink sky for a while, enjoying the presence.


    There was a bond forming there, something that each girl could feel developing but, because of their past experiences, hesitated in pressing any further at the moment.


    And so, the conversation went back to the previous topic.


    ¡°Why is the Leviathan Hall valuable? Is it because it¡¯s connected to other places?¡±


    Nami nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pure node ¡ª a place connected to many other places. Usually, you can expect a good Siren¡¯s Passage, an old one, to be attached to one or two places. Leviathan¡¯s Hall, instead, from what I know, is connected to, like, sixteen different places. But you need a very valuable secret if you want anyone to trade you for how to access any one of those.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Talia mused. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t really have a good idea of what things are valued for in the Deep. Back on Solara, money was barely an issue.¡±


    ¡°How did you get food?¡± Nami asked, confused.


    ¡°You just go help out with harvesting or fishing,¡± Talia shrugged. ¡°People share everything, and, in exchange, you give them a hand with work or something. Plus, there¡¯s a bunch of fish in the Calm Belt. Maybe it¡¯s because they don¡¯t get eaten by the Abyssal Creatures.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Nami replied. ¡°The Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter is a peasant. That¡¯s so funny.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Talia laughed back.


    ¡°Without any money, you¡¯d starve in Tempest City,¡± Nami shrugged. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better out there on Solara.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Talia smiled. ¡°But what about you and your sister?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°Do you mind me asking how it all works?¡±


    Nami stared back, knowing what Talia was asking.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time she was asked about it.


    ¡°Even before being Initiated, a Great Family can gauge the talent of their descendants. I can¡¯t tell you how ¨C secrets, as you can imagine ¨C but they know from a very early age. That¡¯s why I was asked to wait to go to the Academy.¡±


    ¡°The Shield and the Retinue must be placed in the same year as the Promised Slayer?¡± Talia guessed.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nami sighed. ¡°We make sure to take the same courses, too, so we can always watch over Lilo. Right now, Koa, Kahale, and Nainoa are guarding her door and her balcony while she rests.¡±


    ¡°Is it actually dangerous at the Academy?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°Not at all. Assassination attempts at a Promised Slayer are unheard of. It¡¯s not meant to be practical; it¡¯s meant to be practice.¡±


    ¡°You train to guard her all the time while she¡¯s safe so that when you guys go out there, you can guard her for real.¡±


    ¡°Not just guard,¡± Nami cleared her voice. ¡°The main reason we are not sent ahead to the Academy or that the Promised Slayer doesn¡¯t get stronger bodyguards is because it would impair their growth. Our priority is to support Lilo, to keep her alive long enough to blossom into her talent and kill the Scourge of the Deep before it takes any lives or attacks any city.¡±


    ¡°If you were too strong, she wouldn¡¯t be able to level up alongside you. She¡¯d be sheltered into weakness,¡± Talia mused. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ elaborate. And smart, I guess.¡±


    ¡°It works. The other Great Families do the same. We have incorporated all we have learned across the years into what we do. It¡¯s the reason why the Promised Slayers get a Soul Artifact for a weapon ¨C which, yes, is very strong ¨C but it¡¯s not a Legendary Artifact, which would make things too easy for them. Struggle is the key to growth.¡±


    Talia looked into Nami¡¯s eyes and saw some melancholy in them.


    That made a question bubble up in her mind.


    ¡°Do the Shields die before the Slayers? Or do the Slayers die because they have to fight the Kraken so many times?¡±


    ¡°A good Shield,¡± Nami said, ¡°might die long before their Slayer gets to fight the Kraken. It¡¯s considered a shame to outlive your Chosen, both for the Shield and the Retinue.¡±


    ¡°You guys are there to keep the Slayer alive even while fighting the Kraken,¡± Talia frowned. ¡°Wait a second¡­¡±


    She made a connection.


    ¡°Elder Krakatoa mentioned being there for my mother when she fought the Kraken. Is that why he¡¯s so nice to me? He feels guilty that she died before him?¡±


    ¡°It is unusual for those outside the Great Families to become Kraken Slayers ¡ª but once they manage to slay the Kraken or show enough strength to let you believe they might, the Water Riders will step forward and offer themselves as Shields and Retinues. That¡¯s what Elder Krakatoa did for your mother.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why he¡¯s so nice,¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°There¡¯s more to that. You¡¯re guaranteed to be strong, an asset. Every School would love to have you. Look at your sister ¨C she¡¯s the Champion of Elder Kahua¡¯s School, and she¡¯s only in her fourth year. Usually, only the seniors in the fifth year are picked to represent their Schools. The fact that Elder Kahua chose her this year means he must have absolute confidence she¡¯s already much stronger than any other fifth-year student.¡±


    ¡°An asset,¡± Talia shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± Nami smiled back.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ surprising. Anyway, did you see your sister talking to Takai at the end of Elder Krakatoa¡¯s lesson? Does she have a crush on him?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been mostly secluded away in training all these years,¡± Nami shrugged. ¡°Our parents didn¡¯t want her to get distracted by, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Boys,¡± Talia laughed.


    ¡°Boys, yeah. She doesn¡¯t know much about them. Your friend probably looks sweet and innocent in her eyes. She likes that.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Talia looked impressed. ¡°Happy for Takai, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Nami sighed. ¡°Being a Chosen is not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lady Nami,¡± the woman who had served them refreshments, came out from the room and bowed. ¡°Miss Riala¡¯s at the door. She¡¯s looking for her sister.¡±


    Nami and Talia exchanged a quick glance before Nami nodded at the servant.


    ¡°Please, show her in.¡±


    Moments later, Riala stepped onto the balcony.


    Her white hair seemed to glow in the fading sunlight, and her purple eyes ¨C so similar to Talia''s in shape ¨C bore holes through Talia.


    ¡°Talia,¡± Riala said, her voice carefully neutral. ¡°I''ve been looking for you. I see you¡¯ve already accustomed yourself to a luxurious lifestyle. Did you even attend any lessons today?¡±


    Nami frowned at the behavior, but Talia just laughed.


    ¡°Pipe it down,¡± she told her sister.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Lilo¡¯s older sister asked.


    Riala''s gaze flickered briefly to Nami before returning to her sister.


    ¡°Elder Kahua sent me. He wants to extend an invitation for you to take the entrance test for our School. First thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    Talia blinked in surprise. After their earlier interaction and Elder Kahua''s apparent hostility, this was unexpected. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Do not be late, Talia,¡± Riala punctuated every syllable.


    ¡°I''ll think about it,¡± Talia said cheekily. ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡±


    ¡°Talia,¡± Riala stepped forward, standing ominously over her, ¡°if you embarrass me, I swear, you will regret it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there, Riala,¡± Talia sighed. ¡°See you tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come pick you up,¡± Riala said coldly. ¡°Be up by dawn if you don¡¯t want to be tossed from your balcony.¡±


    That said, Riala turned on her heels and left behind a stunned Nami and an amused Talia.


    ¡°Do you always answer your sister like that?¡± Nami asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun,¡± Talia smiled back. ¡°Anyway, what about dinner?¡±

 Chapter 36 – Elder Kahua’s Test

    The air was crisp and cool in the early morning as Talia and Riala walked across the Academy grounds.


    Riala marched forward, leaving Talia scrambling to keep up.


    ¡°Elder Kahua''s School is the top-notch place in the Academy,¡± Riala stated bluntly. ¡°They''re way more picky than Elder Krakatoa''s School.¡±


    Talia raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Really? I thought Krakatoa''s was the top School.¡±


    Riala shook her head, a hint of pride creeping into her voice.


    ¡°Krakatoa may have more students, but Kahua''s School is far more exclusive. We only take the absolute best.¡±


    ¡°And yet you''re inviting me to the test,¡± Talia couldn''t resist needling her sister. ¡°I''m touched.¡±


    ¡°You are our mother''s daughter as much as I am,¡± Riala said.


    The older sister didn''t want to admit that she hadn''t been as supportive or kind to Talia as she could have been, especially considering how Talia had been treated on the island by the villagers. Knowing that Talia had probably had it pretty harsh until now, it felt appropriate for Riala to remind her little sister that she was Yalena''s daughter as much as she was.


    ¡°Um,¡± Talia stuttered.


    ¡°What?¡± Riala asked, already bothered by her sister''s antics.


    ¡°Have you, by any chance, met...¡± Talia''s words trailed off.


    ¡°Met whom?¡± Riala was growing impatient.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Talia blurted out. ¡°Have you, by any chance, met Dad?¡±


    At that mention, Riala stopped dead in her tracks, swirling around and grabbing Talia by her sleeve.


    ¡°You''ve met Dad?¡± Riala said in a low growl.


    ¡°''Met'' is a strong word,¡± Talia said, putting a hand over Riala''s and trying to pry her sister''s fingers from her blouse. ¡°I''ve been visited by him. He briefly came to Solara.¡±


    ¡°The monster accident,¡± Riala realized, releasing Talia''s sleeve. ¡°What did he do?¡±


    But Talia wasn''t about to discuss their father''s behavior.


    What she wanted to know was how Riala knew about him.


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Talia asked. ¡°And why have you never told me anything?¡±


    ¡°Because there''s nothing to tell,¡± Riala said, her eyes cold. ¡°We don''t have a father, and our mother died to protect everyone in the Great Archipelago, Talia.¡±


    Talia stared at her sister, taken aback by the harsh tone of her voice.


    ¡°But he''s real, Riala. I saw him. He helped me unlock Mom''s glaive.¡±


    Riala''s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°You shouldn''t trust him, Talia. Whatever he told you, whatever he did ¨C it''s not out of love or care for you.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Talia pressed. ¡°What happened?


    Riala sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly.


    ¡°Look, it''s complicated. And we don''t have time for this right now. Elder Kahua is waiting, and we can''t be late. Just¡­ never trust him.¡±


    They approached a grand building with sweeping arches and intricate stonework. Atop its entrance, a silver star gleamed ¨C the symbol of Elder Kahua''s School.


    ¡°Remember,¡± Riala said as they reached the doors, ¡°Elder Kahua values precision and control above all else. Raw power means nothing if you can''t wield it properly. And don''t mention anything about... Dad. Understood?¡±


    Talia nodded, squaring her shoulders.


    ¡°Got it. I''m ready.¡±


    Riala led Talia through the hall and several flights of stairs.


    As they entered the classroom, Talia couldn''t help but stifle a yawn.


    It was way too early for this nonsense, in her opinion.


    The room was filled with nervous-looking students, all standing at attention like they were about to face some kind of execution squad.


    There must have been at least two dozen of them ¨C a mix of backgrounds, from what Talia could tell, but mostly noble kids.


    Some wore the distinctive robes of Elder Kahua''s School, while others, like her, were clearly here for the test.


    Talia glanced around, thinking to herself.


    It''s barely past sunrise. Couldn''t Elder Kahua have picked a more reasonable hour for this? What''s he trying to prove by dragging us out of bed at the crack of dawn?


    She glanced at the other students, noting the dark circles under their eyes.


    Clearly, she wasn''t the only one feeling the early start.


    The whole setup screamed, ¡°I''m important, and you''re not,¡± to Talia.


    She was starting to get the impression that Elder Kahua was one very uptight man.


    As Riala moved to take her place at the front of the room, Talia hung back slightly.


    She leaned against one of the intricately carved pillars near the wall, crossing her arms.


    No way was she going to stand there like a statue just because some Elder decided that crack of dawn was the best time for tests.


    Elder Krakatoa was nothing but nice to me, Talia reflected. Do I really have to choose this School? And do I really want to be with Riala if she doesn¡¯t even want to tell me what the deal is with Dad? Should I ask Elder Krakatoa about it?


    She knew that Maui, her father, was clearly some kind of an outlaw figure, though, which meant that asking Elder Krakatoa could land her in trouble.


    Anyway, Talia kept glancing around, growing more and more restless by the minute.


    Her initial impression of Elder Kahua was quickly forming into that of a huge pain in the rear.


    Still, she reminded herself that appearances could be deceiving.


    After all, hadn''t Professor Iakopo turned out to be more than just the drunk he pretended to be?


    Maybe there was more to Elder Kahua than what this rather obnoxious display suggested.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Talia''s gaze drifted to the front of the room where Riala stood. Her sister''s posture was perfect, and her expression serene. If the early hour bothered her, she didn''t show it. For a moment, Talia felt a pang of... something. Envy? Admiration? It was hard to tell.


    She absently fingered the golden bracelets covering her wrists.


    The room was so tense you could cut it with a knife.


    Then, the doors flew open, and Elder Kahua walked in with the crimson robes that distinguished the Elders.


    He scanned the room, his eyes lingering on Talia for a second before moving on.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the room. ¡°I trust you''re all sufficiently awake.¡±


    There was a murmur of assent from the students, though Talia noticed more than a few stifled yawns.


    Elder Kahua''s lips twitched in what might have been amusement ¨C or irritation.


    It was hard to tell.


    ¡°As you know, this is not merely a test of raw power or basic skills,¡± Elder Kahua continued, pacing slowly in front of the group. ¡°My School demands excellence in all aspects of Mana manipulation. This year, I''ve decided to set a very high bar for the entrance exam.¡±


    He paused, letting the anticipation build.


    Talia found herself leaning forward despite her earlier nonchalance, curiosity getting the better of her.


    ¡°For this year''s test, I expect all aspiring students to demonstrate proficiency in Mana Crystallization ¨C the second stage of Mana Coating.¡±


    A collective gasp rippled through the room.


    Even Riala''s composure slipped for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise.


    Talia glanced around, noting the apprehension on the faces of her fellow test-takers.


    Elder Kahua''s eyes glinted as he continued.


    ¡°For those unfamiliar with the term, Mana Crystallization involves transforming your Mana into a crystal-like substance over your weapon or body. It''s a technique that requires precise control and deep understanding of the Mana flow.¡±


    He gestured, and a shimmering, translucent crystal layer formed over his hand.


    It caught the morning light, refracting it in dazzling patterns across the room.


    ¡°This is not just for show,¡± he explained. ¡°Crystallized Mana is far more durable and potent than a simple Mana coating. It can enhance your defenses, amplify your attacks, and even serve as a conduit for more complex spells.¡±


    The crystal dissipated, and Elder Kahua''s gaze hardened.


    ¡°Those who succeed in showing their mastery over it ¡ª or, at least, basic control ¡ª will have proven themselves worthy of joining our ranks.¡±


    Talia had only just mastered Mana Crystallization in Elder Krakatoa''s class.


    Showing it off would finally earn her some respect from Riala.


    Elder Kahua clapped his hands sharply, jolting everyone to attention.


    ¡°You will have one attempt to demonstrate Mana Crystallization. You may use any weapon or focus you prefer or attempt it on your own body if you''re feeling particularly confident.¡±


    He gestured to a table at the side of the room, laden with an assortment of weapons.


    ¡°Choose your tool wisely. You have five minutes to prepare, then, we begin.¡±


    The room erupted into motion as students rushed to select their weapons.


    Talia hung back, her hand instinctively going to the glaive at her side.


    She caught Riala''s eye across the room ¨C she seemed concerned?


    Her sister gave her a small nod before turning away to oversee the preparations.


    As Talia watched the other students fussing over their weapons, she smirked.


    She had mastered Mana Crystallization with no effort.


    Elder Kahua''s gaze swept over the room, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Talia''s nonchalant demeanor.


    The contrast between her relaxed posture and the tense, anxious energy of the other students was stark.


    He had seen many promising recruits over the years, but something about this girl''s attitude set his teeth on edge.


    She¡¯s exactly like him, Elder Kahua thought to himself. We need to nip this in the bud.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Elder Kahua''s voice cut through the murmur of activity. ¡°Remember, precision and control are paramount. Kahua''s School maintains its elite status through rigorous standards.


    ¡°Now, one at a time, step forward and show me your Mana Crystallization attempt.¡±


    One young man stepped forward first, with his face screwed up in concentration, and he managed to produce a wavering coat of Mana over his sword.


    For a moment, it seemed he might succeed in crystallizing it, but then the energy dispersed, leaving him looking dejected.


    ¡°Failure,¡± Elder Kahua announced. ¡°Next.¡±


    A girl with intricate braids fared slightly better, her staff glowing with a steady light.


    But as she attempted to push the Mana into a crystalline form, the energy pulsed erratically, nearly slipping from her control.


    For all her efforts, she couldn¡¯t manage to create the crystal edge.


    Talia looked on, not mocking the girl, but simply so relaxed that many started noticing her attitude.


    Elder Kahua''s frown deepened as he sneaked glances at her.


    Whispers rippled through the group, some curious, others resentful of her apparent lack of concern for the test.


    Finally, Elder Kahua could no longer ignore her attitude.


    ¡°You there,¡± he called out, pointing directly at Talia. ¡°Since you seem so at ease, perhaps you''d like to demonstrate for the class?¡±


    A hush fell over the room.


    All eyes turned to Talia, a mix of anticipation and schadenfreude on their faces.


    Surely, they thought, this arrogant girl was about to be put in her place.


    Talia stepped forward, her smirk widening into a full grin.


    ¡°Certainly, Elder Kahua,¡± she replied, her tone just shy of mocking.


    She could feel Riala''s gaze boring into her ¨C a mixture of warning and resignation.


    She held her glaive out before her.


    Talia activated [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom], pulling on her Blood Water and expanding its Mana outward from her navel to the weapon.


    Without any of the visible effort of the other students, she channeled the energy, and a crystalline structure began to form along the weapon''s length.


    The crystal grew rapidly, encasing the glaive¡¯s blade in a shimmering, scarlet layer that caught and reflected the light.


    The room held its breath, all eyes fixed on the display.


    Even Riala couldn''t hide her surprise at her sister''s effortless demonstration.


    Talia glanced around at the stunned faces, then back at Elder Kahua.


    ¡°See?¡± she said, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. ¡°It''s easy.¡±


    Elder Kahua''s face flushed with anger, the veins in his neck standing out prominently.


    The casual dismissal of a technique that most students struggled to master throughout the first year, if not also the second, was clearly more than he could tolerate.


    ¡°Easy?¡± he repeated, his voice dangerously low. ¡°You think this is a game, girl? This technique has taken even some of our most talented students months to master, and you dare to trivialize it?¡±


    Talia''s smile faltered slightly, realizing too late that she may have pushed too far.


    The other students began to back away, sensing the storm brewing between Talia and the Elder.


    But before she could respond, Elder Kahua continued, his voice rising with each word.


    ¡°You may have your mother''s talent, but you lack her wisdom and respect. Talent without discipline is worse than useless ¨C it''s dangerous. Perhaps you need a more... challenging demonstration to truly test your abilities.¡±


    The atmosphere in the room had shifted dramatically.


    What had started as a test now felt like a confrontation, with Talia at its center.


    She met Elder Kahua''s gaze, her earlier bravado giving way to a mix of apprehension and determination.


    Some of the other students exchanged nervous glances.


    They had heard rumors of Elder Kahua''s temper, but few had witnessed it firsthand.


    Now, they watched with a mixture of fear and fascination to see how he would respond to this brash newcomer.


    Riala watched from the sidelines.


    As the tension was building, Elder Kahua''s eyes narrowed ¨C a dangerous glint appearing in them.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said, his voice eerily calm now. ¡°If Mana Crystallization is so simple for you, then we must give you a different challenge, Talia Solara.¡±


    Elder Kahua''s gaze swept across the room, his eyes lingering on each student before returning to Talia.


    ¡°Listen well, all of you,¡± Elder Kahua''s voice carried a weight of experience and barely-contained anger. ¡°Arrogance is a poison that has destroyed more promising Water Riders than any monster of the Deep. It blinds you to your weaknesses, makes you overestimate your abilities, and leads you down paths from which there is no return.¡±


    His words seemed to carry a personal weight, as if he were recalling some long-ago tragedy.


    For a moment, his eyes unfocused, lost in a memory.


    When he spoke again, his voice was quieter but no less intense.


    ¡°I have seen great talents fall because they believed themselves invincible. I have watched as overconfidence turned potential heroes into cautionary tales.¡± His gaze fixed on Talia once more, with a mixture of anger and something that might have been regret in his eyes. ¡°Talent without humility, without discipline, is a dangerous thing.¡±


    The other students shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with both Elder Kahua and Talia.


    The atmosphere had shifted from one of competition to something far more serious.


    Elder Kahua seemed to come to a decision.


    He gestured sharply, and a young man stepped forward from the group of second-year students observing the test.


    ¡°Kano,¡± Elder Kahua addressed the student, ¡°you will face Talia in a demonstration match.¡±


    Kano looked surprised but nodded all the same.


    He was tall and lean, with the confident bearing of someone who had already proven himself in combat.


    Elder Kahua turned back to Talia, his voice cold.


    ¡°Since you find our standard tests so trivial, perhaps this will prove more... enlightening. You will demonstrate your mastery of Mana Crystallization in a practical scenario.¡±


    His next words fell like hammer blows.


    ¡°And understand this, Talia Solara. If you fail to meet my expectations in this test, I will use my authority as an Elder to have you expelled from the Water Riders Academy entirely.¡±


    A collective gasp sounded through the room.


    Even Riala looked shocked at the severity of the punishment.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound fair!¡± Talia growled.


    Elder Kahua smiled.


    ¡°Life isn''t fair. The Deep isn''t fair. If you cannot handle this challenge, you have no place among the Water Riders.¡±


    He gestured to a large open area at the center of the room.


    ¡°You can take your positions and begin. And Kano, if you don¡¯t win, you cannot consider yourself a member of my School anymore.¡±

 Chapter 37 – Lightning Water

    Maui''s words suddenly resonated in Talia''s ears.


    ¡°Your mother wasn¡¯t killed by the Kraken ¨C it was one of the Elders who killed her.¡±


    The Academy had captivated her so much that she had nearly forgotten about it.


    It had always lingered in the back of her mind, though, as Talia promised to investigate it when she had the time, but now, the gears in her head began to turn.


    As she watched the bristling Elder, who had just created an unreasonable challenge for her, something clicked for her.


    Could it be him?


    Whoever killed Mom might get close to one of us on purpose¡ªand Riala is both the first-born and the one who looks more like Mom.


    Talia shot a glance at Riala, and at the second-year student she was supposed to fight.


    Her sister seemed conflicted, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Instead, Kano, the second-year student who had been tasked to defeat her or be expelled from Elder Kahua¡¯s School, fetched a trident and stepped into the center of the hall where they had been taking the test.


    Distracted, Talia didn¡¯t even pay attention to Elder Kahua¡¯s smoldering glances.


    In her head, the pieces were starting to fall into place.


    Elder Kahua''s challenge, his anger, and the clear resentment in his eyes hinted at something more than just strictness.


    Could he be the one her father had warned her about ¡ª the one responsible for her mother''s death?


    Talia clenched her teeth in anger.


    Why hadn¡¯t Maui told her?


    That was a damn important piece of information to have!


    If she had known that Elder Kahua had been the one¡­


    Then, she realized something.


    Calm down.


    I don¡¯t know that Elder Kahua did anything.


    Without even realizing it, she had started believing her father¡¯s words because of how furious the middle-aged man in front of her had made her.


    Talia glanced at Riala one last time, hoping for a sign of support, but her sister''s face stayed blank, focusing on Elder Kahua.


    Bitterness welled up inside her.


    Of course, Riala wouldn¡¯t speak up ¡ª she never had.


    Not when the villagers treated Talia like an outcast, not when she begged her to help her pass the Academy¡¯s entrance test.


    Why would now be any different?


    Talia had hoped things might change between them here.


    But Riala¡¯s silence clearly proved otherwise.


    Who knows? Talia wondered, maybe I don¡¯t even deserve it.


    Her gaze shifted to Kano, the second-year student.


    He looked confident ¨C a perfect Elder Kahua student.


    Normally, he¡¯d be intimidating, but Talia only felt rage.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid in the slightest.


    She was furious.


    This was preposterous.


    But she wasn¡¯t going to back down.


    She had no idea how she would manage to defeat someone at the very least ten levels above her.


    She only knew she had to.


    "Ready when you are," Kano said.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Talia didn¡¯t tell him that he should be ashamed of himself, nor did she complain to Elder Kahua for a second.


    She just walked to the center of the hall in blistering silence.


    She had no intention of giving the bastard who had concocted this duel any satisfaction.


    The real problem was that she didn''t know if she had any way to win this.


    The difference between someone in their first year and second year was quite enormous.


    Though, it was true that this student wasn''t at the end of his second year.


    He had just started.


    He had been a first-year student until recently.


    And first-year students didn''t go out to do missions as much as those in the later years.


    That meant if Talia was lucky, about ten levels or slightly less would be the only difference between them.


    It wasn''t insurmountable, usually.


    But this guy looked very focused and very dangerous.


    More worryingly, she saw a slight crackling of lightning around his trident.


    She knew that this boy belonged to the K¨¡ne family, the same family that Elder Krakatoa had revealed Professor Iakopo to be a part of.


    The K¨¡ne family''s main Affinity was Azure Lightning Water.


    This guy, thankfully, didn''t seem to have been wielding Azure Lightning, which was an enhanced form of lightning that posed a much bigger danger than Lightning Water but was only available to the main branch of the K¨¡ne family.


    So, judging by the looks of it, this boy wasn''t a part of the main family branch.


    That made Talia''s job slightly easier.


    But main family or not, Talia needed a plan if she wanted to win this.


    I can''t bait him into thinking I''m extremely weak, Talia thought, looking at how determined the guy seemed.


    That would have worked if Elder Kahua hadn''t put Kano''s permanence in his School on the line.


    Sadly for Talia, it really looked like this guy wasn''t going to take any chances.


    She had activated [Eyes of the Abyss] and could see Mana swirling all around his body and into the weapon.


    The moment this started, he would attack with all he had or close to it.


    This made Talia think that if playing coy wasn''t an option, the only thing she could really do was to make him angry and make him make a mistake.


    Something rash that could give her an opening.


    The fact that they were both wielding double-handed weapons meant that she didn''t have a gross disadvantage like in the case of someone with a much nimbler weapon, such as a smaller sword or daggers, like the ones that Keanu had.


    Until she gained more attributes, she would always be disadvantaged against faster opponents.


    Her Glaive was made to destroy Abyssal Creatures, not to duel against pretty weapons.


    "What are you waiting for?"


    Talia taunted Kano, gripping her Glaive tightly.


    Her enemy''s trident crackled with electricity, and he immediately lunged for her.


    She saw that his physical attributes weren''t too high and instantly managed to parry.


    Still, the impact jarred her arms.


    However, after he swung the weapon a couple more times, sparks flying from his trident, she noticed that Kano had a rather aggressive style, leaving small openings between each swing.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" Talia taunted, as if her muscles weren''t hurting each time she parried one of those strikes.


    Forcing a smirk, she added, "Well, I thought Elder Kahua''s students were the best of the best. That''s clearly not the case."


    "Fight in silence," Elder Kahua thundered.


    "Why do you need to hear the whimpering of your student?" Talia laughed arrogantly.


    Anger flashed in Kano''s eyes.


    He hadn''t paid attention to Talia''s behavior before this, chalking her antics up to just being an overly excited first-year student.


    But now, her arrogance was really rubbing him the wrong way, probably the same way it rubbed Elder Kahua.


    And so, his attacks immediately intensified, and his lightning swung in arcs, only barely parried by Talia''s Glaive.


    The girl quickly slashed herself over the Glaive while backstabbing, using her blood to coat the weapon in a thick, sharp, and long blade that extended the Glaive''s already impressive range.


    "You know," she panted, narrowly avoiding a thrust of the trident, "are you here because of your family''s connections? And what connections are those even, huh? I didn''t know someone without Azure Lightning Water magic could actually get into a good School. I wonder what your mother did with Elder Kahua to get you here?"


    That clearly put Kano, someone who had never heard another person dare insult his mother like that, over the edge.


    Talia had plenty of experience dealing with insults and taunting on Solara ¨C something that a sheltered noble clearly knew nothing about.


    "Shut up," he snarled, now backstabbing and summoning a huge ball of electricity over the three points of his trident.


    The air grew thick, making it hard to breathe.


    Talia felt her arm hairs stand on end, her skin tingling with static.


    "You know, maybe Elder Kahua is actually your real father. That''s how you got into this School."


    Talia laughed, ready to parry the massive attack.


    Kano''s face contorted with rage, and he unleashed the massive sphere.


    Talia tried her best, even empowering her momentum with the Star Glaive''s skill and her hands.


    However, even with the massive blood scythe that she had managed to generate, the sphere knocked the weapon out of her hands, making her take the brunt of the rest of the impact coming at her.


    She felt lightning charring her skin and coursing through her body, threatening to make her lose her senses.


    But thanks to her innately higher regeneration and defense, she clenched her teeth through the pain and made it to the other side alive.


    She stared at Kano, waiting for him to hesitate, even for a moment, when she could use [Reclaim], the other core skill of her Star Glaive, to get her weapon back and perhaps use her wrist mark''s powers to throw the weapon as strongly as she could at him and pierce his abdomen.


    But the hesitation or the brashness she had waited for didn''t come.


    Kano simply summoned another globe of electricity, not even telling Talia to surrender or waiting for her to do so.


    No, he clearly had no intention of letting her walk away unscathed.


    Talia had made a bad call.


    She realized that, without him doing anything stupid, there was no way for her to win this.


    "[Thunder Spear]!" Kano screamed, the globe of light on the trident expanding over the weapon, coating it with wild Lightning Water.


    Kano took a throwing stance and readied himself to throw the weapon her way.


    Talia could almost see it in slow motion as the trident left his hands and barreled at full speed towards her.


    She immediately reclaimed her Glaive, preparing to face the lightning head-on, unsure of whether she would survive such an attack.


    Then, something happened, and the world turned grey.

 Chapter 38 – Darkness

    Against all expectations, Talia heard the same voice she had heard when facing the three Abyssal Scuttlers without her weapon on Solara ¨C the same voice that had saved her from certain death, but also the same voice that had her choose the Crimson Sage Talent Tree, which had brought Talia to meet her father, Maui.


    Her mother''s voice came, sad and almost carrying disapproval.


    "You''re about to lose."


    "He''s a second-year student," Talia said, unable to believe that the second time she heard her mother''s voice in this gray space was to hear her reprimand her.


    But soon, her mother''s voice grew softer.


    "I know, but only heroes face hard battles way beyond their power. That''s the crucible of all heroes."


    Even though Talia understood what her mother was saying, she really couldn''t do anything about the fact that this guy was so much stronger than her.


    She didn''t have much to go on compared to him; the Abyssal Scuttlers had been as easy as treading coastal water.


    "You''re my daughter," Yelena''s voice came stronger than before. "Do you really think you can''t do it?"


    "What do you expect me to do?" Talia rebuked.


    "I expect you to open your Akashic Record and look at your Talent Trees," the voice of her mother carried some mischief.


    Talia looked at her Talent Trees.


    The previous time her mother had appeared to her in this weird time vacuum, Crimson Sage had been highlighted in red.


    This time, she saw that another tree had been highlighted in red.


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li>Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li>Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li>Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li>Hemomantic Artisan </li>


    <li>Crimson Sage (1)</li>


    <li>Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    It was Hemomantic Artisan.


    Talia knew it meant she was being told to choose that Talent Tree, but she couldn''t understand why exactly.


    Hemomantic Artisan was the Intelligence-based Talent Tree.


    What could be hiding under the first branch of the Hemomantic Artisan Talent Tree?


    What kind of skill could she ever gain from it that would save her from the lightning spear that Kano had just hurled at her?


    Most likely, under the Hemomantic Artisan, there was some sort of attack spell.


    That was what usually hid under an Intelligence-based Talent Tree. Talent Trees based on Intelligence were the stuff of casters like Fiora. But Talia, thanks to her glaive, clearly had more of a physical warrior aptitude than a caster¡¯s. Her Soul Weapon was literally one of the most brutish weapons a Water Rider could wield.


    Then why was her mother suggesting Hemomantic Artisan?


    No casting spell or attack was going to save her from this battle¡ªnot at her level.


    "Is my father going to visit me again?" Talia asked with sarcasm dripping from her words.


    She wasn''t happy about how the last meeting with her mother had ended. Not that she wasn''t glad for her mother saving her life, but her father had clearly stated, among the rest of the traumatic revelations, that it was her choosing Crimson Wisdom that had brought him to her. She hadn''t even asked why; that''s how flabbergasted she had been by the whole event.


    "I don''t think so," her mother''s voice replied in a neutral tone.


    "I need you to tell me more," Talia frowned. "What is happening? What is this? Where are you? Are you alive? Are you inside me? Where are you?" Talia sounded desperate.


    "I''m alive," her mother revealed, making Talia''s heart skip a beat.


    Talia''s heart raced as she absorbed her mother''s words.


    Alive. Her mother was alive. Questions flooded her mind, but before she could voice them, her mother spoke again.


    "Focus, Talia. You need to unlock Hemomantic Artisan now."


    Talia hesitated, still overwhelmed by the revelation.


    But the urgency in her mother''s voice spurred her to action. She opened her Akashic Record and selected the Hemomantic Artisan Talent Tree.


    [You unlocked the Hemomantic Artisan Talent Tree.]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Blood Confluence]


    "What does it do?" Talia asked, studying the unfamiliar ability.


    "It enhances you and your spells, decreasing your Mana costs. But you need to use it, Talia. Now."


    How¡¯s that going to help?


    Talia sighed and activated the skill, feeling a sudden rush of energy. Her senses sharpened, and she felt more connected to her magic than ever before.


    But she still felt panic as she looked at the lightning spear hurtling towards her.


    "How do I stop it?" she cried out, fear rising in her chest.


    "You''re my daughter," her mother''s voice rang out, filled with pride and determination. "You will win."Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The gray world around her began to flicker and fade.


    ¡°Mom! I can¡¯t! This Skill is not enough!¡±


    Talia could feel desperation clawing at her heart.


    Just as the world started to dissolve, her mother''s voice came again, softer this time.


    "Elder Kahua... he knew about the trap. He could have warned me, but he didn''t. Remember that, Talia."


    Those were the last words her mother left her before disappearing. Talia¡¯s eyes went wide as she glanced at the Elder who had put her in this unfair situation.


    Anger flared up in Talia''s chest, hot and fierce.


    The gray domain shattered, and she found herself back in the present, facing Kano''s attack.


    She felt a fury like never before seize her body, burning through her vein like hot lava.


    He had known something that would have Mom? What, exactly?!


    How dare Elder Kahua set this up?


    How dare he threaten to expel her when he might have played a part in her mother''s disappearance?


    And Kano ¨C willing to seriously hurt her just to keep his place in the School.


    Talia''s rage kept building up ¨C an inferno of emotions.


    She reached for her wrist marks, no longer caring about the consequences.


    She needed power. She needed to win. She needed to show them all that she wasn''t someone to be trifled with.


    Talia¡¯s plans had been to reach for the same power that had saved her during Professor Iakopo¡¯s test.


    But something was different this time.


    When Talia looked at her wrists, with her vitality and power enhanced by [Blood Confluence], she saw something else.


    There wasn¡¯t just power there¡­ there was more.


    The familiar power was there, but it was accompanied by something new, something darker.


    She didn¡¯t even know what exactly it was that she was feeling, she just felt a sort of gravitational pull and allowed the power to sweep through her body.


    Her eyes went wide as she got another notification.


    [You have unlocked Secondary Mana Channel - Dark Water]


    The Affinity surged coldly through her body.


    It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.


    Talia instinctively tapped into her new power.


    Kano''s lightning spear flew at her, crackling with deadly energy.


    But Talia no longer felt fear.


    Instead, a cold determination settled over her.


    She raised her hand, the Dark Water Mana coalescing around her fingers.


    She shaped the energy into a massive serpent-like attack of inky water.


    It burst forth from her palm, meeting Kano''s attack head-on.


    The clash was devastating.


    The lightning arced and sputtered as it made contact with the Dark Water serpent.


    But instead of dissipating, the serpent seemed to devour the electricity, growing larger and more menacing.


    Gasps and cries of shock echoed through the hall.


    The students scrambled backward, pressing themselves against the walls to escape the magical onslaught.


    Even Elder Kahua''s eyes widened in disbelief at the display of power before him.


    Kano''s confident expression morphed into one of terror as he watched his attack being consumed.


    He tried to pour more energy into the lightning spear, but it was futile.


    The Dark Water serpent surged forward, unstoppable. In mere seconds, it had devoured the entirety of Kano''s spell.


    But it didn''t stop there.


    The construct, now twice its original size, lunged at the second-year student with frightening speed.


    Kano attempted to dodge, but he was too slow.


    The serpent crashed into him with tremendous force, engulfing him in a whirlpool of Dark Water.


    His screams were muffled by the roaring torrent as he was lifted off his feet and slammed against the far wall.


    The impact shook the entire room.


    Cracks spider-webbed across the stone where Kano had struck the wall.


    When the Dark Water receded, dispersing in dark fumes on the pavement, he crumpled to the floor, unmoving.


    A deathly silence fell over the hall.


    All eyes turned to Talia, who stood at the center of the room, her Dark Water Mana still swirling around her.


    For a moment, no one dared to move.


    The sheer display of power had stunned everyone into immobility.


    Talia herself seemed frozen, struggling to process what had just happened.


    The rush of the new Affinity, the overwhelming strength of the spell ¨C it was all too much to take in.


    Then, reality came crashing down and whispers broke out among the students.


    Talia caught snatches of their words.


    "Did you see that?"


    ¡°Is he still breathing?¡±


    "Dark Water... but how?"


    "She killed him!"


    "What kind of monster is she?"


    Monster.


    The word brought Talia a veritable tsunami of painful memories.


    All her life, she had fought against that label.


    And now, after everything she had done to prove herself, to show that she belonged...


    She looked down at her hands, the Dark Water not there anymore


    Was this what she truly was?


    A monster?


    Across the room, Kano groaned weakly.


    Two students rushed to his side, carefully helping him into a sitting position.


    His clothes were in tatters, and angry red welts covered his exposed skin where the Dark Water had lashed at him.


    He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of water tinted with blood.


    The sight snapped Elder Kahua out of his shock.


    His face contorted with fury as he strode toward Talia, magic flaring around him in a brilliant display of power.


    "How dare you?!" he thundered, his voice echoing off the walls. "You attacked him with such dangerous, uncontrolled, FILTHY magic in my School? You could have killed him! If you had a full control over it, he would have been fully consumed, you FOOL!"


    Talia took a step back, overwhelmed by the Elder''s rage.


    She opened her mouth to speak and defend herself, but no words came out.


    What could she say?


    She hardly even understood what had just happened.


    Elder Kahua''s magic intensified, and the air around him shimmered with uncontained power.


    "I knew you were trouble from the moment you arrived," he snarled. "Just like¡ª¡± The Elder stopped himself midway. ¡°Reckless. Dangerous. A threat to everyone around you."


    Is he talking about my Mom? Did he really do it?


    Apparently, there were people who thought that Yalena had been reckless.


    But now that Talia knew that her mother was still alive and out there somewhere, perhaps needing her, in infused Talia with courage.


    But before she could shout at the man, furious about what the shadow of her mother had just told her about Elder Kahua betraying her, Riala stepped between them.


    Her sister''s face was pale, but her jaw was set with determination.


    "Elder Kahua," Riala said, her voice steady despite the tension in the room. "This is enough. The test is over."


    The Elder''s eyes flashed dangerously.


    "Step aside, Riala. This goes beyond a simple test now. Your sister has proven herself to be a danger to this entire Academy!¡±


    Talia felt her blood boil.


    For a moment, it seemed Elder Kahua might lash out at Riala as well.


    The air crackled with magical energy, setting everyone''s teeth on edge.


    However, instead of stepping aside, a gigantic aura erupted forth from Riala, pushing back the Elder.


    ¡°I said,¡± the white-haired girl spoke slowly and angrily, ¡°this is it. The test is done.¡±


    Slowly, the Elder''s fury seemed to abate.


    "Very well," he said, his voice cold. "But this isn''t over. The Principal will hear about your sister¡¯s incident."


    Talia''s mind reeled.


    The Principal? Surely they wouldn''t expel her for this?


    But as she looked around the room, at the fear in her fellow students'' eyes, at Kano''s battered form, she realized just how serious the situation was.


    Unable to bear the weight of their stares any longer, Talia turned and fled.


    She pushed past the crowd of students, ignoring their startled cries.


    She ran through the halls of Elder Kahua''s School. She needed to get away.


    Behind her, she could hear Riala calling her name.


    But she didn''t stop.


    She couldn''t face her sister right now.


    Not after all she had heard from her mother.


    As Talia disappeared around a corner, Elder Kahua turned to address the remaining students.


    "Return to your dormitories," he ordered. "My Classes are canceled for the rest of the day."


    The students filed out quietly, still shaken by what they had witnessed.


    Soon, only Elder Kahua and Riala remained in the hall.


    "Sir," Riala began, now meeker, "about Talia-"


    Elder Kahua cut her off with a sharp gesture.


    "I warned you about this, Riala. I told you bringing her here was a mistake."


    "She''s my sister," Riala protested.


    ¡°You¡¯re your mother¡¯s daughter. She clearly is her father¡¯s.¡±


    "She deserves a chance, just like anyone else."


    The Elder''s eyes narrowed.


    "She''s exactly like your father, Riala. It''s only a matter of time until she turns into a monster like him."


    Riala flinched at his words, pain flashing across her face.


    He turned away, his shoulders sagging with a weariness that made him seem far older than his years.


    "Go. Find your sister. Make sure she doesn''t cause any more damage. I need to report this to the Principal."


    As Riala hurried out of the hall, Elder Kahua stayed behind, lost in thought. He gazed at the destruction left in the wake of Talia''s power.


    "Yalena," he murmured to himself, "what have you unleashed upon us?"

 Chapter 39 – The Broken Keel

    The sound of a fist against wood echoed through the hallway of Elder Krakatoa''s dormitory.


    Riala stood outside Talia''s door, her fist starting tu hurt from repeated banging.


    "Talia!" she called out, her voice strained. "Open the door. We need to talk about what happened."


    Silence was her only answer.


    Riala leaned her forehead against the cool wood, frustrated.


    "Please, Talia. Don''t shut me out. Not now."


    What Talia had done had completely stunned Riala and all the others present to the point that Elder Kahua seemed on the verge of smiting her.


    Somehow, her younger sister had summoned Dark Water¡ªsomething Riala knew only one other person could do.


    The soft click of a door opening caught her attention.


    Riala turned to see a concerned Nami emerging from her room, the Shield of Lilo Moana.


    "Miss Riala? What''s wrong?" Nami asked, tightening the sash of her robe. "I heard shouting. Is everything okay?"


    Riala''s repeated knocking had gone unanswered.


    ¡°There was a problem at Elder Kahua¡¯s School during Talia¡¯s test,¡± Riala sighed. ¡°She¡¯s not answering.¡±


    "I''ll try to talk to her," Nami offered, stepping forward. "Maybe she''ll open up to someone who wasn''t there."


    Riala hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.


    "Alright. Just... be careful. Sometimes, she¡¯s just not herself."


    The white-haired girl turned and walked away.


    That was when Nami felt a pang of deep worry.


    If Riala, the Champion of Elder Kahua¡¯s School, was this distressed, what in the name of the Deep could have been the reason?


    Again, Riala was a celebrity at the Academy, and even the North Deep¡¯s Great Families treaded lightly around the girl who was known to be a future powerhouse, a savvy student, and most certainly a future Elder¡ªif not a Kraken Slayer like her mother.


    Nami approached the door with her heart in her throat, knocking gently.


    "Talia? It''s Nami. Can we talk?"


    To her surprise, the door creaked open.


    Nami exchanged a quick glance with Riala before stepping inside and closing the door behind her.


    What Nami saw inside stopped her in her tracks.


    Instead of finding Talia distraught or brooding, she discovered the girl sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by a menacing red energy that pulsed and swirled around her.


    Nami cleared her throat nervously.


    Talia''s eyes snapped open at the sound, the eerie glow fading from them as the red energy dissipated.


    "Nami," Talia acknowledged, her voice oddly calm. "I was just investigating a new Skill."


    "I... see," Nami replied, trying to hide her unease. "Talia, what happened at Elder Kahua¡¯s? Your sister is very worried sick."


    Talia''s expression darkened.


    "Elder Kahua was angry when I passed his test too easily and after he had set me up to fail. He pitted me against a second-year student, threatening to expel me if I lost."


    She paused, her fists clenching.


    "Then, I won.¡±


    Nami listened with wide eyes.


    The girl¡¯s hands twitched slightly at her sides as she processed Talia''s words.


    She defeated a second-year student?


    Nami wondered if Lilo would be able to do that.


    Perhaps she would, but Talia doesn¡¯t look beaten up at all.


    Her feet shifted nervously as if instinctively preparing to move back, but she stayed rooted in place, her concern overriding her unease.


    "That''s... that''s unacceptable behavior from an Elder. Talia, I think you should drop out of Elder Kahua''s classes. They start in a few days, but I''m sure Elder Krakatoa would understand if¡ª"


    "No," Talia interrupted, her voice firm. "I''m going to take those classes."


    Nami frowned. "But after what happened¡ª"


    "Exactly because of what happened," Talia said, standing up.


    Her eyes gleamed with determination.


    I need to understand what Elder Kahua is really up to, Talia thought to herself.


    "What do you mean? What happened?" Nami asked, a hint of worry in her voice.


    I can¡¯t tell her, Talia thought. It¡¯s too dangerous. And I don¡¯t know how much I can trust Nami. She¡¯s a part of the Great Families ¡ª I know way too little to make any real decision right now. But the rumors will start circulating soon anyway.


    ¡°I got a new Affinity,¡± Talia said, briefly explaining what had happened.


    Nami listened to what had gone down with wide eyes.


    ¡°Right now, though, I need to get stronger, Nami. I need to sell that secret and find more. Do you have any classes today?¡±


    Nami shook her head.


    ¡°But Talia¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you have nothing better to do, how about you fetch your sister, and we all go trade some secrets? I¡¯ll sell it to you girls for a discount.¡±


    Nami hesitated.


    She fidgeted with her sash.


    She searched Talia¡¯s face for reassurance but found none.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    There was something different about the girl¡¯s aura.


    For the past two days, Talia had seemed very excited about this new life, but she was also passive, overwhelmed by her new reality.


    Now, however, there was a dangerous glint in the girl¡¯s eyes that Nami hadn¡¯t seen before.


    Talia¡¯s entire demeanor seemed to have changed.


    * * *


    Nami overlooked a very excited Lilo and an edgy Talia as she steered a gondola through the canals surrounding the Academy.


    The imposing silhouette of the Spire gradually receded behind them.


    The smell of algae and old wood was getting closer and closer to their nostrils.


    That was because they were approaching the Market.


    As the older of the Moana sisters had explained to Talia, there was only one place where one could continuously trade secrets during the day. And it would be occupied for the better part of the morning by dealers of secrets.


    The Market.


    Its name was quite ironic since the Market was really a ship graveyard made up of countless enchanted vessels that had outlived their usability.


    The most interesting aspect about the Market, however, was that there was so much enchanted wood everywhere that communication or eavesdropping spells would just return an unintelligible buzz, which was exactly why it had been designated for its purposes.


    The dead vessels had also been arranged in such a pattern that even the narrow gondolas could, at best, fit two at a time in the same canal.


    The gondola glided into a labyrinth of waterlogged timber and rotting planks.


    Talia, Nami, and Lilo ducked as they passed under a low-hanging mast.


    The Market sprawled before them ¨C a haphazard collection of derelict ships fused into a floating bazaar.


    Nami steered them through the narrow channels barely wide enough for their vessel.


    On either side, the hollowed-out hulls housed dimly lit stalls.


    Merchants hawked their wares normally, but every once in a while, Talia noticed them whispering or giving suspicious handshakes to their clients.


    Talia wrinkled her nose, unused to the pungent odor of the place.


    Lilo, who was fidgeting in her seat, seemed equally uncomfortable.


    As they progressed deeper into the Market, away from the main stalls, the ambient noise faded into a muffled hum.


    The enchanted wood absorbed the sounds, creating pockets of eerie silence.


    Talia felt the hair on her arms stand on end.


    Nami guided them to a weathered dock jutting from a partially submerged galleon.


    "We''re here," she announced flatly. "Watch your step. The wood''s slippery."


    Lilo''s eyes darted excitedly from side to side.


    "I''ve heard so many stories about this place," Lilo whispered. "Is it true that you can find anything here if you know who to ask? Even secrets about the Great Families?"


    Nami nodded, her expression serious.


    "Almost anything.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this stuff?¡± Talia asked with a frown.


    ¡°Shields are usually instructed with these tasks¡ªrecon, information gathering, and a bunch of things that are not strictly combat related.¡±


    ¡°She learned how to be savvy,¡± Lilo added with a smile. ¡°I learned how to be the strongest.¡±


    Talia raised an eyebrow.


    The concerted effort the Great Families put behind raising Promised Slayers kept surprising her.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    Nami led Talia and Lilo into a dimly lit tavern nestled within the hollowed-out hull of an old merchant ship.


    The floorboards creaked despite being cover by a thick layer of grime that should have supposedly muffled their steps.


    A morbidly fat waitress wiped down a table with a rag that seemed to spread the dirt rather than remove it.


    Behind the bar, a man with bloodshot eyes nursed a bottle, mumbling to himself.


    In the corner, four thugs hunched over a card game.


    Once again, Talia¡¯s nose was under an olfactory assault.


    "This is where we''re selling secrets?" She coughed, trying hard not to breath.


    Nami shook her head, guiding them to an empty table near the back.


    "Not exactly. We''re waiting for someone. He told me to find him here. It¡¯s a good contact, someone I was introduced to in Tempest City."


    They settled into chairs that had seen better days.


    Lilo fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable in the grimy surroundings.


    The waitress lumbered over, her breathing becoming labored from the short walk. "Welcome to The Broken Keel. What''ll it be?"


    "Three cups of water," Nami replied curtly.


    The waitress snorted.


    "Suit yer¡¯selves."


    As she waddled away, Talia leaned in.


    "Who are we waiting for?"


    Nami''s eyes scanned the room before answering.


    "A broker. Someone who can help us get the best price for your secret."


    Lilo perked up.


    "Is it dangerous? Meeting a broker?"


    "It can be," Nami admitted. "But this one''s reliable. Usually."


    The waitress returned with three cups of suspiciously cloudy water.


    Talia eyed hers curiously but didn''t touch it.


    Lilo pushed hers away with a grimace.


    Minutes ticked by in intense silence.


    The card game in the corner erupted into a brief argument before settling back into just the ordinary amount of threats of violence for such a game.


    The bartender finished his bottle and reached for another one.


    Talia drummed her fingers on the table.


    "How long do we wait?"


    Nami shrugged.


    ¡°As long as it takes.¡±


    ¡°Lilo, would you like to trade?¡± Talia smiled. ¡°I need more information on Soul Weapons.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Lilo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°What¡¯s the secret?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you and your sister where the Leviathan Hall is,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°If you need information on Soul Weapons, you should only tell me,¡± Lilo said smugly. ¡°Nami¡¯s got a Legendary Artifact. She wasn¡¯t instructed on how to use White Rose.¡±


    ¡°Talia,¡± Nami said, clearly on edge ever since they had entered The Broken Keel. ¡°We don¡¯t have any information about Soul Weapons that Elder Krakatoa wouldn¡¯t tell you himself in his Class. There¡¯s nothing that Lilo can reveal without risking our family putting a bounty on her head, at least.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Lilo protested.


    ¡°I see,¡± Talia frowned. ¡°Can I just ask a few questions then?¡±


    Lilo pouted, resting her face on her knuckles.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Nami nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not like we have anything else to do.¡±


    ¡°How do you raise the level of a Soul Weapon¡¯s Skill? And how do you make the Soul Weapon level up?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Lilo asked with an almost annoyed tone.


    ¡°Lilo, Talia wasn¡¯t born into a noble family,¡± Nami admonished her little sister. ¡°I can answer that question.¡±


    Nami sighed and stretched her neck.


    ¡°Soul Weapons require you to transfer vitality into them to level up. With every level they gain, their skills will level with them. Although this is not well-known, Soul Weapons ¨C and any Soul Artifact for that matter ¨C must be compatible with their user. White Rose wouldn¡¯t be nearly as good a weapon for someone with Steam Water or Sun Water, for example.¡±


    Talia¡¯s heart fell.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have Star Water,¡± Talia realized. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t have my mother¡¯s Affinity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite common to awaken a Secondary Mana Channel later on,¡± Nami shrugged.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Talia cleared her voice. ¡°So, what happens if the glaive is better for a Star Water user, and I never get Star Water?¡±


    ¡°A Soul Artifact isn¡¯t necessarily stronger than a normal one, as Elder Krakatoa explained,¡± Nami said. ¡°If your Soul Weapon doesn¡¯t have any skills that synergize with your combat style¡­ you might want to think about replacing it with a different Artifact.¡±


    Talia reflexively clutched the glaive that she had rested against the wall beside her.


    ¡°But you won¡¯t know until you¡¯ve injected Mana into your Artifact,¡± Lilo said with a frown. ¡°Don¡¯t let Nami scare you. Soul Weapons are extremely flexible. It takes time to cultivate them to high levels, but they¡¯re very sought-after for a reason. White Rose has killed the Kraken twenty-three times.¡±


    The younger sister patted the sheath of the sword at her belt to punctuate her statement.


    ¡°How do I inject vitality into the glaive?¡± Talia frowned.


    "Channeling vitality into a Soul Weapon requires time. Most Water Riders just visualize their life force flowing into it."


    Lilo nodded enthusiastically.


    "It''s like... imagine your energy as a river and your Soul Weapon as a dry riverbed. You have to guide that river and carefully direct it into the weapon."


    "The process can be very draining and damaging if overdone," Nami added. "It''s not something you can rush. Some Water Riders spend hours each day bonding with their Soul Weapons, especially in the early stages. Every one of us has a different amount of vitality, you know?¡±


    ¡°Huh, would you guys mind if I tried it now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool,¡± Lilo smiled. ¡°It should feel like you have this bucket full of water that you can pour into the dry riverbed. For someone with exceptional vitality, it might feel like a small pond rather than a bucket. The more you pour, the more the Soul Weapon gets attuned to your Affinities.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Talia said, interested.


    ¡°By the way, the vitality should slightly resemble your strongest Affinity,¡± Lilo added while Talia closed her eyes.


    Talia grabbed the glaive and placed it on her thighs.


    Then, with her eyes closed, she tried to follow Lilo''s instructions.


    She imagined her vitality as water, searching for the metaphorical riverbed of her weapon.


    At first, nothing happened.


    Talia furrowed her brows, concentrating harder.


    Slowly, she began to sense something.


    A connection, faint but undeniable, formed between her and the glaive.


    She focused on that link, attempting to visualize her energy flowing into the weapon.


    The world around her faded away as she sank deeper into the meditation.


    Suddenly, Talia found herself standing before a vast ocean of blood.


    The crimson expanse stretched as far as she could see, its surface calm yet somehow alive.


    Waves of vitality lapped at her feet.


    The sheer magnitude of energy before her was overwhelming, far beyond the "bucket" or even a "small pond" Lilo had described.


    As she turned her attention to the glaive, she could feel a vast emptiness in it, and she readied herself to start pouring vitality into it.


    But then, she felt a sharp tug on her sleeve.


    The vision of the blood-ocean shattered, reality rushing back in a dizzying blur.


    Talia blinked, momentarily disoriented.


    "Talia," Nami hissed urgently, her hand still gripping Talia''s arm. "He''s here."

 Chapter 40 – Secret Dealer

    A hooded figure slipped inside the tavern.


    Nami straightened.


    "That''s our contact. Remember, let me do the talking."


    The figure approached their table, pulling back their hood to reveal a face covered in burn scars.


    One milky eye stared blankly ahead while the other fixed on Nami.


    "You said I would find you here in the early morning," Nami said flatly.


    The scarred individual grinned, revealing several missing teeth.


    "Time is a fickle thing in the Market, little one. Now, what juicy morsel have you brought me today?"


    But then, the rough-looking man suddenly seized up at the sight of Talia.


    ¡°Those eyes, that hair,¡± the man said with a deeper voice. ¡°You¡¯re her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Talia frowned, getting an eyeful from Nami, who had told her to leave the dealing with the man to her. ¡°Did you know my mother?¡±


    ¡°Your mother,¡± the man said with a scoff, ¡°you think your mother, the hero, would have deigned to show herself at The Broken Keel?¡±


    The man plopped down heavily onto the empty chair at their table, causing it to creak ominously.


    His unwashed stench hit them like a wave, making all three girls recoil instinctively.


    His yellowed teeth flashed as he grinned at their discomfort.


    "Oi! Mar!" he bellowed, causing the fat waitress to lumber over. "Bring me a bottle of your finest rotgut and make it quick!"


    The scarred man leaned forward, his good eye gleaming with interest.


    "Tell me, girl, how''s that old man of yours? Still causing trouble in the Deep, I bet."


    Talia stiffened, her hand instinctively tightening around her glaive.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," she said, her voice carefully neutral.


    The man''s grin widened, revealing more gaps in his teeth.


    "Oh, come now. No need to play coy with old Mano. I know all about your daddy dearest. Quite the reputation he''s got."


    Nami shot Talia a warning glance, but the man wasn''t finished.


    "And that little display of Dark Water earlier? Impressive stuff, that. Not many can harness such power, especially not at your age ¡ª not even your daddy."


    Talia''s blood ran cold.


    How could he possibly know about that?


    The incident with Elder Kahua had happened mere hours ago.


    Mano chuckled at her shocked expression.


    "Surprised? Don''t be. News travels fast in certain circles, especially when it involves power like that."


    He leaned back in his chair, which groaned under his weight. His scarred face twisted into something resembling thoughtfulness.


    "Dark Water... now that''s a rare Affinity. Dangerous, too, if the stories are to be believed. Your old man must be proud."


    ¡°What stories?¡± Talia asked, confused.


    ¡°You two don¡¯t talk, I take it,¡± Mano smirked.


    ¡°He¡¯s fishing for information, Talia,¡± Nami intercepted. ¡°You just gave him one for free.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now, now, you¡¯re ruining all the fun,¡± the man said, taking the bottle from the waitress¡¯s pudgy hands and popping the cork with his yellow teeth.


    "I don''t know anything about my father," Talia said firmly, meeting Mano¡¯s mismatched gaze. "And I''m not here to discuss my abilities. We came to trade some information."


    Mano took a long swig from his bottle, eyeing Talia thoughtfully over the rim.


    "Fair enough, lass. Business it is, then." He set the bottle down with a thud. "What''ve you got for me?"


    Nami leaned forward slightly. "We have information about one of the Siren''s Passages ¨C the Leviathan Hall."


    Mano''s good eye widened slightly, and a flicker of interest crossed his scarred features.


    "Now that''s a juicy bit indeed. Not many know how to access that one," he stroked his stubbled chin. "And what exactly are you looking to get in exchange?"


    ¡°How valuable is it?¡± Talia frowned.


    "Oh, it''s valuable alright. The right buyer would pay a small fortune for that kind of intel." He leaned in conspiratorially. "But I''ll tell you what ¨C I''ll do you one better. Instead of just telling you what it''s worth, how about I buy out the deal myself?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He wants to buy the secret himself to sell it to more than one person. That means you would get a much bigger price than usual.¡±


    Nami exchanged glances with Talia and Lilo.


    This was more than they had initially hoped for.


    "What price are we talking about?" Talia asked, ignoring Nami''s warning look.


    Mano grinned.


    "Smart girl, getting right to the point. How about two big uns?¡±


    Talia turned to Nami, confused.


    ¡°Two big secrets. Something dangerous about someone or something. Instead, you can think of small secrets are largely known but harder to access if you¡¯re not in the right circles.¡±


    "Two big secrets," Talia repeated slowly, chewing on the words.


    Mano took another long pull from his bottle, his throat working as he swallowed. When he set it down, a ring of moisture formed on the grimy tabletop.


    "Aye, two big uns. The kind that could make or break a career if you catch my meaning."


    Lilo, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the exchange, suddenly piped up.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "What if we want more than just secrets?" Her eyes were bright with excitement.


    Mano''s scarred face twisted into what might have been a smile.


    "Ah, the little one speaks. And what might you be after, girlie? Gold? Artifacts? Something a bit more... exotic, perhaps?"


    Nami shot her sister a warning glance, but Lilo pressed on.


    "Information is valuable, but so are connections. What if we want introductions? To people who might be useful to know? There are a few people that I would love to meet."


    A low chuckle rumbled from Mano''s chest.


    "Now you''re thinking like a true player in the game, lass. Connections can indeed be worth their weight in gold ¨C or secrets, as it were."


    He leaned back, the chair creaking loudly under his bulk.


    "I might be persuaded to throw in an introduction or two to some Great Families scions, depending on the quality of the information you''re offering."


    ¡°No,¡± Talia said, ¡°I don¡¯t need introductions. I need the secrets. I also need you to sell these herbs and get a good sword in exchange for them.¡±


    Talia threw the satchel of herbs she¡¯d been carrying around with her on the table.


    ¡°For the Sword Demon¡¯s child,¡± the man smirked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Talia conceded.


    ¡°I¡¯m amenable to that.¡±


    ¡°One last thing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it,¡± the man frowned.


    ¡°One last thing,¡± Talia insisted. ¡°But before we continue, Nami, Lilo, sorry, I¡¯d like to keep the rest of the conversation private.¡±


    * * *


    The scarred man, Mano, led Talia away from The Broken Keel tavern.


    They picked their way carefully across the weathered planks of the ship graveyard, sidestepping pools of stagnant water and piles of rotting timber.


    Mano''s mismatched eyes darted back and forth, scanning their surroundings.


    After several minutes of winding through narrow passages between the hulking ship carcasses, they arrived at a small clearing.


    The remnants of what was once a grand galleon''s bow loomed over them, creating a secluded nook shielded from prying eyes.


    Mano lowered himself onto a barnacle-encrusted crate with a grunt, gesturing for Talia to take a seat on a nearby barrel.


    The metal bands of the barrel were rusted through in places, flaking away at her touch.


    She perched gingerly on its edge, hyper-aware of every creak and groan of the decaying wood beneath them.


    "Well then, girl," he said at last, his gravelly voice barely above a whisper. "What''s this last bit of business you wanted to discuss?"


    "Before we agree to anything," Talia said slowly, "I want to know how you know my father. And how did you hear about what happened with Elder Kahua so quickly?"


    Mano''s good eye gleamed with amusement.


    "Curious little thing, aren''t you? Let''s just say I''ve got ears in all sorts of interesting places. As for your old man... well, he and I go way back. But that''s a story for another time.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Talia said strongly. ¡°I need to know more about my father.¡±


    ¡°See,¡± Mano cleared his throat, ¡°I ain¡¯t afraid of you, little thing. Your father? Oh, I know he¡¯d gut me in a split second if I told you the things he didn¡¯t want you to know about him. And before you go ruin someone else¡¯s life, any Secret Dealer who knows his stuff knows not to fuck with Maui¡¯s daughters. So, don¡¯t go and get my competition killed ¡ª it¡¯s bad for business.¡±


    Talia gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Whatever. The first big secret¡ªI need you not to tell anyone what I¡¯m about to ask.¡±


    ¡°If I did business like that, I¡¯d be swimming with the Kraken.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I suspect that Elder Kahua might be a Cultist or be involved in the killing of my mother. What can you tell me about¡ª¡±


    Without warning, Mano, who had been chugging from a second bottle he had brought from the tavern, suddenly started choking, spitting from both his mouth and nose.


    ¡°Girlie! Are you trying to damn kill me?!¡± The man exclaimed, laughing his ass off.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± Talia said, frustrated.


    ¡°Serious?¡± The man wheezed, raising a hand until he collected himself. ¡°You think that Elder Kahua might be a cultist? What have they been feeding you at the Academy? Please tell me, girlie, because I want some of it. I¡¯m always looking to explore new recreational pastimes.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI,¡± Talia trembled in anger. ¡°He¡ª¡±


    ¡°He almost slapped your ass silly, yeah,¡± Mano said, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s because he hates your father. But that¡¯s not a big secret ¡ª it¡¯s barely a small one. Anyone who¡¯s lived more than twenty years here knows.¡±


    ¡°What? I thought he was getting in my way because¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re so important?¡± Mano sneezed and wiped the mucus onto his dirty blouse. ¡°You¡¯re a darn spitting image of that crazy bastard. That Elder¡¯s got the hots for you because of that, not because he¡¯s a cultist.¡±


    ¡°Why does Elder Kahua hate my father?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°Girlie, you¡¯re asking one too many questions for this to be a free transaction,¡± Mano smiled. ¡°Are we considering this a part of the deal?¡±


    Talia pondered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a small secret in exchange for this,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Mano smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it first.¡±


    ¡°My Star Glaive is capable of enhancing a single Skill by five levels at Level 1.¡±


    Mano raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Interesting. Yalena never revealed anything about her¡ªyour mother was always so secretive, unlike your father. Good enough for me. This is no big secret anyway.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Talia wondered eagerly.


    ¡°Elder Kahua was your father¡¯s master. Maui graduated under him as his Champion, giving his School enough of an advantage to rank first in the Academy for all five years that your father spent with him.¡±


    Talia leaned forward, and her eyes narrowed. "What about Professor Iakopo? What can you tell me about him?"


    Mano''s face tightened. He shifted on his crate, causing it to creak loudly. "Professor Iakopo?" He shook his head. "Sorry, girlie. He''s another one I don''t talk about. Same as your old man."


    "Why not?" Talia pressed, her fingers drumming on the rusty barrel.


    "Because," Mano said, his voice low, "that man would gut me faster than a fishmonger on market day if I spilled his secrets." He took a swig from his bottle, some of the liquid dribbling down his chin. "And I quite like my guts where they are, thank you very much."


    Talia frowned, frustration etching lines on her forehead.


    "But why? What''s he hiding?"


    Mano wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, leaving behind a smear of dirt.


    "That''s for you to find out, isn''t it? If you want to know about Iakopo and your mother''s history, you''ll have to do the digging yourself."


    A gust of wind blew through the clearing, carrying the stench of rotting wood and stagnant water.


    The smell seemed to cling to everything in the Market.


    "Fine," she said, crossing her arms. "What can you tell me, then?"


    Mano scratched his stubbly chin, his good eye scanning their surroundings. The mismatched gaze made Talia uncomfortable, but she held her ground.


    "Well, as for one of the big secrets, I could tell you about a special place. A training ground your father used to frequent."


    Talia''s eyebrows shot up.


    "Really? Where?"


    "It''s hidden," Mano said, lowering his voice. "In one of them Siren''s Passages. That''s what makes it a big secret, see? Not many people know about it, and even fewer can find it."


    Talia nodded slowly, processing the information. The barrel creaked as she shifted her weight, and for a moment, she worried it might collapse beneath her. But it held, and she refocused on Mano''s words.


    "Alright," she said. "That''s one. What about the other big secret?"


    Mano''s scarred face twisted into what might have been a grin. "Eager, aren''t you? You¡¯re lucky that so very few know about the Leviathan¡¯s Hall. Well, for the second one, how about this ¨C I know some juicy details about who hated your mother."


    Talia''s heart skipped a beat. She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "You do? Who?"


    Mano wagged a finger, tutting.


    "Now, now. That''s not how this works. You''ve got to agree to the deal first."


    Talia bit her lip, considering. The wind picked up again, rustling through the decrepit ships around them. A loose board creaked rhythmically somewhere like a metronome, counting down the seconds before she had to decide.


    "Fine," she said at last. "Deal."


    Mano nodded, satisfaction gleaming in his good eye.


    "Smart girl. Now, about that training ground-"


    He launched into a detailed description of a hidden chamber accessible through a specific sequence of actions in one of the lesser-known Siren''s Passages. Talia listened intently, committing every word to memory.


    "You''ll know you''re in the right place when you see a mosaic of the Kraken on the floor," Mano finished. "Your old man spent countless hours there. I don¡¯t know the details of it, though. You¡¯ll have to figure it out by yourself once you get there. I¡¯m not even sure your father would want me to explain it to you, really.¡±


    Talia frowned.


    ¡°Does my father scare everybody this much?¡±


    "Aye, that''s the gist of it," Mano nodded, taking another swig from his bottle. "But I''m feeling chatty today, so how about I throw in a little bonus? A piece of advice, free of charge.¡±


    Talia raised an eyebrow.


    "What kind of advice?"


    Mano leaned in close, his breath reeking of the cheap alcohol he had just ingested.


    "Your father is a very dangerous man. He¡¯s no holier-than-thou noble ¡ª which means he¡¯s still reasonable. But be careful about what you share with your old man."


    Talia was getting tired of these cryptic messages.


    She had received a similarly confusing warning from her very father about the people at the Academy.


    The people in the Deep really loved talking in enigmas¡ªsomething that was grating on Talia¡¯s nerves.


    But since she was on the topic of what her father had told her¡­


    "And the other secret?" she prompted, leaning forward. "About who hated my mother?"


    Mano''s expression grew serious. He glanced around once more before walking up to her and leaning in close.


    ¡°This one I¡¯d be careful to share,¡± he said in a whisper.


    The smell of alcohol and unwashed body odor made Talia''s stomach turn, but she didn''t pull away.


    "Your mother," he said, his voice low and gravelly, "had more enemies than friends by the end. But there was one person in particular who hated her with a passion that burned hotter than the sun."


    Talia''s breath caught in her throat. "Who?"


    Mano''s good eye locked into hers, his gaze intense. "Someone powerful. Someone close. Someone who-"


    A sudden crashing sound from nearby cut him off.

 Chapter 41 – Rising Waterfall

    Fiora followed Kaia through one of the many buildings in the lagoon surrounding the Academy.


    Kaia, the girl who had offered her to join Elder Kawena¡¯s School, had told her to meet in the morning.


    And so, Fiora had gone out with her when the sun had just started rising.


    Now, Kaia was quickly skipping up a curving set of stairs, arriving on a deserted floor in a building that Fiora had absolutely no idea what it could have been used for.


    The hallway they entered was long and dimly lit, with ornate sconces spaced evenly along the walls.


    The thick carpeting muffled their footsteps.


    It was an old building, and, at this point, it was becoming clearer and clearer that it was abandoned.


    Greyed and dirty tall windows lined one side, opening to an overgrown garden.


    On the opposite wall hung portraits of former professors or administrators, Fiora guessed.


    Doors were spaced intermittently down the hall, all closed and with the paint curling off the wood.


    At the end of the hallway stood a large set of double doors made of dark, polished wood with several patterns carved into it.


    A faint shimmer seemed to dance across the carvings, hinting at some form of magical protection or enchantment.


    As they arrived in front of the door, Kaia paused by an ornate faucet protruding from the wall right beside it.


    "Just a moment," Kaia said, leaning closer to the fixture. Her lips moved, whispering words too softly for Fiora to hear. The faucet gurgled in response, and a faint echo of voices emanated from its spout.


    Fiora raised an eyebrow. "What was that about?"


    Kaia straightened, a small smile playing on her lips.


    "Just using the Whisper Network.¡±


    She turned to the faucet again.


    ¡°Open up. I''ve got my recruit."


    The giant double door, the only piece of furniture that looked maintained in the building, slowly creaked open.


    So, this is really happening, Fiora mused. Or maybe not?


    Kaia had told her that the selected students from Elder Kawena¡¯s School could bring someone with them to take a series of tests.


    If one passed these tests, they would not only be allowed into the School, but those who had sponsored them would get several privileges.


    But for some reason, Fiora kept doubting Kaia.


    Even though the short-haired girl had been nothing but upfront with answering all her questions, it still smelled fishy to the blonde.


    At the same time, Fiora was happy someone was giving her a shot.


    She needed to get into a School¡ªshe really needed help navigating the Academy if she wanted to blossom into her true strength.


    Kaia and Fiora stepped through the double doors and into a dusty hall.


    The room was largely empty, save for a few scattered pieces of furniture draped in white sheets.


    Cobwebs clung to the corners, and a thick layer of dust covered every surface.


    Shafts of the morning light filtered through the grimy windows, illuminating motes of dust dancing in the air.


    Kaia strode purposefully across the room, her footsteps echoing in the empty space.


    Fiora followed her in a wary silence.


    They came to a stop in front of a blank stretch of the wall.


    To Fiora''s eyes, there was nothing remarkable about it ¨C just some weathered stones like the rest of the room.


    But Kaia approached it with confidence, placing her palm flat against the surface.


    Closing her eyes, Kaia began to channel her Mana.


    A soft glow emanated from her hand, spreading across the wall in intricate, spiraling patterns.


    The stone seemed to ripple and shift under her touch as if becoming liquid.


    Fiora watched in fascination as Kaia traced a complex series of gestures onto the wall''s surface.


    With each movement, the stones became more translucent, revealing hints of something beyond.


    Finally, with a soft grinding noise, a section of the wall swung inward, revealing a hidden passageway. Kaia turned to Fiora with a triumphant smile on her face.


    "Ready?" she asked, gesturing at the dark opening.


    "Is this a Siren''s Passage?" Fiora breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.


    Kaia nodded.


    "One of many our School uses. Come on, we don''t want to be late."


    They stepped through the passageway and somehow magically emerged in a vast cavern.


    The air was thick with moisture and the constant roar of falling water was filling the space.


    Before them stretched an enormous waterfall, its waters cascading down from a height that Fiora couldn''t even see.


    At the base of the fall stood a group of students ¨C five in total, a mix of boys and girls.


    They turned as Kaia and Fiora approached, curiosity evident in their gazes.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Everyone," Kaia announced, her voice carrying over the din of the waterfall, "this is Fiora. She''s our newest potential recruit for Elder Kawena''s School."


    Fiora straightened her back, trying to project confidence despite the nervous flutter in her stomach.


    The other students nodded in greeting, some offering a small smile.


    Fiora assessed the group with a quick glance.


    One girl in particular caught her attention.


    There was a warmth in her gentle expression that instantly made Fiora feel at ease. She stood a little further away from the group, with her auburn hair rippling down her shoulders and green eyes that seemed to almost shine in the faint light of the Siren¡¯s Passage.


    The sheer scale of the place was overwhelming ¨C the ceiling disappearing into darkness high above. The waterfall itself stretched at least a hundred feet upward.


    Kaia allowed a moment for Fiora to absorb the scene before speaking again.


    When she did, her voice was serious, cutting through the constant background noise of the rushing water.


    "This is where you¡¯ll practice," Kaia explained, gesturing at the waterfall. "It''s not just for show ¨C it''s our test."


    She paused, making sure she had Fiora''s full attention.


    "To prove your worth, you need to send a projectile all the way up the waterfall."


    Fiora''s eyes widened as she took in the sheer height of the falls.


    The top was barely visible, completely lost in the mist and shadows above.


    "All the way up?" she asked, unable to keep the disbelief from her voice. "But that''s..."


    "Difficult?" Kaia finished for her, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Of course it is. You''re aiming to be a part of one of the most prestigious Schools in the Academy. It should be challenging."


    ¡°Ok,¡± Fiora said, looking at the other students.


    ¡°You can still back out,¡± Kaia smiled, putting a hand on Fiora¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Fiora said, determined.


    This was her chance to prove herself and show everyone what she was capable of.


    Without hesitation, not afraid of being the first to attempt this, she stepped forward, summoning a globe of Sunwater above her palm.


    The golden orb pulsed with energy, reflecting off the mist-slick stones around them.


    Fiora took a deep breath, focusing.


    With a sharp gesture, she launched the projectile at the falls.


    The Sunwater orb shot upwards, its golden light fighting the white foam of the waterfall.


    For a moment, Fiora allowed herself to hope.


    But barely one-fifth of the way up, the projectile began to falter.


    The relentless flow of water overwhelmed it, and the orb dissipated into wisps of steam.


    Fiora''s shoulders slumped.


    She glanced at the other students, expecting to see disdain or mockery.


    Instead, she saw understanding in their eyes.


    Looking closer, she realized none of them seemed to be faring much better.


    "Don''t worry," Kaia said, placing a hand on Fiora''s shoulder. "It takes practice and, at the very least, a few days of it. We''ll leave you all to it. Keep working, and we''ll check on your progress later."


    With that, Kaia and a few others left, leaving the recruits to their training.


    Fiora stared at the waterfall, determination etched on her face.


    She would make it, no matter what it took.


    Summoning another globe of Sunwater, Fiora took a deep breath.


    Her blonde hair, usually perfectly styled, now clung to her forehead with sweat.


    She brushed it back impatiently, leaving a smudge of dirt over her brow.


    With a sharp flick of her wrist, she sent the golden orb hurtling toward the falls.


    It shot upwards, and, for a moment, more hope flickered in Fiora''s eyes. But barely a quarter of the way up, the projectile faltered, taken over by the white-foaming torrent.


    A frustrated growl escaped Fiora''s lips.


    How is a first-year student even supposed to do this?


    Are they able to do it?


    Kaia was strong, but not¡­ this strong!


    She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms.


    I have no other choice, anyway.


    Taking another deep breath, she squared her shoulders and tried again.


    This time, the orb made it slightly higher before dissipating.


    Progress but not enough.


    Not nearly enough.


    As Fiora prepared for her third attempt, some movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention.


    The girl with auburn hair was stepping forward, possibly preparing for her shot.


    The girl raised her hands, her fingers splayed wide.


    A swirl of vibrant, multi-hued water coalesced between her palms.


    Coral Water, Fiora realized.


    In one smooth movement, the girl released her projectile.


    It shot upward in a burst of vibrant colors standing out against the white spray of the falls.


    Fiora''s eyes widened as she followed its climb.


    The shimmering Coral Water construct reached nearly halfway before the force of the waterfall overpowered it.


    Where does this girl come from? She wasn¡¯t in Professor Luana¡¯s Class!


    Fiora couldn''t help but feel a twinge of envy. She glanced down at her own hands, then back at the falls.


    This attempt flew even lower than her previous ones. Fiora''s shoulders slumped.


    She ran a hand through her hair, tugging at the roots in exasperation.


    "Excuse me?" a soft voice spoke up next to her. "Do you know about the Overdrive Spiral?"


    Fiora turned to see the auburn-haired girl standing close with a gentle smile on her face, catching Fiora off guard.


    There was no trace of the superiority or disdain Fiora had come to expect from her peers.


    "Never heard of it," Fiora admitted, her voice slightly hoarse from exertion. "What is it?"


    ¡°I noticed you were casting without¡­ well¡ª¡± The girl tripped over her own words. ¡°See, it¡¯s a technique for casters. You recirculate the spell multiple times before releasing it. Oh, I''m Agalei, by the way."


    "Fiora," she replied, finding herself smiling back. "I actually have a spell that overcharges my attacks, but I don''t think they want us to use anything other than basic projectiles."


    Agalei shook her head, her enthusiasm infectious.


    "The overdrive spiral doesn''t actually overcharge the spell or use more Mana. It''s more about refining the projectile, giving it a spin that increases its penetrating power."


    As Agalei explained the technique, Fiora found herself captivated. It wasn''t just the information ¨C though that was certainly valuable. It was Agalei herself. Her kindness and her willingness to help shone through her every word and gesture.


    Fiora realized with a start that Agalei was probably the nicest person she''d dealt with since arriving at the Academy.


    The thought of such a nice girl giving her advice without asking anything in return warmed her heart, chasing away some of the loneliness that had been her constant companion.


    So, Fiora set about trying the technique.


    She gathered her Sunwater in her palm, concentrating on circulating it as Agalei had described.


    The first few attempts were clumsy ¨C the projectile barely making it any further than before.


    But Fiora persisted, encouraged by Agalei''s patient guidance.


    [Sunwater Manipulation has reached Level 6!]


    The notification flashed in Fiora''s mind, spurring her on.


    She was improving, even if the results weren''t immediately apparent through the white foam of the waterfall.


    [Sunwater Manipulation has reached Level 7!]


    Hours passed, punctuated only by the constant flow of the waterfall and the sporadic chime of skill improvements.


    The other students gradually filtered out. Even Agalei eventually had to leave, offering Fiora a gentle smile and a few words of encouragement before departing.


    Fiora barely noticed their absence, her focus entirely on trying to push her magic further up the waterfall.


    Her latest attempt had made it halfway up the falls before dissipating ¨C her best yet, but still not good enough.


    The more the projectile climbed, the more resistance it met for some reason.


    Sinking to the ground, Fiora allowed herself a moment of rest.


    Her muscles ached, and her Mana reserves felt dangerously low.


    As she sat there, catching her breath, she found her thoughts drifting to Agalei.


    The other girl''s kindness had been a balm to Fiora''s battered spirit.


    For the first time since arriving at the Academy, Fiora felt a glimmer of hope.


    Maybe, just maybe, she could find a place for herself here after all.


    The thought of potentially joining the same School as Agalei brought a smile to Fiora''s face.


    It would be nice, she mused, to have a friend like that.


    Someone genuinely kind, without ulterior motives or hidden agendas.


    "Alright," she muttered to herself, summoning another orb of Sunwater. "Let''s do this.


    As Fiora threw herself back into her training, she remained unaware of the eyes watching her from the shadows.


    Hidden behind a veil of invisibility, a woman observed the young student with growing interest.


    She noted Fiora''s form, the precision of her movements, and the determination that radiated from her very being.


    But the most impressive thing about her, the observer thought, was Fiora''s control.


    Even as fatigue set in, her manipulation of Sunwater remained precise.


    It spoke of a deep well of potential ¨C the kind that could be shaped into something truly remarkable.


    The woman smiled to herself, pleased with what she saw.


    Elder Kawena''s School had found a diamond in the rough¡ªbut she wouldn¡¯t let them ruin her.

 Chapter 42 – Mana Board

    Talia walked alongside Lilo and Nami, her footsteps echoing off the worn cobblestones of the narrow street running along a canal.


    The humid breeze puffed her hair up as they made their way toward the beach for Professor Iakopo''s lesson.


    "I still can''t believe we''re having class on the beach," Talia remarked, shaking her head. "It seems so... odd."


    "It makes sense, honestly,¡± Nami shrugged. ¡°We need to learn Mana Board. Where else would we do it?¡±


    "Exactly," Lilo chimed in. "Plus, I''ve heard he once held an entire lecture underwater in a giant bubble. The students who were unable to dive deep enough using their Primary Mana Channel to descend failed the year!"


    Talia raised an eyebrow, unsure if Lilo was exaggerating or not.


    Given what she''d seen of the Academy so far, it seemed entirely possible, though.


    ¡°Why is he such a weirdo?¡± Talia said, bothered.


    She really didn¡¯t like Professor Iakopo.


    Mano, the Secrets Dealer, hadn¡¯t given her any information on the man.


    She had almost had a heart attack when they heard a crash during their conversation. But it had turned out to be just a piece of rotting wood tearing itself off of a wreck and falling to the ground.


    I wonder if Mom humiliated him while they were students at the Academy¡ªbut then why would he have a picture of her in his cabin on the ship.


    She was still thinking about the fact that Professor Iakopo not only told her to drop out but basically said that she wouldn¡¯t be able to pass his class.


    ¡°He¡¯s very strong,¡± Nami said with a pensive tone.


    ¡°Strong?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°I was told not to mess with him but to take his class, nonetheless. There¡¯s a reason the person who ranks first in his class earns so many points for their School.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s so strong, why is he still a Professor?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°Politics,¡± Nami shrugged. ¡°The K¨¡ne Family isn¡¯t happy with him.¡±


    Elder Krakatoa had mentioned something like that¡ªboth that Professor Iakopo was part of the K¨¡ne Family and that he had had a fallout with them after Talia¡¯s mother, Yalena, had caused the death of his Shield and Retinue.


    ¡°Nami, can I ask something that¡¯s going to sound super weird?¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Like usual?¡± The girl replied. ¡°Shoot your harpoon; come on.¡±


    ¡°What happens to a Chosen, a Promised Slayer, if their entire Retinue and their Shield die?¡±


    Nami darkened immediately at the question.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about you¡ªI heard stuff about Professor Iakopo¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Nami nodded. ¡°If a Chosen were to lose everyone at once, especially while not facing the Kraken, they would be most likely dismissed by their Family. A Chosen must showcase an incredible aptitude for everything. And while it is true that the Shield and the Retinue must protect the Chosen, it goes both ways. A Chosen needs their Retinue and their Shield in order to grow stronger. It¡¯s one thing if one of them dies, but if they all do, then whatever other faction is in the Family will push to stop providing support, lives, and resources to the current Chosen.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Talia mumbled.


    That meant that if her mother had indeed been responsible for Professor Iakopo losing his Shield and Retinue, it would indeed justify his hate toward Talia.


    Maybe I should ask Riala? Talia wondered.


    But she didn¡¯t feel good about the idea of asking her older sister after what had gone down with Elder Kahua.


    I¡¯m sure whatever Mom did was justified anyway.


    The trio continued down the street, ducking under low-hanging laundry lines and sidestepping piles of crates outside shop fronts.


    As they kept walking toward the beach, Talia''s mind wandered to the events of the past few days.


    The awakening of her Dark Water Secondary Mana Channel during the confrontation with Elder Kahua still weighed heavily on her thoughts.


    She pulled up her Akashic Record to survey it once more.


    It had become almost a maniacal obsession to constantly keep checking it to make sure she hadn¡¯t been in a dream ¨C or a nightmare, perhaps.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 5]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 0.92 {Dormant}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 5 {Flowing}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Dark Water): Level 1 {Dormant}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 4]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 6]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 4]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 4]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 5]


    [Auxiliary Skill #3: Blood Confluence Lv. 2]


    [Strength: 8]


    [Agility: 0.3]


    [Constitution: 2.6]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 2]


    [Talent Trees:


    Bloodborne Warrior


    Carmine Thunder


    Sanguine Guardian


    Hemomantic Artisan (1)


    Crimson Sage (1)


    Life Thief


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 0]


    Her eyes lingered on Dark Water.


    Despite its presence in her Akashic Record, Talia found herself unable to perceive or manipulate this new Affinity.


    She wasn¡¯t even sure she wanted it, but¡­


    Why couldn¡¯t she control it at all?


    The incident with Elder Kahua was like a blur in her memories.


    She remembered the surge of energy, the way the Dark Water had responded to her will, forming that massive serpent.


    But now?


    Nothing.


    No matter how much she concentrated, she couldn''t summon even a drop of Dark Water.


    Was there something else going on? Some mental block preventing her from tapping into this power?


    She would probably find an answer if she went to see her father¡¯s training grounds, as it had been indicated by Mano.


    Talia sighed, closing her Akashic Record.


    She glanced at Nami and Lilo, who were chatting animatedly about the upcoming lesson.


    Both of them knew about her Dark Water Affinity already ¨C but they didn¡¯t bring it up because Talia was so uncomfortable with it.


    She had briefly mentioned it to Nami after running away, but that had been it.


    Talia answered no questions about it.


    A part of her wanted to confide in them and ask for help or advice.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    But another part of her held back, wary of how they might react.


    She had been received so well in Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School, even though she wasn¡¯t yet an official member, and she just didn¡¯t want to taint that by talking about the terrifying power she had wielded against Elder Kahua¡¯s student, Kano, almost killing him.


    It made her feel like a monster.


    As they rounded a corner, Talia caught sight of two familiar figures up ahead.


    Her heart leaped in her chest.


    "Fiora! Takai!" she called out, waving to get their attention.


    The blonde girl and the lanky boy turned at the sound of her voice.


    Fiora''s expression was guarded, while Takai offered a big smile.


    "Hey!" Takai said as they approached. His eyes darted nervously between her and the Moana sisters, especially lingering on Lilo. "Heading to Professor Iakopo''s class too?"


    Talia nodded, suddenly feeling awkward. She hadn''t spoken much with either of them since the incident with Elder Kahua. "Yeah, we are. Want to walk together?"


    Fiora shrugged, indifferent.


    "Whatever."


    The group fell into step, and an uncomfortable silence settled over them.


    Talia could feel the tension radiating off Fiora in waves.


    She wanted to say something, to bridge the gap that had formed between them, but the words were stuck in her throat.


    Lilo, oblivious to the undercurrents of tension, chatted vividly about her expectations for the class, getting closer and closer to Takai.


    "I wonder what we''ll be learning today! Do you think we''ll get to practice water walking? Or maybe we''ll learn how to create whirlpools or something!"


    ¡°Whirlpools?¡± Takai looked scared at the mention. ¡°I can¡¯t swim that well¡­¡±


    ¡°I can teach you!¡± Lilo said enthusiastically.


    ¡°I mean, I tried¡­¡± Takai coughed. ¡°I must have heavy bones.¡±


    Talia found herself grateful for Lilo''s ability to fill the silence.


    As they neared the beach, the buildings gave way to sand dunes dotted with scraggly grass.


    The sound of waves crashing against the shore grew louder, drowning out the quieter noises of the city behind them.


    Talia glanced at Fiora, catching the other girl''s eye for a brief moment.


    There was a flicker of... something in Fiora''s gaze. Hurt? Anger?


    Talia couldn''t quite tell.


    She opened her mouth to speak, but Fiora quickly looked away, her attention fixed firmly on the beach ahead.


    Takai, sensing the tension, attempted to lighten the mood.


    "So, uh, anyone want to bet on what crazy thing Professor Iakopo will have us do today?"


    "You really shouldn¡¯t talk like that," Nami replied dryly. ¡°He¡¯s famous for appearing out of nowhere.¡±


    Her comment made everyone stop and look around.


    The entire group breathed in relief when the unkempt man wasn¡¯t anywhere to be seen.


    The beach spread out before them¨Ca wide expanse of golden sand meeting the sparkling blue sea.


    A cluster of students had already gathered near the water''s edge.


    In the center stood Professor Iakopo, his wild hair whipping in the ocean breeze.


    He appeared to be positioning several large, strange-looking objects in the sand.


    "Well," Talia said, taking a deep breath, "I guess we''re about to find out what he¡¯s up to.¡±


    ***


    Talia spotted Keanu among the crowd and waved, receiving a friendly nod in return.


    She had forgotten to ask Keanu if he wanted to be introduced to Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School and which other courses he was following.


    Professor Iakopo clapped his hands, drawing everyone''s attention.


    "Alright, I hope you had enough fun these days! Today, you¡¯ll find out how hard it is to master even the simplest Skill that every Water Rider is required to use!"


    He gestured to a row of strange objects lying in the sand.


    They resembled surfboards but were clearly made of some sort of enchanted material.


    Runes glowed faintly along their edges.


    "These," Iakopo announced, "are training Mana Boards. We''ll use them to assess your basic Mana Control. Those who can''t handle this will not be fit for my class and will have to find somewhere else to waste their time."


    A murmur of apprehension rippled through the students.


    Professor Iakopo''s eyes scanned the crowd with a hint of a smirk on his face.


    "Oh, and one more thing," he added, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Once we move to the second part of this class, there''s no backing out. Fail then, and you''re not just out of my class ¨C you''re out of the Academy entirely. So, if any of you have any doubts, now''s the time to change course. Some other Professors I shall not name teach Mana Board in the second or third year. However, unlike those losers, I believe that the Water Riders should have higher standards. So, if you¡¯re a sorry excuse of a student, step out now."


    Talia felt her blood boil while the man talked.


    How dare he talk like that about other Professors? Who did this inflated bore think he was?


    But sadly, a few students actually stepped out of the circle and walked away.


    The rest of the students glanced at them briefly before refocusing on Professor Iakopo.


    Most of the first-year students were thinking that in the worst case scenario, they¡¯d fail at controlling the enchanted boards and would simply back out then.


    Why would they want to back out before that?


    "Now then," Iakopo barked, "let''s see what you''re made of! Grab a board and get in the water!"


    The students scrambled to obey, each selecting a Mana Board and wading into the small waves.


    He paced in front of the students, his crazy hair moved by the wind, and took one of the boards for himself.


    "These training boards are enchanted to respond to your Mana, but don''t think for a second that makes them easy to control. They''re designed to react like the Skill itself would. If you can''t handle these, you''ve got no business trying to summon a real Mana Board."


    Iakopo stopped, his eyes scanning the group.


    ¡°And please, be reminded that below Level Three, you¡¯ll have a real hard time summoning a Mana Board.¡±


    He said the last part looking directly at Talia and smirking.


    I¡¯ll show you, Talia gritted her teeth.


    "Now, pay attention. To activate the board, you need to channel your Mana into it. Imagine your energy flowing from your core, down your legs, and into the board beneath your feet. But you can''t just flood it with Mana and hope for the best! Too little, and you''ll sink like a stone. Too much, and you''ll shoot into the air like a drunk seagull."


    A few nervous chuckles rippled through the crowd, quickly silenced by Professor Iakopo''s glare.


    "The key," he continued, "is balance. You must maintain a steady flow of Mana, adjusting it constantly as you move. The ocean is alive and always changing. Your Mana output needs to change with it."


    I mean, his explanations are actually pretty good, Talia thought begrudgingly while clutching the board.


    He gestured at the waves.


    "When you''re on flat water, you''ll need less Mana. But hit a wave, and you''ll need to surge your output to stay stable¡±


    Iakopo''s eyes narrowed.


    "By the way, don¡¯t think you can just stand there like statues. Mana Board control is as much about your body as it is about your energy. Shift your weight, bend your knees, and use your arms for balance. Theoretically, every movement affects how your Mana flows into the board¡ªbut that¡¯s too much for now. Just get on the boards and get a feel for it."


    He waited for the students to climb on the boards and then resumed his explanation.


    ¡°These boards, like the actual Skill, aren''t just responding to your Mana ¨C they''re resisting it. If the Skill allowed you to freely push Mana into it, it would eventually degenerate and dissipate. Adding resistance means expending more Mana to keep it going but also continuously regenerating the Skill. The enchantments are designed to replicate this ¨C to make it hard to keep it floating. It''s like trying to stand on a living creature that doesn''t particularly want you there."


    A look of apprehension crossed many students'' faces.


    Professor Iakopo seemed to relish their discomfort.


    "That resistance in the board, on top of everything," he explained, "is what makes this exercise so valuable. It forces you to maintain constant focus and adapt your Mana output moment by moment. In a real battle, you''ll need to manipulate water while dodging attacks, casting spells, and fighting for your life. If you can''t handle a simple board pushing back, you''re as good as dead out there."


    He clapped his hands sharply.


    "Alright, enough talk. Grab a board and get in the water. Start in the shallow water, no deeper than waist-high. Once you''re on the board, close your eyes and focus on your Mana. Feel it flowing into the board. When you think you''ve got a steady stream going, open your eyes and try to stand."


    Talia hefted one of the boards, surprised by its lightness.


    The material was smooth and cool to the touch, the glowing runes pulsing faintly under her fingers.


    As she waded into the cool water, she could feel a subtle vibration from the board, as if it were coming to life.


    Following Professor Iakopo''s instructions, Talia closed her eyes and focused on her Mana.


    She visualized it flowing from her core, down her legs, and into the board.


    At first, nothing seemed to happen.


    Then, gradually, she felt a connection forming between herself and the board.


    Upon opening her eyes, Talia carefully shifted her weight, attempting to stand on the board.


    It wobbled precariously, and for a moment, she thought she would fall.


