A robust humanoid figure leaped from the surface of the sea into the sky, striking a bodybuilding pose in the moonlight.
"Woohoo!" he cried out in a strange voice. "The Deep Sea Muscle Man has arrived!"
The figure then descended directly from the sky, landing upright in front of the two. His head was tilted slightly up, both hands raised diagonally upward, as if he had just completed a performance.
By the moonlight, Alka could finally see the full appearance of this non-human.
He was a figure over three ters tall, like a small giant. His skin was silver-blue, exceptionally smooth, and glistened like fish scales under the moonlight. His body shape was similar to a human’s, with an exposed upper body full of well-defined, symtrical muscles. Fins adorned his back, elbows, knees, and feet, all covered in densely packed, fine scales. The fin on his back was particularly striking—an exaggerated vertical fin running down his entire spine, like a magnified version of a sailfish’s dorsal fin. Though his head was humanoid, it was hairless, featuring fins instead, and a sharp, elongated nose with a tip as pointed as a spearhead.
His silver-gray eyes stared at Alka and Chadite.
"Chadite, weren’t you going ashore to find the Treasure Vault’s location?" the fishman asked. He then glanced curiously at Alka and noticed a large bloodstain on the back of Chadite’s clothes. "Are you injured?"
Chadite quickly waved her hand. "This isn’t my blood; it’s Alka’s," she said, pointing at Alka.
The fishman walked up, extending a webbed palm. "Hello, I am Sang Kaka, Sang Kaka Blue-Fin."
"Alka, Alka Ragu."
The fishman observed Alka, noting his tattered clothes, the faint exposed scars, and his slightly pale complexion. He seed to understand sothing.
"You’ve had a tough ti," Sang Kaka said, walking over. "Co, I’ll take you both to the ship."
His towering height of over three ters exuded a strong sense of pressure. With his large hands, he lifted Alka and Chadite. Upon reaching the sea, he threw them into the air and imdiately dove into the water. Alka and Chadite landed steadily on his back.
"Hold tight, I’m setting off!" Sang Kaka announced.
With those words, Sang Kaka shot forward like an arrow, water splashing high on both sides, just missing them.
Chadite crouched slightly, leaning forward to stabilize herself, then turned to Alka. "Not bad, Alka."
Alka, at this mont, seed rooted to Sang Kaka’s back, remarkably stable.
"Haha, then I’ll speed up!" Sang Kaka exclaid. He seed to have sensed Alka’s stability, for as soon as he spoke, his speed instantly increased. The water thrown up by his dorsal fin leaped high, forming two towering walls of water on either side.
In what felt like less than a mont, Alka saw a ship anchored on the distant sea, illuminated by the moonlight.
As they approached the ship, Sang Kaka leaped up, carrying Alka and Chadite into the air with him. Mid-air, he grabbed one in each hand and landed them steadily on the deck. The mont they landed, before Alka could even react, Sang Kaka dove back into the water and disappeared without a trace.
Seeing Alka’s sowhat dazed expression, Chadite laughed. "It’s okay. Sang Kaka is a bit impatient by nature. He’s on night watch tonight." She then added, "Alright, go get so rest."
"Okay," Alka replied. "Thank you for saving today."
Hearing Alka’s gratitude, Chadite’s expression turned serious. "We’re all teammates. During a mission, our interests are practically bound together, so this is what we should do. There’s no need for thanks." She paused, then added, "Saying things like that might make the others unhappy."
Alka nodded, understanding her point.
As they chatted, they arrived at their respective room doors. Chadite’s room was right next to Alka’s, the first one in the stern passageway.
Back in his room, Alka changed out of his almost completely torn clothes and put on a fresh set. He then threw himself heavily onto the bed, gazing at the ceiling by the faint firelight.
"Ah!" Alka suddenly cried out in dismay, then slamd his fist heavily onto the side of his bed.
It’s over! I’ve taken a huge loss! he thought. I was so focused on being chased earlier that I didn’t pay attention. Only now do I rember—I left the suitcase with all those things back at the villa when I escaped!
All that remained in his tattered clothes was the Magic Mirror he had pocketed while fleeing. The tal pocket watch, worth two Silver Snakes, was broken too. And that wasn’t even ntioning the coins packed in the suitcase! When he’d gone ashore, he had taken all his Silver Snakes with him, plus the two Golden Leaves and six Silver Snakes he had earned from performing. Now, seeing the expensive outfit he’d bought for his disguise reduced to rags... This wave of loss is so painful I can barely breathe! he lanted. And the suitcase had bullets in it too!
"ARGH..." Alka groaned. The more he thought about it, the more it stung. Calculating his losses, he figured he was out at least 40 Silver Snakes. That’s nearly one and a half Golden Sails! Such a huge amount of wealth, gone!
What was that damn clown’s na again? Right, Nivek. Nivek, I’ll rember you! Alka thought, gritting his teeth as he seared the clown’s face into his mory.
He angrily extinguished the oil lamp’s fla and closed his eyes. Heartache and physical exhaustion warred within him. Ultimately, fatigue won out over his anger, and he finally sank into a deep sleep.
The Magic Mirror, placed on the bedside table, flickered twice in the moonlight before going dark again. Alka, at last, had a good night’s sleep.
It was nearly noon when Alka finally managed to shuffle himself out of his room.
"You’re awake." Chadite was standing by the ship’s railing near his door, gazing at the distant sea. Seeing Alka’s condition, she couldn’t help but ask, "Are you alright? Do you want to rest in your room a bit longer?"
Alka shakily raised an arm and waved it. "No need. It’s better to move around a bit."
The mont he had woken up that morning, an intense soreness had spread throughout his body, making every step an ordeal.
"Let help you then." Saying this, Chadite ca over and gently supported Alka.
"To the dining hall?" she asked.
"Mm-hmm."
And so, with Chadite supporting him, Alka made his way down into the cabin and to the dining hall.
As soon as they entered, Uncle Matt brought a tray over and placed it in front of Alka. "Specially made to help your recovery," he said.
The tray held unfamiliar ats and so strange-looking vegetables. Alka nodded and curiously took a couple of bites.
Beyond being delicious, as he swallowed, a warm current seed to flood his body. The soreness and fatigue slowly retreated as he ate and drank, replaced by an overwhelming sense of well-being.
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