Standing in front of the smiling Coralia, Mira glowered down at her and ordered, "You are going to be the ship's defenses."
"What?!" The mermaid lost her smile.
"It's only right that the freeloader puts in some work. Do you know how much I paid for this ship? More than I'd get for selling you off as a slave! Now, get to work!" Mira barked before she disappeared back into her cabin.
Coralia looked at the floor, downtrodden, but what else could she say?
Fight Mira? Nonsense! That was her Goddess!
Argue with her? Plead for another role? She wasn't shameless enough to do that.
'It is true that I came after she already paid for everything. I suppose the least I could do is be her bodyguard.' Coralia's eyes shined with realization. 'That's right! I'll be her bodyguard! I'll be the one to protect my Goddess!'
Now filled with infinite motivation, she dove back into the water, her legs transforming into a tail, and eradicated all the oceanic beasts that were nearby.
'Don't worry, Goddess! I'll keep these pesky mutts away from you!'
***
Back in her cabin, Mira fell face-first onto her bed, exhausted. She'd rather go fight a dragon than talk to that stupid mermaid.
"Ummm… Who was that person, Mother?" Dominique asked hesitantly, as she wasn't sure whether Mira liked or disliked that unknown mermaid.
"A stalker. A very crazy one."
"Is she… going to stay with us?"
Mira tensed up a little at that question. "I… Don't know. Hopefully not, but most likely."
"Can't you just get rid of her?"
Mira sat up and unconsciously smiled at Dominique's question. 'What a good girl. Taking after her-ahem-M-Mother.'
Rubbing Dominique's head, she answered, "Yes and no. Mermaids are quite slippery, and Coralia's strength is high. On land, I'd be able to kill her without any issues, but here at sea, if she escapes, it could be a real problem. You wouldn't want a love-crazy, psycho stalker to suddenly hate you, right? Might as well just keep her around."
Dominique thought about how Maria might end up if she tried to seriously kill Mira and shivered at the thought, shaking her head. In that scenario, she doubted Maria would just die. Everything she ever knew and loved would be torn down, and the woman would likely be tortured for years until she begged for death.
"Mmhm. Actually, Coralia doesn't seem that bad." Dominique said, picturing how smooth her mermaid tail must be. 'I wonder if she'll let me touch it?'
"Well, she went through plenty of trouble to see me. I might as well grant her this simple request. And if she can keep those pests at bay, so I and the crew don't have to waste our time with them, then I suppose it's fine." Mira shrugged, making herself comfortable on the bed.
"So, how'd you two meet, Mother?"
Mira paused for a moment, as if to remember, then started recounting her time meeting the mermaids in a Secret Realm back when she was at the Branch Sect.
As those two were talking, the ship continued to sail toward the Northern Continent. Now, with Coralia in the water, there weren't nearly as many attacks. Or, rather, the boat didn't face as many, but Coralia had to deal with a seemingly unending tide of weaklings.
The only other trouble that they faced was the constant storms, but the crew was already used to that.
Meanwhile, Mira continued her relentless training regime with Dominique, Hana, and Linnea, pushing them to their limits.
Elenei and Rhydian, for their part, focused on their cultivation. They practiced in solitude, honing their skills and strength.
Mira spent her free time meditating, feeling the subtle changes in her body and soul as she edged closer to the 3rd Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm. However, she knew she needed more time and accumulation of Qi and insights to make a breakthrough.
Thanks to the relative peace brought by Coralia's vigilant defense, The Northern Gale made good progress and soon approached the Water Dragon's Nest.
Captain Jorvik briefed the crew and passengers about the challenges of this region. The Nest was a known haven for formidable sea beasts.
"To hold our ground atop the waves is to defy the denizens of the Nest straight on," Jorvik explained as he activated a formation on the ship. The vessel was enveloped in a large barrier that repelled water, creating an air pocket around them. "Therefore, we shall take our course beneath the brine."
"Are there really water Dragons in the nest?" Mira suddenly asked, but Jorvik shook his head.
"Can't rightly say, lassy. Might be so, but the beasts I've laid eyes on, they're akin to sea serpents. Perchance, they're distant kin to the true Dragons. But, I heard they got at least one Rank 10 in their mix."
Everyone tensed up at that. Regardless of the location, a Rank 10 beast was equivalent to an overlord. Even on the Central Continent, where those in the Immortal Ascension Realm lived, they'd still be considered top powerhouses.
