After agreeing to serve as bodyguard for Prince Fult and Princess Satya until their safe arrival in Baru Bora, Fran and Kiana now found themselves sailing across the calm azure sea.
The atmosphere aboard the ship was lively — music, laughter, and the smell of grilled fish filled the air. The crew had decided to hold a small feast after Fran's incredible catch: a massive Ship-Wrecking Tuna, so large it nearly broke the deck when hauled aboard.
Inside the ship's galley, Fran and her Master, the sentient sword stood shoulder to shoulder with the ship's chef, preparing dish after dish with practiced precision. Ever since she had received tutelage from Satria, Crom, Great Red, and Kiyohime, Fran's culinary skills had improved drastically.
The result was a dazzling spread: Sushi, Marinated Tuna Steak, Spicy Tuna Salad, and Korean Tuna Rice. Each dish a masterpiece that made even the ship's chef speechless.
When the food was finally served, the royal siblings couldn't contain their amazement.
"WOW! I've never tasted anything this delicious in my entire life!" Prince Fult exclaimed, eyes wide in shock.
Princess Satya nodded enthusiastically. "Even our royal chef's cuisine can't compare to this! You're amazing, Fran-sama!"
Fran smiled proudly, her cat-like ears twitching in delight. "Is that so? Thank you for the compliments."
She couldn't help the warm feeling swelling in her chest. All her practice and effort were paying off. 'Fufufu~ I must make something for my beloved later,' she thought, her blue eyes gleaming mischievously. 'Get ready, my Lord... not only will I conquer you in battle, I'll conquer you through your stomach too... and then—' She licked her lips in a way that made the sword tremble slightly.
"U-uhm... Fran... your face... it's kind of scary right now," Shishou muttered nervously.
The sentient sword could only sigh internally. 'Day by day, the little kitten I once knew fades away... and in her place grows a tigress ready to devour her prey without mercy.'
Meanwhile, Kiana was happily devouring her food. "Mmm~ So delicious! It's on par with Mei's and Bro Darkest's cooking! Thanks for the meal!"
"Darkest?" Fran's ears perked up. She had heard that name before. If she remembered correctly, that was the dark side of her Lord.
"Yeah! He's a visitor from another world who came to pick up Grayfia-san," Kiana explained. "He taught us how to fight, how to cook... A lot of things, actually."
"Oh? I see…" Fran replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you think about this man? What is he to you?" she asked with a smile, though the smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Uhh…" Kiana blinked, suddenly cautious. "I consider him a friend! He's dependable, calm, and… kind of cool, I guess? Even if he's hard to approach, he still cares about us in his own quiet way."
"Friends, huh?" Fran said softly, her tone unreadable.
Inside, though, her thoughts were sharper. 'So… that side of him is cold and logical. The complete opposite of my husband. Interesting.'
She chuckled under her breath, eating another plate of tuna steak on the table. The night went on, filled with laughter and tension and the sea breeze carried both the scent of salt… and a hint of competition.
•
Early morning sunlight painted the horizon gold as Fran stood on the ship's deck, her black tail flicking lazily in the breeze. The calm sea reflected the rising sun — a moment of peace before chaos.
She opened a surprise box in Dimensional Chat, curious about the reward inside. When the light faded, even her usually calm master was struck speechless.
"Th-this weapon… The Weapon of GOD!?" Shishou shouted. "You hit the jackpot, Fran!"
Fran tilted her head, examining the weapon's details. "Claws of Hades, huh? Its stats and skills are leagues above the demonic sword we found before." Her amber eyes gleamed. "That one just had a small chance to inflict instant death… but this one? It attacks the very soul — bringing true death to anything caught by it."
She looked up with a smirk. "Master… you know what to do, right~?"
"Huh? You want me to eat another weapon again?" Shishou groaned. "I swear this feels like sword cannibalism."
Fran crossed her arms. "We can't waste Rimuru-san's blessing. You've inherited her essence and this will only make you stronger, Master."
Shishou sighed dramatically. "Alright, alright… all for Fran's sake! Gluttony Blessing: Demon Feast!" A flash of dark energy enveloped him as he devoured the Claws of Hades. "Ughh… weird taste. I'll never get used to this."
