The staggering annihilation of hundreds of formidable Krakens is a sight that profoundly shocks the thousands of Mermaids engaged in combat, and those observing from the safety of Lucien's barrier.
Yet, the true test of their mettle is the looming onslaught of Tyrion's vanguard; a veritable sea of Naga soldiers, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, spurred into action by the dread of their malevolent king. Among these ranks, many are driven by their own greed and personal motives, ready to wreak havoc and spill innocent blood.
Tyrion and Tanu's corruptive Dark Magic has already tainted at least half of the Naga race. For these poor souls, their path to redemption is overshadowed by darkness, their past selves irrevocably lost.
Yet, even in the face of such overwhelming odds, the Mermaids yearn for a solution that would prevent the impending bloodshed. Their nature, inherently gentle and kind, recoils at the thought of taking lives, even if it means survival.
This deep-rooted aversion to violence stems from their connection to water, the fundamental element of life, and the embodiment of the Water Spirit.
Even Nea, the most resolute of the Mermaids, who would fight tooth and nail to protect her people, finds the thought of rallying her kin for the impending gruesome battle daunting.
However, Lucien stands at the fore, a demon from a distant land, unconnected to their race, yet exhausting every ounce of his energy to shield the Mermaids.
If he's willing to fortify, defend, and even sacrifice himself for them, the least they can do in return is to steel themselves to kill for him.
This newfound killing intent, radiating from thousands of Mermaids, is palpable to Tyrion, especially since it is singularly focused upon him.
He had underestimated the Mermaids for so many years, taking over their territory, killing those who opposed him, and weakening Nea's reign, all to arrive at that moment when he would claim the whole Blue Star for himself.
But Lucien showed up, and what should be a bonus now became a problem. But Tyrion is still not unwilling to back down; he has a huge army boosted by Dark Magic and has yet to show his greatest asset, the power he took from Mira.
Tyrion tries to calm down and concentrate; he let Lucien cloud his mind with a trick, but he still believes he has the upper hand there; after all, he has prepared for that moment.
The only people who could make things difficult for him should be Nea and Maya, but he has something to deal with both of them. And Lucien doesn't seem to be a problem now that he's exhausted.
'Now, my King, you must act now!' Tanu continues to exclaim in Tyrion's mind.
But the greedy Naga King froze at the sight of Lucien's wives, a group of women so magnificent they shine even brighter than the sun.
'I want them... I want them all for myself!' Tyrion cannot contain the desire to have everything Lucien has.
'Then take it!' No matter what Tanu really thinks, she has a soul contract with Tyrion, so she has to support him until the very end. 'Attack now, before he and the Sins recover!'
"Ah, yes..." Tyrion strengthens his resolve with his new greedy goals. After seeing how incredible and powerful Lucien's wives are, he wouldn't mind sacrificing all those Naga to have them.
He points his ominous trident at them while his eyes gleam. "Are you really willing to die for this stupid boy??"
Upon hearing those words, all of Lucien's wives, as well as all the Mermaids and Naga loyal to him, make the same expression of mockery and pity.
"Oh no, are you going to make that speech about being a better man than Lucien?" Cassidy laughs as she stands with the other girls.
The other girls laugh, too, and Angela continues. "Do you know how many times we've heard that shit?"
"But we're still here..." Jeanne holds her shining shield while her eyes sparkle. "With him."
They all have the same determined, loving expressions as they talk about Lucien.
Before Tyrion can speak again, Ghalenna continues. "I also made the mistake of calling him a stupid boy, but he showed me what a real man is."
"Not with words, but with actions." Daisy also joins her sisters.
Seeing that group of women stand before a gigantic army only makes Tyrion envy Lucien more.
"You fools, he can't protect any of you right now." The Naga King tries to mock Lucien.
But that again fails and just makes him look more pathetic in front of millions of people.
"We're not with him just because he protects us." Mia, next to her mother, speaks, and the other girls agree.
"It's also not just because it makes us stronger." Marie continues, and Mia nods at her.
"But because we want to be with him." Aria comments as she flies beside her daughter around the floating platform.
"Because we love him!" Ella completes.
"You bitc-" Tyrion again tries to attack the girls' resolve.
"ROOOAAARRRRR!!!!"
But Oya's mighty roar echoes for miles, silencing the Naga King and anyone else who thinks to insult her beloved Master.
"There will be no talking now, Tyrion." Nea comments as she flies to the front of the group. "You came here for a battle, so let's have a battle."
"Task!" He clicks his tongue. "You talk of fighting, but you ran away from me a second ago..."
Nea sets aside her pride for the well-being of her people, leveling her cerulean sword at Tyrion. "Then let's duel once more, a battle between you and me..."
'What in the world are you doing??' Lucien's voice resonates immediately within her mind.
'I can take him on...' She retorts internally, preparing to consume the cursed fruits borne by the sacred tree of the Mermaids. 'I won't allow your family to be harmed in my stead.'
'You are a part of my family, hollow head!' Lucien argues back instantly. 'Cast that ludicrous idea aside and assist your sisters in buying us time to rally our forces.'
In such a dire moment, Nea can't suppress a slight blush coloring her cheeks. She wouldn't think twice about sacrificing her life for the welfare of her people.
However, even with the power granted by the rotten fruits, there's no assurance she could defeat Tyrion in a one-on-one battle, particularly if others intervene. Thus, Lucien's plan seems to be the more sensible approach at the moment.
Still, the way Lucien addressed her leaves her slightly disconcerted. 'Don't speak to me as though I'm one of your damsels in distress!'
'Huh?' Lucien responds swiftly, a touch of surprise in his voice. 'Don't fret, I'll remind you of your place once this ordeal is over.'
'...' The blush on Nea's face deepens, her embarrassment more evident now.
Even though Tyrion can't comprehend what's transpiring, he's certain that he's not the cause of her flustered reaction.
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