"Hank Fowler, we brought the thatch!" Bruiser announced, handing over a bundle of dried grass.

Hank took it without a word and tossed it onto the giant sea turtle. With a flourish, he produced the Magnifying Glass, angling it just so to focus the sunlight onto the thatch. A thin wisp of smoke curled upwards. Hank gave a gentle puff, and the thatch burst into flames.

It was only then that Bruiser and Petal realized what was going on. Hank was going to roast the turtle alive! Brutal? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

"Arghhh!" The sea turtle let out a shriek, its stubby little legs flailing uselessly. Nice try, buddy. But thanks to Chu Feng flipping it over, escape was out of the question. It could only lie there and take it as the flames licked at its shell.

Watching the turtle's pathetic struggle, the Machete couldn't help but comment, "Big Bro is truly devious!"

As two more bundles of thatch were added to the fire, the temperature intensified to over 86°F (30°C). The sea turtle, feeling like it was about to become a crispy critter, started begging, "Human, spare me! I won't do it again!"

"Too late," Hank sneered, then turned to his lackeys. "Go get some more thatch. I'll treat you to some roasted turtle later."

The promise of food had Bruiser and Petal scrambling back towards the thatch patch with surprising speed. They returned quickly with another two large bundles.

Without hesitation, Hank tossed them onto the fire. The flames roared higher, turning the air into a shimmering, wavy mess. The sea turtle's screams of agony eventually subsided as it was burned alive.

Of course, dead didn't mean cooked. It needed a bit more time on the barbie. "Petal, keep gathering thatch," Hank ordered. "Bruiser, take me to see your Sea Clan princess."

"Yes, sir!" Bruiser responded and led Hank into the maze of reef rocks.

After walking about a dozen meters, they came across a figure in a shallow pool of water.

Hank's jaw dropped. Lying there in the pool was a woman with a figure that could make a saint question his vows. A mermaid!

Her eyes were closed, and she lay there motionless in the water. This was Hank's first time seeing a mermaid, and he couldn't help but stare. Her skin was as white and smooth as fine jade, radiating a captivating allure. Her features were exquisite, each detail seemingly sculpted by the gods themselves. A cascade of golden hair flowed behind her, swaying gently with the water, like something out of a dream.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She was wearing a blue dress that clung to her curves, only revealing a section of her fish tail from the hem downwards.

"She's a real looker, isn't she?" Hank couldn't help but comment, feeling a certain stirring within him. He'd seen his fair share of beauties, even on this island, Luna Lovelace, Zara Vance, and Willow Frost were all standard beauties. But this mermaid? She was on another level.

"Hank, what did you say?" Bruiser asked suddenly. From the moment he'd laid eyes on the mermaid, Hank's gaze had been glued to her. Was he having some indecent thoughts about her?

"Nothing," Hank mumbled, then quickly changed the subject. "Is this mermaid your Sea Clan princess?"

"Yes," Bruiser confirmed.

Hank muttered, "What's wrong with her? Is she asleep? Or unconscious?"

"The princess was badly injured," Bruiser explained quickly. "She was already unconscious when she washed up here."

Hank stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Who did this to her?"

"I don't know," Bruiser shook his head.

Hank's gaze returned to the mermaid. "She looks like she's in bad shape. If she doesn't get treatment soon, she might just kick the bucket."

"Waaah..." Bruiser started sniffling.

"What are you crying for? You've got me, haven't you?" Hank scoffed.

Bruiser's eyes lit up. "Hank, can you save the princess?"

Hank gave a meaningful look. "I can save her, but I have no relationship with her. I'm not really in the habit of helping people for free..."

Bruiser got the hint immediately. "Princess is very grateful. She will definitely repay you if you save her."

"That's what I like to hear," Hank nodded, then asked, "Where is she injured?"

Bruiser stammered, "It looks like... she was slashed across the chest."

Hank focused on the mermaid's chest. Sure enough, there was a gash, revealing a glimpse of the majestic peak within. The wound was still oozing blood, staining the surrounding area a gruesome red.

Hank frowned slightly. "This is a bit tricky..."

Bruiser's heart clenched. "Hank, please, I'm begging you, save the princess!"

Hank rubbed his nose. "Saving her is no problem, but the location of the wound is a little... sensitive. To treat her, I'll have to, you know, touch her. This is extremely difficult for an upstanding and honorable man like me!"

"Hank, saving a life is more important! Don't worry about the small stuff," Bruiser pleaded anxiously.

Hank sighed dramatically. "For the sake of saving a life, I guess I can make an exception this once."

"Hank, thank you so much!" Bruiser was overjoyed.

A sly grin crept onto Hank's face as he crouched down. He reached a hand into her dress, letting it travel upwards until it reached its destination. The moment he made contact, a jolt, like an electric shock, ran through him. Looking at the mermaid's beautiful face, he couldn't help but feel a little frisky.

Hank took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Then, he activated his healing ability. A milky white light flowed from his fingertips, enveloping the wound. Under the glow, the injury began to heal at a visible rate. In the blink of an eye, it was completely gone, not even a scar remained.

"Can't be helping people for free. Gotta get some compensation, right?" Hank muttered to himself, giving the soft flesh a firm squeeze before finally withdrawing his hand, a lingering feeling of reluctance in his movements.

"Hank, how is she?" Bruiser asked urgently.

Hank said calmly, "The wound is healed. She should wake up soon."

Just then, the mermaid's eyelids fluttered, and she opened her beautiful eyes.

"Princess, you're awake! This is wonderful!" Bruiser cried tears of joy.

The mermaid slowly sat up. As she did, a shimmering light emanated from her lower body. Then, her fish tail vanished, replaced by a pair of long, shapely legs.