A/N: Bonus chapter for the castle xD
And another mass release day! Let's aim to win today xD
Isabelle's drive to get back to Cecil was just as high as I had expected.
The fact that the girl who previously wanted to go back because she didn't want to fight the monster running across the sea with a bridge she made using <Earth Magic> just showed how much she resented the minotaur girl from sending her flying to the sea.
As for me, I went in a different direction than her and went straight to the horde of monsters Cecil gathered far behind her with the item I gave her while wearing [Clad of Ice Sea] to run across the frozen water.
'It's just perfect.'
While my initial plan to let Crane cause a bit of destruction by using the flute was a failure due to him destroying it, this spare plan wasn't all that bad because I accidentally attracted Scylla's aggro when I destroyed the merchant convoy and the sea monster's army.
"The next plan is also ready. Let's destroy half of these sea monsters and return to Isabelle."
With her adrenaline pumping from the fight with Cecil, the risk of her getting frozen in front of Scylla would also be minimal. As a result, I could reduce her probability of dying immediately and used a potion I prepared in my inventory to force her.
I knew this went against my morals, forcing my friend to do something they didn't want to do with a potion or a drug. And I was prepared to be hated.
'But this is necessary if I want Isabelle to survive the future events that just get bigger and crazier.'
If she wanted to cut off our relationship after this, then I would also be fine. I just forced my selfishness on her to pay back what I owed her back in Horizon Online.
"Let's get crazy."
I slicked my hair back and jumped to the sky, using the ice underneath as a foothold. Sea monsters jumped around from the water. Their sizes and shapes varied, from small to big and from looking like a great white shark to something similar to a snake and octopus.
That didn't stop me from landing right in the middle of them. The sea underneath my feet got frozen, and the monsters immediately jumped at me.
"You guys will be my dinner tonight."
My sword danced in the air and spun around, turning the jumping monster into fileted fish.
An octopus' monster tentacles shot out, but I easily diced it up into many pieces. A burning smell rose to the air due to the burning effect of [Sword of Mars]. The octopus tentacle got cooked nicely, and I put one smaller piece into my mouth.
Even though it was a monster's meat, the taste was more delicious than a normal octopus from Earth. My lips curled into a big grin.
"Let's start."
And let the massacre begin.
***
Isabelle jumped on the rocking pirate ship. She used <Earth Magic> to push her up like a cannon. With her high AGI and STR, landing on the bowsprit in front of Cecil and the crowd was simple.
"We meet again, big titties." Isabelle greeted with a voice laced with sarcasm and poison. "Say goodbye before you're unable to."
"Oh? Ye be talkin' big for someone who got a taste o' defeat from me own hands yesterday."
"Did you think that's the case?"
Without any fear, Isabelle began to walk on the bowsprit and raised her <Night's Edge>.
"I was just a bit rusty after not fighting for a long time. This time will be different."
"Excuses," Cecil replied as she brandished her spiked club. "Me hearties, fall back! This lass be belongin' to me, and I'll be takin' care o' her meself."
"Aye, Captain!"
The thugs promptly moved back. There were 10 in total, and all of them were somehow bruised, as if they had gotten beaten up before coming up to this ship.
Cecil walked away too with them, ignoring Isabelle, who jumped to the bow.
"Where are you going?" The onyx-haired girl asked. "Are you running away?"
"Ain't happenin'! We be shiftin' to a bigger spot, savvy? Don't want to be wreckin' the bow or mast, now do we?"
"I thought you were going to run away and make your breasts sway, cow titty."
"Arr, I be needin' to throw these words right back at ye, ye scurvy dog! Ain't nothin' but a flat-chested bilge rat, ye be!"
"I changed my mind. I will feed you to the sea monsters."
Isabelle's chilling voice rang on the deck as she stopped across from Cecil. More than a dozen shadow swords rose from the shadow of the mats and her own, floating gently around her.
"Die."
With a simple command, they launched toward Cecil, leaving behind a black blur. The minotaur woman watched it in surprise. They were too fast… even faster from the attack launched at her yesterday.
"Curses!"
Shouting, Cecil swung her club with full strength. These shadow blades were indeed fast but still fragile and made from shadow. At best, they could only injure one's body, but they couldn't pierce a block of steel swung by a strong person.
Sparks flew everywhere when the club met the shadow blades, and a loud sound resounded.
Clang!
At that moment, Isabelle had already moved, just like before. Using the blindspot created by the big spiked club, she shortened their distance and attacked.
Slash!
The attack only grazed Cecil as the minotaur girl had already jumped backward with her long legs. Isabelle's reach was too short. However…
"I know you would jump back."
Swoosh!
A shadow blade shot out from the <Night's Edge> she held. It was a huge blade that was even bigger than the real weapon.
"Bloody sea!"
Woosh!
The blade missed. Or rather, Isabelle purposely changed its trajectory to slightly miss Cecil's body.
"You're dead." Isabelle simply said so and took a step back.
Cecil was dumbfounded. She couldn't help but ask.
"Why did you stop?"
If that attack hit, she would surely die, just like Isabelle had said. And that was not a problem as she would revive in Lima Port City's church, unlike her brother, who didn't change his revive point.
"Arthur didn't like to see his friend get hurt," Isabelle replied with a chill tone. "And I am not stupid. You act way differently from before, and those thugs weren't here yesterday. You…"
The onyx-haired girl looked at the minotaur girl with a tired gaze.
"You fall for him." She said briefly, pointing to her stomach. "And become her woman."
Cecil stood unmoving. She lowered her club and dropped it on the deck.
"Is it that obvious?" Her tone returned to normal.
"Of course." Isabelle nodded, sheathing back her <Night's Edge>. "I've been with him for a long time."
"First woman, huh?" Cecil smirked, making Isabelle's lips twitch. "So, what do you want to–"
"Raaaaaarrrrrr!!"
Before Cecil could finish her sentence, a loud, reverberating roar echoed throughout the sea. She was forced to plug her ears and bent on her knees.
Isabelle wasn't an exception. She also covered her ears with her hand.
The sea suddenly turned wild. Big waves crashed against the haul, rocking the ship uncontrollably. The thugs who secretly watched the fight between two girls from behind the captain's cabin lost their balance. Some of them even fell into the sea.
"What was that!" She shouted loudly, looking at Cecil to look for information.
"A fucking scary monster!" The minotaur girl shouted back as she rose to her feet.
With her experience on the sea, walking in this kind of situation was rather easy for her. She immediately walked to the edge of the ship, gazing toward the distance.
It seemed like she couldn't find what she was looking for except for giant tentacles suddenly rising from the sea.
So she turned back, looking at Isabelle.
"Where is Arthur?!"
A realization dawned on Isabelle. She immediately stood up. The noise from earlier had gone, so she used her hand as a support to go beside Cecil.
At that moment, fear covered her face as she turned pale. Her pupil widened in horror at the sight of a large monster, bigger than she had ever seen in Horizon Online, rising from the sea where Arthur went to.
That monster was familiar to her. Her body trembled at the sight of a beautiful naked woman with many tentacles as its legs.
It couldn't be helped, especially when that said a woman had a mouth on her lower body with rows of sharp teeth ready to eat anything. Green saliva dripped from it to the sea. And in her sight was a single man, standing on an ice platform.
Their size was way too different. But then… The monster moved at a fast speed which was impossible for her size. It plunged toward the area before her and dove into the deep sea.
Boom!
"Arthur!!!!" Isabelle shouted loudly to the point her voice cracked as she saw the sight.
