《Loli Captain’s Cosmic Drift》


 Chapter 1: The Net That Captures a Girl

    Cold!


    Bone-chilling cold!


    A freezing liquid, paired with a nasty stench, frantically gushed into Elara¡¯s stomach and lungs. She coughed violently, her limbs growing colder and weaker from the lack of oxygen.


    ¡°What the heck is happening to me?¡±


    Elara freaked out, using every ounce of strength to lift her head out of the water.


    Coughing nonstop, she spat out that salty, fishy water.


    Then she took big gulps of air!


    The air felt so sweet to her, even though it carried a thick moldy smell and the scent of rotting wood.


    Though her body was still cold and weak as heck, Elara finally managed to open her eyes and take a good look at her surroundings.


    She realized she was lying in a leaky, beat-up wooden boat, covered in patchy dark green mold everywhere.


    The boat rocked, and she could hear the sound of waves.


    This boat was tiny¡ªtiny enough to feel like a freaking coffin.


    Everything around her was pitch black; the sky looked like it was draped in a black cloth, not a single star or speck of moonlight in sight. Looking out, there wasn¡¯t even a flicker of light on the sea.


    It was like Elara had been swallowed by endless darkness.


    The only light came from some scattered crystal stones in the boat, glowing with a faint green shimmer.


    These crystals looked like moss or parasites, embedded in the rotten wood of the boat.


    Holy crap!


    Where the heck am I?


    Wasn¡¯t I just chilling, watching anime and simping over my waifu?


    How did I end up somewhere else after just blinking?


    But right now, more importantly, Elara noticed¡ªthis junky boat was actually sinking!


    The water under her feet was already deep enough to soak her pant legs.


    If this kept up, she¡¯d probably have less than ten minutes before she drowned!


    Looks like there¡¯s nowhere to run. If she didn¡¯t want to drown, she¡¯d have to fix this boat.


    Sweat beaded on Elara¡¯s forehead as she hurriedly grabbed a glowing green crystal from the water and found the hole at the bottom of the boat.


    The hole was about the size of a thumb, and cold, stinky seawater was gushing out like a fountain.


    Elara thought for a sec. The green crystal she was using as a light was just the right size. She carefully stuffed it into the hole, and the leak slowed down a ton.


    And then, something totally unexpected happened.


    The green stone started giving off a faint flash and fused perfectly with the surrounding wood. Now, not a single drop sprayed out.


    Elara was stoked! She quickly picked up a silver cup from the water, scooped up some seawater, and dumped it overboard.


    She wanted to clear the seawater out of the boat.


    But as she looked up, Elara froze.


    How did this coffin-sized junk boat suddenly get bigger?


    The boat had at least doubled in size, and right in front of her, a pitch-black wooden door appeared.


    There was a new cabin on the boat!


    And on the door hung a little wooden sign that said ¡°Treasure.¡±


    Was there some good loot inside?


    *Knock knock knock!*


    Elara politely tapped the door, but sadly, there was no response from inside.


    She excitedly pushed the door open and stepped in.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the treasure¡­ What the heck are these weird things, lol?!¡±


    ¡°The so-called treasure is *this* stuff? A bunch of boxes full of women¡¯s underwear¡ªlace ones, striped ones, plus petticoats, maid outfits, and all kinds of lolita dresses!¡±


    ¡°Bruh, even a bottle of cola would¡¯ve been better. I¡¯m starving and thirsty here, you dumb boat!¡±


    Elara poked at them with disdain and noticed some of the clothes even had a warm, fragrant smell.


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    WTF, were these clothes just taken off by some chick or something?


    Desperately shoving some weird thoughts out of her head, Elara decided to rummage around¡ªmaybe there¡¯d be something else in here.


    But just as she was about to start, she suddenly noticed a huge mirror in the room.


    Standing in front of it, she couldn¡¯t help but gape.


    In the mirror was a different person¡ªshe didn¡¯t look like this before crossing over.


    Right now, the reflection showed a red-haired little loli with pale skin, delicate features, and big, expressive eyes that carried a hint of shock and panic. She looked so pitifully cute you¡¯d wanna protecc her.


    ¡°I turned into a little loli?!¡±


    Elara tugged at her adorable cheeks, suddenly kinda getting it. Were all these clothes in the room meant for her?


    Right now, she was wearing a tattered, soaked old linen shirt. Sure, she still looked cute as heck in it, but it wasn¡¯t exactly comfy.


    How about¡­ trying them on?


    It took a while to change, but eventually, Elara sat fully dressed on the stool.


    In the mirror, her tiny, rosy feet were tucked into pure white stockings, her slim legs hidden under a pink-and-white petticoat¡ªso freaking cute!


    But what really stole the show was her tender, charming little face¡ªpale, round, and so pinchable!


    Elara couldn¡¯t help but squeal, ¡°Whoa, I¡¯m so pretty!¡±


    After a little self-admiration sesh, Elara clutched her stomach, feeling kinda bad. She was probably hungry.


    But in this dump, there wasn¡¯t even a cola. Where was she supposed to find food?


    Elara bent over, digging through piles of pink-and-white panties, striped thigh-highs, and random stuff, and actually found something in a corner trash heap.


    A pink net!


    Looking at this mesh thing in her hands, Elara started to wonder.


    Sure, it kinda looked like a toy¡ªmaybe one of *those* naughty ones¡ªbut it was a net, and it seemed sturdy. Maybe it could catch fish!


    No time to waste! Elara shuffled over with her little steps, sat on the edge of the boat, and tossed the net into the water.


    After waiting a grueling hour, there was finally some action.


    And judging by the wild splashing on the surface, this fish wasn¡¯t small¡ªit was huge!


    It might even be bigger than her, this red-haired loli.


    Maybe because she was so hungry, or maybe she was secretly a stronk loli,


    Elara actually managed to haul that indescribable net up.


