Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 173. Water Fight (2)

“I ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍didn’t expect this much.......”

Standing ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍on the water with both feet, Anagin muttered, unable to hide his amazement.

That ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was how astonishing the experience was—standing on water with both feet.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had prided himself on going through all sorts of things since becoming a practitioner, but this was something else. Ah, of course, in a good way. It even felt somewhat enjoyable.......

“Reckless.”

While ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Anagin was savoring the new sensation, the fisherman mage cut in and ruined the mood.

It wasn’t exactly welcome, being interrupted at such a good moment, but he didn’t complain. After all, the fisherman mage was the one who had cast the magic.

“If I hadn’t come, what were you planning to do?”

The statement itself wasn’t wrong.

If the fisherman mage had arrived even a little later, things could have gotten quite dangerous.

As if to prove it, the entire fishing port area was already completely submerged, leaving nowhere to stand.

He might have ended up fighting while swimming.

Still, Anagin didn’t feel any particular relief at having escaped danger.

He had been certain that the mages—at least the fisherman mage—would come to support him. And for good reason.......

“Look over there.”

Anagin pointed at the Barbaroi woman standing on the water with the Beast Devourer.

More precisely, he pointed at the bracelet on her wrist.

“Looks like the magical tool you were looking for?”

A bracelet shaped like multiple fish caught in a net.

Anagin was certain that it was the magical tool the fisherman mage had been seeking.

The fisherman mage had desired it enough to personally help with Anagin’s unreasonable request, even prioritizing it over the organization’s mission of capturing the priest—his (personal) ultimate goal.

Anagin assumed the fisherman mage had seen it through the crystal orb, and from that moment on, he was certain the mage would come to help him without even being asked.

If only for his own sake.

As if confirming that assumption, the fisherman mage said nothing more. Instead, he brought up the main point.

“You didn’t forget... our promise, did you?”

The promise to hand over the magical tool once it was obtained.

Anagin grinned.

“Don’t worry. I’m the type who keeps promises. More importantly, can you cast this on that guy, too?”

After lightly tapping across the water’s surface, Anagin pointed at Pairon, who was floundering alone in the sea.

Without the fisherman mage’s help, Pairon was desperately struggling not to sink.

Judging by its movements, it will probably manage to swim soon, but it still looked pitiful enough for Anagin to ask.

“This magic can only be cast on one person at a time.”

“That’s lame.”

“You little...!”

The fisherman mage momentarily forgot his dignity and snapped at Anagin, who was spouting nonsense despite receiving help.

Of course, Anagin hadn’t meant it as an insult.

Even to someone like him, who knew nothing about magic, the spell the fisherman mage had cast was impressive.

And it didn’t seem to be just his opinion.

“Wow, that’s an amazing spell.... Not something you see often. How did you learn it?”

Even though her plan to drown Anagin had failed, the Barbaroi woman showed curiosity instead of frustration.

That alone showed how remarkable the fisherman mage’s magic was.

“.......”

The fisherman mage remained silent, wary, and the Barbaroi woman didn’t press further.

She simply made an irritating expression, as if she had figured something out on her own.

“Well, fine. I think I get the gist. Then shall we test your level?”

“You’re going to take on both of us alone?”

When it came to beating people up, Anagin believed in equality above all else—he had no intention of holding back just because his opponent was a woman.

“Your memory’s bad. I’m not alone.”

At her signal, a fish-man burst out of the water and thrust a spear at Anagin.

It was the same fish-man that had blocked his retreat earlier.

Though much faster in the sea than on land, it still didn’t reach Anagin.

Because Anagin dodged faster?

No.

Because a shark suddenly leapt out and bit the fish-man into pieces.

“A transformation mage?”

The moment he saw the shark, Anagin realized what it was.

It felt similar to the giant feline from earlier on land.

As if to confirm it, the shark that had torn the fish-man apart spoke in human language.

“My name isn’t ‘transformation mage’! I told you my name last time!!”

“I forgot.”

“You son of...!”

While the transformation mage flared up, more fish-men rushed in one after another.

One shark wasn’t enough to stop them all.

Kiiiii—!

A sharp cry suddenly rang out from above, and moments later, masses of flame rained down from the sky, roasting the fish-men that had surfaced.

Mages from Magno had arrived as reinforcements, riding a giant eagle.

The doll mage controlled the giant eagle puppet, while the flame mage attacked from above.

Of course, that didn’t eliminate every enemy.

Some had approached while hiding underwater.

Still, they weren’t much of a threat.

Slash—!

Anagin wasn’t just standing on the water—he could faintly sense the flow beneath it. Naturally, that included the fish-men trying to sneak up on him.

As they leapt out, he slid backward as if gliding, cutting them down in return.

