NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 12: Merman
After flying for five hours, bored, they finally crossed
the Flood Dragon River and arrived at a vast sea of crystal-clear waters.
From above, Li An looked down with great curiosity and saw a crowd of people, including humans and strange beings with human bodies and fish-like skin.
"A merman..."
Li An observed them with great interest.
The people, on the other hand, also looked up at the red dragon in the sky, which exuded an oppressive aura. The masked woman in front of it was even more terrifying.
Along the way, Li An convinced Ning Xue to wear a mask to avoid unnecessary attention. At first, she refused, but after a series of arguments, she agreed.
'Even if she's a super boss, I'm just a small NPC, easy to take down.'
This logic made Li An cautious, prompting him to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Ning Xue did not look down. She simply grabbed Li An and jumped. Her speed was terrifying. In an instant, she soared through the air and, just a meter above the water, slowed to the pace of a turtle, landing gracefully without causing a single splash. Then, she sank into the water.
Once inside, Li An was enveloped by Ning Xue's vital energy, but he soon realized he didn't need it. The water felt gentle to him. His innate ability as a Dragon Clan member allowed him to breathe with ease—just as he did on land. But unlike air, here he could use all the water around him as a weapon.
"Miss Xue, can you let me go?" Li An asked as he descended rapidly, though mysteriously, the water had no effect on him. Hearing his request, Ning Xue paused for a moment, then, after some thought, released him.
Now free, Li An took a deep breath in the water, feeling completely relaxed. The next moment, he placed his hand against the water and attempted to split it apart like a sword slash.
It worked.
Grabbing Ning Xue's hand, he held onto her and formed a pair of water wings on his back, descending like a fairy.
At the end of the passage he had opened, Li An saw a massive whirlpool guarded by strong mermen. Several humans were also there, waiting for something.
After placing Ning Xue on the ground, he leaned in and whispered in her ear:
"Be careful. The people here are dangerous."
He knew this was nothing to her, but his words revealed that he did not fully understand her strength.
The next moment, Li An turned his gaze toward the mermen, his terrifying pupils glaring from behind his mask.
He wasn't exactly sure why, but these creatures felt insignificant to him. His superiority over aquatic beings was overwhelming! Especially here, underwater, where he had absolute dominance.
The mermen guards felt fear due to Li An's lineage but remained firm, not showing any weakness.
"Brother Yi, do you know why this masked young man is so terrifying?" one merman asked his companion mentally.
"The woman is even more frightening," the other responded. "That young man relies on his bloodline—he's not that strong compared to us. But he could neutralize our entire younger generation. Now, that woman... she's truly terrifying!"
"Doesn't that mean our plans will be ruined with these two around?"
The mermen fell silent, exchanging glances. The next second, they reached a silent understanding.
…
"Li An, these guys are plotting something. Are you scared?" Ning Xue sent a mental message.
"No."
Li An, who lacked the ability to communicate mentally, responded simply. The next moment, he looked at the map, analyzing the marked points:
[1.0 = 1000 points]
[2.0 = 178 points]
[3.0 = 56 points]
[4.0 = 20 points]
[5.0 = 3 points]
[6.0 = 1 point]
'Ning Xue is still the strongest, but if three enemies arrive, will she be able to fight them off?'
Li An remained cautious, wary of the mermen's threat.
'In the secret realm, I need to capture someone to extract information!'
With that silent decision made, he waited for the main event to begin. Many more were yet to arrive, including the three from the fifth realm.
…
It didn't take long for two of them to appear, bringing several teenagers with them.
The first was a red-haired human, followed by a group of arrogant young men who looked down on the humans surrounding Li An with contempt. However, they maintained a certain respect for one figure at the front—a blond-haired man.
"Those people are from our academy," Ning Xue commented. "The one in front is a combat instructor for the first-year Class A. The young man behind him is the top student in the class."
"The number one in Class A, with the realm of a Martial Warrior? Isn't that too weak?" Li An questioned.
"…"
"Li An, don't compare these people to me," Ning Xue replied with disdain. "Even if it were a final-year student, they still wouldn't be a match for me. But reaching the second realm at that age isn't bad."
"Miss Ning Xue, I'm curious. How did someone as strong as you end up being demoted?"
"I disobeyed an order from the academy's director. He got angry and demoted me. But I don't care. The ones who lost out were them. Even if they beg, I won't return!"
"…"
Li An remained silent, finding this princess rather resentful.
Without saying anything more, Li An turned his gaze to the second group arriving. They seemed like an escort, actively guarding a carriage that followed behind. The captain was a fifth-realm merman, who locked eyes directly with Li An.
'It's hard to stay low-key.'
Li An sighed but did not look away. He felt no fear—only fury.
A creature so weak dared to look at him?
His eyes shone like the ocean itself, and within his pupils, a terrifying figure emerged. The captain, who had heard from his subordinates about Li An, attempted to assess the masked young man's level of danger. But in the next instant, he saw the image of a massive dragon within those eyes—a colossal being that seemed ready to devour him whole.
The shock was so intense that the merman captain spat out a mouthful of blood, alarming everyone around him.
"Captain!" The mermen rushed to him.
"Don't come near!" the captain growled, still trembling. "Inform the princess… do not provoke that monster! If we anger him, our clan may be exterminated!"