Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

Now was the time to strike. William channeled his enhanced strength and agility, his movements fluid and silent. Asura hummed in his hand, infused with demonic energy, its blade glowing with a malevolent light.

The mermaids sensed something amiss, but it was too late. William lunged, his attack a blur of motion. The demonic blade sliced through the air, cleaving one of the mermaids in two.

"What are you doing?" the surviving mermaid shrieked, her eyes wide with terror. "I thought we were working together!"

The mermaids had planned to betray William once they reached the treasure, confident in their ability to overpower him. But now, witnessing his brutal display of power, fear gripped their hearts.

"Did you really think I'd share the treasure with you?" William sneered, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "Don't be ridiculous."

"But we have a better chance of finding the last answer together!" she pleaded, desperation edging into her voice. "There's no need to kill me. What if you can't find the answer, and the pirates and fish-men break through? You'll be killed too!"

Her logic was sound, but William had no need for her assistance. "Nice try," he said, his voice cold and merciless. "But I already know the answers. I knew them all along."

"W-what?" Disbelief and fear mingled in her eyes. "How? Who are you?"

William ignored her questions, his focus solely on ending this encounter. He lunged again, Asura flashing through the air. The mermaid's head rolled across the floor, her lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

With both mermaids eliminated, William turned towards the final door.

"Let's get this over with," Stuart urged, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I have a feeling they'll be breaking through any minute."

William nodded, stepping towards the imposing door. He recited the final answer, the words echoing through the chamber. The last symbol ignited, and the door swung open, revealing a small, dimly lit room. In the center, a stone tomb lay bathed in an ethereal glow.

Jinra's final resting place.

William approached the tomb with reverence, gently pushing aside the heavy stone lid. There he lay, his body perfectly preserved, as if time had stood still. He looked exactly as William remembered him, only with a few more wrinkles and a long, flowing white beard.

Stuart hopped off William's shoulder and onto the edge of the tomb, his tiny eyes filled with sorrow. He had spent countless years with Jinra, and the loss clearly weighed heavily on him.

"Master," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I found William... I think he's the only one I should follow now... I'll take care of your adopted son, I promise."

William's vision blurred with tears. Even though he knew Jinra was still alive in the past, seeing his lifeless body here, in this ancient tomb, was a poignant reminder of the inevitable passage of time. He knelt beside the tomb, paying his respects to the man who had shaped his life. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire

Then, with a heavy heart, he turned his attention to the treasure. It was time to claim Jinra's legacy.

The treasure was a small pouch clutched in Jinra's skeletal hand. It was made of plain brown fabric, tied with a simple cord, but the symbol emblazoned on its surface hinted at its magical nature.

"That's the spatial bag I mentioned," Stuart confirmed, his voice hushed with awe. "All the treasures are inside. You'll be able to access them as you level up."

William snatched the pouch, but before he could examine it, the heavy doors to the chamber burst open. The pirates and fish-men poured into the room, their eyes wild with greed.

"There's the bastard who stole the treasure!" one of the fish-men roared, pointing a gnarled finger at William. "Get him!"

William cursed under his breath. His face had been spotted, and now they were all after him. But escape was his priority.

"This way!" Stuart squeaked, pointing towards a seemingly ordinary section of wall.

William followed, his heart pounding. As he approached, the wall shimmered, revealing a hidden passage. He plunged through, the stone closing seamlessly behind him.

"Don't stop running!" Stuart urged, his voice barely audible over the thundering footsteps of their pursuers.

William sprinted down the narrow corridor, his enhanced agility propelling him forward. The passage sloped upwards, leading towards the surface, towards freedom. But the pirates and fish-men were hot on his heels, their enraged shouts echoing through the tunnel.

Suddenly, the walls around them began to tremble violently.

"This isn't good," Stuart said, his voice tight with fear.

"What is it?" William gasped, his lungs burning.

