The Ocean's Beauty

Morning.

Salt was in the air as waves crashed.

"Ahh!"

"Hmm?" Levi opened his eyes.

"Water splashed on me!" Adam pinched his robes.

"Then move away from there." He got back to cultivation.

Creak!

"Huh?"

"..." The Qi vortex swirled.

" Ahhh!!"

"What now!?" Levi recalled his Qi.

"This stained my robes…" Adam looked up.

"This ship is old. Stop screwing around if you don't want to drown." Levi said, grabbing his collar. He pulled him up.

"Thanks. I hope they don't get too mad about this hole..." Adam scratched his head.

"How did you manage this? I'm heavier than you. You don't see me punching holes." Levi looked down through the shoe-sized hole.

"How should I know? Ah, my leg is sore."

"That's dried moss on your robe, it shouldn't stain. Stop moving about so much." Eyes closed, Levi crossed his legs.

"Haaah. You need to do something other than cultivate. It's already been a day since we left port!"

"..."

"Where is this ship going, anyway?" Adam squatted.

"... Divine Dragon Continent." Qi burst from Levi's body.

"Divine dragon continent? Oh..." Stroking his chin, he nodded.

"Divine dragon continent... Ah, haha. Can't be. Right?" He flicked a bead of sweat.

"It can't be the home of the prince who's arm you exploded, right?!"

"Are you going to keep talking?"

"He swore to kill you! Why are you sticking out your neck?" A hand gripped Levi's shoulder.

"With a crippled arm and little strength to speak of, do you think he's capable? Stop overreacting. It's not like I told you to come along, anyway." Levi removed the arm as he stood.

"Then what about his family? Isn't he royalty? Even if he didn't beg for them to beat you up, with him missing an arm, he won't even need to ask!" Adam ruffled his hair.

"It doesn't matter." Levi watched the crashing waves.

"You're not listening... Don't tell me you're going there just to-"

"I have reasons for going there. Regardless of what happened a few days ago. Worst case, I'll kill everyone there."

"... Fine, fine! But don't come crying to me when people come out for blood! I can barely take care of myself as it is." Adam scratched his dry head.

"Can you even do that much?"

"Another thing. I've been wanting to ask for a while now, but I didn't want to annoy you..." Adam looked up.

"When have you ever not annoyed me?"

"Why... Is that ship so far? Isn't that lady on it? Why didn't we ride on that one instead?!" He pointed.

A red and gold treasure ship sat a distance away. Both sailed in the same direction and even at the same speed.

Levi's gaze shifted.

"Uhhhh!" Someone burst out from the ocean, gasping.

Minutes later.

"Huff! Huff!" He hit the ground with a splat, as the knotted rope knocked on the ship's side.

"Did something happen?"

"Th-Huff-There's a Thunder shark down there! I got in the way, so..."

"You're new?"

"You can tell? Oh. It's obvious, huh? My skin is still light, after all." Water dripped his eyes.

"This isn't the first time I had to surface first either. Sometimes the cold-"

"Uhhh!!"

"Climb! Hurry!"

"Don't rush me! Stop pushing!"

"Hey! Grab the knots, otherwise-"

Splash!

...

"Huff! Huff! Don't you know how to climb a rope!"

"Isn't it because you guys kept pushing?!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry! There was a giant fish with razor teeth right behind us. But I'm sorry for pushing! Next time, I'll make sure to form an orderly line behind you, ok? Won't happen again!!"

"Do that! Staying calm in certain instances might save your dog life!"

"What?!"

"Can you all shut up?! I can't warm up with all of your noise!"

Silence filled the air.

"Did you find anything?"

The man looked up.

'... It's this boy that woman talked about, right?'

'He's that brat who said something about working for him that time a couple years ago. If I knew he was so well connected... Humph. I have to remember that these privileged people aren't trustworthy.'

"No. It's just a stretch of coral reef." He shook his head.

"Oh." Levi's eyes narrowed.

"Yea-"

"What's that?"

"..." The man almost broke his elbows.

