Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

Evangeline had believed that since she wasn’t participating in the battle, those three would struggle a bit. But she couldn’t have been more wrong.

Saria moved like a battle machine, materializing platinum weapons that fit the situation and using them as though they were her own limbs. She was single-handedly fighting off most of the sea creatures that climbed onto the deck. Her fighting style felt savage and unpredictable. But more than that, it felt practical.

Xion was supposed to assist her, but honestly, it didn’t really seem as though she needed his assistance, so he was focused on fighting off the smaller sea creatures. His fighting style felt precise and calculated, moving his shortswords with lethal efficiency while minimizing unnecessary movement.

Adrian, meanwhile, remained close to her, fighting off any creature that got close, but with Saria and Xion at the front, few creatures managed to reach them, so he was mostly focused on fighting off creatures that came from the side, all while making sure not to stray too far from her.

Most of the sea creatures didn’t even get the chance to properly step onto the deck before they were flung back into the sea. Those that did manage to do so were dealt with swiftly.

That may have been primarily because even though most of the creatures were Phase Three and Phase Two, many of them didn’t use mana to attack them. They attacked with their bodies, and most of those attacks were predictable.

But here were monsters from time to time that gave them a lot of trouble because they knew how to use mana. Some even had Origin abilities, which made them unpredictable. This was the time Xion truly shone.

He fought as though he already knew the moves monsters were going to make, reacting just in time.

"Ughh..."

’It’s starting to get unbearable now.’

She may have been physically fine, but the burden on Evangeline’s mind was immense as she tried her best to keep the waves from slamming into the ship.

Just then, a huge two-headed black serpent emerged from the sea, piercing them with its hungry gaze.

Moments later, a platinum chain got wrapped around one of its heads. But unlike before, the two-headed serpent didn’t budge when Saria pulled the chain, a clear indicator that the serpent’s physical strength was on par with hers, if not greater. But it didn’t seem like the serpent could break away from the platinum chain’s bondage either.

Xion engaged with the second head, trying to land a hit while making sure he wasn’t swallowed. The battle seemed to be in a stalemate. But just then, Adrian leapt into the air. With his blade covered in starlit black energy, he slashed down as he descended towards the head that was engaged with Xion.

The serpent managed to react in time, opening its mouth to block Adrian’s blade with its fangs, but the sword cut through them instead and proceeded to sever the serpent’s head. The blade had cut through the serpent’s fang as though it were butter.

Losing one head, the other head screamed in pain. Saria used this as an opening to pull the chains. At the same time, she materialized a platinum greatsword. Covering the sword and her entire body in a layer of silver energy, she severed the serpent’s remaining head in a single slash.

But they weren’t able to rest since more sea creatures were already climbing onto the deck.

And so, the battle went on for another hour before coming to an end as they escaped the storm.

Evangeline had run out of mana near the end, so all four of them were completely drenched. Standing on the hull amidst the corpses of the sea creatures they had slain, the four of them tried to catch their breath.

Xion let out a short laugh ‌between his labored breaths.

"Ah, that was quite fun even if it was exhausting."

He looked at the others, but none of them seemed to share his sentiment. He turned to Evangeline and tilted his head.

"Not even you, Miss Evangeline? I thought at least you would..."

Evangeline sighed.

"What fun? I spent the whole time standing in one place, protecting the ship from sea waves. I did it to the point of mana exhaustion. Do you think I would’ve had fun?"

Xion shut his mouth.

Then, after looking thoughtful for a moment, he turned to Adrian.

"You’re pretty strong, Young Master Adrian. I had thought that the rumors were exaggerated, but you really do live up to your reputation as the greatest genius of the generation. The way you cut through that serpent’s head as though it were paper, it was a chilling sight."

Evangeline saw Adrian open his mouth, as if to say something, then suddenly paused and closed it again.

Xion turned his gaze to Saria, who was looking towards the sea with her eyes closed, as always.

"Miss Saria was also impressive, being able to wield so many different kinds of weapons with such mastery. Honestly, I feel that I may be the most lacking in the team—"

"Ugh, shut the hell up, you trash." Saria suddenly cut him off with her irritated voice. "Not a single word out of your mouth feels sincere; does bootlicking run in your blood or something? No wonder your voice sounds so repulsive to my ears."

There was a deep frown on her face, looking extremely irritated. Moments later, she sighed and walked away, leaving the three of them alone.

Evangeline turned her attention to the now calm sea.

’Well, for my first sea storm experience, it wasn’t too bad.’

***

Adrian narrowed his eyes as he looked at the corpses of sea creatures strewn across the deck.

’Hmm... did this battle really benefit me in some way?’

Even though he had agreed to join the team and come on this mission, he wasn’t all that convinced by the commoner boy’s speech about seeking challenges to grow. It had sounded like nonsense back then, and it still felt like nonsense.

But Adrian was not narrow-minded enough to think that everything he believed in was true. Maybe he was wrong, and there really was some truth to the commoner boy’s speech.

In the end, he wouldn’t know unless he tested it.

He let out a sigh.

’What am I even doing? I could’ve utilized this time in far better ways. Well, whatever.’

The two other people on the ship came and cleaned the deck, throwing the corpses back into the ocean. Though they didn’t throw away all the corpses.

Apparently, some of the sea creatures they had slain—including the two-headed black serpent—were considered delicacies within the empire. They cooked and ate them during the meal.

There were also corpses with body parts that would supposedly fetch quite a good price in the market. Xion was collecting those parts. Saria didn’t show much interest in them, probably because she was a noble and had more money she could spend.

Adrian wouldn’t have taken an interest either, but he required money at this point, so he ended up asking for his part of the share.

Evangeline had also asked for her part of the share. He was initially confused by her reasoning but then remembered the loan she was supposed to pay him back.

And so the journey continued, as the ship sailed towards the island, approaching closer with each passing day.

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