As they leave the bay and head out into the open ocean, Cain decides to spend a little time in the sun. Even with the speed that Nila and her Summoned helpers plus the Puppet crew can manage, they still have a week or so before reaching the southern continent.
The hammocks come out on the deck, and other than the working puppets and Nila, who insists she has her dignity to maintain, they all spend the next few days removing tan lines and generally living their best life.
The sea shifts from turquoise to a Royal blue as they enter deeper waters, and Cain calls out a group of Kraken. They should be able to keep up with the ship and offer protection against monster attacks.
Evangeline keeps a defensive shield up on the hull for that reason, but her specialty is healing, not barriers, so it is better if nothing gets close enough that they are in danger of being rammed or bitten.
It is almost lunchtime on the fourth day before they spot anything but open ocean.
"Pants on everyone; there is a Wave Rider vessel on the horizon. Protocol says we go say hello." Nila informs the swarm of lounging nudists on her deck.
"Problem solved." Vala laughs, equipping a swimsuit without getting out of her hammock.
Cain equips a pair of shorts, knowing the Wave Riders don't care if he's all dressed up. They don't get their amazing tans by being covered up all day.
"Greetings, to the Queen Rose." The other ship calls as they approach, and Cain stands up to greet them.
"Well met. What news of the southern monster zone?" Nila asks, standing beside Cain once her puppets have all the sails down and secure.
"Not much to report this trip. But there have been complaints that the merfolk are getting violent with ships and sending out those Demonic Whales." The other captain informs them with a long-suffering look.
That must be an ongoing issue in these waters, but it could be a good opportunity for Cain; one more dungeon run by the Echoes should have him over level 300, which means he will be officially on the hunt for events that might trigger a class advancement.
"How tough are the Demonic Whales that the merfolk send out?" Cain asks, considering how much of a benefit they could be to his collection.
"They're Legendary Quality, not the toughest thing you'll ever meet, but they can destroy a ship in a hurry and move in pods." The other Captain explains. That sounds like just the sort of thing Cain always needs for his collection, so he informs the Kraken that he has summoned to ensure he gets a chance to record them should one appear.
Nila explains the events that have occurred lately in Skyview and what she knows of other world events, and the Wave Riders are on their way again, headed for the Central Continent.
Getting the sails up only takes a few seconds with this new and improved crew, and they are back up to full speed before Cain can even get comfortable in his hammock, settling in for another day in the sun.
"Do you think having a conversation about the merfolk is enough to jinx us and trigger a flag?" Evangeline jokes, making Nila laugh.
"One hundred percent guaranteed. Even if we stood a chance of not meeting them before, we're going to see them now. We never go anywhere without meeting the most dangerous locals, do we?" The Wave Rider responds, making both Vala and Laura nod in agreement.
"It's not that bad. Sure, we meet many interesting people and things along the way, but I wouldn't say we always meet the most dangerous locals. Look at the Demon Kingdom; we haven't met anyone but a handful of people from the Royal Family and the Palace Guards." Cain points out.
"You mean the Black Guard, the Royal Assassins of the Demon Royal Family that inspire terror in everyone that sees them? We meet them constantly, and everyone agrees that they are the most dangerous group on the continent. Except maybe the Darklight Host." Vala points out.
"Maybe the problem is with the threat scaling? Cain is so dangerous that nobody attacks him on the Central Continent, so he can't tell who is dangerous and who is just a brown noser." Laura suggests, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Keep it up, and I'll Merge you until it starts raining, then put you on guard duty until it stops." Cain jokes, and the dragon in Pixie form raises her hands in surrender.
"No need to do anything drastic now."
"We need snacks. Boss, can you make us a proper chef for the ship?" Laura asks after a few minutes of silence.
There isn't a good reason not to, all the puppets can cook to some degree, but a proper chef is always a benefit.
"What do we want for a chef this time? Types of food, maybe a particular personality?" Cain asks, curious what the Companions think would make the trip more exciting.
"Why don't we do something extreme. Something that we don't usually do?" Vala suggests, just as a movement in the water catches Cain's attention.
[Did I not say to warn me if anything was getting close?] Cain sends to the Kraken, who only sends back confusion.
A light gray-skinned humanoid with the lower body of a bright blue beta fish leaps out of the water, and Cain takes the opportunity to record the form. Just in time, too, the merfolk man vanishes before he reaches the water again, disappearing without even a splash.
"Do you think that counts as a warning that we're in their territory? Or do you think that it's an invitation to come to say hello?" Cain asks Nila, who has much more knowledge about the seas than he does.
"Honestly, it could be either, but I think that particular one was a warning. You should probably call off the Kraken before the Merfolk takes them as a real threat and attack us to make them disappear."