    But when she took a closer look, she was dumbfounded.


    What she pulled up wasn¡¯t a fish¡ªit was a white-haired, purple-eyed girl in a black dress! She was young, but her chest was pretty big¡­


    The white-haired girl struggled to sit up in the net, her cute face full of wariness. Her eyes locked onto Elara with a mix of shock and fear.


    ¡°Are¡­ are you a monster? Or some high-level familiar?!¡±


    The white-haired girl was tense, her small hand pulling an ancient-looking longsword from her waist and holding it across her ample chest.


    That sword looked crazy sharp!


    Elara pointed at her own pale, adorable face, feeling kinda speechless inside.


    Me, a red-haired loli like this, looking like a monster? A familiar? Come on!


    Judging by her vibe, she seemed super on guard, like she thought Elara might hurt her or something.


    The one holding a sword is *you*, okay?!


    Careful, that thing¡¯s sharp, yo!


    ¡°Is there a monster that looks *this* cute? Chill out, big sis!¡±


    Elara helplessly spread her hands


    The white-haired girl sized her up and down a few times, starting to believe her a bit. After all, the monsters of the lightless sea were usually hideous and freaky¡ªlike pigs covered in eyes, rats with straw-like tongues, or weirdos with oozing sores on their necks.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a monster? Looks like you¡¯re a hunter who drifted into the lightless sea, just like me?¡±


    The white-haired girl guessed. She observed closely, confirming the tiny girl in front of her had barely any supernatural aura¡ªeither a normie or super weak.


    Elara nodded eagerly. ¡°Yeah, yeah! Put the sword down first, and let¡¯s talk this out nicely.¡±


    The white-haired girl nodded, her serious yet slightly derpy face saying, ¡°Come here, little one. Stick by me¡ªI¡¯ll protect you!¡±


    ¡°You gotta be careful. The lightless sea is full of dangers everywhere!¡±


    ¡°The air here is laced with black poison mist. It floats around, and if you¡¯re exposed too long, you could die.¡±


    ¡°Every single thing on this boat¡ªtry not to touch it. It might carry a deadly curse. One slip-up, and you¡¯re toast!¡±


    ¡°See that silver cup on the floor? That could be a vampire clan¡¯s ritual item. Pinch its edge lightly, and a banshee¡¯s scream will rip out, shredding your eardrums and stealing your sanity!¡±


    The white-haired girl rambled on endlessly.


    Elara listened, kinda zoning out. Was this boat really *that* dangerous?


    To her, it felt pretty safe¡ªcozy, even.


    According to this white-haired big sis, this junky boat was freaking terrifying.


    But Elara had been on this boat for almost an hour and hadn¡¯t run into any danger. Honestly, it felt kinda safe.


    Poisonous black mist? Wasn¡¯t the air here sweet as heck?


    And that silver cup thing? Didn¡¯t I just use it to scoop water out of the boat? It¡¯s trash-tier¡ªI wouldn¡¯t even give it a second glance. How¡¯d it turn into some vampire ritual item in her story?!


    ¡°Is she just a chuuni, or am I the weird one here?¡±


    Elara couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    ¡°Hahaha, really? This place is *that* dangerous? Guess I¡¯ll have to rely on big sis to protect me!¡±


    Elara laughed it off, masking her thoughts, then asked, ¡°By the way, big sis, why were you in the sea? How¡¯d I net you up?¡±


    Hearing her question, the white-haired girl looked totally confused. ¡°What do you mean ¡®how was I in the sea¡¯? Didn¡¯t you come up from the water too? In the lightless sea, humans can only survive underwater¡ªeven hunters aren¡¯t exempt! But your net¡ªwhat even is that thing? I was fighting a target underwater, and then this huge net swooped down and nabbed me!¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­¡±


    Before Elara could answer, the white-haired girl¡¯s expression shifted. She yanked Elara into her arms, staring warily at the sea.


    Whoa, white-haired big sis¡¯s hug is so soft!


    Elara¡¯s cheeks flushed a bit.


    But her hands were total pervs, wrapping around the girl¡¯s slim waist and burying her face in that big, soft chest¡ªso squishy and fragrant!


    ¡°Look! Something¡¯s coming up from under the sea!¡±


    The white-haired girl didn¡¯t even notice Elara¡¯s sneaky paws, her face tense as she spoke.


    Elara caught her nervousness and quickly looked too.


    Sure enough, the water around the boat was churning hard, and a faint glow pierced up from the depths.


    *Boom!*


    The water exploded, and a green-skinned monster with a fish head and human body leapt out.


    Its skin was covered in scales, its claws razor-sharp, and its mouth full of long, pointy teeth.


    ¡°Watch out! That¡¯s a C-rank Deep One! I was hunting it earlier, but now it seems to have another opponent.¡±


    The white-haired girl shielded Elara, stepping back a few paces until they were almost at the boat¡¯s edge.


    Right after she spoke, an even wilder ripple hit the sea¡¯s surface, and a pitch-black figure burst out.


    At first glance, it looked human-ish but was freakishly huge¡ªover three meters tall.


    And weirdly, its head was disproportionately tiny, like an upside-down triangular metal chunk.


    ¡°Crap! That¡¯s an Executioner! Way worse than a Deep One. In the hunter guild of underground London, Executioners are listed as one of the last monsters you¡¯d ever wanna face¡ªnicknamed ¡®Hunter Killers.¡¯ Its attack comes from its mouth¡­¡±


    White-haired big sis treated Elara like a newbie hunter, explaining patiently.


    She sure knew a lot.


    But her pretty face went pale as a ghost.


    Clearly, the Executioner¡¯s appearance freaked her out big time!