Before Fran could reply, the entire ship began to shake violently. The crew screamed as waves surged higher than the mast.
Then the sea itself split apart.
A massive shadow burst from the depths — a colossal serpent, scales glistening like steel, eyes glowing with primal fury.
The Midgárdsormen had awakened.
"UWAAH! That thing's huge!" Kiana yelled, sliding into a fighting stance atop the slick deck, her boots sparking against the wood.
"Appraisal!" Fran commanded.
A glowing status window appeared before her eyes:
===
Name: Midgárdsormen
Species: Sea Serpent LV60
HP: 38,709 / 38,709
Magic Power: 531
Strength: 4,019
Agility: 302
Skills: Absorb II, Regeneration II, Predation
Description: "A nuisance of the sea capable of endless regeneration. Low intelligence, swallows anything that moves. Its sheer size makes it both annoying and dangerously unstoppable."
Threat Level: A
===
Fran's expression hardened. "Over thirty thousand HP… and regeneration on top of that."
The serpent lunged, its enormous jaws snapping down with a sound like thunder. The impact sent a tidal wave crashing over the deck.
Kiana leaped upward, her body glowing as the White Comet Armor activated.
"Haah! Starbreaker!!"
She shot down like a meteor, punching the serpent's head with a shockwave that cracked the air. The monster reeled, but its HP bar barely dipped.
Fran narrowed her eyes. "Its defense is absurd…"
Kiana grinned, her hair whipping in the wind. "Then we just have to hit harder!"
Ever since training under Darkest, her movements had become sharper — calculated yet fierce. She no longer fought with brute strength alone; she read the battlefield like a veteran.
Fran smirked. "Good. I'll follow your rhythm."
"Fran, I'll provide mana support!" Shishou's voice echoed in her mind. "Let's cut through that regeneration!"
"Understood!"
Fran's blade erupted with divine light — a fusion of Sword Arts: Heavenly Fang and Fire Enchant. She dashed across the air, using bursts of water as footholds. Each slash tore through the serpent's scales, glowing red and gold.
"Lightning Edge—Crimson Slash!"
Black blood sprayed into the sea, sizzling upon contact. Kiana didn't waste the opening.
"Now! Fran — sync up!"
"Right!"
Her sword flashed; Kiana's armor thrusters roared. The two launched simultaneously — one descending from the sky, the other ascending from the sea spray.
"Twin Comet Strike!!!"
A blinding flash split the heavens. The combined force slammed into Midgárdsormen's skull, the explosion shaking the ocean itself.
When the smoke cleared, half the serpent's face was gone — charred and sliced open, blood boiling the waves.
Shishou's voice rang out. "Its HP dropped by nearly half!"
"Really?" Fran asked, hope flickering.
A pause. "…No. It's already regenerating."
The serpent's flesh squirmed, knitting back together as if mocking their effort.
"This thing… it's no joke," Shishou growled. "Multiple hearts. Constant regeneration. It's going to take more than raw power to bring it down."
Fran tightened her grip on the hilt. "Then we'll hit harder and smarter."
The sea churned violently as the colossal Midgárdsormen coiled an coiled and thrashed, towering above the ship like a living mountain of flesh and fury. Waves crashed like thunder, and its roars split the clouds, shaking even the heavens themselves.
But Fran stood firm. Her eyes burned like twin embers — calm, fierce, and unyielding. The reflection of the sea serpent's shadow danced across her blade — her partner, her Master.
"Fran, its regeneration isn't slowing down!" Shishou warned, his voice sharp in her mind.
"I know…" she muttered, exhaling slowly. Her aura flared crimson, lighting the deck like a rising sun. "Which means we stop playing fair."
Lightning cracked — and beside her, a majestic wolf cloaked in black thunder appeared. Fenrir, her familiar, growled low, arcs of violet electricity dancing along his fur. His presence alone made the air hum with primal power.
Kiana landed next to Fran, armor blazing with blue-white plasma. "So, what's the plan, Captain Kitty?"
Fran smirked. "Simple. You hold it down. Fenrir and I will tear it apart."