"The Kraken has awakened!" Stuart cried. "We need to get out of here, now!"

The name struck fear into William's heart. The Kraken, a legendary beast of immense power, was awoken. Escape was no longer just about the treasure; it was about survival.

He pushed himself harder, his speed increasing. Glancing back, he saw that he was gaining ground on his pursuers. "Looks like I'm faster than them," he said, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. "We might actually make it."

William didn't know how long he ran, but he didn't stop for a single second. He glanced back occasionally to confirm that the distance between him and his pursuers was increasing – and it was. Relief washed over him as he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, the exit that would lead him out of the tomb. The treasure was in his hands, and all he needed to do was escape.

But when he finally emerged from the tomb, there was no time for celebration. He had to get out of there, and fast. His body was exhausted, however, and his speed had diminished greatly. Running through the dense forest was different from sprinting through the smooth corridors of the tomb. He had to dodge obstacles, weave between trees, and leap over fallen branches, making his escape even more challenging.

As he ran towards the hidden cove where he'd left the ship, the ground trembled beneath his feet. The entire island seemed to shake, as if something massive was stirring beneath its surface. William knew it was the Kraken, the mythical beast that had been awakened.

Fear lent him a burst of adrenaline, pushing him onward. He thought of Seraphina and Hemlock, his friends who were counting on him. He had to survive, had to see them again.

But what awaited him was a sight that tore at his heart. Where the ship should have been bobbing gently in the cove, only the tip of the mast protruded from the water. The ship had sunk.

Hemlock and Seraphina lay sprawled on the shore, their bodies battered and broken. A faint flicker of life remained in their eyes, but it was fading fast.

William rushed to their side, kneeling beside them. "Hold on," he pleaded, his voice choked with emotion. "You'll be alright. I'll take care of you..."

Seraphina's gaze locked with his, a faint smile gracing her lips. With a trembling hand, she reached out and placed the mermaid's tear – the first ingredient they had gathered for the king's antidote – into his palm. Tears streamed down her face as her smile widened, a final act of defiance against the cruel hand of fate. Then, her eyes fluttered closed, her body still.

William turned to Hemlock, but it was too late. His friend had already breathed his last.

"It seems the Kraken sank the ship and killed them," Stuart said, his voice somber. "It must have gone now, as the island has stopped shaking."

A primal scream tore from William's throat, a raw expression of grief and rage he'd never experienced before. The Kraken had taken his friends, had destroyed his hope. Staring out at the vast expanse of blue, he vowed revenge.

"You will die, you monstrous beast!" he swore, his voice shaking with fury.

Despite the overwhelming emotions threatening to consume him, William knew he had to escape before the pirates and fish-men caught up. But with no ship and no allies, his situation was dire.

"Is there anything in Jinra's treasure that can help me?" he asked Stuart, desperation clinging to his words.

"There might be something," Stuart replied, rummaging through the spatial bag. "Ah, here it is! An item that grants aquatic attributes. It should allow you to swim away from here."

William's eyes widened with hope. He opened the bag, his consciousness momentarily transported to a vast chamber filled with countless treasures. Some were tantalizingly close, while others shimmered behind impenetrable barriers, inaccessible for now.

He quickly located the item Stuart had mentioned – a small, luminescent seaweed.

"This will transform you into a fish-man for about two days," Stuart explained. "It should be enough time to escape."

William didn't hesitate. He popped the seaweed into his mouth, savoring the strange, salty taste. A tingling sensation spread through his body as he felt his form shifting. Gills sprouted on his neck, his feet morphed into fins, and his skin took on a slightly scaled texture. He wasn't a true fish-man, but the transformation was enough.

With a deep breath, he plunged into the ocean, the cool water a welcome relief against his overheated skin. He kicked off, his new fins propelling him through the water with surprising speed. The island shrunk behind him as he swam, the shouts of his pursuers fading into the distance.

Freedom. For now, at least.