Chapter 95

# Chapter 95: <If We're Moving, Then>

A fierce wave surged.

"Ugh! Everyone, grab onto me!"

Archi shouted urgently. Even outside the explosion's range, the aftermath was intense. Not only Kale but the entire party was flattened.

Kale looked beyond the towering waves, toward the source of the massive boom.

Boom—

Rumble—

Whoosh.

Numerous sounds mixed together, and a blinding light erupted from the island, obscuring his vision. Black smoke filled the area.

Amid the black smoke, unidentified debris scattered in the air.

Kale's mouth opened.

"...This is..."

The island was disintegrating in real time, crumbling like dust.

"...Stronger than expected?"

No matter how much the explosive power had increased, it was beyond imagination. They had talked about destroying the island, but the explosion was so massive that it affected the surrounding sea more than expected.

Unlike the others, Raon, who sat leisurely on Archi's back, tilted his head.

"Isn't this the level you expected, human? I thought you really meant to blow it away, so I reinforced it a few more times."

It was a failure in communication.

There was no need to reinforce it to that extent.

Kale clung tightly to Archi's back and gazed at the vicinity of the shattered island. All he could see was black smoke where the island had been.

"Move further back."

Raon said, and Archi, startled, retreated without a word. Kale couldn't take his eyes off the sea. As the black smoke gradually cleared, the island reappeared.

Rumble—

The cliff of Hais Island 5 was collapsing. Starting from there, the coastline slowly sank into the sea.

Screams!

Screams!

Though faint, the voices of humans and merfolk could be heard through the sound of the waves.

Whoosh. The sea parted, and Witira rose.

"Attack!"

At the command of the giant humpback whale, the whale people, whales, and sea humans charged toward the island. Those fleeing from the island faced Witira's whip.

"...This isn't a pretty sight."

Selfishly, though it was his doing, such a scene made him feel uneasy. This was why he sought a peaceful life.

Kale's eyes deepened as he gazed at the sea. His solemn expression suggested a complex state of mind.

Then Raon's voice came.

"Being soft-hearted is a problem, but it's also a strength."

What? Weak?

Kale was bewildered. A weak person wouldn't think about destroying an island.

Raon continued.

"For that old human, and for Vikros who helped me with my revenge, we did the right thing."

Right, but not necessarily correct.

However, Kale was a person who didn't always want to live righteously.

-And weren't those the people who belonged to the organization that handed me over to the Duke's family? Not directly, but still.

At Raon's harsh words, Kale looked up at the sky. Then he patted the back of the whale.

"Hurry up."

Archi headed toward Hais Island 12 without a word.

"Lak and the children don't need to get involved."

"Right."

As Kale responded to Choi Han, he saw the coast of Hais Island 12. He saw the wolf children with the whales. Choi Han's expression became peculiar as he watched this with Kale.

"Did Sir Kale order the children to do this?"

"Yeah."

Choi Han, looking at the wolf children, closed his mouth at Kale's firm answer. He felt relieved that they wouldn't have to get involved.

Hais Island 12. An island three times smaller than Island 5. The giant whale approached the small coastline.

'Now, if Witira brings the mermaid bodies, it will be over.'

Kale was somewhat satisfied with the outcome of this plan, having blown up the island.

At that moment.

"I'll kill you!"

Huh?

Kale turned his head. Then Raon spoke to Kale.

-I'll turn invisible.

Suddenly?

"That kid."

Huh?

Choi Han's rough voice was heard. At the same time, a new scene appeared in Kale's field of vision.

"...Crazy."

A sigh escaped Kale's lips.

A red object was flying here using flight magic.

"I'll kill you, I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

It was Redica. The bloodthirsty mage was flying directly toward the whale Archi, where Kale was. He had a wound on his right eye, but it didn't seem to have blinded him. Covered in blood, he was flying here.

However, his flight was very unstable. He was probably controlling mana with one hand.

Then Rozalin murmured.

"Hmm. He's in a mana surge state."

"What?"

Mana surge. It was something those who handled mana would do at the cost of their lives.

Redica seemed to see nothing.

