The chaos caused by the awakening of the Behemoth was not limited to the Underwater Kingdom alone.
With two stakes driven into the ground, the Behemoth went berserk, and the neighboring countries began to take notice.
The sea monster, which was supposed to awaken in another 30 years, had risen early.
As if that weren’t enough, its unprecedented appearance threw various nations into a state of emergency.
After all, the Behemoth was a disaster that even a thousand swordsmen, deemed the empire’s strongest, couldn’t defeat.
The countries entering a state of emergency prioritized evacuation orders for regions bordering the sea.
Especially the Florence Academy, located on an isolated island, was in complete disarray.
Students from Florence, as well as those visiting from Kiaadel for a retreat, fell into a state of panic.
The professors quickly evacuated the students to the mainland, while some gathered important documents and valuables.
The head of the Florence Academy wished to move the entire island, but quickly dismissed the thought as impossible.
“What on earth is happening?”
“The Behemoth has awakened! The sea monster that lives deep underwater!”
“What? Isn’t that just a story parents made up to scare us?”
“It’s real, and that’s why all this is happening!”
The Behemoth awakened every hundred years; thus, neither the students nor the professors had ever laid eyes on its true form.
However, its reputation was known worldwide.
It had swallowed whole an island nation that was prospering through trade, leading to widespread destruction.
No one could predict where the Behemoth’s insatiable hunger would strike next, filling humanity with dread at its mere appearance.
“W-we can survive, right?”
“Ugh…! I’m scared!”
“Hey! What are you doing? Hurry up and evacuate!”
“W-well…!”
“Where is your lead professor?”
“I don’t know! Professor Daniel hasn’t been seen since this morning!”
Daniel, who had vanished overnight.
Masker, who was usually close with Daniel, wanted to find him, but the safety of the students took priority.
“F class and Special Class members, follow me!”
Masker decided to evacuate his designated class in Daniel’s stead.
Meanwhile, there was someone else worrying about Daniel like Masker.
A black-haired female student was staring intently across the sea.
“Come on, hurry up!”
“Let go of me; I can walk on my own!”
“O-oh, alright.”
Since Masker had grabbed her arm, Rynelle had no choice but to join the evacuation line.
Even so, she couldn’t shake the feeling of longing, glancing back repeatedly as they ran.
‘There’s no way Professor Daniel would leave us and escape alone. Could it be that he went to fight the Behemoth?’
Rynelle had been observing his actions more closely than anyone else until now.
She had perfectly grasped the reason for Daniel’s disappearance.
Though he usually avoided reckless actions, there was one exception.
When his students were in danger, he never shied away from reckless acts.
Even when he fought his uncle, allied with White Fang, he faced hundreds of enemies alone.
No matter how overwhelmingly powerful the Behemoth might be compared to a rogue state, she felt Daniel’s actions would remain unchanged.
‘What could be the reason for the professor to sacrifice himself like that?’
She couldn’t bring herself to ask.
If she did, he would probably just give a vague answer. They needed a level playing field for meaningful dialogue.
But Rynelle was acutely aware that she could not stand side by side with Daniel in her current state.
‘Still, I want to know.’
She wanted to be in a position where he could see her with just a slight turn of his head.
Even knowing she had a long, treacherous path to traverse to get there, she wished for it.
Rynelle started to genuinely crave power simply to witness her dream coming to fruition.
As she made her resolution, someone was peering around her.
It wasn’t a presence she could ignore, given their significant status, so Rynelle spoke first.
“Why is His Highness the Crown Prince, who should be in S class, here?”
“Lady Agail, have you seen Nina?”
“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her even once today.”
“I see. I couldn’t find Nina anywhere, no matter how hard I looked, so I thought I’d ask.”
“……”
Nina had also gone missing around the same time as Daniel.
The timing was far too coincidental to be written off as mere chance.
Moreover, she was an extremely annoying rival, which sent Rynelle’s unease skyrocketing.
What if Nina left to confront the Behemoth alongside Daniel?
