I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

……

……

Lina Xita.

Known as the land of a thousand islands.

Scattered across this boundless sea are far more than just the city-state of Ragu.

even though……

Duanmu Yan has never set foot in any of them.

If given the chance, he would really like to leave Laguna and see the outside world.

He vaguely remembered that the city-state closest to Laguna was a kingdom called "Seven Hills".

Legend has it that a magnificent bridge once connected Laguna and Seven Hills.

However, due to a fundamental difference in their understanding of the Year God—Laguna regarded the Year God as an inviolable human god, while Seven Hills firmly believed that human will could overcome nature, and although they revered him, they did not worship him—the rift deepened day by day, and eventually they broke off completely.

The giant bridge that once connected the two banks was also completely destroyed.

In recent years, thanks to the efforts of the Motari family, the previously closed-off Laguna has gradually opened its doors to the outside world and re-established connections with the Seven Hills.

Despite the fact that the relationship between the Seven Hills and the monastic order remains one of irreconcilable enmity.

Duanmu Yan had heard that gladiatorial combat was very popular in Qiqiu—both nobles and commoners regarded gladiatorial combat as the highest honor.

In particular, the quadrennial gladiatorial tournament was comparable in scale to the Laguna Carnival, becoming the most prestigious celebration between the two city-states.

"If I have the chance, I really want to see the gladiatorial combat at Seven Hills in person."

Duanmu Yan lay on the gondola, gazing up at the starry sky.

The small boat had been sailing for some time, gently bobbing up and down in the ocean currents, keeping him wide awake.

On this boundless sea, he could only let his thoughts wander and pass the time with his imagination.

"Oh, right..." he suddenly remembered something and muttered to himself, "After this mission is over, the Second Miss should give me a break, right?"

"At that time, I might actually be able to visit Qiqiu."

Before he finished speaking, a strange white mist suddenly appeared on the originally calm sea surface.

At first, Duanmu Yan didn't pay attention, until the thick fog grew heavier and heavier, eventually engulfing him.

"what happened?"

He frowned, gripped the crystal swift blade that Koleta had given him, and warily surveyed his surroundings.

His intuition told him that there was danger here.

His gaze swept carefully across the sea, but he found nothing unusual.

only……

The gondola beneath my feet seems to be trembling slightly?

He instinctively looked down, and was horrified to discover—

Beneath the sea, a massive, suffocating shadow lurks.

Duanmu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted.

"--This is!?"

Volume 1: Chapter 28 Jellyfish and Dreams

In the deep, dark seas of Lina Xita dwell countless enormous creatures whose names cannot be described.

At this moment, Duanmu Yan was gazing at the most legendary of them all—the Whale That Traverses the Sea.

Legend has it that it is the ferryman of the dead, escorting their souls across the waves to the unreachable heavens, never showing any hostility towards humans or fishing boats.

But why would it appear in the near sea?

A huge shadow, like the one slowly gliding beneath the surface of the sea, loomed in Duanmu Yan's mind, and a strange unease quietly spread.

A certain intuition was silently knocking at his consciousness, telling him that this sea area was not safe.

And his intuition has never been wrong.

In an instant, everything around seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand, and the whole world suddenly fell into a deathly silence, with even the whispers of the waves and the murmurs of the wind disappearing completely.

Duanmu Yan gripped the Swift Blade, his eyes blazing as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings, not missing a single subtle movement.

He has always been extremely confident in his skills.

Even unarmed, he could still contend with Sheng Hai.

Now, with the addition of Koleta's resonance weapon, it's even more powerful.

Unless he encounters an exceptionally difficult opponent, he is fully confident in his ability to handle the situation.

Unfortunately, the whales that travel upstream are precisely the kind of creatures that are exceptionally difficult to deal with.

You must understand, this is the vast and boundless ocean, the home ground of whales that swim upstream.

Even if he possessed the power to fight him, under the cover of this endless deep blue.

His abilities are also destined to be greatly diminished.

boom--!

In an instant, a storm arose, and raging waves surged.

The once tranquil sea has finally torn away its calm facade, revealing its most brutal nature.

The surging waves, like ten thousand galloping horses, rolled and tumbled in layers, carrying a destructive force that raged wildly in all directions.

Duanmu Yan clung tightly to the gondola, shouting hoarsely, "Faster! Faster!"

The gondola let out a muffled, low roar, accelerated sharply, and struggled through the raging waves.

But where can they possibly escape to amidst these towering waves?