Whoooosh......!

The Beast Devourer consumed their blood and strength.

Watching this up close, Anagin glanced down at his feet planted on the water.

The surface felt both similar to land and completely different.

There was the swaying sensation of the sea, yet at the same time, it felt solid, like standing on the ground.

That wasn’t all.

It didn’t feel like he’d slip even by accident, yet if he wanted, he could glide across it like ice.

It was a truly strange sensation.

Two contradictory feelings coexisting.

For a moment, he wondered if this was what using a blessing felt like.

“They’re coming!”

While Anagin examined the magic on him, the Barbaroi woman moved.

With a gesture of her hand, the churning sea surged violently, raising a massive wave.

It felt like a wall of water charging forward.

In response, the fisherman mage created an equally massive wave to counter it.

Perhaps because they shared the same water attribute, the two were quite similar.

Boom—!

As the two enormous waves collided, a sound like shattering rock rang out, sending massive sprays and ripples in all directions.

The shockwave was so strong that even the fisherman mage, who controlled water, couldn’t hold his ground and was pushed far back.

“Hmph.”

The Barbaroi woman snorted in satisfaction as she watched him get pushed back.

Even amidst such violent ripples, she remained calmly in place.

Now then, a question.

Where was Anagin, who was neither a mage, nor a priest, nor had any water attribute?

The answer—was in the sky.

“Peekaboo.”

At the exact moment the waves collided, Anagin kicked off the water and sprinted at full speed, running up the wall of water and leaping into the air.

The timing was so tight that even the Barbaroi woman failed to notice where he had gone.

Seizing the moment, Anagin soared high, aiming to split her head open.

Crunch!

A giant moray eel suddenly appeared and interfered, causing his attack to fail.

Grrrk...!

With rows of vicious teeth, the eel tried to bite him, but Anagin twisted free and slashed it cleanly from mouth to tail.

The Beast Devourer absorbed its blood, and Anagin charged again, aiming to split the Barbaroi woman’s head.

After all, when dealing with fish, you start from the head.

The Barbaroi woman summoned numerous fish-men and giant fish from the sea, forming a barrier.

A considerable army blocking his path.

But it wasn’t a big problem.

The Magno mages immediately provided support from above.

Kiiiiiii—!

The eagle screeched as it dove, and the flame mage riding it hurled a compressed fireball downward.

The fireball exploded upon hitting the water’s surface, generating massive steam and thoroughly roasting the fish.

Of course, the Barbaroi woman didn’t just take it.

A giant archerfish leapt from beneath the surface and fired a thick stream of water at the mages, but at the last moment, a defensive mage deployed a barrier and blocked it.

Still, the impact wasn’t completely negated, and the eagle staggered before pulling back briefly.

As a result, aerial support was temporarily halted.

‘What about the fisherman mage and the transformation mage?’

Through the steam, Anagin glanced at the two in the distance.

They were surrounded by numerous fish, struggling to hold their ground. It didn’t look like they could provide support.

“Back to being alone again?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

It really didn’t matter.

He had planned to fight alone from the start.

“Is that so?”

With the Barbaroi woman’s mocking remark, a mysterious massive figure rapidly closed in on Anagin.

Swoosh—!

Barely dodging, Anagin saw it.

A man riding a seahorse, his entire body covered in seashell armor.

“A priest...?”

Sensing that he wasn’t just some ordinary sea creature, Anagin spoke without thinking, and as if responding, the seahorse priest muttered in a low voice.

“Fast. But can you dodge the next one?”

Just as Anagin was about to ask what he meant, his vision flipped 180 degrees.

The Barbaroi woman swung the bracelet on her wrist, and the surrounding seawater overturned violently.

As a result, Anagin, who had been standing on the surface, was flipped into the air.

The seahorse priest prepared to charge again.

‘No problem.’

Even while suspended midair and defenseless, Anagin confidently took a stance.

He trusted his swordsmanship.

Even if the seahorse priest charged, he was confident he could cut him down.

At that moment, countless fish burst out from all directions, blocking his vision. Some even collided with him directly.

His concentration wavered for a split second.

The seahorse priest didn’t miss it—he charged again and wounded Anagin.

If Anagin hadn’t twisted his body, he would have been pierced clean through. Fortunately, it ended as a glancing hit.

At the same time, Anagin forced a swing of the Beast Devourer, slicing through the gaps in the priest’s shell.

“Grrrgh...!”

The seahorse priest groaned in pain from the wound.

As Anagin landed on the water, he tried to finish him off, but a massive octopus tentacle shot up, wrapping around him and dragging him beneath the surface.

‘How many of these bastards are there?’

Rumble—!