    But then, almost instinctively, she adjusted her Mana output.


    The board stabilized, and she found herself standing, albeit shakily, on the water surface.


    A thrill of excitement ran through her.


    She was doing it!


    But her triumph was short-lived.


    As a small wave approached, Talia realized she needed to adjust quickly.


    She tried to surge her Mana but overdid it.


    The board shot forward, sending her tumbling into the water with a splash.


    Sputtering and wiping the salty water from her eyes, Talia climbed back onto her board.


    She could hear similar splashes and exclamations from her classmates.


    A quick glance around showed that most students were struggling just as much as she was.


    Undeterred, Talia tried again.


    This time, she focused on maintaining a steady flow of Mana, making small adjustments as she felt the water move beneath her.


    To her surprise and delight, she found herself gliding across the waves with increasing stability.


    Her body seemed to intuitively understand what to do, adjusting her stance and Mana output in tandem.


    It must be my talent for Mana Control, Talia smirked, pleased with herself.


    As she maneuvered through the water, Talia observed her classmates'' progress.


    Lilo, unsurprisingly, was performing admirably. Her movements were graceful and controlled, and her body was in perfect harmony with the board beneath her feet.


    She rode the waves with an ease that clearly showed she had actually practiced this exercise many times before.


    As a gust of wind kicked up, causing some choppy waves to pop up, Lilo adjusted her stance smoothly, barely seeming to notice the change in conditions.


    Not far from Lilo, Fiora was holding her own, too.


    Her blonde hair, usually so perfectly styled, was plastered to her face with sea spray, but she paid it no mind.


    She wobbled occasionally but recovered quickly, her natural Affinity for water magic clearly translating well to this exercise.


    Talia couldn''t help but feel a twinge of admiration ¨C and perhaps a hint of envy ¨C at Fiora''s skills.


    She knew that when it would come to summoning a board, it would be much easier for Fiora than for her.


    To Talia''s surprise, Takai was faring better than she''d expected.


    His movements weren''t as fluid as Lilo''s or as confident as Fiora''s, but there was a steadiness to them.


    Keanu, usually so composed, was struggling more than Talia had anticipated.


    For some reason, he seemed to be overthinking it.


    Nami, among all of them, was gliding effortlessly, not even paying attention to the waves, just proceeding with her arms crossed and returning to the beach after a few minutes, nonplussed.


    One girl with bright red hair let out a whoop of joy as she successfully rode a larger wave, only to lose her balance at the last moment and tumble into the water with a splash.


    She emerged laughing, undeterred by her fall.


    Talia herself took after a wave and rode it, tumbling but laughing.


    Her heart warmed.


    This was the kind of excitement she had been expecting at the Academy, not the crazy politics and the dark secrets.


    And even if it was just a temporary illusion, Talia tried enjoying it as deeply as possible.


    Professor Iakopo moved along with the practice board, looking around and studying the students¡¯ efforts.


    The sun climbed higher in the sky, beating down on the students as they practiced.


    After what felt like infinity but was likely only a couple of hours, Professor Iakopo''s voice boomed over the water.


    "Alright, that''s enough! Back to shore, the lot of you!"


    As the students gathered on the beach, some panting and dripping wet, others exhilarated, Iakopo began sorting them into groups.


    Those who had struggled the most were dismissed with curt instructions to find another class.


    "Now," Iakopo said, his eyes scanning the remaining students, "this is your last chance to back out. Once we start the next phase, there''s no turning back."


    His gaze settled on Talia with a challenge in his eyes.


    "Especially you. Are you sure you''re up for this?"


    Talia met his stare with her jaw set. Despite the warning bells ringing in her mind, she nodded firmly.


    "I''m sure."


    Iakopo held her gaze for a moment longer before nodding.


    "Very well. Let''s begin."


    He began to explain how to use their Primary Mana Channel to summon a true Mana Board, not just control the enchanted training boards they had been using.


    Talia listened intently.


    As Iakopo instructed them to attempt the summoning, she closed her eyes, reaching for her Mana.


    But where she expected to feel the familiar flow of energy, there was... nothing.


    Talia''s eyes snapped open.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    She tried again, desperately searching for any hint of her Primary Mana Channel.


    Still nothing.


    What¡¯s happening?! I have almost a full level in it!


    As her classmates began to manifest the shimmering, translucent boards beneath their feet, too weak to hold them but at least half-materialized, Talia remained rooted on the sand.


    What was happening?


    Why couldn''t she access her Primary Mana Channel?


    Professor Iakopo''s smile widened as he observed her struggle.


    ¡°Well, I hope you won¡¯t regret this,¡± he mock-said to everyone, but he really meant it only for Talia.

 Chapter 43 – Unresponsive Primary Mana Channel

    Talia stood on the sun-warmed sand, her bare feet sinking slightly with each shift of her weight.


    In the background, there was a constant backdrop of shouts and splashes of her classmates as they practiced summoning their Mana Boards.


    It was a rather festive atmosphere now that everyone got to practice their [Mana Board] Skill.


    All the splashing around and laughter reminded Talia of the time during the summer festival that the island would hold for the harvests when Riala and her were still children.


    Kids of all ages would gather along the shore and play, get drenched, get scolded by their parents, and be dragged out of the chilly water only to dive in again when no one was looking.


    Riala and her never had anyone scold them other than the people who took care of getting them fed¡ªwhich was pretty much whoever felt like it.


    They had been raised, sure, but no one seemed comfortable with educating them.


    For Riala, that hadn¡¯t been a problem.


    From a very young age, the white-haired girl had displayed laudable self-restraint.


    Everyone knew how mature, how unselfish, and, most importantly, how reliable Riala was.


    She was conversing with adults already at five years old.


    Talia, on the other hand, had ended up being the total opposite.


    Often, not even the kids Talia¡¯s age would play with her, wrist marks or not.


    She had been so full of energy, so hyperactive, that it had always been hard to stay by her side for any meaningful amount of time.


    That was one of the main reasons Riala and her had never really had a strong bond.


    However, on those festival nights, when every parent was worried sick that their kids would drown if they didn¡¯t yank them out of the water, the two of them stayed close, watching all the kids get pulled in and out of the water, while no one bothered to tell the sisters to come ashore.


    That¡¯s why they had come up with a game.


    Taking turns, Talia would try to drag Riala out and vice-versa.


    They would fight, splash around, and try to pull the other as strongly as possible onto the sandy beach.


    Of course, Riala had to let her win on purpose since she was older than her.


    But still, it was one of Talia¡¯s fondest memories ¨C one of the few meaningful things she had ever shared with Riala and perhaps with anyone.


    Now, hearing similar sounds around her, the mirth, the joy of those who thought they might walk away from the shore with the Skill that defined every Water Rider, she felt how she used to feel whenever Riala started to show up late for the festival, and later, not at all.


    When Riala was too old to play with her and too busy with training for her Initiation, Talia would just float in the water alone and sometimes dive, just to kill time. But she¡¯d mostly float.


    And she would float there, in the cold water, and just watch the others, while no one ever approached her or invited her to play, not even Takai since he was such a terrible swimmer which meant his mother had barred him from getting in the water altogether.


    Floating by herself, Talia had felt like the dark waters of the evening would swallow her any minute.


    And on the days when she had felt really down, she had really wished they did.


    Right now, she felt like she was reliving those exact moments.


    A light breeze touched her back, and she stared at the water in front of her, putting a hand through her hair and ruffling it.


    ¡°Ok, come on,¡± she muttered, gathering herself.


    She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.


    Mom was the H¨¡kai P¨­, she told herself. I¡¯ll figure this out. Let¡¯s try a few more times before I need to change my approach.


    This was her chance to prove herself and show Professor Iakopo and everyone else that she belonged here at the Academy.


    No matter what it took to summon a Mana Board, she¡¯d do it.


    Talia closed her eyes, focusing inward as she had done countless times before.


    She was good at Mana Control ¨C exceptional, even.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    This should be an easy task for her, even with a weak Primary Mana Channel.


    Reaching for her Mana, Talia attempted to shape it into the form of a small board beneath her feet.


    She visualized the energy flowing down her legs and coalescing into a solid platform that would allow her to glide across the waves.


    But as the seconds ticked by, nothing happened.


    The sand remained stubbornly present between her toes, while no shimmering board materialized to lift her above it and onto the water''s surface.


    Frowning, Talia opened her eyes and looked down.


    Not even a flicker of Mana was visible.


    She glanced around at her classmates, many of whom were already standing on their translucent, glowing boards.


    Lilo gracefully maneuvered her Mana Board through a series of turns while Fiora maintained a stable hover above the water.


    Frustration bubbled up in Talia''s chest.


    Why isn¡¯t this working?


    She was supposed to be good at this sort of thing. Taking another deep breath, she decided to try a different approach.


    Perhaps she needed to start with something simpler.


    Talia held out her hand, palm up, and focused on summoning a small blade of water.


    She had done it countless times with her blood¡ªthis couldn¡¯t be that much harder.


    But nothing appeared.


    Talia''s brain gears spurred into motion.


    Did the Professor do something?


    Why can¡¯t I¡ªlet me try something else.


    She tried to simply summon some Mana through her Primary Mana Channel. This was something she had not needed to do so far and, therefore, had actually never done before.


    But still, nothing happened.


    She couldn¡¯t even generate a globe of water.


    Her inability to summon a Mana Board could mean the end of her time at the Academy before it had truly begun.


    Panic started to loom over her heart.


    While she tried really hard to reach for her Primary Mana Channel, she was met with... nothing.


    No response, no flow of energy, not even the slightest ripple in the air above her palm.


    This already happened when Tulo tried to test me¡­


    What does this mean?


    A chill ran down Talia''s spine, completely at odds with the warm sun beating down on her.


    She couldn''t feel her Primary Mana Channel at all.


    It was as if that part of her magic simply didn''t exist.


    "Having trouble?" Professor Iakopo''s voice startled her out of her panicked thoughts.


    He stood a few feet away with his arms crossed over his chest.


    Talia swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry.


    She balled her fists, staring down at the man.


    "I... I can''t seem to access my Primary Mana Channel," she admitted, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.


    Iakopo''s eyes narrowed, and something that might have curiosity flickered across his face.


    "Have you ever had any control over it?" he asked, his voice low enough that only Talia could hear.


    Is that even possible? Talia wondered.


    She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.


    The truth was, she didn''t know.


    She had never actually tried to use her Primary Mana Channel before and always relied on her Blood Magic instead.


    Professor Iakopo studied her for a long moment.


    ¡°Perhaps you shouldn¡¯t have taken this Class,¡± the man said complacently.


    ***


    Talia was on a small boat she had picked from an assortment that was available to all the students in Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School.


    This time, she had asked Nami and Lilo for some time alone after Professor Iakopo¡¯s Mana Control class.


    "In the old East Wing ¨C that¡¯s the name of a building, not an actual wing ¨C of the second island before the Market," Mano had said. "It¡¯s all abandoned, so there shouldn¡¯t be anyone sniffing around. Third floor, behind the painting of the Kraken. This is the key. But be careful, girl. It''s not a place to be taken lightly."


    Talia navigated the small boat through the winding canals of the Academy.


    The wooden vessel creaked softly as she guided it past other buildings and structures.


    She kept her eyes peeled for landmarks, trying to match them to the directions Mano had given her.


    After about twenty minutes of sailing, Talia spotted the Market in the distance.


    She turned left, heading towards the second island that came before it.


    The East Wing wasn''t hard to find based on Mano¡¯s description ¨C it was an old, slightly run-down building that stood out among the rest of the abandoned structures around it.


    Talia tied up her boat at a small dock near the building.


    She climbed out, her feet hitting the worn wooden planks with a soft thud.


    Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Talia quietly slipped away from the beach.


    Her shoes left damp prints on the sunbaked cobblestones as she hurried through the winding streets of the Academy.


    Talia huffed and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the building with both hands, wincing at the loud creak that echoed through the empty hallway beyond.


    She entered, finding herself in a dusty lobby.


    Cobwebs clung to every corner and even formed nets between the walls.


    Talia located the staircase and began to climb, her footsteps echoing through the empty space.


    Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight that filtered through the cracks in the boarded windows.


    On the third floor, Talia walked down a long hallway.


    Her eyes scanned the walls, looking for the painting Mano had mentioned.


    Near the end of the hall, she spotted it ¨C a large, faded artwork depicting the Kraken rising from the stormy seas.


    The creature''s eyes seemed to follow Talia as she approached. Taking a deep breath, Talia reached out and touched the painting¡¯s frame.


    To her surprise, it swung outward like a door, revealing an intricate symbol over the wall.


    She fetched the inscribed stone that Mano had given her and raised it in front of the symbol.


    Both flashed for an instant, and a dark passage appeared in place of the musty wall.


    The air that wafted out was cool and damp.


    Talia hesitated for just a moment before stepping into the darkness. The passage was short, opening into a circular room.


    And there, dominating the center of the space, was the Darkstorm Sphere.


    It was massive ¨C at least fifteen feet in diameter.


    Within its transparent walls, a storm was raging.


    Dark clouds roiled and churned, and flashes of lightning illuminated their depths.


    Rain lashed at the inside of the sphere, creating a constant patter that filled the room.


    The whole thing pulsed with an otherworldly energy that made the hair on Talia''s arms stand on end.


    For several long moments, Talia simply stared at it.


    Mano had told her that this was the very place where her father had been training.


    After the debacle in the morning, Talia realized that she needed to do something to avoid failing Professor Iakopo¡¯s class.


    Mano had mentioned that this place was very important to her father and that he had developed his control over Dark Water here.


    Now, Talia didn¡¯t know whether training her Dark Water would somehow allow her to form a Mana Board since only the latter was conjured through one¡¯s Primary Mana Channel. But this was the only thing that had come to her mind, not knowing what else to do.


    She had swung by Elder Krakatoa¡¯s study, but even the fiery man had been at a loss when she mentioned her problem.


    So, this was it.


    This was where Talia hoped to find some answers.

 Chapter 44 – The Darkstorm Sphere

    ¡°So, what do I do?¡± Talia wondered, walking around the sphere.


    There was no entrance nor any part that wasn¡¯t perfectly smooth, possibly indicating a way in.


    ¡°Do I just¡­¡± She got closer, straining her eyes to see what was inside.


    This was clearly powerful magic, far beyond anything she had encountered before.


    But if it helped her access her Primary Mana Channel, she had to try.


    Taking a deep breath, Talia stepped forward and placed her hand on the surface of the mysterious sphere.


    It was cool to the touch, and she could feel the vibrations of the storm within.


    Closing her eyes, she focused on her Dark Water Affinity, trying to connect with the energy swirling before her.


    But just like when she attempted to summon a Mana Board, Talia felt nothing.


    No response, no connection, not even a flicker of recognition from the magic within the sphere.


    She pushed harder, straining to feel something ¨C anything.


    But whatever magic Dark Water was, it stayed out of reach.


    Frustration welled up inside Talia.


    She pulled her hand away from the sphere, clenching it into a fist at her side.


    Why wasn''t this working?


    More importantly, what was she even trying to do?


    Mano had given her no indication of how she was supposed to interact ¨C if at all ¨C with the Darkstorm Sphere.


    He just said that Maui, her father, had spent a lot of time training here.


    Was there something wrong with her?


    Or was there something she didn¡¯t know?


    She paced around the room, her footsteps echoing in the chamber.


    The constant patter of rain within the sphere and the sporadic thunder filled the silence.


    Talia ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think.


    Maybe I''m approaching this wrong, she thought. Dark Water isn''t my best Affinity. I''ve barely tapped into it. Let me just¡­


    Talia closed her eyes, focusing on her Blood Magic instead and taking a knife to her palm.


    This, at least, was familiar territory.


    She felt the power respond immediately, warm and alive in her veins. Opening her eyes, she saw a small orb of blood hovering above her palm.


    Okay, that still works, she thought with relief.


    But how does this help me with Dark Water or my Primary Mana Channel?


    I guess at least it proves I¡¯m not having Mana problems.


    She dissipated the blood orb and turned back to the Darkstorm Sphere.


    ¡°Dad had mastered Dark Water, right?¡± She asked out loud, the gears in her brain spinning. ¡°Mano even mentioned Dark Water himself. I mean¡­ could he have swindled me? Is there a chance that this is not what he said it was because he just wanted to get the information on the Leviathan Hall?¡±


    Carelessly, without even thinking, she touched the Darkstorm Sphere with her bloodied hand while deep in thought.


    The moment Talia''s bloodied hand made contact with the Darkstorm Sphere, though, a jolt of energy surged through her body.


    Before she could react, an invisible force pulled her forward, and she found herself stumbling through the sphere''s edge as if it were nothing more than a curtain of water.


    A ripple went through the glassy surface as Talia tumbled into the world of chaos and darkness.


    The interior of the Darkstorm Sphere was as furious, if not even more, as what it looked like from the outside.


    Dark, roiling clouds surrounded her, and their edges were illuminated by frequent flashes of lightning.


    Electric currents snaked through the air while rain lashed at her face.


    Her hair whipped wildly in the wind.


    The rain felt more like tiny needles than water.


    At least, Talia realized, she wasn¡¯t sinking in the mock-ocean.


    The storm raged all around her, but somehow, she was standing on a flat surface.


    As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, Talia realized she was standing on what appeared to be a black stone.


    The temperature inside the sphere was significantly colder than in the room outside, and Talia felt a chill seep into her bones.


    The constant rumble of thunder reverberated through her chest, so loud it drowned out her rapid heartbeat.


    But what attracted her attention was a muffled whooshing that resounded intermittently.


    Through the darkness, she saw what could only be described as streams of dark energy that whirled in and out of the existence around the sphere.


    Is this Dark Water? She wondered.


    It looked like it, but Talia didn¡¯t really know what to do about it.


    Was she supposed to touch it?The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    And then what?


    Talia had come here after the Mana Board lesson because she had felt useless and wanted to reclaim control, but once again, this was completely beyond her.


    There¡¯s clearly something I¡¯m missing.


    I bet Dad used some special technique to practice.


    I can¡¯t just walk in here and expect this to work¡­


    Does this mean I need to get in touch with him if I want to use Dark Water?


    With all that Talia had gleaned about her father from the conversation with Elder Krakatoa, Riala, and Mano, she wasn¡¯t sure that contacting him was the best thing to do.


    In fact, she got the feeling that the more she kept away from the man, the better.


    At the same time, if she wanted any chance at mastering Dark Water and¡ª


    Damn it, Dad might actually know why I can¡¯t use Mana Board.


    And if he does, that means he might help me solve my problem.


    Talia sighed, looking at the fake sky over the sphere¡¯s dome.


    All that coming here had done was to reinforce how useless she felt and that she clearly needed help ¨C most likely her father¡¯s.


    Whatever¡­ I might get in touch with Mano and ask him to contact Dad.


    But as she turned on her heels to leave, something happened.


    It was nothing extraordinary.


    Talia simply slipped.


    She had really underestimated how slippery the black stone surface was.


    She face-planted on the floor so hard, banging her nose and teeth, that she spat out a big glob of blood onto the black surface.


    What happened next, however¡­ that was quite extraordinary.


    As Talia''s blood hit the black stone surface, an unexpected reaction occurred.


    The droplets seemed to come alive, spreading out across the floor in intricate patterns. The dark liquid began to glow. Talia scrambled to her feet, watching with fascination and alarm as the glowing blood patterns grew more complex.


    Suddenly, the air around her began to shimmer and distort.


    The howling wind and lashing rain of the Darkstorm Sphere seemed to fade into the background, replaced by an otherworldly silence.


    The swirling streams of Dark Water suddenly became much more physical and began to gather at the other side of the sphere.


    As Talia watched, transfixed, the dark streams began to coalesce, forming a whirling vortex of energy.


    The vortex grew larger and more intense, its center darkening to an inky black.


    Talia felt a pull, not a physical one but rather mental, drawing her attention deeper into the swirling mass. As she stared into the depths of the vortex, the darkness began to shift and change.


    Some shapes started to form within it, blurry at first but gradually becoming clearer.


    It was as if she was peering through a window into another time and place.


    Through the vortex, she saw a figure in the distance.


    It was a man ¨C his features were indistinct, like a living shadow.


    He stood with his arms outstretched, Dark Water swirling around him.


    The man began to move in fluid motions.


    With a sharp movement of his right hand, he sent a tendril of Dark Water snaking through the air. His left hand rose, palm up, and a sphere of the dark substance formed above it, pulsing with energy.


    The figure moved his body in patterns similar to some martial arts forms.


    As he spun in a circle, the Dark Water formed a protective layer around him.


    The man then pushed both hands forward, creating a large wave of Dark Water that hit an unseen barrier.


    This caused the vision to briefly distort.


    When the image cleared, the man stood with his feet apart and knees bent.


    He raised his arms, causing tendrils of Dark Water to rise and wrap around his limbs.


    Using precise hand movements, the man shaped the Dark Water to his will.


    As Talia watched, unable to move or speak from the stupor, another figure appeared.


    This one she recognized immediately, despite her younger appearance.


    It was her mother, Yalena, looking no older than Talia.


    Yalena ran toward the shadowy figure, her white hair streaming behind her.


    "Stop!" she cried. "Please, you have to stop this! It¡¯s eating too much of your vitality! You will die like this!"


    The shadowy man turned, lowering his arms.


    The Dark Water continued to swirl around him, but its patterns became less frenzied.


    "I''m so close," the man''s voice was strained, almost desperate. It was distorted, too, as if the vision was somehow imperfect. "We need this power, Yalena. To protect everyone, to stop the Kraken once and for all."


    Yalena reached him, throwing her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.


    "Not like this," she pleaded, her voice muffled but intense. "Look at what it''s doing to you. Your body can''t handle it."


    Talia finally noticed that the man''s form seemed to waver and distort where the Dark Water touched him.


    It was as if the energy was eating away at his very being.


    "It''s too dangerous," Yalena''s muffled voice reached Talia''s ears. "We''ll find another way, I promise. But not this. Never this. I can''t lose you to this power."


    The man''s shoulders sagged, the weight of exhaustion evident in his posture.


    "But if I can master it... if I can control it..."


    The shadowy figure ¨C which must have been Talia''s father, she realized with a jolt ¨C wrapped his arms around Yalena.


    "No one can truly control it," Yalena insisted, her hands moving upward to cup his face. "We¡¯ll find the Dark Water Well. I have narrowed down its location. It¡¯s in Placid City! Please, stop! I love you¡ª¡±


    Before her mother could finish her sentence, the Dark Water began to dissipate, fading into wisps of mist that were quickly swept away by the wind.


    * * *


    Talia finally managed to stumble back into the circular room, gasping for breath.


    Her clothes were somehow dry, but she could still feel the phantom sensation of rain on her skin.


    Her mind reeled, trying to process what she had just seen.


    In the vision, her father had been trying to master Dark Water.


    Her mother, young and desperate, had begged him to stop.


    What did it mean?


    What had her father been trying to do?


    Before she could begin to untangle her thoughts, something happened.


    The surface of the Darkstorm Sphere rippled, and an object shot out, landing at Talia''s feet with a wet thud.


    It was a book ¨C a journal, by the looks of it.


    The leather cover was soaked, with water dripping from its corners.


    But as Talia picked it up, she could see that the pages inside were somehow still legible.


    With trembling hands, she opened the journal to its first page.


    Her breath caught in her throat as she read the inscription:


    "To my dearest Yalena. May this journal help you understand the choices I''ve made and the path I must walk. Forever yours, M."


    Talia''s heart pounded in her chest. This was her father''s journal, addressed to her mother.


    It could hold answers to questions she hadn''t even known to ask.


    The circular room fell silent as Talia departed, the Darkstorm Sphere continuing its endless tempest behind her.


    As her departing footsteps faded down the corridor, a figure seemingly emerged from a puddle of shadows in the room.


    Mano, the scarred information broker, stepped into the dim light.


    His mismatched eyes scanned the room, ensuring he was alone.


    Satisfied, he pulled out a small, iridescent shell from his pocket ¨C a communication device rarely seen outside of certain circles.


    He brought the shell close to his mouth ¨C his voice barely above a whisper.


    "I¡¯ve just arrived in the room¡ªI saw your daughter leave."


    There was a moment of silence, then a voice responded from the shell.


    Though quiet, the deep, authoritative tone was unmistakable.


    It was Maui, Talia''s father.


    "And?" Maui''s voice crackled through the shell.


    "The Darkstorm Sphere wasn¡¯t active¡ªthere¡¯s no Dark Water residue," Mano replied, his scarred face twisting into a grim expression.


    ¡°What about the other matter? Awa is waiting for instructions.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll come to Placid City. He¡¯s made the arrangements already.¡±


    ¡°And Talia?¡± Maui asked from the shell.


    ¡°Your daughter couldn¡¯t master Mana Board nor Dark Water, apparently. It shouldn¡¯t be long before she comes to ask me to get in touch with you.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Maui said after a pause. ¡°Are you sure about Placid City?¡±


    "My source is reliable. Iakopo doesn''t suspect a thing."


    Another pause. Then, Maui spoke again.


    "Good. Keep watching him. Let me know if anything changes."


    "Of course," Mano agreed. ¡°One more thing. She found a journal?¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Maui replied. ¡°But not important.¡±


    "And what about you?¡± Mano asked ¡°Are you settling this matter yourself?


    ¡°Awa¡¯s taking charge,¡± Maui said. ¡°I¡¯m not getting involved.¡±


    ¡°Surprising,¡± Mano laughed and then slapped his forehead with sudden realization. ¡°By the way, other than Kahua, your daughter suspects Iakopo as well. Isn¡¯t that ironic?¡±


    A longer silence followed.


    When Maui finally responded, his voice was hard.


    "Make sure nothing happens to her, Mano. If that bastard does anything to her before his times comes, I will storm the Academy myself."


    "Understood," Mano said with a note of fear in his voice.


    The communication ended, leaving Mano alone in the room with the swirling Darkstorm Sphere.


    He stared at it for a long moment, his expression unreadable.


    With a final glance at the Sphere, Mano slipped back into the shadows, leaving behind no trace of his presence.

 Chapter 45 – Survival Class

    Talia sat cross-legged on her bed, the journal from the Darkstorm Sphere open in her lap.


    The leather cover was worn and water-stained, but the pages inside had remained pristine.


    Afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over the room and illuminating the faded ink on the yellowed pages.


    She had been reading for hours, pouring over what she believed to be love letters from her father to her mother.


    The words were flowery and romantic.Talia''s brow furrowed as she tried to reconcile this passionate, devoted version of Maui with the mysterious and potentially dangerous man she had briefly encountered.


    "My dearest Yalena," one passage read, "your beauty outshines the stars themselves. When I''m with you, the world fades away, and all that remains is the rhythm of our hearts beating as one."


    Talia rolled her eyes at the overly sentimental language. It seemed so at odds with the little she knew of her parents'' relationship.


    She shifted her position, causing the journal to slide closer to her wrist.


    As the pages brushed against her skin, something strange happened.


    The ink on the page began to twist as if it were alive.


    Talia''s eyes widened in surprise.


    She watched, transfixed, as new letters seemed to form beneath the original text, like a hidden message revealing itself.


    The effect lasted only a moment before the words settled back into their original form.


    Intrigued, Talia deliberately brought her wrist closer to the page.


    Once again, the ink writhed and shifted.


    This time, she caught glimpses of words and phrases that were decidedly less romantic:


    ¡°...death of Mana¡­¡±


    ¡°...negative energy¡­¡±


    ¡°...canceling the Primary Affinity¡­¡±


    Talia¡¯s eyes went wide as she held her left wrist close to the page and gained more than one glimpse at ¡®canceling the Primary Affinity.¡¯


    ¡°Wait, so there is something here,¡± she muttered.


    Perhaps her going to the Darkstorm Sphere might actually come in handy somehow.


    But why was the journal only partially reacting to her wrists?


    There was clearly more to these letters than the excessively saccharine quality of the writing, but what was the key to it?


    Dark Water?


    But Talia had no idea how she had even accessed Dark Water in the first place!


    But then, she thought of something.


    She recalled the vision she had experienced in the Darkstorm Sphere ¨C her father manipulating Dark Water with some gestures.


    Could this hidden text be related to that moment?


    With some embarrassment for what she was about to do, she got up and attempted to replicate the movements her father had displayed, hoping it would, by some stroke of luck, unlock the journal¡¯s hidden text.


    Her hands awkwardly traced arcs in the air, with her fingers flexing as if grasping the invisible threads of water.


    Talia poured all her concentration into the movements, willing the Dark Water to manifest itself.


    She imagined she could feel it, cool and heavy, responding to her commands. But when she opened her eyes, the room was exactly as it had been before.


    No Dark Water swirled around her, and no hidden power had awakened. Instead, she was left feeling foolish, waving her hands at nothing.


    Talia''s shoulders slumped in disappointment.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She heard a barely contained laughter and spun around to find Nami standing in her doorway.


    ¡°Hey! You didn¡¯t knock!¡±


    Amused, Nami gave a faux-knock at the door.


    "Come in," Talia grumbled, trying to keep her voice steady.


    ¡°What was that, really?¡± Nami frowned, peeking at the journal on the bed that Talia jumped on to prevent the girl from seeing the embarrassing letters her father had sent to her mother.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Talia cleared her voice. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    The older Moana sister was already dressed sharply despite the early hour.


    Nami looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she took in her friend¡¯s disheveled appearance.


    "Still in your pajamas? You do remember we have Elder Kahua''s Survival Class today, right?"


    Talia glanced from the window at the rising sun in the sky, right beside the Spiral, and winced. She had completely lost track of time.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "I... yes, of course," Talia stammered, scrambling off the bed. "I just got caught up in some reading. Give me a couple of minutes to change."


    Nami leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed.


    "Are you sure you want to go? After what happened with Elder Kahua?"


    Talia paused in the act of dressing herself in one of the simple and unmarked first-year robes Nami had provided her.


    The confrontation with Elder Kahua while she tested for his school was nasty, and find an excuse to skip the class.


    But a larger part, the part that had driven her to come to the Academy in the first place, refused to back down.


    "I''m going," Talia said firmly, meeting Nami''s gaze. "I won''t let him intimidate me."


    A small smile tugged at the corners of Nami''s mouth.


    "Hurry up, then. We don''t want to be late."


    As Nami stepped back into the hallway, closing the door behind her, Talia quickly changed into her robes.


    Talia''s fingers brushed against the golden bracelets covering her wrist marks.


    For now, though, she had a class to attend.


    Talia took a deep breath and, with one last glance at the pillow concealing the journal, Talia grabbed her bag and headed for the door.


    She stepped into the hallway where Nami had been waiting.


    "Ready?" Nami asked, falling into step beside her.


    Talia nodded, her jaw set with resolve. "Ready as I''ll ever be."


    Together, they made their way through Elder Krakatoa¡¯s School grounds, heading toward the pier to get a boat that would bring them to Elder Kahua''s classroom.


    The journal and its secrets would have to wait.


    For now, Talia had a different kind of survival to focus on.


    ***


    Elder Kahua surveyed the students gathered in a large arena similar to the one where Elder Krakatoa taught his classes.


    Talia felt a twinge of nervousness, remembering their last encounter when the man had nearly attacked her after she used Dark Water against his student.


    For a moment, Talia wondered if Kano, the student from the K¨¡ne Family she had defeated thanks to the Dark Water, had actually been kicked out by Elder Kahua.


    But Talia¡¯s attention snapped back to the present.


    The last time she met the man, only Riala''s intervention had prevented the situation from escalating further.


    Now, she looked at him, standing in front of a semicircle of students, waiting with his arms behind his back.


    Only several minutes later, as the last of the students taking his course arrived, did Elder Kahua begin to speak.


    "My class, unlike the others, does not have any arbitrary thresholds that must be passed. This is not about your control of Mana or your proficiency with weapons, casting, herbs, or other such skills. This is about fighting the monsters that are out there."


    He paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled students. Many shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny.


    "Do not be mistaken, young ones. ¡®Abyssal Survival Class¡¯ is quite a misleading name. The monsters I speak of are not just Abyssal Creatures. Many Water Riders think their sole purpose is to fight such beasts and, perhaps, one day, the Kraken. However, that is just a small part of what we do."


    Elder Kahua''s voice grew more intense, commanding the attention of every student in the arena.


    "I personally prefer to call this the Survival Class because to truly survive at the Academy, in our organization, and on the Four Seas, you will have to deal with much more than Abyssal Creatures. Humans can be as treacherous, if not more, as the Dungeon Bosses that you can find in the nastiest nooks of the Deep."


    A murmur rippled through the crowd at those words.


    Elder Kahua waited for silence before continuing.


    "So, listen well. To be a Water Rider, it takes more than power and strength, more than talent and a prestigious family name. To be a Water Rider takes honor. And the bane of honor is arrogance.


    "The moment any of you become more concerned with the other''s perception of you than your own self-awareness, you will be lost. Arrogance has led many Water Riders astray. Some have even joined the Cultists."


    Gasps and whispers broke out among the non-noble students who had never heard of such a thing.


    It was almost unthinkable for them that the Water Riders, the most respected institution in the Great Archipelago of N¨¡ Moku Kai, could have traitors in the midst.


    Elder Kahua raised his hand to silence the murmur.


    "If you''re asking yourself what would bring a Water Rider to join such heinous people, such disgusting worshipers of the Scourge of the Deep, look no further than to your left and your right. You will see both future Water Riders and future failures and possibly criminals¡ªhardly heroes. All of the people around you will shape what you think is right and what you think is wrong.


    "Cultists are nothing more than Water Riders who cared more about petty squabbles and politics than seeing justice being delivered and upholding our honor code. A Water Rider without honor is nothing. A Water Rider who only thinks of their talent and their strength and meaninglessly hurts others just to prove something is nothing!"


    As he said the last part, Elder Kahua''s eyes fell on Talia. She felt her jaw tighten and had to bite back an angry reply.


    Gesturing toward a door that had just opened, Elder Kahua announced, "This is my assistant, the champion of my school, Riala Solara, the daughter of the last H¨¡kai P¨­, the Kraken Slayer, Yalena Solara."


    Riala entered the arena to a few gasps, and a few daring students even cheered.


    She glanced in Talia''s direction, but her younger sister averted her gaze.


    "Today, she will help me select a mission for each of you," Elder Kahua continued. "In fact, the only requirement to pass my class is to complete three missions before the end of the year. And for those who think that three missions will be easy, you''ll soon see how challenging even the ''easy'' ones can be.


    "I know that some of you already belong to Schools, including mine, which means you''ll be interested in how this class ranks its participants. The most important measurement we''ll keep in mind, and perhaps the only thing that counts, is how difficult these missions are. And this is decided by Principal Kaimana¡¯s aides."


    Elder Kahua''s tone became more businesslike as he explained the logistics.


    "Since all of you are first-years, you can only choose from missions assigned to novices. For those who might not know what that means, they are missions meant for those below Level 20. You will be divided into groups. If you prefer, you may choose your own teammates."


    A wry smile crossed his face.


    "I always find it refreshing when students form their own groups. They soon realize that casual conversations or sharing a dorm is not a good indicator of whether they can form an effective team or not.


    "Sadly, you won''t be able to start the first mission right away if you''re already enrolled in Professor Iakopo''s class. I have been requested by our esteemed professor not to provide any further details about this matter other than that those of you who¡¯ve signed up for his class and have not dropped out already will be taking their first field trip tomorrow and will be away for at least a week."


    ¡°What?¡± Talia said, frowning and looking at Nami, who just shrugged in return.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not heard of this,¡± the older sister of the Moana Family replied.


    All the students who had passed the first test in Professor Iakopo¡¯s class were still whispering among each other when Elder Kahua added something else with a smile on his face.


    ¡°And given Professor Iakopo¡¯s infamy, I will relent and consider those who pass his field trip¡¯s evaluation as having completed one of the three required missions. In fact, I will consider it the second-highest difficulty mission that one can undertake as a Novice.¡±


    Many students perked up, already smiling and rubbing their hands together, thinking this was some sort of a white-glove service the Elder had reserved for them.


    But what Elder Kahua said after this immediately clarified his previous statement.


    ¡°Two years ago, during his last field trip, only five students out of a cohort of one hundred and fifty were not expelled from his class.¡±


    A ghastly silence befell the arena.


    ¡°I hope you have fun,¡± Elder Kahua said with a slimy smile. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to notify Professor Iakopo not to go easy on any of you.¡±


    Talia saw the Elder look in her direction again ¡ª this time, brazenly.

 Chapter 46 – Heart Rending

    Seeing Principal Kaimana was probably one of the few reasons that allowed a first-year student to enter the most famous building in the Water Riders Academy: the Spire.


    Takai approached two guards dressed in full armor that covered even their faces, making them look extremely intimidating.


    He didn¡¯t know what to say. He had been pacing back and forth in front of the Spire¡¯s entrance, eyeing the distant guards, wondering if he should simply state he was here to see Principal Kaimana or if he needed to ask them something else.


    The two guards held crossed spears that barred the way to the large door leading inside the Spire.


    Takai touched the hilt of the sword that Talia had acquired on his behalf with the money his mother¡¯s herbs had fetched at the Academy.


    She had not disclosed to Takai how she had gotten the sword, but Takai hadn¡¯t questioned it.


    In fact, Talia had brought him back a sword with not one, not two, but three enchantments.


    The sword was enhanced for durability, sharpness, and weight, meaning that Takai¡¯s swings would impart more force onto his enemies than the sword actually weighed.


    These were the three most common and valuable enchantments a sword could possess.


    So, with a hand on his newly acquired sword at his hip, he approached the two guards, as nervous and shaky as one could be.


    The student who had come to tell him that Principal Kaimana wanted to see him had also mentioned that the Principal himself had apparently trained his father.


    Takai had heard so little about his father, considering his mother refused to talk about him.


    In fact, the only thing Takai knew about his father was that he was one of, if not the most skilled swordsman in the entire archipelago and that his name was Awa.


    As Takai walked toward the guards, racking his brain on what to say, they didn¡¯t flinch or look at him.


    They uncrossed their spears, bringing them perpendicular to the ground, and didn¡¯t address Takai.


    Takai hesitated, looking at them for a few seconds.


    Then, one of the guards cleared their throat and said, ¡°Enter. Principal Kaimana is waiting for you. He¡¯s on the fifth floor. Do not enter any other room.¡±


    The guard had spoken without even looking at him, staring straight ahead.


    So, feeling more than a little intimidated, Takai entered the Spire.


    The interior of the Spire was vast and austere.


    Smooth stone walls rose high above, curving inward to form the tower¡¯s distinctive shape.


    Takai¡¯s footsteps echoed space as he walked across the polished floor.


    A spiral staircase wound its way up the center of the tower, each step carved from pale blue stone.


    As Takai began to climb, his hand trailing along the cool railing, he noticed tall, narrow windows set into the curved walls at regular intervals.


    Through these windows, Takai caught glimpses of the Spire¡¯s exterior and the water that lived on its surface. The water seemed alive with an inner light that cast shifting shadows across the staircase.


    As he ascended, Takai paused almost at each window, amazed by the ever-changing flow of the water ever-coating the Spire.


    Sometimes, the water formed intricate downward spirals; other times, it surged upwards in defiance of gravity.


    The sight was unsettling.


    The staircase seemed to go on forever, disappearing into shadows far above.


    Takai passed several corridors with closed, unmarked doors lining the walls.


    Remembering the guard¡¯s warning, he kept his eyes forward, resisting the urge to explore.


    The air grew noticeably cooler as Takai climbed higher, and a faint mist began to form around his feet. The walls here were damp, and water beaded on the stone surface.


    On the fourth-floor landing, Takai paused to catch his breath.


    Looking out the window, he saw that the water flow had become more turbulent, matching his rising anxiety.


    The mist was thicker here, partially obscuring the view.


    Pushing through his fatigue, Takai continued upward.


    The fifth-floor landing came into view, a single door set into the curved wall.


    Unlike the others, this door was marked with a simple silver plaque: ¡°Principal Kaimana.¡±


    Takai stood before the door, his heart racing.


    He raised his hand to knock, then hesitated.


    Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself, but a voice came from within before he could rap his knuckles against the smooth wood.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    Takai¡¯s heart almost exploded.


    Then, he grasped the handle and pushed the door open, stepping into Principal Kaimana¡¯s study.


    Unlike the narrow, misty corridor that housed his study, Principal Kaimana sat in a spacious office bathed in warm sunlight.


    How does sunlight get through the water?


    The answer came as soon as he turned his head.


    Unlike the ones Takai had looked through so far, a large window at the Principal¡¯s back showcased only a thin layer of water.


    The rest of the study had giant bookshelves lined every wall.


    There were no pictures, statues, or trinkets other than the massive bookshelves, two seats in front of the Principal¡¯s desk, and the desk at which the man was currently sitting.


    Behind the desk sat the elderly Principal Kaimana. Despite his apparent frailty, an undeniable aura of power surrounded him, making Takai feel the weight of his presence in the room.


    His eyes seemed to pierce right through Takai, their intensity making him feel like the Principal could see into his very soul.


    ¡°Ah, young Takai,¡± Principal Kaimana said, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. ¡°Please, sit down.¡±


    Takai moved forward, trying to keep his nervousness from showing.


    As he settled into the chair, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the absence of the weird mist in the office.


    An explanation came his way as if the Principal had just read his mind.


    ¡°The thing you saw outside is not mist,¡± the old man said, coughing at the end and clearing his voice multiple times. ¡°You might have felt more tired than usual when climbing the stairs because the Spire condenses the Mana across the Academy over its surface and injects it inside. Some Schools can win spots inside of it because it¡¯s beneficial to those of a higher level to spend some time here. However, even some of the stronger Water Riders can suffer from Mana Poisoning if they stay here too long.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Mana Poisoning?¡± Takai frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of it, have you?¡± Principal Kaimana coughed again, this time more violently, and raised a hand to tell Takai to wait this out. ¡°Mana Poisoning,¡± the old man said, clearing his voice multiple times and taking out a handkerchief to clean his lips, ¡°is what powers Abyssal Creatures. They absorb what we call Abyssal Mana.¡±


    ¡°Abyssal Mana?¡± Takai echoed.


    ¡°Abyssal Mana is a non-filtered, raw Mana that exists worldwide. How do Water Riders level up, young Takai?¡± The old man asked, clearly trying to get to something.


    ¡°Killing monsters?¡± Takai said hesitantly.


    ¡°Killing monsters,¡± Principal Kaimana nodded. ¡°Killing monsters transfers their Mana onto us, empowering our bodies. But we absorb only a small part of their refined Mana thanks to our Akashic Record. If we absorbed all the power of one monster at once, we¡¯d lose our minds and become monsters ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Takai said, confused.


    ¡°If you stayed too long in the Spire with a weak Akashic Record,¡± Principal Kaimana said gravely, ¡°you would suffer the same fate.¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re probably wondering why I¡¯ve called you here,¡± Principal Kaimana began almost nonchalantly after such a dramatic revelation. ¡°It¡¯s not often that I take a personal interest in first-year students, but your case is... unique.¡±


    Takai swallowed hard, unsure how to respond, still confused by the previous line of discussion.


    ¡°T¡ªthank you, sir,¡± he managed to stammer. ¡°I¡¯m honored to be here.¡±


    Principal Kaimana leaned back in his chair, studying Takai with those piercing eyes.


    ¡°Tell me, young man, what do you know about your father?¡±


    The question caught Takai off guard.


    He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.


    ¡°Not much, sir,¡± Takai admitted. ¡°He... he left when I was very young. My mother doesn¡¯t like to talk about him.¡±


    Principal Kaimana nodded slowly as if he had expected this answer.


    ¡°Your father, Awa, was once one of his generation¡¯s most promising Water Riders. His skill with a blade was unmatched, and his potential seemed limitless.¡±


    Takai leaned forward, eager to hear more about the man who had been little more than a shadow in his life.


    Principal Kaimana¡¯s expression grew somber as he continued.


    ¡°But Awa was also proud, perhaps too proud. He believed his talent made him invincible, above the rules and traditions that have guided Water Riders for generations.¡±


    The Principal paused, slowly, almost feebly, getting up and giving Takai his back. He stared at the giant window behind him that essentially encompassed the entire wall.


    ¡°It was that pride and arrogance that led him down a dark path. A path that eventually saw him turn his back on everything he once stood for.¡±


    Takai felt a chill run down his spine.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Takai said hesitantly, ¡°why are you telling me this?¡±


    Principal Kaimana turned back to Takai, his eyes softening slightly.


    ¡°Because, young Takai, I see the same potential your father once had in you. But I also see something he lacked - humility, a willingness to learn and grow.¡±


    The old man leaned forward, his voice dropping to almost a whisper.


    ¡°That is why I¡¯ve decided to offer you something I¡¯ve never offered to another student in all my years at the Academy since your father.¡±


    Takai¡¯s heart began to race.


    What could the Principal possibly be offering him?


    ¡°Tomorrow, you and your classmates will embark on a field trip to the Placid Cave in Placid City,¡± Principal Kaimana explained. ¡°It¡¯s a rite of passage for first-year students who take Professor Iakopo¡¯s class, a chance to face real dangers and test your skills. The man has been embarking on this expedition every two years with his students. You¡¯re lucky to have been here this year, not the next, not the one before.¡±


    Takai nodded, having heard rumors about the trip from older students.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m looking forward to it?¡± Takai tried sounding courageous.


    ¡°Before you go,¡± Principal Kaimana continued, ¡°I want to offer you a technique I¡¯ve encountered in my travels. Consider this my great apology because I believe I had a hand in your father¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°Principal, I¡ª¡±


    Principal Kaimana turned and raised a hand, immediately shutting Takai off.


    ¡°This Skill is so powerful, so dangerous, that it has never been successfully mastered by any Water Rider in the Academy¡¯s history but once.¡±


    Takai¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°Wow, was it my father?¡±


    Principal Kaimana snorted and shook his head.


    ¡°No, young Takai. No, it was not.¡±


    Principal Kaimana¡¯s voice dropped even lower, filled with reverence.


    ¡°Your father couldn¡¯t learn this. See, the technique¡¯s name is the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.¡±


    He had never heard of such a technique, but even the name seemed complicated and powerful.


    ¡°This technique,¡± Principal Kaimana explained, ¡°requires a heart of absolute purity, completely devoid of self-consciousness. It is said that only one with such a heart that can bear to sacrifice anything for honor and justice can hope to master it without suffering... dire consequences.¡±


    Takai swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry, unfit for such a skill.


    ¡°Consequences, sir?¡±


    The old man nodded.


    ¡°Those who attempt the technique without the necessary purity of heart risk disfigurement, crippling injuries, or worse. It is not a decision to be made lightly.¡±


    Takai¡¯s mind churned.


    Why would Principal Kaimana offer him such a dangerous technique?


    And why now, just before the field trip to the Placid Cave?


    As if reading his thoughts, Principal Kaimana continued.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, young Takai. Why offer you this technique if it¡¯s so dangerous? The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique can only be passed directly to someone¡¯s heart. Once passed, the recipient has thirty-three days to accept or reject it.¡±


    The Principal¡¯s eyes bore into Takai¡¯s, filled with an intensity that made the young student want to look away.


    ¡°But here¡¯s the catch - one cannot know their compatibility with the technique until it¡¯s been passed to them.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± Takai said, his voice barely above a whisper, ¡°I understand¡­ like¡­ about my father¡­ but¡­ why me? Why offer this to me? If my father is the Sword Demon, how can my heart¡ª¡±


    Principal Kaimana¡¯s expression softened, a hint of sadness creeping into his eyes.


    ¡°Because, Takai, I see a purity of heart in you that I haven¡¯t witnessed in a very long time. A purity that might - just might - be capable of mastering this technique.¡±


    The old man leaned back in his chair, his voice growing stern.


    ¡°But make no mistake, young man. Even if I pass this technique to you, you must never use it if you¡¯re not compatible with it. The risks are simply too great. No matter what the circumstances might call for. Using this technique without compatibility would mean certain doom. Death would bless those who misuse the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.¡±


    Principal Kaimana sighed heavily, suddenly looking every bit at his advanced age. ¡°Sometimes, Takai, the most important lessons we learn are not about what we can do but what we choose not to do. The importance of sacrifice, to know one¡¯s limits and price to pay for those who want to force them¡­¡±


    The man didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Instead, he just took his staff and used it to awkwardly walk up to Takai, who immediately shot up from his seat.


    Principal Kaimana stood before Takai, his weathered hand outstretched.


    ¡°Are you ready, young Takai? There¡¯s no going back once I pass this technique to you.¡±


    Takai nodded, his heart pounding.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, sir.¡±


    The old man placed his palm on Takai¡¯s chest, over his heart.


    A surge of energy flowed between them, warm at first, then intensely cold.


    Takai gasped, feeling as if something had taken root inside him.


    As Principal Kaimana withdrew his hand, his expression changed from solemn to deeply troubled.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± he muttered, shaking his head. ¡°This is most unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°What is it, sir?¡± Takai asked, a note of fear creeping into his voice.


    Principal Kaimana sighed heavily.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, Takai, that you are incompatible with the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique. Zero. If you were to attempt to use it, even once, it would mean certain death.¡±


    Takai felt the blood drain from his face. ¡°But... but why did you give it to me then?¡±


    ¡°I had hoped...¡± Principal Kaimana¡¯s voice trailed off. He looked older than ever, burdened by regret. ¡°I wish I could take it back, my boy. But now that the technique has been transferred to your heart, it will remain there for thirty-three days.¡±


    The old man gripped Takai¡¯s shoulder with one hand, making the young man flinch under the deceptively firm grip.


    ¡°Listen to me very carefully, Takai. You must not, under any circumstances, attempt to use this technique. Not even think about accepting it. The consequences would be dire beyond imagination.¡±


    Takai nodded, trembling slightly. ¡°I understand, sir. I won¡¯t use it. I promise.¡±


    Principal Kaimana¡¯s grip relaxed slightly, but the worry didn¡¯t leave his eyes. ¡°Good. Remember that promise, no matter what happens in Placid City or elsewhere. You¡¯re not to use this technique under any circumstances. You would suffer a fate worse than death if you did.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Takai lowered his head.


    He stepped back, leaning heavily on his staff.


    ¡°However, this wasn¡¯t all for nothing,¡± he continued, his tone softening. ¡°When you return from your trip to Placid City, I will personally instruct you in the art of the sword, just as I once taught your father.¡±


    Takai¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You... you¡¯ll teach me yourself?¡±


    Principal Kaimana nodded.


    ¡°Yes. Your journey as a swordsman is just beginning, Takai. And while the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique may be out of your reach, there are many other paths to strength and honor.¡±


    After a few more minutes, Takai left Principal Kaimana¡¯s study.


    He didn¡¯t feel too weird about the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t compatible with it, it had been not more than a few seconds that he had even considered himself worthy of it.


    He wasn¡¯t Talia and, despite Principal Kaimana¡¯s words, he wasn¡¯t his infamous father either.


    He wasn¡¯t special.


    But that was fine with him.


    Takai would still get the chance to learn about swords under Principal Kaimana.


    Who cared about this technique?


    For someone like him, learning under the Principal, old or not, was more than enough.


    Takai really had nothing to prove to anyone.


    * * *


    Little did Takai know that far from the Academy, another conversation was taking place between master and disciple¡ªone that would have profound implications for his future and the future of the entire Water Rider order.


    Two figures stood facing each other in a cavern deep beneath the waves of the Placid City.


    One was tall and imposing, his features hidden beneath a hood. Behind his back, a famous black longsword was draped in a cloth.


    The other was younger, her face eager and full of anticipation.


    ¡°Lilinoe,¡± the hooded figure spoke, his voice low and gravelly. ¡°Daughter, you have risen from among many to return to me and earned the honor to be my heir. Do you understand the importance of your role in what is about to unfold?¡±


    The younger girl bowed deeply.


    ¡°Yes, Master Awa, Father. I am humbled by your choice and ready to learn all that you have to teach.¡±


    ¡°Good. Rise.¡±


    Lilinoe straightened


    ¡°I am ready, Master. I will prove myself worthy of your teachings.¡±


    A cold smile spread across Awa¡¯s face, visible even in the darkness of the cavern.


    ¡°Are you ready to prove to me that I only have one child worth of my heritage?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± Lilinoe said.


    ¡°Are you ready to kill your brother?¡± The man spoke ominously.


    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± Lilinoe spoke with fervor.

 Chapter 47 – Past and Present Travels

    The Siren¡¯s Song cut through the waves of the Deep, its wooden hull creaking with each swell.


    The massive galleon, which had served as the stage for Professor Iakopo¡¯s initial test, now carried a group of eager first-year students toward their first real challenge.


    Talia stood at the starboard railing, her eyes fixed on the endless expanse of midnight blue waters of the Deep stretching to the horizon, with the ship¡¯s three towering masts at her back.


    The main sail bore a faded emblem whose form couldn¡¯t be made out.


    Rigging creaked and snapped taut as Professor Iakopo¡¯s sailors, headed by Shaker, maneuvered the vessel.


    Talia¡¯s fingers traced the worn wood of the railing, wondering how long it must have been since someone minded it. It looked barely taken care of, with paint chipped and wood half-broken in several places, even though it was all enchanted.


    The ship had definitely seen much better times than these.


    A quick bucket of normal water would have quickly removed some of the caked salt from the planks.


    The Siren Song was clearly the ship of a man who didn¡¯t care about what he looked to in front of others.


    The one funny thing about it was that with the state of disrepair of most appliances on the ship, the galleon truly lived up to its name. However, the song was a cranky melody of wood and wind groaning, punctuated by the occasional shout of a sailor or the cry of a far-off seabird.


    In the distance, dark, gloomy clouds gathered.


    Professor Iakopo only mentioned their destination after the two hundred students had crowded his huge galleon: Placid City.


    Talia¡¯s heart had almost exploded when she had heard the name.


    It was the same city that her father had mentioned in the vision that she had witnessed in the Darkstorm Sphere.


    Her mother, Yalena, had said that the secret to Dark Water resided in Placid City, in some Dark Water Well.


    Talia knew the current expedition wasn¡¯t related to the Dark Water Well.


    Apparently, Professor Iakopo routinely brought all his first-year students to Placid City.


    The reason?


    There was a Placid Cave.


    More precisely, the Placid Cave, which did exist despite its awkward naming convention, was a large, extremely Mana-rich Dungeon.


    The Professor had said that he brought first-year students there every two years to clear it up.


    One had to clear up Dungeons routinely because, otherwise, they would start growing infestations where the monsters would grow so strong that the natural Mana inside the Dungeon that spawned in the first place wouldn¡¯t be enough for them to live on anymore.


    And when the Mana wasn¡¯t enough for sustenance, Abyssal Creatures started looking for more filling meals.


    Humans, of course.


    And, with the irony of its name not lost on Talia, it appeared that this Dungeon required a lot of maintenance.


    Professor Iakopo, in his usual fashion, hadn¡¯t revealed much more about it.


    However, she had heard from other students that about twenty years prior, there had been a catastrophe of massive proportions that had essentially nearly extinguished their entire population.


    Some said that only Professor Iakopo¡¯s morbid interest in Placid City had allowed anyone to return there.


    But among the current batch of students, or at least those Talia had overheard talking, no one seemed to know exactly why the man was so obsessed with the place or his connection to it.


    But, if she had to guess, she doubted anything about this field trip would be truly ¡°placid.¡±


    Meanwhile, on the main deck, students milled about, chatting and joking. Some excitedly discussed the upcoming trial, while others looked decidedly green as they adjusted to energy at sea.


    The more experienced among them even lent a hand to the crew, dusting off the basics of sailing as they went.


    As the day wore on, before the cloudy sky completely enveloped the ship in its gloomy mood, the sun began its descent towards the western horizon, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink.


    As Talia remained at the railing, she saw stars briefly appearing for a few minutes before the darkening sky reclaimed them with its angry clouds.


    Not hungry, Talia stood on the ship¡¯s deck as the night wore on. Her eyes eventually fixed on Professor Iakopo, who had come out of his cabin to sit alone on a solitary stool at the prow.


    She wondered if the man would be the most significant barrier between her and graduation.


    She leaned against a door but immediately felt her hands resting by her side, touching a rusty hinge, leaving an orange smear over her hand.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± she swore under her breath. ¡°Why isn¡¯t that bastard taking care of this ship?¡±


    Talia¡¯s attention returned to Professor Iakopo.


    His hands rested on his knees, and his gaze seemed fixed on some distant point on the horizon.


    The wind ruffled his salt-and-pepper hair, but he remained motionless, lost in thought.


    What could he be thinking about so intently? Talia wondered.


    Was he pondering the fate of his students, deciding who was worthy to continue their training and who would be sent home like a dog?


    Or were his thoughts elsewhere entirely?


    Why Placid City, of all places?


    As Talia kept watching the man, curious, the Professor¡¯s shoulders seemed to sag slightly.


    For a moment, catching a light frown on his face from the side, she thought she glimpsed a flicker of emotion crossed his usually stoic face.


    But the moment passed as quickly as it appeared, and his features settled back into their customary stern lines.


    What made this bastard this way?


    * * *


    20 Years Prior


    The sun shone brightly on the ship¡¯s gleaming deck, its rays reflecting off the freshly polished brass fittings.


    The vessel cut through the water purposefully, its white and azure paint pristine and with no chip in sight.


    At the prow stood a Water Rider dressed in the colors of his noble family, White, Blue, and Azure.


    The waves, the deep, the lighting.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The K¨¡ne Family¡¯s insignia.


    Their ability to cross the waves with the greatest vessels.


    The claim onto the Scourge of the Deep, who some clamored to be afraid of all generations of the K¨¡ne Family.


    The Azure Lighting Water, the signature magic of the main branch of the K¨¡ne Family.


    All three colors and a bolt of stylized lightning stood proud and vivid on the sail hanging from the main mast.


    A young Iakopo sat on a stool on the prowl, his favorite spot to think and exchange thoughts with his Shield and Retinue.


    Unlike his future self, his uniform was crisp and neat.


    Beside him stood an older girl, his resemblance to Iakopo unmistakable.


    Despite her intimidating stature, there was a kindness in his eyes as he looked at his younger sibling.


    ¡°Iakopo, why did we have to volunteer for this?¡± Hi¡¯iaka sighed. ¡°This is below us. South Deep? Come on. Father is probably holding Mother as she weeps for our reputation.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡¯s tears might be nothing more than a good omen for this trip, Hi¡¯iaka,¡± Iakopo laughed.


    ¡°Cousin,¡± a man roughly Hi¡¯iaka¡¯s age said, ¡°we¡¯ve just graduated, and it¡¯s time we start giving back to the Academy. That old bastard just killed the Scourge of the Deep for the sixth time. We won¡¯t get to the tentacled-bitch anytime soon if he doesn¡¯t croak. We might as well tour around the fresh recruits.¡±


    ¡°Lukaloa, that old bastard,¡± Iakopo sighed, ¡°is probably the greatest living warrior of the last one hundred years. And yes, Kaimana will likely defeat the Kraken again. He might die from old age before he dies to the Scourge.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re stuck with a commoner for a Principal of the greatest institution we have,¡± Hi¡¯iaka sighed.


    ¡°Worse things have happened,¡± Iakopo shrugged, looking at the horizon. ¡°These recent edicts that restructured the missions so Great Families can¡¯t just rob the Academy for protection money are¡­ smart.¡±


    ¡°You realize our own Family just lost a lot of resources because of Kaimana, right?¡± Hi¡¯iaka said, shaking her head.


    ¡°The Great Families used to charge for clearing Dungeons in their territories that they would have cleaned nonetheless. The fact that Kaimana had the balls to tell us to take care of our business without expecting a reward each time is smart. There have been too many Spillings lately, and redirecting the resources to ensure Water Riders take missions to routinely clear up dangerous Dungeons is more than proper¡ªit¡¯s honorable.¡±


    Around them, a group of other boys laughed and joked.


    ¡°Another batch of fresh recruits,¡± another man said, his voice deep and resonant. ¡°What do you think, little cousin? Are you ready to show them what the strongest Chosen can do and teach them?¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, taking the question more seriously than intended.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Kainoa. The standards at the Academy... they¡¯re not what they used to be.¡±


    Kainoa clapped a hand on Iakopo¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Give them a chance. You might be surprised.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. Kaimana might be right about many things, but lowering the standards to recruit more Water Riders is something we might regret.¡±


    As they kept conversing, a young woman approached.


    Her long white hair was tied back in a neat braid, and her uniform matched Iakopo¡¯s in its pristine condition. However, it didn¡¯t sport any emblem, no allegiance to any noble family, which, for someone who had just graduated, was beyond rare¡ªit was unique.


    All students who weren¡¯t nobles joined either a School or a Great Family¡¯s forces.


    But not this one.


    No, this woman had not joined any School during her entire stay at the Academy.


    Yalena¡¯s eyes shone bright with excitement as she joined the conversation.


    ¡°There you are,¡± she said, settling onto a stool beside Iakopo. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. Can you believe we¡¯re actually going to the Placid Cave?¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s expression became tender as he turned to face her.


    ¡°Leave us alone,¡± Iakopo said, looking at the rest of his family.


    Her older sister Hi¡¯iaka, his Shield, and Lukaloa and Kainoa obeyed, dragging the rest of the Retinue with them.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as exciting as your books make it sound, Yalena, trust me. We¡¯re just there to watch the first-years during their training exercise. The Placid Cave should only have Level 10 Torpedo Snappers. At our level¡­ what are they going to do to us?¡±


    Yalena rolled her eyes good-naturedly.


    ¡°Always the grump, aren¡¯t you? Come on, Iakopo, where¡¯s your sense of adventure? Didn¡¯t I tell you about the thing¡­" She let her voice trail.


    ¡°I left the sense of adventure back at the Academy, along with my patience for unprepared students,¡± Iakopo retorted. Still, there was no real bite to his words. ¡°As for the thing. That¡¯s your business. I know nothing about it.¡±


    Yalena sighed and shook her head.


    ¡°But I told you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yalena,¡± Iakopo said, looking around them. ¡°Not another word about this.¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok,¡± Yalena smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got enough to worry about with these useless students Kaimana let in. I respect the man, but this¡­¡± Iakopo¡¯s eyes went over some students who weren¡¯t even Level 5.


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly know they¡¯re unprepared,¡± Yalena argued. ¡°We haven¡¯t even tested them yet. Besides, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here ¨C to protect them and guide them. Even the weakest seedling can grow into a mighty oak with the right care and attention.¡±


    Iakopo shook his head, his expression growing serious.


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice sentiment, Yalena, but this isn¡¯t a garden. Being a Water Rider is dangerous work. Allowing weak candidates into the Academy isn¡¯t doing them any favors ¨C it¡¯s putting their lives and fellow Water Riders at risk.¡±


    ¡°And who decides who¡¯s weak and who¡¯s strong?¡± Yalena challenged. ¡°You? The Academy? Sometimes strength comes from unexpected places, Iakopo. Or would you not have allowed me into the Academy just because I¡¯m a commoner and not a mighty noble? Because isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re essentially talking about?¡±


    A moment of tension hung between them, then Iakopo¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right, I¡¯m exaggerating,¡± he conceded. ¡°I just... I worry that¡¯s all. I¡¯ve seen what can happen when people are unprepared for the challenges they face out here.¡±


    Yalena smiled, and she reached out to take Iakopo¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I know you worry. It¡¯s one of the things I love about you. You care so much, even if you try to hide it.¡±


    As their eyes met, the world around them seemed to fade away.


    For Iakopo, it was as if the entire universe had contracted to this single point ¨C the warmth of Yalena¡¯s hand in his.


    At that moment, everything made sense.


    All the doubts, all the fears, all the uncertainties of life.


    Without conscious thought, they leaned towards each other.


    Their lips met in a gentle kiss.


    When they finally parted, Iakopo found himself smiling ¨C a rare occurrence that transformed his usually serious face.


    They sat on their stools, hands still intertwined, basking in the glow of love and the sun''s warmth.


    The sky above was a perfect, cloudless blue, stretching endlessly in every direction. Seabirds wheeled and cried overhead, their wings catching the sunlight as they soared.


    ¡°So,¡± Yalena said after breaking the comfortable silence, ¡°are you nervous about being responsible for the first years?¡±


    ¡°Nervous? No, not exactly. Cautious, perhaps. You know how my magic works¡­ without you, I would be a terrible steward for these students.¡±


    Yalena squeezed his hand reassuringly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve trained for this, Iakopo. And we have each other¡¯s backs, right?¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± Iakopo replied without hesitation.


    The afternoon sun warmed their faces as they sat side by side, lost in each other''s presence.


    * * *


    The Present


    All dredging remains of the sun had long since disappeared behind a bank of dark, roiling clouds.


    Professor Iakopo sat alone on his stool at the prow of the ship.


    The vessel around him was far from the gleaming ship of his memories ¨C weathered, worn, and bearing the same scars he carried in his soul.


    A storm brewed in the distance, something that he found ironic, considering that twenty years prior, before the catastrophe, he had seen the best weather of his life during the trip.


    Perhaps not just the best weather.


    The best company, the best mood he had ever experienced, and perhaps the very peak of his life.


    Back then, he had been foolish enough to think that it was just a matter of time before his own fame would be consolidated the moment Kaimana would either die or step back, letting him face the Kraken.


    But the most important thing was that he had found, outside of the nobles he so much respected, the fiercest, most powerful woman he had ever encountered back then and even up to now.


    He still remembered the texture of her hair between his fingers and the soft touch of her lips.


    Waves slapped against the hull with increasing force, rocking the ship in a way that would have unsettled a less experienced sailor. But Iakopo remained steady.


    The thing that had upset him, that had shattered a part of him, that had dug scars deep as trenches in him, had happened twenty years prior.


    And he had made it his own rolling punishment to ensure nothing like that would ever happen again.


    In the distance, dark clouds roiled and churned, occasionally lit from within by flashes of lightning.


    The low, ominous rumble of thunder rolled across the water, growing louder with each passing moment.


    It was as if the very elements were conspiring to mirror the turmoil in Iakopo¡¯s heart.


    The Professor¡¯s hands gripped the edges of his stool, knuckles white.


    As the first heavy droplets of rain began to fall, splattering on the deck and leaving dark spots on Iakopo¡¯s faded uniform, a low, deep rumble shook the air.


    Yet still he sat, unmoved and seemingly oblivious to the approaching tempest.


    It was more than thunder¡ªthis was the voice of the storm itself, a primal force of nature awakening from its slumber.


    Suddenly, he felt all the anger he had felt back then while cradling the dead bodies of those who had tried doing the right thing.


    He looked behind him, seeing that even Yalena¡¯s daughter had finally left the deck with the rest of the sailors, who knew not to disturb him when storms like this got close.


    A patina of tremendously potent Mana coated the deck and masts of Siren¡¯s Song thanks to its enchantments, shielding it from what was about to come.


    The ship pitched and rolled, creaking ominously as it was tossed about like a child¡¯s toy in a bathtub.


    As the tempest gathered its full fury, preparing to unleash its wrath upon the small vessel and its occupants, Iakopo raised a hand.


    You took everything, Yalena.


    Everything.


    I am left with nothing.


    Professor Iakopo punched the air beside him.


    * * *


    Talia kept trying to jump into her hammock. Still, the violent roiling of the ship kept throwing her against other students in her situation.


    The small windows by the side of the ship were pitch dark, and the students tried not to tramp each other while getting to any piece of wood they could use to hold themselves above the mass of twisting bodies gathering on the ground.


    Then, out of nowhere, the storm suddenly stopped, and the ship steadied.


    The pale glare of the moon came clear from the small portholes, and all the students on the ground, including Talia, looked at each other in bewilderment.


    How had that massive storm that could have torn larger galleons than this subsided so quickly?

 Chapter 48 – Swords in the Shadow

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 Chapter 49 – Slashing Crusters

    However, Professor Iakopo¡¯s words were reiterated by Shaker¡¯s gruff voice.


    ¡°Listen up, you lot!¡± he bellowed. ¡°There¡¯s been a change of plans. We won¡¯t be docking at the shipyard because there¡¯s a bunch of monsters on a beach and we just received word that the city guards are being overwhelmed. Get ready to help, you useless flotsam! And try avoiding dying!¡±


    The students exchanged worried glances.


    Takai, quietly observing from nearby, stepped closer to Talia.


    ¡°Help them?¡± he asked, his voice laced with concern. ¡°How strong are the monsters?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Shaker replied, having overheard, looking at Professor Iakopo standing on the prow with a frown. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing what Water Riders are meant to do. Now, go get your good panties ready! You¡¯re about to have your first real fight!¡±


    A heavy silence fell over the deck.


    The reality of their situation began to sink in.


    ¡°But sir,¡± a timid voice piped up from the back of the group, ¡°we¡¯re just first-years. We don¡¯t have any experience.¡±


    Professor Iakopo stepped down from the prow and looked at that student well.


    ¡°Experience is gained through action, not hesitation. This is your moment of truth. A true Water Rider doesn¡¯t shy away from danger when innocent lives are at stake. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re strong enough or whether your life will be at risk. You¡¯re here to protect the civilians and help the guards. Your life was always meant to be the currency the moment you decided to become a Water Rider. You can now expend it for what¡¯s honorable or drop out.¡±


    He paused, surveying the nervous faces before him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to work together to survive.¡±


    As the students scrambled to form teams, Talia went to find Lilo, Nami, and Takai.


    ¡°Fiora,¡± Talia called out, spotting the blonde girl nearby. ¡°Want to join our group?¡±


    Fiora hesitated, her eyes darting between Talia¡¯s group and another formed around an auburn-haired girl.


    After a moment of indecision, she shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± Fiora said, joining the girl Talia had seen her talk with several times during the trip.


    Talia felt disappointed, but there was no time to dwell on it.


    Shaker was already moving to the center of the deck, his hands waving at the students.


    ¡°Gather ¡¯round,¡± he commanded. ¡°We¡¯re about to disembark.¡±


    The students gathered around Shaker and Professor Iakopo, and soon, the latter started channeling Mana. The air around him shimmered and distorted, and suddenly, a massive platform of solid Mana materialized beside the ship.


    It was large enough to hold all the students.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°All aboard,¡± Iakopo said dryly. ¡°And brace yourselves. This isn¡¯t going to be a gentle ride.¡±


    As the remaining students cautiously stepped onto the mana platform, Talia was in awe of that gigantic Mana Board. To create something so large and stable required an immense amount of control and power.


    Once everyone was on board, Iakopo raised his hands.


    The platform lurched in the air, then moved swiftly towards the shore.


    The wind lashed at their faces as they sped over the waves, the beach growing larger with each passing second. Beside Nami, Talia wondered why they came to Placid City.


    The official story was to clear out the Placid Cave, but Talia couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was more to it.


    She remembered her vision in the Darkstorm Sphere, where her mother had mentioned a Dark Water Well in Placid City.


    ¡°The Dark Water Well,¡± Talia muttered, causing Nami to glance at her curiously.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± Nami asked loudly, trying to make herself heard over the wind.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Talia replied as loudly.


    As they approached shore, Talia¡¯s hand unconsciously moved to her bag, where she had stashed her father¡¯s journal.


    She had brought it with her, hoping that being in Placid City might help her discover what was hidden within its pages.


    She was pretty sure it would be the secret to Dark Water.


    Since she didn¡¯t want to ask her father about it, she needed to look for any clues that might be found there.


    Perhaps, starting now.


    * * *


    Soon, the sounds of battle became audible.


    Shouts and screams mixed with otherworldly screeches.


    The platform touched down on the sand, and most of them witnessed a real battleground for the first time in their life. Several dead bodies were on the ground, with twice as many Abyssal Creatures dead.


    Massive arthropods twice the size of a man scuttled across the sand.


    Their bodies resembled mantises, with long, blade-like forelimbs that they used to slash at their opponents.


    Professor Iakopo¡¯s voice cut through her shock.


    ¡°Slashing Crusters,¡± he said grimly. ¡°Watch out for those front limbs.¡±


    The local defenders were a motley crew.


    These are not actual guards, Talia realized. These men clearly barely have any training.


    The sand was now churned and stained with blood.


    Broken weapons and discarded shields littered the ground.


    The air was thick with the acrid smell of fear and the metallic tang of blood.


    To the left, a group of locals had formed a defensive line, using overturned fishing boats as makeshift barricades.


    They fought desperately to hold back a tide of Slashing Crusters.


    As Talia watched, one of the locals - a young woman with braided hair - stepped too close to a Slashing Cruster between two boats.


    The creature¡¯s limb lashed out with lightning speed, piercing through her stomach.


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened in shock, a gurgling cry escaping her lips as she collapsed to the ground.


    The sight seemed to freeze everyone in place.


    The reality of the situation crashed down upon the students like a physical weight.


    This wasn¡¯t a training exercise or a controlled environment.


    This was life and death, played out in brutal clarity before their eyes.


    Talia felt her whole body erupt with sweat as she gripped her glaive.


    She glanced at her companions, seeing her own fear reflected in their eyes.


    Even Lilo, usually so confident, looked pale and shaken.


    Suddenly, Talia felt a strong hand grip the back of her robe.


    Before she could react, she was lifted off her feet.


    Professor Iakopo had hoisted her up and was now speeding towards the fallen woman on a mana board.


    ¡°What are you-¡± Talia began, but Iakopo cut her off.


    ¡°Heal her,¡± he barked, depositing Talia next to the wounded local.


    Talia stared at the gruesome wound, her mind blank with panic. ¡°With what?¡± she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Iakopo¡¯s response was swift and brutal.


    He slashed his hand through the air with a single, fluid motion. A blade of concentrated Mana shot forth, bisecting the nearby Slashing Cruster that had hurt the woman.


    As the creature¡¯s halves fell to the sand, Iakopo¡¯s gaze turned to Talia.


    ¡°With that,¡± he said, pointing to the fallen monster.


    Then, he moved around, rescuing people from critical situations but not killing all the monsters.


    He wants us to do it, Talia realized. He¡¯s in control. He¡¯s strong enough that he can kill any of the monsters in an instant. This¡­ this is another test!


    His voice boomed across the beach.


    ¡°Any student who refuses to join the fray or acts like a coward will be expelled immediately!¡±

 Chapter 50 – Pierced

    The chaos of battle engulfed Talia as she knelt beside the fallen local woman. Her hands trembled as she channeled her Mana into [Blood Siphon]. The creature¡¯s ichor responded to her call, flowing toward her in dark rivulets. She pressed her hands to the woman¡¯s wound, willing the stolen vitality to knit flesh and stanch bleeding. The gruesome hole in the woman¡¯s abdomen began to close, and color returned to her face as her eyes opened.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the woman gasped, struggling to sit up. Talia helped her to her feet, steadying her as she regained her balance. In disbelief, she touched her healed abdomen.


    Talia watched as her classmates engaged the Slashing Crusters from beside the woman. The air filled with the clash of weapons on chitin and the screeches of monsters and humans alike.


    When she looked around the beach, she saw that one person dominated the fight - Lilo. Before today, Talia hadn¡¯t actually seen the Chosen of the Moana family fight in earnest. The only demonstration she¡¯d gotten had been during Elder Krakatoa¡¯s classes, where Lilo had briefly faced Takai and shattered his sword as if it were glass.


    When Talia looked around the beach, one person dominated the fight - Lilo.


    Before today, Talia hadn¡¯t seen the Chosen of the Moana family fight in earnest. The only glimpse of Lilo¡¯s power had been during Elder Krakatoa¡¯s class, where she had casually shattered Takai¡¯s sword like glass.


    Lilo¡¯s body was enveloped in Tempest Water as she moved with tremendous speed. Watching her now, Talia knew that in a duel, despite what she might have thought before, the heir of the Moana family would have obliterated her.


    Though Tempest Water enhanced physical capabilities and weapons, the milky aura surrounding Lilo and concentrating on her Soul Weapon, White Rose, made it clear this wasn¡¯t just her Affinity at work.


    I think White Rose might enhance her Agility, Talia reasoned.   Lilo had also said that White Rose would develop her a Wind Water Affinity and an Ocean Water Affinity.


    Wind Water, as far as Talia knew, was an Agility-oriented Affinity, whereas Ocean Water was meant as a Primary Mana Channel amplifier.


    That meant Lilo¡¯s control on Hydromancy, pure Water Affinity, would grow stronger thanks to her Secondary Mana Channel.


    Even though it might not sound as strong as Talia¡¯s own Blood Water, Ocean Water was primarily meant to enhance the growth and future potential of the Primary Mana Channel.


    It was a long-term investment as far as Affinities went.


    But a good one at that.


    Lilo cleaved through three Slashing Crusters in succession, their chitin useless against her Soul Weapon. Her hands danced through the air, directing Tempest Water with precision.


    When a Cruster lunged at her with its blade-like forelimbs, a whip of water lashed out and cut it in half. The monster¡¯s bisected body fell, spilling ichor onto the sand.


    ¡°Nami!¡± Lilo shouted, her voice carrying over the din of battle, pointing at the local guards, still hiding behind the boats and trying desperately to hide from two dozen monsters.


    Nami had two daggers in her hands and was surrounded by the same aura her younger sister had, minus the milky component.


    Talia had never seen Nami fight, but when she saw the girl using the two daggers, she expected her to be a rogue-like fighter like Keanu.


    What came next, however, surprised her.


    Nami threw a dagger, missing all the Slashing Crusters but impacting one of the fishing boats the guards were using as cover.


    The next moment, a thick wall of Tempest Water erupted in a circle right where most of the Slashing Crusters had gathered.


    Nami took out a second dagger and, this time threw it at the second-biggest gathering of monsters around the barrier.


    As soon as the dagger made contact with the ground, Talia, who had turned on [Eyes of the Abyss], saw Mana flare inside Nami¡¯s body.


    The dagger exploded, creating a wild explosion of Tempest Water that shredded all the monsters around it.


    Then, less flashily, Nami started pulling smaller throwing knives out of thin air and, using Mana Crystallization on them, threw them at the Slashing Crusters.


    Given their size, one would have expected the small blades not to inflict much damage.


    However, the Mana Crystallization that coated the blade suddenly exploded when they struck the first monster, ripping head-sized chunks off their chitin-covered flesh.


    Nami¡¯s a caster, Talia realized. A weird one. But she¡¯s a caster.


    After relieving pressure from the guards, Nami shadowed her sister. Her knives found their marks with deadly accuracy. One moment, a Cruster would lunge at Lilo¡¯s blind spot; the next, it would stumble back with a knife in its throat.


    The sisters moved as one, their teamwork showing why they were Promised Slayer and Shield.


    ¡°Left flank, Lilo!¡± Nami called, her voice steady despite the chaos.


    Lilo spun without hesitation, whipping her Tempest Water from White Rose to intercept three flanking Slashing Crusters. The monsters fell back, their carapaces cracked and leaking ichor.


    Whenever Nami needed an opening, Lilo created one with her Tempest Water.


    Across the battlefield, Fiora¡¯s Sunwater attacks blazed across the sand, leaving trails of steam. Her face scrunched in concentration as she used Overdrive Spiral to bore holes through the Slashing Crusters.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Agalei, duck!¡± Fiora shouted, amplifying her magic further. "[Zenith]!"


    As her companion dropped, a Sunwater orb caught a leaping Cruster. It boiled it from the inside out, cracking its exoskeleton under the heat.


    She also saw Agalei tear a Slashing Cruster with a giant spear made of Coral Water.


    Impressive, Talia thought.


    Talia raised to her feet, looking around to decide who needed more help.


    Surprisingly, she spotted Takai holding his own against a group of Slashing Crusters.


    The usually timid boy moved with surprising confidence as [Silver Mist] poured out of his body. Right before leaving, Talia had managed to sort out a sword for Takai thanks to Mano¡¯s help.


    And now, he was putting its new weapon to good use.


    With a quick sidestep and a powerful thrust, Takai¡¯s blade found a weak spot in the monster before him, sinking deep into its body.


    The Cruster released a high-pitched keen as it fell, its legs scrabbling uselessly at the sand.


    Ichor poured from the wound, staining Takai¡¯s blade and spattering his clothes, but he paid it no mind.


    As the Cruster fell, Takai allowed himself a small smile.


    Principal Kaimana¡¯s words echoed in his mind.


    ¡°I see in you a purity of heart that I haven¡¯t witnessed in a very long.¡±


    ¡°I can do this,¡± Takai muttered, grip steady on his sword.


    Then, a Slashing Cruster charged toward Talia. Her glaive felt alive in her hands, but the monster came too fast to crystallize Blood Water around the blade.


    [Blood Confluence]


    A red aura surrounded her, and she felt her Mana starting to burn and empower her body. She felt more strength coursing through her veins, dispensed by her Blood Water.


    To ensure she wouldn¡¯t look like a weakling in front of Professor Iakopo, who limited himself to watching and making sure no one died under his watch, whether locals or students, she activated her Star Glaive¡¯s Skill.


    [Skill Enhance]


    She directed its effect to [Blood Confluence].


    [Blood Confluence Lv.2 -> Lv. 7 (2)]


    With Blood Confluence having suddenly gained five levels, Talia swung her glaive against the monster¡¯s limb and easily cleaved through it, reaching the monster¡¯s chest and inflicting a grievous wound.


    Slashing one more time, she killed the Abyssal Creature.


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster Level 8!]


    But she didn¡¯t have the time to dally around nor use [Blood Siphon] on the carcass.


    She immediately engaged one Slashing Crusters after another, falling into a rhythm of parrying, striking, dodging, and finishing the Abyssal Creatures with vicious efficiency.


    After several kills, she finally had enough respite to use [Blood Siphon].


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.4 to your Primary Mana Channel (1.32/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.5 to your Agility (0.8/1 to 1 Agility)]


    [Your Primary Mana Channel has reached Level 1!]


    Talia felt a rush of excitement. She had long waited for her Primary Mana Channel to reach Level 1. She swiftly focused on her Hydromancy to see if she could access her Primary Mana Channel now that it had reached Level 1.


    However, when she reached for it, she felt nothing like always.


    It appeared that even though her Primary Mana Channel had indeed reached Level 1, nothing had changed.


    She still couldn¡¯t access her Hydromancy.


    She still wouldn¡¯t be able to summon a Mana Board.


    Frustrated, she lunged at the closest monster, ducking under its swings and sinking the weapon¡¯s blade deep into the Abyssal Creature¡¯s underbelly, spilling its innards onto the sand.


    As Talia dispatched another Slashing Cruster, absorbing its vitality with [Blood Siphon], she noticed a strange lull in the fighting near the center of the beach.


    The Crusters seemed to be pulling back, creating a circle of empty space.


    In the sudden quiet, a humming sound drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    A girl was walking calmly through the battlefield as if out for a leisurely stroll, whistling.


    Her long, dark hair whipped in the sea breeze, and her eyes, a startling shade of green, surveyed the carnage with a bored expression.


    She moved with grace, her steps leaving barely a mark in the blood-soaked sand.


    There was an aura of power about her, a palpable sense of danger.


    Talia watched, confused and wary, as the newcomer made her way directly towards Takai.


    The boy, fresh from dispatching another Cruster, turned to face her, his sword still raised defensively.


    His chest heaved with exertion, but his grip on his weapon remained steady.


    ¡°Hello, brother,¡± the girl spoke with a pearly smile on her face.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Takai called out.


    He shifted his stance, ready for any sudden moves from this mysterious girl.


    The girl¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lilinoe,¡± she replied, her voice carrying easily across the suddenly quieter battlefield. ¡°Father¡¯s only daughter.¡±


    Takai¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion, his sword lowering slightly as he tried to process her words.


    ¡°What do you mean? Whose daughter?¡±


    Lilinoe¡¯s smile widened, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    Her gaze sent chills down Talia¡¯s spine.


    ¡°The Sword Demon¡¯s daughter, of course. Our father¡¯s true child.¡±


    Takai¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°But... that¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t have any siblings. My father left before¡ª¡±


    His words were cut off as Lilinoe suddenly moved, crossing the distance between them in the blink of an eye.


    Her hand shot out, a blade of condensed Mana forming around it.


    Takai barely managed to bring his sword up in time, deflecting the strike with a resounding clang that echoed across the beach.


    However, Takai¡¯s arms now trembled after the seemingly innocuous strike had almost disarmed him.


    ¡°Pathetic,¡± Lilinoe spat, her eyes narrowing in disgust. ¡°Is this why Father doesn¡¯t accept you? Because you¡¯re so weak? You¡¯re not worth the effort of drawing my sword.¡±


    Takai stumbled back.


    The confidence he had built up during the battle seemed to evaporate instantly.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?! Who are you, really?!¡±


    Lilinoe laughed, a harsh, mirthless sound that sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it.


    ¡°Oh, you naive little boy. You understand nothing of the real world, do you? Let me show you what true power looks like.¡±


    With that, she raised her hands and Mana gathered around her arm.


    The air itself seemed to thicken, charged with potential energy.


    Takai did the only thing he could think of. He activated [Silver Mist], and the haze expanded his body like a protective cocoon.


    ¡°That¡¯s supposed to be [Silver Mist]?¡± Lilinoe¡¯s voice dripped with disdain, her lip curling in a sneer. ¡°Watch and learn, little brother.¡±


    She made a sweeping gesture with her arms, and suddenly the air was filled with a dense, silvery fog.


    It expanded rapidly, engulfing nearly a third of the battlefield in seconds.


    The mist was so thick that it seemed almost solid.


    Along with many others, Talia found herself blinded by the impenetrable haze, unable to see even her own hand in front of her face.


    ¡°Takai!¡± Talia shouted, trying to peer through the silver mist. Her voice sounded muffled as if the fog itself was swallowing her words. ¡°Takai, where are you?¡±


    For several tense moments, there was nothing but silence.


    Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the mist began to recede.


    It thinned gradually, revealing glimpses of figures within.


    As it cleared further, Talia could make out two silhouettes in its center. Her heart leaped into her throat as the scene became clear.


    Takai stood motionless, his eyes wide with shock and pain. Protruding from his stomach, the tip gleaming wetly in the sunlight, was a sword.


    The blade had pierced him from behind, emerging through his abdomen.


    Behind him, Lilinoe stood with her hand on the hilt, smiling coldly.


    ¡°No!¡± Talia screamed.


    The sound seemed to break the spell of silence that had fallen over the beach. As Takai¡¯s knees buckled and he began to fall, Lilinoe leaned in close, her lips nearly touching his ear.


    She whispered something, her words too low for anyone else to hear, but the effect on Takai was immediate.


    His face, already pale from pain and blood loss, drained of what little color remained.


    Then, swiftly, mercilessly, Lilinoe yanked the sword free.


    The blade made a sickening sound as it left Takai¡¯s body, and a fresh gout of blood poured from the wound.


    Takai collapsed to the blood-soaked sand.

 Chapter 51 – Placid City

    What had just gone down had shocked everyone present.


    Talia sprinted, ignoring the carnage around her, trying to reach Takai and the brunette who had proclaimed herself his sister, the Sword Demon¡¯s daughter.


    The battle had taken a horrifying turn with the appearance of this Lilinoe.


    He can¡¯t die like this!


    Fortunately, it seemed like Lilinoe wasn¡¯t interested in Takai anymore, even though he was still breathing, albeit shallowly.


    Takai¡¯s sister, her blade still dripping with her brother¡¯s blood, turned her cold gaze towards Lilo, of all people. The Moana family heir stood a short distance away, her face contorted with fury.


    Lilo¡¯s hands were clenched onto the hilt of White Rose, small sparks of Tempest Water crackling around them.


    ¡°You,¡± Lilo spat, her voice trembling with rage. ¡°How dare you?!¡±


    Lilinoe¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smile.


    ¡°Oh, please. That weakling? He¡¯s not worthy of the Sword Demon¡¯s legacy. I was merely... pruning the family tree.¡±


    Lilo stepped forward, her Tempest Water swirling around her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you pay for that,¡± she growled.


    The two girls squared off.


    Talia watched as Lilo and Lilinoe began to circle each other.


    The remaining Slashing Crusters seemed to sense the impending clash, keeping their distance from the two powerful young women.


    Just as Lilo was about to launch her attack, a commanding voice cut through the air.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Professor Iakopo strode onto the scene.


    He moved between Lilo and Lilinoe with superhuman speed.


    Before anyone could react, he grabbed Lilinoe¡¯s wrist, twisting it behind her back and forcing her to drop her blood-stained sword.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me, young lady,¡± Iakopo growled, producing a pair of strange-looking handcuffs from within his robes.


    He snapped them onto Lilinoe¡¯s wrists, and Talia saw the girl¡¯s eyes widen in surprise.


    ¡°Mana-draining cuffs,¡± Iakopo explained to no one in particular. ¡°They¡¯d work on me too if anyone was foolish enough to try and put them on me.¡±


    Lilinoe struggled against her bonds, but it was clear that her strength was rapidly fading. Whatever power those cuffs possessed, it was effectively neutralizing her abilities.


    Talia noticed three Slashing Crusters running at her.


    However, Professor Iakopo, clearly angry since he had let the girl hurt one of his students, slapped his hand into the air, and an immense Mana pressure pulverized the three monsters on the spot.


    Talia closed the distance between her and Takai, dodging another Slashing Cruster.


    However, one of Fiora¡¯s Sunwater orbs came dangerously close to Talia, the edge of the Sunwater grazing her arm and leaving an angry red mark.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Talia hissed, her voice hoarse from the battle. ¡°Watch it, Fiora! You almost hit me!¡±


    Fiora didn¡¯t seem to hear her; if she did, she gave no indication. She was already moving on to engage another group of Slashing Crusters.


    Frustration and anger bubbled up inside Talia.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± she yelled, grabbing Fiora¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You almost hit me with that last attack!¡±


    Fiora whirled around, her eyes flashing with annoyance. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of a battle, Talia! There¡¯s no time for your whining!¡±


    ¡°Whining?¡± Talia¡¯s voice rose an octave. ¡°You could have seriously injured me!¡±


    The two girls glared at each other, the tension crackling like Fiora¡¯s Sunwater.


    Fiora raised her hand, but Talia wasn¡¯t sure whether to gesture in frustration or summon another attack.


    But before the situation could escalate further, they were interrupted by a familiar voice.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± Professor Iakopo called out, pulling Talia to him and Takai with a swipe of his hand. ¡°Enough of this nonsense. Heal him, now!¡±


    The sight of Takai¡¯s bloody robe snapped Talia out of her anger.


    She knelt beside her fallen friend as Professor Iakopo laid him gently on the sand.


    ¡°Move quickly,¡± Iakopo instructed. ¡°He¡¯s bleeding out. But don¡¯t consume all the monsters. You¡¯ll need to heal others as well.¡±


    Talia nodded.


    She placed her hands on Takai¡¯s chest, feeling for the faint flutter of his heartbeat. Then, reaching out with her senses, she located the nearest fallen Cruster and activated [Blood Siphon]. The creature¡¯s remaining life force flowed into her. She directed this energy into Takai, willing his wounds to close and his blood to replenish.


    Slowly, agonizingly slowly, color began to return to Takai¡¯s cheeks.


    As she worked, Talia became aware of a presence beside her.


    She glanced up to see Keanu standing there with his daggers out.


    Professor Iakopo was moving between the students, helping them avoid death while keeping the Sword Demon¡¯s daughter under one arm like a sack of potatoes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch your back,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Focus on healing Takai.¡±


    Grateful for the support, Talia turned her full attention back to her healing efforts.


    She could hear the sounds of battle continuing around her - the clash of weapons, the screeches of the Crusters, and the shouts of her fellow students. She lost track of how many Crusters she had drained, how many times she had to pause to catch her breath before continuing.


    But finally, Takai¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    ¡°Talia?¡± he mumbled, his voice weak but undeniably alive.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Relief flooded through her.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± she sighed.


    Takai nodded weakly before slipping back into unconsciousness.


    With Takai stabilized, Talia became aware of Iakopo¡¯s presence once more.


    The Professor directed other injured individuals towards her while holding still the girl.


    ¡°Heal them,¡± he commanded.


    Talia nodded, already reaching out with her [Blood Siphon].


    As she worked, she felt her skill growing stronger and more refined.


    She was able to draw vitality from the fallen Slashing Crusters more efficiently and waste less energy in the transfer.


    As she finished healing a local woman with a nasty gash across her abdomen, a series of notifications popped up in Talia¡¯s mind.


    [Blood Siphon has reached Level 6!]


    [Blood Siphon has reached Level 7!]


    [Blood Siphon has reached Level 8!]


    [Blood Siphon has reached Level 9!]


    [Blood Siphon has reached Level 10!]


    [You have gained a Talent Tree Point!]


    Talia blinked in surprise.


    For every 10 Skill levels, one would gain a Talent Tree Point.


    She hadn¡¯t realized her skill had advanced so much during this battle.


    But there was no time to dwell on it now. There were still more people who needed her help.


    By the time the last person had been tended to, the sun had almost fully set, leaving the beach bathed in an eerie crepuscular glow.


    As Talia struggled to her feet, her legs shaky with exhaustion, she became aware of a change in the atmosphere.


    The sounds of battle had ceased.


    The surviving Slashing Crusters had retreated, leaving behind a beach littered with their fallen, most of which she had consumed to heal all the people Professor Iakopo had ferried to her.


    When she turned to see the man still by her side, standing vigil over her healing, she saw a brief flash of approval pass in his eyes before he addressed the rest of the crowd.


    ¡°Gather up, everyone! We¡¯re moving into the city!¡±


    He¡¯s waited this long in order to give us battle experience, Talia thought of Professor Iakopo, impressed.


    It wasn¡¯t just for everyone to put lives at risk, draw a battle this long, and still somehow make it all work to train some students. The man might have been a madman, but there was a method to his madness.


    Soon, Talia fell into line with the other students.


    She saw Lilo and Nami eyeing Professor Iakopo¡¯s prison, Fiora walking alone with a distant look in her eyes, and Keanu helping to carry some of the exhausted, still partially injured locals.


    Takai was being carried on a makeshift stretcher, still unconscious but looking much better than he had earlier.


    As they began their march towards Placid City, Talia got her first good look at their surroundings.


    The beach gave way to scrubby grassland dotted here and there with stunted trees. In the distance, she could make out the silhouettes of buildings against the pink sky.


    Their procession was a strange sight - battered and bloodied students and locals. At the front walked Professor Iakopo, his hand firmly gripping Lilinoe¡¯s arm and having used some spell to keep her mouth shut. Talia walked right behind the man.


    The captured girl stumbled along wearily, the mana-draining cuffs clearly taking their toll. As they entered the outskirts of Placid City, Talia felt a sense of unease settle over her.


    The buildings here were in various states of disrepair - windows boarded up, paint peeling, some structures little more than empty shells.


    The streets were eerily quiet, with no sign of the bustle one would expect in a city of this size.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a ghost town,¡± she heard someone mutter behind her.


    Their procession came to a halt in front of what appeared to be a shop. The faded sign above the door read ¡°Lana¡¯s General Store.¡±


    Professor Iakopo stepped forward, exchanging quiet words with the woman manning the counter - presumably Lana herself.


    Talia strained to hear their conversation but could only catch snippets.


