《"Dive into Destiny: Reborn to Conquer Another World"》


 Chapter 1 – Fish Egg

    Chapter 1 ¨C Fish Egg


    Dawn was breaking. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, casting a faint glow on my face. It wasn¡¯t warm or cold¡ªjust a silent reminder that a new day had begun. I sighed and glanced at my computer screen, which displayed yet another defeat in my favorite game.


    I was sad, sluggish, and drowsy, staring at the screen in frustration.


    ¡ª I''m so unlucky... Maybe I should just sleep... Yeah, I¡¯ll sleep... I¡¯m tired of losing.


    I shut down my computer and collapsed onto my bed without even bothering to cover myself.


    ¡ª Hopefully, tomorrow will be better...


    Out of nowhere, my phone chimed.


    ¡ª A message at this hour? But I just want to sleep¡­


    I rolled over, trying to ignore it, but then a thought crossed my mind.


    ¡ª What if it¡¯s finally the response for that job...? Ahhh... Damn it¡­


    I grabbed my phone and opened the message, still half-asleep, struggling to focus my vision.


    {Congratulations}


    Hello, user. The company Aquamarine congratulates you! Your personality is exactly what we were looking for, which is why you have been selected for the position of King of Another Dimension. We eagerly await your response to proceed.


    ¡ª ...


    I read the text again, confused.


    ¡ª This is a scam¡­ Or am I so tired that I¡¯m imagining weird stuff...?


    I decided to ignore it and check again in the morning with a clear head.


    ¡ª If it¡¯s not a scam, I¡¯ll accept it. But for now, I¡¯m going to sleep... Must be that interview from last week.


    I placed my phone on the desk beside my bed and closed my eyes. As I drifted into deep sleep, I heard a sweet voice in my head.


    {Confirmation completed}


    Prepare yourself, user. A new world awaits you. We wish you a pleasant experience.


    I woke up slowly. Light touched my eyes, but everything around me was blurry.


    Something was wrong.


    I could barely see, but I felt oddly comfortable. My mattress, which was usually hard as a rock, now felt like¡­ a water bed? I tried to move and felt something gelatinous surrounding me.


    ¡ª What is this¡­? It¡¯s everywhere... Wait... HOW AM I BREATHING?!This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Panic set in. I started thrashing around until I felt something solid. Scratching and pounding with all my strength, I heard a faint crack, crack.


    I kept going until I made a hole big enough to stick my head through. My blurry vision caught the faint image of a woman.


    ¡ª Who...?


    {I am Luna, the tutorial guide. First challenge complete! Congratulations, user. You are now ready to begin the tutorial.}


    She clapped her hands gently and smiled. As my vision cleared, I could see her more distinctly: platinum, slightly wavy hair with streaks of light purple. Warm brown skin, lilac-colored eyes that shimmered, long silver eyelashes fanning like a delicate brush. Lips so perfect they could make anyone jealous. A purple top¡­ and were those fin-like ears?!


    Tiny iridescent scales adorned her cheeks.


    And¡­


    ¡ª A mermaid!?


    I was confused. And, to be honest, completely mesmerized. I had already forgotten about my predicament.


    {Yes, a mermaid. This is the life form chosen for you, with the potential to dominate this world.}


    ¡ª Hold up, what?! Dominate a world?! Lady, you got the wrong guy! I can¡¯t even get a job, let alone rule a world!


    {Of course, you can. Your primary mission is to dominate this world, and your secondary mission is to develop it.}


    ¡ª When did I get dragged into this mess...?


    {When you did the job interview.}


    ¡ª Damn it... Since when do job interviews recruit world rulers?! And how much is my salary?


    She smiled again¡­ but this time, it was¡­ unsettling.


    {There was an error in the system. Our truck broke down, and we urgently needed someone. So, the interview was a desperate solution since other methods didn¡¯t work. You were stubborn. You just wouldn¡¯t die.}


    She huffed, seeming slightly annoyed.


    That scared me.


    So that¡¯s why that piano almost crushed me last month...


    {It was necessary to have someone to develop this world and create intelligent life in this dimension.}


    ¡ª This is way too much fantasy all at once... But you still haven¡¯t told me how much I¡¯m getting paid!


    {Your salary is 1,000 dimensional coins (DC) per month. You can use them in the store to buy technology, pets, slaves, items, and more. Additionally, you¡¯ll earn bonus coins for significant achievements.}


    ¡ª And if I quit? Can I go home?


    She smiled again.


    A terrifying smile.


    {No. Your original body died while you were sleeping.}


    ¡ª YOU KILLED ME?!


    {Correction: you killed yourself. Lack of sleep, unhealthy food, no exercise, and hours glued to a computer... What did you think was going to happen? That you¡¯d become a superhero? Honestly, I¡¯m impressed you lasted this long. }


    She sighed.


    {That would have saved time and the money we spent on that interview to poison you.}


    ¡ª YOU JUST ADMITTED TO POISONING ME!


    {I didn¡¯t say anything. You heard things.}


    She averted her gaze, pretending to be innocent.


    I could still feel the stabs she made at my already low self-esteem.


    Suddenly, my stomach growled loudly.


    {Well, the tutorial ends here. RIGHT NOW!}


    She shouted, clearly trying to change the subject.


    ¡ª Wait! You barely explained anything except the money and my death! If there¡¯s gonna be a tutorial, at least do it properly!


    {Nobody ever does the tutorial... Now, you must eat the eggshell. The end.}


    ¡ª What?!


    {If you need more information, use your basic skill, Analysis, to obtain knowledge about this world. Do not leave the starting area until you reach adulthood and have sufficient technology to defend yourself. This is the beginning of your grand journey, little idio¡ª cough cough¡ª user. Good luck.}


    Before I could argue, she literally dissolved into dust.


    I looked at the broken eggshell pieces around me.


    Slowly, I picked up a piece and started chewing.


    Reality finally sank in.


    ¡ª I really did die...

 Chapter 2 - Mermaid’s Nest

    Chapter 2 - Mermaid¡¯s Nest


    I devoured the eggshell while having a small breakdown. The tears that flowed from my eyes turned into tiny pearls as soon as they touched my cheeks. The bottom of the eggshell was soon filled with small, irregular pearls.


    Slowly, I lifted my head and looked up. The ceiling was made of stacked, colorful crystals arranged in a strange yet perfectly fitting way, making them solid and unshakable. The sky reflected off them, allowing me to see the clouds passing outside. I could even see the waves crashing against the outer walls, yet not a single drop of water entered. Sunlight passed through the crystals, illuminating and coloring the environment in a breathtaking way. Surprisingly, the crystals didn¡¯t act like a magnifying glass under the sun, or else I would have been roasted in this place.


    ¡ª It¡¯s so beautiful...


    I was mesmerized. This place helped ease my pain a little, so I kept admiring its stunning beauty. Looking down, I noticed a large pool in the center, surrounded by three smaller ones. They were separated by a pure white sandy floor, and various colorful shells seemed to be glued together to form the pools'' bases.


    My egg was inside one of these smaller pools. Its bottom was entirely covered in light blue shells, but my egg wasn¡¯t resting directly on them. Instead, it was nestled in a bed of algae carefully wrapped beneath it. I reached out to touch them and discovered they were soft and fragile.


    ¡ª Haha¡­ This place is so beautiful¡­ But it hasn¡¯t even been that long, and I already miss home¡­ Mom...


    She raised me alone, and I turned my back on her, claiming I could take care of myself. My siblings always said I was ungrateful.


    ¡ª Hahaha¡­ And they were right¡­ I never even had the courage to say that I loved them¡­ It was always "leave me alone"¡­ I really am an idiot¡­ I bet they¡¯re not even crying at my funeral¡­ Haha¡­ I should have stayed with them¡­


    The last tear fell from my eyes. They were dry now, even though my heart still ached. I sighed, knowing it was useless to dwell on it. I was tired of this already. Releasing the piece of eggshell I held, I realized I had only eaten the top half. I lay down at the bottom of my egg, feeling the pearls surrounding me. They seemed hard at first but were actually soft, making them unexpectedly comfortable. The remaining fluid from my hatching was still there, and for some reason, it felt warm and reassuring.


    I didn¡¯t want to leave. Or maybe I was just afraid of what was outside. Time passed, and I slowly drifted off to sleep.


    The sunlight gradually warmed the pools, but only slightly, thanks to the strange crystals filtering the light. They made the water pleasantly warm.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    By midday, small, colorful crabs shiny like the crystals on the walls climbed out of the central pool and scattered into the others, trying to reach the walls. As I slept, I suddenly felt a pinch and woke up.


    ¡ª Ouch!


    I looked down and saw my fish tail¡ªwhite as snow, with two side fins and a light blue fin at the tip. I admired my newfound beauty for a moment.


    Then, I found the culprit. A small crab had latched onto my fin. Without hesitation, I pulled it off.


    ¡ª What is this? A crystal crab...? Hm¡­


    At that moment, a window appeared before me. Startled, I almost jumped out of my eggshell. But then I remembered what Luna had told me about my analysis ability.


    [Lucky Crab]


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 1


    HP: 2 | MP: 1 | Strength: 1 | Defense: 3 | Intelligence: 1 | Luck: 9 | Beauty: 10


    Ability: Glows in the dark.


    Small marine creatures that love to gnaw on shiny objects and mix their dust with saliva to make their shells brighter. They are highly nutritious and easy to eat, which is why mermaid mothers build nests with glittering objects to attract thousands of these crabs as food while they care for their young.


    I was impressed. This analysis ability was really useful. Without it, I wouldn¡¯t have known these things were edible.


    ¡ª Wait¡­ How do I even eat this?


    I had never eaten crab before, so I was completely confused. I poked at the little creature in my hands, but nothing happened. I tried pulling off its legs, but as a newborn, I was too weak. In the end, my hands were red from the crab¡¯s pinches, and I still hadn¡¯t figured out how to eat it. So, I went for my last resort¡ªI stuck part of it in my mouth since it didn¡¯t fit entirely.


    I tasted something sweet. But it wasn¡¯t the crab¡ªit was the crystals stuck to its shell. I held its pincers while nibbling on the crystals¡ªit was strangely addictive. That¡¯s when I realized...


    ¡ª Wait¡­ I¡¯m sucking on a crab¡¯s rock shell!? Ahhh, I¡¯m losing it!


    I threw the crab far away and tried to spit out the crystals in my mouth, suddenly panicked. To check if I had been poisoned, I used my self-analysis ability.


    [Crystal-Scaled Mermaid]


    Name: None


    Age: Newborn


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 0


    HP: 20/20 | MP: 5/5 | Strength: 1 | Defense: 5 | Intelligence: 10 | Luck: 7 | Beauty: 30


    Title: The First of Many


    Abilities: Analyze, System Store Access.


    A newborn crystal-scaled mermaid. This rare species is hermaphroditic at birth and differentiates during adolescence. Their scales are actually iridescent crystals synthesized by their body after consuming certain materials. Unlike other mermaids, their mothers build nests with crushed excess scales, making them resemble natural crystals. These scales are highly sought after by marine species for their durability and can also serve as emergency food to regenerate lost scales.


    ¡ª Okay¡­ So I was supposed to eat that? But¡­ not directly from a crab¡­


    I looked around and came to a realization.


    ¡ª I¡¯m going to starve¡­ But it looks like I¡¯ll have to eat rocks¡­ And I don¡¯t even have teeth¡­ Which means I¡¯ll have to suck on crabs¡­


    I sighed, muttering to myself:


    ¡ª Or maybe my salary will save me¡­

 Chapter 3 – First Salary

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    Here is the corrected text translated into English, maintaining the conversational tone:


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    Chapter 3 ¨C First Salary


    I was lying inside my egg shell full of soft pearls, looking at the sky. I was no longer sleepy, thanks to an annoying crab, so I had the idea to open the system''s shop.


    ((Shop)/) (\MD 1,000/)


    Welcome to the shop, user! Here you can buy anything you need for your world domination. (?^-^?)


    -Food/ Medicines - Slaves


    -Skills - Magic Items


    -Miners - Animals/ Pets


    -Plant materials - Accessories


    -Clothes/ Armor - Technology


    -Hmm, where do I click first?... Since food is first.


    I opened the food tab and started browsing. There are so many strange things here.


    - Carcass of klpys? I don¡¯t know what that is, but knowing that I can buy them separately or as whole carcasses... but I think I need to find the milk. Does it have a search bar?


    Once I found the search bar, I found several types of milk. The worst part is that the milk from the crystal-scaled mermaids was the most expensive. While the others cost 5 MD, this one costs 10 MD. I felt robbed.


    - Doing some math, around 300 MD per month to feed myself, and the worst part is that I can''t buy everything at once. Without a fridge, it would spoil quickly. I think one a day should be enough to not go bankrupt. I¡¯ll complete the rest with the crab.


    I bought the milk, and magically, a plastic baby bottle fell into my arms.


    - Convenient for a baby, but if this happens every time, I¡¯ll end up destroying the sea. The first sea to be destroyed just by bottles.


    I put it in my mouth and started emptying the bottle while browsing the shop.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    -  Maybe there¡¯s an inventory skill, that would be really useful.


    I opened the Skills tab and started looking.


    - 400,000 - Thorn Barrier


    - 700,000 - Area Heal


    - 900,000 - Fly


    - 200,000 - Legs


    - Wow, I feel like I¡¯m leaving a corner shop and entering a car dealership. These prices are way too high.


    I kept browsing until I found it.


