The Zodiac Crystals were scattered all over the ocean, but that was not an obstacle, as I already had one of them in my hands.
Therefore, by focusing on similar magic, I almost instantly found more of the same signatures on the ocean.
Within an hour, I discovered seven more crystals, but the eighth was not just lying on the bottom of the ocean…
It was in the city of the Tuatha De Danann race. I even started a livestream to show it from the outside.
Rias Gremory: An underwater city? It looks beautiful, all those lights...
Weiss Schnee: I agree. It looks beautiful, and this home surely also serves as a protective mechanism.
Erina Nakiri: Tony-kun, are there any fish in my world that don't exist?!
Shinoa Hiragi: Everyone has their own interests… but that's actually cute.
Hermione Granger: Don't forget that tomorrow I have the tournament finals, and I will start a broadcast!
Rias Gremory: Will Dumbledore catch that dark lord?
Hermione Granger: That's the plan, yes. And I will be helping him.
Shinoa Hiragi: So much pride in your words… I agree. You've turned from a know-it-all into a beautiful white swan… that the administrator-kun will want to devour.
"Shinoa…"
I rolled my eyes at her words.
"Anyway, I'll go and see what's going on here, and yes, Erina, I'll try to find you some tasty fish. I think there should be plenty here."
Erina Nakiri: Thank you! I'll thank you later! By the way, Ophis sends her regards!
Shinoa Hiragi: Am I the only one who felt a pulsing below my waist, suggesting a sexual undertone to her words?
The city of Thierna Na Oge used to be part of the Atlantis Empire, but now it's a hidden city whose inhabitants have been in isolation for many centuries.
All the inhabitants' skin color has slightly changed to golden-orange and similar shades, and their hair has turned blue-green.
It was here that the Zodiac Crystal was located… and it seemed that I had arrived just in time for some kind of uprising or something.
After teleporting into a big castle that clearly belonged to a city official, I saw guards with magic staffs pushing a girl onto an arena through a window.
"Bres, don't do this!"
She shouted as she fell onto the arena and looked up where a similar-looking girl was watching her with an arrogant gaze.
She reminded me of Talia when she looked at those she considered empty shells.
"Nuada Silverhand, you have been accused of excessive use and desecration of our people's relic.
"Lia Fail. Therefore, you are sentenced… to death."
The speaker smiled.
"Bres! It's all a lie!"
Nuada looked at the people sitting in the stands in despair in the arena.
There were some were silent, but some shouted and awaited the imminent execution of the girl.
"Sreng of the Firbolg, kill her!"
The one shouted who wholeheartedly desired the death of Nuada in the arena.
After these words, the gates of the arena opened, and a green monster emerged, roaring and charging at Nuada.
"I-I won't give up without a fight."
Nuada swallowed hard, turned to face Sreng, and paled, which was noticeable due to her skin tone.
However, she wasn't just the ruler of her people for nothing and knew how to fight with her hands sparkled with magic.
Sreng roared and rushed at her with each step causing vibrations throughout the arena.
And… well, Sreng was unlucky because I landed on it from above, crushing its skull.
"Superhero landing…"
I said it quietly when realizing they wouldn't understand the reference.
Shinoa Hiragi: Hehe, saving damsels in distress again! Oh, I've got some more trouble brewing in Gotham. They just never learn…
"Who are you? Who is he?"
The woman on the throne asked aloud while turning to some old man who clearly had no idea.
"Guards, seize the intruder!"
She shouted.
"Seize me immediately? Well, okay… What's going on here that you've sentenced a lovely girl to death?"
I asked loudly, and my voice echoed throughout the area.
"Bres has seized the throne and become the King."
Nuada said, and she looked at Sreng in amazement and then at me.
"King? But she's a woman."
I pointed out the inconsistency.
"In our people, any ruler is called King, regardless of gender. And… you need to run! She will want your death!"
She exclaimed when she remembered where we were and took my hand as if trying to protect me.
However, the guards were already running towards us, and ten of them had staff glowing with magic.
"Alright then…"
I took off, causing a murmur of amazement among the people, and… spread a fraction of my aura throughout the city.
That power could erase all living beings, but only Bresa was scared and grabbed some kind of seal.
"He is an accomplice of the former traitor king!"
She exclaimed and directed magic from this seal that looked like a royal seal containing the Zodiac Crystal.
A powerful wave of magic was about to burst forth… but it didn't, and the King herself grimaced in pain as her hand holding the seal was severed.
"Aaargh, my hand!"
She screamed with shock written all over her face.
"Ancient artifacts are not toys for children."
I said while standing next to her, and then I took the seal.
Nuada seemed bewildered, so I moved her to my side and asked.
"You were the former ruler, weren't you?"
"Y-yes…"
She saw what I had done to Bres and swallowed hard.
"Then reclaim your throne because your soul is the purer one of the two of you. She… has too much darkness, fears, prejudices, dark ambitions, and desires for revenge. Yes, I know the queens of Atlantis and Xebel, and I can arrange a meeting for your people.
"I… sorry, but are you… a god?"
She asked while looking at me with a characteristic gaze.
"Yes."
I didn't lie.
"But not of the Greek Pantheon, and there's no need to pray to me. Anyway, take control of the situation… I have a few questions for you."
The questions were about this royal seal.
