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Gross' house was located on the eastern peninsula of Birka, near the coastline.
From the entrance, one could clearly see the Endless Dream docked not far away.
"Wow! Zyhark, come here and feel this cloud-processed sofa! It's so soft, softer than Eris' pads!" Aqua exclaimed.
Upon entering, she immediately made herself at home, jumping up and down on the sofa in the living room.
Zyhark stood speechless.
Though he understood her intention, her strange description made him worry about being obliterated by mysterious powers, even if she was the unreasonable goddess herself!
The great River Crab Beast was in a completely different league than the Wishing Well.
"This could even record images clearly… I'd love to open it up and see the inner workings, nya…"
Meowth was sprawled atop a shell-based device resembling a television, his curiosity piqued. Several sharp claws extended from his furry arms.
"Hey, could you all be a little more polite? This isn't the *Endless Dream*!" Zyhark said, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.
What else could he do?
Aqua was a haughty water goddess, and Meowth a notorious villain—expecting these two to behave was unrealistic.
At times like this, the only solace Zyhark could find was that man.
Then, a little girl stepped out of a room, bumping directly into King, who stood with his arms crossed and a fierce expression.
"Waaah!"
After a brief pause, a piercing cry erupted like a flood.
Unsurprisingly, the girl was terrified of King's imposing face.
Well, King was also good at causing trouble sometimes.
Just imagining making a child cry was enough to make one's scalp tingle.
Gross stood beside Zyhark, both bewildered. For a moment, Gross regretted bringing these unruly Blue Sea people home…
But as the cry echoed through the house, the great goddess intervened.
"There, there, don't cry. Shhh."
Aqua grabbed a tissue from the table and deftly folded it into an intricate fortress, handing it to the wailing girl.
Gross' daughter, Sybil, opened her teary eyes and assessed the beautiful lady, deciding she wasn't scary before taking the delicate origami into her small hands, observing it carefully with a smile.
In just a few seconds, Aqua had averted a crisis. In some strange fields, the foolish goddess was reliable!
Comparing Aqua and King was like comparing night and day!
"Ahem. Mr. Zyhark, this is my daughter, Sybil." After a long silence, Gross cleared his throat.
As he introduced her, he approached Sybil and squatted down, saying, "Sybil-chan, they're Daddy's guests, not bad people, so there's no need to be scared, okay?"
A burly uncle saying this in his muscular voice was disgusting!
Zyhark, Aqua, King, and Meowth all turned their heads away to look out the window, unable to bear the scene.
"Hahaha! Mr. Zyhark, please take a seat. I'll pour some tea."
After soothing his adorable daughter, Gross rose slowly and headed to the kitchen, returning with several cups of steaming red tea.
"Thank you."
The group thanked him, each accepting a cup and sipping.
Unlike East Blue tea, Sky Island's red tea had a richer and more fragrant taste, with a gentle aftertaste that lingered.
This was delightful; he'd need to purchase some before leaving.
Zyhark couldn't forget his roots as a businessman. Superior tea like this shouldn't be missed.
"This tea is delicious, nya!" Meowth exclaimed after finishing his cup.
Gross glanced up at the strange, talking cat, still intrigued.
Even though Zyhark had given him a brief introduction to Meowth on the way, every time Meowth spoke, Gross couldn't help but marvel.
The Blue Sea was truly mysterious and peculiar!
After drinking tea, Aqua entertained Sybil, while Meowth and King examined various shells in the living room.
They were making themselves at home.
"Mr. Gross, during the qualification test, I noticed many people were quite hostile toward Enel. Is he also a Birka resident?" Zyhark asked casually.
Gross's relaxed smile faded at the mention of Enel.
"That guy is indeed a Birka resident and quite powerful, but his personality is awful. Even the guard squad finds him troublesome."
"Is that so…" Zyhark sipped his tea again.
Enel's bad personality wasn't the half of it. After gaining the power of the Thunder God, he had completely destroyed Birka.
While he didn't consider himself a righteous hero, the thought of the passionate uncle, timid little girl, and honest guard squad—all wiped out—filled him with anger.
Compared to that, Enel's past seemed insignificant.
"Not just Enel, the four who follow him are also formidable Mantra users. If you plan to participate in the God's Trial, they'll be tough opponents."
Gross's expression became very serious. "Mr. Zyhark, I acknowledge your strength, but…"
"If you're just joining the trial for fun, I advise you not to participate."
"It's a place ravaged by lightning. Even a moment's carelessness can turn you to ashes!"
The power of God was indeed strong, but obtaining it wasn't easy.
Besides, this was all based on historical legend.
Even Gross, who had lived on Birka for decades, didn't know what dangers lay deep within that place.
"Don't worry. Since I've chosen to participate, I'm prepared."
Zyhark slowly put down his cup and met Gross's gaze. "If I die, it just means my journey ends there."
Of course, he was joking. After all, he had Enel-senpai as a guide through the God's Trial!
And if things went south, he could just flee; with the Wishing Well's cheat, he'd get stronger in no time.
The Goro Goro no Mi would just accelerate that process, not something worth risking his life for.
His calm words left Gross stunned.
"You Blue Sea folks have a crazy adventurous spirit," he sighed.
It was both admiration for Zyhark's courage and confidence, and regret for his own cautious nature.
As a native of Birka who had grown up hearing the tales of the Thunder God, Gross had always wanted to risk his life in the God's Trial.
But like the carpenters of Windmill Village with dreams of going to sea, he now had a happy family, a beloved wife, and a cute daughter. He no longer had the qualification or courage to risk everything for a dream.
(End of Chapter)