Cale did not want to see Toonka’s smiling face. However, Amiru calmly started to explain.
“Bob is from the Whipper Kingdom. He is from a small seaside village and went out to fish when somehow he ended up shipwrecked.”
“That is correct. I just live a simple life fishing by the village. Hahahaha. I do not know how I ended up like this.”
‘A simple life my ass.’
It was unbelievable. Amiru did not know about Cale’s thoughts, as she continued to speak.
“That was why he got on a boat and helped us investigate what happened last night.”
Amiru’s eyes were clear as she looked at Toonka. However, when Cale looked around, there were many negative gazes toward Toonka as well.
A villager from the Whipper Kingdom. Their gazes showed their true feelings about this barbarian. Cale took a quick glance around before making eye contact with Toonka. Toonka started to smile.
“I heard that young master-nim launched a large shield in the capital in order to save everyone. I asked the young lady-nim to bring me with her because I heard that you were a strong person.”
Toonka’s eyes sharpened at that moment. Cale suddenly had an ominous feeling.
‘This is getting dangerous.’
That was why he immediately responded with the following.
“That is why I am currently in recovery.”
“...Recovery?”
“Yes. It is a not a strong power. It is very weak.”
Amiru added on.
“Yes. Young master Cale overused his power to save everyone. That is why he is touring our territory while he recovers.”
Amiru was looking toward Cale with sympathy, admiration, and some other emotions, but Toonka was different.
“Ah, is that the case?”
He seemed to have lost all interest. He then looked at Cale from head to toe before looking away.
‘Good. That is how Toonka should act.’
Sacrifice for others? A hero? Toonka was not interested in anything like that. All he cared about and obsessed over was strength. He was the type of person who ignored the people on his own side if they were weak, and even killed them if necessary.
That was why he was called a tyrant.
“Then shall we go?”
Cale nodded at Amiru’s question. He could then hear Toonka’s mumbling from the side.
“This is weird. I smell a strong person nearby.”
He really was crazy. Cale looked up at the empty ceiling.
- I do not smell.
Cale could hear the invisible Black Dragon’s voice in his head. Toonka’s instincts were even stronger than those of the Beast people. Cale made up his mind that he had to act the weakest he had ever been while he was around Toonka today.
***
“We are currently investigating why the whirlpool may have suddenly disappeared. My father and our territory’s mages will all soon arrive as well.”
Cale looked out at the calm sea by the central island and played along with Amiru.
“Is that so? I’m glad. I hope we can quickly figure out what happened.”
- You are such a good liar.
Cale ignored the Black Dragon’s remark as he looked out to the sea with a calm gaze. It was quite chaotic. All of the village’s fishermen were out here, as well as the people who came out for the construction of the naval base. They were all looking around and discussing with each other. It was even louder because of the other whirlpools that were still going strong nearby. Cale looked out at all of this and added on.
“I hope all of the other whirlpools can quickly disappear as well.”
- Human, you are lying again. Didn’t you say you will make the whirlpools stay for another year?
Cale once again ignored the Black Dragon’s remarks. Amiru nodded at Cale’s words with a determined expression.
“Yes. We will definitely figure out what happened and get rid of the other whirlpools as well. With such an opportunity in front of our eyes and many people helping us, we need to grasp this opportunity completely.
The passionate Amiru made Cale feel a bit sorry for her and he started to speak.
“I’m sure you and the Ubarr family will definitely accomplish it, young lady Amiru.”
“...Thank you. I feel much better after your affirming words, young master Cale.”
Amiru’s warm gaze headed toward Cale as she stood there with a calm smile on her face. Cale responded back to her with a serious expression.
“I’m getting a bit dizzy from all this sunlight, may I go rest for a bit underneath the shade?”
Cale could feel Toonka’s gaze on him from one of the boats. Toonka kept on glancing over toward Cale every so often. He seemed to be still looking for the source of that strong person’s scent. However, there was no way that Toonka would find the Black Dragon. That was the limit of someone who could not feel any aura or mana.
“Ah, of course. Please rest well, since you are still in recovery. Do not overdo it.”
“Thank you.”
Cale leisurely headed to the central island’s forest. Amiru just quietly watched him as he headed toward the shade. This Cale, who was still doing what he was supposed to even when he was in recovery, was definitely different from the Cale of the past. Although he claimed to be ill, he did not look ill at all. He just seemed to be tired.
“That is what makes him amazing.”
As someone who dreamt of presiding over this territory in the future, Amiru though that she needed to become more dependable like Cale. Passion filled her calm gaze as she quickly walked over to the investigators to help.
On the other hand, Cale was heading to the other side of the island. Since nobody was over there, it would be a great place to waste time.
- Aren’t you afraid of the corpses over there? You are both weak and a coward.
Cale ignored the Black Dragon once more as he arrived at the other side of the island. He then stopped moving after taking a look.
“What the?”
- It was not me! I didn't do it!
The Black Dragon was passionately denying any blame. However, this time, Cale did not have the luxury of listening to the Black Dragon. He quickly rushed toward the boulder that the mermaid corpses were on the other day. He could not help but stop once he got around it.
‘... Did Paseton do this?’
The boulder was destroyed into pieces.
“How did the mermaid corpses end up like this……”
The mermaid corpses were turned into dust. Cale could tell these were the corpses only because he had seen them here the other day. Anybody else would just think that it was part of the boulder.
