Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The Sea Princess’s Apology
The ocean seemed to stop breathing. Jax stared at the mermaid princess, surrounded by the Sea Kings who held their power back in silence, waiting for her command.
She was the first to speak, her voice sweet, dripping with a teasing undertone.
"You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to see you again..." she said with a faint smile, her eyes shamelessly scanning his body like she wanted to eat him alive.
Jax raised a brow, not lowering his guard. There was something strange in her tone—like she was offering herself—and that alone kept him on edge.
The mermaid leaned forward with graceful ease, the marine light highlighting her curves and pearl-like skin.
"You know," her voice dropped, as if whispering a secret, "my mother once told me... if I ever had children with you, they would be stronger than any offspring I could ever have down below. No one in the depths compares to you."
Jax clenched his jaw, eyes locked on her. That confession, laced with seduction, caught him off guard for a moment.
"What do you want from me?" he finally asked, his voice cutting through the tension.
The princess sighed, her eyes flashing genuine regret.
"Attacking your island... was a mistake. I didn’t mean to hurt you or break my promise, but my people have been bound to the sea ever since a certain event, and I couldn’t refuse... We’ve always longed to live under the sun instead of the cold depths. I admit, during the battle I lost control." She lowered her gaze, guilt shadowing her face. "That’s why I’ve been watching you. I was waiting for you to leave your forest, because I can’t step inside... my mother forbade it, under Poseidon’s promise."
Jax studied her for a few seconds, unmoving. He didn’t fully trust her, but her words didn’t sound like lies.
"I accept your apology," he said flatly.
He turned to leave, ready to move on. But before he could, the princess raised her hand. A delicate pink seashell shimmered in her palm.
"Please..." she said with a warm, almost shy smile, "accept this as proof of my apology."
Jax hesitated only for a moment before taking it. There was no point in dragging this further; he’d accept it and go.
Relief flickered in her eyes, and with a soft wave of her hand, she dismissed the Sea Kings around her.
"Then go, Jax..." her voice held a trace of melancholy. "I won’t speak of this meeting."
Without another word, he rose into the sky and sped away, leaving the mermaid princess behind. She watched him vanish at the horizon, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Jax flew over the open ocean, letting the salty wind whip his face. The colossal sea creatures that had escorted him earlier had disappeared back into the depths. Now they let him pass freely, as if they had been ordered not to interfere.
His gaze dropped to the small pink seashell in his hand. He rolled it between his fingers, noticing the strange glint it gave under the sunlight.
"This isn’t just a shell..." he muttered, frowning.
The object began to change before his eyes. Its surface turned crystalline, semi-transparent, like it was made of living glass. Suddenly, a vibration rippled through his body, and the shell pierced into his mind, drilling into his thoughts.
A refreshing shiver ran through him, like a wave of pure water cleansing his consciousness. The sensation was addictive, almost intoxicating.
Before he could react, the shell vibrated violently, bursting with a rosy glow. Then it shot out of his mind like a comet, vanishing into the sky with impossible speed.
Back at the forest waterfall, the real Jax’s eyes snapped open. His body sat upright instantly, his hand rising without thought. The seashell appeared in front of him, frozen mid-air, wrapped in his golden aura.
He studied it closely. The tiny shell, harmless at first glance, pulsed like it was alive. Its vibrations carried a faint melody—an echo that sounded like thousands of voices praying at once.
"This..." Jax whispered, his eyes blazing, "holds more faith than I’ve ever seen."
He clenched it tight, trying to absorb its power. He surrounded it with his energy, attempting to merge the essence into his core. Nothing happened. The faith was there, tangible, endless... and yet untouchable.
The shell stayed intact, unmoving, vibrating faintly as if mocking him.
For the first time in a long while, Jax felt surprised. Frustrated, even.
"I can’t... absorb it..." he muttered under his breath.
The air thickened around him. He held an unimaginable treasure, one that refused to bend to his will.
Hours later, the sea was behind him. The silhouette of the continent rose in the distance, dark and solid. Jax descended from the skies, his armor gleaming, every step radiating divine authority.
The first thing he saw was a ruined fishing village. Houses shattered, nets abandoned, the air reeking of salt and despair. Misery hung over the place like a heavy fog.
As his shadow spread across the streets, the few survivors stepped out of their homes, eyes wide with terror. No one spoke. No one even dared breathe. Slowly, the realization sank in—someone with the power to erase their village in an instant had arrived.
At last, a frail old man with a broken cane stepped forward. His knees buckled, and without hesitation, he dropped to the ground, forehead pressed into the dirt before Jax.
Silence consumed the village. Everyone else watched, unsure if they should run or kneel.
And there he stood, descending slowly with a celestial aura, the very image of divinity itself.
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In the depths, the mermaid princess swam up to Poseidon, her mother, with a slightly nervous look. "Did you give it to him?" she asked. The mermaid nodded firmly, holding the pink shell. "Yes, Mother, I gave it to him... just like you told me." Poseidon let out a low, dangerous laugh, her eyes glinting with a sharp edge of power, while her daughter watched her with respect.