Chapter 194 Chapter 194: Under the Receding Tide
Chapter 194: Under the Receding Tide
Splash splash splash—
"That weapon, it really is..."
FrostNova was enveloped in a hazy mist of frost. Aside from her Rhodes Island uniform being somewhat disheveled by the hot wind from the earlier hand cannon, no injuries were visible on her body.
She glanced at the vigilant Elly holding her sword and the Dario being protected by the ruffled little bird.
Her gaze fell on the empty space where his right arm should have been. That ridiculously powerful hand cannon had clearly turned to ashes and vanished in the blaze of Judgement of Shamash's flames.
"Teacher, what should we do next?"
"Danger, I'm bleeding, you all need to leave!"
Skadi clutched her arm, where a small cut had been made by a high-speed stone fragment when she was sent flying earlier.
Though it was just a small wound, and with the Abyssal Hunter's physique, it was about to heal already, blood still inevitably seeped out.
"Blood, danger?"
Kevin immediately recalled those few Seaborn he encountered back in Gou Wu.
But back then, there were only those few nearby. If her blood had the same effect—
Shhh shhh!
That was the sound of something slimy scraping against the shore.
Black flowers, moving fish, irregular shell-like structures and limbs grew wantonly on their bodies.
The salty, damp sea breeze blew toward the shore, drilling into the brains of those who witnessed this scene.
These were creatures not of the land, densely packed, they landed from the coastline, painting the tranquil beach under the moonlight in shades of blue and black.
One by one, eerie red lights lit up. They breathed, contracted, writhed, mimicking decay and growth through their actions. The civilized shores crumbled beneath their sinister forms.
The Seaborn occupied the streets. Thousands? Tens of thousands?
There were many, several times more than before. Was it because they were close to the sea?
Skadi couldn't worry about that anymore. They were coming for her; of this, she was absolutely certain.
"You go first."
Skadi slapped away a Seaborn, causing it to burst apart in a spray of fluid on the dark street.
She intended to lure them away. No matter what, she couldn't involve others.
"Cough... help me up."
Dario had already smelled that nauseating odor, the stench of monsters mixed within the sea breeze.
After a period of rest, he had regained a bit of strength.
"Teacher?"
Elly looked at him with concern.
"Judge Elly, help me up!"
He slightly emphasized his tone. That stern and reliable Grand Inquisitor, her superior seemed to have returned.
"Yes!"
Elly stood at attention and saluted, then supported Dario as he rose.
Clang!
"After I drive these things back into the sea, then you take my life. To you, there shouldn't be any difference?"
Dario didn't leave immediately. Instead, he turned back and asked Kevin.
The lantern at his waist emitted light. Seeing Kevin didn't answer, he took it as tacit agreement.
"Lantern."
He half-closed his eyes and said softly.
This time Elly didn't mess up. She took the lantern from Dario's waist and replaced it with the thin sword he tightly gripped in his hand.
"Afraid?"
"Protecting the city and its people is the duty of an Inquisitor!"
Elly thought for a moment before answering resolutely.
"Heh heh."
Dario was gratified. His student hadn't lied to him, though she had chosen a clever way to answer.
In the face of death, how many people could truly say they aren't afraid?
"You two?!"
Skadi looked in surprise at the two supporting each other as they came before her.
"Aegir, judging by your situation, you probably don't want them to reach the mainland either, right?"
Dario's eyes held some weariness. Though he was only grazed by Judgement of Shamash's flames, it was enough to trouble him greatly.
"Hmph, first drive them back into the sea, then we'll discuss your violation of the law."
Elly also understood that after driving these Seaborn back into the sea, facing Kevin who held an absolute advantage in strength, they could only offer their necks for execution.
But so what? Just because you can't win doesn't mean you can't be stubborn verbally?
"No, you leave. They're coming for me."
The Seaborn were coming for her. Skadi didn't want this matter to involve others.
"Leave? Save your pity, Aegir. I am an Inquisitor. We are Inquisitors."
"This place is our Iberia."
Dario gestured for Elly to let go of his hand. Elly hesitated for a moment, but the expected stumble didn't occur.
The Grand Inquisitor straightened his body like that unyielding longsword.
A faint glimmer of light—it was the lantern!
That was the lantern's radiance!
Under that light, the Seaborns' bodies became sluggish, their writhing less forceful. If not for their excitement driven by craving Skadi's blood, the lantern's effect would likely have been even more pronounced.
That eerie sea breeze was combed and filtered away as if unraveling silk from a cocoon.
"I leave it to you."
Dario held the lantern, supporting his body with the thin sword tucked under his arm.
Sword, hand cannon, lantern—these were the three essential pieces of equipment for every Inquisitor.
With the sword, defend Iberia's survival.
With the hand cannon, fight Iberia's enemies.
With the lantern, guard Iberia's purity and virtue.
As long as Inquisitors remain, the lantern's light does not extinguish. Before they fall, the light will shield them from the deep sea's corruption and erosion.
This was also the only "weapon" that didn't rely on power or physical prowess but solely on something as intangible as faith!
The light spread, enveloping a small stretch of beach.
Skadi shook her head. The whispers that had been echoing in her mind lessened considerably.
"Suit yourselves."
She didn't refuse anymore and instead charged into the vast, boundless swarm of Seaborn.
The greatsword she hadn't used until now was also drawn—light, agile, swift, efficient.
Facing the Seaborn, Skadi's skills were fully unleashed. She seemed to transform completely into an elegant dancer under the moonlight.
The gaps between Seaborn carapaces, the most vulnerable exposed scales... each of her strikes precisely targeted these creatures' weakest points.
At this moment, the combat prowess she displayed far surpassed what she showed when fighting Dario.
Abyssal Hunters were born to fight Seaborn.
Every bit of skill they practiced was also aimed at achieving the goal of slaying Seaborn.
In comparison, Elly was much slower. However, Inquisitors dealt with these creatures year-round and had experience after all.
"Teacher, should we go help?"
FrostNova didn't act but first sought Kevin's opinion.
"Wait first."
If there were only these on shore, even if this materialized projection couldn't fully unleash Judgement of Shamash's power—even if ten thousand more came—it would at most mean swinging his sword one more time.
Kevin's gaze passed over those swarms of Seaborn coming ashore and looked toward the more distant ocean.
Beneath the pitch-black water where not even a finger could be seen—there were surging undercurrents!
These Seaborn definitely weren't here just for Skadi—or at least not solely for that reason.
So... is it for me?
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