Witch, I'm really not an ancient god of the deep sea!

Chapter 240 Catching a Big One

woo-

Accompanied by the piercing sirens of Red Maple Island in the distance, every household in Witch Sea spontaneously lit their lights and looked up at the sky.

Tonight will be the brightest night in the Witch Sea, and also the darkest night.

Since the creation of the new world, it has never escaped the shadow of natural disasters.

In the sky, the pale moon was gradually stained with a touch of crimson. The reddish light pierced through the clouds and sprinkled on the silent sea. Accompanied by a gentle sea breeze, the sky began to be covered by thick dark clouds, and the roar of the waves swept in from afar.

The wind brought shadows... Chen Qi immediately lowered his head:

"Fen, come up here quickly!!"

The area where Fen is currently located is too dark.

The Witch of Fen's own spiritual energy field is enough to attract powerful monsters.

With a gentle breeze, bubbles began to rise from the seabed beneath Fen's feet, and as if the liquid had solidified, a twisted, dark monster silently emerged.

It was entirely black, with a muscular, bear-like body, but a head like a deer's, and a pair of dark red eyes amidst the blackness...

Shadow Bear Deer —

Chen Qi pulled out the Giant Slayer Gun and, without hesitation, fired a shot at the Shadow Bear Deer's head.

With a gust of strong wind, the head of the Shadow Bear Deer suddenly exploded.

"quick!"

Then, Chen Qi walked to the side of the boat and pulled Fen up from the small boat.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

Fen gasped for breath, patting her chest. Despite having rested for a long time, she wasn't fully ready for battle yet.

Chen Qi commanded:
"Fen, from now on, you must never enter the sea without lights..."

"Ah."

Finn nodded, then turned around in horror to look at the creature that had just been behind her.

On its pure black body, the Shadow Bear Deer's head had been severed, but black lines kept emerging, repairing itself at an astonishing speed.

In just a moment, the headless Shadow Bear-Deer reassembled half of its head and smiled at them.

One of the most powerful traits of Shadow Beasts is their uncontrollability and powerful regenerative abilities.

"nice one……"

After saying that, Chen Qi immediately aimed the Giant Slayer Spear at the Shadow Bear Deer and fired three shots in quick succession.

boom! boom! boom!
The Shadow Bear Deer was blasted into dust, its corpse turning into a jelly-like mass of shadowy matter on the sea surface.

Creeping Shadow, a type of Shadow Matter, is a guaranteed drop from Shadow monsters of Tier 2 and above. It can be used to craft Shadow equipment, as practice material for creating high-level Shadow skill cards, or dropped on other players to lower their sanity.

Once exposed to strong light, the creeping shadow will quickly rot and turn into useless, foul-smelling mud, making it a valuable item that requires special preservation.

This 2.0 version, which arrived after the Laughing Moon, is a rare substance unique to the Witch Sea.

"Number One, retrieve it."

Chenqi commanded the first unit to store the writhing shadow into the ghost ship's warehouse.

Such skillful manipulation... Finn picked up her wooden staff and assumed a fighting stance.

However, the moment she assumed a fighting stance, she was instantly startled.

As the sky changed, bubbles began to rise continuously from the reddish sea surface—

Above the sky, dark clouds pressed down like ocean waves!

Her intuitive senses were being blocked, making it impossible for her to detect anything in the darkness.

As the wind hissed, in the darkness, pairs of bright red eyes opened, like shadowy beasts craving food, staring hungrily at the ship's lights!

"One, two, ten, thirty, one hundred..."

Finn counted the number of Shadow Demons as much as possible, and then she circled the entire sea area, only to find that countless monsters lurking in the shadows were already around the ghost ship, trying to bite off their necks and tear their flesh apart.

Chen Qi patted Fen on the back:
"Fen, what's wrong? Are you scared?"

Fen gritted her teeth:
"No, Kei, I'm just surprised..."

"No, it's normal to be afraid. Now, as we sail through the Witch's Sea, we must remain vigilant."

Chen Qi took out the Daylight Lantern from his backpack card, infused it with spiritual power, and lit it.

As long as the ship's lights are kept bright, it will not be attacked by the shadow beasts.

The 2.0 version of Witch Ocean has three major changes.

First, Shadow Fiend will become a permanent resident creature on the sea, forever roaming the Witch Sea.

This is also a unique feature of the Witch Sea section.

As for why the arrival of the Laughing Moon caused so many Shadow Demons to appear in the Witch Sea, that remains a mystery to this day.

Secondly, the number of mutated monsters has increased significantly, and ancient monsters from the deep sea, as well as some ancient beings, will also emerge on the surface of the sea.

Of course, the most important thing is the third point, including the arrival of a series of ancient B-rank rifts, such as the Witch's Trial Grounds!
Although a Class B rift is only one rank higher than a Class C rift, its destructive power and difficulty are several times greater.

