The merman king approached a gray, imposing door.
He took a deep breath and knocked.
*Knock, knock, knock!!!*
The door creaked open!
A moment later, a voice, ancient yet robust, echoed from within.
"What is it?"
Upon hearing the voice, the merman king's heart leaped. He immediately fell to his knees with a thud.
"Ancestor, your great-grandson has been bullied!" he cried, his voice choked with sobs.
The entity behind the door remained silent for a long time, offering no reply.
Witnessing this scene through the projection, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Anyone capable of making the merman king kneel must possess formidable power.
Fortunately, their relationship seemed distant, and the elder showed no inclination to intervene.
"Ancestor, please avenge me!" the merman king pleaded again.
The next moment!
A dark current surged forward.
It coalesced into a colossal hand that appeared before him, abruptly and firmly gripping him.
"Incompetent descendant, begone!"
"But..."
"Begone!"
"Yes!" The merman king's face was etched with despair.
He was released and stumbled backward, about to turn away.
Suddenly, a shift occurred!
Strange fluctuations emanated, and the merman king felt a sense of familiarity, yet uncertainty.
Abruptly, the ancient voice trembled slightly.
"It's a demigod artifact! Hahaha!!! I have sought you for a hundred years, and finally, I have found you today!"
"Oh, someone is taking the demigod artifact! A mere ninth-tier, how dare they possess such a treasure?"
"Today, I emerge from seclusion to reclaim this lost demigod artifact!"
The merman king was utterly bewildered.
Demigod artifact?
What demigod artifact?
It sounded as if it wasn't the demigod artifact in his possession.
Could a new demigod artifact have appeared?
The ancestor was coming out of seclusion, excellent!
Overjoyed, he prostrated himself once more.
"Welcome, Ancestor, out of seclusion!"
*Creak!!!*
The stone door slowly swung open, revealing an aged merman who emerged from within.
As he appeared, vast quantities of seawater gathered around him.
He raised his emaciated arm, scooped a ball of water, and examined it closely.
He chuckled, "I have been in seclusion for a hundred years, my strength has fully recovered, and even advanced further. Are you my great-grandson?"
He looked down at the merman king, his tone softening slightly.
The merman king, filled with emotion, replied, "Ancestor, I am indeed your great-grandson. Please, avenge your great-grandson!"
"Revenge? Heh, you lost to someone even while wielding my demigod artifact. Truly useless!"
He extended his hand, and a powerful suction drew the scepter from the merman king's grasp into his palm.
He examined it, remarking, "A century has passed, and it remains lost. It seems my descendants were of some use after all."
The merman king gazed at his empty palm, a sense of loss washing over him.
This demigod artifact had been his foundation. Now that it was gone, he felt a void.
However, the thought of his ancestor seeking revenge filled him with renewed excitement.
His ancestor was a demigod. No matter how powerful these humans were, could they stand against him?
"Ancestor, do you remember Donghai City?" the merman king asked cautiously.
The demigod merman glanced at him.
"Donghai City still stands? You truly are incapable!"
Though reprimanded, the merman king felt no anger.
He inwardly scoffed, *You yourself couldn't destroy Donghai City in your time, let alone me.*
"Ancestor, the human race suffered a great war, losing most of its strength. My brother, who failed to seize the throne, wished to destroy Donghai City to avenge you, but instead lost his life outside its walls.
"Today, when I went to demand an explanation from that human, I encountered a monstrous human genius!"
"This individual could use a fusion technique, incredibly powerful. Even dozens of our ninth-tier experts were no match for him!"
As he spoke, the image of the three-headed, six-armed child flashed in his mind.
That child was terrifying; his power level undoubtedly surpassed the ninth tier.
Before he could finish, the demigod merman's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Heh, that's intriguing. It seems the human race has produced another promising talent. Once I retrieve that demigod artifact, I will avenge you!"
Upon hearing this, the merman king immediately knelt.
The next moment, the water rippled, and the sea before him churned violently. When he looked again, his ancestor had vanished.
He murmured to himself, "As expected of a demigod, his speed is incredible; I couldn't even discern his movements!"
He marveled internally at the sheer power of a demigod, which was utterly overwhelming.
Even a hundred ninth-tier experts would be no match for a demigod.
Not to mention anything else, the mere speed of a demigod's attack was something ninth-tier experts could not withstand.
"I must hurry and follow, to see what's happening above!"
...
Meanwhile.
On the surface of the sea.
The waves crashed, and spray flew.
A colossal squid was impaled through the head by a spear wielded by a disheveled, heavily wounded human.
Though dead, the squid's body continued to twitch reflexively.
The human panted, his armor shattered in pieces. A gaping wound on his chest, starting from his shoulder and extending to his abdomen, was particularly conspicuous.
"Huff, huff!!"
"After such a long battle, despite the heavy cost, I've finally slain this squid."
"Truly a sea beast; its vitality is extraordinarily tenacious!"
He drew a short sword from his waist and slashed forcefully at the squid's belly.
*Squelch!*
Since the creature was already dead, its abdominal skin was less resistant, and a gash was easily made.
"Let's see where the demigod artifact is?"
He sliced through the squid's flesh, inch by inch, searching for the demigod artifact.
The squid was immense, comparable to a three-story villa, and its internal structure was complex, making the search arduous.
After a prolonged search!
His eyes suddenly lit up.
He reached in and pulled out a mass of flesh from the squid's abdomen.
Energy manifested in his palm, forming a sword-like slash.
*Sproing!*
The flesh tore open, blood splattering. A faint outline of a sword was visible.
A section of the blade, submerged in blood, protruded.
"Haha, after a century, you have finally reappeared in the world!" He grabbed the hilt.
"Emerge!"
*Shing!*
A soft hum sounded, and the flesh instantly disintegrated, the blood itself turning to ash under the sword's light.
Gazing at the sword, he murmured, "As expected of the previous city lord's demigod artifact, so powerful!"
Holding the sword, he felt no rejection. He also discovered that it possessed several inherent skills.
"Demigod-level skills?" he exclaimed, his heart racing with excitement.
"No wonder the previous city lord suppressed the Sea Race back then. So this is how powerful one can be with a demigod artifact!"
"A pity. If he hadn't died, perhaps he too would have reached the demigod realm."
"With this divine sword, why fear the Sea Race?"