CHAPTER 529: 478. THORNY CROWN SEA SERPENT

As dusk approached, the two of them had already walked hand in hand around the island. Even Kaka was tasked with protecting Olivia, and Aiven searched the calm underwater areas surrounding the island.

Unfortunately, they found nothing.

However, during this time, Aiven’s powerful body had fully healed the fractures in his arms, and the tourmaline ring he always wore ensured he could maintain peak status without food for a long time.

But that ring had already been moved from his index finger to his middle finger by the girl’s own hands.

Of course, though he could go without food for a long time, Olivia, on a different Extraordinary Path, could not.

Crackle...

In a sheltered spot by the sea, Olivia gathered dry branches to ignite a campfire, roasting the seven or eight fish Aiven had casually caught during his exploration. For the young but adventure-experienced Olivia, this kind of thing was merely a basic skill.

The flames licked the surface of the slightly toasted fish, releasing oils with a crackling sound as an enticing aroma spread.

Unable to retrieve intricately crafted seasonings from the "Magic Pocket," they only added vanilla gathered from the island and salt extracted from seawater by Aiven, but the freshness of the ingredients themselves made for a delectable meal.

"It smells so good!"

The deserted island beneath their feet was devoid of birds and beasts, save for a few flying insects.

Yet, the marine food sources in this area were relatively abundant, with the constantly churning currents stirring up nutrients from the sea floor, forming a fertile ecosystem, where at least various fish species thrived.

Based on this ecosystem, there could be enough resources to sustain a giant Sea Demon.

Nonetheless.

Although Olivia’s craftsmanship was her own, and the scent was alluring, the girl swallowed but didn’t know where to start with the oddly-shaped fish caught by Aiven.

"Here, Hesi, try this. The flesh of the spotted tail flatfish is tender with few bones, though its camouflage is so good that I might not have caught them underwater without my keen vision."

Aiven proactively handed her a flat-bodied fish about the length of an arm.

The spotted tail flatfish was actually a type of flounder. In this era, people from the Old Continent favored common fish like cod and knew little about oddly-shaped fish species, rarely bringing them to the table except for sailors.

It was also Olivia’s first time eating it.

"Hmm, ugly as it is, it tastes good. Aiven, you should eat too!"

Meanwhile, Kaka, which had returned to its real size in the form of a sub-dragon, didn’t have the same luck, only eating raw fish it hunted itself, but it didn’t mind due to its different taste buds.

The two feasted heartily while analyzing the current situation one sentence at a time, without concern for noble dining etiquette of silence.

"Aiven, you don’t need to be too anxious.

The ’Storm Horn’ and ’Red Maple,’ having escaped Griffith’s sight, will take at least six days to return to the Benin Gulf.

As long as we can escape during this time, whether using the ’Thunderbird’s’ speed or ’Shadow Jump,’ we can catch up with them instantly."

Olivia’s elegant yet swift movements had already consumed half of the delectable spotted tail flatfish in just a couple of sentences.

"I understand. Since my body has fully recovered, let’s explore the island’s interior tomorrow. Although the terrain is relatively complex, with my speed, it shouldn’t take more than two days."

After advancing to Tier 3, Aiven’s appetite was not as exaggerated as before, primarily because he enjoyed eating with Olivia.

"By the way, Aiven, do you think these ’Forbidden Abilities’ here formed naturally or were deliberately arranged?"

"Well, although many Orbital Techniques mastered by Wizards originate from nature, if only one forbidden effect existed here, it might be naturally explained, which would be bad luck for us.

But now the total effects amount to eight, which can’t be natural. The exact means need further investigation, but at least on the island’s periphery, we found no structures like a maze lock."

Aiven knew quite well the costs involved in constructing a maze lock at Hatrafa Port with Milan, and the arrangements here far exceeded those by tenfold or a hundredfold, implying equivalent value.

So, he glanced at the girl opposite him and shared a hypothesis that was a bit of good news:

"No matter who uses what means to achieve this comprehensive forbidden effect,

essentially, they have constructed a ’Secret Realm’ that others can’t find or reach.

The ultimate purpose surely is to hide something of significant value!"

Treasure!

The same word popped into both their minds simultaneously, quickening the pace of some kindred blood within them.

Talking about such an interesting topic, they exchanged a knowing smile across the fire.

The development between them felt natural and seamless, as if everything was meant to be. Without many words, they liked each other and shared common ground, making their companionship very comfortable.

However, the topic of treasure was cut short.

Because Aiven suddenly looked up "gazing" at the sea behind Olivia, more precisely sensing the anomaly beneath the sea surface with a [Low-pressure Pulse].

Blinking playfully, he asked:

"Hesi, let me ask you a question, are you afraid of snakes?"

Rolling her eyes adorably at Aiven, as a great adventurer, how could she fear snakes?

"Snakes? Who do you take me for?"

Aiven persisted:

"Then... what about big snakes?"

"Big snakes? How big?"

With the tacit understanding developed over long companionship, the girl noticed something amiss in Aiven’s eyes when she asked.

Though Olivia had temporarily lost her Magic Ability, her keen Spiritual sense remained. She already heard the water noise, intentionally suppressed yet still impossible to ignore, coming from behind her.