    ¡°Executioners have this thing¡ªthey radiate a strong aura of terror. Us veteran hunters call it the ¡®Madness Field.¡¯ If your strength¡¯s too low and you get near one, your mind goes hazy, your vision blurs, and eventually, you lose it completely¡­¡±


    ¡°For newbie hunters, if you enter certain zones and start feeling dizzy, you gotta get out fast¡ªno lingering!¡±


    ¡°Right now, that thing¡¯s super close. Even I¡¯m feeling my vision twist a bit. If you¡¯re dizzy, your eyes are blurry, or you feel like puking, close your eyes ASAP and focus your mind.¡±


    White-haired big sis sounded like a dedicated teacher, tirelessly explaining.


    Elara listened, kinda dumbfounded. Sure, this thing was a bit ugly, but a Madness Field? For real? Why didn¡¯t she feel *anything* off?


    If anything, it felt kinda¡­ friendly to her.


    And while they were chatting, after the Executioner hit the surface, that metallic upside-down triangle head suddenly split open.


    Out popped a ton of tentacles¡ªeach three or four meters long¡ªwriggling like Medusa¡¯s hair!


    Those gross tentacles moved crazy fast. The Deep One trying to flee got snagged by its legs, yanked back with a *squelch*.


    *Splatter!*


    The greenish Deep One was ripped to shreds in an instant. The Executioner skewered the bloody chunks with its tentacles and shoveled them into its mouth like it was eating kebabs.


    Its head might be small, but its appetite? Huge. It downed that big Deep One in a few bites¡ªfaster than Elara eating snacks.


    After finishing the Deep One, the Executioner¡¯s gaze snapped to the boat. But weirdly, it didn¡¯t attack¡ªjust roared low, like it was saying something.


    ¡°Little sis, stay right here and don¡¯t move. I¡¯m gonna take it on. If it looks like I¡¯m about to die, dive into the water and swim as far as you can!¡±


    White-haired big sis didn¡¯t even look back, her melodic voice firm with resolve.


    ¡°Big sis, how about we just let it come over instead?¡±


    Elara sensed a chance to flex her bluffing skills¡­ er, her brave spirit. She could tell from its roars¡ªit was submitting to her, full of fear.


    It was a strange feeling. Their languages didn¡¯t match, but she could clearly sense the Executioner¡¯s intent. It was like a puppy caught snacking, desperately trying to please her!


    This big guy was scared of *her*. As a brave hero, this was her time to shine¡ªno backing down! The less she feared it, the safer she¡¯d be. And honestly, she wasn¡¯t scared at all.


    ¡°Let it come over? Kid, we¡¯re hunters¡ªhumanity¡¯s last blade. How can we give up so easily? You¡¯re still young¡ªyou can run. But me? I have to face my fate!¡±


    White-haired big sis was dead serious.


    Elara rubbed her own little face, feeling a bit helpless. Sure, I¡¯m young, but you don¡¯t look much older¡ªmaybe sixteen tops!


    While Elara was lost in thought, white-haired big sis kicked off the boat, shooting toward the mountain-sized Executioner like an arrow.


    Her black longsword flashed with a blinding white light.


    ¡°Hope Spirit Sword¡ªLight Slash!¡±


    With a fierce cry, her stunning figure glowed even more beautifully under that sword¡¯s radiance.


    In this pitch-black lightless sea, her sword light shone like the freaking sun.


    Sure, it was dazzling¡ªbut kinda weak.


    The Executioner just stood there, tanking her hit. Not only did it not get hurt, its skin didn¡¯t even scratch¡ªjust a faint white mark on the surface.


    ¡°Ahem, this Executioner¡¯s way too OP.¡±


    White-haired big sis¡¯s cheeks flushed red as she coughed awkwardly.


    In a few moves, she got smacked back, landing right where she started.


    Since Elara was there, the thing didn¡¯t even go hard¡ªjust lightly swatted her back. That sealed it for Elara.


    This guy was harmless¡ªat least while she was around. If it wanted to attack, it¡¯d have done it a million times by now.


    When white-haired big sis landed back on the boat and saw Elara still hadn¡¯t left, tears streamed down her face. She sobbed, ¡°Wahhh, you dumb little girl, why didn¡¯t you run?! Looks like we¡¯re both gonna die here today¡­ Mommy, I regret becoming a hunter¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re probably not gonna die, right?¡±


    Seeing the Executioner carefully crawl over, Elara brushed off her petticoat, stood up, and took a few light steps forward.

 Chapter 2: My First Superfan

    <div>


    Seeing Elara actually take the initiative to approach the Executioner, White-Hair Big Sis freaked out, her bandaged hand yanking Elara¡¯s little skirt in a panic.


    She tugged so hard and fast that Elara nearly faceplanted¡ªoh, and more importantly, her petticoat flipped up, flashing her panties.


    Elara threw a suspicious glance back, but after noticing White-Hair Big Sis¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t seem pervy or anything, she let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Well, duh, how could White-Hair Big Sis be like me¡­ Wait, no, I¡¯m a pure, wholesome brave overflowing with positive vibes¡ªthere¡¯s no way I¡¯d think like that.¡±


    That¡¯s what Elara told herself, but her eyes totally yeeted a sneaky peek at White-Hair¡¯s black combat skirt¡ªyep, safety shorts underneath, what a bummer.


    ¡°Are you nuts?! That¡¯s an Executioner! You just saw how terrifying it is!¡±


    White-Hair Big Sis¡¯s face was a hot mess of panic¡ªshe was so scared she couldn¡¯t even think straight.


    ¡°But, like, I can feel it doesn¡¯t mean me any harm.¡±


    Elara shook her head. More accurately, that thing was legit scared of her.


    ¡°No way, don¡¯t joke around¡ªrun, quick! Big Sis will hold it off for you a bit longer!¡±


    White-Hair Big Sis wiped her tears, yelling at the top of her lungs.


    Elara couldn¡¯t help but pat her head to chill her out. ¡°Big Sis, seriously, no worries¡ªlook, it¡¯s already here!¡±


    White-Hair Big Sis¡¯s eyes went wide with terror, only to see that hulking two-to-three-meter-tall humanoid beast creeping super close.