    ¡°...grateful for your help...¡±


    ¡°...situation worse than we thought...¡±


    ¡°...maybe we need to contact the Academy...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine,¡± Professor Iakopo said with a sigh before resuming their procession without explaining himself to anyone.


    Weird, Talia thought. What is up with him?


    Before she could hear more, their group was moving again.


    As they rounded a corner onto what seemed to be the main street, Talia saw a portly man hurrying towards them.


    Despite his unkempt appearance - his clothes were rumpled, and his graying hair stuck out at odd angles - he carried himself with an air of authority.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo!¡± the man called out, slightly out of breath. ¡°Thank the Deep you¡¯re here. We can¡¯t express our gratitude enough.¡±


    Iakopo nodded gravely.


    ¡°Mayor Boro, we detoured as soon as we received your distress signal. Casualties have not been assessed yet. You might want to take care of that yourself.¡±


    The mayor, Boro, clasped Iakopo¡¯s free hand in both of his.


    ¡°You¡¯re our hero, Professor. A hero to all of Placid City. Without you and your students...¡±


    He trailed off, his eyes filling with tears.


    Iakopo awkwardly patted the man¡¯s shoulder.


    As Talia watched this exchange, her confusion only grew.


    Why had they really come to this island? What was the true purpose of this ¡°field trip?¡± And why did everyone seem to know Professor Iakopo here?


    She glanced around at her fellow students, seeing her bewilderment mirrored on many of their faces. Clearly, much more was going on here than a simple training exercise.


    As they continued through the city, Talia felt a strange sensation wash over her.


    It was as if something inside her had shifted and expanded.


    She paused for a moment, closing her eyes and reaching inward with her senses.


    She saw the same notification she had seen during the battle once again.


    [Your Primary Mana Channel has reached Level 1!]


    Something had indeed changed inside of her even though she couldn¡¯t access her Hydromancy.


    Indeed, she had finally reached Level 1, but despite the advancement, she still couldn¡¯t feel anything from her Primary Mana Channel.


    It was as if it was there, but just out of reach, like trying to grasp smoke with her bare hands.


    Talia shook her head, pushing the frustration aside.


    At least, she would be able to level up to Level 10 more easily.


    Every Level of a Primary Mana Channel dictated how easily one could reach the next tenth Level.


    Someone with a Level 2 Primary Mana Channel would find it impossible to surpass the early twenties levels.


    But now, she had more immediate concerns to focus on.


    As they walked, she thought about the fallen Slashing Crusters that still littered the beach, very few of which she had absorbed.


    She had to use most of the carcasses to heal the fighters, students, and guards.


    But she had still had quite the day for herself.


    More notifications, in fact, awaited her.


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 6!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [Crimson Wisdom reaches Level 5!]


    [Crimson Wisdom reaches Level 6!]


    [Eyes of the Abyss reaches Level 5!]


    [Eyes of the Abyss reaches Level 6!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 7!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 8!]


    Still, she had managed to absorb a few Slashing Crusters for herself and the result had been quite amazing.


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.5 to your Primary Mana Channel (1.82/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.2 to your Agility (1/1 to 1 Agility)]


    [You gave gained 1 Agility]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.6 to your Primary Mana Channel (2.42/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.5 to your Agility (0.5/2 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.7 to your Primary Mana Channel (3.12/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.3 to your Agility (0.8/2 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.8 to your Primary Mana Channel (3.92/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.4 to your Agility (1.2/2 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.9 to your Primary Mana Channel (4.82/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.5 to your Agility (1.7/2 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+1.0 to your Primary Mana Channel (5.82/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.3 to your Agility (2/2 to 1 Agility)]


    [You gave gained 1 Agility]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+1.1 to your Primary Mana Channel (6.92/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.5 to your Agility (0.5/3 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.4 to your Primary Mana Channel (7.32/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.5 to your Agility (1/3 to 1 Agility)]


    A thought occurred to her, making her fingers twitch with anticipation.


    I could use more of that Agility from the Slashing Crusters.


    The boost to her speed and reflexes had been noticeable, and she knew it could be crucial in future battles, especially after witnessing Lilo¡¯s speed.


    However, she was soon distracted by noticing something odd about Professor Iakopo¡¯s behavior.


    The usually stern and composed teacher seemed... distracted.


    As they passed, his eyes darted from building to building, and there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn¡¯t been there before.

 Chapter 52 – Abandoned City

    The heavy iron door of the makeshift prison cell creaked open on its rusty hinges.


    The senior student who stood guard there eyed Takai and then let him in. Professor Iakopo himself had given the boy permission for this visit.


    Takai stepped into the dimly lit room, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the gloom.


    The cell was sparse, containing only a simple cot and a small table.


    The lone window was barred, allowing thin slivers of moonlight to filter through.


    In the corner, Lilinoe sat on the edge of the cot with her back against the wall. Her wrists were still bound by the mana-draining cuffs, but her posture remained straight as an arrow. She turned her head slightly as Takai entered, her eyes narrowing.


    Takai couldn¡¯t believe he was meeting this girl, his alleged sister, the same person who had nearly killed him just hours before. The memory of her blade piercing his flesh was still fresh, making him wince involuntarily.


    He took a deep breath, steadying himself before speaking.


    ¡°I have questions,¡± Takai said, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I need answers.¡±


    Lilinoe¡¯s lips curved into a mocking smile.


    ¡°Oh? Does the weakling need answers? How amusing.¡±


    Her voice dripped with disdain, each word carefully chosen to wound.


    Takai clenched his fists, fighting to maintain his composure.


    ¡°Why did you attack me? What have I ever done to you?¡±


    Lilinoe leaned forward, her eyes glinting in the dim light.


    ¡°Your very existence is an insult to our father¡¯s legacy. You¡¯re a reminder of his weakness, a stain on the Sword Demon¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Her words stung, but Takai pressed on.


    ¡°You keep talking about our father. How do I know you¡¯re really his daughter? Where have you been all this time?¡±


    A harsh laugh escaped Lilinoe¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Where have I been? Training. Growing stronger. Becoming worthy of the Sword Demon¡¯s - of our father¡¯s - heritage. While you¡¯ve been playing at being a Water Rider, I¡¯ve been honing my skills in ways you couldn¡¯t even imagine.¡±


    Takai¡¯s tried to reconcile this new information with everything he thought he knew about his family.


    ¡°But why?¡± he asked, his voice cracking slightly. ¡°Why would our father train you and abandon me and my mother?¡±


    For the first time since he entered the cell, Lilinoe¡¯s expression changed.


    The mocking smile faded, replaced by a look of cold seriousness.


    She stood up slowly, moving closer to Takai until they were face to face.


    ¡°You want to know why Father abandoned you and your mother?¡± Lilinoe¡¯s voice was low, almost a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. Father only recognizes strength. You and your mother are weak.¡±


    The words hit Takai like a physical blow.


    He stumbled back, his back pressing against the cold stone wall.


    ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s not true,¡± he mumbled, more to himself than Lilinoe. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡±


    ¡°Insane? What else do you think father cares about? What else do you think this entire Great Archipelago cares about, little Takai? Strength. It¡¯s all about strength.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Dad didn¡¯t even see me grow up. I wasn¡¯t even five when he left. How did he even know that I was weak? This makes no sense,¡± Takai rebutted.


    ¡°You really know nothing, little brother. Do you think that a test can only assess talent when you¡¯re sixteen? You really know nothing about the Deep. You really know nothing about what the Great Families are capable of. What their real strength is. You have seen nothing of this world.¡±


    Lilinoe¡¯s words cut deep.


    ¡°Face it, little brother. You¡¯re nothing but a disappointment. A failed experiment. Father saw your weakness and cut his losses. He had me months before he had you, then molded me into the warrior he always wanted when he saw that my talent would be much greater than yours.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the same age?¡± Takai asked, incredulous. ¡°Wait, Dad cheated on Mom?¡±


    Lilinoe didn¡¯t even answer to that.


    She just said, ¡°Strength is everything, little brother. Dad knew it. He needed a bloodline. He needed a true heir.¡±


    ¡°Strength isn¡¯t everything. You¡¯re not a good person--that¡¯s important.¡±


    Lilinoe scoffed, turning away from him.


    ¡°Keep telling yourself that, weakling. But remember this: in the real world, only the strong survive. And you? You¡¯re nothing but prey.¡±


    Takai opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.


    He turned and stumbled out of the cell.


    Exiting the building, he leaned against its wall, trying to process everything he had just heard.


    However, the echo of Lilinoe¡¯s words haunted him.


    ¡°Weak.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, on the other side of Placid City, Talia and Keanu walked side by side down a desolate street. The abandoned buildings loomed over them with empty, broken windows staring down like hollow eyes.


    The occasional gust of wind whistled through the deserted alleys, carrying the faint scent of salt and rotten wood.


    Talia¡¯s glaive was strapped to her back.


    Keanu¡¯s daggers were sheathed at his sides, but his hands never strayed far from them. Both students remained on edge since the place was so creepy.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe this place was once an actual city,¡± Talia remarked, looking at the dilapidated structures around them. Many buildings showed signs of extensive damage ¨C crumbling walls, collapsed roofs, and debris scattered all over.


    Keanu nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yeah. I wonder what exactly happened here to leave it in such a state.¡±


    That was the question most students had been asking themselves, but the locals seemed very skittish about the topic, especially in Professor Iakopo¡¯s presence.


    After a few minutes, Talia turned to Keanu.


    ¡°By the way, thank you for watching my back during the battle. When I was healing Takai and the others.¡±


    Keanu¡¯s face broke into a warm smile.


    ¡°No need to thank me. Professor Iakopo was looking at you even when he was helping others, and I¡¯m sure he would have intervened if he had to. Besides, your healing skills were incredible. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad I could help. I don¡¯t think much of my skill¡¯s healing part.¡±


    ¡°Well, you should,¡± the boy replied with a smile.


    Then, a thoughtful expression crossed Keanu¡¯s face.


    ¡°Speaking of which, what are your goals, Talia? Why did you come to the Academy?¡±


    Talia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I¡¯m going to become the next H¨¡kai P¨­,¡± she declared without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll surpass even my mother¡¯s legacy.¡±


    Keanu¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s... quite the ambition. But wait, doesn¡¯t becoming the H¨¡kai P¨­ involve slaying the Kraken? How do you know it¡¯s still alive?¡±


    Talia¡¯s expression turned enigmatic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I have my reasons for believing the Kraken is still out there.¡±


    Keanu looked like he wanted to say more but instead changed the subject.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯d really like to get to know the Moana sisters better. They seem interesting.¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Talia agreed. ¡°Lilo and Nami are great.¡±


    A flicker of surprise crossed Keanu¡¯s face, but he quickly masked it.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s... good to hear. Nobles are not usually¡­¡±


    Before Talia could ask about his reaction, they found themselves in front of a small, well-maintained building.


    A hand-painted sign above the door read ¡°Lana¡¯s General Store.¡±


    ¡°This is the place Professor Iakopo stopped at before, no?¡± Talia said. ¡°Should we check it out?¡±


    Keanu nodded, and they approached the store.


    As they pushed open the door, a small bell chimed, announcing their arrival.


    The interior of the store was in contrast to the desolation outside.


    Many shelves linedrisingly well-kept compared to the rui, outside. Shelves lined the walls, stocked with canned foods and basic supplies.


    A woman in her thirties stood behind the counter, her hair in a tight bun.


    ¡°Welcome!¡± she said brightly. ¡°You¡¯re the Water Rider students, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m Lana.¡±


    After quick introductions, Lana disappeared into a back room before they could say more. She returned with sandwiches and two glasses of juice.


    ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°You must be starving.¡±


    They were. As they ate, Lana asked about their journey and the Academy.


    ¡°What do you think of Placid City?¡± she asked, watching them closely.


    ¡°It¡¯s different than we expected,¡± Talia said. ¡°Why is everything abandoned?¡±


    Something flickered across Lana¡¯s face. ¡°People leave small cities. Looking for better things elsewhere. Those of us still here, we manage.¡±


    Talia wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°You seem to know Professor Iakopo well?¡±


    Lana¡¯s cheerful demeanor vanished. ¡°He¡¯s... helped our city. For a long time now.¡±


    The door burst open before Talia could press further. Mayor Boro stumbled in, out of breath. His eyes widened when he saw them.


    ¡°Lana!¡± He collected himself. ¡°Oh, visitors. Wonderful. Lana, back to work please. And you two - Professor Iakopo must be looking for you.¡±


    He practically pushed them out the door.


    ¡°Thank you for your help today. But best not keep the Professor waiting!¡±

 Chapter 53 – The Mayor

    Mayor Boro¡¯s round face glistened with sweat as he ushered Talia and Keanu out of Lana¡¯s General Store.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Boro said, wiping his brow with a handkerchief, ¡°I¡¯m sure you young Water Riders have many questions. It¡¯s not often we have visitors from the Academy, after all.¡±


    Talia and Keanu exchanged glances.


    The mayor¡¯s sudden appearance and rush to get them out of the store had only exacerbated their curiosity.


    ¡°Actually, Mayor Boro,¡± Talia began, her voice steady despite her growing suspicion, ¡°we do have some questions. For starters, what exactly happened to Placid City? Most of it seems abandoned.¡±


    Boro¡¯s smile faltered for a moment before he plastered it back on, the expression not quite reaching his eyes.


    ¡°Ah, well, you see, it¡¯s quite simple really. Things happened... Then, the economic downturn made it worse.¡±


    Keanu frowned.


    ¡°But the damage we¡¯ve seen... What caused it?¡±


    The mayor¡¯s laugh was a bit too loud, a bit too forced.


    ¡°Oh my, old things! Nothing anyone wants to talk about.¡±


    Talia wasn¡¯t buying it.


    She pressed on, her blue eyes fixed on Boro¡¯s face, watching for any tell-tale signs of deception.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard mentions of something called the Placid City Catastrophe. Was that what did this?¡±


    At the mention of the catastrophe, Boro¡¯s face paled visibly.


    He opened his mouth to respond, but a familiar voice cut through the tension before he could form words.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite enough questions for now.¡±


    Professor Iakopo strode towards them out of nowhere.


    The flickering street lamps cast strange shadows across his features, making him look older and scarier than usual.


    ¡°Mayor Boro,¡± Iakopo nodded to the chubby man, who seemed to sag with relief at the Professor¡¯s arrival. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here. You should get some rest; it¡¯s been a long day for all of us.¡±


    Boro nodded gratefully, mopping his brow once more.


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course. Thank you, Professor. Students, it was a pleasure meeting you. Do enjoy your stay in our humble city.¡± With that, he hurried off, his footsteps echoing in the quiet street.


    Iakopo turned his attention to Talia and Keanu.


    ¡°As for you two, follow me.¡±


    The Professor led them through Placid City. The few locals they encountered hurried past with downcast eyes as if afraid to make eye contact.


    Finally, after they arrived in the hall of the building they were staying in, Talia and Keanu saw that all the other students had been gathered there.


    ¡°Listen carefully,¡± Iakopo began, moving to the front and explaining what was happening. ¡°


    ¡°I brought you all here because the Water Rider Academy is responsible for the cleanup of dungeons in many cities. Every two years, we must clear the Placid Cave in Placid City so that the monsters won¡¯t overwhelm the locals.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°The Placid Cave is not just any training ground. It¡¯s a zone of highly concentrated Mana, home to a hazardous amphibian species of Abyssal Creatures. Snake-like, you might describe them..¡±


    ¡°Snake-like creatures? What makes them so dangerous?¡± Someone asked.


    Iakopo¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°They can slowly evolve into Drakes - creatures so powerful that only a full graduate from the Water Rider Academy should face one alone.¡±


    ¡°Your job here,¡± Professor Iakopo said, ¡°will be to clear out the weaker specimens that haven¡¯t yet evolved. It¡¯s a routine task to prevent Drakes from appearing in the future.¡±


    The Professor moved to the table, pointing out various locations on the model.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be operating in rotating teams. Each group will enter the cave, eliminate as many of the Abyssal Creatures as possible within their assigned time limit, and then return to the surface for the next team to take over.¡±


    Talia¡¯s mind wandered as Iakopo continued explaining the details of their mission. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was more to this situation.


    ¡°Professor,¡± Talia interrupted, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, ¡°what exactly was the Placid City Catastrophe? It seems to be connected to why we¡¯re here.¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°That¡¯s not relevant to your current mission. Focus on the task at hand. You¡¯ll be entering the cave in two days. Until then, I suggest you rest and prepare.¡±


    With that, the Professor dismissed all the students, making it clear that the conversation was over.


    As Talia and Keanu left the main hall to take a stroll outside.


    ¡°Well, that was informative,¡± Keanu muttered sarcastically.


    Talia nodded.


    ¡°Keanu,¡± she said suddenly, ¡°I¡¯m worried about Fiora. Have you noticed anything... off about her lately?¡±


    Keanu¡¯s brow furrowed in thought.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I did see her talking to someone from Elder Kawena¡¯s School earlier. Looked pretty chummy, too.¡±


    Talia stopped in her tracks, her face paling.


    ¡°Wait, Elder Kawena¡¯s School? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why? What¡¯s wrong with Kawena¡¯s School?¡±


    Talia hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.


    Finally, she decided to trust Keanu with what she knew.


    ¡°I heard from a reliable source that Elder Kawena was one of the people who didn¡¯t want me admitted to the Academy. I don¡¯t know why, but it can¡¯t be good if Fiora¡¯s getting involved with them.¡±


    Keanu whistled low.


    ¡°That¡¯s some serious information. What are you going to do about it?¡±


    ¡°I need to talk to Fiora,¡± Talia said decisively. ¡°Warn her if I can. But first...¡±


    She trailed off, her eyes scanning the darkened streets.


    ¡°First, what?¡± Keanu asked.


    Talia¡¯s expression hardened with determination.


    ¡°First, I need to get stronger. Those Slashing Crusters we fought - I can use my [Blood Siphon] skill to become stronger. If we¡¯re facing even more dangerous creatures in the Placid Cave, I need every bit of power I can get.¡±


    Keanu nodded slowly, understanding dawning on his face.


    ¡°Makes sense. Want some company while you hunt?¡±


    Talia smiled gratefully.


    ¡°I would love to. Just wait for me, I¡¯ll go talk to Fiora first.¡±


    * * *


    Talia finally located Fiora¡¯s room on one of the upper floors.


    The door was open, and she was sitting there with the same auburn-haired girl she had seen her with the previous days.


    Taking a deep breath, Talia strode towards them.


    ¡°Fiora,¡± she called out, her voice carrying in the quiet night air. ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s head snapped up, her expression morphing from surprise to annoyance instantly.


    ¡°What do you want, Talia? I¡¯m kind of in the middle of something here.¡±


    Talia continued, undeterred by Fiora¡¯s hostile tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s important. Please, just give me a minute.¡±


    Fiora rolled her eyes dramatically.


    ¡°Fine. What is it?¡±


    Glancing at the other girl uneasily, Talia lowered her voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Elder Kawena¡¯s School. I¡¯ve heard some things... I don¡¯t think you should get involved with them.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    ¡°Oh really? And what makes you such an expert on Elder Kawena¡¯s School? Last I checked, you were as new to all this as I am.¡±


    ¡°I know, but-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Fiora cut her off, her voice sharp. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Talia. You¡¯re just an idiot who thinks she knows best for everyone.¡±


    Talia felt her frustration rising.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, Fiora! Elder Kawena is not a good person. You need to stay away from those people!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Fiora spat. ¡°First, you hog all the attention of the Great Families, and now you¡¯re trying to tell me who I can and can¡¯t associate with? Get over yourself, Talia.¡±


    With that, Fiora stormed out of her own room, leaving Talia standing there, stunned.


    Agalei gave her an apologetic look before hurrying after Fiora.


    As Talia watched them go, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she had just made things worse.


    She had tried to warn Fiora, to protect her, but all she had managed to do was push her further away.


    Sighing heavily, Talia turned and began the long walk back to the entrance to meet with Keanu.


    Despite what Professor Iakopo had said, Talia had decided that it was time for her to hunt more of those insect-looking monsters.


    She wanted to absorb much more of their Agility and to boots her Attributes before entering the Placid Cave.

 A New Healer Story

    Hello,


    I''m here to announce a wonderful new story I know everyone who loves healer fighters will enjoy!


    It''s Phoenix Healer</a>!


    The premise is Azarinth Healer, but much meaner! I love Azarinth Healer and Beneath the Dragoneye Moons so much that I''ve written Death Healer and then Phoenix Healer.


    The following is the synopsis:


    Armed with legendary flames of life and destruction, mysterious fighting instincts, and the ability to resurrect, Monica is embroiled in a fight for survival while battling cultists, dungeons, and the Old Gods.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    During her time in this new world, she¡¯ll have to explore giant, majestic ruins that the living haven¡¯t touched in thousands of years, confront the politics of the New Gods, and, most importantly, ensure that good triumphs over evil thanks to her ever-leveling skills.


    Book 1: The Bridge of Thraldrirlum


    What to expect:


    - NOT an harem


    - Strong, battle-focused main character


    - Large-scope world like Azarinth Healer and He Who Fights with Monsters


    - Restoration/Destruction powers, self-regenerating Healer


    - Numbers go brrrr


    - Focus on adventure, not drama


    Schedule: 5 chapters a week, Monday to Friday

 Chapter 54 – More Slashing Crusters

    The streets chittered with the sounds of the crickets that had taken residence in the buildings humans had abandoned.


    Talia and Keanu moved in silence through the run-down city.


    It was one of the main signs of Placid City''s state of disrepair: the sand had slowly accumulated over the cobblestone and stomped on it so many times that it had made a natural silencer for the two.


    However, in any other city, this would have been a problem.


    Sand could hide holes and uneven surfaces on the street, which meant carriages - or people - could struggle over it.


    That¡¯s why it was so important to constantly maintain the streets. But it was clear that Placid City didn¡¯t have a strong need to do so¡ªor, at the very least, no one was up to the job.


    It was sad, really.


    It spoke of people who had accepted these poor conditions as the norm.


    Talia breathed in while exchanging glances with Keanu, jogging by her side.


    There was something to the boy that she had met for the first time on Professor Iakopo¡¯s boat during that madman¡¯s first test that reassured her.


    Keanu''s demeanor was calm and collected, and, most importantly, he never appeared to be far behind Talia in his thoughts.


    Fiora was a brilliant girl - or at least Talia thought so - but even the blonde had a way of thinking that didn¡¯t resonate with her.


    Keanu¡¯s mind, instead, as proven by their stroll earlier during the day and the fact that he had readily agreed to come killing Slashing Crusters with her, followed the same tide cycle of hers.


    There was a connection there, something Talia couldn¡¯t yet understand fully.


    But it did make her feel at ease when she shared her time with him.


    Soon, they had made their way into the non-cobbled path they had taken from the beach where the Siren¡¯s Song had landed.


    The air was thickened by salt here and less by the rotten wood that seemed omnipresent in Placid City.


    They were far enough from the buildings that both felt comfortable talking about their night-skulking without worrying about Professor Iakopo.


    "How many should we go for?" Keanu whispered, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow. "We''re supposed to be resting for the cave expedition. What if the Professor suddenly decides we have to go tomorrow. He could fail us."


    Talia nodded, her grip tightening on her glaive.


    "Well, he might,¡± she exhaled. ¡°But I need to get stronger, Keanu. Those Slashing Crusters are our best chance at that right now. Plus, [Blood Siphon] also restores some stamina. If we don¡¯t expend too much fighting them, we might come back in a few hours and sleep enough to be rested in case that piece of crap decided to put one over us."


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind getting more levels,¡± the boy replied. ¡°I wish I could have gotten more before coming to the Academy. I feel like I¡¯m too weak.¡±


    As they approached the beach where the battle had taken place earlier, the remnants of the conflict became more apparent.


    Broken shells and patches of dried blood stained the sand, and the mangled remains of Slashing Crusters could be seen here and there.


    "I still can''t believe how quickly you took down those Cruster during the fight," Keanu remarked, a note of admiration in his voice. "Even without Mana Crystallization."


    Talia smiled wryly.


    "Thanks. But it''s not enough. I can¡¯t really summon it at will yet. Not during a fight. It¡¯s¡­ hard to concentrate enough. Maybe I¡¯m naive, but I didn¡¯t think being on the battlefield would be so much different regarding Mana Control. Maybe that¡¯s why that bastard brought us here.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s infamous around the Academy for his methods,¡± Keanu said with a sigh, ¡°but he does have the reputation of someone who knows what they¡¯re doing.¡±


    They paused at the edge of the beach, surveying the area. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    In the distance, several dark shapes could be seen moving across the sand ¨C more Slashing Crusters, drawn perhaps by the remnants of their fallen kin.


    "Looks like we''ve got company," Keanu muttered, his hands moving to the hilts of his daggers.


    Talia nodded, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation.


    "Let¡¯s not engage too many at once. Let¡¯s try to single out one at a time so we don¡¯t get overwhelmed. We don¡¯t know whether they might be able to summon more of their friends.¡°


    "Keanu," she whispered, "by the way, what do you make of all this? The city, the cave, Professor Iakopo''s secrecy?"


    Keanu was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought as they hid behind a large stone, still relatively far from the closest Slashing Cruster.


    They had singled out one that was currently munching on the corpse of another monster.


    Talia found it a waste that she hadn¡¯t been able to use [Blood Siphon] on all of the dead ones. Still, Professor Iakopo wanted to bring the guards back to the city and wouldn''t have let her stay behind.


    "I think there''s much more going on here than we''ve been told. That Placid City Catastrophe the mayor mentioned ¨C I bet it''s somewhat connected to why we''re really here."


    Talia nodded in agreement.


    "My thoughts exactly. And I can''t shake the feeling that it has something to do with my mother because of her connection to Professor Iakopo."


    Before Keanu could respond, a sharp screech cut through the night air.


    One of the Slashing Crusters had spotted them.


    Without either of them realizing it, it had charged them from behind.


    [Slashing Cruster - Level 9]


    Talia and Keanu saw its blade-like appendages glinting in the moonlight as it charged across the sand.


    "Here we go," Talia muttered, readying her glaive.


    The Slashing Cruster charged at Talia.


    Immediately, she tried focusing her mind on Mana Crystallization.


    Without it, her weapon would barely scratch the monster''s tough carapace.


    "Come on, focus," she muttered to herself, trying to clear her mind of the thoughts that had plagued her since arriving in Placid City and the urgency of the impending battle.


    She visualized the Mana flow within her body, originating from her core and spiraling outward like tendrils of crimson light. She focused on channeling that energy through her arms and into the blade, imagining it coating the metal in a protective and empowering sheath.


    The first spark of mana flickered at the base of the glaive''s blade.


    In her mind''s eye, Talia could see the intricate patterns forming as the mana began to spread across the weapon''s surface.


    But the sudden, shrill screech of the charging Cruster shattered her concentration, causing the glow to waver and dim.


    However, the Slashing Cruster was upon her in seconds.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± she swore, unable to transition from Mana Coating to Mana Crystallization under the present conditions.


    She battered the claw of the monster away and, taking a step back, sliced her own forearm, letting her blood snake alongside the glaive¡¯s shaft up to its blade.


    Then, using [Hemomancy], she expanded the blood into a razor-sharp crescent and swung at the Slashing Cruster.


    Thankfully, her control of [Hemomancy] had improved, and the blood-based attack bisected the tall monster, making its top half topple unto itself.


    As the bisected Slashing Cruster fell to the sand, Talia allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction.


    [Hemomancy reaches level 11!]


    However, her relief was short-lived.


    A sharp cry from behind her caught her attention. Talia whirled around with wide eyes.


    Keanu was locked in combat with another Slashing Cruster.


    "Keanu!" Talia shouted, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°Where did that come from?!¡±


    She stepped towards him but froze as the movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention.


    More Slashing Crusters emerged from the shadows, their chitinous bodies gleaming dully in the moonlight.


    They scuttled frighteningly across the sand, their blade-like limbs raised menacingly.


    Talia counted at least five more approaching from different directions.


    Perhaps this hadn¡¯t been a great idea.


    "We''ve got company!" she called out to Keanu, raising her glaive defensively.


    Her eyes darted from one approaching Cruster to another, trying to gauge which would reach them first.


    Keanu grunted in acknowledgment, too focused on his current opponent to spare a glance at the incoming threats.


    Talia tried thinking of a way out of this.


    They were outnumbered and would quickly become surrounded by monsters. Plus, if these five had heard her fight one Slashing Cruster, she could imagine even more would come out of their hiding place now that only two of them were fighting.


    Soon, they would be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the monsters.


    "We need to get out of here," Talia said.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Keanu said. ¡°Allow me!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Talia opened her mouth to ask him what in the Deep he was thinking, but her words were cut off as two Slashing Crusters lunged at them simultaneously.


    She raised her glaive in a wide arc, forcing one back and ducking the other''s attacks.


    "Keanu," she gasped between strikes, "we can''t keep this up. We need to go!"


    Keanu didn''t respond immediately.


    Then, just as Talia was about to repeat herself, something changed.


    A soft glow began to emanate from Keanu''s daggers.


    At first, Talia thought it was just a trick of the moonlight. Still, the glow intensified rapidly, spreading from the blades to envelop Keanu''s hands and arms.


    "What the..." Talia began, but her words died in her throat as she witnessed what happened next.


    The glow around Keanu''s daggers suddenly flared, becoming blindingly bright.


    Talia had to squint against the intense light and heard the Slashing Crusters emit high-pitched shrieks of distress.


    As her eyes adjusted, Talia saw that Keanu''s daggers were now coated in a shimmering layer of what appeared to be water.


    But this was unlike any water she had ever seen.


    It glowed with an inner light, and as Keanu moved, tiny droplets broke free from the central mass, floating in the air around him like miniature stars.


    ¡°Be ready!¡± Keanu shouted.


    Talia would have expected fear to be in his words, but there was something else.


    Something like¡­


    Excitement.

 Chapter 55 – Luminescent Water

    The liquid on Keanu''s blades pulsed with an inner light, seeming to defy gravity as it clung to the metal.


    Tiny droplets of the glowing water floated in the air around him.


    "Be ready!" Keanu shouted.


    Talia watched in awe as Keanu began to move in a strange dance.


    He stepped hard on the ground, eliciting a rumble akin to a thunderclap.


    Then, the glowing water responded, stretching and flowing in tune with the rhythm. As Keanu''s daggers sliced through the air, the luminescent water extended beyond the blades, forming long, glowing tendrils that whipped through the air.


    These watery extensions lashed out at the surrounding Slashing Crusters so fast that none of the monsters managed to dodge them.


    However, unlike Talia¡¯s attacks, these tendrils didn¡¯t penetrate the monsters¡¯ shells.


    Talia saw the glowing tendrils wrapping around the nearest Cruster, binding its limbs to its body. The creature thrashed and screeched, but the luminescent bonds held firm. What was even more remarkable was that the bindings didn''t stop there.


    From the restrained Cruster, new tendrils of luminescent water began to emerge. These secondary bindings shot out towards other nearby Crusters, ensnaring them in a rapidly expanding web of glowing restraints. It was as if Keanu''s initial attacks had set off a chain reaction, and there was a pattern.


    The glowing water traced invisible lines of force in the air and sand, following some kind of geometry. The Slashing Crusters caught in this expanding network began to emit high-pitched, distressed sounds.


    Their blade-like appendages slashed frantically at the air. Still, the luminescent bonds flowed around the attacks, reforming instantly when cut.


    "Talia!" Keanu called out, his voice clear and strong, showing no signs of strain despite his incredible power display. "Start taking them down! I''ll keep them restrained!"


    Shaking off her shock, Talia gripped her glaive tightly.


    Meanwhile, Keanu''s mesmerizing dance continued: his movements bound more and Slashing Crusters, creating a growing network of luminescent restraints all around them.


    Seeing the Crusters immobilized, Talia felt a surge of confidence.


    She closed her eyes briefly, reaching deep within herself for the technique that had eluded her earlier.


    This time, with Keanu''s attacks holding the immediate danger at bay, she found it easier to focus.


    Talia felt the familiar tingle of energy as her Mana Crystallization began to form around her glaive.


    The weapon''s blade took on a crystalline sheen, the Mana hardening into a razor-sharp edge glinted in the moonlight and the glow from Keanu''s water.


    She could feel the power humming through the blade, resonating.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    With her weapon empowered, Talia charged towards the nearest bound Cruster.


    The creature thrashed against its luminescent restraints but to no avail.


    Talia''s crystalized blade sliced through its carapace easily, cleaving the monster in two.


    As the first Cruster fell, Talia noticed something new happening around them.


    Golden ropes of Luminescent Water began to shoot up from the sand itself, wrapping around the legs and bodies of the remaining Crusters and even the ones that had charged at them after being startled by the luciferous display put on by Keanu.


    These new bonds tightened relentlessly, restricting the creatures'' movements until they were almost completely immobilized.


    "Keanu!" Talia called out as she mowed down one Slashing Cruster after the other. "This is incredible! How are you doing this?"


    Keanu''s response came quickly, his breath steady and his movements fluid.


    ¡°This is the true nature of Luminescent Water," he laughed. "I am a battlefield control specialist! I told you I had to wait to reveal my secrets!"


    Talia was stunned by Keanu¡¯s control of the battlefield as she continued to dispatch the bound Abyssal Creatures.


    Each swing of her glaive felt effortless now, the Mana Crystallization allowing her to cut through the monsters'' tough shells as if they were made of paper.


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster Level 9!]


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster Level 8!]


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster Level 11!]


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster Level 7!]


    As the battle continued, the network of luminescent bindings grew more complex and widespread.


    Crusters approaching from a distance suddenly found themselves ensnared by tendrils of glowing water that erupted from the sand beneath their feet.


    The bound Crusters looked like strange, angular sculptures frozen in a dance of light.


    It was as if the entire beach had become an extension of Keanu''s spell.


    Soon, without even expending too much energy, Keanu had allowed her to kill thirty-something Slashing Crusters in less than twenty minutes.


    Talia stood amidst the fallen monsters, her chest heaving with exertion but her mind crystal clear thanks to the bursts of [Blood Siphon] she had used between kills.


    "Keanu," she said, her voice filled with awe and a hint of envy, "you don''t even look tired."


    Keanu''s luminescent bindings began to dissipate, evaporating away. He sheathed his daggers, the glow fading from his arms as he did so.


    "Luminescent Water is incredibly efficient," he explained. "It takes very little energy to maintain once it''s set in motion."


    The beach held many the fallen forms of Slashing Crusters. She was beyond impressed.


    Keanu¡¯s abilities are insane,Talia thought. I could have never done this alone.


    Or at least not using her normal abilities.


    If she had been able to summon Dark Water, perhaps¡­


    She felt a surge of pride at how effectively they had handled the monsters.


    But then, she felt a weird energy around the beach caressing her skin.


    ¡°Gimme a second,¡± Talia told Keanu, focusing on the sensation and activated [Eyes of the Abyss].


    The Mana on the beach felt strangely concentrated.


    Through her Skill, it looked like a thick fog clinging to the sand.


    It was different from the ambient Mana she was used to feeling.


    "Keanu," she said, turning to her companion, "do you feel that? The Mana here seems... off."


    Keanu frowned, focusing for a moment before nodding.


    "Maybe? It is much denser than in the city," he frowned. ¡°I do have a Skill that perceives Mana.¡±


    Talia began to walk along the beach, following the trail of concentrated Mana.


    The moonlight cast long shadows across the sand.


    The beach gradually gave way to scrubby grass and small dunes.


    In the distance, Talia could make out a series of low hills silhouetted against the night sky.


    The Mana trail led directly towards them.


    "I think we should check out those hills," Talia said, pointing. "I''ve got a hunch about this."


    Keanu looked uncertain. "Are you sure? We''re supposed to be resting for tomorrow."


    Talia hesitated.


    "This feels important. It reminds me of something I felt once before."


    ¡°What?¡± Keanu frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not say before I confirm it¡­ but¡­¡±


    She looked at the sandy hills and bit her lower lip.


    "There''s definitely something fishy going on here," Talia muttered, scanning the hillside. "It''s like the Mana is being drawn to this spot. Let¡¯s get back. I¡¯d feel better doing this with some light, actually. If I¡¯m wrong and we waste all night here and don¡¯t come back in time, we might get ourselves expelled.¡±

 Chapter 56 – Placid Cave

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

 Chapter 57 – An Ocean of Blood

    The night air was cool against Talia''s skin as she sat cross-legged on the sandy beach, her glaive laid across her lap. The moon illuminated the scattered remains of the Slashing Crusters she and Keanu had defeated earlier.


    Talia closed her eyes, focusing her attention on the weapon before her.


    The Star Glaive, a gift from her mother and unlocked by her father, vibrated with energy in her hands as she started channeling vitality inside of it.


    The tide of vitality she was pulling on turned into a crimson river that flowed from her core, to her arms, pumping into the Star Glaive. Even though at first nothing happened, soon, the air around the weapon started to shimmer.


    The shimmering got stronger and stronger as the vitality made the Star Glaive react, getting warmer and warmer at the touch. Talia began to feel a strange connection forming between her and the glaive. It was as if the boundary between her body and the weapon was blurring, the two becoming one entity.


    After a while, Talia began to feel the strain of her efforts.


    Her muscles ached from sitting in the same position for so long, but just when she thought she was too tired to continue, something within the glaive seemed to click into place.


    The vibration ceased abruptly, and a red glow appeared around the weapon for a few seconds before fading away completely.


    Slowly, cautiously, she opened her eyes.


    As she examined the weapon more closely, Talia noticed subtle changes in its appearance. The blade seemed sharper, and the shaft felt smoother, as if it had been polished to perfection.


    And there, near the base of the blade, a small symbol had appeared - a red star.


    "Did it work?" Keanu startled Talia with his question.


    She had almost forgotten he was there, so focused had she been on the glaive. Talia turned to face her friend, who was sitting a short distance away.


    "I think so," Talia replied, her voice hoarse from disuse. "It feels... different. More... alive?."


    "You were at it for an hour. I was starting to worry I would have to drag you back while you were unconscious."


    Talia blinked in surprise.


    Had it really been that long?


    The sky was noticeably lighter now, the first hints of dawn coloring the horizon.


    "I didn''t realize," she murmured, then shook her head to clear it.


    Keanu stood up, brushing sand from his clothes.


    "We should head back now. We don''t want to be too exhausted for whatever Professor Iakopo has planned for us."


    Talia nodded absently, her attention still mostly on the glaive.


    She rose to her feet, surprised to find that despite the long hours of immobility, her body felt energized rather than stiff.


    "You''re right," she said. "We should go back. But first, I want to try something."


    Before Keanu could respond, Talia took a stance, holding the glaive out in front of her.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    She closed her eyes, reaching for that new connection she felt with the weapon.


    "Talia," Keanu said, his voice carrying a note of warning. "Maybe we should save the experimenting for later. When we''re rested and have backup. Please, let¡¯s go."


    But Talia wasn''t listening.


    The power thrumming through the glaive was intoxicating.


    She wanted - no, needed - to see what this new connection could do.


    "It''s fine," she assured Keanu, though her eyes remained fixed on the glowing blade. "I just want to try one thing. To see how it works now."


    Before Keanu could protest further, Talia cut herself and coated the weapon, then swinging the glaive in a wide arc.


    The blade left a trail of crimson light in its wake, the energy coalescing into a crescent-shaped projectile that shot towards a nearby boulder. The impact was far more intense than Talia had anticipated. The boulder didn''t just crack - it exploded, sending shards of rock flying in all directions.


    Talia and Keanu ducked instinctively, shielding their faces from the debris.


    I couldn¡¯t do that before, Talia reasoned. It seems like the glaive can now extract more power from my blood.


    As the dust settled, Talia stared at the place where the boulder had been, now nothing more than rubble in the sand.


    "That was... impressive," Keanu said, his voice tight with poorly concealed alarm.


    "Let¡¯s go now," she relented. "I got carried away. Let''s just head back."


    As they turned to leave, Talia caught sight of something that made her pause. One of the rock shards from the exploded boulder had cut a shallow gash on Keanu''s arm. A thin line of blood was visible against his skin. Without thinking, her mind muddled by the new power the glaive had unlocked, Talia reached out, her fingers brushing against the wound.


    As soon as she made contact, she felt a surge of energy unlike anything she had experienced before and a new Skill apperaed in her mind.


    [Star Glaive has unlocked a new Skill!]


    [Ravenous Wounds has been unlocked!]


    The world around Talia seemed to fade away, her entire being focused on the blood seeping from Keanu''s cut.


    She could feel its vitality, its potential, calling out to her.


    Before she could even realize what she was doing, she activated the new skill.


    The effect was instantaneous and terrifying.


    Keanu''s eyes widened in shock and pain as the small cut on his arm suddenly deepened and widened.


    Blood began to flow more freely, and Talia could sense the life force being drained from her friend''s body.


    "Talia!" Keanu''s voice sounded distant and distorted. "What are you doing? Stop!"


    But Talia couldn''t stop.


    The power flowing into her was overwhelming, clouding her judgment and pushing all other thoughts aside. She could feel herself growing stronger with each passing second, her own vitality swelling as she drained Keanu''s.


    It wasn''t until Keanu tried really hard to pull away from her, that the gravity of what was happening finally broke through Talia''s trance.


    With a tremendous effort of will, she wrenched her hand away from his arm, severing the connection.


    Keanu collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily.


    The cut on his arm had grown to an angry, gaping wound, blood still flowing freely onto the sand.


    "Keanu!" Talia cried, horror and guilt washing over her as she realized what she had done.


    She reached out to help him, but Keanu flinched away from her touch.


    "Stay back," he gasped, his voice weak but firm. "Just... stay away from me right now."


    Talia felt as if she had been slapped.


    She stared at her hands, which moments ago had been instruments of such terrifying power.


    What had she done?


    How could she have lost control like that?


    "I''m sorry," she whispered, though the words felt woefully inadequate. "I didn''t mean to... I didn''t know what the Skill was¡­ I¡­"


    Keanu didn''t respond, focused on tearing a strip of cloth from his shirt to bind his wounded arm.


    Talia felt a wave of nausea wash over her.


    She might have killed Keanu like this.


    All because she couldn''t control this new, terrible Skill.


    "We need to get you help," Talia said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "We should go back to the city, find someone-"


    "No," Keanu cut her off, his voice stronger now but still laced with pain. "I¡¯m fine. But you need to go. Now."


    "What? I can''t just leave you here like this. You''re hurt-"


    "Because of you," Keanu interrupted, his eyes meeting hers for the first time since the incident.


    "Keanu, please," she began, but he shook his head firmly.


    "Listen to me, Talia," he said, his voice low and urgent. "What just happened - it''s not¡­ Just¡­ I¡¯ll make my way back in a moment. Just go, please."


    Talia wanted to argue, to insist that she could control it, that it wouldn''t happen again.


    But the memory of that overwhelming hunger, the intoxicating rush of stolen vitality, was still too fresh in her mind.


    She couldn''t trust herself, not right now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you back at the base, you go first,¡± she muttered, sitting on the sand, distraught, as she watched Keanu slowly walk away from her.

 Chapter 58 – Torpedo Snappers

    The group of students, led by Mira, ventured deeper into the Placid Cave.


    Fiora walked beside Agalei, looking around nervously. The blonde couldn''t help but notice how her friend''s usually warm green eyes, too, were wide with fear, darting nervously from shadow to shadow.


    Fiora reached out and gave Agalei''s hand a reassuring squeeze, making the girl whimper.


    "Come on," Fiora whispered. "It¡¯s not too bad. There¡¯s light. We are casters, and we¡¯ll just snipe them while the others attack them directly."


    Agalei nodded, not convinced at all by her friend.


    The auburn-haired girl had spent the journey to the cave researching the creatures they were about to encounter. She knew that casters were at a natural disadvantage against them.


    While true that casters didn¡¯t have to get too close to the monsters to fight, Torpedo Snappers were neither that big of a target nor slow creatures.


    The big snakes were blindingly fast and unpredictable. They could bounce around the cave walls, using the environment to move in all directions, bouncing up to the ceiling and off the walls as easily as other snakes would have slithered across the ground.


    Considering they didn¡¯t even have one real lesson from Professor Luana before leaving for Placid City, it wasn¡¯t wrong to think they¡¯d fare poorly against the monsters.


    Anyway, soon, Agalei started to shiver because of the cold. The cave was getting deep into the ground, and the air was chilly, to say the least.


    Yet, despite having already walked quite a distance, no monster had appeared to this point.


    Fiora''s eyes scanned the group. As her gaze passed over each person, a sudden realization struck her.


    She leaned in close to Agalei, keeping her voice low.


    "Have you noticed? There''s no one here from Kawena''s School in Professor Iakopo¡¯s class. Not even Kaia."


    Agalei''s brow furrowed as she looked around and then scrunched her brow.


    "You''re right. That''s... odd.¡±


    Fiora shrugged, filing away this piece of information for later consideration.


    Right now, they had more pressing concerns.


    As if on cue, a high-pitched shriek echoed through the cavern.


    The students froze, eyes wide, as they tried to locate the source of the sound.


    Suddenly, a blur of motion caught Fiora''s eye.


    "Look out!" she yelled, shoving Agalei to the side as a Torpedo Snapper launched itself from a nearby crevice.


    [Torpedo Snapper Lv. 7]


    The creature was about half Fiora''s length, with a sleek body and rows of razor-sharp teeth in its maw. Its scales gleamed an iridescent blue in the torchlight as it twisted in midair, jaws snapping shut mere inches from where Agalei had been standing.


    Fiora didn''t hesitate. She thrust out her hand, summoning a globe of Sunwater, and launched it at the Torpedo Snapper.


    But the creature was too fast. It twisted in midair, evading the globe of Sunwater with uncanny speed.


    The projectile sailed past, dissipating harmlessly against the cave wall.


    "Watch out!" Mira''s voice rang out. A blur of motion caught Fiora''s eye as another Torpedo Snapper launched itself from the shadows, heading straight for the two girls.


    Before either could react, a spear of crackling azure lightning whistled through the air. It struck the second Torpedo Snapper mid-leap, pinning it to the cave floor and cooking it from the inside out.


    The creature convulsed for a few moments before going still.


    Mira strode forward, sighing.


    "I forgot to mention," she said, her tone casual despite the danger, "Torpedo Snappers tend to target casters first. They can spot out casters thanks to a Skill they have."


    Fiora''s eyes widened at this revelation, but she didn''t have time to dwell on it.


    The first Torpedo Snapper was circling back, preparing for another attack.


    This time, Fiora was ready.


    She focused, employing the Overdrive Spiral technique Agalei had taught her.


    A globe of Sunwater formed between her palms, spinning rapidly as she refined and concentrated its power.


    The Torpedo Snapper launched itself from the wall, hurtling towards them with frightening speed.


    Fiora waited, timing her attack carefully. Just as the creature reached the apex of its leap, she released her spell.


    The supercharged orb of Sunwater shot forward, shaping itself like a spear. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    It struck the Torpedo Snapper in midair, enveloping the creature in a golden glow.


    A shriek of pain echoed through the cavern as the Sunwater worked, partially dissolving the monster''s scales and flesh.


    The Torpedo Snapper fell to the ground, twitching weakly before going still.


    "Nice shot," Mira nodded approvingly. "But stay alert. Where there''s one, there''s usually more lurking nearby." The senior student turned toward the dozen remaining


    Fiora exhaled slowly, frustrated with Mira for not telling them these disgusting monsters would target them first. With her heart pounding, she turned to Agalei, who was pale but unharmed.


    "You okay?" she asked, reaching out to steady her friend.


    Agalei nodded shakily.


    "Thanks to you," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Before they could catch their breaths.


    More shrieks filled the air as more Torpedo Snappers emerged from hidden crevices, drawn by the commotion or perhaps the scent of their fallen comrade.


    Fiora stood back-to-back with Agalei, both girls readying their respective magics.


    Agalei seemed slightly calmer this time since the other students had formed a circle to protect them.


    ¡°We probably can¡¯t take them without using Overdrive Spiral,¡± Agalei muttered, analyzing the situation. ¡°But that means we¡¯ll expend a lot of Mana upfront.¡±


    A student managed to slash one of the Torpedo Snappers right in its maw, killing it on the spot.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Fiora gritted her teeth.


    This was the second time in a few days that Solar Glyph Mastery would have come in handy.


    Solar Glyph Mastery¡¯s first Glyph was a Speed Glyph. Still, Fiora had made zero progress since the test with Professor Luana.


    She had no idea how to fully absorb the Glyph into her Akashic Record.


    The Skill was supposed to provide Glyphs for her to learn. Still, she would stare at the Speed Glyph for hours on end, trying to understand what she wasn¡¯t understanding and still having no idea how to go about it.


    She also regretted that she knew no one with a Sunwater Affinity, meaning she couldn¡¯t even ask. Perhaps someone would have taken pity on her and explained the secret behind the Skill, but so far, she was on her own.


    She had tried consulting with Agalei about it, but the girl hadn¡¯t been able to give her any valuable input, sadly.


    And so, Fiora started using Overdrive Spiral to charge the globe of Sunwater she was summoning.


    Agalei, by her side, was already shooting hardened Coral Water at Torpedo Snappers.


    However, she wasn¡¯t yet using Overdrive Spiral.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fiora asked.


    ¡°Getting them off the walls,¡± Agalei said with a concentrated frown.


    As soon as one of her weaker attacks got a Torpedo Snapper to move, she immediately used Overdrive Spiral to charge her next attack, nailing the Abyssal Creature against the wall.


    A second later, Agalei whipped toward another snake that had finally jumped off the wall, lunging at them, and she released a spiraling jet of Coral Water. The multi-colored projectile struck the creature mid-leap, sending it crashing into the cave wall with a sickening crunch, ripping its body in two.


    ¡°I can sense Mana, too,¡± Agalei said under her breath.


    Fiora raised her eyebrows, impressed.


    She knew Agalei was more proficient than her with casting, but she had underestimated how effective the girl could be in battle, given that her auburn-haired friend was such a scaredy cat.


    Now that she was fully focused, however, Agalei was terrifyingly efficient.


    But it was also clear that Fiora''s Sunwater was particularly effective against these creatures, much more than Coral Water.


    As Fiora dispatched another Snapper, she heard Agalei gasp beside her.


    Turning, she saw her friend''s face had gone pale, her green eyes wide with terror.


    "Agalei? What''s wrong?" Fiora asked, concern evident in her voice.


    Agalei''s voice was barely above a whisper when she replied.


    "There''s... there''s something coming. Something big. Much stronger than these Snappers."


    Fiora frowned.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Fiora frowned, looking wildly around.


    They had just killed all the close Torpedo Snappers and it didn¡¯t seem there were more monsters on the way.


    But, trusting that Agalei''s Mana Sense was probably highly developed, she looked at Mira, seeing if their senior perhaps had the same hunch.


    Mira was at the back of the group, ready to intervene if anyone actually found themselves in real danger, but she was currently distractedly fiddling with something in her pocket.


    Before Fiora could respond, she noticed Agalei''s body spasming.


    "Hey, snap out of it!" Fiora hissed, grabbing her friend''s arm.


    But Agalei seemed frozen in place, her eyes unfocused as if seeing something beyond the immediate battle. Fiora made a split-second decision. She turned to the rest of the group, raising her voice to be heard over the chaos.


    "Everyone! There''s something strong coming our way! We need to fall back!"


    The other students looked at her with a mix of confusion and apprehension. Fiora''s gaze sought out Mira, expecting the older student to take charge of the situation.


    But what she saw made her pause.


    The older girl quickly pocketed something, a strange expression flitting across her face before it settled into its usual stern mask.


    "Mira!" Fiora called out. "We should go. There''s something big coming!"


    Mira''s eyes narrowed as she stepped forward.


    "Nothing is coming our way," she said, her voice cold and dismissive. "Your friend is wrong."


    Fiora opened her mouth to argue, but the words died in her throat under the harsh gaze of her senior.


    Fiora had had enough trouble with nobles that she didn¡¯t want to straight-up disagree with a scion of the Kane Family.


    So, everyone held their breath, waiting for the arrival of the monstrous threat Agalei had sensed.


    Seconds became one, then two minutes.


    Then, from around a bend in the passage, a single Torpedo Snapper emerged.


    It was slightly larger than the others they''d encountered but nothing like the terrifying beast Agalei''s warning had led them to expect.


    Laughter spread through the group as the tension broke. Several students turned to Agalei with mocking grins.


    "Some big monster," one boy sneered. "Looks like someone''s just a scaredy-cat."


    Fiora felt angry at their words, but before she could speak up in Agalei''s defense, Mira''s voice cut through the chatter.


    "You two," she said, her tone sharp. "Your cowardice will be reported to Professor Iakopo. False alarms like this could get someone killed in a real situation."


    Fiora bit back a retort, instead focusing on comforting Agalei.


    The auburn-haired girl was trembling slightly, her eyes downcast.


    "It''s okay," Fiora murmured, putting an arm around her friend''s shoulders. "I believe you. Something weird is going on here."


    The group resumed their exploration of the cave. However, now they would mock Agalei at every chance, making funny, scared faces or snide remarks.


    Fiora, however, still believed her.


    Considering Mira''s strange behavior and Agalei''s warning...


    For a moment, Fiora considered reporting her suspicions about Mira to Professor Iakopo.


    But as quickly as the thought came, she dismissed it.


    She was already walking a thin line at the Academy, barely tolerated by many of the students from Great Families.


    Stirring up trouble without concrete evidence would only make her situation worse.


    "Don''t let them get to you," Fiora murmured to Agalei. "We both know what you sensed was real."


    Agalei nodded, but her usual warm smile was absent.


    "I just don''t understand," she whispered back. "I''ve never been wrong about something like this before. The presence I felt... it was so strong, so malevolent. How could it just disappear?"


    Fiora frowned, considering her friend''s words.


    She glanced ahead to where Mira was leading the group, her posture rigid and alert.


    What had the older girl been doing when Fiora had called out the warning?


    And what had she so hastily pocketed?


    As they ventured deeper into the Placid Cave, Fiora couldn''t shake the feeling that they were walking into something far more dangerous than a bunch of Torpedo Snappers.

 Chapter 59 – The Hills Have Slashers

    The sun had just risen above the horizon when Professor Iakopo began patrolling Placid City. Initially, he went for a walk to check the shipyard of the place.


    This was the eleventh time he had come to Placid City since the Catastrophe.


    His heart ached when he realized that no matter how much support he had provided to the city out of his own pocket and time, Placid City still seemed dead--or on its way to dying.


    Everything he had done so far seemed to have only bought a little more time for a corpse already decomposing.


    When he finally got to the shipyard, he extended his senses into the water. Placid City was in the South Deep, and although unlikely, the monsters from the outside could potentially come ashore.


    However, as he slowly descended onto the waters on a mana board, he felt a disturbance. He extended his senses below and killed three torpedo snappers in a half-mile range with a simple, neutral circle of Mana powered by his Primary Mana Channel.


    "Torpedo snappers?" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the crash of waves. "How?"


    The presence of torpedo snappers outside the confines of the Placid Cave was troubling.


    I¡¯ve made sure they couldn¡¯t escape anymore. Sure, the guards here should be able to care for them, but¡­ where did they come from?


    He came here every two years to make sure that the Catastrophe wouldn¡¯t repeat and that the first-year students who joined his course would be up to the harsh life of being a Water Rider.


    Most importantly, he came here to obliterate every nesting inside the Placid Cave and to avoid those Torpedo Snappers turning into their much more dangerous counterparts: Drakes.


    "This doesn''t make sense," Iakopo said to himself. "The cave entrance is too far away from the nest. There''s no way they could have..."


    He trailed off.


    Had someone deliberately released the creatures?


    Was there a breach in the cave system that they had overlooked?


    Iakopo really wanted to check the Placid Cave. Still, it made sense that Mayor Boro had begged him to clear the surroundings of Placid City from stragglers.


    Someone must have encountered Torpedo Snappers while going about their day.


    Considering how weak the average islander was, excluding their small military force, it was very likely that any civilian would have perished facing these creatures.


    He had to make sure that there was no real threat in sight.


    * * *


    Twenty years prior


    The streets of Placid City were flush with activity as Iakopo made his way towards the city center. He was sweating through the crowd while wearing his Water Rider uniform and checking the place out.


    "Iakopo!" a familiar voice called out. He turned to see Yalena jogging towards him. "The mayor''s waiting for us."


    He nodded and followed her.


    "Any word on the Placid Cave situation?"


    Yalena sighed.


    "It''s worse than we thought. The local Water Riders haven''t been able to keep up with the monster population, and the nesting hasn¡¯t been kept in check for years. They''re requesting our help to clear it out¡ªone big push, they say, to exterminate all the Snappers inside."


    As they walked, Iakopo couldn''t help but notice the admiring glances Yalena drew from passersby.


    Her reputation as a prodigy had preceded her, and even here, far from the Academy, people recognized the rising star of the Water Riders.


    They arrived at the mayor''s office, a modest building that belied its occupant''s importance.


    Inside, they were greeted by a plump man with a receding hairline and a nervous demeanor.


    "Thank the Deep you''re here," the mayor said, wringing his hands. "The situation in the cave is getting out of control."


    Iakopo listened as the mayor explained the details of their mission.


    Clear out the Torpedo Snappers, assess the overall threat level, and ensure the safety of Placid City.


    It seemed straightforward enough, but something about the mayor''s anxiety set Iakopo on edge.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    After the briefing, as they prepared to head to the cave, Yalena pulled Iakopo aside.


    "Before we go in, there''s something I want to talk to you about," she said, her voice low.


    Iakopo raised an eyebrow.


    "What is it?"


    Yalena hesitated more than once.


    "What is it?" Iakopo darkened. "Is everything ok?"


    Yalena briefly fumbled with her hands, letting them rest on her abdomen.


    "It''s... the Dark Water Well," she sighed. There¡¯s magical interference all over the place.¡±


    Iakopo looked at her with a frown.


    ¡°Cultists?¡±


    Only an enormous quantity of Abyssal Magic would be nasty enough to be able to interfere with Yalena¡¯s Star Water.


    ¡°I fear so,¡± Yalena said. ¡°I think they might have done something to the monsters. The Mana inside the cave¡­ it¡¯s a suffocating presence. You might have to use your real spells if things go south.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Iakopo said, frowning.


    That might have sounded like a harmless statement to anyone else but those who actually knew Iakopo. Unlike every scion of the Kane Family, the man had neither mastered nor learned Azure Lightning Water.


    Having been a rascal from a young age, Iakopo had found a mention of a forbidden Affinity that no one practiced because of its terrifying aggressiveness.


    However, he had sincerely believed that mastering it would have given him the most excellent chance of one day completely obliterating the Kraken.


    But he had underestimated how destructive his own spells would become.


    His love for Yalena sprung, at least partly, from the fact that the woman wielded Star Water, one of the greatest Affinities¡ªspecifically, the Affinity with the greatest sealing and defensive power there was.


    The white-haired woman by his side was one of the very few who could contain his magic in such a way that would allow him to unleash his full power without hurting all the people around him.


    That¡¯s why they gravitated toward each other over the years.


    Without her, Iakopo couldn¡¯t unleash his magic unless completely alone, far away from any ally or civilian.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re by my side, everything will be fine,¡± Iakopo said, bringing Yalena in for a kiss. ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine a life without you. Nor fighting without your Star Water anymore.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why you chased me,¡± Yalena smiled mischievously.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Iakopo smiled.


    ¡°We have to find the well, though,¡± she said, putting her hand on his chest. ¡°That¡¯s the most important thing.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we will,¡± Iakopo smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s kill these monsters and¡­ yeah, we¡¯ll find it.¡±


    * * *


    The Present


    The sun climbed higher in the sky, casting sharp, defined shadows across the landscape.


    She had tried to find Professor Iakopo in their lodgings, but he wasn''t there. This made her feel free to explore on her own since it still wasn''t her turn to explore the Placid Cave.


    The hills one could reach from the beach where they had landed first to battle grew closer. Talia¡¯s grip on the Star Glaive tightened as she approached, feeling bad about the place.


    However, more than any external threats, she feared what lay inside herself¡ªthe hunger that had nearly consumed Keanu¡¯s life force behind the Star Glaive¡¯s Skill.


    As Talia trudged up the sandy slopes, the Star Glaive''s weight felt different now.


    "What happened?" she muttered to herself, examining the blade of the weapon.


    The weapon had been a gift from her mother, unlocked by her father.


    This was supposed to be the same instrument her mother used to protect innocents from the horrors of the Deep.


    But now?


    Now, it felt tainted, corrupted by what flowed through her veins.


    Talia stumbled on the hill as a terrible thought struck her.


    Had her own Affinity somehow corrupted the Star Glaive?


    "No," she said aloud, shaking her head as if to physically dispel the notion. "That can''t be right. That¡¯s not how Soul Weapons work, right?¡±


    And yet, the doubt lingered.


    As she crested the first hill while keeping [Eyes of the Abyss] active to follow the Mana trail she had spotted the night before, Talia paused to catch her breath. In the distance, she could make out the dark mouth of what appeared to be a cave entrance.


    "That must be where the Mana trail comes from," she murmured, squinting against the bright sunlight.


    Before she could move, a flicker of movement in the sand ahead caught her eye. With a burst of sand, a creature erupted from beneath the dune.


    [Slashing Cruster - Level 10]


    "What the..." Talia began, but her words were cut short as the Cruster lunged at her with frightening speed.


    For some reason, she hadn¡¯t felt its presence with [Eyes of the Abyss].


    Nonetheless, she made quick work of it.


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster Level 10!]


    She quickly absorbed the corpse with [Blood Siphon] and then moved forward toward the cave.


    [You have absorbed the Level 10 - Slashing Cruster¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.9 to your Primary Mana Channel (14.32/20 to Level Two)]


    [+0.5 to your Agility (5.7/6 to 1 Agility)]


    The Mana trail grew stronger as Talia approached the cave.


    Just as she was about to step out from behind a large boulder, something made her pause.


    She saw movement and she instinctively ducked, pressing herself against the rough surface of the rock below her.


    What she saw next made her blood run cold.


    Emerging from the shadows of the cave entrance was a Slashing Cruster unlike any she had encountered before.


    This beast was massive, easily three times the size of the ones they had fought on the beach.


    [Slashing Cruster (Boss) - Level 17]


    Talia bit her lower lip as she watched the monstrous creature.


    "Dammit," she whispered, her voice barely audible even to herself. "What is this thing doing here?"


    She knew that she was no match for this creature.


    Even with her recent power boost and the Star Glaive, taking on a Level 17 Boss monster alone would be suicide.


    But more than that, the presence of such a powerful creature so far from where it should be raised alarming questions. Already, the presence of the Slashing Crusters on the island was weird. A Boss, though? Outside the Dungeon, there shouldn''t have been enough energy to sustain it.


    As she watched, the Boss Slashing Cruster retreated slightly into the cave entrance, positioning itself to allow it to ambush any unsuspecting visitors.


    Its behavior was too organized and too purposeful to be natural.


    Even the giant Abyssal Scuttler had just been mindlessly looking for herbs.


    Instead, this Boss just looked around and stood guard before the cave.


    A chilling thought crept into Talia''s mind.


    Could this be the work of Cultists?


    "I need to tell Professor Iakopo," Talia decided, slowly backing away from her hiding spot.


    As much as she distrusted the man, this was beyond her capabilities to handle alone.


    If Cultists were indeed involved, it meant that the danger to her fellow students - to all of Placid City - was far greater than anyone had let on.


    As she hurried back, her thoughts turned to her classmates in the Placid Cave.


    Were they walking into a trap?


    Had Professor Iakopo known about this all along?


    Talia''s pace quickened, kicking up small clouds of sand as she ran.

 Chapter 60 – Suspects

    Talia burst through the dormitory doors. She barely stopped to breathe, still panting from the sprint she had made from the Slashing Cruster Boss hideout to the building where all the students stayed. Shenned the lobby for any sign of Professor Iakopo.


    The dormitory was quiet¡ªmost students were still out on their expeditions or resting in their rooms.


    Talia¡¯s footsteps echoed off the worn wooden floors as she moved deeper into the building, her eyes darting from door to door, searching for the Professor.


    As she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with a small group returning from the Placid Cave. Mira stood at the front, her expression as cold as ever.


    Behind her, Fiora and Agalei looked exhausted. Their clothes were stained with cave grime and had what looked like monster blood caked on them.


    ¡°Talia?¡± Fiora¡¯s voice was tinged with annoyance. Then, looking down at all the sand on Talia¡¯s clothes, she frowned. ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    But Talia barely registered Fiora¡¯s question. Her eyes were locked on Fiora¡¯s face, noting something off about her expression. However, Talia didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it now.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Professor Iakopo?¡± Talia asked, her voice urgent. ¡°I need to speak with him immediately.¡±


    Mira¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


    ¡°The Professor isn¡¯t here. Why? What¡¯s so urgent?¡±


    Talia hesitated, weighing how much to reveal.


    ¡°I... I found something he¡¯ll be very interested in.¡±


    Talia knew that most of the people in front of her were most likely not Cultists, but she couldn¡¯t risk revealing what she had found to anyone else but the Professor for now.


    Mira, however, remained impassive.


    ¡°Interested?¡± Mira¡¯s tone was skeptical. ¡°What exactly?"


    ¡°I need to tell Professor Iakopo first.¡±


    Mira studied Talia for a long moment before speaking. She hesitated momentarily before licking her lips and narrowing her eyes.


    ¡°The Professor¡¯s office is on the top floor. You might find him there if it¡¯s as urgent as you say.¡±


    Talia pushed past the group without another word and headed for the stairs. She knocked at the door to the Professor''s office, but there was no response.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she tried the handle.


    To her surprise, it turned out easily.


    The room was gigantic¡ªa master study of the entire building.


    She neared the desk, curious.


    Spread across its surface were various papers and what looked like expedition reports. But something in one corner, partially hidden by a stack of books, made Talia¡¯s blood run cold.


    A small pile of reddish powder mixed with what looked disturbingly like dried blood.


    Talia¡¯s mind flashed back to Solara, the strange sign Akua had created to attract the Abyssal Scuttlers.


    The powder looked identical.


    ¡°No,¡± Talia whispered, her hand shaking as she reached out to touch the powder. ¡°It can¡¯t be...¡±


    Talia activated [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom] to assess that it was blood infused with an incredible amount of Mana.


    [Crimson Wisdom] was a skill rooted in her Blood Water Talent Tree. Other than increasing her control and perception of magic and Blood Water¡¯s intricacies, it could also tell her what was blood and what wasn¡¯t, something she hadn¡¯t really thought would come in handy until now.


    There was no mistaking as Talia touched the powder and rubbed it between her index and thumb.


    This was the same substance Akua had used on Solara.


    This meant either Professor Iakopo was involved with the Cultists, or they had managed to infiltrate his office without his knowledge.


    Either possibility was terrifying.


    Talia had thought that not telling Mira, a member of the Kane Family, was rather paranoid¡ªbut she liked being paranoid. It had allowed her to survive and thrive up to this point.


    In fact, it proved that she had just made a great choice.


    She couldn¡¯t know for sure whether Professor Iakopo was a Cultist, and she couldn¡¯t certainly confront a man who already hated her guts because of her mother with the risk that he was indeed one.


    Talia looked at the door where she had come from and left the study, descending the stairs and exiting the building.


    There were a few benches by a stagnant, rotting pond, and she just sat down.


    I need to figure something out.


    Can I get word to Riala?


    Would she even make it here in time?


    And who would she bring, Elder Kahua?


    No.


    I need to find out more about Iakopo before I do anything.


    That shopkeeper, Lana, wanted to tell us things the Mayor didn¡¯t want to be divulged.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    * * *


    Mira led a small group of students towards the shoreline, including Fiora and Agalei. She had scouted the area before them to ensure its safety, too.


    Fiora had found the time Mira had been gone a little suspicious. Still, she said nothing, knowing not to jeopardize her standing any further.


    They were going to the same beach where Keanu and Talia had fought the Slashing Crusters that had taken place just hours before.


    Since even [Blood Siphon] had limits on how many Abyssal Creatures could be absorbed at once, Talia had left quite an amount of Slashing Crusters behind.


    Mira had orders from Professor Iakopo to bring the corpses of all the remaining monsters on the beach away, lest they rot and attract more monsters.


    That had already happened, but Mira didn¡¯t know that Talia and Keanu had taken care of the second batch of Slashing Crusters.


    They¡¯d be brought back to the city and disposed of or turned into valuable materials for crafting.


    The sun was high in the sky, its heat beating down on them as they trudged through the sand, pulling carts behind them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why we have to do this,¡± one of the students grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the locals handle clean-up?¡±


    Mira shot him a sharp look.


    ¡°This is part of your training. A Water Rider¡¯s job doesn¡¯t end when the fighting stops. We take responsibility for the aftermath as well.¡±


    Beside Fiora, Agalei walked with her head down, still shaken from the earlier expedition and the ridicule she had faced.


    As they approached the area where the battle had taken place, Mira suddenly held up a hand, signaling the group to stop.


    Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the scene before them.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± she muttered, her voice tense.


    The students crowded around to see what had caught Mira¡¯s attention.


    At first glance, the beach looked as they expected - scattered with the remains of Slashing Crusters.


    But as they looked closer, they noticed something strange in the sandy slope that divided the beach and the start of the hilly terrain.


    There were some Mana pulses that even the dullest students could feel from their position.


    Mira went over and started pulling at some tall grass, calling a few students to help her. After a short while, something emerged barely an inch below the sand.


    A large circle had been drawn with deep lines.


    Within the circle were strange symbols, unlike anything the students had seen before. The sand was stained a deep, rusty red.


    Mira¡¯s face paled as she stepped closer to examine the markings.


    ¡°This... this is a summoning circle,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°A what?¡± one of the students asked, confusion evident in his voice.


    Mira turned to face the group, her expression grave.


    ¡°A summoning circle. It¡¯s a tool used by Cultists to attract Abyssal Creatures.¡±


    A collective gasp went up from the students.


    Fiora frowned.


    ¡°But... how? When could this have happened? We were here just yesterday.¡±


    Mira shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But this explains the unusual number of Slashing Crusters we encountered. They weren¡¯t here naturally - they were summoned.¡±


    Agalei, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°That presence I felt earlier... could it have been related to this?¡±


    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Mira replied. ¡°Drawing one of these inside a Dungeon wouldn''t make sense.¡±


    The students exchanged worried glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in. This was no longer just a training exercise or a simple monster-clearing mission. They were potentially dealing with a Cultist infiltration.


    ¡°What now?¡± Another senior student asked worriedly.


    Mira straightened up, her demeanor shifting into one of command.


    ¡°Let¡¯s break this up before more Slashing Crusters get here. Someone go fetch Professor Iakopo.¡±


    Mira looked around the beach with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Fetch more students and get all the seniors here. Let¡¯s scour the entire beach for any more summoning circles.¡±


    * * *


    Talia walked through Placid City, pondering what she had discovered in Professor Iakopo¡¯s office.


    The red powder, identical to what Akua had used on Solara, was a damning piece of evidence.


    But against whom?


    Was Iakopo involved with the Cultists, or was he being set up?


    The man¡¯s a bastard, but he¡¯s not stupid, Talia reasoned. He wouldn¡¯t leave that damn powder in his study like that, would he? Or would he think no students would have the guts to enter his study anyway?


    She needed more information, and she knew just where to start.


    Lana, the merchant, had seemed on the verge of revealing something before the Mayor interrupted.


    It was time to revisit that conversation.


    As the store, on the first floor of a rather dilapidated building, came into view, Talia took a deep breath and got herself ready.


    She pushed open the door, the bell chiming to announce her arrival.


    Lana looked up from behind the counter, recognition flickering across her face.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you again. The Water Rider student, right? How can I help you today?¡±


    Talia approached the counter, offering a friendly smile.


    ¡°Hello, Lana. I was hoping to pick up a few supplies, but also... I had some questions about Placid City, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Lana¡¯s expression tightened almost imperceptibly.


    ¡°Oh? What kind of questions?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Talia began, keeping her tone casual, ¡°I¡¯m curious about the city¡¯s history. It seems like such an interesting place, but there¡¯s clearly been some¡­ trouble.¡±


    Talia let her words hang, waiting for Lana to pick them up.


    Lana¡¯s eyes darted to the window, then back to Talia.


    After hesitating, she stepped out from behind the counter and moved to the front door, flipping the sign to ¡°Closed¡± and locking it.


    ¡°Come to the back,¡± Lana said quietly, gesturing for Talia to follow her into a small stockroom.


    Once they were alone, Lana turned to face Talia, her expression a mix of wariness and resignation.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking about the Catastrophe again, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Talia nodded, not wanting to interrupt now that Lana seemed willing to talk.


    Lana sighed heavily, leaning against a stack of crates.


    ¡°It¡¯s always¡­ whenever we see him come back here¡­¡± Lana muttered. ¡°It reopens the old wounds.¡±


    "What old wounds?"


    ¡°It happened about twenty years ago. Placid City was thriving then - a bustling port full of life and commerce. But there was always the Placid Cave¡­¡±


    She¡¯s being very forthcoming, Talia noted to herself. Maybe a little too much.


    ¡°I was a little girl back then. I remember my parents didn¡¯t want me to go play on the beach¡ªever. They were afraid that some monsters would spill from the Dungeon. Back then, the Dungeon had many entrances, many underwater, too. And monsters would constantly come out. It wasn¡¯t rare that they would harass the port itself. Children could be snatched just by walking too close to the water.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Talia frowned. ¡°How¡¯s that possible? Water Riders keep Dungeons safe.¡±


    Lana lowered her gaze.


    ¡°Water Riders keep Dungeons safe closest to the cities where nobles live. We are¡­ far from the closest nobles and not very important on our own.¡±


    Talia balked at the implication.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that Water Riders don¡¯t clear places that are not, like, politically relevant?¡±


    Lana shrugged.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t come to Placid City. Or at least, they didn¡¯t come before the Catastrophe.¡±


    Talia scrunched her brow.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re her daughter, right?¡± Lana suddenly asked.


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter. The eyes¡ªI¡¯ve heard about them.¡±


    Talia looked into Lana¡¯s own simple eyes and slowly nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to tell you. I¡­ I met your mother.¡±


    The last time a merchant said they knew my mother, it didn¡¯t end well.


    ¡°She was the greatest hero I¡¯ve ever seen. She¡¯s probably the only reason some of us even survived.¡±


    Oh, ok. Not everyone hates her, then.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t talk about this with just anyone,¡± Lana said almost in a whisper. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust them. But I know that you¡­ you¡¯re her blood. You¡¯re in this for justice.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Lana said, suddenly grasping her hands. ¡°Please, don¡¯t let that man do it again. We¡¯ve seen more monsters circulate in the waters lately. Please, please. Don''t let us die!¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Talia was caught by surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let that man kill us,¡± Lana said, tears starting to sprout in her eyes. ¡°I beg you. Something¡¯s going down. I can¡¯t do anything about it. But you¡­ you¡¯re her blood. You¡¯re the H¨¡kai Po¡¯s blood. I beg you, save us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t understand¡ª¡±


    ¡°Iakopo,¡± Lana suddenly said, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°He killed my parents.¡±


    ¡°Professor Iakopo?¡± Talia said with wide eyes.


    ¡°He killed my parents¡ªhe killed¡­ everyone.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who caused the Catastrophe,¡± Lana said with a hiccup. ¡°And I think he wants to finish the job this time.¡±

 Chapter 61 – Cultists

    Talia came out of Lana''s shop more than shaken.


    If she couldn''t trust Professor Iakopo not to be a Cultist, she couldn''t trust anyone. She had actually, genuinely thought that Professor Iakopo couldn''t be a Cultist. Even now, her hunch told her that it was so unlikely as to be crazy.


    But maybe it was because he had been close to her mother.


    Maybe some part of Talia wanted to believe that her mother would have noticed if he was a monster and dealt with the man herself.


    She found the same powder used by Akua to summon circles back in Solara in Iakopo''s study. She had heard from Lana that Iakopo was solely responsible for the catastrophe. She had also remembered that Mano, the Secret Dealer she had met back in the Market, had mentioned that he wouldn''t divulge anything about Professor Iakopo since the man would gut him if he ever found out.


    That didn''t sound like the honorable behavior of a Water Rider.


    Plus, Talia had seen the man skulking around the Leviathan''s Hall with her own eyes.


    If this had been about anyone else, she would have considered it pretty damning evidence.


    But because it was Professor Iakopo, she hesitated.


    Why?


    Is it really because of Mom?


    Why am I refusing to believe it?


    She returned to the dorms and looked up at the building, suddenly getting an idea. There was one person she could trust, actually.


    * * *


    Talia led Nami and Lilo down the narrow staircase to the dormitory''s basement. At the bottom of the stairs, they found themselves facing a sturdy wooden door. In front of it stood a senior student.


    As they approached, the student recognized them and bowed his head to Nami, and Lilo came into view.


    "L-Lady Nami, Lady Lilo," he stammered, bowing his head slightly. "What brings you down here?"


    Nami stepped forward, her eyes cool and appraising. "We need to speak with the prisoner."


    The guard shifted uncomfortably.


    "I''m sorry, but I have strict orders from Professor Iakopo. No one is to enter without his express permission."


    Lilo moved to stand beside her sister, her usually cheerful demeanor replaced by a stern frown.


    "And who gave you those orders? A professor or the heir to the Moana family?"


    The guard''s face paled slightly. "I... I understand your position, my ladies, but-"


    "But nothing, cadet," Nami cut him off, her voice sharp. "What''s your name?"


    "Koa, my lady. Koa Moana."


    Talia smirked.


    She had asked around and found out that the guy guarding the crazy girl who had attacked Takai was actually part of the Moana Family.


    So, she had brought the two sisters with her to put pressure on him.


    Nami''s eyes narrowed.


    "Ah, from the West Deep branch, if I''m not mistaken. You and my cousin share the name. Tell me, Koa, how do you think your family would react if they knew you were refusing a direct request from the two heirs of the main family, the Chosen, and her Shield?"This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Koa swallowed hard, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    "I... I don''t mean any disrespect, but my orders-"


    "Your orders," Lilo interjected, her voice uncharacteristically cold, "are ultimately from the Moana family. Or have you forgotten where your true loyalties lie?"


    The guard''s resolve was visibly crumbling. He glanced nervously between the sisters and the door behind him. "But Professor Iakopo..."


    "Professor Iakopo is not here," Nami stated flatly. "We are. And we''re telling you to step aside. No harm will befall the prisoner. We just need information on behalf of the family. Or have you grown into a traitor, too?"


    Talia watched the exchange with a mixture of awe and discomfort.


    She had known the Moana sisters were influential, but seeing them wield their family name like a weapon was something else entirely.


    Koa looked about to protest again, but Lilo stepped closer.


    "Let me make this very clear, Koa. This isn''t a request. It''s an order. And disobeying a direct order from the main family... well, you can imagine the consequences."


    The guard''s shoulders sagged in defeat.


    "I... I understand, my ladies. Please, go ahead." He stepped aside, fumbling with a key to unlock the door.


    As the lock clicked open, Nami turned to Talia.


    "After you," she said, gesturing towards the door.


    Talia nodded, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open.


    As she stepped into the dimly lit room beyond, she couldn''t help but feel a twinge of guilt for the guard they had just strong-armed.


    I didn¡¯t know they had that in them, Talia frowned, thinking about Keanu''s doubts about nobles.


    But she pushed the feeling aside.


    There were more important matters at hand.


    Inside the room, seated on a simple cot with her hands still bound by mana-draining cuffs, was Lilinoe.


    "Well," Lilinoe said, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "This should be interesting."


    * * *


    Twenty-Years Prior


    When someone opened the door, Iakopo was rapping his knuckles on the desk he was sitting at, surveying the maps of Placid City in front of him.


    He raised his eyes in a frown, only to dissolve the grumpy expression when he saw that it was Yalena.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said. ¡°News?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve stationed seniors at the shipyard and beach and dispatched more to follow the first-year groups into the cave. But¡­ there are so many holes in this Dungeon. How? How is this possible? And if there are so many holes and monsters, there should be even more monsters than the ones we see. This makes no sense.¡±


    Yalena leaned against the doorframe. Her brow furrowed as she processed Iakopo''s words.


    "You''re right," she said, standing beside him at the desk. "The numbers don''t add up. There should be far more monsters, given the state of the Dungeon."


    Iakopo nodded grimly. "Exactly. And that can only mean one thing."


    Yalena''s eyes widened. "Cultists?"


    "I''m almost certain of it," Iakopo confirmed, his voice low and tense. "They must be controlling the monster population somehow, keeping them in check until..."


    "Until what?" Yalena asked.


    Iakopo stood up, pacing the small room.


    "Until they''re ready to unleash them all at once. Yalena, I think something is about to go very, very wrong here."


    He turned to face her. Then, he walked back to the desk, pointing at various locations on the map.


    "Look here and here. These are all potential weak points in the city''s defenses¡ªand it¡¯s full of tunnels that go from the Dungeon right next to them. If the cultists have been manipulating the Dungeon''s monster population, they could use these points to launch a coordinated attack on Placid City. It could have been a slaughter if we weren''t present. The average level here is low."


    Yalena''s face paled slightly as she followed Iakopo''s reasoning.


    "So what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call back the students from the Dungeon. We¡¯ll go there ourselves. We need to kill as many of the monsters as we can. I¡¯ll leave the city for Hi''iaka. Lukaloa and Kainoa will survey the weak points. The rest of the Retinue will stay among the students and the civilians. If cultists are here, we can¡¯t let them know we¡¯re aware of their presence. That would only force their hand. Let''s storm the cave as quickly as possible and capture them. We''ll need to ask questions.¡±


    "Agreed. But Iakopo... what if they¡¯re here for the Dark Water Well?"


    ¡°Why''s that important?¡± Iakopo frowned.


    ¡°Iakopo,¡± Yalena said with gritted teeth, going up to his desk and putting her hands on it. ¡°We need the Dark Water Well. I have been studying everything¡ªI need Dark Water for the ritual. It¡¯s in the Kaimoro¡¯s ancient texts¡ªthey were masters of Dark Water, and it was involved in the creation of the N¨¡ ?Alo Ali?i. The ritual to unravel its existence requires Dark Water. It¡¯s not something I can do without.¡±


    ¡°The safety of the civilians is the most important thing at the moment,¡± Iakopo frowned. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of the well once we¡¯ve made sure no one¡¯s going to die from this, Yalena. There could be Drakes inside the Placid Cave.¡±


    ¡°Iakopo! The entire archipelago might be destroyed if we don¡¯t get to the well!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, slowly getting up and matching the intensity of her gaze. ¡°Everything is arranged, anyway. Let¡¯s go inside the cave and let¡¯s exterminate all the monsters inside¡ªwe¡¯ll look for the Dark Water Well, too. I promise.¡±


    Yalena pushed herself away from the desk and nodded stiffly.


    ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But a dark cloud passed over the woman''s eyes as she watched the man''s back. She took up a seashell and spoke into it.


    "You''re coming with us to the Placid Cave. Get ready."

 Chapter 62 – The Sword Demon’s Daughter

    Lilinoe looked up at them with a sickly smile.


    Talia frowned when she looked at the imprisoned girl.


    Her facial traits were somewhat familiar.


    The mana-draining cuffs on her wrists glowed faintly.


    ¡°Well,¡± Lilinoe said, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. ¡°This should be interesting.¡±


    Talia pictured the girl in front of her piercing Takai''s abdomen and felt like slapping her pearly teeth out of her mouth.


    ¡°We have questions,¡± Talia began. ¡°And you''re going to answer them.¡±


    Lilinoe''s smirk widened into a cold smile.


    ¡°And why would I do that?¡±


    Nami stepped forward, her eyes narrowing dangerously.


    ¡°Because if you don''t, your stay here will become far less comfortable.¡±


    Lilo nodded in agreement.


    ¡°We have ways of making you talk¡ª¡±


    But, surprising both noble girls, Talia simply took the glaive off her back and placed the blade under Lilinoe¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Talia, what are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Talia asked coldly.


    ¡°Wow, you can bluff¡ª¡±


    Talia pressed the blade to Lilinoe¡¯s neck, drawing blood off the superficial layers of skin.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wield this glaive well,¡± Talia said. ¡°Can you see my arms trembling? It could slip at any moment.¡±


    Lilinoe looked at Lilo and Nami, the two noble girls, and frowned as blood dripped on her collarbone.


    ¡°You actually want to kill me,¡± Lilinoe said with a surprised tone.


    ¡°You almost killed my best friend,¡± Talia said. ¡°I would take your life in an instant if I was allowed to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk. Put your weapon back.¡±


    Talia waited a few tense seconds before slamming the staff of her glaive into the ground.


    Lilinoe''s eyes darted between the three of them, her expression unreadable.


    After a moment, she shrugged. Her bound hands made the movement awkward.


    ¡°Ask your questions then.¡±


    ¡°You said your name was Lilinoe, right?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°Yes, milady.¡±


    Talia didn¡¯t break her composure in response to the taunting.


    ¡°Why did you attack Takai?¡±


    ¡°I had to make sure my brother wasn¡¯t a useless tool,¡± Lilinoe replied with a wide smile.


    That made Talia frown.


    ¡°Your brother?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Lilinoe smirked. ¡°Of course, of course. I am the Sword Demon¡¯s daughter. His only capable child.¡±


    She¡¯s a cultist, Talia realized. Takai¡¯s father is a cultist.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Talia pressed her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Did I stutter?¡± Talia said, her shining blue eyes locked on Lilinoe''s green ones. ¡°Why are you here in Placid City? Dodge the answer again, and I¡¯m cutting one of your fingers.¡±


    Lilinoe raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Isn''t it obvious? I''m here for the same reason you are - training.¡±


    ¡°Liar,¡± Lilo spat, taking a menacing step forward. ¡°You''re no student. You came and attacked Takai without being provoked.¡±


    Lilinoe''s smile didn''t waver.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Well, the motive was to weed out the weak branches of our family tree, you know?¡± The girl smirked. ¡°How is he, by the way? He was so shaken when he came to talk to me.¡±


    Takai spoke to her. Talia thought. Why didn¡¯t he say anything? Why didn¡¯t he tell me that this crazy girl is his sister?


    Talia felt a surge of anger at Lilinoe''s casual tone.


    She clenched her fists, forcing herself to remain calm. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Takai is fine. But that doesn''t answer my question. Why are you really here?¡±


    Lilinoe leaned back against the wall, her chains rattling softly, fixating her eyes on Lilo.


    ¡°I told you, I''m here to train. Just not in the way you Water Riders do. My training is slightly different.¡±


    ¡°Different how?¡± Nami pressed, her voice sharp.


    ¡°Your father, the Sword Demon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and do you know how he got the title?¡±


    Talia turned to Nami.


    ¡°The Sword Demon killed the strongest swordsman of his generation, Afu Pele, the Chosen from the Pele Family.¡±


    Pele Family? From the North Deep?


    It was currently the second strongest family in the North Deep, even above Professor Iakopo''s Kane Family.


    Talia turned back toward Lilinoe.


    ¡°If you removed these,¡± the girl said, raising her cuffed wrists, ¡°maybe we could do something similar, you and I.¡±


    Talia realized that Lilinoe wasn¡¯t looking at her.


    She was looking at her left.


    At Lilo.


    Lilo is a future swordmaster of her generation, Talia realized.


    A Chosen.


    Takai¡¯s sister wants to get her own title by killing Lilo.


    Nami, who had reached the same conclusion, moved a step forward.


    ¡°He''s here too, isn''t he?¡± Talia asked.


    For the first time, Lilinoe''s composure slipped slightly.


    A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she schooled her features back into a neutral expression.


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°It''s the only thing that makes sense,¡± Talia said, gaining confidence. ¡°You wouldn''t be here alone. Not for something this important.¡±


    Lilinoe remained silent, her eyes never leaving Talia''s face.


    Lilo stepped closer to the cot, her voice low and threatening.


    ¡°Answer the question. Is the Sword Demon here in Placid City?¡±


    Lilinoe''s lips curved into a mocking smile.


    ¡°Oh, you poor, naive little Water Riders. You have no idea what''s really going on here, do you?¡±


    ¡°Then enlighten us,¡± Nami said, her tone icy.


    Lilinoe''s gaze swept over the three of them, assessing. After a moment, she spoke, her voice taking on a sing-song quality.


    ¡°In the depths of Placid, where shadows grow deep, ancient powers stir from their sleep. A well of darkness, hidden from sight, soon to unleash its terrible might.¡±


    Talia frowned, trying to decipher Lilinoe''s cryptic words.


    ¡°What are you blabbering about? What well?¡±


    Lilinoe''s smile widened, showing teeth, but didn¡¯t provide any explanation.


    Nami and Lilo exchanged confused glances, but Talia felt a chill run down her spine.


    She remembered the vision she had seen in the Darkstorm Sphere, in which her mother mentioned a Dark Water Well in Placid City.


    ¡°Are you talking about the Dark Water Well?¡±


    Lilinoe raised an eyebrow but stayed silent.


    ¡°How do you know about that? And what is it?¡± Talia demanded.


    Lilinoe leaned forward, her chains rattling.


    ¡°Oh, I know many things, Talia Solara. Things that would make your blood run cold. The question is, how much do you really want to know?¡±


    Before Talia could respond, Nami stepped between them, her expression hard.


    ¡°Enough games.¡±


    But Talia, feeling that this was somehow connected to her mother, roughly shoved Nami aside and kneeled in front of Lilinoe.


    The girl, who was clearly enjoying herself, was about to make a witty remark when Talia clenched a fist and punched her nose.


    Not once, not twice, but thrice.


    Lilinoe fell to the ground, coughing and groaning in pain, her nose now bleeding profusely.


    Nami and Lilo looked at each other but let Talia do her thing.


    ¡°Why are they interested in this Dark Water Well?¡±


    No response came from Lilinoe, who just slowly sat up again, now looking at Talia with genuine anger.


    ¡°Why are Cultists interested in the Dark Water Well?¡±


    This time, Lilinoe''s eyes widened in mock surprise.


    ¡°Cultists? Who said anything about Cultists?¡±


    ¡°Don''t play dumb,¡± Lilo snapped. ¡°We know they''re involved. The summoning circles on the beach and the increased monster activity all point to Cultist interference. You¡¯re one of them, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Lilinoe threw her head back and laughed, echoing off the stone walls.


    ¡°Oh, this is too rich. You think you''ve got it all figured out, don''t you? But you''re looking in all the wrong places.¡±


    Talia felt a growing sense of unease.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Lilinoe''s laughter subsided, but her eyes still danced with cruel amusement.


    ¡°Tell me, Talia, have you ever wondered why Professor Iakopo brought you all to Placid City? Why is he so invested in this little backwater town?¡±


    Talia''s heart skipped a beat. She thought of the red powder she had found in Iakopo''s office, of Lana''s tearful accusations.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Lilinoe leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.


    ¡°Maybe the Cultists aren''t the ones with secrets in this city. Maybe the real danger is closer than you think.¡±


    Nami stepped forward and grabbed Lilinoe by the collar of her bloodied shirt, yanking her forward.


    ¡°Stop speaking in riddles. Tell us what you know, or I''ll-¡±


    ¡°You''ll what?¡± Lilinoe challenged, seemingly unfazed by Nami''s rough handling. ¡°Kill me? Go ahead. It won''t change the truth.¡±


    Lilo touched her sister''s shoulder, gently pulling her back.


    She''s trying to confuse us, Talia realized.


    Suddenly, she got a massive hunch about what was going on.


    It can¡¯t be Professor Iakopo. Can it?


    Talia stood there, her mind whirling.


    ¡°One last question,¡± Talia said, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her mind. ¡°What''s going to happen in Placid City? What are you - or the Cultists, or whoever''s really behind this - planning?¡±


    Lilinoe''s smile faded, replaced by a look of grim satisfaction.


    ¡°What happened twenty years ago will happen again. Only this time, there won''t be anyone left to stop it. Darkness will be tamed once again.¡±


    A heavy silence fell over the room as the weight of Lilinoe''s words sank in.


    Talia felt a cold dread settling in the pit of her stomach.


    Nami was the first to break the silence. ¡°We''re done here. Let''s go. This is just messing with our heads.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, on the other side of Placid City, Keanu followed Professor Iakopo through the streets of the ruined town.


    The man had left the dormitory in a hurry, and Keanu''s curiosity had gotten the better of him.


    The buildings here were in even worse condition than the rest of the city.


    Many were little more than hollow walls.


    Keanu moved carefully, keeping to the shadows and staying out of Iakopo''s line of sight.


    He wasn''t sure why he was following the professor, but something in the man''s demeanor had set off alarm bells in Keanu''s mind.


    Suddenly, Iakopo stopped in what might have once been a town square.


    The remains of a fountain stood at its center, dry and cracked.


    The professor stood there for a long moment, his back to Keanu, his shoulders tense.


    Then, without warning, Iakopo let out a roar of frustration that made Keanu jump.


    ¡°I should have killed her when I had the chance!¡±


    Keanu''s blood ran cold.


    Who was Iakopo talking about?


    And why did he sound so... unhinged?


    The professor began to pace, his movements agitated.


    ¡°All of this... all of it could have been prevented if I''d just...¡±


    He trailed off, his voice dropping too low for Keanu to hear.


    But the young student had heard enough.


    His mind immediately went to Talia, to the obvious tension between her and Iakopo.


    Could the professor be talking about her?


    As quietly as he could, Keanu began to back away before the man could notice his presence.


    Luminescent Water could erase his presence, but Professor Iakopo was too high-leveled not to notice him if Keanu lingered any longer.


    He needed to find Talia, to warn her.


    Whatever was going on, it was clear that Professor Iakopo was involved.

 Chapter 63 – Facing Monsters

    It had come time for Talia to venture inside the Placid Cave herself. She looked around in wonderment, seeing a real Dungeon for the first time.


    Glowing fungi on the walls made it easy for everyone to see ahead while also creating a creepy atmosphere. Everyone''s footsteps echoed and mingled with the constant drip of water.


    Talia was right by Mira''s side, feeling a certain hostility from the senior student.


    What''s up with her? Talia thought.


    Just behind them were Nami and Lilo.


    Unlike the first, rather excited group, there was a stark tension. The news of potential Cultist presence had spooked everyone.


    Plus, Talia also knew that the Sword Demon might be in the vicinities of the place. Professor Iakopo had scouted the Placid Cave and found nothing dangerous when they had started exploring it, but Talia was still very nervous about the whole situation.


    ¡°Remember,¡± Mira¡¯s voice cut through Talia¡¯s thoughts, ¡°by the time we reach the deeper parts of the cavern in a week, those who can¡¯t summon a Mana Board will have failed out of the academy. No exceptions.¡±


    Wait what? Talia''s eyes widened.


    No one had told her that!


    She couldn''t use a Mana Board. She couldn''t even summon a crooked one!


    As they rounded a bend in the tunnel, the passage widened into a larger chamber. The increased space brought a new threat - a group of Torpedo Snappers.


    [Torpedo Snapper - Level 8]


    Trying not to think about the Mana Board thing, Talia jumped ahead of everyone, swinging the Star Glaive.