"A reef... of corral?" His brow rose.

"..."

"I want to see what it looks like." Levi's foot landed on the side of the ship.

"Wait! There's a huge thunder shark-"

Boom!

The ship creaked, rocking.

"Is it the shark? That dammed persistent...!"

"Do you think it will hold this time? What do you want to bet?"

"... Is this really the time?"

"Don't be a wet rag!"

"I bet my dinner. It's going to hold!"

"I hope you all understand that if it doesn't hold, all of us will become the 'dinner'."

"Mister Zale?"

"I thought you cut out that gambling? Do all of you want the only thing keeping this ship together by a hair's breadth to fail us right now?" Zale asked.

They kept silent.

"What's a Thunder shark?" Levi retracted his leg.

"It'll paralyze you with electricity before chomping down. That it is both strong and fast doesn't help either. And this one seems experienced. Who know's how long that thing has been living down there for? One shock from him and you'll be ready to eat." Zale shook his head.

"You shouldn't go into the water right now. If we leave it alone, it should leave on its own."

"..."

"Another thing. If you jump into the water like that, you'll drown. And if you don't, you'll freeze to death. Unless something eats you first." He said.

"Is that so? How do all of you manage to survive then?" Levi sat with a sigh.

"... We use a certain method. Though it does nothing about the external danger."

Levi's diligence prompted him to continue.

"By substituting air with Qi, you can stay submerged, while also protecting your most vital organs from the cold."

"Is that all?" Levi crossed his arms.

"Don't underestimate the ocean, boy. Any excess Qi can be used to cloak the rest of your body, but don't believe you will have any to spare. It's only when you feel the chill biting at your bones that you grasp the seriousness of protecting only the most vital of organs." Zale's brows crumpled.

"..."

"Not to mention the number of monsters hiding down there, those with subpar Qi can lose fingers or limbs, or even die. So if you aren't taking things seriously, stay on deck until we get to your destination. It's my responsibility to ensure the survival of my people. I don't have time to protect either of you."

"I understand."

"... You channel Qi through your veins. This allows you to go without breathing for as long as you have Qi to channel. Control is important, otherwise, you could injure yourself. Knowing your limits is important if you want to survive."

Levi nodded.

"At the same time, you have to circulate Qi through your body, surrounding your heart and lungs among other things. Oh, and your crotch. Unless you don't want that thing anymore. In which case, be my guest." Zale's gaze lowered.

"Thanks for your concern. I'll be keeping it."

"We'll see. Have you ever experienced frostbite? When things want to fall off, what can you do about it? Vanny, show him your hand!" He turned, shouting.

"Hmm." Washed-out hair fell over a man's shoulder as he leaned forward.

Missing from his left hand was half of his ring finger and the tip of his index. Gone from his right hand was his thumb.

"This is what can happen when you're lucky. Still willing to go?" Zale waved.

"Yes."

"Don't blame me if you lose a finger or die then. I swear I will never understand you people..." Zale brushed pass the rotting curtain into the cabin.

The other men went about their own business, leaving only two sitting.

"That went from losing fingers to losing your life. Are you sure you want to do this?" Adam sighed.

"Do you believe I will lose my limbs?" Levi tilted his head.

"... Forget I said anything. Nice weather we're having, huh?" A bright blue came into view as Adam fell back.

Minutes later.

"We're going back down now. Are you coming?" Vanny stopped.

"Yes." Levi got up.

"Stay close to us. If you stray, don't expect anyone to save you." Vale hit the water with a splash.

"Yahoo!"

"Humph."

One after the other, the men jumped, dove or fell into the water.

"You're coming too?" Levi looked to the side.

"I won't have anything to do up here if you all leave."

Adam got swallowed by the ocean.

Levi shook his head as he jumped.

...

As his vision adjusted, Levi beheld quite a sight.

The glistening beams of light anointed him.

Air bubbles escaped from his open mouth.

"!!" Adam tapped him, pointing to his forehead.

Levi's mental energy flame bloomed.

