Yong charged into the tsunami. The pair of flaming knives became his high-temperature drill. It easily evaporated the raging seawater. The entire area was surrounded by a hazy white vapor filled with the smell of salt, and the wall of water left a large hole.

  Joker shot himself into the sky like a torpedo, the jet stream pushing him towards the Golden Leviathans. The cold wind whistled in his ears and the sudden change in air pressure was nothing compared to the crushing pressure at the bottom of the sea. In less than half a minute, his heel landed lightly on the moist skin of a Golden Leviathans. Without a trace of fatigue, he stood firm, ready to fight.

  [How could someone come here!] The Deep Gold Fish opened their mouths and eyelids wide.

  “Because it’s me, the one moved by sisterhood, Joker Zone!”

  Joker shouted loudly once more. He stood with his legs drawn up, one hand raised to the sky, the other pointing down at the giant whale's skin.

  …

  The fish were stunned for a moment, none of them understood Joker's actions or words.

  [Attack the intruder!] One of the Deep Golden Fish signaled to his comrades.

  Splash

  The fish tried to use Psionic energy to launch their bone spears, but Joker's flour prevented that. It caused the Deep Golden Fish to stick together, and even their shell shields and spears suffered the same fate as breaded fish.

  "...It doesn't look like this one." Joker commented after glancing at the Fish Monsters wriggling in the sticky flour. "That standing water looks fun, what kind of trick is it?" He changed his tone immediately.

  "Blop blop blop!" The fish opened their mouths repeatedly, panic filling their mouths.

  [Don't think that's all!] A Deep Gold Fish said telepathically in anger. [With the sphere of the sea, we will crush both the sky and you by the vast mother sea!]

  Hearing that, Joker immediately joined in with the enemy.

  "Good news, that thing scares me, but what does that sphere look like? Let me know to avoid it."

  [As big as our eyes, as clear as the sky, as blue as the sea, more sparkling than any pearl! Tremble, traitor with the scent of the sky!]

  "...Are you keeping it or these whales?"

  [Of course it's us! The Golden Leviathan will help us deal with those stubborn things that won't stay still after the tsunami!]

  "Well, bad news for you, I can't die so your nonsense is useless."

  [S-so blasphemous, so impertinent!]

  “Report, they boasted that they used some kind of blue orb, as big as their eyes, used to control seawater.”

  Joker immediately spoke through the communication headset to report to the group.

  [So that’s the Magic Tool we need to deal with, right?] Yong asked again to confirm.

  “Yeah, find it and deal with it, the tsunamis won’t appear continuously.” Joker replied briefly.

  BOOM

  The air shook violently. A sharp sound, as if the sea surface had just been torn apart, drowned out all other sounds. Joker quickly looked down from above, the green of the grass and trees had disappeared from his sight. The tsunami had come, the wall of seawater that pierced the sky had swallowed up all the land and grasslands. The smell of the seawater now completely overwhelmed the fishy smell of the Deep Gold Fish and Golden Leviathans.

  “Is everything okay down there?” Joker asked through the headset, his voice still low.

  [It's fine, the shelter and the villagers are completely safe!] Jarek announced on the other end of the line, joy filling her voice.

  [It's a bit wet, but it's fine.] Yong also reported the situation with confident words. [There's a group of fish down here in the distance that don't ride whales like they do in the sky.]

  "Find out about them."

  Joker replied. His eyes behind the mask scanned the Golden Leviathans, searching for the Magic Tool that caused the disaster. Unfortunately, he couldn't find any special signs from the fish. At that moment, the whale he was riding began to sway violently, trying to throw off the intruder. But Joker reacted in time. He quickly released a layer of white powder, sticking his heels to the monster's slippery skin. The strong shake only made him stagger, not free fall like a bungee jumper who forgot to wear a rope.

  Splash

  Seeing that it was not enough to drive away the enemy, the Golden Leviathan's breathing hole shot out a large column of water. It split into smaller jets, almost half as wide as Joker's body. Those jets of water began to bend and rush forward like water snakes pouncing on their prey.

  Splash

  Without wasting another second, Joker released a large amount of water from his legs and arms to push his body forward at full speed. The flour on his legs was washed away, and he barely managed to escape when the swarm of water snakes rushed to his previous position. In contrast to the Golden Leviathan's large size and seemingly slowness, its jets of water were chasing him so fiercely that he found it annoying.

  Swish

  “Tch!”

  Even though he dodged, the water jets still grazed Joker. His arms, legs, hips, shoulders, and cheeks were all scratched by the water jets. The stinging pain hit him briefly, but it wasn't enough to make him hesitate.