A man with enormous octopus tentacles extending from his back dragged Anagin underwater.

He looked unmistakably like a priest.

And he wasn’t alone.

Clack! Clack!

From one with giant pincers, to one with a transparent, jellyfish-like body, to one with a long, eel-like neck—

Multiple figures, all seemingly priests, were waiting for Anagin.

It looked like they had prepared thoroughly.

‘It’s fine. I can breathe.’

Even after being caught in an ambush, Anagin remained positive.

Though he had been dragged underwater and surrounded by Barbaroi Cult priests, he could still breathe thanks to the underwater breathing magic cast by the fisherman mage.

He thought he could just fight like this.

‘Damn.......’

Anagin clicked his tongue.

The spell allowed him to walk on water and breathe underwater, but it didn’t let him move properly beneath the surface.

Because of buoyancy, his movements had become noticeably slower.

In contrast, the priests moved swiftly, just as their forms suggested.

‘Could’ve made the spell a bit more complete.’

Sensing his disadvantage, the priests quickly moved in to surround him.

The jellyfish priest fired poisonous stingers, the octopus priest tightly restrained his limbs and body, and the lobster priest caught the Beast Devourer with its pincers.

Meanwhile, many others circled, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Among them, the most dangerous was, of course, the seahorse priest.

He moved freely even underwater, aiming his spear at Anagin.

This time, his intent to pierce him through was unmistakable.

To prevent escape, the other priests crowded around, binding Anagin in place.

Dodging was practically impossible. The only part he could move freely was his left arm.

Still, that was enough.......

‘Hopefully.’

As the seahorse priest charged, Anagin summoned [Longbald] with a do-or-die resolve.

He planned to pour a massive amount of Energy(Γι) into it and swing, unleashing a shockwave underwater.

He didn’t know if it would work, but earlier, when he stood on the water, it had felt like land—so he decided to try.

If it worked, he could blow away all these pests at once.

If it failed, well… he’d get skewered.

Whether it would go as planned was uncertain, but regardless, Anagin summoned [Longbald].

Wooooong......!

The summoned [Longbald] resonated as if reacting to something, emitting an ominous energy.

“...!”

The surrounding priests reacted as well.

Instinctively realizing he couldn’t miss this chance, Anagin poured a massive amount of Energy(Γι) into [Longbald] and swung.

And then.......

―――――――――!!!

An indescribable roar erupted, and a powerful shockwave blasted everything around him apart.

The octopus priest restraining him, the charging seahorse priest—

Of course, most of the other priests nearby were also torn to pieces and sank into the depths.

In exchange, an intense flame reignited in Anagin’s right chest, but he had no time to care.

What unfolded before his eyes was far too bizarre to ignore even that expected agony.

The seawater that had been pushed away by the shockwave didn’t immediately rush back.

It remained displaced.

A massive void in the sea.

A phenomenon so unnatural it defied reason—it left even Anagin stunned.

And then—

Shhk—thud!

The Barbaroi woman swam in at incredible speed and pierced the arm holding [Longbald] with a trident made of water.

Perhaps due to the sheer velocity, even Anagin’s body—normally resistant to deep wounds—was pierced clean through.

The trident didn’t just go through his arm—it penetrated into his body.

But looking closer, it didn’t seem like mere acceleration alone caused such power.

“So that’s your true form?”

Anagin asked, looking at the transformed Barbaroi woman.

Her face had become even more beautiful, and around her head, crown-like, mystical fins had grown.

Her upper body remained human in shape but was covered in shimmering scales, while her lower body had completely transformed into that of a massive fish.

A beauty so overwhelming it could steal one’s soul.

Perhaps aware of it, she smiled smugly.

“And what will you do with that knowledge?”

It felt like she had left out the words, ‘You’re about to die anyway,’ but Anagin didn’t care. Instead, he answered.

“Because it looks fake. There’s no way someone as ugly as you would have such a pretty face.”

Anagin felt it was worth saying.

Seeing her face distort—no, the ugly one’s face twist—only reinforced that thought.

Apparently furious, she twisted the trident, inflicting pain, while grabbing the Beast Devourer with her bare hand to block any counterattack.

“What exactly are you relying on to talk like that?”

“My burning chest?”

“Huh?”

At the nonsense answer, she questioned him again, and Anagin responded not with words, but with action.

He let go of the Beast Devourer and tore at his own right chest, where the searing pain burned.

Swoosh—!

At that moment, the flames left behind by Tramachus surged forward violently, spreading onto the ugly one.

“Aaaaargh!!!”

As her head and fins ignited, she screamed.

Seizing the moment, Anagin picked up the fallen Beast Devourer and sliced off the arm wearing the bracelet.

“Aaaaah!!!”

It was summer.