In the capital city of Aquaria, King Thalasar stood on his balcony with his gaze fixed toward the Abyssal Kelp Forest.
There were no cameras or any magical surveillance to know what was happening in there. The only way to find out the final results was when the competition ended.
The Sea King narrowed his eyes; it felt as if he could see through the trees and discern what was going on. After a moment of silence, he muttered, "The monsters are reducing at a fast pace. This year's participants really mean business."
Then he added, his voice calm but firm, "As long as they avoid the deeper parts of the forest—especially the middle—nothing should happen to them."
---
Back in the forest, after a brief rest, Nox's team began moving again. The once-bustling hunting grounds were now eerily quiet.
Most of the hunt took place around the outer region of the forest. Hardly anyone dared approach the center because the Sea Devotees were stationed there.
