“Big guy~ Big guy~” Kiki sat on Caius’s shoulder, one arm wrapped around his neck, humming his nickname playfully.

  Meanwhile, Caius swung his Angel warhammer, striking down an entire Earthen Core Crystal from the bedrock.

  Just moments ago, they’d also found 1.5kg of Runic Silver ore.

  With this chunk of Earthen Core Crystal, their mission was complete.

  Stowing the crystal away, Caius stretched lazily. “All done. Let’s head back to the city. This afternoon, we’ll take a stroll by the sea. Tomorrow, we’ll go find the silly mushroom.”

  “Got it, meow~!” Kiki nodded cheerfully, then flipped off Caius’s shoulder and sprawled across his back. Her little face pressed close to his ear, and she murmured softly:

  “Big guy, do you want a little kitty right now~?”

  A warm breeze caressed his ear, and the little Catgirl even stuck out her tongue to give his earlobe a gentle lick.

  Caius instantly sucked in a sharp breath.

  Such a tease~

  Was this the natural charm of the Catfolk?

  He couldn’t hold back anymore. Reaching out, Caius scooped the little kitten into his arms.

  His hand wrapped around her slender waist, while the other supported her legs. Her flat stomach pressed tightly against his chest, and the two could clearly feel each other’s heartbeat.

  Kiki cupped his cheeks in her small hands, her face tilted slightly upward. Her cat ears atop her head quivered ever so slightly.

  Caius gazed into her eyes—those brilliant emerald feline eyes gleamed like precious gems in the dimly lit mine.

  He gently nuzzled her face and planted a soft kiss at the corner of her lips. The little Catgirl instantly wrapped her arms around his neck in response.

  A moment later, their lips parted. A delicate string of crystalline saliva stretched between them, glimmering faintly in the light reflecting off the surrounding minerals.

  “Not bad, getting more practiced~” Caius chuckled.

  Kiki giggled sweetly, then buried her head in the crook of his neck. Caius activated the Teleportation Magic Array Plate.

  During the ten-second channeling period, the mischievous kitten didn’t quite settle down. She extended her tongue again and gave his neck a playful lick.

  Caius could feel the tiny barbs on her tongue—softer than those of a real cat.

  A real cat’s barbed tongue is made for tearing meat and grooming fur, whereas Catfolk only need it for grooming, so their barbs are gentler.

  As a result, her tongue also felt distinctly different from a human’s.

  It made Caius wonder—just how many other differences were there between the Catfolk and humans?

  He’d have to savor those differences slowly over time, heh~

  Back in Ocean City, Caius first stopped by the Iron Tavern to turn in the mission, then headed to Oern’s Smithy, and finally reported to Hailan No. 11.

  Now, he had only two missions left.

  One was to hunt a Magic Beast from the sea—the Platinum-ranked Crimson Sea Eel.

  The other was the mysterious commission.

  The mysterious client had told him to meet tonight in the Little Redberry Grove, twenty kilometers outside Ocean City.

  It was just past one o’clock now. After finishing lunch, Caius made his way to the inner city, to the Wargs Gang’s turf.

  Their territory bordered the sea. Aside from shipbuilding, they also dealt in seafood—fishing, crabbing, and the like. So if anyone knew where to find a Crimson Sea Eel, it would be them.

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  “Crimson Sea Eels, eh? You’ll find them near the red coral reef areas close to shore. They like to hide within the red corals, usually in waters between 100 to 300 meters deep,” said Rog.

  “So here’s what I suggest—join one of our fishing vessels heading out to sea. If you’re lucky, you’ll be back by midnight. Plus, it’ll save you the trouble of renting a boat.”

  Now that was the advice of a pro—and a much better option, sparing Caius the hassle of steering a boat himself.

  Rog didn’t ask for any money; it was just a ride, after all. The actual hunt for the Crimson Sea Eel would be Caius’s responsibility.

  The vessel had a twelve-man crew—all Gold-ranked sailors—along with a Platinum-ranked captain. When they heard Caius would be joining them, they welcomed him with hearty enthusiasm.

  Sailors were much like mercenaries—a bunch of rough guys who drank, bragged, and bonded quickly.

  After sailing for about an hour and a half, they arrived at the so-called red coral reef area.

  Beneath the azure sea, vibrant coral formations could be seen, predominantly red—making up over 60% of the reef, hence the name.

  The crystal-clear waters, untouched by pollution, shimmered under the sunlight, and the waves danced across the corals, layering them in mesmerizing hues.

