I, Guinevere, am going to crush you, you curry stick, today!

"Lily?"

"Me too."

Breathing slightly rapidly, the girl in the white dress stopped in her tracks and said this.

P.S.: Merry Christmas everyone~~~~ (Even though it's already Christmas, as long as you're still awake, today is still today!)

I've recently hit a creative block, and I'm increasingly dissatisfied with my writing, which is quite frustrating. I don't know if my skill level has declined, my standards have risen, or it's a combination of both... So, my updates might be less frequent for a while, but... I'll try to maintain a frequency of daily to every other day. Well, that's about it~

Chapter 140 The Surge (Part 2)

Under the bright daylight, this was a hastily set up camp with a few tents and people coming and going. The atmosphere was tense, like a taut bowstring, yet there was also an indescribable feeling flowing in the air.

The sound of hooves echoed from the far end of the road, and a rider galloped up, stopping at the edge of a grove of trees beside the camp. The knight dismounted, took his sword, tied his mount to a tree, and, amidst the clatter of his armor, strode towards the central tent.

"…How is the situation?"

They paused outside the tent, just in time to hear voices coming from inside. Another person replied, "We just received word that all the fishing village residents have been evacuated to safety..."

"Somewhere safe?"

"At least for now."

In the exchange of questions and answers, the knight lifted the door and went inside. The people inside the tent looked over at the same time—led by Fisher, there were five men in armor with long swords at their waists standing around a long table.

At a slightly more distant edge, stood a middle-aged woman dressed in a light blue robe and wearing a veil, holding a crystal ball in her hand.

Including the knights who just arrived, all the truly important figures in this territory have gathered here.

There were several piles of sand scattered on the long table, and Fisher was drawing on them with his fingers. Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

"Gwell, you've come."

"Yes."

Gewell nodded, looked around, and stood in the empty spot next to the long table, which was his usual position at such meetings.

In this race against time, the others stopped exchanging pleasantries. One of them bent his finger and tapped the edge of the table forcefully: "But we can all see clearly that the monster that was sealed away by the Fisherman King has reappeared. Anyone who experienced the tragedy thirty years ago should understand that once that beast is enraged, there will be no safe place in the entire Southern Territory—nowhere in the entire Southern Territory will be safe!"

The speaker had graying temples and a weathered face, clearly an elderly man who had witnessed the raging sea monster firsthand. His voice trembled as he spoke.

“I have already written to the Archbishop of Canterbury informing him of this,” Fisher replied. The elderly knight simply shook his head: “Not enough. Besides, even the Archbishop couldn’t defeat that beast back then, let alone now…”

"And what's your opinion?"

"Use the Trident of Poseidon to seal it once more—"

“I have just told you everything that has happened so far without hiding anything. The Trident of Poseidon has been taken away and is no longer in my possession.”

“But we hadn’t heard of such a thing beforehand! Even if you are the son of King Peres, you shouldn’t act so recklessly over something so important! You should know that the Trident of Poseidon is the key to our peace until now. Without it, those ferocious jackals would pounce on us immediately and bite our necks off!”

"I will take full responsibility for the loss of the Trident of Poseidon." Fisher glanced at the old knight, then looked at the others in the tent, observing their expressions. "But for now, let's focus on the problem at hand. Gentlemen, do you have any feasible solutions regarding that sea monster?"

After bringing the topic back on track, the old knight fell silent. In his place, a slightly younger man in his thirties with a short beard spoke up: "Since the path of the Sea God's Trident is blocked, there is only one viable path left..."

"Hmph, are they trying to get us to surrender and become Vortigern's dogs again? I'm sick of hearing it." The old knight sneered, making no attempt to hide his contempt.

The man who was interrupted stroked his beard, not angry at all: "The old sir's prejudice against me is far too deep. What I have always advocated is not submission, but the establishment of a completely equal and mutually supportive alliance."

You're kidding me!

"Suddenly, if there is anyone other than the King who can defeat that monster, I would wholeheartedly agree. But where can we find such an unparalleled expert in the short term?"

The old knight's face darkened at the question, but he couldn't find a rebuttal. In the end, he could only let out a heavy snort and take two steps to the side, distancing himself further away. The middle-aged man stroked his beard, a faint smile on his face. Several other people took turns speaking, offering their opinions, which he then refuted. After a moment of debate, Fisher coughed.

"In that case... seeking help from the King of the Lowly seems to be the only feasible option at present."

Fisher!

The old knight slammed his hand on the table, and Fisher shook his head: "Let's leave it at that for now. The safety of the people is the priority. Continue to monitor the sea monster's movements. I will write a letter and send someone to the King for help. This will be a terrible storm, and I don't know if we can survive it..." He paused, "Thank you all for your help."

Everyone became serious and then discussed the details of the operation, such as where the evacuated people should go, how to arrange food and other logistics and accommodation, and how to deal with possible bandits and monsters along the way. After reaching a preliminary conclusion and assigning tasks, everyone hurriedly left the tent. In the end, only Fisher and Gewell, who arrived last, stayed behind.

