CHAPTER 463: 463. MYRTLE

Deep within the Sea Wyvern Nest, beneath miles of crushing ocean pressure, an ancient volcanic flow slithered like molten veins through transparent white rock. The translucent passageways, warm and glowing from the lava beneath, cast an eerie light across the cavern walls.

Massive Wyverns swam chaotically, fleeing in one direction like a school of startled fish. Their escape wasn’t from natural disaster— but from something far worse.

A woman stood calmly in their path.

She looked like a mortal in her twenties, though there was nothing human about her presence. Her Phantom Mask concealed her expression, but two sleek black wings extended behind her, and twisted black horns crowned her head. With a single fluid swipe of her hand, her fingers transformed into obsidian claws.

She swung downward.

The nearest Wyvern didn’t even get the chance to scream. It was cleaved cleanly in half, its blood dispersing like red smoke in the water.

"Weak," she muttered, her voice distorted by the Phantom Mask.

She turned her gaze toward the rest of the fleeing Wyverns, her eyes narrowing.

Then, like a shadow tearing through water, she gave chase.

---

Elsewhere, a humanoid girl rested atop a rocky outcropping surrounded by loyal guards. Her skin shimmered in shades of green and blue, reminiscent of polished sea glass. A tattoo of a turtle shell stretched across her back, and she wore nothing but a modest brown wrap that barely clung to her figure.

Around her stood a battalion of Shrimp Men and Crab Men, clad in sleek armor and holding futuristic spears that buzzed faintly with energy.

Suddenly, her communication device beeped. The blue glow pulsed against her wrist.

Her eyes sharpened.

"Watch over the Princess," she ordered, her voice calm but commanding. "Don’t let anyone disturb her... fun."

With no further words, she launched into the depths like a torpedo, her body slicing effortlessly through the water.

---

Meanwhile, Tyler had his hands full—literally. He was gripping the unconscious Lizard Man by the collar like a sack of wet groceries.

"Mana, do your thing," Tyler said.

Mana nodded and gently placed her fingers on the Lizard Man’s temple. In seconds, her spiritual form slipped inside his body like vapor entering a vessel.

The Lizard Man’s eyes twitched, then turned completely white.

Suddenly, Tyler’s expression changed. His instincts screamed at him.

"MOVE!"

He grabbed Lily by the arm, yanked the Lizard Man with his other hand, and darted away just as the ocean wall behind them exploded in a vortex of energy.

The water trembled. Dust and debris clouded their view— but then it cleared, revealing a figure that shone like a living jewel.

Her skin was glowing, almost ethereal. She had the beauty of a sea goddess and the aura of a seasoned killer.

"You sensed me?" she said aloud, yet her voice echoed in their minds. "That’s rare. Only those with a strong aquatic affinity can perceive my presence."

"Who are you?" Tyler asked through voice transmission, keeping his tone calm but wary.

"I am Myrtle," she replied. "Lady-in-waiting to the Dragon Princess. This area is under her personal jurisdiction for exploration. Return our people and leave immediately."

Then she vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Lily and the Lizard Man were gone. Tyler barely managed to react before Myrtle’s foot struck him square in the chest, shattering his body into pieces—

—of ice.

The real Tyler emerged from far. "Would’ve been nice if you let us reply, you know!"

A lightning whip slashed through the water, colliding with Myrtle’s form in a burst of crackling light. But when the glow faded, she remained untouched, not even a hair out of place.

Tyler hurled his Abyssal Trident. The projectile glowed with residual abyssal energy but was slapped aside with a single hand.

"Tsk. Loses kinetic energy faster in water," he muttered. "I need to fix that."

He reached into his storage and pulled out something.

He shot forward and swung his hand.

Mystic Ice Arts

He created an spiked ball weapon of ice in an instant. He then swung it like a baseball bat straight at Myrtle’s head.

"What was that? Ants bite?" She muttered.

The orb shattered on impact, exploding into dozens of Spark Calcite stones.

Underwater pressure ignited the stones, discharging violent currents of electricity.

"NOW!" Tyler shouted.

Lily reappeared and lashed her whip again, her attack synchronized with the electric burst.

When the sparks cleared, Myrtle was... still standing.

Well, mostly.

A giant turtle shell was there instead of Myrtle, shielding her from the worst of the assault. Then slowly Her arms, legs, and head stuck out from the holes.

"Ugh. It’s ugly," Lily said with a smirk.

