Chapter 141: The Mystery of Mermaids? The Gods Are Paying Attention!
Inside the dark, damp grotto, the rugged path was covered with gravel and puddles.
Arthur, carrying Fou and Lily on his shoulders, moved swiftly through the dim light.
Each step he took was silent, and it wasn't until his figure had receded that a delayed gust of wind suddenly exploded, kicking up a spray of water.
As the light from the cave entrance grew clearer, Arthur finally slowed his pace, carefully set Lily down, and instructed her in a low voice.
"Take out the Magic Sword and protect yourself."
"Ah? Yes!"
Lily snapped back to reality and immediately took out two short-handled weapons from her backpack.
Their rough blades, as if polished directly from ore, emitted intense magical fluctuations.
As the two stepped out of the grotto into the light, Arthur's gaze instantly locked onto his target—
In a narrow crevice between the jagged rocks, a small figure was curled up, trembling.
The water around her churned violently, as dozens of long, grotesque Snake Fish frantically circled her.
The bloodthirsty monsters periodically slammed their massive mouths against the rocks, their sharp fangs scraping against the rock wall with a grating sound.
Lily's heart tightened, and she instinctively thought an adventurer was under attack, so she quickly looked up.
"Lord arthur, should we..."
Before she could finish, Arthur had already raised his hand.
Crimson magic bullets whistled out, accurately piercing the heads of three Snake Fish, and their foul-smelling blood instantly stained the lake red!
The scent of blood completely ignited the ferocity of these monsters; they immediately changed direction, twisting their frenzied bodies, stirring up towering waves, and rushing towards the shore!
"Heh, still as easy to bait as before."
Arthur drew durandal, stepped onto the water, and as ripples spread out from his feet, his figure eerily split into several afterimages, flickering across the lake.
Cold glints intersected, and blood splattered!
Each time he flickered, it was accompanied by a Snake Fish head shooting into the sky!
In just a moment, only the twitching remains of the monsters were left on the lake; after a few struggles, they turned into rustling ashes and vanished without a trace.
White foam spread across the water's surface, and Arthur shook the blood from his sword, then called out to the figure still hiding behind the rocks.
"Come out, we mean no harm."
"..."
Mary, her face pale, tightly covered her mouth, daring not to make a sound, her terrified eyes filled with helplessness.
At this moment, Lily, looking wary, ran to Arthur's side, gazed into the depths of the rocks, and asked in confusion.
"Is she injured? We have healing potions that can..."
Arthur waved his hand, signaling Lily to calm down.
With durandal sheathed, he walked on water, crouched beside the rocks, and spoke in a very soft voice.
"Don't be afraid, the monsters are all dealt with. If you don't want to interact with humans, we'll leave now."
Ripples spread across the lake, and Mary timidly poked her head out, looking at Arthur and Lily.
Her algae-green hair barely covered her naked body, and her fishtail gently swayed underwater, reflecting a mesmerizing iridescence.
"Tha... thank you..."
Mary's cheeks flushed, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, but she still mustered the courage to express her gratitude.
Lily, standing on the shore, her pupils suddenly constricted, gasped in surprise.
"A mermaid!?"
Mary was startled and quickly retreated into the water, leaving only a small head with pointed ears on the surface of the lake.
Arthur immediately made a shushing gesture to Lily, then turned to the clearly intelligent mermaid before him, a gentle smile playing on his lips, and spoke again.
"My name is Arthur, and the one on the shore is Lily. Please believe me, we won't harm you."
Mary slowly approached, clumsily splashing water, and said in a soft, blushing voice.
"I... Mary. I've seen you, from far away... You're so strong."
Arthur's eyes crinkled in a smile: "Thank you, but with your abilities, dealing with those Snake Fish shouldn't be difficult, should it?"
Mary blinked her large, watery eyes and tilted her head in confusion.
Seeing this, Arthur took out the request form from his pocket, shook it, and pressed on.
"Was I wrong? The request form says your singing can mesmerize adventurers, does it not affect Dungeon monsters?"
Mary immediately shook her head vigorously, her movements so large that her hair whipped across Arthur's face. She eagerly waved her arms, explaining with words and gestures.
"No, it's not! I... I can, but... when I'm too scared, I just..."
Seeing her forehead break out in a sweat from anxiety, Arthur raised his hand and soothingly ruffled her small head.
"Alright, I think I understand."
He paused, then asked: "Don't you have companions? It's very dangerous to be alone in the Dungeon."
Mary hesitated for a moment, then raised a hand and pointed into the distant depths, stammering.
"Home... is over there. Mary... can't leave the water..."
Arthur understood, looked in the direction she indicated, and then asked casually.
"Mary, are there many beings like you in the Dungeon? Is there anyone... who can regenerate severed limbs?"
Mary frowned, staring at the unharmed Arthur, then held up one finger.
"My blood... can heal. Can it help you?"
"Mermaid blood?" Arthur shook his head, "Thank you for your kindness, but what I'm looking for is a powerful being who can instantly restore severed limbs."
Mary tapped her chin with a finger, trying to search her memory, and after a long while, she shook her head in frustration.
"No, Mary hasn't seen any companions that powerful."
"Is that so..."
Arthur's eyes deepened, lost in thought, then he earnestly cautioned her.
"If you encounter other adventurers again, don't reveal yourself so easily. They might mistake you for a monster."
Mary nodded vigorously, then suddenly remembered something. She fumbled around on her body for a moment, pulled out an exquisite seashell, and held it up high.
"For you!"
Arthur was a little surprised, but still reached out and took the seashell, nodding slightly.
"Mm, thanks, I'll keep it safe."
Mary smiled brightly, waved at him, then flicked her fishtail, and with a shimmering ripple, she dove into the depths of the lake.
When Arthur returned to the shore, Lily approached him with a complex expression, sighing softly.
"Lily feels that Lord arthur doesn't really have the right to criticize Mary. How can you be sure she wasn't a monster disguised like that?"
Arthur's lips curved into a confident smile, and he teased her.
"Intuition. Just like when I decided to buy your freedom, it's never been wrong."
Lily's face flushed crimson with a "boom," and she stamped her foot, refuting him.
"It was conversion! Just conversion! It wasn't buying my freedom at all!"
Arthur shrugged noncommittally and walked past her towards the cave they had come from.
"Let's go, mission accomplished. Don't forget, the Moss Giant's Magic Stone is still waiting for us."
... ...
In the Prayer Room beneath the Guild.
Upon a throne made of massive rocks, the majestic old god, Uranus, lowered his eyelids. Even sitting still, he exuded a sense of towering presence.
"Fels, do you have any new reports?"
In the flickering firelight, a figure in a sealed black robe silently appeared.
"Yes, Lord Uranus." Fels sighed, "The abnormal situation on the 24th floor has been confirmed, and the dangerous item has been dealt with."
"The half-gods once sent by the gods to save the lower world have now become a ticking time bomb threatening all of Orario... How ironic."
Upon hearing this, a hint of solemnity flashed in Uranus's ancient and profound eyes.
"I sensed signs of an anomaly several years ago, but recently... that feeling of unease has grown much stronger."
As he spoke, the old god's brows furrowed, and the increasingly sharp, almost blinding light of a star appeared in his mind.
He spoke again, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Fels, from now on, assist the Loki Familia at all costs."
"...Yes, I understand."