Walking out of his room, Rio immediately noticed chaos on the ship. Several sea monsters were attacking, but what caught his attention most was a massive octopus looming in front of the vessel—so enormous it could be mistaken for a small mountain.
This is definitely an S-rank monster… but why here? Rio thought. S-rank monsters don't leave their territory without reason. They're intelligent; they don't attack blindly.
The giant octopus raised a tentacle to strike, but before it could make contact, a massive magic circle formed around the ship. The energy was so immense that even trained mages would falter from the sheer mana consumption. Within seconds, a rain of fire poured down, forcing the octopus to retreat into the sea.
Ms. Anna appeared calmly on the deck, creating another magic circle. This time, all the smaller sea monsters attacking the ship were incinerated instantly. The students could only gape in shock, watching her effortlessly unleash overwhelming power.
So, this is the strength of a true S-rank… killing thousands with just a flick of a finger. Terrifying, Rio thought.
The Sea Monster Army
The next few days passed peacefully—until the octopus returned, now accompanied by a massive horde of sea monsters, including several B-rank sharkmen.
Why is this one so desperate to attack the ship? Could it… be targeting me? Rio's heart raced as a tentacle smashed the deck where he had been standing moments ago.
He quickly drew his sword and moved toward the students on the deck, staying alert for attacks from the octopus. Ms. Anna, noticing the danger, launched a flying spell.
"I'll handle the giant monster," she called, soaring toward the octopus. "You all deal with the smaller ones!"
Even E-rank sea monsters were no match for Rio. He struck them down with precise, controlled movements, conserving his energy while keeping his distance from the giant octopus. The fight continued, a brutal stalemate between the students and the relentless waves of monsters—until the sharkmen arrived.
Rio vs. the Sharkmen
Ten B-rank sharkmen approached him. Without revealing his full strength, Rio strategically led them away from the deck to a deserted area. As he expected, the sharkmen followed in formation, like trained soldiers.
[Body Strengthening] Rio covered himself in mana and struck the first sharkman down instantly. The others became alert, but he exploited the opening, killing two more before they could react.
The sharkmen adapted, cornering him from both sides. Rio's sword moved in a blur:
[Lightning Sword] He killed the three attacking from behind in a single strike. A spear grazed his shoulder, then his leg, but he stayed composed.
[Handling] Deflecting the final spear, he disoriented his opponents, landing swift strikes that felled two more.
Now only one sharkman remained. Rio's sword ignited with blue fire:
[Sword Aura: Fire Strike]
The final sharkman hesitated at the intense flames, his head flying away moments later. Victory was his. Rio quickly drank a healing potion, wounds closing rapidly.
Haa… haa… huff… haa… He exhaled, exhausted. This was the toughest fight yet.
Returning to the deck, he saw Ms. Anna's battle with the octopus nearing its end. The S-rank monster, heavily wounded, retreated into the ocean to recover. Ms. Anna, depleted of mana, did not pursue it and returned to the ship, eliminating the remaining smaller monsters with ease.
Arrival at Rault Islands
After a few more calm days, the ship finally reached the Rault Islands. Injured students were healed, and even Ms. Anna had recovered her mana.
The students followed her to the hotel as the sun set, painting the sky and ocean in brilliant shades of orange and pink. The peaceful scenery eased their tension, after days of constant alertness.
The islands themselves were arranged in a protective pattern, small islands surrounding the larger ones, connected by stable teleportation portals—a luxury created by the S-rank water mage Rault. Normally, such portals were prohibitively expensive, only used for transferring large amounts of materials.
After reaching his room, Rio took a refreshing bath, then collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion overtaking him.
The Dream
Suddenly, he heard a voice calling. The pitch-black night outside, devoid of stars or moon, felt ominous. A strange pull urged him toward the beach. As he approached, a hoarse, rigid voice pierced the darkness:
"SO, YOU ARE HERE!! YOU LITTLE RAT!!! TODAY I WILL KILL YOU!!!"
A gigantic octopus emerged before him, its eyes fixed on Rio like he was insignificant.
It… it's targeting me… His heart pounded.
Rio awoke with a start, gulped water, and looked outside. The sky was serene, two moons shining brightly.
It was just a dream… but why did it feel like a warning? Things are getting complicated.