    Sure, it had a human-ish shape, but it was covered in fur, crawling on all fours like a total doggo.


    ¡°Roar, roar, roar!¡±


    The Executioner panted, circling Elara once before flopping onto its back, belly up¡ªlike a turtle doing a dramatic flip.


    Elara, who¡¯d been a tiny bit nervous deep down, saw this and instantly knew what was up. This wasn¡¯t a dog¡ªit was the doggo!


    Just, y¡¯know, kinda ugly.


    ¡°Pat pat, good boy, good boy, Lil¡¯ Roary¡¯s such a good boi!¡±


    Elara stretched out her tiny hand, gently stroking its freaky triangle head.


    She decided right then and there¡ªthis dude¡¯s name was Lil¡¯ Roary now.


    Under Elara¡¯s soft lil¡¯ pats, that scary triangle head started wagging all comfy-like, letting out submissive whimpers from its mouth.


    ¡°See? This guy¡¯s just a lil¡¯ pupper, totally harmless! Big Sis, with me around, you don¡¯t gotta be so spooked.¡±


    White-Hair Big Sis stared with teary, wide eyes, rubbing them hard like she couldn¡¯t believe her peepers.


    Did she get it wrong? Was this thing not an Executioner?


    White-Hair¡¯s mind was a whirlwind of doubt. Truth is, she wasn¡¯t the seasoned pro hunter she bragged about being¡ªshe was just a newbie who¡¯d barely left the city a handful of times.


    What an Executioner even looked like? She¡¯d only heard vague stuff from her squad sisters.


    Maybe she did mess up.


    ¡°W-Who said I was scared?! I¡¯m, like, the genius hunter who solo¡¯d the Lightless Sea!¡±


    White-Hair¡¯s cheeks went red, pouting hard as she huffed.


    She tilted her head all tsundere-style, but her side-eye sneakily scoped out the Executioner, curiosity and a hint of jelly vibes shining through.


    ¡°Is this thing really harmless? I¡­ I kinda wanna pet it too¡ªcan I?¡±


    White-Hair couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    ¡°Go for it, pet away!¡±


    With Elara¡¯s green light, White-Hair edged closer super cautious-like. But before her hand even reached out, Lil¡¯ Roary sensed her coming, arched its back, and let out a screeching wail from its triangle head¡ªlike a ghost shrieking, spooky as heck!


    White-Hair let out a yelp, nearly yeeting herself off the boat.


    ¡°Liar! That¡¯s totally an Executioner! How¡¯s it harmless?! Who are you¡ªsome kinda demon?!¡±


    White-Hair burst into sobs. This red-haired loli in front of her was way scarier than the Executioner!


    How else could a monster like that be so chill around her?


    Was this chick some high-tier familiar, an evil god¡¯s servant, or even a freakin¡¯ spokesperson?


    Big Sis was bawling her eyes out¡ªhow was Elara supposed to comfort her?


    Elara, single across two lifetimes, had zero clue how to handle this.


    She kicked the Executioner to shush it and make it scoot aside, then sank into some serious pondering.


    She was just as confused, tbh. Was she actually reborn as some evil god or something?


    But, like, why didn¡¯t she feel any powers then?!


    This needed some hardcore research.


    Fresh off the interdimensional boat, this world didn¡¯t seem all that safe¡ªshe had to make sure she could survive.


    Forget everything else¡ªjust this White-Hair Big Sis alone was way stronger than her. That glowy sword move? Elara knew she couldn¡¯t pull that off.


    And White-Hair seemed kinda noobish, meaning there were probs even tougher peeps out there.


    ¡°Evil being, why¡¯d you drag me up here just to toy with me like this? I, Bonnie Skadia, hunter extraordinaire, have my pride! If you¡¯re gonna kill me or chop me up, just make it quick!¡±


    Oh, so her name¡¯s Bonnie, huh.


    But¡­ toy with her?


    That¡¯s not how Elara would play if she was playing!


    Muttering to herself internally, a wild idea suddenly popped into Elara¡¯s head.


    Evil god or not, why not just roll with it?


    Elara stuck her hands on her hips and let out a big ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°Fine, since you¡¯ve seen through me, I¡¯ll graciously admit it¡ªI¡¯m the evil villain who¡¯s all about love and truth, the cute and charming Lightless Sovereign, the spooky and terrifying Queen of Darkness!¡±


    Bonnie heard this and got even more freaked out, her whole body trembling like a leaf.


    She¡¯d thought this was just some jacked-up familiar with big power, but never in a million years did Bonnie expect her to claim she was the Lightless Sovereign, the Queen of Darkness?!


    To call yourself the Lightless Sovereign, you¡¯d have to be on par with that entity, right?


    ¡°What kind of nightmare-tier being did I just run into?¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s pretty eyes went blank with shock.


    A thousand years ago, the evil god¡¯s slumbering domain, the mad city of R¡¯lyeh, rose from the sea. Endless floods drowned the world, sinking nearly every continent. Humanity¡¯s shiny modern civilization was basically wiped out.


    Lucky for the survivors, later generations figured out how to live underwater, keeping the human bloodline alive.


    Now, humans are an ocean-dwelling species.


    The sea¡¯s surface, stripped of starlight and moonlight, has long been the turf of creepy monsters and evil familiars, choked with toxic mist. Compared to underwater, the surface is way less human-friendly.


    This is a boundless dark zone where countless horrors spawn like it¡¯s no big deal.


    The master of the Lightless Sea, the King of Darkness¡ªwhat kinda entity even is that? Just thinking about it was enough to make you shake!


    As for why such a terrifying being would show up as a tiny, adorable red-haired loli? Bonnie figured it was probably just a random avatar she whipped up. After all, not everyone can stare down a god¡¯s true form.


