Only one slash.
Yet that single slash carried the might to sever the heavens and split the earth.
The Mosasaur was struck head-on by the descending purple sword.
Its massive body trembled violently as the slash carved through its form. Dark blood sprayed outward, immediately dissolving into the black sea water. Yet despite the grievous injury, unwillingness surged within its eyes.
Even though poison coursed through its body, even though its flesh was riddled with countless saber and sword wounds, it did not retreat.
Instead, the Mosasaur roared.
That roar was filled with defiance and madness. It abandoned all thoughts of defense and, in that instant, unleashed its own ultimate move.
Suddenly, the black sea below surged violently.
The water rose as if responding to an unseen command, climbing higher and higher until a colossal wall of sea water formed. The Great Wall of water loomed like a curtain separating heaven and earth, blotting out everything behind it.
Within the wall of water, something moved.
At first, it was only a vague shadow. Then, as the water parted, the figure within slowly revealed itself.
It was a fish.
Its body was ancient and grotesque, far larger than ordinary sea creatures. From its sides protruded seventeen massive bone spikes, each one jagged and uneven, as though grown naturally rather than forged.
The moment those bone spikes were revealed, a shocking aura burst forth.
Divinity.
Each spike radiated a faint yet unmistakable presence of divine power. Though incomplete and fragmented, that aura alone was enough to make the sea tremble and the heavens respond.
The fish slowly opened its mouth.
Bubbles drifted outward, rising silently through the sea and into the air. What lay hidden within those bubbles could not be seen clearly, yet as they spread, agonized cries echoed through the surroundings.
They were the cries of countless sea beasts.
Wails of suffering, despair, and fear reverberated from the fish’s body and spread throughout the world, as if the souls of innumerable creatures were sealed within it.
At the same time, a dense corrosive substance poured from the fish’s mouth.
This corrosive force was terrifyingly potent, yet it was completely different from the substance formed when God’s Hand had descended before. This corrosion did not originate from an external power, it was born from the fish itself.
It was its innate authority.
With the arrival of this fish, the world itself seemed to respond.
The sea shook violently, and the sky above darkened further. Thick clouds rolled in from all directions, growing so dense that they completely blotted out the sun. The light of day vanished, leaving only oppressive darkness behind.
Far away, aboard the magic ship, the captain, who had been sitting cross-legged inside her cabin, suddenly opened her eyes.
Shock and disbelief flashed across her face as she turned to stare in the direction of Grey and the Mosasaur.
In the next instant, her body blurred.
She vanished from her cabin and appeared directly on the deck of the magic ship. The astonishment on her face deepened as she felt the terrifying fluctuations in the distance.
Yet instead of fear... or reverence...
A strange glint appeared in her eyes.
If Grey were present, he would immediately recognize that glint.
Madness.
And intense desire.
Such emotions had never appeared on the captain’s face before. Not once.
It was only after the appearance of that fish that these feelings finally surfaced.
"A faint comprehension of a Divine being..." the captain muttered softly, her voice trembling with excitement. "This Mosasaur is certainly not ordinary."
Her gaze sharpened as she sensed the connection between the beast and the manifestation.
"Moreover, it seems it was blessed by that fish some time ago. It can now manifest a trace of its power. Even if it’s only a trace..."
She inhaled deeply, her pupils dilating.
"...that is still astonishing."
She licked her lips unconsciously and swallowed, her expression growing increasingly unrestrained.
"I cannot allow little Grey to enjoy such a delicious meal all by himself."
The next moment, she stepped forward.
Her figure left the deck of the magic ship and shot into the sky, tearing through the clouds as she flew toward Grey’s direction. Her body cut through the heavens like a blazing arc, leaving nothing but distorted air in her wake.