The waves crashed down like a towering wall, as if to swallow them whole into the depths of the sea.

"Tch, bastard!"

A tidal wave was reflected in Duanmu Yan's eyes, until a golden light suddenly burst forth from them.

A surge of courage, from who knows where, propelled him—he leaped from the gondola, charging headlong into the roaring waves.

The next instant, the giant wave was split in two and collapsed.

No, it's not just about cutting it open.

The frequency that constitutes the wave (冥翼柒邬酒镹十⑻潮) seems to be disintegrating?

Or...

Completely swallowed up?

"Could this... be my resonance ability?"

Duanmu Yan was shocked, his face filled with disbelief.

But reality left him no time to think.

In the instant he cleaved through the giant waves, he was already facing that deep, shadowy figure—

The whale, swimming upstream, floated quietly on the surface of the sea, silently watching him.

It churned violently in the deep sea, its enormous tail sweeping towards Duanmu Yan with immense force.

Duanmu Yan gritted his teeth and could only use his swift blade to block. The next second, a terrifying force slammed into the blade—he was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing backward completely out of control.

Just then, the gondola suddenly leaped out of the sea and caught Duanmu Yan as he was falling.

"Well done, partner!" Duanmu Yan shook his numb right hand and gave a thumbs-up to the gondola at his feet.

The gondola let out a cheerful groan, then suddenly accelerated, trying to leave the whale that was sailing upstream completely behind.

But clearly, its speed is far inferior to that of a whale swimming upstream.

Duanmu Yan watched the approaching whale and couldn't help but growl, "What's wrong with this thing... has it gone mad?!"

He hasn't yet figured out how to use his resonance ability.

Moreover, the chances of winning against such a behemoth on this vast ocean are extremely slim.

Just then, a huge ship suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

Before he could react, the world that had been shrouded in darkness suddenly transformed, as if he had fallen into a magnificent and surreal dream.

The starry sky, the ocean, and the world seemed to merge into a chaotic mass. He reached out his hand, as if he could touch the stars, but the stars passed by his fingertips like phantoms.

He was stunned.

Why……

Will there be jellyfish flying in the sky?

For some reason, the originally raging and restless whale gradually calmed down, as if drawn by some dreamlike force, and slowly sank into the abyss, no longer pursuing.

By the time Duanmu Yan came to his senses, the giant ship was already quietly moored in front of him.

Someone on the boat lowered the gangway and shouted at him, "Hey, you idiot over there! What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get on!"

Duanmu Yan was slightly taken aback. After hesitating for a moment, he still stepped onto the gangway.

Regardless, he wanted to personally thank the stranger who had come to his rescue.

This is basic courtesy.

He climbed onto the deck, retrieved the gondola to the terminal, and was about to express his gratitude when his gaze suddenly fell on the chests of the people around him—each of them wore a badge belonging to the Fesari family.

Are they from the Faisal family?

Duanmu Yan suddenly recalled the scene a while ago when he was surrounded by the people of the Feisalie family.

Could it be...

Was the reason they saved me a continuation of that operation?

Shouldn't.

After all, it was a last-minute decision by Koleta to go to sea, and no one else could possibly know about it except for the two of them.

In other words, this encounter was purely accidental?

Moreover, judging from the other party's expression and behavior, they did not seem to have any malicious intent.

"Oh dear? It seems our little guest is wary of his savior."

A clear female voice rang out from the crowd.

A tall woman walked out slowly, her long purple hair swaying slightly in the wind, her makeup exquisite and elegant, and her speech exuding composure.

Her blue-violet eyes reflected the shimmering light on the sea.

If Koleta is like a dazzling gem, then this woman is like a pearl hidden deep in the dark sea—subtle, mysterious, yet possessing her own brilliance.

The moment she appeared, a name flashed through Duanmu Yan's mind—

Cantrera.

The rarely seen head of the Fesari family.

Almost no one has ever seen her true face.

Despite his previous conflict with the Fesalie family, Duanmu Yan maintained his courtesy and bowed slightly to Cantrera: "Thank you for your rescue, Miss Cantrera."

Upon hearing him say his name, Cantrera showed a hint of surprise: "Oh? You recognize me?"

Her gaze swept lightly over Duanmu Yan, finally settling on the crystal-made swift blade in his hand.

"That form, that frequency... So that's it, you're one of Koleta's people?"

Volume One: Chapter Twenty-Nine - A Duet of Fire and Water

Koleta Motari.

In Laguna, everyone knows this name.