  "After Pockmo played the psychic system, now he's playing with water guns, you guys are really annoying." Joker continued to slide his entire body. "If I had the electric system, you guys would turn upside down and become grilled fish~."

  Bang

  Joker returned fire with his steel wand at the whale at his feet. The sound of air pressure exploded, his fingers broke and blood splattered from the pressure from his fingertips. The steel wands flew quickly and pierced a deep part of the Golden Leviathan's flesh. Instead of a stream of blood spurting from this Monster's wound, he barely had any blood. Joker gritted his teeth, it was even harder than the Black Giant Scorpion!

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "...You're really fat." Joker said sarcastically. “My chopsticks can’t even hold it—”

  Swish

  “Ugh!”

  Joker felt the sharp water pressure piercing his body. His chest, shoulders, legs—he was covered in holes. He had slowed down a beat, and the price was immediate. His momentum was gone. He began to fall. Like a plane with a broken wing, he plummeted, leaving a trail of bright red blood in the sky.

  “As expected…” Joker muttered to his wounded body, as not even ten seconds had passed. “I’m not fit to handle these whales.”

  Slap

  He was ready for his body to hit the hard ground or the cold water. However, it was clear that what he was touching was not the ground or the water, nor the flexible branches. Joker clearly felt himself being supported by something warmer, softer, and at the same time more solid. Looking back, he saw a familiar face, the tip of her tongue jutting out from one corner of her mouth in a mischievous smile.

  “Sorry for being late.”

  Jarek’s voice was apologetic as she tightened her arms around Joker. The Dragon’s bat wings flapped behind her, keeping them from landing on the flooded ground.

  “I’m not swimming with the fish yet,” Joker replied in a low voice, whether from the pain all over her body or from her careless way of speaking.

  “So…” Jarek looked up at the Golden Leviathans. “I just need to deal with those whales, right?”

  “And destroy the Magic Tool that controls the sea if you find it.” Joker added. “I don’t see it up there, and only the Deep Gold Fish have them.”

  “Understood!”

  Jarek’s voice was filled with excitement, her smile almost taking over her entire face. Joker still couldn’t understand what made her accept the order so decisively… and happily.

  “Leave it to me in the sky, I’ll go down below.”

  The wolf boy said and somersaulted out of Jarek’s arms. All the holes in his body had healed, and his stamina had fully recovered. Joker released water jets from his feet to slow his fall a bit.

  Jarek watched him and couldn’t help but smile in relief. Feeling reassured about her companion, she looked up at the Golden Leviathans. Psionic-controlled water jets were curving in multiple directions and aimed at her.

  Splash

  Instead of dodging, Jarek threw punches. The sharp jets of water shattered when they collided with her fists, as if they had just hit a diamond wall.

  “You’ve made things difficult for the villagers and Joker.”

  The smile on the Half Dragon Shapechanger’s face disappeared. She flapped her wings, her body tearing through the wind as she closed the distance with the Golden Leviathans. She swung two punches, her first punch colliding with the Golden Leviathans. The thick scales of the fish shattered like ceramic. Her fist pierced through the golden fat, tearing apart the twitching dark red muscles. Fluids and purple internal organs spurted out from the hole she had just created, a deep hole as if a giant nail had just been pulled out of its body.

  Pow

  She swung her second punch, it was weaker and did not cause much damage to the Golden Leviathans. Instead, the Monster Whale was sent flying as lightly as a stuffed animal that had been thrown.

  [Monster!]

  One of the Deep Gold Fish gasped, its wings trembling as they witnessed the scene. The creature that was supposed to be the largest in the world was easily taken down by another humanoid creature. Not by any weapon or power, but by fists!

  “If you fall near here, it will be a nuisance to them.” Jarek looked in the direction the whale flew away. “Now it’s your turn.”

  In the sky, Jarek turned to the remaining Golden Leviathans.

  Boom!

  Joker landed in waist-deep water, where a few minutes ago there had been dry land. A melee was raging before his eyes. The Deep Gold Fish were being held back by Jaci and Yong warriors. Some were gliding across the water in wooden boats, others were flying high above on feathered wings.

  Their recklessness surprised Joker, but what really stopped him was the weapons they held. Shining metal shields and spears, designed for tactics, Tactical shields and tactical spears... They couldn't belong here. They were Earth's weapons!

  “It must be Jarek…” Joker immediately got the answer in his mind.

  “Ah, it’s you!”

  The Beastfolk guarding the gate was looking at him, his eyes shining with joy. Joker was a little surprised. He had hidden everything behind his pitch-black outfit, yet he was still recognized so easily.

