Chapter 1128: It's Time
Chapter 1128: It's Time
As the next morning arrived, we ate breakfast and gathered together in front of the gate to the wild seas, as the merman called the ocean beyond the city.
"Wait, we aren't going all together?" wondered Fabian, looking clearly disappointed.
"I'm sorry boy, but I need some people to stay here and make sure to protect the place," I said. "I am not saying you won't be useful or something, I'm saying I need to entrust you into being here and protect these people. Can you do this for me?"
"I-I guess so..." Fabian nodded.
"Alright!" I nodded. "Now, onto the teams. It'll be much quicker if I choose who comes with me. Lucifer, Emeraldine, Jonathan, Nyx, and Arachne. Everyone else stays."
"Wait, that's it?!" asked Catarina. "I was also hoping to join! What the hell? Isn't that monster big? We could give you some hand!"
"I kind of get it though, if that thing decides to summon the portals again, the city is wide, we'll need to protect it from its entire perimeter, we need many people for that," Laura noticed already my plan. "We are all fairly strong too, but we can't compare to them either... Even Celes is still growing and developing. I know mom wouldn't want us to risk our lives pointlessly."
"Even I recognize that, yeah," nodded little Takeshi. "I'll do my best to protect the city with my abilities!"
"I thought I was strong enough to help..." Tear sighed. "I have grown very strong, is it not enough?"
"You are strong, yes," I nodded. "Your Ice Magic is particularly good in the sea, but that's also why I'm keeping you here. I want your ice magic to offer protection to the citizens."
"I-Is that so? I guess it is indeed more useful with protection than offense in that regard!" nodded Tear. "Okay, I understand... to an extent. I'll stay and show you that I am reliable and strong."
"Well said," I nodded. "Fabian and your group, I am counting on you guys as well! Do your best, and don't feel disappointed. Everyone has to start somewhere, alright?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn
"I get it..." Fabian nodded. "Thank you for taking care of us, auntie, we'll do our best!" "Yeah!"
"Leave this to us!"
"We've still got a long way to go, so this will be a good training!"
"Well, if any monster appears at all though."
Fabian and his friends were for sure an unexpected addition to our group that stayed for much longer than I could have imagined, but they have cemented themselves into a solid position within our ranks.
Then again, our group has become too big even now, once we get back home I will be leaving them there, and might assign them missions and such, but I would prefer to keep our group small, so its easier to get around.
"So I wasn't chosen..." sighed Nia. "I-I suppose it makes sense, we are still learning and growing stronger."
"Yeah, I want you to take care of Celes, Nia, I'm leaving him up to you," I said, caressing her head. "You've gotten stronger as well, you will be a reliable pillar in the group, so make sure to work hard."
"I will!" Nia nodded. "For my son and for everyone too... I never thought I would have so many friends, and such a cozy family as well. Thank you for giving me so much, Maria. I will not disappoint you!"
"Well said!" I nodded. "Alright..."
"Nyx, do your best!" Celes rushed towards us.
"I will!" Nyx nodded. "Don't worry, we got Arachne with us too, she's super strong!"
"I am!" Arachne nodded happily.
"My power is better for defense for now, so I'll keep everyone well protected for the moment!" said Celes. "I-I'm counting on you Nyx! A-And... Um."
He walked towards her and then gave her a little kiss on her cheek!
Oh my, the boy is bold!
"C-Celes..." Nyx blushed a bit, and then giggled. "Hehe, thank you! Here's one for you!"
She cutely kissed his little cheek back.
"N-Nyx I... um, I kind of... lo..." muttered Celes.
Did he want to say love you?
He was so cute and tiny...
"Let's leave that for later!" Nyx smiled. "Take care!"
However my daughter was a bit oblivious perhaps, or just too young to care, so she ran to my side.
Celes didn't end disappointed or something, he got another little kiss.
They were children, so they wouldn't do more than that at the end of the day.
But their innocent love was really cute, it was endearing.
I am cheering for their future together, honestly!
"Hmm..."
However, Lucifer over here didn't really like that too much.
"So I'm not going? I guessed as much..." Violet shrugged. "Well, if any monster shows up, leave them to me anyways!"
"Thank you Violet, we're counting on your strength," I nodded.
"Don't overexert yourself please, you're still healing!" said Emeraldine, who had treated her
body so far with her healing magic.
"Okay, okay-" Violet shrugged.
"I don't like her cocky attitude..." Partner muttered.
"Eh? She's a bit like you, no?" I laughed.
"W-What?! Not at all...!" she blushed, feeling flustered. "Master don't be mean!"
"Hahah, it's all good... Anyways, I think that's it! We're going!"
After preparations, we were ready.
The gates of the Aquarose Kingdom opened, as we jumped into the water again, swimming through it all, protected by our powerful new rings.
The area where the King of the Depths was sealed was a few hundred kilometers from here.
But we got there within mere seconds, swimming at incredibly accelerated speeds.
FLUOSH!
"There! I can see something!" Arachne pointed at the distance.
"That must be the Abyssal Gap where the monster was sealed!" Emeraldine commented.
It was a gigantic hole in the middle of the sea, surrounded by several giant stone pillars, carved with many runes, and creating powerful chains.
There was a near invisible barrier of azure color above the hole, which had gained a lot of
cracks, and there was even a clear hole there, something had gone straight through it and hit
the sleeping beauty down there.
"The seal is about to break already?!" Lucifer wondered. "That's...!"
And there it was, what I was fearing.
Miasma slowly consuming the seal covered it entirely...
RUMBLE!
And something from below started quickly coming to greet us.
"FRESH MEAT... OH, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE LONGED FOR IT!"
And it could even speak...