    Plus, she might¡¯ve already clocked Bonnie¡¯s secret little fetish and picked this look to mess with her. Tons of evil gods get their kicks from toying with mortals, right?


    At that thought, Bonnie¡¯s righteous face flushed a bit, her heart doing awkward flip-flops.


    Her blush-worthy kink¡ªhad it been sniffed out? So embarrassing!


    ¡°Oh, supremely noble Evil God Majesty, I, Hunter Bonnie, didn¡¯t mean to disturb you. I humbly beg you, please stop teasing lil¡¯ ol¡¯ me¡ªI¡¯ll pay any price!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, since you¡¯re so sincere, I guess I can let you off the hook.¡±


    ¡°Please allow me to offer you a treasure! I¡¯ll trade something precious for your forgiveness¡ªotherwise, I won¡¯t sleep easy!¡± Bonnie said, all shaky and earnest, terrified Elara might say no.


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    Okay, fine. Looked like Bonnie wouldn¡¯t chill unless she handed over something¡ªshe didn¡¯t buy that an evil god would let her go for free.


    Free loot dropping right into her lap? Don¡¯t mind if I do! Plus, Elara had a hunch about this boat¡¯s secrets and needed stuff to test it out.


    Not that I¡¯m a freeloader or anything¡ªI¡¯ll totally have her back later!


    Speaking of, what¡¯s the most valuable thing Bonnie¡¯s got?


    Elara¡¯s big, gorgeous eyes glinted with some serious predator energy, scanning Bonnie¡¯s youthful, perfect bod up and down.


    Like, y¡¯know¡­ that could work.


    Chastity¡¯s pretty valuable, right?


    But nah, Elara¡¯s not that kinda gal. By ¡°that,¡± she meant Bonnie¡¯s skills.


    This chick¡¯s a hunter, after all¡ªshe could probs fetch some useful stuff for Elara.


    Back when she was chilling by the boat¡¯s edge, casting her net, Elara had figured something out.


    Fixing up this janky little boat might just net her some rewards.


    Before, she¡¯d plugged a hole in the bottom with that green crystal, and boom¡ªa new cabin popped up with clothes and stuff.


    If she kept fixing it, who knows what else might happen?


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it yourself¡ªmy ride¡¯s kinda basic. I need some materials to fix it up. Go grab ¡®em for me, and I¡¯ll forgive you¡ªmight even toss in a bonus.¡±


    Elara put on her serious face, playing it all mysterious-like.


    How to fix it or what materials to use? She had no clue, but that didn¡¯t stop her from dishing out orders.


    Those headaches could be Bonnie¡¯s problem now.


    ¡°Boat-fixing materials?¡±


    Bonnie blinked, glancing around. True enough, this wooden boat was all bumpy and moldy¡ªtotal junk vibes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a chunk of Mandela Metal. Think it¡¯ll catch your eye?¡±


    Bonnie asked super carefully, digging around in her little black skirt and pulling out a ping-pong-ball-sized, shiny silver hunk of metal.


    Mandela Metal?


    Why¡¯s that name giving Wolverine claw vibes?


    Might be some good loot!


    ¡°Pfft, some tiny trinket. Hand it over anyway!¡±


    Elara faked a scoff, acting all unimpressed.


    Bonnie quickly dropped to one knee, all respectful-like, and offered up the silver chunk.


    Elara took it, but inside, she was kinda stumped. Before, there was a hole in the boat, and she¡¯d jammed that green crystal in to fix it. Now there weren¡¯t any holes¡ªso how was she supposed to use this Mandela Metal?


    ¡°Eh, toss it aside for now¡ªfigure it out later.¡±


    Elara looked around, couldn¡¯t spot a use for it, and gave up for the moment, casually chucking it onto the boat.


    But then, something wild she didn¡¯t see coming went down.


    With a thud, the Mandela Metal hit the wooden deck, and a dim light flashed. The silver chunk started melting and reshaping itself.


    In no time, a sleek, shiny silver mast¡ªor maybe a flagpole, whatever¡ªpopped up on the boat.


    Could be a mast, could be a flagpole¡ªjust some kinda pole, who even knows?


    And just as Elara figured, once it showed up, the janky little boat grew bigger again.


    Too bad, though¡ªit only got bigger, no new cabin this time.


    Probs ¡®cause a little flagpole wasn¡¯t a big enough upgrade for the whole ship.


    But right then, Bonnie saw it all go down and started shaking from the inside out.


    That was Mandela Metal, fam! Known all over underground London for being tough and sharp as heck¡ªa must-have for crafting top-tier weapons.


    Even a mega-skilled blacksmith would need a roaring furnace blasting for seven days and nights straight to soften it.


    And now? This red-haired loli just yeeted it like nothing and turned it into a flagpole.


    Yeah, let¡¯s call it a flagpole for now.


    Plus, that magic trick of making the boat grow outta nowhere? Bonnie couldn¡¯t even wrap her head around it¡ªnever heard of, never seen anything like it.


    ¡°Is this the power of the Lightless Sovereign? Too freaking epic!¡±


    Bonnie felt a legit chill. Would a being this crazy really let her go?


    She wouldn¡¯t pull some weird magic on her, right?


    ¡°Your offering¡¯s, uh, barely passable. Got anything better?¡±


    Elara coughed, hiding her inner glee, keeping her face all stern. If she could snag a new cabin, she¡¯d have cool stuff to reward Big Sis with¡ªotherwise, it¡¯d just be clothes or something lame.


    ¡°O Supreme Queen of Darkness Majesty, I swear I don¡¯t have anything else good on me! But I can go hunt for more¡ªjust spare my lil¡¯ life!¡±


    Bonnie blurted out quick.