Kiana blinked, then grinned wide. "Finally, my kind of plan."
The serpent lunged, its jaws wide enough to swallow the ship whole.
Kiana's thrusters roared. "Come on then!"
She met the beast head-on, slamming into its snout with a blinding explosion of plasma and steam. The shockwave tore across the sea, sending the ship rocking violently.
"Over here, ugly!" Kiana shouted, gripping the serpent's scales. The strain made metal scream and armor crack, but she refused to yield. "Fran! Now!!"
Fran raised her sword, her voice steady. "Master… morph into it."
Shishou pulsed with light. "Heh… so you want to test that form? Fine. Let's show them the fangs of the abyss."
The blade twisted — reshaping, reforming — until it became twin, chain-linked claws blazing with ethereal fire. Dark tendrils wrapped around Fran's arms, binding her to the weapon as it pulsed with divine hunger.
Fran spun them once, feeling their weight — the raw, unstoppable power that surged through her veins. She smiled, a wicked gleam flashing in her eyes.
"Let's hunt."
Lightning exploded around her. Fran leaped from the deck, sprinting across the sea itself. Fenrir followed, his paws leaving trails of black electricity over the waves.
"Heavenly Fang — Fenrir Howl Combination!"
The air screamed. Together, they carved across the serpent's body, slicing through its armor-like scales and burning away its regenerative cells with divine fire. Each strike left luminous scars that refused to close.
"Now, Fran!" Shishou's voice echoed. "Its soul is exposed — finish it!"
"Understood!"
Her eyes glowed violet. She hurled one claw deep into the serpent's chest, the other into its skull. The Chains of Hades burst to life, igniting with ghostly flame that bound the creature in spectral light.
The serpent's roar turned to a howl of agony. Shadows spilled from its wounds — the essence of its soul being dragged out by force.
Fran pulled hard on the chains, her voice ringing like a divine command.
"Soul Requiem: Judgment Feast!!!"
A massive vortex of spectral energy erupted skyward. Black fire devoured the heavens as the serpent's colossal form convulsed — its essence torn apart and consumed in a storm of light and darkness.
Then… silence.
The sea stilled. The clouds parted.
Fran landed gracefully atop the serpent's fading corpse. Her claws and armor dissolved into light, leaving her standing proud against the dawn. Her aura pulsed with new strength — refined, divine, and terrifyingly beautiful.
"Level up complete," Shishou said, his tone a mix of awe and pride. "Soul absorption successful. Your stats just skyrocketed, Fran."
Fran looked at her hands, feeling the surge of divine power thrumming beneath her skin. She smiled softly. "Heh. Jackpot indeed."
Kiana hovered nearby, her weapon smoking from the fight. "Next time, warn me before you decide to rip a sea monster…"
Fran chuckled, stroking Fenrir's fur as the great wolf howled victoriously toward the rising sun.
"Don't worry, Kiana," Fran said with a teasing smile. "Next time… we'll catch an even bigger one."
The entire crew sang praises to Fran, their voices full of awe and admiration. None of them could believe she had defeated a sea giant so effortlessly.
The prince and princess stared at her with sparkling eyes, as if they were gazing at a true hero—perhaps even falling a little in love.
The royal chamberlain approached her, still stunned.
"You… You can't possibly be just a B-Rank adventurer! There's no way that's true!" he exclaimed.
The princess suddenly threw her arms around Fran.
"You're amazing, Fran! That was a miracle!"
The prince cleared his throat and straightened his back.
"Ahem! You're really strong, Fran. Having you by our side is… reassuring. So—how about becoming my Royal Knight or even more? Our kingdom may not be the richest, but I can promise you a high position, a stable salary far safer than an adventurer's life, and even land of your own in Phileas to govern. With you and me together, my kingdom would surely prosper like never before. I… I can feel it."
"Ara~ It's rare for you to be that bold, brother. How about you back off?" the princess teased with a sweet—but dangerously sharp—smile.
"Nah, can't do. The fate of our kingdom is on the line," the prince shot back with a grin.
Shishou sighed. "Did that prince just propose to you, Fran?"
