Chapter 56

"Hmm, my master really does everything in an extreme way. To even repel something like a 'divine message'..."

"No, this guy was just a wimp, right?"

Since I was scolded by Abinion, I decided to argue back.

"Even if it's a powerful skill, a pampered child like this can't use it effectively."

"Even if the user is a complete novice, a 'divine message' is a curse that most humans can't resist. The fact that it doesn't work on you, my master, means you've long since transcended humanity."

Is that how it is?

However, the series of disturbances that occurred after entering the Kingdom of Rubrum can be said to have ended here.

The ringleaders are lying here, defeated.

All that's left is for Abinion to gather the subordinates he has bound with <Mind Bind> and take them away somewhere, and the matter will be settled.

There might be another wave of trouble after that, but I don't care about that.

Anyway, I'm tired of getting involved in trouble.

"Y-You're not done...!"

With a crash, something like glass broke.

Turning around, I saw Soeides, a current A-rank adventurer, lying on the ground.

"What did you do?"

But he had both his shoulder bones shattered and couldn't move his hands at all, so he should be completely immobilized.

I don't think he can do anything now.

"What did you do?"

I was curious about the sound of the broken glass.

What did he break?

Looking closely, I could see broken glass scattered around Soeides, and the ground around him was wet.

"What did you do?"

From the situation, it seemed he had smashed a glass container filled with water.

Why did he do that?

"Councilor Recolis... I finally understand what you said before we left...!"

"Recolis, Councilor?"

Who?

Not the Councilor Bistamario we met during the day?

"This test... There might be someone who surpasses our understanding. Someone who denies everything we believe in...! If such a person becomes our enemy and we find ourselves in an impossible situation, you said to use it...!"

Use what, this shattered glass container and the spilled water?

What's the point?

"Without any skills, you defy the mainstream ideology of the Adventurer's Guild, you devil...! The times must not regress! The truth that those with powerful skills are superior adventurers must not be overturned! For that, you must die! By this monster!"

"Monster!?"

"Come on, legendary monster! Go! Why aren't you moving, huh!?"

But the small jellyfish floating in the puddle was weak, barely surviving, and seemed about to die from exposure to the air.

Something's wrong?

"Why aren't you moving!? Isn't this a ferocious monster that devours all its enemies!? Did Councilor Recolis lie to me!?"

It seems Soeides was given this as his trump card by someone.

However, when he used it, it didn't work as expected, and he was confused.

"In a sense, it's not a lie..."

Oh, Abinion?

Are you finally going to explain?

"That jellyfish-like thing is a Nereis larva."

"I don't even know what a jellyfish is..."

"Nereis is a subordinate of the sea-dwelling demon deity Oceaneus, who can be considered a deity of the sea itself."

Demon deity.

Abinion is one of them, a transcendent being that reigns over the pinnacle of the earth. Among them, the top tier is the demon deity, with a level cap of 99,999...

"The sea demon deity Oceaneus. He dotes on the Nereis he has created as if they were his own daughters. There are thousands of Nereis, but if even one is taken, Oceaneus will rage and do anything to get her back. If he learns that one is on the mainland, he might even submerge the entire continent."

Saying this, Abinion squatted down and picked up the scattered glass pieces.

"It has been treated with special magic. The container, probably a bottle or aquarium, had a function to block the presence of the creature inside. As long as it was inside, even I couldn't detect it. But now the container is broken, and the Nereis, along with the water, is out..."

...Huh?

Can you hear a sound from far away?

Like a rumbling...?

"It seems Oceaneus has detected it. He's coming to save his daughter who is imprisoned on the mainland."

Rumble...!

The rumbling grew louder, and the residents, startled by the noise, peeked out of their windows and doors.

"This rumbling...?"

"It's not rumbling, it's the sound of the sea. The sound of Oceaneus approaching."

"Really?"

"The anger of a mother whose daughter has been taken will cover this land with a massive tsunami. By the way, this place is a port town, so the damage will be minimal."