    - 10,000 - Basic Inventory: 20 spaces


    - 30,000 - Medium Inventory: 40 spaces


    - 60,000 - Large Inventory: 80 spaces


    - 90,000 - Giant Inventory: 160 spaces


    - I can afford it, but it will take some time. Still, the spaces are quite few. If I use this, it¡¯ll have to be with really important things.


    I continued browsing the shop for hours. When I realized, it was already night, but inside the nest, it was still bright. Not as bright as during the day, but still enough light to see the nest.


    - Yeah... so much research to find out that a lot of this I can¡¯t use because I¡¯m too small or I don¡¯t have money.


    I sighed and looked at the last tab I had seen so far.


    - Let¡¯s see the slave tab... pretty wrong, but according to the woman who poisoned me, there¡¯s no well-formed civilization here, so this must be pretty common in this world.


    (WARNING: This tab is updated at different times from the others. Some beings in it may suddenly disappear due to death or leaving slavery. Like slaves from primitive tribes, they are easily subject to death, much more than other primitive individuals. So, sometimes the purchase may not be completed, or the individual may die after purchase. This warning also applies to the Mounts/Pets tab. NO REFUNDS IN CASES OF DEATH AFTER PURCHASE. The system is not responsible for you being dumb (?^-^?))


    - If you hadn¡¯t yelled at me, I would¡¯ve definitely been too lazy to read all this text.


    I kept looking at the tab, which basically looked like a gallery of beautiful people.


    - Not a single one with scars? These people don¡¯t even get ugly, even as slaves?! I didn¡¯t see anyone with skin problems, everyone uses filters, it doesn¡¯t even look like these beings are from the stone age.


    With a bit of envy, I kept looking and being shocked. Even eggs were for sale, but the sad part is that many beings kept disappearing and reappearing.


    - Thinking more about it, this is kind of sad... so many people dying or being enslaved.


    I ended up feeling a bit sad about this thought and, without realizing it, touched one of the photos.


    [Shark-tailed Mermaid]


    Name: Krahs


    Age: 39


    Lv: 30


    Status: Sad and weakened


    HP: 30/120 | MP: 30/110


    Strength: 48 | Defense: 43 | Intelligence: 42 | Luck: 40 | Beauty: 10


    Title: Leader of a fallen tribe, master of the trident.


    Skills: Born to lead, General Lv4, Trident Mastery Max, Hunting Max.


    An old and kind shark who led his tribe to survival but was betrayed by his sons and is now a prisoner of his former companions.


    [200 MDs]


    - Wow... poor old guy, but it¡¯s cheap. Maybe because he¡¯s less than half-health.


    At that moment, I realized the baby bottle in my hands disappeared with a puff. It seems the milk ran out, and magically the bottle returned to the system. Sleep quickly followed, my vision became blurry, and I fell asleep without even realizing it. My arm ended up touching the shop tab.


    [Purchase Successful]

 Chapter 4 – The Great Shark

    Chapter 4: The Great Shark


    In a cold, dark cave, a large shark tail lay on the stone floor, covered in its own blood. Its half-mutilated fins barely moved. The shark¡¯s belly, marked with scars, still bore the wounds that had once spilled its blood into the water.


    Suddenly, the stone door shifted. Light flooded the cave, revealing even more of the old shark¡¯s decay. His back still bled as a younger figure entered, speaking:


    ¡ª Today is your big day, old man. At last, you''ll pass everything on to us¡­ How does it feel to see your son becoming the chief? Proud?


    His voice dripped with sarcasm, followed by a mocking laugh.


    ¡ª You wouldn¡¯t be proud of me even if I conquered the entire sea.


    The great shark weakly opened his eyes and looked at the arrogant young one.


    ¡ª I hope that one day, your eyes will be opened, my little shark.


    Anger flared in the young one¡¯s eyes as he raised his voice:


    ¡ª Don¡¯t call me that! I have a name! You gave it to me, didn¡¯t you? So why don¡¯t you say it one last time before I leave this wretched place and never return to this hole where you will wither away?


    The old shark sighed, his voice heavy with sorrow.


    ¡ª Nasig¡­ I hope that you and your siblings will open your eyes and be well.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡ª Still pretending to wish us well, as if that makes us the villains? Acting all wise and kind now? The same great leader who trained his children with ruthless discipline so we wouldn¡¯t share our mother¡¯s fate¡­


    He scoffed and tossed a fish near the old shark.


    ¡ª Even in defeat, you treat us as if we are weak and pathetic. Always acting superior, yet you never even dared to avenge our mother!


    ¡ª I did it for your sake¡­ Revenge won¡¯t bring her back. It won¡¯t save our people. A leader cannot¡­


    Before he could finish, Nasig pressed the shaft of his trident against his father¡¯s wounded tail. The force was enough to reopen old wounds, causing fresh blood to spill.


    ¡ª Silence! It¡¯s always about the people! What about your own family? Did you ever stop to think about how we felt, watching you run away with the tribe instead of fighting to avenge our mother and those who were slaughtered?! It was shameful, being forced to flee like helpless fish from the orcas!


    Despite the pain, the old shark remained calm as he spoke:


    ¡ª Child, revenge is empty¡­ Stay with the living, do not chase after the dead. Following that path will only bring suffering¡­ I will beg as many times as it takes: please, do not go! I don¡¯t want to lose you.


    ¡ª You are here because you tried to stop us. Rest. Your wounds are still severe¡­ But even if we win, you will remain here, paying for the disgrace of letting our mother¡¯s death go unpunished.


    The young one raised his trident, leaving a fresh bruise on the old shark¡¯s body.


    ¡ª Children¡­ Please, don¡¯t go. I don¡¯t want to lose you too¡­


    The old shark¡¯s eyes welled with tears, but Nasig only sighed, his gaze cold.


    ¡ª Sorry¡­ But nothing can stop us. The others don¡¯t even wish to look you in the eyes. You know that, sooner or later, this will be settled, and our hatred for you will fade. So, I say this: just rest and recover, old man¡­ We have already lost too much.


    ¡ª Nasig!


    Nasig left without looking back, and the stone door was sealed once more, plunging the cave into darkness.


    Tears rolled from the old shark¡¯s eyes, turning into small pearls that clattered onto the hard ground.


    ¡ª Forgive me, my love¡­ I won¡¯t be able to keep my promise. I won¡¯t be able to save them if they go.

 Chapter 4.5 – Tears

    4.5 ¨C Tears


    The darkness was cold and lonely, and it remained so for days until, finally, the door was opened once more. The old shark looked up, only to see his world shatter even further.


    Heads rolled into the cave from the eldest to the youngest, Nasig. One by one, they were tossed inside like insignificant trash. Each of his beloved children lay before him, their faces frozen in horror. From outside, the harsh laughter of the assassins mocked the scene, filling the shark''s heart with fury. His memories intertwined with reality his children, once smiling and full of life, were now nothing more than discarded remnants. The tears that had long dried in his eyes began to flow once more, his muscles tensed, and his wounds, previously sealed, reopened, bleeding anew.


    The scent of blood and rage seeped from the cave as, in one last desperate act, the shark lunged at his enemies with nothing but his teeth as weapons.


    With a ferocious bite, he shattered the bone brace protecting one of the assassin¡¯s arms. Without the armor, the limb was severed with ease. But that was his final burst of strength. No matter how much he wanted to continue fighting, his body no longer obeyed him, and he was quickly subdued.


    Mocking himself, the old shark let out a bitter laugh and spat out the blood pooling in his mouth.


    ¡ª I am so pathetic¡­ My love, I let them die. I let you all die¡­ This is my fault¡­ There are no excuses¡­ There''s nothing left¡­ Hahaha¡­


    A sharp bone dagger was pressed against his throat.


    He closed his eyes, accepting his fate, but time passed, and death never came. Confused, he opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar place.


    ¡ª Where am I!? This looks like a nest, but I¡¯ve never seen one so beautiful¡­The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The old shark gazed around in awe at the beauty of the place. As he wondered who could be the owner of such a nest, he noticed a half-eaten egg in one of the pools. Curious, he approached and saw a tiny, fragile hatchling sleeping curled up on a bed of countless shimmering pearls. The sight warmed his grief-stricken heart, but he quickly realized he could not stay. If the child''s parents returned and found him, he would be killed without question, especially in his wounded state.


    ¡ª I don¡¯t know how I ended up here¡­ but I must leave. Whoever created this place will not be pleased to find me here.


    The old shark swam out of the nest through the central pool, but as soon as he left, he caught a strange scent in the water. A strong glow caught his eye, and the scene before him left him utterly shocked.


    ¡ª What is wrong with this day?... Why is it filled only with sorrow¡­?


    Two mermaids with pale tails lay lifeless, their bodies swarmed by glowing fortune crabs, which feasted on their flesh and gnawed at their once-beautiful scales. Without hesitation, he swam closer and examined the bodies.


    ¡ª No visible wounds¡­ It must have been a disease. They likely died a little further from the nest to avoid contaminating the baby¡­ But now, he won¡¯t last long without them¡­ I don¡¯t want to see any more death today¡­


    The shark sighed, his heart sinking in sorrow, and returned to the nest to rest. Occasionally, he would wake only to check on the small hatchling, who continued to sleep peacefully. His wounded heart ached with old memories, until, unable to bear it any longer, he swam off into the night, hunting until his rage had subsided.


    By the time he had calmed down, dawn had already arrived. He gathered stones and carefully stacked them over the bodies of the mermaids, creating a grave of rocks. Throughout the morning, he prepared a nourishing mixture to feed the hatchling in the egg.


    Finally, he gently picked up the tiny child and woke him. The frightened hatchling flailed and tried to escape, but the old shark held him effortlessly.


    ¡ª Shhh¡­ I won¡¯t hurt you. Grandpa will take care of you¡­ I don¡¯t know if you understand me, but we are the same. Our families are gone¡­ and, somehow, we were both granted an inexplicable stroke of luck. The stars must want us to live.


    He continued trying to feed the child, smiling at the small, clumsy jumps he made. It reminded him of his own children when they were babies. His heart ached with longing.

 Chapter 5 – The Great Grandpa

    Chapter 5 ¨C The Great Grandpa


    I woke up slowly, with the strange feeling of being lifted. My eyes opened gradually, and I soon saw a blurry face watching me. I was startled and, with all my strength, tried to escape, but he held me as if I weighed nothing. My eyes filled with tears as I realized I wouldn¡¯t be able to get away.


    ¡ª "I don¡¯t want to be food, nor a slave¡­ I¡¯ve seen too many slaves die yesterday¡­"


    But it seemed he didn¡¯t understand what I said, because all that came out of my mouth was a mumble and a bit of crying. Then, he started rocking me gently, trying to calm me down. My vision stabilized, and I finally recognized the face from last night. It was the same as the one on the file I saw before falling asleep.


    I was shocked. Quickly, I opened the shop and checked my money.


    ¡ª "790¡­ Ahhh, did I buy him?! Why do I always mess up before going to sleep?!"


    Suddenly, I heard his voice. It was deep, like a radio announcer¡¯s, and his speech sounded almost like singing. I was impressed, which calmed me down a little. As soon as I relaxed, he grabbed a strange shell and brought it to my mouth. Inside was a black, pasty liquid that smelled like fish. I made the most disgusted face I could and tried to escape again, but once again, I failed.


    ¡ª "Come on, drink. It¡¯s for your own good. I don¡¯t have any milk to give you."


    I turned my face and tried to escape again, but in the end, he forced me to swallow the stuff. The awful taste lingered in my mouth all morning, and my expression was one of pure disgust. If looks could kill, that shark would be dead by now. Noticing my bad mood, he tried to joke with me to cheer me up, but I didn¡¯t give in, which frustrated him.


    At noon, he went hunting. As soon as I had a moment alone, I bought a baby bottle and drank to get rid of the awful taste. After finishing, I burped and my anger started to calm down. I lay down on my makeshift bed, made of my own tears and the shell of my egg.


    ¡ª "It might be bizarre, but it¡¯s comfortable, and that¡¯s what matters."


    Bored, I decided to take a nap in the afternoon. But then I noticed a little mischief approaching directly toward my tail to pinch it. Without thinking twice, I grabbed it and put it in my mouth. My mouth wasn¡¯t big enough to swallow it whole, but I still held it there. And suddenly, a sweet taste filled my mouth.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡ª "I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a crab, what matters is that it¡¯s sweet."


    [+1 Defense]


    I was shocked for a moment, but then, Krahs returned with a large fish. I looked at him, still with the crab in my mouth, and saw the shark emerging from the water like a model in a commercial, coming up perfectly. As soon as he saw me, he laughed.


    ¡ª "Haha, still hungry? Little one, you won¡¯t be able to open that crab."


    He sat by the pool, placed the fish on the ground, extended his hands, and grabbed me with one of them. With the other, he tried to take the crab out of my mouth. Quickly, I thought: how do babies get what they want?


    A light bulb went off in my head. And then, I started crying as loudly as I could. Krahs, realizing he had messed up, quickly put the crab back in my mouth.


    ¡ª "Okay, okay, keep the crab."


    I stopped crying immediately. I kept tasting the sweetness while hearing my defense points rise.


    ¡ª "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about that¡­"


    He poked my chubby cheek with his finger and then put me back in the egg shell. He grabbed the dead fish and, with a sharp shell, started to cut and clean it. Curious, I propped myself up on the egg shell with my little hands to see what he was doing.


    ¡ª "So curious, just like¡­ like¡­ hahaha¡­"


    Suddenly, his strange laugh was replaced by a sad expression.


