Is it happening again?
Lucas Reeve frowned slightly. This kind of attack targeting the spirit was now useless against Skadi. With Lucas Reeve's protection, Skadi was nearly invincible on the spiritual level, unless it was a spiritual body stronger than Lucas Reeve.
However, that was basically a god.
The horror fish trying to drill into Skadi's spiritual world were instantly annihilated under Lucas Reeve's divine radiance. But on the physical level, Lucas Reeve couldn't provide much help; she could only rely on herself.
The salty, fishy smell of the sea washed over from the nearby coastline, and the sea breeze, carrying a slightly disgusting odor, blew through the entire city. The deathly silence in the damaged mobile city was dispersed by this sudden sea breeze.
The numb, listless people on the streets, as if they had lost their souls, slowly raised their heads and looked at the perennially gloomy sky.
Suddenly!
The lighthouse in the distance, long since decommissioned, seemed to darken, like ink dripping onto rice paper, constantly spreading outwards.
The numb populace first froze, then, the panic from their basic survival instincts surged into their hearts. One by one, they scattered like birds, frantically fleeing into the nearest buildings and sealing the doors and windows.
In an instant, Skadi was the only one left on the street that had been somewhat populated just moments ago.
"Hiss... What is that??"
Lucas Reeve looked at the monsters pouring down from the tall lighthouse, and the monsters continuously climbing up from the seawater along the mobile city's ramparts. Lucas Reeve couldn't help but roast. This was the first time he had encountered these monsters.
The little things really looked unique.
As expected of things born in the deep sea, they don't disgrace the sea's name.
"Go!"
Skadi made her judgment in a short time.
These Seaborn horror fish all seem to be charging at me. Why?
Skadi couldn't understand.
In all these years wandering as a bounty hunter, Skadi had had this doubt. Why was it that no matter where she went, these Seaborn always followed her like lingering ghosts? It seemed as if there was some special mark or scent on her body that was attracting them.
Skadi carried her sword on her back with one hand, and turned the other hand into a claw, easily inserting her fingers into the wall, like a climbing hook.
And when these deep-sea monsters sensed that Skadi seemed to be moving, they, too, changed direction and continued to chase after Skadi.
"You're thinking...?"
Lucas Reeve had already guessed Skadi's intention.
"Mhm!"
Skadi reached the city wall and leaped down towards the coastline by the sea below, a distance of dozens of meters without any safety measures.
Skadi's purpose was obvious. She knew these deep-sea monsters were coming for her. If she didn't leave, these monsters would wash over this city, and who knows how many more people would die in their mouths.
"However, the number of these monsters seems a bit high. Do you have a way to deal with them?"
Leaping from a height of dozens of meters.
Skadi smashed onto the coastline like a meteor, blasting a considerable crater into the jagged, strange rocks. The deep-sea monsters lurking in the lighthouse also changed direction, frantically attacking Skadi. Countless horror fish and Seaborn merged together, forming a wave composed entirely of monsters, crashing towards Skadi.
"Need my help?"
Lucas Reeve smiled faintly.
Skadi didn't hesitate: "I will find a way to repay your help."
After all, the number of Seaborn right now was truly a bit too much.
Although individual Seaborn were not strong, and could even be described as very weak—ordinary soldiers could basically handle them—the Seaborn's true strength lay in their numbers and adaptability. Against such numbers, even the powerful Atlantis of the sea, Aegir, didn't have many solutions.
Lucas Reeve didn't say anything.
After all...
The red line of romantic destiny was already entangled with him. What else could he do?
Lucas Reeve just kept smiling.
His soul slipped into Skadi's body.
Instantly.
Skadi's left eye, originally red and brilliant like a ruby, turned a deep black. And in the center of the black was a crimson, four-pointed diamond pattern, shining with golden light.
The physique of the Aegir people was very strange.
The strength of Terra's land-dwellers relied on Originium energy, and the source of Originium energy was the Originium dust within everyone's body. But Skadi's body was very pure. Although not like his Doctor body, which had zero Originium dust, it was very, very low, so low it could almost be ignored.
And the source of strength for Aegir people like Skadi, Lucas Reeve was more inclined to believe, was a special energy unique to Aegir. Lucas Reeve had never seen this kind of energy before. Its quality was higher than the Originium energy of Terra's land-dwellers, but not as good as divine power, falling just between these two forces.
