Chapter 69
Su Xingyuan guessed early on that Ariel might already be in the city of Atlantis, instead of having to go through the trial with other hunters.
I didn't expect that he would come here first.
Su Xingyuan observed him calmly.
Ariel looked like he had had some kind of adventure. His black hair turned white, and he could breathe freely in the water, looking more like a fish than a fish.
Then let's try and see what level he is at.
The moment the host said "the duel is established", Ariel bent his knees and jumped, and the whole person bounced up instantly like a cannonball and rushed towards the mermaid boy hanging high in the air!
The mermaid didn't move, but her green eyes reflected his actions very clearly.
Including the blunt base of the spear that Ariel had stabbed at him, not the tip.
This is an arena, and this kid was trying to hold back on his first strike...
"I'll give you a piece of advice." When the spear was about to hit the mermaid's shoulder, he calmly raised his hand and grabbed it in an instant.
"——Never be soft on your enemies."
“Crack!”
The spear was broken into two sections in an instant, and before Ariel could react, the section with the tip of the spear was firmly grasped in the hand of the mermaid boy, and he stabbed it towards Ariel's eyes without any hesitation!
Even though the person in front of him was a child, he did not hold back at all, and his movements were as sharp and ruthless as ever!
Ariel's pupils suddenly shrank, and he instantly realized that his opponent's reaction and speed were completely on a different level than his. But under the shadow of death, he had no possibility of retreating and could only try his best to avoid the attack!
Ariel urgently mobilized his magic power to coordinate with the sea water, and instantly opened a whirlpool on his left side. Relying on the attraction at that moment, he shifted himself from his original position.
“Swish!”
The tip of the spear finally pierced his temple. Even though this was in the sea water, where there was stronger resistance than on land, Ariel seemed to feel a slight stinging pain coming from the fragile skin of his temple.
He narrowly avoided the fatal attack, but this was just the beginning of the bad things.
——The other side got the weapon.
The mermaid boy lowered his eyes, not looking at Ariel who had quickly retreated to adjust his condition and battle rhythm, but stared at the spear in his hand.
The spear flipped in his palm as if it was just a toy, and the resistance of the sea water had no effect on it.
After a circle, he slowly tightened his grip on the spear, curved his eyes, and said with a smile: "Be careful."
Ariel instantly understood what he meant.
——Just now, he was allowed to be led away by the whirlpool, and retreated to adjust his state and rhythm. This was to show mercy to him. The mermaid didn't even use his full strength from the beginning.
And now, the mermaid will not let go of the water anymore.
Before he finished his words, attacks came towards Ariel from different angles like raindrops!
The extremely fast speed created one afterimage after another, and the weapons in the afterimages were a mixture of real and fake, making it impossible to distinguish and there was no time to distinguish which one was real and which one was fake.
Ariel's eyes sank.
——Then don’t try to distinguish!
The sea water around the white-haired boy surged as if under control. His broken spear was replenished by the sea water and submerged in the surrounding environment, like a leaf hidden in the jungle. It could not show any attack power and made it impossible to defend against it.
He used the sea water in front of him as a barrier, successfully reducing the speed of the mermaid's attack at that moment!
Although it is only a moment, the Curry people, who have been warriors since childhood, will not miss any opportunity!
——Since the enemy's speed is so fast, use all available methods, use visual deception, auditory deception, body movement and language deception, to induce him to control the speed within a possible range, and induce him to choose the time to respond when he can predict the moment when the enemy's attack arrives.
Ignoring the attack that was about to fall on him, the weapon in the white-haired boy's hand went straight towards the mermaid's head. The mermaid glanced at it lightly, as if to confirm that with her speed, she could attack Ariel and then fight back to block the attack.
However……
The enemy's attention and predictions will only be focused on the visible half of the stick.
Before that, the spear tip made of sea water would instantly pierce his body!
“Squeak!”
The mermaid's attack hit his chest heavily. Ariel felt that several of his bones were about to break and his body was about to be smashed backwards under the huge force.
At this moment, Ariel stretched out his left hand without hesitation, firmly grasped the tip of the spear that the mermaid used to attack him, and stabilized his body.
The sharp tip of the spear instantly pierced the skin on the palm of his hand, and blood gushed out and merged into the sea water. However, the white-haired boy's expression did not change at all. The pain seemed to arouse his wildness even more. His eyes were fixed on the existence in front of him, like a wolf that refused to give up!
