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The time was still far from dawn.

Humans slept in the makeshift earthen structure, Kafal curled up in front of it, and Lucella used Kafal’s throat as a pillow.

Lucella felt a sensation as if the bottom of her consciousness was being shaved with a rasp and jolted awake.

Amidst the dimly lit surroundings by the raging lava, Lucella dashed into the mud hut.

“Everyone! Wake…”

At that moment, her companions, all three of them, had already jumped out of their sleeping bags, armed and ready, seemingly awakened by Lucella’s unusual footsteps.

Monica, too, was waking up with a stern expression. From the window of the mud hut, Kafal’s large face peered in.

“…You woke up fast.”
“Is something wrong?”

Tim, seemingly not in his armor but in an underchain attire, quickly tried to put on his armor.

“I don’t really know what’s happening, but…”

In a brief moment, Lucella searched for words and concluded that speed was more important than precision.

“The water is coming.”
“What’s going on?”
“I can only put it that way…”

As a dragon, Lucella somehow understood the sensation. Yet, it was challenging to convey to others.

Something was approaching. It was water. It was lethal.

Instinctively, she grasped that much.

Was it the ‘Wisdom Eye Vortex’?

No, it felt different. That was still far away. Besides, Lucella sensed the smell of water not in the western sky but closer, deeper… somewhere beneath or around.

“Hey, look.”

Wein, who had been looking out of the mud hut’s window, pointed at a crack in the earth.

In this area, rivers had carved deep into the earth like crevasses. When peeking in during the daytime, Wein would see rivers at the bottom of distant cracks and dangle a long fishing line to catch fish.

How about that?

The water level has risen, gradually seeping out to fill the crack’s mouth.

“Is the water gaining momentum in this situation?”

It was strange.

Water gushed forth vigorously, spreading out, colliding with the flowing lava channels, creating steam.

Fire and water neutralize each other. Both physically and conceptually.

Currently, Kafal was stirring up the power of ‘fire’ in this land. In fact, there was a need to be concerned about ensuring that ‘water’ doesn’t dry up here. Thus, an abnormal increase in water levels was odd.

Yet, the water level was undeniably rising.

The flowing lava cooled and solidified, sinking into the surplus amount of water.

There was a discomfort at the toes.

The water touched.

The next moment, just as it seemed the water had entered the hut, a rush of water flowed in, reaching up to Lucella’s ankles.

“Uh-oh, climb!”

As Tim spoke, everyone jumped onto the earthen table in the ‘living’ area. Monica was held by Viola.

Viola swung her staff, instantly altering the shape of the building.

A hole opened in the ceiling, and the earthen table rose straight towards it, turning into a tower of earth.

Below, the mud hut was gradually submerged in water.

“The baggage?”
“I have my ‘pouch’!”
“The rest… can’t be helped.”

The term ‘pouch’ had an adventurer’s flair. It meant having essential equipment and items vital for performing one’s job. A seasoned adventurer always kept their ‘pouch’ in a position they would never lose, even when sleeping. It was common to distinguish items that could be discarded at any time for agility and the ‘pouch’.

Tim’s armor parts, which he couldn’t put on, were placed on the table extending towards the sky.

“Whoa!?”

Even the earthen tower wavered.

The flow of water was beginning, eroding the base of the earthen tower.

In the face of the raging forces of nature, hastily constructed structures created by mere magic for human comfort were fragile.

The moment the small tower broke, Kafal caught the falling people in her palm.

Amidst the swirling current, Kafal’s massive body stood firm, resisting the weight. Her body emitted steam.

“I’ll solidify it, Mom!”
“Alright!”

Lucella called forth ‘fire.’

Breaking through the overflowing water, flames erupted from the ground.

The lava quickly cooled and solidified with water, forming a small mountain.

Overtaking the rising water, the gray lava rock mountain grew taller.

By the time morning arrived, the surroundings were completely submerged.

Trees dipped into the water up to their waists, their heads poking out.

Although the increase in water level had stopped, adventurers found themselves on a small island-like unmanned boat, gazing half-dazed at the water surface.

“What was the predicted arrival of Regalia?”
“Expected to be involved in a rampage nine days later. Contact with the central part was estimated to be ten days later.”
“Then this is too soon, isn’t it?”

The sky was clear.

Everyone looked up at the clear sky.

Not a single raindrop fell. It was distinctly different from how Lucella and the others had seen the rampage.

“Maybe… it’s not the ‘Wisdom Eye Vortex’ after all. The way the water flows is completely different from that. It’s like a completely different rampage is happening…”

Returning her gaze to the water’s surface, Lucella muttered.

For a dragon like Lucella, who was ‘newly born,’ understanding was limited.

Focusing on the flow of water, sharpening her non-human senses, Lucella desperately tried to decipher the information.

A gritty sensation at the depths of consciousness…

Natural, yet unnaturally so.

Being moved by something. Something very large.

A chaotic and unrestrained force. Probably a rampage. But what, and why, was causing this rampage?

