The scent of exotic ingredients emanated from the depths of the vast vortex beneath the ocean's surface.
Its intensity rivaled that of the Worm Mother Statue!
The stronger the scent of the exotic ingredient, the greater its potential.
This was a good thing.
However, the downside was…
The more potential a fresh ingredient possessed, the stronger it was!
Just how powerful was the sea monster hiding in the depths of the vortex?
Allen couldn't fathom it.
But he was certain it was far more terrifying than the possessed Han Ning!
While exotic ingredients were valuable, they weren't worth risking his life for.
Allen simply wanted to quickly pass through this dangerous sea.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen.
Suddenly, pure white waves emerged from the vast vortex.
Waves rolled, one after another.
Crystal clear water droplets splashed in the setting sun.
Like a sky full of shattered jade pearls.
Dragging out a swirl of rainbows.
Amid this fantastical and magnificent scene...
Nearly a hundred mermaids emerged from the sea, revealing their delicate bodies.
Stretching their arms, they blew kisses with smiles.
Calling for passengers to join the fun in the water.
Alan's scalp tingled!
This scene was completely beyond his expectations.
On the deck, the sailors exchanged bewilderment.
Though they were experienced sailors, this sight of a large group of mermaids was a first for them!
Mermaids, a sea creature steeped in countless legends,
In theory, they weren't evil.
At least, they were easier to deal with than sirens. The mermaids' song also possessed a hypnotic power.
However, it wasn't as overbearing as the sirens'.
As long as everyone remained vigilant, they wouldn't be tempted.
Alan still couldn't rest easy.
Because the whirlpool on the sea surface continued to expand.
At this rate...
His sailboat would soon be sucked into the whirlpool.
After that, the mermaids emerging from the whirlpool wouldn't be kind to anyone who fell into the water, would they?
Alan's concerns soon became a reality.
And a reality far more terrifying than his worst-case scenario!
Horror beyond imagination!
Above the sea, the mermaids smiled sweetly and sang joyfully.
It was just a beautiful facade.
The horrifying truth was slowly emerging from the sea!
The first thing that came into view was the arched snail shell.
It looked like a snail magnified a million times.
The enormous snail shell was the size of a large sailboat.
The white shell looked like a piece of jade.
From the opening of the shell, ninety tentacles extended.
Each jade-white tentacle was twenty to thirty meters long, as thick as an adult's waist!
So, the monster stirring the sea was a giant white nautilus?
Yes, but not entirely!
Allen also noticed that each of the giant nautilus's tentacles ended in a mermaid's tail.
More precisely, every mermaid on the ocean surface evolved from the tip of a giant nautilus's tentacles.
In biology, this is called a "mimicry lure."
It's like the tentacle on an anglerfish's head, the tip of which can emit light, like a small lantern.
Attracting overly curious prey from the deep sea, they approach to seek their doom.
A sea monster resembling a nautilus is using a similar method to lure passing ships!
We can't wait any longer!
Alan turned and waved to the captain.
The captain understood and quickly ordered, "Bow mortar, fire!"
Boom!
Boom!
The rumbling sound of the cannon shook the sea and sky!
The shell shattered into slag on the shell!
The sea monster's shell remained remarkably intact!
The ship's guns failed to repel the sea monster, but instead utterly enraged it!
The mermaid's tentacles danced wildly, chanting spells in unison!
The sea erupted in waves.
Like massive blue cliffs, they crashed into the sailboat!
The hull was pounded by the raging waves, and the deck pitched violently!
Sailors screamed and fell overboard.
They fell into the sea like dumplings!
The drowned struggled in the whirlpool.
The sea monster extended ninety enchanting mermaid tentacles, stretched out its jade-like arms, and with a smile, lifted the drowned...
Then, it began its ruthless strangulation!
The so-called "mermaid" served as both a mimicry and a feeding organ.
It opened its cherry-like mouth, revealing its pearly teeth...
It madly bit the sailor in its arms!
Eating raw human flesh and drinking human blood!
The sea surged with blood, and the monsters raged.
The screams of the victims echoed one after another.
The horrific scene stunned everyone on deck.
"Alan!"
Ms. Sora transformed into a fairy and flew back to Alan's side.
"This is bad! We must rescue the drowned!"
Alan clutched the sail rope with his left hand to avoid being thrown overboard.
He hurriedly nodded to Ms. Sora, took out his feather charm, and summoned his griffin.
The sea monster's water-control magic turned the once calm sea surface upside down.
The waves were too strong, and the lifeboat itself could not survive, rendering it useless.
Only skilled pilots had a chance of rescuing the drowned.
Besides Sora, Alan's griffin was the only one on board who could fly.
In this critical moment, Alan managed to remain calm and remember to cast the "Giant Transformation" spell on the griffin and Sora.
Increase your Constitution attribute by two points, doubling your size. Each flight over the raging sea allows you to rescue more victims.
Alan can't fly, so he can't participate in the rescue, but he doesn't want to just stand by and watch.
As the leader of the immigrant flotilla, he has a mission he cannot shirk.
Stop this disaster at its root!
The griffin returns, placing the rescued sailors on deck.
Alan mounts the griffin and, through telepathy, guides it over the sea monster.
Arriving at the designated location, Alan activates "Phantom Step," teleporting directly to the shell.
"Umbardacil!"
Alan chants a spell and slaps the shell, casting a pre-prepared spell on the sea monster.
A second-level spell, "Berserk," is often considered a buff.
The recipient's Constitution is increased by 2 points.