The blood was also reflected in those beautiful green eyes, and the black-haired mermaid raised her eyebrows slightly.
He chuckled nonchalantly:
"You are a clever child."
——The tip of the spear made of sea water has reached the center of his eyebrows.
At this point, no amount of remedial measures will work. This is a counterattack used by the weak against the strong, at the cost of serious injury to themselves, just to hit the target with one strike, leaving no way out.
If it was someone else standing here, he would have become a fresh corpse by now.
However……
The moment the sea water reached the mermaid's brow, it scattered and reintegrated into the surrounding environment like an obedient child, with a light posture as if it was just playing with him.
"——Who told you that I can't get along with the sea water?"
At the same time, the tip of the spear in Ariel's hand was pulled out directly and hit down heavily again, knocking him down directly from above!
The mermaid's tail swayed slightly, not giving him any chance to breathe, and she chased after him like an arrow. During his fall, she attacked again and again, and each blow went for his fatal weakness, causing his falling speed to increase by several levels again!
Finally, Ariel sank deeply into the ground when he hit the ground. If it weren't for his racial talent, his internal organs would have been almost shattered. However, even so, he could feel the bones in his back cracking.
He clenched his teeth to prevent the fishy sweetness in his throat from flowing out of his mouth.
At this moment, all the spectators in the arena, including the host, were silent, watching this scene with bated breath, for fear that if they breathed a little heavier, they would attract the attention of this seemingly weak god of death.
...It's so scary.
Why would such a horrifying being pretend to be like this and come to their arena to have fun!
At this moment, they finally realized what a terrible and cruel thing it was covered with this soft, beautiful and harmless shell.
Each of his moves was as instinctive as eating and drinking. He attacked directly at his fatal weaknesses without any hesitation. His overwhelming strength made all those who were his enemies feel despair, as if no means could hurt him at all.
That suffocating feeling of oppression is what makes people's scalps numb and they are unwilling to be enemies with it.
The mermaid swam slowly to Ariel's side. He looked at the boy who was having trouble standing up and said softly, "You have more courage than caution."
With only one chance, Ariel actually wanted to use the concealment of the weapon made of sea water, use himself as bait, and win by hurting the enemy by a thousand and losing eight hundred of his own, before confirming whether the opponent could control the water.
He was betting that if other mermen couldn't control water with a high degree of freedom, then neither could the merman-like enemy in front of him.
If he was really forced to a certain extent and had no choice but to do so, it would be understandable, but obviously, his situation just now was not really desperate.
Too impatient, he is just a child after all.
The mermaid smiled and said, "Ah, young people are different. They are very active. But if they all die, it would be meaningless."
Ariel didn't say anything. Rather, as soon as he opened his mouth, blood would rush out, so he kept his mouth shut.
"Does it hurt?"
The emerald green eyes looked down, without any trace of the smile in his words, only revealing the most genuine calmness and rationality, which was completely different from what he had shown before.
"You have to remember that other people are not as kind-hearted as I am."
Hearing this, the host took another uncontrollable breath, and his pupils trembled as he looked at the white-haired child who looked extremely miserable.
...You call this being soft-hearted? ?
Is there something a little different in the image we have of kindness and leniency?
"……I see."
The child in the deep pit said sullenly, blood spreading from the corners of his mouth into the surrounding sea water, being diluted in an instant and disappearing.
He sat up with his head drooping. Apparently, he had adjusted his condition a lot during the time he lay down, except for his left hand, which was still bloody and mangled.
There was nothing that could be done about this. Su Xingyuan looked away. It was because he was the one who caught him. According to the system's judgment, "Ariel took the initiative to stab the spear tip and was injured." It had nothing to do with Su Xingyuan. Injury was inevitable.
After all, the green name does not affect NPC self-harm or suicide.
The fact that Ariel was thrown down by him and hit the ground again, causing secondary damage, obviously troubled the system's garbage judgment. In the end, it compromised and let him suffer for a while longer.
"I give up."
Ariel said.
The host was obviously surprised to see that Su Xingyuan did not kill Ariel. Just as he was about to announce the result of the fight, an unexpected guest appeared in the passage again.
The captain of the Queen's guard swam out and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the mermaid boy. "So you are here... Distinguished guest, Her Majesty the Queen asked me to invite you to the palace for a chat."
"Please also come with Mr. Ariel."