    ¡ª "Maybe I¡¯m just trying to replace them¡­ Taking care of a baby who isn¡¯t even mine¡­ Pathetic¡­ If I had been a better father¡­ If I were¡­"


    He sighed, looking sad. I didn¡¯t quite understand, but I tilted my head to the side, trying to look like a cute baby, maybe to comfort him a little. Then, his large wet hand, smelling of fish, rested on my head and messed up my little hair.


    ¡ª "Little fish¡­ I don¡¯t know if you understand me or if you¡¯ll remember what I¡¯m going to say, but¡­"


    With a sad look, he lay down on the sand, watching me.


    ¡ª "My children won¡¯t come back¡­ and neither will your parents."


    I kind of already figured that out. After all, I didn¡¯t see anyone else in this nest besides the girl from the tutorial.


    ¡ª "I¡¯ll take care of you. Even though I¡¯m still sad about my children, I won¡¯t abandon a baby alone in this sea for a pointless revenge. She won¡¯t bring anyone back¡­ Remember: we shouldn¡¯t fight to avenge the dead, but to protect the living. Just hold on to the moments we had with them, good or bad¡­ They¡¯re all we have left of them. The sadness will pass, but the memories will stay alive in our hearts."


    Those words hit me hard. The wound I was trying to ignore opened wide. Tears streamed from my eyes like little waterfalls. I no longer had the strength to hold the crab in my mouth. Noticing that, the big shark picked me up, gave me a shoulder to cry on, and gently patted my back.


    ¡ª "So, I guess I¡¯m your family from now on¡­ Well, you need a name. From now on, you¡¯ll be Nexha¡­ Ne, in my tribe¡¯s language, means restart¡­ and Xha means tears¡­ Haha, you¡¯re too young to understand the meaning, and I don¡¯t think anyone from my tribe is left to tell you¡­ A restart among tears for me¡­ But for you, it will be the start of a smile."


    After that, I don¡¯t remember how much I cried. But I fell asleep, exhausted from all the crying.

 Chapter 6 – Nothing to Worry About

    Chapter 6 ¨C Nothing to Worry About


    Days passed, one by one, and the sadness slowly faded. Over time, my routine started to take shape. At dawn, Krahs would go hunting and return with one or two fish. He would turn them into a paste and feed me. Then, he would lie down, apply something foul-smelling to his wounds, and rest for the rest of the day. Krahs spent hours in the nest, sleeping under the sun. At night, he fed me again and sang lullabies.


    I never thought I¡¯d hear a mermaid sing so badly in my life. As pleasant as his voice was, his singing was so awful that it felt like my ears were going to bleed.


    The rest of my life was simply the routine of a baby. My body couldn¡¯t stay awake for long. I still don¡¯t know how I managed to stay up so much on the first day, but now I just can¡¯t. It¡¯s strange, but I make the most of the time I have when the shark is out to drink my daily bottle or browse the shop. It¡¯s hard to save money and not buy unnecessary things. I also discovered that, over time, just one bottle of milk wasn¡¯t enough. Fortunately, I don¡¯t go hungry thanks to the paste Krahs makes, though it tastes awful.


    And so, a week passed. The biggest change was that I had grown too much to sleep inside my eggshell. Before, I fit in the shark¡¯s hand, but now I was the size of a normal newborn. Grandpa filled one of the pools with soft algae, and now I sleep in the same pool as him. Also, he¡¯s much better now, no longer smelling of blood every day.


    There was another change: we now had new inhabitants in the nest. One of the pools was filled with small fish that helped clean the water. The shells that made up the pools had tiny gaps where water flowed in and out, but not all the dirt could escape on its own. So, these fish did the work of purifying it for us. That¡¯s how we bathed and used the pools for our needs.


    ¡ª I miss a normal bathroom and having control over my bladder¡­ It still grosses me out to think about the time I spent inside the egg, not realizing I was peeing in there.


    The time for disgust had passed, but the time for boredom remained. I had no idea what to do. As a baby, leaving the nest was dangerous, and there wasn¡¯t much to do inside except sleep, attack some crabs, sunbathe, and swim.


    ¡ª I¡¯m dying of boredom¡­ If this keeps up, I¡¯ll end up thinking about bad things. Maybe I should buy something to entertain myself¡­ But first, let¡¯s check my status.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I thought while chewing on a crab and then opened my interface.


    [Crystal Scale Mermaid]


    Name: Nexha ("Tears of a New Beginning")


    Age: Newborn


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 0


    HP: 20/20 MP: 5/5


    Attack: 1 Defense: 20 (+15) Intelligence: 10 Luck: 7 Beauty: 30


    Title: First of Many


    Skills: Analyze, System Shop Access


    ¡ª I¡¯ve realized I have good genetics to be a tank¡­ Just a little more, and I¡¯ll surpass Krahs in defense.


    I sighed, disappointed to see that I still hadn¡¯t leveled up.


    ¡ª I still haven¡¯t figured out how to gain XP, but I did notice that I can get extra points from the crabs. Per day, I gain one point, and if I¡¯m really lucky, two or even four. It¡¯s not the best thing in the world, but it¡¯s what I have for now.


    I opened the shop and started browsing again. I hadn¡¯t looked at it much in the past few days. After all, I wasn¡¯t living alone anymore, and the shark always encouraged me to play in the afternoon, so I didn¡¯t have much time for it.


    ¡ª So many things, but nothing that looks like wood¡­ Since I need to build a civilization, the primary material should be wood. The problem is, I have no idea which of these plants could be a substitute.


    I sighed and kept searching. Building a city requires, first and foremost, food and a versatile, abundant material.


    I opened the shop¡¯s plant section and started reading descriptions, looking for something useful.


    ¡ª "Night Rose," a very beautiful algae that glows in the dark. It grows near the coast but is fragile and dies when touched.


    ¡ª That¡¯s not very useful for now¡­ I also noticed that most descriptions in the shop are very brief. I probably need a botany skill to get more detailed information.


    So, I opened the technology tab and searched for botany.


    100 ¨C Basic Botany


    200 ¨C Apprentice Botany


    400 ¨C Experienced Botany


    800 ¨C Master Botany


    1600 ¨C Advanced Botany


    This technology section is different from the others because it has rankings and is much cheaper in comparison. The system probably wants to encourage buying these skills more than the others. Powers that can¡¯t be acquired any other way are more expensive, but technology can be developed over time with effort from a group.


    I looked at the skill again and tilted my head. It would be useful, but I was really reluctant to spend my money. It was too little compared to my big goals.


    ¡ª If I were Asian, I would have been born with all the hacks unlocked¡­


    Pouting, I slapped my tail against the water, making it splash. The small ripples caught the attention of something else.


    As I grumbled, a small creature swam toward me. Its face was round, with big greenish eyes, a lilac tail with blue fins, short blue hair, and plump cheeks.

 Chapter 7 – Little Intruder

    Chapter 7 ¨C Little Intruder


    As soon as I felt someone watching me, I turned around and saw the face of a small, curious mermaid staring at me. I jumped in fright and hid among the seaweed where I slept.


    ¡ª I don''t have a blanket, so this will have to do!


    The little, curious eyes blinked in confusion. Then, the tiny fish crawled out of the water, dragging its tail slowly across the sand toward the pool where I was.


    ¡ª Wait, he¡¯s almost my size... Why am I scared? Baby mermaids aren¡¯t cannibals, are they?


    Before I could come out of my hiding spot, the baby mermaid jumped on me, and I heard a babyish, milky voice shouting in my ear:


    ¡ª Little brother!


    I jumped in surprise and thought:


    ¡ª What?! I just got to this world, and I already have a brother... Wait... He can talk already?!


    At that exact moment, Krahs arrived as well. He climbed out of the pool without noticing anything and sat down on the sand. When he looked toward the pool, he was so startled he almost fell back into the water.


    ¡ª Did I bump into a pufferfish without realizing it, or am I seeing double?


    He approached slowly and touched our cheeks, trying to confirm if there were really two of us.


    ¡ª Looks like we have an intruder here.


    He picked up the other baby mermaid, who laughed, seeming to enjoy the situation. Krahs examined the little one''s tail to determine his species, and taking advantage of the moment, I used my analysis skill to do the same.


    [Mimic Mermaid]


    Name: None


    Age: Newborn ¨C 3 hours


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 0


    HP: 20/20 MP: 5/5 Attack: 1 Defense: 1 Intelligence: 5 Luck: 4 Beauty: 30


    Title: Intruder, Natural Actor


    Skills: Disguise, Charm, Master of Acting


    A mimic mermaid baby¡­ This species is very good at deceiving other mermaids. They lay their eggs near the nests of other mermaids and abandon them. When the hatchlings are born, they seek out adults or nests and infiltrate them. Since they are natural actors, they win over the adults and end up being raised alongside their own offspring. However, they only do this with species that don¡¯t live in colonies to avoid being enslaved.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡ª Great, a cuckoo chick... He¡¯s only three hours old, and he already talks! So jealous... Well, at least I won¡¯t be alone anymore when Krahs goes hunting, and he seems to like the little guy too.


    Krahs tickled the new family member¡¯s belly, making the tiny baby laugh uncontrollably.


    ¡ª One more for the family... I think I¡¯ll call you Lilay.


    And that¡¯s how I got a brother. Someone who loves to sleep snuggled up, who¡¯s always watching me and trying to play, someone I share my milk with and even sucks on crabs just like me, but¡­


    ¡ª I¡¯m going crazy! This kid won¡¯t let go of me! How am I supposed to dominate the world with him always clinging to my tail?!


    That was my first crisis, but after another week, I got used to it and went back to focusing on my world domination plan.


    As soon as my new little brother fell asleep, I used the bed¡¯s seaweed to try and weave fabric. My first goal was simply to create a piece of cloth. It was really tricky at first because the seaweed was slippery, but over time, I got the hang of it. Slowly, it started to take shape, but it was still difficult to do in secret.


    The next morning, I gave up on hiding and continued weaving in front of everyone. Krahs saw me and smiled, running his hand over my head.


    ¡ª Nexha, you¡¯re really smart.


    Seeing Krahs praise me, my little brother immediately started imitating me but soon gave up and ended up falling asleep wrapped in the seaweed.


    ¡ª So cute... The description about their adorableness wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Sucking on my daily crab, I kept working. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t earn any points this week. It¡¯s getting harder and harder to get points from the crabs.


    In the end, I had a piece of slippery seaweed that kept coming apart. That made me a bit upset. Noticing this, Krahs decided to help. He brought some dead seaweed and started teaching me¡ªit seems like this weaving technology is already common in this world.


    He made some lidded baskets and even a backpack. He spent the whole day at home doing that, so I didn¡¯t drink any milk and had to make do with that awful paste. Lilay protested, clinging to me with a tearful face all day, wanting milk too.


    ¡ª Sorry, little brother¡­ Not today.


    The problem was that he wouldn¡¯t let me sleep. In the end, I gave in and bought a bottle to share with him after Krahs fell asleep. With his belly full, he finally let go of my fin and drifted off. But my peace didn¡¯t last long¡­ The system flashed a bright light in my face in the middle of the night, burning my eyes.


    ¡ª Ouch! I miss night mode¡­


    {Technology acquired: Primitive Weaving}


    Congratulations! Keep learning to earn more bonuses. You gained 100MD.


    ¡ª Whoa! I didn¡¯t know I could earn money by learning¡­ The system is encouraging me to work.


    Right after that, my head started aching so badly it felt like someone was stabbing needles into my brain. Then, I just blacked out.


    The next morning, when I went back to weaving, I realized I had already mastered the skill in a way that made the work extremely simple and fast. That¡¯s when I realized¡­


    ¡ª The skill was shoved into my brain¡­ This pain is worse than a hangover.

 Chapter 8 – Trust

    Chapter 8 ¨C Trust


    Finally finishing my fabric project, I realized that no matter how skilled I am, the material leaves much to be desired.


    I threw the poorly made cloth on the sand and observed the baskets and backpack that Krahs had made. Both looked really flimsy and were about to fall apart. The material here is not suitable.


    I opened the store and began browsing. Lilay was by my side, sucking on a crab and watching me as if he didn¡¯t understand what I was doing.


    I simply ignored him and continued analyzing various plants in the store. This planet seems to only have aquatic plant species. I haven¡¯t seen a tree, bush, or cactus.


    ¡ª Or maybe the items sold here are only those known by mermaids... That wouldn¡¯t help me much.


    But soon, I was caught off guard by a plant that looked like bamboo. I quickly read the description to see if it was what I had been looking for.


    ¡ª Moreira Algae, a plant that looks like a yellow moray eel stretched up to the surface. It grows and multiplies very quickly, making it great for creating ambush hunting grounds. Its stem is hard, but flexible enough to make harpoons and tridents.


    ¡ª Found it! Finally, a base material to start a civilization! But... how do I get this without Krahs suspecting?You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    I looked at the middle pool and thought about leaving the nest, but then a strange fear grew in my heart. It¡¯s been two weeks since I arrived in this world, but I haven¡¯t even had the courage to spend my salary. Now, this dilemma seemed even greater.


    ¡ª If something strange suddenly appears in the nest and Krahs throws it away out of fear... Or if he suspects I¡¯m different and...


    I sighed. Something was stopping me from trusting him. Just like I used to do with my real family. No matter how much I loved them, I never had the courage to show my true self, and I ended up distancing myself.


    ¡ª If I distance myself from Krahs, my life will get harder and harder. After all, he¡¯s an adult, and I¡¯m just a child.


    I looked at Lilay fighting with a crab beside me while I reflected. Is this what I want? To distance myself or reveal myself?


    ¡ª I never had a father to deal with this dilemma before... And I¡¯m too scared to go out and pretend that I magically found something.


