Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Baratrain (4)
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Thick storm clouds blanketed the sea, blurring the line between sky and ocean.
And atop the churning waves sat a single small boat.
Foam from the raging waves crashed against the deck.
The vessel's hull rocked violently as if on the verge of capsizing, barely cleaving through the sea as it pressed onward.
"Heh, no helping it."
Standing on that tiny boat was a man with green hair.
At first glance, he looked like an ordinary adult man.
Except his upper body was bare, and around his waist hung a scrap of leather cloth so meager it was embarrassing to call it pants.
At that moment, two pairs of wings sprouted from his back.
The green-haired man, Partan.
As he rose into the air, the boat lifted with him.
In truth, he'd been disguised as a humble sailor to lure out the mermaids, but caught in these treacherous currents, he had no choice.
He'd slip away, then resume the act later.
Cleaving through the sky to escape the currents, Partan gently set the boat back down on the surface.
And so they sailed on for some time.
Then, a strange song drifted into his ears.
A melody so alluring it sent chills down his spine.
Goosebumps prickled his skin, and a sharp glint flashed in Partan's eyes.
Pretending ignorance, he steered the boat toward the source of the song.
Without rowing, the vessel glided forward on its own.
And as the singing grew nearer, a deep smile crept across Partan's lips.
He'd already noticed. Presences gathering around the boat, from the depths of the sea.
"I know you're all there. Come on out."
He spoke, but no one surfaced.
Instead, a sharp spear sliced through the water toward him.
Partan twisted aside effortlessly, dodging it.
Then, countless spears rained down from every direction.
The target wasn't him—it was the boat. They'd seen how easily he evaded and aimed to destroy the vessel instead.
But the boat responded to Partan's will, tracing an impossible path to evade every spear.
It moved as if fused with him, in eerie unison.
Only then did the hidden assailants from the depths reveal themselves above the waves.
Upper bodies human, from the waist down merged into a single tail... mermaids.
Ten mermaids thrust their spears forward, bodies half-emerged from the sea.
"Want to eat me?"
One mermaid spoke in response to Partan's mocking question.
"Not you... the flower you carry."
"Arcana Bloom?"
"To speak so freely—you're a fool. Then again, you came all this way chasing a rumor... Do you know who spread it?"
Partan snorted and muttered low.
"The fools are you."
He raised a single finger, and mana swirled atop it.
The surrounding air whipped toward that fingertip like a vortex.
Even the seawater churned violently, drawn in—until, with a snap, the tension broke.
A razor-sharp shockwave erupted outward.
"Krak!"
"Guh!"
The mermaids struck by the blast tore apart like paper.
Flesh flew as they perished in an instant.
Mermaid corpses bobbed to the surface.
Nine of the ten lay dead. The survivor was the one who'd first spoken to Partan.
Terror twisted his face.
"Tr-Transcendent..."
Partan's expression unchanged, he pointed at him.
In that instant, an invisible force yanked the mermaid from the water, suspending him in midair.
He trembled uncontrollably, unable to control his own body.
Partan opened his other hand. A blue-glowing flower bloomed in his palm.
Three buds shimmered with ethereal light.
"Now... which one's real?"
"I-I don't know."
Fissures crept across the levitated mermaid's neck.
A horrifying sensation spread through his body.
"You really don't know?"
"I... can't tell them apart..."
"Then die."
Splat!
The mermaid's head severed clean.
The severed head floated on the bloodied surface, and Partan discarded the body into the sea with a sigh.
"Can't distinguish it after all. Anadins... only they can tell."
Partan too had chased rumors to reach this place.
But he held deeper knowledge than most.
And he needed it desperately.
Most Transcendents wouldn't bother with something so likely to spark conflict—especially when its truth was uncertain.
But he was different.
He was unwelcome everywhere, hunted relentlessly.
He'd thought becoming a Transcendent meant freedom to roam unbound, but reality was harsher.
The chains had only multiplied.
So many restrictions among Transcendents.
He'd been driven to this remote sea in desperate flight.
And that's why the Arcana Bloom lay unclaimed.
Until moments ago.
"Anadins, huh... This just got tricky."
Tricky was an understatement. Very tricky.
An ancient race— who knew what powerful Transcendent lurked among them.
Yet greed burned fiercely in Partan's eyes, unyielding.
If he obtained the Mare Oblivion craftable from the Arcana Bloom...
No more endless pursuit. He'd gain breathing room.
It would elevate him another step.
As Partan sailed deeper into the sea, he sensed a faint anomaly.
His heightened vigilance allowed him to detect it.
"Hm?"
The moment he did, the sea beneath the boat split open.
Like a colossal deep-sea beast yawning wide, the waters parted with a crack, revealing a black abyss.
"Tch."
The boat plummeted into it.
Partan tried to take flight, but he couldn't.
A ferocious suction gripped him.
A force even he couldn't resist.
His body sank endlessly, as if cast into the abyss.
The sky receded, vanishing from view.
The parted sea slammed shut in an instant.
And crushing pressure pulverized Partan's body.
I sat alone in a remote corner of the island, lost in deep thought.
To pursue Partan further, I'd have to take a boat.
The problem was how likely it ended in direct confrontation.
No matter how thoroughly I prepared, my odds of surviving that fight approached zero.