  “I admit it,” Joker curled the corner of his mouth. “You guys really like to play recklessly, you natives.”

  “Sorry for being so selfish.” The Beastfolk smiled wryly. “These weapons of Miss Jarek’s are truly amazing. Lighter than wood, yet harder than stone!” He raised the metal spear and exclaimed.

  “Of course.”

  Joker replied indifferently and turned to observe the battle. The warriors of Jaci Village, there were only about 12 of them, with wolves and falcons hunting with them. The Beastfolk stood with their shields raised in front of them, their other hand holding the tip of their spears to stab or throw. Their shields easily blocked the Psionic bone spears from the Deep Gold Fish. The bone spears bounced off with a sharp metallic sound, it wouldn’t be wrong to call them throwing toothpicks at a wall. In contrast to the Monster Fish, the warriors’ metal spears easily pierced through the shell shields. The fish were now completely turned into skewered meat.

  Looking to the other side, Joker saw a wolf being lifted into the air by a falcon with its sturdy legs. Right above a Deep Gold Fish, the falcon released its comrade. The wolf swooped down like a feathered bullet, its sharp teeth sinking into the fish’s gills. A single bite. Strong and decisive. Blood spurted out. The sea monster only had time to struggle helplessly before flipping over, its white belly sticking out of the water. Joker clicked his tongue slightly. The urgency of the battle was gone.

  “...I guess I should take my time and get the blue marble.”

  Joker muttered, his voice slow and bored. He almost ignored the battle, his eyes scanning the Deep Gold Fish on the wet battlefield, full of the smell of salt and fish.

  “Watch out!”

  Keng!

  The scream and the sound of metal clashing rang out almost at the same time. Joker turned around in surprise, just in time to see Galilahi lowering her shield. On the other side of the shield, a spear had already pierced the fish monster that had tried to ambush him from underwater.

  “Are you okay?” Galilahi turned around and asked about the situation, especially when she saw that her opponent was wearing clothes full of holes and smelled of blood.

  “I remember saying I couldn’t die.” Joker nonchalantly repeated the question.

  “You like to cause trouble that much!” Galilahi shouted, her wolf ears and hair standing up.

  “Injuries can’t kill me, but you can.” The wolf pointed out the harsh truth, his hands fanning the water as he swam away. “If you’re injured, go find Yong to treat it.”

  “You…” Galilahi gripped the spear tightly, her hands shaking from the anger boiling in her veins.

  A gentle hand rested on Galilahi’s shoulder.

  “Don’t you have something to say to him?” a gentle voice called out.

  Góy?ń had been standing there for a while, a warm smile on his lips. But Joker’s gaze didn’t stop there. It was drawn to the spear she was holding—a two-meter spear, and on the tip of that spear, two Deep Gold Fish were struggling in their last moments. As someone like Jarek, Joker thought to himself with a sense of caution.

  “I-I was about to say something!” Galilahi’s voice trembled.

  Hearing that, the annoyance in Joker's heart suddenly subsided, replaced by another thought. He saw in the wolf girl's downcast eyes a fear that he understood all too well. The fear called Skoll. Whatever, he thought, it wouldn't hurt to wait for her a little longer.

  "If it's relevant, I'm listening." Joker began, waiting.

  "...I should have said this sooner." Galilahi pursed his lips, scratching his cheek with his fingers, his eyes averted so as not to meet Joker's. "Thank you... for reviving me, Joker."

  "..." Joker furrowed one brow under his mask. He hadn't expected this answer, this conversation.

  "Nothing." Joker could only reply in a flat voice, a perfunctory reply.

  "Wait!" Galilahi spat into the sea, her hand gripping Joker's shoulder. "I'm also sorry for saying the wrong things to you, to my benefactor..." She said with her wolf ears drooping down. "How can I repay you properly..."

  A question he hadn't expected to be asked. Joker stood still for a moment, in his mind arranging his answer, a short one, in keeping with the way of life of these tribesmen.

  "... Live." Joker replied in a deeper voice. "And don't die."

  From above, Jarek smiled. The sky had cleared enough after she had dealt with a few Golden Leviathans for her to see the scene below. She saw Joker gently push Galilahi away and swim away. The wolf girl still looked bewildered, but the tension between them seemed to have dissipated. So they’re reconciled, Jarek thought, a sense of relief spreading through her. But then another curious thought occurred to her. She rubbed her chin, the Dragon tail behind her wagging involuntarily. What if Galilahi actually decided to “return the favor” by giving Joker an heir? She tried to imagine how he would react.