Chapter 696
If there is an afterlife, I will be a little woman by your side.
Finally, there was the silver gem that shimmered with a cool, moonlit glow—"Tears of the Sky."
Claire pointed the trident at the surging seawater below, from which silver light flowed.
Wherever the light reached, a vast amount of water element was forcibly bestowed upon it under the will of the artifact; giving it a new form and soul.
With a deafening roar, the two enormous creatures rose from the seawater.
They are made entirely of the purest seawater and water elements concentrated to the extreme, and their shapes are lifelike, like legendary deep-sea monsters.
One of them is similar in form to the Kraken, with dozens of huge, incredibly tough tentacles covered in suckers, each tentacle containing the power to shatter mountains.
The other one resembles an ancient mosasaur, with a streamlined body covered in "scales" formed from water elements, and a ferocious glint in its massive head, ready to devour its prey.
What's most chilling is that the energy fluctuations emanating from these two water elemental behemoths created out of thin air are comparable to those of Claire herself—high-level legendary.
They have no complex thoughts, only the purest fighting instincts and absolute obedience to Claire's orders.
The addition of two legendary high-level elemental behemoths instantly reversed Claire's extreme disadvantage of facing a siege of more than ten legendary figures alone.
The enormous tentacles swept across, forcing back several superhumans who tried to get close, and even wrapped around the waist of an Imperial high-speed destroyer that had gotten too close, slamming it violently into another warship amidst a tooth-grinding metallic twisting sound.
The water elemental behemoth in its mosasaur form opened its mouth and spewed out a high-pressure water cannon, the power of which was comparable to the full-force attack of a legendary expert, scattering the dense torrent of magic and arrows into pieces.
At the same time, it used its sharp teeth and tail, comparable to divine weapons, to fight two legendary warriors skilled in close combat, holding its own against them.
With the Heart of the Tide restraining the strongest Saint, the Wrath of the Abyss disrupting the Imperial Navy and forming an outer barrier, and the Tear of the Sky creating top-tier combat power to share the pressure, Claire brought the power of the Trident of Poseidon to its fullest potential.
This was the first time Claire had revealed the true terrifying power of the Trident of Poseidon to so many outsiders without reservation.
The Heart of the Tides' domain control, the Abyss's Fury's summoning of all things, the Tear of the Sky's elemental creation—the power of each gem is enough to change the course of a local war.
When these elements are simultaneously driven by one person under the unified command of the Trident, the effect is a strategic upheaval.
This is precisely the source of her confidence to venture alone deep into the heart of the Imperial fleet in an attempt to rescue her people.
What she was betting on was the absolute power that this ancient artifact could unleash when fully unleashed, a power beyond conventional comprehension.
Greg's carelessness, or rather his misjudgment, is understandable.
Aside from Cohen and Claire themselves, probably no one else in the world knows the true appearance and limits of the Trident of Poseidon in its "complete form".
The legends surrounding it are fragmented, and later records are mostly vague and even contradictory.
People only know that it is a symbol of the sea god, incredibly powerful, but the specifics of its power and the incredible abilities it possesses remain a secret shrouded in the mists of history.
Gregor and his advisors, based on limited historical records and the performance of conventional artifacts, have given this matter extremely high priority and mobilized a truly lavish amount of resources.
But they still couldn't have predicted that this artifact, in the hands of a Tide Queen who was determined to fight to the death and with whom she shared a very high degree of bloodline resonance, could exert such a comprehensive and dominant effect.
The Trident of Poseidon is now more than just a weapon; it is a mobile, multi-functional war fortress.
The battle had unexpectedly reached a shocking stalemate!
On paper, Gregor's side had an overwhelming advantage: more than ten legendary powerhouses, several saintly incarnations to support them, and a massive imperial fleet to blockade the sea and air. This should have been a crushing defeat.
However, in reality, Claire, with the help of the artifact, transformed herself and the surrounding sea into a nearly impenetrable deep-sea fortress.
The force field of "Heart of the Tide" trapped the strongest saint, Deendro, preventing him from intervening effectively.
The billions of sea monsters commanded by "Wrath of the Abyss" turned the outer defenses of the Imperial Fleet upside down like an endless stream of cannon fodder and sources of disruption, with casualties and chaos continuing to escalate.
The two legendary high-level water elemental behemoths created by "Tears of the Sky" acted as the most loyal guardians, withstanding the frontal attacks of most legendary powerhouses with astonishing combat power, thus winning Claire's main body precious breathing space and counterattack space.
In a short period of time, the Empire's seemingly incomparably luxurious and extraordinary lineup was actually helpless against Claire!