"I know that," Myrtle snapped, clearly annoyed. The shell shrank and dissolved into her back, leaving behind only the faint glow of the turtle-shell tattoo.

"I don’t think it’s that bad," Tyler mumbled.

Lily gave him a sharp look.

"Who are you people?" Myrtle demanded. "Pirates?"

"I’m the Temptress," Lily said dramatically, flicking her hair. "He’s our captain, Phantom Blackwood. We’re the Phantom Pirates. We want to meet your Princess."

Myrtle blinked. "Never heard of you."

"Lack of Information obviously sounds like ’You’ Problem."

"Well, this territory belongs to the Dragon King," Myrtle warned, eyes glowing again. "And the Princess isn’t someone you meet just because you ask nicely."

The water around her shimmered. Her body pulsed with rising energy.

"Watch out!" Tyler shouted.

Too late.

Lily was struck in an instant, launched backward through layers of coral and stone, crashing into the wall like a ragdoll.

Myrtle didn’t stop. She curled herself into a cannonball mid-swim and rocketed into the wall after Lily, breaking through with a shockwave that shook the ruins.

But Lily wasn’t there anymore.

Tyler had caught her just in time, pulling her to safety.

"You’re fast," Myrtle muttered, eyes narrowing behind her glowing visor. She stared at Tyler’s mask. "And that mask... seems familiar."

Myrtle’s body began to glow again, the light around her intensifying like a living gemstone pulsing underwater.

Tyler dashed forward without hesitation. He didn’t want to reveal his dragon form while disguised as part of the Phantom Pirates, but that didn’t mean his current strength was to be underestimated. Even without his dragon scales, his fists were devastating.

Tyler threw a punch aimed directly at Myrtle —and at the same moment, Myrtle mirrored his move, her own fist slicing through the water like a torpedo.

But then, before impact—

"Stop!" a voice shouted.

The Lizard Man suddenly swam between them, arms flailing like a broken fan.

Tyler and Myrtle’s eyes widened in unison, both trying too late to pull their punches.

Too late.

The Lizard Man’s eyes turned back normal before the punches got connected "Haha... I’m alive!" he muttered weakly.

CRACK!

Two fists collided with either side of his face like twin hammers on a gong. His body went limp and he spun backward, eyes swirling.

Above them, Mana emerged from his body. She had already finished reading his memories.

"I got what we needed," Mana said calmly, ignoring the twitching Lizard Man below. "It’s true. The Dragon Princess has a Phantom Mask, but barely anyone has seen her real face. Not even this guy."

Myrtle gave her a sharp look, eyeing the new presence. "And you are...?"

"I’m also a princess," Mana said sweetly, striking a mock-royal pose.

Myrtle raised a brow, still cautious but not yet alarmed. Clearly, she hadn’t used her full power. If she wanted to, she could probably summon half a battalion of guards. But judging by her expression, she was confident enough in her own strength to handle this herself.

"We just want to meet the Princess," Tyler said, keeping his tone calm. "That’s all. Can’t you give us permission? I mean... we could pay you, if that helps."

Myrtle’s eye twitched.

"Do I look like someone who needs money?" she huffed.

Lily gave her a slow, deliberate scan from head to toe. "Well... you’re barely wearing anything," she said with a smirk.

"Hah! Look who’s talking," came a sarcastic voice from beside her. It was Tyler, raising an eyebrow at his teammate.

"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Lily glared.

Myrtle let out a tired sigh and shook her head. "I have to get permission from the Princess first. Just wa–"

Tyler’s expression changed. He moved in an instant, grabbing both Lily and Mana by their waists.

At the same time, Myrtle’s eyes flared. She grabbed the unconscious Lizard Man and bolted in the opposite direction.

BOOM!

A massive force swept through the water. The ground trembled as a colossal Wyvern tail smashed through the corridor where they had been standing just a moment ago.

Emerging from above the tail were two familiar, infuriating figures— Fred Beckman and Carlos Beckman. Both stood tall on the back of the Wyvern, cloaked in arrogance and fury.

Fred laughed maniacally, his voice amplified by magic. "Hahahaha! Kill them! Kill the scum who murdered my son and humiliated my grandson!"

Carlos cracked his knuckles. "No one escapes the Beckman family’s wrath."

Myrtle narrowed her eyes, annoyance flickering across her face. "These idiots again..."

Tyler, still holding onto Lily and Mana, muttered, "Welp, here we go again..."