[Vol. 7] Chapter 36: The Azure Sea Whale, Ruler of the Ocean
"King Willipol and I were both chosen by the [Book of Truth]," Rashid said, gazing into the thick, eerie sea mist in the distance. "But while I chose to tread carefully, he took a more extreme and dangerous path after uncovering the truth and realizing time was running out. His actions brought great harm to the creatures of this sea..."
Shaking his head with a sigh, the Pirate King continued, "Truth... it’s a poison that drives people mad. Ignorance is bliss, but even so, someone must bear the curse of knowing and lead others toward survival..."
Then, glancing toward the Merfolk Queen, he smirked. "Fortunately, your people have someone as wise and compassionate as Queen Anies, don’t they?"
Not far from him, Queen Anies turned her head slightly at his words. Her face remained calm, but tear stains lined her cheeks, as if she had been crying in silence.
"It’s time."
"Oh? Her Majesty truly cares for her child, doesn’t she? No need to worry. I already called for it. If my timing is right, it should be arriving... right about now."
Just as he finished speaking, the ground beneath their feet trembled. The tremors grew stronger by the second, and soon, the once-calm sea began to churn with restless waves, as though something massive was about to emerge from the depths.
The merfolk warriors exchanged uncertain glances, instinctively tightening their grip on their weapons. Alex stepped forward, his expression tense, subtly positioning himself to shield the Queen.
Meanwhile, Violet and her companions remained composed. Even Le Qiaoqiao and her companion, despite their lack of combat experience, did not seem overly alarmed.
After all, they already knew what was coming. Rashid had mentioned it during their strategy meeting.
And then, finally…
"Oooo~~~!!!"
A deep, resonant sound echoed through the depths, like the call of a massive horn resounding beneath the ocean. Suddenly, an enormous iron-gray figure, grand as a colossal warship, surged up from the waters, sending towering waves rolling across the sea!
"Ooooo~~~~!!!"
More deep, vibrating calls followed as the massive form broke through the surface. Even the thick mist that enshrouded the [Ghost Sea] seemed to waver in response. Now, from the shore, everyone could finally see its full form.
The thief girl gazed in stunned amazement at the colossal figure towering over a hundred meters in height.
"Whoa… That thing is huge! Wait! Did it just rise from underwater? But… where’s the deck? Where are the sails? Where do people even stand…? Hold on, is this even a ship?!"
"This is what will take us into the [Ghost Sea]…"
Rashid chuckled at her stunned mumbling, nodding with a knowing look.
"This is my companion, known as the [Sea Sovereign]."
Then, with a sly grin, he added, "Of course, I’m sure you’ve all noticed… this big guy isn’t some lifeless vessel. It’s actually—"
"The [Sea Sovereign]… the Azure Sea Whale?"
Before Rashid could finish, a soft yet certain voice interrupted him. The golden-haired man blinked in surprise and turned toward the black-haired girl who had spoken.
"Should I be surprised? I guess it’s only natural for the legendary traveler to know about such creatures."
Violet rolled her eyes. "Legendary traveler? What’s that supposed to mean? I just happened to read about it somewhere, that’s all…"
Still, as she gazed upon the massive, curved entity rising from the sea, so vast that it resembled a floating island, Violet couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. It was no smaller than [Noah’s Ark], an incomprehensible force of nature in itself.
She had already suspected that the [Sea Sovereign], a vessel capable of freely navigating the treacherous [Ghost Sea] and surpassing all known ships in sheer scale, wouldn’t be something ordinary.
Just like how the so-called Spirit Veil Immortal Island was nothing like its name suggested…
Who would’ve thought it’d be this thing?!
The so-called [Sea Sovereign] wasn’t just any sea monster. It was a true titan of the ocean, a colossal marine beast that ruled the depths of the [Storm Sea]. These creatures almost never left that treacherous region, a place so dangerous that few even dared to approach it. Even within the vast endless ocean, sightings of this rare beast were practically unheard of.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been mistaken for a mere ship in the first place.
The Azure Sea Whale was even larger than the leviathan’s offspring, the massive creatures tamed by the Azure Sky Kingdom. Not only was it bigger, but it was also far stronger. An actual mythical beast. However, due to its gentle nature and lack of offensive abilities, combined with the fact that it lived exclusively in the forbidden [Storm Sea], it remained largely unknown to the outside world.
If Violet hadn’t gotten her hands on an illustrated guide of powerful creatures from the [Storm Sea], a book originally owned by Ming Lan, she would have never recognized it. Even more unbelievable was the fact that an Azure Sea Whale had left its natural habitat and appeared in the waters near the Origin Realm. According to all known records, such a thing had never happened before. It was a miracle.
Seeing the stunned look on the priestess’s face, Rashid had a pretty good guess about what she was thinking. With a casual smile, he decided there was no reason to keep it a secret and offered an explanation.
"I call it Ahei." He patted the massive creature affectionately. "Don’t let its size fool you. Ahei is still just a juvenile Azure Sea Whale."
He chuckled before continuing, "Years ago, I attempted to cross the [Storm Sea] to search for something on the other side. But the terrifying thunderstorms there proved too much, and my ship was ultimately wrecked."
"When my ship sank and I was swallowed by the deep sea, I truly believed I was going to die. But at that moment, Ahei miraculously appeared and saved me, carrying me out of the [Storm Sea]. It was also inside Ahei that I discovered the [Book of Truth], and through it, I learned many things."
"I still don’t know why the [Book of Truth] ended up inside Ahei, but since it is a manifestation of a divine power, it contains an energy that ordinary creatures can’t handle. Even Ahei, a mythical beast, could barely withstand it, and it was clearly in great discomfort."
"Later, I was lucky enough to be recognized by the [Book of Truth] and managed to extract it from Ahei. Using the methods outlined in the book, I was able to communicate with Ahei, and eventually, we formed a contract. Ahei became my companion."
"Because Ahei spent so much time with the [Book of Truth] during its juvenile years, it underwent some changes, absorbing traces of divine power from the book. Thanks to that, Ahei can now take us into the [Ghost Sea], at least, to some extent."
Rashid spoke in a quiet tone, just loud enough for Violet, Queen Anies, and a few others nearby to hear. Then, without further delay, he casually waved his hand. As if understanding the signal, the massive Azure Sea Whale let out another deep, horn-like hum before opening its enormous mouth, so wide that it resembled the gates of a colossal fortress.
It was an invitation.
At that moment, Le Qiaoqiao finally realized something was very wrong. Her eyes widened in sheer panic.
"W-Wait, hold on! You’re not saying we’re actually going into this giant beast’s mouth, right!? What if it… what if it accidentally—"
Before she could finish, Violet smacked the girl's perky butt and dragged her forward, following the queen and the others who had already started moving.
"Oh, quit whining! It’s not like it’s really going to eat you. Come on, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Most people would never get a chance like this."
"I don’t want this kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience!!!"