Translator: CinderTL
"From this day forward, the Merfolk Clan swears unwavering allegiance to you, even unto death!"
Delia's resonant declaration echoed through the surrounding waters, stirring the currents and churning the waves. The Mermaid Warriors froze, their faces etched with astonishment.
But as the weight of Delia's oath sank in, and memories of the black-robed youth's overwhelming power within the palace flooded their minds—countless instances of his aid, his protection, and his unraveling of their perils—an inexplicable realization dawned.
They found no trace of resentment or reluctance in their hearts, only an inexplicable sense of acceptance.
"I, Tor!" A spear-wielding Merfolk Warrior snapped out of his stupor, his voice trembling with fervor and hope. "I swear unwavering allegiance to Master Feng Chen, even unto death!"
Inspired by his example, the other Merfolk Warriors quickly followed suit, their voices rising in unison.
"I, Glied, swear unwavering allegiance to Master Feng Chen!"
"I, Pus, pledge eternal loyalty..."
The chorus of voices swelled, their resonance rippling through the seawater like invisible waves.
Above, on the deck of the Oceanic Giant Ship, the Gray Shark Sage frowned slightly, while the Fire Crab Sage behind him lost all patience.
"Showboating!"
With a low growl, the figure vanished.
When it reappeared—
Boom!!
The Merfolk Clan's territory shuddered violently, the crimson coral reefs swaying and trembling.
A straight current of water, hundreds of meters long, left a streaking trail as a hulking, four-meter-tall half-man landed outside the palace gates.
Boom!!
A deep crater erupted, cracks spiderwebbing across the sturdy reef floor.
The Mermaid Warriors paled simultaneously, nearly losing their balance from the tremors.
Gata reacted instantly, manipulating the water to form a watery prison, attempting to restrain the intruder.
But—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As if molten lava had surged from beneath the earth, the half-man's fiery red crab-shell armor radiated blistering heat.
Compressing immense force into a single point, his thick, crab-clawed arms thrust forward with devastating power, shattering the watery barrier.
In the next instant, he vanished in a straight line, charging toward the palace.
Whoosh!!
A sonic boom tore through the water, its searing heat vaporizing the seawater into a billowing cloud of white mist.
Delia and Lei Long, who had narrowly avoided the blast, widened their eyes and whirled around to stare.
Enveloped in magma-like crimson, the Fire Crab Sage crashed into the palace. Yet the black-robed youth remained calmly seated, leaning against his silver coral throne.
"So, you're a human," the Fire Crab Sage snarled, a flicker of wariness betraying his eyes. The Merfolk Clan wasn't foolish; their willingness to follow this man suggested he possessed formidable power. His task was to gauge that strength, paving the way for a joint assault with Gray Shark to eliminate him later.
Whoosh!
The pressure-compressed heat exploded anew, propelling him forward. Still airborne, he spun violently, his interlocking claws tearing through the water's resistance like a drill.
"Die!"
His intimidating roar pierced Chen Feng's spiritual will. The Fire Crab Sage's grin turned glacial as his claws aimed for the youth's forehead.
Just as they were about to strike, with only half a foot remaining—
Boom!!
A fountain of blood erupted, sending the Sage's bulging crab eyes rolling to the floor. A circular shockwave of blood-tinged water rippled outward, carrying fragments of crimson crab armor flying backward with greater force than their initial trajectory, crashing through the palace gate and pulverizing the reef beyond.
Crack! Crack!
Boom!
The deafening sound of shattering coral echoed through the air, instantly silencing the area around the palace.
On the Oceanic Giant Ship, the Gray Shark Sage's pupils constricted. The hundreds of Murloc Warriors stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the glaring fragments of crab armor amidst the coral rubble.
"D-dead?"
The Fire Crab Sage, a formidable figure even among Saints, had perished so abruptly?
Disbelief surged through their minds.
But the only response was the measured rhythm of approaching footsteps.
Tap!
Tap-tap!!
Chen Feng emerged, his black trench coat billowing, wisps of Merman blood dissolving from its fabric as he walked.
Finally, he reached the palace entrance.
The Mermaids watched with rapturous awe, their eyes filled with reverence for the newcomer's power and unwavering loyalty to their chosen master.
Chen Feng remained impassive, his gaze sweeping across the Oceanic Giant Ship above. The Ocean Gate talent had sparked new ambitions within him. He saw no reason not to subjugate the Merfolk Clan, adding more subjects and power to his domain in this world.
With a slight tilt of his head, his eyes met the bewildered gaze of the Gray Shark Sage.
"Now, I'll give you a choice."
"Submit, or die."
The deep voice landed with chilling finality, sending a wave of fury and icy dread through the Gray Shark Sage.
"May I ask who you are?" he demanded. "This is a private matter between my Merman Tribe and the Merfolk Clan."
Whoosh!
Before the threat could fully form, the ocean current condensed into a white, vaporous arrow.
The Gray Shark Sage flinched, catching a shadow darkening the sea's surface from the corner of his eye. The Murloc Warriors stared in horror at the black-robed youth who had silently materialized behind their leader.
"I don't like your answer," Chen Feng said.
"I—"
Boom!!
A fist struck.
A torrent of Murloc blood mingled with the seawater. The Gray Shark Sage's half-human body exploded into countless fragments, which were swiftly absorbed by an unseen force, leaving only wisps of dust.