    I sat on the sand and crawled closer to the central pool, watching it. Unlike the outside, where the sea was rough, here it was calm, with no waves. You couldn¡¯t see anything below the surface.


    That¡¯s when Krahs finally returned. He came up calmly from the water and noticed that I was watching the exit with curiosity.


    ¡ª Were you waiting for me, little one?


    His hand gently passed through my hair and messed it up. Many thoughts passed through my mind, but no solutions.


    ¡ª I want to trust... But I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t want to be near me anymore.


    As much as I wanted to speak, I could only stutter without forming solid words. Krahs didn¡¯t seem to mind as he came out of the water and sat on the sand.


    ¡ª How am I supposed to conquer this world if I don¡¯t even have the courage to trust someone who could have left me but chose to stay and take care of me?


    I calmed my doubts and tried something I wasn¡¯t sure would work. I focused and tried to say something Krahs could truly understand.


    ¡ª da... daddy.

 Chapter 9 – Daddy

    Chapter 9 ¨C DaddyChapter 9 ¨C Daddy


    Krahs, upon hearing the little one''s babbling, felt a pang in his heart. This scene had played out many times before. He remembered his own little ones, and the last moments with them still weighed on his mind like daggers in his soul.


    Without realizing it, tears rolled down his face again as he pulled the little one into an embrace. It was a strong yet gentle hold. That small child had managed to reopen his wounds with a simple babble. All Krahs felt now was his weakness returning as he recalled the day his world crumbled.


    He remembered that ambush. His children, once full of bright smiles, had become vengeful adults. Each of them wielded the weapons he had given them, used the techniques he had taught them. But he never imagined they would all unite to defeat him that day. He could still feel the pain of harpoons and tridents piercing his skin.


    His eldest son seemed to dance as he blocked Krahs¡¯ attacks, while his little girl threw harpoons with the same grace her mother once had. Unfortunately, those harpoons struck his back.


    And finally, his youngest, Nasig. The one who always hesitated to kill, even the smallest fish.


    The look of hatred in his eyes was something Krahs would never forget. None of them. But still, Nasig prevented his death that day. Despite being the weakest, he protected an old man who was on the brink of death. Even though the others were full of hatred, Nasig still carried the same compassion he always had. Or perhaps it was just his fear of losing someone else. Krahs no longer knew. All he had left was the longing for them.


    -If I were stronger, my child¡­ I would have protected those I loved better¡­ I don''t want to fail again, and I won¡¯t fail if it means protecting you, little ones.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Holding the two small children, he embraced them even tighter. Even though the little ones didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening, he held them close as if trying to transfer all his pain and love to those small beings now in his arms. They were the reason he would keep fighting, the reason he could no longer afford to fail. He could not let history repeat itself. Not this time.


    With his eyes closed, he let himself be enveloped by the feeling that there was still something worth believing in. The past weighed like an unbearable burden, but the future¡­ the future was different. It had to be¡ªfor them. For Nasig, for his other children, for his lost love. And now, for these two little ones he swore to protect until the end.


    -I failed, but not anymore.


    He thought, holding the little ones close to his chest.


    -I will do things differently. I will find a way to fix my mistakes.


    But the pain was still there, a constant reminder of his weakness. Krahs knew that to protect these children, he would have to face the ghosts of his past. The ambush, the betrayal, the emptiness in his heart¡­ Everything he had lost needed to be confronted. He could not run away. Not in front of the children.


    He looked at them, his eyes slightly blurred, yet determined.


    -I will do everything to ensure you grow up well.


    He whispered, as if it were a sacred promise.


    The children, still confused, looked at him, feeling the intensity of his emotions without fully understanding them. But that didn¡¯t matter. They felt the protection in his arms, the warmth of the strength he was trying to reclaim. And even without fully grasping it, they knew they were safe.


    Krahs pulled away slightly, trying to regain his composure. He knew he couldn¡¯t let his pain consume him, not while he was responsible for these small lives. He had to rise again¡ªfor them.


    -I don¡¯t know what the future holds, but I will take care of you. Even if one day you betray me like the others, I will not regret protecting you.


    In his arms, little Nexha smiled, knowing that Krahs would never abandon him, no matter what he did.


    <hr>

 Chapter 10 - he with you

    Chapter 10 - It''s With You


    Finally confident, I decided that I no longer wanted to hide my power from Krahs. As soon as he released us, I bought the moray algae from the system store for just four coins. A small shoot appeared in my hand, and Krahs, seeing that, widened his eyes. The shock was so great that he slipped into the pool, resulting in the curious sight of a mermaid seemingly drowning in shallow water.


    Lilay was laughing beside me, and I had to hold back my own laughter. When Krahs finally emerged and stabilized himself, he looked confused at the shoot in my hands and then at me.


    ¡ª Child... how did you do that?!


    It was difficult for me to form coherent sentences, so I pretended to be just a clueless baby. On a silly impulse, I put the bamboo shoot in my mouth, imitating how I bit the crabs. Krahs''s eyes widened even more, and without hesitation, he yanked the shoot from my hands.


    ¡ª Nexha, you can''t put everything in your mouth!


    He sighed, watching the shoot carefully. His gaze held a mix of surprise and recognition. Without another word, he swam away with the plant in hand. I just hoped he would plant it near the nest, so my money wouldn''t go to waste.


    While swimming, Krahs kept his eyes fixed on the shoot. His mind seemed distant. Reaching a shallow area near a small island, he sat in the sand and, without hesitation, planted the shoot near the surface.


    From a distance, I watched in silence. He stared at the plant as though trying to decipher a riddle.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡ª If this plant is here... then we''re not so far from my old village.


    He let out a long sigh, bubbles dispersing around him.


    ¡ª I''ve been weak lately. Too sentimental for thinking I was far from those orcas... But now, it seems I''ll have to close my heart again.


    His eyes turned toward the nest, and the tenderness in them was palpable.


    ¡ª The time for hesitation is over. They might come today, tomorrow, or years from now. But I won''t allow myself to be weak anymore.


    A subtle vibration in the water caught his attention. With a swift motion, he swam silently. The prey didn''t even have time to react before his teeth tore into it. The blood stained the water as he devoured the small fish, but something else was happening without him noticing.


    The freshly planted shoot, hidden among the currents, pulsed gently. As if it were alive. As if it were hungry. It drank the scattered blood, its color becoming more intense, its structure stronger.


    Throughout the day, Krahs hunted near the plant. The more blood stained the water, the more it grew. Its trunk stretched toward the surface, rising like a natural spear.


    When the plant finally emerged from the water, a spectral glow traveled along its stem. Krahs swam to it, extending his hand to touch it. Something inside him made him hesitate for a moment, but then he murmured:


    ¡ª They really are like the plants from my home... A gift from the stars when they fell into the sea.


    His claws gently slid over the plant''s bark, and he closed his eyes.


    ¡ª Descendant of the stars... Hear my call.


    The current around him seemed to vibrate. A distant sound, an echo lost between the waters.


    ¡ª I ask for your help. Grant me the strength to protect my new home... My new family.


    The trunk cracked in response. As if answering the request, a piece of the plant gently detached, resting in his hands.


    Krahs watched it with reverence, feeling the energy pulse in his palm. Something ancient, something deep.


    His eyes narrowed.


    ¡ª Thank you, descendant of the stars.


    In the shadows of the ocean, something seemed to respond.

 Chapter 11 – Echoes of the Stars

    Chapter 11 ¨C Echoes of the Stars


    In a place where the sun had not reached for a long time, a small light began to flicker incessantly in the depths of the sea.


    On the cold and freezing stones of the abyss, a great being awakened from its millennia-old slumber. Its crimson eyes, still drowsy, slowly opened.


    With gentle movements, the giant glided toward the light that shone in the vast darkness. Around it, abyssal creatures stirred, fleeing in despair from that unusual glimmer.


    When it finally reached the light, the giant opened its mouth and whispered in a deep voice that echoed among the submerged rocks:


    ¡ª What happened, little star?


    The light wavered, weakening little by little, until it revealed a tiny mermaid. Compared to the giant, she was minuscule. Delicately, she wiped away the tears that shimmered like freshly formed pearls in her eyes.


    ¡ª Great Elder, I saw such a sad story¡­


    ¡ª Little star, it was just a nightmare.


    ¡ª It wasn¡¯t! ¡ª she protested, throwing her glistening tears at the elder.


    He received them without looking away, letting the pearls scatter along the ocean floor.


    ¡ª I felt¡­ someone pleading for a bit of power to protect.


    The elder sighed, his voice like the hidden currents of the ocean.


    ¡ª It has been so long since you last received a request¡­ How do you know it was real and not just a dream, little sleeper?


    ¡ª Because I used my power ¡ª the mermaid whispered, her golden gaze reflecting a melancholic longing. ¡ª I enchanted a weapon so that he could defend himself.


    The giant observed her in silence for a long moment before responding:This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡ª That is dangerous, little star. You know that your kindness has been used to commit atrocities before.


    ¡ª But he seemed so sincere¡­


    ¡ª They all try to deceive you ¡ª said the elder, his voice heavy with ancient sorrow. ¡ª After all, you are the last pure-blood descendant of the people who came from beyond the stars.


    The little mermaid lowered her gaze to her own tail. Her golden scales shimmered for a moment before dissolving, giving way to fragile legs as pale as porcelain.


    ¡ª I see you still can¡¯t maintain your form for long¡­ ¡ª the elder noted. ¡ª And yet, you continue giving away part of your powers.


    ¡ª I want to protect my siblings of this world too ¡ª she whispered. ¡ª I can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m always focused on keeping a tail that can no longer even swim.


    Lying on her bed of soft pearls, she looked upward, where only the darkness of the deep awaited her.


    ¡ª Elder¡­ do you still believe that one day our race will travel among the stars again?


    The old one sighed, his eyes turning toward the same unreachable void.


    ¡ª Little one¡­ long ago, our blood was diluted into this world. Now, many of us can no longer even walk outside the water. Everything we had was lost¡ªour homes, our knowledge, our magic¡­


    His voice became a whisper, laden with melancholy.


    ¡ª We are no longer like our ancestors, little one. We will not step beyond this ocean. But perhaps¡­ those this world is shaping might.


    The mermaid narrowed her eyes, thoughtful.


    ¡ª And how long do you think it will take for them to do so?


    The elder chuckled softly, closing his eyes as if recalling something distant.


    ¡ª Perhaps less time than we imagine. I asked for help from someone who might speed things up¡­ I hope our ancestors heard me.


    The little star stared at him in surprise, then frowned.


    ¡ª So that¡¯s why you¡¯re getting weaker¡­


    ¡ª It¡¯s called aging, child ¡ª he said, laughing quietly.


    ¡ª ¡­Is that bad?


    The giant settled beside the bed of pearls and sighed.


    ¡ª My time is running out, child. Unlike the starborn, I do not need a fatal wound to pass on.


    ¡ª Elder, don¡¯t die yet! I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to live without you!


    Tears returned to the mermaid¡¯s golden eyes, but before they could form into pearls, the old one huffed in irritation.


    ¡ª I¡¯m not dying yet! I¡¯m just old, okay?!


    She pulled back, surprised, and the giant regained his composure.


    ¡ª Child, it¡¯s time to rest. Don¡¯t worry so much about others¡­ you need to take care of yourself too.


    The little mermaid hesitated for a moment before nodding.


    ¡ª I will try to follow your advice, elder.


    ¡ª Like the other twenty times I told you this?


    Embarrassed, she covered her face with her long red hair. The elder laughed, a deep chuckle like the ocean¡¯s currents.


    Then, he closed his eyes and whispered tenderly:


    ¡ª Now, sleep, my little star¡­


    Slowly, the mermaid¡¯s glow faded, until darkness once again enveloped the abyss. But even there, where the sun never touched, a small ray of light still pulsed softly in the depths.

 Chapter 12 - Together

    Chapter 12 - Together


    Krahs grabbed the plant fragment and swam back to the nest. Nexha and Lilay were on the sand, playing with an unfamiliar object, completely unaware of what had just happened. The little pup looked at Krahs, curious, noticing that he was holding something new.


    ¡ª How did the bamboo grow so fast?! Even if it''s bamboo, shouldn''t it take at least a few days?!


    Nexha wanted to ask, but only muttered disconnected sounds. Meanwhile, Lilay seemed happy to have the bottle all to himself.


    Krahs placed the newly-formed spear on the sand and lay down in one of the pools of the nest, exhausted. As soon as Nexha realized the old one was sleeping, he curiously approached the spear and tried to analyze it.


    [Enchanted Bamboo Spear]


    -Name: None


    -Status: Normal


    -Attack: 10


    -Luck: 10


    -Title: Blessed by a Descendant of the Stars


    -Ability: Protection


    This spear was enchanted by one of the descendants of the stars who heard a request. Its enchantment makes it stronger the more people the wielder tries to protect. If wielded by someone who doesn''t wish to protect anyone or anything, the enchantment will make it weaker.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡ª Wow... This is a perfect weapon for Krahs. It''s very strong, but only for certain people. But... who is this descendant of the stars?


    Could it be something from the system? If not, it meant that someone incredibly powerful was watching... A shiver ran down my spine at the thought. If this someone is watching me, then they must possess terrifying power ¡ª enough to stop me from reaching my goals.


    My mind began to waver, and fear took over me. I thought I was the only one with powers in this world, but I was wrong. There was someone capable of creating a weapon like this.


    I would be nothing but a flea compared to this being. My powers and my ability to buy items didn''t seem so impressive in light of that.


    ¡ª Looks like I''ll have to adapt... or I''ll never achieve my goals.


