Chapter 1179 - 583: The Great Conquest

This was a menacing shark beast with an enormous size and formidable aura that Xia Nan had never encountered before.

In some respects, calling it a "shark beast" was not quite accurate anymore.

Because compared to the shark beast monsters Xia Nan had fought in the past, this creature still retained specific features unique to shark-like animals, but its overall appearance had shifted towards a humanoid form.

The difference in form from previous shark beasts was somewhat similar to the distinction between a purebred dragon descendant and the mixed-blood "Algae Scale" Dodd.

It was like a distorted crimson giant. Standing nearly five meters tall, even the tallest and strongest among adventurers, like Barbarian Aken, only reached its waist when standing before it.

As for Iron Grid, with dwarf heritage from the "Furious Tide Battle Gang," he wasn’t even as tall as one of its legs.

Its rough, thick skin appeared to be soaked in blood, a light red color, with vein-like branches spreading beneath the skin which pulsed with each breath;

Its head was blunter compared to the original shark beast, with facial features resembling those of humanoid creatures clearly discernible. Yet, the gaping mouth that could stretch to its ears still maintained the ferocity characteristic of sharks;

Sharp dorsal spines emitting a faint red glow extended from the back of its head along the spine line, ending in a leaf-shaped bone blade resembling a scythe at the tip of its powerful fish tail.

Unlike other summoned shark beasts that came empty-handed, this formidable demon, summoned through sacrificing civilians and adventurers from Stodd Island, arrived in this world with its weapon.

— A heavy ship anchor, fixed with metal chains wrapped around its arm, hung so low that it left slight depressions in the sand below.

There were many noteworthy aspects.

But what Xia Nan was most focused on right now was that metal ring embedded right in the center of the opponent’s chest, remarkably different from common materials of this world, with a unique style and delicate texture.

The [Dream Weaving Corridor] ring vibrating vehemently at his fingertips signaled that this was indeed the terminal key he had been desperately searching for!

Now, with "Algae Scale" Dodd’s body sacrificed, it had somehow transferred to the shark beast’s chest, deeply embedded in its rough, light red skin.

In his mind, Xia Nan pondered that at this point, obtaining the key likely meant battling the opponent was unavoidable.

And just then, the shark beast across the field made a move that caused Xia Nan’s heart to skip a beat.

He saw it raise its webbed left hand, tentatively touch the ring on its chest, as if wondering why there was an extra feature on its body.

Luckily, it’s merely the key, without Xia Nan’s main [Dream Weaving Corridor] item in his possession; it looked like nothing more than an ordinary metal ring.

With a bit of confusion, it rubbed the ring on its chest twice, seeing no special reaction. The shark beast then ignored it, lowering its left hand, allowing Xia Nan to breathe a sigh of relief.

Having little understanding of the Sha Hua Fishman race’s culture, Xia Nan wasn’t sure of the shark beast’s role within the group.

But referencing past encounters, he speculated that to the summoning Sha Hua fishmen, the shark beasts were akin to some privileged super soldiers.

Allowed to act aggressively towards allies, they were essentially still used as war machines.

The blood skin shark beast before him, however, gave off a completely different impression on the field.

As the ultimate goal for which the fishmen gathered their forces, it appeared not only more powerful and rational but seemed to possess a transcendental status among the fishmen group.

"This is not a complete form."

The words spoken in the Sha Hua Fishmen language resonated with a thick discontent, arising as a sticky, sluggish, hoarse roar over the coastline.

The elite guards and a few fishman commanders originally gathered around the altar nearly instantly kowtowed in fear, their bodies trembling.

Even the old Priest Uek, who led the entire fishman army and presided over the sacrificial ceremony, bowed his head respectfully in the face of the shark beast’s discontent.

Just when the ceremony was about to succeed, Xia Nan’s attempt to interrupt the ritual using a fish spear imbued with gravity etching had, after all, proven effective.

Though unable to stop the shark beast’s arrival, the unleashed force field energy had, to some extent, severed the flow transmission of the ritual energy, causing the summoned monster to lose its expected complete and thriving state.

On its body surface, around the joints, ribs, and spine, rough skin bore large inverted wounds exposing the flesh and pus beneath; its breathing was labored, causing its whole upper torso to rise and fall with its chest as if each breath required the full might of its body, resulting in its crimson eyes appearing murky.

"I descended from the Shark God’s throne, supposed to be clad in abyss armor, arriving with the black tide..."

From the Divine Country of the Sha Hua Fishman’s Guardian God "Sekola," although not of high-ranking capacity, its identity resembling that of a "Divine Envoy" was sufficient to compel all fishmen present to bow their heads.

"Forgive us, messenger, it was the intruder who interrupted..."

Uek’s hasty explanation was cut off by a low roar billowing in the shark beast’s throat.

Its consciousness had descended even before the ceremony ended, offering it a deeper understanding of the interrupted summoning process caused by the force field energy than Uek himself.