During the carnage, a wisp of pitch-black mist seeped from the Sage's corpse, causing Chen Feng to narrow his eyes slightly. It was the same phenomenon he had witnessed when the Fire Crab Sage died.
The thought flashed through his mind as he glanced sideways.
On the deck of the Oceanic Giant Ship, the hundred-plus Murloc Warriors were paralyzed by terror. Some involuntarily retreated, their earlier ironclad composure shattered.
For a moment, Chen Feng's gaze swept over their gradually fading eyes, watching the crimson intensity drain into dull normalcy.
Chen Feng fell into deep thought, once again sensing faint traces of the Evil God Power.
Whoosh!
Waves churned, their ripples invisible.
Within the massive Riftsea Canyon on the seabed, towering dark reefs rose like cliffs on either side. Countless cave-like openings dotted the structures, while tiered reef roads spiraled upward around them.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fish-headed, crab-bodied, or half-humanoid creatures with octopus-like tentacles moved through the canyon, clad in sturdy scale armor and wielding spears and blades as they patrolled the area.
"The Ocean Tide has indeed vanished," a solemn voice echoed from the heart of the canyon, where a black palace carved from reef stone stood.
Several Saints of the Mermen Tribe had gathered there, some seated on stone thrones in their half-human forms, others transformed into massive orcas, sea turtles, and other sea creatures.
"Then we must act quickly," a Saint resembling a seahorse with long, gray whiskers said gravely. "We can't let the Church discover the problem with the seal."
Following his gaze, they saw a vast, open space behind the palace, exposed directly to the ocean.
There lay the Sea Eye, a pitch-black abyss hundreds of meters wide. An invisible barrier, normally flawless, shrouded its surface, but now a gaping hole spewed forth plumes of dark mist.
The other two Saints nodded in agreement, fully aware of the catastrophic consequences if this discovery were to be exposed.
"No need to worry," the half-shark Merman seated on the palace throne declared, shaking his head. He wore a long, black robe.
With a casual wave of his hand, a dark orb materialized, hovering before him. Within it, a rhombus-shaped crystal pulsed with an eerie, otherworldly glow.
"The envoy has already informed me of the situation. Agents will be dispatched to intercept the Church's operatives."
"Once Gray Shark and Fire Crab return with the Merfolk Clan as sacrificial offerings, this matter will be perfectly resolved."
"Indeed, it may even grant us another Saint."
As his words faded, the assembled Saints visibly relaxed. Some glanced at the dark orb with awe, their eyes flickering with fervent devotion.
For a moment, the black palace regained its majestic silence. Outside, Murloc Warriors patrolled with spears in hand, while Riftsea Canyon continued to devour the surrounding seawater like an abyssal maw.
The scene lingered for quite some time.
Until...
"Why haven't Gray Shark and the others returned yet?" a Saint asked, his voice tinged with unease. The massive Orca Saint opened his eyes.
"Could the Merfolk Clan have some hidden reserves holding them back?" he mused, recalling the fates of the human Saints Darkblade and Blood Sea.
"Unlikely," the gray-bearded Hippocampus Saint replied calmly, shaking his head with conviction. "Gray Shark and Fire Crab both received the envoy's blessing. They're among the strongest Saints."
"Their strength is incomparable to the likes of those human weaklings."
As he spoke, ripples suddenly disturbed the water outside Riftsea Canyon.
Several Saints sensed the disturbance and turned to see a colossal Oceanic Giant Ship slowly approaching.
Its hull resembled a jagged reef, and its prow was carved into the likeness of a coiling dragon.
Banners fluttered in the current as massive, fin-shaped oars rose and fell rhythmically, propelling the colossal vessel forward.
Over a hundred Murloc Warriors stood unharmed on deck, surrounding dozens of Mermaids.
"See? What did I tell you?" the Hippocampus Saint said, stroking his gray beard with a smug smile.
The other Saints nodded in agreement, about to respond.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, their gazes sharpened. They swiftly sensed something amiss and focused intently on the approaching Oceanic Giant Ship.
The Murloc Warriors stood rigid, Gray Shark and Fire Crab nowhere to be seen.
The young Mermaid, who should have been branded as a slave, bore no injuries. Instead, she was clad in full armor, wielding a spear and a sharp blade, fully armed for battle.
Adding to the mystery, a colossal Giant Octopus with ghostly blue skin swam rapidly alongside the Oceanic Giant Ship.
"What's going on here?"
"Where are Gray Shark and Fire Crab?"
Sensing something amiss, several Saints felt a chill and frowned in wary anticipation.
A massive Orca and a giant sea turtle emerged from the depths, while alarmed Murloc Warriors gathered at the canyon entrance, peering out cautiously.
The Oceanic Giant Ship slowly approached, its wake churning the water into frothing waves.
Yet no matter how hard they searched, the two Saints, Gray Shark and Fire Crab, remained absent.
Instead, a black-robed youth stood at the ship's prow, his indifferent gaze sweeping down upon them.
Tendrils of black gas drifted into Riftsea Canyon, turning all the Murloc Warriors' eyes crimson and their demeanor unnatural.
Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, sensing an extraordinarily dense concentration of Evil God Power.
His gaze drifted toward the distant, submerged black palace.
Before the black-robed half-shark who coldly surveyed the scene, a black orb hovered, radiating an eerie, unearthly glow.
The rhombus crystal within flickered and gleamed, stirring an inexplicable sense of familiarity within him.
Could it be a Fragment of Divinity?
(End of the Chapter)
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