"Ah!!!"

The Sea God clutched her greasy face, desperately trying to shield herself from the bewildered gazes of the fishermen. They had revered her as a deity! A sea goddess who emerged from the waves to safeguard their village!

A piercing shriek tore from her throat, and countless water droplets condensed, shooting forward like arrows in a deadly barrage. Her enraged cries echoed through the night.

I moved with agility, staying close behind her.

My slender palms struck out in a series of precise blows, severing the demonic veins wherever I touched, disrupting the flow of her unnatural power.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

The Sea God's once-graceful figure swelled grotesquely, threatening to burst through her green tunic. Already drained of most of her essence by the Leviasaur and exhausted from single-handedly defeating two formidable Wave Realm agents, her strength was nearly depleted.

Now, with her major essence veins sealed by Shadow Touch, she could no longer sustain the relentless rain of arrows. They fizzled out harmlessly in the air.

With a powerful kick, I sent her massive body hurtling away like a broken sandbag. She crashed through the gilded statue, shaking the temple to its foundations. Beams splintered and collapsed with a deafening roar, sending clouds of dust billowing through the air.

I turned, effortlessly catching the falling black blade.

Then, I strode into the temple, seized the sea beast by the scruff of her neck, and slammed her onto the altar.

She trembled, her palms scrabbling at the edge of the ruined altar, her nearly numb arms struggling to support her weight.

I stepped onto her shoulder, pinning her back down.

Feeling the icy chill of my presence, the sea beast was consumed by terror.

"You can't kill me! I carry a Leviasaur's child!" she shrieked. "I will be the Leviasaur Empress of the Strait of Georgia!"

Then she turned to the crowd, her voice a desperate plea. "I am the Sea God of Seamist County!!! Save me!!"

Her shrill cries pierced the air, rousing Noa Atzmon from her dazed state.

Hundreds of fishermen surrounded the temple, their torches flickering as they stared in disbelief at the bloated figure sprawled across the altar.

This was the deity their ancestors had worshiped for centuries.

The master for whom they had sent hundreds of children into the sea as offerings.

Now, she lay helplessly on the altar, pleading for her life.

"Save the Sea God! Kill the dogs!"

Stolen novel; please report.

The village chief, cradling his son's lifeless body, wept bitterly, his eyes filled with hatred.

This was his only son!

"Kill them!" he croaked, his voice hoarse with grief.

His resentful words shattered the night's silence.

In a frenzy, more than a dozen young men tossed their torches aside, gripped their knives, and charged forward.

This was the same fury they had used to drive away H.A.R.M. officials countless times before.

This was the wrath of the 70,000 people of Seamist County.

Even a Wave Realm captain would hesitate before such a force.

… …

I paid no heed to the commotion. There was only one way to control this mob. Without hesitation, I grabbed a sharpened wooden stake and plunged it through the sea beast's heart, impaling her to the altar.

Her screams filled the temple as the green tunic ripped, revealing a grotesque, bloated sea lion's body that occupied half the space. Its tail thrashed violently.

The villagers, charging forward, were frozen in their tracks, their faces a mask of shock and horror at the sight of the monstrous sea lion.

The village chief's voice rose above the din. "Kill him! Avenge the Sea God!" But no one moved.

"Cowards! Kill them! Avenge The Sea God!" The village chief was in a frenzy. He had not only lost his son, but also the source of his power and prestige. He snatched the fishing spear fell on the ground, rising up, his crutch forgotten.

But before he could fully straighten, a scarlet blur filled his vision. He saw his own headless body, upsidedown, falling on to the ground.

Noa Atzmon stood beside the chief's corpse. "Official H.A.R.M. business!" she declared coldly. "Interference has consequences."

The remaining fishermen, who had not yet attacked, recoiled in fear.

Even those who had been holding the H.A.R.M. agents hostage trembled, their weapons clattering to the ground.

… …

Under the horrified gaze of the crowd, I stood on the altar, drenched in blood. The mob shuddered when they met my cold eyes, their collective heartbeat a palpable rhythm in the tense silence. In their eyes, I was a more terrifying sight than the shattered statue had ever been.

With a single, deliberate motion, I plunged my blade into the sea lion's belly, methodically slicing it open. The sword slices through the fatty meat, parting it reluctantly as a glistening sheen of oil coats the blade.

I casually extracted the beastvamp's core.

Then, with the same blade, I carved a chunk of flesh and placed it in my mouth, chewing slowly, deliberately.

The fishermen trembled. This towering, blood-soaked figure, like a titan feasting on the world, was savoring their revered Sea God.

Sea lion meat is typically fishy and greasy, but this vampire's flesh, nourished and purified by celestial essence for centuries, was unexpectedly tender and succulent.

I casually sliced off another large piece, then strode out of the temple.

I grabbed a man, frozen in shock, his legs buckling beneath him.

Under the man's horrified gaze, I casually tore off a small piece of the meat and shoved it into his mouth.

"Ugh!"

He instinctively gagged, but my long fingers clamped tightly over his lips.

"Chew," I commanded, my voice a chilling whisper that sent shivers down everyone's spines. "And swallow."

"Then answer me."

I hauled the man to his feet, my expression impassive. "How does your Sea God taste?"

Tears welled up in the man's eyes, his entire body trembling. The tender, juicy flavor bursting in his mouth was a delicacy he had never experienced in his thirty-plus years of living by the sea.

Involuntarily, he swallowed. A wave of guilt washed over him instantly.

Then, he couldn't resist taking another bite.

"Well-fed," I stated flatly. "Don't raise another one." I patted the man's face, sheathed my black blade, and walked towards my teammates a short distance away.

The madman, roused from his stupor, crawled towards the scene, his body covered in mud. His eyes darted around, taking in the terrified villagers, the ruined temple, and finally settling on the lone figure standing tall amidst the chaos. His gaze then fell upon the massive sea lion, its belly torn open, lying within the temple.

With a surge of primal energy, the madman pushed through the crowd and lunged at the sea lion, sinking his teeth into its flesh. He devoured it ravenously, tears and snot mingling with the blood, as if attempting to exorcise years of pent-up rage and sorrow.

The villagers watched in stunned silence as the madman's desperate act unfolded. In the flickering torchlight, the once-revered statue stood exposed, its golden veneer crumbling to reveal the plain clay beneath.