Chapter 59

"Mermayado?"

"That's right. It's the mermaid's dance—Mermayado."

Saki O, the squid mermaid, pushed her glasses up with a self-assured smirk. "You people name everything so strangely... especially the mermaids with their odd titles."

"And what about your name?" I asked.

"Mago."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Hmm."

Unlike humans, she didn't linger on the topic. Instead of asking why I had no surname, she simply nodded once.

"Mago," she repeated, tasting the name like a child learning a new word. "Learning Mermayado in a human body won't be easy."

"I figured as much. I'm not a mermaid, after all. My physical conditions are disadvantageous."

"That's only part of it. The real problem is that you're clumsy with water currents. Naturally—you've never lived underwater."

"Then how does Un use the same martial art?"

"Un?"

"The human who was dragged here with me. He wore a white uniform."

"Ah, that man." Her eyes flickered, as if recalling his appearance. "He moves mana, not water."

As she spoke, Saki swept her arm through the water. It cut through the current, and the wave followed the path of her limb. Even with my eyes closed, I could see that wave as a streak of white—just like when Un had moved his mana.

"He moves mana, but underwater, it looks like the water itself is moving. Here, there's no such thing as empty space. Every part of the environment has mass. Moving mana appears as raising a wave."

"And the reverse?"

"Reverse?"

"If I learn Mermayado here, does that mean I can move mana on the surface? The way you create waves here?"

"If you can feel mana on land the same way you feel water currents underwater... then yes. The process would be the opposite of that man's, but the result would be the same."

"Then that's enough."

"Enough for what? I just said there's a condition—being able to read mana on land."

"I can do it."

"It won't be easy. That man must have spent countless hours training."

"I can't explain it in words."

Just then, a small fish swam lazily past me. Its scales were a vivid yellow. I confirmed the current—visible as a white ripple—and predicted the fish's trajectory. Slowly, I raised my hand, barely moving, as if placing a falling leaf onto my palm. I caught the yellow fish in my grasp.

"I can see exactly where and how the current flows," I said.

*

Venus.

The Emperor sat on his throne, speaking.

"You say you encountered the White Hair Special Forces in the southwest...?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Un had just arrived from Atlantis, heading to Venus.

"That sounds like a man I know," the Emperor said.

"How... do you know him, Your Majesty?"

"He's a promising talent who recently attended the Golden Lion Conference. The second genius of the Special Forces."

"That brat..." Un chewed on the Emperor's words.

"But 'second'...?"

"He's still chasing Marjelo Arnis's shadow."

"Ah, I see."

"Does it bother you?"

"No, not at all."

Un denied it at once. But his face betrayed him.

"I hear you were in the same class as Marjelo Arnis."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We were both in the First Training Center's 63rd Class, though I graduated with the 64th. As valedictorian."

"And that's because she stole the top spot from you in the 63rd?"

At the question, Un's expression tightened almost imperceptibly. He smoothed it back in the Emperor's presence, but it was too late—the old man had already seen it.

"Hmm, looks like I hit a nerve. Still, you graduated as valedictorian even if it was a different class, so..."

"Regardless of the path, I believe that's why I'm standing here now. As a candidate for the next Knight Commander."

"So. What about that White Hair of the Special Forces?"

"He stayed behind in Atlantis, Your Majesty. I heard he was sent southwest for a reinforcement mission. His being dragged to Atlantis was an accident, but it seemed he found something worth his time there."

"Is that so... He still has rough edges to polish, then."

"Additionally, I made a promise with Hari Bo, the king of Atlantis."

"Directly with the king?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What kind of promise?"

"He said he would take the Demon King's Castle from the general who betrayed Atlantis."

"The Sea Demon King Castle, you mean."

"Yes."

"That's a fantasy."

"The castle?"

"No. The promise to take it. How could one man so easily seize an entire fortress?"

"Yes..."

"I'm saying the very words are a fantasy."

"Furthermore... that Special Forces member set a condition. He said if Atlantis teaches him its martial arts, he will take the castle for them."

"And that martial art is what he meant by 'reinforcement,' I take it."

"Yes, Your Majesty. What should we do?"

"About what?"

"If he succeeds, the owner of the Sea Demon King Castle will be him."

"If it's not a fantasy, that would be beneficial to us."

"He said that as an individual, not as a subject of the Empire. That means he could own the castle and even command private soldiers."

"Humans are powerless in the sea. Especially in Atlantis, the mermaid kingdom."

"Yes... that's true..."

Even as Un agreed, his discomfort was plain.

"It's bound to be a wasted effort. No need to concern yourself," the Emperor said, waving a hand.

"Still, I think it would be good if he returned safely and at least reported on the Sea Demon King Castle..."

"He doesn't have to return safely. I don't care if he dies."

"Didn't you yourself call him a promising talent...?"

"Mago Stein. No, just Mago. A piece of trash without even a family name."

The Emperor clenched his fist.

"A former slave like that—the Empire has no use for him. I don't care how strong he is. I'd prefer his filthy blood to wash away into the sea and disappear. Un, next week is the New Year. The year you officially become Knight Commander."

"I consider it an honor."

"Your first mission: arrest the Special Forces Commander, Captain Simena Extin."

"I am to arrest Captain Simena...?"

"He dared to toy with me in the sanctuary—at the Golden Lion Conference, no less. He needs to pay."

Un hesitated for a moment, then quietly opened his mouth.

"Giving me a chance to fight Captain Simena... that, too, is an honor."

