"Am I really going to die here?" she murmured, regretting not playing two more games with Ickshonpe.
"I haven't played enough games yet."
Pactro, the mushroom-headed kid, sat trembling next to Lilith, his small body barely containing his fear.
Most people here had no hope of survival; they were gripped only by the dread of facing death.
Around them, the sea was teeming with massive marine creatures, each exhaling powerful breaths that sent invisible waves of aura rippling through the air.
The atmosphere felt almost solid, making it hard to breathe.
A chaotic mix of auras filled the space, some incredibly strong, others weaker, but even the weaker ones were beyond what most could handle.
Strange, twisted monsters loomed everywhere: enormous eyeballs covered grotesque green bodies, each eyeball as large as a ship, the whole creature as massive as a mountain.
Just looking at them sent chills down people's spines and stirred a deep, primal horror.
Other beasts were covered in long, corpse-like hair that hid their faces, only faint shadows visible beneath; their bodies reeked of decay, the hair likely rotten flesh.
There was even a three-headed sea monster, its massive heads lined up in a row, glowing strangely against its blue skin, just a glance at it was enough to fill one with dread.
Compared to these, the octopus they encountered earlier seemed almost tame.
All these creatures had bizarre, terrifying forms, but the most striking and powerful of all was the dragon-shaped sea beast Larry had been worried about for so long.
"This... this is the real danger level of the unknown sea," Beyond muttered in disbelief, clenching his hands only to let go again helplessly.
Except for Larry, only Ging and Beyond managed to steady themselves against the ship's wall to avoid collapsing.
Surrounded by countless breaths of aura, they were drained of strength, able only to stare wide-eyed at the horrors before them.
Speaking was exhausting, but Beyond forced out the words, admitting how much they had underestimated the unknown sea.
Previously, Beyond and the soldiers had traveled with a guide through relatively safe parts of the unknown sea, areas few dared to enter, so they hadn't witnessed the true terror that now confronted them.
Even their last voyage had passed without encountering giant octopuses or anything like this, allowing them to reach the Dark Continent smoothly.
After extensive exploration, the gatekeepers and guides had a detailed understanding of the surrounding areas, but nothing had prepared them for this nightmare.
Especially around Lake Mobius, they had a clear understanding of where powerful sea creatures gathered and where few could be found.
This knowledge was well-mapped and ingrained in their minds.
Up until now, Beyond had truly grasped just how terrifying the unknown sea could be, not because of the size or strength of individual creatures, but because of their sheer numbers.
The ocean was vast, teeming with countless beings, and even giant creatures were quite common.
Making too much noise on a normal day could easily attract the attention of other massive beasts nearby, since their populations were densely packed.
This pattern matched the evolutionary traits seen in creatures from the Dark Continent, where the strength gaps between species weren't huge, leading to fewer fights.
They were cautious, avoiding injuries that could make them vulnerable to others, and always seized every chance to evolve.
When the giant octopus died, it didn't just vanish quietly, it drew even more giant creatures to the area.
This set off a chain reaction: nearby creatures stirred, which in turn attracted those further away, and then even more distant beasts began to move.
Beyond, watching closely, noticed that some sea creatures were marked with various bloodstains, evidence of battles with other predators along the way.
These sea beasts were natural enemies, competing fiercely for survival.
In other words, those who made it here were far from weak, they were like the main course at a feast, while the surrounding beasts were the diners qualified to sit at the table and feast after surviving their own trials.
They were both prey and hunters in this brutal underwater world.
"I really didn't expect this," Pariston muttered quietly.
"No chance of even reaching the Dark Continent..."
In this life-or-death moment, he finally dropped the fake smile he'd worn for so long.
His expression turned blank, even gloomy.
"Death? Not necessarily," Ging said firmly.
"Believe in Larry. When has he ever failed? As far as I know, no one, no creature, has ever beaten him since he appeared. It was true back then, and it's even more true now."
Veins bulging on his hands, Ging leaned against the wall to keep himself from collapsing, overwhelmed by countless hostile auras.
His eyes burned with determination, and his voice was full of unwavering faith in Larry's strength.
Unlike others, Ging had experienced the sheer power of Larry's nen beast up close.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that at least two of Larry's nen beast were stronger than the most powerful sea beast they had encountered.
Especially the one that could fire light cannons, no matter how many sea beasts surrounded them, just a few more shots from that beast could turn the tide.
After observing closely, Ging felt a strong confidence in Larry's abilities.
His only concern was whether Larry could protect all of them.
The best outcome would be for everyone to survive; the worst, that Larry might be the only one left standing.
"Yes! We still have Sir Larry!" Ging shouted, catching everyone's attention.
They all turned to look at Larry and realized he had been standing there calmly the whole time, arms crossed, showing no sign of panic.
Instead, he radiated confidence.
Could it be that Sir Larry really had a way to get them out of this mess?
Seeing this, a spark of hope lit up in their hearts once again, and all eyes focused on him, they knew he was their last and only hope.
Meanwhile, Larry wasn't paying much attention to the eager gazes around him; his focus was locked on the dragon-shaped sea beast.
Its huge eyes, oddly human-like, reflected sharp intelligence, far smarter than the giant octopus or any other sea beast nearby.
Larry wouldn't have been surprised if it started speaking.
The dragon-shaped beast's eyes shifted with clear signs of anger and suspicion.
Then, letting out a terrifying roar, it lifted its massive head and bellowed toward the sky.
Larry guessed the beast had come looking for "food" and, finding none, was furious.
The powerful roar sent vibrations through the seawater, creating countless waves out of nowhere.
At that moment, all the sea beasts began moving as if taking orders from the dragon-shaped one.
Attacks of all kinds rained down on the ship, venom sprays, huge tentacles, and massive aura beams.
It was like a chaotic battle where every sea beast unleashed its deadliest move.