Rygar emerged from the water with an agile push, feeling the seawater trickle down his face. He ran a hand through his wet hair and looked around. Eidar was a bit further back, watching him with curiosity.
"What was that roar? Did you find a monster?" Eidar asked, narrowing his eyes.
Rygar laughed, his chest rising and falling slowly as he caught his breath.
"No, it was nothing," he replied with a shrug. Then he turned his gaze to the shore, where Ghislaine and Lilia were watching the group in the water. "Aren't you coming in, Ghislaine? Lilia?"
Ghislaine pondered for a moment and then, without hesitation, walked into the water, still carrying her sword. It seemed natural for her to keep her weapon close in any situation. Lilia, on the other hand, shook her head with a small smile.
"I'll stay on the shore," she said, kneeling down to release Aisha. The girl immediately began running along the sand, laughing as she left footprints on the damp shoreline.
Meanwhile, Eris stood at the edge, hesitant, moving back and forth as the water rose beyond her waist. Rygar raised an eyebrow at the sight and, after watching her for a while, burst into loud laughter.
"It can't be... You don't know how to swim, Eris?" he teased, crossing his arms.
Eris' face turned completely red, and she shouted, flustered:
"Of course I know how to swim!"
With determination shining in her eyes, she moved into deeper waters, trying to swim awkwardly. For a moment, it seemed like she would manage to stay afloat, but soon she began flailing and swallowing water. As she realized she was sinking, Rygar calmly raised the earth beneath her with magic, creating a small elevation that kept her above the surface. Eris remained there, half her face still in the water, huffing and blushing in embarrassment.
Ghislaine smiled slightly at the sight.
"Eris never left Roa," she commented. "She never had the opportunity to learn how to swim."
Eidar and Rygar were laughing heartily, entertained by the scene, while Eris fumed with frustration.
"Don't worry, Eris," Rygar said, still chuckling. "We'll teach you how to swim during these two weeks of waiting."
Eris immediately lit up with an excited smile. Before she could respond, Aisha shouted enthusiastically from the shore:
"I want to learn too!"
Rygar looked at the little girl and nodded.
"Of course, Aisha. You too."
Ghislaine watched the interaction with a small smile at the corner of her lips until Rygar turned to her with a look.
"Ghislaine, follow me down there. I want to show you something."
Ghislaine frowned, intrigued, but before she could respond, Rygar had already dived again. Without a second thought, she took a deep breath and followed him underwater.
Beneath the surface, the world seemed entirely different. The ocean's silence was almost absolute, broken only by the muffled sounds of the marine currents. Ghislaine blinked a few times, trying to locate Rygar when suddenly, she felt a strong current push her. Before she could react, a firm hand grabbed her waist, stabilizing her.
It was Rygar.
Their golden and red eyes met underwater, and for a brief moment, he let his gaze roam over Ghislaine's athletic body with a flicker of desire. She noticed the subtle shift in his expression and smiled suggestively, not breaking eye contact. Her silver hair floated gently around them, creating an ethereal aura as they remained close.
Rygar felt his heart race and instinctively leaned in slightly, but then he came to his senses. He shook his head slightly and averted his gaze, refocusing on what he actually wanted to show her.
He then turned Ghislaine around, pointing to the vast ocean beneath them. Small fish swam between rocks and reefs, and sunlight filtered through the surface, casting golden beams that shimmered gently on the ocean floor. It was a magnificent sight—a vast, unknown world, a submerged universe that few had the chance to witness.
Ghislaine was impressed. Few things could make her feel this way, but the ocean... The ocean was something completely new to her. It was like another world within the world itself, something she had never really stopped to consider or even think about. For a moment, she lost herself in the immensity of that sight, mesmerized by the infinite sea before her.
Then, a sudden movement caught both their attention. A dark blur sliced through the water in the distance, moving quickly toward them.
Rygar immediately went on high alert, his sharpened senses detecting the approaching creature. Ghislaine also sensed the imminent danger and prepared to react.
Without hesitation, Rygar grabbed her hand and propelled them both upward with water magic, shooting toward the surface in a whirlwind of bubbles.
As soon as they emerged, Rygar wasted no time and shouted:
"Everyone to the shore!"
The tone of his voice left no room for questions. In an instant, everyone began retreating quickly to the shallow waters, staying alert to the sea. Ghislaine, alongside Eris and Eidar, kept a hand on the hilt of her sword, while Lilia held Aisha close to the shore, remaining vigilant. Silence hung in the air for a moment, broken only by the sound of the waves gently crashing against the sand.
Rygar took a deep breath, feeling his body adjust to the ocean's pressure. His unique constitution allowed him to endure long periods underwater, but even he knew that an extended battle there was not ideal. If he wanted to resolve the situation without complications, he had to eliminate the threat with a single strike.
Without hesitation, he dived once more.
The crystal-clear water allowed him to see at a distance, and soon, his gaze locked onto the creature rapidly approaching. The monster was massive, at least 20 to 30 meters wide. Its scales were a dull dark green, perfectly adapted to the marine environment, and its body was long and serpentine, with lateral fins that gave it incredible speed. However, what stood out the most was its snake-like head, its eyes locked directly onto him. A predator.
The monster charged at full speed, seeing Rygar as easy prey. Its mouth began to open, revealing sharp fangs, intending to swallow him whole. But Rygar didn't back down.
Raising his hand, he began forming a water cannon. However, this time, it wasn't a simple shot. He compressed it as much as possible, reducing its size until the sphere was about the diameter of a basketball and added even more mana. The pressure inside the sphere reached absurd levels, making the water's density almost solid. The monster kept coming, its jaws widening in anticipation of swallowing its prey whole. But Rygar was already prepared.