    I sighed as I looked at the spear again.


    ¡ª What terrifying power this so-called descendant of the stars has...


    It was then that I heard something. A soft sound echoed in my mind ¡ª a faint, feminine laugh, like a distant bell. My body froze, and I jumped in shock. Without thinking twice, I ran as fast as I could to Krahs, huddling next to him.


    The sudden movement woke the old shark. Seeing the little pup trembling in fear of the spear and cuddling up to him, Krahs'' heart warmed. Gently, he picked up Nexha in his arms and wrapped him between the algae of the pool.


    ¡ª Don¡¯t be afraid, little one. That¡¯s just a special gift from a very ancient being. He heard that we needed protection and helped us.


    The pup looked at him, confused, but felt the comfort of the embrace and relaxed. Krahs pulled him closer to his chest and gently rocked him. The warmth and the soft movement made sleep take over Nexha, pulling a yawn from him.


    Lilay, seeing the two so close, became jealous. Dropping the empty bottle, she squeezed between them, also looking for her place in the hug. In the end, the little family slept together that night, surrounded by each other''s safety.


    And somewhere, in the forgotten depths of the ocean, a small star smiled. Through the spear, she witnessed the scene, and her heart warmed.


    With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and, for the first time in a long time, fell asleep in peace.

 Chapter 13 – First Experience

    Chapter 13 ¨C First Experience


    The next day, I woke up with Lilay clinging to me, as always. Strangely, I didn¡¯t see Krahs or the spear nearby, which I found unusual. Since he wasn¡¯t there, I decided to open the store.


    ((Store)/)(\MD 736/)


    Welcome to the store, user! Here, you can buy whatever you need for your world conquest, my dear idiot. (?^-^?)


    -Food / Medicine


    -Skills


    -Miners


    -Plant Materials


    -Clothes / Armor


    -Slaves


    -Magical Items


    -Animals / Pets


    -Accessories


    -Technology


    "I need to get stronger¡­ I¡¯ve spent too much time just living without doing anything in this world. And what if that Star Descendant isn¡¯t actually good? Maybe I¡¯ll lose everything before I even get a real start."


    I looked at the store categories, thinking about what would be most useful for getting stronger.


    "I want a new skill, but I can¡¯t afford one yet¡­ On the other hand, technology is cheaper and more accessible for me."


    As I browsed through the options, something caught my attention, but I quickly realized it wouldn¡¯t be very useful underwater.


    "Hahaha, fire? How am I supposed to use that?! Most of this world is submerged! Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have SpongeBob¡¯s powers¡­"


    Even so, this option reminded me that in the future, when I establish my civilization, I will need large surface areas to use fire. After all, you can¡¯t work with minerals without heating them for molding.


    "Wait¡­ Miners!"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    I looked at a small lucky crab, and an idea popped into my mind. I quickly opened the miners'' tab and searched for a material I used to rely on in games.


    "Obsidian¡­ 5 MD."


    I let out an evil laugh as I purchased a piece of the stone. I chose a fragment shaped like a blade. The little crab had no idea what was coming. My laughter ended up waking Lilay, who blinked sleepily.


    I grabbed the crab with one hand and the obsidian blade with the other. With a quick strike, I hit its mouth, opening it effortlessly.


    {+1 XP}


    Immediately, I opened my status screen.


    [Crystal-Scaled Mermaid]


    Name: Nexha


    Age: Newborn


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 0 XP: 1/10


    HP: 20/20


    MP: 5/5


    Strength: 1


    Defense:20


    Intelligence: 10


    Luck: 7


    Beauty: 30


    Title: First of Many


    Skills: Analyze, System Store Access


    Seeing my very first XP point, I couldn¡¯t contain another laugh¡ªthis time, louder than before. Lilay, still sleepy, stuffed seaweed into his ears and went back to sleep.


    "Finally, XP!"


    I looked at the dead crab, cracked open its shell, and tried to eat the upper internal part. It was slimy and not as appetizing as the material that built up on the outside, but it was food, and I didn¡¯t want to waste it.


    After swallowing, I looked around for more crabs to start my first farming session in this world.


    Several small crabs climbed up from the central pool, unaware of their impending fate. I grabbed them one by one, stacking up prey. After a while, a soft chime echoed in my mind.


    {Congratulations! You have reached Level 1! Check your status to see the changes.}


    I ate two more crabs and already felt satisfied. Lilay, on the other hand, finally got out of bed and started helping me devour the tiny creatures. Unlike me, his appetite seemed insatiable¡ªeven after eating seven crabs, he still wanted more.


    I stopped as soon as I leveled up. I had killed ten of those little creatures in one go, and I didn¡¯t want my brother to get a stomachache. I only ate the inner parts, but Lilay devoured everything, leaving behind only the crabs¡¯ skeletons.


    While he finished eating the last one, I reopened my status screen.


    [Crystal-Scaled Mermaid]


    Name: Nexha


    Age: Baby


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 1 XP: 0/20


    HP: 25/25


    MP: 10/10


    Strength: 2 (+1)


    Defense:21(+1)


    Intelligence: 11 (+1)


    Luck: 7


    Beauty: 30


    Title: First of Many


    Skills: Analyze, System Store Access


    "Interesting¡­ My luck and beauty didn¡¯t increase. Maybe they grow differently from the other stats. It could be something like defense, which might improve in a different way¡­ Still, I feel like I¡¯m becoming a natural tank."


    Lilay finished the last crab and tossed its shell onto the pile we had gathered. The ten shells formed a considerable little mound.


    "If I crush these shells and eat them¡­ would I gain more defense points?"


    I looked at the obsidian shard in my hand and decided against using it for this. It was sharp but not sturdy. Unlike certain games, obsidian wouldn¡¯t be useful as a smashing tool.


    "I¡¯ll need something tough but not too heavy."


    That¡¯s when an idea struck me: buy different stones and test them for this task.


    I sat on the sand and started searching for a smooth stone to use as a base and another round one to use as a hammer.

 Chapter 14 - Crab Grinder

    Chapter 14 - Crab Grinder


    With a Heavy Heart, I Bought Two More Stones for 10 MD


    ¡ª Ah, my salary¡­ It hurts so much to spend it¡­ After being unemployed for so long, I think I¡¯ve grown too attached to every single coin¡­


    I murmured, sighing.


    ¡ª Anyway, now I have 721 Dimensional Money.


    The stone slab was heavier than I expected, so I left it exactly where it appeared. I picked up the smaller stone, placed a shell on the slab, and started hammering it, trying to break it without using too much force. I didn¡¯t want pieces flying off and hitting Lilay. After all, only I had a monstrous defense.


    But the task wasn¡¯t as simple as I imagined. The shell was tougher than it looked. With each strike, small fragments chipped off, but it remained mostly intact. My arm started to ache, and my patience nearly ran out.


    ¡ª Damn it! Why is this so hard?!


    I grumbled, feeling sweat trickle down my forehead.


    Lilay, who was lying beside me, watched everything with half-open eyes. Bored, he picked up one of the broken pieces and put it in his mouth. He immediately spat it out, making such an exaggerated grimace that I couldn¡¯t hold back my laughter.


    He wiped his mouth with the seaweed around him.


    I picked up one of the crushed fragments and put it in my mouth. As soon as it touched my tongue, I felt an intense and unexpectedly sweet taste. My taste buds tingled in surprise. It was like honey mixed with a light salty touch of the ocean.


    My eyes lit up.


    ¡ª This is really good!


    Lilay looked at me with suspicion and scooted away slightly, as if he thought I was crazy.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Ignoring his reaction, I kept grinding the remaining pieces, rubbing the stone over the fragments until they turned into a fine powder. Tiny sparkles appeared in the mixture, reflecting the dim light around us, creating an effect similar to glitter on a gift card. It was beautiful to see.


    When I finally finished, a bell rang in my mind.


    {Technology Acquired: Beginner Alchemy}


    Congratulations! Keep learning to gain more bonuses. You have earned 300 MD.


    My jaw nearly dropped.


    ¡ª What?! I earned more money than I had before! Now I have 1021 MD!


    My joy was quickly replaced by confusion.


    ¡ª How does this count as alchemy? Why is grinding crabs so special?


    Curious, I used my Analyze skill on the red powder I had produced.


    [Lucky Crab Powder]


    <ul><li>Classification: Good</li><li>Defense: +1</li><li>Ability: Glows in the dark, increases defense when consumed.</li></ul>


    Powder made from the exoskeletons of lucky crabs. Its classification was raised due to the excellent quality of these animals¡¯ shells. This powder can be used to increase defense, but its effect weakens over time. The horrible taste repels most species, but naturally resistant creatures find it sweet when consumed. It can also be used to create strength potions.


    ¡ª This is amazing! But it also explains why I didn¡¯t gain strength and why Lilay didn¡¯t want to eat it.


    My body trembled with excitement, but the euphoria didn¡¯t last long. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my head. Invisible needles stabbed into my brain, and a surge of information exploded inside my mind. It was as if someone was pouring pure knowledge directly into me.


    I couldn¡¯t take it. Everything went dark, and I passed out.


    ¡­


    When Krahs returned, he found an unexpected scene. The nest was covered in a strange red powder, and the two small hatchlings were completely painted red as if they had rolled around in the substance.


    ¡ª What the¡­? ¡ª He furrowed his brow and looked closer.


    Setting his spear aside, he picked up a sharp object that lay in the sand. It was a strange black stone tip.


    ¡ª How did this get here? I only trained near the nest and never saw the little ones leave.


    Outside, the moon and starlight passed through the translucent walls of the shelter, reflecting on the tiny sparkling specks of red powder. For a moment, Krahs felt an inexplicable warmth in his chest. He looked up at the sky and smiled.


    ¡ª I see¡­ Is it you, stars? Watching over them like this¡­


    His smile widened. He sat beside the hatchlings and gently woke them up. He served them succulent pieces of the fish he had caught, expecting them to eat eagerly.


    But as soon as they saw the food, both made such exaggerated grimaces that Krahs couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter.


    ¡ª You don¡¯t want to eat? What happened to my little gluttons?


    Nexha and Lilay exchanged glances¡ªthey had clearly eaten too much crab. But Krahs didn¡¯t know that. He just laughed louder, ruffling their hair.


    ¡ª You two really are special.

 Chapter 15 - Growing

    Chapter 15 - Growing


    The next morning, Nexha became irritated when he saw Krahs using his obsidian stone on the tip of his spear. His cheeks puffed up, and his small face turned red with anger. Krahs, unable to resist the adorable scene, pinched the chubby cheeks of the angry little baby before leaving to train, leaving the two alone.


    With his cheeks still sore from the pinch, Nexha sighed, crossing his arms.


    ¡ª Maybe I¡¯ve been a little stingy...


    Not wanting to dwell on it for too long, he opened the shop and bought another obsidian for 5 MD. While waiting for the crabs to climb up the nesting pool, he was startled by Lilay emerging from the water. The shock was so great that Nexha nearly jumped back.


    ¡ª What...? ¡ª Nexha''s eyes widened as he saw that Lilay had tripled in size overnight. Before, they were practically the same size, but now Lilay looked like a four-year-old child.


    Without wasting time, Lilay yawned and, with a sleepy smile, jumped onto Nexha, crushing him in a tight hug. The unexpected strength pinned Nexha to the ground, making him grunt in pain. Luckily, he had thrown the obsidian onto the sand beforehand.


    ¡ª Get off! ¡ª Nexha shouted, trying to push him away.


    ¡ª Little brother is so grumpy. ¡ª Lilay murmured, laughing.


    ¡ª I''m not grumpy! ¡ª Nexha protested.


    ¡ª Yes, you are.


    Before the argument could continue, Nexha froze as he realized something.


    ¡ª Wait... You understand me?!


    Lilay blinked in confusion.


    ¡ª Yes.


    ¡ª Since when?!


    ¡ª Today?


    Nexha was speechless. For the first time, someone in the world understood his words! However, before he could celebrate, another question arose.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡ª And how did you get so big?!


    ¡ª I don¡¯t know. You''re small and big too.


    The answer didn¡¯t make much sense, but Nexha decided not to insist. Looking at his hands and tail, he began examining himself. He grabbed one of the pool cleaners and noticed that he had indeed grown as well. Not as much as Lilay, but he was visibly larger.


    ¡ª Little brother, I''m hungry! ¡ª Lilay declared, shaking Nexha eagerly.


    With no other choice, Nexha bought a full bottle of milk for another 10 MD. He sighed as he watched his balance decrease once again.


    ¡ª Maybe I should care less about money... ¡ª he murmured to himself.


    As Lilay enjoyed his milk, the first crabs of the day began to climb up the pool. Nexha quickly grabbed one and, using his new obsidian, pierced it, feeling a wave of satisfaction at the sweet sound of XP gained.


    He reflected on the sudden growth of Lilay and came to a conclusion: it was probably because of the crabs. Determined not to fall behind, he decided to eat as many as possible to grow too.


    Unfortunately, after just five crabs, he already felt full. Lilay, on the other hand, even after drinking the milk, managed to devour fifteen.


    ¡ª Is your stomach infinite?! ¡ª Nexha exclaimed in disbelief.


    Lilay simply licked his fingers and tossed the shells into the growing pile beside him. Without an answer, Nexha opened his status screen:


    [Crystal-Scaled Mermaid]


    Name: Nexha.


    Age: Baby


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 2 XP: 0/40


    HP: 30/30 MP: 15/15 ATK: 3(+1) DEF: 22(+1) INT: 12(+1) LCK: 7 B: 30


    Title: First of Many


    Abilities: Analyze, System Shop Access.