  Truly beautiful.

  “You’re diving in directly?” the captain asked, eyeing Caius who stood poised at the railing.

  “Yep. Got a better idea?” Caius replied.

  “That’s reckless,” the captain shook his head. “Crimson Sea Eels are coated in a slimy mucus and are incredibly agile underwater. Going in bare-handed to fight one is extremely dangerous.”

  “So what do you suggest?” Caius asked.

  “I’d say, take a harpoon down there. If you can land a hit, we’ll have the Magitech boat rev up and haul it in. After dragging it for a while, it’ll tire itself out.”

  “However, you’ll need to cover a helper’s fee. The boat’s Magic Core isn’t cheap, and the Crimson Sea Eel is incredibly strong. One Core might not even be enough”

  “Hmm... alright then, let’s settle on that.” Caius nodded.

  The so-called helper’s fee was only eight thousand gold coins. Once the mission was complete, he’d still be pocketing over twenty thousand.

  Sometimes, completing a mission required certain compromises—that was just the way things worked.

  And truth be told, while Caius was a strong swimmer, diving into the ocean alone to battle a Sea Magic Beast wasn’t something he felt completely confident about.

  He had trump cards, sure—enough to guarantee his survival—but taking down a Crimson Sea Eel on his own? That was another matter entirely.

  Now that the captain had come up with a better plan, it was only logical to go with it. This was just a simple matter of adapting to the situation.

  Once Caius had stripped down to nothing but a pair of trunks, he grabbed a massive fish spear over two meters in length, a rope as thick as two fingers tied to its base.

  “This rope’s only three hundred meters long,” the captain warned him. “Don’t get reckless. Once it goes taut, we’ll gun the engine. That’s your cue to grip the rope tight and haul yourself up. If you miss that window, we won’t be able to circle back before the eel regains its strength.”

  “No problem,” Caius replied with a nod, then shot a reassuring glance toward the little Catgirl before leaping into the sea with a splash.

  Opening your eyes underwater—anyone who’s tried it knows the feeling: a stinging blend of sharpness, salt, and pain.

  But Caius didn’t have that concern. His giant’s physique came with extraordinary adaptability, and with just a trace of magic power coating the surface of his eyes, he could easily keep the seawater at bay.

  Even in the ocean depths, he could see clearly.

  Clutching the spear, he plunged swiftly downward, scanning the coral reef for signs of the Crimson Sea Eel.

  And he had to admit, the Red Coral Reef was stunning. Multicolored fish darted about, and strange, exotic Sea Magic Beasts moved among the growth.

  Most were docile, but there were always exceptions.

  Take this moment, for instance. Caius had just reached a depth of about a hundred meters when a large fish over two meters long came speeding toward him, its maw lined with razor-sharp teeth.

  As soon as it got within thirty meters, it surged forward with increased speed, making a beeline for Caius. Fast—very fast.

  Blue light rippled around its body, likely its innate magic, manipulating the seawater to boost its acceleration.

  But it was only a Gold-ranked Sea Magic Beast. No real threat to Caius.

  When it got close, Caius simply threw a punch at its head.

  Sure, water resistance was immense—but Caius’s strength was on another level. His blow was so forceful it created a shockwave, knocking the fish out cold.

  He continued descending, reaching about one hundred and fifty meters deep, where he spotted a coral cave over two meters wide.

  Word was that Crimson Sea Eels liked to hide in places like that.

  He swam over, ready to investigate.

  But before he could enter, the water around him suddenly surged. A massive claw shot out of the cave, aiming straight for his waist.

  Caius kicked the water hard, jerking back just in time to narrowly avoid it.

  Damn—that was a Platinum-ranked Giant-Clawed Crab. The claw was three meters long, and the shell covering its body spanned several meters wide. Compared to this monster, the one Yvlan had cooked earlier looked like a baby.

  The Giant-Clawed Crab waved its claws in warning, defending its territory, but didn’t chase after Caius.

  So he didn’t provoke it further, instead turning his attention to the other caves in the vicinity.

  Some were occupied by other fish-like Magic Beasts; others housed various crab-like creatures.

  After about twenty minutes of searching the seafloor, Caius was beginning to feel the pressure in his chest. He could probably last another ten minutes before needing to resurface.

  And just then, he spotted it.

  A large fish swam past a nearby cave when a long, red shadow suddenly shot out—bit down on it, and in one smooth motion, dragged it back into the depths of the cave.

  A smirk tugged at Caius’s lips.

  Found you.