Chapter 175: The Merfolk (2)

Kukulitan seemed lost for words. He had no idea how to respond to Ketal’s introduction. If Ketal were just an ordinary barbarian, there would have been no reason for him to come here with the Inquisitor of the Sun God and a mage from the Mage Tower.

He could have just stayed with the other sailors in the cave until everything was resolved. And yet, Ketal stood before him as if that simple introduction was all that was needed.

Sensing Kukulitan’s confusion, Aquaz offered a reassuring explanation. “He’s much stronger than you’d expect. In fact, he might even be more helpful than either of us.”

“I-Is that so?” Kukulitan asked her, suddenly looking at Ketal with new interest.

Does he have some hidden strength?

Kukulitan wondered. He could only sense a minuscule amount of Myst within Ketal, but Aquaz’s confidence was enough. There had to be something special about him.

Whatever the truth, Kukulitan bowed gratefully. “Whatever the case, you’re here to help us, and I am deeply thankful.”

With the introductions over, it was time to discuss the real issue. Ketal asked Kukulitan, “So, what exactly happened here?”

Kukulitan let out a heavy sigh and began to explain. “We were just an ordinary merfolk city—peaceful, just like any other.”

They traded with humans and went about their lives. Pirates were always a problem, but living at the bottom of the sea kept them mostly safe. Occasionally, it was a hassle when their supplies didn’t make it, but it wasn’t a major issue. They just saw it as a human problem and left it at that.

Their lives were calm, peaceful, and unhurried. The merfolk believed they could live out their whole lives that way, without fear or upheaval. But that belief was shattered.

“Beneath our city, deep within the abyss, there is a Demon Realm,” Kukulitan explained.

“The primates that live and breathe deep within the sea...,” Ketal noted.

“That’s where the creatures appeared. Primate monsters—living deep in the ocean, right under our city.”

At first, no one paid them much attention. There was an unbroken truth since the beginning of the continent: the Demon Realm’s monsters could never emerge beyond their domain. The merfolk treated it as a curiosity, sometimes even showing it off to visitors from other cities. Young merfolk would even hold races near the edge of the Demon Sea to test their courage.

But one day, that peaceful order was destroyed.

“They climbed up from the depths without warning. The primates surged up from beneath the city and attacked before we had time to react,” Kukulitan explained.

The merfolk didn’t have time to mount a defense. The monsters rampaged through the city, snatching up fleeing merfolk and slaughtering them.

“We did try to fight back. Our warriors gave everything to drive them off,” Kukulitan continued, his voice heavy. “But nothing worked. Our attacks were no more than an annoyance. The monsters barely seemed to notice.”

He let out a bitter sigh. “I possess strength that matches those Advanced warriors, but... it didn’t matter at all.”

“I take it your city didn’t have any Transcendent warriors?” Aquaz asked quietly.

Kukulitan shook his head. “It’s a small city. Most cities don’t have anyone like that.”

It was true—Transcendents were rare. Some kingdoms didn’t even have a single one. For a city this size, it was impossible to possess someone of that caliber.

As a result, the merfolk city was overrun. What had once been a beautiful, peaceful home was now occupied and desecrated by the monsters.

“We managed to escape their patrols and flee, but many others were not so lucky,” Kukulitan admitted. “Many merfolk are still hiding inside the city, evading the monsters’ gaze. We want to save them, but the monsters never give us a chance.”

Kukulitan’s face twisted in pain. “My daughter is trapped in there, too.”

“I see...,” Aquaz said softly.

“Please—I beg you. Save our city. Save my daughter.”

Aquaz nodded without hesitation. “We’ll do everything we can. That’s why we’re here.”

Kukulitan gripped her hand, his face full of gratitude. “Thank you! Thank you so much! When this is all over, I’ll make sure to give you the most precious relic of our city, one we’ve guarded since its founding!”

That last bit caught Ketal’s attention, and his eyes gleamed. “Now that’s the kind of reward I like to hear. A little incentive never hurts.”

They now understood the situation, but needed more information about their enemy. Aquaz spoke up, “What have you learned about these monsters?”

“Well, for starters, their bodies are unbelievably tough. Even the best warriors couldn’t pierce their skin,” Kukulitan replied.

“We noticed that, too,” Aquaz said. “It takes Transcendent-level strength just to injure them. Their resilience is hard to believe.”

“And their eyesight is exceptional. There have been incidents where they spotted merfolk from dozens of kilometers away and instantly attacked.”

“That’s surprising,” Ketal murmured. “The deep sea is so dark you’d expect most creatures to go blind and rely on other senses.”

But these primates seemed to have evolved the opposite way—their eyes were extremely keen.

“That may be why their hearing isn’t as sharp,” Kukulitan added. “We made plenty of noise sneaking around, but it rarely attracted their attention.”

Ketal recalled how the primates had screamed when attacking the ship—a piercing, echoing call that seemed to summon others.

“Maybe unless it’s as loud as their own calls, they don’t notice,” Ketal suggested.

“They also live in groups, They’ve made the city their stronghold. But if that’s the case, why not stay in the abyss? Why did they come up and attack us?” Kukulitan added. Frustration made his voice rise, but he quickly regained his composure. “Sorry. It’s just... difficult.”

“No need to apologize,” Aquaz assured him. “We understand.”