    The extra Agility she had gained from absorbing the Slashing Crusters on the beach made her movements much more fluid and precise.


    I probably need to allocate more Attributes to Strength, though, she thought, feeling the glaive still heavy in her hands.


    She ducked under the first Snapper¡¯s lunge, her glaive flashing out in a deadly arc that caught the creature mid-leap. She bisected the creature and immediately activated [Blood Siphon] to suck the vitality out of the already-dead monster.


    The Torpedo Snapper¡¯s life force flowed into her, invigorating her. The Torpedo Snapper was less durable than the Slashing Crusters, although it was faster and deadlier.


    [You have absorbed the Torpedo Snapper¡¯s Life Force.]


    [+0.7 to your Primary Mana Channel (15.02/20 to Level Two)]


    [+1 to your Agility (6/6 to 1 Agility)]


    [You gave gained 1 Agility]


    This was the fourth Agility Attribute that she had gained through [Blood Siphon].


    Whenever she looked at the Skill, she felt it was utterly unfair.


    Sure, it had some limitations on the number of monsters she could absorb at once and the maximum level of the monster she could absorb¡ªfor example, she hadn¡¯t been able to absorb the Abyssal Scuttler Boss¡ªbut it had allowed her to grow her Attributes at a speed that even the Great Families would have found absolutely terrifying.


    And while it still didn¡¯t show that much because she was low-leveled, this was bound to slowly make her into an unstoppable force¡ªbeyond what even Yalena, her mother, had been.


    Talia gave herself a small smile of satisfaction as she faced the next threat. Two more Snappers were zooming in on her spot, their torpedo-like bodies darting through the air in a pretty creepy way.


    As the first Torpedo Snapper reached her, Talia pivoted, using the creature¡¯s momentum against it, slashing her palm and using [Hemomancy] to extend a much larger blade that caught the soft underside of the monster¡¯s jaw, killing on the spot.


    She quickly activated [Blood Siphon] again, and another surge of energy coursed through her as [Blood Siphon] activated once more.


    [You have absorbed the Torpedo Snapper¡¯s Life Force.]Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    [+0.7 to your Primary Mana Channel (15.72/20 to Level Two)]


    [+1.1 to your Agility (1.8/9 to 3 Agility)]


    She briefly wondered when she would get another Skill thanks to [Blood Siphon].


    What she had taken as a rather common occurrence and a basic effect of the Skill after killing the Abyssal Cuda back on Solara had apparently been an extremely rare happenstance.


    However, her attention was swiftly brought back to the current moment as other students engaged monsters under Mira¡¯s eye, and the second Torpedo Snapper of the duo slowly slithered around her.


    Talia tried attacking first this time, but the monster anticipated her movement, twisting its body in mid-air to avoid her strike. Talia felt the rush of air as the creature¡¯s snapping jaws missed her face by inches. She stumbled back, regaining her balance just in time to parry another attack from the Abyssal Creature.


    Gritting her teeth, Talia entirely focused on the enemy and, for good measure, activated [Eyes of the Abyss] to see if she could catch the movements of Mana inside the monster¡¯s body.


    Time seemed to slow as she watched the creature coil for another strike.


    Is it going to work? She wondered.


    When it launched forward this time, she saw a flare of Mana, a hazy trail that seemed to create a vacuum in the air, which the monster would leap through moments later.


    And so, Talia was ready.


    She sidestepped right as the monster leaped through the hair, giving it no way of dodging and bringing her glaive down in a powerful overhead strike that split the Snapper from head to tail.


    [Eyes of the Abyss has reached Level 8!]


    As the creature fell, Talia took a moment to survey the chamber.


    Both Nami and Lilo were holding their own.


    But it was Lilo who caught Talia¡¯s attention.


    The Moana heir and Chosen fought with a fury that seemed out of place, her strikes carrying more force than necessary.


    I think she¡¯s still upset after meeting Lilinoe, Talia thought.


    Each Torpedo Snapper that fell to her blade did so with a sickening crunch, the creature¡¯s body nearly cleaved in two by the force of Lilo¡¯s attacks.


    Talia watched as Lilo engaged three Snappers simultaneously.


    The first fell quickly, Lilo¡¯s blade finding its mark with brutal efficiency.


    The second almost managed to graze Lilo¡¯s arm with its teeth, but the Tempest Water aura seemed to repel it.


    The attack seemed to enrage Lilo further.


    She let out a shout, her next attack so powerful it not only killed the second Snapper but continued through to strike the third, killing both creatures in a single devastating blow.


    ¡°Lilo!¡± Nami¡¯s voice carried across the chamber, a note of concern evident even over the sounds of battle. ¡°Calm down!¡±


    Lilo didn¡¯t respond, focusing entirely on the next Snapper that dared approach.


    Mira turned to observe the younger Moana sister.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with her?¡± The senior student asked.


    Lilo¡¯s head snapped up at the question, her eyes blazing with an intensity that made even Mira step back.


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Lilo snapped, her voice dripping with venom.


    Mira¡¯s eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger.


    But before she could respond, Nami stepped between them, her hands raised in a placating gesture.


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time,¡± she said firmly.


    Usually, Mira would have carried authority, being both senior to them and from a more reputable Great Family. However, the Kane Family could be considered below the Moana Family at the moment, despite the usual hierarchies. The Moana Family had risen in recent history and become much stronger than before, while the Kane Family had suffered a downfall after Professor Iakopo''s estrangement from it.


    Lilo held Mira¡¯s gaze for a moment longer before turning away with a huff, moving to take up a position at the back of the group.


    Mira watched her go, her jaw clenched in barely contained rage.


    That had been an interesting conflict.


    As they prepared to move on, Talia caught a glimpse of Mira¡¯s face.


    The senior student¡¯s expression was a mask of fury, her thoughts practically visible behind her eyes.


    I wonder if she blames Professor Iakopo, Talia wondered, imagining that Mira would be thinking something like:


    I can¡¯t let my Family down like this, allowing a puny girl from the East Deep to speak to me in such a manner.


    As they went deeper into the cave, the encounters with Torpedo Snappers became more frequent.


    Talia fell into a rhythm.


    But then, a bigger group of Torpedo Snappers emerged from a side passage.


    This new group was larger than the previous ones, with at least a dozen Torpedo Snappers jumping toward them.


    The first wave hit them hard.


    She was surrounded by three Snappers, their attacks coming from all directions.


    One Snapper¡¯s teeth grazed her leg, tearing through her pants and drawing blood. She swiftly killed two. Then, as she prepared to engage the last, Talia reactivated both [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom].


    That¡¯s when she saw it - a presence so bright and powerful that it nearly blinded her enhanced vision. Something was approaching, something far stronger than the Torpedo Snappers they had been facing. Something huge.


    Its energy signature was a dazzling mass, pulsing with a power that made Talia¡¯s heart race with fear.


    ¡°Mira!¡± Talia called out, her voice tight with urgency. ¡°There¡¯s something coming. Something big.¡±


    Mira turned, her eyebrows raised in skepticism.


    ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t sense anything unusual.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s a powerful monster heading our way,¡± Talia insisted, her patience wearing thin. ¡°We need to back off, now!¡±


    Mira¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Are you trying to cause panic like that other girl did? There¡¯s nothing-¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up, you moron!¡± Talia snapped, her fear turning to anger. ¡°Everyone, back away now! There¡¯s a strong monster coming!¡±


    The harshness in Talia¡¯s voice startled everyone.


    They began to retreat, moving back the way they had come.


    But as they did, something strange happened.


    The overwhelming presence Talia had sensed seemed to fade, replaced by the familiar energy signature of a regular Torpedo Snapper. As the weaker monster emerged from the shadows, Mira turned to Talia, her face flushed with anger.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± she shouted. ¡°Do you have any idea how much trouble you could be in for this? False alarms like this could get someone killed!¡±


    But Talia wasn¡¯t listening.


    Her brain was trying to compute what had just happened.


    The powerful presence hadn¡¯t disappeared - it had been replaced, as if something or someone had deliberately switched it out for a weaker monster.


    I was right, Talia thought, her heart pounding. I know what I saw.


    This isn¡¯t just a training exercise.


    There¡¯s something else going on here.


    As Mira continued her tirade, Talia made a decision.


    ¡°I need to send a message immediately,¡± she muttered, ignoring the senior student¡¯s angry words and turning her back to her.

 Chapter 64 – Reports

    Mayor Boro paced the length of his cramped office over the worn-out rug.


    He had been in the old Mayor¡¯s office before the Catastrophe twenty years ago. His father, the old Mayor, had owned a wonderfully furnished study where he hosted as many concerned citizens as he could throughout the day.


    Now, he was instead enclosed by suffocating, moldy walls of one of the few buildings that hadn¡¯t been destroyed during the Catastrophe.


    The citizens had told him to move to a better place multiple times, pointing at villas, or even offering to help him build a place anew.


    Boro, however, had never felt comfortable with that option.


    Placid City still suffered from that despicable man¡¯s actions of twenty years ago.


    Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t resort to better conditions until he had brought the perpetrator of the Catastrophe to justice.


    Routinely, he had to deal with the same man who came here now to clear his conscience when the damage, sadly, had already been done and was, by all means, irreversible.


    He had tried telling the Academy about that monster, to tell them he didn¡¯t deserve to wear their uniform.


    But they had ignored him.


    As far as the Academy was concerned, their Professor was a hero put in an unfortunate situation.


    However, unlike them, Boro knew the truth.


    There had been only one person responsible for the survival of the few original citizens of Placid City twenty years ago.


    And it wasn¡¯t that Iakopo.


    Now, things were about to finally come together.


    He had been assured by a man he placed great trust in that this would undo the bastard¡¯s life, finally giving him what he deserved.


    Still, sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool evening air drifting through the open window.


    He paused, glancing first at the iridescent communication shell sitting on his desk, then at the figure lounging on his worn leather couch.


    ¡°Lady Apikalia,¡± Boro cleared his voice. ¡°Would you like some refreshments?¡±


    ¡°No, darling,¡± she smiled coquettishly. ¡°Please, just go ahead. I¡¯m here to make sure we stick to the plan.¡±


    Apikalia sprawled across the cushions with a catty smile and malicious amusement painted over her bright red lips.


    She twirled a lock of her raven hair around one finger, her other hand idly tracing patterns in the air, leaving faint trails of shimmering energy.


    Boro felt extremely nervous in the presence of the unpredictable caster.


    This girl was still low-level, but he had seen her fight once six months ago, and that cemented the idea of never messing with her in his mind.


    ¡°Oh, do calm down, darling,¡± she purred, her voice a silky drawl. ¡°You look positively green. It¡¯s most unbecoming.¡±


    Boro swallowed hard, his throat bobbing visibly.


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not your neck on the line.¡±


    Apikalia¡¯s laughter was like broken glass, sharp and cutting.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± she agreed, sitting up with fluid grace. ¡°But it will be if you mess up this call. Now, shall we begin?¡±


    Boro picked up the seashell in his clammy palms.  He uselessly tried to calm his nerves.


    The mold particles hanging in the office entered his nose, mixing with the strong perfume that Apikalia wore, making him want to discharge all the contents of his stomach onto the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s now or never,¡± he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Steeling himself, Boro activated the shell.


    A soft glow emanated from its core.


    For a moment, there was only silence, broken by the distant sound of waves lapping against the shore.


    Then, a stern voice emerged from the shell.


    ¡°Water Rider Academy. State your business.¡±


    Boro¡¯s throat went dry.


    He licked his lips, struggling to find his voice.


    Apikalia swiftly rose from the couch and went to his desk, leaning forward toward him.


    ¡°Placid City¡ªThis is Mayor Boro¡­ of Placid City,¡± he cleared his voice, wincing at the quaver in his tone. ¡°We have an urgent situation regarding¡­ Professor Iakopo.¡±


    A pause stretched between them, and Boro could hear scribbling on the other hand.


    Boro¡¯s free hand drummed nervously on the desk.


    ¡°Explain,¡± the voice finally replied, sharp and skeptical.


    Boro glanced at Apikalia, who mouthed the words.


    ¡°He¡¯s... he¡¯s not himself,¡± Boro stammered. ¡°His behavior has become erratic, aggressive, even. Some of the townsfolk are frightened. There¡¯s also increased monster activity that maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°This is a reserved line for city emergencies, Mayor Boro. What is your business with the Water Riders?¡± The voice cut through his rambling.


    Apikalia nodded encouragingly, her eyes alight with malevolent glee.


    ¡°I... I don¡¯t trust Professor Iakopo¡¯s actions,¡± Boro admitted, sagging into his chair. It creaked loudly under his weight.


    ¡°Something is very wrong here. We need help.¡±


    Apikalia rose and circled around the desk, leaning close to Boro, whispering in his ear.


    ¡°Tell them about the students,¡± she hissed. ¡°How they¡¯re in danger.¡±


    Boro nodded frantically, his words tumbling out in a rush when he heard that the man at the Academy, on the other end of the shell, didn¡¯t seem to take his warning seriously.


    ¡°The students... they¡¯re in danger. Professor Iakopo was supposed to accompany them to the Placid Cave, the city¡¯s Dungeon. We¡¯ve had reports of increased monster activity there, far beyond what¡¯s normal for this time of year. And, for some reason, the Professor has been refusing to go with them. He¡¯s been growing more and more paranoid, too.¡±


    He paused and tried to make it sound like he was panicked--which, to be fair, he actually was, just not for the reasons the man on the other end of the seashell would imagine.


    ¡°Just yesterday, some locals spotted two students fighting off an unusually large number of Slashing Crusters on the beach at night. It¡¯s not like Professor Iakopo to expose first-year students to such risks.


    "There¡¯s more. We¡¯ve discovered... evidence of possible Cultist activity in the area. The students reported a summoning circle on the beach. Did Professor Iakopo report that?¡±


    Silence came from the other side of the clam, and Boro sighed in relief, raising his eyes to the ceiling.


    ¡°I fear Professor Iakopo might be deliberately putting the students in harm¡¯s way, perhaps as some sort of twisted test. Or worse... he might be working with the cultists themselves.¡±


    He leaned closer to the shell, now whispering.


    ¡°Please, you must understand. Placid City suffered a catastrophe twenty years ago that nearly wiped us out. Professor Iakopo was here then, and now, with his erratic behavior and these dangerous circumstances... I fear history might be repeating itself. We can¡¯t risk the lives of these young students¡ªhe keeps sending them into the Dungeon even though there might be Cultists around! They need protection, and quickly, before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll send a team to investigate,¡± the voice from the shell finally declared. ¡°In the meantime, report any further unusual behavior immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Boro nodded vigorously, relief washing over him. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much.¡±


    Boro slumped back in his chair as the connection faded, exhaustion etched into every line of his face.


    Apikalia¡¯s laughter filled the room, dark and triumphant.


    ¡°Oh, you did wonderfully, my dear mayor,¡± she cooed, running a finger along his jawline. ¡°The trap is set, and soon, oh so soon, we¡¯ll have everything we desire.¡±


    Boro shuddered.


    Apikalia watched as the Mayor slumped in his chair.


    A great sense of satisfaction washed over her. Apikalia had left her old, dysfunctional family behind to find a place to belong, people who could truly appreciate her talents. It didn¡¯t matter to her that she had to give up on her normal magic to fully embrace her role.


    She had found power beyond what she had imagined possible.


    Sure, there was some irony in this.


    She had to join what was considered a dark and evil group to find her place.


    But it didn¡¯t matter.


    Cultists weren¡¯t the mindless, destruction-obsessed fanatics that the Water Riders painted them to be.


    No, they were visionaries.


    Having been around nobility, she knew how corrupt that world was.


    And today, they¡¯d move one of the first steps toward bringing that world to its knees once and for all.


    Even Boro fears us, Apikalia thought, amused. Even after getting our help, he didn¡¯t like us.


    It was a shame that so few could see past their prejudices to understand the noble goals they pursued. Apikalia thought of the students she had been observing from afar when they visited the Dungeon.


    Most of them were clearly painfully naive.


    But there was one¡ªthe blonde girl¡ª intrigued her.


    ¡°You know,¡± Apikalia mused aloud, causing Mayor Boro to start nervously, ¡°what we¡¯re doing here... it¡¯s justice, pure and simple, Boro. The nobles, the Academy - they¡¯ve had their chance to make things right. They¡¯ve failed time and time again. Now it¡¯s our turn.¡±


    She stared right into the Mayor¡¯s eyes.


    She didn¡¯t even know why he was telling him out of all people, but she felt the strict need to vocalize her thoughts.


    ¡°We¡¯re not the villains of this story, my dear.¡±


    Apikalia walked toward the door and rested her hand on its handle.


    ¡°And soon, very soon, everyone will see that truth.¡±


    She looked over her shoulder, through the window, at the sun dipping below the horizon, plunging Placid City into shadows that seemed to anticipate what was about to happen.


    The endgame was about to unfold.


    Apikalia left through the door, but unbeknown to her, a figure crouched upon the mayor''s roof frowned and silently retreated.

 Chapter 65 – Messages

    Chapter 65 ¨C Messages


    The door to Mayor Boro¡¯s office burst open, startling the man. Talia stumbled in, her face flushed and her eyes wild with apparent distress.


    Keanu followed close behind.


    ¡°Mayor Boro!¡± Talia exclaimed, her voice trembling. ¡°I need your help. Please, it¡¯s urgent!¡±


    Boro, still reeling from his earlier conversation, blinked in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, child? Are you alright?¡±


    Talia shook her head frantically.


    ¡°I need to send a message to my sister, Riala. It¡¯s... it¡¯s about what¡¯s happening here. Please, can you help me?¡±


    The Mayor¡¯s eyes widened in recognition.


    ¡°Riala? As in Riala Solara? Your sister, the H¨¡kai P¨­¡¯s firstborn?¡±


    Boro knew very well of both Riala and her sister, Talia, who stood disheveled right before him. Lady Apikalia had informed him of whom was not to be messed with.


    Boro also felt a strong gratitude for Talia¡¯s mother, which extended to her daughters as well. Yalena, their mother, the H¨¡kai P¨­, had been the only reason he had survived twenty years ago.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Talia nodded, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°My older sister. She¡¯s back at the Academy, and I need to warn her about... about everything that¡¯s going on here. I think something¡¯s wrong with Professor Iakopo¡­ I¡ªI don¡¯t know if I should say but¡ª¡±


    Boro¡¯s expression softened, and he mentally cheered for fate¡¯s twists.


    ¡°You need to say nothing more, child,¡± he said, gesturing to the communication shell on his desk. ¡°Use this. It¡¯s a direct line to the Academy.¡±


    Another piece falls into place, Boro thought to himself, relieved that this wasn¡¯t going to be a problem in their plans.


    Surely, if Yalena¡¯s daughters were involved, it would only add more weight to the accusations against Iakopo.


    The man would finally face justice for his actions.


    Keanu, meanwhile, hung back near the door, his eyes darting around the room curiously.


    He seemed interested in the various documents and maps scattered about the Mayor¡¯s office.


    Talia picked up the shell with shaky hands.


    She closed her eyes for a moment, composing herself, before speaking into it.


    Talia picked up the shell with trembling hands.


    ¡°Hello, I need to relay a message to Riala Solara from Elder Kahua¡¯s School. This is her sister, the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter, Talia Solara. I speak from the Mayor¡¯s office in Placid City.¡±


    The operator stumbled on his words on the other line.


    ¡°S¡ªsure, miss, please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Riala, it¡¯s Talia. Listen carefully. There are problems with Professor Iakopo. The star has fallen into shadow. Crabs are crabbing, not alone. Please, come.¡±


    Boro scrunched his brow when he heard Talia¡¯s message.


    The girl had seemed so agitated, but her words had come out straight and cold with what sounded like a coded message.


    She¡¯s mentioned Professor Iakopo. That¡¯s all we need. There¡¯s more than enough evidence already.


    ¡°Is that all, miss?¡± The voice spoke respectfully on the other side.


    ¡°Yes. Please, bring it to her now. It¡¯s a question of life and death.¡±


    ¡°I will, miss.¡±


    Talia passed the shell back to the Mayor.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her voice steadier now. ¡°You have no idea how much this means to me.¡±


    Boro nodded, a warm smile on his face.


    ¡°Anything for Yalena¡¯s daughters. Your mother was a true hero.¡±


    Talia and Keanu soon left the office.


    Once outside, Talia¡¯s demeanor changed.


    The distress melted away, replaced by a determined look.


    She turned to Keanu, her eyes meeting his.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said softly. ¡°For what happened earlier, with the Star Glaive. I should have been more careful.¡±


    Keanu shook his head.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who should apologize. I overreacted. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you away like that. You tried to use your Skill without knowing what it would do¡­ I understand.¡±


    ¡°And thank you for listening to me now,¡± Talia said, momentarily changing topic. ¡°I told you something was wrong.¡±


    ¡°You were right,¡± Keanu replied, frowning toward Mayor Boro¡¯s office.


    Then, as he saw her brooding, he decided to add something.


    ¡°No power is evil, Talia,¡± Keanu said, his voice gentle but firm. ¡°Only their users can be evil. It¡¯s how you choose to use it that matters.¡±


    Talia shook her head vehemently.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. This power... it¡¯s not like my other Skills. It¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a Skill, no?¡± Keanu frowned.


    ¡°I felt different,¡± Talia explained. ¡°I felt this hunger. This need to consume. It was as if it had a life of its own.¡±


    Keanu reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Listen, just don¡¯t use it for now,¡± he replied. ¡°Not until you know more about it. It¡¯s that simple, no? Just don¡¯t use the Skill, and everything will be fine.¡±


    For a moment, Talia allowed herself to feel comforted, but then she straightened and gritted her teeth.


    ¡°We need to move quickly,¡± she said, her voice low. ¡°Something big is about to happen, and we need to be ready. This was just the first step. There¡¯s more to do. Even if the Skill doesn¡¯t drive me mad, the chances that things will be fine with the rest of the city are pretty slim.¡±


    ***


    Professor Iakopo paced in his temporary quarters.


    ¡°The monsters are here again,¡± he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°They are here. They must be here. But where?!¡±


    But while the students had been away, switching rotations, he had gone inside the Placid Cave¡¯s deepest recesses for the second time.


    Nothing out of the ordinary had been there. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    How is it possible?


    Where are they coming from?


    I know they¡¯re here.


    I know.


    Iakopo scratched at his head so hard he could feel his nails digging in his scalp.


    Am I losing my mind?


    No.


    It can¡¯t be.


    I know.


    I KNOW THEY¡¯RE HERE!


    I need to kill them!


    What if they emerge when I¡¯m away?


    What if I can¡¯t do anything again?


    Iakopo had found more Torpedo Snappers around the island, but he couldn¡¯t figure out where they had come from for the life of him.


    The only reason he hadn¡¯t stopped the training inside the Placid Cave was that he had personally gone there.


    But there hadn¡¯t been any sign of evolved Torpedo Snappers or Torpedo Snappers on the verge of evolving.


    So, where were they?


    Was he actually losing his mind?


    A sudden knock at the door made him whirl around.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he barked, his voice cracking slightly with tension.


    ¡°Professor?¡± came a muffled voice from the other side. ¡°It¡¯s Mira. I have the report you asked for.¡±


    Iakopo hesitated, his eyes narrowing.


    Could he trust Mira?


    She was family, but now... now he couldn¡¯t be sure of anyone.


    Slowly, cautiously, he approached the door.


    ¡°Slide it under,¡± he commanded.


    He didn¡¯t even want to look at the girl at the moment.


    There was a pause, then the sound of paper rustling.


    A moment later, a sealed envelope appeared in the gap beneath the door.


    Iakopo snatched it up quickly, retreating to the far side of the room before breaking the seal.


    As he read the contents, his face paled.


    ¡°No,¡± he whispered, the paper shaking in his trembling hands. ¡°No, no, no. This can¡¯t be happening. Not again.¡±


    He had heard of the cultist¡¯s summoning circles. Still, he had checked every inch of the shore and the space around the Placid Cave¡ªevery sign of the possible presence of Torpedo Snappers.


    Sure, he had seen a few more Slashing Crusters around the place, but he would simply leave those to his students once they were done with the Dungeon.


    But other than that¡­


    There had been nothing.


    But then, why did monsters appear around the island when the students went inside the cave?


    Was he really putting all his efforts into solving this problem?


    Was he subconsciously slacking off, afraid of what he might find on the island?


    Iakopo crumpled the paper in his fist, his breathing becoming rapid and shallow.


    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± he hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°I know they¡¯re here. But why, then, why can¡¯t I find them?!¡±


    Placid City''s surroundings had a bunch of caves, but they were incredibly small and contained nothing worth mentioning. Plus, there were so many that if Iakopo decided to


    A ripple of Mana came from his body, and he barely managed to stop it.


    The space around him, including the desk and furniture, was suddenly ripped apart.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± he panted. ¡°By the fucking Deep. What is happening here? Have I finally lost it? I need to get in touch with Shaker.¡±


    He had left the man to guard the ship, but he now needed to find him.


    He needed someone who had been there twenty years ago.


    He needed to know he wasn¡¯t going crazy.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let it happen again,¡± Iakopo declared to the empty room.


    * * *


    Twenty Years Prior


    Iakopo and Shaker, probably the person he trusted the most after his own sister, entered the Placid Cave.


    There, waiting for them, were Yalena and the strongest out of the senior students they had brought with them, the current Champion of Elder Kahua¡¯s School.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Iakopo asked.


    Yalena nodded, her white hair seeming to glow in the dim light of the cave fungi.


    ¡°As we¡¯ll ever be. The deeper sections of the cave are flooded, so we¡¯ll need to use Mana Boards to navigate.¡±


    The Champion, a tall young man with a serious expression and shining eyes, spoke up.


    ¡°What exactly are we looking for down there?¡±


    ¡°Anything out of the ordinary,¡± Iakopo replied. ¡°Cultist activity, unusual monster concentrations, signs of Dark Water... Be on your guard. This isn¡¯t a typical training exercise.¡±


    As they ventured deeper into the cave, the air grew thicker with moisture and the faint scent of brine.


    Suddenly, Yalena held up a hand, signaling the group to stop.


    Her eyes focused ahead.


    ¡°There¡¯s something... off about the Mana here. It¡¯s too dense, too concentrated.¡±


    Iakopo frowned, reaching out with his own senses.


    He could feel it, too.


    It was as if the very fabric of reality was being warped by an unusual concentration of Mana.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he muttered. ¡°This isn¡¯t natural. You take the rear," he told Shaker. "You,¡± Iakopo addressed the student. ¡°You¡¯re with me up front. Yalena, keep your senses sharp. If there are Cultists down here, we need to know before they know we¡¯re onto them.¡±


    The passage soon opened into a vast underground chamber.


    The ceiling stretched high above them, lost in shadows, while before them stretched a dark, mirror-smooth expanse of water.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Yalena whispered, her voice tense. ¡°The flooded section. The Dark Water Well has to be somewhere beyond this point.¡±


    Iakopo nodded grimly. ¡°Alright, everyone. Mana Boards out. Stay close, and for the love of the Deep, don¡¯t touch the water unless absolutely necessary. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s lurking down there.¡±


    The insane concentration of Mana made it impossible to peer through the waters with one''s senses.


    As they summoned their [Mana Boards] and glided across the underground lake''s surface, an eerie silence fell over the group.


    Suddenly, a disturbance in the water caught Iakopo¡¯s attention. Something large was moving beneath the surface, circling their group with predatory intent.


    ¡°Everyone, be ready!¡± he called out.


    The water exploded upwards as a monstrous form burst into view.


    It was supposed to be a Torpedo Snapper, but it was far larger than any they had encountered before.


    [Drake - Level 52]


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± Elder Kahua¡¯s Champion gasped. ¡°What is that thing doing here?¡±


    Yalena¡¯s face had gone pale.


    ¡°It¡¯s... wrong. The Mana coming off it... it¡¯s tainted. This is the work of Cultists.¡±


    Iakopo gritted his teeth.


    This was far worse than he had anticipated.


    If the Cultists had found a way to artificially evolve the cave¡¯s creatures, who knew what other horrors awaited them in the depths?


    As the massive Drake lunged towards them, jaws gaping wide, Iakopo made a split-second decision.


    ¡°Yalena!¡± He shouted. ¡°I need you!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± She replied.


    Translucent silvery walls enveloped Iakopo and the Drake.


    As Yalena¡¯s Star Water began to form a shimmering barrier around the creature, Iakopo charged forward, the space around him starting to distort.


    Drakes were terrifying creatures that were usually found in the most dangerous parts of the North Deep.


    While this one couldn¡¯t be classified as strong by his species, it would be enough, on its own, to destroy a good chunk of Placid City.


    As the Drake lunged towards them, Iakopo¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    The space around him began to break, with cowebs-like cracks spreading through the air.


    With a movement reminiscent of a titan splitting the heavens, Iakopo thrust his hand forward.


    The effect was immediate and devastating.


    The very fabric of reality seemed to fracture, jagged lines of nothingness spreading outward from his palm.


    The Drake, caught in the epicenter of this reality-shattering attack, didn¡¯t even have time to screech.


    Its massive body simply... came apart, split by the same forces tearing through the space around it.


    Yalena¡¯s Star Water barrier strained under immense pressure, containing the fracturing space that threatened to expand towards the others.


    The silvery walls shimmered and bulged but held firm, protecting the rest of the group from Iakopo¡¯s overwhelming power.


    As the chaos subsided, Yalena lowered her barrier, revealing the aftermath of Iakopo¡¯s attack.


    Where the Drake had been, there was now only empty space, the water around it displaced in a perfect semicircle.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± Shaker whispered, his eyes wide with awe and a hint of fear.


    The group pressed on, navigating through the flooded caverns with caution.


    As they progressed deeper, the water level began to recede, allowing them to disembark from their Mana Boards onto solid ground once more.


    What they found there stopped them in their tracks.


    The cavern floor was littered with hundreds, if not thousands, of shed skins.


    Each was massive, easily the size of the Drake they had just encountered.


    The implications were¡­


    ¡°This... this is impossible,¡± Elder Kahua¡¯s Champion stammered, his face pale in the dim light. ¡°There can¡¯t be this many Drakes. It would be catastrophic.¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s expression was grim as he surveyed the scene.


    ¡°And yet, we¡¯ve only encountered one. Where are the rest?¡±


    Yalena knelt to examine one of the shed skins, her brow furrowed in concentration.


    ¡°These are recent. Very recent. Whatever emerged from these skins, it happened not long ago.¡±


    As they contemplated this disturbing discovery, Shaker noticed something at the far end of the cavern.


    ¡°Look,¡± he said, pointing. ¡°There¡¯s something here. It¡¯s... different from the rest of the cave. I can feel it. It''s hidden but it''s sowhere.¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s face pale as he looked from the countless shed skins.


    Suddenly, he whirled his Space Water, which allowed him to pick on distant vibrations.


    ¡°We need to go back. Now. The city is under attack.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Yalena interjected, her eyes fixed ahead. ¡°I can feel it, Iakopo. The well. It¡¯s down there.¡±


    Iakopo shook his head vehemently.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Don¡¯t you see? Hundreds of Drakes, Yalena. Hundreds! They¡¯re getting up there somehow! People are about to die en masse if we don¡¯t do something!¡±


    Yalena stood her ground.


    ¡°Iakopo, listen to me. The Dark Water Well is our only chance to save the entire Great Archipelago from the Kraken. We can¡¯t just leave now, not when we¡¯re this close.¡±


    For a moment, Iakopo looked torn.


    Finally, he gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Ten minutes,¡± he growled. ¡°You have ten minutes to do whatever it is you need to do. Not a second more. Understood? I need you in the fight.¡±


    Yalena nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Shaker, with me,¡± Iakopo commanded. ¡°We¡¯re heading back to warn the city.¡±


    Then, he turned to Yalena one last time.


    ¡°If there are that many Drakes up there, I won¡¯t be able to kill them all without you.¡±


    ¡°I will be back. I promise,¡± she said, nodding.


    With a last, conflicted look at Yalena, Iakopo and Shaker turned and hurried back the way they had come.


    As their footsteps faded into the distance, Yalena turned to face the senior student who had remained silent throughout the exchange.


    Her eyes softened as she regarded him.


    ¡°Maui,¡± she said softly. ¡°Are you ready for this? I warned you this might happen.¡±


    The young man, Maui, dropped to one knee before her, his head bowed.


    ¡°Yes, milady,¡± he replied, his voice steady and resolute as he dropped to one knee. ¡°I¡¯m ready to die for you.¡±


    Yalena placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, helping him up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that,¡± she said. ¡°Come. We have a well to find.¡±

 Chapter 66 – Guilt

    Talia sat cross-legged on her bed in the small, sparsely furnished room she had been assigned in Placid City.


    She had her father''s journal open in front of her. She had hoped to find some information about the Dark Water Well--anything that could give her a hint about the current situation.


    Things were going poorly, to say the least.


    Talia''s brow furrowed as she ran her fingers over the journal.


    She had thought that by exposing her wrist marks to the text for longer, she might be able to decipher more of its contents.


    However, the words remained stubbornly indecipherable even with her strange birthmarks hovering just above the paper.


    They trembled and vibrated, but most of it was still impossible to read.


    She could make out barely a few scattered words here and there behind the love letters that her father had seemingly written to her mother.


    No more than that.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she muttered. ¡°There has to be something here.¡±


    She knew that understanding more about Dark Water could be crucial, especially given the mentions of a Dark Water Well by both Lilinoe and her mother in the vision from the Darkstorm Sphere.


    Any information was vital, as there was a growing sense that something big was about to happen in Placid City.


    Any power she could reach for could make a difference, especially Dark Water.


    Talia flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning for any hint of legibility.


    As she did so, a loose sheet of paper slipped from between the journal''s pages, fluttering to the floor.


    Curious, she leaned down to retrieve it, her fingers closing around the fragile parchment.


    As she unfolded the paper, her eyes widened.


    Most of the love letters in the journal were a little faded and somewhat incoherent as if they had been scribbled down in haste.


    This one, though, seemed genuine, not just a cover for whatever was hidden behind the pages.


    ¡°My dearest Yalena,¡± Talia read aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Taking a deep breath, she continued reading.


    ¡°My dearest Yalena,


    Sometimes, I think about the lighting I used to see every day at home.


    I feel like you were the greatest thunderbolt of my life.


    In the way lighting splits the darkness in the sky and tears the gloomy nights apart, my love for you has split the twilight of my heart.


    I wish our days together would never end.


    I am ready to follow you anywhere,


    Forever yours, M.¡±


    Talia lowered the letter with conflicting emotions.


    The words were undeniably sweet, filled with a deep feeling that she had never associated with her parents¡¯ relationship for some reason.


    Perhaps¡­ because she had never really thought of them?


    Well, I never really¡­ met them.


    Yes, she had met her father and saw her mother in weird, time-stopped visions.


    But she had never seen them sip a tea or have a chat about the latest bounty from the fishing boats, whether they¡¯d have to eat more fruits or whether it hadn¡¯t rained much lately.


    She had never heard of them or from them in an everyday context.


    ¡°He really loved her,¡± Talia murmured, a note of wonder in her voice. ¡°Maybe I should get in touch with him¡ªmaybe he would help me with Dark Water.¡±


    Considering how dire the situation was growing day after day, it wasn¡¯t a crazy thought to try to get in touch with her father, too.


    He was a big deal, apparently.


    Maybe I can send a message to Mano?


    Would it even reach Dad in time?


    And how would I send the message to Mano anyway?


    It¡¯s not like Mayor Boro¡¯s office has a line to the Market, do they?


    She trailed off, her gaze drifting to the window.


    The view outside was still gray and dreary. With a sigh, she carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into the journal.


    As touching as the words were, they didn''t provide any useful info to her.


    What did they need the Dark Water Well for anyway? Talia pondered. What was Mom up to?


    Talia''s hand unconsciously moved to her glaive, which leaned against the bed within easy reach. She wondered why she had gotten [Ravenous Wounds].


    The power she had felt at that moment had been terrifying. The hunger that had coursed through her, the overwhelming desire to drain the life force from everything around her... it was a feeling that had horrified her.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    It had been a while since she had last had a real problem with her powers.


    But now, even with Keanu telling her that it was fine, that she had simply momentarily lost control, even with Nami and Lilo always complimenting her and envying her Skills, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like the monster everyone on Solara had made her be.


    What kind of Skill was that?


    Talia knew, at least on an intellectual level, that Skills couldn¡¯t be evil.


    [Ravenous Wounds], the Star Glaive¡¯s Skill she had unlocked after pouring the ocean of vitality from her body into the Star Glaive clearly looked powerful, but what really scared her about it was how it had influenced her thoughts.


    She had felt genuine hunger, a genuine need to consume Keanu, to take his blood.


    Maybe some Skills are inherently evil.


    How could it not be evil to consume lives just like that?


    How many criminals and monsters would I be able to consume before my appetite would turn toward my friends?


    What would they say when, after losing my mind, I would attack them, trying to consume them?


    Talia didn¡¯t know.


    Or maybe, I just need to master it.


    Something was undeniable.


    For all she was afraid of turning into the Kraken¡¯s spawn, as they had treated her back on Solara, [Ravenous Wounds] might become her most terrifying weapon if she ever mastered it without falling to its hunger.


    It almost got Keanu out, and he only had a small cut¡­


    Maybe she would have to go hunting alone, to seek monsters by herself to test it out, where she could unleash the terrible Skill without worrying about hurting her friends.


    She gave one last look at the journal.


    ¡°What am I missing here?¡± Talia muttered, frustration creeping into her voice once more. ¡°There has to be something to unlock this.¡±


    But no matter how hard she searched, the journal remained stubbornly uncooperative.


    After what felt like hours of fruitless examination, Talia finally closed the book with a defeated sigh.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Takai trudged along the sandy shoreline in another part of Placid City with his shoulders slumped.


    He had just emerged from one of the rotations in the Placid Cave. While he had managed to hold his own against the Torpedo Snappers, he couldn''t shake the feeling of inadequacy that clung to him like a second skin.


    Lilinoe''s words echoed in his mind.


    ¡°Weak... unworthy... a disappointment.¡±


    His own sister, not much older than him, if at all, had disposed of him as if he had been nothing. He had started thinking that maybe he was on a tear, especially after talking to Principal Kaimana, but now¡­


    Takai kicked at a small pebble, watching it skitter across the sand before being swallowed by an incoming wave.


    ¡°Maybe she''s right,¡± he muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the sea. ¡°Maybe I am weak. Maybe that''s why Dad left.¡±


    The thought of his father brought a fresh wave of confusion and pain.


    Takai had spent years imagining what it would be like to meet his father.


    Somewhat foolishly, even though he knew that his father was a criminal, he had always wanted to prove himself worthy of the man''s legacy.


    Sure, the Sword Demon was feared, but with that fear also came reverence.


    His sword skills, after all, were legendary.


    Even Elder Krakatoa mentioned his father¡¯s incredible swordsmanship.


    Takai knew he himself wasn¡¯t anything special, but he had hoped he would have been able to somehow do something that would have given his father a reason to at least talk to him.


    But now, faced with Lilinoe almost killing him without barely breaking a sweat, those dreams felt childish and naive. Takai''s hand moved unconsciously to his chest, where he could feel the faint pulse of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique if he paid attention to it.


    It was the technique Principal Kaimana had tested him for.


    Yet, right when he had thought he would have gained something to make him worthy of his father¡¯s name, all his hopes had been washed away.


    He should have never even hoped for it.


    Maybe he should have never left Solara.


    He probably wouldn¡¯t have left if it hadn¡¯t been for Talia.


    ¡°A technique that all it requires is a good heart,¡± Takai said bitterly, kicking at the sand. ¡°And I can''t even use that. What does that say about me?¡±


    Lilo, who had been in his group during the exploration of the Placid Cave, had inherited a Soul Weapon, White Rose.


    She was the heir of the Moana Family.


    And not just the heir¡ªshe was the Chosen, the Promised Slayer.


    He had felt such a power behind the girl¡¯s attack during Elder Krakatoa¡¯s class that he knew for sure that if they had ever met in a real fight, he would have been crushed and humiliated.


    Just like with Lilinoe.


    Maybe his sister could have faced someone of Lilo¡¯s level¡ªnot certainly him.


    Lilo had destroyed his sword by accident.


    That was the difference between them.


    The Chosen of the Moana Family was part of a category of people destined to be heroes.


    Him?


    Takai smiled bitterly.


    He was destined to be so weak that his own father didn¡¯t even want to acknowledge his existence.


    ¡°What would you think of me now, Dad?¡± Takai asked at the empty beach, his voice cracking slightly. ¡°Would you be disappointed? Is that why you left Mom and me behind?¡±


    The lack of response from the uncaring Deep only deepened Takai''s melancholy. He had felt strong when, aboard Professor Iakopo¡¯s ship, he had used [Silver Mist]. He had felt like he was on his father¡¯s tracks and that he could do better¡ªat least in the good deeds department.


    Something that the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique had clearly disproved.


    So, with shame washing over him, he continued his solitary walk along the shore.


    Lilinoe, his half-sister, the daughter his father had chosen to train, was too strong.


    ¡°She''s everything I''m not,¡± Takai murmured. ¡°Strong, talented..."


    Professor Iakopo had allowed him to see her after Takai had told him who she was.


    But Takai wasn¡¯t sure that had been a great choice.


    Takai''s steps slowed as he approached a large piece of driftwood half-buried in the sand.


    He sank down onto it as the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky orange and pink.


    ¡°I don''t know what to do,¡± Takai admitted to the empty air.


    Never so much in his life had he felt the need to be loved by a parent he had never met before.


    * * *


    A Few Days Later


    At night, something was going down in the town square in Placid City. A crowd had gathered, but no one could believe what was being said.


    At the center of it all stood Professor Iakopo.


    He wasn¡¯t acting high and mighty like usual.


    He was¡­


    Indignant.


    Two Water Riders from the Academy, dressed in crisp uniforms and with grim expressions, flanked the man.


    One held a pair of mana-absorbing cuffs that glowed in the night.


    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Iakopo growled, his voice carrying across the square. ¡°I demand to know the meaning of this!¡±


    The taller of the two Water Riders stepped forward.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo, you are under arrest on suspicion of endangering students, collaborating with Cultists, and gross negligence in your duties as a Water Rider.¡±


    A collective gasp rose from the crowd.


    Students who respected and feared Iakopo looked at him in shock.


    The locals whispered among themselves.


    Professor Iakopo''s own face contorted with rage.


    ¡°This is absurd! I have protected these people and these useless students! I have trained more good Water Riders than anyone at the Academy! And now, those with shoddy standards, you two pesky nobles want to cuff me?!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s evidence, Professor. If you¡¯re innocent, we¡¯ll find out soon. But we need to restrain you. It¡¯s protocol.¡±


    ¡°I have killed hundreds of Cultists,¡± Professor Iakopo said. ¡°Why would I ever ally with them?!¡±


    The second Water Rider moved to place the cuffs on Iakopo''s wrists.


    ¡°Please don''t resist, Professor. We have orders to bring you in for questioning. If these accusations are false, you''ll have the opportunity to clear your name. Again, this is just protocol.¡±


    For a moment, it seemed as though Iakopo might lash out.


    The air around him shimmered with barely contained energy, and several onlookers took involuntary steps backward.


    But then, as quickly as it had come, the fight seemed to drain out of him.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he spat, holding out his wrists. ¡°But know this - you are making a grave mistake. While you waste time with these false accusations, monsters are hiding in Placid City.¡±


    Then, the Mana cuffs clicked into place, sealing away the Professor''s access to his magic.

 Chapter 67 – Damning Evidence

    Keanu stepped out of the makeshift interrogation room with a pale face. The wooden door closed behind him with a clicking sound. He leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath to steady himself.


    He couldn¡¯t believe the amount of questions and the meticulousness with which the two Water Riders from the Academy had applied.


    While trying to uncover the secrets surrounding Professor Iakopo, they had almost uncovered his own. Keanu had almost ruined his own mission because of Professor Iakopo.


    His heart couldn¡¯t stop pounding, especially as he saw Talia pushing herself off the wall and coming in his direction.


    They were all back in the main villa, which they used as one big dorm.


    Professor Iakopo was being held in its basement after the girl who had attacked Takai had been moved to another cell since she was considered way less of a threat than the man. Keanu looked at one of the oil lamps on the wall, wishing for a second he could douse himself and light his troubles away.


    Every day, his mission became more and more stressful.


    And he wasn¡¯t making any real progress.


    He coughed the mold from the walls out of his lungs and nodded at Talia, trying to smile at her.


    He was still kind of afraid of what the girl had done for the sake of practicing a new Skill.


    But that couldn¡¯t interfere with his real mission.


    Other students shuffled around nervously. When Keanu emerged, all eyes momentarily turned to him, probably wondering what questions had been asked and if any new ones had surfaced after they had asked the others.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Talia asked in a low voice, her blue eyes searching his face for any clue of the outcome.


    He ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°It was... intense,¡± he replied in a low voice. ¡°They asked about everything - our training sessions, the monsters we encountered, Professor Iakopo¡¯s behavior. They also¡­ ask about personal stuff.¡±


    ¡°Personal stuff?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°Background, family, and so on and so forth. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll ask you, though. They know who you are,¡± Keanu said, almost slipping a frustrated groan.


    ¡°They really think he¡¯s a Cultist?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°It seems to be the case,¡± Keanu shrugged.


    Talia furrowed her brow in thought.


    She opened her mouth to respond, but a stern voice called out from the doorway before she could.


    ¡°Talia Solara,¡± the Water Rider investigator announced. ¡°You¡¯re next.¡±


    Talia squared her shoulders, exchanging a quick glance with Keanu before walking towards the room.


    As she passed through the doorway, the investigator closed it behind her and sighed. The room only had a single table and three chairs.


    Two Water Riders sat on one side, their faces impassive.


    To Talia''s surprise, Mira sat on the other side of the table.


    The older student¡¯s presence was unexpected, and Talia couldn¡¯t help but wonder what caused it.


    ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± one of the Water Riders said, gesturing to the empty chair.


    Talia sat down, her back straight and her hands folded in her lap.


    She could feel Mira¡¯s eyes on her.


    The Water Rider, who had spoken, a middle-aged woman with graying hair pulled back in a tight bun, leaned forward.


    ¡°Miss Solara, we¡¯re here to gather information about the events that have transpired in Placid City, particularly concerning Professor Iakopo¡¯s conduct. Please understand that this is a serious investigation, and we expect nothing but the truth from you.¡±


    Talia nodded, her throat suddenly dry.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she managed to say.


    The second Water Rider, a younger man with sharp features, spoke next.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning. Can you describe your interactions with Professor Iakopo?¡±


    ¡°All of them?¡± Talia was confused.


    ¡°All of them?¡± The woman asked back.


    ¡°I took the Initiation Test with Professor Iakopo,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start there if you think it¡¯s relevant.¡±


    Talia took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    She was acutely aware of Mira¡¯s presence, and in that moment, she made a decision. If Mira was here, Talia needed her to believe she was also fully behind the man''s arrest.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo purposefully targeted me from the start. He tried eliminating me twice during the test.¡±


    Talia proceeded to explain what the man had done, and the two Water Riders on the other side of the table glanced at each other, taking notes.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo has been... intense,¡± Talia began, choosing her words carefully. ¡°I know he¡¯s always been a demanding instructor with every student, but he¡¯s had it out for me since I arrived here. I¡¯ve also barely seen him.¡±


    Talia said all of this because she fully believed that Professor Iakopo was on his way to a conviction no matter what.


    She fully believed Mira was involved in this, even though she didn¡¯t know whether the two investigators here were also on the wrong side.


    And if that was the case, she couldn¡¯t appear suspicious.


    Not if she wanted to be able to do her own bidding and follow her own plans.


    The female Water Rider nodded, making a note on a piece of paper before her.


    ¡°We have been told you visited his quarters when he was away. Did you find anything worth of note?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Talia frowned.


    Mira told them, Talia realized, cementing her own understanding of the girl from the Kane Family. Mira must have planted it and knew I''d find it.


    The female Water Rider leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful.


    ¡°Miss Solara, when you visited the man¡¯s study, did you ever come across anything suggesting Professor Iakopo was involved in... less than savory activities?¡±


    Talia felt her heart rate increase.


    This was the moment of truth.


    She could feel Mira¡¯s gaze boring into her, watching for any sign of deception.


    Taking a deep breath, Talia made her move.


    ¡°Actually,¡± she said, ¡°I did find something strange in Professor Iakopo¡¯s office.¡±


    The room seemed to grow even quieter if that was possible. Even the sounds from the hallway outside seemed muted.


    ¡°Go on,¡± the male Water Rider prompted, leaning forward.


    Talia swallowed hard, then continued.


    ¡°I saw a strange red powder on his desk. It looked like the same substance I saw used in a summoning ritual on my home island.¡±


    She paused, letting the implication sink in.


    ¡°The ritual was performed by a Cultist.¡±


    The effect of her words was immediate.


    The Water Riders nodded to each other.


    ¡°Are you absolutely certain about this, Miss Solara?¡± the female Water Rider asked, her voice sharp.


    Talia nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain. I recognized it immediately. I just wasn¡¯t sure whom to tell.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s another piece of damning evidence,¡± the woman sighed.


    Talia looked back quizzically.


    ¡°She¡¯s the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter,¡± the male Water Rider said. ¡°If we can¡¯t trust her¡­¡±


    The woman nodded back and turned toward Talia.


    ¡°You¡¯re trustworthy enough to share something with, and you saw it with your own eyes. We¡¯ve found ourselves traces of the same substance in the Professor¡¯s study. There were attempts to conceal it, but we specialize in finding traces like those.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡± Talia let her words trail.


    ¡°You can go for now,¡± the woman said, rubbing her face. ¡°What a mess.¡±


    Talia stood.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure meeting you,¡± the woman said. ¡°I knew your mother. She was the greatest pride of the Academy. We miss heroes like her. Especially in situations like this one.¡±


    Talia attempted a smile, seeing that Mira was still surveilling her every reaction.


    ¡°I wish I had met her,¡± Talia said sheepishly. ¡°Thank you for your service.¡±


    The older student¡¯s expression was unreadable, but a glint in her eye made Talia uneasy.


    She had played her part, hoping to convince Mira of her ignorance while seemingly cooperating with the investigation.


    Now, it was time to have her own investigation.


    * * *


    The two Water Riders hurried behind Mayor Boro, who had his own copy of Professor Iakopo''s mana cuffs, and a shopkeeper who claimed to have found something terrible.


    ¡°If he¡¯s a Cultist,¡± the male Water Rider said, ¡°why didn¡¯t he fight back? That¡¯s why we told Principal Kaimana to send more men. Imagine if he had rebelled.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he still has some honor left,¡± the woman replied with a shrug.


    ¡°Listen,¡± the man said, ¡°Iakopo could have killed both of us. This was stupid. I still don¡¯t understand why the Principal didn¡¯t dispatch an Elder to accompany us. Or two.¡±


    ¡°You should stop believing all the rumors,¡± the woman groaned. ¡°Iakopo is not that strong.¡±


    ¡°He used to be a Promised Slayer,¡± the man rebuked.


    ¡°No one¡¯s seen the man fight in two decades,¡± she replied. ¡°He disappears every now and then, but it¡¯s probably because he¡¯s a Cultist. Maybe some Promised Slayers became washed-up Water Riders.¡±


    ¡°Did they?¡± He said skeptically. ¡°Well, at least we got him in cuffs.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± the Mayor said with his round face flushed, and he gesticulated wildly as he spoke to the investigators.


    The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the abandoned buildings and overgrown lots.


    Finally, they had arrived at what appeared to be an old warehouse near the docks. The smell of salt and rotting fish was strong here, making them wrinkle their noses in disgust.


    Mayor Boro fumbled with a large key, his hands shaking slightly as he unlocked the heavy padlock on the door.


    ¡°You have to see this,¡± Boro said, carrying down the hallway. ¡°It¡¯s worse than we thought. Much worse.¡±


    The group hurried past the doors.


    They followed the Mayor inside the poorly illuminated building.


    ¡°Prepare yourselves,¡± Lana warned, her voice trembling. ¡°What you¡¯re about to see... it''s such a terrible thing."


    The door creaked open, and a wave of cold air washed over them, carrying a sickly sweet odor that made their stomach turn.


    The Water Riders produced small globes of light, illuminating the warehouse''s interior.


    What the two investigators saw made them gasp in horror.


    Laid out in neat rows on the floor were dozens of bodies, each covered with a thin white sheet. The outlines of their forms were clearly visible, some distorted in ways that spoke of terrible deaths.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± one of the Water Riders breathed, his face pale in the ghostly light.


    Mayor Boro stepped forward, his voice shaking as he spoke.


    ¡°We... We found them scattered throughout the city. Hidden in abandoned buildings. We brought them here to¡­ we wanted to show them to you before we buried them.¡±


    Lana moved to one of the bodies and gently pulled back the sheet, revealing the face of a young woman.


    Her skin was pale and waxy, her eyes mercifully closed.


    But the marks on her neck drew everyone¡¯s attention - angry red lines that seemed to twist and swirl in fractured patterns.


    ¡°Space Water,¡± the female Water Rider said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°These are the marks of Space Water. I can still feel it, too.¡±


    The woman felt her blood run cold.


    Space Water was Professor Iakopo¡¯s Affinity, a rare and powerful form of Water Magic.


    She didn¡¯t know anyone else who had mastered it.


    So, if these victims bore the marks of Space Water...


    The male Water Rider turned to Mayor Boro.


    ¡°How long have you known about this?¡±


    Boro wrung his hands, his eyes darting nervously around the room.


    ¡°We... we only just discovered the full extent of it. At first, it was just a few bodies. We thought maybe it was the work of monsters that had escaped the Placid Cave. But then we found more, and we noticed the patterns...¡±


    The Water Riders exchanged a look.


    The male investigator turned to address the group.


    ¡°This changes everything,¡± he said, his voice heavy with the weight of what they had discovered. ¡°If these deaths are Professor Iakopo¡¯s doing, then we¡¯re dealing with something far more sinister than we initially thought.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll alert the Academy at once,¡± the woman said, shaking her head.

 Chapter 68 – Resignation

    The two Water Riders in charge of the investigation descended some creaky wooden stairs into the damp basement where Professor Iakopo was being held.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± the guy said. ¡°Him? Do this? Why?¡±


    ¡°Beats me,¡± the woman replied, frowning. ¡°Listen, our job is to bring him back to the Academy. The Principal will take care of the rest.¡±


    The air smelled of mold and decay, and both, who had arguably gone through worse, felt sick to their stomach.


    The evidence was, despite the fact that they partially refused to believe their eyes, pretty damning.


    The traces of Space Water over the bodies of the dead couldn¡¯t be faked.


    And neither knew even one person who had mastered Space Water other than Professor Iakopo.


    When they entered the cell, both felt their stomachs churn and capsize, threatening to spill their contents on the floor.


    The man in front of them had possibly tarnished the honor of the Academy in the most heinous way.


    Iakopo sat slumped against the far wall, bound at his wrists and ankles by mana-absorbing cuffs.


    Additional chains criss-crossed his body, each link glowing faintly as it siphoned away any trace of magical energy.


    The Professor was too strong to only use cuffs on him¡ªthat was why they had gone the extra mile to ensure he couldn¡¯t get free by accessing his terrifying Affinity.


    The man looked haggard and rattled his chains as he shifted against the wall.


    As the investigators approached, Iakopo raised his head, his gaze unfocused and weary.


    The female Water Rider spoke first, her voice cold and professional.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo, we¡¯ve made a disturbing discovery that we need to discuss with you.¡±


    Iakopo said nothing, merely watching them with a detached expression.


    The male investigator continued.


    ¡°We¡¯ve found bodies, Professor. Dozens of them, hidden throughout the city. They bear the unmistakable marks of Space Water magic.¡±


    At this, Iakopo¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of something¡ªshock, disbelief, perhaps even fear¡ªpassing across his face.


    He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again, seemingly at a loss for words.


    ¡°The evidence is damning,¡± the female Water Rider pressed on. ¡°These deaths, combined with the other findings... it¡¯s enough to warrant execution. You¡¯ve stained the honor of all Water Riders with your actions. We¡¯ll bring you in for sentencing tomorrow. Do you have anything to say in your defense?¡±


    For a long moment, Iakopo remained silent, his gaze fixed on some unseen point beyond the dank basement walls.


    Then, to the investigators¡¯ shock and disgust, he began to laugh.


    It started as a low chuckle, building into a full-bodied laugh that shook his entire frame.


    Tears streamed down his face as he laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls in a cacophony of madness.


    The two Water Riders exchanged uneasy glances.


    The man¡¯s laughter, tinged with hysteria and despair, was as good as a confession in their eyes.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve seen enough,¡± the male investigator muttered, turning towards the stairs.


    His partner nodded in agreement, casting one last disgusted look at the still-laughing Iakopo before following her colleague out of the basement.


    As the door slammed shut behind them, Iakopo¡¯s laughter gradually subsided, and the tears dried on his cheeks.


    He leaned his head back against the cold stone wall, his eyes closed in resignation.


    ¡°So this is how it ends,¡± he murmured to himself, his voice hoarse. ¡°Is this fate¡¯s way of settling the score?¡±


    Confined in the basement, bound like a feral dog, Iakopo¡¯s thoughts turned inward.


    The weight of the past was much worse than all the chains that they had draped around his body than the accusations they were moving toward him.


    ¡°I might not be guilty of this,¡± he whispered, his tone tinged with madness. "They might be framing me. But... don¡¯t I deserve this? After all these years trying to prove I wasn¡¯t responsible... Maybe this is the moment of truth¡ªthe moment I finally pay for what I¡¯ve done.¡±


    His mind drifted back to that fateful day two decades ago, to the choice that had haunted him ever since.


    ¡°I should have killed her before then when I found the bodies the first time,¡± he muttered, his fists clenching despite the restraints. ¡°If I had... none of this would have happened.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    As the reality of his situation sank in, Iakopo felt a strange sense of relief wash over him.


    The burden he had carried for so long, the constant struggle to redeem himself, to prove his worth, seemed to fall away in the face of this final judgment.


    ¡°Maybe this is for the best,¡± he said to the empty room. ¡°An end to it all. A chance to finally face the consequences of my actions.¡±


    With that thought, Iakopo closed his eyes, surrendering to whatever fate awaited him.


    * * *


    The talk of Professor Iakopo¡¯s arrest spread among the students.


    Many still couldn¡¯t believe what they were hearing, nor wanted to.


    Someone had leaked news about the bodies that had been found by the two investigators, and now everyone seemed horrified.


    No one wanted to believe Professor Iakopo had done it.


    But the evidence was too strong to be ignored.


    ¡°Listen up, everyone,¡± Mira called out, her voice cutting through the chatter. ¡°I know you all have questions about what¡¯s happening with Professor Iakopo. While I can¡¯t discuss the details of it, I can tell you this: our mission here in Placid City remains unchanged.¡±


    Mira had gathered them in the hall of the villa where they were staying and now raised a hand for silence.


    ¡°The expeditions into the Placid Cave will resume shortly after the preliminary verdict on the Professor¡¯s guilt is reached. I have communicated with the investigators, and they agree that just because the Professor might have committed crimes, we¡¯re not to be withdrawn before clearing out the Placid Cave. We don¡¯t want the place overrun by monsters, and it¡¯s great practice. The investigators have checked the Dungeon and have cleared out some semi-evolved Torpedo Snappers that they think Professor Iakopo had been raising at the end of the cave.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°We will all go together this time as one group. We must take care of Placid City and make it safe for its citizens. So, we¡¯ll do one last push together and clear out the normal Torpedo Snappers in the Dungeon.¡±


    Standing near the back of the room with Keanu, Talia felt a chill run down her spine at Mira¡¯s words. She knew they were running out of time to uncover the truth.


    Mira¡¯s voice took on a harder edge as she continued, ¡°I want to make one thing perfectly clear: those who are unable to use Mana Board will still fail out of the Academy, even though Professor Iakopo has been arrested. As a member of the Kane Family and under the authority our superiors gave me, I will be taking over the course until the Academy finds a suitable replacement for Professor Iakopo.¡±


    Talia knew that she needed to act fast if she was going to confirm Iakopo¡¯s innocence and uncover whatever trouble was brewing in Placid City.


    As the meeting dispersed, Talia slipped away from the crowd, making her way back to her small room.


    She closed the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment as she gathered her thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s now or never,¡± she muttered to herself, moving to sit cross-legged on her bed. ¡°I need to prepare.¡±


    Talia closed her eyes, focusing her mind inward to access her Akashic Record.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 16]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 10]


    [Rank: Novice]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 1 {Dormant}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 5 {Flowing}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Dark Water): Level 1 {Dormant}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 10]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 11]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 8]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 4]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 6]


    [Auxiliary Skill #3: Blood Confluence Lv. 3]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Agility: 4]


    [Constitution: 3]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 0]


    [Free Attributes: 0]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li>Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li>Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li>Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li>Hemomantic Artisan (1)</li>


    <li>Crimson Sage (1)</li>


    <li>Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 3]


    Talia could now see two of her Talent Trees¡¯ paths, Hemomantic Artisan and Crimson Sage.


    So, she took a look at the Skills they offered since she had earned two Talent Points by leveling up [Blood Siphon] and [Hemomancy] beyond Level 10.


    She needed to get into the cave, but before her sister arrived in Placid City, she needed to take care of a Boss with several levels on her.


    A suicide mission, she thought bitterly.


    Having fought a giant Abyssal Scuttler Boss together with Lani, Talia knew how dangerous those things could be and, more importantly, how resilient they were.


    So, she looked at the options.


    [Hemomantic Artisan:


    <ol>


    <li> Blood Weaving</li>


    <li> Arterial Surge</li>


    <li> Vitality Tap</li>


    </ol>


    ]


    [Crimson Sage:


    <ol>


    <li> Crimson Meditation</li>


    <li> Blood Wraith</li>


    <li> Well of Blood</li>


    </ol>


    ]


    Together with the paths, she could instinctively feel what the Skills did, a major upgrade from not having any Talent Point spent in one Tree and going blind, even though these cost two Talent Points each, meaning she could only choose one.


    [Blood Weaving] was the first Skill she checked out and, perhaps, the most interesting she had seen so far.


    It would allow her to control the spilled blood of her enemies.


    If Talia had been a Caster, she would have immediately picked such a Skill since it would have allowed her to use the entire battleground to her advantage.


    To understand how stupidly powerful that would have been, it would basically be as if Fiora could summon Sunwater from pretty much any part of the battlefield instead of just her proximity.


    [Blood Weaving] definitely sounded like something Talia would definitely reconsider in the future, especially as her reliance on Blood Water would increase.


    [Arterial Surge] allowed her to burn her blood and turn it into Blood Water, essentially allowing her to increase her output manyfold in one burst.


    It made sense that this belonged to the Hemomantic Artisan Talent Tree since it clearly would benefit a Caster more than her.


    [Vitality Tap] was somewhat similar in scope to [Arterial Surge], but instead of burning one¡¯s own blood, it would draw from the spilled blood of enemies and, if paired with [Blood Siphon], from their vitality.


    While enticing, none of these Skills would give her a clear advantage to kill the Slashing Cruster Boss.


    So, she turned to the [Crimson Sage] Talent Tree.


    [Crimson Meditation] was pretty straightforward.


    It accelerated her Mana regeneration but required it to be stationary while using it.


    [Blood Wraith] summoned a familiar made of Blood Water that would fight alongside Talia.


    [Well of Blood] would increase her reserves of Blood Water Attuned Mana.


    Sadly, they were all useless to her as things stood.


    And so, she turned toward the Talent Trees that she had not yet unlocked.


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li>Bloodborne Warrior</li>


    <li>Carmine Thunder</li>


    <li>Sanguine Guardian</li>


    <li>Life Thief</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    She immediately excluded Life Thief.


    Any Charisma-based Skill would do nothing for her as things stood.


    And that left three Talent Trees.


    Incidentally, she had three Free Talent Points.

 Chapter 69 – Speed Glyph

    Riala had been three years old when their mother had gone to face the Kraken and had never returned since.


    Riala had notes that their mother had left them regarding Skills and Classes¡ªmostly general principles of fighting, nothing extremely specific.


    Yalena had been so consumed with killing the Kraken that they hadn¡¯t accumulated much knowledge of the rest.


    One of the things that her mother had stressed, something that went against the grain of what was commonly taught, was that over-specialization was crippling, especially at lower levels.


    Their mother''s theory was that the most important thing for an aspiring Water Rider in their early levels was survivability, not to blast the monsters in the most spectacular way ever.


    Yalena had also written that unlocking all the Talent Trees as soon as possible gave one the opportunity to change the path if they deemed it a good option.


    Yalena had started as a physical fighter when she had entered the Academy, only later turning into a full-blown caster¡ªwhich was the path that Talia¡¯s sister, Riala, was currently going down.


    So, with that kind of advice in mind, she made a quick decision.


    She would spend one Talent Point on each of the three remaining trees: Bloodborne Warrior, Carmine Thunder, and Sanguine Guardian.


    Without allowing herself time to second-guess or pore over the individual paths, she swiftly allocated the points.


    A warm sensation spread through her body as the new Skills settled into place.


    Talia closed her eyes, allowing her mind to absorb the information flooding in.


    When she opened her eyes again, she focused on examining each new Skill one by one.


    [You unlocked the Bloodborne Warrior Talent Tree.]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Bloodbath]


    [You unlocked the Carmine Thunder Talent Tree.]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Bloody Tracks]


    [You unlocked the Carmine Thunder Talent Tree.]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Blood Fortress]


    All three descriptions slowly flowed into her mind, and Talia winced.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good,¡± she cursed to herself.


    Somewhat surprisingly, all three Skills had essentially the same effect but on different Attributes.


    [Bloodbath] temporarily increased her Strength based on how much damage she had dealt to monsters.


    [Bloody Tracks] and [Blood Fortress] did the same but for Agility and Constitution.


    Talia winced.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    This hadn¡¯t been a great move.


    Talia could probably inflict damage to the Slashing Cruster Boss with Mana Crystallization, but she would have gladly taken a more powerful Skill than the ones she had received to help her out with it.


    Ok, I¡¯ve got an idea to make this work, she thought. But first, I need to talk to the others.


    * * *


    Talia entered Takai¡¯s room.


    She was hesitant as she approached her friend.


    Takai sat on the bed, staring out of the window with a gloomy look in his eyes.


    He barely turned as she entered, offering a weak smile.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Talia said softly. ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    Takai shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m ok.¡±


    Talia could see the lie in his slumped shoulders and the dark circles under his eyes.


    She sat down beside him, her voice filled with regret.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been around much. Things have been crazy, but that¡¯s no excuse. I should have checked on you sooner¡ªI know that Lilinoe is your sister.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Takai mumbled, barely registering those words, but Talia could hear the hurt in his voice.


    She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Takai, I... I hate to ask this of you right now, but I need your help.¡±


    Takai looked up, his expression a mix of surprise and resignation.


    ¡°My help?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I need you to put aside whatever it is that you are feeling and help me out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can do. I¡¯m not... I¡¯m not strong like you or the others.¡±


    Talia¡¯s heart clenched at his words. She reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re not weak, idiot. You¡¯ve got your father¡¯s Skill and talent.¡±


    ¡°But my sister¡ª¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Your sister doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Talia said. ¡°You¡¯re strong enough for this.¡±


    Takai didn¡¯t look convinced, but he didn¡¯t pull away.


    Talia continued.


    ¡°I need you to go with Keanu. There¡¯s something important that needs to be done, and I trust you two to handle it.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Takai asked, a flicker of curiosity breaking through his melancholy.


    Talia hesitated, choosing her words carefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s crucial for uncovering the truth about what¡¯s happening in Placid City. I wouldn¡¯t ask if it wasn¡¯t important. I just need you to trust me on this one. Please, just say yes.¡±


    Takai was quiet for a moment, considering her words.


    Finally, he looked up, meeting Talia¡¯s gaze.


    There was a determination in his eyes that she hadn¡¯t seen in days.


    ¡°Ok,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Just tell me what you need.¡±


    Talia felt a wave of relief wash over her. She squeezed Takai¡¯s shoulder, grateful for his trust and willingness to help despite his own struggles.


    ¡°Thank you. I promise I¡¯ll explain all the details after. For now, I need you and Keanu to steal the key to Professor Iakopo¡¯s cuffs and go free him. I know that Mayor Boro has a copy. So¡­¡±


    * * *


    Talia hesitated outside Fiora¡¯s room, her hand about to knock.


    The sound of frustrated groans and muttered curses filtered through the door.


    Talia frowned, wondering what could be going on in there.


    Taking a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles against the wood.


    There was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of shuffling feet.


    The door swung open, revealing a disheveled Fiora.


    Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her usually neat blonde hair was a tangled mess.


    ¡°Talia,¡± Fiora said, her voice flat. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I... Is everything ok?¡± Talia asked, taken aback by Fiora¡¯s appearance.


    Fiora let out a harsh laugh.


    ¡°Oh, sure! Everything¡¯s ok! Everything¡¯s always damn ok!¡± She threw her hands up in exasperation. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m failing at everything!¡±


    Talia blinked, surprised by the outburst.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Fiora¡¯s shoulders slumped. For a moment, it seemed like she might slam the door in Talia¡¯s face.


    Instead, she stepped back, gesturing for Talia to enter.


    ¡°It¡¯s this stupid Speed Glyph,¡± Fiora muttered, almost forgetting her recent animosity towards Talia in her frustration. She waved her hand, and a complex pattern of Mana appeared in the air. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to learn this to enhance my casting speed, but I just can¡¯t get it to damn work.¡±


    Talia activated her [Eyes of the Abyss], studying the Mana structure of the Glyph that levitated in the middle of the room.


    The intricate patterns swirled and pulsed, revealing their purpose to her enhanced perception.


    ¡°Maybe I can help,¡± Talia offered cautiously.


    Fiora turned to her, tears welling up in her eyes.


    ¡°Of course you can,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°You always have the answers, don¡¯t you? Even though I was the one who actually passed the Academy¡¯s test, I¡¯m the one who gets treated like dirt. And you... you can feel like a monster all you want, but you... You know what? Whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    The blonde waved her away, but she could clearly see the hurt in her eyes.


    Talia felt a pang in her chest at Fiora¡¯s words.


    Without thinking, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the blonde girl.


    Fiora stiffened for a moment before softening into the embrace, her body shaking.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± Fiora mumbled into Talia¡¯s shoulder, even as she clung tighter. ¡°I hate how easy everything is for you.¡±


    It hasn¡¯t always been, Talia thought, but she avoided pointing it out to Fiora.


    She could understand the girl¡¯s pain very well and she chose to just let her friend feel what she was feeling and not disprove it.


    They stood like that for a while, Talia rubbing soothing circles on Fiora¡¯s back as the blonde¡¯s tears gradually subsided.


    Finally, Fiora pulled away, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.


    ¡°Show me what you¡¯ve been doing,¡± Talia said gently.


    Fiora nodded, taking a deep breath to compose herself.


    She summoned a globe of Sunwater, then attempted to superimpose the Speed Glyph onto it.


    Talia watched through [Eyes of the Abyss], noticing how the Mana reacted poorly as the Sunwater orb had already solidified its structure.


    ¡°I think I see the problem,¡± Talia said. ¡°You¡¯ve already mastered the structure of the Glyph, but you¡¯re trying to apply it after forming the Sunwater. Try summoning the orb through the Speed Glyph instead.¡±


    Fiora frowned but nodded.


    She dispelled the current orb and focused, visualizing the Glyph as she called forth her Sunwater.


    This time, the orb that formed hummed with power, visibly vibrating with enhanced energy.


    Fiora¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°It... it worked,¡± she breathed.


    [Solar Glyph Mastery has reached Level 5!]


    [You learn Solar Glyph - Speed]


    [Solar Glyph - Speed has reached Level 1!]


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Fiora!¡± Talia exclaimed, genuinely happy for her friend¡¯s success.


    Fiora stared at the pulsing orb of Sunwater, a mix of emotions playing across her face.


    Finally, she turned to Talia.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly with contrasting emotions.


    Talia smiled, then took a deep breath.


    ¡°Listen, Fiora... in exchange for this, I need your help with something. Something that might get us both killed.¡±


    Fiora snorted.


    ¡°As usual,¡± she said, but there was no real bitterness in her tone.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need Lilo and Nami, too,¡± Talia continued. ¡°If we¡¯re going to survive what¡¯s about to happen in Placid City, we all need to work together.¡±


    Fiora studied Talia for a long moment, then nodded.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m in. What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go get Nami and Fiora first. Without them, it¡¯d be impossible to succeed.¡±


    * * *


    Mira strode toward the older Moana sister, who currently lounged with the Retinue of their Chosen in the common hall.


    The younger Moana sister looked up as Mira approached.


    Nami had an instinctual dislike for the girl.


    If it had been up to her, she would have thrown her out in a second.


    Professor Iakopo might have been guilty, but he was part of the Kane Family.


    The minimum Mira should have done was to give the man the benefit of the doubt.


    ¡°Nami,¡± Mira began, her voice carrying a newfound, crisp authority, ¡°I need you to take charge of the students for the upcoming expedition into the Placid Cave. You¡¯ll be leading them.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Nami frowned. ¡°I have other duties.¡±


    ¡°I understand your dedication to your sister, Nami, but circumstances have changed. Lilo has been summoned to the Mayor¡¯s office by the investigators.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Nami exclaimed, her composure slipping for a moment. ¡°Why would they need Lilo for that?¡±


    Mira sighed, running a hand through her hair in a rare display of frustration.


    ¡°As the Chosen of the Moana Family, she¡¯s required to bear witness to Professor Iakopo¡¯s preliminary sentencing. It¡¯s a formality but an important one. The presence of a Chosen adds weight to the proceedings.¡±


    ¡°So, have they found more proof?¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned already,¡± Mira said with an annoyed tone. ¡°They quickly scouted the Placid Cave to make sure it would be safe for us, finding some half-evolved Torpedo Snappers in the main nest at the end. They killed those and saw that they were too strong to be normal ones, considering the last complete clearing had been done only two years ago. They think Professor Iakopo might have also been behind the Catastrophe of twenty years ago himself. You know it involved evolved Torpedo Snappers and Drakes, right?¡±


    Nami¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°So¡­¡± she muttered, more to herself than to Mira.


    ¡°So, Professor Iakopo might have been planning to get more Drakes and start another catastrophe in a few years. Maybe those he killed had found out.¡±


    Mira¡¯s patience was clearly wearing thin.


    She crossed her arms, her voice taking on a sharper edge.


    ¡°Those are the orders, Nami. I don¡¯t have time to debate their merits with you. Your sister will be with the investigators. You think she won¡¯t be safe with them?¡±


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was likely only a few seconds, Nami nodded reluctantly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, her voice heavy with resignation.


    ¡°Noted,¡± Mira said curtly, already turning to leave. ¡°Alert the students. We will leave soon.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, in a basement different from Professor Iakopo¡¯s, close to the Mayor¡¯s office, a very different scene unfolded.


    Apikalia moved silently through the shadows, her footsteps barely disturbing the thick layer of dust that coated the floor.


    In her hand, she clutched a small, ornate key¡ªa gift from Mayor Boro.


    There was no guard since the schedule had accidentally been altered.


    With a glance over her shoulder to ensure she wasn¡¯t being followed, Apikalia inserted the key into the lock.


    It turned with a satisfying click, and the door swung open.


    Lilinoe sat in the center of the small cell, her wrists bound by mana-draining cuffs.


    Despite her captivity, there was a fierce light in her eyes.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Lilinoe growled.


    Apikalia smirked as she knelt beside her companion, deftly unlocking the restraints.


    ¡°Good things come to those who wait, my dear. And believe me, the wait will be worth it.¡±


    As the cuffs fell away, Lilinoe flexed her wrists.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Lilinoe breathed, her voice thick with anticipation. She stood, stretching like a cat waking from a long nap.


    She massaged her wrists with a malicious smile on her face.


    ¡°Now I can go earn my own Cursed Sword.¡±

 Chapter 70 – Shaker

    The heavy iron door creaked open as the two Water Riders roughly shoved Shaker into the cell where his master was being held.


    The gruff man stumbled, his hands bound behind his back with mana-draining cuffs.


    His eyes darted around the space before settling on the restrained figure in the corner.


    ¡°Professor?¡±


    Shaker¡¯s voice was hoarse, disbelief evident in his tone.


    Iakopo looked up slowly, his intimidating presence diminished by the chains that bound him.


    The scar across his face was redder than usual, giving him a rather sorry look.


    ¡°Shaker,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°So they got you too. You should have left the port without me. They¡¯re going to involve you in this nonsense, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    The female Water Rider stepped forward with disgust painted all over her face.


    ¡°You two can reminisce about your crimes together,¡± she spat. ¡°We¡¯ll be back for your formal sentencing soon enough.¡±


    With that, she and her partner retreated, slamming the door shut behind them.


    The sound of the lock engaging echoed through the small space, leaving Shaker and Iakopo in the depressed silence of the cell.


    Shaker walked awkwardly to the opposite wall of the Professor¡¯s, using his back to slide down and sit on the cold stone.


    For a long moment, neither man spoke.


    ¡°Milord,¡± Shaker said, in a tone of voice completely different from the usual.


    The man cleared his voice.


    ¡°Milord,¡± Shaker repeated, his accent suddenly growing formal and deferential, a stark contrast to his usual gruff manner. ¡°We cannot allow this travesty to continue.¡±


    Iakopo looked up, surprised.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the man to change to¡­


    Well, it appeared that the pirate-like affectation was gone for the moment, replaced by the proper speech of a well-trained servant.


    ¡°What would you have me do, Shaker?¡± Iakopo asked, his voice heavy with resignation. ¡°Whoever fabricated this clearly knew what they were doing.¡±


    Shaker straightened his posture despite the discomfort of his bonds.


    When he spoke again, his voice carried the weight of years of loyal service.


    ¡°With all due respect, Lord Iakopo, you are a son of the esteemed Kane family. You should lean onto your position, whether your father wants to lend his support or not. It is beneath your station to accept such false accusations without a fight. Why did you even allow these two mongrels to put cuffs onto you in the first place, milord?¡±


    There had been a striking transformation in Shaker¡¯s speech and bearing as if a mask had been lifted to reveal a different person entirely.


    Iakopo sighed, shaking his head.


    ¡°The Kane name means little now, old friend. And, as far as the cuffs go,¡± Iakopo said, shaking his restraints, ¡°perhaps this is the price I must pay for my failures.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ, milord,¡± Shaker responded, his tone growing more insistent and prickly. ¡°The fate of Placid City clearly hangs in a delicate balance. Cultists must be behind this, milord. That despicable man will resurface once again, and you¡¯re the only one who can fight him off now that the Principal is so old.¡±


    Iakopo felt like his scar was burning at the sole mention of that person.


    ¡°They won, my friend,¡± Iakopo said dejectedly. ¡°I¡­ I want to be done with this. Twice, I¡¯ve made a mistake. Now, it¡¯s time to rest.¡±


    ¡°Milord,¡± the gruff-looking man said with great composure, ¡°your only sin was to trust too much. You¡¯ve been avulsed from the Academy and its people for the past twenty years. I¡¯ve served after you since the day you were born, and, as my duty commands, I¡¯ve never let my tongue get in the way of your development, no matter how dire the situation got. But here, milord, I must drop all my manners and tell you that you¡¯re being a damn fool.¡±


    Iakopo raised an eyebrow at the man.


    ¡°Shaker¡ª¡±


    ¡°Milord,¡± Shaker said, ¡°I would ask you to address by my name today, of all days.¡±


    Iakopo was surprised by the request but nodded slowly.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Saikai.¡±


    * * *


    Forty-Years Prior


    The storm clouds gathered over the Kane estate, dark and heavy, rumbling with distant thunder.


    The air was thick, and a sense of anticipation hung over the grand halls of the mansion.


    Inside, Lord Kane paced back and forth in his study, his footsteps muffled by the rich, velvety carpets.


    His gaze kept drifting to the window, where flashes of lightning lit up the turbulent sky and then to the closed door that led to his wife¡¯s chambers.


    She was in labor, and the tension in the manor could be cut with a knife.


    Standing nearby was Saikai, a young man not much older than a boy, dressed in the formal attire of a special branch of the Kane Family.


    Despite his youth, his posture was straight, and his eyes were laser-focused.


    ¡°Saikai,¡± Lord Kane said abruptly, stopping his pacing. ¡°You understand the responsibility I¡¯m entrusting to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Saikai replied, his voice steady.


    ¡°My son will be born tonight,¡± Lord Kane continued, glancing briefly toward the door as another muffled cry echoed from beyond. ¡°He carries the future of our family. He will need someone by his side¡ªloyal, unwavering. Are you prepared to be that person?¡±


    Saikai met his gaze. ¡°I am prepared, my lord.¡±


    Lightning flashed again, illuminating the room for a brief moment. Lord Kane took a deep breath. ¡°From this night forward, like your family has protected me and my father before me, and the father of my father, you will be bound to him. Protect him. Guide him. Serve him with all your heart.¡±


    A particularly loud clap of thunder shook the windows, causing both men to glance outside.


    The sky had taken on an unnatural blue hue, the clouds swirling in patterns that seemed to defy natural law.


    Flashes of azure lightning illuminated the study in brief bursts.


    ¡°An azure storm,¡± Iakopo¡¯s father murmured, a hint of awe in his voice. ¡°It is said such storms herald the birth of great warriors.¡±


    He turned back to Saikai, his expression solemn.


    ¡°If these omens are anywhere close to being real, he¡¯ll be the next Chosen and his older sister, his Shield. This boy will most likely become the next Lord Kane, Saikai. And I need someone outside his family to watch over him, to be there to support him no matter what. Are you ready for that?¡±


    ¡°Milord,¡± Saikai bowed his head.


    ¡°My son will need a protector worthy of his potential. Are you truly prepared to dedicate your life to this task? If so, bend the knee.¡±


    Saikai took a deep breath, then dropped to one knee.


    ¡°Your oath,¡± the lord commanded.


    ¡°I am, my lord. I swear on my life and honor to serve and protect your son until my dying breath. My life is his, my strength is his, and my very being exists to ensure his success and safety.¡±


    As if in response to his oath, a bolt of blue lightning split the sky, brighter and more intense than any before.


    It illuminated the room in an otherworldly glow, casting long, twisting shadows across the walls.


    The thunder that followed was deafening, seeming to shake the very foundations of the mansion.


    At that same moment, piercing through the rumble of thunder, a baby¡¯s cry rang out from the next room.


    Lord Kane¡¯s eyes widened.


    He looked from the door to Saikai, then back to the raging storm outside.


    ¡°It is done. The spirits of lighting themselves bear witness to this oath.¡±


    He reached out, placing a hand on Saikai¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Rise, Saikai. From this day forward, you are bound to my son, Iakopo Kane. May you serve him well, and may your loyalty never waver.¡±


    Saikai stood, his eyes shining with determination and a hint of moisture that might have been unshed tears.


    ¡°I will not fail you, my lord. Nor will I fail young master Iakopo. My life is now entwined with his, and I shall ensure that he rises to the greatness that is his birthright.¡±


    * * *


    Three years had passed since that stormy night. In the vast gardens of the Kane estate, a small figure darted between meticulously trimmed hedges of giant bushes and flower beds.


    Three-year-old Iakopo, with his messy dark hair and bright, curious eyes, was a bundle of energy barely contained in his tiny frame.


    ¡°Young master, please be careful!¡± Saikai called out, his normally composed demeanor in shambles as he tried to keep up with the possessed toddler.


    Iakopo giggled, ducking behind a large ornamental fountain that the kid had almost tipped over twice just that week.


    His laughter, however, echoed so joyously around the place that it almost made Saikai cringe because of the contrast with the usually stern atmosphere that pervaded the Kane household.


    In the distance, Iakopo could see his older sister, Hi¡¯iaka, training with their father.


    At seven years old, she was already showing promise as a future Shield.


    But the young master, Saikai thought to himself, had already shown a talent that defied reason and logic.


    Young master Iakopo, Saikai reasoned, might grow to become the strongest man the Great Archipelago of N¨¡ Moku Kai had ever witnessed.


    However, Lord Kane treated the toddler like a soldier more than he treated his son, and that was reflected in how the young Iakopo interacted with his parents.


    Iakopo watched for a moment, a flicker of longing in his young eyes, before turning back to his game of chase with Saikai.


    The young butler was the only one who had the time and patience to play with the kid.


    ¡°Found you!¡± Saikai announced, rounding the fountain with a triumphant smile.


    Iakopo squealed in delight, launching himself at Saikai¡¯s legs.


    The young man caught him easily, swinging the boy up into his arms.


    ¡°Again, again!¡± Iakopo demanded, his eyes sparkling with mischief.


    Saikai chuckled, setting the boy down gently.


    ¡°As you wish, young master. But perhaps we could play a calmer game? One that doesn¡¯t involve quite so much running?¡±


    Iakopo pouted for a moment, then brightened.


    ¡°Okay! You hide, I seek!¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Saikai agreed, relieved at the prospect of less physical activity. ¡°Close your eyes and count to ten, young master.¡±


    Iakopo screwed his eyes shut, his small face scrunching up in concentration as he began to count.


    ¡°One... two... fee...¡±


    Saikai smiled fondly at the boy¡¯s attempt, moving to hide behind a nearby tree.


    He made sure to stay partially visible, not wanting to make the game too difficult for the young child.


    ¡°...nine... ten!¡± Iakopo opened his eyes, looking around eagerly.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to spot Saikai¡¯s form behind the tree.


    With a cry of triumph, he raced over.


    ¡°I found you!¡± he exclaimed, his face beaming with pride.


    Saikai emerged from his hiding spot, kneeling down to Iakopo¡¯s level.


    ¡°Well done, young master! Your observation skills are truly impressive.¡±


    Iakopo basked in the praise, then frowned slightly, his brow furrowing in concentration.


    ¡°Sai... Sai...¡± he struggled with the name, his young tongue not quite able to wrap around the syllables.


    ¡°Saikai,¡± the young man supplied gently.


    ¡°Shaker!¡± Iakopo declared proudly, clearly pleased with his approximation.


    Saikai blinked in surprise, then let out a warm laugh.


    ¡°Close enough, young master. If it pleases you to call me Shaker, then Shaker I shall be.¡±


    Iakopo clapped his hands in delight, repeating the name.


    ¡°Shaker, Shaker!¡±

 Chapter 71 – Saikai

    ¡°Milord,¡± Saikai said, ¡°I assure you that the young Yalena doesn¡¯t bite. I inquired with her Professors. She seems to be the brightest talent besides yours, too. Despite her humble origins, she might be a good match for your rebellious streak, especially if you wanted to give your father a heart attack since he already took it upon himself to propose suitable girls for your future union.¡±


    ¡°Shaker,¡± a teenage, second-year student Iakopo said, using the affectionate name from his childhood for his butler, ¡°First, I would love nothing more than to make my father angry. Second, however, I don¡¯t think I should go talk to her. She never talks to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Milord,¡± Saikai smirked, ¡°women are to be courted. Men chase, women rebuff them away.¡±


    Iakopo frowned, his cheeks flushing slightly.


    ¡°Court her? Shaker, I¡¯m not... I mean, I don¡¯t even know her.¡±


    Saikai¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement.


    ¡°And how do you propose to get to know her if you never speak to her, milord? Besides, I¡¯ve seen how you look at her during training sessions.¡±


    The young Kane heir sputtered his face now a deep shade of red.


    ¡°I don¡¯t look at her! I¡¯m just... observing her technique. For academic purposes.¡±


    ¡°Of course, milord,¡± Saikai replied, his tone making clear he didn¡¯t believe a word. ¡°And I¡¯m sure her remarkable beauty has nothing to do with your... academic interest.¡±


    Iakopo groaned, burying his face in his hands as he sat at one of the tables of the Academy library.


    ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±


    Saikai¡¯s expression softened.


    He placed a comforting hand on Iakopo¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Only to those who know you well, milord. And there¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. Miss Yalena is indeed a remarkable young woman.¡±


    Iakopo sighed, lowering his hands.


    ¡°But she¡¯s so... intimidating. The way she wields Star Water is like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen. And she¡¯s always so focused, so serious. What could someone like her possibly see in me?¡±


    ¡°Milord,¡± Saikai said firmly, ¡°you are selling yourself far too short. You are Iakopo Kane, heir to one of the most prestigious families in the Academy. Your mastery of Space Water at such a young age is unprecedented. And, if I may be so bold, you are not without your own charms.¡±


    Iakopo looked up at his faithful servant, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. ¡°You really think so?¡±


    Saikai nodded. ¡°I know so, milord. Now, shall we devise a plan to properly introduce yourself to Miss Yalena?¡±


    A small smile tugged at the corners of Iakopo¡¯s mouth. ¡°Alright, Shaker. What did you have in mind?¡±


    * * *


    The teen Iakopo had to find a moment where he wasn¡¯t bothered by his older sister or his cousins in order to approach Yalena.


    His loyal butler had devised quite an ingenious plan, in fact.


    Iakopo took a deep breath, steeling his nerves as he approached the library.


    Saikai¡¯s plan was simple yet clever: he had arranged for a rare book on Star Water techniques to be ¡°misplaced¡± in a secluded corner of the Academy library.


    Now, all Iakopo had to do was casually mention its whereabouts to Yalena.


    As he entered the library, he spotted her immediately.


    Yalena sat alone at a table near the window, her white hair gleaming in the afternoon sunlight.


    She was surrounded by stacks of books, her brow furrowed in concentration as she pored over an ancient tome.


    Iakopo¡¯s heart raced as he approached her table.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said, his voice cracking slightly. He cleared his throat and tried again. ¡°Excuse me, Miss Yalena?¡±


    She looked up, her piercing purple eyes meeting his.


    For a moment, Iakopo forgot how to breathe.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Yalena asked, her tone neutral but not unfriendly.


    Iakopo swallowed hard.


    ¡°I, uh, couldn¡¯t help but notice you¡¯re studying Star Water techniques. I actually came across an interesting book on advanced Star Water manipulation the other day. It¡¯s not in its usual place, but I could show you where it is if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of interest passing across her face.


    ¡°Really? That would be quite helpful, actually. I¡¯ve been looking for new resources.¡±


    Relief washed over Iakopo.


    ¡°Great! It¡¯s just over here in the Eastern Archipelago section. Follow me.¡±


    As they walked between the towering bookshelves, Iakopo silently thanked Saikai for his meticulous planning.


    They reached the secluded corner where the book had been planted, and Iakopo carefully pulled it from the shelf.


    ¡°Here it is,¡± he said, handing it to Yalena. ¡°¡®Advanced Applications of Star Water in Combat and Healing¡¯ by Master Kanaloa. It¡¯s pretty rare, from what I understand.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s eyes lit up as she took the book, her fingers tracing the embossed title.


    ¡°This is incredible. I¡¯ve been searching for this text for months. I didn¡¯t even know the Academy had a copy! How did you know it was here?¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Iakopo rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face.


    ¡°Oh, you know, I just stumbled across it while doing some research of my own. Space Water and Star Water have some interesting parallels, so I¡­ cross-referenced it in my studies.¡±


    The reality was that Iakopo had Saikai obtain a copy from the Kane Family¡¯s personal library.


    This book would have never been otherwise found in the Academy.


    Yalena looked at him with newfound interest.


    ¡°You study Space Water? That¡¯s fascinating. I¡¯ve always been curious about it.¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s heart soared.


    This was his chance.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯d like, maybe we could study together sometime? I could share what I know about Space Water, and you could teach me more about Star Water. It could be... mutually beneficial.¡±


    A small smile played at the corners of Yalena¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that. I¡¯m Yalena Solara, by the way. You¡¯re from the Kane Family, right?¡±


    Iakopo nodded eagerly, trying to contain his excitement.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Iakopo Kane.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk more then, Iakopo Kane. Thank you for showing me this book and... for the offer. Let¡¯s meet here again tomorrow afternoon?¡±


    As Yalena walked away with the book tucked under her arm, Iakopo leaned against a bookshelf, a goofy grin spreading across his face.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to tell Saikai that his plan had worked perfectly.


    * * *


    Twenty Years Prior


    After the infamous Placid City Catastrophe


    The sun wept pale rays on the horizon as it was about to set.


    The shadows on the deck of Iakopo¡¯s ship seemed much longer and deeper than they had any right to be.


    The sky shifted from orange to purple, but the fading light did nothing to lift the weight of despair.


    The wooden planks of the ship were soaked with the blood of the corpses they had brought and covered with blankets.


    Iakopo Kane knelt amid the wreckage, head bowed.


    His clothes were ripped and soaked with blood¡ªhis own mingled with that of others.


    Dirt and tears streaked his face.


    Around him lay the bodies of those who had fought beside him: his older sister Hi¡¯iaka, his loyal companions, and countless others who had believed in him and joined his galleon on this expedition, including the many first-year students who had all died while trying to help out the citizens of Placid City.


    Iakopo¡¯s hands trembled as he reached out to touch his sister¡¯s face, her skin already growing cold.


    Hi¡¯iaka, his Shield, his protector since childhood.


    Now, she lay still, her eyes closed, her face still distorted by the pain, the terrible magic that had killed her.


    ¡°I should have done something,¡± Iakopo whispered, his voice hoarse from hours of shouting the same phrase. ¡°I should have done something!¡±


    The words echoed across the empty deck, unanswered save for the gentle lapping of waves against the ship¡¯s hull.


    The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by Iakopo¡¯s ragged breathing and the occasional creak of wood.


    Standing a respectful distance away, Saikai watched his master with a heavy heart.


    The young butler¡¯s usually impeccable appearance was disheveled, his uniform stained and torn.


    Yet despite his own exhaustion and grief, Saikai¡¯s focus remained on Iakopo, his master.


    As hours passed, Saikai attended to what he could.


    He gathered the surviving crew, steadied the ship, and ensured those still alive had food and water.


    But his eyes kept drifting back to Iakopo, worry deepening with each glance.


    Morning came. Iakopo remained kneeling, eyes bloodshot, shadows dark beneath them. The bodies lay around him, silent reminders of their defeat.


    Saikai approached cautiously, carrying a flask of water and some stale bread. ¡°Milord, please,¡± he said softly. ¡°You need to eat. Drink some water, at least.¡±


    The butler handed Iakopo a canteen.


    Iakopo¡¯s eyes were red and sunken.


    Saikai approached cautiously, a bowl of water and some bread in his hands.


    ¡°Milord,¡± he said softly, putting a hand over the man¡¯s shoulder.


    But Iakopo gave no sign that he had heard.


    His gaze remained fixed on his sister¡¯s face, his parched lips opening and closing, still in disbelief.


    ¡°I should have done something,¡± he mouthed over and over again.


    The day passed in much the same manner as the one before.


    Saikai had overseen the preparations to leave the island and arrange transportation for those who had survived by communicating with the Academy.


    Thankfully, the harlot that had reduced his master in these conditions hadn¡¯t shown her face.


    Saikai had briefly inquired about her whereabouts, and it had appeared that Yalena had already departed from Placid City.