    ¡°Hmm, nothing else, huh¡­¡±


    Elara rubbed her chin like she was deep in thought. ¡°Fine, hmph! I¡¯ll be super nice and give you one more shot. Listen up¡ªI need better metals, and maybe some fancy fabrics too!¡±


    Since she had a flagpole now, she¡¯d obviously need a flag to go with it.


    TBH, this whole ¡°playing god and scamming lil¡¯ sisters¡± thing? Kinda fun¡ªmwahahaha!


    If Bonnie weren¡¯t still here, Elara would¡¯ve stuck her hands on her hips and cackled like a total villain.


    Poor Bonnie, though¡ªscammed so hard, kinda feel bad for her.


    ¡°As you command, Ruler of Darkness!¡±


    Bonnie let out a relieved breath, her vibe all proper and respectful.


    ¡°Work for me, and it¡¯s not like you won¡¯t get paid¡ªI¡¯m all about fair trades. Since you handed over that trashy little thing, I¡¯ll toss you some junk in return! As my follower, you can hit me up if you¡¯re ever in a pinch.¡±


    Elara thought it over and went with that.


    She had no clue what to give Bonnie¡ªsomething lame might get her clowned on, so she just called that Mandela Metal trash to play it safe.


    ¡°Here, this is one of my seat cushions¡ªtake it and treasure it, got it?¡±


    The boat¡¯s edge was wet, dirty, and moldy as heck. When Elara was casting her net earlier, she didn¡¯t wanna mess up her cute skirt, so she¡¯d rummaged through the cabin and found some dingy cloth to use as a cushion.


    A cloth cushion for Bonnie now, clothes as an excuse later¡ªthose outfits were all skimpy and embarrassing anyway; she¡¯d look like a perv giving them out.


    For some reason, after Elara sat on it, the blank rag started showing weird patterns¡ªlike words, all wonky and scribbly, but she couldn¡¯t read ¡®em.


    Right now, the cushion was still warm, carrying a faint girly scent!


    ¡°You¡¯re giving me a cushion?¡±


    Bonnie curiously peeked at the thing Elara had used as a seat pad.


    No biggie at first glance, but once she looked closer, she freaked out hard.


    ¡°T-These words¡­ they¡¯re in the mythic tongue, Nakal script! It¡¯s loaded with forbidden knowledge that¡¯s crazy hard to read!¡±


    Just one quick look, and Bonnie¡¯s vision started twisting, her head spinning, nearly toppling over.


    But what shocked her even more? A noob like her staring at forbidden knowledge written in mythic script should¡¯ve turned her into a mindless monster by now.


    Yet here she was, just a little blurry-eyed. The maddening urge was strong, but not unbearable.


    This had to be some kinda blessing from Elara Majesty!


    Gathering her courage, Bonnie took the ¡°trash¡± rag, her heart flipping out with waves of awe, tears almost spilling over.


    If she could decode even a shred of this forbidden knowledge, she could ditch the ¡°noob hunter¡± and ¡°useless miss¡± labels for good!


    Trembling with excitement, Bonnie looked at Elara with total gratitude, a spark of fanatical devotion in her eyes.


    ¡°From this day on, I¡¯m Your Majesty¡¯s most loyal believer! I¡¯ll do everything I can to find the supplies and offerings you need!¡±


    Elara, totally thrown by Bonnie¡¯s hype gaze, instinctively covered her lil¡¯ butt.


    It¡¯s just some rag I used as a cushion¡ªwhy¡¯s she this into it?


    Is White-Hair Big Sis secretly a weirdo?


    But, like, that might make her even more likable, lol¡ªElara was starting to stan her harder.

 Chapter 3: Arcane Aqua-Lung

    <div>


    ¡°Alright, enough with the ¡®follower¡¯ talk for now¡ªI¡¯m starving! Got any grub on you? Cough it up! This avatar needs some noms!¡±


    Elara rubbed her lil¡¯ tummy, unable to stop herself from whining.


    An hour ago, she¡¯d planned to snag some fish to munch on, but ended up netting a white-haired waifu instead, dragging things out ¡®til now.


    ¡°Food, huh? I¡¯ve only got some normie snacks on me¡ªcan Your Majesty even stomach that? I heard some big shots are into human blood. How about you suck mine instead?¡±


    Bonnie said, her face going a bit pale.


    That chunk of Mandela Metal didn¡¯t even come close to matching the forbidden knowledge¡ªBonnie felt like she probs owed way more.


    Her eyes were all timid, but she bravely lifted the silvery-white hair off her shoulder, revealing a neck so smooth and pale it could outshine snow.


    Whoa, that glossy sheen legit looked biteable¡ªlike, nom nom worthy.


    ¡°Heh heh heh, don¡¯t mind if I do!¡±


    Suddenly, Elara wasn¡¯t even hungry anymore. Her tiny body zoomed over, latching onto Bonnie¡¯s pale neck and chomping down.


    Of course, it was just a playful nibble¡ªno real biting action.


    Mmm, so soft, so fragrant¡ªis this what a girl¡¯s body is like?


    Elara¡¯s little face turned a smidge pink.


    Bonnie had her eyes squeezed shut, kinda scared at first, but soon realized it didn¡¯t hurt¡ªjust tickled a bit, tickled so much she couldn¡¯t hold back a giggle.


    A string of bell-like laughs spilled out, dripping with that youthful girly vibe.


    Such a sweet sound felt hella out of place on this creepy Lightless Sea.


    ¡°Your Majesty, hahaha¡­ stop it, please!¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s pretty brows furrowed, saying no with her mouth, but her face got redder and she laughed even harder, her eyes sparkling with pure joy.


    Deep down, though, Bonnie was drowning in shame.


    Did Her Majesty figure out my secret lolicon kink? Is this a punishment or a reward?


    This humiliation¡ªit¡¯s so unbearable¡­


    After messing around with Bonnie for a bit, Elara started feeling kinda wiped. Sure, she acted all evil-god-like and had some weird perks, but she was still just a basic mortal.


