The Meaning of a Demon King

These were all the records documented in the Adventurers Guild.

Starlight struggled to recall these blurred memories he had once skimmed over, a bead of cold sweat silently rolling down his forehead.

He had actually escaped with his life from an attack by the Sea Demon King?

This was hardly a common occurrence; he didn't believe his ability to flee was any greater than that of the three Saint Rank experts who had perished.

Lira seemed to see through Starlight’s thoughts and said flatly.

“So I’m saying you’re quite lucky. It’s just a pity for my forgotten kin... though, dying in a struggle against the Sea Demon was likely a wish fulfilled for them!”

“Kin? Wait... what do you mean by that!?”

Starlight keenly picked up on the implication in Lira’s words. Was he saying those mermaids... were actually kin of the elves?

But Lira had no intention of answering further, simply staring off into the distance at the thickening black mist on the sea.

Finally, Lian tugged at Starlight’s sleeve and explained softly in his ear.

“To be precise, those mermaids were originally a tribe of Night Elves. The ruins you saw underwater were where their ancestors lived before the War of Gods.”

“Under the influence of that great war, this piece of land was completely submerged. Those Night Elves who were fortunate enough to survive gradually transformed into creatures like mermaids under the irresistible, transcendent power of the gods.”

“The purpose of our journey was originally a mourning cruise for those lost kin. This is a tradition we Night Elves have maintained for many years, which is why I happened to encounter you at this time.”

After hearing Lian’s explanation, Starlight finally understood the complex emotions in their words.

The thought that he had killed many mermaids during the battle on the seabed filled him with a sudden sense of guilt.

In his initial understanding, those mermaids were nothing more than twisted monsters dwelling on the ocean floor.

But now, being told by Lian that they were actually descendants of the elf race, just like Moen and the others, undoubtedly struck a heavy blow to his heart.

“You didn't do anything wrong, though,” Lian said, reaching out her small hand to gently pat Starlight’s back in comfort. “Though they still share a close blood relation with us, they are no longer members of the elf race. Helping those kin, who spend their days in a muddled state, escape their sea of suffering early isn't necessarily a bad thing.”

“But... those mermaids... they still helped us hold back Hitral... right?”

“Indeed. After all, hatred for the Sea Demon God is a memory etched into the deepest part of their bloodline...”

“Lady, please hold on tight! The battle over there is about to end.” Just as Lian was halfway through her explanation, Lira, who had been watching the sea, suddenly furrowed his brows and gave a serious warning.

“Ended? Weren't there thousands of mermaids? How could they lose so easily?”

Starlight asked in surprise. He clearly remembered that back on the seabed, the mermaids had swarmed over Hitral’s body like a rising tide.

From the time Lian rescued him from the water until now, it had been ten minutes at most. How could they lose their advantage in such a short time?

“It seems you still don't understand the power of a Demon King. Watch closely, human mage—that is a height ordinary creatures could never reach in several lifetimes!”

Amidst Lira’s low murmur, Starlight witnessed a terrifying scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

The mist hovering over the sea had now become so dense it was almost solid, with faint crimson patterns flowing within it.

The next second, a massive beam of black light, several kilometers in diameter, surged up from the seabed and shot straight toward the blue sky, covering everything like a black barrier.

Starlight could sense that the previously calm sea was undergoing a violent transformation at this moment.

It was a power system he was unfamiliar with. It didn't draw upon the elements already present in the world like ordinary magic; instead, it directly converted them into another form of power.

Under the influence of that power, everything within a radius of several kilometers seemed to be erased by something, vanishing directly from this space.

As the black light gradually faded, a massive void appeared right in the center of the ocean.

Looking down from above, the void looked like a giant mouth. Everything that had once existed inside it was now nothing but pitch-black emptiness.

Whether it was the coral on the seabed, the ruins, or even the white clouds in the sky—a chunk of everything had been cleanly sliced away by the black light.

“This is the Sea Demon King’s ultimate technique—Blood Gluttony. Everything within his attack range is devoured completely. No one can escape.”

For a moment, the entire world seemed as if someone had pressed the mute button, and Lira’s cold voice rang in Starlight’s ears like a tolling bell.

“Sshhh...!”

After a long while, the seawater around the void finally began to pour back in, refilling the bottomless pit.

Accompanied by a massive roar and crashing waves, the large ship beneath them tossed on the sea like a leaf, struggling to resist the impact of the giant swells.

Starlight immediately gripped the railing beside him with all his might, preventing himself from being swept into the sea by the waves.

Fortunately, the ship they were on had already fled to a sufficient distance, otherwise they likely would have ended up shattered to pieces.

“Thankfully, even the Sea Demon King cannot use a move of this intensity consecutively. After devouring so much at once, he will need to rest for a while before appearing again. We must take this opportunity to leave immediately!”

Once the turmoil on the sea gradually subsided, Lira issued orders to the crew members, who were already soaked to the bone.

Having received his command, the crew didn't want to stay in place for even a second longer, maneuvering the ship to flee the terrifying sea area at top speed.

Seeing that they had finally left that den of trouble, Starlight’s racing heart finally settled, and he slumped weakly onto the deck.

He understood that he had just taken a walk through the gates of hell. If Hitral had used his ultimate technique the moment they met, he and his three companions would have absolutely had zero chance of survival.

But he couldn't understand why the Sea Demon King had let them off so easily. Perhaps... in the other’s eyes, he was merely an insignificant ant?

Starlight let out a long sigh. Now, he finally had a chance to rest properly.

In his perception, the soul link with Noah was still very stable. Aside from being unable to communicate, it was no different from usual, which meant Moen and the others hadn't encountered any danger afterward.

Similarly, Noah, wherever he was, could naturally sense his condition. This way, they could at least be at ease for now—the only problem was how to re-establish contact with them.