    * * *


    Saikai did his best to tend to Iakopo, offering food and water that went untouched.


    The surviving crew members moved about their duties in hushed tones, casting worried glances at their leader as the third night fell.


    At that point, Saikai made a difficult decision.


    With gentle efficiency, he organized the crew to prepare the bodies of the fallen for their final journey home.


    They worked through the night, cleaning and wrapping each body with care and respect.


    By the time the sun rose on the third day, the deck had been cleared of all signs of the battle.


    The fallen had been tucked away in the ship¡¯s storage, ready to be returned to their families.


    All except for Hi¡¯iaka, who remained where she had been deposited after the battle, her brother still kneeling beside her.


    Saikai looked at his master.


    His skin was pale, and his lips cracked and dry. Something had to be done, but what?


    Then, a memory surfaced in Saikai¡¯s mind.


    Years ago, Iakopo had once mentioned how uptight and formal Saikai could be.


    It had been said in jest, of course, but the loyal butler was at his wit¡¯s end.


    He would have done just about anything to break through his master¡¯s grief-stricken stupor.


    Taking a deep breath, Saikai straightened his posture and adopted a gruff grimace.


    When he spoke, his voice was loud and harsh, a far cry from his usual refined tones.


    ¡°Alright, you bilge-sucking swabs!¡± he bellowed, startling the crew members nearby.


    He cleared his voice, adjusting his accent to better reflect the kind of unsavory men they had met through the years at sea.


    ¡°Get your sorry hides in gear! We¡¯ve got a ship to sail, and I¡¯ll be damned if we¡¯re going to float here like a bunch of lazy sea cucumbers!¡±


    The sailors exchanged confused glances, unused to hearing such language from the normally proper butler.


    But Saikai wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°You there!¡± he shouted, pointing at a bewildered deckhand. ¡°What are you gawking at? Get to scrubbing that deck before I use your face as a mop!¡±


    His words had the desired effect.


    The crew, shocked out of their somber mood, began to move with renewed purpose.


    But more importantly, Iakopo¡¯s head had lifted slightly, a flicker of confusion breaking through his grief.


    Encouraged, Saikai continued his act.


    He stomped across the deck, barking orders in his newfound pirate-like accent.


    ¡°Hoist those sails, you landlubbing excuses for sailors! I want this ship moving before the barnacles decide to make us their permanent home!¡±


    As he neared Iakopo, Saikai¡¯s voice softened slightly, though he maintained his gruff demeanor.


    ¡°And you, sir,¡± he said, addressing Iakopo directly, ¡°it¡¯s time to get on your feet. The dead have been honored, but the living needs their captain.¡±


    For a long moment, Iakopo stared at Saikai, disbelief warring with grief in his eyes. Then, slowly, he spoke.


    ¡°Saikai...¡± he said, his voice cracking from disuse. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Saikai cocked his head to the side, feigning confusion.


    ¡°Saikai?¡± he repeated, exaggerating his accent. ¡°Who¡¯s that? I¡¯m Shaker, Professor. And right now, we need to get this ship moving. The dead won¡¯t rest easy until we¡¯ve brought them home.¡±


    Iakopo blinked, a spark of life returning to his eyes.


    ¡°Shaker?¡± he repeated, the childhood nickname stirring old memories. ¡°But... why are you talking like that?¡±


    ¡°Like what, Professor?¡± Saikai - now Shaker - replied with a crooked grin. ¡°This is how a proper sailor talks. Now, are you going to sit there all day, or are you going to help me get this floating tub back to port?¡±


    For a moment, it seemed as though Iakopo might retreat back into his grief.


    But then, to Shaker¡¯s immense relief, a ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of Iakopo¡¯s mouth from the ridiculous behavior of his stiff butler.


    ¡°You sound ridiculous,¡± he said softly.


    Shaker¡¯s grin widened.


    ¡°Aye, that I might,¡± he agreed. ¡°But it got you talking, didn¡¯t it? Now come on, Professor. We¡¯ve got work to do.¡±


    With a gentleness that belied his new accent, Shaker extended a hand to Iakopo.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Iakopo grasped it, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet.


    He swayed slightly, weak from his long vigil, but Shaker¡¯s steady grip on his arm kept him upright.


    As Iakopo took his first unsteady steps away from the place where he had knelt for two days, Shaker felt a glimmer of hope.


    Iakopo was finally moving and speaking.


    This was a start.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Professor,¡± Shaker encouraged, his newly-minted gruff voice carrying a note of warmth. ¡°One step at a time. We¡¯ll get through this together, like always.¡±

 Chapter 72 – Battle on Two Fronts

    When Iakopo looked into Saikai¡¯s eyes, he felt something stir in his chest.


    His old friend was right.


    He had shut himself off everything for too long, too hurt to even think about what he had been doing, how it had affected him, how it had radically altered who he was.


    Iakopo looked down at the cuffs on his wrists and the chains on his chest, all under Saikai¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I always thought that she cared so much about others,¡± Iakopo simply said. ¡°But really, she only cared about what others wanted to see in her. I never knew her family, so I can¡¯t say why, but her greatest desire was always to destroy the Kraken. Nothing else mattered.¡±


    Saikai nodded slowly, letting his Lord talk.


    ¡°I should have known better,¡± Iakopo muttered. ¡°I made a mistake, Saikai. I made such a terrible mistake.¡±


    ¡°Love does that to people, milord.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Iakopo cut himself off. ¡°I thought myself wiser than that. I thought that Yalena had a point, that she wasn¡¯t a madman.¡±


    ¡°You had a good reason to think so, milord.¡±


    ¡°I should have known better¡­¡±


    ¡°No, milord,¡± Saikai said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you should have. I think your mistake was in good faith. I think you shouldn¡¯t have known better. You now do know better, but you shouldn¡¯t have. You have cursed your own life for twenty years now, thinking that you should have known better when that had never been the case. You trusted her. She betrayed you. You paid for the mistake and stayed true to what a Water Rider truly is, milord. I¡¯m sorry I had to break my vow of always supporting you, but I can¡¯t stand behind you while you let these fools kill you.¡±


    Iakopo rattled his chains and smiled.


    ¡°I think you might be right, old friend. I just wish you had told me I was an idiot before they chained me.¡±


    Saikai nodded gravely.


    ¡°Milord,¡± the man said, ¡°since we are discussing your misgivings. May I voice another issue?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t really have much else to entertain ourselves with, so please, go ahead. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll kill us both before we ever get the opportunity to plead our case with the Principal anyway.¡±


    ¡°The child,¡± Saikai cleared his voice. ¡°Yalena¡¯s child.¡±


    ¡°Which one?


    ¡°The cursed one, milord. You¡¯ve avoided the one who looks like her, and she, for some reason, seemed to avoid you.¡±


    ¡°Elder Kahua probably told her to,¡± Iakopo sighed. ¡°What about the cursed child? And by the way, Saikai, she¡¯s not cursed.¡±


    ¡°Milord?¡± Saikai frowned.


    ¡°The marks,¡± Iakopo shook his head, ¡°that¡¯s not a curse. It¡¯s¡­ I told Yalena how to¡­ listen, it¡¯s not important. What about her?¡±


    ¡°If we ever were to survive, milord, I can¡¯t stand your cruelty anymore. From now on, I can only remain in your service if you behave like your station befits you.¡±


    Iakopo looked at the butler and smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡ªI was angry. Now, I¡¯m just sad. I doubt she¡¯ll ever be told what power she really wields¡ªit¡¯s a shame, really.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, milord, you could do that.¡±


    ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll survive long enough for that to be possible,¡± Iakopo sighed.


    ¡°Assume we did,¡± Saikai said with an encouraging smile. ¡°Would you behave differently from now on?¡±


    Iakopo nodded.


    ¡°I would, and I would kill whoever is behind this.¡±


    For a moment, all the chains and restraints on Iakopo shone intensely, restricting his power. For just an instant, the equivalent of splitting a hair in terms of time, they trembled, perhaps incapable of keeping the man at bay.


    But then, the restrictions won.


    * * *


    The midday sun beat down on the sandy landscape as Talia and Fiora made their way towards the hills outside Placid City.


    The heat was at its peak, distorting the far landscape.


    Fiora wiped the sweat from her brow, squinting against the bright sunlight.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I let you talk me into this,¡± she muttered.


    Talia¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the path ahead, her gaze determined despite the harsh conditions.


    ¡°Trust me, Fiora. This is important.¡±


    ¡°Important enough to risk heatstroke?¡± Fiora asked, her voice tinged with sarcasm. ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t bring Agalei because I was afraid for her safety. Now I¡¯m starting to wonder if I should¡¯ve stayed behind, too.¡±


    Talia stopped, turning to face her friend.


    ¡°Look, I know it sounds crazy, but something doesn¡¯t add up about Professor Iakopo¡¯s arrest. Those semi-evolved monsters they supposedly found in the Placid Cave? It¡¯s too convenient, too easy.¡±


    Fiora raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Okay, Talia, what are you saying? I¡¯m tired of the secrecy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that it doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Talia explained, her voice low. ¡°Professor Iakopo is strong and smart. Why would someone like him need to create monsters to cause trouble? And why would he leave such obvious evidence?¡±


    ¡°So, what do you think is really going on?¡±


    Talia took a deep breath.


    ¡°I believe the real answers are hidden in a cave up ahead. There¡¯s a Slashing Cruster Boss guarding it ¨C a powerful one. But beyond that, I can sense an immense concentration of Mana. Whatever¡¯s in there, it¡¯s important.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Fiora¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Wait, what?! A Boss? Talia, that¡¯s insane! We can¡¯t take on something like that by ourselves! What level is it?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Level 16,¡± Talia admitted. ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s risky. But we can¡¯t ask the senior students for help. We don¡¯t know who else might be involved in this mess. This might be our only chance to uncover the truth.¡±


    Fiora was quiet for a moment, considering Talia¡¯s words.


    Then, to Talia¡¯s surprise, a small smirk played across her lips.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°I have been wanting to test out my new skill anyway.¡±


    Talia blinked, taken aback by Fiora¡¯s sudden change in attitude.


    ¡°You¡¯re... still okay with this?¡±


    Fiora shrugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± the blonde said plainly. ¡°I know you are. But you¡¯re not stupid. If there¡¯s some sort of conspiracy here, I¡¯d rather know where the blade is coming from.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Talia said, surprised. ¡°By the way, Fiora. I need to tell you something.¡±


    Talia stopped in her tracks.


    ¡°You might not like what I¡¯m about to say.¡±


    ¡°I rarely do,¡± Fiora replied.


    ¡°Listen, I know it¡¯s not a good situation you¡¯re in. However, I went to the Market, the one with Secret Dealers. I asked who got in my way, which Elder didn¡¯t want me at the Academy.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Fiora looked confused. ¡°What does that have anything to do with me?¡±


    ¡°Apparently,¡± Talia explained, ¡°Elder Kawena was behind it, and Elder Krakatoa let it happen.¡±


    Fiora frowned.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The dealer explained that Elder Kawena hates lowborns. She¡¯s the most extreme of all the Schools. Mano casually mentioned that her School has these hazing rituals¡ªthey¡¯ll lead on some of the first-year students who don¡¯t know better and are desperate to join a School. They set up impossible challenges and¡­ well¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Fiora frowned, feeling some anger bubbling in her chest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true,¡± Talia said, raising her hands. ¡°The guy said that they use this to take advantage of younger, lowborn students. They select recruits that they like and set them up for failure. Then, they blackmail them, saying that they¡¯ll have to sleep with them if they want to enter Kawena¡¯s School. They do this to prove Elder Kawena their loyalty and enter their inner circle.¡±


    Fiora was now shaking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you noticed,¡± Talia sighed. ¡°There¡¯s no one from Elder Kawena¡¯s School in Professor Iakopo¡¯s course. That¡¯s because he knows, apparently, and her students are banned from his course. The Secret Dealer guy refused to say anything about Professor Iakopo¡¯s secrets, but he told me that he had a fight with Elder Kawena over this.¡±


    Fiora clenched her teeth.


    It now all made sense to her.


    The waterfall test was clearly beyond any student¡¯s normal abilities.


    It had all been a ruse.


    They had been selected among the desperate ones to be used by the members of Elder Kawena¡¯s School for their perverse purposes.


    ¡°Fiora, are you okay?¡±


    Fiora looked at Talia.


    She knew that the blasted girl in front of her had no reason to lie to her, which meant this was all true, that she had been duped because she had refused to swallow her pride and ask for this girl¡¯s help.


    Fiora realized that even though she herself had refused to come to Talia, the latter had come for her, asking for her help.


    She¡¯s not prideful, Fiora reasoned. She¡¯s not arrogant. She just wants to do what¡¯s right.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Fiora forced a smile, resolving to deal with Kaia and Elder Kawena¡¯s students once they came back alive from Placid City. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Talia felt a wave of relief wash over her. She hadn¡¯t been sure how Fiora would react to this news, but she was more than glad that her friend had not turned her heels and gone away.


    She needed Fiora for this plan to work.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Talia nodded, ¡°now, here¡¯s my plan.¡±


    * * *


    Takai stood nervously in front of Mayor Boro¡¯s office, his eyes darting up and down the empty hallway.


    The worn wooden door behind him was slightly ajar, and he could hear the faint sounds of Keanu rummaging inside.


    Their mission was clear: find the key to Professor Iakopo¡¯s cuffs.


    But with each second that he had to stay guard there, Takai¡¯s anxiety grew.


    Keanu looked like someone who knew what he was doing, but that didn¡¯t infuse Takai with any more courage than he would have otherwise had.


    Talia had briefly told him about the plan, and honestly, he had gone through it because he trusted her.


    He hadn¡¯t understood much about the whole business with Professor Iakopo, but he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if Talia believed the man was being framed, that was most certainly the case.


    Takai knew how to think with his own head, of course, but most of his thoughts were still consumed by his meeting with Lilinoe.


    The sudden sound of footsteps from around the corner made Takai¡¯s heart leap into his throat.


    He recognized the heavy gait immediately - Mayor Boro was returning.


    Panic was getting the better of him, but Takai forced himself to take a deep breath.


    He had to buy Keanu more time.


    As Mayor Boro¡¯s round figure appeared at the end of the hallway, Takai stepped forward, plastering what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face.


    ¡°Mayor Boro!¡± he called out, his voice only slightly shaky. ¡°I¡¯m so glad I caught you. I was hoping I could talk to you about something important.¡±


    The Mayor¡¯s bushy eyebrows rose in surprise.


    ¡°Oh? And what might that be, young man?¡±


    Takai¡¯s mind raced, grasping for the story Talia had prepared for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s about... about the recent events in Placid City,¡± he began, moving to intercept the Mayor before he could reach his office door. ¡°I¡¯ve been having trouble sleeping, sir. The attacks, Professor Iakopo¡¯s arrest... it¡¯s all so overwhelming.¡±


    Mayor Boro¡¯s expression softened slightly, though Takai could see impatience in his eyes.


    ¡°I see. These are indeed troubling times. But I assure you, we¡¯re doing everything in our power to keep the city safe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just it, sir,¡± Takai pressed on, desperately trying to keep the Mayor¡¯s attention. ¡°I was wondering if there was anything we students could do to help. Maybe some kind of volunteer program or...¡±


    As Takai rambled on, he could hear the muffled sounds of Keanu¡¯s search continuing behind the office door.


    His palms began to sweat as he noticed Mayor Boro¡¯s gaze drifting toward his office.


    ¡°While I appreciate your concern, young man,¡± the Mayor said, attempting to step around Takai, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have some urgent matters to attend to in my office.¡±


    Takai had to think of something, anything, to keep the Mayor distracted.


    In a moment of desperation, he blurted out, ¡°But sir, I¡¯ve heard something about the Cultists! Something¡ªer¡ªimportant!¡±


    This caught Mayor Boro¡¯s attention.


    He turned back to Takai, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°What have you heard?¡±


    Realizing he¡¯d stumbled onto something, Takai pressed his advantage.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard, sir, that, huh, the Sword Demon might be on the island!¡±


    Mayor Boro¡¯s face paled slightly.


    He glanced around the empty street before leaning in close to Takai.


    ¡°Where did you hear such things?¡± he asked in a hushed tone.


    Before Takai could respond, the office door swung open. Keanu emerged, his face flushed and his eyes wide. In that split second, Takai saw Mayor Boro¡¯s expression change from concern to suspicion.


    Time seemed to slow as Takai watched Keanu¡¯s hand move to the hilt of his dagger.


    In one fluid motion, Keanu brought the weapon¡¯s pommel down hard on the back of Mayor Boro¡¯s neck.


    The Mayor¡¯s eyes rolled back in his head, and he crumpled to the floor with a dull thud.


    Takai stood frozen as he watched Keanu quickly pat down the unconscious Mayor.


    After a moment of frantic searching, Keanu¡¯s hand emerged from Boro¡¯s pocket, clutching a small, ornate key, sighing and bending to hold himself up on his knees.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Keanu said, shaking his head. ¡°I knew he had to have it on himself. I tore his office apart, but there was nothing.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡± Takai said, pointing at the Mayor.


    ¡°Talia said the sooner we can get to Professor Iakopo, the better. Leave him there,¡± Keanu said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Shaking off his stupor, Takai nodded and followed Keanu down the empty street.


    Neither spoke as they emerged into a side street.


    As they turned a corner, intending to head back to where Professor Iakopo was held, both boys suddenly stopped short.


    The air around them seemed to thicken, charged with an intense energy that made the hairs on the back of Takai¡¯s neck stand on end.


    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± Keanu whispered, his hand instinctively moving to his dagger.


    Takai nodded, his eyes wide.


    ¡°It¡¯s... there¡¯s a lot of Mana in the air.¡±


    Cautiously, they peered around the corner of a nearby building.


    What they saw made Takai¡¯s blood run cold.


    In the middle of the street stood two figures.


    On one side was Lilo, her hair whipping in a wind that seemed to emanate from her white-tinged aura.


    White Rose, her Soul Weapon, shone wildly in her hand.


    Facing her was a figure Takai immediately recognized.


    Lilinoe, his half-sister, stood with a wicked smile on her face.


    Lilinoe wielded a larger sword than Lilo¡¯s, one with vein-like carmine tendrils mixed with its steel.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± Lilinoe was saying, her voice carrying easily to where Takai and Keanu hid. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the Promised Slayer herself. I¡¯ve been looking forward to this moment.¡±


    Lilo¡¯s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on White Rose.


    ¡°How did you escape?¡± she demanded.


    Lilinoe¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°Oh, I have my ways. But that¡¯s not important now. What matters is that I¡¯m here to claim my Cursed Sword. And what better way to do that than by killing a noble brat like you?¡±

 Chapter 73 – Bait

    The new Skills Talia had acquired - Bloodbath, Bloody Tracks, and Blood Fortress - weren¡¯t particularly impressive on their own.


    However, a plan had begun to form in her mind the moment she had seen them.


    Fiora, too, was trying to decide what to do with her two Free Talent Points.


    Fiora took a deep breath, closing her eyes to focus on her Akashic Record.


    As the information flowed into her mind, she examined her available Talent Trees.


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li>Sunforged Champion</li>


    <li>Plasma Surfer</li>


    <li>Solar Fortitude</li>


    <li>R¨¡ Mage (1)</li>


    <li>Solarian Sage</li>


    <li>Sun Herald</li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [R¨¡ Mage:


    <ol>


    <li> Solar Flare</li>


    <li> Sunbeam Strike</li>


    <li> Corona Shield</li>


    </ol>


    ]


    Fiora had been undecided up to this moment on what to choose.


    Solar Flare would create a burst of intense light that blinded enemies, including some light damage that would be more of a nuisance than a mortal attack.


    Sunbeam Strike was a vertical-casting Skill that would rain an empowered strike against an enemy from above.


    Corona Shield would create a protective barrier of solar energy around Fiora, absorbing incoming attacks.


    Fiora weighed her options carefully since it would cost her two Talent Tree Points to get one of those Skills.


    Talia, who had been listening to Fiora ponder her options out loud, decided to offer her input.


    ¡°You know,¡± Talia began cautiously, ¡°you might want to consider spreading your points across different trees. Maybe put one in Solarian Sage and one in Sun Herald instead of focusing solely on R¨¡ Mage. Something like [Sunbeam Strike] will not make a big difference either way against the Boss.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s head snapped up, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    ¡°And why would I do that?¡± she asked with a hint of defensiveness. ¡°I think [Sunbeam Strike] is an excellent choice.¡±


    ¡°You want more options to survive rather than just another attack,¡± Talia shrugged. ¡°I know you¡¯re leaning for [Sunbeam Strike], but it¡¯s not going to be useful right now.¡±


    ¡°What do you even know about casting,¡± Fiora harrumphed. ¡°What if we need to deliver damage from afar? [Sunbeam Strike] can help me out rain projectiles from above.¡±


    Talia shrugged again, trying to keep her tone neutral. ¡°It¡¯s just a suggestion. Diversifying your skills could give you more versatility in different situations. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Fiora felt a familiar surge of frustration. There it was again - Talia acting like she knew best like her way was always the right way.


    She took a deep breath, reminding herself that Talia was trying to help, even if it grated on her nerves.


    ¡°I appreciate the advice,¡± Fiora said, her voice tight, ¡°but I think I know what¡¯s best for my own abilities. I¡¯m going to pick from the R¨¡ Mage Talent Tree.¡±


    Talia opened her mouth as if to argue, then thought better of it and simply nodded. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s your choice. What are you thinking of picking, then?¡±


    Fiora turned her attention back to the R¨¡ Mage skills, determined to prove that her decision was the right one.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with [Sunbeam Strike],¡± she announced. ¡°It¡¯s the most offensive option, and that¡¯s what we need right now if we¡¯re going up against a Boss monster.¡±


    Talia nodded, keeping the rest of her reservations to herself.


    ¡°You know,¡± Talia said, trying to sound encouraging, ¡°it would be very cool if you could make multiple strikes rain at once at some point.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    * * *


    Talia had brought Fiora close to where the Boss stood, and now they both stared from afar at the giant Slashing Cruster.


    ¡°Fiora,¡± Talia said, breaking the tense silence, ¡°so, here¡¯s my idea.¡±


    The blonde girl turned to her, eyebrow raised, looking back at her friend and the giant Boss.


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears. Anything¡¯s better than walking into certain death.¡±


    Talia took a deep breath before explaining.


    ¡°My new Skills increase my Strength, Agility, and Constitution based on how much damage I deal to monsters. If we can gather enough Slashing Crusters and I take them down quickly, I might be able to boost my abilities enough to stand a chance against the Boss.¡±


    Fiora considered the plan.


    ¡°That¡¯s... actually not terrible. But how are we going to gather enough Crusters without getting overwhelmed?¡±


    Talia half-smiled.


    Keanu would have been much more effective at this, but she needed him on Boro, making sure he could obtain the key by the time Talia and Fiora would be back.


    ¡°That¡¯s where you come in,¡± Talia said, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. ¡°I need you to herd them for me.¡±


    ¡°What?! Bait?! Am I supposed to be damn bait?!¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Talia pulled both of them close to the sand, praying the Boss hadn¡¯t heard them.


    ¡°Lower your voice,¡± Talia hissed. ¡°Yes, I need you to be bait.¡±


    Fiora nodded slowly, her brow furrowed in concentration.


    ¡°Damn you. It¡¯s risky, but it could work. How many do you think you¡¯ll need?¡±


    ¡°I need you to find a position that lets you pull at least seven or eight Slashing Crusters¡ªI get the feeling that that¡¯s the current limit on the Skills anyway. But I can¡¯t disengage from the battle. So, I¡¯ll need to transition from fighting them to fighting the Boss if I want to keep the bonuses from the Skills.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Fiora frowned.


    ¡°We just need to be careful not to alert the Boss before we¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Fiora muttered. ¡°Just another day with you. Risking our lives against monsters way above our level.¡±


    Talia placed a reassuring hand on Fiora¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°We can do this. Just keep your distance and stay alert.¡±


    Fiora nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    The two girls separated, with Fiora moving to circle around the area where smaller Slashing Crusters were scattered.


    Talia remained hidden, her eyes never leaving the imposing Boss as she waited for Fiora¡¯s signal.


    Fiora stalked away from the area, trying to locate clusters of the monsters.


    She could see several Slashing Crusters nearby and soon started counting them up.


    Once she found enough, she focused on her Sunwater, building up the Mana needed to conjure a few Sunwater orbs.


    She would have liked to test out [Sunbeam Strike], but she wanted to save as much Mana as possible since they were about to face a Boss.


    With a quick gesture, Fiora sent a small orb of Sunwater hurtling towards the nearest Slashing Cruster.


    The projectile struck the creature¡¯s carapace, leaving a scorched mark but not causing any significant damage¡ªFiora had done that on purpose to avoid killing the monsters that were meant to be fodder for Talia¡¯s Skills.


    The strike had the desired effect - the Cruster¡¯s attention snapped towards Fiora.


    The malicious eyes of the creature turned toward her, and it immediately started running at her.


    ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± Fiora muttered nervously, sending more Sunwater orbs towards the other nearby Crusters.


    Each hit drew the monsters¡¯ attention, their chitinous bodies turning towards the source of the attacks.


    As the Slashing Crusters began to move towards her, Fiora started to retreat, running toward where Talia had told her to bring them.


    She had to give it to Talia; this plan was not too bad.


    The Boss was several Levels above theirs, which meant that normally it would have been impossible for them to face it.


    But Talia¡¯s Skills could have made it possible if she had managed to empower herself, even just temporarily, enough to deal significant damage.


    In fact, Talia might be able to deliver a mortal wound on the Boss in the first moments of the fight.


    It pained Fiora to admit it, but Talia¡¯s blood magic and mana control were scarier than her own Sunwater.


    The feeling of the Slashing Crusters breathing down her neck, especially considering that she was a caster so her physical attributes were risible, made Fiora extremely nervous.


    However, Fiora was a woman on a mission, and she pumped her feet over the sandy ground as she threw more orbs left and right, accumulating more slashing crusters with each passing second.


    Meanwhile, Talia watched as Fiora¡¯s work unfolded she could see the growing group of slashing crusters following her friend their numbers slowly increasing.


    Five... six... Seven...


    The count grew, with Fiora attracting a few more than necessary for good measure in case she lost anyone on the way over.


    When Fiora had gathered a sizeable group - at least a dozen Slashing Crusters - she gave the signal.


    A bright orb of Sunwater shot vertically in the air.


    Talia didn¡¯t hesitate.


    She burst from her hiding spot, her glaive held ready as she charged towards the group of monsters while Fiora finally rejoined with her, with the Boss turning its creepy, mantis-like head toward them.


    As she ran, she covered her glaive¡¯s blade with Mana Crystallization and activated [Blood Confluence].


    She could feel the latent power within her, waiting to be unleashed.


    The first Slashing Cruster barely had time to react before Talia¡¯s glaive sliced through its carapace.


    As the creature fell, Talia felt a surge of strength course through her body - Bloodbath taking effect.


    She spun, her movements becoming faster and more fluid as Bloody Tracks activated, enhancing her Agility.


    Talia moved through the group of Crusters like a whirlwind, her glaive flashing in the sunlight as she struck down monster after monster.


    With each kill, she could feel her power growing.


    Her muscles felt stronger, her reflexes sharper, and even the few glancing blows she received seemed to hurt less as Blood Fortress bolstered her Constitution.


    Fiora watched in awe as Talia tore through the Slashing Crusters.


    The blue-eyed girl moved with a grace and power that seemed almost inhuman.


    ¡°NOW!¡± Talia screamed.


    Fiora gritted her teeth and summoned a Sunwater orb while activating the Speed Glyph.


    The extremely fast projectile hit the body of the Boss, not doing any damage.


    However, as the last of the gathered Crusters fell, the terrifying Boss sprinted toward them.


    Talia turned her attention to the Boss.


    The massive creature was barreling down toward them.


    ¡°Fiora!¡± Talia called out, her voice carrying across the battlefield. ¡°Stay back and provide support. I¡¯m going in!¡±


    Before Fiora could respond, Talia was already charging towards the Boss.


    The Slashing Cruster Boss, easily three times the size of its smaller counterparts, raised its blade-like appendages in anticipation of the attack.


    Talia¡¯s first strike felt like she had gained ten levels over the course of the previous engagement since her muscles were empowered by the accumulated strength from Bloodbath.


    The blade struck the Boss¡¯s scythe with tremendous force, carving a deep gash into its armored hide.


    The creature let out a piercing shriek.


    It was only thanks to bloody tracks and all the Agility that it had dumped into Talia¡¯s body that she could dodge the next strike.


    Despite its massive size, the Slashing Cruster Boss moved with supernatural dexterity.


    She parried a strike, feeling her bones shake and her teeth clattering.


    Nonetheless, she was more than willing to trade.


    In fact, Talia even tried drawing from her wrist marks, a move that she had planned for without informing Fiora about it.


    For some reason, however, she only found a very small amount of power in them.


    She did manage to draw upon it and carve up the monster¡¯s abdomen enough to bathe the ground in the Boss¡¯s blood, but soon the power dissipated.


    Why is it so shallow? She wondered.


    It made no sense.


    The first time she had used it, atop Professor Iakopo¡¯s galleon, it had doubled, if not tripled, her power.


    Now, instead, it barely made any dent in her already empowered body.


    Is it because of the Skills? Maybe they interfere with it?


    But something told her that that wasn¡¯t it.


    The power in her wrists simply felt drained, as if something in Placid City had taken away its edge.


    Still, Talia couldn¡¯t get distracted since she was finally making her way through the Boss¡¯s defenses.


    Plus, Fiora had managed to land several [Sunbeam Strikes] that had softened the hardy carapace of the Abyssal Creature.


    They had certainly not been enough to deliver any real damage given their level difference, but they had indeed been capable of giving Talia more openings.


    And so, Fiora, maintaining her distance as instructed, kept providing support from afar.


    Her orbs of Sunwater, unlike the [Sunbeam Strike], didn¡¯t cause any damage whatsoever.


    But, the blonde was still able to distract the creature¡ªor annoy it, at least.


    Talia felt her confidence growing.


    For now, the battle appeared to be in their favor, something almost unthinkable given the difference in Levels.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing it!¡± Talia called out to Fiora. ¡°Just a little more!¡±


    But as those words left her lips, something changed.


    The Boss, which had been purely defensive up to this point, suddenly stilled.


    Its many eyes seemed to focus intently on Talia, and there was an almost palpable shift in the air around it.


    Before Talia could react, the Boss moved.


    But it wasn¡¯t the same speed she had come to expect from the massive creature.


    Instead, it seemed to blur, its form becoming almost indistinct as it shot towards her with incredible speed as an immaterial substance coated its body.


    Talia¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening.


    ¡°Wind Water?¡± she gasped, barely managing to bring her glaive up in a defensive position.


    The impact was tremendous.


    Despite her enhanced Constitution from Blood Fortress, which had been further empowered by the attacks she had landed on the Boss, Talia felt as if she had been struck by a runaway carriage.


    The force of the blow sent her flying backward, her body skidding across the sandy ground before coming to a painful stop several yards away.


    Dazed and winded, Talia struggled to regain her footing.


    As her vision cleared, she saw with horror that the Boss had changed targets.


    Its Wind Water-empowered form was now hurtling towards Fiora, who stood frozen in shock at the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°Fiora!¡± Talia screamed, her voice hoarse with desperation. ¡°Move!¡±


    Fiora snapped out of her stupor at Talia¡¯s cry, but it was almost too late.


    The Boss was upon her, its blade-like limbs raised for a killing blow.


    Acting on pure instinct, Fiora raised her hands, channeling every ounce of her Sunwater Affinity into a desperate defense.


    She didn¡¯t have a defensive Skill, but she could still try to cushion the blow somehow.


    A barrier of golden light sprang into existence in front of her.


    The impact, however,  was too much for the unstructured Sunwater.


    Fiora¡¯s barrier held for a split second before shattering like glass.


    The momentary delay gave her just enough time to throw herself to the side, the Boss¡¯s bladed limb missing her by a hair¡¯s breadth.

 Chapter 74 – Slashing Boss

    Talia knew that this was close to the end of their lives.


    When she saw the Slashing Cruster Boss bearing down on Fiora. She could already visualize how the monster would tear her friend apart.


    Fiora had avoided the first attack, but there was only so much she could do since she was a caster.


    -Talia tried sprinting towards them, but even with [Bloodbath], [Bloody Tracks], and [Blood Fortress] fully charged, thanks to the slashing Cruster she had killed moments before, She couldn''t make it on time.


    Only now, it had become extremely clear what it meant for Talia to be at Level 10 and the Boss to be at Level 17.


    Even though Talia had dumped all her Free Attributes into Strength and despite the Agility that she had gained by killing the Slashing Cruster, she didn¡¯t make it in time.


    She almost made it.


    But almost wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°Get away from her!¡± Talia roared as she closed the distance.


    The Boss turned its head, its compound eyes fixing on the approaching threat.


    Even empowered as she was, Talia felt a chill run down her spine at the creature''s alien gaze.


    With a leap at the end of her run, Talia brought her glaive down onto the Boss, aiming for the joint where one of the bladed limbs met its body.


    She poured all her enhanced strength into the blow, expecting to cleave through the monster''s carapace and sever the scythe.


    But the attack never landed.


    Perhaps powered by wind water or simply too strong for her, he sidestepped so Class.


    He was a blur on the hills of Placid City.


    The monster moved so fast


    Talia couldn''t feel couldn''t help but feel the scorn of something with such a massive form moving with such impossible grace for its size. As if neither of the girl was a threat to him, with Fiora too shocked to make use of any one of her abilities, the Boss simply slashed with one of his bladed limbs at Talia.


    The impact sent her skidding backward, tumbling on the sand.


    Talia had felt like her arms were on the verge of breaking, rattled so hard by the monster that the glaive had flown away from her hands, impaling itself onto the hilly ground.


    If Blood Fortress had not enhanced her durability, she was sure the hit would have shattered her bones.


    ¡°Talia!¡± Fiora cried out, worried about her friend.


    However, the blonde clearly had bigger fish to fry since the Boss now turned maliciously toward her.


    Fiora tried to regain her composure.


    Her hands trembled as she tried channeling [Zenith] and [Sunbeam Strike] in a desperate attempt at hurting the Boss.


    But the Boss''s Wind Water ability made it so quick it was behind the blonde in an instant.


    Fiora attempted to erect another barrier, but she wasn¡¯t nearly fast enough.


    The Boss''s attack came at her unimpeded.


    A searing pain exploded across Fiora''s side as one of the creature''s blades caught her, opening a long gash from her ribs to her hip.


    She cried out, stumbling backward and clutching her wound.


    Blood seeped between her fingers, staining the sand beneath her feet.


    ¡°No!¡± Talia screamed, rage and desperation fueling her movements as she used [Recall] and covered her blade in her Mana.


    She charged at the Boss like a woman possessed.


    Thankfully, the Slashing Cruster Boss seemed satisfied with the grievous injury it had inflicted on Fiora, who was rapidly passing out from the blood loss and focused on Talia.


    Talia managed to score a few hits once again.


    But for every wound she inflicted, the creature seemed to retaliate twofold.


    Its bladed limbs were now finally landing glancing blows, and only Talia¡¯s freakish regeneration made her capable of not bleeding out.


    She could feel her enhanced abilities beginning to wane, and the power boost from her earlier kills gradually faded.


    As they exchanged blows, Talia realized with growing dread that they were fighting a losing battle.


    The Slashing Cruster Boss seemed tireless, its Wind Water ability allowing it to move with unnatural speed and grace.


    In contrast, Talia could feel exhaustion creeping in as her movements became slower and less precise with each passing moment.


    Talia glanced between the looming Slashing Cruster Boss and Fiora''s crumpled form.


    Her friend lay motionless on the blood-stained sand, the gash in her side still oozing crimson. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Fiora''s face was pale, her breathing shallow - she had completely lost consciousness from blood loss.


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Talia muttered, desperation clawing at her chest.


    Her enhanced abilities from the earlier kills had almost completely faded.


    The Boss, on the other hand, seemed tireless, its Wind Water ability crackling around it with undiminished potency.


    Talia knew with sickening certainty that they were about to die.


    As the Boss readied itself for another lightning-fast assault, a terrifying thought wormed its way into Talia''s mind.


    [Ravenous Wounds]


    That was her only chance.


    The Skill she had unlocked with the Star Glaive, the one that had nearly drained Keanu dry.


    Talia shuddered at the memory of that overwhelming hunger, the intoxicating rush of stolen vitality.


    But as she looked at Fiora''s still form, Talia realized she was out of options.


    If she didn''t do something drastic, they would both die here.


    Everything would have been for nothing, and it would all be her fault.


    ¡°If I have to be a monster to win... I guess I''ll be a monster.¡±


    With her hands trembling over the steel shaft of the glaive, Talia activated [Ravenous Wounds].


    Immediately, she felt a change come over her.


    A gnawing emptiness opened up in the pit of her stomach, an insatiable hunger.


    Her vision sharpened, the world taking on a strange, pulsing quality as if she could see the life force flowing through everything around her.


    The Boss paused in its advance, perhaps sensing the shift in its opponent.


    Talia could see the vitality coursing through its massive form, just waiting to be devoured.


    But it wasn''t enough.


    She needed more power to overpower the creature.


    With a surge of desperate resolve, Talia focused on her Star Glaive and activated [Skill Enhance], pouring its energy into [Ravenous Wounds].


    For a moment, nothing happened.


    Then, the world exploded into chaos.


    Talia''s consciousness fragmented.


    She felt herself falling into an abyss of hunger and need, her sense of self-dissolving like sugar in water.


    When her vision cleared, she found herself on her knees, gasping for breath.


    The sand around her had turned black as if scorched by some immense heat.


    And then she saw them - writhing tendrils of blood that extended from her body like grotesque appendages.


    They pulsed with a sickly light, reaching hungrily towards both the Boss and Fiora''s prone form.


    Horror and fascination warred within Talia as she watched the blood tentacles latch onto the Slashing Cruster Boss.


    Where they touched, the creature''s carapace began to wither and crack.


    Its Wind Water aura flickered.


    Talia could feel the Boss''s vitality flowing into her, filling her with unimaginable strength.


    Every sensation was heightened to an almost painful degree.


    She could hear the creature''s heartbeat and smell the acrid tang of its fear.


    The rush of power was intoxicating, threatening to sweep away her humanity.


    But even as she drained the Boss, Talia was acutely aware of the tendrils creeping towards Fiora.


    They moved with a volition of their own, drawn to the flickering life force of her injured friend, to her blood.


    In this state, Talia felt as if she could already taste the sweetness contained in Fiora¡¯s blood, something that made her salivate.


    Talia felt a surge of hunger so intense it made her gasp.


    She could almost taste Fiora''s power, her Affinity, even.


    It was a monstrous thought, but Talia could fully feel the Sunwater Affinity, and she had the absolute certainty that, unlike the tainted Affinity of the Boss, she could fully absorb Fiora¡¯s powers.


    The thought sent a flush of heat through her body, making her almost moan at the thought of how she would feel after absorbing her friend¡¯s Skills, Affinity, vitality¡ªeverything.


    The desire to consume was overwhelming, an all-encompassing need that threatened to eclipse every other thought and feeling.


    It pulsated through Talia''s body with an intensity that rivaled any physical urge she had ever experienced.


    Her very cells seemed to cry out for more, more, more.


    ¡°No!¡± Talia screamed, the sound tearing from her throat with such force that it sent ripples through the sand.


    Through sheer force of will, she managed to redirect the blood tendrils away from Fiora, focusing all of their terrible hunger on the Boss.


    The Slashing Cruster Boss thrashed and screeched; its Wind Water ability cut out as [Ravenous Wounds] drained its vitality.


    The Boss finally fell.


    [You have slain Slashing Cruster (Boss) Level 17!]


    Slowly, agonizingly, Talia pulled the blood tendrils back from the Boss.


    As they retreated, she felt a final surge of power.


    [You have absorbed the Slashing Crustel (Boss) Life Force.]


    [+25.1 to your Primary Mana Channel (20/20 to Level Two)]


    [Primary Mana Channel (11.72/40 to Level Three)]


    [Your Primary Mana Channel has reached Level 2!]


    [+50 to your Agility (9/9 to 1 Agility)]


    [Agility (15/15 to 1 Agility)]


    [Agility (24/24 to 1 Agility)]


    [Agility (3.8/39 to 1 Agility)]


    [You have gained 3 Agility]


    [You have absorbed a Skill from Slashing Cruster [Boss].]


    [You have learned ¡®Tailwind.¡¯]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 11!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 12!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 13!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 14!]


    [You gain eight Free Attributes!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 12!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 13!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 14!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 15!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 16!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 17!]


    [Bloodbath reaches Level 2!]


    [Bloodbath reaches Level 3!]


    [Bloodbath reaches Level 4!]


    [Bloodbath reaches Level 5!]


    [Bloody Tracks reaches Level 2!]


    [Bloody Tracks reaches Level 3!]


    [Bloody Tracks reaches Level 4!]


    [Bloody Tracks reaches Level 5!]


    [Blood Fortress reaches Level 2!]


    [Blood Fortress reaches Level 3!]


    [Blood Fortress reaches Level 4!]


    [Blood Fortress reaches Level 5!]


    [You have fed Star Glaive excess Vitality!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 2!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 3!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 4!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 5!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 6!]


    [Recall reaches Level 2!]


    [Recall reaches Level 3!]


    [Recall reaches Level 4!]


    [Skill Enhance reaches 2!]


    [Skill Enhance reaches 3!]


    [Skill Enhance reaches 4!]


    Finally, with a sound like tearing flesh, [Ravenous Wounds] deactivated.


    The blood tendrils dissolved into mist, leaving Talia feeling hollow and spent.


    She slumped to the ground, her body trembling with exhaustion.


    Beside her, the Slashing Cruster Boss lay motionless, its carapace cracked and withered.


    It was dead.


    Talia tried to process what had just happened, but then she remembered her friend.


    With shaking limbs, Talia crawled towards Fiora.


    The blonde¡¯s breathing had become extremely shallow, and the wounds still gurgled with blood.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Talia whispered, gently brushing a strand of hair from Fiora''s face. ¡°I almost... I could have...¡± She trailed off.


    She started channeling [Blood Siphon] to heal Fiora, sucking in the vitality of the Slashing Crusters that the blonde had herded for Talia¡¯s sake.

 Chapter 75 – Admiration

    She placed her hands gently on Fiora¡¯s wounded side, activating [Blood Siphon]. The familiar warmth of her magic flowed through her fingers, carrying with it an echo of the raw power she had just absorbed from the Boss.


    ¡°Come on, Fiora,¡± Talia murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she channeled the residual energy into healing magic. ¡°Stay with me. Please.¡±


    Gradually, the angry red gash in Fiora¡¯s side began to close, the torn flesh knitting itself back together under Talia¡¯s trembling hands. Color returned to Fiora¡¯s pale cheeks, and her shallow, ragged breathing steadied. After what felt like an eternity, Fiora¡¯s eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first but slowly clearing.


    ¡°Talia?¡± she croaked, her voice weak and confused. ¡°What... what happened? Did we...?¡±


    ¡°We won,¡± Talia said simply, relief flooding through her as she helped Fiora sit up. The blonde girl winced, her hand instinctively moving to her newly healed side. ¡°But we¡¯re not done yet. Can you stand?¡±


    ¡°Can I have a moment?¡± Fiora asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Talia let herself fall beside Fiora, exhausted.


    The cascade of notifications that had gone through her mind, however, made the corners of her mouth rise up.


    This ordeal had almost killed them both, but both would come out of it with more levels.


    Talia, specifically, had gotten more than that.


    Her Primary Mana Channel, somewhat ironically, had finally reached the threshold needed to enter the Academy.


    She slowly sat up, groaning in pain.


    Not even [Ravenous Wounds] had managed to fully heal her up¡ªor perhaps, the Skill itself had left quite the mark on her.


    What Talia found very interesting, however, was the notification for [Ravenous Wounds], [Recall], and [Skill Enhance].


    [You have fed Star Glaive excess Vitality!]


    Lilo and Nami had said that to level up a Soul Weapon¡¯s Skills, Talia would have had to pour her own Vitality into it. Which she had done and had unlocked [Ravenous Wounds] because of it.


    However, it appeared that [Ravenous Wounds] was able to absorb Vitality not only for herself but for the Star Glaive as well.


    Talia felt her body adjusting to the new abilities and increased attributes, a strange tingling sensation coursing through her veins.


    It was exhilarating.


    ¡°Fiora,¡± Talia croaked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Fiora said, slowly moving her body.


    With Talia¡¯s support, Fiora managed to get to her feet, testing her weight gingerly.


    ¡°Are you good?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± she said, her voice growing stronger. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    Talia pointed towards the cave entrance, partially hidden behind a rocky outcropping.


    The dark maw of the cavern seemed to yawn before them.


    ¡°In there. Whatever¡¯s causing all this trouble in Placid City, I bet we¡¯ll find answers inside.¡±


    As they made their way towards the cave, Talia marveled at the increased agility.


    Every movement felt more fluid, more precise.


    She briefly activated [Tailwind], generating just a small chunk of the same aura that the Slashing Cruster Boss had possessed.


    The [Tailwind] skill hummed just above her skin, making her lighter.


    ¡°Is this the Boss¡¯s Skill?¡± Fiora asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Talia said, almost embarrassed.


    ¡°Of course you would get it,¡± Fiora sighed. ¡°Is it good?¡±


    ¡°It is, but it¡¯s still weak.¡±


    The two girls entered the dark passage, both exhausted and on edge.


    The air grew cooler as they ventured deeper, carrying with it the musty scent of damp stone and something else, something alien and vaguely unsettling.


    Fiora summoned a small globe of golden Sunwater to provide light.


    The narrow tunnel gradually widened, opening into a vast chamber that took their breath away.


    What they found there made them both gasp in shock.


    Hundreds of gelatinous membranes hung from the ceiling and walls like grotesque decorations, most of them empty and deflated.


    But a few still pulsed with unnatural life, their translucent surfaces revealing the shadowy forms of partially evolved Torpedo Snappers within.


    The faint, rhythmic pulsing of the occupied membranes filled the chamber with a disgusting vibration.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± Fiora breathed, her eyes wide with horror. ¡°What is this place?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Talia moved closer to one of the intact membranes, studying the creature inside.


    It was larger than a normal Torpedo Snapper, its form twisted and elongated in a way that made her skin crawl.


    She could see vestigial limbs beginning to form.


    The sight filled her with a deep, instinctive dread.


    ¡°This is how the Catastrophe went down twenty years ago,¡± Talia realized, her voice barely above a whisper as the full implications hit her. ¡°They made Torpedo Snappers into Drakes.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Fiora frowned.


    ¡°Not Professor Iakopo,¡± Talia replied. ¡°Cultists, if I had to guess.¡±


    As they ventured further into the chamber, carefully picking their way around fallen membranes and suspicious puddles, the true scale of their discovery began to sink in.


    Someone had been deliberately breeding and evolving these Abyssal Creatures on a massive scale, probably waiting to release them onto Placid City once again.


    But to what end? And how did it all tie into Professor Iakopo¡¯s arrest?


    Talia tried to connect the dots between this hidden hatchery, the Cultists, and the recent events in Placid City.


    One thing was certain - she hadn¡¯t foreseen this.


    ¡°We need to call for reinforcements,¡± Fiora said strongly. She was scanning the room, her eyes sharp despite her earlier ordeal. ¡°We need proof to show the Academy, to clear Professor Iakopo¡¯s name. Maybe if we¡ª¡±


    Fiora¡¯s words cut off abruptly as a noise echoed from deeper in the cave.


    Footsteps, growing closer.


    Then, a clapping sound suddenly came from the entrance of the corridor that led to the entrance of the cave.


    Both Talia and Fiora whirled on the spot and found a tall woman staring at her with an irritated smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that two useless commoners killed that Slashing Cruster Boss. I was worried the Professor would stumble on this area before we had finished taking care of our business¡ªor maybe some senior student. But no, my uncle had received tips to check for Torpedo Snappers, not for this. Instead, you two¡­¡±


    Mira shook her head.


    ¡°You two, pathetic girls, managed to get here. And you found the descending tunnel, too.¡±


    Talia and Fiora frowned, looking over their shoulders at an entrance that went deep into the ground, illuminated by a few sparse torches.


    ¡°You¡¯re a Cultist,¡± Talia said, feeling a spike of anxiety in her heart.


    Neither she nor Fiora had any chance against a fifth-year student.


    Mira was infinitely stronger than either of them.


    Talia knew that even if, by some miracle, she managed to activate the weird power that was dormant in her wrist marks or even access Dark Water, she would never be able to take on Mira.


    This was the end of the road.


    ¡°Cultist?¡± Mira smiled and shook her head. ¡°I am no such thing. I dealt with the scum to get rid of my Family¡¯sFamily¡¯s greatest stain, that useless uncle of mine.¡±


    ¡°You conspired against Professor Iakopo alongside Cultists?¡± Talia frowned.


    Mira sighed, nodding and summoning a spark of Mana in her hands.


    ¡°He¡¯s useless. He¡¯s a disgrace to my entire Family. He¡¯s going to be killed later today, but I¡¯m afraid neither of you will be still alive to witness that.¡±


    Even knowing that they stood no chance in front of Mira, Talia took a protective step in front of Fiora, her hand moving to grasp her glaive.


    Fiora didn¡¯t have any points in physical Attributes, while she herself had enhanced regeneration and a sturdier constitution.


    Perhaps Talia would be able to take at least one blow from Mira.


    ¡°Why?¡± Talia demanded, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her. ¡°Why go to such lengths to frame your own uncle?¡±


    Mira¡¯s smile turned cold, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of contempt and ambition. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand. The Kane family has a legacy to uphold and a reputation to maintain. Uncle Iakopo has been nothing but a disappointment.¡±


    She began to pace, the sparks of Mana in her hands growing brighter and starting to crackle with an azure light.


    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to live in the shadow of a failure? To have your family name tarnished by someone who should have been our greatest pride?¡±


    ¡°So you allied with Cultists? Created Abyssal Creatures to attack innocent people? All for your family¡¯sFamily''s reputation?¡±


    Mira¡¯s laugh was harsh, echoing off the cavern walls.


    ¡°Cultists are tools, nothing more. Useful idiots who think they¡¯re working towards some grand purpose. We just happened to share one mutual goal.¡±


    Talia¡¯s grip on her glaive tightened.


    ¡°And now? What happens now?¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Mira¡¯s eyes narrowed the Mana in her hands coalescing into crackling licks of Azure Lightning Water that crawled all over her arm. ¡°Now, I¡¯m afraid, your little adventure comes to an end.¡±


    Talia felt her eyes water with fear, but she couldn¡¯t let go like this.


    ¡°As soon as she attacks, run,¡± she told Fiora. ¡°Please, run as fast as you can. Hide. I might be able to take a few blows.¡±


    ¡°Talia¡ª¡± Fiora said, feeling her face erupt with blazing heat at the shame of having doubted her friend for what she had done. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Talia whispered with a pleading voice. ¡°Please, don¡¯t throw your life away. Takai should have managed his part. If he did, you just have to hide long enough to wait for these people to be brought to justice.¡±


    Fiora quickly wiped the tears out of her eyes and nodded, feeling so little because of her previous petty feelings that she could have disappeared into a tiny crack in the close wall.


    Mira¡¯s body became completely enveloped in Azure Lightning Water, the crackling energy forming a terrifying aura around her.


    The air itself seemed to vibrate with power, making it hard for Talia and Fiora to breathe.


    ¡°Any last words?¡± Mira said, her voice distorted by the energy surrounding her. ¡°I had orders not to kill you, blue-eyed freak. But I don¡¯t really give a damn about what the scum wants me to do.¡±


    Talia activated [Eyes of the Abyss], desperately trying to gauge their opponent¡¯s strength.


    What she saw made her blood run cold.


    The sheer magnitude of Mana radiating from Mira was overwhelming, far beyond anything Talia had ever encountered.


    She knew, with crushing certainty, that they stood no chance.


    Talia wouldn¡¯t be able to give Fiora an opening to escape.


    This¡­


    This was the end.


    Mira raised her hands, the Azure Lightning Water coalescing into a massive, serpentine form.


    A drake made of crackling azure energy materialized, its maw open wide and ready to swallow both Talia and Fiora whole.


    Talia closed her eyes, knowing it was her time to die.


    She silently apologized to Fiora, to Keanu, to everyone she was leaving behind.


    The roar of the lightning drake filled her ears, growing louder as it approached.


    Suddenly, a deafening impact shook the cave.


    Talia braced herself for pain, for oblivion, but nothing happened.


    Confused, she slowly opened her eyes.


    Before she stood a crystalline barrier of silvery-looking water, similar in color to Takai¡¯s Silver Water but much denser and sparkly.


    The azure lightning drake had dissipated against its surface, leaving not even a scratch.


    Talia felt a knot form in her throat as she realized what this was.


    Mira¡¯s expression shifted from shock to anger, turning towards the cave entrance.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this up with someone at your level?¡± the figure calmly said.


    Talia followed Mira¡¯s gaze, her heart leaping into her throat at what she saw.


    A figure stood there, white hair fluttering in the wind that seemed to emanate from their very being.


    For a moment, Talia thought it was her mother, somehow magically materialized to save them.


    But as the figure stepped into the chamber, the silvery barrier shimmering around them, Talia recognized who it truly was.


    ¡°Riala,¡± Talia breathed.


    Riala stood tall and proud, her eyes glowing with barely contained power.


    Her eyes swept over the membranes in the cave, the two tired girls, and then Mira.


    ¡°I got your message,¡± Riala said laconically to Talia.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll get to kill yet another person involved in my family¡¯s history. I¡¯ll kill you on behalf of that whore mother of yours,¡± Mira said, her Mana erupting even more violently than before. ¡°Let¡¯s see if Elder Kahua¡¯s Champion is that good.¡±


    A gentle aura swept across Riala¡¯s form, silvery and ethereal.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have imagined that I would have ever gotten my hands on a chance to exterminate a rat from Elder Kawena¡¯s School. Their champion, no less,¡± Riala said with a cold face. ¡°Once you¡¯re dead, I¡¯ll sacrifice your dead remains to my mother¡¯s name.¡±


    Then, Mira pounced on Riala, her power making the entire cave tremble.

 Chapter 76 – Tempest Soul

    Takai and Keanu stood frozen while Lilo slashed at the hair, White Rose releasing a white sickle from its blade and flying at full speed against Lilinoe.


    Lilinoe, on the other side, simply side-stepped, with the blow coming so close to her as to cut a few tips of her long hair.


    Then, both charged forward, moving with inhuman speed and grace, almost blurring in front of Takai¡¯s eyes as they exchanged blows.


    ¡°Is this the best the great Lilo Moana can do?¡± Lilinoe taunted the other girl.


    Unlike Lilo, she wielded a larger sword whose metal had thick, dark red veins.


    And not only was her sword different, but her style, too, completely contrasted with Lilo¡¯s.


    She seemed to flow around Lilo¡¯s attacks, with insane mastery over positioning that allowed her, despite the larger blade, to be as fast, if not faster, than the Tempest-Water-empowered Lilo.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you to help me create my Cursed Sword,¡± Lilinoe called out, a wicked grin spreading across her face. ¡°I¡¯ll plunge your own blade into your heart after I snatch it from your hands. Even though I don¡¯t like your little, puny sword, I¡¯ll make it work all the same. And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll treasure it dearly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never get the chance,¡± she growled, her voice barely audible over the roar of her Tempest Water surrounding her body.


    Takai watched in trepidation.


    The display of Skill and power before him was beyond anything he had ever imagined.


    He knew, with crushing certainty, that either of these fighters could obliterate him without breaking a sweat.


    ¡°They¡¯re... they¡¯re monsters,¡± he whispered, his voice trembling.


    Keanu nodded, his face pale.


    ¡°This is the level of the truly elite of the nobles, the level of a Chosen,¡± he murmured. ¡°The gap between us and them... it¡¯s like comparing a puddle to the ocean.¡±


    As the battle raged on, Lilinoe¡¯s eyes flickered towards Takai.


    Even in the midst of combat, she found time to mock him.


    ¡°Look, little brother,¡± she called out, effortlessly dodging one of Lilo¡¯s swings. ¡°This is what true strength looks like. This is what Father saw in me and not in you.¡±


    Takai flinched as if struck.


    Lilo¡¯s expression darkened further at Lilinoe¡¯s words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak to him,¡± she snarled, her attacks becoming even more ferocious.


    The Tempest Water around her intensified, small sparks of Mana crackling within the swirling mist.


    ¡°Aww, how sweet,¡± Lilinoe laughed, parrying a particularly vicious thrust from Lilo. ¡°The Promised Slayer has a soft spot for the weakling. How utterly pathetic.¡±


    Lilo let out a wordless cry of rage, her Tempest Water exploding outward in a massive wave. The force of it sent Lilinoe skidding backward, her feet leaving deep furrows in the ground.


    ¡°We... we need to go,¡± Keanu said, his voice snapping Takai out of his daze. ¡°Remember why we¡¯re here. Professor Iakopo needs us.¡±


    Takai nodded, tearing his eyes away from the battle with effort. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, his voice hoarse. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But right as they were about to turn, Lilinoe used her first Skill.


    ¡°[Silver Mirage].¡±


    In an instant, a shimmering figure materialized beside her. It was as if someone had poured liquid silver into a mold of Lilinoe¡¯s form.


    The doppelganger stood there, an exact copy made entirely of Silver Water, its surface rippling and catching the light.


    ¡°What...¡± Takai gasped, his eyes wide with shock.


    Lilo¡¯s stance shifted, her grip on White Rose tightening as she faced not one but two opponents.


    The Silver Water clone moved in perfect sync with Lilinoe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how the great Promised Slayer handles this,¡± Lilinoe taunted.


    Both Lilinoes¡ªthe real one and the silvery one¡ªcharged forward.


    Lilo found herself on the defensive, her Tempest Water swirling frantically as she tried to fend off attacks from two directions at once.


    Even while empowering herself with the Wind Water Affinity that the practice with her Family¡¯s Soul Weapon had granted her, Lilo felt herself pushed back.


    The real Lilinoe¡¯s sword clashed against White Rose, the impact sending sparks flying.


    At the same time, the Silver Water clone¡¯s blade, formed from its own liquid body, swept in from the other side.


    Lilo barely managed to dodge, the watery edge passing mere inches from her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my Cursed Sword Black Rose. Isn¡¯t that cute?¡± Lilinoe laughed manically.


    Lilo gritted her teeth, her Tempest Water surging outward from her body in a spray of blades in a desperate attempt to create some distance.


    But Lilinoe cut right through the attack with her sword coated with Mana Crystallization.


    Takai watched in horror as his half-sister and her watery twin pushed Lilo back step by step.


    Finally, Lilo managed to land a solid hit on the Silver Water clone, White Rose cleaving through its midsection.


    But the wound simply closed up, the liquid reforming as if nothing had happened.


    In that moment of distraction, the real Lilinoe struck.


    Her sword flashed in the sunlight, moving faster than Takai¡¯s eyes could follow.


    Lilo let out a cry of pain, stumbling backward.


    A deep gash had opened across her chest, blood staining her white clothing crimson.


    ¡°Lilo!¡± Takai shouted, taking an involuntary step forward.


    Lilinoe turned, her eyes locking onto Takai. ¡°Stay right there, little brother,¡± she said, her voice dripping with mock concern. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to miss the show, would you? Your little girlfriend is about to die.¡±


    Lilo struggled to her feet, one hand pressed against her wound. Her breathing was labored, but her eyes burned with determination. ¡°Is that... all you¡¯ve got?¡± she panted angrily, raising White Rose once more.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Why? Are you getting tired, perhaps? Is that all a Chosen has to offer, really?¡±


    Lilo looked Lilinoe dead in the eye and brought White Rose in front of her, parallel to her body, the tip of the blade standing against the sky.


    Takai had been about to jump in, hoping to help Lilo in some way, but a sudden Mana pressure swept the surroundings raising a huge cloud of dust and sand.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± Lilinoe cackled, ¡°that¡¯s what I was expecting! We¡¯re finally getting serious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this,¡± Lilo said, her voice slightly distorted by the crazy amount of Mana that was gathering in her body.


    ¡°[Tempest Soul],¡± Lilo intoned, her voice resonating with power.


    In an instant, her form seemed to blur and shift.


    The Tempest Water surrounding her body coalesced into a swirling vortex, lifting her slightly off the ground.


    Her hair whipped wildly in the self-generated maelstrom, and her eyes glowed with an otherworldly light.


    The air crackled with energy as Lilo¡¯s transformation was completed. Her body seemed to shimmer and pulse with power, the Tempest Water now an integral part of her being. Lilinoe¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of uncertainty passing across her face for the first time.


    ¡°Now,¡± Lilo said, her voice echoing strangely, ¡°let¡¯s see how you handle this.¡±


    In a blur of motion, Lilo vanished. She reappeared instantly behind Lilinoe, White Rose already slashing through the air.


    Lilinoe barely managed to bring her sword up in time to block, the impact sending her skidding backward.


    ¡°Blinking?¡± Lilinoe said, frowning.


    Blinking was the ability to teleport in short bursts, a tremendously rare skill that only very high-level people were usually capable of.


    Lilo started blinking in and out of existence, attacking from all angles.


    She was showing what being the heir of the Moana Family¡ªand most importantly their Chosen¡ªreally meant.


    Lilinoe¡¯s doppelganger was soon cut into ribbons of water so small that it disappeared into a small shower of water.


    The real Lilinoe, instead, kept backstepping, incapable of keeping up with Lilo¡¯s new speed, power, and, most importantly, blinking ability.


    Finally, Lilo broke through.


    White Rose slipped past Lilinoe¡¯s guard, opening a long gash across her arm.


    Lilinoe hissed in pain, stumbling back.


    Before she could recover, Lilo blinked again, appearing behind her, trying to impale her.


    Lilinoe managed to twist out of the way, but another quick slash opened a second wound on her back.


    ¡°This is what power looks like,¡± Lilo said, her voice cold. ¡°Give up now, and I might let you live.¡±


    Lilinoe¡¯s face contorted with rage.


    ¡°You think this was all I could do?¡± she spat. Blood dripped from her wounds, staining the ground beneath her feet. ¡°I am the Sword Demon¡¯s one true heir!¡±


    With a snarl of effort, Lilinoe raised her sword.


    ¡°[Silver Mist]!¡± she shouted.


    Instantly, a thick, silvery fog began to pour from her blade.


    It spread with unnatural speed, quickly engulfing the entire area.


    The mist was so dense that Takai could barely see his hand in front of his face.


    ¡°Lilo!¡± he called out, panic rising in his chest.


    But his voice seemed muffled, swallowed by the strange mist.


    Inside the fog, Lilo found herself completely disoriented.


    Her enhanced senses, which had served her so well moments before, were now useless.


    The mist seemed to absorb sound and distort her perception of space.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Lilo shouted, spinning in place. Her voice echoed strangely, coming back to her from all directions.


    Suddenly, pain exploded across her leg.


    Lilo cried out, stumbling.


    A blade of mist had materialized out of nowhere, slashing at her calf before disappearing.


    Before she could recover, another blade struck, this time cutting across her back.


    Lilo tried to blink away, to escape the mist.


    But every time she reappeared, she found herself still surrounded by the thick fog.


    It was as if the mist itself was everywhere.


    More blades appeared, striking from all angles.


    Lilo fought desperately, swinging White Rose in wide arcs, trying to ward off the attacks.


    But for every blade she deflected, two more seemed to find their mark.


    Blood began to soak through Lilo¡¯s clothes, dripping onto the ground beneath her.


    Her movements became slower, more labored.


    The constant attacks and the drain of maintaining [Tempest Soul] were taking their toll.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Promised Slayer?¡± Lilinoe¡¯s mocking voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. ¡°Having trouble seeing through the mist?¡±


    Lilo gritted her teeth, trying to focus. But the loss of blood was making her dizzy.


    Her vision swam, the silvery mist blurring into indistinct shapes.


    She stumbled, nearly falling.


    The attacks continued relentlessly.


    Blades of mist materialized and vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving cuts and gashes all over Lilo¡¯s body.


    She tried to fight back, but it was like swinging at shadows.


    Finally, Lilo¡¯s legs gave out.


    She fell to her knees, White Rose slipping from her grasp.


    [Tempest Soul] flickered and died, leaving her vulnerable and exposed.


    One last blade of mist struck, opening a large gash across her chest.


    Lilo collapsed, her body hitting the ground with a dull thud.


    She was in a pool of her own blood.


    Then, her eyes fluttered closed as consciousness slipped away.


    Slowly, the mist began to dissipate.


    As it cleared, Takai and Keanu saw Lilo lying motionless in a pool of her own blood.


    Lilinoe stood over her with a triumphant smile on her face despite her own injuries.


    ¡°And so falls the great Promised Slayer,¡± Lilinoe said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± Lilinoe chuckled, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. ¡°The great Promised Slayer, brought low by a mere ¡®cultist.¡¯ Again. Just like father did. Oh, how the nobles will weep when they hear of this.¡±


    She circled Lilo¡¯s motionless body, her eyes gleaming with cruel delight.


    ¡°I wonder what they¡¯ll say at the Academy? Will they mourn their lost champion, or will they simply move on to the next puppet they can groom?¡±


    Takai stood frozen, his whole body shaking. He felt sick to his stomach, torn between fear and the desperate need to do something - anything - to help Lilo.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, little brother?¡± Lilinoe taunted, turning her attention to Takai.


    Takai¡¯s legs felt like jelly, but somehow, he managed to take a step forward. His voice trembled as he spoke.


    ¡°K-Keanu,¡± he said, not taking his eyes off Lilinoe, ¡°y¡ªyou need to go. Now.¡±


    Keanu hesitated, his hand on his weapon.


    ¡°Takai, I can¡¯t just leave you here-¡±


    ¡°GO!¡± Takai shouted, his voice cracking with fear and desperation. He could feel his bladder threatening to give way, but he stood his ground. ¡°Please! You know what to do!¡±


    Lilinoe laughed, a cold, mirthless sound.


    ¡°Oh, how touching. The weakling thinks he can play the hero.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s more hesitation, Keanu turned and ran, disappearing down the street.


    Lilinoe didn¡¯t even spare him a glance, her attention fully on Takai and the fallen Lilo.


    With deliberate slowness, Lilinoe bent down and picked up White Rose, Lilo¡¯s fallen weapon.


    She held it up, admiring how the blade caught the light.


    ¡°Such a beautiful sword despite its size,¡± she mused. ¡°It¡¯s almost a shame to use it to kill its own master.¡±


    As Lilinoe took a step towards Lilo, Takai¡¯s body moved almost of its own accord.


    He leaped forward, placing himself between Lilinoe and Lilo¡¯s unconscious form.


    His legs shook so badly he could barely stand, but still, he spread his arms wide as if his frail body could somehow shield Lilo from harm.


    Lilinoe raised an eyebrow, pointing White Rose directly at Takai¡¯s chest.


    The tip of the blade hovered just inches from his heart.


    ¡°My, my,¡± she said, her voice soft and dangerous. ¡°Aren¡¯t you full of surprises? But tell me, little brother, do you really want to throw your life away for her?¡±


    Takai said nothing, his throat too tight and fearful of speaking.


    But he didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to die here, you know,¡± Lilinoe continued, her tone almost conversational. ¡°You¡¯ll never be as strong as me, of course. That ship has long since sailed. But Father is here, on this very island. Wouldn¡¯t you like to meet him? To finally have a chance to prove your worth?¡±


    For a moment, just a brief instant, Takai felt a surge of longing so intense it made his chest ache.


    To meet his father, to finally have a chance to earn his approval... it was everything he had ever wanted.


    But then his eyes fell on Lilo, lying broken and bleeding on the ground.


    He thought of her kindness, her strength, the way she had been nice to him with respect despite his weakness.


    And he knew, with a clarity that surprised him, that he couldn¡¯t betray her.


    Not even for the chance to meet his father.


    ¡°N-no,¡± Takai managed to choke out, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Lilinoe¡¯s eyes hardened.


    ¡°No? You would throw away your only chance to be something more than a pathetic weakling? For what? Some noble girl who would never look twice at you if you weren¡¯t useful?¡±


    Takai said nothing, but he didn¡¯t move. He could feel his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Lilinoe sighed, raising White Rose. ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to die, who am I to deny you?¡±


    At that moment, as the blade began its downward arc, Takai knew he was going to die.


    But he also knew, with a certainty that surprised him, that he couldn¡¯t let Lilo die.


    Not when there was still something he could do.


    Closing his eyes, Takai reached deep inside himself, to the core of his being, where the technique Principal Kaimana had imparted to him was.


    [You will lose all your current Skills if you accept the ¡®Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.¡¯]


    [Do you accept?]


    [Yes | No]


    This was an effect he hadn¡¯t been told about by Principal Kaimana.


    The old man had probably not even bothered since Takai wasn¡¯t compatible with the Skill at all, and learning it would have meant his death anyway.


    At this point, accepting it would mean refusing to be everything that his dad had ever been.


    And not only that.


    He knew this was going to kill him.


    He knew it.


    But with a mental wrench that felt like tearing his own soul in half, Takai pulled at the technique and unraveled it.


    [You have learned the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.]


    The next moment, Takai felt as if his body had been pierced by a thousand swords.

 Chapter 77 – Heavenly Heart Rending Technique

    Pain exploded through Takai¡¯s body, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.


    It felt as if a thousand invisible blades were slicing into his skin all at once.


    He gasped, struggling to breathe as his vision blurred with agony.


    Warm liquid trickled down his face, and with horror, he realized he was sweating blood.


    Tiny cuts appeared all over his skin.


    Blood seeped from these wounds, staining his clothes a deep crimson.


    Takai¡¯s legs trembled, threatening to give out beneath him.


    But somehow, he managed to stay standing, his determination to protect Lilo overriding even this excruciating pain.


    With shaking hands, Takai reached for his sword.


    The simple act of unsheathing it made him almost retch with effort.


    As he poorly wielded the sword in front of him, shaking like a leaf, he noticed something interesting.


    Lilinoe had backed away.


    Takai peered into his sister¡¯s eyes, finding surprise and wariness there.


    Another thought, though, crossed his mind, which made him laugh while his eyes teared up.


    I¡¯m going to die, Takai thought. I¡¯m actually about to die.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die!¡± Lilinoe hissed at him.


    ¡°Y¡ªyes,¡± Takai managed to say, nodding.


    Lilinoe¡¯s expression twisted into a sneer, but Takai could see uncertainty in her eyes as she peered over all the blood he was suddenly shedding.


    ¡°You¡¯re throwing your life away for her? Why, Takai? What do you even know about nobles?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Takai said earnestly.


    ¡°Then why are you standing over her like that? Move, and I¡¯ll spare your life. Father wants to meet you.¡±


    Takai wasn¡¯t swayed in the least.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Takai said, moving his free hand on the hilt of the sword, trying to steady himself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t care about Father? The greatest swordsmen in the Deep? Explain to me, little brother, before I cut you up, why are you protecting that noble?¡±


    Takai shrugged, looking back at Lilo and wondering about the same thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the right thing to do,¡± he said candidly. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t need another reason.¡±


    ¡°What a damn idiot,¡± Lilinoe said, shocked. ¡°You¡¯re a damn idiot!¡±


    She seemed frustrated, much more than Takai had anticipated.


    He had imagined that, by now, his sister would be charging down and trying to reap his life into this solitary street corner of Placid City.


    Instead, she was hesitating.


    Even when he had seen her raise White Rose while he had been in front of Lilo, it had felt almost as if Lilinoe hadn¡¯t wanted to strike him.


    Takai felt the supreme fear of what he was doing coursing through his body.


    He had imagined that once the Skill had been used, he would have been resigned to his fate.


    But still, knowing that he was close to death, he felt no more reassured than he had been before.


    In fact, he felt even more scared.


    He wished he could take it back, honestly.


    Not that he would, but¡­


    He wished that at least the option could be on the table.


    Just to feel better.


    ¡°Do you love her?¡± Lilinoe asked, gritting her teeth. ¡°Is that it?¡±


    Takai shook his head.


    ¡°What is it?! Why are you doing this?! Do you understand that you could be groomed by Father?! You have the opportunity to meet the Sword Demon himself, and you¡¯re choosing to die for this girl you barely even care about?!¡±


    Takai¡¯s grip felt shakier and shakier, with the blood loss caused by all the cuts across his body making him feel dizzy. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Are you doing this b¡ªbecause of Father?¡± Takai frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for myself!¡± Lilinoe said, affronted, furious because of such an accusation. ¡°I am here to kill her and gain a Cursed Sword! I need to plunge this Soul Weapon into her heart! Do you even understand what that means? Do you know how strong a Cursed Sword is?! In the entire Great Archipelago, there are only three! Father currently wields the strongest, and one day, I¡¯ll be the one up there, the strongest swordsman of all!¡±


    Takai nodded, unsure of what even to say next, feeling awkward.


    It seemed like even in his death throes, he would be the weird, awkward kid whose social skills couldn¡¯t level up, not even while sacrificing his life for someone else.


    That made Takai laugh to himself and cough, feeling like the cuts of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique had reached deep into his body.


    ¡°Are you laughing at me?!¡± Lilinoe shouted.


    Takai shook his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he said regretfully. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m about to die, and I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re about to die,¡± Lilinoe spat.


    ¡°No,¡± Takai shook his head again. ¡°Not because of you. I just used this technique that Principal Kaimana gave me. It¡¯s called the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s going to kill me.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Lilinoe¡¯s eyes went wide.


    She had heard of that technique from their father before.


    Awa, the Sword Demon, their father, had said that, in his opinion, there was only one technique superior to the ultimate form of [Silver Mist].


    Thankfully, he had added that when he had explained that to Lilinoe, there was only one man who had mastered that Skill without dying to do it.


    The same man who had killed the Kraken not once, not two, but six times in a row, more than any other Kraken Slayer, possibly the strongest man not just in the present era but to ever live.


    Principal Kaimana.


    Awa had told his daughter that he was the one person he would have refused to meet in a fair battle.


    That was the one-time Lilinoe had ever heard their father talk about someone in that way.


    He feared no one, not even the one monster at the head of their organization.


    Principal Kaimana¡¯s main technique had been none other than the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re bleeding?¡± Lilinoe said warily. ¡°Father wasn¡¯t strong enough to learn it, and you thought you were?¡±


    She looked at him with pity.


    Takai was so drained of energy he didn¡¯t even have enough energy to respond.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Lilinoe said, raising White Rose. ¡°I¡¯ll put an end to your suffering.¡±


    Lilinoe had felt slightly nervous when Takai had announced that he had learned the same Skill that had made Principal Kaimana the legend he was.


    However, seeing the pathetic condition Takai versed in, she knew that her brother had probably not even properly learned the technique.


    ¡°Goodbye, little brother,¡± she said.


    Lilinoe took a deep breath, focusing her mind on the technique her father had taught her.


    [Silver Mist] was more than just a Skill to her¡ªit was her heritage, her birthright as the Sword Demon¡¯s true heir.


    As she called upon it, she felt a rush of pride.


    This was what set her apart, what made her special.


    She wasn¡¯t just some ordinary girl; she was destined for greatness.


    Takai didn¡¯t understand the blood they carried in their veins.


    She did.


    The mist exploded forth from White Rose.


    It formed around her in a thick curtain and moved forth like a silver avalanche of death.


    Lilinoe felt the familiar sensation of her consciousness expanding, merging with the mist itself.


    Every droplet became an extension of her sword and her senses.


    She had mastered what could be considered the second stage of [Silver Mist], the ability to cut through the mist.


    But she was probably still years away from reaching what their father could do with it.


    Takai, the poor fool, had barely scratched the surface of the Skill instead.


    As the mist spread, enveloping the area around her and Takai, Lilinoe felt a pang of pity.


    She remembered the hours they had spent training with her father, his stern voice guiding her, pushing her to be better, stronger.


    Takai hadn¡¯t had that.


    He had grown weak and surrounded by snakes.


    The mist enveloped the entire block, and Lilinoe sighed, shaking her head and focusing.


    She would one day surpass her father and become a legend in her own right.


    But it all started here, with this pathetic excuse for a brother who dared to stand in her way.


    Nonetheless, she resolved to make his death painless.


    The fool had just used a Skill beyond his abilities, and, despite them sharing only their parent''s blood, it mattered to her.


    It mattered to Lilinoe that they shared their father¡¯s blood.


    As the Silver Mist thickened, obscuring everything from view, Lilinoe allowed herself a small smile.


    She stood before Takai, being able to see through the fog as if it wasn¡¯t there, White Rose raised high. Despite her determination, she felt a twinge of something almost like pity. Her brother looked so small, so pathetic as he trembled in the mist. Blood dripped from countless tiny cuts, staining his clothes crimson. His eyes were wide with fear and pain, yet still he stood his ground.


    Everything has a price.


    And among all things, power is the costliest, little brother.


    I¡¯m sorry.


    I¡¯ll make this quick.


    * * *


    The silvery fog had engulfed Takai, wrapping around him like a cold, damp blanket.


    Takai tried to move, but the mist seemed to push against him, disorienting him further.


    He could no longer tell which way was up or down, left or right.


    The mist pressed in from all sides, isolating him in a world of shifting silver.


    Is this what Lilo felt?


    He hadn¡¯t even noticed how terrifying his sister¡¯s Skill had been during their first encounter.


    Without knowing it, right when Lilinoe was about to sever his head from his body, Takai¡¯s trembling hand raised his sword.


    His voice, weak and stuttering, managed to form just a few words.


    ¡°H-Heavenly Heart Rending Technique.¡±


    At that moment, knowledge flooded Takai¡¯s mind.


    The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique was the ultimate cutting attack, capable of slicing through anything - physical objects, energy, even space itself.


    It was the ultimate Skill for a swordsman.


    Now I understand why Principal Kaimana is so strong, Takai thought curiously, slashing just once with his weapon in no particular direction. I also see why this Skill would kill me¡­ it¡¯s just too strong.


    For a heartbeat, nothing seemed to happen where the two siblings stood.


    No clear victor was in sight since mist covered both their forms.


    Then, suddenly, the mist dispersed as if blown away by an invisible wind.


    Takai stood there, sword in hand, still shaking from pain and exhaustion, cutting the same sorry figure.


    Across from him, Lilinoe¡¯s eyes widened in shock as they slowly lowered to her chest.


    A deep gash ran from her hip to her collarbone, blood pouring from the grievous wound.


    She stumbled, White Rose, slipping from her grasp.


    Around them, the scenery had changed dramatically.


    Buildings on either side of the street had been cleanly severed, the cut surfaces smooth as glass.


    It was as if a giant blade had swept through the area, cleaving everything in its path.


    Lilinoe fell to her knees, disbelief etched on her face.


    ¡°How...¡± she gasped, her voice weak. ¡°How did you...¡±


    She fell unconscious to the ground.


    Moments later, Takai followed suit.

 Chapter 78 – Star Water

    Riala¡¯s eyes narrowed as she saw Mira turn maliciously towards Talia and Fiora at the far end of the cave.


    The two younger girls looked exhausted and battered, clearly no match for Mira¡¯s power.


    A surge of protective instinct rushed through Riala as she realized Mira¡¯s intent.


    Her hands shot out, and instantly, an even thicker barrier of Star Water materialized between Mira and the girls.


    The translucent wall sparkled like a starry night.


    But that didn¡¯t deter the Kane Family¡¯s scion, who threw a massive Azure Lightning Water spear at the barrier.


    The cave shook so strongly that several gigantic stalactites detached from the ceiling and fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.


    Riala stood tall, unfazed by Mira¡¯s display of power.


    ¡°Talia! Fiora!¡± she called out, her voice carrying easily across the cavern. ¡°I need you two to leave. Now.¡±


    The problem was that Talia and Fiora were on the other end of the cave and only the mysterious passaged carved into it would lead them away from the fight that was about to go down here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Riala shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this. You both need to get to safety so I can fight without holding back.¡±


    Fiora nodded, understanding the situation. She grabbed Talia¡¯s arm and started pulling her towards the tunnel entrance.


    ¡°Come on,¡± the blonde said, holding her side, ¡°your sister knows what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    Talia hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    ¡°Okay, but be careful!¡±


    As the girls made their way to the tunnel, Riala called out one last instruction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far into the tunnel! It could be dangerous. Just get out of sight and wait. I¡¯ll come find you when I¡¯m done here.¡±


    With the girls safely out of harm¡¯s way, Riala turned her full attention to Mira.


    The Kane Family member was seething with rage, her Azure Lightning Water crackling around her like a furious storm.


    ¡°You think you can beat me?¡± Mira taunted, her voice dripping with disdain. ¡°I¡¯m the pride of the Kane Family. You¡¯re nothing compared to me!¡±


    Riala remained calm, her Star Water flowing around her in gentle waves.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± she replied coolly.


    Mira let out a frustrated yell and launched herself at Riala, fully covered in lightning.


    * * *


    Talia and Fiora hurried down the dark stairway.


    ¡°How did your sister even get here so fast?¡± Fiora asked, her breath coming in short gasps as they ran.


    ¡°I sent a message to her¡­¡± Talia sighed, stopping for a moment to listen to the vibrations created by the fight between her sister and Mira.


    Talia wasn¡¯t sure how strong Mira was, but she knew she was a fifth-year student. Which meant she must have had several levels over Riala.


    However, Riala was the only fourth-year student of this year, and probably many generations, that had been named Champion of a School despite not being in her last year at the Academy.


    ¡°When did you do that?¡± Fiora frowned.


    ¡°I told her it was an emergency and to come here as fast as she could¡ªI used a code we used to have as children for when adults knew we were stealing fruits from their huts that meant that danger was close.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± was Fiora¡¯s only response as the blonde stopped with her back to the rocky wall of the corridor. ¡°My Mana is coming back, finally.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Talia said, looking back at where they came from.


    Then, before they could go any further, she frowned.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Talia said, grabbing Fiora¡¯s arm. She closed her eyes and activated [Eyes of the Abyss], her special ability to sense mana and detect nearby threats.


    As her awareness expanded, she felt... something.


    It wasn¡¯t a monster, but a familiar sensation she couldn¡¯t quite place.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Fiora asked, her voice tense. ¡°Do you see any monsters?¡±


    Talia shook her head. ¡°No monsters, but there¡¯s something down there. Something... important.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Fiora frowned. ¡°Your sister said not to go too far. Maybe we should head back.¡±


    ¡°I know, but...¡± Talia bit her lip, torn between following Riala¡¯s instructions and investigating the strange feeling. ¡°This could be important. I don¡¯t sense people or monsters anyway.¡±


    Fiora hesitated, clearly unsure. Finally, she sighed. ¡°Okay, but let¡¯s be quick. And careful.¡±


    They continued down the stairs, moving slower now, alert for any sign of danger.


    The passage led them deeper underground.


    Talia kept [Eyes of the Abyss] active, following the strange sensation like a compass needle pointing north.


    After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, they emerged into a large, circular chamber.


    In the center stood an ancient stone well.


    Talia approached it cautiously, peering down into its depths.


    To her surprise, it was completely dry.


    ¡°It¡¯s empty,¡± she said.


    But as she placed her hand on the well¡¯s edge, she felt something.


    A vibration, barely noticeable, but definitely there.


    And with it came a surge of that familiar sensation - stronger now, almost overwhelming.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Fiora said, peering down the well with a frown on her face.


    ¡°I think this is it,¡± Talia said, frowning. ¡°I saw a vision of my mother looking for this thing. I believe it¡¯s called the Dark Water Well. My mom mentioned that.¡±


    ¡°Dark Water?¡± Fiora frowned.


    She had, of course, learned about Talia¡¯s accident with Elder Kahua, but she hadn¡¯t inquired about it at all. Nor did she know what vision Talia was talking about.


    ¡°So, you can you actually use Dark Water?¡± The blonde asked.


    Talia shook her head in the semi-darkness of the chamber.


    ¡°No. I¡­ I don¡¯t know how I even managed to access it the first time.¡±


    ¡°Mh,¡± Fiora raised her eyebrows. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry about the Boss, by the way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°If I had gotten different Skills, I might have been able to dodge¡­ I went with Ra Mage because I thought it¡­ nothing. Actually, I just didn¡¯t want to listen to your advice.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s frustrating, really,¡± Fiora said, looking up at Talia and meeting the girl¡¯s shining blue eyes. ¡°Things seem to work out for you no matter what. I¡¯m¡­ envious. Part of me hates you for it. But¡­ I should have listened.¡±


    ¡°I should have listened when Elder Krakatoa told me not to take Professor Iakopo¡¯s class if it¡¯s any consolation,¡± Talia said with a half-smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here, and maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°The only reason we might all survive is because you thought the Professor was innocent,¡± Fiora stated matter-of-factly. ¡°In fact, why don¡¯t you just shut up about it? I hate you when you do this. You did something good. Stop bashing yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, really,¡± Fiora said, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant. You are unpleasant when you do this. You did great. Just¡­ be less of a prick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Talia said hesitantly. ¡°And¡­ thanks.¡±


    ¡°I hope you fall and die on our way back,¡± Fiora said, looking at the corridor that went back up but also further down. ¡°Where do you think that goes anyway?¡±


    ¡°No idea¡ª¡±


    Talia was cut off by a series of screams coming exactly from down there.


    Talia¡¯s eyes widened in horror as realization struck.


    ¡°The students! With all those Torpedo Snappers released, they could be in serious danger! This must lead to the end of the Placid Cave! The students had to channel their Mana Boards today! Damn it! Nami and Lilo are down there!¡±


    Talia looked expectantly to the corridor, hoping Riala would materialize there.


    However, her sister was probably still busy fighting off Mira.


    ¡°We need to help!¡± Talia suddenly said.


    Fiora looked tired and hesitant, but the blonde nodded her head.


    ¡°Or get ourselves killed,¡± Fiora commented as she walked toward the passage.


    But before they could move, a hissing sound filled the chamber.


    Green, noxious fumes began pouring from cracks in the walls and floor, quickly filling the air.


    ¡°Cover your mouth!¡± Talia shouted, pulling her shirt up over her nose.


    Fiora did the same, coughing as the acrid smoke burned her throat.


    Through the thickening haze, a figure appeared in the chamber¡¯s entrance.


    It was a girl, tall and willowy, wearing a long black dress.


    Her skin was unnaturally pale, almost glowing in the dim light.


    A wicked smile played across her lips as she surveyed the scene before her.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± the newcomer said, her voice high and mocking. ¡°What do we have here? Two little rats scurrying where they don¡¯t belong.¡±


    Talia and Fiora backed away, pressing themselves against the far wall of the chamber.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Talia said, frowning. She looked like that Apikalia that Keanu had seen. ¡°Stand back!¡±


    The girl¡¯s creepy laughter echoed off the stone walls.


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that cute? The little rat thinks she can make demands.¡± Her eyes, dark and cold, fixed on Talia. ¡°I am Apikalia, and what I want... well, that¡¯s really none of your concern.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Cultist,¡± Talia said through gritted teeth, feeling the noxious fume making her head lighter. ¡°You¡¯re done. You¡¯re about to be stopped.¡±


    Apikalia¡¯s smile widened, showing teeth that seemed just a bit too sharp.


    ¡°Stop us? Oh, you poor, naive children. You have no idea what¡¯s really going on here, do you?¡±


    She spread her arms wide, gesturing to the well and the chamber around them.


    ¡°This is just the beginning. Soon, the power of the Dark Water Well will be ours again, and there¡¯s nothing you or anyone else can do about it.¡±


    As she spoke, the green fumes grew thicker, swirling around Apikalia like a living thing.


    Talia felt her head start to spin, her vision blurring at the edges.


    Beside her, Fiora swayed on her feet, clearly affected by the noxious gas as well.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Apikalia said, taking a step towards them. ¡°What shall I do with you two? See, I have an idea¡ª¡±


    Before she could continue, several jets of Sunwater sprung forth from Fiora¡¯s hands, acting like a tidal wave that pushed some of the gas away and almost hit Apikalia.


    The girl summoned a gas-made barrier that was, however, almost fully consumed by the attack and frowned at Fiora.


    ¡°Talia,¡± Fiora said with her jaw clenched. ¡°Go down¡ªhelp them out. Use whatever power you have¡ªDark Water, the creepy one you mentioned¡ªI don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t let the students die. Look out for Agalei if you can.¡±


    ¡°Fiora, I can¡¯t let you, I¡ª¡±


    Fiora silenced Talia with a quick, icy glance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to die here. Just go. I¡¯ll take care of this and be right behind you. If there¡¯s anything we can do to help the students survive, you¡¯re the one capable of it.¡±


    Talia gritted her teeth, thinking it would be a foolish move to leave Fiora alone, but she also knew that the Torpedo Snappers would most likely overwhelm the students if Professor Iakopo didn¡¯t get there on time.


    She could either leave Fiora here, trusting that she was strong enough to deal with Apikalia on her own, or barrel down the dark passage and try to reach the students and help them out.


    Talia hesitated for a moment, torn between staying with Fiora and helping the students.


    Finally, with a nod to her friend, she dashed towards the dark passage leading down.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± she called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the shadows.


    Apikalia hadn¡¯t stopped Talia for some reason, but Fiora didn¡¯t have the time to worry about this behavior since the gas was gathering in the chamber once again, holding off her position for now.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± Apikalia purred, ¡°aren¡¯t you the brave one? Staying behind to face me all alone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re about to die,¡± Fiora said, raising a hand with a globe of Sunwater over it. ¡°And it¡¯s going to hurt. A lot.¡±

 Chapter 79 – Poison Water

    ¡°Why do you talk like that?¡± Fiora said with a disgusted expression.


    Apikalia had a weird affectation that grated on Fiora¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been in the West Deep, have you, blondie?¡± Apikalia smiled.


    Fiora shook her head, eyeing the poisonous gas and trying to decide how to take down Apikalia.


    ¡°Well, the Great Families in the West Deep all teach their children to speak with proper diction, darling. This is what it sounds like.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a noble?¡± Fiora suddenly frowned.


    Apikalia¡¯s laughter echoed through the chamber, a sound both melodious and chilling. ¡°Oh, darling, I¡¯m more than just a noble. I¡¯m what the nobles fear to become.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s brow furrowed, her mind racing to make sense of this revelation. The poisonous gas swirled around them, a constant reminder of the danger they faced.


    ¡°You see,¡± Apikalia continued, her voice silky smooth, ¡°the West Deep is a pit of vipers. Everyone smiles to your face while plotting your downfall. My family? They were content to play their petty games, never realizing the true power that lay within their grasp.¡±


    She moved closer.


    The green mist seemed to part before her as if even the poison recognized her as its master.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve learned secrets, my dear Fiora. Secrets about the Academy, about the nobles, about the very foundation of our society¡¯s sweet Archipelago. Secrets that would make your skin crawl.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s hands clenched at her sides, ready to summon her Sunwater at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Apikalia¡¯s smile widened, revealing teeth that seemed just a bit too sharp.


    ¡°Oh, the things I could tell you. About the true nature of the Kraken, about the deeds performed by the nobles in the name of ¡®protection.¡¯ But why tell you when I could show you?¡±


    She extended a hand, palm up, an invitation.


    ¡°Join us, dear. I see the talent in you, the potential. And it just happens we¡¯re recruiting! You could be great, truly great. I can feel it!¡±


    Fiora recoiled, disgust plain on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re mad if you think I¡¯d ever join Cultists.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Apikalia¡¯s eyes glittered with amusement. ¡°Tell me, Fiora, what do you actually know about Cultists? What has the Academy told you?¡±


    Fiora opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words.


    She realized that she knew very little.


    Apikalia¡¯s smile turned triumphant.


    ¡°Let me educate you, then. About Abyssal Magic, about the true nature of power.¡±


    She raised her hand, and the poisonous mist coalesced into intricate patterns.


    ¡°Not all Cultists accept Abyssal Magic. It requires sacrifice - your Primary Mana Channel, to be precise. But in return? We gain the ability to absorb Raw Mana from the Deep itself while keeping our Secondary Mana Channels.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s eyes widened.


    She hadn¡¯t known about that.


    The ability to absorb Raw Mana was a bigger deal than most would have understood, especially for casters, since it would allow them to store a lot of Mana at once.


    ¡°We can store vast amounts of Mana,¡± Apikalia continued, basically vocalizing Fiora¡¯s own thoughts. ¡°More than any normal Initiated could dream of. And we can discharge it all at once if needed, emptying our body of it. It makes us... invisible to the eyes of the Initiated.¡±


    Fiora frowned.


    If what Apikalia said was true, it explained how Cultists had managed to operate undetected for so long.


    ¡°I gave up my Primary Mana Channel,¡± Apikalia said, a hint of wistfulness in her voice. ¡°It was necessary for my Poison Water to reach its full potential. Most caster Cultists prefer Abyssal Magic. It allows us to walk among Abyssal Creatures unharmed. They see us as masters unless the level gap is too great.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± Fiora demanded, suspicious of the forthcoming attitude of the other girl.


    Apikalia¡¯s expression softened, almost becoming gentle.


    ¡°Because unlike the nobles and Water Riders, we don¡¯t need to lie and cheat. We offer honesty, Fiora. It¡¯s what drew me to the Cultists in the first place.¡±


    She took a step closer, her eyes locked on Fiora¡¯s.


    ¡°Do you even know what we call ourselves? Our true name?¡±


    Fiora shook her head, unable to look away from Apikalia¡¯s intense gaze.


    ¡°The Equilibrium Cult,¡± Apikalia said, her voice filled with reverence. ¡°We seek balance in all things, including the balance between the surface world and the Deep.¡±


    The chamber fell silent save for the soft hiss of the poisonous gas that was held at bay by the other¡¯s magic. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Apikalia sighed theatrically, her smile turning upside down. ¡°No, I suppose you don¡¯t. You can¡¯t see it. Oh my, what a sad turn of events.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t betray my friends,¡± Fiora said with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Betray? They¡¯re about to have the same opportunity you just received.¡±


    At that, Fiora laughed.


    ¡°Talia would never accept.¡±


    ¡°The Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter?¡± Apikalia smiled cattily. ¡°Oh dear, you know nothing. All the others will have a choice, but your friend? Talia? Her choice has been made the moment she was born.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out,¡± Apikalia smiled. ¡°But now, it¡¯s time for you to go to sleep.¡±


    That said, the gas that had been seemingly holding off from filling the entire room suddenly expanded.


    Fiora tried shielding her face with her sleeve as the poison-filled the chamber. However, it was clear that she could not do anything to stop it.


    So, she took a gamble.


    She would kill Apikalia before her poison could kill her.


    Fiora coughed, pained, her voice hoarse from the noxious air.


    She summoned her Sunwater, feeling the familiar warmth build in her palms.


    With a cry of determination, she launched a barrage of golden orbs at Apikalia.


    The Cultist laughed, easily dodging the attacks that were all scattered since Fiora was still recovering from the fight with the Slashing Cruster Boss and since her senses were muddled by the poison.


