Chapter 193: The Reborn Sea, the Reborn Light
Once, Croyer had seen the bard Wendy’s Hymn of All Things Under the Void Moon beneath the Orpheus Oak.
At the very end of that text, there was an almost unmistakable line—
"The Void Moon births, and sentience spreads across the land, symbolized by the blue flower of both fortune and misfortune."
So this so-called “sentience spreads across the land” referred to none other than the Grass of Insight—those bluish little plants before him that resembled foxtail grass.
But then, what was the “Void Moon births”?
There happened to be a merfolk beside him, so Croyer probed, “I once read a text that mentioned the birthing of the Void Moon.”
“...” Aelia gave Croyer a look filled with unfathomable emotion, but said nothing.
She merely bent down and gently caressed the Grass of Insight on the ground. “This is the Void God’s eye.”
“It holds an almost limitless amount of Phantom Luminary power.”
“It should meet your requirements, yes?”
Croyer also bent down to examine the little flower, attempting to communicate with it. As soon as his consciousness extended out, the flower responded.
“Fool!”
“Merfolk are so dumb!”
“Ahhh! I’m crying from their stupidity!”
Its voice was clear, a genderless tone like the sound of a neutral youth, spitting out complaints like a machine gun: “I’ve been growing all this time, and none of them ever thought to come ask for my help?”
“The Big Tree has me reborn at this time every cycle just so I can help them!”
“...”
Croyer blinked and glanced at Aelia beside him.
She looked confused at once. “What’s wrong?”
Clearly, she had no idea that the Void God’s eye was currently roasting her entire race, and she remained utterly clueless.
“Nothing.”
“I need an absolutely silent space. One where no one can disturb or spy on me.”
He stated his request directly. “Swear it on your god—no being is allowed to peer in on me.”
Before Aelia could speak, the Grass of Insight beneath Croyer’s feet suddenly began to shake wildly, joined by its companions nearby.
A bluish glow formed into a cube, enveloping Croyer entirely. The sensation of spatial distortion grew stronger and stronger, until the cube no longer even seemed to belong to this world.
“...Huh? What is this?”
Aelia stood dumbfounded. She hadn’t even reported to the Merfolk King yet, which meant this had to be an act of the Grass of Insight—or more accurately, the will of the Void God.
Was this human mage truly that powerful?
To evoke a direct response from the Void God... it was almost inconceivable.
She immediately stood up and left, once again crossing the Amniotic Sea into the ocean’s depths. This matter had to be reported to the King.
...
Inside the bluish cube...
Croyer tested his surroundings and confirmed that the space had been completely sealed off—not even the faintest trace of other energies remained.
He reached out and patted the Grass of Insight.
“You’re pretty helpful, huh.”
The grass swayed a little, radiating a proud consciousness.
Then it urged him, “Child of Man, whatever you’re planning, hurry up. I can only hold this for six hours at most.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Croyer reassured it with another pat and began the engraving process.
Being barely able to cast a spell was one thing. Engraving a technique was another entirely.
The process was not smooth.
Time slowly passed.
Half an hour... one hour... two hours...
Finally, after more than five hours, Croyer completed the engraving—just barely.
【Engraving complete. Grass of Insight (Silver Moon Mirror · Jewelbox)】
【When this magic plant casts "Silver Moon Mirror · Jewelbox", it may use Phantom Luminary power to nullify divine punishment and will enhance the divine spell’s power based on the Phantom Luminary force.】
【The current divine spell is projected to transform into: Sword of the Boundless Azure Sea.】
【Due to this magic plant’s intense desire to aid the merfolk in purifying the Amniotic Sea, it will voluntarily share its power with its companions.】
【The Void God acknowledges your action.】
【You may now extend your consciousness and soul into the entire field of Grass of Insight to sense the process of all things returning to life.】
“Whew.”
Croyer exhaled deeply.
Truth be told, it had been a long time since he’d endured an engraving process that lasted nearly six hours—even he felt a bit drained.
But the reward was monumental—
The bluish cube vanished. From the patch of Grass of Insight beneath him, dense magical runes and silvery moonlight burst outward.
In an instant, the entire field of Grass of Insight was enveloped.
They rejoiced and leapt for joy.
“It’s here!”
“Finally...”
All the Grass of Insight released radiant moonlight and bluish particles.
The particles gathered in the air.
A strange form and a massive shadow flashed through the sky like an illusion, vanishing almost immediately.
High above, the bottom of the moon cracked open, and a viscous stream of magical power flowed out—like something being birthed.
An object slipped from the moon’s body, still slick with clinging membrane.
It was a sword.
Bathed in moonlight and bluish particles, its form was unclear, but its blade spun slowly and the gemstone on the hilt quivered faintly.
The next moment—
Whoosh—
The greatsword plunged into the sea.
Its descent sent waves towering into the sky, but the spray it created wasn’t polluted or dirty—each droplet sparkled with pure brilliance.
Rumble!
A mighty tsunami surged outward from the point where the sword had fallen, sweeping across sea, sky, and land.
“It’s the Sea God’s sword!”
“The pride of Atlantis!”
