Sea Encirclement

“A curse! It’s a curse! We’re all going to die, this is a death sentence!” Cherry’s screams were hoarse and desperate, as if a mortal enemy, long dead, had risen before his very eyes. The raw, rasping sound tearing from his throat sent a shiver down everyone’s spine.

*Rumble!*

As if heaven itself echoed Cherry’s wails, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a sudden downpour lashed the vast plains!

“Get Cherry into a tent, now!” Du Chen slightly raised his head, conjuring “Fourth Bro’s” invisible shield with a flick of his hand to ward off the rain. Yet, after his urgent shout, he was stunned to find all the Daobet people staring blankly at Cherry, letting the wind and rain buffet them, their faces etched with a singular expression: terror, remorse, and despair!

“What are you gaping for?” Du Chen urged.

*Thud!* Old Bibby was the first to drop to his knees. Then came Johnson, and every single Daobet person. Even Cherry, who had just regained some semblance of consciousness, struggled to his feet only to weakly collapse into a kneeling position. They all faced the same direction: the Auerbach Grand Canyon.

“Supreme Father God! We desecrated your tomb! We dare not beg for your forgiveness, nor do we have any right to ask for it!...”

Old Bibby cried out to the heavens, tears streaming down his face. Rain and tears mingled on his aged countenance, incessantly dripping to the ground with the tremor of his cheeks, only to swiftly vanish into the downpour.

“You have sent down this curse to punish us, Supreme Father God! We are here, ready to accept any and all punishment, no matter how agonizing, how unbearable! Our only plea is... after our sins have been atoned for, please allow us, your Daobet people, to return to your embrace in death! We beg for your ultimate mercy, your greatest benevolence!”

*Foolish beastmen! It’s likely just some lethal infectious disease, yet they’ve linked it to the Supreme Father God’s curse!* Du Chen sighed internally.

However, his journey across the vast plains had given Du Chen insight into some beastmen customs, allowing him to understand a fraction of the Daobet people’s guilt and terror. Like other beastmen, the first words a Daobet infant learned weren’t “mama” or “papa,” but “Auerbach, Supreme Father God is above!” Raised in such an environment, their reverence for Auerbach was unparalleled. Cherry and the other beastmen would rather brave immense danger than leave the great plains, precisely because they cherished the homeland bestowed upon them by the Supreme Father God!

But now, these Daobet people of the Kurun Tribe had personally excavated the Supreme Father God’s burial site. Such guilt was likely a heart-wrenching agony. And at this moment, any inexplicable, unknown calamity would undoubtedly be interpreted by them as Auerbach’s “curse” and “punishment”!

Du Chen helped several people to their feet, but no Daobet person dared to remain standing. They were numb, their minds consumed by a single thought: begging for the Supreme Father God’s salvation!

“Hail to the Supreme Father God, Auerbach Battle God, may McAllen’s light be with you...” Led by Old Bibby, the Daobet people recited ancient scriptures. Many sobbed uncontrollably, and Johnson even muttered to himself, “Yes, we are damned Daobet sinners. We desecrated the Supreme Father God; we shouldn’t live on. Only by taking our own lives can we truly atone. What are we hesitating for...?”

“Daddy, it looks like they don’t want to live anymore!” Beibei suddenly exclaimed.

*Damn it, Auerbach’s influence is truly this profound!?* Du Chen roared, “Susanna isn’t dead yet! The great vengeance for your kin remains unfulfilled!”

Johnson slowly raised his head, mumbling, “Those are two different matters. In truth, we offended the Supreme Father God, and we must atone. Susanna also angered the Supreme Father God; she won’t live either...”

Du Chen’s brows furrowed even tighter. These Daobet people had driven themselves into a corner with the appearance of the “curse”—*sigh!* He abruptly stepped forward, snatched Cherry, and lifting him high in his arms, strode to the front of the Daobet crowd. “Look closely!” he declared, holding Cherry aloft. “My Holy Light has absolved your sins! The Supreme Father God has forgiven you at my Holy Light’s plea!”

