Chapitre 34: Sea Battle (2)
One of the reasons higher-ups rarely invested in naval ship technology became glaringly evident as the weapons unfolded in a mesmerizing display before their eyes once again. The vast oceans were unequivocally the playground of the Merpeople, a domain where none could hold a candle to them on their own battlefield.
On the flip side, weapons from the past were rendered utterly impotent against someone at Level 2. They had lost their relevance, banished to the annals of eternity.
The once formidable bullets of destruction, which had claimed hundreds of millions of lives, now stood as relics of a bygone era, reduced to profound uselessness in just a century.
In a peculiar sense, society regressed to a bygone era, returning to the simplicity of sword and shield, where the strength of an individual held paramount significance. This, one might argue, was a commendable shift.
Taking a life with a mere pull of the trigger is a facile endeavor. Some individuals, ensnared in the simplicity of the act, fail to comprehend the gravity of extinguishing the light of another living being. The ease with which it is done adds an unsettling layer to the profound nature of such an action.
Nevertheless, when faced with the prospect of taking a life through direct, hands-on means, most individuals grapple with inner turmoil for an extended duration, often reluctant to carry out such an act. Naturally, this reluctance holds true unless they have undergone specific training to desensitize them to such actions.
Numerous innovations ushered in at the dawn of the new age accumulated, contributing to a decline in the overall number of killings.
Under the ceaseless onslaught of Belenus and Laima, certain guards, particularly the cadets, scurried about like headless chickens—an unsurprising reaction from unseasoned soldiers. However, it took no more than ten seconds for a resonant voice to pierce through the chaos on both ships.
"Maintain your composure! Merpeople, immediately transform and await my command!" Bellowed the guard, whose hair had already lost its color due to the passage of time.
The only other human-looking guard that had feathers on the back of his armor had already undergone transformation the very moment the ship quivered.
Much like Belenus, he too was a Merman. His right hand firmly gripped a sword, while the other covered his nose; a swordfish was his type.
"Eresta, you take the one below us. If you require assistance, do not hesitate to seek it. Understood?" He calmly ordered, his sword emanating a brimming ocean-blue energy.
"Understood, Sir Michael!"
The instant his words faded, an aura of energy ascended from his body. In contrast to the distinct ocean-blue hue of human energy, his own energy color remained unremarkable.
However, were he to unleash his aura in the dead of night, even departed souls would have borne witness to it. White, the color of the Merpeople's energy core.
Out of the thirty-four crew members, only seven underwent transformation. Nonetheless, two among them were cadets, relegated to a standby position on the deck, unable to actively participate. The remaining four, all Sand Tier, stood poised, ready to act upon receiving orders.
Two transformed cadets and two Sand Tier people shared the same ship as Michael, the chief. The one adorned with feathers was already en route to launch an attack against Belenus amidst the ceaseless tremors that showed no sign of abating.
Now, it was the chief's turn to assign a mission to these four, not the remaining six.
Taking a deep breath, he commanded, "Cadets, position yourselves at the far back! Do not obstruct the way!" His voice resonated, making the waves themselves rumble in response.
"Sand Tier Merpeople! Intercept the assailant on the other ship! All Sands and Feathers, standby!"
Everyone heeded Michael's words and acted accordingly.
Yes, everyone.
It's not as though Laima and Belenus had suddenly become deaf in just a few hours. Their already relentless attacks surged in intensity, persistently piercing and slashing through the ship.
Tiiing!
Their assault wasn't confined to the depths of the sea, for their objective extended beyond merely sinking the vessel. The tingling sound of a spear clashing against a sword echoed, rumbled the waves.
The duel between Orca Belenus and Swordfish Eresta had commenced.
On the opposite side, two men and two women approached Laima. Much like Eresta, these four also possessed distinctive characteristics that unequivocally conveyed the type of sea creatures they embodied.
One man sprouted a dorsal fin reminiscent of an orca's, yet his visage remained far from something that would instill terror in others. In a rather amusing twist, this man had transformed into one of the smartest animals of the sea—the dolphin.
The other man's face sprouted mustaches in a long and thin manner. If the dolphin's appearance was amusing, this one seemed to resemble an idiot. Despite his seemingly foolish appearance, this individual remained as dangerous as Laima's type, albeit with a lesser degree of toxicity.
Both the dorsal spine at his back and the pectoral spines at his sides were formidable features designed to strike fear into his enemies. This man's transformed type was that of a catfish.