“Investigating the cause is the second goal… No, the third goal. The first is survival, the second is dealing with Regalia.”
“With the current flow, we might endure the rampage of the ‘Wisdom Eye Vortex,’ but…”

The water surface, which had quieted for a moment, rippled before Lucella’s eyes.

Before they could ponder what was happening, something enormous shot up from the underwater canyon toward the surface.

Then, an explosive spray of water erupted.

“What the heck is that!?”

A colossal figure raised its head.

It was the giant water serpent they had seen when Lucella and the others arrived here. The one that had fled in fear of Kafal into the depths was now reappearing, overlooking the small lava island.

The head, covered in lustrous scales, resembled a dragon, likely a close relative of a freshwater-adapted sea serpent. However, the exact species couldn’t be determined. It had clearly undergone abnormal mutations, now transformed into a ‘Variant.’

The scales turned into an exoskeleton, protruding bones formed a helmet-like structure. Flowing, wing-like fins billowed, each with compressed water flow resembling beads.

“WHERE… WHERE…”
“It’s talking…!?”

Furthermore, the giant water serpent spoke. In a language close to that of dragons, in a voice resembling the rumble of a muddy stream. Lucella could at least grasp the vague meaning of its words.

“…RETURN IT…”

The giant water serpent, with an unsettling, unfocused gaze, looked down. Tidal currents flowed in its throat.

Boom!

Just before the giant water serpent could unleash a deadly breath, a fireball from Kafal’s breath exploded, sending the serpent flying. The serpent recoiled, scattering burnt scales, diving headfirst into the water and creating a massive wave.

As the incoming wave approached, Lucella pointed her finger, causing the portion over the lava island to disappear in an instant.

The giant water serpent, though struck, was not dead. Taking a graceful turn underwater, it swam like an arrow, charging forward.

Kafal’s breath cut through the water’s surface. However, the flowing water slightly weakened the power of the breath. Despite having its skull-like exoskeleton burned and turned into bone ash, the giant water serpent relentlessly charged forward.

Whipping its massive body like a whip, it leaped at Kafal and coiled around her.

“Rooooooar!”
“Mom!”

The giant water serpent, aiming for Kafal’s long neck as she fell into the water, attempted to bite. However, Kafal, with her robust forelimbs, grabbed the serpent and countered. Scales were crushed, and claws dug in.

The two continued to thrash on the water’s surface. At close range, their breaths clashed, fire and water exploding, enveloping the surroundings in steam.

Such power from a mere minor dragon!?

Lucella widened her eyes in astonishment. If the giant water serpent could hold its ground in a direct battle against a dragon, it meant it possessed power equivalent to a dragon. It seemed unbelievable.

“This b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!”

As Lucella caressed the lava stone beneath her, it heated up again. The pulled-out lava took on the form of a sword. It was a fluid that barely maintained the shape of a sword, flowing down Lucella’s hand like molten ice exposed to the summer sun, glowing red.

Then, Lucella raced across the water.

Leaving a straight ripple behind, she kicked up waves, leaping towards the two battling behemoths.

Spray scattered as Lucella soared through the air. As if there were a wall there, she left traces of water in the air, executing a triangular leap. Second, third, fourth, she kicked diagonally, gaining height.

Above the skirmish between Kafal and the giant water serpent, Lucella threw her body into the air and danced.

Observing the intense movements of the two fighting creatures, she aimed, twisted her body, and then came a sword flash.

It was like a chameleon’s tongue.

The fluid lava sword extended sharply, transforming its thickness to length into a long rapier. The target was the left eye of the giant water serpent.

“Hissssss!”

A spine-chilling scream echoed. The giant water serpent writhed, emitting a savory scent. Lucella’s plan to sear its head from the inside didn’t go as intended, but blinding one eye made the serpent falter.

Immediately, Kafal pulled the giant water serpent away.

Clawing into the scales, her claws erupted in flames. Like a child swinging a toy, she lifted the giant water serpent.

Remaining in the impaled state, the giant water serpent ignited. The flaming water serpent wildly sprayed a haphazard breath attack from its entire body (not just its mouth) while struggling. However, Kafal strengthened her claws, and put herself on fire.

Struggling, burning, struggling, burning.

The giant water serpent not only possessed abnormal power but also had a weight comparable to Kafal. The force exerted by its colossal body was tremendous.

Swinging its body left and right, the giant water serpent finally slipped free from Kafal’s claws. Creating a massive wave proportionate to its weight, it slammed onto the water’s surface and swiftly escaped to the underwater crevice, leaving behind foamy bubbles.

Lucella judged it was impossible to pursue. She was the only one capable of fighting fully underwater. Facing an opponent on par with Kafal, Lucella alone wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Escaped, huh…”
“How did it not die after all that?”

Those who could do nothing but watch could only stare at the underwater depths.

“The world is protecting… that monster.”

Kafal muttered with a perplexed expression.

“This isn’t the world… we know. It’s like… a different world.”

Kafal’s impression, expressed in straightforward human language, chilled everyone’s hearts, despite being the words of a Red Dragon who controlled fire.