Immortal Ascension Realm beings generally didn't bother with worldly affairs and focused purely on ascending. Who wouldn't want to become an immortal, after all?
At least, that's the image they portray.
However, to Mira, whether they were in the Immortal Ascension Realm or Divine Sea Realm made no difference. They could both kill her with a smack.
'Maybe I should've blackmailed Aelina into escorting me.' She suddenly thought, but it was too late for that. 'Whatever. Surely, such a being wouldn't be interested in me, right?'
One could only hope…
"Brace yourselves, lads and lasses! We're diving to the depths!" Captain Jorvik shouted. Then, using a special engine powered by his Qi and Spirit Stones, he maneuvered the ship to dive beneath the ocean's surface.
As they descended into the deeper waters, the light began to fade, and the pressure increased. The crew, unused to such conditions, felt a growing sense of unease. Mira, Dominique, Hana, and Linnea watched in fascination as the underwater world unfolded before their eyes, teeming with life and dangers unseen on the surface.
Coralia swam alongside the ship, waving at them before she whipped her tail around, reducing an incoming school of fish to a blood mist.
As they dove deeper, the crew and passengers watched in awe and apprehension. The ocean here was a different world, filled with bioluminescent corals and creatures that glowed eerily in the dark waters.
But lurking in this beauty were dangers far beyond their usual encounters.
Coralia swam effortlessly around the ship and seemed to revel in her element. Her tail flicked gracefully, sending her darting through the water, intercepting and tearing apart any sea beast that dared approach the vessel.
"Never thought I'd be grateful for a mermaid's presence," one of the crewmen muttered, watching Coralia's movements. The others nodded their heads, but they couldn't help but feel a bit of lust toward the half-naked woman.
The other women on the boat were too terrifying, but this one seemed so… elegant.
Mira stood at the bow, her eyes scanning the depths. Her hand rested on her scythe, ready for whatever might come their way.
She was acutely aware of the potential danger of encountering a Rank 10 beast. Her mind raced with strategies, calculating the best approach should they face such a formidable foe.
'I don't even know the full power of such a being, much less how to counter one.' She concluded, feeling a bit frustrated at her own ignorance, but there was nothing she could do.
Dominique and Hana, who had grown accustomed to the wonders and terrors of the sea, watched in fascination. "So many strange creatures," Hana whispered, her face pressed against the barrier, watching a school of iridescent fish dart by.
Linnea stood beside them like a protective mother. "These creatures have adapted to life in the deep sea. It's a harsh environment, but it has fostered some of the most remarkable life forms," she said, pointing to a jellyfish-like creature that pulsated with light.
Elenei and Rhydian, meanwhile, remained focused on their cultivation, drawing in the unique Qi of the deep sea to enhance their practices. The intense pressure and the rich yet dangerous energy of this environment provided them with a rare opportunity to refine their strength.
Jorvik navigated the ship with a mix of caution and awe. "We're nearing the heart of the Nest. Keep your eyes peeled," he called out, his voice tense but controlled.
The crew responded, their eyes glued to the darkness outside the barrier, hands ready on the ship's defenses.
Suddenly, the ship jolted, a massive shadow passing beneath them. The crew tensed, and Mira gripped her scythe tightly.
A gigantic, Late-Stage Rank 9, serpent-like creature with scales shimmering in the dim light coiled around the ship, its eyes fixed on the barrier.
"By the gods," Jorvik whispered, his face pale. "That's one of the guardians of the Nest."
Mira stepped forward, her Qi surging around her. "Coralia! Now's your time to shine!" she shouted into the water.
The mermaid, hearing Mira's call, charged toward the serpent, her eyes blazing with determination. She moved with incredible speed, her tail slicing through the water as she engaged the beast in a deadly dance.
The serpent was taken aback by Coralia's ferocity and struck out with its massive jaws. But Coralia was nimble, dodging and weaving, attacking whenever she could. However, they hardly made a dent in its tough scales.
On the ship, the crew watched in a mix of horror and admiration. "She's fighting a guardian... and holding her own," one crewman said, rubbing his eyes as he couldn't believe what was happening.
The battle raged on, Coralia matching the guardian's strength with her agility and ferocity, but it was clear she was at a disadvantage. Most of her attacks did nothing, but a few did manage to get through. Still, the beast was so large that it hardly made a difference.
Meanwhile, every single one of the serpent's attacks was enough to kill her.
As Mira was thinking of joining the battle, along with Rhydian and Elenei, enormous pressure fell upon them, forcing everyone other than Mira's party to fall to their knees.