It turned out that it was created many years ago when the Tuatha De Danann people needed a symbol of their power after the sinking of Atlantis.
Lia Fail is the Zodiac Crystal wrapped in this seal, and Nuada wisely did not oppose my request to take it.
Of course, I explained to her that I would take the Zodiac Crystal, but I could make the seal even better.
I bonded Lia Fail to the King by giving her the Eight Metals and a few enchantments.
She could now create quite a significant tsunami with her own magic, which became stronger and more destructive.
I now have nine crystals in my possession, and I'm not going to stop.
I quickly located and combined the remaining ones to form a single Zodiac Crystal.
The Zodiac Crystals weren't particularly large but formed a small rhombic crystal that emitted significant power when gathered.
I sealed this Zodiac Crystal in a sphere of Ninth Metal to ensure that the energy would be easier to direct and safely contained inside.
The next day, I visited Nuada again. She had reclaimed her position as King and took control while executing the traitors who supported her sister's quest for power.
She had to execute Bres as well as she kept shouting that Nuada was unworthy of power and that she would eventually kill her… she shouted too much and lost her head.
It was a difficult decision for Nuada, but she managed, and then I came to offer her an alliance with Atlantis and Xebel.
She didn't take long to agree... she's not foolish, and given my power, she decided not to refuse me.
It's not that I forced her. I just explained all the benefits of such a decision.
After that, I decided to visit Atlantis and The Queen, Atlanna.
It had been about a month since my last visit, and when I arrived in the city, I found that something was being celebrated.
There were many common citizens having fun in the city streets, and… there were both Atlanteans and Xebellians.
I found the Queen in the palace and teleported there immediately, causing a bit of a commotion since some "serious men" promptly grabbed their weapons.
"Stand down… this is our benefactor."
Atlanna said authoritatively while stopping the others from doing anything rash.
They were sitting at a large table, apparently negotiating.
"Anthony Luthor, you finally came to visit us."
Mera addressed me with unclear emotions as she stood up from her seat.
"Who is he?"
A burly crab-like man asked.
"The one who punished those responsible for the coup and who could stop an army single-handedly."
Atlanna said, and everyone sitting at the table quickly turned pale.
There was also a fish-like person here…
"Am I interrupting?"
I asked anyway.
"No, you aren't interrupting."
Mera swam up to me, and for some reason, her heart started to beat faster.
"Have you come to check on us, as you promised?"
"You could say that."
I looked into her eyes...
"I recently returned from a, let's say, journey and decided to gather all the Zodiac Crystals. I'm referring to the one Orm used."
I looked at Queen Atlanna.
"And one of the Zodiac Crystals was with the Tuatha De Danann people, who are an isolated society and were once part of Atlantis before the catastrophe."
"We have heard of them… but thought they had long been forgotten in the depths of history."
Atlanna remarked.
"It turned out that they were very much alive. When I arrived there, a coup was taking place… whenever I visit a city of former Atlanteans, I always encounter some unfortunate."
I said.
"In short, the current ruler agreed to an alliance with Atlantis and Xebel."
"… even after refusing to become king, you continue to help us."
Mera said, biting her lip.
"Thanks to you, there is now a very strong alliance between Atlantis and Xebel, and negotiations are already happening with other people for similar agreements."
She glanced at those seated at the table, who were trying not to even breathe.
"I don't know how to thank you…"
"Don't think too much about it, it's no trouble for me, and it ensures no one causes problems underwater."
I shrugged, and hopefully, I didn't jinx it just now.
"No! Our people must know our benefactor by face and not fear what you did before. We've already built a statue of you…"
She said it passionately, approaching me.
"And now the golden age is coming! And it's all thanks to you; this is not just assistance but literally the salvation of all of us."
"I… Mera, with my power, all of this wasn't difficult. There's no need to go too far…"
I tried to hint that everything was fine, but…
"I also must agree with the Sovereign of Xebel… we are all indebted to you, Anthony. So please, be a guest at the celebration… They are celebrating the strong alliance between the two kingdoms right now."
She explained what they were celebrating.
"If the Queen… say so?"
I raised an eyebrow in question.
After all, Mera was supposed to become the queen of Xebel.
"Then sit next to me!"
Mera volunteered, indicating the seat next to her.
"And yes, I took the throne of Xebel; it's my duty."
Mera stated.
After I sat down, Atlanna tried to continue the conversation about a full union of all the Atlanteans and possibly a single state as it was before with a unified Atlantis.
Atlanna clearly used my presence as the ruler of the other people who didn't even dare to look in my direction and almost agreed to everything.
My "deeds" were quite well-known and had spread to all the underwater kingdoms.
There were recordings of me easily tearing the ship of Xebel in half.
Afterward, the three of us talked separately.
I explained more about the Tuatha De Danann and made a magical projection of their city and inhabitants for a clearer picture.
Then, the three of us took a walk around the city.
A few moments later, it was just Mera and me because she didn't mind talking longer and explaining what had happened during my absence.
It wasn't very important, but she became queen of Xebel and started receiving marriage proposals because her husband would automatically become the King of Xebel.
However, she refused all of this and wanted to unite Atlantis alongside Atlanna as it was before.
I didn't object to helping, like raising islands or changing the area to do easy work without any politics involved.
Moreover, the Queens also hinted at stepping into the "world," meaning establishing trade relations with the surface dwellers.
...
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