Conversely, Mermaids opted to preserve their beauty, choosing to transform only their lower halves to gain a speed advantage underwater.
One of them embodied the very essence of a Mermaid. A golden-yellow, perhaps orange, hue enveloped her form underneath. Even her expansive tail fin bore a charmingly cute appearance.
She had transformed into a goldfish.
The last woman's transformation set her apart from the rest. While all of them acquired tail fins, she possessed a literal tail—an elastic, long twig-like appendage.
This tail served as the protective measure of her fish counterpart, the sole means by which their kind could hold their ground against predators. Similar to many underwater creatures equipped with defensive mechanisms, her tail harbored poison.
She had transformed into a stingray—a blend of amusement, peculiarity, and peril.
Belenus faced off against a Feather Tier guard, matching him in the universal energy arts level. Meanwhile, Laima contended with four Sand Tier guards, a level below her.
The seas of Neaire were poised to continue their relentless shaking for an extended duration, commencing now.
One of the indispensable elements in nearly every battle, though it transpired later on Belenus's side, was a tense stare-down.
A stare-down unfolded between each pair of combatants, each participant striving to glean one or two insights about their adversary. This practice proved essential for everyone, particularly in the case of Merpeople and Tayirians.
Tiiing!!
Swordfish Eresta needed to initiate an attack against Belenus to halt him. Otherwise, the seasoned fighter would have thoroughly assessed him first, recognizing the importance of understanding one's adversary as the initial step toward victory.
If you were to catch a fish you're unfamiliar with, the most prudent course of action would be to search on the internet to determine whether it is poisonous, venomous, or not.
This was precisely the scenario when facing off against Merpeople. Those embarking on the journey of power dedicated considerable effort to learning about various fish types, as learning meant higher chances of staying alive.
In contrast to Tayirians, who achieve full body transformation into their bird type after Level 5, Merpeople are restricted to partial transformations. However, the ability to selectively choose which part of their body to transform renders this limitation inconsequential for them.
It was a race filled with advantages, most of the time, thanks to their transformations. Due to this unique ability, defeating them underwater became more than just a hassle for other races.
They also possessed a significant advantage in learning magic. Unlike other races, they could learn magic as early as Level 1. This not only provided them with more time for training but also elevated the overall Tier 2 magic users rate within the Merpeople race.
Nevertheless, water magic was the sole type they could master, with only one exception under specific circumstances.
Tiiing!!
It's no wonder that one side of the battlefield truncated the stare-down phase. They didn't need to spend minutes scrutinizing each other's body parts to ascertain their respective types.
Both possessed distinctive features that clearly proclaimed their identities. Moreover, both belonged to the category of pure physical attackers.
They were born to be warriors of the seas and conducted themselves accordingly.
Swuuush!!
As he wielded his magic, Belenus not only conjured a vortex using his own universal energy but also compelled the surrounding water to follow suit. He appeared mighty and terrifying.
The spear gave way to a mass of water, resembling a spear, poised to demonstrate its power to the enemy.
Swuuush!!
His adversary hadn't arrived to merely stand and observe. He too was at the same level as Belenus, hailing from the same race. Enveloping his sword with water was a task as effortless as breathing for him.
'As expected, he is a Tier 2, too,' Belenus thought to himself, 'Well, only real idiots of our race can't be a Tier 2 at such a level.' Yet, a grin appeared on his face.
Even though he made an effort not to display it when he was with the kids, he was undoubtedly a formidable fighter. Not a warmonger, but teetering on the edge, ready to cross it any day in the future.
His motto was clear: 'To get stronger, you have to fight stronger people.'
Belenus's spear transformed into a water vortex, mercilessly thrusting towards his enemy's sword. Yet, his adversary was prepared, never allowing that spear to slip past his vigilant gaze even for a second.
Tiiing!
Instead of opting for a vertical or horizontal slash, he responded in Belenus's own fashion.
He was astute enough to recognize that if a concentrated attack were to come at him, he would lose in a power struggle and be pierced through. Countering a thrust with a thrust was the most sensible approach in this situation.
Splaaasshh!!!
Two colossal watery needles clashed just a few meters beneath the sea's surface. The sight of rumbling waves and erupting sea awaited those who lingered above the deck.
The sea battle, the clash that heralded the return of Rebellious, had just begun.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone