Which meant… he'd need someone to protect him during that time.

Someone to hold the line.

Someone to stop the sea creatures from reaching him and also to make sure Maria and Neptunia didn't die in the process.

His jaw tightened as his thoughts aligned, his plan forming clearer now in his mind.

There was no other option left.

He had to risk it.

He turned around abruptly, the heavy water rippling with his movement. His gaze immediately found the two women standing behind him.. both waiting, tense, uncertain.

The creatures in the distance were already beginning to move again. The water shook faintly as millions of fins and tails cut through it in unison.

He didn't have much time.

"Listen," Razeal said, his voice low but clear, breaking through the tense silence. "I have a way to win this.. but."

Both Maria and Neptunia froze, their eyes snapping toward him instantly.

He had a plan.

Finally.

Maybe.. maybe they actually had a chance.. They thought

"What but…?" But maria's at same time frowned as her voice cut through all this filled with confusion

Razeal looked at her.. and paused.

His expression grew serious again.

"I'll need ten minutes," he said finally, his tone slow, deliberate. "During that time… I won't be able to move my body at all."

Both women stared at him blankly.

"So while I'm out" he continued, "you two will have to protect me."

He glanced past them, toward the distance where that massive wave of creatures was rushing closer, a dark wall of fins, claws, scales, and eyes.

"Hold them off," he said quietly. "For ten minutes."

His lips pressed together tightly. "And after that… I'll take care of the rest."

He said it all in one breath his tone completely calm.

But even he couldn't ignore the absurdity of his own words.

The way it sounded even to him.. Crazy.

He was asking them to do something impossible.

It was like asking toddlers to hold off a gang of battle hardened murderers.

Silence followed his words. A thick, heavy silence that weighed over all three of them.

The tension in the water itself seemed to thicken.

Neptunia didn't speak. She just stared at Razeal for a long moment.. her lips parted slightly, eyes searching his face for even the faintest sign of humor. Something that said he was joking.

But

There was none.

His expression was serious. Completely, terrifyingly serious.

"So," Maria finally said, breaking the silence, her voice sharper now. "Let me get this straight…"

She took a step closer, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You want us.. to hold back billions of sea creatures."

Her voice grew louder with every word, incredulous disbelief dripping from every syllable.

"Creatures that are the same rank as me maybe higher. You want us to hold them for you, while you… what? Take a nap? For ten fucking minutes!?"

Her voice cracked, her emotions boiling over.

Razeal didn't even blink. His face remained still, unflinching.

"Yes," he said simply.

Maria's mouth fell open.

She just stared at him, speechless, the words stuck somewhere between her throat and her fury.

"If I could handle that.." she began, her voice trembling slightly, "if I could handle them.. why would I even need you!?"

The words came out fast, raw, frustrated.

Her tone was more angered than she wanted it to be.

Then, suddenly, she stopped mid-sentence.

Her lips pressed together.

Maria opened her mouth, then went silent. Speechless.

If she could handle it… she would've. So why was she still keeping her eyes on him?

"Leave it," she said with an irritated sigh, cutting herself off mid-sentence. She didn't want to keep pushing it didn't want to sound angry even though she was. Maybe she was just scared. But she knew she had no right to be mad at Razeal. It was her own fault for being weak.

So she stopped talking. She didn't want to seem like someone expecting too much from someone who had no obligation to help her or fight for her. What disappointed her wasn't him. It was herself for even wanting to complain.

Maybe she was a spoiled noble brat. Maybe she acted arrogantly, chasing attention more often than not. But still… her real self, the one she rarely let anyone see, looked down on this kind of weakness.

She hated herself for even thinking it.

Because she wasn't some helpless child. She wasn't some pampered noble brat who needed saving.

No.. she wasn't that.

She wasn't a fucking coward.. Which she as looking like right now? She was the same Proud Maria Grave.. The Maria Grave who never put her head down..