    ¡°Oh, darling. Is that really the best you can do?¡± Her voice was mocking, infuriating Fiora even further.


    Gritting her teeth, Fiora decided to up the ante.


    She focused her mind, channeling her Mana into [Zenith].


    She began to charge [Sunbeam Strike] with it, trying as hard as possible not to fall unconscious.


    The overcharged beam of sunlight shot from above, amplified by Zenith¡¯s power.


    It was a devastating combination, one that should have been impossible for Apikalia to avoid.


    But as the brilliant light filled the chamber, Fiora¡¯s vision swam.


    The poisonous gas had already sunk its claws deep into others.


    The supercharged Sunbeam Strike went wide, missing Apikalia by several feet and slamming into the cavern floor with a thunderous crash.


    Chunks of rock exploded forth as Fiora stumbled, her legs suddenly weak beneath her.


    She blinked hard, trying to clear her blurring vision, but it was no use.


    The world seemed to tilt and spin around her.


    Apikalia¡¯s laughter echoed through the chamber, sounding distant and distorted to Fiora¡¯s addled mind.


    ¡°Oh, my dear. Did you really think you could beat me? You inhaled my poison minutes ago. It¡¯s a miracle that you¡¯re still standing, really. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll soon sleep and rest in my arms.¡±


    Fiora tried to summon another attack, but her Mana felt sluggish and unresponsive.


    She could barely keep herself upright, let alone launch an effective strike.


    Panic began to set in as she realized how dire her situation had become.


    ¡°I...¡± Fiora gasped, slurring. ¡°Damn you¡­¡±


    She took a stumbling step forward, nearly falling in the process.


    ¡°Shh, shh,¡± Apikalia cooed, her voice dripping with false sympathy. ¡°Don¡¯t fight it, darling. Just let the poison take you. It¡¯ll all be over soon.¡±


    As Fiora¡¯s consciousness began to fade, her mind raced desperately for a solution.


    She couldn¡¯t let it end like this.


    She couldn¡¯t fail Talia, fail her friends, fail herself.


    There had to be something, anything she could do.


    Suddenly, a memory surfaced through the fog of her thoughts.


    Talia¡¯s words echoed in her mind.


    ¡°You know, it would be very cool if you could make multiple strikes rain at once at some point.¡±


    In that moment of clarity, Fiora¡¯s eyes widened.


    The second Glyph she had received was the Fusion Glyph.


    Her Skill, [Sunwater Glyph], told her it would allow her to merge multiple Skills and evolve into one, more powerful Skill.


    She had done nothing with it, not sure what it would have been good for and not sure she would have the time to unlock it.


    But now, it was the only thing she thought could save her.


    Drawing on every ounce of willpower she possessed, she moved her Mana sluggishly through her veins.


    In this dazed state, she barely knew what she was doing.


    But somehow, the drunkenness of the poison made her slip into a flow-like state, maximally focused on bringing the Skills together into the Fusion Glyph.


    She poured everything into it.


    [Zenith] was too slow to be used on its own anyway, especially in larger fights.


    The Speed Glyph was good on its own, but it would be better suited to complement [Zenith] ¡¯s weakness.


    ¡°Oh my, what is that?¡± Apikalia asked curiously.


    Fiora saw a triangular shape forming in front of her and knew she could merge one more Skill there.


    She poured [Sunbeam Strike] into it and prayed.


    At first, nothing seemed to happen.


    Fiora thought she had failed.


    But then, she felt it - a surge of energy, unlike anything she had ever experienced before.


    It was as if the sun itself had taken residence in her chest, filling her with a comforting warmth.


    The poisonous gas around her began to dissipate, pushed back by the sheer radiance emanating from Fiora¡¯s body.


    Apikalia¡¯s smug expression faltered, replaced by one of confusion and growing concern.


    ¡°What... what are you doing?¡± the Cultist demanded, taking a step back.


    Fiora couldn¡¯t have answered even if she wanted to.


    All the parts of her that hadn¡¯t been overtaken by the poison were focused on completing the Fusion Glyph.


    She felt it building within her, growing stronger with each passing second.


    Suddenly, the ceiling of the cavern began to glow.


    Brilliant points of light appeared as if stars had somehow manifested underground.


    These points grew brighter and brighter until they resembled miniature suns, their light so intense it was almost painful to look at.


    Apikalia¡¯s eyes widened in fear as she realized what was happening.


    ¡°What?¡± she whispered, her usual composure cracking. ¡°What is-¡±


    [Solar Glyph Mastery has reached Level 6!]


    [Solar Glyph Mastery has reached Level 7!]


    [Solar Glyph Mastery has reached Level 8!]


    [Solar Glyph Mastery has reached Level 9!]


    [Solar Glyph Mastery has reached Level 10!]


    [You learn Solar Glyph - Fusion]


    [You have successfully consumed Solar Glyph - Fusion]


    [You have consumed Skill - Zenith]


    [You have consumed Skill - Solar Glyph - Speed]


    [You have consumed Skill - Sunbeam Strike]


    [You have consumed Skill - Solar Glyph - Fusion]


    [You learn Skill - Sunstorm]


    The cavern erupted with light.


    From each glowing point in the ceiling, a beam of concentrated sunlight shot downward.


    Dozens of these beams crisscrossed the area, raining down projectiles as powerful as a single [Sunbeam Strike]. They weren¡¯t as powerful as the one she had empowered with [Zenith], but they were much faster, and there were so many of them that she didn¡¯t need to aim.


    Apikalia screamed, trying desperately to dodge the onslaught.


    But there were simply too many beams.


    One struck her shoulder over a shield she had tried conjuring, burning through cloth and flesh with ease.


    Another caught her leg, sending her stumbling to the ground and dispelling her shield.


    The poisonous gas that had filled the chamber was obliterated, burned away by the intense heat and light of the Sunstorm.


    The air was superheated and distorted.


    The attack seemed to last an eternity, though in reality, it was over in a matter of seconds.


    As the last of the sunbeams faded away, Fiora felt her strength give out.


    She collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath in the now-clear air of the chamber.


    For a moment, all was quiet.


    Fiora blinked, trying to clear the spots from her vision, but she could see nothing.


    Only a notification in her head told her what happened.


    [You have slain Cultist - Poison Mage Level 19!]


    More notifications sounded in her head, but her consciousness abandoned her.


    However, not before she allowed herself a small chuckle.

 Chapter 80 – The Sword Demon

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

 Chapter 81 – Placid City Catastrophe, Part 1

    Yalena and Maui descended deeper into the cavern, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls while the distant sound of water played in the background.


    Yalena¡¯s Star Water was summoned in five large orbs, illuminating the path behind and before them.


    The air stunk, and there was less oxygen as they descended.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone ahead,¡± Maui said.


    Yalena, who had felt a faint aura as well, nodded back.


    The air grew thicker and more oppressive with each step, carrying the faint scent of brine and something else - something unsettling.


    ¡°Stay close, Maui,¡± Yalena whispered, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead.


    Her white hair seemed to glow faintly as a result of reflecting her magic.


    Maui nodded, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. ¡°Yes, milady,¡± he replied, his voice tight with tension.


    As they rounded a bend in the tunnel, the passage opened up into a vast chamber.


    The ceiling stretched high above them, lost in shadows. But it was what lay at the center of the room that drew their attention.


    A well stood there, its stone rim worn smooth by time.


    But unlike any ordinary well, this one emanated an aura of power that made the air around it shimmer and distort.


    The water within was black as night, seeming to absorb what little light reached it.


    ¡°The Dark Water Well,¡± Yalena breathed, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension.


    As they approached, a figure stepped out from behind the well.


    Cloaked in shadows, the person¡¯s features were hard to make out, but there was no mistaking the malevolent energy that radiated from them.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± the figure said, its voice a low rasp. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you, Yalena Solara.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s hand tightened on her weapon.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she demanded.


    The figure chuckled, the sound dry and humorless. ¡°A servant of the Deep, just like you. Though perhaps our methods differ somewhat.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Cultist,¡± Maui spat, taking a step forward.


    ¡°Such a crude term,¡± the figure replied, shaking its head. ¡°We prefer to think of ourselves as... visionaries.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°What do you want? Why are you here?¡±


    The Cultist spread its arms wide, gesturing to the well.


    ¡°To show you the truth, of course. The power that lies dormant here, waiting to be awakened.¡±


    ¡°The Dark Water Well,¡± Yalena said, her voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the Cultist nodded while dragging his words. ¡°A source of power beyond imagination. But, like all great things, it comes at a price. Are you ready to pay the price?¡±


    Maui tensed, ready to spring into action at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°What price?¡±


    The Cultist¡¯s voice took on a reverent tone.


    ¡°Why, life, of course. Thousands of lives, to be precise. Their energy, their very essence, is what will awaken the well¡¯s true potential. It¡¯s the only currency to achieve what you came looking for.¡±


    Yalena felt a chill run down her spine.


    ¡°Thousands? You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I am,¡± the Cultist replied, a note of excitement creeping into its voice. ¡°Even now, our plans are in motion. The Drakes we¡¯ve bred will soon overrun Placid City, providing the sacrifice needed to fully activate the well.¡±


    Maui¡¯s face paled.


    ¡°The entire city? You¡¯re mad!¡±


    The Cultist laughed, the sound echoing off the chamber walls.


    ¡°Mad? No, my young friend. We are visionaries, as I said. We know things. We see the bigger picture¡ªpictures, pictures, pictures. A  grand design that eludes lesser minds.¡±


    Yalena took a step closer to the well, her eyes fixed on the dark water within.


    ¡°How does it work?¡± she asked, her voice low and intense. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°Milady! You can¡¯t be serious! Let¡¯s kill this worm and go back!¡±


    The Cultist seemed pleased by her interest, but he ignored Maui¡¯s words.


    ¡°Ah, curiosity. A trait to be admired, even in our enemies.¡±


    It moved to stand beside the well, running a hand along its stone rim. ¡°The Dark Water Well is ancient, predating even the oldest records of our civilization. It draws power from the Deep itself, channeling it into a form we can harness.¡±


    ¡°But why is there a need for sacrifice?¡± Yalena pressed.


    ¡°Energy, my dear, vitality,¡± the Cultist explained. ¡°The well requires an enormous amount of energy to fully awaken and bestow a Dark Water Affinity. And what greater source of energy is there than life itself?¡±


    It gestured towards the cavern entrance.


    ¡°As the Drakes ravage the city above, the energy released by each death will flow down here, filling the well.¡±


    Maui¡¯s face contorted with disgust.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about murder on a massive scale!¡±


    The Cultist shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the accusation.


    ¡°A necessary evil, for the greater good. Once awakened, the power of the Dark Water Well could reshape our world. Imagine it - an end to the constant threat of Abyssal Creatures, the ability to control the Deep itself!¡±


    Yalena¡¯s mind raced, processing the information. The power the Cultist spoke of was tempting, she had to admit. With such strength at her disposal, defeating the Kraken would be all but assured. But the cost¡­


    Still, Yalena could imagine how the rest of the Archipelago, who would never know she had let these people die, would treat her like a hero among heroes once she had slain the Kraken for good.


    ¡°And what happens to those who survive?¡± she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart.


    The Cultist¡¯s tone grew somber. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Few will, I¡¯m afraid. The ritual requires near-total destruction. But those who do survive will be the foundation of a new world order, one where humanity no longer cowers in fear of the Deep.¡±


    Maui couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer.


    ¡°This is insanity!¡± he shouted, drawing his sword. ¡°We won¡¯t let you-¡±


    ¡°Maui,¡± Yalena said sharply, holding up a hand to stop him. Her eyes never left the Cultist. ¡°How long until the ritual begins?¡±


    The Cultist tilted its head, considering.


    ¡°Soon. Very soon. Even now, the first wave of Drakes should be emerging. Your friend, the young Lord Kane, I believe? He¡¯s likely engaged in battle as we speak.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s heart clenched at the mention of Iakopo¡¯s name.


    ¡°Milady, you can¡¯t!¡± Maui pleaded. ¡°Thousands of people will die! It¡¯s almost as bad as the Kraken itself attacking a city! We need to go!¡±


    Yalena looked between Maui and the Cultist.


    ¡°Do we need to do anything in particular to activate the well?¡±


    ¡°No, you just submerge yourself in it once it has collected enough energy. Just beware, my friend, Dark Water changes the soul. You can¡¯t bathe in it and get out unscathed.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything? No Cultist magic?¡±


    ¡°Why, no, of course not. I couldn¡¯t hope to interfere with such magnificent magic. I am barely a servant here to guide you through the benefits and extend an invitation to join our cause for the betterment¡ª¡±


    Yalena slashed her arm forward, and the Cultist¡¯s head was removed from his body, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping in surprise at her move.


    Then, she turned to Maui.


    ¡°Are you loyal to me?¡±


    Maui trembled.


    Yalena walked forward and took Maui¡¯s chin, bringing her lips tantalizingly close to his.


    ¡°Are you loyal to me?¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªYes, milady,¡± Maui said.


    ¡°Step in the well,¡± she ordered. ¡°And wait.¡±


    ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± Maui was confused. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one acquiring Dark Water?¡±


    Yalena shook her head.


    ¡°I suspect it would eat away my Star Water Affinity, and we need it for the Ritual.¡±


    ¡°Milady,¡± Maui said hesitantly, looking between her and the Dark Water Well. ¡°Are we really not going up? Iakopo won¡¯t be able to protect all the civilians if there are so many Drakes.¡±


    ¡°Maui,¡± Yalena said candidly, ¡°I have killed the Cultist. We will say that he had trapped us here. I¡¯ll come up with an excuse good enough. It will be my word against Iakopo¡¯s. A few thousand lives are not comparable to the ones we will keep losing if the Kraken runs amok for another ten years.¡±


    Maui felt tears coming out of his eyes, but he bit his lower lip and nodded solemnly.


    ¡°As you wish, milady.¡±


    ¡°Enter the well, then,¡± she ordered coldly.


    Maui did as she said, climbing down the well until Yalean couldn¡¯t see his head anymore.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, in Placid City, chaos reigned uncontested.


    Iakopo stood atop a partially collapsed building, his clothes torn and singed, blood trickling from a cut above his eye.


    Around him, the city burned.


    The air was filled with the screams of the dying and the roars of Drakes as they rampaged through the streets.


    He had been fighting since they emerged, probably for a full half-hour.


    His Space Water had allowed him to take down dozens of Drakes, twisting reality itself to crush or dismember the monstrous creatures.


    But for everyone he fell, two more seemed to take its place.


    More importantly, the magic of his Shield and Retinue could only contain his Space Magic for so long. He needed Yalena if he was to face more of the monsters.


    ¡°Keep fighting!¡± he shouted to the handful of Water Riders who still stood with him. ¡°We can¡¯t let them break through to the residential district!¡±


    A young Water Rider, barely out of her teens, one of the seniors he had chosen, stumbled towards him.


    Her left arm hung uselessly at her side, clearly broken.


    ¡°Sir,¡± she gasped, her face pale with pain and exhaustion. ¡°There¡¯s too many. We can¡¯t hold them back much longer.¡±


    Iakopo gritted his teeth, knowing she was right.


    They were losing ground with each passing minute.


    But to give up now would mean the death of everyone in Placid City.


    ¡°We hold,¡± he said firmly. ¡°No matter the cost.¡±


    Just then, a deafening roar split the air.


    Iakopo turned, his heart sinking as he saw what approached.


    A massive Drake, easily twice the size of the others, was making its way towards them.


    Not a boss, just a strong one, Iakopo thought with relief.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± the young Water Rider whispered, her voice trembling.


    Iakopo placed a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Get the others to fall back,¡± he said, his voice low and intense. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this one.¡±


    ¡°But sir-¡±


    ¡°Go!¡± he shouted, already moving to intercept the monstrous Drake.


    As Iakopo approached, the creature turned its massive head towards him, nostrils flaring as it caught his scent.


    With surprising speed for its size, it charged.


    Iakopo waited until the last possible moment before activating his Space Water, trying to minimize the damage he would deal to his surroundings.


    Reality warped around him, the very fabric of space twisting to his will.


    He intended to create a weak spatial rift that would slice the Drake in two.


    But something was wrong.


    The Drake¡¯s hide seemed to resist his power, the spatial distortions sliding off its scales like water off oil.


    Iakopo¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    They have extremely high resistance to magic. I can¡¯t pull back my punches¡­


    The Drake¡¯s massive tail whipped around, catching Iakopo squarely in the chest.


    The impact sent him flying, crashing through the wall of a nearby building.


    Pain exploded through his body as he struggled to his feet, spitting blood.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered, his mind racing.


    If Space Water wasn¡¯t effective, what options did he have left?


    As he emerged from the rubble, he saw the Drake advancing on the group of Water Riders he had ordered to retreat.


    They stood their ground bravely, but against such a monster, they stood no chance.


    Iakopo knew he had only one option.


    So far, he had only been using [Space Water Manipulation] as sparingly as he could.


    But he knew this wasn¡¯t enough anymore.


    He swallowed, clenching his jaw, and shouted at the Water Riders.


    ¡°Get out! Get away from here!¡±


    They all scrambled away, very well aware of his powers.


    ¡°You, bastard, come here!¡± Iakopo shouted at the Drake, releasing small bursts of Space Water against the monster.


    Thankfully, the stupid Abyssal Creature took the bait.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Iakopo growled, his voice distorted by the energy surging through him. ¡°Come, you overgrown lizard.¡±


    The Drake charged, its maw opening wide to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.


    Iakopo waited, gathering more and more power until the beast was right upon him.


    As the Drake was about to bite his head off, he raised his hand in front of him and flickered a single finger in the monster¡¯s direction, activating all his Passive Skills and the main attacking Skill at the lowest potency he could.


    [Shatter]


    Iakopo¡¯s finger flickered, and for a heartbeat, the world stood still.


    Then, a ripple in space surged outward from his fingertip¡ªa translucent wave that distorted everything it touched.


    The air hummed with raw energy as the Space Water expanded, its power magnifying exponentially.


    The Drake lunged forward, but its momentum was futile.


    The spatial distortion enveloped it, and in an instant, the creature began to unravel.


    Scales peeled away, dissolving into nothingness as its massive form contorted.


    A guttural roar escaped its throat, but the sound was warped, stretched thin across the fabric of reality.


    The Drake¡¯s body twisted and fragmented, each piece swallowed by the void until there was nothing left but a faint shimmer in the air.


    The wave didn¡¯t stop there.


    It surged onward, tearing into the building behind the Drake.


    Stone and timber crumbled effortlessly, walls collapsing inward as if sucked into an invisible vortex.


    Windows shattered, shards of glass suspended momentarily before disintegrating.


    The structure imploded, reduced to dust, and scattered into the swirling maelstrom of distorted space.


    Iakopo¡¯s eyes widened as he felt the Space Water continuing forward.


    The energy he had unleashed was more potent than anticipated, a tidal wave threatening to consume everything.


    ¡°No!¡± he shouted, desperately trying to rein it in.


    Veins bulged in his neck as he fought against the overwhelming force.


    But this was the nature of Space Water¡ªwild, impossible to stop.


    The fleeing Water Riders glanced back, their faces pale with horror.


    The spatial distortion was expanding toward them, warping the ground beneath their feet.


    Streets twisted, cobblestones lifting and spiraling upward.


    Nearby buildings groaned, their frames bending at unnatural angles.


    ¡°Keep running!¡± one of them screamed, urging the others forward.


    Panic surged through the group as they pushed themselves to their limits, the chaotic energy nipping at their heels.


    Iakopo gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of strength.


    He thrust his hands forward, channeling his will into containing the devastation.


    Slowly, the expansion began to slow, the edges of the distortion flickering as it lost momentum.


    The humming in the air intensified, reaching a piercing crescendo before the spatial ripples started to retract.


    With a final, forceful push, Iakopo clapped his hands together, and the Space Water collapsed inward.


    The lingering distortions snapped back into place, reality reasserting itself over the chaos.


    The ground settled, and the warped structures ceased their groaning.


    Silence fell over the battlefield.


    Where the Drake and the building once stood was now a gaping void, a smooth crater etched into the heart of the city.


    Dust hung in the air, illuminated by the eerie glow of distant fires.


    Iakopo dropped to one knee, his breaths ragged.


    Pieces of the massive Drake had been spat out of the void, a gory display of blood and flesh.


    But as Iakopo looked up, his heart sank.


    In the distance, he could see another wave of Drakes approaching.


    Smaller than the one he had just defeated, but far more numerous.


    Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of the creatures were making their way toward the city.


    ¡°No,¡± Iakopo whispered, despair washing over him. He had given everything he had to defeat one monster. How could they possibly hope to stand against so many?


    As the horde of Drakes drew nearer, Iakopo struggled to his feet.


    ¡°Everyone get away,¡± he called out, using Space Water to transmit his voice to every person close to him. ¡°Get away from me!¡±


    Then, he sent his voice to his family.


    ¡°Hi¡¯iaka, get everyone and get ready, I need Ozone Water all around the civilians, make as strong shields as you can! There are too many Drakes, I need to fight at full-power!¡±


    ¡°Consider it done!¡± His older sister screamed through his Space Water. ¡°Where¡¯s Yalena?!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still in the cave,¡± Iakopo said bleakly. ¡°I really hope she¡¯ll come out soon. Or many are going to die today.¡±

 Chapter 82 – Placid City Catastrophe, Part 2

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 Chapter 83 – Running

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 Chapter 84 – Mana Board

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 Chapter 85 – Dark Waters

    Describing what Iakopo had just revealed to her as shattering felt like an understatement.


    Talia had always held her mother as the model of how to behave, to be, of what to become. Yalena had been the center of everything in Talia¡¯s life, down to her very own life¡¯s goal of one day following her mother¡¯s footsteps and becoming the Kraken Slayer. But now the man whispering in her ear was telling her that Yalena had been the one responsible for the catastrophe in Placid City. She couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Whether you believe me or not,¡± Iakopo said as if he could read her mind, ¡°what you need to know is that your father lost access to his primary Mana Channel after using the Dark Water Well. Once he gained Dark Water, which I suspect¡ªwhich I know, which we now know¡ªis what the Sword Demon is after, he could only use raw Mana like the rest of the Cultists.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°The rest of the Cultists?¡± she said. ¡°What do you mean ¡®the rest of the Cultists¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that your father is their leader?¡± Iakopo said, incredulous. ¡°You really don¡¯t, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡± Talia stumbled on her own words. Moments ago, the man had said that her mother, her hero, the guiding star of her life, had committed what amounted to a war crime and genocide. And now he was telling her that her father, Maui, the first person she had felt a real connection to, who could really understand her, was the leader of the Cultists?


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not possible,¡± Talia said, trembling.


    ¡°It is,¡± Iakopo sighed. ¡°Your father, whom I almost killed if it hadn¡¯t been for your mother protecting him, is the one who disproved Yalena¡¯s own theories by using the power they gained through slaughter.¡±


    ¡°No. No,¡± Talia said, shaking her head in disbelief.


    ¡°Believe it or not, it doesn¡¯t change what you need to do now. The Torpedo Snappers are getting close, so listen and listen well.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Talia said, her voice breaking.


    ¡°You can and you will,¡± Iakopo snapped. ¡°Unless you want a thousand to die.¡±


    Tears streaming down her face, Talia bit down hard on her lip, drawing blood, and awaited instructions.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, Dark Water is the equivalent of anti-magic,¡± Iakopo continued. ¡°The only way for someone to access it, apparently, is to lose their primary Mana Channel, or so that¡¯s what your mother believed. In my own research, I found that by sacrificing small amounts of vitality, I could convert some of my own Mana into Dark Water. Not that Yalena cared much for it since she needed enormous amounts of it.¡±


    He paused, his voice growing thoughtful. ¡°She never fully considered, however, that Dark Water is a complex and mysterious power. I do wonder how she managed to pass it on to you, but I can tell you that to produce Dark Water, you will need to sacrifice your own vitality and the Mana coming from your primary Mana Channel. That¡¯s how anyone who doesn¡¯t have access to raw Mana, which unlike normal Mana contains the vitality from the Deep, is able to generate Dark Water.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Talia said. ¡°So you can use Dark Water too?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°No, I could only generate Dark Water inside the world created by the Darkstorm Sphere. To fully absorb it into an Affinity, I would have had to sacrifice all my vitality, and that means I would have died.¡± Iakopo explained.


    ¡°But then, why do I have it?¡± Talia said. ¡°I also have the Affinity.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Professor Iakopo admitted, with a tinge of regret in his tone. ¡°I wish I knew what your mother did, but I don¡¯t. However, you can just reach for your vitality the same way you would do when you reach to feed your Soul Weapon. Mix it with your Mana and call upon your Affinity. You should be able to eat into both and generate Dark Water. Based on the amount of Mana and vitality you have, that is how you will be able to summon Dark Water.¡±


    He paused, considering. ¡°I suspect the first time around, after what went down with Elder Krakatoa, you might have inadvertently done that sort of unconsciously. The vitality might have spilled because of your anger and been transferred into your primary Mana Channels.¡±


    Talia frowned, thinking of what had gone down during the test with Elder Krakatoa. Blood Confluence had indeed, among its effects, allowed her to better control her vitality, which would explain how she had been able to unconsciously draw on it and generate Dark Water.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t I have needed control over my primary Mana Channel to do that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Professor Iakopo rebuked. ¡°Raw Mana only damages you when you¡¯re trying to draw on Hydromancy alone. As long as you use Mana, Blood Water, or Water, it doesn¡¯t matter. That¡¯s how you generate Dark Water.¡±


    Talia nodded and grabbed the glaive with both hands as she saw the first mutated Torpedo Snappers making it over the edge of the platform.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand how powerful Dark Water is,¡± Professor Iakopo said. ¡°Do not exhaust your vitality, and do not kill yourself. You just need a small amount of it. I don¡¯t know how much vitality you have in your body, but be careful. It takes time to regenerate, and you don¡¯t want to expend too much of it, or you will be damaged forever. Crippled.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    For the first time today, Talia felt supreme confidence. ¡°Professor,¡± Talia said, ¡°what if I had a near-infinite reserve of vitality in my body?¡±


    For a beat, no words came to her while the first mutated Torpedo Snappers approached.


    ¡°If that was the case,¡± Professor Iakopo said, considering, ¡°Dark Water should make short work of monsters with low defenses like these mutated Torpedo Snappers. You should be able to kill nearly all of them.¡±


    Talia closed her eyes again, this time reaching deep within herself for the same ocean of blood she had summoned for the Star Glaive. Then, she pulled at all that blood and mixed it with her Mana, trying, as she had done unsuccessfully before, to draw on her Dark Water Affinity.


    This time, however, she felt a strong reaction as a thick, viscous layer of Dark Water appeared around her glaive.


    ¡°Now,¡± Iakopo¡¯s voice was urgent. ¡°You need to kill as many Torpedo Snappers as you can. The Dark Water will tear them apart. As soon as the students are far enough, I¡¯ll be able to use my Space Water. When I do, cover yourself in Dark Water from head to toe; it should protect you.¡±


    Talia stood alone before the rocky platform, between it and the students who were slowly making their escape. Since many of them had barely any proficiency with Mana Board, they were going as slow as snails. But the horde of mutated Torpedo Snappers closing in on her was frantic.


    The creatures¡¯ grotesque forms finally weighed upon Talia. With the Dark Water swirling around the blade, a viscous, inky substance that absorbed the light around it, she slashed at the first three monsters right in front of her, infusing as much vitality as she could into the attack. The blade of Dark Water cleaved the mutated Torpedo Snappers without needing any assistance.


    Talia heard three notifications in quick succession.


    [You have slain Mutated Torpedo Snapper Level 17!]


    [You have slain Mutated Torpedo Snapper Level 21!]


    [You have slain Mutated Torpedo Snapper Level 19!]


    But this was just the beginning. Dark Water was indeed more potent than she had imagined. A brief flicker of surprise crossed Talia¡¯s face, but there was no time to dwell on it. More of the abominations were soon upon her.


    She channeled more vitality into the Dark Water and thrust the glaive forward at a particularly fast monster, destroying its head. The Dark Water ate away at the very substance of the creature. Talia pulled back just in time to dodge the swipe of a second malformed limb and then spun low, twisting herself to slash with all her force once again.


    Another blade of Dark Water caught the monster that had come right after the other and killed not only that one but also two that were running behind it. However, the horde was relentless. For every monster she felled, two more seemed to take its place.


    Talia, now pushing back on her Mana Board, was fully on water. She had never fought on top of a Mana Board, but it came to her naturally. She managed to slash more monsters apart before they even reached the platform. When she saw that dozens had gathered right at the bottleneck of the entrance, she burned more Mana than she thought she would be able to, injecting as much vitality as she could into it.


    This time, her next slash turned into a dragon-like creature, eating alive the dozens of monsters and leaving a huge, gaping hole in their midst.


    She kept at it for what seemed like an interminable amount of time, but it was probably barely a couple of minutes. She got wounds, scrapes, and even gashes across her body. But never like today had she felt the action of the regenerative powers that seemed to inhabit her body. Only now, perhaps stupidly, she made the connection between the massive regeneration she was capable of and the ocean of vitality inside her.


    She thought of using [Ravenous Wounds], but she also felt like losing her mind at this moment wasn¡¯t a smart thing to do. Minute after minute, the swarm began to thin. The numbers dwindled as piles of semi-disintegrated monsters accumulated all around her, serving as an additional barrier against the other mutated Torpedo Snappers.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing well,¡± Iakopo¡¯s voice echoed in her mind. ¡°Just keep it up as long as you can.¡±


    Suddenly, all the monsters seemed to recede, almost scared of her. Cautiously, Talia allowed herself to step onto the semi-submerged stone that led to the platform, and she fell to her knees, grabbing the glaive with both hands to keep her body straight.


    She used [Blood Siphon], hoping it would help regenerate some stamina. But it seemed like Dark Water had cut at the very soul of the monsters, destroying their vitality. Blood Siphon was much less effective than it would usually be. It still had some trickle-down effect, but nothing compared to what it usually was.


    Every part of her ached. The exhaustion deepened in her bones. Yet, amidst the fatigue, there was a flicker of triumph. She was close to saving their entire class. The students were probably almost safe, and the threat was half neutralized. She just needed to keep it up a little longer. Maybe 5 minutes. Maybe 10. Just as long as it would allow the students to escape the cave so that Professor Iakopo could unleash the full might of his Space Water.


    And then a terrifying sound shook the cavern. Suddenly, as a massive deformed arm climbed onto the platform, she understood that the mutated Torpedo Snappers hadn¡¯t been afraid of her. They had been afraid of the creature that had now risen to face her.


    Its body was easily the size of a small ship. Once it had fully climbed up, Talia could see its status.


    [Boss: Abyssal Torpedo Drake (Semi-Formed, Boss) Level 39]


    Even though Talia had gained a few levels during the exchange, as she saw the gleaming scales and the malicious sheen that covered the monster, she knew in a second that this was it. This was the monster she couldn¡¯t defeat. No matter what, she could feel deep in her bones that not even Dark Water would affect a monster with so many levels above her.


    Then, time itself appeared to slow. The world around her seemed to fade, colors bleeding away until everything was cast in shades of gray.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Talia whispered, her voice trembling.


    Yalena Solara stood before her daughter while time was fully frozen, a sad smile playing on her lips. ¡°Hello, Talia,¡± she said softly. ¡°I wish we had more time, but I need to tell you what you need to do.¡±


    Talia sighed in relief, but then she felt doubt take over. ¡°Mom, Professor Iakopo said that you¡ª¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that, dear,¡± Yalena replied, cutting her off. ¡°I need you to snap out of this and do the right thing.¡±


    Talia nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with desperation. ¡°How do I defeat that monster?¡±


    Yalena shook her head, her expression grave. ¡°You can¡¯t. You¡¯re too weak.¡±


    ¡°Then give me power!¡± Talia shouted, her voice cracking with emotion.


    Yalena looked at her with pity in her eyes. ¡°I wish I could.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Talia pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. ¡°I need it.¡±


    Yalena shook her head twice, her voice firm but gentle. ¡°The only thing you need to do, Talia, is to run.¡±

 Chapter 86 – Escape from the Deep

    Nami led the group of students back through the Placid Cave. She glanced behind her, making sure no one had fallen too far behind.


    ¡°Keep moving!¡± she shouted, trying to keep her voice steady. ¡°We¡¯re almost at the entrance!¡±


    But the students were struggling. Many of them, still shaken from the encounter with the Sword Demon and the mutated Torpedo Snappers, were having trouble maintaining their Mana Boards. Nami watched in dismay as a young boy¡¯s board flickered and vanished, dropping him onto the hard cave floor.


    ¡°You!¡± she called out, quickly maneuvering her own board to help him up. ¡°You¡¯ve got to focus. Remember your training in Professor Iakopo¡¯s Class!¡±


    The boy nodded, his face pale and sweaty. With shaking hands, he managed to reform his Mana Board, though it wobbled unsteadily beneath his feet.


    Nami turned her attention to the rest of the group. They were a mess, barely holding it together. Some clung to the cave walls, too afraid to trust their boards. Others zoomed ahead recklessly, desperate to escape.


    ¡°Everyone, stay together!¡± Nami ordered, her voice carrying over the panicked whispers and sobs. ¡°If your board feels unstable, lower your speed. It¡¯s better to go slow than to fall!¡±


    She weaved through the group, helping where she could. A girl with long braids was crying silently, her board dipping dangerously. Nami grabbed her arm, steadying her.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great,¡± Nami said softly. ¡°Just a little further, okay?¡±


    The girl nodded, wiping her eyes with her free hand.


    As they rounded a bend, a loud crack echoed through the tunnel. Several students screamed, their boards flickering out from under them. Nami¡¯s stomach dropped as she realized what was happening - their fear was disrupting their control over their Mana.


    ¡°Everyone, stop!¡± she shouted. The group halted, hovering uncertainly in the dim light of the cave. Nami took a deep breath, knowing she had to calm them down or they¡¯d never make it out.


    ¡°Listen to me,¡± she said, her voice firm but kind. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared. I am, too. But we¡¯ve trained for this. Your Mana Boards are under your control. They¡¯re not going to work properly if your Mana is all over the place.¡±


    She looked around at their frightened faces, seeing a glimmer of hope in some eyes.


    ¡°Close your eyes for a moment,¡± Nami instructed. ¡°Feel the Mana flowing through you, into your board. It¡¯s steady and reliable. Just like the tides.¡±


    As the students followed her words, their boards stabilized. The flickering stopped, and a collective sigh of relief echoed through the tunnel.


    ¡°Good,¡± Nami said, allowing herself a small smile. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get out of here. Together.¡±


    She briefly turned back, wondering what Talia was doing to block all those monsters and, most importantly, she really wished she would survive this ordeal.


    * * *


    Talia stood frozen in time, her heart pounding as she stared at the ghostly image of her mother.


    Yalena Solara looked just as Talia remembered her from the previous encounters they had had ¨C tall, regal, with flowing white hair that seemed to shimmer even in this colorless world.


    The resemblance between her mother and her sister was striking, though Yalena¡¯s eyes held a depth that Riala had yet to acquire.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Talia whispered again, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Run? If I run now, the Boss is going to slaughter all the students.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s smile was tinged with sadness as she replied.


    ¡°As I said, I wish there was something else you could do, dear. I would give anything to see you save them¡ªbut it¡¯s not possible. Even with your current control over Dark Water, there¡¯s nothing you can do to survive that Drake. You¡¯re still weak. Don¡¯t throw your life away like this. It¡¯s too early. You haven¡¯t fulfilled your destiny yet.¡±


    Talia felt her wet body finally shiver as the adrenaline was draining away.


    ¡°Mom, what destiny?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early for you to know, dear,¡± Yalena said and shook her head.


    Like every other time Talia had seen her mother, she wanted to ask about her childhood, about why Yalena had left, about the Kraken and the sacrifices made.


    But with the enormous Abyssal Torpedo Drake frozen in mid-roar behind her, she knew there were more pressing matters at hand.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you about that, Talia. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, then?¡± Talia asked, gesturing to the frozen world around them. ¡°Why does this happen? Is it me?¡±


    Yalena shook her head.


    ¡°No, this is my doing. Or rather, the echo I left behind. It¡¯s a temporary pause, a moment out of time for us to speak. But it won¡¯t last long, Talia. You must be quick.¡±


    Talia nodded, trying to gather her thoughts.


    ¡°The Dark Water,¡± she began, ¡°I used it against the Torpedo Snappers. It was so powerful, but why do I have it? What is it, really? What did you do? Why do I have these wrist marks?¡±


    Yalena¡¯s expression grew grave.


    ¡°Dark Water is one of the most potent and perilous forms of Water Magic. It draws its power from the Deep. It¡¯s the Raw Mana that finally gets tamed that generates Dark Water, dear. It does have a cost for those who use it, though.¡±


    ¡°What kind of cost?¡± Talia asked, a knot of dread forming in her stomach.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°It corrupts,¡± Yalena said softly. ¡°Slowly at first, but inevitably. The more you use it, the more it changes you.¡±


    ¡°Changes how?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°It twists your thoughts, your emotions until you¡¯re no longer the person you once were.¡±


    Talia felt a chill run down her spine.


    She thought back to the rush of power she had felt when unleashing the Dark Water during the test by Elder Kahua, the intoxicating sense of strength it had given her over the guy from the Kane Family, the second-year student she had battled.


    ¡°Is that why you never used it yourself?¡±


    A flash of pain crossed Yalena¡¯s face.


    ¡°I did use it, Talia. Well, I wasn¡¯t the one using it directly. Your father did. More than he should have. It was how I managed to destroy the Kraken. But I could feel what it was doing to him¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, so, is it true what Professor Iakopo said, that you let the people in Placid City die?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand, dear. You will, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a matter of time. You¡¯ll know more and more about this world and what I was really doing.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?! So you really did it?! That¡¯s insane! How many people did you let there die for Dad to get his hands on Dark Water?!¡±


    The fight against the scourge of the deep, Talia, was always more complex than people liked to think. The powers behind the Kraken¡¯s existence are things you can¡¯t even imagine right now. And the knowledge of how the Kraken managed to live for so long without anyone accomplishing what I did, what have you killed. You think I¡¯m a monster, and I understand. But we need to do things that we don¡¯t like to save everyone else, to become the heroes that everyone will look up to. Talia felt a surge of anger coming from deep into her stomach. A hero? Thalia said, almost snarling. A hero, you say? You let 1,000 die just to get dark water in this way. Why didn¡¯t that try to do it like Professor Jacopo did? Why didn¡¯t you figure out a way to increase one¡¯s vitality and just get dark water that way inside the dark stone sphere? He didn¡¯t choose the hard thing to do, Talia said beside herself. He chose the easy way out. Yelena frowned now.


    I won¡¯t make the same mistakes you did, Talia said, looking determinedly at the monster. I need to kill that thing, or I need to at least stall it for long enough so that my friends will be able to escape. And if I have to die for it, Talia said with a sense of finality, then I shall die. Yelena¡¯s expression softened, filled with a mother¡¯s love and concern. You can¡¯t, Talia. You need to run. And what about my friends, the other students? Do you understand what you¡¯re saying?


    Talia opened her mouth to protest, but before she could speak, another voice cut through the frozen silence. It was faint at first, like a whisper on the wind, but it grew stronger with each passing second.


    ¡°Talia,¡± the voice called. ¡°Talia, listen to me.¡±


    Her eyes widened in recognition. ¡°Professor Iakopo?¡± she said, looking around in confusion.


    Yalena¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± she muttered. ¡°How is he reaching you here?¡±


    The voice grew clearer, and Talia could almost feel Iakopo¡¯s presence beside her. ¡°You can do this, Talia,¡± he said urgently. ¡°You need to hold off the Boss for two more minutes¡ªthat¡¯s how long they¡¯ll take to reach the entrance. Once I fully use my Space Water here, the entire cavern will start collapsing.¡±


    ¡°Professor Iakopo, how are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Space Water,¡± she could hear the man¡¯s smugness from his voice. ¡°Whatever spell your mother left you, it doesn¡¯t affect my consciousness. I can¡¯t move, but I can still communicate with you.¡±


    Talia felt torn. She looked at Yalena, seeing the fear and concern in her eyes. ¡°Mom,¡± she began, ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Yalena interrupted, her voice sharp with worry. ¡°Iakopo doesn¡¯t understand the true nature of the Dark Water. He can¡¯t know what he¡¯s asking of you¡ªif you keep using it, you¡¯ll die.¡±


    But Iakopo¡¯s voice continued.


    ¡°I can hear her voice,¡± he said. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, Talia. But your mother is lying. You won¡¯t die because of Dark Water. You might die because of the Boss. But you¡¯re stronger than you know. The Dark Water does have corrupting effects, but not as your mother describes them. She¡¯s just afraid of you mastering the power for some reason. You can control it.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Talia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°The wrist marks,¡± Iakopo explained. ¡°They¡¯re not just seals to separate Raw Mana from your Primary Mana Channel. They¡¯re meant to be conduits. I didn¡¯t think I would need to explain this right now, but if you can fully unlock them, you can merge your Blood Magic with the Dark Water and amplify the effect of the conduits, which will allow you to draw upon Abyssal Magic as well. I know you¡¯ve done that several times, including during my test. But you only drew on the reservoir in the wrists. Here, the pull of the Dark Water Well consumes most of the Raw Mana that doesn¡¯t go through Abyssal Creatures.


    ¡°It¡¯s risky, but it might give you the edge you need.¡±


    Yalena¡¯s face paled. ¡°No,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°Talia, please. You don¡¯t understand what you¡¯d be risking. The combination of Blood Magic and Dark Water... it¡¯s too unpredictable, too dangerous.¡±


    Talia closed her eyes, trying to block out the conflicting voices.


    She thought of her friends, of Nami and Keanu and all the others who were counting on her.


    She thought of the terror on their faces as they faced the Abyssal Torpedo Drake.


    When she opened her eyes again, they showed a newfound determination.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom,¡± she said softly. ¡°But I can¡¯t run. Not when everyone else¡¯s lives are at stake. I¡¯d rather die trying to do what¡¯s right than live knowing I abandoned them.¡±


    Yalena reached out, her ghostly hand passing through Talia¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°My brave, foolish girl,¡± she said, her voice filled with sorrow. ¡°I wish I could protect you from this. But I see now that you¡¯ve made your choice. I love you, dear.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Mom,¡± Talia said, feeling tears coming to her eyes.


    Then, she squeezed her eyelids shut and spoke again.


    ¡°Tell me what to do, Professor,¡± she said, addressing Professor Iakopo.


    As Iakopo began to explain the process, Yalena¡¯s form began to fade in silence.


    The world around Talia began to regain its color, and time slowly started to move once again.


    Talia took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come.


    She could feel the Dark Water churning within her.


    And beneath that, the familiar warmth of her Blood Magic pulsed in time with her racing heart.


    ¡°Focus on the marks,¡± Professor Iakopo¡¯s voice instructed. ¡°See them as channels. Let the Dark Water flow through them, but don¡¯t let it overwhelm you. Your Blood Magic is the key ¨C use it to guide and encase the Dark Water.¡±


    Talia closed her eyes, concentrating on the strange birthmarks that encircled her wrists.


    She could feel the power contained within them, like a dam holding back a raging river.


    Slowly, carefully, she began to let that power seep through.


    The sensation was unlike anything she had ever experienced. It was as if ice and fire were battling within her veins, the cold darkness of the Dark Water clashing with the vital warmth of her Blood Magic. For a moment, the conflicting energies threatened to tear her apart.


    But Talia gritted her teeth, refusing to give in to the pain. She focused on her friends, on the lives at stake. With a tremendous effort of will, she forced the two powers to merge, to flow together instead of against each other.


    As time fully resumed its normal flow, Talia¡¯s eyes snapped open.


    Both her eyes shone much brighter than they would even usually do and, from them, a series of black runes started appearing on her skin.


    The runes started wildly absorbing ambient Raw Mana, channeling it inside her.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Talia groaned in pain, feeling the immense amount of power tearing her up from the inside.


    However, her insane vitality took care of it, immediately repairing all the damage that was being dealt to her.


    Corrupt? Talia thought. I feel like I¡¯m going to die from pain. But I don¡¯t feel corrupted.


    Power radiated from her in waves, causing the air around her to shimmer and distort.


    The Abyssal Torpedo Drake, no longer frozen in time, let out a deafening roar.


    Its massive body coiled, preparing to strike.


    Talia raised her hands, feeling the combined might of Dark Water and Blood Magic coursing through her.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Professor Iakopo said heavily. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she said, seeing wisps of blue flames coming out of the Drake¡¯s mouth.


    I won¡¯t let them die.


    With a deafening roar that shook the very foundations of the cave, the Drake made its first move.


    Its maw gaped wide, and a blue glow built at the back of its throat. Talia barely had time to brace herself before a torrent of azure flames erupted from the beast¡¯s mouth and swallowed her.

 Chapter 87 – Boss Fight

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

 Chapter 88 – Awake

    Talia¡¯s eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry and unfocused.


    She felt her body ache, a distant thing that she could barely move.


    As her sight cleared, she found herself staring at a plain white ceiling, the soft glow of sunlight filtering through nearby windows.


    She blinked slowly, trying to piece together her fragmented memories.


    The last thing she recalled was the massive Abyssal Torpedo Drake, its jaws wide and ready to devour her.


    Then, there was darkness and a surge of power unlike anything she had ever experienced.


    Talia attempted to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, forcing her back down onto the soft pillows.


    It was then that she noticed a figure seated beside her bed, their presence both comforting and unexpected.


    ¡°Easy there,¡± Professor Iakopo¡¯s voice came, gentle but firm. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡±


    Talia turned her head to face him, wincing at the stiffness in her neck.


    Iakopo looked tired, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he hadn¡¯t slept in quite some time.


    Yet there was a warmth in his gaze that Talia had never seen before.


    ¡°Professor?¡± Talia croaked, her throat dry and scratchy. ¡°Where... where am I?¡±


    Iakopo reached for a glass of water on the bedside table, helping Talia take a few sips before responding.


    ¡°You¡¯re back at the Water Rider Academy,¡± he explained, setting the glass down. ¡°We brought you here after... well, after everything that happened in Placid City.¡±


    ¡°How long was I out?¡± She asked, confused.


    ¡°Well,¡± Professor Iakopo sighed, shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, exactly, but your body took much more than it could have. You were in a comatose state for six months.¡±


    Talia widened her eyes.


    ¡°Six months?!¡±


    The man nodded, taking the empty glass back from Talia and placing it on the closed nightstand.


    It seemed like the battle with the massive Drake had almost killed her¡ªor at least that¡¯s how she explained to herself, having been asleep for a whole six months.


    She looked down at her wrists, half-expecting to see the glowing light that had covered her skin during the battle.


    But they were gone, leaving only the familiar birthmarks she had always known.


    ¡°The others?¡± Talia asked, her voice gaining strength. ¡°Are they okay?¡±


    Iakopo nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Thanks to you, yes. Everyone made it out safely. You gave us quite a scare, though. You¡¯ve been unconscious for long enough that I didn¡¯t know when you would wake up. Only this week, I could detect changes in your Mana that made me believe you might come back.¡±


    It felt like only moments had passed since the battle in the cavern.


    She struggled to sit up again, this time succeeding with Iakopo¡¯s help.


    ¡°Professor,¡± Talia began, her voice low and uncertain. ¡°What... what happened to me?¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s expression grew serious, the lines on his face deepening.


    He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he clasped his hands together.


    ¡°Talia,¡± he said, his voice heavy with the weight of long-held secrets. ¡°Your mother clearly did something to you.¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    Professor Iakopo leaned forward, his expression grave.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only explanation,¡± he said. ¡°I knew she was after Dark Water. I helped her with that.¡±


    He paused, studying Talia¡¯s face.


    ¡°And I suspected from the moment I met you that you had been given Blood Magic somehow to power your own vitality. During my research, it became evident that the only other way to learn Dark Water other than the Dark Water Well would be to use an overwhelming source of vitality. Blood Magic provides that.¡±


    The professor¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°However, I could feel, Talia, during your battle that your reservoir of vitality defies logic. There¡¯s nothing that can explain the amount of vitality inside of you.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He sat back, running a hand through his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done research in the past 6 months, and I found hints and leads of what this might have been caused by. I decided to wait for you to wake up, to ask whether you wanted to know or not.¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s voice grew softer.


    ¡°What I told you back in Placid City about your mother is true. I almost killed your father when I learned the truth for myself. And I have to say, I regret not having accomplished what I had set out to do.¡±


    He met Talia¡¯s gaze, his eyes filled with a mix of admiration and concern.


    ¡°Your mother, Talia, was definitely a hero in the sense that she might have killed the Kraken for good. But she was also the person to stop at nothing in order to achieve her goals.¡±


    The professor leaned in closer.


    ¡°I fear that if you investigate what those marks really are, what kind of power you managed to unlock in Placid City, you might find things about your mother that will make her slaughter of Placid City look like a child¡¯s tantrum.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of person would do something like this to the child in their womb. But if there¡¯s anyone capable of messing with an unborn child, it is your mother, Talia.¡±


    Talia took a few moments to gather her thoughts. Did she really want to know?


    Did she really need to know about what Yalena, her mother, the famous Kraken Slayer that she had worshiped for so long, had planned for her?


    At this point, it was clear that Yalena had caused all the grief that Talia had gone through her entire life.


    It was clear that Yalena was the reason Talia didn¡¯t have the Star Water Affinity but the mysterious Blood Water.


    And Professor Iakopo¡¯s question was legit. Did she really want to know? Did she really need to know?


    ¡°I do want to know,¡± Talia said to Professor Iakopo. ¡°I need to know what my mother wanted out of me.¡±


    ¡°Even if it means finding out that your mother was a monster?¡± Iakopo said.


    Talia nodded back. ¡°Even if it means acknowledging that my mother was a monster,¡± Talia said with a heavy heart. Even saying those words made her feel like a giant boulder had settled upon her shoulders.


    She had to rebuild her entire view of life, which had been based on the heroic sacrifice of her mother.


    ¡°Is there a chance?¡± Talia said, stumbling on her words. ¡°Well, I was feared in my village because they thought I was the Kraken¡¯s spawn. Is there any chance that something like that could be possible? That my mother would destroy the Kraken just to generate me out of it, and maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve got Blood Magic?¡±


    Professor Iakopo shook his head. ¡°The most likely reason you have Blood Water,¡± he said, ¡°is because of inheritance.¡±


    ¡°Inheritance?¡± Talia asked, confused.


    ¡°No one must have told you.¡± The man settled in his chair and ruffled his hair. ¡°It¡¯s commonly thought among great families that your power was passed down because of inheritance. This process is not commonly known, and it¡¯s actually a secret guarded by the great families.¡±


    ¡°So what is inheritance?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°Since no one before your mother had managed to actually slay the Kraken for good, that never manifested among the great families,¡± the professor started. ¡°But it is common among nobles to know that fighting a specific type of Abyssal creature for a long time somehow grants a person a good chance of producing an heir with either a Skill or a Class depending on how long and how many monsters had been killed similar to the monsters. Some in my family fight lightning-based monsters before trying to conceive a child, thinking it will help store more power. It¡¯s a very fuzzy process, and not even nobles know much about it. But we have documented across the years that it is a thing. So, the most likely explanation for your Blood Water and perhaps the immense amount of vitality you possess is inheritance. Well, to be honest, it would still not explain all the vitality. I still think your mother somehow tampered with your own body.¡±


    Talia looked on with a frown. ¡°So fighting the Kraken influenced my mother¡¯s pregnancy?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°I do not know the exact chronological order of what happened, Talia,¡± Professor Iakopo said with a shrug. ¡°But your mother did give birth right after killing the Kraken. That is the only explanation for your existence. So your mother disappeared right after that happened, and the only person who was there, allegedly, is your father. He is the only one who knows what really happened to your mother. Elder Krakatoa, too, was there, but he doesn¡¯t know what happened to Yalena.¡±


    Talia nodded, trying to metabolize this information. She¡¯d always wondered at what point her mother disappeared, at what point exactly she had been born. No one seemed to know the truth. Back on Solara Island, Talia resolved to talk to Elder Krakatoa. But before that, she suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Professor, I have my father¡¯s journal. I found it in the Darkstorm Sphere. Could it hide some secret about my mother? Perhaps you might know how to unlock it? I tried using my wrist marks, but they never reacted. It never unlocked fully.¡±


    Professor Iakopo suddenly blushed. He said, ¡°Talia, that journal isn¡¯t your father¡¯s.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°Whose is it then?¡±


    Professor Iakopo scratched his head and looked away. ¡°I had an intimate relationship with your mother before what happened in Placid City. That journal contained my notes on Dark Water. It¡¯s encrypted to make sure no one else but her and me can access it. I didn¡¯t even know that journal still existed. I did find it among your things when we brought you back,¡± Iakopo explained.


    Talia looked on with her mouth hanging open. ¡°But it says ¡®M¡¯ inside of it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Iakopo shrugged. ¡°Your mother used to call me... She used to give me some affectionate nickname, and well, yes. That¡¯s it.¡±


    Talia actually laughed at that. ¡°What? What was the nickname?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember it,¡± the professor said, crossing his arms.


    Talia couldn¡¯t help but smile at the professor¡¯s discomfort. It was strange to think of him as a lovestruck young man, writing passionate entries about her mother. But it also made him seem more human, more relatable.


    Then, something came back to her mind.


    ¡°Professor,¡± she said, looking up from the journal, ¡°what about the bodies? The ones they used to frame you in Placid City?¡±


    Iakopo¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Ah, yes. Your sister, Riala, uncovered the truth about that. Those bodies... they weren¡¯t recent victims at all. They date back to the Placid City Catastrophe twenty years ago. Yalena¡¯s magic was still preserving them¡ªthey did die to my Space Water, but that was twenty years ago.¡±


    Talia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°But how? Why would someone keep bodies for that long?¡±


    ¡°To frame me, apparently,¡± Iakopo said bitterly. ¡°Someone went to great lengths to discredit me, to make it look like I was responsible for both the past and present tragedies in Placid City. But thanks to you, the truth came out.¡±


    ¡°Talia,¡± he said, ¡°if you really want to know more about what happened in Placid City, the power you unlocked ¨C it¡¯s only the start.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Well, for the first item of your new life, then, I would like to extend an invitation to the newest School of the Academy.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°My School,¡± the man smiled. ¡°I waited for too long in the dark, thinking I had to toil away in isolation before being worthy of showing my face again. You are looking, child, at the newest Elder of the Academy. Elder Iakopo Kane. And I¡¯m asking you whether you would like to officially join my School.¡±

 Chapter 89 – Schools

    Takai sat nervously in the principal¡¯s office.


    He was fidgeting and couldn¡¯t really find a place where to put his hands.


    Being in the Spire, even with the levels he had gained while in Placid City and on the other missions he had undertaken before the end of the school year, was still unnerving.


    The pressure of the raw Mana in the air made him physically ill.


    The principal sat behind his heavy, imposing desk, recording something with a quill in a large journal. After a few minutes, when the only sound was the scratching of the quill on the thick paper, Elder Kaimana blew on the words to make them dry and raised his head.


    ¡°Young Takai,¡± Principal Kaimana said, ¡°how¡¯s your progress with the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique?¡±


    ¡°Sir, I am still stuck at the first level,¡± Takai replied.


    The principal sighed, turning his head toward the window behind him. They both looked at the giant wall made of glass and stayed silent.


    After a moment, Principal Kaimana turned back toward him. ¡°Your sister has been transferred back to the academy, you know.¡±


    ¡°I know, sir,¡± Takai replied, lowering his head.


    ¡°You risked your own life to save the young Moana chosen,¡± Principal Kaimana said. ¡°You didn¡¯t hesitate even though it was your sister that you had to fight.¡±


    He leaned forward, his expression serious. ¡°I¡¯ve already explained to you how you managed to unlock the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique, but we will be picking up lessons, young man. There¡¯s darkness looming large over the Great Archipelago.¡±


    Takai nodded. When he had come back from Placid City, Principal Kaimana had explained to him that he hadn¡¯t lied about the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique. He had only omitted one thing about how it really worked. To master it, even at its first level, one needed a pure heart. That was a real requirement. However, the assessment test Principal Kaimana had explained failed everyone because the real requirement would be to risk one¡¯s life for a just cause.


    The principal admitted that he didn¡¯t know how the Skill could discern between bad and good or just and unjust. But he knew that if he had told Takai about this distinction, he would have never been able to master the technique.


    Principal Kaimana had also said that Awa, the Sword Demon, had been obsessed with finding a way to master the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique, but that he never understood what was really required from him by such a Skill.


    ¡°Young Takai,¡± Principal Kaimana said, his voice clear. ¡°Do you know why the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique destroys your secondary Affinities and severs them from your body?¡±


    Takai had listened to several lessons from the man, but that wasn¡¯t really an aspect they had discussed. He shook his head.


    ¡°To truly cut everything,¡± Principal Kaimana said, ¡°you need a neutral energy. The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique uses the Primary Mana Channel, unlike most Skills. You can think of it as Mana Board, which you mastered months ago. The reason is that all magic in the Great Archipelago is based on Water, and therefore, the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique can cut through everything. Even though Raw Mana and scary Affinities like Dark Water.¡±


    Takai nodded. He had heard from Professor Iakopo what Talia had done with Dark Water, how she had saved all the students who had been trapped in the Placid Cave by his father. Professor Iakopo explained to the students that the only reason they were alive was because of her. Takai knew that the man was also hiding something else about Talia, but he was waiting for his friend to wake up so they could ask personally about it.


    ¡°Principal,¡± Takai asked, ¡°may I ask about the pain I experienced the first time I used the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique? I don¡¯t understand. I felt like I was being cut into pieces from the inside.¡±


    Principal Kaimana nodded. ¡°The pain is very real, and it comes from actual damage that the technique causes to your body. However, it¡¯s not the kind of damage most might think of. The technique destroys all the channels that are used by your secondary Affinities and remold them, fusing them into your Primary Mana Channel, which is why you have experienced a jump in levels.¡±


    It was true. Takai¡¯s Primary Mana Channel had gone from level 5 to level 8 overnight.


    ¡°Normally,¡± Principal Kaimana started, ¡°Mana flows through veins and divides itself into subchannels based on Affinities. Affinities are none other than sets of veins that branch from your Primary Mana Channel, where you can generate a different type of Mana. The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique requires a huge volume of Mana to circulate through your system, and that¡¯s one of the reasons you cannot have secondary Affinities.¡±


    ¡°So the technique doesn¡¯t actually tear the body apart,¡± Takai mused.


    ¡°Not physically, no,¡± Principal Kaimana replied. ¡°It does place immense strain on the body¡¯s Mana channels. For most people, the pain alone would render them unconscious or even kill them from shock. I suspect that whenever the Skill doesn¡¯t consider someone worthy, it tears them apart starting from their Mana channels.¡±


    He leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. ¡°It¡¯s been hypothesized in the past that those who turn to darkness have physical changes inside their Mana channels similar to accumulating impurities in an ore vein. And if the remolding process of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique meets such impurities, what happens is that everything crumbles to pieces and gets torn apart.¡±


    He fixed Takai with an intense stare. ¡°The fact that you remained conscious and were able to use the expanded channels to defeat your sister is extraordinary. I passed out and was out for almost a month the first time I used the technique,¡± Principal Kaimana admitted.


    ¡°Really?¡± Takai asked, surprised.


    ¡°Most of my peers,¡± the principal said, ¡°the other elders love to think that the youth can never surpass them. But I can see, young Takai, that it¡¯s just a matter of time before you master all four stages of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique. I was only ever able to reach the third, but I trust you will do better.¡±


    Takai looked at the principal, stunned, but he didn¡¯t object. What happened in Placid City had proved to Takai that despite his lack of confidence, he had the chops to one day become a great warrior, and he had decided to stop denying it to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received news that your friend just woke up,¡± Principal Kaimana said after a moment.


    Takai¡¯s eyes went wide, and he immediately shot up from the chair. ¡°Talia?¡± he asked.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Principal Kaimana said. ¡°Go, young Takai. We¡¯ll talk more later.¡±


    * * *


    Six Months Prior


    Fiora was slowly regaining consciousness.


    She had been unconscious for a week, her body battered and drained from her fierce battle with Apikalia.


    The first thing Fiora became aware of was pain.


    It seemed to radiate from every part of her body, a dull, throbbing ache that made even the slightest movement agony.


    She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt impossibly heavy.


    With a monumental effort, Fiora finally managed to crack her eyes open.


    The world around her was a blur of white and gray.


    She blinked several times, trying to bring things into focus.


    As her vision cleared, she found herself staring at a plain white ceiling.


    Turning her head slightly, she saw a hazy figure.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± a familiar voice said softly.


    Fiora turned her head to the other side and saw Takai sitting in a chair next to the bed.


    He looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes, and all bandaged up, but he managed a small smile.


    ¡°How...¡± Fiora tried to speak, but her throat was dry, and her voice came out as if it were a croak.


    Takai quickly reached for a glass of water on the bedside table.


    He helped Fiora take a few small sips through a straw.


    ¡°How long?¡± Fiora managed to ask after moistening her throat.


    ¡°A week,¡± Takai replied. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for a week. The healers weren¡¯t sure when you¡¯d wake up. Apparently, there was a lot of poison in your body.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    A week?


    It felt like only moments had passed since her battle with Apikalia in the cavern.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. ¡°After I passed out, I mean.¡±


    Takai cringed.


    ¡°Talia managed to hold off the Mutated Torpedo Snappers long enough for the rest of us to escape. Professor Iakopo defeated the Sword Demon after we left the cave¡ªit all collapsed after he used Space Water, except for the hall he found in.¡±


    Fiora tried to process this information, but her mind felt sluggish.


    Before she could ask anything else, the door to the room opened.


    A healer in white robes entered, her face lighting up when she saw Fiora was awake.


    ¡°Ah, good to see you¡¯re back with us,¡± the healer said. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Like I got run over by a herd of sea cows,¡± Fiora groaned.


    The healer nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s to be expected. You took quite a beating. But you¡¯re healing well. Another day or two of rest is needed, and you should be able to leave the infirmary.¡±


    As the healer began checking Fiora¡¯s vitals, Takai stood up.


    ¡°I should go let the others know you¡¯re awake,¡± he said.


    ¡°The others?¡± Fiora frowned.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo told the rest of the students that you killed a Cultist and most likely allowed Talia to reach the rest of them. You¡¯re a hero, Fiora.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Fiora didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    ¡°They¡¯ve all been worried sick,¡± Takai smiled. ¡°Expect a lot of them visiting you.¡±


    Fiora felt a surge of warmth at the thought of her classmates being concerned for her.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiora said, groaning in pain as she strained to move forward, ¡°


    It was a strange feeling to be cared about by people she had once seen as rivals or obstacles.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said softly. ¡°For staying with me.¡±


    Takai gave her another small smile before leaving the room.


    As the door closed behind him, with the healer in tow, Fiora let out a long breath.


    She had survived against all odds.


    The next day, Fiora was feeling well enough to sit up in bed and eat solid food.


    Her body still ached, but the pain was more manageable now.


    She had just finished a light lunch when there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she called out, expecting to see Takai or one of the healers.


    To her surprise, it was Agalei who entered the room.


    The auburn-haired girl looked nervous, wringing her hands as she approached the bed.


    ¡°Hi, Fiora,¡± Agalei said softly. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Fiora smiled at her, sensing, however, that something was wrong.


    ¡°Hey, thanks,¡± Fiora replied, trying to keep her voice steady. ¡°Is everything okay? You don¡¯t look good.¡±


    Agalei bit her lip, looking down at her feet.


    ¡°Something¡­ something happened last night. Something bad.¡±


    Fiora felt a chill run down her spine.


    ¡°What do you mean? What happened?¡±


    ¡°One of the guys from Elder Kawena¡¯s group,¡± Agalei said, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°He... he tried to force himself on me.¡±


    Fiora¡¯s hands clenched into fists, ignoring the pain that shot through her still-healing body.


    ¡°What?¡± she hissed. ¡°Who was it?¡±


    Agalei shook her head.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I ran before... before anything really happened.¡±


    As Agalei spoke, Fiora felt a rage building inside her.


    It was a cold, terrible anger, different from the hot flashes of temper she was used to.


    This was something deeper, more dangerous.


    ¡°Where are they now?¡± Fiora asked, her voice low and tight.


    Agalei looked up, alarmed by Fiora¡¯s tone.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Kaia and the others,¡± Fiora clarified. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°I... I think they¡¯re in one of the common areas,¡± Agalei said hesitantly. ¡°But Fiora, you shouldn¡¯t-¡±


    Fiora was already moving, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.


    Pain lanced through her body, but she ignored it, forcing herself to stand.


    ¡°Fiora, stop!¡± Agalei pleaded. ¡°You¡¯re not well enough to be up!¡±


    It¡¯s my fault, Fiora realized. I should have listened to Talia. I didn¡¯t, and I didn¡¯t have time to warn Agalei.


    But Fiora wasn¡¯t listening.


    She stumbled to the closet where her clothes were stored, pulling out a simple tunic and pants.


    ¡°You can¡¯t move!¡± Agalei shouted at her. ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°Go tell a healer,¡± she told Agalei as she started changing. ¡°Tell them I¡¯ve gone crazy or something. Just... just stay out of my way.¡±


    Fiora finished dressing quickly, ignoring the protesting aches of her body. Then, with grim fury, she left the infirmary.


    She made her way through the Academy hall. A few students gave her surprised looks and tried complimenting her as she passed, but she didn¡¯t stop for anyone.


    Finally, she reached one of the main common areas.


    Through the large windows, she could see a group of students lounging on the grass outside.


    Among them were Kaia and several others she recognized from Elder Kawena¡¯s group.


    Fiora pushed open the doors, stepping out into the warm sunlight.


    As she approached the group, she saw Kaia¡¯s eyes widen in recognition and surprise.


    ¡°Fiora?¡± Kaia said, standing up. ¡°What are you doing out of the infirmary?¡±


    Fiora didn¡¯t respond.


    Instead, she raised her hands, calling on her Sunwater.


    Golden stars began to form on the ceiling, growing larger and brighter with each passing second.


    Fiora had heard enough from Agalei to know not to spare one bit of sympathy for these monsters. Even if she ended up in jail, she was ready to clean up the house.


    The other students scrambled to their feet, sensing the danger.


    Kaia¡¯s expression hardened as she realized Fiora¡¯s intent.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this,¡± Kaia warned in a low, her own hands beginning to glow with gathering Mana.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Fiora said coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this. I have to do this.¡±


    With that, she activated [Sunbeam Strike].


    She had gained levels and had become much stronger than the last time they had met, which meant Fiora was confident she¡¯d kill Kaia and her goons without any trouble.


    Unlike them, she had gone through a baptism of fire, with several life-and-death situations that had profoundly changed her.


    Sunwater orbs flew towards Kaia and the others, exploding in brilliant flashes of light and heat.


    But then, before the multitude of projectiles could kill the disgusting monsters in front of her, a large aura swept over the room and tore apart her spell.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Fiora heard a womanly voice. ¡°This isn¡¯t the way.¡±


    ¡°Who¡ª¡± Fiora turned to see a woman she didn¡¯t recognize. But then, Kaia cleared the doubts for her.


    ¡°Lady Naia! Fiora just tried to attack us and kill us! She must be taken away and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence, foolish child,¡± Lady Naia said with a disgusted expression while looking in their direction. ¡°I have gathered enough evidence for Principal Kaimana. You and your friends might want to go beg your families right now, children. You will need their protection once the Academy decides to prosecute you for what you did.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Fiora looked with wide eyes at the woman.


    Lady Naia? Isn¡¯t that the head of a School? Principal¡¯s Kaimana¡¯s assistant?


    Fiora tried to shake off Naia¡¯s grip but found she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Fiora growled. ¡°They deserve this. After what they did to me, to Agalei...¡±


    ¡°I understand more than you know,¡± Naia replied. ¡°But this isn¡¯t justice. They will be dealt with by the rules, Fiora Solara.¡±


    As the adrenaline began to fade, Fiora felt the pain of her injuries returning full force.


    She sagged, suddenly exhausted.


    Naia caught her before she could fall, supporting her weight easily.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she said gently. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to the infirmary. We have a lot to talk about. In fact, I have an open spot in my School for such an outstanding student like you.¡±


    As Naia led her away, Fiora caught one last glimpse of Kaia and the others.


    But more than that, they looked afraid.


    Good, Fiora thought. They should be afraid. I¡¯m not done with them.

 Chapter 90 – New Beginnings

    Talia floated in the endless expanse of the Deep, suspended in darkness so profound it seemed to press against her skin. The water was unnaturally still, devoid of the usual currents that gave the ocean its rhythm. She tried to move, but her limbs felt leaden as if the very water had thickened around her.


    Then she felt it¡ªa presence below, vast and ancient. The water grew colder, and an otherworldly blue glow began to emanate from the depths. As she looked down, her heart nearly stopped. An eye larger than any ship she had ever seen opened directly beneath her. Its pupil, a void of absolute darkness, fixed upon her with terrifying intelligence.


    She tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. The eye¡¯s gaze held her paralyzed, and she could feel its ancient malevolence seeping into her bones. Worse than the fear was the horrible sense of recognition¡ªsomething in her responded to that gaze, resonated with it in a way that made her want to claw her own skin off.


    Talia jerked awake with a strangled gasp, her bedsheets twisted around her legs, and her skin slick with cold sweat.


    * * *


    Talia was still in the room in Professor Iakopo¡¯s school after the terrifying dream, reflecting on her future.


    When the Professor had made his offer, she had hesitated for a moment, and then she had nodded.


    The fact that the Professor had started out as an enemy of hers made her even more convinced of how much she could trust him.


    From the very beginning, he had never hidden who he was.


    She knew that Elder Krakatoa was involved in her almost not getting into the academy.


    And she still had to ask the man why.


    Even if he had somehow some benign intent behind it, which Talia still believed, she couldn¡¯t accept how she had been essentially lied to.


    And that was why Talia had chosen to go with Professor Iakopo¡¯s school.


    The man had chosen an interesting emblem for it: a bright drop of red blood falling into dark waters.


    Talia knew it was a reference to Dark Water, but she found it quite apt for a school led by the man.


    She took a moment to look at her hands, flexing her fingers, feeling still a remote tingling in her body. She could feel the Dark Water inside herself. Well, she didn¡¯t actually feel the Dark Water, but she could feel the Raw Mana that she now circulated around her wrist marks.


    She could also feel that if she wanted to, she could activate the Skill that she had gotten back inside the Placid Cave when she had faced the giant Drake Boss.


    [Cursed Form - Lv. 3]


    Honestly, if this had been before her adventure in the cave, she would have been dead afraid of what people would have thought of her.


    When someone gets a Skill called the Cursed Form, it doesn¡¯t take much to understand that it¡¯s not the most benevolent power one can use.


    In the past, she would have been afraid of how her friends and people she didn¡¯t even know would have treated her because of it.


    But now, after surviving death and staring right down the maws of monsters that she would have never been able to face without her powers, she didn¡¯t feel the shame anymore.


    She felt pride for what she could do.


    Yes, she knew that using the Cursed Form meant that her mind got influenced somehow, at least while using it.


    She clarified as much with Iakopo, who had confirmed that even he suspected that using Dark Water, as her mother had put it, could indeed change someone¡¯s personality.


    And when she had asked Iakopo what he thought of Yalena¡¯s apparition, he just shrugged.


    He said that he knew much more than Yalena when it came to certain areas of Mana and the theory of Affinities.


    But Yalena had always been the one who possessed the most esoteric and dangerous knowledge.


    The one who fished it out of nooks and crannies he wasn¡¯t even aware of.


    Honestly, Talia feared the day she would meet her mother¡¯s vision again.


    She felt ashamed of her, ashamed of the memory of a woman who sacrificed so many lives in order to kill the Kraken, who had compromised herself just to be a hero. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    And while Talia acknowledged that her mother rendered a great service to the world, she also knew now how bloodied her mother¡¯s hands were.


    Talia didn¡¯t know whether she was being arrogant and whether her mother just knew what was necessary, but she had had a similar choice in the cave.


    A choice that her mother herself had endorsed ¨C to run, to not risk her life in order to bring to completion whatever fate Yalena had imagined for her.


    But Talia had refused. Talia would have rather died, which, she suspected, was an option that Yalena might not have considered.


    A gentle knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. ¡°Come in,¡± she called out, her voice still slightly hoarse.


    The door creaked open, revealing Keanu.


    He stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind him.


    His usual confident demeanor seemed subdued.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, offering a small smile. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Talia shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement.


    ¡°Better, I think. A little sore. I think it¡¯s from being in bed too long.¡±


    Keanu nodded, moving to sit in the chair beside her bed.


    He seemed nervous, his fingers tapping an irregular rhythm on his knee.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re recovering.¡±


    A moment of awkward silence stretched between them. Talia could sense that Keanu had something on his mind, but she waited patiently for him to speak.


    Finally, Keanu took a deep breath as if steeling himself.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Talia asked.


    Keanu seemed to struggle with his words, but then he finally took a deep breath and tried to get it all out.


    ¡°I showed you my eyes,¡± Keanu said, even though now he still had whatever spell hid the true color of his eyes.


    Talia nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said.


    Keanu stumbled upon his words.


    ¡°I was sent to the academy to get close to you. We share the same blood.¡±


    ¡°Are we related?¡± Talia asked with a frown, wondering if Keanu was somehow related to her father.


    Keanu shook his head. ¡°No. We¡¯re not related in that sense. We, however, are part of the same race.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°The same race?¡± she asked. ¡°Humans?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Keanu said. ¡°You are part human, or what they¡¯re calling in the ancient texts, Honua, and you¡¯re also part... Kaim¨­r¨­.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°Kaim¨­r¨­?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Keanu said. ¡°Your eyes are a trait that is only shared by the Fiora, the people of the deep.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°What do you mean? People of the deep?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rumored that our ancestors used to live below water a long, long time ago when cities, in theory, populated what we now call the Deep. Our ancient history tells us that Abyssal creatures weren¡¯t always there, or if they were, they were confined to dungeons. They wouldn¡¯t roam the Deep wildly as they do now.¡±


    Talia found that notion foreign. ¡°Abyssal creatures not roaming around. Really?¡± She paused. ¡°So why did you have to get close to me?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°My people wanted me to get to know you because of your mother. Your mother visited my people a long time ago, and they believe she was on our side. However, they had to make sure that your heart was in the same place.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°Keanu, I don¡¯t think I understand. Did you also get someone close to Riala?¡±


    Keanu shook his head. ¡°Riala was considered not trustworthy like your mother since she went with Elder Kahua, who was a noble. And we didn¡¯t have anyone to get close to her and know her intentions.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with going with a noble elder? I just enrolled in Professor Iakopo¡¯s school.¡±


    ¡°Professor Iakopo is probably the one exception,¡± Keanu said. ¡°Nobles have hunted my people down for centuries. They have now forgotten about us, which is why someone like your father could roam around when he was young without being hunted. But if we came back in numbers, they would reserve us the same treatment all over again.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Talia asked.


    Keanu gave her a sorry look. ¡°I am not privy to all the secrets of my people. I have not yet been trusted with such knowledge. My people are very, very wary of outsiders. But after what I saw you do in the cave, I decided it was time for you to know the truth. I don¡¯t feel comfortable tricking you.¡±


    Talia nodded slowly. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I would also like,¡± Keanu said, ¡°to ask you to become your Shield, Talia.¡±


    Talia frowned. ¡°Keanu, I¡¯m not sure I can fully trust you after what you just told me.¡±


    Keanu nodded. ¡°I know. But I also know that your future is to eliminate the Kraken. That is what my people want above all, for the peace to be restored. And I have something to offer that you might not know about.¡±


    Talia raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Luminescent Water,¡± Keanu said, ¡°has many properties. It¡¯s not as strong as Star Water when it comes to defensive capabilities. However, when it comes to restrictions, Luminescent Water, unlike Star Water, is not affected by Dark Water. And it was my people, the Kaim¨­r¨­, who first discovered Dark Water.¡±


    Talia looked at him, uncomprehending.


    ¡°If I stay by your side,¡± Keanu continued, ¡°I can help you tame Dark Water.¡±


    Talia thought of the Cursed Form and what Keanu had just said. ¡°Really?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I swear on my life,¡± Keanu replied.


    There was a moment of silence between the two while Talia contemplated what the young man in front of her had just told her.


    Then, however, Keanu added something. ¡°My people have also fought the Equilibrium Cult in the past, and they know what they¡¯re after. They were never a threat before, not one this big, but since your father is now heading them, they pose a serious risk for the entire archipelago.¡±


    Talia gritted her teeth. This was the second person who told her that Mano was the head of the Cultists. ¡°What do they want to do?¡± she asked.


    Keanu looked around and dropped his voice. ¡°This knowledge is a token of trust,¡± he said. ¡°My people would not approve of me telling you, considering the implications this could have on our relationship.¡±


    Talia frowned.


    ¡°Your father wants to kill all the great families, and they want you as the weapon capable of doing that and capable of essentially destroying civilization.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Talia exclaimed.


    Keanu continued unabated. ¡°They believe that your powers are an offshoot of the Kraken¡¯s powers. And they hope, in case the Kraken is truly dead forever, to turn you into a new weapon of mass destruction that could finally bring all the nobles down. You¡¯re the first to have the capability to absorb Skills and Attributes. In the long run, this makes you possibly the strongest fighter ever, and they want to use you.¡±


    Talia felt her heart catch in her throat. ¡°But my father,¡± she stammered.


    ¡°Your father is a Kaim¨­r¨­ who didn¡¯t know that Dark Water would warp his mind, Talia,¡± Keanu said. ¡°He¡¯s a madman set on destroying the world that your mother once saved.¡±

 Epilogue

    Lilo was facing her father, Rongo Moana, the head of the Moana household. Her mother, Kani, paced back and forth behind the table where father and daughter were sitting.


    Neither Nami, her Shield, nor her Retinue had been allowed to partake in this conversation.


    The Moana family had not received well the news of Lilo¡¯s defeat at the hands of the Sword Demon¡¯s daughter, Lilinoe.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Kani repeated herself twice. Lilo¡¯s mother was referring to the latest meeting of the extended Moana family.


    After what had gone down in Placid City, her position was being questioned.


    It didn¡¯t matter that resources had already been poured into her education and training.


    Several members of the family had expressed extreme skepticism at the fact that Lilo could one day tackle the Kraken herself if she couldn¡¯t even defeat the Sword Demon¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Kani, darling,¡± Rongo said, ¡°sit down.¡±


    ¡°Rongo, are you out of your mind? Sit down? We need to do something. We need to go there and¡ª¡±


    Rongo sighed heavily and shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything,¡± he said. ¡°One misstep now, and our daughter will lose her position. This is the moment to keep our heads down and to put in the work.¡±


    Rongo then turned toward his daughter. Lilo¡¯s father was a very kind man who had never been too harsh on her and had always told her that she could decide not to undertake such a dangerous life as a Chosen. Lilo had always felt a calling, something deep inside her besides her talent to shine, especially because she wanted to please her father.


    ¡°Lilo,¡± Rongo said, ¡°the only thing that is left for us to do is to bring the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter here in Tempest City. We need her alliance with us. I know that you and Nami have been befriending her. I just received word that she finally woke up from her slumber. You will stay at the manor for the time being, but to resume your training, I¡¯ve spoken with Principal Kaimana, and you will still graduate. However, you won¡¯t participate in the graduation ceremony.¡±


    Lilo nodded gravely, deflated at the idea of not being able to go to the graduation ceremony.


    ¡°I am not trying to punish you,¡± Rongo said, seeing the contrition on his daughter¡¯s face. ¡°I know that you tried and fought valiantly. Our family doesn¡¯t understand how strong the Sword Demon is. I have no doubt that if his own daughter decided to actually pour her energy into becoming a Chosen, she could have been the next Kraken Slayer. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because of a fault of yours that you lost. You just faced a formidable opponent. Just remember, your role as a Chosen is not to impress our family members. It¡¯s to take care of the monster who terrorizes the Four Seas. We are fighting the Scourge of the Deep, not petty family grievances.¡±


    Lilo attempted to smile at her father, who always had nice and kind words for her. But she knew that even he was now worried that because of what Lilo had gone through, their own position as the spearhead of the Moana family would come into question. From here on out, Lilo would have to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that she was not only worthy of being the Chosen of the Moana family but that she could represent them and bring glory to their name.


    ¡°Your sister is being sent back to the academy for now. She will meet the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter and make sure that our relationship with her is still strong,¡± Lilo nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± Rongo continued, ¡°that she chose to join Professor Iakopo Kane¡¯s school. The one he recently founded. So, you will have to find ways to be in her proximity at all times. If it means joining Professor Iakopo¡¯s school, I will personally convey my apologies to Elder Krakatoa, but both you and your sister will join Professor Iakopo¡¯s school.¡±


    Lilo nodded. It didn¡¯t come as a surprise for her. She knew how much Talia¡¯s alliance would be worth in the eyes of her family members.


    ¡°Furthermore,¡± Rongo said, ¡°I¡¯ve been elaborating on some ideas to entice the young friend of yours to side with us politically.¡±


    At that point, Lilo¡¯s mother, Kani, interjected. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t tell me anything about this.¡±


    ¡°Darling,¡± Rongo said, sighing. ¡°I love you, but your mouth is too big for your own sake. This is extremely important. I cannot have you go run your mouth with your sisters.¡±


    ¡°Rongo, that is affronting,¡± Kani said.


    Lilo actually agreed with her father. Her mother was a big gossip, and she would easily let such information slip from her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even understand why you care so much about that child,¡± Kani said, displeased with her husband. ¡°Is it just because she¡¯s Yalena¡¯s daughter?¡± There was a strong hint of jealousy in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this now,¡± Rongo said, getting up from the table and looking at his daughter. ¡°Report for training in the training hall in one hour. I will be there,¡± he said and left.


    Lilo knew that all the training that she had had up until now would look like a joke compared to what her father was about to put her through.


    * * *


    Miles away, in a hidden cove on a remote island, two figures stood on a rocky beach. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The waves lapped gently at the shore as one of them stared at the Deep.


    The other one, Awa, the infamous Sword Demon, knelt on the sand.


    His long, dark hair hung loose around his face, obscuring his expression.


    Before he stood Maui, giving him his back.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to receive my punishment,¡± Awa said, his voice low and resigned. ¡°I have failed in my mission. I couldn¡¯t acquire Dark Water, and I lost my daughter to the Water Riders.¡±


    Maui remained silent for a long moment, the only sound the crashing of waves and the distant cry of seabirds.


    When he finally spoke, his voice was deep and rumbling.


    ¡°Punishment?¡± he said, a hint of amusement in his tone. ¡°No, Awa. Your failure was... expected.¡±


    Awa¡¯s head snapped up, surprise evident on his face.


    ¡°Expected? But I thought-¡±


    Maui held up a hand, silencing him.


    ¡°My daughter is like her mother, a warrior. I never doubted her. She, in fact, passed this test. It will all work in our favor, given what happened with her. But we¡¯ll discuss that later.¡±


    He turned, looking out over the dark waters.


    ¡°For now, we have more pressing matters to attend to. We need to retrieve Lilinoe. Her defeat was... unfortunate, but not irreparable.¡±


    Awa stood slowly, brushing sand from his knees.


    ¡°And after that?¡±


    Maui¡¯s expression hardened, his eyes glinting in the moonlight.


    ¡°After that, I have a long-overdue visit to pay. To my daughters.¡±


    * * *


    Talia had completely healed in about two weeks since she had woken up. Since then, she had been experimenting with her new powers, confirming that Keanu was indeed able to restrain her while using the Cursed Form. She had been very wary of using it, asking both Professor Iakopo and Keanu to supervise, and she had felt the same fury, the same savage primal instincts take over whenever she had activated it.


    Now Professor Iakopo told her, after a few attempts at trying to manage it which had seen Keanu having to restrain her until the form ran out, that he had a solution.


    ¡°First,¡± the Professor said, ¡°the Cursed Form is probably connected to your Charisma. Classes that summon monsters and/or that create links with monsters or familiars or even spirits need Charisma to control them. I suspect that both your Skill Ravenous Wounds and the Cursed Form are linked. I don¡¯t know how,¡± he emphasized, ¡°but I knew your mother, and this seems like something that all goes together. It¡¯s not by chance that the Star Glaive that she left behind ended up giving you this Skill. I¡¯ve examined the weapon, and I can tell you that as far as Ravenous Wounds go, it will get easier to manage through Charisma.¡±


    Talia nodded thoughtfully. Professor Iakopo had indeed been examining the Soul Weapon and had told her that he had found a possible solution to her problems. Because when she used Ravenous Wounds and the Cursed Form, she would slowly lose control. She wasn¡¯t afraid of them anymore, but she was frustrated by not being able to control such incredible powers.


    ¡°I have scouted a dungeon for you,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to spend to go there and study its contents because I have some family matters to take care of. However, the monsters are level 25, and the boss is level 30. I didn¡¯t touch either because I thought you could use the practice. And more importantly, if you were to absorb them through Ravenous Wounds,¡± Iakopo said, ¡°I am positive you would absorb Charisma.¡±


    Talia nodded. She had explained how all her Skills worked to the man after joining his school. And Professor Iakopo had provided her invaluable advice and training in order for her to become a better fighter. To be honest, Talia had gotten from the Professor in the last two weeks what she had always imagined she would have gotten out of her mother if she was still alive. The thought made her cringe a little, but she was more than grateful to the man.


    Talia was wearing a tunic with the drop of blood in the dark waters emblem. And as Professor Iakopo stopped talking, she just said, ¡°I will go there with Keanu.¡±


    ¡°You do understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Professor Iakopo asked as he had probably a dozen times more. ¡°Whatever clue you might find there, you might not like where your mother went with her plans in order to destroy the Kraken.¡±


    Talia nodded. ¡°I fully understand, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, slapping his hands on his desk. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. The graduation is just about to begin.¡±


    * * *


    The graduation took place in the plaza that stood right before the spire. Below the magnificent construction, a stage had been built. Talia was sitting in the front row beside Professor Iakopo. She would have liked to sit with her friends, but the man had told her that, for whatever reason, she had to stay there. She had by now gotten used to the quirks of Professor Iakopo, so she didn¡¯t question his request.


    Principal Kaimana gave a brief speech congratulating the students on their first year at the academy. He was saying how hard it must have been, especially given the terrible events that involved Professor Iakopo¡¯s class. Then, when it came to announcing which school had gathered the most recognition through their first-year students, Principal Kaimana turned to Professor Iakopo and Talia and said, ¡°This might be a first, but not only has a new school emerged after a catastrophe was prevented in Placid City, but the other judges and I have decided to give the school and its most prominent member the award not just for the first year, but for the entire school. In fact, I would like to call Talia Solara here to receive the title of best student of the Water Rider Academy, the champion of all the students for this academic year.¡±


    Talia felt like an entire cliff had just collapsed on top of her. She felt her body turn to jelly as everyone looked at her. Thankfully, Professor Iakopo took her by the arm and slowly brought her up the steps next to Principal Kaimana.


    ¡°Talia Solara is the heir of Yalena Solara, the last Kraken Slayer,¡± Principal Kaimana began. ¡°Her mother fought like no one had ever fought at her age. Her power, her dedication, not even I could compare to the young Yalena. I have to say, however, that despite the fame of her mother, this young woman here managed to carve a path for herself, saving all the students in Placid City from certain death, to carve a path that not even her mother ever treaded at her age.¡±


    Principal Kaimana then turned towards her. ¡°It is a great honor for me,¡± he said, taking out a beautiful little crown of coral, ¡°to crown you the champion of the Water Rider Academy for this academic year.¡±


    Talia felt like crying and could barely hold back a tear as Principal Kaimana deposited the little ceremonial crown over her head. Principal Kaimana then nudged her and said, ¡°Go to the center and get your applause.¡± He winked at her.


    However, before she could go, Professor Iakopo grabbed her sleeve. Before she could ask what he was doing, he put his hands over her wrist bracelets, the ones that she used to cover her wrist marks. And with just a little flicker of his Space Mana, he disintegrated them out of existence, leaving the torn metal falling to the ground.


    ¡°Now you can go,¡± Professor Iakopo said, smiling at her with a hint of mischief.


    Talia felt herself choking, but the two men pushed her in front of the stage, where all the students looked expectantly at her.


    She looked around for a second, seeing all the faces that she had met while in Placid City during the classes and the ones that she had only seen during these two weeks.


    She wasn¡¯t good at talking, but she took a moment to feel the admiration of everyone, to bask in it.


    Then she raised her naked wrists to the air with her fists clenched, and the crowd exploded in a thunderous roar.

 Book 2 - Prologue

    Twenty years prior


    Yalena had not been in the mood to talk while she waited at the edge of the Dark Well.


    She only peered down into the swirling water after Maui had told her that it was starting to rise.


    She focused on Maui, a man intent on following her to the edge of the world, but then took a step back, facing away from the well and looking toward the door that led back to the surface.


    She knew that each drop of water slowly appearing in the well likely meant life was being spent above ground. Yalena passed a hand through her white hair in a rare moment of contemplation.


    She did think about going back up, about helping Iakopo, about leaving Maui behind. Maui was a follower and a great one at that. But was having a follower with a Dark Water Affinity worth losing Iakopo over?


    She knew that once she emerged, no matter how many excuses she could make, Iakopo would never tolerate her presence again. Maui hadn¡¯t understood what kind of person Iakopo was, and Yalena didn¡¯t feel the need to explain that there was a good chance they might leave the island as criminals, especially if some Cultist ever came out and explained how Maui had acquired his Dark Water Affinity.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    And so, she felt torn.


    She had also lied to Maui. The reason she hadn¡¯t gone down to gain the Dark Water Affinity for herself wasn¡¯t that she would lose her Star Water¡ªthat had been a lie.


    She had already found a way to maintain both Star Water and Dark Water at the same time.


    No, the reason was far more complicated. She didn¡¯t even think she herself would lose her mind. Her Star Water was too powerful, and she knew she could seal even the tremendous Dark Water away from influencing her into insanity.


    She was sure Maui would suffer some serious side effects from acquiring Dark Water, but she wasn¡¯t particularly worried about that.


    He wasn¡¯t the brightest of the bunch anyway, and Yalena needed Dark Water too much to be concerned about his wellbeing. However, there was someone she had been worrying about when choosing not to get the Dark Water Affinity.


    Yalena gently placed one hand over her belly and then looked up at the rocky ceiling, thinking of Iakopo currently fighting an army of Drakes.


    She knew she could have survived acquiring Dark Water without any trouble. She was stronger than she had allowed Iakopo to know and far stronger than Maui could ever imagine. But what she didn¡¯t know was whether acquiring the Affinity would tear apart the life growing inside her.


    Unbeknownst to the two men who had followed her there, she had experienced a rare moment of weakness when making this choice, opting for a suboptimal route¡ªvery unlike her¡ªand choosing a small, almost insignificant life over one of the greatest power she could have ever acquired.

 Chapter 91 – Dimensional Dungeon

    Keanu¡¯s magic illuminated the humid cave around them as Talia cracked her knuckles, ready to get to the action.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo said that Abyssal Jaws are crocodile-like monsters around Level 25. Their Boss should be around Level 30. I can probably take the monsters down without using Dark Water¡ªI need to, really, if I want to absorb their Attributes.¡±


    Keanu nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°We agree on the plan, right?¡± Talia said.


    ¡°You can regenerate. If I have to choose between my safety and yours, I have to choose mine because I can die much more easily.¡±


    ¡°Professor Iakopo said I might even be able to regenerate missing limbs, Keanu,¡± Talia said sternly. ¡°The only reason I agreed to you coming with me, knowing that I can¡¯t control [Ravenous Wounds] nor the [Cursed Form], is that I trust you not to be an idiot. Do you understand?¡±


    Keanu rolled his eyes but nodded.


    ¡°Talia, you have repeated this a dozen times on our way over.¡±


    They were not too far from the Academy, in the West Deep, where they would be exploring the Dungeon. Professor Iakopo said she would find clues about her powers and that she could also accumulate Charisma by absorbing it from the monsters.


    After the fight with the Mutated Torpedo Snappers and the Drake Boss in the Placid Cave, Talia had gained enough levels that she was now able to effortlessly wield the Star Glaive.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 17]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 21]


    [Rank: Adept]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 4 {Awakened}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 7 {Surging}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Dark Water): Level 3 {Awakened}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 14]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 19]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 12]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 8]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 12]


    [Auxiliary Skill #3: Blood Confluence Lv. 13]


    [Auxiliary Skill #4: Bloodbath Lv. 11]


    [Auxiliary Skill #5: Bloody Tracks Lv. 11]


    [Auxiliary Skill #6: Blood Fortress Lv. 11]


    [Auxiliary Skill #7: Tailwind Lv. 5]


    [Form Skill #1: Cursed Form Lv. 3]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Agility: 7]


    [Constitution: 3]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 2]


    [Free Attributes: 0]


    [Talent Trees:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bloodborne Warrior (1)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Carmine Thunder (1)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sanguine Guardian (1)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hemomantic Artisan (1)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Crimson Sage (1)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Thief </li>


    </ul>


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 6]


    Talia had six free talent points gained from reaching Level 15 and Level 20 in her class and leveling four Skills above Level 10. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    She was very tempted to use them immediately, especially since she would need to explore a dungeon by herself.


    However, Professor Iakopo had told her that she couldn''t get the points right away. He explained that she would likely be fighting primarily using her dark water and cursed form, which was why Keanu had accompanied her.


    Professor Iakopo advised Talia to hold off on spending the points as they didn''t yet know how her new powers would develop. He suggested they better strategize their next moves after uncovering more about what Yalena planned for Talia.


    Talia wasn''t excited about delaying using her talent points, as she could have unlocked three Skills from the five Talent Trees she had already opened, or she could have spent at least one point on the Life Thief Skill to unlock the last remaining Charisma-related tree.


    Both Iakopo and she had reasoned that there might be something interesting behind the Charisma-based Talent Tree, especially since they were now looking into raising her Charisma to allow her to better use her Skills.


    However, the pedantic man had pointed out that if she were to unlock the Life Skill talent tree, she wouldn''t be able to unlock three Skills from the other Talent Trees, which meant she had to wait.


    Although Talia felt frustrated, she also recognized the validity of the professor''s point. And, understanding his reasoning, she decided to follow his lead.


    Professor Iakopo was many things, but a fool, that he was not.


    Most importantly, Talia had spent almost all her Attributes in Strength before allocating two solitary points to Charisma after Professor Iakopo had reprimanded her.


    She understood his frustration with her for spending so many points solely on Strength, but he had clearly never understood how frustrated she was since she had always struggled to wield her main weapon.


    Now, with forty points into Strength, she wasn¡¯t only able to swing her glaive effortlessly, but she had also gained the first Perk of the Strength Attribute.


    Perk: Feat of Strength


    Unlocked when reaching 25 Strength Attributes.