Hsss... Hooo....
Skadi gripped the huge, pitch-black greatsword with her right hand. At the same time, deep blue water splashes faintly appeared on the greatsword. Water currents wrapped around the greatsword, and then a burst of golden brilliance belonging to a god erupted from Skadi's right hand, also wrapping around the surface of the greatsword, enveloping the sharp blades on both sides like flames.
"This...."
Skadi looked at the change in the greatsword in her hand.
She was very familiar with this golden brilliance; it was exactly the same as the strike that had pierced the Seaborn mother's head back then.
Since their souls were mostly fused.
Skadi's body could already be considered Lucas Reeve's body. The compatibility was very high. Moreover, due to the special nature of the Abyssal Hunters' own energy and flesh, it gave them a stronger ability to withstand divine power.
The Seaborn gathered together, forming a pitch-black tide, and attacked Skadi.
"Hah!"
Skadi let out a low cry, swinging the greatsword burning with golden flames with one hand, and slashed at the wave formed by the Seaborn.
Instantly.
The golden brilliance effortlessly cut open the 'wave', like a greatsword of light descending from the heavens.
It left a long, deep trench on the ground, the edges of the trench flowing with a golden sheen.
Huu...
Skadi took a deep breath.
She had fought the deep-sea species too many times. She naturally knew very well how tenacious and full of life these Seaborn were. Even if she used her greatsword to cut these Seaborn into pieces, these monsters seemed to have infinite vitality. Even just a tiny scrap, they could still move. Although it was difficult for them to truly survive, and they would die completely once their life force was exhausted, a strike like the one just now, which easily disintegrated and annihilated the Seaborn, was simply... too easy.
However.
After annihilating so many Seaborn in one strike.
Skadi was afraid of one thing.
These Seaborn possessed incredibly strong adaptability and evolutionary capabilities.
They could even gradually adapt to Aegir's invincible weapons until they evolved forms sufficient to resist these weapons. This was why the Abyssal Hunters, who only used cold weapons, came to be.
However.
There was no time for Skadi to think right now.
Because new enemies were about to pounce.
Skadi's figure was light and ethereal. She waved her greatsword as if dancing. The golden divine brilliance trailed behind the blade's swings, creating beautiful ribbons of light. With every strike, Seaborn were easily annihilated by the divine power.
To the Seaborn.
All individuals are equal. All individuals are equally important. Correspondingly, all individuals are also unimportant. The demise of an individual will arouse the wrath of the collective. Like a swarm of insects or bees, killing one will attract the wrath of the swarm.
This greatsword was very heavy.
But in Skadi's hands, it was incredibly light.
She held it with both hands.
The speed of her slashes became faster and faster, to the point where one could already see the afterimages of the greatsword. The blade tore through space, and countless sword nets interweaved densely in front of Skadi. It seemed as if a golden shroud had enveloped her, and all Seaborn attempting to approach would perish under the golden light.
Huu....
Skadi was slightly fatigued.
It wasn't due to herself, but because using Lucas Reeve's power consumed a large amount of her own strength. Even Patriot, with his vigorous Originium energy like the ocean, couldn't withstand it, so naturally, Skadi also found it a bit difficult to bear.
However, she also discovered something that surprised her.
Theoretically.
Given the learning, adaptation, and evolutionary abilities of these Seaborn, they should have gradually adapted to this power that could disintegrate them by now. However, Skadi didn't notice any change in them. She could feel that they were trying to, but they were unable to analyze this power....
Could it be...
The power level was too high, already surpassing the limit of what a single Seaborn could analyze and evolve against in a short time?
——————
In the mobile city.
Two Inquisitors from Iberia, one large and one small, were walking through the streets of the city-state.
Inquisitor.
The law enforcement personnel of the Iberian Inquisition. As Iberia was a a state where politics and religion were one, the Pope on the religious side possessed power that could even rival that of the King of Iberia. And as a Grand Inquisitor of the Inquisition, one's status was no less than that of a general in the 'Iberian National Defense Force', or a Count or Marquis among the nobility.
The streets were filled with an ashen, deathly air. There were no other colors, only the deep tones of black and white.
"Teacher.... why has Saltwind City become like this."