“That’s right, Cherry isn’t dead!” Johnson’s mind was the first to break free from its ‘corner’. He leaped up, grabbing his father’s hand and shouting wildly, “Father, look! Cherry isn’t dead! He’s fine! The Supreme Father God has forgiven us!”

“Yes, Cherry isn’t dead!” Old Bibby also sprang up, bellowing, “Cherry isn’t dead! The Supreme Father God has absolved him!”

Seeing the Daobet people’s previously despondent eyes suddenly ignite with vitality, Du Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Immediately after, he noticed their gazes towards him had profoundly changed...

The Supreme Father God’s curse had been lifted by their benefactor—what did this signify!? Their benefactor’s Holy Light could communicate with the Supreme Father God, could implore the Supreme Father God to forgive them! The Daobet people’s minds, having exited one mental cul-de-sac, had plunged into another: their benefactor, Francis, *must* have some connection to the Supreme Father God. Otherwise, how could he possibly intercede for their sins!?

“A divine emissary! Our benefactor must be a divine emissary, the emissary closest to the Supreme Father God! It’s the only explanation!” Someone cried out first, and then, the numb eyes of the Daobet people all flickered with fervent zeal, fixating intensely on Du Chen... Their gazes were akin to Steve encountering the most extraordinary beauty, or Andy discovering the most delectable food, yet far more profound, far more fanatical than either of those.

“Most noble Divine Emissary above, please, also forgive our sins!” Their kneeling reverence now aimed squarely at Du Chen.

*This...* Du Chen scratched his head, bewildered. *Forget it,* he thought. *If I don’t admit it now, the Daobet people will probably start looking for ways to die again. This... this can just be a white lie, right?* Du Chen mused with a touch of shamelessness.

*No, not shameless at all. A disciple of Master Grape, unworthy of the title ‘Divine Emissary’? If Master Grape were here, he’d surely be incensed, bellowing about the misfortune of his lineage, his own disciple so brazenly demeaning himself!*

To a certain extent, the Daobet people, hailing from a remote countryside and staunch believers in deities, were easily swayed. Du Chen held aloft “The Sixth” and, amidst the heavy rain, bathed each of them in the Lotus Holy Light. The Daobet people were utterly convinced that the Supreme Father God’s “curse” had been lifted, and they had attained his forgiveness!

Du Chen, a man from modern times, truly had no way to explain scientific principles to them. Honestly, he himself was still puzzled. After arranging the Daobet people’s affairs and hiring a mercenary corps with significant funds to escort them to his territory, Du Chen, upon returning to Heaven’s Ocean Pass, asked Deboning, “Do curses actually exist?”

Deboning shot Du Chen a strange look, appearing to want to say something but ultimately holding back. Little Beibei, however, was quick to speak his mind, saying for Du Chen, “Daddy skipped class! Daddy’s not a good boy!”

Deboning nodded in understanding. “Among the power sets of High-level Battle Gods, there is indeed a type of curse-like damage! Its principle lies in the delayed activation of battle qi... Specifically, the human body is composed of natural elements. For instance, Young Master, you are a Water Element Battle-Warrior. Once you cultivate to a certain realm, you can use water-elemental corrosive damage to affect the water elements within an opponent’s body, delaying the onset of this damage by a day, a month, or even a year... This way, no matter where your opponent is, they cannot escape the harm you’ve inflicted—as long as they cannot neutralize your battle qi! This is an advanced application of delayed battle qi activation, though in the eyes of the ignorant, it’s merely a curse!”

He shrugged. “The Holy Church often uses this trick to mislead the populace and consolidate their divine authority, but true masters disdain its use. Take me, for example; I would never allow an opponent to live a second longer! Furthermore, because curse-type damage prolongs the effect, the battle qi consumption is immense. To wield it, one must possess a significant power disparity. At the very least, no one in this age could ever curse me!”

Having said that, Deboning added with gravitas, or rather, lectured Du Chen, “Young Master, although I truly dislike Zigurd—he’s far too rigid!—I must admit, the Battle God Academy under his governance truly lives up to its reputation as the ‘Cradle of Battle Gods.’ Your... skipping classes is an irreplaceable loss!”