    The effect of Strength increases by 30%


    Perks were unlocked by raising Attributes above the 25, 50, and 75 marks and then once more when reaching their ultimate threshold of 100.


    Allegedly, her mother had at least two Attributes at 100 by the time she had faced the Kraken, which was equally incredible and insane considering how young her mother had been when facing the monster.


    When Talia and Keanu fully entered the Dungeon proper, after a brief rest in the cavern that preceded it, both widened their eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Dimensional Dungeon,¡± Keanu stared in awe.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Talia said, speechless herself.


    Dimensional Dungeons were Dungeons that, unlike the Placid Cave in Placid City, formed distinct self-sustaining ecosystems out of the Mana that they could absorb.


    The prevailing theory to justify their existence was that Mana had created reality, and therefore, it shouldn¡¯t be surprising that it would be able to create these kinds of pocket worlds.


    Keanu and Talia currently stared at a very muggy, hot swamp illuminated by an orange light above that very much resembled the sun.


    "Ugh, it stinks in here," Talia grumbled, wrinkling her nose.


    Keanu nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah, smells like sailor socks."


    They peered ahead, seeing a vast expanse of murky water stretching beyond what their eyes could see.


    Dimensional Dungeons had limits, but they weren¡¯t cut and dry like a cavern¡¯s rocky walls. Talia and Keanu simply would find the world disappearing at some point, substituted by only water and less and less Mana as they moved away from the core part of the Dungeon¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t something either was interested in doing anyway.


    "Alright, let''s do this," Talia said, focusing her magic.


    With a soft blue glow, flat boards of solidified mana appeared under their feet. Talia and Keanu stepped on them carefully.


    Both teens scanned the water intently, looking for any sign of movement. Talia''s eyes darted from side to side, searching for the telltale bumps of crocodile eyes breaking the surface.


    However, after almost half an hour of roaming the swamp, they had found nothing.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo should have told us how to find them and how to fight them,¡± Keanu complained.


    ¡°He said our chances of dying to them are low enough that we should scout them ourselves. The man is obsessed with teaching Water Riders how to be independent and self-sufficient.¡±


    ¡°You became his predilect student and still don¡¯t get special treatment,¡± Keanu teased her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s disembark there,¡± Talia said, pointing at a patch of muddy land where a few trees had sprouted. I need a good visual.¡±


    They soon dispelled their Mana Boards and climbed the tallest tree there, with Talia standing upright at the top of it, scanning the surroundings.


    She activated [Eyes of the Abyss] and looked at the waters around them.


    ¡°They are at least two dozen feet underwater,¡± Talia frowned, seeing the silhouette of several monsters all around them. ¡°They¡¯re here. But they¡¯re not coming up.¡±


    ¡°Did we do anything to scare them away?¡± Keanu frowned.


    ¡°No,¡± Talia reasoned. ¡°But if they¡¯re Charisma-based monsters, they might be able to summon something to attack us from afar. I had assumed that we would have had to fight hordes of minions before getting to the Abyssal Jaws. But it appears that I was wrong. We¡¯ll have to dive.¡±


    Keanu looked unsure about it.


    ¡°They might be able to summon Water Sprites if they don¡¯t want to come out. Above water, they¡¯re not strong, but in the water? We don¡¯t want to face them like that. Why don¡¯t you just harpoon the monsters with the glaive from here? You can use [Recall] on it and get it back.¡±


    Talia shook her head.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to waste time like that. Just wait here. I have a swimming Skill.¡±


    That said, Talia jumped from the tree and dove head-first into the waters.

 Chapter 92 – Abyssal Jaws

    The second Talia dove into the swamp, she understood why the Abyssal Jaws wanted to bring the battle there. The water was extremely muddy, and she could barely see an inch from her nose. She knew that Charisma was an ability that, among other things, also enhanced one''s senses. Therefore, she suspected the monsters would have a great time hunting anyone who tried to reach them deep in the sandy layer of the swamp''s waters. However, this wasn''t something she worried about in the least.


    She activated two Skills: [Eyes of the Abyss] to locate the closest silhouette and [Missile Swimming], the very first Skill she''d ever gained by killing the Abyssal Cuda right outside Solara''s waters, propelling her forward. She swam quickly, gripping her glaive and smiling. The Skill allowed her to move with incredible speed and precision as she darted between submerged trees and mounds of sand. [Missile Swimming] formed a layer of Mana around her that allowed her to glide effortlessly in the waters.


    However, as she closed in on the first Abyssal Jaw, she sensed movement by her side. She turned and saw a slender silhouette barreling towards her through [Eyes of the Abyss]. Talia raised her glaive in the waters and braced for impact. As soon as it was in range, she saw a tag.


    [Mud Water Sprite - Level 25]


    Talia frowned and slashed at the Mana construct. However, the Mud Water Sprite was extremely nimble and floated above her blade, trying to put a hole in her with its spiky limbs.


    Talia simply retracted one hand from the glaive and punched the sprite. Too close for its good, the Mud Water Sprite had no way of avoiding the blow. Talia''s hand went through the brightest concentration of Mana in the sprite''s body, destroying it in an instant. She smiled to herself, satisfied with that outcome. Forty Attributes in Strength were nothing to sneeze at. Even though she couldn''t perhaps swing her glaive as effectively underwater as she could above water, that didn''t mean she was any less strong against a creature like a Mud Water Sprite.


    She immediately resumed her hunt, knowing that the Abyssal Jaw would summon more of the annoying monsters to block her if given the opportunity. Seconds later, the waters cleared a little, and she saw a lurking shadow inside the roots of a giant tree. It was four times her size, with a long armored body and a massive jaw filled with razor teeth. So that''s an Abyssal Jaw, Talia thought.


    The monster noticed her and immediately barreled at full speed towards her. It wasn''t as nimble as the sprite it had summoned to attack her, nor was it as stealthy, but it was faster. Talia didn''t wait for the monster to arrive. She shot forward with [Missile Swimming], her glaive extended before her. She covered the glaive with a thick layer of Mana, crystallizing it immediately. She raised her eyes and saw the monster''s tag.


    [Abyssal Jaw - Level 25]


    Talia''s crystallized glaive met the Abyssal Jaw''s open maw with a resounding crack. The monster''s teeth shattered against the hardened Mana, but its momentum carried it forward. Talia twisted, barely avoiding the beast''s armored body as it shot past.


    She spun, using [Missile Swimming] to whip around and face the creature. The Abyssal Jaw thrashed, disoriented by the blow. Talia didn''t hesitate. She surged forward, aiming for its softer underbelly.


    The monster sensed her approach and rolled, its powerful tail lashing out. Talia deflected it with her glaive but was pushed back by the force. She gritted her teeth, tasting blood ¨C she''d bitten her cheek on impact.


    Two more Mud Water Sprites materialized, darting towards her. Talia cursed internally. She needed to end this quickly before being overwhelmed. She punched the two monsters out of existence as soon as they came, but not before one of them managed to open a wound on her shoulder.


    Then, the Abyssal Jaw lunged again, jaws agape. This time, Talia was ready. She braced her glaive against the murky bottom and angled it upward. The monster impaled itself on the crystallized weapon, its own momentum driving the blade deep.


    But it wasn''t finished. The Abyssal Jaw thrashed violently, nearly wrenching the glaive from Talia''s grip. She held on, mostly thanks to the newly gained Strength, feeling her arms strain against the creature''s raw power.


    I could have never faced a monster this big without my Strength points, Talia thought.


    She understood why Professor Iakopo had reprimanded her for being so careless with Attributes, but as her Skills finally started taking effect, she prepared for the last blow.


    [Auxiliary Skill #4: Bloodbath Lv. 11]


    [Auxiliary Skill #5: Bloody Tracks Lv. 11]Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    [Auxiliary Skill #6: Blood Fortress Lv. 11]


    The three Skills hadn¡¯t somehow worked while Talia had used the Dark Water against the Mutated Torpedo Snappers and the Abyssal Torpedo Drake Boss.


    Professor Iakopo had said that the most likely explanation was that Dark Water required her Blood Water channeled into it to work. That meant that her Blood magic was all being consumed to fuel Dark Water, essentially rendering her Skills, even the passive ones like [Bloodbath], [Bloody Tracks], and [Blood Fortress] useless on the spot.


    However, whenever she wasn¡¯t using Dark Water, which she wanted to avoid as much as possible since it destroyed the vitality of the monsters she hit with it, meaning she couldn¡¯t absorb it through [Blood Siphon] and [Ravenous Wounds], she got stronger, faster, and sturdier for each piece of damage she delivered onto her enemies.


    Therefore, as the Abyssal Jaw attacked again, Talia went for a strategy that none other than the madman of her new mentor had suggested.


    Talia changed the grip on the Star Glaive, holding it upside down as the Abyssal Jaw charged.


    She let the monster bite down on her outstretched arm, feeling its teeth immediately tearing through her flesh. However, as soon as that happened, she almost emptied her lungs of air by laughing underwater.


    Professor Iakopo had suggested she focus on trading as much damage as possible since he had assured her that her reserve of vitality meant she would be able to regenerate any non-mortal wound.


    So, she plunged the glaive with the new Strength right through the dumb monster¡¯s head, killing it on the spot. More importantly, she grabbed it by the jaw¡¯s teeth and, still underwater, used [Blood Siphon].


    [You have slain Abyssal Jaw Level 25!]


    She hadn¡¯t gotten any notification since the sprites were just Mana constructs, but she was pleased by the notification of the Abyssal Jaw¡¯s death. But not as pleased as when she heard the notification from [Blood Siphon], draining the remaining vitality inside the monster¡¯s body.


    [You have absorbed Lv. 25 Abyssal Jaw Life Force.]


    [+3 to your Primary Mana Channel (47/200 to Level Five)]


    [+3 to your Charisma (1/1 to 1 Charisma)]


    [(2/2 to 1 Charisma)]


    [You have gained 2 Charisma]


    [Missile Swimming reaches Level 9!]


    [Bloodbath reaches Level 12!]


    [Bloody Tracks reaches Level 12!]


    [Blood Fortress reaches Level 12!]


    Talia felt the energy from [Blood Siphon] restoring her Stamina and, most importantly, knitting back the flash of her arm as if the monster had never bitten on it.


    Plus, she felt her three support Skills empower her as she reemerged to the surface to Keanu¡¯s evident relief.


    ¡°Done?¡± He shouted from his Mana Board.


    ¡°One down!¡± Talia nodded, spitting some of the muddy water out of her mouth.


    Talia had gotten completely past her hesitation in using [Blood Siphon] after the events of Placid City.


    Before, she had been afraid of using the Skill, of literally sucking out vitality out of monsters as if she had been the Kraken itself. However, as time passed, she now felt her Skill was an essential part of her toolset, an essential part of her.


    When she looked back on how she used to behave about her Class when she had just gotten it almost a year ago, she cringed.


    She had been obsessed with others seeing her as a monster, going so far as to deny her greatest strength, [Blood Siphon], and be afraid of using it as the cornerstone of her fighting style.


    However, when she had fully explained to Professor Iakopo how the Skill worked, the man had almost slapped her.


    He had told her she had been nothing short of a fool.


    Her Skill would make her a powerhouse like no one had seen in the Great Archipelago of N¨¡ Moku Kai.


    One benefit of [Blood Siphon] she had discovered, thanks to Professor Iakopo¡¯s relentless will to study and experiment, was that she could use the vitality she absorbed to keep breathing underwater.


    After killing the Abyssal Jaw, she could have easily kept underwater, but she had to tell Keanu that she had eliminated the first threat. If she had wanted to, however, she could have stayed down for another good ten minutes, give or take. She had conducted several experiments during her training with Professor Iakopo after graduation, and she had gotten a rough sense of how much she could fight underwater after using the skill.


    Several Water Riders had Skills that allowed them to fight underwater, but they were ultimately humans, meaning they could only fight for so long and so well under the surface of the Deep before having to reemerge.


    Talia?


    She could perhaps break new ground in underwater battles against Abyssal Creatures.


    Professor Iakopo had said that if he had the Skill for himself, he¡¯d probably spend entire months underwater just to fight Abyssal Creatures non-stop and accrue power.


    That had made Talia¡¯s stomach lurch.


    She really didn¡¯t enjoy the idea of spending months alone in near-complete darkness while fighting scary creatures in their natural habitat.


    She loved fighting and adventuring, sure, but she wasn¡¯t as crazily obsessed as her mentor.


    ¡°We go for more of them?¡± Keanu asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Talia nodded, still swimming and not climbing atop a Mana Board since she¡¯d have to dive again.


    ¡°There¡¯s two close to each other in that direction,¡± she nodded with her head toward East. ¡°Get on solid ground and wait there. I¡¯ll use [Ravenous Wounds] this time, and as soon as you see me get out of the waters, restrain me. Don¡¯t wait for me to say anything, don¡¯t hesitate.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Keanu sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then, however, Talia heard a notification in her head.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she said, focusing on it.


    [Your Skills are resonating.]


    [Your Skills are about to undergo a Fusion Evolution.]

 Chapter 93 – Finger

    Talia held her breath as she read the notifications.


    [Your Skills are resonating.]


    [Your Skills are about to undergo a Fusion Evolution.]


    [Auxiliary Skill - Bloodbath has been consumed]


    [Auxiliary Skill - Bloody Tracks has been consumed]


    [Auxiliary Skill - Blood Fortress has been consumed]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide reaches Level 6!]


    Talia felt the knowledge of the Skill entering her brain and widened her eyes.


    Previously, Bloodbath had enhanced her Strength, Bloody Tracks her Agility, and Blood Fortress her Constitution.


    Now, [Ika Toto - Blood Tide] would enhance all of her Attributes as soon as she started delivering damage to her enemies.


    She immediately told Keanu about her new Skill, which had him scoff and rub his face.


    ¡°Every time you say stuff like this, I lose all motivation to train and level up,¡± he said, depressed. ¡°How is it fair that you get such a strong Skill? Moreover, do you realize what this means?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Talia looked up distractedly from her hands.


    She had been contemplating how much stronger this would have made her.


    ¡°If the Skill increases your Charisma as well, the more you use [Ravenous Wounds], the more control you¡¯ll have over it in the span of a battle.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Talia nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go test it out.¡±


    * * *


    Talia dove back into the murky waters, her eyes clearing a path thanks to [Eyes of the Abyss].


    She soon spotted three Abyssal Jaws circling lazily nearby.


    She gripped her glaive tightly and surged forward with [Missile Swimming].


    The first Abyssal Jaw sensed her approach and immediately summoned a cluster of Mud Water Sprites. The slender, spiky constructs darted towards Talia, forcing her to alter her course.


    Talia swatted two Sprites aside with quick strikes of her glaive, but their distraction allowed the Abyssal Jaw to lunge. She twisted, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws.


    The second Abyssal Jaw attacked from below. Talia kicked hard, propelling herself upward. She felt the rush of water as the monster''s jaws closed inches from her feet.


    The third circled warily, watching for an opening. Talia knew she couldn''t let them coordinate their attacks. She focused on the nearest one, channeling her Mana into the glaive. The crystallized weapon pierced the Abyssal Jaw''s tough skin, drawing first blood.


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide] activated, enhancing Talia''s attributes. She felt a surge of strength and speed. Her next strike landed true, opening a deep gash along the monster''s flank.


    Talia felt exhilaration as the Skill activated. Not only did it empower all of her Attributes, with her feeling her Mana reserves and potency increase, but she could also feel its effect much more marked than the old three Skills on her physical Attributes.


    Her body clearly felt much stronger than it had before, meaning that [Ika Toto - Blood Tide] wasn¡¯t just encompassing all the Attributes, but that it also had a bigger effect on the individual Attributes compared to [Bloodbath], [Bloody Tracks], and [Blood Fortress].


    It appeared as if the Abyssal Jaws, seeing her alone, hadn¡¯t summoned many Mud Water Sprites at first, clearly not considering her a great threat.


    However, the moment she had drawn blood, the three giant crocodiles changed their approach.


    Now, Talia saw them summon a dozen and more Mud Water Sprites, keeping a distance from her.


    As if I would let you do that, Talia snorted internally.


    Talia injected more Mana into [Missile Swimming]. She cut through the water that was so muddy that without [Eyes of the Abyss], she wouldn''t have been able to see anything in front of her, much less the Mud Water Sprites that were slashing at her with their thin, sharp limbs. She tightened her grip on the blade of the glaive, feeling the enhanced strength from [Ika Toto - Blood Tide] coursing through her muscles.


    The first sprite on her path to one of the Abyssal Jaws lunged, aiming for her face. Talia swung the glaive in a small arc, slicing the construct in half. It dissipated into a cloud of dark Mana that she barreled through without stopping. But two more went in her way to the monster. The sprites came at her from all angles now. There were so many of them. Talia could only swing her glaive so much as she surged toward the Abyssal Jaw that had now started fleeing from her. It seemed like the Charisma-based monsters weren''t willing to trade blows with her like the first Abyssal Jaw that she had killed. Yet they kept summoning endless amounts of sprites.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain lanced across her thigh. She looked down to see a sprite''s limb retracting, leaving a thin trail of blood in the muddy waters. The wound was shallow, mostly blocked by her Constitution, but it stung. Talia punched the sprite out of existence but also decided that she had to put an end to this battle. She was starting to run out of oxygen. She needed to reach the Abyssal Jaws. The sprites were just distractions and nuisances meant to wear her down.


    And so she grabbed the glaive with two hands and used it to spearhead a charge toward the nearest Abyssal Jaw. She barreled through several sprites, taking more wounds but charging relentlessly until she had reached the Abyssal Jaw, who couldn''t swim as fast as her. No other Water Rider would have probably been this fast at her Level. But thankfully, Talia got [Missile Swimming] from the Abyssal Cuda back in Solara, which made her faster than anyone else at her level, including Abyssal Creatures.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The beast sensed her approach. Its massive tail whipped through the water, aimed at her. Talia fought the drag generated by the current and angled her body to cut through the flow. She slashed the tail in two with her glaive covered by Mana crystal. The monster screeched through the water and turned at her, furious, snapping at her with its jaw open wide. Talia feinted left and then immediately darted right, leaving the Abyssal Jaw snapping at empty water. She aimed her glaive at the creature''s eye, hoping to impale its head, but only left a grievous wound on its snout.


    Another sprite, now caught up with her, slashed at her shoulder. She ignored the pain and punched the sprite, snapping it out of existence. Talia channeled more Mana into her weapon, and this time, she used her Hemomancy to create a blood sickle and throw it at the monster. The thin, sharp sickle of blood pierced flesh on the flank of the Abyssal Jaw, which immediately started thrashing. The blood of the monster billowed into the water, and Talia felt [Ika Toto - Blood Tide] empowering her further.


    She saw the other two Abyssal Jaws followed by a veritable swarm of Mud Water Sprites closing in on her. They had probably smelled blood in the water and thought that by helping the other Abyssal Jaw, they might be able to kill her. Out of patience and knowing that she had to put an end to this battle, Talia activated [Ravenous Wounds].


    Immediately, a profound hunger engulfed her. It was as if a void had opened inside, demanding to be filled. The water around her became darker. Tendrils of blood started extending from her body. Surprisingly, the tendrils latched onto the sprites closest to her, siphoning away their essence and dissolving as their Mana was absorbed inside of Talia. She felt a surge of vitality and the pain of her wounds dulling. It appeared that [Ravenous Wounds] didn''t just affect blood but could consume vitality of any kind. And now the hunger pushed her to seek more of that vitality to make it hers.


    The tendrils stretched farther, reaching the closest Abyssal Jaw, the one she had wounded. Talia watched as life force drained from the creature, unable to escape the tendrils that were now growing in size, becoming tentacle-like appendages that kept departing from her body. Empowered by the damage she was delivering and leaving behind a lifeless Abyssal Jaw, she sped toward the remaining two monsters.


    She slashed at the first with twice as much power as she had before, bisecting the monster in two and feeling [Ravenous Wounds] sinking its teeth into the monster''s vitality as it died. The last Abyssal Jaw turned away, desperate. It tried running, but the tendrils, now more material than ever, pierced through the beast''s armor, stopping it and dragging it towards her.


    Talia, not content with the effect of [Ravenous Wounds], sought more. She punched her fist through the armor of the monster, feeling the soft flesh beneath squelching at her touch, and then activated [Blood Siphon], absorbing the Affinity of the monster. Soon, it was over. Talia watched as the life force drained from the creature, its movements slowing down and its strength fading from its massive body. She felt its energy flowing into her, an intoxicating sensation.


    When it was over, the water stood eerily still. The corpses of the Abyssal Jaws hung suspended, the sprites gone, but the tendrils didn''t retract. The hunger wasn''t sated. Thanks to the effect of [Ika Toto - Blood Tide], Talia could still feel the rational part of her mind steering her toward the surface. She didn''t need to breathe after having absorbed so much vitality, but she knew that she couldn''t go on a rampage, get too far from Keanu, and completely lose her mind.


    So she went above water, trying to keep the blood tendrils at bay. As soon as she emerged, breaking the surface, she heard a shout.


    "Talia!" She turned toward Keanu but only felt hunger for him.


    Keanu didn''t hesitate. He extended his hands, and ropes of luminescent water flowed from his palms. The glowing strands wrapped around her wrists and waist, securing her out of the water and moving her toward another piece of land. Talia felt the bindings tighten as she was deposited on land. The energy from [Ravenous Wounds] was still there, and she knew the restraints were necessary. Keanu waited from afar until the blood tendrils slowly retracted into her body.


    [You have slain Abyssal Jaw Level 25!]


    [You have slain Abyssal Jaw Level 25!]


    [You have slain Abyssal Jaw Level 25!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 22!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 25 Abyssal Jaw Life Force.]


    [+3 to your Primary Mana Channel (50/200 to Level Five)]


    [+3 to your Charisma (3/3 to 1 Charisma)]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 25 Abyssal Jaw Life Force.]


    [+3 to your Primary Mana Channel (53/200 to Level Five)]


    [+3 to your Charisma (3/6 to 1 Charisma)]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 25 Abyssal Jaw Life Force.]


    [+3 to your Primary Mana Channel (56/200 to Level Five)]


    [+3 to your Charisma (5/6 to 1 Charisma)]


    [You have gained 1 Charisma]


    [Missile Swimming reaches Level 10!]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide reaches Level 7!]


    [Blood Siphon reaches Level 15!]


    [Hemomancy reaches Level 20!]


    [You have gained one Talent Tree Point!]


    [You have fed Star Glaive excess Vitality!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 7!]


    Talia blinked, processing the information. She had gained a significant boost to her Charisma, which should help her control [Ravenous Wounds] better in the future. The improvements to her Skills were also substantial.


    "Are you okay now?" Keanu called out, still maintaining a safe distance.


    Talia nodded, feeling the last vestiges of the hunger fade away.


    "Yeah, I think I''m good. You can release the bindings."


    Keanu hesitated for a moment before dispelling his water ropes. He approached cautiously.


    "That was... intense. How do you feel?"


    "Stronger," Talia admitted. "But also a bit overwhelmed. I gained one more Charisma and several Skill levels.¡±


    Talia checked her status.


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 17]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 22]


    [Rank: Adept]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 4 {Awakened} (56/200 to Level Five)]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 7 {Surging}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Dark Water): Level 3 {Awakened}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 15]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 20]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 12]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 10]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 12]


    [Auxiliary Skill #3: Blood Confluence Lv. 13]


    [Auxiliary Skill #4: Tailwind Lv. 5]


    [Auxiliary Skill #5: Ika Toto - Blood Tide Lv. 7]


    [Form Skill #1: Cursed Form Lv. 3]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Agility: 7]


    [Constitution: 3]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 5]


    [Free Attributes: 2]


    [Talent Trees:


    Bloodborne Warrior (1)


    Carmine Thunder (1)


    Sanguine Guardian (1)


    Hemomantic Artisan (1)


    Crimson Sage (1)


    Life Thief


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 7]


    ¡°Talia, your finger?¡±


    Talia looked down and saw that she was missing a digit from her ring finger. In the frenzy of the battle, she hadn¡¯t even noticed it.


    ¡°It must have been a Mud Water Sprite,¡± Talia frowned, looking at the stump. However, in the exact moment that she had focused on it, she felt a rush of vitality that she had absorbed from the Abyssal Jaws spring from her navel and shoot through her arm.


    To both her and Keanu¡¯s surprise, the little stump started regenerating in real-time, and in no more than a minute, her finger regained its lost digit as if it had always been there.


    ¡°Professor Iakopo was right,¡± Keanu said, stunned.


    ¡°As usual,¡± Talia frowned, looking at the finger.


    Then, noticing the extra Talent Tree Point she had gained, she smiled.


    ¡°You know what? I was waiting to unlock my Charisma-based Talent Tree because I would only be left with five points. But I am just another one from leveling [Hemomancy]. I think it¡¯s time to unlock my last Talent Tree.¡±


    Without even waiting for a reply, Talia plunged a Talent Tree point into Life Thief.

 Chapter 94 – Ruins

    [You unlocked the Life Thief Talent Tree.]


    [New Auxiliary Skill obtained!]


    [Magic Funnel]


    Talia focused on the Skill and immediately grasped its effect.


    [Magic Funnel], not unlike [Blood Confluence], was a passive Skill that stayed on at all times. However, unlike [Blood Confluence], it didn¡¯t enhance her overall combat capabilities but instead allowed her to do something extremely specific that she had been looking forward to for a while.


    So far, [Blood Siphon] and [Ravenous Wounds] had allowed her to absorb Stamina and vitality, meaning that she would recuperate in terms of physical condition and be able to heal from wounds through them. However, she had not been able, at least up to this moment, to absorb Mana.


    And that¡¯s what [Magical Funnel] allowed her to do.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a Charisma-enhancing effect,¡± Talia said to Keanu, ¡°but it¡¯s not disappointing. I can now funnel Mana using my Skills. So, if you¡¯re running low, let me know. I¡¯ll keep one of the carcasses flush with vitality and convert it to Mana for you.¡±


    Keanu groaned.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    He had been getting a little of the experience from the Abyssal Jaws that Talia had been killing, but that had been it. He wasn¡¯t going to benefit from this nearly as much as Talia, but having asked Talia to become her Shield, Keanu was pretty happy for her despite his brooding.


    * * *


    Talia and Keanu kept this routine up for four days straight, searching the Abyssal Jaw Dungeon for clues.


    However, Dimensional Dungeons were extremely large and hard to surveil. It wasn¡¯t bad since it meant Abyssal Creatures would have to swell to incredible numbers before spilling out, given all the space and Mana they had for themselves here, unlike the Placid Cave, but it also meant it was hard to get a hang of the territory and finding any specific part of it.


    More importantly, however, Talia had made incredible strides in acquiring more Charisma and was now close to gaining her 15th point through [Ravenous Wounds] and [Blood Siphon].


    Talia emerged from the muddy waters she had grown accustomed to by now, her body still tingling with the rush of power from her latest kill. As she climbed onto the small patch of land where Keanu waited, she felt the familiar sensation of a notification in her mind.


    [You have slain Abyssal Jaw Level 28!]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 28 Abyssal Jaw Life Force.]


    [+4 to your Primary Mana Channel (324/1000 to Level Six)]


    [+4 to your Charisma (111/111 to 1 Charisma)]


    [You have gained 1 Charisma]


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 17]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 26]


    [Rank: Adept]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 5 {Flowing} (324/1000 to Level Six)]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 7 {Surging}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Dark Water): Level 3 {Awakened}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 27]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 28]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 17]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 28]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 16]


    [Auxiliary Skill #3: Blood Confluence Lv. 18]


    [Auxiliary Skill #4: Tailwind Lv. 5]


    [Auxiliary Skill #5: Ika Toto - Blood Tide Lv. 17]


    [Auxiliary Skill #6: Magic Funnel Lv. 12]


    [Form Skill #1: Cursed Form Lv. 5]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Agility: 7]


    [Constitution: 3]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Wisdom: 0]


    [Charisma: 27]


    [Free Attributes: 0]Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    [Talent Trees:


    Bloodborne Warrior (1)


    Carmine Thunder (1)


    Sanguine Guardian (1)


    Hemomantic Artisan (1)


    Crimson Sage (1)


    Life Thief (1)


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 6]


    Talia had gained four more Levels in the past four days. She had also absorbed so many Abyssal Jaws that her Primary Mana Channel had leveled up and was now Level 5. Her Skills, however, were the ones that had undergone the most dramatic improvements. [Blood Siphon] had gained 12 levels because of her constant use, and [Hemomancy] had gained eight. But the Skill that had gained more levels than any other had been [Missile Swimming]. It had slowed down the last day, but being constantly underwater and using it to move and fight the Abyssal Jaws meant that it was effectively the Skill she''d used the most.


    Thanks to the fact that she had now gotten [Magic Funnel] and could regenerate her Mana, Talia, and Keanu had been fighting for four days straight, taking only one night of full sleep to stop before moving deeper into the Dungeon after they had located what they believed was the zone where the boss resided.


    Talia had gained five new Talent Points from leveling up her Skills and reaching and going above Level 25 in her Class. Not only that, but all the Charisma Attributes that she had gained had made a significant impact on her control over [Ravenous Wounds]. Now, she could almost stop herself dead in her tracks when she felt the hunger overcoming her senses, but it was almost, not fully.


    Only now, after getting one more Charisma and having spent all her free Attributes into Charisma, Talia had been able to get the Perk that came from having more than 25 Charisma points. She had just dumped all her free Attributes into Charisma, now at 27, and she heard the Perk notification in her mind.


    Perk: Feat of Charisma


    Unlocked when reaching 25 Charisma Attributes.


    The effect of Charisma increases by 30%


    Talia told Keanu to stand back. Then, she activated [Ravenous Wounds].


    This time, the small blood tendrils appeared over her body as she felt fully in control. She just stood still for a minute, waiting for the hunger to overcome her senses as it usually happened. But while the hunger pounded at the back of her head, she felt in complete control. She had made it. Talia had finally gotten complete control over this tremendously useful Skill.


    Talia deactivated [Ravenous Wounds], a satisfied smile spreading across her face. She turned to Keanu, who had been watching cautiously from a safe distance.


    "I''ve got it under control now," she said, her voice filled with a mix of relief and pride. "Let''s head towards that concentration of Mana I spotted earlier. I think we might find something interesting there."


    Keanu nodded, summoning his Mana Board. "Lead the way."


    They glided across the murky swamp waters, the landscape eerily quiet. Over the past four days, they had nearly wiped out the Abyssal Jaw population in this part of the Dimensional Dungeon.


    Now, only the occasional ripple in the water hinted at any remaining life beneath the surface.


    Talia thought of her mother as they neared the central zone.


    Had she stood where Talia stood now, years ago? What secrets had she uncovered in this place?


    After about an hour of travel, a structure began to emerge from the mist. As they drew closer, Talia''s eyes widened. Rising from the swamp waters were the ruins of what appeared to be an ancient, sprawling temple-like structure.


    Huge columns stood broken and covered in vines and moss. The roofs of all the structures had collapsed, leaving their interiors open to the sky.


    "This has to be it," Talia murmured.


    They dismounted their Mana Boards onto a partially submerged stone platform that might have once been the temple''s entrance.


    Cautiously, they went inside, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous space.


    It was a series of connected rooms that stretched for probably over a square mile.


    ¡°I think this is a destroyed city,¡± Keanu said, confused. ¡°Inside a Dungeon, though?¡±


    Talia shrugged and approached the nearest wall, her hand hovering over some paint that still seemed to contain Mana. She had spotted it thanks to [Eyes of the Abyss].


    She wiped the moss away and took a step back.


    ¡°The Kraken,¡± Keanu said, frowning and standing by her side.


    The mural depicted the Kraken emerging from the waters, surrounded by my people.


    ¡°Is that Luminescent Water?¡± Talia asked, pointing at a figure with tendrils of yellow paint around it.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Keanu got closer and squinted.


    Most of the figures¡¯ paint, however, had been scratched off, and it was hard to tell who or what they were supposed to be or be doing.


    Talia tried uncovering the rest of the wall, but the paint there was destroyed, and nothing could be seen on it.


    ¡°The Mana in the paint probably ran out, and it got destroyed,¡± Keanu said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen murals like this before, though.¡±


    ¡°You did? Where?¡±


    ¡°Where I come from,¡± Keanu said with a troubled expression. ¡°But nothing much. Just very basic stuff. There was probably more, but it was inside our forbidden grounds.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± Talia mumbled, curious.


    They delved deeper into the ruined city¡ªor temple.


    Their footsteps echoed off crumbling walls, amplified in the eerie silence. Shafts of dim, orange light filtered through gaps in the ceiling, casting long shadows across moss-covered floors.


    As they navigated the labyrinthine passages, they encountered no more murals.


    In one chamber, a partially intact fresco depicted a colossal figure emerging from roiling seas. Its lower body was obscured, but multiple arms stretched toward cowering humanoid forms on a shoreline. Talia felt a chill run down her spine, recognizing the unmistakable silhouette of the Kraken.


    The fresco seemed to continue into the adjacent chamber, but as Keanu was about to walk there, Talia put a hand on his chest and one to her lips, gesturing to remain silent.


    She had kept [Eyes of the Abyss] active to scour for more murals and find more information about this place, but she had just gotten a glimpse of what she believed to be the Boss.


    There had been no Abyssal Jaws on the way, but that could have been justified by the fact that they preferred to be underwater. Usually, Bosses would pray on weaker monsters to absorb their Raw Mana and grow stronger.


    Now, Talia focused on the next room and, piercing through the walls thanks to her Skill, saw a hulking form sleeping on the floor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± she whispered to Keanu and focused on her wrists, channeling the Raw Mana that the marks continuously absorbed from the environment and burning the vitality in her Blood Water to summon her most powerful Affinity.


    A viscous, inky substance started coating her hands.


    Talia knew the Boss would be at least Level 30, which meant she couldn¡¯t hold anything back. So, she completely merged the Dark Water and the Blood Water inside her body.


    Suddenly, a notification rang in her head.


    [You activated Cursed Form.]


    Runes snaked along her skin, acting as conduits for the Raw ambient Mana and being pumped inside her body, empowering it beyond her limits.


    She dashed inside the chamber, where a hulking Abyssal Jaw Boss shook itself awake as it perceived her arrival.


    [Abyssal Jaw (Boss) - Level 31]


    Excluding the Abyssal Torpedo Drake, this was the strongest monster she had ever faced.

 Chapter 95 – Boss Fight

    The anemic light of the Dimensional Dungeon shone through the ruined ceiling and bathed Talia, whose skin was covered in runes, and the Abyssal Jaw Boss, which had just opened its maw to release an earthquake-inducing roar.


    The green and brown scales of the monster glowed with Mana, and in an instant, several constructs appeared beside it.


    [Mud Water Golem - Level 35]


    Talia frowned.


    It can summon monsters with a higher level than himself.


    But it wasn¡¯t something that should have surprised her since she was currently facing a boss. Boss monsters were much stronger than whatever their levels showed. The Mud Water Golems advanced on Talia with speed that was strikingly in contrast with their size.


    While Dark Water was coursing through her, Talia couldn¡¯t access the other Skills that might have helped her grow stronger during the battle and perhaps suck the vitality out of the Golems and the Boss alike. However, the trade-off still worked in Talia¡¯s favor, at least in her opinion.


    With her strength exponentially magnified by the Cursed Form, Talia charged the first Golem, leaving cracks in the pavement as she dashed forward. The Golem swept its arm toward her, and a rain of rocky projectiles flew her way.


    Talia paid almost no heed to them, just summoning a thin layer of Dark Water that protected her from the incoming barrage. The projectiles fizzled away as soon as they struck the Dark Water, incapable of leaving a dent in it.


    She swung the Star Glaive at the first Golem, and with Dark Water crystallized along the edge of the blade, she bisected the monster in two, her blade slicing through it like a hot knife through butter.


    Two more monsters charged at her, shielding the Boss from another sickle of Dark Water she had thrown in its direction. However, despite their valiant efforts, the two Golems crumbled against the attack.


    The Boss immediately summoned more Mud Water Golems, but they did nothing against Talia¡¯s Cursed Form. As she mowed down Golems while trying to reach the Abyssal Jaw Boss, Talia felt extremely frustrated.


    She wasn¡¯t frustrated by the battle itself. If anything, the battle was going much more smoothly than it should have. No one five levels below the Boss should have been able to solo such a monster.


    The frustration came from the fact that she couldn¡¯t control the Cursed Form. Already, she felt a primal fury overcoming her, clouding her judgment and making her act less rationally.


    If a Golem attacked her, instead of focusing on getting closer to the Boss, her body would almost move on its own and barrel through the Golem that had dared attack her.


    The Cursed Form made her incredibly powerful. But even with her raised Charisma, which did help since Talia was at least still conscious and somewhat in control of her body, she could still feel the dark power she had summoned take over.


    It was a disgrace. She knew it was. If only she could have controlled the Cursed Form, she would have already been, without a shadow of a doubt, the strongest warrior at her level, bar none.


    However, with the kind of madness the Cursed Form injected into her, she knew she would have struggled against a smarter opponent. Thankfully, the Abyssal Jaw Boss wasn¡¯t smart at all.


    Talia charged at the Abyssal Jaw Boss. Her Dark Water-infused glaive sliced through another Mud Water Golem. The monster crumbled to pieces. She felt a surge of primal satisfaction. But she knew she needed to focus on the main target.


    The Boss roared again and summoned more Golems. They formed a protective circle around it.


    After a moment of consideration, Talia decided to change her approach. Instead of attacking the Golems head-on as she had been doing, she would use them to her advantage.


    With a burst of speed, she lunged at the nearest Golem. She felt a deep need to destroy it,, to tear it apart through her power. However, resisting the Cursed Form''s impulses thanks to the newfound Charisma, she vaulted over its head, using the construct as a springboard to launch herself toward the Boss.


    The Abyssal Jaw Boss''s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting this move. Talia felt a moment of triumph as she sailed through the air, her glaive raised high above her head. As she descended, she swung the weapon down with all her might, the Dark Water-coated blade biting deep into the Boss''s tough hide.


    A bellow of pain erupted from the monster as it thrashed wildly in response to the unexpected attack. Its massive tail whipped around in a lethal arc, and Talia, still airborne, couldn''t dodge in time. The appendage slammed into her midsection with bone-crushing force, sending her flying across the chamber. She crashed into a crumbling wall, feeling the impact reverberate through her entire body.


    Pain exploded through every nerve, but the Cursed Form was already working its magic. Talia could feel her bones knitting back together and her bruises fading at an accelerated rate as the runes on her skin converted the Raw Mana into vitality and more Dark Water.


    Within seconds, she was back on her feet.


    It was amazing what the Cursed Form did, which she had discussed and investigated at length with Professor Iakopo.


    Committing all her Blood Water to the Cursed Form meant that Talia¡¯s nigh-infinite reserve of vitality allowed her to draw on such an insane power that was otherwise inaccessible to her through Blood Water.


    The Boss, which had clearly been scared by her attack, still hurt, tried to end her. It charged with all its Mud Water Golems alongside it, and, while its minions attacked, tried ripping apart Talia with another tail attack. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Talia managed to dodge and grab the end of the tail, launched in the air as the appendage retracted. She summoned a disk of Dark Water mid-air, kicking it and using it to redirect herself downward toward the Boss¡¯s spine.


    You¡¯re mine, Talia thought amidst the Cursed Form¡¯s exhilarating effects.


    A massive dragon-like projection made of Dark Water appeared above her glaive as she swung it.


    The attack impacted the Abyssal Jaw Boss¡¯s back, destroying its spine on impact and not stopping, burrowing past the scales and flesh of the creature, coming out of the other side.


    The Boss, its eyes wide, with a massive, gaping hole in its back, slowly toppled as Talia landed right beside it.


    The Mud Water Golems started crumbling, not powered by the monster¡¯s Mana anymore.


    She heard a notification ringing in her head.


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 27!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 28!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [Your Dark Water Affinity has evolved!]


    [Affinity - Dark Water reaches Level 4 {Awakened}.]


    Talia stood over the fallen boss, her body still thrumming with the power of the Cursed Form. The runes on her skin pulsed with an eerie light, and she could feel the Dark Water coursing through her veins, demanding more carnage. She gritted her teeth, fighting against the primal urge to continue destroying everything in sight.


    Binding of Luminescent Water shot from the ground, immediately restraining her. She roared, furious, but she also tried, with the rest of her consciousness, to give up, to let Keanu secure her so that the Cursed Form could finish running its course.


    It was a struggle.


    "Talia!" Keanu''s voice seemed to come from far away. "Help me out! Stop struggling like that!¡±


    A part of her wanted to lash out, to break free and continue the rampage. But Talia clung to Keanu''s words, using them as an anchor to her true self. She focused on her breathing, on the feeling of the cold stone beneath her feet, on anything that wasn''t the intoxicating power of the Dark Water.


    Slowly, agonizingly, the runes began to fade. The Dark Water receded, leaving Talia exhausted and trembling. As the last of the Cursed Form''s influence dissipated, Keanu cautiously approached.


    "Are you back with us?" he asked.


    Talia nodded weakly, her voice hoarse. "Yeah... I''m me again." She looked around at the devastation ¨C crumbled walls, shattered Golems, and the massive corpse of the Abyssal Jaw Boss. "That was... intense."


    Keanu helped her to her feet. "You were incredible. Scary, but incredible."


    As her faculties returned, Talia remembered why they had come here in the first place.


    "The ruins," she said, her eyes scanning the chamber.


    She quickly dumped the four more points she had gotten as Free Attributes into Charisma and proceeded to examine the walls.


    Her mother had allegedly found information here that led her to do whatever it was that she had done. Professor Iakopo had been incredibly vague, but he had told her that Yalena had mentioned this place once in an uncharacteristic moment of weakness.


    Talia didn''t exactly want to imagine what this moment of weakness the professor had quoted could be since it kind of gave her nausea thinking about her mother and the professor being intimate, but she trusted the man.


    Professor Iakopo had been nothing but upright and interested in her well-being since the Placid City events.


    And so Talia approached the walls, seeing that here, the murals had resisted the time and, more importantly, the Abyssal Jaw Boss attacks. In fact, when she turned on Eyes of the Abyss, she saw that the paint below the moss emitted incredible quantities of Mana.


    With the help of Keanu, they soon cleared up all the walls. Talia saw what looked like a story in several panels. Wait. Not a story, Talia thought. This is a spell.


    The four walls of the room, starting above the corridor they entered from, had four different scenes. The first was a large background split into two different shades of blue. One was a scintillating light blue or azure that had fishes and the flora that one would expect from an area of the sea rich in food for its ecosystem. The second part on the right of the background was a giant expanse of dark blue. Inside of it, there were Abyssal Creatures.


    Talia looked at it, confused. "Is this the Calm Belt and the Four Seas?" she asked Keanu.


    Keanu looked at the murals himself and shrugged. "I don''t know," he replied.


    The second panel seemed to present the first transformation of the spell. Two people stood below the replicated diagram. One was below the azure one, and the other below the dark blue one. The one below the azure one was connected with the above mural through a thick tendril the color of blood.


    Talia felt her heart catch in her throat. "I think that this is Blood Water," she told Keanu, feeling like they were finally about to get some answers about whatever it was that her mother had done to her.


    Keanu looked at the second picture, where a dark black tendril snaked toward the second man from the deep blue above. "And that''s Dark Water," Talia said, confused.


    "So," Talia speculated, "Blood Water is the vitality and life in the Calm Belt or whatever that light water is, and Dark Water comes from the deep, which Professor Iakopo already explained to me. So that makes sense."


    They moved onto the third wall. There, the pictures of the two men superimposed with half of the man now painted in black and half of the man painted in red, shimmering with runes.


    "That''s the Cursed Form," Talia said. "The Cursed Form is the union of Blood Water and Dark Water. That makes complete sense."


    However, in this mural, there are several stages and more representations of the two human figures. In the first, the energies were perfectly balanced, and runes appeared where the two bodies were superimposed. In the second, there was more Blood Water than Dark Water, and the runes were nowhere to be seen. A third set of figures instead had more Dark Water than Blood Water and showed a dark aura around the superimposed figures with a very ominous feeling all over it.


    "I think that''s me," Talia said. "That''s if there''s too much Dark Water, it takes over the person. But don''t you have a notion of vitality in you, and isn''t your Blood Water Affinity stronger than your Dark Water Affinity?"


    "Yes," Talia said, scrunching her brow. They looked at each other in confusion.


    But then Talia noticed that the third representation, the one where the Dark Water had taken over, showed tendrils that snaked all the way up to the fourth wall. There, a giant vessel stood before two more humanoid figures, the same one that had the ominous Dark Water all over it and that entered a giant vessel. On the other side of the vessel, the same figures exited, and there was now just one human fully covered in runes with a red aura around it.


    Talia looked at the vessel, and it wasn''t clear what it meant. "Wherever that is, I think I have to go there to unlock the full power of the Cursed Form and to avoid being controlled by it. I guess that this is where mom got whatever idea that led her to give me these," Talia said, raising her wrist marks. "I wonder how she pieced together this, Professor Iakopo''s own research, how to create Dark Water, how to gift me Dark Water. This is all so convoluted."


    However, she noticed that Keanu had said nothing in return. And when she turned toward him, she found him very pale. "What''s up?" she asked.


    "That vessel," Keanu said. "I know exactly where that vessel is."


    "You do?" Talia asked excitedly.


    "Yes," Keanu nodded slowly. "It''s from where I come from, the Kaimoro¡¯s hiding place."

 Chapter 96 – Hearts in the Right Place

    There were four major schools inside of the Water Rider Academy. The strongest ones belonged to Elder Krakatoa and Elder Kahua. However, that was because Elder Kawena had only just returned to the academy. Now, for the upcoming academic year, there would be a third contender for the title.


    Furthermore, in addition to Lady Naia¡¯s school, which had snagged one of the most promising first-year students from last year, a new school had emerged and left everyone speechless with its momentous victory: Professor Iakopo¡¯s school.


    Usually, a new school would have started from the bottom ranks, and it would have taken years, if not decades, to develop into a powerhouse like Elder Krakatoa and Elder Kahua¡¯s schools. That meant that Lady Naia¡¯s school should have left behind the title of weakest school in favor of Professor Iakopo¡¯s school.


    However, after the events in Placid City, many students scrambled to join the man¡¯s school despite his infamous reputation for being the most rigid teacher among them all. They had all heard about Professor Iakopo humiliating the Sword Demon with a secondary Affinity and not his main one, Space Water.


    Even after the filtering that the man had operated, he had gained enough students, including strong nobles, to surpass both elder schools and cement itself as the third most powerful and fearsome school there was. Furthermore, it was commonly believed that given Professor Iakopo¡¯s extremely demanding requirements and relentless drive for training, he would soon be challenging Elder Krakatoa and Elder Kahua¡¯s hegemony as the strongest schools in the Water Rider Academy.


    Truth be told, the fact that Lady Naia¡¯s school was once again the weakest would have bothered Fiora in the past. Even though Lady Naia was Principal Kaimana¡¯s main assistant and probably the strongest person her age, one generation after Professor Iakopo and Elder Krakatoa, the old Fiora would have still felt the weight of not being in the best school there was.


    But the Fiora that had almost died to Apicalia¡¯s poison in Placid City, the Fiora that had to swallow her pride and fight alongside Talia, that Fiora didn¡¯t give a bullfish¡¯s horn about which school was the strongest on paper. In fact, she was almost happy to be in such a weak school, knowing that people in the future would be underestimating her.


    Plus, unlike the other schools that had many students, Lady Naia¡¯s school was small enough in terms of attendance that she would routinely, alongside all the other students, get private lessons from the woman.


    Point in case, Lady Naia had brought Fiora out to give her a brief lesson on something they had been working on for the past month, waiting for the Water Rider Academy school year to start again. While some people chose to sail back to their families, some just remained behind. Fiora missed her mother, but she also knew that she needed power and that this was a golden opportunity to get a jump start on all the nobles who had been training for their entire lives and had had access to all the best resources one could find.


    ¡°You have mastered the Overdrive Spiral,¡± Lady Naia said, ¡°but you need to bring it to the next step so that you can have a strong single attack that you can use rapidly.¡±


    Fiora had gained an extremely powerful Skill when she had killed Talia with it. However, Fiora had also given up several Skills and fused them into this one, which meant that her other attacks had been weakened. Lady Naia had told her that instead of just seeking power through Skills, Fiora needed to work on her fundamentals, which is what nobles would have done in her place.


    Lady Naia had been very flattering, telling Fiora that not many nobles had her talent and that in another life, she could have easily been chosen if nurtured the right way. That had sort of depressed Fiora more than cheering her up. But Lady Naia told her that despite the nobles having a huge jump start on her, the progress one would make while having a Class was much larger than the progress one could make before having a Class, which meant that, in her own opinion, Fiora had still all the time in the world to become the strongest caster. A Chosen-level caster.


    But Lady Naia had insisted that Fiora had to focus on refining her own control over magic instead of relying on Skills, which in the long term would cripple her magical control, not her magical abilities. And that¡¯s why Lady Naia had explained to Fiora that a simple Sun Water spear was all she needed to focus on. Fiora needed to achieve utter perfection with that one simple Skill before moving on to anything else.


    And that for the past eight months had been Fiora¡¯s full focus together with a few dungeon dives alongside Agalei and other students from Lady Naia¡¯s school, which Lady Naia herself had organized.


    ¡°Overdrive Spiral is the refinement of the casting cycle of a spell. Let me now explain for the umpteenth time. Using Overdrive Spiral also means wasting time, which a caster doesn¡¯t have the luxury of once your aim is on point and your control is as well. Speed is something that every caster should strive for. If someone targets you during a fight and you cannot defend yourself while your teammates are busy, you¡¯re as good as dead.¡±


    Fiora thought back to when she had fought the Placid Cross Boss and how useless she had been when the extremely fast boss had attacked her directly.


    ¡°If you have mastered the spear, today I will teach you two more Skills,¡± Lady Naia said. ¡°As I¡¯ve told you, the casting process has to be perfected by focusing on the formation of the spell itself. Just recirculating the spell more times to achieve Overdrive Spiral isn¡¯t enough. You have to work on the individual components of any spell. Once these components are perfect, once they¡¯re flawless, even straining them by using Overdrive Spiral to its maximum efficiency, the spell should be cast in less than a second.¡±


    Fiora knew these notions by heart, word for word. Lady Naia pointed at a target 200 feet from them, which Fiora had found absurd when she started training with the woman, but now was nothing but the normality.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Lady Naia said. ¡°I only have half an hour before I have to teach a group lesson.¡± Lady Naia was relentless in her care for the students since she didn¡¯t come from a noble family but had grown up poor. Only Principal Kaimana managed to extract her from the class in which she had grown up.


    Fiora¡¯s arm shot in front of her, holding her four fingers extended vertically. She used them as a reference to aim and to cast a spell. In the blink of an eye, a hyper-condensed Sun Water spear shot from her fingers so fast she could barely see it leave her body. A second later, it impacted the distant target, making it explode on impact as the condensed energy of the Sun Water sphere was released.


    ¡°My, my,¡± Lady Naia said, taking Fiora by her shoulders and giving her a hug. Unlike the very formal and stiff elders, Lady Naia was very physical and very nurturing with her students. ¡°Incredible, Fiora. Some of my students will never master their casting ability to this level until they graduate. It took you eight months, and you started very much behind where most nobles are once they arrive at the academy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Naia,¡± Fiora said, bowing her head.


    ¡°This will help more than you can understand as you¡¯ll need to cast more and more complex spells,¡± the tall, beautiful woman said. ¡°Now, I would usually wait to teach these Skills until the last year, but since you displayed such an incredible talent, Fiora. I would make you, with your permission, a personal student of mine.¡±


    ¡°I would be honored to,¡± Fiora said.


    ¡°You understand, personal students have greater duties toward the School and me? I understand that what happened last year with Elder Kawena might put you off such a proposition.¡±


    ¡°Milady, you¡¯re not Elder Kawena,¡± Fiora said. ¡°I would gladly be more involved with the School.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Lady Naia said. ¡°Then, it is time to explain how the [Chainmail Shield] and [Blink] work. Once you master them, expect to be able to take on a Boss roughly your level on your own.¡±


    * * *


    Fiora wasn¡¯t the only one who had been subjected to special training.


    Takai stood on his Mana Board in the midst of a storm¡ªa real one, in the Deep, as he tried balancing over the large, swelling waves and holding his sword between his hands.


    ¡°The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique doesn¡¯t depend on your level. Endurance will help, young Takai, but your power will be fully dependent on the Skill alone. The first level, Tearing, is a rough tool.¡±


    Takai stood on his Mana Board in the midst of a storm¡ªa real one, in the Deep, as he tried balancing over the large, swelling waves and holding his sword between his hands.


    ¡°The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique doesn¡¯t depend on your level. Endurance will help, young Takai, but your power will be fully dependent on the Skill alone. The first level, Tearing, is a rough tool.¡±


    Takai¡¯s arms wildly trembled as he held onto the hilt of his sword, trying to stay still despite the disturbances surrounding him.


    ¡°Tearing will only allow you to reach the power of a Level 30 warrior. It is the first step into completely leaving behind notions of class levels and Skills. Those who practice the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique need not worry about anything else than bringing the technique to its higher levels. The moment you unlock Sundering, the second level, you will be able to defeat monsters like the boss that the students met in Placid City, and you should be able to kill monsters of Level 50.¡±


    Takai¡¯s entire body shook as he heard that.


    ¡°If you reach the 3rd Level, Cleaving, then no monster, not even the Kraken, at least in its first stages, will be able to resist your sword.¡±


    Takai¡¯s concentration finally fell apart, and he lowered his arms, breathing heavily. Principal Kaimana nodded to him and raised his hand, slashing at the waves around him. In a second, the water split and calmed. The clouds in the sky were torn apart, and the sun shone widely around them.


    ¡°There¡¯s a 4th level of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique, Severing,¡± Principal Kaimana said. ¡°Not even I could reach it, so I won¡¯t be able to teach you anything about it. Sundering, however, is the second level, which requires you to be unconcerned with your surroundings. It requires the user to be completely detached from everything. You are much closer than I expected you to be.¡±


    Principal Kaimana had been personally training Takai in the past 8 months nonstop after telling the boy that he thought his time would soon come to pass and therefore wanted to teach Takai as much as he could.


    ¡°Severing,¡± Principal Kaimana continued, ¡°is beyond my understanding, sadly. But as far as Cleaving goes, it¡¯s just the next step of Sundering. You will need to detach from the metaphysical component of your surroundings, the emotions, and the care you have for others. The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique only cares about justice. Therefore, if Tearing is about disregarding anything but justice, then Sundering is the complete focus on justice despite the external circumstances, and Cleaving is the complete focus on justice despite what you feel about the people around you. I have no idea what Severing is. Not even in my old age, not even after battling the Kraken 6 times, could I tell you, young Takai, about Severing. I am deeply sorry about that.¡±


    Takai didn¡¯t really understand why the principal thought he had it in him to unlock what such a legendary warrior had not managed to do in his lifetime.


    As usual, Takai just listened to the old man, not really knowing how to engage in a conversation and not really having anything of importance to say. Principal Kaimana extended his Mana Board, making it almost as large as a vessel and gesturing for Takai to get on top of it. The young man did, and they started moving again, probably going back to the academy since soon, the second year would start.


    Principal Kaimana sighed. ¡°Young Takai, I have not been talking about your father because I do not consider it proper for you to listen to his life from my mouth. However, I feel like before my time comes, I would like to say a few things about the man you know as the Sword Demon.¡±


    Takai¡¯s ears perked up.


    ¡°The day will come, young Takai, when you will meet your father again. And he will not recognize you. When a father thinks that their children will grow to become exactly what they are, and they face the stark reality of finding out that they are nothing like them, not even a broken reflection of who they are, they usually undergo the following thinking process. They might find themselves having to choose between finally recognizing that their child is not who they are, or they might try and force their life, the shape of their soul onto them.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Principal Kaimana said, looking in the distance, ¡°fathers have to make choices for the good of their children that their children will never, in a million years, understand.¡±


    Takai didn¡¯t understand the last bit. The principal spoke in such a mysterious manner, so unlike the straightforward Cultist ways of the old man.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Takai said.


    ¡°You will.¡± Principal Kaimana smiled bitterly. ¡°We can never escape our own blood,¡± he said, seemingly speaking more to himself than to Takai.

 Chapter 97 – Hardened Hearts

    Riala had expected that Talia would have joined Elder Kahua¡¯s School to be close to her after going to Placid City to save her sister.


    Riala had expected that Talia would have joined Elder Kahua''s School to be close to her after going to Placid City to save her sister.


    She had thought, perhaps naively, that the fact that she had saved her sister''s life so spectacularly and against an even stronger senior student would have made Talia''s first priority to be around her as much as possible, to learn from her, to finally give her the respect that she, as an older sister, deserved. However, the fact that Talia had been in a coma for 6 months and Riala had to attend to other duties at that time meant that the two sisters barely had time to spend with each other before Talia went out first with Professor Iakopo and then alone for training. And Riala, taken by the duties of her school and as the champion of Elder Kahua, now in her final year before graduating as a full-time Water Rider, had a lot of things to take care of herself.


    She brooded as she crossed her arms and sat on the other side of Elder Kahua''s desk. Meanwhile, the man signed some documents and prepared for the upcoming academic year. As soon as he was done, however, he raised his eyes to the white-haired woman before him and spoke.


    "Riala, you should stop brooding."


    "I''m frustrated," she said petulantly. "I don''t understand what happened. I thought that Talia would join our school. I thought that I would be mentoring her by now and that after I graduated, she would take my place as the champion in a 3rd year. I thought she had all the potential in the world, and I thought¡ª"


    "Riala," Elder Kahua said with a frown. He cut himself off and looked around. He raised a hand, and a powerful shield of Mana encased the entire room, cutting it off from the outside world. "You understood what it meant to join our order."


    Riala slowly unfolded her arms, letting her hands rest on her legs. She now had a completely serious expression.


    "I don''t think that it will be necessary to¡ª"


    "Riala," Elder Kahua cut her off. "I said that you knew what it meant. Your sister has taken the path we always feared she would take."


    Riala refused to let go of her hopes. "No. She''s with Professor Iakopo now. He''s not a damn Cultist."


    "He''s not a Cultist," Elder Kahua said. "But I believe, and so do the others, that your sister is now on the path that your mother had gone through."


    "That doesn''t mean anything," Riala protested. "That doesn''t mean we know what Talia will become."


    Elder Kahua let go of the pen he was still holding and rubbed his face. "Riala, do not speak yourself into treason, please. You were told what it meant to join the covenant. We have a mission that is more important than anything else, more important than me, you, and even your sister. The fact that she is going through what your mother went through means exactly that. Talia is going to fulfill Yalena''s wish. And I''m not sure that even if she joined my school, you, me, or even the others would have been able to do anything to prevent it from happening."


    Riala looked down, feeling tears starting to come out of her eyes, and suddenly angrily slapped them away, trying not to cry as hard as she could because she knew what Elder Kahua was saying.


    ¡°Principal Kaimana warned you,¡± Elder Kahua said. ¡°The man told you what it meant to join the covenant, child. You agreed. And now, you''re bound by its pacts. We¡¯re above our ties, our families, and everything else that is material. We have a more important mission to carry out. You wanted to do what¡¯s best for the Great Archipelago, and now you know what that entails.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Suddenly, a strong knock startled both, and Elder Kahua dropped the cover of Mana.


    ¡°Enter,¡± he said, frowning.


    A man with red hair and rose-tinted spectacles, sporting a magma-made arm attached to his shoulder socket, entered the room, immediately raising the temperature in it by several degrees.


    ¡°Elder Krakatoa,¡± Elder Kahua frowned.


    The man looked at Riala and then at Elder Kahua.


    ¡°Kahua, I need a word,¡± the man said, looking tired and rather disheveled, far from his usual self.


    Elder Kahua gave Riala an emphatic look, and the white-haired girl left without saying another word.


    After she closed the door, Elder Kahua sealed the room once again with his Mana.


    ¡°She¡¯s worried about her sister,¡± Elder Krakatoa said, a statement, not a question.


    ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°Is there no other way, Kahua?¡± Elder Krakatoa said, inhaling sharply and seemingly more distressed than even Riala had been. ¡°I¡¯ve received word from the Principal. The covenants¡¯ plans¡­ I can¡¯t do it, Kahua. I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    Kahua reclined in his chair and turned toward the window at the side of his office.


    ¡°What do you want us to do, Krakatoa?¡± Elder Kahua asked in a low tone. ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡±


    The truth was that Elder Krakatoa had no idea what to do, no more than Elder Kahua. He knew the Kahua, despite how hard he had gone on the girl, didn¡¯t like their job any more than he did. But unlike Elder Kahua, Elder Krakatoa had been consumed by the latest meeting they had with the covenant. After hearing what Principal Kaimana had said, Elder Krakatoa had probably had trouble sleeping for the past 17 years.


    He had been Yalena¡¯s shield. He had been the one supposedly in charge of her protection, of her life. But how could he have guessed what Yalena had really been trying to do? The day she faced the Kraken...


    ¡°I know this is bringing old memories back,¡± Elder Kahua said. ¡°You know as well as I do that it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± Elder Krakatoa said, adjusting the rose-tinted spectacles on his face, ¡°whose fault was it? Whom do you suppose we should blame for the death of the greatest Kraken slayer we have ever met, for the person that could have put an end to it all?¡±


    ¡°Krakatoa,¡± Kahua said, ¡°I wish Yalena had made the right choice as much as you did, perhaps more. I wish I could have taught her. I wish she had listened to me. I wish she had told us all her intentions. I wish she¡¯d joined the covenant. But for the Deep¡¯s sake, you only did what every sane person would have done. You should stop blaming yourself. You¡¯re an old man now. Get your bearings straight. Classes are about to resume.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not teaching any classes this year,¡± Elder Krakatoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t have it in me. I will follow the orders, Kahua, but I¡¯m done teaching for at least this year, maybe forever.¡±


    Elder Kahua sighed. He knew that this was the least they could allow the man to do, considering what was brewing under the surface.


    ¡°Seventeen years ago, you went against your orders,¡± Elder Kahua reminded him. ¡°The Principal pardoned your actions because you did what had to be done in the end. However, the old man is near the end of his life. If he believes you¡¯re not capable of doing what¡¯s necessary for the Great Archipelago, he¡¯ll take your life.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Elder Krakatoa replied with a straight face.


    ¡°Anyway, the Principal said we have to wait anyway, especially now that Iakopo is behind her.¡±


    ¡°How strong is he?¡± Elder Krakatoa asked, momentarily distracted from the main issue.


    Elder Kahua fell silent, frowning. Then, after a while, he started speaking slowly. ¡°The principal believes that if we were to attack him, we would have to do it all at the same time to ensure he dies.¡±


    ¡°The old man fears Professor Iakopo more than he does the Sword Demon,¡± Elder Krakatoa mused and then got up.


    ¡°Take care, Kahua,¡± the redhead man said.


    ¡°Stay well, Krakatoa. I wish we could have prevented this. I wish that your plan to keep her on the island had worked.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Krakatoa said, shaking his head.


    They wouldn¡¯t move just yet, but he knew that soon they might have to take Talia¡¯s life before it was too late. He felt an immense weight on his chest. He had already taken her mother¡¯s life, and he wasn¡¯t sure his conscience would survive taking Talia¡¯s as well.

 Chapter 98 – The Second Year

    All the students of the Water Rider Academy were about to attend the commencement speech for the new school year. While the 1st year students would get a separate commencement speech from the Principal, all the others were going to get the same welcome from year 2 to year 5.


    There was a sort of an anomaly this year, not a physical one, but one in mood. Most of the students from the 2nd year had faced the tragic events of Placid City. And while no one had miraculously died in the 2nd year, unlike the seniors that had perished by the Sword Demon¡¯s hand, there was a common sense of unease in their ranks. They felt as if this wasn¡¯t the 2nd year but their last almost.


    Even more interestingly, there had been a natural division, a rift opening between the students who had participated in Professor Iakopo¡¯s class and who incidentally had ended up joining Professor Iakopo¡¯s school almost in its entirety, and the students who hadn¡¯t been welcomed to his class. And that mostly meant the students from Elder Kahua¡¯s School.


    So there were about 100 or so students who had switched from their current schools, including the Moana sisters, to join Professor Iakopo¡¯s school. Another 100 or so from the 2nd year had been nobles and either not welcome in Professor Iakopo¡¯s school or too conceited to join.


    Interestingly enough, they had left Elder Kahua and Elder Krakatoa¡¯s schools to join Elder Kahua¡¯s school as this rift between nobles and commoners had formed inside the academy. A few had joined Lady Naia¡¯s school, but those were mostly the weird ones and exceptions that happened every year, not just this one.


    With still some time before the commencement speech, Talia sat in the office of the man that she had been talking to the most in the past months, explaining what she had found in the Abyssal Jaws dungeon. Also, despite Keanu¡¯s protests, she had divulged his identity.


    Talia plainly said that she trusted Professor Iakopo with her life, and she didn¡¯t care whether Keanu agreed or not. She had made it very clear that her first priority was to find out whatever her mother had been up to because there, she probably found answers to what her mother had done to her and, most importantly, what had really happened to the Kraken since it had yet to reappear.


    Talia had had yet another vision of the Kraken before the graduation ceremony. Despite the fact that it had been brief, the Kraken had felt so close; it was almost as if she was standing on top of it, and she had once again felt one of its eyes staring right into her soul.


    ¡°I have found many references to the Kaimoro myself,¡± Professor Iakopo said, not surprised when Talia had revealed Keanu¡¯s real identity. ¡°Your father is one of them, but he doesn¡¯t come from wherever it is that Keanu comes from. He was an orphan, and he grew up poor in some village on a random island in the Calm Belt of the East Deep. I knew your father, Talia, and I can guarantee you that much is confirmed.¡±


    ¡°I personally investigated Maui¡¯s upbringing after what had gone down in Placid City. However, knowing that the Kaimoro are not just people with weird eyes but possibly connected to this whole mess and to the Kraken itself... That¡¯s interesting.¡±


    ¡°Can you... Can Luminescent Water... Professor, is it the only Affinity capable of interacting with Dark Water without fizzling out? If Dark Water was an essential component in whatever my mother wanted to do, does that mean that the Kaimoro might have been involved in controlling or creating the Kraken?¡± Talia asked.


    Professor Iakopo shrugged. ¡°I have not visited the other places your mother found information about whatever ritual she used during the fight. She must have done something. We know that much. But I only knew that her obsession started after visiting the Abyssal Jaw dungeon, and I saw those murals for myself.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t really tell what they did before seeing you use the Cursed Form in Placid City. So my guess is as good as yours. We just don¡¯t know, Talia.¡±


    ¡°Keanu said that the vessel I saw in the mural is located where he comes from, so I think I should go soon.¡±


    Iakopo sighed and nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think they would be hostile to you since they sent Keanu to get close to Yalena¡¯s child. There¡¯s actually a good chance your mother visited the same place. And knowing her, she might have found the first piece of the puzzle right there.¡±


    ¡°I just want to reiterate, though, Talia,¡± Professor Iakopo said after a beat. ¡°Your mother was vicious. Whatever she did to get that information, I¡¯m not sure you would want to do the same. She killed people. I am now sure of it. Someone covered for her back then, but I think that she killed some nobles who somehow had found out about whatever it was that she was doing.¡± And Iakopo paused.


    ¡°What?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°This is speculation,¡± he said pointedly, ¡°and I want you to take this as pure speculation. But while I don¡¯t think that your friends, the Moana sisters, are involved in any of your mother¡¯s plots, their father, Rongo Moana, has always had a weak spot for your mother. So be very careful of any involvement with that family of theirs.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    * * *


    Talia waited in the plaza where Principal Kaimana would give a speech with Keanu behind her. By then, he was a shadow of hers that followed her anywhere but in her room and in the bathroom. The boy took his duties very seriously and possibly as seriously as a real shield would have with their chosen.


    She had also seen Keanu start gathering information, building ties in the market, and trying to find out more about secret dealers and anything that could help Talia out. Thankfully, Talia didn¡¯t really need to put Keanu in danger since Professor Iakopo was essentially behaving as a very caring father would have, doting on her in every way possible.


    At this point, Talia was pretty sure that she could have asked the man even for money, and he wouldn¡¯t have batted an eye and given it to her. Not that she really needed it, but she had asked for help in getting a few more pieces of clothing since she had been running through them because of her fights in the dungeon and during her training.


    Waiting in the plaza, she saw Takai walk awkwardly around the place. And as soon as she spotted him, she ran to him and literally jumped and hugged the boy so tightly that she heard his ribs creaking.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Takai said with a groan. ¡°Ouch.¡±


    ¡°I missed you,¡± Talia said, releasing the hug and patting his shoulders. ¡°Keanu and I were in a dungeon, and I was in the water most of the time. I was going crazy. You should have come, maybe.¡±


    Talia had actually not wanted Takai to come since she couldn¡¯t yet fully control the Cursed Form and, before entering the dungeon, Ravenous Wounds. But Takai himself had said that he needed to go train himself with the Principal, who had taken a great interest in his development since he had somehow unlocked the same technique the legendary Principal wielded.


    But it was when Talia saw Fiora walk in the plaza with her back straight as an arrow and a proud gaze that a big smile blossomed on her face. She immediately went up to the blonde, and despite her immediate protests, she swung her arms around her neck and gave her a big hug.


    ¡°I missed you.¡±


    Fiora sighed and begrudgingly returned the hug.


    ¡°The place wasn¡¯t the same without you. There is much less drama. A bit too calm for my taste,¡± Fiora said.


    Talia then said hi to Agalei, Fiora¡¯s friend who had also ended up joining Lady Naia¡¯s school. The group now made their way to the center of the plaza since students were finally settling in, and the elders started appearing around the stage.


    Talia saw Elder Krakatoa, whom she had tried reaching out to, but the man had clearly tried hard to avoid her, not even looking in their direction. After Mano had said that the man had been the one involved in her not getting through the academy¡¯s test, Talia had not really known what to think.


    However, her train of thought was disrupted as she saw Nami making her way to the group and standing with them, just exchanging a few salutes and not saying much. Talia had heard from her that Lilo was being personally trained back in the Moana family estate in Tempest City.


    After what Professor Iakopo had just said, though, and considering that her family could have been somehow involved with her mother, Talia felt a little squeamish about the girl even though she knew that Nami was probably not involved. Still, it was another thing to look out for.


    Principal Kaimana soon reached the stage. And Talia saw a rather troubled expression on the old man¡¯s face. As soon as he started to talk, she understood why.


    ¡°Students,¡± Principal Kaimana¡¯s voice boomed across the plaza. ¡°Many of you most likely expected me to have some encouraging words after last year¡¯s events, but I must come today and tell you that perhaps a bigger menace than Cultists has appeared across the Four Seas.¡±


    Many students looked among themselves and whispered, wondering what the man was talking about.


    ¡°We have never seen such a wild and increased activity among dungeons and Abyssal Creatures. All our graduates have been dispatched across the Four Seas to quench dungeons and avoid them spilling out and creating problems. However, we do not have nearly enough men to take care of all the trouble that is arising.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, we have decided to take drastic measures. Aside from the 1st year students, everyone else will only attend two months of lessons. Your professors will condense their courses as much as they can. And after that, you will be sent out on missions.¡±


    ¡°You will be escorted by one senior student if you are a second or 3rd year student. If you¡¯re not, you will form groups with your own classmates and tackle dungeons at your level. This will free our graduates to tackle the most dangerous dungeons and make sure that they do not spill into the cities.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about introducing the year with such an ominous announcement,¡± Principal Kaimana said. ¡°I believe there is a silver lining in these events. You all came here to be Water Riders, to protect people, to uphold our honor code, and to fight for what¡¯s just. You will have less of a chance to enjoy your time at the academy, but you will have all the chances in the world to prove that you¡¯re deserving of becoming a Water Rider.¡±


    Principal Kaimana made an emphatic pause.


    ¡°I fear,¡± the man said, ¡°that the surge of Abyssal Creatures will continue, at the very least, until the end of the year.¡±


    After saying those words after hearing those words, Talia had the impression that Principal Kaimana was looking directly at her.


    ¡°It is an anomaly,¡± Principal Kaimana continued. ¡°So you shouldn''t worry about this going on for too long. All things eventually have to go back and be balanced.¡±


    The speech¡¯s last words might have sounded reassuring to most, but to Talia, they carried an awful sense of finality.

 Chapter 99 – Chit-Chat

    Talia sat with her friends in the common area of Professor Iakopo''s School. The room was abuzz with talks about Principal Kaimana''s announcement.


    "I can''t believe we''ll only have two months of classes," Fiora said. She fidgeted with the sleeve of her uniform.


    ¡°It must be really bad,¡± Takai nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I wonder why the Abyssal Creatures are so agitated. Could it be another test? Maybe the Principal¡¯s exaggerating.¡±


    "My family has connections across the Four Seas. They''ve been hearing rumors of increased Abyssal activity for months now. They¡¯ve also witnessed an increased presence of monsters and spillage from Dungeons around Tempest City."


    Talia tried not to react to the mention of Nami''s family after what Professor Iakopo had told her.


    She had yet to understand how her mother could have swayed so many men back then. Not only Professor Iakopo had apparently been used by her mother in order to get to the Dark Water Well, which she had ultimately used on her father, Maui, but Yalena had also apparently sunk her claws into Rongo Moana, the current patriarch of the Moana Family, one of the strongest Great Families in the Four Seas.


    "What kind of missions do you think they''ll give us?" Keanu asked. He stood slightly behind Talia''s chair, ever vigilant.


    "Probably low-level Dungeon clearing," Fiora speculated. "Nothing too dangerous for second years."


    Honestly, Talia wasn¡¯t so sure that they wouldn¡¯t get something easy.


    If the Water Riders were truly short-staffed, all bets were off.


    Anyway, she would have to consult Professor Iakopo about this. She hadn¡¯t really heard much from the man about Principal Kaimana¡¯s announcement, which made her wonder if he had heard anything before this moment.


    ¡°Well, if I had to bet,¡± Nami said, ¡°I think that they¡¯re going to send us off immediately after the Water Ball.¡±


    Everyone turned toward Nami with a confused face.


    ¡°The Water Ball?¡± Takai asked. ¡°A ball of water? A big one?¡±


    Everyone was as confused as him.


    ¡°Not a water ball,¡± Nami face-palmed. ¡°A Water Ball.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so much clearer,¡± Talia snorted.


    Nami groaned, putting two fingers on her forehead and keeping her eyes closed, trying to explain herself. ¡°I¡¯m talking about dancing, celebrations. A dance. That¡¯s what a Water Ball is. It¡¯s a ball, and the theme is water. It¡¯s held in the Spire.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± everyone collectively went.


    ¡°I have never heard of that,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°It¡¯s the most important event in the 2nd year and one of the most important events in the academy,¡± Nami explained. ¡°The 1st year is very fickle. So, considering how many people can get thrown out of the academy during that period of time, not many seek permanent alliances or connections. Most just have to survive. The 2nd year, however, is when politics really starts taking over among the students. Especially if you¡¯re a noble, you¡¯re required to use the Water Ball as a way of solidifying your alliances.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s a dance where nobles get chummy with each other,¡± Talia frowned. ¡°Why is that important?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t understand,¡± Fiora raised her hands. ¡°I bet there are 2nd-year students that are gonna be the patriarchs of their families, of course. But don¡¯t alliances change over the years? Like, is a 2nd year event this important?¡±


    ¡°See,¡± Nami started explaining, ¡°alliances do not change that much. Alliances take time to solidify, of course, but they don¡¯t change. They stay mostly the same, more than you would even imagine they would.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Talia said, surprised.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Nobles have to trust each other, but these alliances are usually made with the approval of one¡¯s family. And some of these alliances are, well, you know...¡±


    ¡°I know?¡± Talia asked, confused.


    ¡°Romantic,¡± Fiora interjected. ¡°It¡¯s a ball.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Talia said. ¡°Right.¡± She frowned a moment later. ¡°So how¡ª¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter for those like us who aren¡¯t nobles. I don¡¯t know about the others, Talia, but you are the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter,¡± Nami said with a poignant look. ¡°You will be asked out,¡± Nami stated matter-of-factly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really talk to that many people,¡± Talia said, frowning.


    ¡°They will come talk to you, idiot,¡± Fiora groaned. ¡°Just because they have never talked to you, it won¡¯t stop guys from asking you out. You are a great asset.¡±


    Nami nodded. ¡°If I was a man, my family would literally force me to ask you out for the Water Ball.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°You should really stop underestimating your position,¡± Nami said. ¡°Your naivete could damage you, Talia.¡±


    Talia had never felt naive, to be honest. In fact, she had figured out quite a few big problems, especially considering that¡ªnot to brag, but she had been the one who had saved Professor Iakopo¡¯s life and prevented the Placid City catastrophe from happening twice. But she guessed that Nami did have a point. Etiquette among nobles wasn¡¯t something she was very well versed in, and she probably needed to know more.


    ¡°Nami, would you mind giving me a couple of lessons about nobility? Keanu doesn¡¯t really talk much about it, and I think you might have a point here. I do need to know more, given my position.¡±


    Nami smiled at her. ¡°I would love to.¡±


    ¡°So, since the Water Ball is so important, will Lilo be back by then?¡± Talia asked, wondering about the younger Moana sister. Lilo had not come back yet because she was still training with her father, Rongo.


    ¡°She will have to,¡± Nami nodded pensively. ¡°But she might come straight for the ball, skipping the other lessons. Father is running her through hardcore training to prepare her. Lilo is not allowed to fail ever again if she wants to stay the chosen.¡±


    Nami''s serious expression suddenly morphed into a mischievous grin. "You know, Talia, the Water Ball isn''t just about political alliances. It''s also a chance for romance to bloom."


    Talia felt her cheeks warm slightly. "Romance? I don''t think¡ª"


    "Oh, come on," Nami teased, her eyes twinkling. "Don''t tell me you''ve never thought about it. With all those handsome Water Riders in training, there must be someone who''s caught your eye."


    Fiora chimed in, barely suppressing a laugh as she took the chance to poke some fun at Talia.


    "Maybe our fearless Kraken Slayer''s daughter has a secret crush she''s not telling us about?"


    Talia shook her head vigorously, her face now fully flushed. "No! I¡¯m busy with training!¡±


    ¡°Everyone is,¡± Fiora smirked.


    "Well, the Water Ball might change that," Nami said with a wink. "Who knows? You might walk in focused on alliances and walk out with your heart flooded. It happens more often than you''d think."


    "I doubt it," Talia vehemently denied it.


    Before they could continue teasing Talia, Professor Iakopo materialized in their midst, startling them.


    ¡°Good morning everyone. Talia, we have to talk.¡±


    * * *


    Talia was extremely glad that the man had come to save her from the teasing. In fact, if there was one quality she really liked about Professor Iakopo, it was the fact that the man didn¡¯t really joke around. He was very serious, sometimes boring, but always straight to the point. However, as they entered his studio, Talia couldn¡¯t help but notice a slight smirk on the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Professor?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Iakopo turned toward her.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to meddle in the affairs of my students, but I couldn¡¯t help overhear what you were talking about.¡±


    Talia groaned and put her hands to her face.


    ¡°Just know that they¡¯re not fully wrong. You might find someone you like. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. And if you do, just don¡¯t follow them into a dungeon that will cause a catastrophe that will destroy an entire city.¡±


    Talia suddenly looked at Professor Iakopo with raised eyebrows. The man was giving her a shrug and a thin smile. This was the first time she had heard him joke about what happened 20 years ago. The man had been still devastated by it the last time they had been in the dungeon; she thought he would never move past it. But if he was finally joking about it, maybe Professor Iakopo had finally moved on.


    ¡°So,¡± Talia said, ¡°what do we need to talk about?¡±


    ¡°How would you like to explore a Siren¡¯s Passage by yourself?¡± Professor Iakopo smiled. ¡°It¡¯s ironic because it is a place where romance often blooms. You know?¡±


    Talia looked at the man with a straight face. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Sure. But this might be somewhat important, no?¡±


    ¡°Yalena used to be there alone a lot. So I¡¯m going to give you the key to reach it and send you there on your own. There is no danger in it. And while several students and professors have access to it, no one usually goes there, but I think you might enjoy it. And if you happen to meet someone you like, you might want to bring them there.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Talia snapped. ¡°What¡¯s the place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called the Star Field.¡±

 Chapter 100 – Star Field

    Talia found herself in the same room that Elder Krakatoa had used for his weaponry class during the last year. She laid her hand on the statue that led to Leviathan Hall. She suddenly found herself in the octagonal space, looked around at the different walls, and soon found one with a silver star upon it.


    Talia walked up to it and drew a simple series of runes that Professor Iakopo had taught her. One moment, she was in the hall where she had first arrived by chance. The next, she was under a huge starry sky on a grassy hilltop.


    Talia gasped as she took in the breathtaking sight before her. The grassy hilltop stretched out in every direction. Above, an impossibly vast night sky glittered with countless stars.


    Talia found herself in the same room that Elder Krakatoa had used for his weaponry class during the last year. She laid her hand on the statue that led to Leviathan Hall. She suddenly found herself in the octagonal space, looked around at the different walls, and soon found one with a silver star upon it.


    Talia walked up to it and drew a simple series of runes that Professor Iakopo had taught her. One moment, she was in the hall where she had first arrived by chance. The next, she was under a huge starry sky on a grassy hilltop.


    Talia gasped as she took in the breathtaking sight before her. The grassy hilltop stretched out in every direction. Above, an impossibly vast night sky glittered with countless stars.


    The soft grass beneath her feet swayed gently in a cool breeze. The place was impossibly big, so big that you couldn¡¯t even see its boundaries. It didn¡¯t feel like a Siren¡¯s Passage but like she had just entered a world of its own. As soon as she had stopped marveling at the vast expanse, she turned her eyes above. There were constellations all around, larger and smaller ones, with some stars shining blindingly and others barely twinkling. Ribbons of cosmic dust were painted across the dark blue canvas of the sky. Red, orange, and white. As she stared upward, a shooting star streaked before her eyes, leaving a blazing trail in its wake.


    Did Mom find something here? Talia wondered. But where?


    As soon as she had awakened from her stupor, she started wondering what purpose this place served other than looking extremely pretty. She turned on Eyes of the Abyss, and she saw that the air here was indeed charged with Mana. So then she was sure that if she activated her Cursed Form, she would have wielded more power than usual in the Star Field. But when she tried turning her eyes to the sky, she shouted in pain, falling to her knees blinded. The Mana she had seen had shone so bright that Talia immediately deactivated the Eyes of the Abyss and waited for her normal regeneration to heal the damage in her eyes.


    She gazed at the canvas of stars above when she recovered and bit her lower lip. There actually might be something there, she thought. All that Mana was extremely suspicious, but Eyes of the Abyss wasn¡¯t able to discern what was there exactly.


    However, she now knew why the place was called the Star Field, and she thought with some embarrassment, not shame, that she could also understand why lovers would come here. It was perhaps the most romantic place she had ever witnessed with her own eyes.


    She imagined her mother and Professor Iakopo exploring this place together, and she wondered how many times they must have gone there. She sort of blushed when she thought of that and shook her head, trying to dispel the images that had suddenly appeared in her mind. In such an intimate place, it was easy to picture what two young lovers might have been doing.


    She sat on the grass, using the calm of the Star Field to think. Is this connected to whatever Mom did to me? she wondered. How am I gonna level up Eyes of the Abyss? Indeed, it was perhaps one of the harder Skills to level up. I have to ask Professor Iakopo about this. He might get an idea. And is it possible that he can do anything with his Space Water in here? He probably already tried, didn¡¯t he?The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As Talia wondered about all these things, she suddenly heard boots crunch on the soft grass and turned to see a figure cloaked in black wearing a head cover that obscured everything but the eyes.


    ¡°Pretty,¡± a male¡¯s voice came.


    Talia looked at him weirdly and didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°No? You don¡¯t like it?¡± The guy asked, sounding amused.


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± Talia asked. Professor Iakopo had told her that there might have been students in here, but she hadn¡¯t actually expected anyone to come.


    ¡°No.¡± You could hear a smile in the guy¡¯s voice. ¡°You don¡¯t know me. In fact, I just came to the academy.¡±


    Talia, who had placed her glaive right beside her, immediately grabbed it with one hand and rose to her feet. ¡°Are you a Cultist?¡± She asked, alarmed.


    ¡°A Cultist?¡± The guy snorted. ¡°You know, they actually wear black,¡± the guy said, pointing at his own outfit. ¡°But, no, I am not a Cultist.¡±


    Talia didn¡¯t lower her glaive.


    ¡°Anyway, you didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± he said while staring deep into Talia¡¯s eyes. Talia noted that the guy¡¯s eyes were an icy blue. Extremely intense and penetrating.


    ¡°What question?¡± Talia quipped.


    ¡°The place, isn¡¯t it pretty?¡±


    Talia licked her lips, wondering whether she should just cut this guy down.


    ¡°No? Well, not everyone can appreciate beauty,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s fine, though.¡±


    Talia just stared, but the cloaked figure simply sat on the grass. Then, propping his torso up with his palms, he craned his neck to look at the stars. ¡°Not many stars where I come from,¡± he lamented. ¡°The weather is always very foggy because of the Mana dust, not the coal.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Talia asked once again.


    ¡°None of your business,¡± the guy replied.


    ¡°You do understand I have a glaive in my hands, and I can cut you down,¡± Talia said, not joking at all. She had met enough threats the past year that she wasn¡¯t willing to take any risks.


    ¡°Tell me who you are right now or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡± He interrupted her. ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill someone just sitting on a hill looking at the stars?¡±


    ¡°I might,¡± Talia said, frustrated.


    ¡°Okay, milady. Not very nice of you, but knock yourself out.¡± The guy resumed looking at the stars, ignoring her.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Talia said again.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he said. ¡°Cut my head off or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Talia was flabbergasted. She was completely thrown off by this guy¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve lived enough. Not too long, mind you, but it was fine. If you wanna kill me, I can imagine worse ways to go.¡±


    Talia was about to retort when a strong distortion in the Mana of the place alerted them both. This time, the cloaked figure reacted faster than she could have expected. The guy pounced on her and placed a hand over her mouth, bringing a finger over his mask, signaling to her to stay silent.


    Talia, with her extremely high Strength, could have probably snapped this guy in two. But seeing that he hadn¡¯t actually attacked her, she just stood still. She felt the Mana of the guy, a very familiar Mana, envelop them both and cancel their presence.


    Moments later, they both turned to the right, Talia still feeling the warm hand of the man over her lips. They saw a red-headed man walk across the Star Field, having appeared seemingly from nowhere but not from where the Leviathan Hall entrance was. However, he was now walking toward them.


    That¡¯s Elder Krakatoa, Talia thought, alarmed. Where was he coming from?


    They both observed Elder Krakatoa walk until he was almost upon them. The man turned around frowning, looking at the grass, raising an eyebrow, and then saying, ¡°Kids these days,¡± and disappearing into the entrance of the Leviathan Hall by vanishing mid-air, where Talia knew the exit of the Star Field was.


    They stayed in this position for two more minutes before Talia grabbed the guy¡¯s chest, put a foot on his abdomen, and catapulted the rude stranger two dozen feet from her. She slowly rose to her feet, feeling his lingering touch on her lips, getting extremely flustered and going for her glaive.


    However, when she raised her eyes to where she¡¯d thrown him, she didn¡¯t see him.


    ¡°See you around, Milady."


    She heard the voice and spun, but the guy was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 101 – New Student

    Talia hadn¡¯t told anyone about her meeting with the mysterious masked stranger, not even Professor Iakopo. She had asked the man about Space Water and if he had any way of getting anything out of the Star Field. Predictably, the man said he had tried, but nothing had happened. He suspected that if he had Star Water, given that the name of the place was Star Field, something might have happened, but he wasn¡¯t even sure about that.


    Talia had asked him why he hadn¡¯t just asked her sister, and Iakopo had given her a weird look.


    ¡°Your sister,¡± the man said, ¡°is Elder Kahua¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°There are politics in the academy, Talia. Elder Kahua and Elder Krakatoa are making weird moves.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust them?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Professor Iakopo said. ¡°Elder Kahua was among the people who were very impressed with your mother, and Elder Krakatoa was her shield when she faced the Kraken. However, Elder Krakatoa and your father returned. Your mother didn¡¯t. We don¡¯t know what happened, and I get the feeling that Elder Krakatoa lied about your mother.¡±


    ¡°My father said one of the elders killed my mom.¡±


    Professor Iakopo suddenly stood still. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that,¡± the man said.


    ¡°I thought my father was just messing with me,¡± Talia said defensively.


    ¡°He might have,¡± Professor Iakopo said slowly, ¡°but your father does hate the elders in a weird way. You know he joined the Cultists and became their leader after your mother died, right?¡±


    ¡°I suspected as much,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Well, he was close with Elder Kahua and Elder Krakatoa. Elder Kahua hates him because he joined the Cultists, but till the day of your mother¡¯s death, they were actually quite close. In fact, I¡¯m surprised that Elder Kahua didn¡¯t go to the North Deep alongside your mother, Elder Krakatoa, and Maui for the final battle with the Kraken. That always struck me as weird.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go?¡± Talia asked. ¡°If you knew my mom was up to something?¡±


    Professor Iakopo grimaced. ¡°I wasn¡¯t myself back then. I should have gone. I should have made sure that your mother didn¡¯t...¡± He trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this. You¡¯re right, I should have.¡±


    Though Talia was a bit weirded out by the professor¡¯s reaction, she let it be.


    ¡°Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your trip to the Star Field because that¡¯s about the last moment of peace you will get this year. You have two classes to attend. I¡¯ve personally chosen which ones.¡±


    ¡°There are only two because of the two months?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°Yes. And because the others are taught by idiots.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Talia said. ¡°So I imagine one of those is your class.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Professor Iakopo replied. ¡°The other is World History. You¡¯re quite ignorant when it comes to the broader context of the Great Archipelago, so you will need to catch up. There are things most nobles learn when they¡¯re five, but the professor, one of my few friends, also teaches things that most people don¡¯t know. You will find them extremely interesting, I imagine.¡±


    Talia shrugged and nodded. She wasn¡¯t about to argue with Professor Iakopo about her course load. She was sure the man knew what was best for her.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, ¡°go prepare. My lesson is in one hour.¡±


    * * *


    "Hey," Talia said. "By the way, I really hope Lilo is alright. If there''s anything I can do..."


    Nami, who had been walking alongside Talia toward the beach where Professor Iakopo''s lesson would be held, shook her head. "It would be great if you could side with us, but I also understand that I can''t just ask you that because Lilo is being punished."


    Talia bit her tongue. She couldn''t tell Nami what Professor Iakopo had told her about her father. Certainly, even though they were friends and they had undergone some traumatic experiences together in Placid City, blood was still blood.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Maybe ask me out at the Water Ball, and I''ll accept," Talia joked.


    Nami let out a small laugh. But then the older Moana sister, since the argument had been brought up again, took the chance to question Talia''s intentions since they were all alone.


    "You know, Keanu is pretty good-looking," Nami dropped a heavy, massive hint.


    "He''s alright," Talia said, shrugging. "Why? Do you want to ask him out? I can tell him you''re interested, so maybe he can ask you out."


    Nami sighed. "Didn''t you two go alone in some dungeon?"


    "Yeah." Talia didn''t give her the details about why she had found the dungeon, but her friends knew that she and Keanu had gone alone since Keanu''s powers could stop her rampage.


    "Would you say you two have grown closer during that time?" Nami asked with a smirk.


    "I spent most of the time underwater, honestly. And Keanu''s job was to tie me up whenever I emerged."


    "So, he tied you up," Nami said emphatically.


    "Yeah. When I use Ravenous Wounds in the Cursed Form, I need someone to restrain me. Well, now I don''t need it anymore for Ravenous Wounds."


    "And do you like," Nami said, putting a lot of emphasis on ''like,'' "when Keanu ties you up?"


    Talia was still oblivious to what the older Moana sister was going for. "No. I''m glad he does because otherwise, I might kill him."


    "Right," Nami said with a smile. "So, in a way, you do like when he ties you up. You enjoy being tamed."


    This time, Talia finally caught on to what Nami had been putting out and looked at her with a disgusted frown. "Hey. Don''t make it inappropriate. It''s training. I need Keanu to¡ª" She stopped herself before saying ''to tie me up.'' "I need him to help me because my powers are dangerous."


    "They sure are," Nami smiled. "I imagine they will hurt a lot of boys in the future."


    "Hey, hey," Talia said. "Cut it off."


    "Cut off what?" Nami replied innocently as they finally arrived on the sun-kissed beach.


    The morning sun shimmered on the clear waters beneath the small vessels and gondolas as they strolled over the stone bridges lining the canals.


    Before them lay the beach, a broad crescent of white sand flanked by soaring palm trees on one side and the vast blue ocean on the other. Almost all the students who had been with them in Placid City, and then some more, were already gathered there, sitting in loose groups on the sand or standing in clusters near the water''s edge.


    Professor Iakopo hadn''t arrived yet.


    Instead, Talia and Nami found dozens of students gathered in a circle on the beach, including Fiora and Agalei.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Talia wondered under her breath.


    They moved closer, getting through a few people who protested at Talia, shoving them aside.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Talia said to Fiora, ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Some guy was running his mouth about wanting to spar. Then this new student showed up and took him up on it,¡± Fiora said with her eyes fixed on the fight.


    Talia turned and saw two guys. One of them looked vaguely familiar, and she recognized him as one of the students who had come with them to Placid City. The other guy, however...


    The other guy was shirtless and had dark olive skin. And for all Talia wanted to maintain pure thoughts, he had incredible musculature all over him. He had broad shoulders, was very tall, and, most importantly, he had two magnetic, icy blue eyes.


    The new guy dodged the other student¡¯s punches easily, slapping them aside. He wasn¡¯t even breathing hard. After a few exchanges and toying with his opponent, he landed a clean hit to the chin that dropped his opponent to the sand. Several girls in the crowd whispered appreciatively.


    The fallen student tried getting up twice before giving up, clearly done. The shirtless guy extended a hand to him and smiled.


    ¡°That was fun,¡± he said. Sweat gleamed on his chest in the morning sun. He helped up his opponent, went back to the circle, and then turned to the other students. ¡°Anyone else wants to go before class?¡±


    A few students shifted uncomfortably, but no one stepped forward.


    ¡°He¡¯s got to be joking,¡± Talia muttered. ¡°Who does he think he is, doing this before Professor Iakopo¡¯s class? And wait, a new student? How is he with us? We¡¯re second years.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, he got sent straight to the second yea, maybee for merit. Sometimes that happens,¡± Nami explained.


    ¡°He certainly got assets,¡± Fiora laughed.


    ¡°What assets?¡± Talia said, turning toward the handsome brute currently in the middle of the circle. He was smiling toward everyone and making inviting gestures for someone to come forward.