The merfolk swimming nearby lit up with joy—especially the pregnant females, who immediately swam toward the greatsword and the tsunami, exhausting their magic and strength to reach it.
The clear, blue seawater became like a nourishing tonic, revitalizing their weary bodies.
Newborn merfolk, their eyes not even open yet, were carried by the tide and drifted outward...
But this time, the polluted water would not harm them. The magic in the sea surged into their bodies.
In the blink of an eye, their magic levels soared from none to first rank, then second, and finally stopped at third rank.
The adult merfolk all closed their eyes in unison, swaying their heads as they began to sing the Merfolk’s Song.
This time, their song was joyous—like fish swimming freely through a cerulean sea.
They quickly lost themselves in the song.
Even King Mihai of the merfolk appeared within the waters, leading his people in song—for among the merfolk, singing skill was an important measure of status.
If one couldn’t sing well, even joining others in a communal song would earn them scorn.
To become the Merfolk King, Mihai’s voice, of course, had to be exceptional.
...
By the shore...
Croyer’s expression was a bit odd as he blinked. “So this is what they meant by the birthing of the Void Moon? The moon gave birth... to a sword?”
He didn’t run. Instead, he was quickly swept up by the surging tsunami.
Aelia, the merfolk beside him, had already dashed off eagerly to join the singing, seemingly confident that Croyer would be unharmed.
And indeed, he felt no pressure at all. The seemingly fearsome waves, when they reached him, felt like a gentle breeze brushing against his skin.
The ocean water, cool and suffused with magic, surrounded him softly, like sinking into a smooth and plush sofa. The voice of the Grass of Insight echoed beside his ear:
“The sun!”
“Boss will cover for you!”
“Come, share in the joy of new life with us!”
After a moment’s hesitation, Croyer released his own light. This was a rare opportunity—he was curious to see how his magic might change.
Radiance burst forth from his body.
Three different hues of light emerged at once, only to be compressed by an unseen force, merging into a single, gentle white glow.
It was... a sunlight this world had never seen before.
Most of the merfolk were still fully immersed in their song, so no one noticed his light. The white sunlight easily spread out with the tide, flowing toward the depths of the ocean and across the land.
The chilly seawater instantly turned warm.
The moonlight in the sky completely withdrew, and the entire world was bathed in this white sunlight.
As the tsunami washed over the land, green shoots began to sprout from the ground. Under the sun’s rays, these shoots reflected a vibrant emerald light.
And they, too, were drawn into the sunlight.
As he continued to emit his solar radiance, Croyer seemed to sense something. The fourth major movement of the Ode to the Rainbow Light—the Green Chapter—seemed to stir faintly.
That chapter...
“It’s tied to vitality.”
Croyer murmured softly but didn’t dwell on it. He allowed himself to indulge in the joy of unleashing his magic freely.
The pleasure of channeling one’s magic without restraint... it had been a long time since he’d felt that.
He had no idea that, deep beneath the sea, a female merfolk was also in the midst of childbirth.
She was the only one still conscious, the only one who had not received the blessing of the moon or the Sea God.
What warmed her... was the white sunlight.
...
In the outside world—
The light barrier enveloping the entire Atlantis Sea gradually began to fade, dimming with time.
As soon as small cracks appeared, the warm oceanic monsoon winds surged through, eager to reach the northern lands—warm, humid, and brimming with life.
Carried within it was the magic of the sun.
Buried beneath snow for months, the vegetation began to awaken, and magical beasts that had hibernated for the long winter stirred from their slumber.
Magic surged visibly within them.
The plant life, in particular, grew at an astonishing pace once the snow melted—stronger and more vibrant than ever before.
Herbivorous beasts, upon seeing such lush vegetation, wasted no time in feasting.
And carnivores, upon seeing the feasting herbivores, eyes gleaming, rushed in for their own feast.
The natural cycle continued.
At the bottom of the lake on Reef Island, an angel watched it all with a smile.
“To shine with the sun’s light within the domain of the Void God...”
“Deceitful friend, it seems you like him too.”
Saying so, the angel suddenly sensed something, and extended a hand, crossing space to appear outside Reef Island.
Its eyes, filled with platinum brilliance, scanned the seemingly empty sea.
Though there was nothing visible, it still knew exactly what had once been here.
“Regnat.”
For the first time, it showed a trace of guilt.
Just as the Void God had a guardian, so too did it. But its own guardian had suffered far more.
Placing a hand over its heart, its tone grew solemn:
“May you be well.”
“God says, may your future be steady and your path clear.”
The angelic voice echoed across the sea, but no mortal could hear it.
...
The tsunami lasted an entire day.
And Croyer enjoyed a full day of peace and contentment.
In the end, he stood on a soft patch of grass, fully satisfied, sensing the purer and more abundant magic flowing within him.
“Not bad at all.”
“If I had a little more time, I might have even leveled up.”
“Is that so?”
A gentle male voice spoke—calm and smooth, without the slightest magical fluctuation.
A tall, well-built man—more precisely, a male merfolk—appeared beside Croyer.
