Dan floated dazedly on the ocean's surface, his ears filled with the distant roars and the crackling of flames from Broken Wind City. His eyes remained fixed on the inferno consuming the city, his lips trembling as he murmured, "How… how did it come to this? I just wanted to end this fight…"
His fists clenched tightly, nails digging deep into his palms, drawing blood. But the pain couldn't calm his heart. He had thought he could exact revenge in his own way, that spilling the young lord's blood would bring an end to everything. Yet now, before his very eyes, it wasn't the oppressors suffering—it was the innocent.
"Dan, this isn't your fault."
A familiar voice came from beside him, accompanied by a gentle pat on his shoulder. Dan looked up abruptly to see Leo standing next to him, his gaze unwavering.
"But…" Dan wanted to say more, but Leo had already turned away. He cast Dan a deep look before striding toward the Broken Wind City without hesitation.
Dan stood frozen, watching Leo's figure fade into the distance, his heart a battlefield of contradictions. He had always believed that revenge was his mission, that only blood could bring justice. But as he watched Windbreak City consumed by fire, as the cries of the innocent filled the night, a phrase he once uttered echoed in his mind—
"These ordinary people should never be mere pawns of war."
Determination settled in his gaze. Dan took a deep breath, then turned sharply to face the merfolk still hovering over the water. His voice cut through the night, firm and resolute:
"My people! The ordinary citizens of that city suffer as we do! They are not our enemies—they are victims, just like us! They should not be the sacrifices of war! If we let them die, then how are we any different from the true executioners?"
A heavy silence fell over the merfolk. They exchanged uncertain glances, their eyes filled with hesitation and inner conflict. For decades, they had been accustomed to opposing humans, to harboring hatred. But now… could they truly bring themselves to save those who once stood against them?
Seeing their silence, Dan felt a pang of disappointment. Saying no more, he turned and swam toward the Broken Wind City.
But before he reached the shore, a surge of water behind him made him pause. He turned abruptly—only to see that all the merfolk warriors were following him!
One by one, they propelled themselves forward, their eyes no longer hesitant but filled with unwavering resolve.
Dan's lips quivered slightly, his chest swelling with a feeling he had never experienced before. This time, he wasn't alone.
He raised his hands, closed his eyes, and began chanting an ancient incantation. At his words, storm clouds churned in the sky, thunder rumbled through the night, and a fine rain began to descend upon the sea.
Raindrops merged with the waves, gathering into currents of energy that propelled the merfolk forward at incredible speed. They became streaks of blue light, riding the storm, surging toward Broken Wind City.
---
Broken Wind City
The city had fallen into chaos. Collapsed buildings blocked the streets, firelight painted the night sky red, and the air was filled with screams and cries. People ran frantically between the ruins, searching for shelter—only to find there was nowhere to hide.
In a narrow alleyway, a young mother knelt on the ground, clutching her small son tightly. The boy, Xiao Kai, had his leg crushed under a fallen stone, blood seeping through his pant leg. His face was pale, lips trembling.
The mother desperately tried to free him, but the stone was too heavy. She looked up in horror—before her, a building wall trembled, on the verge of collapse. If it fell, it would bury them both beneath its weight.
Her eyes filled with despair. She trembled as she held her child close, whispering, "Xiao Kai, don't be afraid… Mommy's here…"
Boom—
The wall finally lost its support and came crashing down!
At that instant, a shadow flashed through the storm like a raging wind!
Dan shot forward with the rain, his figure a blur of blue in the downpour. In one swift motion, he scooped up the mother and child, leaping away just as the wall thundered to the ground behind them, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
The mother gasped in shock. When she opened her eyes, she found herself and her son safely on another street.
Still trembling, she looked up at the one who had saved them—a man with the upper body of a human but a long, gleaming blue tail instead of legs. Under the falling rain, his tail shimmered with an otherworldly glow.
"Xiao Kai! Xiao Kai, are you okay?" She quickly turned to her son.
