Temple Village, Seamist County.

The turbulent strait roared, its fury echoing through the village. Villagers, their faces flickering in the torchlight, clutched their flames, casting long, dancing shadows across the scene. A silent anticipation hung in the air, their eyes reflecting the firelight with a hint of fanaticism.

A group of young, sturdy men wielding fishing knifes and gaffs, pressed their sharp tips against the chests of several grievously wounded H.A.R.M. agents.

Dave Gray and Stewart Atzmon lay on the ground, their breaths ragged, their eyes vacant and minds hazy.

Colt McCoy's condition was even more dire. A master grappler, his bones were now shattered, his uniform soaked in blood. He clung to life by a thread.

They couldn't comprehend what could have driven the Sea God, who had meticulously cultivated her reputation for centuries, shedding the stigma of being a vampire, to suddenly erupt in violence against the H.A.R.M. agents.

Unlike other vampires, the Sea God was deeply revered by the locals. She had been in this region for so long that Seamist County was practically her "territory," tacitly acknowledged by H.A.R.M.

In exchange, even if not directly responsible, H.A.R.M. could hold her accountable for any disturbances in the area.

This was why Noa Atzmon, despite her dislike for the vampire, had gone straight to the temple upon arrival. The Sea God was, in a twisted way, considered "one of their own."

By committing such an act, she had sealed her fate. There would be no escape, no reprieve, only a life in hiding beneath the waves!

Four hundred years of restraint, shattered for the sake of killing a few agents who had merely come to observe the ceremony? It made no sense...

… …

"You arrogant H.A.R.M. dogs!" Finn MacLean exclaimed, his excitement evident in his heavy breathing as he deliberately stepped on the H.A.R.M. insignia embroidered on Ethan Atzmon's shoulder.

The three-star major, a Wave Realm expert, had already succumbed to the excruciating pain, his arm grotesquely twisted by an unseen force. White bone fragments protruded through the flesh, a gruesome sight.

Just moments ago, he had been evacuating the villagers and using his aura to hold back the surging seawater.

Witnessing Finn MacLean's actions, the other fishermen’s hands tightened nervously on their knives, visibly shaking. Despite being blessed by the Sea God since childhood, they still held a certain reverence for the government.

Disliking H.A.R.M. agents didn't equate to daring to insult them, especially when there was no need.

Moreover...

Their gazes shifted upwards.

Outside the Sea God's temple stood a weary-looking Noa Atzmon.

Her brow furrowed deeply, her usual lazy charm replaced by a pale, sickly pallor. After a long silence, she whispered, "Hey, are you dying? If you can't hold on, just let go."

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Across from her, a short sword was embedded in the green-clad woman's abdomen.

The Sea God looked down at the wound impassively, then a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

She reached out, her pale fingers closing around the sword's hilt. Slowly, she pulled it free. A flicker of discomfort crossed her face as the blade slid past writhing intestines. Releasing her grip, the short sword clattered to the ground.

The Sea God's voice was soft, almost gentle. "I'm waiting for him to come back. What are you waiting for?"

Noa's thoughts drifted back to the crimson mist she had witnessed earlier.

After a moment's contemplation, she admitted frankly, "Your guy is much stronger."

From the start of the fight, it was evident that the sea beast had been injured. Her essence had been drained, leaving her unable to unleash even half her usual power.

However, even in this weakened state, the Sea God's late-stage Wave Realm prowess was overwhelming. Inflicting a wound was the best Noa could manage.

… …

"Why are you shaking?!" Finn MacLean barked, slapping the man beside him and snatching the fishing spear from his grasp.

A ferocious grin spread across his face, his mind buzzing with excitement. He roared at the top of his lungs, "Kill them for the Sea God!"

With a battle cry, he charged towards the woman.

The village chief, who had been observing the scene with a faint sneer, suddenly felt a pang of unease.

This fool! he thought. With H.A.R.M. agents battling the Sea God, how dare a mere mortal interfere?! Even gravely injured, she could crush you with a finger!

He hurried forward, crutch in hand, to intervene. But before he could take a step, Noa Atzmon turned, her gaze fixing on Finn MacLean as he lunged at her with the fish spear.

She tilted her head, her disheveled hair fluttering in the breeze. "So annoying," she muttered.

With those words, her tall, voluptuous form collapsed like a kite with its string cut.

Unlike the sea vampire, Noa had truly reached her limit, clinging to consciousness by a thread.

In her fading vision, Finn MacLean's face was a mask of animalistic frenzy, his screams growing louder, filled with fanaticism. He was about to prove his devotion to the Sea God.

Thwack!

His expression froze, the spear held high. A black sword protruded from his wide-open mouth.

Blood gushed from his throat, filling his mouth before being absorbed entirely by the blade.

Noa lay on the ground, a familiar figure coming into focus through her blurred vision.

Too weak to speak, she could only watch as the tall figure casually withdrew the sword from Finn MacLean's head.

His handsome face was spattered with blood, the hem of his dark uniform billowing in the wind.

He walked slowly, stepping over Finn's corpse, then over her own body.

... …

I stood between the Sea God and my team, looking at her with fury.

The Sea God lowered her head and stared at me. The serene expression on her face quickly dissolved into anxiety. "You came back… where is he?"

She looked frantically behind me, only to find the torch-lit path empty. "I gathered all the precious elixirs for him. Where is he?"

A sudden sniff, and her eyes narrowed, focusing on my clothes where the vampire cores were concealed. Anger contorted her features. "You're a dead man!"

I lunged forward, swinging my sword with all my might!

The perfected Nightshade Assassin technique unleashed its full power.

The blade sliced through the air like a spectral scythe in the dark night.

Enraged, the Sea God didn't attempt to dodge. With what was left in her, she raised her palms, summoning two streams of crystalline water that materialized into chains, wrapping around the blade.

The unstoppable black blade faltered, held in check by the gentle flow of water. The blood mist staining its surface was washed away.

Already severely weakened, she poured all her remaining strength into her next attack.

Her fingers manipulated another stream of water, shaping it into a long whip that she lashed out with vicious intent.

"I will flay you alive and offer your bones to my Leviasaur Lord!"

The whip cracked like thunder, a serpentine blur aimed at tearing flesh from my body.

I released my grip on the sword, allowing it to be ensnared in mid-air. My movements became a blur.

My feet danced like an ape toying with a python, my fingers clenching into fists.

I leaned in, closing the distance to the woman in green, my eyes cold and unwavering. The thick, demonic veins beneath her skin were exposed before my eyes.

Shadow Touch!

My fist slammed into the Sea God's face.

In an instant, her demonic power vanished, and a burst of greasy fat erupted from her face.

Four hundred years of indulging in human sacrifices, coupled with H.A.R.M.'s leniency, had transformed the once benevolent Sea Goddess into a grotesque caricature.