For the next few hours, the octopus—still stung by its unfortunate encounter with the hotpot—persistently followed them. But this time, having already been discovered, it grew brazen.
As they sped across the water, they could always see the faint shimmer of a large, transparent body gliding swiftly beneath the surface nearby.
At first, Kai Adler ignored it. But when they paused to rest, a sudden jet of water shot up from the side.
The jet punched cleanly through layers of defensive Black Magic, splashing directly onto Kai, drenching him from head to toe.
Hermione startled at the sudden ambush, turning to see Kai, completely soaked, his usually neat blond hair plastered messily across his forehead.
Her lips twitched, and despite her best efforts—
"Pfft!"
Laughter escaped as her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
A flash of helpless amusement crossed Kai's face. But when his eyes shifted to the source—the octopus with half its head peeking above the waves—the amusement vanished.
The octopus's large, gem-like eyes gleamed mischievously. Its transparent tentacles rippled gently across the water's surface, tiny bubbles escaping as it practically radiated joy.
When Kai wordlessly drew his wand, the octopus vanished beneath the water with a whoosh, reappearing a hundred meters away, its tentacles waving in smug defiance—as if accusing him of being a sore loser.
Kai muttered a drying charm, evaporating the water from his clothes, smoothing his hair back into place with practiced ease.
But his gaze turned calculating as he rummaged through their luggage.
Moments later, he produced a durian.
They'd bought the odd, spiky fruit back in Singapore, curious about the infamous smell. Both had managed only a few bites before giving up, faces scrunched, and Hermione had jokingly suggested keeping it as a makeshift weapon.
"Octopuses have a sense of smell, right?" Kai asked, bouncing the durian in his palm.
Hermione pinched her nose, eyeing him with amused disbelief at this rare moment of childishness. "Normal ones do. I read about it."
"Perfect."
Casting a quick spell to seal his own sense of smell, Kai lobbed the durian toward the ocean.
Whoosh!
The octopus caught the fruit deftly in its tentacles—and then froze.
Moments later, it practically recoiled under the waves, its translucent body writhing as it darted away, clearly overwhelmed by the pungent stench.
Kai dusted off his hands, satisfied. "Let's go."
Hermione was doubled over with laughter, wiping tears from her eyes as they resumed their course.
They still had two days of travel to reach Yemen.
Three days later—outside Cairo International Airport, Egypt.
A man in black robes stood across the street, his posture straight, his expression calm, eyes locked on the building entrance.
His name was Oka, a noble wizard from an old, pure-blood German family, sent here on a specific mission.
He checked his silver pocket watch, the polished surface reflecting sunlight, and flipped it open.
Inside, a moving photograph of an elderly man met his gaze—the old wizard nodded solemnly before vanishing beyond the frame's edge.
Oka exhaled slowly, adjusting his robes.
Clink.
A few coins landed in the iron box at his feet—a casual offering from a passing Muggle, mistaking him for a beggar.
Expressionless, Oka nodded faintly in acknowledgment. At least the locals were polite, if misguided.
The so-called "beggar" sat strategically across from the airport, blending in, all while observing every exit and arrival.
The noble wizard scoffed inwardly. Kind-hearted Muggles… still so oblivious.
His pocket watch buzzed, a voice crackling to life from within.
"You can leave the airport. The target's not coming."
Oka's brows furrowed. "Is the mission canceled?"
"No," came the reply, tinged with reluctant confusion. The old wizard in the photo reappeared, brow creased. "The patriarch consulted a Diviner. They recalculated the target's location…"
"And?" Oka pressed.
"They're… at sea."
Oka fell silent.
A long breath escaped him as he rose to his feet.
Clink.
Another coin bounced from the iron box, hitting the pavement.
Oka's eyes narrowed at the Muggle woman in a crisp business suit. "Aren't you going to apologize?" he demanded coldly.
The woman looked stunned—the last thing she expected was a beggar with that kind of audacity.
Her confusion deepened as Oka coolly pulled out his wand.
"Obliviate."
Her pupils dilated, her sharp businesslike expression crumbling into vacant confusion, all memory of this moment erased as she wandered aimlessly down the street.
Oka exhaled, some of his frustration dissipating. With a crack of displaced air, he vanished from sight.