Fran shrugged casually. "No idea… They're naive, but I don't dislike them. Let's just leave them with their dreams for now." She stepped toward the royal siblings, her tone soft yet firm. "I'm grateful for your offer, truly. But I must decline."
The prince's face fell slightly. "Why?"
"Because I want to explore this world more. And besides… you're both still young. You should use this time to study, grow stronger, and learn to stand on your own. Never expect someone else to always save you—the world doesn't work that way. Think deeply about this, and one day… you'll understand."
The prince lowered his head, then looked up with renewed determination.
"I see. Then I swear upon my father' name—I'll become a man strong enough to protect both you and my kingdom!"
"Me too, Fran-sama! I'll become a strong woman like you!" the princess added, eyes gleaming with resolve.
Fran smiled awkwardly, a nervous drop of sweat forming on her temple. 'They completely missed the point… If my husband hears about this and pops out of nowhere doing something insane again here, I'm doomed…'
Not long after the celebration, the lookout shouted,
"Pirate ship on the horizon!"
The festive mood vanished instantly.
The ship's captain turned pale. "If we make any rash moves, they'll open fire with their cannons and sink us!"
The royal guardian, Salut Orland, stepped forward. "It's too dangerous. We must evacuate the prince and princess on the lifeboat immediately!"
The royal chamberlain frowned. "Evacuate? Don't be absurd! We have Fran here—she already proved herself a warrior beyond compare! And unlike you, Sir Salut, we can actually trust her. For all we know, you're only here because of the Holy Sword our kingdom guards."
Salut's expression darkened. "You fool! Your arrogance will endanger their highnesses!"
Before their argument escalated, Fran raised her hand calmly. "Fine. I'll handle this too. Kiana, protect them in my stead."
Kiana saluted playfully. "Okey-dokey, Captain Kitty!"
With a small smirk, Fran bent her knees and leapt—her body soaring through the air as if defying gravity itself. It was one of the aerial movement techniques Satria had taught her.
She landed on the enemy ship with a thunderous impact, her aura flaring like a storm. Her eyes glowed fiercely. "Now… who wants to die first?"
"W-What's with this kid?!"
"D-Demon! She's a demon!"
Before they could panic further, Shishou's voice echoed telepathically. "Wait, Fran! Don't kill them! They're not trained fighters, just look at their gear! They're fishermen turned pirates. Let's find out why they attacked first."
Fran frowned but nodded. "Fine."
In the next instant, she blurred into motion. The pirates didn't even see her move—just felt their weapons vanish from their hands. Within seconds, the entire crew was disarmed and trembling on deck.
A short while later, the interrogation began.
Their story was simple, yet pitiful.
Because of the new government's absurdly high taxes, they had lost their livelihoods and turned to piracy just to survive.
"I see…" Fran muttered, crossing her arms. "So, because of heavy taxation and an incompetent ruler, people are driven to crime just to live." Her respect for her husband rose even higher. "My Lord imposed almost non existence taxes in Tempest, yet his people live in prosperity."
Shishou sighed inside his sheath. "Don't compare normal humans to that guy, Fran. He's abnormal. Sometimes taxes are necessary—if managed properly. I mean, who fixes the roads? Who pays the teachers? Roads don't repair themselves. We pay people to help society — that's the whole idea."
Fran shook her head. "I respect you, Shishou, but I must disagree on this one."
"Oh? Really?" Shishou sounded intrigued. "How so?"
"In case you forgot, in our Empire, energy and material conversion are so efficient that scarcity no longer exists. People don't contribute out of obligation—they do it out of purpose. Everyone has access to what they need, and they give their skills back to society in return."
Shishou paused, processing her words. "No taxes, no scarcity, no currency-based motivation... then how do you decide who gets what? Or prevent freeloaders? Without competition or profit, what drives innovation?"
Fran smiled faintly. "Curiosity. The desire to improve, to explore, to leave your mark on the world. That's worth more than credits or coins. We still compete—but in creativity and excellence, not greed."
Shishou let out a metallic sigh. "…That sounds utopian. I don't know what that guy whispered into your ears, but he's absolutely insane."
Fran chuckled softly. "Maybe. But sometimes… insanity is what changes the world."
To be continued...