    ¡°What assets, Talia?¡± Fiora said, slapping her friend¡¯s arm. ¡°Have you looked at him?¡±


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t focused on casting,¡± Nami grinned, ¡°I¡¯d volunteer just to get my hands on those muscles.¡± She placed her hands on Talia¡¯s shoulders and tried to push her forward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Talia started.


    ¡°Actually,¡± the new guy spoke again, ¡°I¡¯ll pick my next opponent.¡±


    ¡°What an arrogant asshole,¡± Talia said, scrunching her nose in a fierce face. However, when she saw the guy with ripped muscles walk straight toward her, she heard both Nami and Fiora start to giggle.


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Talia said, tightening her fists. ¡°I will¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t say the second part out loud since the guy was already getting close to her, but she was indeed intending to teach this arrogant fool a lesson. She didn¡¯t like people who showed off like this. He had just come, and he was already putting on a show. Who did he think he was?


    He stopped right in front of Talia. When Nami and Fiora started barely containing their laughter, poking Talia¡¯s sides as the handsome dark man stood in front of her, she felt like she was about to pop off. But then the next words of the man threw her.


    ¡°Hello, milady,¡± he said with a familiar emphasis. ¡°Nice to meet you again.¡±

 Chapter 102 – Keahi

    ¡°Hello, milady,¡± he said with a familiar emphasis. ¡°Nice to meet you again.¡±


    Those ice-blue eyes. That voice. Talia''s mouth fell open as she recognized him from the Star Field.


    Beside her, Nami was practically choking, trying to hold in her laughter.


    "You," Talia managed.


    "Me," he agreed with a slight bow. "I''m Keahi. Since we were so rudely interrupted last time, maybe we could have a proper introduction? Unless you''re still planning to cut my head off."


    More whispers erupted from the crowd. Several students looked between them with obvious curiosity.


    "You know him?" Nami asked, finally getting her laughter under control.


    "Not exactly," Talia said through gritted teeth.


    "But we did share a lovely moment under the stars," Keahi said with a wink. "Though she spent most of it threatening me with her glaive."


    Nami cooed after hearing that, and Talia had to incinerate her with a burning gaze.


    ¡°Milady,¡± he said with a little touch of naughtiness in his voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch your name.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you my name,¡± Talia said, turning back to him.


    ¡°May I know your name, milady?¡±


    ¡°Talia.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± he said. ¡°Would you object to one quick sparring round before the lesson starts? I¡¯ve tried getting my hands on the talented people here, but they seem to be nowhere to be seen.¡±


    The cockiness of Keahi made Talia more than happy to accept. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Step aside,¡± Keahi raised an eyebrow and moved from in front of her.


    Talia walked to the center of the circle, making several people nod appreciatively. Everyone knew by now how strong the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter was. She had saved their lives in Placid City. So, especially when it came to the boys who weren¡¯t happy about this new guy monopolizing the attention of the girls, many couldn¡¯t wait for Keahi to get his face punched in.


    Nami gave Talia a not-so-subtle thumbs up, and Fiora started confabulating with Agalei before shouting, ¡°Get your hands on him, Talia!¡±


    Not fazed by the joke, Talia put a hand on her glaive.


    ¡°No weapons,¡± Keahi said. ¡°Just hand to hand, if you don¡¯t mind. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Hurt me?¡± Talia said, feeling a vein pulsing in her temple. She knew the guy might have been trying to throw her off and that getting mad wasn¡¯t good before a fight. She herself had used such tactics in the past. But she wasn¡¯t going to underestimate the guy, nor was she going to let him leave the circle standing.


    Talia activated Blood Confluence, the Skill that empowered her own constitution, making her blood water resonate all across her body. She was about to step forward and start the beating when she heard him say, ¡°Blood Confluence. Interesting. I could feel Blood Water when I was above you. I didn¡¯t know you had already unlocked the Skill, though. More expert practitioners of Blood Water usually keep it up at all times.¡±


    After saying that, Keahi lunged forward. Talia, a little disoriented, simply dodged a very quick jab and tried swinging at the guy.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Keahi had already stepped back. ¡°You¡¯re very fast,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    Before they could continue, however, they heard someone¡¯s voice from outside the circle.


    ¡°Little wretched rats.¡±


    The two fighters stopped and turned. Three people, two guys, and one girl, made their way through the crowd and stopped once they had reached the circle.


    ¡°Keahi, I didn¡¯t know the Kahulu family still existed. How¡¯s that embarrassment of your uncle these days? Is he still in the family dungeon?¡±


    Keahi, who had been very cheerful, boastful, and cocky up to now, immediately went very serious. ¡°Maleko.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you must be the whore¡¯s daughter,¡± Maleko smiled. The entire crowd reacted as if they had just been physically struck.


    Talia, with the whiplash sensation still lingering, went to pick up her glaive and asked, ¡°Did you just call my mother a whore?¡±


    ¡°Why? Is the Kraken Slayer¡¯s daughter a little sensitive? It¡¯s not my fault that your mother was indeed a useless whore.¡±


    This time, Talia didn¡¯t even say a word. Instead, she lunged forward with her glaive covered in mana crystal. However, before she could cut down that bastard, an elderly lady appeared in front of her from thin air. The lady pinched the blade of the glaive, shattering the mana crystal as soon as she touched it and holding the weapon in a death grip. Talia tried wrenching it away from her but felt an insane strength behind that lady.


    ¡°Oh my. I am away for a few years, and the academy becomes a den of thugs. You didn¡¯t just try to kill a fellow student, did you? Do you know, child, what the penalty for that is?¡±


    Talia looked at the woman with a frown and immediately activated Eyes of the Abyss. She felt a vast, enormous reserve of mana coming from her body, shining almost as bright as the sun. Immediately, Talia put two and two together. This was an elder. Several elders had been out when she had arrived at the academy, so she hadn¡¯t met them. But the power contained in the old woman¡¯s body spoke clearly to her identity.


    ¡°I know that things must have been unorthodox, especially considering who your mentor is. But do you think you can just do whatever you want like your mother used to? Because she was allowed to do so by a bunch of spineless men.¡±


    She heard Nami walk to her side and bow her head, trying to force Talia to do the same. ¡°Elder Kawena, I¡¯m sure that Talia didn¡¯t want to kill Maleko.¡±


    ¡°I better believe it,¡± Elder Kawena smiled thinly. ¡°Maleko is part of the Kanaloa family, the current strongest family in the North Deep. But I expect an ignorant child coming from nowhere might not know what the greatest talent of her generation looks like.¡±


    Talia looked at the guy again and then at Elder Kawena. ¡°If he¡¯s so strong,¡± she said, ¡°why don¡¯t we have a little sparring?¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Sparring?¡± Nami tightened her grip on Talia.


    ¡°Why, child? Do you want to hurt a Chosen? You aren¡¯t happy with the trouble you caused in Placid City because of that disgusting father of yours? Now you want to kill the great hope of your generation? Is this a plot from that disgraced mentor of yours? The man who let a thousand die under his watch, who bloodied his hands because he trusted that whore mother of yours?¡±


    When Talia heard Elder Kawena insulting her mother, she grew so red she struggled harder to get the glaive back. And when she felt like she had no chance of getting it at this rate, she was about to do the unthinkable. She didn¡¯t care about her future here if these were the people around her. She didn¡¯t know whether it would be enough to get rid of this fresh woman in front of her, but Talia started merging Blood Water and Dark Water.


    The only thing that stopped her was that she felt a slap at the back of her head. As she turned, she found Keahi, who just smiled at Elder Kawena. ¡°Elder Kawena, I think that¡¯s Professor Iakopo.¡± Keahi pointed toward the man , who waswalking with heavy steps toward them. ¡°I don¡¯t think we want to cause a bigger scene. Right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not, Keahi,¡± Kawena said. ¡°It seems that despite your ruined family, you still have some sense left in your blood.¡±


    Professor Iakopo suddenly arrived and stood between Talia and Elder Kawena. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the man asked, not one inch, not one bit of respect, reverence, or fear in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m introducing the new students of my school to yours,¡± she smiled wickedly. ¡°Why, Iakopo? Is that a problem?¡±


    Professor Iakopo stared at her and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Kawena,¡± the man said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you that my lessons are not open to useless, honorless pieces of shit like you and your students.¡±


    Elder Kawena¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the three students behind her started clamoring. Maleko first: ¡°How dare you speak like that to an elder? You reject from the Kain family?¡±


    Professor Iakopo licked his lips and slightly tilted his neck to look at Maleko. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know, Kawena, that you¡¯re a coward, does he? You must have gathered a lot of support if you think you can come here and speak to me like this, you old crone.¡±


    ¡°Elder,¡± Maleko said, ¡°teach this man a lesson. He cannot speak to you like that.¡±


    Talia knew that Professor Iakopo, because of the Space Water, could indeed speak to Elder Kawena like that. She had been told by Shaker, who now went by the name Saikai, that the professor was, without a shadow of a doubt, stronger than any elder present. The only reason he hadn¡¯t become an elder himself and the next candidate for the role of principal was that Iakopo had thrown away his political life and heritage in Placid City twenty years prior. But now that he had decided to get into the arena again, and since he had never stopped training, he had become overnight a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡°Silence, Maleko,¡± Elder Kawena said with a wry smile. ¡°This man¡¯s days are numbered. I won¡¯t humiliate him in front of the students because I still have dignity, unlike him. But notice, Iakopo, I will be there the day you die like a dog.¡±


    Iakopo just looked coldly at her and gestured to Saikai who followed him to take the students away. Takai started herding the students, while Professor Iakopo and Elder Kawena stared each other down for a while. Then with a sigh, Professor Iakopo broke eye contact first and turned away.


    ¡°Go, Kawena. My lesson is about to begin, and you and your kind are not welcome here.¡±


    * * *


    Talia and the rest gathered in silence around Professor Iakopo, who waited for the whispers among students to die down.


    The mysterious stranger from the Star Field - now revealed as Keahi - had thrown her completely off balance.


    "So," Nami said with a knowing smirk, "want to tell me about this ''lovely moment under the stars'' you shared with our handsome new classmate?"


    "There was no moment," Talia protested, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. "He showed up while I was minding my business. I nearly cut his head off."


    "How romantic," Fiora said, having caught up with them.


    Talia still wondered why Keahi had decided to hide them both when Elder Krakatoa had appeared. To be honest, she wouldn¡¯t have minded giving the man a piece of her mind. But in retrospect, it wasn¡¯t such a bad choice, and she couldn¡¯t blame the guy for being cautious. It did feel like Elder Krakatoa had been up to something, and Talia wondered about it. She had mentioned it to Professor Iakopo, but he seemed to think that whatever Elder Krakatoa was up to, they had no way of knowing it. And, honestly, it wasn¡¯t rare for elders to know more Siren¡¯s Passages than anyone else. They wouldn¡¯t have their position in the first place if they didn¡¯t.


    Professor Iakopo promised to keep an eye open for her. He¡¯d warned her that Elder Krakatoa and Elder Kahua were up to something, but the man was now stretched thin. There were many things to take care of, especially given the announcement that the school year would only be two months before students got dispatched to clear up dungeons and infestations of Abyssal Creatures.


    Professor Iakopo snapped his fingers, making more than a hundred floating discs appear behind them. ¡°All of you, please spread around, and I will start explaining today¡¯s lesson.¡±


    Everyone distanced themselves from the others, and the man started giving instructions as the discs floated in front of the students, one each.


    ¡°One of the most important things when it comes to Mana control is not just the granularity. It¡¯s not just how granular your control is over Mana, but also how much Mana you can call forth at once. In these two months, we¡¯ll be focusing on training your capabilities.¡±


    He continued, ¡°I would usually include a rather daunting test for all of you. But since most here were at Placid City last year, I know that at the very least, you have your heart in a good place. Do know that going into dungeons on your own might result in your death. So if you feel like being a Water Rider is too dangerous for you, do drop out. Because even though I won¡¯t fail you, you might simply die in about two months.¡±


    Professor Iakopo made a small pause. This year, unlike the previous one, there was no fear from the students. Everyone had been radically changed from the experience they had gone through. All those who had wanted to drop out had already done that. And even then, just a small contingent of people had found what happened in Placid City a good reason to leave. Now most had grown past their fears and been inspired by their classmates to catch up to them. In particular, Talia, Fiora, and Takai had all earned quite the reputation.


    ¡°Well, if no one leaves, then let¡¯s begin. These discs slowly absorb raw Mana from the environment. They convert the Mana to plain, Water-attuned Mana.¡±


    Most students who knew how dangerous working with raw Mana was widened their eyes. But Professor Iakopo quickly calmed their surprise.


    ¡°The discs can only convert a very small amount of Mana. However, there are inscribed into the discs very thin pathways. To extract a lot of Mana at once, if not all of it, you will need to get a feeling for it.¡± Professor Iakopo paused. ¡°You will need to get accustomed to putting your own veins through a lot of strain. Sucking that Mana in is very much like trying to pump a lot of Mana out of your body. Your veins must create a vacuum, and you must try really hard to extract the Mana.¡±


    ¡°For those wondering, Charisma is the main attribute that will help you in this type of training. I don¡¯t recommend you start dumping points into Charisma unless your class calls for it. Training with these plates should allow you to gain a few points in the stat by the end of our course.¡±


    Talia suddenly noticed that the disc that had flown in front of her was different from the others. It was much thicker, perhaps a full four inches and double the size.


    ¡°I¡¯ve adjusted the discs of a few of you because I know you might have dumped a lot of points into Charisma,¡± Professor Iakopo said, looking straight at Talia. ¡°It would have been too easy to go through the normal test. And if someone else finds this to be too easy, please come tell me, and I will replace your disc with a more advanced one.¡±


    Immediately, everyone heard someone from the front address Professor Iakopo. ¡°Excuse me, professor. I think I¡¯ve already done it.¡±


    Everyone turned toward Keahi, who was holding the disc, now responsive, in one hand, and a ball of water full of dense Mana in his other hand.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Professor Iakopo said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Keahi Kahulu. Your talent paired with your family¡¯s heritage, definitely made this too easy for you.¡± He made a thick disc appear right in front of Keahi. It was the same size as Talia¡¯s disc. ¡°This should prove enough of a challenge,¡± the man said and then turned toward the rest of the students. ¡°You can now begin. Expect to be able to practice only a few hours a day before you will start feeling excruciating pain all over your body. If you¡¯re worried about the pain, do know that the pain is good. The pain means you¡¯re making progress.¡±


    Talia ignored Professor Iakopo¡¯s words and simply started to extract the Mana from the thick disc. Activating Eyes of the Abyss, she saw that Keahi had a surprising amount of Mana and vitality inside his body. But then she realized that if he practiced Blood Water like her, it wasn¡¯t such a preposterous thing, especially since even Professor Iakopo seemed to have praised the guy¡¯s talent.


    But when Talia turned toward her own disc, she smiled complacently. He might be good with his Blood Water, but I doubt he has poured more Charisma than me.


    She placed her hands on the disc, ready to start the training.

 Chapter 103 – Charisma

    Talia placed her hands on the disc and felt the Mana inside surge against her palms. She closed her eyes, activated [Eyes of the Abyss], and concentrated. The paths inside the disc were indeed very thin, thinner than she had expected.


    She pushed her Mana into the disc, trying to create suction. Nothing happened at first. She frowned and pushed harder. A trickle of Mana leaked through, barely enough to form a drop of water. This wasn''t going to work.


    "You''re being too gentle," Keahi''s voice came from beside her. He had moved closer to her for some reason.


    Talia opened her eyes and glared at him.


    "I didn''t ask."


    "You need to be more aggressive," he continued, ignoring her annoyance. "Think of it like blood pumping through constricted veins. You need pressure."


    She wanted to tell him to mind his own business, but he had already extracted Mana from his disc. Maybe he did know what he was talking about. Talia closed her eyes again and imagined her blood flowing through narrowed vessels. She pushed her Mana harder, creating pressure against the disc''s pathways.


    Pain shot through her arms. The sensation was like needles being driven into her flesh. But this time, Mana flowed. She managed to draw out enough to form a small sphere of water above her palm.


    "Better," Professor Iakopo said as he passed by. "But you''re still holding back. All of you are."


    The professor stopped in the middle of the group. "Think about how it feels when you''re desperate for air. When your lungs are burning, you will do anything to breathe. That''s how much you need to want this Mana. Your body has to crave it."


    Talia thought about being underwater, about the burning in her chest before she''d learned to breathe water. She channeled that desperate need into her Mana and also activated [Blood Confluence] to help her with the pain¡ªthe Skill helped her make use of her vitality, which in turn dampened the hurt.


    But even with [Blood Confluence] active, as she increased the pressure, she felt a terrifying burning shoot through her palms, her wrists, her arms, and reaching her core.


    However, now more Mana flowed, and the sphere of water grew.


    "Interesting approach," Keahi said. He had moved closer again, studying her results. "You''re using Blood Confluence to enhance the flow."


    "Stop bothering me," Talia snapped. His constant attention was making it hard to concentrate.


    "Just making conversation," he said with a grin. "Though I have to admit, watching you work is fascinating."


    Before Talia could respond, Professor Iakopo called out.


    "Enough chatter. Focus on your own training."


    ¡°Remember,¡± Keahi said before moving away, ¡°Blood Water users have more vitality than normal. That means we can push more Mana at once because even if we get damaged, we can heal faster.¡±


    Talia opened her mouth to berate him but then just considered his words.


    He¡¯s not saying anything that I didn¡¯t know, but I hadn¡¯t considered that.


    Talia had been partially holding back because of the pain. The pain was a natural reaction of the body that simply signaled to someone how close they were to their actual breaking point. No one should have pushed much further than their own body felt comfortable.


    Well, no one but Talia.


    She glanced in the direction of Keahi, who was extracting Mana at a scary pace. However, his arms, neck, and even the skin on his chest, which she could see from his semi-open vest, were all red. His veins pulsed, purplish, enlarged, and angry.


    Talia looked at her own slender arms and smirked.


    He¡¯s good. But watch this.


    This time, Talia started pushing beyond the pain, beyond what any sane person, including a Blood Water practitioner, should have.


    Talia pushed harder. The pain exploded through her arms like liquid fire. She gritted her teeth and kept going.


    The sphere of water above her palm swelled rapidly. It grew larger than Keahi''s. Her veins bulged grotesquely under her skin, turning a deep purple-black. The burning sensation spread from her arms to her chest.


    Blood trickled from her nose, then her ears. The other students had stopped to watch. Even Keahi''s constant smirk had faded as he observed her with those piercing blue eyes.


    Talia¡¯s own eyes, shining and magnetic, seemed to shine brighter.


    The pain intensified. Talia''s vision blurred. The sphere of water wobbled dangerously as her control slipped. But she refused to stop. Her skin cracked, and a few veins ruptured, creating hematomas below the skin.


    But she could feel that the thick disk, too, was at the end of its rope. She couldn¡¯t stop now.


    The sphere grew larger, now beyond the size of her head, approaching the length of a watermelon.


    She felt even the gums in her mouth hurt and blood trickling from her mouth and nose now as if it was an open faucet.


    But right when she felt the pressure starting to get to her¡ª


    The disk exploded with a loud bang.


    Talia¡¯s body was pierced in several spots, and only Professor Iakopo¡¯s insanely fast reactions allowed him to erect a Mana barrier in the millisecond it took for the shrapnel to travel toward the other students, confining the damage to Talia.


    Talia gurgled blood but smiled like a madman when she saw the consternated expression on Keahi¡¯s face, going as far as winking at him as she slowly pulled out the pieces of the disk from her abdomen and chest.


    A sharp piece of shrapnel had even pierced her cheek, and it looked quite gory when she removed it, leaving a small hole in its place. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    However, her vitality was soon at work, her wounds slowly knitting themselves back together.


    Two notifications rang in her head.


    [Your training has paid off!]


    [+2 to your Charisma]


    "Interesting approach," Keahi said, suddenly beside her.


    Keanu, who had been watching her and Keahi exchange quips during Iakopo¡¯s lesson, frowned.


    He had come later than usual, not accompanying Talia since he had to communicate with his people back home and make arrangements for their trip. He had also not followed Talia when she had said she would have gone explore on her own in the Siren¡¯s Passages, despite his protests.


    After overhearing what Talia and Kehai had said to each other, Keanu had finally pieced together that she had met this guy while exploring the sirens¡¯ passages. There was something sly about Kehai, or at least so it seemed to him. Plus, Keanu wasn¡¯t comfortable letting this guy come out of nowhere and get so close to Talia when he, more than anyone else, knew how valuable Talia¡¯s friendship and alliance were. He suspected that the young man was there just to curry favor with her.


    However, knowing that Talia didn¡¯t like when Keanu got overly worried about her, he simply gritted his teeth and focused on his own disk. If he had gone over and asked how she was doing or if everything was alright, she would have taken it the wrong way. So Keanu just steamed up his own worries and observed the two.


    Talia, completely oblivious to Keanu¡¯s preoccupation, turned to Professor Jacopo, who had just dropped the shield made of mana, and checked on her.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± the man said with a raised eyebrow and a poorly disguised smile. ¡°Very impressive, but that was the best disc I had. So, it will take a couple of days to craft a better device. I suspect we¡¯ll have to go with something more stationary. Disks are convenient, but if you plan on using oil power, considering your recent increase in charisma, you will need something sturdier.¡±


    Talia nodded and gave one last glance to Kehai before telling the professor that she was going to get changed. Everyone stared in awe at the Kraken-slayer¡¯s daughter, who had just destroyed a disc much more powerful and resilient than their own.


    The next day, Talia found Keanu waiting for her outside her door with his arms crossed and a sulkier expression than usual. They were bound for the only other class she was taking for the year: World History. And her companion seemed weirdly upset at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Talia asked. They had spent enough time together that she knew something was up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that guy,¡± Keanu said. ¡°A lot of people will look forward to exploiting your position. You shouldn¡¯t trust him, especially because he comes from a noble family.¡±


    ¡°He does?¡± Talia said, raising an eyebrow. She had spent most of the previous day alone, recuperating from the injuries she had caused herself, so she hadn¡¯t had time to ask who Kehai was.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gathered information,¡± Keanu stated with a straight face. ¡°The Kahulu family is a great family who fell apart about fifteen years ago. Their latest chosen uncle caused a blood feud in their ranks, and they haven¡¯t recovered since. The city they live in is still mostly in shambles. Think of Placid City right after the catastrophe without Professor Jacopo there to prop it up.¡±


    Talia raised an eyebrow. ¡°This Kehai,¡± she said with disdain, ¡°was a potential chosen. However, he didn¡¯t have the resources to nurture him and allow him to grow stronger. He might be interested in swaying you his way, Talia, to get a shot at reclaiming his position and restoring the glory of his family.¡±


    Talia listened to the information and nodded along. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± she asked.


    The young man was stumped by the question. ¡°What? No, of course not,¡± he replied. ¡°Why would you even ask?¡±


    ¡°You think I would let this guy take advantage of me just because he is, what, handsome?¡± Talia asked with a wrinkled forehead.


    Keanu stuttered. ¡°Well...¡±


    ¡°Well, what?¡± Talia said. ¡°I have not revealed anything to him. I have barely talked to him. I understand that Nami and Fyura like to joke and that the Water Ball might make this a good occasion for people to start speculating, but I have other priorities. I don¡¯t care about them, and neither should you. But thanks for gathering this information. At least now I know to keep my guard up.¡±


    Keanu nodded, relieved that Talia had had a very rational response and that she trusted him. As they started walking out of Professor Jacopo¡¯s school and took one of the small boats to reach another part of the lagoon where the lesson would be held, Talia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Have you thought about who you¡¯re going to ask for the Water Ball?¡±


    Keanu, who had been steering the vessel, almost dropped the long wooden paddle. He looked embarrassed.


    ¡°Nami said that if she was a man, her family would have forced her to ask me out,¡± Talia said. ¡°Would your family do the same with you?¡±


    ¡°They might have mentioned that a romantic union would cement my position at your side. But I am not just the tool of my family, Talia.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Talia said, raising her hands. ¡°And no offense, I¡¯m not interested in going to the Water Ball with my shield anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Keanu said stiffly. ¡°So, did you have anyone else in mind other than me?¡±


    Talia knew that Keanu was very sincere when it came to their partnership. He had come to the academy for her, which wasn¡¯t much different from the other nobles, and even Nami and Lilo tried to approach her for status. But Keanu demonstrated a loyalty to her that went beyond what his family had asked of him. Plus, they were united in sharing secrets about Keanu¡¯s heritage and Talia¡¯s own powers that no one else in their circle aside from Professor Jacopo knew.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Keanu said defensively.


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Talia said, seeing that Keanu was clearly getting embarrassed. ¡°You look like you gave it some thought. Who is it? Fyura? Nami?¡±


    Keanu frowned when Talia mentioned those names. ¡°Nami is a noble, Talia,¡± Keanu said matter-of-factly. ¡°I don¡¯t mingle with nobles unless it¡¯s required of me. I know you trust them. I know you trust the Moana sisters, but I trust no noble, not after what they did to my people.¡±


    Talia grimaced. Whenever nobles came up, Keanu¡¯s reaction would always be the same. ¡°Alright, alright. What about Fyura?¡±


    ¡°Fyura¡¯s character is a little...¡± Keanu¡¯s voice trailed off.


    ¡°I guess you and her have very different characters,¡± Talia nodded with a frown. Wait,¡± she said, her eyes widening. ¡°Could it be Agale?¡±


    This time, Keanu didn¡¯t say anything. He averted his gaze, and his lips became a thin line.


    ¡°It is Agale!¡± Talia smiled widely. ¡°By the Deep, that¡¯s a good match, actually. So , do you plan on asking her out?¡±


    Keanu rubbed his face and shook his head. ¡°Apparently, the tradition for the Water Ball is to ask the girl directly at the ball. Men lay a blue rose in front of the person they¡¯re interested in. And if the girl is interested, they pick up the rose of the person they want to dance with, leaving the others on the ground to be trampled by the rest of the people there.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow, I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°I just found out yesterday myself,¡± Keanu shrugged.


    ¡°Interesting tradition. Very noble-like,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°They do like trampling on people,¡± Keanu commented dryly.


    ¡°Well, I think Agale is a good match for you. You should ask her out.¡± Agale and Keanu had the same calm, reserved energy, and she was a very sweet girl. Talia could have never seen Fyura, with her fiery character, working out alongside Keanu.


    Soon, they arrived at the island where the World History lesson would be held. They tied the small boat at the docks and made their way to a peculiar building. Most buildings in the academy were large and quite majestic. This one, however, was a single house. It wasn¡¯t a complex. It wasn¡¯t a real building. It was just a house.


    Talia looked around and saw no student in sight. Usually, the popular courses would be followed by hundreds of students. Hell, if Professor Jacopo had allowed school members to attend his lessons, his own class might have swelled to north of 300 students. She saw a wisp of smoke coming out of the chimney of the house and wondered if maybe there were students already inside.


    As Talia and Keanu approached the house, the door swung open before they could knock. A man with wild gray hair and a long, unkempt beard emerged, wearing what appeared to be a robe made of different colored fabrics.


    "Ah! The Kraken Slayer''s daughter and her shield!" the man exclaimed, his eyes twinkling behind round spectacles. "Right on time! Or perhaps early? Or late? Time is such a peculiar thing, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Talia was extremely weirded out by the man, but his next words shocked them both.


    ¡°A Kaimoro and a half-blood,¡± he smiled as Mana pooled around his eyes, so dense it was visible to the two students. ¡°This is going to be a very interesting lesson.¡±

 Chapter 104 – World-History

    Professor Tukupa shoved them inside the house, which brimmed to the ceiling with books and scrolls. There was barely any space to sit, and he casually threw some books from two chairs onto a couch and had them both sit.


    "I''m Professor Tukupa," he said, "and I know you both. I also know that no one else, as customary, will come to this lesson, so we might as well start. I hate when people lose themselves in chitchat. And if you''re asking how I could see that you''re both of Kaimoro blood..." He tapped his eyes. "A little technique I discovered on my travels," he giggled.


    He took a pot of tea and poured some into two chipped cups that he offered the two students.


    "This class is called World History, but it would have been more apt to call it Ancient World History. The world history we know is made of these Abyssal Creatures and the Kraken, but neither existed a thousand years ago."


    Both Talia and Keanu held onto the cold cups of tea and frowned.


    "I know. Surprising, right?" he continued. "Well, let''s start the lesson here then. The only murals that show the presence of the Kraken and Abyssal Creatures are relatively recent. None of them are more than a thousand years old, and more importantly, there''s no written record of them before that time. To be even more precise, dungeons existed before, but Abyssal Creatures never lived outside of them."


    Professor Tukupa took a breath before continuing. "Spillage is a phenomenon that is older than a thousand years, but not Abyssal Creatures living in the Deep. This leads us to believe that both Abyssal Creatures and the Kraken were man-made, albeit we''ll come to how ''man-made'' is perhaps not the exact term, and were created artificially, so to speak."


    Moments after entering the house, this man was really making outlandish claims. Now, Talia was led to believe whatever this person was saying because he was affiliated with Professor Iakopo, who was quite eccentric himself. But if Professor Iakopo was eccentric, she didn''t have the words to describe whatever this old man was.


    "I have some records from before the time of the Kraken. Three kinds of people were mentioned in them," Professor Tukupa explained. "The Kaimoro, such as the young man here and your father, Talia. The Honua, or traditionally known as normal humans, whose nobility, if I''m correct, is in a direct line of succession with the Great Families. And then the Ao, the flying civilization."


    He paused, adjusting his spectacles. "Not many cities of theirs remain, and no descendants really. They were all poisoned by the raw Mana in their cities and became monsters, Abyssal Creatures, or a mix of the two. I am fickle with terminology at times. Pardon me."


    Keanu stiffened when the man mentioned the Ao and the flying cities.


    "Yes, young man," Professor Tukupa winked at Keanu. "I know of Aneanui, and I''m surprised your people could clean up the raw Mana residue and somehow make it inhabitable again. If you ever manage to convince them to meet me, I would love to peruse your own records."


    Keanu opened his mouth and closed it a few times, not knowing how to respond.


    "It''s not important now," Professor Tukupa waved dismissively. "Why don''t we focus instead on the Great Families for a moment? I bet both of you are quite interested, the young man in particular. The Great Families are not generating heroes because they were so courageous and greater than everyone else. They were, simply put, richer."


    "When the world was inhabited by these three races, the Honua were much more technologically advanced than the Ao and the Kaimoro, who by the way had several underwater cities that are now forever lost, I fear. The Honua, being the most technologically advanced, developed devices able to absorb Mana. These devices, as any noble knows, still condense Mana in their cities in such quantities that their children are more talented than average, and they can grow herbs and even artifacts right below their roofs without the need to adventure in the most dangerous parts of the Deep."


    Talia was having a hard time following what the man was saying and where he was going, so she had to stop him. "Sorry, Professor Tukupa. I am confused. You''re saying that there are three races of people in the world? Where?"


    The professor corrected her. "Were. But yes, so far only two survived what I would only define as the greatest catastrophe in the Great Archipelago''s entire history."


    "And what would that be?" Talia asked.


    "Well, dear, the creation of the Kraken, of course."


    Talia felt her body starting to sweat. She had asked Professor Iakopo once if the Kraken had been created by someone, but it had just been like this crazy hypothesis. Some even said that the Cultists had initially created the Kraken.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Well," the man smiled widely. "I just want to tell you, dear, these are not the lessons I usually give the students who take this course. I would keep some hints of ancient history for them, not give them the information straight. Where would be the fun in that, right? But I fear that Professor Iakopo''s threats and your own precarious position require me to be very blunt, taking away the magic from it, but perhaps offering a little more substance than I usually would."


    "So," Talia said, ignoring the man''s rambling, "who created the Kraken?"


    "Oh my. Isn''t that the most important bit of this whole thing for you?" Professor Tukupa winked at her.


    "I spent the better years of my life trying to figure this very question out," he smiled. "I know of only one person who might have reached the bottom of this interesting, fascinating, and absolutely marvelous enigma."


    Talia felt like she already knew the answer.


    "Yes, dear," Professor Tukupa read her like an open book. "Your dear mother, dear Yalena, asked me for sources, before the unfortunate events of Placid City, of course. When she was still a student, she was in her third year, I think, not that it matters now. The only one who came to my then-history class and stayed until the end. She picked up on all the hints and sort of pried knowledge from my hands. I''ve never met a person so dedicated to the study of history since your mother."


    "I know that her actions might be very controversial to some, but as a fellow scholar, I can''t but appreciate the dedication she reserved for finding out the truth about the world. I just wish she had left records of it. But at the very least, I can tell you what I told her. My research on this specific subject hasn''t advanced much in the last twenty years."


    Talia was more than fine with having, at the very least, the same starting point her mother had had when she had started researching the Kraken. In fact, this was almost more than she could have hoped for.


    "Professor Iakopo knows some of this, but not all of it. Demands too little patience for ancient history. He''s too focused on the present, not understanding how much the past weighs on it." Professor Tukupa seemed quite critical of Professor Iakopo.


    "A long time ago, the three races faced some kind of problem. The records are very skittish about mentioning which exactly the problem was. Therefore, I cannot tell for sure. I believe it was some sort of natural disaster connected to Mana and the poisoning of it. It is very well possible that the emergence of Abyssal Creatures started around that time."


    He took another sip of tea before continuing. "And in what is my leading theory, and the only theory that really is substantiated by evidence, they might have created the Kraken to keep at bay the rise of Abyssal Creatures. That would explain why the Kraken had such interesting powers," Professor Tukupa gestured toward Talia. "Being able to absorb the strength of monsters and grow stronger and stronger, paired with the sort of immortality the Kraken benefits from, would make a lot of sense if you were trying to vacuum away all these nasty creatures from the Deep."


    "What''s also evident is that their plan didn''t really come to fruition." Professor Tukupa made a small pause and then took a cup of cold tea for himself, sipping it and making a face. "My, I didn''t give you any sugar. Wait a moment."


    The man disappeared into the adjacent room, leaving Talia and Keanu alone. Several crashing sounds came from the room, and the two students looked at each other.


    "This is a lot," Talia said in a harsh whisper.


    Keanu nodded. "He sounds like he knows what he''s talking about, though."


    Despite the eccentric manners of Professor Tukupa, he clearly had insights that none of them would have ever imagined gaining, not even in years of research.


    Soon, Professor Tukupa came back and dropped two cubes of sugar into each of their cups. When the two students just stared at the professor, swirling his finger in the cold tea to let the sugar melt, they didn''t question it and started doing the same. It seemed that cutlery wasn''t going to be available for the moment.


    "I have a few names about what happened back then," Professor Tukupa said. "There was something disconnected from the actual events and only mentioned at later dates, much later, centuries later. But I believe that the three races came to an agreement. My records show that before that time, the Kaimoro and the Honua were at odds. The Kaimoro were very, very respectful of what they called the Mana tides, and were worried that the greed of the Honua, their hoarding of Mana, and the same, by the way, goes for the Ao who were more reclusive in their flying cities, would upset the natural balance of things. They also thought the actions of the Honua might have been precipitating this natural catastrophe they speak little of."


    He paused thoughtfully. "When things started getting dire, however, which is very interesting, all three races came together. I would have suspected that otherwise, the natural catastrophe might have been the work of the Honua and the Ao, but it doesn''t really make sense if they started then collaborating to resolve it."


    "The Kaimoro were most definitely the strongest in terms of magical control and technique. Living below the surface of water, they had access to more intimate connections," Professor Tukupa said, weighing his words carefully, "to the natural flows of Mana. Perhaps this allowed them to develop better techniques, or perhaps the fact that all our magic is based on water shouldn''t surprise us when those living in the water have more success with said magic. It makes sense after all."


    The professor took another sip of his tea, nodding appreciatively. Talia and Keanu too took a little sip, but both almost spat the disgusting tea on the spot. Only the presence of so many books and scattered pages stopped them from throwing the cups as far from them as they could.


    "There was a pact, and this pact was called the Sundered Seas Covenant," the professor explained. "The Sundered Seas Covenant, theoretically, was meant to create a weapon to balance the catastrophe''s outcomes and perhaps restore the normal course of life. We know that that never happened because now we live in a monster-infested world, unlike our ancestors. But the most interesting thing of all is that there are mentions of a ritual," he smiled mischievously, "to undo the Kraken."


    Talia''s eyes went wide.


    "And that, dear, is exactly the same reaction your mother had when I mentioned it to her."

 Chapter Number Mistake

    Damn it! I thought I had double-checked this, but basically, what happened with the previous chapter is that I didn''t update the number of chapters in a tab in Google Docs. I had the previous tab end with chapter 104 - world-history and the next one start with chapter 104 - departure.


    I''m really sorry you got the wrong chapter. I''ll delete that and repost it in a matter of hours.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count. Words for character count.

 Chapter 105 – Departure

    ¡°My lord, you¡¯ve received a missive from Rongo Moana.¡±


    Professor Iakopo raised his eyes to meet Saikai¡¯s, his trusted right hand. He extended his hand and took the sealed letter. Sitting in his study dealing with the organization of the school, but mostly worrying about Talia, he opened the seal, feeling the Tempest Water-attuned Mana coming from the letter. The Mana signature certified that it had indeed been written by Rongo and no one else.


    Professor Iakopo¡¯s eyes scanned the letter quickly. Then he reclined in his chair, holding the letter out for Saikai and nodding at him. Saikai took the letter and started reading it.


    ¡°He wants you alive, Professor,¡± Saikai said.


    ¡°He¡¯s only saying that there will be an attempt on my life soon. As if I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Professor Iakopo commented, tapping his knuckles on the desk.


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯re not exactly full of allies at this moment.¡±


    ¡°And you suggest I take Rongo as my ally? With all we know about him?¡±


    ¡°Lord Rongo was indeed very fond of Yalena, my lord. However, that tells us he must resent all the elders and nobles alike. And, my lord, since we¡¯re in dire need of allies... As they say, there¡¯s no better friend than an enemy of my enemy.¡±


    ¡°Have you read the entire letter, Saikai?¡± Professor Iakopo asked in a challenging tone.


    ¡°I have, my lord. I am not surprised by his request. He wants Talia to challenge the same dungeon that Yalena became famous for. One of the dungeons I could never explore unless I wanted to create a diplomatic incident. Tempest City is very jealous of their secrets.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the city nor its inhabitants are jealous of what¡¯s in that dungeon, Saikai.¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡± Saikai raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you believe this is the work of Yalena?¡±


    Professor Iakopo sighed, rubbing his face. ¡°We know very well how vicious Yalena could be, Saikai. Would it surprise you?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord. But if that was indeed the case, why would Yalena want Miss Talia to go into the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I think the answer to that is pretty simple,¡± Professor Iakopo said. ¡°Whatever is in there clearly has the key to this whole mystery. And Rongo wants me to allow Talia to clear the dungeon as part of her second year graduation dungeon. Yalena cleared it during her fourth year at the academy. It was one of the few dungeons we didn¡¯t visit together.¡± He paused thoughtfully. ¡°I wonder, perhaps, if I should disregard Rongo¡¯s words, storm Tempest City, and take a look at the dungeon for myself.¡±


    ¡°You would be left with no allies, my lord,¡± Saikai said grimly. ¡°And Rongo is probably right. We have seen much movement in the underbelly of the academy. This year is going to be the last year things stay peaceful.¡±


    ¡°Let me correct you, Saikai,¡± Professor Iakopo said, with an ironic tinge to his voice. ¡°If Rongo is right, this might very well be the last year of the Water Rider Academy.¡±


    * * *


    When Professor Tukupa had mentioned a ritual to undo the Kraken, Talia had felt a strong sense of urgency in her stomach. She knew from Professor Iakopo that her mother had found a way, she believed, to kill the Kraken. But what she hadn''t known was that the Kraken had been man-made in the first place. Apparently, someone had really believed that the Kraken would have helped while fighting Abyssal Creatures. And at some point, that same plan clearly went haywire.


    Talia didn''t know if that was the whole truth, but at least now she had clues to work from. And since she knew for a fact that her mother had visited Aneanui, the city where Keanu came from, her next step was crystal clear.


    "Are you sure?" Keanu said nervously.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Talia nodded at him. "I don''t think I need Professor Iakopo''s class. Perhaps learning how to draw more Mana would help. But right now, what I really need is to know the truth about what my mother did, about what my mother made me into," she said with a grave face.


    "The preparations are done," Keanu said. "So we don''t need to wait any longer. If you want to go," he said as they were returning from Professor Tukupa''s house, "we can go as soon as tonight."


    "Very well," Talia said. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    * * *


    Talia found Professor Iakopo in his study.


    "Professor," Talia said, standing straight. "I''m leaving tonight. Keanu has made arrangements."


    Professor Iakopo set down the letter he''d been reading. "You¡¯re going to Aneauni?"


    Aneanui, the flying city, was where Keanu came from.


    "Yes. Mom went there, and after what Professor Tukupa told us about the three races..." Talia trailed off, then met his eyes firmly. "I need answers. I know that they have the key to the Cursed Form. So, at the very least, I¡¯ll be stronger once I come back."


    ¡°You will,¡± he nodded. ¡°You should be safe there. But just in case,¡± he fished out a seashell from his pocket. ¡°Keanu won¡¯t like this, but this is a communication device and tracker that I¡¯ve imprinted with my Space Water. I will be able to come over wherever you are as long as you inject Mana in it.¡±


    Talia bid the Professor goodbye and went to her room to pack.


    * * *


    The evening air was thick with salt as Talia and Keanu made their way toward the larger docks where merchant vessels and bigger ships were moored. The setting sun painted the water in shades of amber and gold.


    "The vessel I arranged is sturdy enough for deep water," Keanu explained as they walked. "We''ll need it for where we''re going. The waters around Aneanui can quite treacherous."


    Talia adjusted the pack on her shoulder.


    "How long will it take to reach¡ª"


    "Well, well." A familiar voice cut through the evening air. "The whore''s daughter, sneaking away in the night."


    Maleko emerged between two warehouses, flanked by his two goons from earlier.


    ¡°Do you know?¡± Talia said, putting her pack on the ground and retrieving her glaive from her back. ¡°Elder Kawena wants you to die, I think.¡±


    Maleko was caught by surprise by those words. ¡°What are you saying, you stupid bitch?¡±


    ¡°Elder Kawena is a great teacher,¡± Talia commented, ¡°and she wants you to die. She wants you to die because she knows you¡¯re not as strong as me. You must know. But she knows she needs a reason to come after me. That¡¯s what you are¡ªher reason to come after me.¡±


    Maleko wasn¡¯t stupid, and when he heard those words, it made terrible sense to him. However, his eyes gleamed with malevolence as he commented, ¡°Well, that means you cannot kill me, but I can most definitely make you suffer and scream.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very wrong,¡± Talia said with a smile. ¡°I said that Elder Kawena thinks she¡¯ll be able to come after me if I kill you. But I don¡¯t think she¡¯s really understood that there won¡¯t be any of you left, not one drop of blood, when I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re strong,¡± Maleko sneered. ¡°But you clearly don¡¯t know who I am.¡±


    Suddenly, the temperature rose exponentially around them, with a few wooden crates around them spontaneously catching on fire.


    ¡°I am Maleko Kanaloa, you whore¡¯s daughter, Elder Krakatoa is my uncle. I am the Chose of the Kanaloa Family, the strongest Great Family of all, the spearhead of the North Deep.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Talia said, activating [Blood Confluence], empowering her body to resist the rise in temperature.


    ¡°I was born with a once-in-a-thousand-years special Skill,¡± he cackled, extending his arms by his side, with his goons retreating swiftly. ¡°You are about to witness the strongest Skill in the world, you stupid bitch.¡±


    Flames erupted in midair and the pavement below her feet started to crack, with rivulets of magma flowing in-between the ridges in the broken stone.


    ¡°You are about to die to my [Soul Domain],¡± he laughed. ¡°It is high time someone put an end to your disgraceful existence, Kraken¡¯s Spawn.¡±


    Talia was surprised by Maleko knowing the slur they used for her for so many years but just smiled since she was about to give him a good reason to call her that.


    ¡°[Soul Domain]?¡± Talia said, looking at the twisting environment around them and already feeling like her skin was on fire. ¡°That sounds like a very powerful Skill.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Maleko smiled evilly. ¡°I will be the strongest Kraken Slayer of my Family, ever. Greater than Kanaloa himself. Greater than Principal Kaimana. Much greater than that whore mother of yours. All of because of my Skill, which puts my Uncle¡¯s greatest powers to shame. I can influence the very fabric of reality!¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Talia smiled. ¡°I will be taking that Skill from your dead body, then.¡±


    She lunged forward and activated [Ravenous Wounds].

 Chapter 106 – Soul Domain

    ¡°You can¡¯t even grasp the extent of my ability.¡± Maleko laughed violently, slashing with his hand as Talia approached. To Talia¡¯s great surprise, flickers of superheated magma flew her way out of thin air. It was as if Maleko hadn¡¯t even needed to conjure the spell like a normal caster would have. She rolled on the ground, raising her blade when a second wave of magma tried to fry her alive while falling on her as a large blanket. Talia, pumping as much Mana as she could inside the glaive, released an enormous sickle of Blood Water that slashed through the magma and allowed her to jump away from the encroaching death, the blazing death.


    More wary than before, Talia looked around the domain and activated [Eyes of the Abyss]. She saw that a large portion of the terrain where they were staying was covered in Mana that came from Maleko. It was a scary amount of Mana. But if Maleko was indeed the chosen of the Kanaloa family, the same family of Elder Krakatoa, the man who had been her mother¡¯s shield, then it didn¡¯t surprise her that he had such tremendous reserves. Nobles like him were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and all the best resources and environment in order to grow as strong as possible. And she knew now that the dominance of the Great Families tracked back a thousand years and more, possibly even before the appearance of the Kraken.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Maleko taunted, expanding his [Soul Domain] and collapsing the two warehouse structures beside them. ¡°You said you would take the Skill from my dead body, you little monster. Show me what you¡¯re capable of.¡±


    Pillars of flame erupted from the ground around Talia, forcing her on the move. She tried anticipating where the attacks would appear with [Eyes of the Abyss], trying to guess where the flows of Mana came from in Maleko¡¯s [Soul Domain]. But not even her Skill could guess where his next attack would come from. One moment, there was no indication that an attack was on the way. The next, the Mana would coalesce from the domain into an attack. It was perhaps even more terrifying than the Sword Demon¡¯s signature Skill, [Silver Mist].


    Maleko could not only draw upon magma and flames. Talia felt a whip of scorching air hitting her right in the chest, searing her abdomen and making her scream in pain. Keanu balled his fists, but he could do nothing. He could feel that even just entering the [Soul Domain] of Maleko would have killed him. In fact, if Talia didn¡¯t have her vitality, she would have died seconds into this fight.


    Maleko raised both his hands and summoned a rain of fireballs in the sky, the barrage peppering the ground where Talia stood. There were so many that Talia knew unless she did something, she would be killed. So she activated the Skill that she had gotten from fighting the Slashing Crusher Boss, [Tailwind]. Even though she didn¡¯t have Wind Water as an affinity, she was still able to draw on the incredible power of the Skill, and she felt her own Mana opening up the air and pulling her forward as her speed increased dramatically.


    Now with her speed increased and her ability to release larger Mana attacks after putting herself through excruciating pain during Professor Iakopo¡¯s lesson, she managed to, at the very least, stay alive.


    ¡°Is this all?¡± Maleko repeated. ¡°I heard that the whore¡¯s daughter can wield Dark Water. Why don¡¯t you show me?¡±


    Talia was tempted to immediately activate the [Cursed Form]. She knew that she would have been likely able to make a run for Maleko and cut him down before he realized what had happened. However, tendrils of blood from [Ravenous Wounds] sneaked around her skin like tentacles, hungry for flesh. The only thing that allowed her to keep her mind clear and straight was the great number of Charisma Attributes she had gotten it the Abyssal Jaw Dungeon.


    Talia knew that [Soul Domain] was too powerful, she couldn¡¯t let it go. She needed to become as strong as she could before she found the full truth about her mother. Any level, any attributes, any Skill would have made the difference between life and death. And even though Talia had never consumed a human before, this felt the exact moment when to change her eating habits.


    And even though she knew this was going to soon turn ugly, she embraced the gory solution she had just thought of. She kept dodging, relying on [Tailwind] and [Blood Confluence] to empower her speed and constitution. But most importantly, she slowly made her way to the side of the domain where the two goons were watching with crossed arms, observing the attacks that Maleko was unleashing upon Talia, knowing that it was just a matter of time before the auburn-haired girl would die.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    When Maleko raised a giant wave of magma, trying to smother Talia and fry her alive, he temporarily lost sight of her. And when the avalanche of magma dispersed, his eyes went wide. Talia had gotten close enough to the two goons that she had unleashed two swift sickles of Blood Water, much larger and stronger than they could ever hope to survive. Immediately after, as their bodies were cut down, [Ravenous Wounds] had latched onto them, pumping their Stamina, vitality, and Mana through [Magic Funnel] into her body.


    But most importantly, one of Talia¡¯s strongest Skills was finally getting its dues. Talia felt [Ika Toto - Blood Tide] surge with power as the corpses of the two goons were torn to shreds by the tendrils of blood. All of that counted toward the Skill, which suddenly made Talia¡¯s muscles swell. Her blood pumped faster. Her heart beat stronger.


    Maleko clearly cared about the two, who might have even been either his shield or strike team. Their loss made him crazed. He started gathering a much larger amount of Mana than Talia had seen before. He started swirling his hands, generating an immense ring of fire that threatened to encompass the whole [Soul Domain].


    ¡°You¡¯re about to die, you wretched monster. You Kraken-loving bitch,¡± Maleko snarled. ¡°No one has ever survived this.¡±


    The swirling ring of fire suddenly took the shape of a massive drake, and Maleko shouted the Skill out loud.


    ¡°[Ahi Manu]!¡± Maleko screamed, and the giant ring of fire fully coalesced into a snake-like mythical dragon, whose eyes shone like resplendent rubies. The attack made a beeline for Talia, and it was several times taller than her, impossible to dodge.


    Maleko watched as the giant attack swallowed Talia alive and melted the stone beneath her. [Ahi Manu] was the strongest Skill besides [Soul Domain], and the two could be combined since [Soul Domain] enhanced the power of all its other attacks on top of acting like a reality distortion where all Mana was at his service.


    What happened next made the scream of victory die in his throat. A black flash broke through the [Ahi Manu]¡¯s body. More and more projections of dark light came through the giant dragon-like construct until it shattered into a million pieces, consumed as if the sun itself had been devoured by Talia¡¯s attack.


    When Maleko blinked next, he saw many runes over the girl¡¯s body and tremendous power brimming from her. He kept attacking, knowing that she had just used her own trump card, and it had somehow obliterated his. But now the attacks just evaporated when they touched her skin, and Talia walked almost slowly up to him.


    Maleko tried everything. Magma, superheated air, flames hotter than anyone could have survived. But it did nothing to Talia, who was trembling with the instinct to consume Maleko through her Dark Water. When she came up to him and clamped her hand on his throat, raising him into the air, Maleko saw a struggle behind her pupils.


    ¡°The Skill,¡± Talia growled with a voice that didn¡¯t sound like hers. ¡°The Skill,¡± she snarled like a feral beast.


    Dark Water had sucked all the Mana out of Maleko¡¯s body, and he couldn¡¯t even move. He felt the steel grip of the girl about to snap his neck. Then, however, he saw the runes on Talia¡¯s skin starting to recede, slowly gathering around her eyes. Only now he noticed that her hair had changed color. It had become white. And now slowly but surely, it was regaining its auburn and reddish accents.


    After perhaps a minute, all the runes had been sucked into Talia¡¯s eyes as she stood, still holding Maleko in a sure grip. He breathed in relief. She could have maybe killed his shield, but she couldn¡¯t kill him without creating a major political incident. No sane person would have ever done something like that. If she did, she was as good as dead. Not even Professor Iakopo would be able to protect her.


    Therefore, he reasoned, she must have stopped whatever evil power she had because she knew she couldn¡¯t deliver the final blow to him. Despite the fact that he had been about to kill her and mock her mother, this was the real difference between being a noble and a commoner. He had an entire family behind him ready to go to war over his death. What did Talia have?


    But then Talia, whose glaive she had left on the ground behind after dispelling the [Ahi Manu], extended her hand to the side.


    ¡°[Recall],¡± she said, and the glaive appeared in her hand. Before Maleko could understand what was happening, Talia had pierced his chest and his heart with the large blade.


    ¡°Great Skill,¡± she whispered in his ear, still breathing heavily. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    And then she called forth her Skill.


    ¡°[Ravenous Wounds].¡±

 Chapter 107 – The Vertical Shore

    [You have slain Fire Pillar Level 27!]


    [You have slain Magma Summoner Level 24!]


    [You have slain Magma Overlord Level 37!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 29!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 30!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [You gain one Talent Tree Point!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 31!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 32!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [Lifestealer reaches Level 33!]


    [You gain two Free Attributes!]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 24 Magma Summoner Life Force.]


    [+97 to your Primary Mana Channel (421/1000 to Level Six)]


    [+5 to your Constitution]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 27 Fire Pillar Life Force.]


    [+165 to your Primary Mana Channel (586/1000 to Level Six)]


    [+4 to your Charisma]


    [You have absorbed Lv. 37 Magma Overlord Life Force.]


    [+650 to your Primary Mana Channel (1000/1000 to Level Six)]


    [Primary Mana Channel (236/3000 to Level Seven)]


    [+12 to your Intelligence]


    [+8 to your Wisdom]


    [You have absorbed a Skill from Magma Overlord.]


    [You have learned ¡®Soul Domain.¡¯]


    [Primary Mana Channel has reached Level 6!]


    [You have absorbed Skill: Soul Domain]


    [Soul Domain has been added to your Skill list]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide reaches Level 18!]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide reaches Level 19!]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide reaches Level 20!]


    [You gain one Talent Tree Point!]


    [Ika Toto - Blood Tide reaches Level 21!]


    [Magic Funnel reaches Level 13!]


    [Eyes of the Abyss reaches Level 18!]


    [Eyes of the Abyss reaches Level 19!]


    [Eyes of the Abyss reaches Level 20!]


    [You gain one Talent Tree Point!]


    [You have fed Star Glaive excess Vitality!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 8!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 9!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 10!]


    [You gain one Talent Tree Point!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 11!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 12!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 13!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 14!]


    [Ravenous Wounds reaches Level 15!]


    [Name: Talia]


    [Age: 17]


    [Class: Lifestealer Lv. 33]


    [Rank: Adept]


    [Primary Mana Channel (Water): Level 6 {Flowing}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Blood): Level 7 {Surging}]


    [Secondary Mana Channel (Dark Water): Level 3 {Awakened}]


    [Core Skill #1: Blood Siphon Lv. 27]


    [Core Skill #2: Hemomancy Lv. 28]


    [Core Skill #3: Eyes of the Abyss Lv. 20]


    [Auxiliary Skill #1: Missile Swimming Lv. 28]


    [Auxiliary Skill #2: Crimson Wisdom Lv. 16]


    [Auxiliary Skill #3: Blood Confluence Lv. 18]


    [Auxiliary Skill #4: Tailwind Lv. 5]


    [Auxiliary Skill #5: Ika Toto - Blood Tide Lv. 18]


    [Auxiliary Skill #6: Magic Funnel Lv. 12]


    [Auxiliary Skill #7: Soul Domain Lv. 1]


    [Form Skill #1: Cursed Form Lv. 5]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Agility: 7]


    [Constitution: 8]


    [Intelligence: 13]


    [Wisdom: 8]


    [Charisma: 37]


    [Free Attributes: 10]


    [Talent Trees:


    Bloodborne Warrior (1)


    Carmine Thunder (1)


    Sanguine Guardian (1)


    Hemomantic Artisan (1)


    Crimson Sage (1)


    Life Thief (1)


    ]


    [Free Talent Points: 10]


    The heat from Maleko''s domain finally dissipated as the last of his power was absorbed into Talia''s body, which also processed the other kills.


    She screamed in a near-ecstasy state and fell to the ground, convulsing. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The rush of vitality, power, and everything else that she was feeling right now completely overwhelmed her senses. Only after several minutes did her body, which had been shut down by the sensory overload, return to her control.


    She stood there, breathing heavily, as Keanu cautiously approached. The blood tendrils from [Ravenous Wounds] had already receded, leaving behind only sludge in place of the corpses of her opponents and the devastated and partially on-fire dockyard around them.


    Talia had never felt like that while absorbing a monster, which might have been because monsters used Raw Mana to power themselves, and even Talia could only absorb so much of it. Instead, humans used regular, refined Mana. So, absorbing a monster was to taking a person¡¯s vitality what dirty water was to ambrosia.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Keanu asked, maintaining his distance. ¡°Do you need the bindings?¡±


    Talia coughed and shook her head, slowly getting up.


    ¡°We need to move,¡± Keanu said urgently, extending a hand to Talia and helping her up. Someone would have noticed the commotion. Indeed, yells could be heard in the distance even though this was a minor dock. They had chosen it because of its anonymity. The orange glow of the fires Maleko had started was beginning to draw attention.


    Talia went to grab her pack from where she¡¯d dropped it earlier, and they hurried toward the vessel. It was a single-mast boat, barely fifteen feet long.


    ¡°It¡¯s reinforced,¡± Keanu explained as they boarded.


    As they prepared the vessel, a dark figure made a silent leap from the adjacent dock, landing noiselessly in the stern¡¯s shadow.


    Keanu worked quickly raising the sail while Talia pushed them away from the dock with an oar. The small vessel caught the evening breeze, made smoky by the nearby fires, and began carrying them through the waters. They were tense for the better part of two hours, thinking that any Water Rider could have followed them out there. However, as they got further and further from the Water Rider Academy, they realized that no one had followed them.


    ¡°Most graduates are out,¡± Keanu said. ¡°The academy is basically working on a skeleton crew.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Talia frowned. She had heard that even several professors had left to take care of dungeons. ¡°Hopefully it will be just an anomaly of this year,¡± she said hopefully.


    After a while, Keanu gave her a long glance. ¡°What about the consequences for killing Maleko?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to abuse Professor Iakopo¡¯s protection, but he can take care of Elder Kawena.¡±


    ¡°And what about Maleko¡¯s family?¡±


    Talia shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll leave them to Professor Iakopo as well.¡±


    ¡°I imagine the man won¡¯t be too happy that you killed the dude without a second thought.¡±


    ¡°Oh, believe me, I had second thoughts,¡± Talia sighed. ¡°But let me tell you what I just got from the kills.¡±


    She relayed all the notifications she had received, and Keanu¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°By the Deep,¡± the young man said, putting a hand by his temple and dropping the spell that changed his eye color, now sending back Talia¡¯s gaze with eyes that matched the intense blue of hers. ¡°I mean, if it had been me,¡± Keanu admitted, ¡°I¡¯d be tempted to kill a lot of assholes right now. Those gains are telling.¡±


    Aside from the leveling, which anyone else could have gotten, what really stood out was the amount of attributes and the fact that she had stolen an extremely rare Skill that she could use with her Blood Water. Attributes specifically were very hard to get, and they had always been one of the main reasons Talia¡¯s Blood Siphon and Ravenous Wounds were so broken. It was actually insane to think she had absorbed more than twenty attributes from three kills of boys that hadn¡¯t even graduated. Sure, they had been much stronger than any other second-year students since it included a chosen. But how strong would Talia have grown in a short amount of time if she started killing people at level 40 or level 50? The thought was disconcerting.


    More importantly, the advances in her Primary Mana Channel had been insane. She had gotten almost a full level just from the three kills. If she killed a professor or, Deep forbid, an elder, would she just gain a level 8 or level 9 Primary Mana Channel overnight? And what if she killed two or three?


    Keanu patted Talia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it before you might want to kill me,¡± he told her.


    Talia tried laughing at the joke, but it came out forced. Perhaps it had been naive of her not to use Ravenous Wounds on a person before, especially a cultist, to try to see how strong it was. She shook her head.


    ¡°Well, if other assholes throw themselves in our way, I¡¯ll feel less guilty about having to kill them,¡± she said.


    ¡°I admire your restraint,¡± Keanu smiled. ¡°Anyway, there are a few things you should know about Aneanui.¡±


    Talia nodded. Keanu told her that Aneanui, the flying city, which she now knew had been founded by a colony of Ao, the people of the sky, was where his people hid.


    ¡°So how are we gonna reach it, first of all?¡± Talia asked.


    Keanu took out a compass from his pocket. ¡°This shows the position of Aneanui at all times. Once we¡¯re in range, there is a simple ritual that draws on the city¡¯s Mana reserves that will bring us up.¡±


    ¡°What I wanted to talk about,¡± Keanu said, ¡°isn¡¯t this. It¡¯s about my people, Talia. There are things you need to know before we go up. You have grown up being disparaged, being treated like a monster. So maybe you will be able to understand better than anyone else the kind of people you will meet there.¡±


    She cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°My people are not children of Kraken Slayers. They never had a moment of respite. Whenever Kaimoro emerged in numbers, they have been slaughtered by the Great Families. It¡¯s because of the knowledge we hold. In fact, if the Great Families knew the kind of things that Professor Tukupa told us, they would definitely kill him too. My people fully believe that the Great Families and all the nobles in the Four Seas are behind the slaughter of my people.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Talia frowned.


    ¡°So they will want you to be aligned to our cause before you get anything out of them.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s reasonable,¡± Talia said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I like many nobles myself, Keanu. Nami and Lilo being the only exceptions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that my people like the idea of exceptions.¡±


    ¡°Well, they will have to deal with it,¡± Talia replied. ¡°Plus, I just killed the chosen of the Kanaloa family. That should earn me some points with them, shouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It will certainly do,¡± Keanu nodded pensively.


    * * *


    Keanu navigated the vessel with Talia¡¯s help for two straight days, getting very little sleep in between. Finally, as he looked into the clear expanse of blue in front of them with the compass open in his hand, he nodded, relieved. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Talia was happy. They had finally gotten to the destination. Manning the entire vessel with only two people had been quite tiring. Honestly, she almost resented Keanu for its secrecy, but she understood that no one was to be brought to Aneanui, the flying city.


    ¡°Well, can we just take off?¡± She mimicked a flying gesture.


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Keanu said, taking out a purple stone from his pocket, kissing it, and throwing it in front of the vessel.


    Talia frowned at the gesture, but she was so tired that she had no intention of processing whatever weird mechanism would start carrying the boat upward. A few instances later, the water in front of them started bubbling madly and then rising and rising until it formed an almost vertical path upward. An old vertical path leading toward the sparse clouds above.


    ¡°What?¡± Talia said, looking confused at the water. ¡°How is that going to carry us to the city?¡±


    ¡°Grab something,¡± Keanu said, sitting in front of the helm and clutching the rail behind it tightly.


    Talia had barely the time to grab the mast as the water picked up the boat and turned it vertically, slowly lifting it onto the water road that led to the sky.


    ¡°Damn you,¡± Talia said, hugging the mast as her legs started flinging in the air. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I knew it would be fun,¡± Keanu smiled, his back against the railing, comfortable as he half sat, half lied down while the boat went up.


    Talia hung onto the mast, using it as a stool to sit down and gaze upward. This road of water was a thing of beauty. Unlike the Deep, the water was translucent, transparent, and it felt like a dream as the boat inched forward toward the skies.


    ¡°Is it normal that the city is not here?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t see the city from below,¡± Keanu said. ¡°It would be too easy to spot.¡±


    Talia, not fully convinced, activated [Eyes of the Abyss], seeing a massive amount of Mana flowing into the water that was carrying them toward wherever the city was hiding. But even with [Eyes of the Abyss], she couldn¡¯t make out much other than a shimmering patch in the sky that seemed to be charged with Mana. From this distance, she couldn¡¯t really make out anything.


    She looked back at Keanu with [Eyes of the Abyss] still active and then scrunched her brows. She looked at her glaive on the side of the boat, secured against the railing. Then she made a split-second decision.


    Talia jumped from the mast, getting to the side railing where now, through [Eyes of the Abyss], she could make out a clear figure. She swung her fist with all her strength, punching the solar plexus of the intruder.


    ¡°Talia, what are you doing?¡± Keanu shouted, seeing his friend swing wildly at the air, risking going overboard.


    But a second later, a sputtering male figure appeared on the boat, previously invisible.


    Talia grabbed the railing with one hand and with the other, the robe of the man. ¡°You!¡± she shouted in a space.


    Kehai coughed as he tried recovering from the blow that the girl had just delivered to him. ¡°You are really strong,¡± he said, wheezing between words.


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡± she shouted, alarmed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should we throw him out?¡± Talia said, half panicked, not really knowing what to do.


    ¡°And let me die here?¡± Kehai said.


    ¡°What were you doing on the boat?¡± Talia retorted.


    ¡°I was following Maleko, and I thought you would have needed help with the battle, which¡ªmy bad. I didn¡¯t know you were so terrifying.¡± He turned and spat a glob of blood into the translucent water below. ¡°Then when I saw you boarding the ship, I thought you would be having a short trip somewhere interesting, and I just wanted to tag along. I didn¡¯t plan to stay hidden for two entire days. But, well, here we are.¡±


    Talia looked at the man¡¯s icy blue eyes, furious. ¡°Keanu, what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Can you deactivate the lift?¡± Talia asked Keanu.


    ¡°No,¡± Keanu said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll figure it out once we¡¯re above,¡± Kehai said, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna create problems. I¡¯ve heard a few interesting things.¡± He mimicked a key turning around his cheek as if he was locking his mouth.


    Talia looked toward Keanu for approval, but Keanu shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s a noble. They will grill him until they find out, and once they do, they will kill him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not ideal,¡± Kehai replied with a worried face.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Keanu warned both of them.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come here, you idiot,¡± Talia said, feeling rage coursing through her body. ¡°You arrogant little piece of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Talia,¡± Keanu interrupted her series of curses. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°You just hide and don¡¯t leave the boat.¡±


    ¡°You heard the man,¡± Kehai replied.


    Talia raised a fist in front of Kehai¡¯s face and then just jumped back on the mast. She looked at the cocky, arrogant young man slowly shimmering out of existence, becoming invisible once again. And once he was gone, she didn¡¯t feel anything. Not even her developed Mana senses could perceive his hidden presence. In fact, if she hadn¡¯t had [Eyes of the Abyss], she would have never noticed that Kehai had somehow boarded the ship.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to land,¡± Keanu said, and Talia turned her eyes upward.


    She saw as if a veil had just been lifted slowly. A majestic city, half swallowed by vegetation and the other half in ruin, appeared before them.

 Chapter 108 – The Vertical Shore, Part 2

    The vertical road of water deposited their vessel onto a modest dock that jutted out from the floating city. A small gathering of people had already assembled, their thin frames a stark contrast to what Talia was used to seeing in the archipelago. Even in the poorest islands she''d visited, people were usually well-fed thanks to the abundance of fish and Mana-enriched vegetation.


    "The city requires most of our Mana," Keanu explained quietly as they approached the dock, noticing her studying the gathered crowd. "The enchantments that keep us airborne and hidden from the world below consume almost everything we can generate. What little remains must be carefully rationed between basic needs and maintaining what''s left of the old buildings."


    Talia nodded, taking in the ancient structures around them. Grand architecture from a forgotten era stood half-consumed by creeping vines and weather-worn stone. Only a handful of modest dwellings showed signs of current habitation, cleared of vegetation and carefully maintained despite their obvious age.


    A tall man with Keanu''s sharp features broke from the crowd, embracing his son with visible relief.


    "Welcome home," he said, his voice thick with emotion. When he pulled back, his eyes fell on Talia. "I am Ka''imi, Keeper of the Western Quarter. My son spoke of you in his messages." He gave a slight bow. "The daughter of Yalena is welcome among the Kaimoro."


    "Thank you," Talia said, acutely aware of the invisible presence still hiding on their vessel. She could feel the weight of the gathered people''s stares, their gaunt faces a reminder of the hardships they endured to maintain their independence from the Great Families.


    "The Ko''a wishes to speak with you," Ka''imi said, gesturing toward one of the larger structures that stood proudly against the endless sky. "She is the one who taught Keanu the secrets of luminescent water, and she has been anticipating your arrival."


    "The Ko''a?" Talia asked, glancing at Keanu.


    "Our shaman," Keanu explained. "Mo''ira. She''s... well, you''ll see."


    They made their way through what must have once been a magnificent city. Now, most of the grand buildings lay in various states of decay, with only the areas immediately surrounding the inhabited sections maintained enough for safe passage. Small gardens were scattered wherever space allowed, but the plants looked stunted, struggling to grow in the Mana-depleted soil.


    The temple where Mo''ira waited was perhaps the best-kept piece of evidence of this city¡¯s former glory. This one building had been restored with as much care as the inhabitants of Aneanui had been capable of. When Talia briefly activated [Eyes of the Abyss], she saw it shining like the sun, the center of all the Mana that flowed into the city.


    I think that¡¯s where they control the various enchantments and spells from, she realized.


    "She''s waiting inside," Ka''imi said, stopping at the temple steps. "Go on. The Ko''a doesn''t like to be kept waiting."


    Talia stepped into the temple, the temperature noticeably cooler than outside. Patches of luminescent water cast a soft blue glow across the stone walls, creating strange shadows that danced as she walked deeper inside.


    At the far end of the chamber, a woman sat cross-legged on a simple mat. Her silver hair seemed to capture and reflect the blue light around them, making it difficult for Talia to guess her age.


    "Closer," the woman said, her voice clear and sharp. When Talia approached, she could see that Mo''ira''s eyes were the same intense blue as Keanu''s - the true color of the Kaimoro people. "I am Mo''ira, Ko''a of what remains of our people. And you," she tilted her head slightly, "carry more than just your mother''s looks."


    Talia stopped a few paces from the mat. "You knew my mother?"


    "I knew of her. Just as I know of you..." Mo''ira''s eyes seemed to pierce through her. "Vo''ra''s blood runs strong in your veins, though perhaps not in the way the old ones intended."


    What is she talking about? Vo''ra, who is that? Talia wondered. She had never heard that name¡ªnot from Keanu, not from Professor Tukupa, not from Professor Iakopo. But if there was a place to find answers, this was it.


    "Vo''ra?" Talia asked. She had been herded into the temple without any time to get acclimated to this new place. But if she had to guess, these people must be in a hurry to solve their problems. And from what Keanu said, they saw Talia as the key to their future.


    "How much do you know about what your people called the Kraken?"


    Talia frowned.


    "I know that the Kraken was created by people. It wasn''t a beast that just spawned out of nowhere."


    "The Ho''olakanaka," the woman shifted slightly on her mat as she pronounced the name. "The Bringer of Life," she said. "What the Honua half of your blood calls the Scourge of the Deep."


    Talia just stared at the woman.


    "Are you implying that the Kraken is not a monster?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ''Bringer of Life'' doesn''t sound like an ominous name, in fact, she thought, confused.


    Could it be? Could the monster that terrified the Great Archipelago have been created for good?


    "A thousand years ago," Mo''ira spoke, "the Kaimoro, the Honua, and the Ao joined in the Sundered Seas Covenant after the Honua and the Ao almost destroyed the world with their greed. Their machines and their technology¡ªthe very filthy spells that we now must use to live in hiding in this city¡ªthey altered the balance of the world.


    "We knew," the woman continued, "that a catastrophe was coming. Terrifying monsters started emerging¡ªmore terrifying than the Ho¡¯olakanaka. The kind of nightmare that the Honua must have forgotten about. The kind that would be able to destroy the entire Great Archipelago."


    Talia felt a shiver down her spine. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Stronger than the Kraken?


    "So the Kraken was created to battle these monsters?"


    Mo''ira shook her head.


    "The Ho''olakanaka was created to keep the balance in the world. It was meant to rebuild it by means of destroying the monsters. The greatest sorcerer in the world¡¯s history and greatest wielder of Dark Water, Vo''ra, crafted the ritual that gave life to the Ho''olakanaka."


    "The Honua and the Ao infused their greatest knowledge for the creature to slay the monsters that started ravaging the Great Archipelago. The ancestors of the Great Families infused the greatest techniques of Blood Water that they knew through the ritual they evolved, giving the Kraken the great power to absorb and redistribute life. The Ao, in their vast knowledge about Mana, gave the Ho''olakanaka a form that, paired with the Honua''s Blood Water, would make it indestructible. And they sealed it together with Star Water."


    Talia''s eyes went wide.


    "Star Water?"


    Mo''ira nodded.


    "Your mother had both Honua and Ao blood running in her veins. It''s very rare. Many don''t know that the only way to master certain affinities is to have the natural predisposition of it that is born from one''s blood."


    "So my mother wielded Star Water because she was an Ao?"


    Mo''ira shook her head, her silvery hair swaying around her neck.


    "Your mother did wield Star Water, but she had also mastered Blood Water by the time she faced the Kraken."


    Talia was stunned hearing that. She had never heard that her mother had mastered Blood Water. She had always thought that her having the Blood Water affinity was because she was somehow related to the Kraken, perhaps because of the inheritance phenomenon that Professor Iakopo had described to her¡ªthat her mother, by killing the Kraken, had managed to pass the affinity onto her. But she also knew that it wasn''t uncommon for children of someone with multiple affinities to inherit only one to start with, which would explain why she had inherited Blood Water.


    "The Kaimoro gave the Kraken the power to destroy so they could slay the monsters. We wielded the most dangerous magic, the one that now has been lost to time. And currently, only two people wield it in the entire Great Archipelago." Mo''ira''s eyes bore into Talia. "You and your father."


    ¡°I have a technical question,¡± Talia said.


    ¡°Please,¡± the woman gestured for her to say what she was thinking.


    ¡°How can the Kraken absorb things if it¡¯s using Dark Water? When I used Dark Water, I can¡¯t absorb anything. Dark Water destroys the vitality that would have to be absorbed through my other Skills.¡±


    ¡°That is because your power is incomplete. Unlike the Ho¡¯olakanaka, it hasn¡¯t been merged together fully.¡±


    So I could potentially wiled the Cursed Form and use my Skills?


    "Mo''ira," Talia backtracked. "Wait. Why didn''t Mom tell anyone about Blood Water? How come no one told me? How come no one knew?"


    "No one knew what your mother was really trying to do. But the same people that were after her knew what she needed in order to complete her goal."


    Talia frowned. "What?"


    "Your mother," the woman said, "knew that if she revealed that she had mastered Blood Water, she might have gotten killed before completing her self-imposed mission."


    "What was her mission?" Talia asked.


    For the first time, the serene countenance of the woman cracked, and a regretful twinkle traveled through her eyes.


    "I do not know. Your mother was secretive beyond even our people''s ways. She refused to tell me. She assured me that she was working for a world where the Kaimoro would be able to live in peace. And she killed some of the rich nobles that had been on our tracks, proving without a shadow of a doubt her pure intentions toward my people."


    "My mother killed a lot of people," Talia said, knowing what had really happened in Placid City.


    "I know the event you''re referencing, young Talia. And I know you think you probably know better than your mother. While I cannot tell you whether you''re right or wrong, as the leader of my people, I''ve learned that we need to doubt our strongest-held beliefs the most. Yalena was vicious, but she was no fool, and she was no tyrant."


    "Do you know how she died?" Talia suddenly asked.


    Once again, Mo''ira shook her head.


    "No. I only know that she visited the Forbidden Vessel, found what she was looking for, and left."


    "The Forbidden Vessel?"


    Mo''ira nodded.


    "Before I tell you about it, know that it was my people who infused Dark Water inside the Kraken, but one of the three races betrayed the others, and the Sundered Sea Covenant came apart. The Kraken, as the Honua call it now, went mad and started slaughtering indiscriminately. At first, we were the ones who had to kill the Kraken because we were the only ones capable of wielding Dark Water¡ªthe only type of magic the Kraken couldn''t adapt to. We planned on slowly containing the Kraken so that the true purpose of the Ho''olakanaka could be restored.


    "But a great war erupted. As more Abyssal Creatures rose from the abyss, the Honua started slaughtering the Kaimoro. The Ao went mad with corruption. Now that the Kraken was in the Deep, the richest region in Mana, they had managed to siphon even more energy from the waters below. The Kraken liberated energy from monsters that the Honua and the Ao managed to employ for their own uses. And so civilization came apart."


    "The Great War destroyed everything, everyone because of the power that the Ho¡¯olakanaka liberated onto the world¡ªmore Mana than anyone else had ever seen. So, in the aftermath of the war, most knowledge was lost. My people split and tried to find refuge, but only we survived the onslaught and the persecutions that came even in the wake of all that death. The Honua were the only ones who managed to stay strong even though they lost a lot of what made them great back then. But they were the ones who managed to slay the Kraken and restore this precarious peace."


    "However," Mo''ira continued, "all the signs pointed to increased corruption in the Deep, to a new catastrophe approaching. Your mother knew about it, and she claimed to have found a way to put an end to it all. But she refused to share what she had found out. She refused to even share who her enemies were and what their plans had been."


    "She took my son¡¯s mind," Mo''ira said with a heavy tone and put a hand through her hair, revealing a few red strands in between the silver mane. "She found one of the ancient rituals, a method born of desperation from my people, a safeguard in case we ever lost our great magic. And so she gave him the great powers that she needed in order to complete her mission."


    Talia felt as if lightning had struck and looked at the woman in disbelief.


    "You''re my father''s mother. You are¡ª"


    "I am your grandmother, Talia. I cast my son away in hope that he would find a better life outside Aneanui. A lone Kaimoro is not a threat big enough for our persecutors to act. But without the rest of our ancient techniques, Dark Water consumed my son and warped his mind." She saw pain contorting the face of the woman. "How ironic that the descendants of Vo''ra, the great sorcerer, couldn''t grasp Dark Water, and it took a half-breed, half-Honua, half-Ao, to somehow grant you control over the power."


    Talia looked stunned.


    "And now the last piece that brings all together, a relic from times forgotten where people had mastered Dark Water''s incredible aspects before. A crew of half-Honua, half-Kaimoro crafted one of the most devastating spells in existence, the same spell that the Kraken used to be able to wield both Dark Water and absorb the powers of its enemies, something that surpassed even the base ritual that created the Kraken when it comes to refinement. And we still have their vessel, which turned, ironically, into a dimensional dungeon where their secrets are held."


    "And now, you, my granddaughter, are the only one who can wield such a technique in the entire world. Only you. My son doesn''t have Blood Water, and he can never wield another affinity again. Whatever inheritance your mother passed upon you, it made you the only one capable of wielding the heritage of the first slayers of the Ho¡¯olakanaka¡ªthe only ones of my people that ever equalled the beast in pure strength. The Cursed Crew. The alliance that kept peace for almost a century before war destroyed civilization."

 Chapter 109 – Aneanui

    Kehai looked around the docks, and once he ascertained that the coast was clear, he jumped off the boat. He had never been in a city that was half-swallowed by vegetation. Before coming to the Water Rider Academy, he had quite a few adventures on his own, which was why he had put most of his Talent Tree points into the agility-based Talent Tree, Carmine Thunder.


    The fourth Skill he had unlocked, [Life Cloak], could completely erase his presence, and he was very glad to have spent eight Talent Points for it. He got endless use of the Skill, and it had definitely saved his life countless times while he was out at sea, trying to figure out how he could reclaim the life he knew he should have had.


    Kehai''s family, the Kahala family, was in a great state of disrepair. Not only had it lost most of its resources, but it had also lost most of its connections with the rest of the Great Families. After what some called Aleki''s betrayal, everything had fallen apart. His uncle had been too greedy. When the Kraken had disappeared at the hand of the Last Slayer, Yalena Solara, he had lost his mind. He had wanted to completely take over the family since he now couldn''t be the martyr he was supposed to be.


    Drunk on the power of his position, Aleki had tried to take over his brother, who had not become his shield but instead been chosen to lead the Kahala family and raise their next chosen. However, by the time the blood feud was finally put to rest, his family had nothing left.


    Kehai had gone to sea on his own, trying to gain levels, trying to become stronger. But he had soon hit a wall and had to resign himself to the fact that he needed to go to the Water Rider Academy for more opportunities. His family kept getting in touch with him, but he couldn''t stand how they had handled the whole ordeal.


    He had been barely a child. But when he had finally discovered that it wasn''t just his uncle who had been a power-grabbing, arrogant bastard, but also his own father and mother who had completely refused to find any compromise that would guarantee the survival of the family¡ªinstead drawing a hard line that benefited no one¡ªhe just felt robbed. He felt robbed of all the opportunities he would have had, all the resources, all the guidance, the artifacts.


    So he had nothing but his Skills. And while he was strong, he was probably barely bottom of the barrel when it came to chosen fighters. His family had last contacted him, trying to tell him that they were making arrangements to receive more resources and that he should come back¡ªthat he shouldn''t actually go to the Water Academy. But he considered them a bunch of fools, and he had decided to strike out on his own.


    Still, whenever he was alone, hidden away from the eyes of others through [Life Cloak], he couldn''t help but feel better. He couldn''t help but envision the kind of life he would have had if things had not gone the way they did.


    Now he looked around Aneanui. He had been on a few strange islands, but this¡ªthis was big. Aneanui, the flying city. And with the history that Talia and Keanu had been talking about, Kehai figured that there could be some big opportunities here for him.


    * * *


    Talia stared at her grandmother as she moved her hand to dispel a rivulet of incense fumes that had wandered her way. The strong smell of incense and burning spices in the temple was nauseating. Or maybe it was just the fact that Talia¡¯s world had been turned upside down. She had just found out that this woman in front of her was her grandmother, that she, Talia, was apparently of three different races, two of which she hadn¡¯t even known about.


    Her mother had been Honua, which in Talia¡¯s mind just meant human, and Ao, the people of the sky, while her father was full Kaimoro. That meant that Talia possessed not one, not two, but three heritages.


    ¡°So,¡± Talia said, trying to get it right, ¡°after the Kraken was created, a crew copied the same technique that the Kraken was using to absorb monsters and used it to battle the Kraken, and they¡¯re called the Cursed Crew?¡±


    Mo¡¯ira nodded. ¡°The Cursed Crew, which was formed of half-breeds, was capable of wielding Dark Water like the Kraken because of their Blood Water, and it was only their Honua heritage which allowed them to do that.¡±


    ¡°What happened to them?¡± Talia asked.


    ¡°They were already old when the Kraken was created,¡± Mo¡¯ira said with a tinge of regret in her tone. ¡°My people had cast them out of our cities. We were at peace with the Honua, but we didn¡¯t tolerate unions between our people and their people. So whenever some Kaimoro would inevitably have a relationship with a Honua or an Ao, they would be cast out. There were many cases, and so most joined a self-governing crew that completed missions and tasks but never really settled anywhere, which earned them the name, the Cursed Crew.¡±


    ¡°When the Kraken appeared and went completely out of control, most of the members were old. However, when they managed to create the same technique that let them absorb monsters like the Kraken, they found out they could live forever. A gift they soon realized made their name a self-fulfilling prophecy.¡±


    ¡°With the oceans brimming with corrupt Mana and monsters emerging left and right, they were in battle for the better part of a century. Soon, many of them decided to give up, that this was too much for them, that the burden they were bearing was consuming them the same way they consumed monsters. And so most of them left themselves to waste until all the vitality they had absorbed ran out.¡±


    Talia could easily picture how spending a hundred years fighting and protecting people¡ªnever being able to take a break to live a life outside the carnage¡ªcould easily drive lesser men mad in a matter of months, much less years.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°When the war erupted, they tried keeping the peace, and one by one, they were killed by one of the three races. They had sheltered them from threats so great they couldn¡¯t even realize. And then when their time came, there was no gratitude, just iron and blood.¡±


    Talia took a deep breath, not knowing how to comment at all.


    ¡°The Cursed Crew,¡± Mo¡¯ira said, ¡°is perhaps the greatest example of heroes. No one before and after them saved so many lives without one sliver of recognition.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Honua use their blood magic to do what the Kraken could?¡± Talia asked. ¡°Why could only people with mixed blood absorb powers? I thought it was mostly related to my Blood Magic, not my Dark Water.¡±


    ¡°How many people do you know with Blood Water who have your powers?¡± Mo¡¯ira asked.


    Talia had to agree with her. ¡°Okay. But what is it in Dark Water that makes this possible?¡±


    ¡°The answers you seek, my granddaughter, are in the Forbidden Vessel. I cannot tell you anything more, and not because I don¡¯t want to. The secrets in the dungeon only open to those with the right blood. I know that your mother managed to cheat the restrictions on the Forbidden Vessel and get to the answers herself. But you think I wouldn¡¯t have tried the same? Yalena was the greatest sorcerer I¡¯ve ever met. Perhaps only Vo¡¯ra himself would have been greater.¡±


    ¡°In fact,¡± the old woman continued, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it was the Kraken killing your mother.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Kraken is powerful, but far from unkillable. Its true power resides in the capability to regenerate and to absorb its enemies. It was made, however, to combat Abyssal Creatures. A strong sorcerer or fighter can kill it¡ªnot permanently, but can definitely kill the Kraken more than a few times before meeting their end. Your mother was facing the Kraken for the first time, and so the Kraken couldn¡¯t have had the time to get accustomed to her magic.¡±


    ¡°My dad,¡± Talia said, ¡°told me that it was an elder who killed my mother.¡±


    ¡°I have not spoken to my son in many, many years,¡± the woman said. ¡°But he was never one to lie, not even after the Dark Water covered his mind.¡±


    ¡°I... I don¡¯t understand what that means,¡± Talia said. ¡°Is Dad not thinking straight because of his affinity?¡±


    Mo¡¯ira shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. Dark Water fundamentally changes what a person is. As it has long been speculated that Vo¡¯ra might have injected too much of his powers into the Kraken, and that¡¯s what caused the beast to lose his mind¡ªsome say he did it on purpose to punish the Honuas and the Aos but couldn¡¯t control the beast. I want to believe that it was a strong imbalance in the Cursed Form. But it is one thing to restore the balance in a small, puny body like ours, and a completely different matter to create balance in the body of the Guardian of the Seas.¡±


    Mo''ira''s silver hair caught the blue light from the luminescent water as she leaned forward. "You descend from a long line of sorcerers, Talia. Your blood can be traced back to Vo''ra himself."


    Talia finally realized what that meant and felt her stomach drop. The same man who had created the Kraken, the most terrifying being in the Great Archipelago''s history, was her ancestor. She thought of all the death and destruction the beast had caused, how it had torn families apart, destroyed cities, and reshaped the entire world. And now she knew that its creator''s blood ran through her veins.


    "Your potential far exceeds even your mother''s. Once you fully unlock the Cursed Form, you will eclipse her power. The combination of your three bloodlines is unprecedented."


    Talia looked at her hands, remembering how the Dark Water had felt coursing through her veins when she had fought Maleko. Even then, she had been holding back, afraid of losing control. If what Mo''ira said was true, how much power was she truly capable of wielding?


    But Mo''ira''s voice trailed off, and her eyes grew distant. The incense smoke curled between them like ghostly fingers as silence filled the ancient chamber. Through the high windows of the temple, Talia could see the endless sky stretching out around them, clouds drifting past at eye level. This city in the sky, hidden from the world below, felt like something out of a dream¡ªor perhaps a nightmare, given the turn this conversation was taking.


    "There''s a price, isn''t there?" Talia asked.


    Mo''ira''s eyes refocused, sharp as steel. "A world where the Kaimoro can live freely is not one where the Great Families still hold power. Their very existence depends on our subjugation, on hoarding the resources that should belong to all. They must fall."


    A chill ran down Talia''s spine despite the temple''s warmth. "You want me to kill them all?"


    "I require a blood oath," Mo''ira said. "Sworn in ancient magic, binding you to wage war against the nobles until none remain to threaten our people."


    She stood, moving to a small altar where various ceremonial knives lay arranged with precise care.


    "The oath would give you access to the Forbidden Vessel, to the knowledge that has been kept hidden for centuries. To the knowledge your mother used."


    Talia thought of Nami and Lilo, but also Professor Iakopo, who was a noble himself. She remembered how they had fought together in Placid City, how they had trusted each other with their lives. And now her own grandmother wanted her to swear to kill them and their entire family?


    True, Maleko had been a foolish idiot out for blood, but that wouldn¡¯t justify completeling slaughtering all Great Families wantonly.


    "You''re naive," Mo''ira said, turning back to face her. The luminescent water cast strange shadows across her face, making her look almost inhuman. "You''ve seen only what they want you to see. You will understand their true nature only after you face them in battle, after you see how far they''ll go to maintain their power."


    She gestured to an ornate door at the far end of the temple, its surface covered in ancient runes that seemed to pulse with a faint light. "The Forbidden Vessel lies beyond, but you will not step foot inside without the oath. The knowledge within could change everything, Talia. It could give our people back their dignity, their freedom."


    "I won''t swear to murder entire families based on their bloodline," Talia said firmly.


    Mo''ira''s face hardened with disappointment. The runes on the ornate door seemed to dim, as if responding to the tension in the room. "Then you leave me no choice." She nodded to the guards. "Take her to the holding cells. Perhaps some time in isolation will help her understand the weight of her heritage and the duty she owes to her people."


    As the guards approached, Talia felt the reassuring presence of Professor Iakopo''s seashell in her pocket. She remembered his warning about blind hatred, about how it had nearly destroyed him in Placid City. But she kept her hands at her sides, allowing the guards to take her arms. She needed to understand this place better before making any moves.

 Chapter 110 – Escape

    Keanu sat in his family''s small house, which had been carved out of an old government building. His father, Ka''imi, paced back and forth while his mother, Ana''ili, sat quietly in the corner.


    "You must make her understand," Ka''imi said, his voice tight. "She trusts you more than anyone else here."


    Keanu stared at the floor. "I won''t manipulate her," he said quietly. "She''s been through enough of that already."


    ¡°Manipulate? Who said anything about manipulation, Keanu? You just need to show her the truth. You lived among the nobles. You¡¯ve just told me she killed a Chosen on the way here. She can¡¯t be too far from fully embracing our cause!¡±


    Ana''ili spoke up, her voice soft but firm. "The Ko''a believes Talia is the key to our salvation. With her power, we could finally reclaim our place in the world."


    "By making her swear to kill everyone with noble blood?" Keanu looked up at his parents. "Including children? Including people who''ve never harmed us?"


    "They''re all complicit," Ka''imi insisted. "Every luxury they enjoy comes at the cost of our suffering. Their very existence depends on keeping us in hiding, scattered across the Deep like criminals."


    Keanu thought of the months he''d spent watching over Talia, how she''d struggled with her own power, how she''d fought to protect others regardless of their status, noble or commoner.


    "She won''t do it," he said.


    Ana''ili rose and crossed to where Keanu sat. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "My son, sometimes we must make difficult choices for the greater good. The Ko''a says¡ª"


    "The Ko''a is wrong," Keanu interrupted, then immediately regretted his outburst. Such words were practically blasphemy in Aneanui. But he continued anyway. "We can''t build a better future on a foundation of blood."


    "Then what do you suggest?" Ka''imi demanded. "That we continue hiding in the sky while our people dwindle? That we watch our culture and history fade away because we''re too squeamish to do what needs to be done?"


    Keanu stood, shrugging off his mother''s hand.


    ¡°She¡¯ll make her own choices, father,¡± Keanu said. ¡°I can¡¯t and I won¡¯t influence her. We don¡¯t need to kill all the nobles to make a future for ourselves. Professor Iakopo is a noble himself and, as I told you in my reports, he¡¯s on our side.¡±


    ¡°For how long?¡± Ka¡¯imi said begrudgingly. ¡°For how long, Keanu, until they turn back once again, until he grows old and his children hate your children? I didn¡¯t know you changed this much in just one year. Don¡¯t let the Ko¡¯a hear you.¡±


    Keanu had known that his people would be completely opposed to anything other than total war on the Great Families, but he hadn¡¯t imagined the Ko¡¯a would have Talia imprisoned. The only thing that allowed him not to completely freak out was the fact that they needed Talia on their side. This was probably just a show of force to put pressure on Talia.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Most likely, at least.


    ¡°I need to talk to the Ko¡¯a,¡± Keanu said gravely. ¡°Father, could you ask for an audience on my behalf?¡±


    * * *


    Talia sat in her cell, a cramped room carved into the ancient stone of Aneanui.


    Honestly, Talia hadn¡¯t minded some time alone. She had spent too much time caught between other people¡¯s plans, and now she used the time in the cell to think about all the revelations she had heard from Professor Tukupa to Mo¡¯ira. She had found out that her blood tracked back to the creation of the Kraken, that answers to her Cursed Form problems were in the Forbidden Vessel. But if she had to be honest, she still didn¡¯t understand what her own mother had gotten out of these encounters. She, Talia, could perhaps find a way to become stronger, to conquer the Cursed Form and do something with that. But what had Yalena found? What had driven her to fight the Kraken and make Talia into what she was?


    Talia touched the seashell in her pocket. One burst of Mana and Professor Iakopo would come. But then what? He would start a fight against these people, survivors that had almost been completely wiped out by the Great Families? Talia didn¡¯t like being taken hostage, but she also didn¡¯t want to cause a complete slaughter here.


    She looked at the manacles that they had slapped onto her. A guard passed by, looking through the bars in the door and opening it after making sure that Talia wasn¡¯t up to anything.


    ¡°Lunch,¡± the man said, as he put down a quite nice bowl of steaming fish soup. ¡°The Ko¡¯a can be quite harsh with everyone. We respect your mother and her accomplishments. I am very sorry you had to end up in a cell.¡±


    Talia frowned at the man. She wanted to say that if they were so sorry, they could just take the damn cuffs off instead of keeping her here.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± she said instead, taking the bowl of soup and starting to drink it while her mind wandered.


    The guard watched her eat and took the bowl away once she was done. Talia sat with her back against the wall and thought about her next move. As she looked at the manacles, she reasoned that if even Professor Iakopo hadn¡¯t been able to get out of them, she didn¡¯t really have any good chance at it. Right? Mana cuffs were meant to disrupt the natural flow of Mana and make an individual much weaker.


    But something in the back of her mind told her that she had so much vitality that perhaps... The guard wouldn¡¯t come back until much later. And if Talia had her hands free, well, he would be much more sorry then.


    She focused on her Blood Water and found that the manacles barely let her access any. However, as if practicing the same exercise as she had in Professor Iakopo¡¯s class, she started injecting incredible amounts of Blood Water into the cuffs. Minutes later, as Talia¡¯s veins felt about to tear apart, she felt for a split second that she could actually access her Mana. Immediately, she fused Blood Water and Dark Water, and runes snaked on her skin, appearing from all around her eyes. Even the manacles that had contained people much stronger than her crumbled into pieces in contact with Dark Water.


    Talia took a series of deep breaths and immediately retracted the Cursed Form before it could start taking over her thoughts. She was on the floor panting, almost on the verge of emptying the contents of her stomach. But, nonetheless, she had done it. She had freed herself.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± she heard a voice say and immediately felt a moment of panic, thinking that the guard might have seen that. She raised her eyes, however, and found two icy irises staring back at her through the bars of the door. A large smile was on Kehai¡¯s face as he dangled a metallic key.


    ¡°Guess who came to save you?¡±