Du Chen felt a blush of shame. This really was true to that saying from his previous life: “The cost of skipping college classes is only discovered after graduation!” Thankfully, Du Chen hadn’t graduated yet. He secretly vowed that once he returned to school, he would never skip class again!

A thought then struck Du Chen, and he subtly felt something was off. Deboning himself was a religious fanatic, so how could words like “mislead the populace” and “consolidate divine authority” escape his lips!? Du Chen didn’t voice his doubts because, in the eyes of some Yetha believers, he was the Yetha God’s chosen representative. He rather enjoyed this feeling and would never actively expose it. Besides, they were soon returning to Battle God Isle; he could just ask Flaying then—that fellow was no religious fanatic!

Thinking of Flaying, a strange feeling welled up in Du Chen’s heart. *That guy...*

...

Du Chen and his classmates had spent over half a year studying abroad, each of them making significant strides in strength and gaining considerable experience. Now, they had to rush back to Battle God Isle before the annual New Year’s Grand Ceremony to attend the annual review meeting presided over by Dean Zigurd.

However, with the Wyvern Carriage and the Belkus at their disposal, Du Chen and his group had no need to worry about time. They even detoured to Emile Port on Arcania Continent—a vital branch of the Galleon Family, the “Sea Cartdrivers”! There, introduced by Jason, Du Chen struck a massive deal with the Galleon Family, who controlled over twenty golden trade routes across the Three Continents, purchasing a wealth of supplies at a ten percent discount to help the commoners along the Newin River recover economically.

With the deal concluded, Du Chen stored the Wyvern Carriage at Emile Port and boarded the Belkus, sailing into the sea route towards Battle God Isle—the renowned Palgyn Route. Almost all ships traveling from Arcania Continent and Azure Heaven Continent to Battle God Isle would pass through this very route.

By then, the Grand Matriarchs were no longer by Du Chen’s side. The Holy Church had arranged new identities for them: some as freshmen, others as auditing students from different academies, or even as visiting lecturers... In any case, the Red Phoenix Battle Formation, comprising one hundred and two individuals, had indeed entered Battle God Academy under various guises. Although the Holy Church hadn’t managed to enroll all the Grand Matriarchs as freshmen of the ‘79 class, Du Chen was already extremely pleased.

At this very moment, Grand Matriarch Lucy was likely attending the intensive pre-semester training for War of Fallen Gods history lecturers, while Grand Matriarch Lily, as a fire-elemental visiting lecturer, was alongside the Black-faced Devil, Ricardo, wreaking havoc on the freshmen!

As soon as they reached Battle God Isle, he would get to see their new appearances!

Emerald waters met azure skies at the horizon, a gentle sea breeze blew, and seabirds soared with serene contentment. Old Bovin lay sprawling on the deck, scratching his back and basking in the sun, then yawned, “Judging by the color of the water, we’re only a hundred li or so from Battle God Isle’s waters! Heh heh, I really miss those salted fish from the little tavern!”

“You truly lack ambition! How much is a plate of salted fish worth!? If you’re going to reminisce, it should at least be about... sharks!” Jamis was lecturing Old Bovin when he suddenly pointed at the sea and cried out in delight, “Art! Hundreds of sharks gathered together, surfacing in unison! This sight isn’t easily come by! Where’s my pen? My canvas? I must paint this! Oh, and you should at least reminisce about Papaya Fruit; those are ten copper coins each!”

At Jamis’s excited shouts, the students all gathered at the deck railings, gazing at the scene before them with utter astonishment.

In the cerulean depths, waves churned, and a faint hundred-plus vicious sharks darted through them, rising and falling with the swell. From afar, their razor-sharp teeth, chilling to the bone even under the warm sunlight, and their dorsal fins, slicing through the water like keen blades, sent shivers down one’s spine.

So many sharks gathered in one area made the sea within a thousand-meter radius look like a gaping, bloody maw, grotesquely poised to devour.

Du Chen wondered, “Why are so many sharks gathered together? Does this often happen in the ocean?”

Deboning was about to explain, but Porter, standing beside Du Chen, spoke first. “The Sea-race must be conducting business!”