    Nexha''s eyes widened.


    ¡ª Tomorrow, I''ll have to kill 40 of these things?! If this keeps up, I''ll wipe out all the crabs in this place...


    As he ground the shells into powder with the ease he had learned yesterday thanks to the system, he pondered a sustainable method to gain XP.


    ¡ª Maybe killing just ten per day is enough...


    ¡ª Hey, what about me? I''m gonna starve like this, little brother! ¡ª Lilay protested.


    ¡ª Eat Krahs'' fish.


    ¡ª But they''re not as tasty as crabs... ¡ª Lilay pouted, clearly displeased.


    He then shook Nexha forcefully, trying to make him change his mind. The sudden action made Nexha miss a strike with the stone and, to his horror, shatter the newly purchased obsidian.


    For a moment, he stood still, feeling his rage build. Without thinking twice, he grabbed a handful of crab shells and started throwing them at Lilay.


    ¡ª YOU EATING MACHINE! YOU BROKE MY STONE!


    Lilay retaliated with equal enthusiasm.


    ¡ª IT''S NOT MY FAULT YOU¡¯RE A STINGY CHEAPSKATE!


    ¡ª YOU DON¡¯T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!


    ¡ª YOU SAID IT BEFORE, SO IT MUST BE IMPORTANT.


    And so, a shell war began. Laughter and shouting echoed through the nest until both, exhausted, collapsed onto the sand, falling into a deep sleep.


    Later, Krahs returned with some large fish and found the nest in complete disarray. In the middle of the chaos, two little ones slept, covered in crab shell remnants and red dust.


    Krahs¡¯ gaze hardened.


    ¡ª These two...


    And so, that afternoon, the brothers were sentenced to cleaning the nest as punishment.

 Chapter 16 - Can We Feel You Again?

    16. Shall we feel you again?


    In the cold, deep waters, a sweet melodic laughter echoed softly, vibrating like a lost song in the ocean. The elder, with his tired crimson eyes, sighed deeply, his robust body moving slowly as if carrying the weight of countless eras.


    ¡ª They are so amusing, Elder. They are the cutest babies I have ever seen,


    said the young mermaid, her silver hair floating like strands of submerged moonlight.


    ¡ª I understand that you like these children,


    the elder responded, his deep voice almost like a roar muffled by the waters,


    ¡ª but aren¡¯t you pushing yourself too hard to see them almost every day?


    ¡ª Don''t worry, I''m using very little power,


    she smiled, sitting on her iridescent pearl bed, whose soft tones reflected the faint light around. But her expression changed as she noticed the exhausted look on the elder¡¯s face.


    ¡ª What''s wrong? Didn''t you sleep well last night?


    The old one closed his eyes for a moment, as if reliving something painful, before releasing another sigh.


    ¡ª I slept, little star¡­ but I saw something I wish I hadn¡¯t.


    The mermaid tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes shining with curiosity and concern.


    ¡ª Something bad, Elder?


    He hesitated. When he opened his eyes again, they seemed heavier, burdened with dark memories.


    ¡ª I saw a people of this sea destroying each other. Another of the ancient weapons your ancestors created was claimed¡­ through blood.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    She gasped, her tail shimmering as she stirred in nervousness, dissolving into legs that trembled in the water.


    ¡ª N-No, not again! They never understand! We made them to protect, not to kill!


    The old one slowly approached and, without warning, gave her a light flick on the forehead. Small bubbles escaped her mouth from the shock.


    ¡ª It doesn¡¯t matter if a weapon was made to protect or to kill, child. Weapons do not choose their wielders¡­ nor those who desire them.


    ¡ª But¡­ but they lose power if they aren¡¯t used for the right purpose!


    she retorted, rubbing her forehead.


    The elder watched her for a long moment before replying, his voice laden with wisdom.


    ¡ª Child, a "right purpose" has never been defined by just one person. Every weapon will always have one destiny: to harm. And that is why, for so long, I have asked you to stop enchanting them.


    She opened her mouth to protest but stopped, feeling warm, salty tears mix with the cold water around her until they became more pearls upon the bed. The elder sighed again but, this time, gently wiped the tears from her eyes.


    ¡ª You always cry like a child when scolded¡­ It¡¯s been years since you¡¯ve mourned for those you tried to help. And yet, you never learn, do you?


    The young one sniffled, releasing small bubbles as she wiped her nose. Her gaze, however, was resolute.


    ¡ª This time will be different.


    The elder raised an eyebrow.


    ¡ª Child¡­


    ¡ª It will be different!


    she interrupted, her voice echoing strong in the ocean''s silence.


    ¡ª Because I saw! I saw someone¡­ someone who looks like me.


    The old one blinked, surprised, and his tone shifted, taking on an unexpected gravity.


    ¡ª How¡­?!


    ¡ª He has powers even I don''t understand, but I feel it¡­ He is like me. Something in him is the same as me.


    Silence stretched between them. The elder furrow , as if piecing together lost thoughts from the past.


    ¡ª This is impossible... The blood has long been diluted, there¡¯s no way... Unless...


    ¡ª What?


    the mermaid asked, anxious.


    The elder leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of astonishment and hope.


    ¡ª A new lineage... was born.


    ¡ª What does that mean?


    she questioned, her heart racing.


    ¡ª It means the other elders are listening to us from the stars... and maybe, just maybe, they¡¯re giving us a chance to leave this place.


    The young one¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡ª But... it¡¯s been years since we¡¯ve heard anything from them!


    ¡ª This is madness... ¡ª murmured the elder, but a small smile formed on his tired lips.


    For a long moment, they both just looked up. The ocean around them remained dark, impenetrable... but at that moment, both felt it. Something vibrated deep in their hearts, a forgotten warmth, a distant promise.


    The change had begun.

 Chapter 17 - No More Sushi!

    Chapter 17 - No More Sushi!


    The next morning, Nexha and Lilay were awakened together by Krahs. The two little ones hadn¡¯t grown as much as the day before, but they were still slightly bigger.


    ¡ª Lilay, you''re at an ideal size to learn how to hunt,


    announced Krahs, his gaze serious.


    ¡ª Today, I''ve decided to take you with me to teach you. And don''t even try to pretend, I already know you both can understand me.


    Lilay didn¡¯t seem very excited about the news, unlike Nexha, who was finally going to be left alone. However, to avoid seeming too eager about the separation, he feigned indifference.


    ¡ª Nexha, you''re still too small. I¡¯ll teach you when you''re bigger.


    Lilay snickered softly.


    ¡ª Shorty.


    Nexha got irritated and threw a piece of crab at Lilay. The two seemed ready to fight again, but Krahs''s severe glare made them back down immediately.


    As soon as Lilay and Krahs left, Nexha sighed in relief. Finally, he was alone after so many days with his clingy brother. But for some reason, the silence felt... strange.


    He bought a milk from the system shop to try to relax, but the discomfort didn¡¯t go away.


    ¡ª I''ve gotten too attached to them...


    he murmured, looking at his claws.


    Trying to shake off the feeling, he turned his attention to the crab shells he hadn''t managed to grind the day before. He noticed that the crabs were slow to climb into the nest in the morning, meaning he wouldn¡¯t be able to gain XP from them so early. He decided to focus on something else.


    While grinding, something unexpected happened: sparks leaped from the powder! He jumped back, startled. Upon closer examination, he realized he had mixed pieces of broken obsidian with the shells, causing the reaction.


    If sparks appeared... then...


    With his heart racing, he brought a piece of dry seaweed close and continued grinding. Slowly, a small flame emerged, flickering before his astonished eyes.


    It was fire.


    {Technology Acquired: Fire}


    Congratulations! Keep learning to gain more bonuses. You earned 600 MD.


    ¡ª Wow... That was way more than I earned with alchemy!


    Nexha opened his dimensional wallet, his eyes shining.


    ¡ª 1596 MD! My balance is growing¡­ If I keep earning achievements like this, I''ll be able to buy a skill soon. And with the alchemy knowledge I gained, maybe I can create even more efficient mixtures.


    Looking at the flame and the slab where he ground the crabs, he had another idea. He dug a small hole under the stone slab, filled it with dry seaweed, and placed the small flame among them. He had created a heated slab.


    In the crab powder, he mixed a little water and ground it on the heated stone. Gradually, the bright red powder darkened and blended with the water.


    He ground all the crabs, replenishing the water as needed. He only stopped when the fire died out, realizing he had no more dry seaweed to fuel it.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡ª It¡¯s so hard to keep anything dry in this world full of water...


    Frustrated but proud of his mixture, he decided to analyze it.


    [Lucky Crab Powder]


    Rating: Exceptional


    Defense: +5


    Ability: Glows in the dark, increases defense when consumed.


    <i>"</i>Powder made from the exoskeletons of lucky crabs. Its rating was elevated due to the excellent quality of these animals¡¯ shells. It gained the ''exceptional'' property when heated along with seawater, improving its purity. It can be used to increase defense, but its effect weakens over time. Its terrible taste repels most species, except for the most resilient ones, which detect a bittersweet flavor when absorbing the powder. It can also be used to craft strength and defense potions."


    Nexha''s eyes sparkled as he read the description. Without hesitation, he grabbed a handful and tasted it. The bittersweet flavor spread through his mouth, filling him with an unexpected joy.


    ¡ª Wait... If I made fire and can use this as a seasoning... I can cook!


    His heart pounded. Without hesitation, he opened the system shop and started spending money without guilt.


    First, he searched for something that could serve as a pan. Unfortunately, none of the options seemed suitable, so he bought a simple basin to remove the excess powder from the stone slab.


    Next, he bought dry seaweed. To his surprise, a generous amount arrived, which pleased him. He lit the fire again and waited for the slab to heat up. Finally, he bought a large fish and a new obsidian knife.


    ¡ª Thirteen coins spent on a meal... It''s already more expensive than my milk. But it¡¯s worth it! After so much raw fish, I''m sick of sushi every day!


    He cleaned the fish, separated what he thought was fat, and spread it over the hot slab. He tossed the internal organs to the pool cleaners. The smell attracted crabs into the nest. Without hesitation, Nexha killed a few and set them aside for Lilay to eat later.


    Once the fat melted and the slab was hot enough, he placed the fish and some crabs to cook. The sweet and delicious scent made his mouth water, but the smoke started to bother him.


    ¡ª Ah, I forgot about that. Maybe if I open a hole at the top of the nest, the smoke will escape...


    He took the obsidian and made small holes in the nest¡¯s wall. They weren¡¯t large, but they worked well enough to let the smoke out.


    When he flipped the fish, he noticed the crabs weren¡¯t cooking properly. So, he moved them closer to the flame. Within minutes, the fish was ready. He coated it with the bittersweet powder and took a bite. The flavor was so good that tears rolled down his face, turning into tiny pearls as they touched the sand.


    ¡ª My first real meal in this world...


    As he ate, the pearl-like tears piled up around him. When he finished, he licked his fingers, satisfied, and remembered the crabs on the fire. Using the obsidian knife, he skewered and pulled them out one by one. The smell was even more delicious.


    {Technology Acquired: Cooking}


    Congratulations! Keep learning to gain more bonuses. You earned 400 MD.


    ¡ª 1983 MD! I¡¯m getting rich! Long live the bonuses!


    A wave of knowledge invaded his mind. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t pass out¡ªjust felt a slight headache.


    At that exact moment, Krahs and Lilay returned. As soon as he smelled the food, Lilay lunged without thinking. However, the crabs were still hot, and he ended up burning his fingers. He shoved them into his mouth and looked at Nexha with teary eyes, as if it were his fault.


    ¡ª Don¡¯t look at me like that. Just wait a little, and you can eat.


    Krahs, on the other hand, seemed curious about everything that was happening. He slowly approached, observing the cooked crabs with sharp eyes. He lowered his head and sniffed the air, as if analyzing every detail of the dish Nexha had prepared.


    ¡ª What exactly did you do here, Nexha?


    he asked, his voice filled with curiosity and a hint of suspicion.


    Nexha puffed out his chest, proud.


    ¡ª I cooked! I used fire, fat, and a bit of my new special seasoning.


    Krahs raised an eyebrow. He picked up one of the roasted crabs and spun it in his claws before taking a careful bite. As soon as the flavor hit his palate, his eyes widened.


    ¡ª This is... impressive.


    He chewed slowly, savoring the crispy texture. Lilay, still rubbing his burned fingers, grabbed a piece of crab and finally tried it. The moment the flavor exploded in his mouth, he let out a small squeal of surprise and started devouring it without a second thought.


    ¡ª This is so good! Why don¡¯t we eat like this every day?!


    Nexha laughed, crossing his arms.


    ¡ª Because before, I didn¡¯t know how...


    Krahs cleaned his claws and looked at Nexha with a scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡ª You¡¯ve discovered something powerful... this thing called fire. If you learn to master it properly...


    Nexha blinked, feeling a chill down his spine as Krahs pointed to the dying flame beneath the slab.


    ¡ª This fire can make better food, but it can also harm. And worse, it can attract unwanted attention... Be careful with what you''re creating here.


    Nexha felt his excitement fade into a shiver.


    Lilay, however, didn¡¯t seem worried. He just kept eating, mumbling with his mouth full:


    ¡ª Careful or not, all I know is... I never want to eat raw fish again!

 Chapter 18 - Growing and Changing

    Chapter 18 - Growing and Changing


    I left Lilay and Krahs to eat the crabs and went to sleep since the headache was still bothering me. The next day, I woke up feeling strange. There was a different sensation running through my body¡ªa mix of tingling and extra weight on my tail. I got up and shook Lilay to wake him. He groaned, clearly unwilling to leave his deep sleep, but when he saw me, he frowned.


