Chapter 126: A Fated Rival

Ellie Roth extracted the Curse Seal Blade from a pirate’s neck. Blood slicked the surface of the blade, where runes pulsed as they absorbed it. This was one of the arcanist techniques etched onto the Curse Seal Blade: to absorb blood, restoring spiritual core and enhancing the blade’s strength. This was but one among many such arcane powers; truly, this blade was a divine weapon of immense potency.

“Aaaah! A monster!” Above the waves, the pirates scattered in terror at the sight of Ellie Roth, unable to comprehend how any human could wield such power. In their world, Arcanists were exceedingly rare, with only a handful even within their entire pirate crew. Their most formidable member was their leader, Fish King Hern, yet his strength paled in comparison to Ellie Roth’s display. The spectacle of her single-handedly slaughtering their ranks utterly shattered their understanding of the world.

Ellie Roth stood suspended in the sky, an invisible wall of arcane energy supporting her feet. The surrounding pirates had been largely decimated by her hand. She glanced behind her, noting that many of the fishing vessels repurposed as warships had also been cleared by her alone. As for the remainder, her own fleet would surely handle them.

‘Such incompetence. This isn’t over yet!’ Ellie Roth frowned, annoyed that it had taken her so long to deal with a fleet comprised mostly of ordinary men.

Ellie Roth turned her head, her gaze sweeping towards her cruiser. Those aboard immediately understood her silent command, intensifying their firepower, eager to bring the battle to a swift conclusion.

A henchman scrambled onto Fish King Hern’s ship, tripping and stumbling inside. “Boss, it’s bad, boss! They have an Arcanist too, and she’s incredibly strong!” The henchman now possessed only one arm, crudely bound with a tourniquet, yet still bleeding profusely, a picture of utter disarray. He had barely escaped with his life thanks to a wondrous item he’d painstakingly acquired with ill-gotten gains; otherwise, the monstrous woman would have simply beheaded him with a single stroke.

“I can see that! I’m not blind!” Fish King Hern snapped, ignoring the henchman’s injuries. ‘Damn it, we’ve run into a real problem this time!’ Cold sweat trickled down Fish King Hern’s back; merely watching the girl’s power sent shivers down his spine. Could such strength truly belong to someone her age? She appeared to have only just come of age, yet possessed such terrifying might. Tier 5? Or Tier 6? He couldn’t even guess, but he was certain she was far stronger than him. He knew, without a doubt, that he was no match for her; pitted against her, he wouldn’t last five minutes. It was utterly horrifying. Which powerful organization had cultivated such an heir? How could she be this formidable? Fish King Hern was now consumed by profound regret. His fleet had been virtually annihilated by Ellie Roth alone. Had they been a formal military fleet, Ellie Roth’s advantages wouldn’t have been so devastatingly apparent. But his strategy relied on overwhelming numbers, a human wave tactic that Ellie Roth had transformed into a mere slaughterhouse.

Yet, no matter how deeply Fish King Hern regretted his choices now, nothing could change. Even if they begged for mercy, he didn’t believe their opponents would spare them. Without a moment’s hesitation, Fish King Hern ordered his remaining crew to charge directly into the opposing fleet, while he himself made a swift escape. The largest ship began a rapid retreat, fleeing at full speed away from the battlefield.

Ellie Roth immediately saw through such a petty trick. ‘Trying to flee?’ A smile played on Ellie Roth’s lips. To come and go as they pleased—they clearly held the Charlotte Family in utter contempt. Ellie Roth promptly contacted her fleet, ordering the deployment of submarines. This was precisely the moment they had been waiting for. To prevent such an escape, the fleet had deliberately held back their submarines until now. In an instant, a submarine detached from the warship, speeding through the water, a volley of torpedoes in tow, in hot pursuit of Fish King Hern.

All of this unfolded before Bai Yu’s eyes from a distance. Raising her binoculars, Bai Yu watched the battlefield with intense concentration, particularly captivated by Ellie Roth’s fighting style. ‘She’s so strong!’ This single thought dominated Bai Yu’s mind. Ellie Roth appeared to have only just reached adulthood, yet her power far surpassed what anyone her age should possess.

[Indeed, she is very strong. Her combat prowess, battle awareness, and weaponry are all at the peak of what she can achieve right now.] Moweila praised Ellie Roth without reservation. In her estimation, Ellie Roth was practically a being born for battle.

[I have a premonition that a battle between you and her is inevitable.] Before Bai Yu could reply, Moweila’s words echoed in her mind. “Inevitable battle? I don’t even know her. What are you talking about?” Bai Yu felt a little bewildered, wondering if Moweila had taken the wrong medicine again and was spouting nonsense. ‘Why does everyone I meet suddenly have some connection to me?’

[Don’t worry, you will win.] Moweila spoke with absolute confidence, as if stating an undeniable truth. “No, where do you get that confidence from? I don’t even have any myself…” Bai Yu felt a little awkward. From every angle, Ellie Roth’s combat performance seemed vastly superior to her own.

[It’s true, your battle awareness and combat experience are far inferior to hers, especially your conviction. I can see that girl’s fervent desire for battle and victory, something you utterly lack,] Moweila stated slowly.

“Stop it, stop it, I get it!” Bai Yu wanted to cover her ears, but Moweila spoke directly in her mind, rendering the gesture useless.

[But even so, you will still emerge victorious, because what you possess is far more powerful than anything she has.] “What I possess?” Bai Yu asked, puzzled. She herself had no idea what made her so strong.

[You’ll know when the time comes. For now, you should worry about yourself; it seems she’s already spotted you.] “What?” Bai Yu was stunned, her gaze darting through the binoculars towards Ellie Roth. In that instant, she found herself staring directly into Ellie Roth’s eyes through the lens. “No way, we’re several nautical miles away!” A regular telescope wouldn’t even reach that far. She was using a wondrous item, which was why Captain Li Hua had passed through this area. Anyone else should have been able to spot them. Yet, Ellie Roth was looking straight in their direction, as if she had seen Bai Yu directly through the binoculars, her gaze fixed solely on her. ‘This has to be a trick of the light, right?’ Bai Yu felt a trickle of cold sweat. For some reason, she truly felt that the other person had discovered her.

At this very moment, Ellie Roth stood on her cruiser, gazing out at the distant sea. “That direction…” A smile graced her lips; she felt a familiar presence. Moments ago, she had sensed being watched, a pure intuition. “This feeling is identical. It’s that person.” Ellie Roth felt a surge of excitement. This sensation was precisely the same as the one she had experienced after causing that tsunami. A sense of an unseen, destined fate. Who could it be? ‘Is this… a fated rival?’