Chapter 21
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Submerged Ordeal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Watching raindrops plop into the river, bulging the surface up nicely—it's pretty enjoyable.
But what about from the kids' perspective, helplessly dragged into the depths from a sinking ship?
Obviously, it was plain as day.
Terror.
"W-Wait a sec...!"
A boy participant whose name I didn't know let out a panicked gasp like it was his last words before getting sucked underwater.
Starting with him, the kids one by one plunged down like their heads had been shoved by a ghost.
It wasn't like they wanted to dive.
The handcuffs locked on us weren't just lumps of iron.
They were made of a special metal that was heavy enough on its own, but ballooned in weight exponentially once it hit the water.
With those on, no matter how hard you tried to stay afloat, they kept dragging your body down below.
There were wondrous artifacts in the jianghu too... but this was a first.
I let the handcuffs pull me along and casually scanned the other kids around me.
They flailed in their own ways.
But at their level, it was pointless.
The family would've accounted for that much.
Amid the chaos, Andrew resisted for a moment before giving up and closing his eyes.
"Accept your fate. Accept it."
Was he seriously falling asleep...?
Sure enough, he even snorted as he sank with a splash.
Damn, what a guy.
I hadn't noticed back then, too distracted, but Andrew was a freak among freaks.
And another freak.
Inschtain planned to resist to the bitter end, while Ralph...
"Uwaaaah! I ain't goin' down!"
Splashing wildly like that—talk about born with brute strength.
But... he was too damn loud.
Time to sink him.
"You idiots...! Just overpower it... Huh?"
Ralph went limp mid-sentence, words trailing off.
I'd secretly flicked a needle into his pressure point.
Couldn't be helped if he was noisy.
I hated racket. With a splash, Ralph dropped under the boat.
Alright, Ralph's handled...
Red Robe, your move?
She seemed to be holding out too... then gave up resistance on her own.
Had enlightenment struck?
It was a stark contrast to Ralph's brute approach.
And that was the right answer. Treading water wasn't gonna cut it. You had to surrender to the current.
So what about me...?
Hmm, I could hold out if I wanted.
But standing out that much? No thanks.
Dive time for me too.
Splash...!
Letting the force yank my ankle and pull me under, my body kept sinking.
Not super deep... but dangerous all the same.
Once underwater, I switched to a diving breath technique.
Kids without experience might not know, but I had solid underwater skills.
Probably from fighting those Yangtze River pirates...?
I'd picked up aquatic arts as a side skill for that, so it wasn't tough.
The others, who'd survived Trial Valley so far, seemed to manage too—not as well as me, but still. But this was where it really began.
The predators would swarm any second.
Ah, right on cue—there.
'What the hell is that...!?'
Ralph bellowed crystal clear even underwater.
Every participant, focused on unlocking their cuffs, snapped their gazes that way.
A massive school of fish was charging in.
Problem was... they weren't normal fish. Magical beasts, with fangs jutting like horns—grotesque freaks.
Inschtain's eyes bulged at the oncoming horde; Andrew kept his eyes shut like he was praying.
That school was legit dangerous.
They could kill humans for real.
Individually weak, but in a pack? Even the bulliest tough guys get shredded.
I'd flunked right here before.
Had to fight that swarm handcuffed.
Passing the first gate by luck was blessing enough anyway.
Now the real test began.
As the fish closed in, participants desperately worked their cuffs.
Me? Plenty chill... but let's see how they did it.
Too busy surviving last time to watch.
This was uncharted territory for me now.
First up, Ralph.
'Ughhhh!'
How was his voice carrying underwater?
What lungs. Veins bulged on his wrists like lava bursting through earth.
Strength overflowing.
Crack!
The cuffs suppressing him snapped.
Pure power. Damn, he was gifted there.
Ralph really brute-forced it open.
He grinned and mouthed something underwater.
Looked like, 'Yeah, these cuffs? What obstacle?'
Next, Andrew.
Fish incoming, he flips open his eyes, spins a somersault...
Whoosh!
Rips the spear off his back with his feet, slams the butt into the riverbed.
Then... rubs the cuffs against the upright blade like a flag.
Straight-up genius.
No wonder from the Tral Clan.
By the time I checked those two, Inschtain and Red Robe had theirs off too.
This was the first hurdle of the second trial.
Unlock the cuffs?
Or fail?
That was key. Can't unlock?
Just press the white part. Two kids did exactly that.
And then...
Psssh!
Cuffs float up like buoys, bobbing their bodies to the surface.
Past me was one of 'em.
But now...
Shook out my hand, slipped a needle from my sleeve.
Mouthed it, aligned with the keyhole.