Kukulitan went on, “There are also patrols—small groups of the monsters that move around the city. But they always travel in pairs. I found that strange.”

“In pairs?” Aquaz tilted her head, not quite following.

Ketal spoke up. “They’re operating in buddy teams.”

“Huh?”

“If someone attacks a patrol, one can try to escape and alert the others. If the enemy is too strong, at least one might survive to warn the group.”

“So they intentionally let one die, so the other can get away...?”

“Exactly.”

Aquaz was taken aback. She understood the logic, but had missed it herself.

“Does that mean these creatures are intelligent enough for coordinated tactics?” she wondered.

“It would require a lot of intelligence to pull that off,” Kukulitan agreed, sounding troubled.

“There may be another explanation,” Ketal said, “but right now, it’s the best guess.”

“We’ll have to investigate for ourselves,” Aquaz said firmly.

With their plan set, they prepared to leave for the merfolk city, now occupied by the monsters. Kukulitan’s worry was obvious. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

Aquaz nodded. “We have to check things for ourselves. Besides, if their eyes are sharp but their hearing is dull, we have a way to hide ourselves.”

“I see. I’ll guide you there,” Kukulitan said, face full of determination.

Aquaz accepted the offer, and their party set off toward the city, heavy with tension. As they moved out, Aquaz whispered a prayer. “Cavotan, Chapter 1, Verse 12. The great sun shines in many forms, its essence impossible to discern amid countless reflections.”

A shimmering light wrapped around their group.

“This should keep us hidden from their eyes. Just be careful—we can’t block out sound, so keep quiet,” Aquaz said.

“Incredible... so this is the power of the holy scripture,” Kukulitan murmured, awe in his voice.

They followed Kukulitan’s lead, making quick progress despite the distance. All of them were powerful enough to cover ground swiftly. As they advanced, Ketal gazed around, his eyes shining with awe.

This is what a fantasy ocean looks like

, he thought. The underwater world was breathtakingly beautiful.

Kukulitan noticed his expression and smiled. “The seafloor really is beautiful, isn’t it? The first time anyone sees it, they can’t help but be amazed. I wish I could show you more, if things were different.”

“It’s not my first time seeing the ocean,” Ketal said.

“Oh, really?”

“But it is my first time seeing this one.” Ketal had seen the ocean back in the White Snowfield, often venturing into the depths for food. But that ocean was grim, home to terrible things, and never beautiful.

By contrast, the sights here left him deeply satisfied.

As they traveled, they spotted a pair of monsters ahead.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

“A patrol,” Kukulitan said, lowering his voice.

Two of the primates were swimming quickly, chasing a massive whale that thrashed desperately to get away. The first monster caught up, lashing out with a powerful fist that made the whale shudder from the impact. The second grabbed the whale’s belly and tore into it.

A gut-wrenching cry echoed through the water. It was a scene of pure savagery. Aquaz grimaced and Baker looked horrified, but Ketal simply watched with interest.

Before long, the whale went limp. The monsters started devouring it, then dragged the corpse away, swimming off toward their den.

“They’re bringing food back to their nest,” Ketal observed.

“Looks that way. Let’s follow them,” Kukulitan agreed.

They tracked the blood trail left by the whale, and along the way, spotted several more patrols. Watching their movements, Ketal picked up on something important.

“They’re highly organized,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Aquaz asked him.

“The patrols keep a set distance from each other and move on a regular schedule. They’re not just wandering around—they’re working off a plan.”

Kukulitan’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“It’s not hard to tell if you watch when and where they appear,” Ketal replied.

Kukulitan was speechless. The merfolk hadn’t realized how methodical the monsters were. It wasn’t for lack of intelligence—it was just nearly impossible to tell from a handful of patrol sightings. And yet, Ketal had noticed immediately.

Is this barbarian really the brains of the party?

Kukulitan wondered, unsettled.

Aquaz’s face grew serious. “If these creatures truly possess that much intelligence, it’s a major problem.”

Tension running high, they continued on until they reached the outskirts of the City of Merfolk.

Kukulitan’s eyes shook as he took in the scene. The city, once renowned for its beauty—homes crafted from shells and the carapaces of massive crustaceans—was now battered and broken. Humans who came to visit once marveled at its harmony with the sea. That was not the case anymore.

In the center of the city, the monsters dumped the whale’s carcass. Seemingly excited by the prospect of food, they darted around, smashing up what remained of the city as they went.

“Our home...,” Kukulitan moaned, voice trembling.

Aquaz suddenly noticed something odd. “They’re not eating the whale yet.”

The primates had surrounded the corpse but weren’t touching it, as if waiting for something or someone’s signal. Then, from out of their midst, a much larger primate appeared—easily the biggest one they had seen. It was covered in fresh wounds, with scars all over its body. Scowling fiercely, it shoved the others aside and tore into the whale.

The other monsters simply waited their turn. It was obvious—this was the leader. The big one always ate first. Ketal narrowed his eyes.

“He’s got some recent wounds,” he murmured.

“You’re right,” Aquaz agreed. The leader’s back still bore scabs that hadn’t healed, as if he’d been clawed by something sharp.

“Maybe they fought each other for dominance?” Baker guessed. “It’d be like them to fight over leadership.”

The others seemed unconcerned, but Ketal stared at the wounds, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. That pattern looked familiar, somehow. He had seen wounds like that before.