They were unable to quickly defeat the two troublesome elemental behemoths, unable to effectively break through the interference of the tidal force field to directly attack Claire's core, and also had to deal with the biological hordes coming from all directions of the ocean.
Not to mention the relentless harassment from ghost ships on the periphery.
The casualties of the Southern Empire are increasing, and the originally tight encirclement is beginning to show signs of loosening due to the impact of the sea monsters and the fierce fighting inside.
As Greg watched the stalemate on the battlefield, his anger and impatience grew.
The battle situation before him was completely different from his expectations of a quick victory.
"Useless! They're all a bunch of useless trash!"
Greg cursed under his breath, a cold glint in his eyes.
"Useless! You're all a bunch of useless trash!"
Greg practically spat out those words through clenched teeth, his voice low, yet it silenced the adjutant and guards around him.
Greg could now clearly sense the unease and wavering in the hearts of his subordinates.
He has expended such enormous resources, mobilized such astonishing power, and laid an inescapable trap; if he ultimately fails to capture even a "mere" mermaid clan chieftain...
Then Gregor Alvis, the Crown Prince of the Empire and a strong contender for the future throne, will become the laughingstock of the entire imperial high society.
He would be ashamed to face his father, ashamed to face the supporters who had placed high hopes on him, and would be stained with an indelible mark in his competition with his brothers.
This cannot continue; delay could lead to unforeseen consequences!
While the strangely styled ghost ships and pirate speedboats on the periphery failed to truly shake the core of the battle, they were undoubtedly a dangerous signal—Claire was not entirely without a backup plan; her allies were on their way!
We can't afford to remain in this stalemate any longer; we must end this immediately with overwhelming force!
Greg took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger and anxiety churning in his chest.
He stopped looking at the chaotic battlefield below and slowly turned his head, casting his gaze toward the seemingly empty void beside him.
His gaze sharpened, taking on a resolute edge.
"Great-uncle, please help!"
In the void, the light seemed to distort slightly. Without any earth-shattering sound, a figure appeared naturally, as if he had always been there, but no one had noticed him before.
This is a man who looks to be around fifty years old, with an ordinary, even somewhat plain, appearance.
He wore a gray robe without any markings, and his gray hair was neatly combed back.
He stood there, his aura completely restrained, and at first glance, he looked no different from an old scholar who had read many books.
However, anyone with keen senses will feel an indescribable tremor in their soul as soon as their gaze falls upon him, as if they are staring at a bottomless ancient well.
Avreli Damian, the patriarch of the Damian family to which Greg's mother belongs, is a terrifying being who has truly stepped into the realm of demigods, and is also Greg's last trump card in this operation.
Avreli calmly watched Greg, his eyes utterly still, as if the fierce battle below, the raging energy surge, were nothing more than children's play.
"Gregor, are you sure you need me to intervene now?"
He slightly raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the clouds and directed towards some unknown distance. "The 'Covenant of the Gods' has only recently been announced, and all sides are watching and waiting."
In theory, a demigod should no longer easily intervene in worldly disputes, especially a capture of this magnitude.
If I were to take action, I could certainly resolve the problem immediately, but it would also give your competitors an excellent pretext for attack.
They would say that Prince Gregor mobilized a large army, including the Empire's most powerful forces, yet he needed to use demigod power to deal with even a legendary-level alien leader. This would undoubtedly raise questions about your abilities.
His words were calm, with little emotional fluctuation; he simply stated the facts and analyzed the pros and cons.
This is indeed a real problem.
Demigods are great beings who have transcended the mortal realm and touched the very essence of the rules. Every time they make a formal move, it signifies a complete change in the situation and inevitably attracts the attention and interpretation of various forces.
During this delicate period of the "Covenant of the Gods," Greg used a demigod to capture Claire. It was only natural that he won. However, if he didn't handle it well, he would give others ammunition to criticize him and become a weapon for his political enemies to attack him. If he had to ask his parents for help to capture a legend, what ability did Greg have on his own?
Greg raised his head, his gaze meeting Avrelly's calm eyes. Gone was the anger from before; only a rock-solid resolve and ruthlessness remained.
"Great-uncle, this matter is of utmost importance to me."
I must take down Claire, and the Trident of Poseidon in her hand.
Therefore, all the costs are worthwhile.
He paused, lowering his voice even further:
"Once we've taken down Claire and the artifact, we can claim that she was the one who first used some forbidden power that was close to godhood."
The reason we are resorting to demigod power is to protect the interests of the Empire and the stability of the seas.
Greg's gaze fell upon Claire, who was still locked in fierce combat below. A burning glint flashed in his eyes as he looked at the gleaming, wind-swept trident in her hand:
"Moreover, what she holds is the Trident of Poseidon."