His voice was strikingly cold. Du Chen was taken aback and glanced sideways. Porter was staring at the chaotic dance of sharks, his jaw clenched. Through the hair obscuring much of his face, one could see the muscles bulging along his fair cheeks, his teeth grinding tight. His small fists were also tightly clenched.

In an instant, Porter let out a breath, his fists relaxing. Seeing Du Chen’s questioning gaze, he calmly explained, “I once read in a Sea-race book that the situation before us is when Sea-race Battle Gods cordon off an area to conduct their affairs. This is called ‘Sea Encirclement,’ Francis. Let’s take a detour, otherwise, delaying the Sea-race’s important business could lead to big trouble!”

Du Chen gave Porter a strange look. “Your knowledge is truly extensive; I never noticed before.” *A mighty dragon doesn’t oppress a local snake,* he thought. *That’s a rule of the Clandestine Circles.* No matter how powerful a Battle God, they couldn’t possibly contend with the Sea-race in the vast ocean, unless they wished to be hunted across ten thousand li of sea by countless Sea-race beings!

“Harry, turn the ship around! We’ll bypass these sharks!” Du Chen commanded loudly.

“Hey, why are we turning around?” Jamis cried out in exasperation. “I haven’t finished painting! Francis, you’ve interrupted my artistic creation; it’s unforgivable! You... you must...”

“I must compensate your wounded spirit, mustn’t I? Last time you still owed me change; give it to me now!” Du Chen glared at him.

“Change? I already declared I had no change for you! Are you digging up old scores? Fine, I won’t paint then...” Jamis quickly packed away his art supplies and chuckled awkwardly. “Francis, you look exceptionally handsome today! How about I draw you a sketch? Only one Silver Coin...”

Du Chen shot Jamis a look of disdain. Deboning suddenly tugged at him. “Young Master, look at that mast drifting over...”

Du Chen turned his head to scan the sea and saw a broken mast drifting towards them. At the top of the mast, a golden yellow flag was stained with a patch of blood, slowly fading under the soaking seawater. From the size of the mast, it was clear that a massive ship had been ambushed by the Sea-race while passing through the Palgyn Route, and the vessel was destroyed. As for the people... perhaps they were still fighting for their lives!

“Damn it!”

Du Chen suddenly clenched his jaw, his mind rapidly racing. Moments later, he urgently commanded, “Harry, steer the ship along our original course, a ten li deviation to the east, and head for Battle God Isle at maximum speed! Jamis, stop bloody dawdling in my ear!! Once we reach Battle God Isle, immediately request reinforcements! Tell them there’s a strong possibility that academy students are under attack by the Sea-race roughly a hundred li south of Battle God Isle!”

As he spoke, Du Chen changed out of his aristocratic robes, which were unsuitable for combat, and donned a lightweight white soft armor. “Brook, come with me!” he declared, then soared into the air on his lotus.

“Francis, what’s wrong?” Annie, startled by Du Chen’s reaction, hastily asked. The others were also bewildered by his intense response.

Only Old Bovin suddenly sat up from the deck, his lips curling. “Useless. Even if we go to Battle God Isle, we won’t be able to call for reinforcements! This is most likely a dispute between two nations. According to the Battle God Sea Convention, as long as this slaughter doesn’t occur within Battle God Isle’s waters, and doesn’t spread into the Battle God Sea region, Battle God Isle’s forces are forbidden from intervening in inter-national disputes!”

“What did you say!? Dean Zigurd won’t get involved!? That person isn’t just my friend, he’s a student of Battle God Academy!” Du Chen whirled around, glaring angrily at Old Bovin.

Bovin shrugged. “You know better than I what your friend’s status is before entering Battle God Isle’s waters! Battle God Isle transcends all nations, but it also cannot interfere in their internal affairs! Hmph, this rule was established by the Titled Battle Gods of various races after the War of Fallen Gods. Zigurd is your mentor; aren’t you clear on his temperament? Do you truly believe that old stick-in-the-mud would violate the Battle God Sea Convention?”

He pursed his lips. “However, conversely, if that lad can escape into Battle God Isle’s waters, he’ll still have a path to survival. Because then his identity would be that of Zigurd’s student, and Zigurd wouldn’t stand by idly!!”

