A muscular figure with blue skin and humanoid form emerged from the sea, appearing before them.

He leapt from the water into the air and struck a bodybuilding pose under the moonlight.

"Mr. Deep Sea Bodybuilder is here!"

Strange words echoed through the night as if from thin air.

The figure descended from the sky and landed firmly in front of the two, standing tall. He raised his head slightly and extended his arms diagonally upward as if completing a performance.

Clap-clap-clap!

While applauding the other party's wonderful performance, Ed, with the help of the moonlight, could finally make out the full appearance of this non-human being who really knew how to show off.

The figure stood over three meters tall, resembling a small giant. His entire body was silver-blue, with an extremely smooth surface that glistened in the moonlight like the skin of a fish.

His physique was humanoid. His exposed upper body showcased strong, well-defined muscles. Fins adorned his back, elbows, knees, and the soles of his feet, all covered in dense, fine scales.

Most striking was his spine, which formed an exaggerated, vertical fish fin, a larger version of a swordfish's dorsal fin.

Though his head was humanoid, it lacked hair and featured fins along with a sharp, elongated nose, the tip as pointed as a spear.

Silver-gray eyes stared at Ed and Elena. A wide smile revealed shark-like white teeth, so razor-sharp they looked capable of biting through steel.

"Elena, didn't you go to the island to explore the treasure house's location? Why did you return so quickly?"

After speaking, he glanced curiously at Ed, then noticed the large bloodstain on the back of Elena's clothes.

"Are you hurt?" A concerned expression flashed across his face, one that clearly didn't suit his fierce image.

Elena quickly waved her hands and replied with a smile. "This isn't my blood. It's Edward's, our new crewmate."

As she said this, she pointed at Ed.

The fishman nodded, walked over, and extended a palm covered in mucous membranes toward Ed, again flashing his shiny white teeth.

"Hello, I'm Sankaka, Sankaka Waverdash."

"Edward Darkmore. Nice to meet you."

The fishman studied Ed, noting his tattered clothes, the faint scars on his exposed skin, and his slightly pale complexion. He seemed to understand the whole story.

"You've had a rough time. Come, I'll take you both to the boat," Sankaka didn't beat around the bush and stepped closer.

Towering at three meters, his presence was overwhelmingly imposing.

His large hands gripped Ed and Elena firmly.

When they reached the shore, he tossed them gently into the air before diving into the water. Ed and Elena landed securely on his back.

"Hold on tight, we're heading out."

With that, Sankaka launched forward like a torpedo, water spraying from both sides as he surged ahead.

Elena crouched slightly, leaning forward to stabilize herself. She turned her head toward Ed.

"Not bad, right?"

Ed lay securely on Sankaka's back, holding onto a fin, barely able to open his eyes as water splashed his face like continuous slaps. He could hardly breathe properly. Hearing Elena's words, he immediately exploded.

"Not bad my ass! I can hardly hold on! Why the hell is this guy swimming so fast? I'm not in a hurry to get to the ship..."

"Since you two are enjoying it, I'm going to speed up!"

Ed had barely finished his words when, who knows how Sankaka's brain translated them, he nodded and spoke excitedly, like the evil controller of a rollercoaster who, upon seeing someone wanting to leave, forces them to stay and starts the ride with a smile.

Then, under Ed's horrified, water-filled gaze, the fishman, who was already fast enough, sped up again. The water displaced by his dorsal fin rose high, forming walls of spray on either side.

Ed, barely able to stay on Sankaka's back by tightly hugging the fin, cursed Sankaka's and Elena's entire families. Elena, who had no ladylike manners, seemed to be enjoying the crazy ride. Finally, two minutes later, under the moonlight, Ed saw a ship floating in the distance and burst into tears of happiness.

As they approached, Sankaka suddenly leapt into the air, carrying Ed and Elena upward as if they weighed nothing.

He caught them mid-air with his big hands and landed them safely on the deck—of course, not forgetting to strike a pose as his feet touched the wood.

Before Ed could steady himself, his world still spinning crazily, and properly "thank" Sankaka for the heart-stopping ride, the fishman jumped back into the water and vanished without a trace.