Su Xingyuan looked down and saw that the child looked very depressed, like a wilted cabbage in the field.
He stretched out his hand.
When she saw the mermaid's hand reaching out, her big yellow eyes lit up instantly.
The child held his hands and used the force to stand up.
Seeing him stand up, Su Xingyuan withdrew his hand and politely said to the captain of the escort team, "Please wait a moment."
Then, he turned around quickly, looked at the host who was stunned by the appearance of the captain of the guard, and spread out the hand he had just extended with a smile.
"My reward and the moonstone."
The host thought of the huge assets that the other party had obtained due to the huge odds: "..."
It said in a somewhat dry voice: "We are temporarily unable to deliver the pearl shells you obtained. We need to make capital turnover... The moonstone can be given to you immediately."
This is exactly what Su Xingyuan wants.
He put the [Moonstone] brought by the staff into his backpack, and then swam out with the captain of the escort team.
Before leaving, he seemed to have thought of something, and turned around to look at the trembling male mermaid who had lost all his wealth.
It was being stopped by several mermaids and was not allowed to leave. In its panic, it raised its head with a sudden inspiration and met the beautiful green eyes of the black-haired mermaid.
"The fight is over, why aren't you leaving yet?"
The black-haired mermaid asked doubtfully, but with a sunny smile on her face: “Don’t you want to?”
Male mermaid: “…”
Its eyes went dark and it fainted in the audience seats of the arena.
The captain of the guard team, who had seen the fighting power of the black-haired mermaid, was even more confused: "......?"
How come the beautiful and weak little mermaid, recognized by it and its teammates, came to the duel arena after a while? It seems that she not only won a large sum of money, but also has a deep understanding of the skill of how to make others vomit blood.
But it didn't have time to think about these things now. It nodded to Su Xingyuan and swam quickly towards the palace.
Ariel followed Su Xingyuan out of the arena in silence.
The captain of the escort swam in front, some distance away from them.
After a while, Ariel whispered in frustration, in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "…I'm sorry."
"Why do you have to say sorry?"
the mermaid asked.
Ariel began to stretch out his fingers, consciously reviewing the mistakes that made him feel guilty: "I sneaked out without telling you, and I didn't recognize you at the first time... and I was too impulsive, not steady at all."
He sniffed in frustration: "You're right, if it wasn't you standing there just now, I would be dead."
And if it was a black-haired mermaid standing in his position, she would definitely be able to do better, right?
He recalled the mermaid's battle process - he actually didn't just arrive, so he also witnessed some of the opponent's actual battle.
The black-haired mermaid looked nonchalant in the fight just now, and he attacked second in several duels, as if the opponent had taken the initiative - however, before he fought back, his eyes would always fall on his opponents calmly and without any emotion, observing their every move.
Expression, movement, demeanor, degree of body relaxation...
He could judge the enemy's strength and whether he had any trump cards from these details, and could defeat him completely at any time and by any means.
Therefore, it is very likely that when he first demonstrated the ability to control sea water, the black-haired mermaid had vaguely guessed what he would do next.
It was then that the mermaid said to him, "Be careful."
Because the other party has already figured out his subsequent actions and trump cards.
Ariel lowered his head and admitted his mistake: "...I won't do this easily again in the future."
The dark-haired mermaid finally turned to look at him and blinked. “I don’t mean to blame you.”
He said: "I just made some suggestions, that's all, because I will not be responsible for your future choices. If you encounter such a situation in the future, you can still take a gamble, whether it is life or death, it is your own decision."
But if I fail like today, if I'm lucky enough to be seen by Su Xingyuan, I might be able to salvage something, but if I'm unlucky, I'll have no choice but to die.
The reason why Su Xingyuan said this is very simple. Unless necessary and without malicious intent, he doesn't like to interfere with or participate in the choices of anyone else, even the NPCs in the game.
He will not bear any consequences for helping others make choices.
Just like when they were in J City, Xin Yunxi followed him and wanted to hear something from him, but in the end he didn't say anything. He also acted as if he knew nothing and said nothing.
Ariel nodded heavily.
Then, he asked tentatively: "...Brother Su Xingyuan, how did you become like this?"
Perhaps because of his lack of confidence, Ariel now seems like a cautious and pitiful child.
The black-haired mermaid blinked and said calmly, "I have been cursed by a witch."
Ariel: “!!”