“So, as long as he enters Battle God Sea, Dean Zigurd will intervene, right!? That’s easy enough! Brook, let’s go!” A flash of golden light, and Du Chen soared towards the shark-infested waters they had just passed.

Watching Du Chen depart, Old Bovin yawned languidly and lay back down. However, Annie immediately pulled him up again. “Mr. Bovin, what exactly happened? Please tell me quickly!”

Old Bovin pointed back at the sea, shrugging. “Who knew that little scoundrel Francis had such a strong sense of loyalty... See that flag on the mast?”

“I see it, a purple lion flag... Ah!” Annie, her mind spinning, suddenly realized something and cried out, “Only two nations on the Three Continents use a lion flag, and a gold-bordered purple lion is the emblem of the Renault Empire’s royalty! The person attacked by the Sea-race is...”

Old Bovin, wanting to lie down, said impatiently, “The Renault Empire’s royal lineage is sparse. Only two individuals can actually use that flag! One is Lionheart King Alonso, and the other is... the sole crown prince, Arthur!”

“It’s Francis’s good friend, Arthur!?” Annie cried urgently. “This is the ocean! How can Francis fight the Sea-race here!?” She spun around and headed for the railing, wanting to help Du Chen, but she was, after all, only a Three-Star Fighter. Her ability allowed her to levitate, but not yet fly freely... Without hesitation, Annie stripped off her robes, leaving only her soft Battle-Warrior armor.

The Sea-race, relying on the boundless ocean, rendered formidable land-dwelling humans helpless and almost never gave them face. But, *with her family’s name, surely they’d show some respect?*

Annie thought, poised to leap into the ocean and swim across.

Bovin grabbed Annie’s arm. “Silly girl, what’s the rush?” He grinned, flashing yellow teeth at the frantic Annie. “The Sea-race has grown arrogant these past years, relying on their territorial advantage; they truly dare to provoke anyone... Hey, Gambler, stop hawking your paintings, there’s a grand spectacle, a real show to watch!”

...

Du Chen, treading upon his lotus, shot forth like a bolt, while Deboning, like a wisp of black smoke, circled around him. In moments, the two had flown above the troubled waters.

The frenzied shark swarm continued to churn the seawater, but now the turmoil was even greater. Faintly, several red ribbons could be seen amidst the sharks, followed by the thrashing of more sharks, the crimson hue growing deeper—they were savoring the corpses drifting from the battle’s core, delicious human bodies!

Du Chen was just about to transform into a smaller lotus to enter the battlefield and investigate when Deboning suddenly said, “Young Master, it’s the Sea-race’s custom for ‘Sea Encirclement’ to invariably envelop the entire battleground with a Water Condensation Light Shield. This widespread, dense defense is truly formidable, leaving no discernable gaps. Though your Lotus Sacred Artifact is small, it’s impossible to slip past the Water Condensation Light Shield without a trace. Since we intend to rescue, a direct charge is far more straightforward! And since we aren’t here to kill enemies, but merely to save lives, it becomes much simpler. None of these Sea-race troops before us can withstand a single move from me. Even if we fail to rescue them, I can swiftly carve a bloody path and ensure your safe withdrawal, Young Master!”

Du Chen rubbed his nose and sneered, “Open and honorable, you say? Fine by me! To avoid future trouble, put this on!” He put on the mask Flaying had given him, then handed another mask to Deboning. With a stomp of his foot, his lotus platform immediately flared with brilliant light!

“Halt!” The shark swarm suddenly parted to either side, and even the seawater seemed to be cleaved by a sudden, heaven-piercing greatsword, splitting apart with a “rumble.” A Sea-race Battle God, covered in scales, sporting two long whiskers, and with a dorsal fin rising sharply from his back, burst from the water atop a giant whale. He brandished his halberd and roared, “The Sea-race is conducting business; this area is under Sea Encirclement. Sir, please stop. Grant the Sea-race some face, and we can meet again in the future!”

Though his words weren’t arrogant, his halberd was clearly locked onto Du Chen. It seemed that a single disagreement would immediately provoke a lethal strike. His attitude was already considered courteous by Sea-race standards—and this was only because he sensed Deboning’s overflowing killing intent.