As the attendant and student of the Grand Inquisitor Dario, Irene wore a Victorian-style leather long dress. The black and white tones were sketched together, looking incredibly serious. But on one side of the dress, there was a pink color completely different from the other areas, adding a touch of elegance to the seriousness.
Irene had silver hair, and her beautiful appearance was complemented by a hint of feminine handsomeness. At first glance, she looked like a capable, strong woman, but her speaking voice was extremely cute, almost like a child's lisp.
As Irene's teacher, the Grand Inquisitor did not speak. His face was hidden beneath a mask, unseen.
This was Irene's first time in Saltwind City. Even as an Inquisitor, Irene didn't know the specific situation of the coastal city-states. She only knew what was officially reported: after a Great Silence, Iberia's coastal cities were completely annihilated, without a single survivor, and all civilization had turned to nothingness.
But...
The listless crowds on the streets already proved that the Iberian officials were lying.
"Use your eyes to see. Do not speak. Keep everything you see in your heart. No matter how shocking, do not open your mouth."
The Grand Inquisitor spoke coldly, admonishing his student.
Suddenly.
Along with a slight tremor.
Countless deep-sea monsters emerged from the deep sea in the distance. This scene, which Irene, who had never seen Seaborn before, had never witnessed, gave her a huge fright. She quickly drew the sharp blade at her waist.
"Teacher, these monsters!!"
"Seaborn... a type of monster from the deep sea."
The Grand Inquisitor remained calm. This calmness came from having seen too much and knowing too many secrets.
However.
These deep-sea species turned their direction. With the Grand Inquisitor's hawk-like vision, he could easily see a blue figure seemingly leap down from the edge of the city-state not far away. Below the city-state... was a cliff dozens of meters high, and at the bottom of the cliff was the seaside, inhabited by countless deep-sea monsters.
This person!!
Do they want to die!!
Due to the appearance of the Seaborn, the residents who were originally wandering outside hurriedly ran back into their houses in fear. The Grand and Junior Inquisitors, however, moved against the crowd, running towards the edge of the mobile city.
"Teacher!"
Irene couldn't help but speak out.
After arriving in Saltwind City, she had seen too many things along the way that were completely different from the knowledge she had learned in the academy.
"Don't talk."
The Grand Inquisitor's eyes were icy, as if no sight was shocking enough to surprise him anymore.
After running for a while, when the two arrived at the edge of the city-state and looked down.
The next second.
The Grand Inquisitor's eyes widened slightly.
"??!!"
He saw a girl, her entire body flickering with a faint golden halo, wielding a massive greatsword that was also burning with golden flames. She was fighting against a massive number of Seaborn all by herself. The Grand Inquisitor knew all too well how resilient these Seaborn were.
However. These Seaborn, which were incredibly troublesome in his eyes, were actually melting instantly under the golden brilliance released by the girl, like snow meeting boiling water, melting without a trace of hesitation.
Moreover.
This girl's combat ability was also truly astonishing. A casual chop could easily create a small trench. A casual step could leave a sizable dent in the hard beach stones. She leaped and bounded like a giant dancing. Even standing on the deck of the mobile city, dozens of meters high, one could clearly feel the earth seeming to tremble.
"An Aegir!"
The Grand Inquisitor frowned.
He was no stranger to the Aegir people. There were even many Aegir people within Iberia. However, apart from the technology in their minds, the physical fitness these Aegir people displayed was no different from that of Terrans. Many Aegir people even had physiological defects to a certain extent.
Why is this Aegir person so ferocious??!
If he didn't flee and chose to fight such a large number of deep-sea species head-on, the Grand Inquisitor was certain that he would absolutely die here. Moreover, the Grand Inquisitor knew very well that the most terrifying thing about these Seaborn, besides their vast numbers, was the spiritual damage. If you fought them for a long time, your spirit would gradually decay, and you might even experience hallucinations.
However.
The spiritual damage from these deep-sea species seemed unable to harm this Aegir person....
What the hell?!
The Aegir people he knew didn't seem to be like this...
Why is she so fierce?
Irene looked up, puzzled. She could sense her teacher's astonishment from his eyes.
She vaguely remembered that her teacher had instructed her... no matter what she encountered, she must not be surprised, must not panic...