Chapter 185

Chapter 185. Offspring (4)

While ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍reorganizing at the Nereid Fishing Village, Anagin and Sphinx practiced Spirit-Form Manifestation (魂體化) whenever they had the chance.

And ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they tasted countless failures.

That's ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what-you-call-it....... He just couldn’t get a feel for imagining himself using magic properly.

‘Can’t ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you take this a little more seriously?’

To ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍think Sphinx even had to give him looks, urging him to do it properly.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really, was glaring at him going to make something that didn’t work suddenly work?

So Anagin did two things.

One was making excuses.

‘This isn’t my fault. I can’t get the right feeling unless there’s an opponent. That’s how I was trained.'

‘What kind of nonsense is that?’

The other was coming up with a second plan.

A backup plan to immediately replace the first if it failed.

And that second plan was simple: if Anagin couldn’t properly use magic in real combat, then Sphinx would just use it instead.

Just like now.

Pababababat—!

As Sphinx floated beside Anagin and flapped her massive wings, feathers scattered in a torrent, instantly sweeping away countless fish-men.

The feathers, translucent like Sphinx’s body, suddenly gained substance and embedded themselves all over the fish-men’s bodies.

The fish-men tried to block them, but there were too many feathers, and their power was too great for any meaningful resistance.

It was probably thanks to not just Sphinx’s Yeom (念), but also Anagin’s Energy (Γι) being used together.

Looking closely, some of the feathers even seemed to have wind magic mixed in, allowing them to bypass defenses and burrow in.

Chak!

Not wanting to waste this opportunity, Anagin stylishly drew the Beast Devourer.

There was one thing he needed to check.

“.......”

But as expected, contrary to his hopes, the fish-men’s blood didn’t get absorbed into the Beast Devourer on its own. It just flowed along the ground.

It seemed the Beast Devourer could only consume beasts that Anagin himself had directly wounded.

[Brother, what are you doing?]

Sphinx asked as she watched Anagin’s pointless fiddling.

“Experimenting. I thought maybe there was an easier way, but guess not.”

Anagin replied, unable to hide his disappointment.

If he could absorb blood and energy without actually injuring them with the Beast Devourer, planning strategies would have been much easier.

For example, Sphinx could inflict small wounds from afar, and Anagin could use the Beast Devourer to drain blood and cause massive blood loss.

It was a bit of a dirty tactic, but fighting itself was inherently dirty, so he figured it should be fine.

But it seemed there were no free lunches in this world. That approach didn’t work. It was quite disappointing.

[What are you even talking about?]

“Don’t worry about it. More importantly, there’s no one else around, right?”

Anagin asked as he scanned the surroundings, checking for any hidden enemies.

From his perspective, there didn’t seem to be any more, but just in case, he asked. Fortunately, it looked the same to Sphinx.

[None. We can go in now—]

As Sphinx turned back to speak to the subordinate woman—

The subordinate woman suddenly dashed forward.

Toward the underwater cave where her younger sisters were being held.

“.......”

[.......]

Without saying a word, Anagin and Sphinx exchanged glances, then followed after her.

‘Figures.’

Not long after entering the underwater cave, they found the subordinate woman stopped short.

She was blocked by stone pillars (石柱) that had been artificially grown like bars.

‘So it’s a prison after all. They even have bars.’

The subordinate woman looked back at Anagin like a dog desperate to relieve itself, and this time Anagin didn’t tease her—he simply shattered the stone pillars.

Was it just his imagination, or did he hear a small “thank you”?

Anyway, once the path was open again, the subordinate woman rushed deeper inside.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Stepping through the seawater pooled on the ground.

“Girls! Where are you! I’m here! Come out!”

The subordinate woman shouted loudly as she searched for her sisters.

Her voice echoed.

In contrast, no answer came back.

[Brother.......]

Sphinx called out to Anagin.

He didn’t need to hear the reason to know why.

She must have been feeling uneasy.

Anagin felt the same way.

Splash! Splash! The wet sounds and the subordinate woman’s calls echoed several times.

"Aaaaaaaakh—!!”

Just as expected, a scream bordering on a shriek rang out from deeper inside the cave.

Truly, nothing ever seemed to go exactly as planned.

“Ah... ahh.......”

Stepping through the pooled seawater, Anagin slowly walked deeper into the cave.

Before long, he found the subordinate woman on her knees, barely able to let out groans.

She was clearly in shock.

Looking closer, there were several unrecognizable shapes collapsed in front of her.

Five in total, maybe?

Because of the cave’s darkness, they were hard to make out at first, but as he approached, he could tell.

They were.......

Old women.

‘No—something’s off.’

With skin wrinkled like jerky, bleached-white hair, sagging faces, and bodies that looked like nothing but bones and skin, made them resemble old women, but something was different. They almost looked like corpses, yet not quite.

In any case, their condition was truly miserable.

And judging from the circumstances, these pitiful figures were.......

“Your sisters?”

Anagin asked, looking at the subordinate woman’s back as she slumped there.

Perhaps because of the sight of her sisters’ condition, the subordinate woman couldn’t answer right away.

Anagin didn’t press her. He waited.

A long silence followed, and finally, the subordinate woman spoke.

“My, my sisters....... Why, why are they like this....... Th-this makes no sense. How.............”

Unfortunately, it was less an answer and more a dazed muttering.