    A teenage loli? Stamina¡¯s not exactly her strong suit!


    ¡°Let me try some of that human food then.¡±


    Elara said, legit starving now, and quickly snatched the ration pouch hanging from Bonnie¡¯s waist.


    She popped it open¡ªinside were a bunch of biscuit-looking things, and a salty, yummy smell hit her right in the face!


    Elara¡¯s mouth watered hardcore, and she started scarfing them down like a feral gremlin.


    Overestimating her tiny mouth¡¯s chowing skills and still not used to this body, she choked after a sec, coughing like crazy. So, she nabbed Bonnie¡¯s leather water pouch too, chugging it down glug glug glug.


    Bonnie just stared at the scene, totally dumbfounded.


    This¡­


    Is Her Majesty pretending this hard?


    Even a regular kid choking ten-plus times on such a small snack would be next-level fail¡ªthis ain¡¯t something you can fake!


    Probs ¡®cause Her Majesty hasn¡¯t fully vibed with this weak lil¡¯ avatar yet.


    Maybe an endless lifespan got so boring she turned into a red-haired loli to live it up IRL?


    But those thoughts didn¡¯t bug Bonnie for long.


    She was way too hooked on the forbidden knowledge in that rag.


    Seeing Elara wasn¡¯t mad, she eagerly grabbed the cloth with both hands, her light purple eyes going wide as she studied it super carefully.


    When her gaze hit those forbidden words¡ªholy yet terrifying, cryptic and deep¡ªstrange syllables started echoing in her head outta nowhere.


    Bonnie held her breath, fighting the wild urges bubbling up inside, straining to hear those freaky song-like sounds.


    Bit by bit, she started getting it.


    This seemed like a busted-up tome from Ibithas, the Cosmic Daughter!


    Ibithas¡¯s spirit minions were like wriggly bugs with glowy shells¡ªtheir head tendrils could zoom in size and unleash crazy energy blasts.


    Their eyes could shoot out mega-bright cosmic rays.


    Bonnie was obsessed with these cosmic rays¡ªthat dazzling, brilliant light? She was all about it.


    Through nonstop listening and staring, she slowly grasped a ton of taboo cosmic ray knowledge.


    She suddenly stood up, gripping her black longsword, spitting out a string of garbled, arcane syllables.


    Those sounds had some kinda mojo¡ªbarely out of her mouth, her sword got wrapped in a twinkling, starry glow.


    Sure, her old Hope Spirit Sword move had some shiny vibes too, but it was all flash, no substance¡ªjust eye candy.


    But now? Her black longsword was on a whole new level. Even without swinging, the raw power in that sword light was so obvious even a clueless normie like Elara could feel it.


    Just a few peeks at that glow, and Elara¡¯s heart started pounding!


    ¡°Cosmic Spirit Sword, Light Slash!¡±


    Bonnie let out a soft shout, slashing at the sea.


    BOOM!


    An explosion roared¡ªlike a missile went off¡ªwaves crashing everywhere!


    A regular junk boat would¡¯ve flipped ages ago, but this mysterious ship had some tricks up its sleeve. Even in that wild storm, it stayed steady, cutting through waves like a boss¡ªsuper weird.


    The boat was chill, but the seawater? Splashed all over like it was supposed to, no mercy, along with a bunch of flopping fish and shrimp landing onboard.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Nice¡ªlooks like food¡¯s sorted for a while!


    Right now, Elara felt like she was at a water festival¡ªher cute lil¡¯ skirt was soaked in seconds.


    Wet shirt fanservice?


    So, Bonnie Big Sis was¡­


    Elara wiped the water off her face with her tiny hands, spinning around to peek at Bonnie, all hyped.


    Too bad, total letdown¡ªsneaky Bonnie had a transparent light shield up around her, not a drop on her.


    This was straight-up unfair.


    She dodged the rain and forgot about me?


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Soaked through, Elara felt a bone-chilling cold hit her and sneezed.


    Bonnie heard it, turned around, and bam¡ªher pretty face went pink, eyes locked in a stare.


    No way Her Majesty can¡¯t even whip up a basic waterproof shield¡ªthis has to be a treat for me on purpose!


    Being a follower of someone this epic? Too blessed!


    ¡°Congrats, Bonnie¡ªyour power¡¯s leveled up!¡±


    Elara hugged her arms, all awkward and jelly as she spoke.


    ¡°All my tiny gains are thanks to your generous gift!¡±


    Bonnie tamped down her inner hype, saying it with mad gratitude.


    Was it really my gift?


    Elara was kinda skeptical at first, but after some sly probing, she got it¡ªBonnie¡¯s power-up was legit from that cushion she gave her.


    More specifically, those weird patterns on it.


    Those patterns weren¡¯t there before¡ªshe¡¯d only sat on it for a bit, and they showed up.


    Was the cushion itself special, or was it ¡®cause my butt sat on it?


    Elara instinctively tugged at the skirt behind her tush.


    Frick, if it¡¯s really my butt¡¯s doing, this world¡¯s way too wild!


    Still, knowing she¡¯d actually helped Bonnie out big-time made Elara¡¯s heart happy. Finally gave her follower something dope¡ªguess even if I¡¯m not an evil god, I can fake it ¡®til I make it with this kinda skill¡­


    ¡°All-Powerful Elara Majesty, if you¡¯ll allow it, I¡¯d like to head out. I¡¯ve been away from the city too long¡ªit¡¯s time to go back.¡±


    Bonnie half-knelt, saying it all respectful-like.


    After soaking in the rag¡¯s lofty, terrifying whispers, she wasn¡¯t the same scrub she¡¯d been when she got here. Forbidden secrets were buried deep in her eyes now.


    She could feel it clear as day¡ªher weak body was bursting with power, every cell practically cheering and vibing.


    The world in her eyes had never been sharper.