This immense strength.
This was definitely the work of a Whale.
An extremely angry Whale.
Splash. Splash.
Suddenly, the water started to churn. The Black Dragon started to speak.
- Something is shooting up from the bottom of the sea. It is moving very fast!
Cale lifted his head and looked toward the sea. He then flinched and stepped backwards.
Splaaaaash.
Something large rose to the surface. It was a lifeform that was dark grey in color. It then looked straight toward Cale.
It was a Whale.
A Humpback Whale Beast person.
Humpback Whale Beast people were known as the guardians of the ocean and protected the weaker lifeforms. For generations, the Whale Tribe’s King has been a Humpback Whale beast person.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Cale’s heart was going while. The Whale’s gaze was filled with both murderous intent and observation, a mix of instinct and rationality. This was the first time Cale had made such direct eye contact with a strong existence that was angry at him. This strong existence was looking down at Cale and inspecting each and every aspect of Cale.
It was at that moment.
- That stupid Whale must be crazy!
The Black Dragon’s angry voice rang inside Cale’s mind. At the same time, a strong power started to cause vibrations in the air. The eyes of the Whale, that had been focused on Cale, turned toward the source of the vibration.
- How dare you look at my weak human like that!
The mana in the air started to fluctuate and the water started to go wild. However, the Humpback Whale did not move at all. Instead, this 15m long Whale raised its tail and slapped down onto the water.
Spaaaaaaash!
The water was churning rapidly.
This action made Cale certain that this was a beast person.
Boom. Boom.
Cale calmed his heart, as the Vitality of the Heart had noticed danger and started to pour out its strength. The Indestructible Shield also shot out as well. The ancient powers always put their owner’s lives first. They were ready to go at any point to protect their owners.
Cale turned his head toward the empty void where the mana was gathering and was about to speak. However, another voice started to speak first.
“I am not trying to fight with you.”
It was a voice that was as beautiful as the Sirens of the greek mythology. Cale turned his head and saw the Humpback Whale completely reveal its head above water.
“Wow.”
A gasp came out of Cale’s mouth. It was very large and scary. He felt like that Whale’s head could easily kill him with a light tap.
- Why are you lifting up your stupid head? You’re telling me everything you did until now wasn’t asking for a fight? Puny Whale!
Cale let out a sigh at the Black Dragon’s words before reaching out toward the mana. An angry four year old could be quite dangerous.
The mana, that seemed ready to destroy anything and everything, gave way to Cale’s hand. The Whale seemed to be shocked at this development.
Cale’s hand finally reached something round. It was the dragon’s head. Cale just stoically patted it a few times.
“Don’t get angry. You will get hurt.”
The mana started to quickly disappear. Cale then heard a quiet voice.
- I will not get hurt. I am strong.
“I know, I know. But you still have to be careful.”
It was hard to calm down a four year old child. However, the Black Dragon seemed to have understood what Cale was trying to say.
- You should be the one being careful, weak human.
The mana disappeared completely. Cale turned away and looked toward the Whale once the mana was gone. The Whale slowly lowered its large head toward Cale. Cale flinched at the size of the head, but managed to stand still. It was because the murderous intent had disappeared from the Whale’s gaze.
Once the Humpback Whale lowered its head to right in front of Cale, it started to speak.
“I have something to ask-.”
At that moment.
A small Whale was swimming like crazy from the far horizon. It was heading toward them. It seemed to be very weak and small compared to this 15m Whale.
That Whale quickly approached them and started to shout.
“Noona, you cannot bite him and kill him!”
The Humpback Whale in front of Cale quickly turned around.
Splaaaaaaash!
The sea water splashed from the Whale’s movement and drenched Cale.
However, Cale did not have time to think about this. He closed his eyes.
‘This really must be that Humpback Whale.’
The tiny Whale coming toward them was most likely Paseton. That meant that there was only one existence that he would call noona.
The current Whale King’s daughter and the future Queen of the Whales.
The Whale that was at the vanguard alongside Choi Han and crew in the battle against the mermaids.
Cale could see the X shaped scar on the Humpback Whale’s back.
Witira.
It was definitely her.
The large Whale’s face started to turn into a frown. Cale slowly started to move backwards, as he did not want to get involved in this Humpback Whale sibling reunion.
The small Whale shouted once more.
“He is someone you must absolutely not kill!”
The Black Dragon confusedly spoke into Cale’s mind again.
- What is that small Whale talking about? We are not fighting.
Cale felt the same way. Cale was thankful that everybody was too focused on the situation on the other side of the island to hear this small Whale’s voice. Otherwise, everyone would have come here after hearing the small Whale’s shouts.
It was not long before the the Whales would meet. However, the Black Dragon casually added on at that time.
- By the way, just so you know, there is one more coming.
‘What? One more?’
Cale stopped walking backwards and turned toward the forest.
“Muhahahahahah. I smell it, I can smell it!”
A crazy bastard whose brown hair looked like a wild lion’s mane appeared.
It was Toonka. His eyes looked crazy. He was rushing out of the forest while shouting.
“I smell someone strong!”
Cale crouched down as soon as he saw Toonka. Thanks to that, Toonka and the Humpback Whale made direct eye contact with each other.
Cale crawled out of the way before the shrimp could get hurt. [1]
Teaser