She was the one who'd argued face to face with Celestia, the Imperial Princess, even when Celestia used her family's forbidden ability to manipulating her water itself. She was the one who stood up when no one else dared to. Even when in classroom she was the only one with the guts to show open disgust toward Razeal, sitting there in the Academy in that so-called sacred place after everything he'd done. She was the one who questioned the Academy outright, demanding how they could allow something like that... Questioning out right as where is there dignity.

Sure, maybe part of it was her craving for attention. But the disgust, the courage that was real. That was her.

She might be flawed. She might be too proud arrogant or even stupid. But she was not a disappointment.

She always carried her noble pride high.

Seeing Maria stop mid-sentence, Razeal exhaled quietly through his nose. He didn't show it on his face his expression stayed unreadable as always but inside, he had already expected this. Her reaction wasn't surprising.

He had hoped for better, sure, but he knew this was how it would go.

Getting no support from Maria, Razeal's gaze shifted toward Neptunia.

"You… I'm pretty sure you're someone important," Razeal said, eyeing her. "With how much you seem to know about everything… Tell me can you do it? Hold Antonio's army for ten minutes?"

Neptunia froze at his sudden words. Her lips parted, but no sound came out for a moment. Then, slowly, she shook her head.

"I… I can't."

Razeal's gaze narrowed.

"Really?" he asked quietly, though there was a dangerous undertone beneath that calm tone. "Then tell me.. what relic do you have? What kind of ability does it possess? Maybe I can find a way to use it effectively."

His eyes locked onto hers, unwavering, focused like a blade.

Neptunia's expression tightened. She hesitated, glancing down for a brief second before answering, her voice soft but steady.

"I don't have a relic," she said.

Razeal's eyes darkened.

He took a slow step toward her, his gaze sharp. "Don't lie to me," he said coldly. "This isn't the time to hide anything. We're in the middle of a death field. Every second wasted could kill all of us. If you're keeping something, it'll end up hurting not just you.. but both of us too."

He took another small step closer, his tone lowering to something that sounded more like a threat than advice.

"Believe me," he said quietly, "I can survive on my own. But right now, I'm trying to protect you both because that is something in my best interest. So don't test my patience. Cooperate. That is best for us."

Neptunia paused as she looked at him.. But still, she just shook her head again, firm this time.

"I really don't have it. Believe me," she said slowly, her voice sounding slightly sincere. "Why would I be using a normal bow and ordinary arrows if I had a relic from the very start? I'm telling the truth.. I just don't have it. Why would I lie or hold back when my own life is at stake?"

She lifted her weapon, showing him a stunningly crafted blue bow, its surface shimmering faintly under the faint glow of bioluminescent plankton drifting through the water. The arrows she carried had golden tips that gleamed beautifully, elegant and ancient-looking.

But for all their beauty, Razeal could see it instantly there was no aura, no energy that he could precive..

"See?" she said softly. "It's just a bow. A normal one."

Razeal's sharp gaze stayed on her face for several seconds longer. Their eyes locked.. his intense, hers still too just looking back into his.

The silence stretched between them.

Then, finally, Razeal broke the eye contact.

He said nothing. He just exhaled quietly, shaking his head once before looking away.

While the tension between them settled into the thick, heavy water, Maria.. who had been silently listening to everything finally spoke.

"I can try," she said suddenly.

Both Razeal and Neptunia turned toward her.

Maria took a breath before continuing. "How about you actually give me that skill you used earlier? The one with the apples."

Her tone was uncertain, but there was a flicker of resolve in her eyes. "I can't promise I'll be able to learn it, but… we can try, right?"

Razeal stared at her for a few seconds, unmoving.

Then, slowly, he shook his head.

"No," he said simply. "You can't learn it. Even if I told you how, even if I showed you every step you wouldn't be able to. It's not an easy skill."

Maria's lips pressed together tightly. She bit down on them, looking away for a second.

