"I am not your enemy...!"
Seeing the magic Roy unleashed, the beautiful Mermaid monster was terrified to the point of tears. Hearing her stuttering voice, Roy paused in surprise before quickly piecing it together.
The golden lightning in his palm dissipated as he stepped toward the shore. "You're a Xenos, aren't you?"
"I am Marie, la-la-la-la~" Marie's eyes lit up as she poked her head out of the water. Her upper body was human, her lower half a fish tail, and her long, pale-green hair was adorned with an exquisite seashell that she used to cover her chest.
She hummed a melodic tune. Unlike the Enhanced Species' seductive and magical song, Marie's voice was clear and pure, as if it could cleanse a soul. Singing with a dazed, innocent expression, she looked incredibly gullible.
Roy offered a kind smile. These intelligent monsters born in the Dungeon—rejected by their kin and hunted by humans—were outcasts of two worlds. Roy actually had a soft spot for these "Xenos." Compared to cunning adventurers or gods who lived only for entertainment, the Xenos were simple: they repaid hatred with hatred and kindness with kindness.
Unlike other Xenos, Marie was a Mermaid and was confined to the "Water Capital."
"Marie," Roy said, "I need to kill that other monster. Can you help me find her?"
Marie's singing stopped abruptly, her face pale with fear. "Don't go. That kin is terrifying."
Roy frowned. "Do you know how she became an Enhanced Species?"
Marie bit her lip. "A long, long time ago, a group of humans took her away. When she came back, she was scary. She started killing other monsters and eating their magic stones to get stronger..."
She gestured wildly, trying her best to describe the adventurers. Her clumsiness was almost cute. Listening to her, Roy understood what had happened. That crazy Goddess again.
The Freya Familia must have captured this Mermaid and brought her to the surface, where Freya used her Charm to force the monster to devour magic stones and artificially become an "Enhanced Species."
"Trust me. I will defeat her," Roy said, placing a hand on Marie's head.
Marie's cheeks flushed. This was the first time she had touched a human. Roy's confidence and strength made her heart flutter; even the vicious "kin" had fled in terror from him. "Mhm!" she nodded vigorously.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Starting with an Elf (260 Chapters, Ongoing)
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Roy touched his space ring and pulled out a pale-blue cloth, which he tied around his waist. This was Undine Cloth, infused with the mana of water spirits to resist fire and allow for faster swimming. Roy dove into the water and followed her.
Despite Marie being only Level 2, her swimming speed surpassed Roy's even with his specialized gear. Following her lead, they navigated the river for nearly ten minutes before entering a massive cavern, most of which was filled by a lake.
The injured Enhanced Mermaid was there, hunting monsters and eating their stones to heal and grow stronger.
Zap!
Lightning condensed into a spear in Roy's hand. He hurled it with a thunderous crack. The Enhanced Mermaid barely dodged the bolt, her eyes wide with lingering fear from Roy's previous magic.
"Took me a while to find you," Roy said, the golden lightning in his palm crackling violently.
The monster snarled, her teeth grinding together. She let out a magical hum. While a normal Mermaid's voice only attracts victims, this Enhanced one could control others through sound. Blue Kans, Large Mouths, and Black Water Serpents surged from all directions. It was a Monster Party, but one under her direct control. Over two hundred monsters surrounded Roy, their eyes glowing with hunger.
"Roy..." Marie trembled behind him.
"It's fine," Roy said, patting her shoulder. If he were still Level 2, this would be a death sentence. But now he was Level 3—a Second-Class Adventurer. To clear this horde, he needed a wide-area attack.
Luminous Wind required a chant, and with his mediocre "Concurrent Chanting" skills, he'd be torn to shreds before finishing the incantation. He only had one choice left.
Roy reached into his ring and pulled out an unremarkable-looking sword. It was three feet long and four inches wide, looking so plain and rusted that anyone would mistake it for scrap metal. But at Level 3, Roy could finally activate this legendary weapon. As he gripped the hilt, he felt a soul-deep connection. The blade vibrated with a crisp, humming sound.
The "rust" vanished as the blade erupted in blinding light, revealing mysterious spirit incantations etched across the steel. The edge was so sharp it was painful to look at.
The Enhanced Mermaid let out a piercing shriek. At her signal, the two hundred monsters charged, the ground shaking beneath their feet.
"Incinerate!"
Roy activated the Holy Sword's special effect. In an instant, the air warped. Mana from a kilometer around surged toward the blade like invisible threads. The light on the sword grew blinding.
BOOM!
The sword felt heavy in his hand. Roy swung it toward the monster army. A torrent of flames erupted from the blade, sweeping across the cavern like a tidal wave. Anything the fire touched turned to ash instantly. The two hundred monsters were erased, their magic stones vaporized by the sheer heat.