Just like... a predator stealthily approaching its prey, waiting for the opportune moment to hunt!

The girl’s face turned slightly pale as she held the half-eaten fish and was about to look back, only to be stopped by Aiven’s hand on her shoulder, preventing her from turning.

"Take your time eating, I’ll be right back."

Whoosh!

The body flickered and instantly disappeared in front of Olivia.

At this moment, on the sea facing the bonfire.

A giant serpent with a thorn-like bone crown on its head, dorsal fins, covered in steel scales, and over 32 meters in length, has already surfaced and is quickly swimming towards the shore.

Hiss—

The flattened head like a small boat is raised high, the blue serpent eyes narrowed into a line, showing a cold gleam, and faint pulses of electrical current flicker on the thorn-like bone crown.

The island’s owner, filled with wrath, is about to assert territorial sovereignty over the uninvited guests stealing onto its land during a molting period.

A similarly sparking figure strikes first. The tall figure flashes above the sea serpent’s head, ignoring the crackling high-voltage currents, raising fists the size of sand pots like Thunder God’s heavy hammer.

Smash down fiercely!

Duang!

Amidst the eardrum-hurting boom, one strike crashes the serpent’s head back into the sea.

As water splashes up, the person follows into the water.

Sitting astride the serpent’s neck, swinging fists harder than meteor hammers, chanting:

"Just a small species, admit defeat? Admit defeat?"

Hiss—

All that responds are the serpent’s hissing and the crackling of electrical currents on the thorn-like bone crown.

But these noises quickly change into low whines of a defeated creature.

Leaving only Aiven’s voice:

"Eighty! Eighty! Eighty!..."

Five minutes later.

Aiven drags a long tail, stepping out of the waves onto the beach, tossing aside the half-dead giant serpent, causing the ground to tremble.

Bang!

At this moment, its body is still warm.

Olivia knows a small species sea monster would not be a match for Aiven, a tier 3 extraordinary. She’s curious why he captured the sea serpent alive, putting down her fish and approaching Aiven:

"Are you going to tame this small species, Sea Monster Knight Galliot?"

Only by defeating a sea monster can one earn its recognition, as Aiven just did.

"Don’t we not know where the ’treasure’ is? We can ask this guardian serpent."

Spotting this serpent sea monster, Aiven immediately realized for whom those ’forbidden abilities’ aside from the concealment were prepared on the island.

Because Aiven knows this kind of sea monster well, after all, the Galliot family crest bears its image—Thorny Crown Sea Serpent!

Thick-skinned and huge, the thorn-like bone crown can emit deadly electric light, and in maturity can develop into a highly penetrative electric spear.

Moreover, the thunder attribute attacks this sea monster uses rely more on the innate physical strength like that of electric eels and Aiven, rather than the magic-like abilities of wizards.

Hence, it can survive in a magic-suppressive environment, as a guardian fittingly dwelling both in water and on land.

Even a fully armed army arriving here, without a high-tier extraordinary amongst them, would only face total annihilation.

Furthermore, what allows sea monsters to break through their racial limits is their staggering, ship-sized body.

The lifespan limits vary for each snake, and age judgment methods differ greatly.

The age of a Thorny Crown Sea Serpent can be judged by the thorn-like fan-shaped bone crown on its head.

Though not yet mature, its body has already exceeded 32 meters, with a diameter nearing 1.6 meters, its mouth capable of fitting an average human woman. Along with sharp steel-like scales and electrical discharge ability, once matured, it becomes an excellent ally.

Aiven indeed has ideas about becoming a "Sea Monster Knight."

Ordinary knight powerhouses often use instruments known as ’Kraken Horn’ or ’Sea Monster Horn’ to tame sea monsters.

After defeating and taming the sea monster themselves, they inscribe the name of the legendary sea monster Kraken on the conch horn using the monster’s own blood.

Then, they perform an accompanying ritual: sailing clockwise around the sea monster’s body three times, followed by counter-clockwise three times, establishing a common contract, directing the sea monster’s actions through the ’Sea Monster Horn.’

As for Aiven, he did not use the Sea Monster Knights’ contract rituals, being a wizard specialized in the biology field from the Vitalist School, he had a better way.

Jumping onto the frozen sea serpent’s head, he sliced his finger, marking the brow of the completely subdued Thorny Crown Sea Serpent with his own unique tree-like [Seal Contract] from the Vitalist School.

Raising his hand, with a flash of spiritual radiance in his eyes, he forcefully slapped down.

Smack—

As the [Seal Contract] disappeared, the sea monster’s spiritual essence was marked by Aiven’s [Soul Steel Seal], establishing a mysterious connection from the spiritual world.

This non-combat contract sorcery doesn’t rely on ’magic element,’ unaffected by the magic-suppressive field.

Stepping off its boat-like head, Aiven pats the steel-like neck:

"Given your rough skin and thick flesh, let’s call you Pipi."

Leveraging the mental connection, even without snake speech, he can convey his thoughts:

"I, your master, am straightforward; emotions can develop slowly. Let’s fast forward to the end. Pipi, is there treasure on this island?"

"Hiss—! Yes."