Chapter 190

Chapter 190. Underwater Battle, Round 2 (5)

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍strange sensation—cold yet warm—passed through his lips.

Using ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that sensation as a medium, an indescribable power began settling within Anagin’s body.

How ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was he even supposed to describe this......? Did it feel like every single drop of blood and fragment of flesh in his body had become vividly clear? Or like a brand-new body part had appeared?

Whatever ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was, it felt profoundly mysterious.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it wasn’t unpleasant. If anything, it felt good.

He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thought he finally understood, at least a little, why practitioners caused such a commotion just to receive a blessing.

The sea, which had stolen away his freedom of movement and body heat, no longer oppressed Anagin. Instead, it gently embraced him.

And it wasn’t just a feeling—it was reality.

As proof, seawater seeped into Anagin’s still-unhealed wounds and aided his recovery.

Ssssssss.......

It was different from a Gigant’s natural regenerative ability.

A Gigant’s regeneration was fundamentally based on their own flesh and stamina. Which meant that if the body itself weakened, the regenerative ability weakened as well.

A perfect example was how Anagin’s regenerative ability had noticeably deteriorated after Tramachus’s flames became lodged in his chest.

In other words, his recovery fluctuated depending on the condition of his body.

But this was different.

An external force was directly supplying power to Anagin’s body and helping heal him.

That was why not only was his recovery fast, but it also placed no strain on his body.

‘That fisherman mage bastard. So this is how he recovered in an instant.’

While cursing Piscinis, the fisherman mage, as a dirty bastard, Anagin soon noticed another abnormality.

The flames tormenting his chest all this time were being extinguished by the seawater flowing into his body.

The fire that had fed on Anagin’s willpower and stamina, burning his flesh and roasting his organs, was gradually weakening.

It felt refreshing, like finally pulling out an aching tooth.......

The breathing that had been blocked by heat now came easily, and his blurry vision slowly cleared.

‘Kind of a shame though.......’

Was it because he finally felt alive again? Even Anagin thought what he was thinking sounded insane.

That it felt a little wasteful for the flames lodged in his chest to disappear.......

Still, nothing could be done about it.

After all, if those flames had tormented him this much, then they would surely be useful as a tool.

Just as he was wondering if there was some way to use them—

“...Get it together! Snap out of it!!”

The subordinate woman, now transformed into a mermaid, was grabbing Anagin and shaking him.

Was this her true form?

“I can’t help you anymore—!”

Help him? With what?

Anagin quickly realized what she meant.

A gigantic maw was approaching from behind the subordinate woman.

The Barbaroi Cult’s ugly one was charging toward Anagin.

And it was already right in front of him.

Only then did Anagin remember that he had been fighting the fisherman mage and the ugly one just moments ago.

‘Wait, why is this bastard here?’

The instant the question arose, his thoughts connected like a bolt of lightning.

The fight against the fisherman mage.

The battle turning unfavorable.

His desperate struggle to avoid a fatal wound.

The trident grazing him.

Falling.

His consciousness fading in the freezing sea.

The strange power that had settled within him alongside that strange sensation.

The moment he comprehended everything, Anagin grabbed the subordinate woman by the shoulder, pulling her inward as though shielding her, and clenched his fist.

Then, almost instinctively, he used the blessing.

It wasn’t difficult.

It felt similar to magic.

Even though no one had taught him, he somehow understood how to use it.

Draw an image in his mind and apply it to reality.

Fortunately, Anagin had someone to reference.

‘What should I call it? I guess.......’

[Fisherman’s Fist]

With a vortex wrapped around his arm, Anagin threw his fist forward and smashed the ugly one rushing toward him with its maw wide open.

* * *

‘What a waste.’

Piscinis, whom Anagin called the fisherman mage, stared beneath the water’s surface with regret.

Right now, beneath the sea, the Barbaroi Cult bishop had gone to devour the fallen Anagin.

That had been the agreement.

‘Then how about this? Help us, and hand over that man named Anagin to us. In return, we’ll extract the mermaids’ power and give it to you.’