*

"Then the same goes for duration," I said.

"Duration?"

Saki's eyes widened at my question.

"I can only read the flow when my eyes are closed. Whether it's water currents or mana waves."

"So that's why you've been keeping your eyes shut the whole time..."

"Right."

I released the yellow fish from my palm, letting it drift away.

"If I adapt to the water currents here, will I be able to keep my eyes closed on land, just like now?"

The principle behind strengthening detection magic was adaptation.

Adapting to a phenomenon.

Whether it was the waves of a lake or the sandstorms of a desert.

The more you felt the same sensation in nature as when you cast detection magic, the stronger the magic became.

A knight who visited the training center had told me that.

"Since you said you feel water currents and mana the same way, it will definitely work. If you adapt to the water currents here, you'll be able to read the mana on land constantly as well."

"Then that's perfect."

I clapped my hands together.

"Where do I start?"

"First, follow me."

Saki took the lead.

Even now, I could feel it—the sea was even more intense than the lake.

Not just from the floor, but from every direction, waves pulsed.

The effect would be maximized.

As I continued that hopeful train of thought...

Saki stopped.

I looked over her shoulder.

I had to crane my neck upward.

It was like a forest.

A forest of the sea.

Pink coral reefs stretching long like giant trees.

For some reason, they reminded me of antlers.

The upper parts of the coral glowed with bright light, but the lower parts grew darker.

Black smoke spread like fog.

"As you can see, this is the Coral Reef Zone," Saki said quietly.

"Hmm..."

"You look like you're wondering what exactly you're supposed to do here."

She pointed a finger at the very top of the coral reef.

"You're going to meditate."

The top of the reef bulged like a rounded hill.

"At the very top," Saki said.

"Why the top, of all places?"

The tip of the coral was barely big enough for one foot. High and narrow. And undoubtedly slippery.

"You'll understand once you climb up."

Saki's ten tentacle-like legs, each as fine as hair, wrapped one of them around my arm. The slick, sticky sensation made my skin crawl. She rode the current like it was flight, shooting upward. In no time, she reached the top of the coral—and with her dragging me along, so did I.

"Get up there."

She unwound her grip from my arm as she spoke. The moment her hold released, I naturally started to drift downward. My left foot touched the top of the coral.

For a split second, I thought I'd stepped on rain-soaked mud. Immediately, I slipped—clumsily, embarrassingly—and crashed down onto the seafloor.

The sand cushioned the impact, so nothing was broken. But the poison was fierce.

"Kagh..."

The coral was releasing venom from near its roots. That black mist I'd thought was just fog at the bottom—it was poison. My breath began to come in ragged gasps. I could feel my veins hardening, as if they were trying to burst through my skin. My eyeballs felt like they were about to pop from the pressure. I tried to calm myself with deep breaths, but I only inhaled and exhaled more of the toxic fumes.

"Haaah..."

Just as my consciousness started to fade, Saki's hair grabbed me again. She pulled me out of the poison cloud just in time.

"If you slip and fall down there, you'll feel tremendous pain."

"You could've... warned me sooner..."

"I figured you needed to experience it yourself."

She dragged me back up to the top, just like before.

"Focus and endure."

She threw me onto the coral tip again. This time, I stretched my hands out first instead of my feet. To avoid slipping, I wrapped both arms around the coral.

"Good reaction, but standing on your legs is the basic posture."

"Wait. I'm getting my feet up."

I pulled my torso up as if doing a chin-up. Once I got my foot planted on the tip, I released both hands and straightened up at the same time.

My athletic instincts carried me that far. I was standing on one foot, barely balanced. It was the kind of posture I couldn't hold for long even on flat ground.

"Now, Mago."

I wasn't even close to starting.

"Now feel the sea b—"

Before she could even finish the sentence, a current slammed into me out of nowhere. I slipped again. Crashed downward. Inhaled the poison cloud.

"Gggh...!"

Just when I thought I was going to die, Saki pulled me out.

"You could've... grabbed me sooner."

"Atlantis soldiers consider escaping on their own part of the training process."

She lit a strange competitive fire in me.

"Then I can't lose..."

Third try.

I managed to stand on one foot, just like the second time. But I could feel the next current coiling to strike.

"You do nothing. You go nowhere."

"What?"

"You think nothing. You focus on nothing. That's the foundation of meditation."

"How am I supposed to withstand the current if I don't focus?"

"Withstanding comes later. Right now, you're not fighting—you're learning to adapt. Adapt and resonate. Read the water's flow with your body and adjust your stance accordingly. That's how you don't fall."

"That doesn't make any—"

Thud.

I fell again.

Fourth try.

Standing on one foot was easy now.

"Do you remember what I said?"

"Do nothing. Go nowhere."

"Right. That's it. Keep meditating with that mindset."

"That's still thinking. You said I shouldn't think anything."

"Shut your mouth. Now..."

Saki drifted away. Her movement said: figure it out yourself.

"Feel the sea breeze."

'Do nothing.' It was too hard. Her words only confused me.

"There! That's it!"

Saki's voice rang with excitement.

"That's how you do it! That time, even though the current gusted, you held your stance. Good. Excellent. First success."

She showered me with sudden praise.

"This is how?"

"Remember that sensation. How you managed to keep your balance."

"Because I saw it. I've been telling you all along."

"Hmm?"

"The currents move in white. I can see them. That time, I didn't adjust my stance by feeling the flow..."

I could see it. The problem was she kept telling me to rely on sensation when I could just see.

"I dodged it by sight."