When Kyle saw a sixth-level Thorn Beast fall at the feet of his own kin, the confidence and smile of the other party infected him. At that moment, he decided to make this friend—having another companion during training was not a bad thing. After tasting the delicious food he made, the genius Kyle became even more smug about his own judgment.

In his own words, he wouldn’t leave even if beaten to death.

Chapter 6: A Fateful Encounter (Part 2)

Meeting Elsa happened later. The two of them were both warriors. Although Julius Caesar knew some strange barbecue magic, it didn’t help much in battle—at least, not so far as they could see. So, they posted a notice in the tavern to recruit a mage companion. Maybe their luck was just too good, because they ended up with a water mage who could also use wind magic, and whose strength was truly formidable.

Later, they ran into a strange sea-tribe archer on the road. To be honest, the archer profession didn’t exist before the War of the Divine Moon. Even if there were similar roles, no one would have made it their main profession. But after the War of the Divine Moon, the powerful long-range abilities of archers rivaled those of mages, which caught the attention of the sea tribes. However, a natural barrier quickly appeared: arrows were far less effective in seawater than on land. In the end, the profession drifted away like the wind, and now only a few enthusiasts could be seen practicing this “sport.” The nobles, however, were quite interested in such a boring thing, and it became part of the etiquette education in noble schools.

Elsa and Kyle weren’t very welcoming to this new member—one more person meant more competition for food, and an archer didn’t seem to add much to their team. But Julius Caesar insisted on keeping him, and that thick-skinned guy also stayed because of Julius Caesar’s unrivaled barbecue skills in the merfolk sea. He didn’t talk much, only known by the name Jeffrey, and was probably from some branch of the Feishi tribe.

Four oddballs came together, and no one asked about the others’ identities. They all avoided the topic, but it was clear that each of them had secrets. Kyle, a mere Sheoubei tribesman, somehow had such exquisite equipment—the battle axe in his hand could definitely be considered a divine weapon.

Elsa, a gentle, beautiful mage who occasionally exuded an air of nobility, dared to venture out alone for training. Although her clothes were plain, she seemed to have an endless supply of magical equipment, including many human magic scrolls—each one worth a fortune, yet she used them as if scattering beans.

Jeffrey, who only ever said his own name, was a cold and silent man. But for an “entertainment archer” to be wandering these seas, it was definitely not simple. With Elsa’s sharp eyes, that bow was no ordinary item!

And finally, the one they all revolved around: Julius Caesar. He was the strangest of all. The countless scars on his body spoke of terrifying experiences—battles between life and death, some even with super-level magical beasts. A true warrior. But as a member of the Bei tribe... Kyle had never heard of him before. He looked so young, and handled everything with such composure. This, without a doubt, was what drew them to him. Every time they saw his smile, they felt a sense of trust. And he was skilled in both magic and martial arts. That was one thing, but being able to use fire magic underwater was truly rare.

Of course, it’s not that all sea tribes can’t use fire magic. In a secret sea region, there’s a Flame Sea, where the sea tribes can freely control fire and high temperatures. But clearly, Julius Caesar wasn’t from that tribe, and those people were few in number and rarely traveled.

Four people, each shrouded in mystery, gathered together, yet could laugh heartily without any reservations. Maybe it was because they were the same kind of people.

Ah... how can a woman eat so much!

Watching Elsa elegantly yet lightning-fast devour the grilled crab legs in her hands, Kyle was furious. As a proud member of the Bei tribe, how could he lose to a Feishi fishwoman in eating speed?

But Jeffrey wasn’t slow either!

And so, the four of them began their lunch in the midst of a great battle.

However, the place where they were carrying out their mission was a C-level dangerous sea region (according to the danger level of the sea, the Adventurers’ Guild divides them into A, B, C, and D, with danger decreasing in that order. Of course, the six great Devil Seas are not included in this classification, nor are the generally safe sea regions). A C-level sea region was already very dangerous, requiring a team to carry out missions, and sixth-level sea monsters often appeared.

(Sea monster levels: from one to nine. Those above level nine are super-level sea monsters, which even the sea tribes must avoid—just like super magical beasts on land, they are beings to be steered clear of.)

The aroma of barbecue also attracted the attention of some sea monsters. Five fourth-level Terrorclaw Beasts were slowly approaching. Although these sea monsters had relatively weak attack power, their entire bodies—including their eyes—were covered in hard armor, making them truly tough to shake, and their magic resistance was very high. The military often used their shells to make anti-magic shields, and if a Terrorclaw Beast’s magic crystal was embedded, the effect was even greater. However, the chance of a fourth-level monster producing an ink crystal was very low.