'Should I ask Anonymous 3?'
The thought had lingered since hearing about the deep-sea mermaids.
At minimum, I wanted confirmation if the legend was real.
If I were still just '0', it would've been impossible. But now, I could borrow Anonymous 4 to ask what I wanted.
Time to play the noob.
Mermaid-related legends.
Anyone know?
What's this, shy human friend?
You finally opening up?
Good to see you talking, but straight to business without a hello? Rude...
Anonymous 1 responded first, as always.
He must keep a manaphone on him at all times.
Whenever someone started a conversation, he was the first to jump in.
'Doesn't that get annoying to carry around?'
Well, probably not human, so no need to hold it in hand.
Anyway, he wasn't who I wanted.
Fortunately, Anonymous 3 chimed in.
Hah.
Mermaid legends, was it?
You believe those rumors too?
He seemed to know something.
The legend I'd heard had no direct link to Anadins, but as a deep-sea dweller, he was in the know.
His reaction felt off, though. Negative, almost dismissive.
Was the legend fake after all?
Arcana Bloom.
They say that legendary flower bloomed recently.
Oh dear...
On behalf of the Anadins, I apologize.
...What was that reaction?
Totally unexpected.
My children have caused needless trouble.
My children...
Did your subjects spread that legend?
Quick on the uptake. Good.
I've only just learned Habdelrier.
Please bear with my slow speech.
I knew that much.
Still, his language skills had improved a lot in just a few months.
Though typing differed from speaking.
I'd forbidden my children from mingling with land-dwellers...
My failure to rule them firmly.
The sea?
Are you saying you're some king ruling the seas?
Not so arrogant as to claim all seas.
But that rumor ties to my children, yes.
So Anonymous 3 was some king overseeing the western coastal seas?
I'd never heard of such a thing.
Not in Academy history classes, anyway.
Then again, Anadins were news to me too.
Obviously deep-sea matters.
His father being a great being had hinted at this, but his own status was no joke.
Are you a Transcendent?
Anonymous 1 jumped in at that, like he'd been waiting.
Does he have nothing better to do...
What? That cute reaction?
As if you're not one yourself?
Transcendent...
It's been ages since I was called that.
But to answer: yes.
I'm a 7th Circle mage.
Are you all Transcendents?
Revealing my power level was part of the plan.
Paving the way to ask future questions.
But the reactions were more intense than expected.
7th Circle??
Non-Transcendents can join too??
Manaphones hidden across the continent—someone picking one up wasn't odd.
...They'd all done it themselves.
Yet they acted oblivious.
7th Circle makes you my junior too.
Not Transcendents this time.
Makes me curious about '0's intentions.
Right, Anonymous 2.
I knew she was an elf, but not that she was a Transcendent.
Her ability to rally elves suggested high status, but this high?
7th Circle—what rank is that? Beyond my gauge.
Hasn't even achieved the slightest Opening.
Opening? Was that how they phrased becoming a Transcendent?
Funny—Anonymous 3 understood it too.
Hm, I see.
A distant junior.
I was curious about "Opening" too, but other priorities first. Back to topic.
I want to hear more about mermaid legends.
Cute kid.
Still using that tone knowing we're Transcendents.
Pretty bold?
Or maybe you haven't seen one up close?
Want me to visit?
Hm?
Ah, why so chatty.
Why so excited.
I don't need to see you right now.
Don't mind him.
Can't track locations anyway.
Not what '0' wants.
Though, openly sharing power levels like this... is it okay?
'0' hasn't said a word so far, so probably fine.
Your usual line.
Anonymous 2 calmly intervening was nice, but mentions of '0' were ramping up.
'0' was just my mask... felt burdensome for no reason.
The rumor's aim was to lure the flower.
Thankfully, Anonymous 3 provided info, slowly but surely. I refocused.
Unable to venture ashore.
And even if not the flower, they hunt humans.
Not entirely off-topic, then.
The legendary flower, Arcana Bloom.
Only mermaids could identify the true bud among its three.
Combined with mermaid heart essence, it became an elixir.
...All bait to lure humans and the flower?
So the whole rumor was fake?
No falsehood in the rumor.
Got it. Not false—exploited.
I'd seen the flower's spot myself. Someone had already plucked it.
I was looking for that flower.
The flower is with me now.
My thoughts ground to a halt.
...Why did Anonymous 3 have the flower?
I thought Partan took it.
Circumstances led to it.
Anonymous 4, you can rest easy—the lured one wasn't human.
Fairy tribe.
Fairy.
Partan's face flashed in my mind.
The difference: not pure fairy, but hybrid.
Didn't notice that far?
Fairy?
Dead?
Regrettably, after butchering my children, had to kill him.
Thoughts stalled, then slowly churned back to life.
Dead...? Just like that...?
This hollow emptiness mixed with... relief that a headache was gone.
Right, bittersweet—that's the word.
I'd braced for Transcendent matters not going my way, but not like this.
Or... did it go my way?
But why seek the flower?
To get stronger.
To grow stronger...
Prime age for power hunger.
Of course, I didn't really need it.
Just bait to fish for Partan intel.
Never expected to actually get the Arcana Bloom.
But Anonymous 3's next words left me stunned.