Blue Lord of the Salacia Sea
"But hey, bro."
"Yeah?"
"That black flame you used last time—why can you only use it when you're transformed?"
......It looked insanely powerful, Lemon Hyacinth added as he asked.
Ahh... Now that I think about it, yeah, I have used it before. But it was such a horrific black history that I didn't want to remember it. I'd completely forgotten!
But seriously, what are the conditions for generating yin demonic power...? I pondered for a moment, then remembered my status window had leveled up. On a hunch, I rubbed my chin.
"Status window."
"....?"
Uh... The numbers look kinda weird? Even squinting at it coldly, the infinity symbols were etched right there.
....So that's why it keeps canceling mid-transformation... Ah, because my body can't handle it. Divine power... Mortis said it overflows at a saintess level. I can emit enough to power a giant knight. Spirit power's probably from the forest blessing or the world tree sapling...
I see... So I've had a cheat key as a hero this whole time...!
But it's meaningless! Because without sub-skills, I can't cast magic! I need a memorize spellbook to use it! Same with divine power—no holy skills means I don't even know how to wield it! The saintess says just "reinforce" it like this, but I can only see divine power; I can't feel it worth a damn.
Spirit power's totally out of the question. I've seen it in the forest, but it just affects nature—no big combat help. Maybe for creating variables in a pinch? Energy's still a mystery.
'Wait, so the skills weren't activating or canceling because my body couldn't handle it?'
It's like having infinite resources but only one tiny outlet, so I can barely squeeze any out. That's my situation right now.
More importantly, I learned something new: the link between [Negative Emotions] and yin demonic power.
The saintess has no emotions, leaving her heart void—that's probably why it ties into negative emotions to produce yin demonic power? She doesn't show it, but she's always brooding, with that gloomy aura.
And Kesera Sera Sera was all raging inferno of fury.
For me, even with negative emotions... it doesn't matter in the end, right? Because only a true Maou can use it? Maou Candidate isn't the real deal.
I have no idea which part of the constellation's gift skill was defective. The time I generated 【Yin Demonic Power】 was during the fairy transformation—resentment toward the constellations, rage at my grotesque speech, the agony of vomiting blood. That combo birthed it.
Actually, there's also a skill that generates infinite yin demonic power, right? [Heaven-Earth Demon God Black Heart]. Yeah, that one.
Premise: Transform into a fairy, and I can use Maou skills. Then [Heaven-Earth Demon God Black Heart] generates the yin demonic power.
'I forgot in the heat of the moment... but transforming fulfills the Maou conditions entirely.'
So, does transforming make me a Maou? Or just satisfy it for skills?
'With over 70 skills, even remembering them is a chore...'
Too many, and it feels like my hands and feet get tangled. Anyway, let's be glad I learned a new fact.
I told Hyacinth he could only use it while transformed, and he grimaced, reading my mind: "Sounds like a pain, huh?" He recalled that time with perfect clarity—the visceral disgust and inexplicable revulsion making his skin crawl.
For him, my twisted "Hahaha" was more shocking than the terrifying jet-black flames.
Of course, for me, it was trauma from mental damage and internal injuries bad enough to cough up blood. Something I want to forget.
Might have to use it in a pinch, but it won't move on its own—how the hell do I even control it?
By now, my stats had surpassed 200. Every day, I checked the status window, and this morning, as soon as I woke, Circe approached in a daze, hugged me, and buried her face in my chest. I stroked her head.
A month-plus into our voyage, we'd recovered quite a haul of treasure. From mithril ship hulls to gold and jewels stashed in the captain's safe—the crew's morale was sky-high, enough to split the seas.
Some rowed with passion even when wind let the engine rest. I joined to train, but damn, it was tougher than expected. Meanwhile, Kidd taunted: "Can't a real man handle that?"
Yesterday, we rowed teeth-gritted all day—I collapsed first. He loomed over my sprawled form with pitiful eyes, snorting in laughter.
"Ha! A grown-ass man taps out from that? Total wimp!"
"Kuh... Damn it..."
Arms shaking uselessly, Circe and Riko helped me up. Mortis massaged my arms, warning not to overdo it.
Kidd, seeing me surrounded by women, sobered up with a cold glare: "Next time, you won't back down like this, loser!" Then he bolted.
"....Isn't he a man of the sea? Or just unpopular with women?"
"Bro, hate to say it, but you could coast on your looks alone—hero status and race aside."
Riko nodded in agreement, which irked me. She kept pushing: "You'd rock cross-dressing—try Gender Swap to find your true self!"
Last night, I turned him into a woman. Now "Riko-chan," she seemed surprisingly content.
Deep down, she'd always yearned for femininity despite her birth sex. But when she suggested a 3P with Circe... I switched her back this morning.
"Toying with people's love and hearts! That's cruel! Even as a guy, I could do a 3P, Radamu!"
"Hyacinth, legally okay to shoot here?"
"We're at sea—no Trust Union laws apply, right?"
I nailed him with a solid Gum-Gum Pachycephalosaurus.
Days blurred: humoring Riko's lame sexual harassment, sparring with bored Kidd hurling harpoons and trash-talk, sunbathing with Circe and Mortis. How much time passed?
Just as tedium set in—swearing off the sea forever, sighing in maladaptation—we reached the next island.
A massive isle with a proper shipyard. Giant windmills, a lighthouse absent even from Pansinjeon. Fishermen at work, farmers tending fields and livestock, kids playing—a vast rural vista.
Who knew such a remote island hosted a thriving village? It was city-sized, not small.
We docked; locals swarmed the yard, wary.
"This is Hornigold's territory."
"Think I can't tell? That flag says it all. Just here for supplies. Got empty rooms or food? We'll prepay."
"Y-Yes, understood... How many? We'll provide lodging. Please stay out of the village."
"They're on high alert."
"If eyes rolled back and they charged, these folks couldn't resist. But anyone pulling that wouldn't survive these seas. Hornigold never spares those who touch what's his," Mortis explained.
She added: Pirates used to claim islands as bases. In her pirating days, she'd smashed them, sparking naval conquest wars.
Now, most seas were Pirate King's domain. Unless Empire or Holy Eagle Kingdom, pirates treaded lightly.
"....So if Empire or Holy Eagle invades?"
"Blast 'em with that."
Mortis pointed at the lighthouse. Not a lighthouse—a magic cannon absorbing solar energy for near-perpetual sunbeams to sink ships, plus distress signals. No wonder Pansinjeon lacked one.
".....Hmm, something suddenly bothers me."
"What?"
"Elves massacring an island's life—not to find Pirate Kingdom, but to slaughter residents of countless islands paying tribute to Hornigold for daring defy elves. Force the Pirate King to come himself."
"....Over whatever they stole, they'd go that far?"
"They would. My feeble imagination and vocabulary can't even capture elven cruelty. Hero Trust, witnessing it all, declared elves shouldn't exist—ally with Maou if needed to exterminate them."
Horrific. If a hero suggests teaming with the Maou to wipe elves first... how brutal must they be?