His spirit and energy returned immediately, and he opened his eyes wide: "Where is the witch? I will go and tie her up when I become stronger!"
Su Xingyuan: "It doesn't matter. After leaving the water, I will return to my original appearance."
The black-haired mermaid raised her index finger. “So in order to prevent other hunters from discovering this secret, I absolutely cannot touch water for a long time when on land.”
Ariel clenched his fists: "I understand, I will definitely protect your legs!"
Su Xingyuan: "...There's no need to be so precise about the parts that need to be protected."
He turned around, changed the subject, and asked, "You came here earlier, what is the situation of this secret realm?"
While they haven't arrived at the palace yet, Ariel told Su Xingyuan about the information he had compiled.
According to Ariel's description, due to the difference in race, the pass to the secret realm seemed to take him directly to Atlantis.
If he had not previously acquired the ability to adapt perfectly to the environment, allowing his body to always adapt to the high-pressure underwater environment, he would have been drowned in Atlantis first.
"Because I'm not human, the Atlanteans were quite friendly to me. Then I learned that the dragons that had passed through our tribe before also arrived in Atlantis later."
Su Xingyuan blinked: "Wow, a traveling dragon."
Ariel, who didn't understand the joke, looked a little confused, but continued talking.
"At that time, the Atlanteans were facing the spread of the foul magic in the abyss. Under the influence of that magic, the mermaids would also become monsters entrenched in the abyss."
"The dragon also gave them a dragon ball. The Atlanteans placed the dragon ball in the temple, and the seawater within a thousand miles will be purified by the pure magic power in the dragon ball. The magic power in the seawater will no longer pose a threat to Atlantis."
When Ariel finished speaking, they had already arrived at the conference hall of the Atlantis Palace.
The queen of the Atlantis tribe had been waiting here early. It also heard what Ariel said, so it opened its mouth to continue.
"But just five years ago, the Dragon Balls were stolen by humans."
The queen's voice was calm and her expression showed no emotion, but her voice was a little cold. However, for a leader who needs to hide his true emotions, this little bit of emotional exposure is enough to demonstrate his anger.
"When the Dragon Ball was first stolen, we lost a lot of our people silently because of the contamination of magic power."
The queen paused and continued, "Later, we used many methods, and even sacrificed many elders, to create a replica of the dragon ball. We placed it in the holy spring of the abandoned palace, and lured humans from the outside world to come here to replenish the magic power and vitality of the holy spring."
As if afraid that Su Xingyuan might misunderstand something, it said, "The Atlanteans have always been clear about gratitude and resentment. The passes we sent out are all kept by the highly intelligent tribes in various dungeons. They are different from demons and monsters, and generally have no ill will towards humans."
"And in this case, I don't think it's necessary for humans who can get the secret realm pass from them to stay."
Su Xingyuan said: "I roughly understand this. So, what do you want me to do?"
The black-haired mermaid said with a half-smile: "Will you let me hand over the Dragon Ball?"
The queen looked at the mermaid-like boy in front of her. His expression was harmless and he looked very handsome, even fragile like a work of art. However, when he spoke, people felt a sense of hidden danger for no reason.
"If this is a mission, I'd be happy to hand over the mission item to you." He said lightly, "But you have to give me a mission reward of equal value. I don't think the noble Atlantis people would let me work for nothing?"
The Queen nodded: "Of course."
The mermaid boy's smile suddenly became sincere.
"So, is there anything I can help you with?"
He asked in a formal manner, but after hearing this voice, the queen felt strangely at ease - as if when the existence in front of her asked her this question, any request she made would be perfectly resolved.
"I hope... you can assist our warriors in exploring the secret of the magic power that is constantly spreading outward from the abyss of the seabed, and help us find the lost dragon balls in the human world."
The moment the queen finished speaking, a new pop-up window popped up in front of the player.
[Ding Dong!] Trigger the official adventure mission! 】
[Task Description: 1. Explore the secrets of the abyss]
[2. Recover the stolen dragon balls for the Atlanteans]
[Task Reward: 1. Dragon Ball User Manual*1]
[2. The reputation of the Atlantis tribe reaches [Respected]]
[3. The secret realm will be moved to [Home], and [Ocean] section will be added to [Home]]
Seeing the mission rewards, the players' smiles gradually brightened.
He curled the corners of his lips, bowed slightly, and said, "I'm happy to serve you."
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