A complete ancient divine artifact of god-level quality. Isn't deploying a demigod the most reasonable and sufficient reason for it?
Who would really question whether mobilizing the resources commensurate with a potentially game-changing artifact is an overreaction?
Finally, Avreli slowly nodded:
"As you wish, Greg."
His voice remained calm, without any discernible emotional fluctuation.
Without a word or any dramatic preparation, Avreli simply stepped forward.
Just one step.
The entire battlefield, spanning dozens of nautical miles, seemed to have been frozen in time, with everything—the roaring waves, the booming magic, the howling sea monsters, and the fierce warriors locked in battle—all seemingly brought to a standstill.
Limited by the continent's restrictions, demigods cannot develop their "divine kingdom prototype" here, nor can they completely transform that world into the domain of their own rules.
Even so, its very existence is enough to fundamentally interfere with this reality.
This is an absolute crushing defeat due to rank, a chasm between the level of life and the essence of power.
Soon, Avreli found Claire amidst the chaos of the battlefield and immediately subdued her. Claire's expression turned cold; her opponent indeed had a trump card—he had actually deployed a demigod!
Faced with this suppression that transcended her rank, Claire knew that in the face of an absolute power gap, any conventional resistance would be meaningless.
She no longer hesitated, nor did she harbor any illusions.
His expression calmed down strangely, and the trident in his hand seemed to sense his master's do-or-die will, emitting an unprecedented tremor and hum.
On the halberd, the deep, bottomless black gem—"Wrath of the Abyss"—suddenly burst forth with a darker light than ever before.
This is not the "Wrath of the Abyss" that commands sea monsters and establishes mental links like before.
This is a deeper, more forbidden realm, unlocked only by the keys of life and bloodline... the ultimate sacrifice!
When Octavian, the god of the sea, solemnly entrusted the Trident of the Sea to her and Cohen, he said this.
The three gems on the trident—Heart of the Tide, Wrath of the Abyss, and Tear of the Sky—each possess a powerful awakening skill in addition to their basic abilities.
The Abyss's Wrath's awakened skill is called—Descent of the Sea God.
The way to activate it is extremely cruel and the cost is prohibitively high.
It requires the sacrifice of a descendant with the pure direct bloodline of the first sea god, Poseidon, in order to briefly summon a projection of fifty percent of the first sea god's power to descend into the mortal world.
Poseidon, the god of the sea, was one of the original gods. Even if it was only a projection of fifty percent of his power, his might was comparable to that of a powerful god in the present world.
Claire had realized that facing the personal suppression of a demigod and the impenetrable encirclement, escape was a pipe dream.
She could feel the sealing of the surrounding space rapidly intensifying. Although the demigod's palm was only pressing lightly, the pressure it brought made her bones creak and her internal magic power flow to an extreme degree.
Fine, since we can't escape, then... let's all perish together.
In order to capture her, Greg used almost all the resources that the Southern Empire could mobilize in the southeastern sea area: a complete naval fleet, more than ten legends, several saint incarnations, and even... a demigod.
If they could all be buried here, it would be of immeasurable help to Cohen's future strategic plans in the South China Sea and to relieving the pressure on the merfolk.
But... Cohen...
The extreme pain and the initiation of the sacrificial ritual seemed to blur the line between reality and illusion.
In a daze, a familiar handsome face appeared before Claire's eyes.
It was as if Cohen was standing right in front of her, silently watching her with those eyes that always seemed to see right through her disguise.
Cohen...
That's fine, at least I can do something for you in the end.
Claire's lips curved upwards in an almost imperceptible arc, and she parted slightly, uttering a low murmur:
"If...there is an afterlife..."
Her eyes became hazy and distant, as if she could already see a future that did not exist.
"I just hope... to be an ordinary little woman by your side..."
She is no longer the Queen of the Tides, no longer burdened with the responsibility of restoring her people, and no longer wields the divine weapon that can shake the ocean.
Just a little woman who can stay by his side, watch him laugh, listen to him talk, and share ordinary moments... that's enough.
Claire's whispered murmur, filled with endless longing and relief, seemed to be about to be swallowed up by the increasingly heavy demigod pressure surrounding her.
However, in the very next instant—
A familiar sigh rang directly in Claire's ears, carrying helplessness, pity, and a deeply hidden anger:
"Okay, I agree."
“However,” the voice continued, with an air of self-righteous dominance, yet concealing an undeniable tenderness, “there’s no need to wait for the next life, it can be done now.”
Claire trembled violently!
His pupils, which were already on the verge of dilation, suddenly contracted.
Is it a hallucination?
Is it the last self-comfort before the burning of blood and the sacrifice of the soul?
