Hope's punch didn't strike Melkobia directly; instead, it brushed past his side and slammed into the endless seawater.
In an instant, the entire underwater world of Ermina shook violently.
A visible shockwave radiated outward frantically. Wherever it passed, the seawater wasn't just pushed aside; it was directly evaporated, creating a massive vacuum zone.
Natsu and the others, who had been playing in the distance, along with the local residents turned into fish, felt an irresistible force surge toward them. Everyone was pushed back as if by an invisible hand, sent flying through the water.
By the time they regained their balance and looked back, everyone gasped in shock.
They saw that the seawater within a kilometer of the town had been completely cleared out, and even Ermina had returned to being dry land.
Moonlight filtered through the walls of water, refracting into a dreamlike glow.
Yet beneath this dreamlike beauty lay a power capable of crushing everything.
Melkobia stood rooted to the spot, looking as if he had been turned to stone.
What had he just felt?
A punch that split the sea... If that punch had landed on him... As a dragon who had survived from 400 years ago until now, Melkobia might not claim much, but he certainly had perspective. He knew all too well the caliber of Hope's punch.
It wasn't magic, yet it possessed a terrifying power that could make even a dragon feel the threat of death.
"You... what on earth are you..."
Melkobia's voice was trembling.
Hope withdrew his fist and patted away non-existent dust from his clothes, returning to his lazy demeanor. "Don't be nervous. I said I'd only throw one punch; I never said I'd hit you."
He pointed to the cleared seawater around them. "See? It's much more convenient to talk like this. No need to blow bubbles in the water. It's great."
Melkobia: "..."
He finally believed what Hope had said earlier—that even the Black Dragon couldn't do anything to him. It wasn't a boast; Hope truly had that kind of power.
He absolutely had the power to kill him.
To think he had actually attacked such a being, and with a sneak attack at that... it was no different from having a death wish.
Is it too late to kneel and beg for mercy now?
Just then, a commotion came from behind.
Natsu was the first to rush in, followed by a bewildered Gray, Lucy, and the others.
"Hope! What happened?!" Natsu looked around and then spotted the stunned Melkobia. "Whoa, you actually have horns on your head!"
"Natsu, he is the Water God Dragon." Kurnugi immediately recognized Melkobia's identity; dragons are very sensitive to the scent of their own kind.
"What?! The Water God Dragon?!"
Natsu instantly fired up, striking a battle pose. "Awesome! I finally found you! Let's fight!"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Lucy grabbed Natsu. "Don't you see what's going on? The surrounding seawater is gone! This was clearly Hope's doing!"
Everyone looked at Hope.
Hope shrugged. "It's nothing. I just had a little chat with His Excellency the Water God Dragon and showed him a bit of my sincerity."
"Sincerity?" Mirajane blinked, looking at Ermina, which had transformed from an underwater world back into a land-based town in an instant. "Your way of expressing sincerity is truly... unique."
Melkobia finally snapped out of it. He looked at Hope, then at the group of Fairy Tail Mages, and finally, his gaze fell on the panicked residents in the distance who were startled by the sudden disappearance of the seawater.
Seeing that the residents turned into fish weren't hurt, he breathed a sigh of relief. With a wave of his hand, a soft, aqua-blue light spread out.
In less than a minute, Ermina returned to its state as an underwater world.
"Incredible..." Wendy marveled. "Is this the power of the Water God Dragon? Being able to manipulate such a vast amount of seawater at will."
Melkobia ignored the praise, staring intently at Hope. "What exactly do you want?"
Hope dropped his cynical smile and looked seriously at Melkobia. "I wanted to have a proper talk with you, of course. Who knew you'd suddenly attack?"
Melkobia's lip twitched.
Was it that he didn't want to communicate properly? It was clearly this Hope fellow who kept provoking and threatening him... But might makes right, and even a dragon has to stay coiled.
Looking at the now-subdued Melkobia, Hope had actually seen from the start that he harbored no ill will—not just toward them as outsiders, but also toward the residents of Ermina.
It was just that Hope's mischievous streak got the better of him, and he accidentally teased the Water God Dragon into a temper.
"This isn't the place to talk. Follow me."
Led by Melkobia, the group arrived at an Underwater Palace located directly beneath Ermina, which served as the Water God Dragon's usual residence.
As they entered the palace, a brown-haired girl with glasses approached them. "Lord Water God Dragon, welcome home."
As the Water God Dragon's attendant, Karamiru made no effort to hide her disdain for Hope and the others. "Why did you bring back Elefseria's helpers?"
"Because they can 'talk'."
Melkobia's gaze toward the girl held a hint of doting. "I need some space with them. Could you please excuse us?"
"As you wish." Karamiru walked away huffily.
This scene surprised everyone.
The dignified Water God Dragon was actually speaking softly to his little human attendant; even when Karamiru gave him attitude, he maintained a gentle, smiling expression.
Hope teased, "How rare. That girl isn't a Mage, yet you actually let an ordinary person stay by your side."
A flash of complexity crossed Melkobia's eyes. He had once saved Karamiru by accident, and who knew the child would cling to him, insisting on staying to repay the debt.
Over time, he simply got used to it.
Melkobia sat down casually on the carpet. "Actually, the reason Ermina has become like this is all my fault."
"You mean it becoming an underwater world?"
"Correct." Melkobia looked down at his palms. "As my power continues to grow, I have become somewhat unable to control my magic power."
"I am a Water Dragon, born with the ability to control water. When my magic power goes out of control, the seawater in this area rises, thereby submerging that human town."
Melkobia sighed. "I don't want to hurt them, so I have been waiting for someone who can kill or seal me."
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