Her voice came out smaller when she spoke again. "Is that… ten minutes really so important?"

Razeal looked directly at her again. "Yes," he said without hesitation. "Our path to victory depends on it."

Maria swallowed hard.

She didn't know what he was planning.. what he'd do while lying motionless for ten minutes but at this point, she didn't have the strength to question it.

She didn't want to question it.

If he said it mattered, then it mattered.

And more than anything, she didn't have another choice.

Running wasn't an option she knew that. Even if they turned around and tried to flee, they'd be caught in minutes. The horde before them stretched endlessly, a living ocean of scales and claws.

And in that swarm, she could feel it.. stronger presences, deeper and older than the rest. At least a few sixth-ranked creatures were among them, maybe more.

She couldn't run faster then that.

There was no safe direction left in this cursed sea.

So all that remained was to fight.. or die trying.

Maria though sto) drew in a deep, trembling breath before raising her head again. She met Razeal's eyes directly this time.

"Look," she said quietly, her tone steady.. As sge had decided, "I can't promise I'll be able to stop them from reaching you. But I'll try."

Razeal stayed silent, watching her.

"I remember you said you can use that attack what, five or six more times?" she continued. "Do that. Push them back like before. That'll give us a minute or two. Then while you're… doing whatever it is you're planning, I'll try to buy more time."

Her tone hardened slightly, a spark of defiance rising in her voice.

"I'm not confident," she admitted. "I'm not pretending I can hold billions of monsters back. I know my limits. But it's not like I have anything else to lose."

She paused, inhaling deeply again before continuing.

"If I can't hold them off, maybe I can carry you and run.. move in the opposite direction, just far enough to buy you a few minutes. I'm from the Grave family.. speed in water is our bloodline trait. I'm fast. Maybe not fast enough to run an army of them… but maybe fast enough to buy you some time."

Her eyes hardened again, steady and serious now.

"But don't expect me to promise what I can't deliver. I'll try, but I can't say it'll work. It's risky all of it. If this fails, we're done."

Her voice trembled slightly at the end, but she forced herself to keep her chin high.

"I'll take the risk anyway.. if you say so," she finished.

For a moment, silence filled the space between the three of them.

The distant roars of the approaching horde echoed faintly through the water a reminder of how little time they had left.

Razeal's eyes lingered on Maria, studying her face.. the frustration, the fear, and beneath it all, the faint glow of courage ..The little bit of forced pride.. she was trying so desperately to hold onto.

Razeal's expression shifted not much, but enough for anyone paying attention to notice. A flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes as he looked at Maria.

For once, he didn't look at her with the same distant, detached gaze he always had. This time, there was something else there.

Respect, maybe. Or perhaps just curiosity genuine, sharp curiosity.

He looked her up and down, his gaze evaluating her like he was seeing her for the first time. She stood tense, clutching her bow tightly, eyes steady even though her breathing wasn't.

He sighed silently in his head. Even though he could see she wouldn't be able to handle what was coming even though he knew her limits.. he still looked at her differently now.

A small, rare shift in his perspective.

But there was no time to dwell on it. His gaze dropped to her bow to the faintly glowing disk embedded on its side. The disk pulsed faintly with light, like a sleeping heart waiting to wake.

"Can you," Razeal began, his voice low but direct, "maybe take out the full power of that disk? It's possible, isn't it?"

Maria blinked at him, startled by the question.

Razeal's tone was serious. "I know those things," he continued, nodding toward the weapon. "They hold immense power. You've been using only a fraction of it, right?"

Maria hesitated. Her fingers flexed around the bowstring.

"I could… force myself," she admitted slowly, her voice uncertain. "I really dont know."

She looked down at her bow for a moment before continuing, her tone steadying.

"As of now, I can't control it. Not fully. You know how these disks work they have wills of their own. They don't obey just anyone. Even with me being a direct bloodline of the Grave family, it only lets me use a small portion of its strength. I can feel it… resisting me."

