Chapter 49: The Wealthy Octopus
Su Xiao took the Sea King Horn handed over by Baha. This item could only be lent to the Octopus, not given away permanently. The Sea King Horn had other uses related to the final stage of the mission, as mentioned in the mission brief for the second main quest.
"I can't give you the Sea King Horn."
"Why not? What use do you have for it? Isn't lifting the curse more important? Pugugu~"
The Octopus sighed, its sigh sounding like a rhythmic fart.
"It can be lent to you."
"Lent? I'm not sure if it'll remain intact after I use it to pull out the Soul Arrow."
The Octopus spread its tentacles. This creature had lived for over 200 years, but its mind wasn't old. Most of its time was spent at the bottom of the sea, sleeping for half a year at a stretch. Plus, it was a super homebody. If it hadn't sensed that the captain of the Doom Number had obtained the Sea King Horn, it wouldn't have left its underwater palace at all.
"That works too. Lend it to me, and all the Soul Arrows are yours."
"..."
Su Xiao didn't speak, just smiled. Even if he couldn't kill the strongest sea beast, he planned to try and get its essence.
"Brother Octopus, we have some private matters to discuss. Could you excuse us first?"
As Baha spoke, he signaled Bubu Wang with a glance. Bubu Wang contacted Amu and hung a lantern on the bow. Seeing this, the Octopus jumped into the sea.
A black mist vortex appeared, and the Doom Number returned to Dim Light Island. After more than ten minutes, the Doom Number resurfaced.
The sky was cloudless. A figure appeared on the deck—Amu had returned. Just then, the Octopus leaped onto the deck, not noticing Amu's recent arrival.
Baha cleared his throat, smiled at the Octopus, and said, "Brother Octopus, I'd like to ask you something. This is your ancestor's horn, right?"
As Baha spoke, he looked the Octopus up and down.
"That's right, it's my ancestor's horn."
"Mm, then let me ask you—your ancestor had horns. It probably wasn't an octopus, since octopuses don't have horns, right?"
"Uh... this? Let me think... it seems... that's right."
The Octopus was confused. It had never considered this before. In the sea beast world, no one ever thought about such things.
"So, how did your ancestor and its mate combine to go from a horned sea creature to a soft-bodied organism?"
"!"
The Octopus froze. It really hadn't thought about this. Its parents were both octopuses, but they were enormous, over a hundred meters long.
"No mistake! Look at me—these are Soul Arrows. Only through bloodline and soul power inheritance would they transfer to me! I've inherited the bloodline of the strongest sea beast!"
The Octopus glared at Baha, looking like it wanted to punch him.
"The bloodline of the strongest sea beast? I see. Very impressive. By the way, bring the essence left by your ancestors. Let these essences bear witness—witness our transaction, witness the moment you pull out the Soul Arrow. Don't you agree?"
Baha had no intention of coveting the Octopus's ancestor essences, so he called them witnesses. He had other plans in mind.
"No!"
The Octopus slammed a tentacle on the deck. It felt something was off, even though it also wanted its ancestors to witness this moment.
"What a shame. But you've got three Soul Arrows stuck in you. In human terms, that's like wearing a slave collar. Would you be looked down on in the sea beast world?"
Baha shook his head with a sigh.
"No!"
The Octopus's anger surged. Just then, the captain's cabin door opened, and a figure with a lecherous expression walked out, rubbing his hands together.
"Hehehe, so this is the strongest sea beast? Look at this majestic body, this powerful spiritual pressure—no mistake, definitely this generation's strongest sea beast."
Kaisa made his grand entrance. Hearing this, the Octopus snorted lightly, unimpressed.
"If my information is correct, you are the Sea Demon King, Zakamoro. Just a few days ago, I heard the Empire's monarch, Hunting Bert, mention you. He's very wary of your authority."
"Heh~"
The Octopus chuckled, crossing its tentacles in a pose like folded arms. "An old rival. Decades ago, when he was still a little brat, I fought with his father."
"Indeed, they all call you the Ocean Calamity."
"Not... not really, just rumors, hahahaha."
As the Octopus chatted and laughed, it had already slightly raised its head.
"I am Kaisa. It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Ocean Calamity."
Kaisa strode forward. The Octopus raised its head in greeting. Before long, Kaisa, Baha, and Bubu Wang had surrounded the Octopus in the center. The Octopus's laughter gradually became more buoyant.
After a while, the Octopus was floating, completely carried away, almost turning into a jellyfish-like plankton.
"We understand your feelings. Using your ancestors' essences really isn't good. But if it were essences from other powerful sea beasts..."
Baha spoke at just the right moment.
"Well..."
The Octopus made a scratching motion with its tentacles. After a moment, it nodded and said, "Just two, then. Both are essences I've collected in recent years. One of them belonged to a creature even stronger than one of my ancestors—just a little stronger, of course. As for other things, let me see what else is in my palace."
The Octopus laid out its terms. In truth, Su Xiao wasn't interested in the Octopus's ancestor essences. He needed the energy within the essences to remain alive and active. The Octopus's ancestor essences had existed for centuries—their energy activity was very low, even inert, unless they had been specially preserved hundreds of years ago.
"Deal."
Baha agreed decisively. The Doom Number set sail, heading straight for the Octopus's underwater palace.
"Brother Octopus, since you're showing such sincerity, here's something good for you. Remember, don't touch it directly, and definitely don't eat it. Just keep it nearby and use your mental energy to resist the waves it emits. Got it?"
Baha turned serious. He was different from Kaisa. Kaisa could do shady things, but Baha wouldn't. When killing enemies, he was ruthless enough to rip out their spines, but he wouldn't do underhanded deeds—that was Baha's pride.
"What is it?"
The Octopus had also calmed down a bit. Earlier, it had almost floated away like a jellyfish.
Baha took a thumb-sized glass bottle from the team storage space. Inside was a small piece of tentacle, an item called [Wriggling Tentacle].
"This is a small part of an extremely dangerous being. It's also a soft-bodied organism, with mental power so strong you can't imagine. But it's already dead, so it's safe. Use your mental energy to resist the mental power in this tentacle, and you'll gradually grow stronger. But remember—don't touch it directly, and definitely don't eat it!"
Baha emphasized this with a near-warning tone.
"What happens if I eat it?"
The Octopus examined the small glass bottle in its hand, a hint of caution in its eyes.
"It will attract a terror you can't imagine."
As Baha spoke, he took out a charcoal box and opened a small crack. In an instant, the Octopus jumped back, retreating to the ship's railing.
"If the main body of this tree root is attracted, what do you think would happen? If you ever encounter danger, you can also throw that little bottle into an enemy's mouth."
Baha put away the charcoal box. The Octopus nodded solemnly.
"Then... thank you."
"You're welcome, what the hell? Of course, I'm not taking your essences for nothing."
"?"
The Octopus didn't understand the first half of Baha's sentence, assuming it was just a polite expression. It silently noted it, feeling that its knowledge of human etiquette had improved.
The Doom Number anchored on a sea surface covered with seaweed. The Octopus leaped into the water. Its palace was some distance away—round trip would take at least an hour. The Octopus wasn't stupid; it wouldn't bring newly acquainted people to the sea surface above its palace.
Over an hour later, the Octopus returned. It carried a shell about a meter in diameter with its tentacles. Boarding the ship, it opened the shell, and various items scattered across the deck. The most conspicuous were two essences. One was the size of a bowl, crystalline blue.
Su Xiao picked up the essence from the deck. A prompt appeared.
[You have obtained the Essence of the Fish Dragon (Immortal Rank · Rare Item).]