Seeing Ed finally get to his feet, swaying left and right like a drunkard while glaring at the sky and gritting his teeth, Elena chuckled. Clearly, she misunderstood the reason for his seaward stare.

"It's okay. Sankaka has a bit of an impatient temperament. He'll be on watch tonight. He likes to spend more time in the sea than outside. Alright, change your clothes and get some rest. Although your injuries have healed, rest is still necessary."

"Thank you for saving me today," Ed said sincerely, taking a deep breath to bury his negative thoughts. If not for this girl today, he might have already booked a ticket to another world. He was truly grateful.

Seeing Ed's gratitude, Elena's expression turned serious, as if he had said something wrong.

"We're teammates. Our interests are tied together during this mission, and more upcoming ones, if you stay with us. This is what we're supposed to do. No need to thank me. You might upset the others if you say that."

Ed nodded in understanding after hearing Elena's indirect suggestion: next time he saved her, he shouldn't expect a nice "thank you" either.

They chatted until they arrived at the doors to their respective rooms. Elena's room was next to Ed's, the first one on the stern corridor.

Ed returned to his room after saying goodbye. He removed his almost completely torn clothes, threw himself heavily onto the bed completely naked, and stared at the ceiling in the dim firelight.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, he cried out in surprise, punching the bed hard.

"F*ck! My perfect plan to give a good ending to my and Kaila's relationship is ruined. Now, by the time I go back, she'll probably know I'm a wanted criminal. All the favor I've built so carefully will drop to zero, or even into the negative if she thinks I took advantage of her innocence to escape the guards."

"Damn it! If I'd known that motherf*cker was going to mess with me, I would've "eaten her" instead of saving her like some victory dessert I was planning to enjoy after finding the treasure."

"It's over. I've lost so much! As a rich woman with no shortage of money, I could've easily convinced her to donate some for my growth after showing her the way of heaven. Then, for a while at least, I wouldn't have to hold back when visiting the love house to support some poor girls, or when buying a powerful weapon."

The more Ed thought about it, the more devastated he felt. By his calculations, his losses were unimaginable, a huge fortune washed away because of a psycho.

"What was that f*cking clown's name? Yeah, Nivek."

"Nivek. I'll remember you. If I don't take revenge for everything, with interest, I'm not a man of Raila."

Ed gritted his teeth, imprinting the clown-like face with its disgusting grin firmly in his mind.

Frustrated, he angrily extinguished the oil lamp and closed his eyes. Heartache, cold, and physical exhaustion intertwined, but in the end, fatigue won. He finally fell into a deep sleep.

The magic mirror, tossed casually on the bedside table, flickered twice in the moonlight before dimming again.

For the first time in days, Ed had a good night's sleep.

Near noon, Ed finally moved his aching body toward the door, yawning and rubbing his sleepy eyes. If not for his stomach growling like an injured animal, he wouldn't have wanted to get out of bed.

"You're awake. I thought you were going to sleep more," Elena said with a smile. She was standing near the gunwale outside, gazing at the distant sea.

But when she saw Ed's appearance up close, she asked with a frown, "Are you okay? Do you want to rest in the room a bit longer?"

Ed shakily raised his arm and waved.

"No, it's better to move in sunlight. I feel much better out here."

The moment he woke up, god knew why, every muscle in his body ached, making even a single step feel like torture.

"Let me help you," Elena said with concern, moving closer to gently support him as if fearing he might be blown away by a gust of wind.

"To the restaurant?"

"Mmm."

With Elena's help, Ed slowly made his way down to the cabin and into the restaurant.

When Ed entered, Uncle Matt walked over carrying a plate of food. He set it down in front of Ed.

"Specially made to help you recover," Uncle Matt said, giving Ed a knowing wink.

On the plate were slices of unfamiliar meat and some strange-looking vegetables.

Curious, Ed took a couple of bites.

Not only was the meal delicious, but as he ate, he felt a warm sensation flow through his body. The soreness in his muscles and his lingering fatigue began to fade with each bite.

A feeling of warmth and happiness washed over him, exactly what he needed to cheer up.

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