She exhaled softly, frustration slipping through her words. "It's not under my control. I can only touch the surface of its power."

She lifted her gaze to meet his. "And even if I tried to use it fully… I'd need mana. A ridiculous amount of mana. More than I've ever gathered in my life. The kind of mana that could rip me apart if I even tried to channel it."

Her words hung in the water like a quiet confession the truth of her limitations laid bare.

"Mana, huh…" Razeal murmured, his mind already shifting into motion.

He didn't even acknowledge the part about the disk's will. That wasn't something he could control anyway he couldn't reason with a weapon's consciousness. But mana…

Mana was something he could work with maybe.

His mind churned rapidly, dissecting her words, breaking them down into possibilities.

Maybe if he could manipulate the surrounding mana flow…?

It wasn't impossible. The world was dense with mana. Definitely be flowing through everywhere like other flows right?

But then, almost immediately, his thoughts collided with reality.

He couldn't sense mana.

Because of his own curse.. his dark attributes, or whatever the hell the system had done to him or the fate did he couldn't perceive white or neutral mana at all.

No matter how much he focused, it was like trying to see air in a vacuum.

He couldn't touch what he couldn't sense.

That path was useless to him.

He pressed a hand against his temple, his thoughts racing faster. There had to be something. Some other way.

He needed mana.. a lot of it. And fast.

He couldn't pull from the environment, couldn't manipulate it directly, couldn't rely on his attributes but maybe…

Maybe he didn't have to.

He thought, thought harder, until suddenly, something clicked.

His eyes widened.

"Oh… oh, that's right."

He straightened abruptly, his expression shifting from calm to exhilarated in an instant.

"I can do that," he whispered, the words coming out fast, almost breathless.

He slapped his thigh hard.. a sharp sound that startled both Maria and Neptunia.

They looked at him instantly, alarmed and confused, but Razeal didn't even glance their way. His attention had shifted somewhere else downward.

His hand moved instinctively toward the small, blue bag strapped to his waist ..the one that held the Book of Eventual Evil.

The very same artifact he had almost forgotten about.

He slapped his hand against the bag with sudden excitement, his lips curling upward as ideas began to fall into place one by one inside his head.

He had been so focused on external solutions that he'd overlooked the one thing in his possession that could help.

"That's it," he muttered to himself, his grin widening as the plan solidified in his head. "Why didn't I think of this before?"

He rubbed his forehead with his palm, half in disbelief, half in excitement.

But then he froze.

The realization hit him like a cold splash of water.

"Wait…" he muttered, frowning. "I don't have dark mana to do that."

For a brief second, his excitement faltered.

Then, just as quickly, his expression changed again as if another thought struck him, brighter, sharper.

His grin returned.. wider than before.

"No," he whispered, shaking his head. "It'll still work. It has to."

He clapped his hands together suddenly, startling both women again.

"Yes!" he said aloud, his voice ringing with sudden confidence. "That'll work — even without dark mana. I can still use it that way right?"

His voice carried through the water, reverberating faintly.

Maria and Neptunia exchanged quick glances both startled, both confused.

Razeal's sudden shift from cold strategist to excited lunatic was hard to process.

"What happened?" Maria asked finally, her tone hesitant.

She stepped forward slightly, her eyes darting between his face and the faint glow of the oncoming army's silhouettes in the distance.

"Did you… find something?" she asked again, her voice a mix of hope and nervousness.

The army was close now. She could feel it in the vibrations of the sea around them the distant tremors growing sharper, the faint hum turning into a roar.

The monsters were coming fast.

Razeal turned toward her, and that grin was still on his face that infuriating, confident, devilish grin.

"I found a way," he said.

He paused for a second, letting the words sink in, then continued, "There's a way out of this. But for it to work…"

His tone dropped lower, calmer his voice carrying that strange magnetic pull that always seemed to appear when he got serious.

"You'll have to trust me."

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