The two exchanged a glance, and Gewell, whose expression had been tense since entering, suddenly relaxed, revealing a faint smile: "That princess did indeed succeed."

"……Really?"

“We met them near Plymouth. Bloodraven is staying there to protect the King and Lady Elaine, while the princess seems to be heading south to help her companions…”

"That's it."

With his lips pressed tightly together, Fisher said this, his hands pressing on the long table, which was swaying gently. After a moment, he repeated it in a low voice.

"That's it..."

“An unbelievable result—in a good sense.” Gewell laughed, then the laughter faded and his gaze turned serious again: “Although the King is now conscious, he is no longer as powerful as he used to be. And the Trident of Poseidon has been taken away by the enemy… Our greatest threat remains unchanged.”

"Yes."

"Are you going to side with Voodoo?"

“That possibility cannot be ruled out. But…” On the table, the white sand swayed slightly due to the tremor. Fisher watched the sand table simulation gradually change beyond recognition and let out a long breath: “I will try to write that letter requesting help as slowly as possible.”

Is that enough?

"probably."

Without the Trident of Poseidon, the other two divine weapons alone cannot provide the power needed for the Tower of Radiance to manifest for long. Even though the power of the tower is dissipating rapidly, according to Vivian before she left, the effects of the artifact resonance will completely disappear in at most one or two hours—that is, at dawn.

Fisher was fully aware of this.

He also understood what this matter meant.

Whether this gamble ends in victory or defeat, everything will come to a conclusion before dawn.

The only difference is the number that is finally revealed on the die.

This is something he can no longer interfere with.

"only hope……"

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his gaze devoid of any wavering or hesitation: "Now that Father and Elaine are both saved, the deal is done. I will trust her, I will trust them—"

"Until the very last moment."

……

"Without the Trident of Poseidon, the Tower is crumbling, and its radiance is slowly fading."

Watching the raging winds and waves recede into the distance, and the monstrous waves lurking deep within the storm, Nimiao lowered her hands. The dark clouds in the distance dissipated, revealing the clear night sky once more.

At this moment, her face was pale, and her body was soaking wet, as if she had just been pulled out of the water. Her voice was also weak: "And once the influence of the Radiant Tower is gone, with Macha's abilities, she can completely control the body of this divine beast in less than half a day. At that time, I'm afraid there really won't be anyone in this world who can take her down."

"Then let's pray things don't get any worse." Merlin's gaze fell on a small fishing boat on the beach. He watched as several people took turns boarding the boat, which was clearly overloaded and began to rock unsteadily. A blue figure standing at the bow raised a scepter in his hand, and a radiant light flowed, calming the surging waves around him.

Nimue seemed to have seen this as well: "The Scepter of the Sea God can help them break through the waves around the Wave Beast, but the users of the two holy swords are too inexperienced. Even with the addition of a filler, their chances of winning are still slim."

Aren't you going to help?

"Do I look like I still have energy to spare?" She rolled her eyes at the female magician. "But you, even at this last moment, are you still planning to prioritize monitoring me?"

Well...

Merlin turned her head away, tapping her cheek with her fingertips, as if she were truly lost in thought. Nemia stared at her without saying a word. Nearly ten minutes passed before the small boat, under the protection of the scepter, swayed and bobbed out to sea, rising and falling at an unusual speed—with an unsettling feeling as if the ship might set sail at any moment—directly chasing after the giant beast that was trying to sail away.

The female magician smiled again: "What you said makes sense. Judging from the situation, I do need to help them."

"Oh?"

"So, see you later."

Ignoring Nemia's momentary astonishment at his unexpected words, Merlin patted the little girl on the shoulder, turned around, and suddenly disappeared from Nemia's sight, leaving only a petal, swaying and being blown by the wind, drifting behind her.

The little girl instinctively chased after the petal, turning her head back. The next moment, however, she suddenly froze.

"……dad?"

……

Meanwhile, in France, just across the sea...

The storm that was brewing on the sea had not yet approached, and everything was still quiet and leisurely. A young nobleman had just finished three hours of sword practice. After a simple wash, he returned to his bedroom from the courtyard, changed into his pajamas, poured himself a small glass of wine, sat in the rocking chair by the bed, and opened the poetry collection that he had read halfway through.

After a good workout, he likes to satisfy his soul with wine and poetry, which makes it very likely that he will get a good night's sleep and then greet the next day's sunrise with a happy mood.

At least, that's what the young man thought at that moment when he opened the poetry collection—it was a peaceful night, just like any other.

But a strange feeling compelled him to look up and glance outside without thinking. In just one glance, his gaze passed through the castle's clock tower and swept across the silvery moonlight, and he vaguely saw a tiny black dot on the distant horizon.

"that is……"

The words have not yet fallen.

The rocking chair shook violently, and he suddenly stood up, almost dumbfounded, as his sword, which was leaning against the wall, suddenly came out of its sheath and stopped in mid-air. He subconsciously reached out to grab it, his fingertips touched the hilt, and then slid away.