    ¡ª Did you eat something bad? Why are you waking me up so desperately?


    ¡ª Look at me. Do you notice anything different?


    I asked, restless.


    Lilay blinked a few times, analyzing me from top to bottom. After a moment, he shrugged.


    ¡ª Nope?


    ¡ª But I feel something weird...


    He tilted his head and observed me more closely. His gaze traveled over my body until it stopped at my tail. Then, he let out a little chuckle.


    ¡ª Now that you mention it... it does look a little bigger. But it¡¯s still far from being as impressive as mine!


    He mocked me, and I got irritated.


    ¡ª Oh, shut up! If you''re not going to help, I''ll wake up Krahs!


    Krahs was snoring loudly when I poked him. He jumped up at my touch, startling me. His eyes gleamed in alertness for a second before calming down.


    ¡ª What is it, kid? You¡¯re not the type to wake me up.


    ¡ª I feel weird...


    Krahs seemed concerned and began examining me. His eyes carefully scanned my tail, as if looking for something specific. His expression turned serious for a moment until he seemed to understand. He pointed at my tail, indicating something.


    ¡ª Nexha, you¡¯re a mermaid with hard scales, unlike me and Lilay. Your scales are growing and strengthening. They¡¯re more robust, which can cause discomfort. But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll stop bothering you soon,


    he explained, almost proudly.


    I blinked, surprised. So that was it? My body was changing... growing?


    After that, Krahs and Lilay left to hunt, leaving me alone in the nest. I looked at my own tail and sighed.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡ª Makes sense... If my race in my status is Crystal-Scaled Mermaid...


    I ran my hand over my tail, feeling the rough and uneven texture of the new scales. The discomfort persisted, but a certain excitement filled me. It meant I was getting stronger.


    The scales had a bluish tone, reflecting tiny crystalline glimmers as I moved.


    ¡ª Crystal scales, huh? This might be useful... but it still hurts like hell.


    I stretched and yawned. I grabbed my bowl and mixed some leftover crab powder into the milk from the previous day. The moment I took the first sip, I heard a familiar sound: the system notification.


    [+5 Defense]


    I quickly opened my status to check.


    [Crystal-Scaled Mermaid]


    Name: Nexha


    Age: Baby


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 2 XP: 10/40


    HP: 30/30 MP: 15/15


    Attack: 3 Defense: 27 (+5)


    Intelligence: 12 Luck: 7 Beauty: 30


    Title: First of Many


    Skills: Analyze, Access to System Store


    The joy of becoming stronger made the discomfort in my tail seem less important.


    ¡ª Maybe this defense increase is what''s causing my scales to grow... If stats really help me evolve faster, this theory might be right. But I have no way to prove it yet.


    I finished my milk, but I didn¡¯t gain any more defense points. Still, the five I got were worth it. After that, I tried grinding the leftover crabs, but something was off. The powder I got was darker, like burned ash. I put a little in my mouth to test it and grimaced. It tasted like charcoal!


    I sighed and tossed the powder to the nest¡¯s cleaning fish, but even they didn¡¯t want to eat it. When the water darkened, I stirred it with the tip of my tail until it dissolved. At least I avoided getting scolded by Krahs for dirtying the nest.


    Not long after, the small luck crabs entered. Without wasting time, I caught a few, earning 10 XP. I decided to cook them, and while preparing the fire, I noticed there was still some crab powder in the bowl. An idea struck me.


    I opened the system store and searched for a fire-resistant bowl. Among various options, I found a turtle shell that seemed perfect. It only cost 5 coins. Smiling in satisfaction, I bought the item, filled it with water and crabs, and placed it on the stone slab to cook.


    ¡ª There''s still fuel left from yesterday. I¡¯ll make the most of it.


    As I watched the crabs cook, I noticed something curious. Small, shiny fragments detached from the shells and accumulated at the bottom of the bowl. I analyzed them and was surprised.


    [Gnawed Crystal-Scaled Mermaid Tail Fragments]


    Rarity: Rare


    Defense: +10


    Ability: Increases defense when consumed.


    <i>"</i>Scales gnawed by luck crabs, mixed with saliva and stuck to the shells. The saliva was dissolved by the hot saltwater, loosening the fragments. Though damaged, they still contain nutrients that can accelerate scale regeneration."


    My eyes sparkled.


    ¡ª So my theory was right! They were increasing my defense by gnawing on my scales...


    I didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or scared about this discovery. I pushed the thought aside and continued cooking.


    The delicious smell soon attracted Krahs and Lilay. They brought fish, and I decided to cook everything together. Krahs helped remove the internal organs, though he seemed uncomfortable with the waste. Lilay, on the other hand, devoured the crabs as if there were no tomorrow.


    It was a peaceful day, almost like a family dinner. But the peace didn¡¯t last long.


    That night, my tail started itching like crazy...

 Chapter 19 - The Star That Fell Into the Sea

    Chapter 19 - The Star That Fell Into the Sea


    I thrashed around endlessly, overwhelmed by an unbearable itch. My body was restless, moving through the algae in a desperate attempt to find relief. But nothing helped. The sensation worsened with each passing second until I felt something strange¡ªa piece of my scale coming loose.


    My heart pounded.


    ¡ª What?! How?!... Weren¡¯t they just growing? Why are they falling off?!


    I looked at my tail in panic and saw small crystalline fragments slowly detaching, spinning in the water and reflecting the soft glow of the moonlight. A chill ran through my chest. I tried to grab the shards and press them back into place, but it was useless. Every second, more scales detached, falling like drops of shattered glass.


    Despair took hold of me.


    ¡ª Krahs! ¡ª I cried, feeling tears well up in my eyes.


    The old shark woke with a jolt, alarmed by my urgent call. The moment he saw me trembling and crying, his eyes hardened for an instant, but his expression soon softened. With a careful movement, he picked me up and cradled me gently.


    ¡ª It''s okay, child. This is normal ¡ª he said, his voice firm but comforting.


    I sobbed quietly, clutching my fists against my chest as my body continued to tremble.


    Lilay, on the other hand, barely stirred. Sleepily, he cracked open one eye, blinked sluggishly, and glanced at the scene with disinterest. With his messy hair and a trickle of drool at the corner of his mouth, he realized there was nothing food-related happening. Shrugging, he stuffed algae into his ears and went back to sleep like the incorrigible slacker he was.


    Meanwhile, Krahs wiped away my tears with his rough, firm hands. I hadn¡¯t even noticed I was crying until that moment.


    Time passed, but the pain didn¡¯t lessen. Each tiny scale that fell made my skin burn and my tail pulse with discomfort. The old shark remained by my side, keeping me safe, his warm and protective presence surrounding me.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡ª I... I hate this... ¡ª I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. ¡ª I don¡¯t want these scales... They only hurt me.


    Krahs sighed.


    ¡ª Child, growing can be painful, but change happens for a reason. Our bodies know what they need. This pain will pass soon.


    He paused, reflecting for a moment. Then, with a small, weary smile, he pulled me closer.


    ¡ª Let me tell you an old story. Maybe it will help you forget the pain.


    He settled into the sand and placed me beside him. His eyes, tired yet wise, turned toward the translucent ceiling of the nest. The moonlight and starlight filtered softly through the water, casting dancing reflections around us.


    ¡ª Long ago, two stars fell into the sea ¡ª he began, his voice reverent. ¡ª They were a man and a woman, beings who could walk the land and swim the ocean. At that time, the sea was empty, home only to small fish.


    He smiled, as if he could see the scene unfolding before his eyes.


    ¡ª But they brought with them their gifts and filled the ocean with life. They created corals, magnificent fish, vibrant plants... And finally, they had a child. A being as radiant as the sun, as powerful as it was beautiful. However, the birth of this wonder came at a cost. The woman, his mother, did not survive.


    My breathing slowed as I listened intently.


    ¡ª Before she departed, her blood spread through the ocean, carrying her final wish: that her child would never be alone. That he would have companions. And so, from the creatures she loved most, mermaids were born.


    He paused, gazing at the stars as if trying to capture something within them.


    ¡ª Even after countless eras, despite our greed and our flaws, the descendant of the stars still wishes to protect us.


    Then, he looked at me, his eyes reflecting the silver glow of the moon.


    ¡ª And that¡¯s why I tell you, Nexha... Your changes are a gift. Do not fear them. Embrace them.


    I remained silent for a moment. My tears had stopped. The pain felt less intense now, as if his words had soothed something deep within me.


    But then, suddenly, a blue glow appeared at the tip of my tail. It slowly traveled up my body, reaching my stomach and enveloping me in a soft, shimmering light.


    I watched in awe. When the glow faded, I saw that new scales had formed in place of the old ones. They were shinier and smoother, almost translucent, with an intense blue radiance that had never been there before. If my scales had already been different from Krahs and Lilay¡¯s, now they seemed to belong to a completely different creature.


    Krahs smiled.


    ¡ª See? Everything is fine, Nexha.


    Before I could respond, the system¡¯s familiar sound echoed in my mind.


    [Natural evolution of Crystal Scales detected.]


    [+5 Defense]


    [New skill acquired: Passive Hardening ¨C Your scales naturally increase in resilience, reducing moderate physical impact.]


    My vision darkened from exhaustion. With one last effort, I nestled into the warmth of Krahs and, finally, fell asleep.

 20- First Contact Outside the Nest

    20- First Contact Outside the Nest


    In the morning, I woke up refreshed but with an enormous hunger. I bought my milk and mixed it with crab powder, but to my disappointment, I had no results. I was beginning to suspect that my body had gotten used to this food and that its effect had completely worn off.


    While having breakfast, I opened my status to check my new skill.


    [Crystal Scale Siren]


    Name: NexhaAge: Baby


    Status: Normal


    Lv: 2


    XP: 20/40HP: 30/30 | MP: 15/15Attack: 3 | Defense: 32 (+5)Intelligence: 12 | Luck: 7 | Beauty: 30


    Title: First of Many


    Skills: Analyze, System Store Access, Passive Hardening


    ¡ª My first skill that has nothing to do with the system? But... how do I use this?


    With a simple activation thought, I felt my tail change. The translucent parts of the scales began to darken, like a full moon slowly being swallowed by darkness until it became a new moon. However, the bluish parts did not change, leaving a vibrant outline between the dark scales.


    I waited a few minutes as the skill fully activated. My tail became heavier. As soon as I deactivated it, I felt immediate relief: the scales returned to normal, and the weight disappeared.


    ¡ª So it''s like a "heavy mode" and a "light mode"¡­ I like it! At least there''s no cooldown time after I deactivate it. The activation time isn¡¯t long either¡­ This skill is exceptional.


    After finishing my breakfast, Krahs got up and stretched. He looked tired, probably because he hadn¡¯t slept much after helping me the night before. He yawned and, impatiently, woke up Lilay, who begged for "just five more minutes."


    ¡ª Wake up, Lilay. It''s time to train.


    ¡ª Nooo¡­ ¡ª he whimpered, clinging to the seaweed.


    Krahs sighed and effortlessly lifted Lilay from the makeshift bed. The little one tried to hold onto the seaweed as if his life depended on it but failed. The old shark just shook his head, and when he noticed I was awake, he asked:


    ¡ª Are you feeling better?


    ¡ª Yes¡­ Much better, Dad.


    The word "Dad" made Krahs freeze. I almost never said it out of embarrassment. But in this world, Krahs really was like a father to me and Lilay. When he finally snapped out of his trance, he gave me a big smile.


    ¡ª Well, Nexha, you''re already the same size as Lilay. I think it''s time for you to accompany me outside.


    ¡ª Really?! Can I?!


    He nodded. Lilay, on the other hand, threw a tantrum about getting up. Losing patience, Krahs gently dropped him into the pool in the middle of the nest, and the poor thing sank like a rock. I laughed at the scene.


    ¡ª Come, Nexha.


    Krahs jumped into the pool, and I followed right behind.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Leaving the nest for the first time, I was amazed.


    Before me stretched an exuberant forest of moray eels and seaweed. Their stalks looked like bamboo, creating the illusion that I was in a grove on the surface rather than at the bottom of the sea. Bubbles escaped from my mouth as I marveled at the environment.


    The small sprout I had seen a few days ago had transformed into a grand golden forest. The sunlight penetrated the shallow water, making the seaweed shine like stakes of gold embedded in the sand.


    I was so enchanted that I almost didn¡¯t notice Lilay sulking, refusing to swim, while Krahs carried him like a sack. The old shark sighed and gave him a gentle shake. Left with no choice, Lilay finally stopped being lazy and woke up.


    ¡ª Let¡¯s catch some fish to eat.


    Lilay''s ear fins perked up instantly at the word "food." As for me, I wasn¡¯t too excited about eating raw fish again¡­


    Krahs guided us through the bamboo-like stalks, swimming slowly so Lilay and I could keep up. From time to time, he looked back to check if we were still there.


    When he spotted a school of fish, he told us to hide at the base of the seaweed. Moving slowly, he descended stealthily with his spear, avoiding attracting the fish¡¯s attention.


    Suddenly, in a swift strike, he spun the spear in an arc, creating an explosion of bubbles that sent the fish into a desperate dash upwards, toward the surface. Seizing the opportunity, Krahs powerfully flicked his tail and surged forward. With a single thrust, he impaled five fish at once.


    The momentum launched him out of the water like a dolphin. He soared through the air, glistening under the sun, and dove back in effortlessly.


    My eyes sparkled at the sight. Lilay, on the other hand, seemed more interested in the fish.


