About an hour after leaving the empire, my view was dominated by the shimmering expanse of a wide river.
The boat cruised at a speed of 115 kilometers per hour. Since it was magically self-piloted, Avic and I could relax, either resting or enjoying the surrounding scenery.
I assumed the journey would remain smooth until we reached the shore, but the sight of Avic conjuring a massive sword from his hand immediately put me on alert.
"Won't the weight of that sword cause the boat to lose balance?"
I asked hastily.
"This sword is enchanted with a special weight spell, precisely to prevent that sort of issue."
Well, that was a relief.
But if Avic drew his sword… was there an enemy nearby?
I turned my gaze back to Avic, just in time to see him expertly raise his massive blade and strike at something in the river. Crimson blood spread across the water, and the carcass of a grotesque fish floated to the surface.
Its body was covered in twisted horns, glowing deep-green patterns ran across its skin, and its mouth was lined with rows of sharp red teeth. A creature like this would likely terrify any ordinary person.
Avic sheathed his sword and returned to his seat, letting out a long sigh.
His gaunt frame, combined with his earlier actions, gave off an air of weariness, as if he had endured countless hardships.
Of course, his strength was beyond question.
"There are plenty of these fish in this river. They eat anything—humans included."
"Understood. I'll stay alert."
To avoid further attacks from these bizarre fish, Avic infused his mana into the boat, accelerating our pace. As the water around us grew darker, I leaned forward to examine it, but Avic raised a hand to stop me.
"'The Cursed Waters of Istvanthys.' That's what the water-dwellers here call this stretch of the river."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Istvanthys is the god presiding over the concept of death. These black waters are their creation. You tell me—does that sound dangerous?"
"Istvanthys… I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before…"
Hearing this, Avic immediately turned to glare at me with a hollow expression.
"Don't overthink it. Just stay away from this water."
It was the first time I'd seen him so serious. Avic seemed very familiar with this area, so for now, I decided to heed his advice.