'Get down here or go back up to the ship!' Zale's voice sounded.

'We're sorry!' Adam pulled Levi.

'... Can you even swim?' Levi observed.

'Can you?' Adam asked.

'No. But I don't need to.' They both descended.

'... Don't get separated. Earlier was a thunder shark. Who knows if some ancient monster will show up next.' Zale waved.

Levi nodded.

As they descended further, it became darker and colder.

...

'... Do you want to go back up?' Zale looked back.

'No. I'm not cold.' Levi shook his head.

'I can see that, but he's turning blue.'

'Huh? What are you doing...' Levi rolled his eyes as he reached out.

'... Siii! Ahhhh! Warm! So warm!'

'Why did you even come? Do you want me to send you back?'

'No! I would rather die from freezing than boredom.' Adam's brows furrowed.

'Ok then.'

'Ah! Q-Q-Qi p-p-please! I-I-I'm going to die!'

'I thought that wasn't a problem?' Levi tilted his head.

'F-Figure of speech! Just a figure of speech!!'

'Hmm.'

'Ahhhhh... '

'You wanted to see a coral reef, right? Watch.' Zale stopped beside Levi.

The men formed a wide circle. Their mental energy rippled out, rebounding as they clashed. The repelled waves shot downward, widening as they gradually dissipated.

As the waves became stronger, the color brightened. Light radiated, making visible what lay on the ocean floor.

Levi inaudibly worded something as bubbles rose.

Corals of varying sizes and colors stretched across the uneven ocean floor, almost like a paved road.

His gaze shifted.

Sliding through the water smoothly was a school of long, silver fish.

'Ugh.' Levi's face darkened.

Ambling down the coral road were spider-like, shelled creatures.

'Huh? What's this squishy thing?'

'Let that go!' Zale whipped his head.

'Uhh-'

'That thing will sting you to death!'

'What! Why didn't you just say so!'

Adam tossed the soft creature as it floated out slowly.

'I told you not to do anything on your own! Do you want to die?!'

'How was I supposed to know that something like that was so dangerous!?

'That's why you shouldn't touch anything!'

'...'

'Boss!'

'Huh? Did you find anything?'

'No! It's just natural rock under this coral.'

'Oh, then let's move to another spot.'

'Boss, I think we should surface for a bit. The cold is invading our bodies faster. Has to be because we didn't rest long-'

'Ahhh! That thing is back!'

'What? Calm down and speak!' Zale grabbed the man.

A muffled crackling boomed as a prickly sensation passed through the water.

'The shark!!'

'Get back to the surface!!'

They franticly swam upward.

A giant body glided through the darkness calmly. With a swish of its tail, the monster shot through the water.

'Ahhhhh!'

'Shut up and swim!'

'Ah... ' A current dragged someone away as a large silhouette dwarfed him.

'You?!' Levi stopped.

'Damn it! Forget about him and go!!' Zale roared.

'Sorry!' Adam clasped his hands.

'Shit! I won't make it! If I attack... Screw it!' A wave of mental energy rippled through the water.

'Come to me! I've got something for you to eat!' Zale roared.

Uwe!

A large tunnel opened beside Adam. Rows of jagged teeth lined the shark's jaw. Equally spaced ridges sat on the roof of its mouth.

'I told you to come here!!!' Bubbles escaped from Zale's mouth. Pale white Qi gathered around his fists as a cloud of blood expanded before his face.

'Tsk!' Levi reached out as he dragged his hand through the water.

'Woah!' Adam slid through the water as a force pulled him.

Zale heaved while clutching his mouth.

Levi's gaze shifted.

'If you could control water, you should have done it from the beginning! I thought that thing would suck up my little life!' Adam grappled his clothes.

'Hold on to him, I'm sending both of you to the surface.' A limp Zale got pushed into Adam's hands.

'Ok! Let's go?-'

'You're not coming?!' They rose speedily.

'No.'

A shadow flitted through the darkness.

'I want to see if this is a worthwhile bloodline to take.'