Some people radiated an aura of kingship at a glance. This man was undoubtedly one of them—the Merfolk King.
Croyer maintained his courtesy. “Greetings, King of the Merfolk.”
“Greetings, Croyer.”
The Merfolk King’s tone was casual. “You helped us purify the Amniotic Sea. From now on, newborn merfolk will no longer have to worry about survival.”
“What do you want?”
“As long as it exists in the sea, I can give it to you.”
Whoa. That was a real offer from a big shot.
Croyer gave it some serious thought. Honestly, he didn’t really need anything. Sure, he could ask the Merfolk King for resources, for territory...
But somehow, that felt too shallow.
This was a precious promise, after all. To trade it for worldly things felt too cheap—especially since the man before him was a Merfolk King backed by the Void God.
In other words... the ruler of the sea.
So Croyer shook his head gently. “I’d like to save it, if that’s alright.”
“Of course, my human friend.”
Mihai reached out and pulled from his side a pearl the size of a goose egg, casually tossing it to Croyer.
“!!!”
Croyer’s eye twitched and he quickly caught it.
A goose-egg-sized pearl!
The magic inside it was so rich it made his skin tingle. No doubt it came from a magical clam of level six or higher—a true treasure.
If he took it to the royal capital, it could easily fetch tens of millions in magic crystals.
Ocean treasures were always rarer, especially the precious ones—most were firmly in the hands of the merfolk, and humans seldom got access to them.
“If you ever want to redeem my promise, use this to contact me,” Mihai said.
“...”
So it was just a communication device? The generosity of the merfolk really defied logic.
Croyer tucked the pearl away and returned the Phantom Luminary Core Jewelbox to Mihai.
He had wanted to keep it, badly.
But he didn’t even need to think about it to know Mihai would never give it to him. Even using it to trade for that promise probably wouldn’t work.
Yet, even after receiving the jewelbox, Mihai didn’t leave. Instead, he stood still, gaze fixed on the sea in the distance. There was hesitation in his eyes... and a touch of hope.
Croyer glanced that way too, puzzled.
The sea had regained its deep azure hue. Waves lapped gently against the shore, sending up sprays of foam.
The whole ocean looked as if it had been newly created—cleaner and more beautiful than any sea beyond.
“Hm?”
After a moment, he noticed a figure in the distance—or rather, two.
One was a woman with long golden hair.
The other... was a small, pale-skinned merfolk boy.
Er, male merfolk.
He looked about a meter tall, probably around seven or eight years old in human terms. And he bore a certain resemblance to King Mihai.
A hint, perhaps, of a dashing and refined gentleman in the making.
Croyer’s mouth twitched.
Other people raised mermaid princesses... and he ends up with a merman prince?
“My love!”
Mihai had already run over like an infatuated teenager, throwing his arms around the golden-haired mermaid in a tight embrace, completely ignoring both his son and the human observer.
And right there, in public, he pressed a deep, breath-stealing kiss to her lips...
Like he never intended to let go.
Croyer: “...”
The little merfolk boy sighed at his parents’ antics and walked over to Croyer, extending his hand.
“Big Brother.”
Faced with such a well-behaved and adorable child, and sensing the same solar magic radiating from him—so close to Croyer’s own—even he couldn’t turn away.
He nodded. “Mm.”
And took the boy’s hand.
“Big Brother, Mother has given me permission to leave the sea and visit your world. She also hopes you’ll take me as your student.”
“Look, I even brought something useful. Let’s hurry and escape before Father notices and stops me!”
The little merfolk pulled out a shell and gave it a shake—etched all over with dense space magic runes. It was clearly the same kind of spatial shell Croyer had once received.
And with this many runes...
He didn’t even want to imagine how large the internal space might be or how much it could hold. His thoughts had already gone numb as the little merfolk tugged him away and they “escaped” together.
The boy led him through the sea to the very place where the merfolk had recently given birth.
By now, the mermaids had fully recovered.
When they saw Croyer arrive, they immediately surrounded him with their children.
Their hospitality was overwhelming.
They even brought out their most prized treasures as gifts—pearl-sized orbs, crystalline shells, Moonlight Corals...
Surrounded by so many warm, scantily clad mermaids, Croyer still managed to keep his composure.
He brought out the jewelry he had crafted earlier and began exchanging gifts with them. These elegant, classically styled jewels instantly sent the mermaids into a frenzy.
In just a few minutes, all 300 pieces of jewelry were gone—snatched up by the forty-some mermaids, who didn’t even spare the clearly masculine designs.
During it all, the merfolk children helped him maintain order, guided by the prince himself, sorting and organizing the goods.
They didn’t seem like newborns at all.
In the end, the mermaids gained their beautiful jewels, and Croyer walked away with rare materials from the sea’s depths.
It was a win-win for everyone.
But just as he was sorting through his gains, a stalk of Sentient Grass suddenly sprouted at his feet, as if springing from nowhere.
It swayed its tail-like blossom, signaling for Croyer to look into the distance. A voice, only he could hear, rang in his mind:
“Human friend, the boss says the Void God still has a bit of power left. You may make one more wish~”