During the Berserk spell, Mental Resistance is also significantly increased.
Alan wasn't stupid or crazy, so why would he bless the sea monster with a buff spell?
Because Berserk has a minor side effect.
A creature in a berserk state is extremely excited and unable to maintain calm and focused spellcasting.
The sea monster was currently casting a powerful spell that could overturn the seas and tidal waves, requiring extreme concentration to precisely control the waves.
Alan cast Berserk, and the sea monster couldn't help but become excited.
Their mental state was violently fluctuating, and their spellcasting concentration was immediately broken.
On the sea, the surging waves gradually calmed.
The whirlpool that had attempted to engulf the sailboat was also losing its momentum.
Alan didn't dare to delay. He pressed his palms against the shell and, with all his might, launched a "Thundering Explosion Wave" right into its face!
Boom!
Thunder roared from the clear sky, shaking the raging sea!
The sonic attack doubled the damage to the brittle shell.
Alan anticipated that this palm strike would, if not instantly kill the sea monster, at least shatter the shell.
However, looking down, he saw two clear palm prints left on the shell's surface.
Radiating cracks, as fine as spider silk, faintly visible around the palm prints were insufficient to inflict significant damage to the shell itself.
Alan was horrified!
He had exerted all his power, yet he could only inflict this much damage to the sea monster's shell...
It only proved that the gap in strength between the two was too great.
At least two levels apart!
This blow failed to seriously injure the sea monster, but it was enough to irritate her.
Two mermaid tentacles uncoiled, curled back, and wrapped around Alan, who was still ensconced in the shell.
The mermaid's body was slick and cold.
Four bare arms gripped Alan's neck, suffocating him.
The two mermaids, their teeth bared, bit him frantically.
Alan's "iron bones" couldn't withstand the mermaids' delicate bites, leaving him bloody in a flash!
Bending back the dizziness and excruciating pain, Alan struggled desperately, finally freeing his left arm.
Swish!
His palm cracked, and an ivory bone whip lashed out.
The soft bone whip hardened at the end, transforming into a hollow bone spur about a foot long.
Alan controlled the whip remotely, snaking it against the shell, finding the spot he had just struck with the "Thunder Explosion Wave." A thin bone spur pierced through the cracks in the shell, burrowing deep into the soft flesh inside.
Injecting poison!
Bloodsucking crazily!
This time, the sea monster was truly in pain!
The mermaid's tentacles twitched.
Pain crossed each of their beautiful faces.
As if frightened, the sea monster abandoned its attack on the fleet and quickly dived.
Swoosh!
Alan withdrew the bone spur and struggled to free himself from the tentacles.
His tall, upright body transformed into a ball of silver mist.
He narrowly escaped before being dragged into the deep sea by the sea monster!
…
A hundred meters above the sea, a ball of silver mist emerged from nowhere and condensed into a human form.
Alan flashed into the air.
A shadow flew overhead.
Alan raised his hand and grasped the eagle's claw.
Under the griffin's escort, they returned safely to the deck.
...
After the storm, over a hundred people perished again.
Fortunately, Alan fought back the sea monster with all his might, saving the remaining ten immigrant ships.
The griffin and Sora busied themselves rescuing the drowning victims.
However, they were ultimately overwhelmed by the effort alone.
The drowning victims, unable to be rescued in time, were swallowed up by the whirlpool.
Alan watched, speechless and dejected.
A system notification slightly eased his heavy mood.
"Consume special ingredient: Fairy Snail Blood!"
"Potential +3!"
"Physique +1!"
"Fairy Snail..." Allen muttered to himself.
The terrifying sea monster actually has a nice name.
...
After a tough battle, Allen returned to his cabin to rest.
Just as he was about to go to bed, he suddenly received a system notification.
"Spend 4 potential points to fuse 'Thunder Blast Wave' and 'Moonlight' to develop a new martial art?"
Alan stared in deep thought.
The battle with the Fairy Snail had left him with a significant psychological impact.
At this stage, the Level 3 'Thunder Blast Wave' was no longer enough to instantly kill a powerful enemy.
It had been downgraded from its original trump card to a conventional weapon.
He just happened to have 4 potential points in reserve.
How about integrating a tier 4 martial art...?
Perhaps it could replace "Thunder Blast Wave" as a new killer move!
Alan made up his mind.
Ding Ding—
"Deduction Complete!"
Tier 4 Unnamed Martial Art: Spend 10 mana points to explode in a 10-meter radius, centered on the player, dealing radiant damage to a group of enemies!
This skill doubles the damage against shapeshifting creatures and has a chance to seal their transformation abilities!
"Please name this light-based martial art."
Alan pondered for a moment and responded to the system: "Moon Shadow Bullet!"
The unnamed new martial art was automatically replaced with "Moon Shadow Bullet."
After some testing, Alan found that "Moon Shadow Bullet" was even more powerful than "Thunder Blast Wave."
Let's use the power of the tier 1 magic "Thunder Wave" as a benchmark.
The power of "Thunder Blast Wave" is equivalent to four times that of "Thunder Wave."
"Moon Shadow Bullet" is equivalent to five times that of "Thunder Wave."
If the opponent is a shapeshifter, such as a Beast Cultist, the power of "Moon Shadow Bullet" is doubled!
Even if the opponent isn't instantly killed, their shapeshifting abilities may be permanently sealed.
The probability of the seal taking effect depends on the mental strength of both parties.
Alan's mental attribute is a whopping 30 points!
Unless the opponent's mental attribute is higher, they are unlikely to escape the fate of being sealed.