The instant the creature came within range, Rygar unleashed the projectile.
The condensed water sphere sliced through the ocean in a fraction of a second. The impact was instantaneous. The monster didn't even have time to react before the sphere pierced its head, tearing through its skull and destroying its brain. Its lifeless body continued moving forward due to inertia but without any control.
Rygar swam toward the creature's corpse, activating his Magic Eye to analyze its constitution. Its insides were completely different from anything he had ever seen, both in this world and on Earth. He located and extracted the monster's magic stone and, not wanting to leave traces of blood that might attract other predators, used his magic to manipulate the water and drag the body to the ocean floor. With earth magic, he buried it right there, ensuring that no signs of the battle remained.
With that taken care of, he returned to the surface.
Emerging from the water with calm steps, he shook his silver hair to rid himself of excess water and casually declared:
"It was simple. Just a B-class monster."
Eidar let out a bitter laugh.
"Simple? Maybe for you..."
Rygar frowned, confused.
"What do you mean?"
Eidar sighed and pointed at him.
"Rygar, you're the exception here. For any other warrior, fighting underwater is nearly impossible. Anyone's strength would be severely restricted, and using magic would require chanting, which is impossible without being able to breathe underwater. Maybe you, with your immense lung capacity and absurdly high chantless magic, are one of the only people in the world who can consider this 'simple'."
Rygar paused to think. What Eidar said made sense. Even his master, Verdia, had never managed to explore the seas. The ocean was a completely hostile environment for warriors, where magic and physical strength were almost nullified. A thought struck him hard.
'Doesn't that mean the seas are still full of unexplored treasures?'
On Earth, the oceans were a vast source of natural resources. In this world, the logic shouldn't be too different. However, if no one could efficiently explore the seas, it meant that Rygar could be a pioneer. If he found a way to conquer the oceans, he could claim new territory that no one had ever ventured into before.
A smile appeared on his lips.
"Interesting..." he murmured to himself.
But now wasn't the time to get lost in such thoughts. There was much to do, and they still had days before setting sail.
"Alright, let's train. There will be time for the sea later. Don't slack off in your training."
Eris, Aisha, and Eidar nodded immediately, excitement returning to their eyes. Ghislaine cast a curious glance at Rygar, sensing something different about him. Maybe it was the spark in his eyes—a fierce and ambitious gleam.
Rygar looked toward the horizon, where the ocean stretched endlessly.
---
On West Port's beach, the sun shone brightly in the clear sky, while gentle waves broke against the golden sand. Skoll, the imposing wolf, stood in the shallow waters, his paws firmly planted as he watched the fish swimming below the surface. With an agile movement, he snapped at the water, emerging with a fish clamped between his teeth. He swallowed it whole before licking his lips in satisfaction.
Meanwhile, on the beach, two simultaneous battles were taking place. Rygar and Ghislaine exchanged blows at high speed, their blue and red swords gleaming under the sunlight, while Eidar sparred with Eris, clearly holding the upper hand. Their fight was more of a training session for her—she attacked fiercely, trying to compensate for her lack of experience with sheer determination.
The duel between Rygar and Ghislaine, however, was a deadly dance. Their eyes never left each other, the intensity of their combat reflecting the deep connection between them. Each strike was a test of reflexes and strategy, and despite the serious nature of the fight, the two seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves.
Ghislaine was faster, but Rygar compensated somewhat with a mix of the North God, Water God, and Flash Step styles.
A few meters away, Aisha watched intently, her eyes shining with curiosity and admiration. She tugged at Lilia's sleeve and asked excitedly:
"Mom, can I fight like that in the future?"
Lilia hesitated, looking at her daughter with an uncertain expression. The thought of Aisha engaging in battles of that level made her uncomfortable. After a moment of silence, she replied hesitantly:
"I... I don't know...?"
Aisha frowned, confused by her mother's uncertain response.
Meanwhile, Rygar and Ghislaine's duel reached a climax as their swords clashed, sparks flying from the impact. Both were sweating and slightly out of breath, yet they never broke eye contact.
Lilia, observing the scene, narrowed her eyes. The closeness between the two, the way they stared at each other… She wondered if there was more than just training in that intense exchange of blows.
She remembered that it was currently the mating season for beast races.
Ghislaine broke the silence as she covered her Magic Eye and asked:
"Something's changed, hasn't it?"
Rygar furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
Ghislaine crossed her arms, analyzing him. "Your touki control… it seems better. It's still not at the level it was when we first met, but… how can I put it… It's still fierce and aggressive, but now it feels more natural. I can't quite describe it, but you're improving."
Rygar felt a surge of excitement. He was finally returning to his true level. But what had changed? What was different about him? The question kept hammering in his mind.
Meanwhile, Eidar disarmed Eris with a precise strike, her sword falling onto the sand. He smiled and said:
"Eris, you're improving fast. Your sword is large and light for you, but it keeps its weight for your enemies, giving them the illusion that you're even faster. Ordinary advanced warriors would be caught off guard."
Eris beamed at the praise and quickly turned, her eyes searching for Rygar, eager to see his reaction.
However, instead of meeting his gaze, she saw Rygar still very close to Ghislaine, speaking to her in a low and intense tone. Their proximity, the way his eyes seemed to devour her… Eris huffed in irritation, sheathed her sword with a brusque motion, and stormed off without a word.
Lilia, having observed the entire scene, sighed internally. She had seen this kind of situation before in Buena Village.
"I'm getting Paul vibes here..." she thought, shaking her head slightly.
The sea breeze continued to blow, carrying a salty and refreshing scent. The morning of training and battles had ended, but for Rygar, the questions about his own growth were only just beginning.
---
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