Bilibu tore up the distance between himself and the arrogant child with an almost-peerless speed that had made many of his enemies wary. This was a result of one of his most prized innate skills: [Semi Lightning Transmutation], a skill that allowed him to convert around half of his cells into electricity and allow the conductivity of the Sea to take him anywhere he wished.
Many had called this ability of his amongst others unfair, but it had taken him a disgusting amount of years just to make the skill survivable, talk less of beneficial. His Jellyfish race was a feeble one and found it hard to enter the 3rd Realm, and that was the case for 1st Generation Jellyfish as well. Not necessarily because they were untalented; there was no such thing as an untalented 1st generationer, but because the battles of the Sea were just that vicious.
There was no place below the land for a lifeform that would harm itself before it harmed others, to prosper. Everybody knew that. The only plausible decision such a race could make if it didn’t want to go extinct was to submit to a much stronger race that could afford to protect others without suffering a loss.
It’s what most races in that situation did, and many many if not all the other Jellyfish in the other Seas of the planet had done the same. But Biliibu? He had been unwilling.
He toiled and fought everyday, he made false promises of submission left and right - only to slaughter and consume his betters when they least expected it, he practised his techniques until even the outskirts of his brain had fried, and with a heavy dosage of luck, he had finally reached this stage.
He, a Jellyfish, had reached the 4th Realm, becoming an awe-inspiring Sea Emperor that had even obtained the lucky chance of Evolution that only a few 4th Realmers could gain. He was now called a 9 Coloured Aurora Jellyfish. Everybody in this Sea knew his name, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the top figures of the other Seas kept tabs on him.
And yet…
This inconsequential, brainless Centipede was daring to compete with him for a unique resource? A mere 3rd Realmer had identified him, seen the threat that he proposed, and yet instead of running at first glance actually dared to ignore him and reach for the fruit anyways?
Bilibu chuckled darkly.
Oh he knew who he was. The talented mutated Centipede that had seemingly arisen out of thin air, taking the Sea by storm and rising in the ranks quicker than others could think. There had been no time for the local Kings to nip the bud before they had lost their lives, and there had been no time for local Emperors (but most importantly him as the ruler of this section of the Sea), to scheme of how to subdue the talent before it had become big enough to protect itself.
This centipede was pretty great, he had to admit it. But all of that was meaningless before raw strength. The gap between the 3rd and the 4th Realm wasn’t feared for no reason and soon, the Centipede will learn why. It would be the last lesson it ever learnt.
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The lightning that made up half his body flashed even more vigorously and his speed increased dramatically.
[Lightning Enhancement!]
…
Zuko felt the skin beneath his carapace shiver as the presence behind him became even more imposing, cutting up the distance between them like it was nothing. Still, he didn’t hesitate or even try to move any faster himself. Overexerting himself would only needlessly burn his stamina, and it would even be for naught. After all, even if he reached the fruit, he would still have to face the task of running away. It would be a colossal waste to overexert himself now, in a situation like this, and he couldn’t afford that at all.
In order to come out of this alive and with the fruit, he would need to produce his most phenomenal performance. He would need to push his efficiency to his limits and perhaps even beyond, and only then would he be given the chance to obtain success. Just a chance.
To be honest, his heart was beating with more than just adrenaline. There was a noticeable dosage of fear that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
In the past he had been wary and nigh anxious many times, in fact, he was in this dumb situation because of his over-cautiousness. But rarely had he been truly fearful. How could he be? Any danger could be escaped with his Divine Lunar Enhancement, and he was plenty strong himself.
He wasn’t being arrogant, it was just reality. With all of his capabilities, what gap could fear find to worm its way in? Really and truly, just where would fear even come from?
Unfortunately, things were different now. Very different.
Very soon, he would gain a fruit so special and suitable for him that it resonated with the core of his being at a distance. His previous self had never even imagined that something like this could exist, and yet it was about to end up between his jaws. But very soon, the opportunity for him to change his mind and back out would close forever.
At that time, even if he wanted to use Divine Lunar Enhancement to escape, he would not be able to. He would be in Emperor Bilibu’s area of effect and the surrounding waters would no longer be his friend, in fact, he could already feel a slight tingling.
It was only a matter of time if he didn’t escape NOW.
Alas, he had already made up his mind and he had already known the risks. He would not be changing his mind. He was going for all or nothing.
*10 seconds later*
“KAKAKAKA!!” Zuko laughed uproariously as his mouth closed around the fruit. He ignored the tiny bolts of lightning that were running across his body and the even bigger bolts that were swiftly approaching.
‘I’ve got it! It’s real!’ There was no mistaking a natural treasure of the planet when it was between your teeth where you could feel its energy directly and taste it on your tongue. This fruit was undoubtedly the single greatest thing he had ever encountered in the Sea.
Sadly, he didn’t have time to enjoy his winnings.
He twisted his body around and faced the incoming multi-coloured Jellyfish that was so huge that it dwarfed even him.