The young man watched in disbelief as the sword seemed to grow wings, turned a corner, and flew out through the half-open window.

He rushed to the window in a few quick steps, leaning forward, but only managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of the sword light.

For a long time.

Only then did the young man manage to squeeze out a mournful cry.

"My...sword..."

P.S.: It took me two days to finally finish this chapter... Please bear with it.

The yuri trilogy is finally coming to an end. From now on, what will Qingbai rely on to keep living? (crying)

Chapter 141 The Surge (Part 2)

A catastrophe.

Perhaps only this word can barely describe the scene at this moment: the pitch-black seawater collapsed into huge whirlpools, and within sight, the wind howled and the waves surged, while a massive monster parted the sea and "slowly" moved forward.

Amidst the wind and waves, its entire body, covered in a deep blue shell, could be vaguely seen. Its shoulders and back were covered in sharp thorns, resembling a towering forest of spears at first glance. Each advance covered more than ten meters in the blink of an eye, its body rising and falling with the surging waves, like a small boat relentlessly pursuing it on a desolate, apocalyptic sea.

"Watch out, it's coming again—"

With a warning, Vivian gripped the Scepter of the Sea God with both hands, raised it high, and placed it on her forehead. In an instant, a chill ran through her, and huge bubbles suddenly formed, enveloping the entire small boat. Ahead, a giant wave crashed down!

The wind was fierce and the rain was heavy. The turbid waves crashed over the small fishing boat like a tidal wave. Even with the water bubbles as a buffer, the boat was still rocked violently. The water bubbles burst, the bow sank, and the boat was thrown up!

Fortunately, the people on the ship were prepared. They grabbed whatever was around them and got ready, so they didn't fall into the sea because of the sudden impact. Vivian turned her hand and drew a semicircle in the air with her scepter. Then she waved it down, and the turbulent sea instantly calmed down, allowing the ship to land steadily on it, like a light leaf, without stirring up any waves.

But in the next instant, the artificial calm shattered once more, as a raging storm and towering waves struck simultaneously. Yet, with the aid of the Sea God's Scepter, Vivian managed to carve a path forward through this tempest that would have driven even the most skilled sailors to despair. The ship rocked violently, the creaking of the planks sending shivers down one's spine and filling one's heart with terror.

“As expected of the witch of Avalon.” Only then did the others dare to speak—they all lowered their voices to avoid distracting Vivian—Kay loosened his grip on the edge, looking around with a pale face, and sighed, “Just now I was bragging about how good I am at swimming…”

He only said half of what he meant and didn't continue, but everyone understood what he meant.

Faced with such a fierce storm, it doesn't really matter whether a person is an excellent swimmer or a complete landlubber. Without other factors influencing them, anyone who enters the sea will be killed in an instant by the temperature, the strong winds, the force of the crashing waves, and so on.

The thought that this catastrophic scene was caused by the monster in front of him sent shivers down even through the heart of a man like Gawain who had seen it all.

He looked at the only person present who remained calm—the blonde girl in a white dress holding a long sword—and couldn't help but admire her: "Aren't you afraid?"

Upon being asked this question, the girl named Lily shook her head and calmly replied, "I can't swim."

"……Oh."

Gawain nodded with a strange expression. People like him and Kai, who are excellent swimmers, would naturally be terrified by this extraordinary storm, but for a complete landlubber, whether the sea is calm and still or raging, it really makes no difference.

...Anyway, people are going to drown.

This brief interlude eased the tense atmosphere on the ship somewhat. Although young, the group, born into a chaotic world and possessing exceptional skills, harbored lofty ambitions. Now, facing a notoriously ferocious beast, they felt not only instinctive fear but also a surge of adrenaline and a burning fighting spirit. Even Lily, who appeared the most composed, was actually trembling slightly with her hands clutching the scabbard.

Perhaps only Vivian, who was wielding the scepter of the sea god and navigating the raging storm in a small boat, remained calm enough—she had to stay calm, otherwise, even the slightest mistake would have caused not only herself but everyone on the boat to perish at sea.

"almost……"

Vivian didn't know who was whispering behind her, and she didn't have the strength to distinguish the specific voice at this moment. She waved her scepter and, with the help of her water mark, parted an oncoming giant wave at the last second. Before it could close up again, she narrowly passed through the gap in the middle.

The two sides are getting closer.

Her magic was rapidly depleting, and her perception of the surrounding water was becoming increasingly sluggish, as if something foreign had quietly seeped into it, further diminishing her control. Vivian knew in her heart that it was the magic of the giant beast ahead.

Although the other side did not turn around to attack, it had discovered the "uninvited guest" chasing them from the very beginning. On the surface, it summoned one giant wave after another to hinder them, while secretly it quietly unleashed its magic, trying to completely bury the small boat.

fortunately……

Noticing the strange magical energy mixed in with her surroundings, she suddenly let out a long breath, and her tense nerves relaxed slightly.

Fortunately, this was just a magical beast with limited intelligence. Even though it possessed a powerful physique and could cause natural disasters, it was far inferior to a second- or third-rate magician in terms of magical combat.