Hearing Paimon's words, Lumine looked toward the sea.
She saw that the originally calm sea surface had become turbulent. A massive whirlpool appeared in the ocean. The fishing boats on the sea were pulled in by the whirlpool and then torn apart within it.
Countless fishermen who had gone out to sea for fishing fell into the water, their faces filled with despair.
"Not good!" Lumine cried out in alarm. She subconsciously wanted to dive into the water to save those fishermen.
But suddenly, she remembered she was still holding Paimon in her arms.
She instinctively tightened her grip on Paimon's clothes, yet this momentary distraction had already sealed their fate.
"Ah!"
Paimon was swept away by the violent wind.
Lumine's expression changed drastically. She immediately leaped forward, cyan Anemo energy emerging around her body as she accelerated toward Paimon.
She caught Paimon in mid-air, then spread her Wind Glider and began descending downward.
Without an updraft, the Wind Glider could only be used for gliding.
Below them was the turbulent sea surface. Remembering that Paimon could not swim, Lumine reached out toward the sea and created a Starfall as a foothold.
[So the protagonist in my hands needs a landing point to place a Starfall, but the protagonist in the plot can directly use a Starfall as a landing point?]
[The real key isn't that the protagonist can use skills while the Wind Glider is active?]
[The most plot-inaccurate episode.]
Only after Lumine landed on the Starfall while holding Paimon did Paimon finally breathe a sigh of relief: "We're saved."
She lifted her head from Lumine's embrace and looked at the suddenly changed sea and sky around them: "Everything happened so suddenly. Did something happen to the Guili Assembly?"
Lumine frowned slightly and looked toward the whirlpool, saying in a deep voice: "Paimon, do you still remember the God name of Osial that Jun Bai mentioned?"
"I remember, it seemed to be the God of the Vortex…" Paimon suddenly widened her eyes, "Are you saying this is the work of that Osial who was suppressed beneath the Guyun Stone Forest?"
"But wasn't he suppressed by Jun Bai and the Rex Lapis…"
"However, right now this is the only situation that can explain what we're seeing." Lumine said.
[According to this, didn't Osial survive the punishment of three gods?]
[It seems that if nothing else, at least in terms of vitality, Osial is above the God of Dreams.]
[Old Dream getting solo-killed was already embarrassing, but having his HP bar shortened by a huge chunk is even more embarrassing.]
"If this was done by an God, then aren't those people in danger?" Paimon looked toward the whirlpool.
The fishermen who had been swept into it had already disappeared without a trace. The situation did not look optimistic.
"Lumine, hurry up and put me down! Go save those people quickly!" Paimon said anxiously.
"I know." Lumine replied, "But something doesn't want me to leave!"
Before her words had even finished, the Sword of Descension appeared in Lumine's hand. She slashed out a wind blade toward a certain spot beneath the sea surface.
"Roar!"
A monster whose size was comparable to a Rock Shield Hilichurl Chieftain broke through the sea surface. Its long tail, entwined with flowing water, swept out and easily shattered the wind blade Lumine had swung.
The monster had a slender body. From a distance, it looked like a sea serpent, its body covered in thick scales. Its scarlet eyes were filled with ferocious malice, and its bloody maw was lined with sharp teeth.
(Original monster. Design inspiration comes from the Sea Dragon used by Kajiki Ryota in the Duel Kingdom arc of Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Rich adventuring experience told Lumine that this monster was at least an elite-level monster on par with a Hilichurl Chieftain.
[This monster's sense of oppression is designed quite well.]
[Its appearance is very impressive. Original monster players are overjoyed.]
[One normal attack canceled out the protagonist's Elemental Skill. Looks like it's going to be a tough battle. I hope I don't have to manually control it.]
This monster had now locked onto the two people standing on the Starfall.
If they were on flat ground, Lumine naturally would not be afraid. But now they were on a turbulent sea surface, and her only foothold was the Starfall beneath her feet.
The home-field advantage was clearly on the monster's side. If a real fight broke out, the situation would be extremely unfavorable for Lumine.
But Lumine looked at Paimon, then at the whirlpool where no one could be seen anymore, and still decided to fight.
"No matter what, I cannot ignore those people in distress."
"Even if I'm not good at naval combat, I can only give it my all."
"From the very start, I have to use full power!"
Lumine gripped the Sword of Descension tightly and secretly gathered Geo energy onto it.
The monster roared and charged straight toward Lumine and Paimon on the Starfall.
"Ha!"
Lumine shouted loudly. She leaped into the air, holding the sword hilt with both hands. In an instant, Geo energy condensed on the Sword of Descension, forming a massive greatsword.
[ Noble Phantasm Release, Excalibur! ]
[At this moment the protagonist is like a fully constellated Noelle possessing her!]
[Rex Lapis Princess logging into an alternate account!]
Lumine swung the giant sword. The blade struck the monster's head. The powerful impact directly knocked the monster down. Its enormous body fell onto the sea surface, splashing up astonishing waves.
"Go with the wind!"
Worried that this strike was not enough to completely kill the monster, Lumine spun her body in mid-air and hurled a tornado into the sea.
The tornado trapped the monster's body in the sea, slicing open bloody wounds across its form.
Pale blue blood spilled onto the sea surface. The lifeless monster sank into the depths.
Lumine fell from the air. She created another Starfall as a foothold, then prepared to dive into the sea to rescue people.
However—
One enormous body after another broke through the sea surface. Monsters of the same species as the previous one appeared.
[Holy shit, how are we supposed to fight this?!]
[Lumine: I thought I took out an elite, but it was just a minion?]
[Jun Bai? Where's Jun Bai? Help! Somebody help!]
Seeing this scene, Lumine gripped the Sword of Descension tightly, biting her silver teeth. Then she turned and jumped onto the Starfall where Paimon was.
Let alone being at sea right now — even if she encountered an army of monsters of this scale on land, she could only take a detour.
The issue now was no longer whether she could save people, but whether Lumine could escape danger while carrying Paimon.
Lumine hugged Paimon and jumped into the water, swimming toward the shore with all her strength.
However, the sea was the enemy's home field.
Several monsters easily caught up to Lumine. They opened their bloody maws toward her, ready to swallow both Lumine and Paimon in one bite.
At this moment, Lumine had already prepared to cut open the monster's belly to escape. After all, she had no intention of stopping here.
Just then, the sea surface around Lumine suddenly became calm.
A gentle girl wearing a Noh mask flashed past Lumine's side. In her幽 blue sharp claws she held a crescent halberd.
"Defend!"
Lumine turned her head at the sound. Her tense expression relaxed.
The crescent halberd erupted with ghostly blue radiance. A powerful slash forcefully repelled the pursuing monsters.
"It's Miss Bonanus!"