CHAPTER 511: UNDERWATER BREATHING POTION [IV]

The stream is clearly not too deep, but the water around the area where the domain of the Harvest Goddess was located is where they are going to test it. Elaina has been peering there for a long time and seeing how deep it was compared to the rest of the stream, there is bound to be something there for them to see. They just didn’t know it.

To ensure that the Harvest Goddess will not be angry for doing so, she made sure to ask for permission to dive into that place as a way to also test the effectiveness of the potion and see if it works.

"Just that? Go ahead. Might as well check there and see for yourself. It’s been ages since I have checked that place. Might as well bring your harpoon gun just in case."

With the permission from the nonchalant Harvest Goddess, Elaina prepared to dive underwater with the potion and the weapon she uses to catch fish underwater.

"Sie, before you dive, we should take precaution," Julia said with a rope on her hands.

"What is the rope for?" Elaina frowned.

"Considering that communications while you are underwater is not viable, we will use this rope as a way to communicate and to also use as an emergency lifeline for you. We can easily pull you out of the water just in case you needed help. Just tug on the rope and we can pull you up easy."

Elaina glance at the rope and at the potion at hand. Indeed, Julia has a point. If the potion fails while she was underwater, there is a chance that she will choke on water before she can hold her breath and resurface. A rope to tug and use as lifeline for is a good way to keep one self alive.

"Good idea. Let’s have that rope tied up."

The rope is long so even if she descends deep into the area, the rope will be able to keep up. Not only that but it is also pretty sturdy, making this support her weight in case they needed to pull her up of the water. It won’t easily snap and even if some fishes decided to nibble on it, it will take some time and effort before it can be fully cut off.

With the rope tied on Elaina’s waist, Elaina held the harpoon gun on her hand while the bottle of Underwater Breathing Potion is on her other hand. It was supposed to be twelve hours worth of time before the effects of the potion disappears which means she has plenty of time to dive underwater if the potion indeed works as intended.

Popping the cap of the potion, Elaina emptied the bottle of potion. She was prepared for the potion to taste bad considering majority of the potion ingredient they used are bitter or sour and they didn’t add any additive or sugar just to avoid messing up the potion itself, the potion could have been bad in taste.

But surprisingly, the potion tasted great. It was like some lemonade juice added with some honey, making the sourness compliment with the sweet taste. After drinking the whole thing, Elaina then descend slowly to the water and diving without holding her breath.

However, despite her initial preparation, the moment her head sinks to the water, she couldn’t help but hold her breath in the process. But realizing how pointless it would be, she stops holding her breath and the moment she did, she realized that she can indeed breathe underwater without the need of external tools to breathe.

"Ah...abababa..." Elaina tested her mouth by speaking while she is underwater and it seems to be working well. Water does not enter her mouth even when speaking and she didn’t feel like drowning at all. It was like she was just in the surface like usual, just the difference that she can move freely around without the need of walking.

Ensuring the rope still holds true, Elaina slowly descends to the stream’s depths. It was a little deep and dark but she can see just fine underneath the water.

There are fishes swimming around the place and although she is tempted to shoot the fishes, she is not going to do that as she wanted to test the potion and how long the duration will be. Instead of focusing her attention to the fish, her attention shifts to the surrounding areas of the tight hole. It wad like a little cave, just underwater and not ideal for cave exploration.

She tried to check the place and see for herself how deep the place is. At first, the place seems to be just normal and there’s nothing interesting to see. However, as she continue to descend deeper, bigger fishes appear on the area and she can tell that they are living there.

"Wow, these fishes are big! Almost as big as the regular big fishes found on the sea! How come I didn’t get to catch any of these fishes back when I was fishing here?!"

Despite complaining, Elaina didn’t use the Harpoon gun to shoot at the fishes and just continued exploring.

At first, Elaina thought the underwater area would remain to be showing no end in sight. However, it didn’t take her too long to find out that there is indeed an end to the depths. With her continued descent, she soon arrived at the "floor" of the stream. There are plenty of seaweeds, algae and marine animals scuttering about there. Howeverx there is one thing that Elaina was surprised to see. Not too far from her is a rounded object protruding out of the shrubbery seaweeds present.

"A rock?" Elaina frowned as she approaches the supposedly rock.

But upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a different thing. It wasn’t a rock nor it was a boulder. It was a living thing. More specifically speaking, an egg. Huge egg.

Elaina circles around the egg and observed it. She wasn’t sure how there was an egg sitting there. But that egg was bit. Much bigger than Elaina’s head. It is perfectly blending with the seaweeds, making the huge egg looked like a big rock. Only if one decided to check carefully would they quickly see it wasn’t a mere rock.

And considering it wasn’t the same form of egg as the usual eggs fishes lay, the mother of the egg is not a fish.

"Considering that there is a huge egg here means there is a big mother lurking deep as well."

Elaina started searching the surroundings to ensure that she would not end up as fish meal in the process.

The problem is that the area is spotlessly clean for any evidence of other big creatures living there. Not only that but the egg seems to have been growing some algae on its shells, showing that whoever is the mother of the egg, has not decided to claim the egg anymore and leave it there.

At first, Elaina is a bit hesitant to even hold the egg and take it from its position. But there is something deep in her mind that wanted to pick the egg out of that place and bring it back to the surface. Of course, another part of her mind is also hesitating and stopping herself for doing so as it may kill the cresture inside the egg.

But despite the hesitation, Elaina ultimately decided that there is no need for her to doubt and think twice about it.

Swimming near the egg, she grabs the egg from where it was left behind and took it out of the bushery seaweeds.

"Whatever this creature inside, if it is still alive and is ready to hatch, its better know where it will hatch and where it will be located by the time it starts to show signs of life. Leaving it underwater and risking it on waking up some monster in the process that we didn’t know was already feeding underwater and growing bigger by the day."

She justifies her action with those words and slowly ascend once more to the water. She made sure to remain in the water for quite some time to see whether the "mother" of the egg would appear and attack her in the process. However, it seems that the "mother" no longer swims the waters of the place.

Without waiting anymore, she ascended and resurfaced the water.

"Sis! Did the duration of the potion only lasted that long? Julia asks the moment that Elaina pops out of the water.

"No, but more importantly, I got something down there. Take it from my hand and put it somewhere safe."

Elaina then slowly raise her arms out of the water, holding the huge egg in her arms.

"What the...?!" everyone was shocked to see the huge egg in her hands.

"Where did you pick this up, Elaina?" The Harvest Goddess asked.

"Underwater. It wad sitting with the seaweeds for quite some time and I decided to pick it up."

"Good work, Elaina. This egg is an egg of a water dragon. And it seems that it is already on its final stages before it will be hatched."