Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x! - Chapter 761

Chapter 761: War of the Deep [1]

Thalasar’s gaze was slow and heavy. He looked past Kaelen to the Devotees’ formation—perfectly even. Then, finally, his eyes settled on Nox.

Nox met the look and didn’t turn away. He wanted to know what the king’s decision would be—if he was a coward or a ruler who would stand his ground.

Thalasar drew a deep breath and then shifted his gaze back to Kaelen. “Aquaria hosts a lawful Hunt,” he said, his voice carrying easily across the plaza. “All who join it are under my protection while it is in effect and until its prizes are awarded.”

“But the Hunt has ended,” Kaelen retorted. “To begin with, humans are not supposed to be down here. They’ll disrupt the balance we’ve upheld all these years.”

“Your balance is not my law,” Thalasar replied, his tone growing colder. “You will not take guests from my gates.”

A hush fell over the crowd as murmurs began to ripple around.

Kaelen tilted his head slightly, silver hair shifting with the motion. “You refuse?”

“I refuse,” Thalasar said, nodding firmly. “The humans remain.”

The moment he said those words, the entire atmosphere grew tense. Everyone’s breathing became heavier.

An anxious expression crossed Dorran’s face.

Kaelen’s expression didn’t show anger—only the calm confidence of one who was always obeyed.

“I will do you the honor of repeating myself a second time,” he said in the same calm tone. “Deliver the humans. Or we come in.”

Thalasar didn’t flinch. Instead, he smirked. “And my answer remains the same. The humans go nowhere!”

The words fell like a blade to the Devotees’ pride. They had initially assumed that since the humans were not of their race, the king would willingly hand them over—but it seemed that was not the case.

Somewhere in the crowd, a citizen exhaled too loudly and quickly clapped a hand over their mouth.

Kaelen lowered his hand.

Behind him, the Devotees’ tridents tilted forward slightly, and the pressure in the water deepened like the first pull of a storm.

Blue sparks began to glow faintly around Nox’s arms. He already knew what was about to unfold. Without looking away from Kaelen, he spoke in a low voice. “Get ready.”

Dorran nodded, his heart pounding in his chest.

Lyra and Coralia exchanged a brief look, then faced forward, their royal calm returning as if it had never left.

The moment Kaelen’s hand dropped, the entire sea shifted; it was the official sign for the battle to begin.

The Sea Devotees charged forward like a massive wave. Tridents gleamed, banners fluttered, and armored serpent-like war beasts surged ahead in perfect formation. The ocean floor trembled under the pressure of their advance.

“Here they come!” Dorran shouted, pulling on Grim’s reins. The shark growled, baring its teeth.

Shade hissed, its scales flashing once before vanishing into the coral streets.

At the same time, Nox raised his arm, blue sparks crawling up his skin.

“No holding back!” he roared, his voice echoing through the water.

Lightning burst from his hand, spreading like roots through soil. The current twisted into a spiral, slicing through the first line of Devotees before they even got close.

“Aghhh!!!”

“Damn it!”

Screams echoed as the sea exploded around them. Shields cracked, and some melted under the crackling energy.

Because the battle took place on the seabed, the effect of lightning was amplified tenfold.

Lyra spun her trident once and called out, “Coralia!”

Her twin sister was already moving. Together, they struck their tridents down. Water surged in a circular motion, forming a massive barrier that spun around the group. The vortex sucked in arrows and energy blasts, shattering them before they could reach anyone.

“Twin Currents—hold formation!” Lyra commanded.

Their combined power pulsed, forming a double-layered wall that shimmered with blue light.

From behind it, Nox unleashed another strike.

FWOOOOOM!

Bolts exploded outward, and the water flashed white. Several Devotees were instantly electrocuted, their bodies twitching before floating lifelessly away.

The battle spread through Aquaria like wildfire.

From palace balconies to coral streets, soldiers and guards poured in. Magical cannons embedded in the city walls lit up, firing spheres of compressed water energy at the invading army.

King Thalasar stood at the front gate, his cloak drifting behind him. He had been watching in silence, biding his time.

Then, he finally raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A staff materialized, swirling with ocean energy. He lifted it high.

The carvings along the coral city walls began to glow, radiating an intense light that cast long shadows across the battlefield.

“By the will of the sea,” Thalasar’s voice thundered, “awaken!”

BOOOOM!

The ground split open. Massive shapes rose from the seabed—Leviathan statues made of black coral and crystal. Their eyes blazed with ocean fire as they began to move.

Each one was the size of a tower.

As they roared to life, the pressure of the deep intensified. The nearest Devotees were shattered by the shockwave that followed.

“The king’s calling the ancient guardians!” someone shouted.

A ripple of awe spread through the ranks. Even some Devotees faltered mid-charge, their eyes widening at the colossal silhouettes rising from the depths.

Lyra’s mouth fell open. “By the tides… for Father to summon those—it means he’s done holding back. He’s finally fed up with Kaelen’s tyranny.”

“What are they?” Nox asked, fascination gleaming in his eyes.

Coralia, her voice filled with pride, answered, “They were the first protectors of Aquaria—statues carved from the bones of the ancient sea gods themselves. When the first monarch founded this city, he sealed their souls inside these bodies to guard the throne forever.”

As she spoke, the ground trembled again. The nearest Leviathan’s head rose fully from the coral floor, its stone scales creaking as glowing veins of azure light spread across its body. It opened its maw, and a sound like a whale’s call mixed with thunder rolled through the city.

“They say,” Coralia continued softly, “each guardian carries a fragment of the Sea King’s will. Only a true ruler of Aquaria can awaken them.”

“Kaelen, your time has finally come!” King Thalasar declared, his voice booming across the battlefield. “Your tyranny in these waters ends today… Attack!”