Its existence will cause permanent damage to the surrounding space, completely changing the sea area for thousands or even tens of thousands of meters.

This will result in a large number of unknown and dangerous sea areas appearing above the Witch Sea, where even following the safe routes on the nautical chart will pose great dangers.

The interior space, however, is fraught with danger, with the survival rate for most Class B rifts being less than 10%.

However, in return, the resources it possesses are beyond human imagination.

The strength of companies like Steam Hand, Campfire Energy, and Magic Bullet Company, and even their founding, are all closely related to the high-level rifts they control.

It is through the Rift, the Steam Hand, and the Magic Bullet Company that powerful, unimaginable weapons can be created.

A single B-rank rift can influence the course of a war and the rise of a small nation's weaponry.

Therefore, after the arrival of the Laughing Moon, even the powerful nations around it could not hide their greedy fangs.

The Golden Flower Bird Kingdom, the White Tower Federation, and even the distant Black Blood Empire and the Winter Kingdom will ignore the warnings from the Bei Kingdom and send powerful privateering hunter groups to venture deep into the Witch Sea as predators, becoming a powerful third force besides the navy and pirate groups!
Under these three conditions, the difficulty of navigating the Witch Sea will drastically increase, by at least tenfold. Ordinary fishermen can only fish under the light of the lighthouse, and even third-tier superhumans cannot guarantee their safety without encountering pirates.

Chen Qi tried his best to use his inspiration to detect the current sea area.

However, he sensed a wall, an endless wall of waves, constantly crashing against him, blocking all his spiritual perception.

A tremendous sense of nature pressed down on Chen Qi and Fen.

Before I knew it, I had entered the Witch's Sea 2.0 version... Chen Qi looked at the swarm of shadow beasts as dense as ants, hung the daytime lantern on the bow of the ship, and commanded:

"Number Three! Proceed at full speed in this direction!"

Boom boom boom!

Ghost Fire Mode! Activate!
The ghost ship emitted blue flames, its lights blazing brightly as it sailed towards the distant sea.

As a person with extraordinary flower-like features, Fen possesses some skills in weather prediction:
"Qi, are you really going to the Sea God Pirates' base?"

"Yes, there are countless treasures there, as well as tentacles and deep blue fire."

Chen Qi was exceptionally excited and, without hesitation, increased the boat's speed to the maximum:

"I'll go to Black Mine City, pick up my little houseboat, and then head to the Sea God Pirate Crew to find high-level job cards."

……

……

On a high-rise building on Red Maple Island, a group of people held lanterns and gazed at the ghost ship that was gradually disappearing into the distance.

"He's gone. Sure enough, it's too dangerous for him to stay here with us."

Fenrir the Mad Wolf said, feeling a strange sense of loss and powerlessness.

Veteran Gale downed a glass of strong liquor:
"Fenrir, don't worry, I believe you'll soon see his story in the newspapers!!"

“Old Gale, it’s not that easy. Those geniuses from the Royal Universities have already arrived in this sea area. In front of those geniuses, superhumans like me and the Black Hunter are just mortals.”

Those newspapers, from now on, will become the stage for those geniuses.

Little Red Riding Hood smoothed her blonde hair and laughed self-deprecatingly.

Once those monsters from extraordinary universities enter the arena, these pirate geniuses will crumble at the slightest touch.

Old Gale shook his head and laughed loudly:
"That's not necessarily true, Little Red Riding Hood! Maybe he'll surpass you soon and beat you to a pulp!" Me, beaten to a pulp? Little Red Riding Hood instantly gritted her teeth, revealing fierce golden eyes:
"I'll be beaten to a pulp by him! I'm not just any ordinary Tier 3; among Tier 3, I'm the strongest..."

Little Red Riding Hood crossed her arms; she had witnessed Chen Qi's strength in the training room.

While outstanding in the second tier, it is still too weak in the third tier.

Moreover, in her eyes, all third-tier superhumans were nothing more than toys.

Veteran Gale, his face flushed, downed the drink in one gulp.

"Hehe, then let's give it a try, Little Red Riding Hood! Aren't you about to set sail too? To heal our leader, the Blood Lady, for the witch's relic!"

"You little rascal, you're surprisingly loyal despite being only Fenrir's sister! Surprisingly spirited! If I were younger, I would definitely have fallen for your fiery temper!"

You, you like me… Little Red Riding Hood gritted her teeth, feeling an urge to tear Gale to pieces.

But after much hesitation, she finally managed to squeeze out a simple sentence:
"After I'm gone, Fenrir, my brother, take good care of Lady Blood for me!"

"I'm leaving it to you..." Little Red Riding Hood felt a little reluctant.

Fenrir looked at Little Red Riding Hood's resolute eyes and nodded seriously.

……

……

call--

At dawn, a ray of sunlight shyly peeks out from the horizon, painting the sky a gentle orange-red.

As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, the early horse catches the grass, and the early water sprite gets to work!