Click.
Too easy.
Once I was free, the fish swarm hit us.
Underwater battle erupted in seconds.
But it wasn't one-sided.
Ralph and the rich kid thrashed like they were fighting each other; Andrew stuck in the middle, annoyed.
Kids, seriously?
Underwater combat ain't about infighting.
Maybe the water threw 'em off.
They gestured wildly, "talking" via hand signs and body language.
Lip-reading and motions suggested... blaming each other, yelling.
Still, shredding beasts amid the mess showed those three had top-tier skills.
As they turned the area into pandemonium...
I subtly drifted toward Red Robe.
Unlike the rowdy trio, she calmly deployed her sword, blocking monsters.
Shing!
Smooth fin slice.
Red Robe traced clean sword arcs, dispatching them.
She's got chops.
No sloppy amateur training.
Swordplay alone? Wouldn't lose to Ralph.
Hold up, underestimate Ralph?
Nah. He lagged behind continent-top vanguard talents.
By mortal standards, Ralph was elite.
Matching him? Impressive.
I knew Red Robe's backstory.
She handled the horde with praiseworthy poise, but numbers kept coming.
'...!'
Monster lunging from behind. Red Robe noticed late, sword thrusting—but too late, back grazed.
Slash...!
The beast ripping at her froze, jaws gaping uselessly.
It paused, unaware, then blood—not bubbles—from gills.
Tiny hole by the gills: my needle.
Kinda disappointing... At absolute peak, my needles pierced fish clean through without killing.
Oh well, good enough.
Wouldn't help others—especially not Ralph.
But Red Robe couldn't get hurt.
She was my main reason for joining Trial Valley.
My strike dropped the beast; others tore into the corpse, kin or not.
Breather time.
Red Robe glanced my way.
Hmm...?
Busted, huh.
At her look, I raised a finger to my lips.
- Keep it secret from the others.
She hesitated, nodded, then resumed fighting.
I helped her discreetly while handling my share.
Could aid others, but no need.
No spare capacity to babysit through the third gate.
I didn't want weaklings who couldn't handle this anyway.
Dropouts trickled out; survivors progressed smoothly.
But they overlooked something?
This was underwater.
No free land movement.
Biggest difference? Breathing.
No gills means motion's crippled eventually.
They fought hard, oblivious... but limits hit one by one.
'...!'
Ralph's face flushed beet red; rich kid barely held dignity, fingers twitching—he was dying for air.
Too late, all bolted for surface... but fish sensed it, swarming like one organism.
Andrew scratched his chin, admiring the massive ball formation.
That guy's chill.
As we all panicked, monsters guarding the surface...
Andrew rounded us up, mouth agape like a fish.
Added wild gestures to convey.
And somehow...
We all got it.
He said:
'Staying here's death. Team up?'
Inschtain nodded at Andrew's pitch.
Unlike him, he scattered gold coins underwater... writing with them. Meticulous letters.
First guy using gold for script, probably.
As his message shaped up...
Ralph blew up.
'When did I...! One Pador motto is coexistence!'
No tools needed for that one.
Ralph raged at Inschtain's words:
'Agreed. That brute doesn't get it—gotta be refined here.'
Hence the fury.
Face purpling meanwhile—tough hold.
Impressive, really.
No diving breaths like me, blind thrashing with chat time? Elite.
Explains why Trial Valley wrecked 'em...
Andrew calmed the pair, mouthed again.
'All in?'
Kids nodded, saving breath. Andrew closed eyes first; all focused techniques.
Red Robe gripped her sword last.
Aha? That's how they cleared gate two?
High-level trial, high-level kids.
Beasts noticed shift, jaws gaping like raptors, lunging.
Suddenly, Andrew's spear, Ralph and Red Robe's swords, Inschtain's rapier—all vortexing toward one point.
Fish charged to match.
All rah-rah vibes...
Kids cooperating? Cute.
Join in a bit?
Vortexes clashed moments before impact.
I lent a hand.
Held breath, twisted palms like coiled serpents.
Grand Frenzied Heavenly God Palm
One Tiger Ascends to Heaven
Subtle yet immense palm force merges with the children's vortex.
The enveloping force led the path; kids' mana propelled along it.
Result...
Boomph...!
Beast mouths blasted open. Water pillar shot surface-high, spun tornado-like, then scattered in wind.
All blinked at the spectacle.
'Did we do that...?'
Even Inschtain lost composure, stuck out tongue—breath fouled, surfaced urgently. Others too.
Red Robe glanced my way.
Finger to lips, then up.
Oops... overdid it?
No wonder they say adults shouldn't meddle in kids' fights.