A god, even if only a lesser god.

And yet “he” had offered to steal divine power and hand it over to him.

All Piscinis had to do was guard the surroundings while they investigated the Ruin, then defeat Anagin and hand him over. As if it were no big deal.

Piscinis had accepted the offer.

Because if it meant obtaining divine power—his lifelong wish—then handing over a mere practitioner was practically free.

Practitioners held little value to him anyway.

As a descendant of a god, Piscinis did not engage in such vulgar acts as turning practitioners into medicine and consuming them.

Still, now he felt just a little regret.

Someone who had fought almost evenly against him even after he had become nearly complete through divine power....... And on top of that, he had displayed an ability that ignored divine Authority.

There was no doubt he had received some kind of blessing.

He had claimed he never received one, but that was obviously a lie.

Otherwise, how could he resist divine power?

The more Piscinis thought about it, the more regretful he became.

That man had been worth researching. Perhaps he could have extracted only the blessing and.......

‘Enough.’

Piscinis shook his head, forcibly discarding his lingering attachment.

A promise was a promise.

Regretting it now meant nothing.

Rather than dwell on what was lost, he needed to focus on what he had gained.

“I have a proposal for you.”

Having made up his mind, Piscinis spoke to the two beasts before him.

Sphinx trapped in a net, and Horse-head, pinned down by a harpoon.

“Accept defeat and acknowledge me as your new master.”

“No.”

“I refuse.”

Sphinx and Horse-head answered at the same time, as if they had rehearsed it.

Piscinis felt slightly disappointed.

The proof was that he had tried persuading them instead of killing them immediately after their refusal. It was too wasteful to simply kill them and collect their corpses.

He wanted them alive if possible.

“I don’t understand. I may have framed it as a proposal, but do you truly think this is something you can choose? Refusal means death. Death is not a choice.”

“You speak as though you’ve already won.”

Sphinx sneered while forcing out a smile. Then she looked for an opening to return to her original form and tear apart the net restraining her.

“It’s useless.”

Piscinis was right.

Even though she tried to return to the form she hated so much, Piscinis’s net prevented it.

Sphinx’s swelling body was forcibly compressed back into human form.

When Sphinx glared at him over the unexpected situation, Piscinis spoke.

"Though it looks shabby, it is a net made from the hair of slaves who were oppressed their entire lives. No matter if it's you, you won't be able to untie it."

“...Not even me?”

Sphinx asked at the strange phrasing.

“Yes, not even you....... You’re royalty, aren’t you?”

Royalty.

Usually, that referred to the king’s bloodline and their relatives. But in certain situations, it referred to something else.

Like monsters.

Not monsters that transformed after eating humans, but true monsters born that way from the start.

“I already realized long ago that you’re a monster.”

Anagin had introduced Sphinx as his younger sister, but none of the mages—including Piscinis—had believed him.

For starters, their skin colors were different.

The reason they hadn’t questioned it was because there had been no need to.

“For a monster, you’re intelligent, and your magic is exceptional, so I knew your bloodline wasn’t ordinary.... But now I know for certain. You’re royalty. A child of Echidna, the Queen of Monsters.”

Instead of answering, Sphinx smiled.

Judging from the flow of conversation, it should have been a smile acknowledging Piscinis’s insight, but somehow it didn’t seem that way.

Whether Piscinis noticed or not, he continued persuading her.

“So I’ll offer again. Recognize me as your new master and serve me. I say this after acknowledging the abilities you displayed earlier. It’s not a bad offer.”

Piscinis wasn’t lying.

If they formed a master-servant contract willingly instead of through forceful submission, it benefited not only the master but the familiar as well.

By riding on the master’s growth, the familiar would also grow stronger and attain a higher rank.

Piscinis was offering that opportunity to Sphinx and Horse-head.

Because he thought highly of the abilities Sphinx had displayed during the battle against Anagin.

She had managed to turn a one-sided fight into an even battle.

But there was one problem.

“That bastard is not my master.”