Kai was pale but still breathing. He opened his eyes, looking up at Dan.
Dan let out a relieved breath, then smiled slightly.
"It's okay now. You're safe."
The rain poured relentlessly over the scorched bricks and tiles of the ruins, extinguishing some of the flames as it fell. The air was thick with the scent of wet ash and smoke.
Xiao Kai was still tightly held in his mother's arms, his wide eyes filled with terror as he gazed at the figure before him—a man with the upper body of a human, but with a blue fish tail instead of legs.
"You… you're a merfolk?!"
The mother stumbled back in fear, her voice trembling with confusion and disbelief. She had heard countless rumors about the merfolk—vengeful creatures, monsters that devoured humans. And now, here was one standing before her, even having just saved them.
Dan looked at her without offering any explanation, only giving a slow nod. His gaze was firm and calm, devoid of hesitation.
The next moment, he turned away and dove back into the rescue effort, not pausing for further words.
The rain continued to fall in torrents, and one by one, merfolk leapt ashore. Their figures darted through the downpour, some extinguishing flames, others lifting victims buried beneath the rubble.
Xiao Kai watched everything in awe, suddenly raising his arms and shouting in excitement, "The merfolk are here to help us! The merfolk are here to help us!"
His voice cut through the panic-stricken crowd, and people looked up to see those who had once been their enemies now risking their lives to save them. Fear began to give way to surprise, and that surprise slowly morphed into an indescribable, complex mix of emotions.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the monstrous roars echoed through the ruins. The enormous creature rampaged through the destruction, smashing everything in its path.
Leo, Luna, and the city lord stood side by side, their weapons stained with blood. Facing this monster, which had once been human, none of the three hesitated. They took turns attacking, trying to push it toward the edge of the ruins.
At that moment, Dan joined the fray.
He swung his arm, manipulating the storm to form blades of water that sliced toward the creature's armored hide. The monster's scales clanged as the water blades hit, but they quickly healed, as if its body had transcended normal biological limits, transforming into a creature capable of self-repair.
Leo glanced at Dan, and Dan met his gaze. They nodded at each other with quiet understanding.
No words were needed, only the rhythm of battle.
The city lord gripped his sword, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. He stared at the savage creature, then suddenly spoke, his voice laden with pain and confusion, "Why… why did my child turn into this?!"
Luna, breathing heavily as she wielded a mechanical claw, answered, "Did you not know he was absorbing the power of the merfolk? There's a massive altar in the basement of his residence…"
"An altar?" The city lord's eyes flickered, his face pale as though unwilling to accept the truth.
"Yes." Leo added coldly, "He activated the merfolk blood within him, and it backfired, turning him into this. He's lost all reason now."
The city lord's fingers trembled.
In his mind, he saw the young boy who once stood by his side, striving to earn his approval. But how had it come to this?
"It's impossible… It can't be him…" The city lord murmured, his eyes vacant.
The monster continued its rampage, its massive body tearing through buildings like an uncontrollable beast. But… could this truly be his child?
Suddenly, the city lord's gaze hardened. He took a step forward and shouted at the creature, "Hua! Wake up! I'm your father—wake up!"
The monster froze in its tracks.
For a brief moment, its eyes flickered, as if contemplating something. Rain slid down its scales, the flames illuminating its pupils, casting the ruined city in its reflection, showing the anguished face of the man.
But the next second, its gaze turned wild again. It threw its head back and roared, a sound filled with both anger and sorrow.
"Father?" Its voice was low and hoarse, tinged with a distorted echo. "No… Father will never see me… I must try… I must make Father see me…"
Its emotions boiled over. Its sharp claws sliced through the night air, and the massive form lunged toward the city lord!
The city lord's pupils constricted, and he gripped his sword tightly. Behind him, Leo, Luna, and Dan had already surged forward to meet the attack—
In the downpour, the fateful clash was about to unfold.