"Not even my eye and arm are enough! You crazy bastard! I'll kill you!"

Redica was only looking at Choi Han, flying with blood streaming from his eyes.

"Hah, ridiculous."

Choi Han, with a derisive laugh, stood up from where he had been lying on Archi's back.

'What kind of situation is this?'

Kale sighed. He wasn't afraid of Redica. Whether it was a mana surge or not, with Choi Han, who had stopped a dragon's mana surge, there was nothing to worry about. It would be better to deal with it properly now.

But Kale looked at the sea, not at Redica in the sky.

"Why is this coming here?"

Broken ships were approaching Island 12. More precisely, they were heading toward Kale and his party on the whale Archi.

The swordsman swinging golden aura. Her ship was approaching.

'Your subordinates and members are either fleeing or dying on the island. Shouldn't you go there?'

Kale wanted to ask.

"Who are you?"

The swordsman asked, but Kale didn't respond. There was no reason to. Kale looked around. No one else was approaching. The whales seemed busy chasing the merfolk.

"...Should I fight?"

Archi's question sounded strangely polite. Kale patted his back, indicating it was unnecessary.

"I'll handle it."

Rozalin stood up. Blue mana swirled in her hand. Choi Han, who had been watching Redica fly, was biting his lip, looking at the swordsman. A Sword Master swordsman. He felt he should fight.

Then Rozalin continued.

"Choi Han, you deal with the mage. I'll take the swordsman."

She was also a near-top-tier genius mage.

"Though it might be hard to win completely, I can hold my ground."

Rozalin looked at Kale, ignoring Choi Han's expression.

"Prince, is this fine?"

For some reason, it seemed the black dragon had turned invisible, making it difficult for the dragon to get involved. If so, it was her turn to step in.

"Hmm, Rozalin. Let's fight together."

"Huh?"

Prince Kale too?

Rozalin looked at Kale in surprise. But Kale was looking at the coast of Hais Island 12.

She had misinterpreted his words. Kale hadn't said he would fight.

He shouted toward the coast.

"Let's go!"

Yes!

Voices of determination came from the coast.

Soon, twelve people on small whales set out to sea. Two slightly larger whales, waiting on Hais Island, followed behind. They passed Kale on Archi and headed toward the ship.

"You, crazy bastards!"

A voice from one of the members on the ship's deck was heard.

Kale shrugged at Choi Han, who was looking at him.

"Aren't they a secret organization? We are too, from now on."

Wolf children, wearing black clothes with a black mask, a red star, and five white stars on their chests, charged at the ship.

The children, who had adapted at some point, moved freely on the running whales. They were indeed the physically superior wolf people.

"You go too. Rozalin."

Choi Han and Rozalin looked at each other, then left, leaving a word for Kale.

"I'll be back. Stay hidden."

"Prince, be careful."

The whale Archi looked at them in disbelief but kept his mouth shut.

Choi Han descended onto a slightly larger whale without the children and headed toward Redica. Rozalin used flight magic to head directly for the ship.

"I'll kill you, I'll kill you! Because of you, because of you! Who are you!"

Redica, in a shaky state, with veins bulging on his face, shouted while casting spells. But Choi Han cut them off in mid-air with his aura before they could reach.

"Who are you?"

The swordsman's voice reached Choi Han's ears.

At that moment, the swordsman swung her sword, and a boomerang-like aura headed toward Rozalin.

"Shield. Blink."

Rozalin easily dodged and sent a condensed fire mana sphere from her hand. The swordsman dodged, but the mana sphere hit the ship's deck.

Boom!

Part of the ship's bow broke. Rozalin asked the swordsman, who was now wrapping her sword in golden aura.

"Guess who we are? Don't you know?"

Rozalin taunted. Choi Han, who had been listening to the conversation, closed his eyes tightly and opened them, looking at Redica without even glancing at Kale.

"We are a secret organization!"

Oh dear. Kale sighed at the loud voice. He hadn't meant to say it so openly. Anyway, it was fine as long as they kept their identities hidden.

"Archi, let's get a bit closer to the coast."

"...Yes."