But that was fine. It was now clear that the old women were her sisters. The real question was why they were in this state.

Judging by her reaction, this didn’t seem normal at all.

Anagin examined the sisters’ condition.

No matter how many times he looked, they were in a state barely distinguishable from corpses—but still, they were undeniably different.

Hsss....... Hsss.......

They were breathing, however faintly.

Whether they were gods or not, he still couldn’t be sure, but one thing was certain: the subordinate woman’s sisters were still alive.

That was what mattered.

If they were alive, it meant there was some possibility of doing something—anything. That was what mattered. Not how big the chance was, but whether something could be done at all.

At the very least, it was too early to fall into despair.

“Aaaah! Aaaahh!!”

At that moment, the subordinate woman burst into tears.

Along with all the emotions she had been forcing down in her chest.

Consciously or unconsciously, it seemed she had concluded that her sisters were already beyond saving.

Emotions that had been forcibly suppressed only exploded once one judged that things were over, one way or another.

It was not a good sign.

Splash. Splash. Splash.

Anagin walked up to the wailing subordinate woman.

Then he dropped to one knee to meet her at eye level and spoke, short and firm.

“Get a grip. It’s not over yet.”

* * *

Swish.

At Anagin’s first words, the subordinate woman simply turned her head away.

As if she couldn’t hear him. As if she were too busy grieving.

So Anagin grabbed her again and called out to her, and once more, the subordinate woman averted her gaze.

As though she didn’t want to deal with him.

Even so, Anagin stubbornly kept calling out to her again and again. Persistence was one thing he was confident in.

Pak!

Finally, the subordinate woman, clearly fed up, brushed Anagin’s hand away. But that alone wasn’t enough to make him give up. And in the end.......

Thud!

Unable to hold it in any longer, the subordinate woman clenched her fist and struck Anagin’s shoulder.

It was an utterly clumsy punch, like someone who had never clenched their fist in their life.

Hitting him like that would only hurt herself.

“Who the hell are you...! Who do you think you are to say things like that......!”

Even so, as if she felt no pain, the subordinate woman kept striking Anagin—his shoulder, his chest, his face—again and again, screaming as she did.

As though she were pouring out all the anger and sorrow with nowhere else to go.

Anagin accepted every word and every blow. It didn’t really hurt, and more importantly, this was the only way she would reach a state where conversation was possible......

Haven’t there been days like that?

Days when you want to spill all the pent-up resentment in your chest, hoping someone or anyone will pick a fight with you.

And when someone actually does, and you end up trading punches, it hurts, and you regret it, but at the same time, you feel strangely refreshed, like your mood has eased a little.

That was what Anagin was waiting for, as he accepted it silently.

And his prediction was right.

Perhaps exhausted from hitting him, the subordinate woman finally stopped, tears streaming from her eyes as she blankly looked up at Anagin.

“......What are you?”

“What about me?”

“You! ...Just who the hell are you? Why are you tormenting me like this?! What do you even know to say things like that—!! Why! Why!! Why, damn it!!!”

Anagin couldn’t answer right away.

He didn’t properly understand how the situation had come to this.

This was never a field he was familiar with to begin with.

At best, all he could infer was that the condition of the younger sisters they had come to rescue was far worse than expected.

After thinking it over, Anagin finally opened his mouth.

“Of course I don’t know. I don’t know what exactly is going on right now.”

“Right! Of course you don’t! My sisters are...!”

“But there’s one thing I do know. Your sisters aren’t dead yet. They’re still alive.”

“.......”

“As long as they’re alive, you have to do something. You’re their older sister.”

“.......”

“Oh, and you asked what I am, right? It’s nothing special. I’m Anagin, someone who will become a god, and someone who promised to save your sisters. Isn’t that enough?”

“.......”

At Anagin’s question, the subordinate woman stared straight up at him.

Her jewel-like eyes were wide open, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

And she wasn’t the only one.

Sphinx and the Horse-head one were also staring at Anagin.

“B-but why......?”

The subordinate woman asked, her eyes filled with genuine confusion.

Why was he going so far to help her?

Unlike before, it wasn’t suspicion—she truly wanted to know.

In a way, it might have been a sad question. As if she had lived a life of nothing but being deceived.

Just as Anagin was about to answer—

"I suppose he thinks they're still of some use."

Someone rudely cut in, answering in his place.

Turning his head toward the voice, he saw the seawater pooled on the floor begin to bubble as something ugly burst out. More precisely, it emerged from seawater mixed with the blood of the fish-men.

What rose from the bloodstained water was that ugly one who had pretended to be a mermaid and fought Anagin at the Nereid Fishing Village.

Anagin was sure he had chopped off her arm and burned her face, yet now, somehow, she looked perfectly fine—as if some kind of magic had restored her.

It seemed likely she had used the collapsed sisters lying here.......

“Ah, or have you fallen for that wench?"

As if she had forgotten how she’d been beaten and chased off, the ugly one put on airs again, pointing at the subordinate woman as she babbled on.

“Well, I suppose even if she’s fallen into a form no different from a human, a goddess is still a goddess. Not a bad choice to seduce. But other than that, she’s useless. The sisters have already had the source of their power extracted, so they no longer have any strategic value—”

“Hey.”

Anagin cut her off mid-sentence.

“I didn’t ask you, so shut your mouth, you ugly bitch.”

That voice was just too unpleasant to listen to.