    The children¡¯s smiles warmed the old shark¡¯s heart. He handed me a fish, gave two to Lilay, and then ate the rest himself.


    The fish was saltier than the ones I ate in the nest. It seemed that eating underwater altered the taste. Lilay devoured his quickly and stared at me, knowing I wouldn¡¯t finish mine. I offered him the fish head, and he ate it at an impressive speed without hesitation.


    After eating, Krahs took us to the surface.


    As soon as we emerged, I was mesmerized. The blue sky, the white clouds, and the shining sun took my breath away. The warmth was pleasant, neither too strong nor too weak.


    Krahs lay on a large smooth rock, facing the sun. Lilay, imitating him, threw himself beside him and closed his eyes, enjoying the heat.


    I tried to climb the rock, but it was slippery, and the waves kept crashing, making it difficult.


    Lilay laughed at me, which annoyed me.


    ¡ª Oh yeah? Watch this!


    I dove underwater and mimicked Krahs¡¯s hunting impulse, launching myself upwards forcefully. I managed to jump¡­ but I miscalculated my trajectory.


    I landed face-first on the old shark¡¯s belly.


    ¡ª Ugh!


    Krahs flinched, clearly feeling the impact.


    Lilay laughed so hard his cheeks hurt.


    The old shark sighed in defeat.


    ¡ª That was an impressive jump, but it was dangerous, child. You could have seriously hurt yourself. Jumping isn¡¯t a game in shallow areas.


    His concerned tone made me realize my recklessness.


    We stayed on the rock a little longer, enjoying the warmth. When the sun grew stronger, Krahs called us to return to the nest and continue our training.


    On the way back, he suddenly stopped.


    His body tensed. Without hesitation, he hid us deep within the seaweed and covered us.


    ¡ª Stay quiet. It¡¯ll pass soon¡­


    We watched as he swam away, gripping his spear tightly. Lilay and I were confused and scared. After all, we had never experienced this before. The safety of the nest had left us without a sense of danger. Krahs seemed alert, radiating immense fury as we felt vibrations of something approaching through the water.


    Slowly, the large, sharp teeth appeared first. Then, the slender snout. The golden, serpentine body blended with the bamboo stalks.


    The wide, misshapen teeth were exposed as if smiling, knowing that something delicious was nearby. The enormous moray eel opened its jaws like a great serpent, ready to strike.


    Krahs''s gaze turned into pure hatred. His body trembled¡ªnot with fear, but with barely contained rage. His eyes locked onto the creature with deep disdain, a furious fire burning within him. This wasn¡¯t just an enemy; it was personal.


    His muscles tensed, his tail swayed aggressively, and his grip on the spear was so tight his knuckles turned pale. Every fiber of his being screamed that he wouldn¡¯t just fight¡ªhe would exterminate this creature.


    The air around us felt heavier. Lilay sobbed quietly, feeling the same fear I did. But what scared me most wasn¡¯t the moray eel.


    It was Krahs¡¯s hatred.


    The moray eel was almost his size, but it showed no interest in him. Its eyes were locked on us¡ªNexha and Lilay.


    And Krahs realized it.


    His gaze sharpened further, his expression turning into something we had never seen before. That creature wasn¡¯t just hunting.


    It was hunting his children.


    And that was unacceptable.


    With a roar muffled by the water, Krahs prepared for battle, his hatred burning like a beacon in the darkness.

 21 - A Deep Hatred

    21-A Deep Hatred


    Seeing that treacherous creature before me, I couldn''t help but reveal my worst side in front of the children.


    It had been so long since I last saw this sea monster, but its face was still etched in my memory. These opportunistic beings had taken something that was mine. The scent of blood seemed to resurface in my nostrils.


    The moray tried to attack Krahs, but he reacted with a tail strike so strong that the creature was left dazed and thrown backward. It shook its head from side to side, trying to recover. Realizing it was no match for the shark, it aimed at another target.


    At that moment, Krahs¡¯s face twisted into a wild grin. His teeth clashed together so forcefully it seemed they would shatter.


    ¡ª Damn egg thief... You should not covet my children.


    Krahs¡¯s smile was so terrifying it made his own children cry.


    The moray lunged without hesitation toward Nexha and Lilay. The obsidian tip of Krahs¡¯s spear grazed its skin as it slithered. Even without hitting vital points, the cut already stained the water red. The sweet taste of blood filled the old shark¡¯s mouth, awakening a primal hunger.


    The moray, realizing it couldn''t win, tried to retreat. But Krahs, merciless, struck near the creature¡¯s tail, slicing it in two.


    It had been so long since he had been able to truly fight. For years, he had suppressed this desire, and now, the recently accumulated hatred was unleashed. But something was wrong¡­


    That smile wasn''t just hatred. It was the satisfaction of battle finally fulfilled.


    The moray, in desperation, tried to flee. But before a shark, all that remained for it was to succumb. For a second, Krahs¡¯s instinct took over, and his control vanished. He dropped the spear and sank his teeth into the fleeing creature. The taste of blood drove him mad. The moray¡¯s now-headless body slowly sank as Krahs tore it apart with ferocity.


    When he finally turned around, smiling in satisfaction, he saw his terrified children.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    It was at that moment that reality struck him.


    The children were fleeing from him. His victorious impulse dissolved in an instant. The fear in Nexha and Lilay¡¯s eyes was like a blade piercing his chest. Desperate, he swam at high speed to reach them before anything else could try to harm them.


    Nexha, seeing the shark play with his prey, became alert. Lilay was still crying as he pulled him back to the nest. Without thinking, Nexha swam as fast as he could, dragging Lilay along.


    Before fully fleeing, he looked back and saw Krahs¡¯s expression change completely. The thrill of battle had vanished, replaced by confusion and fear.


    Something passed through me and made me stop suddenly. A warmth in my heart stopped me from continuing to flee. My tears fell like pearls in the water when the old shark reached us and wrapped us in a tight embrace. Lilay and I didn¡¯t know how to react. We just cried in the arms of the old warrior, who seemed so regretful.


    That night, the children didn¡¯t want to stay too close to the old shark. He understood and regretted it.


    Krahs left the nest and swam to the surface, where he gazed at the stars.


    ¡ª Am I really this broken? ¡ª he murmured to himself.


    The sound of the waves was his only response. No matter how hard he tried to understand, that was the only sound the vast ocean offered him.


    ¡ª I''ve become something I never wanted to be¡­ I was so desperate for battle that I forgot what I was fighting for.


    He looked up at the sky as if seeking an answer, as if the stars could guide him.


    ¡ª I¡¯ve become like those I despise. Like the orcas that play while destroying people¡­ I¡¯m no better than them. Descendants of the stars, how can I control myself?


    He waited for an answer. None came.


    He grew sad and returned to the nest. But to his surprise, Nexha was there, arms open. Despite the sleepiness, the child seemed to want to comfort him.


    Krahs accepted the embrace.


    ¡ª Forgive me, my child... I just¡­


    He closed his eyes for a moment before sighing.


    ¡ª I lost myself a little today.


    Nexha swallowed hard.


    ¡ª You¡­ have lost someone before, haven¡¯t you?


    His gaze hardened, and he turned away toward the ceiling again. I thought he wouldn¡¯t answer, but then I heard his voice, lower than ever.


    ¡ª Yes.


    That single word carried a weight I couldn''t imagine.


    ¡ª Is that why you were like this?


    Krahs remained silent for a long time. Then, without looking at me, he began to speak.


    ¡ª Before you, I had another family, other duties, another life¡­ but then¡­


    Nexha¡¯s breath caught in his throat.


    ¡ª They¡­?


    ¡ª They''re gone. Now I only have you, children.


    ¡ª I¡¯m sorry too. I ran away without thinking about the consequences. I could have gotten hurt¡­ and taken Lilay with me.


    Krahs hugged him.


    ¡ª That guilt is mine, child¡­ not yours.


    ¡ª Dad, you don¡¯t have to carry everything alone!


    Krahs¡¯s eyes shone for a moment. Then, a small, sad smile appeared on his face.


    ¡ª Alright¡­ I¡¯ll try.


    This time, his smile grew a little bigger. He pulled me close, covering us with seaweed, just as he did when I was smaller.


    This time, I felt safe. And for the first time since that battle, I was sure Krahs did too.

 22- Intruder

    22- Intruder


    The next day, Krahs went out to patrol around the nest, but he forbade us from leaving. He said he wanted to check for any dangers first.


    Strangely, Lilay didn¡¯t want to eat anything. He was upset.


    ¡°Nexha, weren¡¯t you scared?¡± he asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Of the moray? Of course, she was huge.¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ I was scared of Dad.¡±


    I froze mid-movement, almost dropping my milk bottle. Hearing Lilay call Krahs "Dad" made my heart tighten in a strange way. I stood still for a second, then set the bottle aside and hugged him tightly, just like he always did when he was happy.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to be afraid of Dad,¡± I whispered. ¡°He would do anything to protect us.¡±


    ¡°But what if¡­¡± Lilay hesitated.


    I held him even tighter.


    ¡°Do you doubt him? Even after everything? He¡¯s been protecting you since you got here, even though you¡¯re not his son¡­¡±


    Lilay lowered his eyes.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad loves us, Lilay. I promise.¡±


    ¡°You promise?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lilay still seemed unsure, but he smiled a little and accepted my milk bottle. After that, I decided to cook something special. My paycheck had come in, and I wanted to use part of the money.


    (Shop) (\MD 2948/)


    Welcome to the shop, user! Here, you can buy whatever you need for your world conquest. Work harder, dear idiot. (?^-^?)


    -Food/ Medicines - Slaves


    -Skills  - Magic Items


    -Miners  - Animals/ Pets


    -Plant materials - Accessories


    -Clothes/ Armor - TechnologyStolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I bought a large fish for 10 MD. Since the milk wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy my hunger, I decided to cook properly. I cleaned a turtle shell and mixed mermaid scale powder with crab powder.


    I prepared the fire and put water to heat while I cleaned the fish. When the water got hot, I cut the fish into pieces and let it boil. The water was already salty, so I didn¡¯t need salt. But then I realized a problem¡ªhow was I going to eat without spending more money?


    Then I had an idea.


    ¡°Lilay! Don¡¯t touch the food until I get back!¡±


    I snuck out of the nest and swam to the moray-weed forest, which looked like bamboo growing underwater. I grabbed my obsidian knife and tried to cut some, but the material was tough.


    That¡¯s when I felt it.


    A presence.


    Something large blocked the light above me. Instinct screamed, and my body reacted on its own. My scales hardened, and I curled into a ball, trembling.


    Then, two hands grabbed me.


    At first, I thought it was Krahs. But when I opened my eyes¡­


    A shock hit me like a punch to the chest.


    Dark brown hair, almost black, floated in the water, and large purple eyes studied me with curiosity. It was a mermaid.


    ¡°What is a pup doing here alone? The sea is dangerous.¡±


    Her voice was soft, but it didn¡¯t calm me. Fear burned in my chest. I knew this world was cruel, and I didn¡¯t know if she would hurt me.


    My obsidian knife slipped from my hand and started to sink.


    I panicked.


    ¡°DAD, HELP!¡±


    The mermaid flinched and almost dropped me, but she held on tighter.


    ¡°Hey, hey! No need to be afraid, little one! Calm down¡­¡±


    But it was already too late.


    The great shadow appeared.


    Even against the faint sunlight, the obsidian tip of Krahs¡¯s spear gleamed.


    ¡°Let go of the pup,¡± his voice was low and cold.


    The mermaid trembled.


    ¡°S-Shark?!¡±


    She pulled me against her chest and swam away fast. The seaweed she wore as clothing brushed against my face as she sped through the sea.


    ¡°Damn sea wolf!¡± Krahs growled, accelerating after her.


    The chase lasted minutes, but it felt like an eternity. The mermaid moved fast, but Krahs was relentless. He cornered her, forced sharp changes in direction, cut off her escape routes. She started to tire.


    And then, he caught her.


    Krahs tore me from her arms and grabbed her wrist tightly. She struggled, but she had no chance against him.


    We took the sea wolf back to the nest as a prisoner.


    With no better option, I bought some turtle-shell bowls and served the fish soup. Lilay wagged his tail as he ate, happy. Krahs, on the other hand, stared at the prisoner. His gaze was hard, resentful.


    The mermaid trembled.


    ¡°M-Mr. Shark¡­ I-I¡¯m not a very good meal¡­¡± her voice came out shaky.


    Krahs snorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat garbage.¡±


    Her eyes widened in surprise. Meanwhile, I put ten lucky crabs to cook. The smell was incredible.


    The mermaid stopped trembling. Her eyes locked onto the pot. She was drooling.


    Krahs frowned.


    ¡°Ridiculous¡­¡±


    Lilay, curious, approached her and sniffed.


    ¡°Dad¡­ is she Mom?¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±


    Krahs choked on his soup and yelled so loudly that Lilay and I jumped. The mermaid was startled too, but then she quickly realized this was an opportunity.


    ¡°I can be a great mate!¡± she said quickly, as if her life depended on it. ¡°I can take care of the pups! I¡¯m still young, I can lay lots of eggs! Please, don¡¯t turn me into food!¡±


    Krahs turned red like an embarrassed coral.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m NOT that kind of shark!¡±


    The silence that followed was broken by a sound.


    My laughter.


    I couldn¡¯t hold it in and started laughing so hard I almost fell backward. Lilay laughed too. The mermaid smiled nervously. Krahs buried his face in his hands, mumbling something about ¡°damn luck.¡±


    I had a feeling that night would be long.