Chapter 756: Descrimination from the Sea People
The next day, King Thalassar summoned all the competitors to the grand plaza before the palace. Hundreds of Sea People from the kingdom gathered. The atmosphere was thick with excitement and fierce competition.
King Thalassar floated before them, his presence commanding silence. “The hunt begins in a few minutes. You will enter the forest. The rules are simple. Survive. Collect the trophies of the most powerful beasts you can find. The team with the most valuable haul in three days’ time wins. There are no other rules.”
His eyes swept across the crowd, lingering for a moment on Nox and his team. “Very well then, prepare to move out!”
As the king finished, Nox felt eyes on him. He turned and noticed the other Sea People staring and whispering amongst themselves across the plaza.
Though none pointed directly at him, their gazes were filled with contempt—it was obvious they were talking about them.
“It appears they don’t like us,” Dorran commented.
“That’s very obvious,” Nox replied with a frown. But did he care about their opinions? Definitely not.
Some time later, all the participants gathered at the entrance of the Abyssal Kelp Forest. Nox could feel the tension building—hearts beating wildly in anticipation.
Suddenly, a loud horn sounded, echoing through the water. From the starting line, dozens of competitors shot forward, tridents in hand.
Chaos erupted instantly. Teams clashed, weapons collided, and the water churned with shouts and clouds of sand.
“Now,” Lyra said calmly. “Follow our lead. Don’t engage.”
Ignoring the chaos, they followed Lyra and Coralia as the sisters led them down a narrow, dark canyon. The noise faded behind them, replaced by the eerie silence of the deep. The water grew colder and darker.
Shade glided ahead, its scales blending seamlessly into the shadows. Through their bond, Nox felt its senses feeding him information—the scuttling of small creatures, drifting currents, and something massive moving nearby.
“Brine Bull herd,” Nox said quietly. “Half a mile northeast. In a deep basin.”
“The Serpent’s Basin,” Coralia confirmed. “That’s our target. A bull’s horn is high-value. We move fast and quiet.”
They rode a cold current, conserving energy. The forest around them pulsed faintly with blue-green fungi growing from the seabed. Strange fish darted away as they passed. After thirty minutes, they reached the edge of a vast crater.
Below, Brine Bulls grazed—massive creatures with rock-like hides and long, spiraled horns that glimmered faintly in the dim light.
“Positions,” Nox ordered.
Lyra and Coralia darted apart, forming a wide pincer formation. Dorran circled with his shark mount, its teeth bared. Nox hung back slightly, lightning flickering across his arm.
The nearest bull noticed them and roared, charging forward. The seafloor cracked under its weight. BANG!
“Now!” Lyra shouted. She spun her spear, sending a wave of pressurized water that slammed into the bull’s flank. Coralia followed with a focused pressure pulse, forcing the beast off balance.
Dorran moved in immediately, his shark biting deep into one of its legs.
Poof! Blood clouded the water.
The creature thrashed violently, releasing a deafening roar. It swung its head, striking Dorran and smashing a coral boulder into dust.
“Tch!” he coughed. “Still strong.”
“Keep it distracted,” Nox said, voice calm. Lightning crackled as he gathered energy, coiling it into a brilliant spear.
The Brine Bull lunged again. Lyra thrust her spear into its chest, forcing it to rear. Coralia formed a swirling whirlpool beneath it, locking the beast in place for just a moment.
That was all Nox needed.
“Pierce.”
Fwoosh! The lightning spear shot forward, a streak of blue light that drilled clean through the bull’s skull. The energy exploded out its back, bursting into crackling arcs.
The beast went limp and crashed to the ground with a heavy thud that shook the seabed.
Silence followed. Only drifting sand and blood moved through the water.
“Nice shot,” Dorran said, swimming closer. “I swear you make that look too easy.”
Nox exhaled slowly, a light smirk tugging at his lips.
“I did practice a lot,” he replied smugly.
Lyra touched the corpse, eyes calm. “The horns and plates alone are worth several points. This should place us high on the first-day ranking.”
In the Royal Hunt, points were calculated through confirmed kills. To prove them, participants needed to present horns, ears, or other identifiable parts of the beasts.
Coralia sliced through one of the thick horns and placed it into a marked pouch.
With that done, the group moved deeper into the forest. Towering kelp loomed above, swaying gently in the currents.
By the time they found a small clearing to rest, the faint glow from the kingdom’s upper currents told them night was near.
Dorran stretched his shoulders. “One down. How many to win this thing?”
Lyra smiled faintly. “As many as we need. We only target high-level monsters—quality over quantity.”
They spent a few minutes cleaning weapons and checking supplies. Coralia sealed the pouch with a rune before clipping it to her belt.
“First hunt went smooth,” Dorran said, cracking his neck. “Let’s hope the rest stays this easy.”
Lyra gave him a dry look. “You just jinxed it.”
Coralia’s eyes suddenly narrowed as she sensed something. “Movement. East side. Three signatures closing fast.”
Instantly, Nox’s expression hardened. Shade hissed, coiling protectively beside him.
“Other competitors?” he asked.
“Yes. Most likely,” Coralia nodded.
“I knew they’d come for us,” Dorran muttered. “Those bastards have been trying to pick fights since the start.”
Moments later, three Sea People emerged through the dark water, armored in shell plating. The leader, a tall male with coral-red fins, sneered.
“Well, if it isn’t the surface-bred prince,” he said mockingly. “You must be the famous outsider who thinks he can win our Royal Hunt.”
“Move along,” Nox said evenly. “We’re not interested.”
The man laughed. “Oh, I think you are. You’re hunting in our sector.”
Lyra’s eyes narrowed as she snapped, “The forest belongs to the kingdom, not your clan.”
“Watch your tone, princess,” he snapped and then smirked mischievously. “Or maybe I’ll take that as a challenge.”
Before anyone could respond, the man’s two teammates spread out, circling them slowly. The water thickened with killing intent.