Marco was in front of the Crab Girl, who had an evil smirk on her face.
Crab Girl: I promised myself I'd get revenge on you, and trained nonstop… I won't let this opportunity pass! Prepare yourself! I'll wash your penis so thoroughly, you'll be in heaven!
However, Marco didn't even tried to resist, he just looked at her as if she was already dead, and it was in this moment, that the Crab Girl felt someone poke her back, and turned around.
Crab Girl: What? I'm busy with my reve…
The rest of that sentence got stuck in her throat, she looked at the one who poked her back, she had a gaze that could freeze a lake, and it was pointed at the Crab Girl, Alice got really pissed…
She pointed with her thumb at the destroyed glass castle, which the Crab Girl followed with her sight, and then she saw Alice using the same thumb to gesture her to be beheaded, a shadow came at Alice's forehead, leaving only glowing yellow reptilian eyes surrounded by pure white sclera.
The Crab Girl gulped a mouthful of saliva and trembled.
Crab Girl: ...P-P-Please don't kill me…
Alice: I'll give you 10 seconds… 1…
The Crab Girl immediately rushed off in the sea, leaving a yellow puddle where she was before.
Alice: ...2… 3…
Alice didn't looked like she would just leave this matter go, and Marco sighed, when Alice reached 10, she slithered in the sea, and suddenly the water splashed everywhere as if a giant shark was rushing to its prey.
Marco fixed his straw hat and looked at where Alice was gone…
Marco tensed up, why? There were footsteps coming towards him, he was ready to attack whoever stood behind him, but first, he turned around to look who it was, and shocked is just a small word...
In front of him stood a girl around 13 years old, she had a light blue dress with blue decorations, she didn't seemed to wear anything else except for a white conic hat with two fins at its sides, like a squid's head.
She had blue eyes and blue… Hair? No, they were 10 tentacles with a pointy end.
Marco: '...Ika Musume? What the fuck is she doing in Monster Girl Que- No, I remember… She was on a side story...'
The tentacles on her head started to wave menacingly and she pointed at him while holding the other hand on her side.
Ika Musume: An intruder, geso!
Marco: ...Huh?
Ika Musume: What are you doing in my base, geso? This place is mine!
Marco's shock turned into an evil smirk, he planned to use her naivety at his advantage… No, wait, if it's said like that it makes him sound like a pedo, even if in a child's body...
Marco: ...And where it is written?
Ika Musume: ...Uhhhhh…
She started to panic a bit, she never planned things up to now…
Marco: There isn't any sign that this place is your property, so it means that it isn't yours.
Ika Musume: Eh?! For real, geso!?
Marco: Yes, so it means that I'm not breaking any law.
Ika Musume: ...Yes, that's true… ARGH! This is so hard to understand, geso! Whatever, I'm hungry so I'll get your seed, geso!
Marco's eye twitched, and released a sigh of exasperation.
Marco: 'Not her too…'
Marco stood silent and used the Chakra Gate, since even if she was weak, her tentacles weren't, so he needed to be careful to n-
Marco: ...Huh?
He just noticed that 3 tentacles already binded him up and a fourth lowered his swimsuit, Ika Musume, unconscious of Marco's abilities, walked forward with a confident smirk.
Ika Musume: No one can beat me, geso! Now I'll ride you until tomorrow, be grateful, geso.
When Ika Musume was in front of Marco, he spit at her… Fire?
Ika Musume: Wawawa! My tentacle is burning, geso!
She let go of Marco and rushed to the sea to turn off the fire on her tentacle.
*Sizzle* *Sizzle*
Ika Musume: ...Phew…
Marco stood behind her, and used Lightning Sword Flash to her chest, piercing it.
Ika Musume: EH!?
She started to glow, and she turned into a white squid with blue tentacles, she looked around, finding everything bigger, and when she looked at Marco, who had a shadow on his face, which revealed only a big animalistic grin and wide crimson eyes, as if looking at a prey, she immediately ran away in fright.
Marco watched a sealed Ika Musume swimming away as fast as possible, he deactivated the Chakra Gate, fixed his swimsuit, and beside him, Alice came back while whistling. And at that moment, Marco's stomach grumbled.
Marco: Alice, are you hungry?
Alice: Huh? No, I already ate something in the sea…
Marco stood silent, before some gears started to run in his head, and frowned at Alice.
Marco: Jesus, Alice!
Alice: What? What di-Oh… No, no, no, wait a minute, I didn't eat her! I just caught some fishes in the sea!
Marco: Ohhhh… Alright. Then I'll make something for myself and then we will go to the sea.
Alice nodded, now it was afternoon, they should finish this at least at evening so they could sleep in a nearby inn before leaving.
[Later]
Unlike last time, Marco and Alice reached all the way to the bottom without being attacked, and just like before, the Kraken is there.
Kraken: Oh? You two are… Ah, of course. The traveler and the silver haired monster that I married.
Alice: No! That's wrong! Sheesh… Next time you say something that stupid, I'll deep fry you.
Kraken: Ah… Ah, that's right… Forgive me, Your Majesty. So what business do you two have here today?
Marco: I came here to borrow the Blue Orb…
Kraken: Hrrm… The Orb is the treasure of this shrine. But you came all the way here once before for the sake of a man and monster getting married, didn't you?
Marco: ...Yes, that's the reason… What other reason could there be…
Marco tried to lie to her, not wanting to tell anything about the Upgrade Quest, and seems like she believed him.
Kraken: As the Queen of the Southern Seas, I must repay that. I'll let you borrow the Blue Orb.
Then she handed over her Blue Orb to Marco, who put it on his backpack.
Marco: Thank you.
Kraken: I'm not just giving this to repay a favor. I'm also entrusting my hopes with you. A time when monsters and humans don't hate each other… I believe that both you and the Monster Lord are capable of changing something.
Marco let out a small smirk and said.
Marco: Don't worry, that time will come soon…
Kraken: I hope so, now allow me to send you off…
Marco nodded in gratefulness, and the Kraken's tentacles came around Alice and him, and then she threw both of them to the beach all the way from her temple.
They fell on their feet, Alice was able to fly so it was easy for her, while Marco used Undine to balance himself in the water, and Sylph to balance himself in the sky.
Marco: Alright, the next destination will be the Northern Sea, but first, let's go to a inn…
Alice: Yeah.
And thus, they walked back to Port Natalia, and slept in an inn.
[SPECIAL QUESTS]
1st. Kick Gabriel's ass
2nd. Achieve coexistence between Monsters and Humans
3rd. Kill Illias
4th. Return to Lucifina's grave
5th. Visit every places in Illias Continent, Sentora and Hellgondo
6th. Turn back to Sabasa Kingdom
7th. Make Alice happy
8th. Rescue Sara, again...