57: The fight for top spot in Elysian Sovereignty!

Void falls into the water and crashes into the Cruise of Aqua Kingdom, the largest kingdom controlling the sea and maintaining peace in the world. Moreover, it is the only kingdom far more advanced than Allainette, but that's not the point here.

As Void breaks into their cruise, shattering a window, everyone on board is startled. It seemed like Void was going to get injured again, but luckily, a warm, heavenly cushion saved him—a cushion belonging to a female Kraken1.

"A human… male!!" everyone yells. "Look, he's resting on Madame Celine! She doesn't even let the odor of men reach her, and this one is in her embrace!" the crowd murmurs in disbelief.

"Mhm...nu...gu...ples...!" Void muffles, trying to get out. Meanwhile, the Kraken, named Celine, is lost in her thoughts. "He... is... really hot!"

Before the readers get confused, let's go back in time a little to learn more about Celine and why she used the word "hot."

Ten minutes before Void crashes into the Aqua Kingdom's cruise, Celine was having a serious chat with her friends. The situation was tense as they were preparing for an intense fight with all the top students from various countries and kingdoms.

"They've already started... like some stone-headed beasts," Merry, a merrow2, says to a nearby mermaid3. "It's good. At least some weeds will be removed, and only the important ones will be left!"

"Don't say that, Merry. We must never look down on land dwellers; we never know when a crazy one will come…" Lora, a mermaid, says, but she gets interrupted as she suddenly sees someone falling into the sea, about to crash into them.

"Come..." Lora finishes her words, looking up at the falling figure.

"He's a guy... how violent of someone to throw a man!" Ivy, a Sea Slime, says, her tone concerned. Hearing that, Celine starts walking in.

"Wait... a guy? Don't tell me he's a human," Celine asks. As she looks up, Void breaks through the bubble, and as he's about to crash into Celine, she thinks to herself:

"Ice crystal eyes, body of a skinny yet masculine guy, snow-white hair... Void Middletown, the Paragon of the west region of Allainette... He's the man of fantasies!"

And after that, Void crashes, landing on her cushion. Now, I guess we can return to the present.

"Hey, perverted human, do you have no shame landing and resting on a woman's arm like that?!" Merry yells, enraged not because he was being a pervert, but because... "Ahh! I should've stayed there instead of Miss Celine. This one has gone for the worst; Miss Celine won't spare him... fufu...!"

"That's right! Who are you, land dweller? Show your identity!" Celine says, trying to regain her composure while checking if he is really Void or someone just trying to imitate him.

At her question, Void doesn't say a word. He just raises a finger and points to Celine's tentacles, which were binding him. Celine had unknowingly wrapped them around him, making it impossible for Void to even lift his head.

"Oh... my apologies. Now tell me, who are you?" Celine asks again. After being released from her tentacles, Void steps back and says, "Chillerz!"

At Void's chant, the ship's speed doubles, and they start moving even faster.

"I'm..." Void pauses, thoughts racing through his mind. "If I tell them I'm Void, they might attack, and I don't specialize in water... It's not like I'll lose; I just don't want to push myself to the edge." Coming out of his thoughts, Void says, "I... I'm a man!"

Saying that, Void removes his suit, slinging it over his shoulder as he starts walking towards the exit, aware that Amanda is approaching as well. He unbuttons his shirt and rolls up his sleeves.

"Void...? This is something only Void does!" Celine says. As she finishes, everyone is stunned—Merry, Lora, and Ivy all start sweating.

"The first human male to reach A-rank and become a Grandmaster Magic Swordsman!" Lora says, horror spreading in her eyes.

"Ohh... I guess it's time for me to leave," Void says as the cruise surfaces. Amanda jumps in, but due to her aquaphobia, she falls into the water instead of landing on the cruise. Void raises an eyebrow in disappointment.

As Void tries to jump, he gets pulled back, falling once again into Celine's embrace.

"Mr. Void Middletown! I want to fight you. If I win, I'll be taking you as my husband, and you'll have to leave all your women. Is it okay? And if you win, I... I'll join you! I mean, your harem!!!" Celine says, her tentacles running over his body.

"I've no interest in fig..." Void struggles to get out, but everything goes black. Only Celine's refined curves—a treat presented solely for him—are visible to Void, making him take note of every detail. But before he could lose control and fall into the abyss of unending pleasure, he hears voices.

Voices of those who left their pride as women in this world and decided to live life with him—all his fiancées.

"Void, what are you thinking about...? Come, we are waiting! Don't lose your mind during our special time!" they say.

Void wakes up, the world brightening again. As soon as he does, he freezes the entire cruise, initiating the fight. He starts walking and reaches Amanda, who was frozen because she was wet from the water. However, upon seeing Void walking freely, she breaks free from the ice.

"Void! I... won't forgive you!" Amanda growls and charges towards him. Seeing her, Void charges as well, saying, "My hands are healed already, and I've learned some new moves. I've strengthened myself to fight without even using my magic!" With a smile, he clenches his fist.

"Show me, kitty, that you don't just meow!" Void punches Amanda, their fists clashing and creating a huge impact that shakes the cruise and shatters the frozen sea monsters. But the icy ground, slippery as it was, causes Amanda to fly backward from the impact, while Void, specializing in ice, remains standing tall. After throwing her away, Void breaks off an ice shard, molds it into a surfboard, and slides down the ship, returning to The Elysian Majesty from Allainette.

As Void arrives back on his ship, he stops where Eliza is standing. She had taken down three of her potential competitors and ranked 66th in the battle.

"Sir Middletown! Are you here to raise morale?" Eliza asks, full of enthusiasm.

"Morale...?" Void glances at the back, where many were wearing ice crystal badges. "Oh, yeah... listen, don't think about it. Just go all in. Think like you've got to take a seat in the top 25!" Void says. His suit, slung over his shoulder, billows in the wind, making him look like a leader among the scholars of Allainette.

"I forgot that I've fans... and they've decided to make me part of Elysian Sovereignty! I've no interest in becoming part of that, honestly, as it will involve me in an extra mess that I don't want. I'm already at my limit!"

"Are you sure darling will become part of Elysian Sovereignty?" Anette asks as they sit in their private room, having tea while observing everything on the M.V4.

"Of course, he will, even if he doesn't want to. I've a feeling that he will not only become part of Elysian Sovereignty, but he will stay on top!" Meisheng says, taking a bite of a choco muffin that Void had kept hidden from her. Unfortunately, this wolf found it.

"Once he snaps out of the thoughts of Vivienne's betrayal, he'll show them who he really is..." Astrid says, taking one of the muffins, equally sharing in the crime. Seeing her, Cicely also takes a muffin.

"Is that... Samuel?" Vanessa suddenly says, noticing a man approaching Void. Everyone turns to look at the M.V.