Horse-head denied Piscinis’s words, claiming Anagin was not his master.

Piscinis frowned.

“I don’t understand. Spirits of your kind never allow anyone except the one they acknowledge as master to ride them.”

Piscinis was referring to how Horse-head had carried Anagin on his back.

Even considering the desperate situation, Horse-head had not only carried him but charged into battle with him.

“That’s.......”

Horse-head became tongue-tied.

At that moment, Sphinx cut in.

“Thank you for the generous offer, but I refuse as well.”

“You’re going to claim he’s not your master too?”

“No, of course not. That human is my master.”

Sphinx acknowledged that Anagin was her master.

And she sounded oddly proud of it.

“And yet you still refuse? I sank your master beneath that sea and turned him into fish food.”

Piscinis asked in genuine curiosity.

After all, monsters fundamentally lived by the law of strength. Familiars were even more inclined toward that principle.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have become familiars in the first place.

From that perspective, Sphinx’s answer was rather unusual.

“Honestly, I’m surprised too. Normally, I think I would’ve at least considered your offer a little....... But I guess I’ve spent too long with that human. The thought of following someone I can’t acknowledge just doesn’t sit right with me.”

“Is that so?”

A strange irritation welled up within Piscinis.

After asking that, he adjusted the harpoon in his grip.

“Then die.”

Just as he was about to finish off Sphinx trapped in the net—

Pwaak!

An explosive sound erupted beneath the water, and something shot upward into the sky.

It was the ugly one that had gone to devour Anagin.

But no matter how he looked at it, that wasn’t the appearance of something that had eaten its prey. Rather.......

“Ahh, now I can finally breathe.”

Anagin emerged from the very spot where the ugly one had been blasted upward.

But something about him was strange.

The effect of Water Walk should have disappeared by now, and he no longer had Sphinx’s support. Yet Anagin stood atop the sea with complete ease.

And that wasn’t all.

Every major and minor injury on his body had vanished without a trace.

As though.......

“Miss me?”

The moment the waves surged, Anagin closed the distance in an instant.

“......!”

Startled, Piscinis hurriedly retreated.

Instead of chasing him, Anagin tore apart the net and freed the trapped Sphinx, then pulled the harpoon from Horse-head’s body.

Not only that, he reached out and healed Horse-head’s wound—the one that hadn’t been recovering.

“How did this happen, Brother?”

So shocked that she even forgot to thank him, Sphinx immediately demanded an explanation.

And it was understandable.

Anagin had clearly been pierced by Piscinis’s trident and sunk beneath the sea. Yet now he had returned fully healed. Not only that, he stood atop the water by his own power and even healed Horse-head’s wound. As though.......

“Brother, don’t tell me...?”

Sphinx muttered as if she already knew the answer.

Well, there was only one possibility.

“Yeah, I got myself a blessing.”

Anagin confirmed that her guess was correct.

But Horse-head seemed to misunderstand.

“If this was going to happen, you shouldn’t have been so stubborn.”

“? What are you talking about?”

“You received a blessing from the Princess, didn’t you? Then you shouldn’t have resisted from the beginning.”

Ahh, only then did Anagin realize what Horse-head meant.

Well, it was an understandable misunderstanding.

In Horse-head’s common sense, blessings were something granted by gods.

Anagin decided it was time to shatter that conventional thinking.

“I received one, yeah. But I’m the one above.”

“......What?”

Horse-head asked back with a dumbfounded expression.

“That woman offered her blessing to me.”

“Bullshit!”

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Horse-head who shouted that.

It was Piscinis, who had retreated far away in shock. The fisherman mage himself.

The bastard had been secretly eavesdropping and now glared at Anagin with utter disbelief.

“She offered... her blessing? A god voluntarily placed a human above herself? To you? That’s—”

Fwoosh-!

Before Piscinis could finish speaking, Anagin fired a jet of water like Piscinis had done earlier, piercing straight through the man’s thigh.

Showing him was far more effective than rambling explanations.

“Enough noise. Let’s finish what we started. I’m in a really good mood right now.”