"Is that something to be grateful for!?"

"If the location was inland, Oceaneus would have submerged the entire continent to save his daughter. Here, being closer to the sea, only the coastal areas will be submerged."

Is that the issue!?

Then, what? The intention of whoever put this jellyfish in a bottle...

To discover a Nereis taken from the sea demon deity Oceaneus on the mainland...

Oceaneus, in his attempt to save his beloved daughter, would rise to the surface.

And in the process, he would wash away the surrounding area with seawater!

"How crude is Oceaneus! Can't he come more peacefully!?"

"Basically, demon deities are the strongest among the transcendent beings in the mortal world. Everything they do is on a grand scale. It's rare to be as versatile as I am."

You really can do a lot and are very reliable, Abinion!

Thank you always!

But not now!

"Hey, you idiot human. You said your name is Soeides?"

"Ah!"

Soeides, whose shoulders were shattered, trembled at Abinion's glare.

"Whoever gave you this Nereis, you've been played. This is a mass destruction device using the demon deity Oceaneus. By exploiting his love for his daughter, it washes away everything that harms her, including you."

"Can I escape...?"

"There's no way. The area you can run to is a hundred times smaller than what will be submerged by the seawater. Even if your skills can solve the problem of suffocation, it won't help."

This strategy to eliminate troublemakers... the entire city, the entire country, and even the subordinates you ordered to do it, all washed away by the sea.

Soeides, understanding that he was used as a disposable pawn, twisted his face in anguish.

But right now, I don't care about him.

"Hey, what do we do? We can't let this country sink into the sea!"

I'm panicking too.

"Right, if we take this jellyfish to the sea and return it to Oceaneus, he'll achieve his goal and go back, right?"

"That's not possible."

"Why not!?"

"An adult Nereis might survive, but this one is a larva. At this stage, it should be in the deep sea, embraced by pure seawater. Just touching the air, or water with a different salinity or impurities, is fatal."

No!

Then what now!

"It's rapidly weakening from exposure to the air. It will die within fifty breaths. There's no time to carry it to the shore, and even if we could, the shallow water, which is different from the deep sea, would still kill it."

"Too delicate!?"

But that's how babies are, I guess.

"If... it dies here?"

"Then Oceaneus' anger will reach a point of no return, and he will wash away the land with a massive current."

Either way, it's a catastrophic future!

What do we do in such a situation!?

"Don't panic, my master. I've already called for backup."

"Backup?"

"There they are."

The inn's door burst open, and Noem rushed out, carrying a large load in both hands.

"I received a telepathic message from Abinion and rushed here! I understand the situation!"

Saying this, Noem mixed clean water and salt in a large glass bottle, shaking it vigorously.

Then, he picked up the jellyfish, which was already looking weak, and threw it into the saltwater.

"It seems to be more lively...!"

The jellyfish floated up in the saltwater, looking more comfortable.

"I mixed the salt from the local sea with water to create a simulated seawater. The salinity should match the real seawater perfectly!"

Did you do that by eye?

Noem, you're amazing!

"If... it dies here?"

"Then Oceaneus' anger will reach a point of no return, and he will wash away the land with a massive current."

Either way, it's a catastrophic future!

What do we do in such a situation!?

"Don't panic, my master. I've already called for backup."

"Backup?"

"There they are."

The inn's door burst open, and Noem rushed out, carrying a large load in both hands.

"I received a telepathic message from Abinion and rushed here! I understand the situation!"

Saying this, Noem mixed clean water and salt in a large glass bottle, shaking it vigorously.

Then, he picked up the jellyfish, which was already looking weak, and threw it into the saltwater.

"It seems to be more lively...!"

The jellyfish floated up in the saltwater, looking more comfortable.

"I mixed the salt from the local sea with water to create a simulated seawater. The salinity should match the real seawater perfectly!"

Did you do that by eye?

Noem, you're amazing!