“Block it!”

There was no time to figure out what was going on.

Whoosh!

The assassins’ hands went to various places. Since there were many of them, they naturally thought they would be able to block the wave.

However…

Splash!

As the wave easily brushed aside their power and crashed over the ship, the ship lurched from the powerful waves.

The assassins hurriedly grabbed the railing, but it was no use. The water, which they had been using like their arms and legs until just a moment ago, refused to obey their orders. Instead, it choked them and dragged them down by their legs.

“Ack!”

A few of them were swept away from their spots, unable to handle the unexpected situation. All that remained in the wake of the wave was white foam and people who looked like kelp soaked in water.

“What kind of wave is that…!”

Naturally, the assassins of the Alors were chosen for their outstanding water manipulation abilities. They weren’t the kind of people who couldn’t handle a mere wave. However, when they used their abilities to control the wave, they felt a powerful force, as if they were facing a giant wall.

“What the hell is going on?”

Sharing the same question, they barely managed to hold on to the violently rocking ship and looked at where the wave had come from.

“That power was definitely the power of the Alors.”

The veteran assassin who was most sensitive to power opened his mouth. Recently, there had been reports of a monster that could manipulate water appearing in the sea of Argenta, so it was possible that was it, but the veteran felt it.

This was definitely a power of the same kind that they possessed.

This was strange.

This was the middle of the sea of Argenta. There shouldn’t be anyone with the power of the Alors nearby…

“…No.”

There was one person.

There was one, but…

That woman was so insignificant that she couldn’t even properly move tea water and ended up spilling it.

“There’s no way it’s that woman, right?”

Despite the fact that they denied the last possibility, they couldn’t help but be shocked when they saw who was standing amidst the gradually subsiding waves.

“That’s…”

…The purplish, curly hair that was the symbol of Krua Alors. The sharp, piercing gaze that shot at people.

That was definitely…

“Krua Alors…?”

It was Krua Alors who shouldn’t have this kind of power.

* * *

“Are you saying that Krua Alors caused that wave just now?”

“…That woman?”

The people dressed in worn-out clothes who called themselves pirates definitely had the power of the Alors. Even though I wouldn’t have been able to feel it if I was inland, I definitely felt it here. The arrogance of those who had dared to try to control this sea until just now.

Their insignificant power.

“They seem surprised.”

Diello, who met their eyes, chuckled.

“That person is…”

The assassins of the Alors, who had been focused only on me, turned their gaze to Diello. Their eyes widened.

“Diello Argenta!”

Surprised for a moment, they quickly calculated the current situation.

The head of the Argenta family standing in the middle of the vast sea… a foolish flame in the middle of the water with only a few escort ships.

“That person…!”

Excitement appeared on their faces. They seemed to be thinking about the great reward they would receive if they killed Diello Argenta, who was preparing for war with the Alors.

The next moment, their hands shone simultaneously.

Rumble!

The surrounding water surged with a loud noise. The ship shook violently, and soon, a stream of water was pulled up from the sea.

Splash!

In an instant, the water with sharp tips transformed into several arrows. The moment they aimed the water at Diello and shot it—

Boom!

—A strong water manipulation power spread out around me.

“….!”

And the water arrows that were approaching Diello stopped right in front of us. In the meanwhile, Diello watched the scene without surprise as if he knew I would block it.

“….”

The moment he smiled faintly…

Pow!

I returned the water arrows to their original owners.

“Ugh!”

The arrows, which contained power incomparable to what they had put in, sent their bodies flying several meters away.

“What?!”

Those who barely dodged it shouted in surprise. However, I had no intention of leaving them alone. When I moved the water into the shape of a large harpoon….

“I’ll take care of the rest.”

As his hand gently covered my eyes, a warm sensation was felt on my back.

“Diello?”

I blinked.

I felt the small warmth and darkness he had created.

“You don’t like to hurt them, right?”

I opened my eyes wide at the voice.

“That’s…”

I remembered the original Krua must have killed someone. Even I had a history of hurting people with water.

However…

“Even if you killed them, you don’t want to see it.”

At Diello’s words, I opened my mouth slightly.

How did he know? No one would have thought that the villainess Krua was such a person. Nevertheless, Diello spoke as if it were obvious.

“So, my wife, rather than something terrible…”

Diello turned me away from the railing, and then he removed his hand that was covering my eyes. His face, with the sunset behind him, came into view.

He smiled softly and kissed my forehead.

“Look at something pretty.”

In his hand, as he said that, a huge flaming spear appeared. It was something I had seen before when he killed the monster using his ability.

“Diello.”

Like then, he thrust the spear forward without hesitation.

Flash!

The fire began blazing over the sea.

At first glance, it might have felt like something weak that would go out soon. But the reality was different.

Crack!

With a fierce sound, the heat passed me by.

However, even though it was enough to burn the railing, the flames didn’t burn a single strand of my clothes or hair. Diello, who had wrapped his arms tightly around me, threw spears made of flames one after another.

“This is… This is…!”

The assassins of the Alors, who were astonished and said it was ridiculous, quickly dwindled in number. Screams rang out amidst the fierce sounds of explosions.

“This is crazy! Diello Argenta has this kind of power!”

Diello didn’t seem to think of hiding his power even in front of Alors. Of course, because not a single one of them would escape from this place.

It was the moment I clenched my fist.

“Ahhh…!”

When I thought, a furious voice was ringing strangely around me.

Swoosh!

The surrounding water began to resonate in response to the voice.

The moment I stopped and opened my eyes wide, a wave containing blue magic power swept over us. In front of it, several Alors, who must have already suffered fatal injuries, were smiling with bloody teeth. The wave, which had suddenly grown in size, had a faint red tint to it.

A bloody scent tickled my nose.

…No way, the power of the source?

“It’s over!”

There was ecstasy on their faces, as if they couldn’t die alone and as if they were more than satisfied to take Diello and me with them to the afterlife.

Crazy b*stards!

I quickly gathered my ability with the thought of eliminating the waves.

Paat!

At the same time, it seemed that a flashing light pierced near their necks. However, as the assassins of Alors, their complexions pale, met their end one by one due to the power of the source…

“….!”

Among the blue waves that seemed to cover the ship, a red wave rippled like a sword.

Swoosh!

“Krua!”

Surprised, Diello seemed to have spread a wall of fire around us.

I also saw Rick running.

Splash!

However, the crimson sword quickly cut across the ship, separating Rick and us. The moment the blood-red sword, created by the power of the Alors, cleanly cut the ship….

Thud!

The waves that had gathered with the power of the Alors swept over us.

I couldn’t swim.

The moment I thought that, Diello hugged me tightly.

“….!”

The moment our eyes met.

Thud!

We fell into the sea just like that.

—