‘…I will not lose. Absolutely not!’
Just the thought of Nina stirred Rynelle’s competitive spirit into a blaze of jealousy.
With a fierce glare, Rynelle fixed her eyes on the Crown Prince, Kyle, causing him to cautiously take a step back.
‘The members of the Agail Ducal Family remain fearsome as ever.’
An unintended misunderstanding deepened.
*
I felt lethargic.
I couldn’t even twitch a finger, let alone open my eyes.
Only the faintest sensation was barely operational.
It felt like I was floating in the middle of the universe.
Strangely enough, there was no discomfort affecting my breathing.
Whether in space or underwater, it was the same that humans couldn’t breathe properly.
『It seems consciousness has returned, given the subtle tremors in the muscles.』
The voice I heard just before my consciousness slipped away echoed directly in my mind again.
Is it the Behemoth?
『That’s correct.』
It appeared that my thoughts were being conveyed precisely.
Unable to make a sound or even move my lips in my current state, this news felt like a godsend.
I couldn’t even see what had happened to my body.
『You look like a jellyfish bitten by a sea turtle.』
That’s quite the colorful metaphor.
Humans and jellyfish are distinctly different in form.
『It’s true. Your body is so mangled that it wouldn’t be strange if you died at any moment.』
Then why the heck am I not feeling any pain?
In a state so close to death, one would normally writhe in agony.
『Your brain is damaged to the point you can’t even feel pain.』
Ah, that makes sense; no wonder I couldn’t move at all.
It seemed I had become a vegetable due to the pain reaching its limit.
But it was fortunate that my consciousness appeared to have returned—at least I wasn’t brain dead.
Well, I couldn’t quite say that was lucky. The fact that I was moments away from death remained unchanged.
『You don’t need to worry. Just as you helped me, I will help you.』
‘So you’re the type to repay favors?’
『Of course. I’m not foolish enough to forget a kindness.』
‘And in what way do you intend to help me?’
『I infused some of my power into that black wooden staff you were holding. My power will slowly seep into your injured body, healing it.』
‘Couldn’t you have just injected it directly into my body?’
『Your condition wasn’t stable enough to handle my power directly. Had I done so, it would have caused a collapse instead of restoration.』
It appeared that Behemoth chose to use the staff gifted by Professor Pernelson as a catalyst to channel its power.
I guessed my regained consciousness was made possible by the Behemoth sharing its strength with me.
In fact, I could now move the tips of my previously stiff fingers.
If that alone indicated recovery, what in the world was my condition like before the Behemoth shared its power?
『Had I not shared my strength, your body would have decomposed and turned into plankton.』
I think I could stop figuring that out now.
Thank you so much for saving me, Behemoth.
『It’s merely repaying a debt.』
‘By the way, how the hell did those two stakes end up in you?’
『I don’t know. It seemed someone climbed up my neck while I was deeply asleep. Then they drove in one stake, and right after that, they drove a second one on top.』
It seemed the first stake had been punctured through my flesh to reach my esophagus, with another one driven on top of it.
To do such a thing to the Behemoth would require a level of madness unimaginable.
‘Did you see who did it?’
『I didn’t. When I regained consciousness, they were already gone.』
‘What a shame.’
『It’s alright. I clearly remember the aura that person was emitting. Through the strength I gave you, you’ll be able to feel it. If they are on the surface, take revenge in my stead.』
‘So you give me your power to repay a favor, huh?’
『It’s a two-way street. Also, I believe it won’t be bad for you.』
Surprisingly cunning, this Behemoth.
Yet, as it said, there were indeed advantages to this.
I was gaining an opportunity to eliminate potential hazards that could spawn situations like the current crisis.
‘Speaking of which! Where’s Nina?’
『Nina? If you’re referring to the human girl who was with you, I sent her back to the mermaids.』
‘Thank goodness. But then, where am I right now?’
『You were brought to my sanctum. To fully heal, you need to stay here and rest for five days.』
‘What!’
No way, my vacation!!
