Aqua

Huh.

Well then.

If it weren’t for the distance between me and this massive monster, I would genuinely be terrified by it right now. As I watch the thing go back down into the water with its mouth closing. Revealing to me just what the creature looks like.

It has the form of a massive crab in a way. Or rather, with crab legs connected to a single large body that is wider than it is tall at the center of the crab legs. And with the crab legs themselves seemingly not like normal crab legs as they’re capable of moving in all directions.

On top of that, its upper body seems to be more similar to an octopus. Albeit with tentacles that are nowhere near the size or length of its own body. So they can’t even reach the surface from the bottom of the sea floor.

And oddly enough, this monster doesn’t seem to be able to swim. It’s just standing at the bottom of the sea floor.

Which is even more ridiculous considering that it’s taller than the sea itself. So tall that it can rise to its full height on its legs and break past the surface of the water. Then drop back down to a crouch-like position to reenter the sea.

Other than that, the monster also looks undead, considering the color of its flesh. Which is incredibly pale.

Not to mention the discolored patches across its body.

But what disturbs me the most about the creature is its identify result.

[Dead Maw of the Sea – Level 173]

This monster is seventy-four levels above me.

Not only that though, but it’s also a trait ahead of me as well. Since my next trait is received at level 150.

I grit my teeth as I watch the thing seemingly settle down to sleep at the bottom of the sea. Then I turn my focus onto the monsters in the cavern around me again.

Right. I’ll deal with that thing later.

After leveling up as much as I can here.

While I focus on hunting the monsters in the cavern again, my thoughts continue to wander towards the enormous monster down there. Since I noticed it was unconsciously using mana to enhance its attacks.

Most likely a trait.

And by enhancing its attacks, I mean enhancing its fangs.

Fangs that are larger than I am by quite a bit.

Which is disturbing in and of itself.

I continue hunting monsters until I finally get the message I’m looking for.

[You have killed a level 103 Pestilent Sharkin Soldier. EXP has been granted accordingly.]

[You have killed a creature underwater. Apex Predator of the Depths has been activated, increasing your REGEN stat by one.]

[Congratulations! You have now reached level 100! As the current First Ranker of Oceana, your total free points have increased by three, and your mana stat has increased by ten. Allocate the free points whenever you please. Additionally, you have now unlocked your eleventh skill.]

A smile spreads across my face before I order my abyssal servants to guard me as I check the new skill. Then I open my status and allocate my free points.

[REQUESTING STATUS: USER AQUA AZURANTH]

[STATUS RETRIEVED]

[Name: Aqua Azuranth]

[Level: 100]

[Mana: 1000]

[Strength: 138(92)]

[Dexterity: 68]

[Constitution: 62]

[Magical Strength: 62]

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

[REGEN: 1601]

[Free Points: 0]

[Traits: Physique of the Abyssal Kraken, Apex Predator of the Depths, Lifeblood of the Abyssal Kraken, World First Ranker, Scales of the Abyssal Kraken, Galaxy First Ranker]

[Skills]

[END STATUS]

At this point I’ve been allocating all my free points evenly across each stat. Since it’s not exactly a good idea to unbalance my stats too much.

After all, if my strength and dexterity are too strong, then I may end up hurting myself with my own punch due to my body not being able to withstand it. And Magical Strength has an effect on a lot of my skills. So I can’t skimp on that either.

Although I am a little surprised that my strength hasn’t actually been a problem yet. No matter how much strength I use.

Which is interesting and makes me wonder if it’s either something related to Abyssal Krakens, due to my regeneration, or just because I’m underwater.

Regardless of which though, I don’t want to be a glass cannon either. So Constitution is still necessary.

Anyway, I go ahead and open my skills list.

Time to see my new skill.

[REQUESTING SKILLS: USER AQUA FALLEN]

[11 SKILLS RETRIEVED]

[MORE THAN THREE SKILLS DETECTED]

[ALL SKILLS CONDENSED]

[Skill 1: Abyssal Kraken’s Embrace]

[Skill 2: Hydrokinetic Wrath]

[Skill 3: Call of the Abyss]

[Skill 4: Abyssal Kraken’s Partial Shift]

[Skill 5: Pressure of the Abyss]

[Skill 6: Abyssal Reversal]

[Skill 7: Maw of the Abyssal Kraken]

[Skill 8: Devourer of the Abyss]

[Skill 9: Converging Maelstrom]

[Skill 10: Abyssal Ruler]

[Skill 11: Light of the Abyss]

[Description: Allows the user to shine a deep blue light from their eyes that attacks the minds of all those who see it. In addition to the damage taken by their minds, those who see the light will also be forced into a dazed state. Light of the Abyss also does more damage when used underwater than outside of it.]

[Cost: Light of the Abyss costs 100 mana to use.]

[Cooldown: Light of the Abyss has no cooldown.]

[END SKILLS]

A wide grin stretches across my face at the sight of the new skill.

[It looks like she got a good skill. Judging by that face.]

[Yep!]

[What is it?! Tell us!]

[I want to know!]

[Did she get another necromancy related skill? That would be cool]

[One is enough. I want to see a physical skill. She doesn’t have many of those.]

[How about a mental skill?]

They’re just as excited about it as I am.

I focus on the monsters that are around us, trying to get past my abyssal servants.

Time to test it out.

Without hesitation, I go ahead and activate the new skill. Making a deep blue light shine from my eyes, flooding the water all around me.

Meanwhile the monsters who all look at the light begin screeching, whining, and roaring in pain.

The skill seems useful so far.

I cross my arms as I watch them, waiting for the light to die down. And when it does die down, I see the monsters in different states of convulsion.

Then I remember something in particular.

Undead are weak to mental attacks.

Mostly because their bodies are already dead. So they don’t generally feel physical pain. Making the only pain they feel come from mental attacks.

And since a lot of undead never experience mental attacks in their undead lives, they react very strongly to it.

To the point of overreacting.

Hmm…

This will be a very useful skill against the boss of this dungeon. Considering that the boss is the largest zombie I’ve ever seen in my life.

[A mental skill! YEEEESSSS!!!]

[Huh. She really got a mental attack. Cool.]

[I guess it makes sense. A lot of aquatic creatures have mental attacks.]

[I still wish she would get a physical enhancement skill…]

The chat quickly reacts to the skill too. But after reading a few messages, I focus on ordering the abyssal servants to attack the undead that are still convulsing all over the place.

Which ends up being very easy since none of them are in shape to defend themselves.

Oh, and something I notice during this is that my abyssal servants aren’t affected by the skill.

That either means my new skill doesn’t affect my allies, or my abyssal servants don’t actually have real minds.

Either way is interesting to learn. But I kind of doubt it’s the former. There aren’t really skills that distinguish ally from enemy unless the user specifies it to.

So it’s most likely that my servants have no real minds.

At most they probably have a fake, artificial mind. Just to process orders and carry them out on their own without direct guidance.

I continue watching my abyssal servants slaughter the monsters for a little bit before going ahead and joining the hunt myself.

Let’s see how high a level I can reach until this cavern is empty of monsters.