Was it because she missed him so much that, at the end of her life, even her hearing began to deceive her?
Yes, how could he possibly be here?
This is a meticulously laid trap by the Southern Empire, guarded by a demigod and surrounded by countless powerful figures… Even with his extraordinary abilities, how could he possibly…
However, before this self-deprecating thought could fully take shape, a clear incantation resonated directly in her mind.
The incantation seemed to possess some kind of magical power, directly stabilizing the increasingly violent bloodline energy within her.
The sacrificial ceremony was forcibly interrupted!
Claire was completely stunned; it was as if her very soul had stopped thinking.
This...this is not an illusion!
The only thing in this world capable of interrupting the sacrificial ceremony of the Trident of Poseidon is...
It's not a hallucination.
Cohen stood right beside her, as if he had always been there.
He was still wearing that simple and neat black outfit, with a scarlet cloak casually draped over his shoulders.
Although he still wore the demon mask used to conceal his identity, the aura was so familiar.
Cohen.
It's really him.
He came when she was at her most desperate and ready to give up everything.
The next moment, Cohen reached out and pulled Claire into his arms, holding her tightly.
Claire's body began to tremble violently and uncontrollably.
This merman chieftain, who had reigned supreme for two generations, navigating the vortex of power and war for over a century, and commanding the awe of countless beings in the endless sea, finally couldn't hold back his tears.
"I'm sorry..." She buried her face deep in his chest, her voice muffled, like a child who had done something wrong, or a lone boat that had finally found its harbor, "I'm sorry... I didn't listen to you... I was too willful... I shouldn't have..."
At this moment, all composure, all strategy, and all queenly majesty vanished.
"As long as you know!"
Cohen's voice came from above her head, still carrying that vicious edge, as if he wanted to devour her alive, but the arm around her tightened gently.
With his other hand, he swiftly took out a small bottle that shimmered with the warm luster of jade and brought it to her lips without saying a word.
A refreshing yet powerful sense of life washed over her. Claire instinctively opened her mouth and swallowed the liquid, which carried the fragrance of herbs and trees.
The jade reagent transformed into countless warm streams upon entering her mouth, rapidly repairing her severely damaged bloodline essence.
Cohen watched her drink the reagent, his expression softening slightly, but his words remained sharp:
"Just wait and see how I punish you when I get back."
Claire had neither the strength nor the need to refute, and simply curved her lips upwards into a poignant smile.
It's so nice to still hear him talk like that...
Then, her vision began to blur rapidly into darkness. The extreme exhaustion and the soothing warmth from the jade reagent intertwined, gently lifting her last vestiges of consciousness.
Whether it was setting up the "Heart of the Tide" formation to trap the Saint, or fully activating the "Wrath of the Abyss" to link and control hundreds of millions of marine creatures to form an army.
Or perhaps it was the condensation of "Tears of the Heavens" that created two legendary high-level elemental sea beasts...
Each outburst is a huge drain on her own vitality and the essence of her soul.
Not to mention, the final sacrificial ceremony that initiated the "Descent of the Sea God" almost completely drained her.
The only reason they've been able to hold on until now is because of their indomitable will and their determination to perish together with each other.
At that moment, feeling the soul-soothing aura so close at hand, Claire could no longer hold on.
Even knowing that he was only a legendary-level being, even knowing that he had only recently broken through, even knowing that powerful enemies surrounded him and that demigods were in front of him... a near-blind trust welled up in his heart.
With him here, everything will be alright.
Even if the gods themselves were to descend, he would still protect her.
With this baseless yet unwavering thought in mind, Claire's eyelashes fluttered a few times before slowly closing, and she drifted into a deep, unguarded sleep.
She leaned softly against Cohen's chest, her breathing becoming light and even.
On the flagship command platform not far away, Greg witnessed everything that happened in the blink of an eye. He was as if he had been hit hard by an invisible hammer and stood frozen on the spot.
He quickly recognized the man who had appeared next to Claire!
Wearing his signature demon mask and a blood-red cloak, he is none other than the Pirate King Yann Hughes!
That persistent villain on the sea, a lackey of the Eastern Empire!
Especially when Greg saw that the most beautiful sea creature he had coveted for so long, regarded as his own, and was willing to use the imperial army to capture her, the ever-cold and noble Tide Queen Claire, who kept everyone at arm's length, was now so obediently nestled in that man's arms.
Greg felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by a cold, iron hand.
The complex emotions of unfulfilled possessiveness, trampled self-esteem, and the morbid infatuation of having the object of his affections snatched away in front of him instantly overwhelmed him.
This distorted Greg's otherwise handsome face. (End of Chapter)