Water sprites number one, three, and four were already diligently cleaning every corner of the boat with rags.

Numbers five, six, and seven are responsible for chopping vegetables and preparing ingredients.

"Mmm, except for number two who's watering the flowers, all the other water sprites are very diligent..."

Chen Qi nodded in satisfaction.

The Water Sprite truly lives up to its reputation as a fully-fledged pet.

After Chen Qi finished his ruthless oversight, he found a reef in the sea and moored the ship.

After several days of sailing, he and Finn were already in the territory of the Sea God Pirates, and in the distance, they could see the towering statue of the Sea Goddess.

Chen Qi jumped off the boat and used his long knife to carve a star on the reef:
“Fen, from now on, this will be our contact point! If your radio cannot reach my ship, come here and carve a flower.”

If I cannot reach you, I will carve a star here.

"No problem! Activate!"

Finn threw her small sailboat overboard.

Next, Finn's destination will be Blood Demon Island near the Sea God Pirate Crew's base. She will go there to find the legendary Blood Demon Heart, which is the key to suppressing her Blood Flower Disease!
"Row!"

Without hesitation, Chen Qi abandoned his dilapidated little houseboat, which he hadn't used for a long time.

His current strength is neither the best nor the worst.

He has many plans for his next course of action.

However, it would be too abrupt to directly intrude into the territory of the Sea God Pirates using a ghost ship.

Disguised as a cook, one could enter the waters of the Sea God Pirates in a small houseboat, making them even more discreet.

Of course, if you can blend in naturally, that would be a better option.

As for guarding the ghost ship, Chen Qi had also come up with a temporary plan, which was the Deep Sea Sprite III.

Chenqi has taught No. 3 all the skills of sailing, such as sending distress signals, starting the engine, and turning the bow!

If a problem occurs, Number Three will send a message to the machine inside the houseboat.

Now, the once timid Number Three is considered an excellent little captain on the ghost ship.

If Number Three is not up to the task, then simply hand it over to his first mate and pharmacist, Fen.

I'm currently stuck on the job change quest, so contacting the lighthouse keeper of the Sea God Pirate Crew is of utmost importance.

If we can just kill one of the mutated lighthouse keepers, all problems will be solved!

The lighthouse keeper of the Poseidon Pirates was a position in charge of maintaining order at the docks and overseeing the passage of ships.

Therefore, finding the lighthouse keeper is not a difficult task.

The key is how to contact them; every lighthouse keeper is under strict protection.

"Is it assassination, or finding a way to replace the other person?"

Chen Qi hesitated, realizing he was lost in thought.

Just then, an unusual sound came from the sea beneath their feet!
Before he could react, a tentacle grabbed his leg.

"???"

Chen Qi blinked.

Tentacle grass is a special plant that hides in the sea and attacks creatures that live near it.

Once entangled by it, your energy will be continuously drained! You will be unable to circulate your spiritual power for a short period of time!

This is a creature with extremely strong control; once you are affected, your combat power will be greatly reduced!
"Fen!"

Chen Qi immediately reminded Fen.

There are often more than ten tentacles!

He's been apprehended; Finn is next!

If Finn gets hit, both he and Finn will be seriously injured by the constant lashing tentacles.

"I'll try my best!"

Fen reacted immediately; her spiritual senses were completely unable to detect the tentacle grass beneath her feet.

However, the tentacle plant was exceptionally fast, and Finn was still a step too slow.

thump!
Two slippery tentacles emerged from the water, reaching out towards Fen's fair and tender feet...

Then, just as the tentacle was about to reach Finn's feet, it suddenly stopped, twisted, and abruptly turned.

The tentacles ignored Fen and rushed towards Chenqi.

"..."

"..."

Why did you only arrest me? Why not the Flower Witch?
This is wrong!

Chen Qi was startled when three tentacle plants gripped his feet tightly, preventing him from freeing himself for a moment.

What incredible strength! After Xiaoyue, these guys' strength has increased to a whole new level!
"This thing is troublesome..."

Chen Qi pulled his leg with force.

Logically speaking, he shouldn't be unable to react to a normal tentacle grass attack, given his senses...

and many more……

Chen Qi was taken aback, then suddenly thought of a possibility.

This is a man-made trap!

The tentacle grass trap is a tactic that the Sea God Pirates are very proud of!
Legend has it that even the renowned Carol was tricked by this tactic and was threatened with photos by Perle from the White Dove newspaper.

"Hide! It's a trap!"

Chen Qi immediately gave the order.

"???"

Upon hearing this, Fen immediately jumped into the water and hid.

Soon, a massive warship, stirring up huge waves, arrived menacingly at the reef.

At the bow of the ship, a pirate with the sea goddess embroidered on the back of his clothes rubbed his hands together, unable to hide his excitement.
"Those tentacles! Thank you, Poseidon! We've caught another big one!"

(End of this chapter)