    Every breath she took, she could almost grab the flow of every breeze. A flower-footed sea mosquito buzzing its wings dozens of meters away on the water? She could sense every flap.


    All those hunting questions she¡¯d struggled with? Poof¡ªanswered in a flash. Her sluggish body was suddenly nimble as heck.


    Like a dried-out sponge finally hitting water¡ªsweet relief after a drought.


    Like someone stuck trudging along sprouting wings and soaring to the sky.


    That rush? Unless you¡¯ve felt it, you wouldn¡¯t get it.


    Just from eyeballing that forbidden tome for a bit, Bonnie¡¯s strength had jumped from bottom-tier noob hunter to a high-level slayer badass¡ªready to snag a Falcon Medal from underground London¡¯s Hunter Guild!


    Per the guild¡¯s ranks, hunters go from Rookie to Elite to Slayer.


    Sure, there might be higher tiers, but that¡¯s not stuff a small-fry like Bonnie would know.


    Slayers in underground London? Absolute bigshots. That Falcon Medal they rock is proof of their elite status.


    Wearing a Falcon Medal on her chest was Bonnie¡¯s old dream¡ªway outta reach.


    But now, in less than ten minutes, that dream was hers!


    With her dream in the bag, how could she not flex a little?


    Right now, Bonnie was itching to stick her hands on her hips, cackle like a champ, sprout wings, and teleport back to the city to brag to everyone.


    ¡°Hmph! The guild peeps said I¡¯d never make Elite Hunter in my life¡­¡±


    Time to head back and show off her glow-up.


    But most importantly, with this power, she could finally fix her family¡¯s broke-ass situation!


    Bonnie was hyped beyond belief, her shaky lil¡¯ hands trembling with excitement.


    Elara clocked it¡ªthis girl was dying to bounce, and it lowkey bummed her out.


    You¡¯re leaving just like that? Won¡¯t I get lonely and scared out here by myself?


    This place is creepy-dark, yo.


    I wanted to cuddle and lift you up all cute-like, and you¡¯re just gonna dip?


    Got my essence and now you¡¯re bailing¡ªtotal slag move!


    How about¡­ I tag along to that underground London place and check it out?


    ¡°How do you humans survive underwater?¡±


    Thinking it over, Elara didn¡¯t answer Bonnie¡¯s request right away, instead asking out of curiosity.


    ¡°Reporting to Your Grace, most humans survive underwater with arcane aqua-lungs. Nobles don¡¯t need ¡®em, though¡ªunderground London¡¯s core zone is inside underwater mountains. The peaks block everything out, so that noble turf¡¯s just like old-school land. People can stroll around in the air no problem.¡±


    ¡°Nobles even set up glowing arcane gems on the mountaintops to fake a sun, moon, and stars¡­¡±


    ¡°Air rights? That¡¯s a luxe noble perk. Lowly normie citizens are stuck soaking in water all day, living off an arcane aqua-lung handed out at birth ¡®til they croak. After a thousand years in the drink, tons of folks have mutated¡ªscales popping up, looking straight-up monstrous¡­¡±


    Bonnie said, pulling a palm-sized, white sheet from inside her underclothes.


    No doubt, that was the arcane aqua-lung¡ªwet and gooey-looking, kinda like those face masks girls used in Elara¡¯s old life.


    You could tell it was precious¡ªwhy else would Bonnie stash it in her bra like that?


    Bonnie came from a broke noble fam drowning in debt. One slip, and they¡¯d lose that noble status.


    If that happened, she¡¯d have to drag her sickly mom outta the noble zone to settle in underground London¡¯s Blackwater District.


    Her mom¡¯s health was trash¡ªliving in freezing seawater full-time? She¡¯d be dead in no time.


    That¡¯s why Bonnie went so hard. Even as a rookie hunter, she dared to leave the safe deep zones, hitting up the Lightless Sea¡¯s edge to hunt Deep Ones.


    Becoming a badass hunter was the fastest, best way to keep her noble title.


    Hearing Bonnie¡¯s rundown, Elara felt a pang of regret.


    This arcane aqua-lung¡ªBonnie only had one. No way Elara could tag along to underground London now.


    ¡°Next time you swing by, bring me one too. Human underwater civ? I wanna scope it out.¡±


    Elara said, all wistful.


    ¡°Sure thing, Your Majesty¡ªI¡¯ll snag one for you!¡±


    Bonnie gritted her teeth and promised.


    In underground London, an aqua-lung was worth a life¡ªnot cheap!


    But then she thought it over and chilled¡ªI¡¯m a Slayer now; scoring an aqua-lung should be a breeze.


    ¡°Elara Majesty, I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Bonnie waved at Elara, leapt off with a graceful arc, and splash¡ªhit the water.


    The second she submerged, the white aqua-lung on her face clung tighter, turning clear¡ªlike she wasn¡¯t wearing anything. Super cool.


    Glancing back, Bonnie saw the great Elara Majesty still at the boat¡¯s edge, staring down at the water. Her gaze was deep, like she¡¯d already seen through everything, those wise, glinting eyes probs pondering the ultimate mysteries of the universe.


    ¡°Meeting you is the greatest honor of my life!¡±


    Bonnie thought quietly, clutching the butt-pad stashed at her chest, swimming toward the deep sea with a solemn vibe.


    ¡°That girl actually bailed. A soft, sweet, baby-faced, stacked Big Sis like her¡ªjust up and left. Now I¡¯m stuck here solo¡ªugh, so boring.¡±


    TBH, Elara didn¡¯t mind chilling alone.


    Give her a phone and some Wi-Fi, and she¡¯d vibe ¡®til the end of time. Problem is, no phone here, and this boat¡¯s tiny as heck!


    The only thing keeping her company was that lil¡¯ critter¡ªthe Executioner, Roary.


    ¡°Whatever, guess I¡¯ll dig into what freaky powers this junk boat¡¯s got!¡±