Divine Emperor of Death

Simultaneously, as if understanding Davis's thoughts, Nadia gave up on the flying boat and covered them and herself in her dark elemental energy as they made their way to the island while flying under the barrage of lightning.

*Bzzzz!~*

*Boom!~~~*

The moment they all came out, the Peak-Level King Grade Flying Boat was blasted out of existence by the seemingly enraged lightning bolts after the barrier had disappeared.

The sections of the flying boat fell into the sea without any inconsistencies. There seemed to be no magical sea-beasts on the surface of the vast sea, but only carcasses that seemed to have failed to escape deep into the sea. The carcasses all looked charred, wafting off a burned scent than a fragrant one.

Davis held Sophie Alstreim closer while Nadia held both of them and flew towards the island, all of them being covered by a dark barrier. It appeared to be two-layered protection. Davis covered both himself and Sophie with his martial energy, while Nadia covered all of them, including herself, with a deep black hue of dark energy. 

*Bzzzz!~*

*Bzzzz!~*

*Bzzzz!~*

The rampaging lightning bolts that fell on them weren't even able to penetrate the outer layer as Nadia transported Davis while they made their way to the island at the visible distance!

Davis and Sophie Alstreim's vision was cut off the moment Nadia's dark energy surrounded them. He relaxed, knowing that Nadia could safely take them away to the nearby island, but he still held Sophie Alstreim's wrist. Otherwise, she would fall.

"Endure for a while, Sophie."

"... Yes..." Sophie Alstreim's voice sounded rather monotonous.

He relaxed, but it wasn't the same for her.

Back in the flying boat, the sense of danger had crept up to her, but the moment her wrist was grabbed by Alchemist Davis and dragged into the sea of lightning by him, she thought it was all over, but never did she think she was safely floating above the sea, nor did she think that they were making their way towards a nearby island.

Outside, the last thing that entered her ear was the enormous rumbling and blasts of thunder and lightning. Her mind was wavering, knowing that she might die at any moment when she abruptly took the chance!

"Just a little more... " 

Davis had just turned to look at Sophie Alstreim when he felt a soft peck on his lips! 

"!!!"

The sound of lips smacking echoed before Sophie Alstreim moved her head back; a contentful expression appeared on her face, additionally plastered with a peaceful smile.

With this, even if she was thrown away as a burden, she felt that she could die a satisfying death. At this moment, it was as if these were undoubtedly her thoughts.

She closed her eyes, anticipating whatever may await her. Her hand was let go off, and she knew she was abandoned. The feeling of falling encroached her mind before it suddenly disappeared.

'Mhm? I already died? Heh... The lightning bolt that struck me should be so powerful that I wasn't even able to feel it...'

However, her feet felt something, making her think about why she was still conscious. It was as if she was standing on solid ground, being able to think clearly.

Was death supposed to be like this?

The sound of lightning and thunder could still be heard, making her confused. Perhaps, her soul became one with the lightning, hearing these all before the verge of dissipating?

Her brows quivered before she slowly opened her eyes, her pupils abruptly dilating into two thin needles.

The dark energy around them receded, making her aware that she was now standing on a sandy beach. In front of her was Davis, looking at her with wide eyes.

However, she absentmindedly looked towards the left as if avoiding his gaze.

In the distance, the sea of lightning constantly blasted the sea's surface, even making it boil, releasing steam in the process. The lightning sea cast a huge shadow over the sea, innumerable carcasses floating over it.

When she looked towards the right, they were sealed off by a black mountain range.

She swiveled her head above and saw that the dark clouds rumbled, stirring the sound of thunder and lightning!

Her expression changed, and her body went stiff, feeling herself become warmer by the second. A deep blush emerged on her face, her cheeks, her ears, and her neck, causing her to instantly turn around with her eyes closed. Her body began to tremble with confusion, excitement, anxiety, trepidation, dread, and shock!

Not only was she still alive, but she was safe without harm! This situation was completely unbelievable to her! They had successfully made it out!

Nadia's speed was extremely fast that she practically appeared ten seconds later on the island after jumping from the flying boat while carrying them. It was as if they were traveling in a flying boat, not feeling the resistance.

However, in those ten seconds, Sophie Alstreim made her decision and kissed him, misunderstanding that she would die in a few moments. She felt that there was no way to escape that sea of lightning, but here she was, standing on a sandy beach as if the entire episode was just a dream.

'AH!! What did I do!? What did I do!? What did I do!!!?'

She crouched and hid her face in her thighs, not able to handle this embarrassment or the reality of the situation she had placed herself in. The sensation of his lips still lingered on her lips, a feeling she felt that she would never be able to forget that.

"Eh?"

Sophie Alstreim felt her robe's collar be grabbed by a warm hand. She was suddenly pulled back, making her think that she was going to be thrown into the sea for overstepping her bounds. However, when she opened her eyes, rows of sharp teeth appeared in her view, causing her scalp to tingle as she let out a muffled scream!

"Eeeeee!!!"

A huge orifice shut down on her, almost ripping apart her legs into two.

She was dragged back a kilometer before her butt landed on the sandy beach. She turned to look at the person holding her and saw that he saved her life.

"Be careful. It seemed to have suddenly emerged from the ground without any warning."

Davis looked at the head of a magical beast a kilometer away in front of him with a severe glint in his eyes. 

It appeared to be a thirty-meter tall tortoise, its body emerging from the sand underground. The shell was particularly striking, appearing to be dyed black, similar to the black mountain range towards their right. It burrowed out as the sand above its shell fell on the surface. Its long-neck was stretched to ten meters, but it slowly retracted its head back as if returning back to its shell. 

It stomped its four limbs on the sand, and its ten-meter long-tail burrowed out before it flailed and smashed the sand, invoking a sandstorm that lasted for about a few seconds.

Davis smiled as he witnessed its destructive power. He could only say, "As expected of a King Beast Stage Magical Beast!"

Nadia, who was closer to it, was just about to attack, hostility visible in her eyes when another voice echoed.

"You have no business here, you magical beast with a human form..." The old voice of a woman echoed. 

It caused Nadia to come to a stop for a brief moment of skepticism before she continued onwards.

"Nadia, stop!" Davis echoed.

Only then did Nadia's movement ceased, her head turning to look towards her master without a care for the Low-Level King Beast Stage Magical Beast that was behind her.

The thirty-meter tall black tortoise also seemed to be wary of Nadia, not willing to attack for some reason. However, it didn't seem to be afraid either.

"Let it be... I couldn't have asked for a better opponent to test my might..." Davis smiled as he walked forwards, his steps forming a trail on the sandy surface.

Excitement coursed through his body as he began to hover, slowly making his way to that thirty-meter tall black tortoise. However, his gaze fell on the even more enormous tortoise that stood on the black mountains; only its grey head and two blue eyes were visible.

The other parts had seemingly blent in with the pitch-black mountain. However, Davis mused that it was around thirty-five-meters tall.

It was a Peak-Level King Beast Stage Magical Beast! Alarm bells rang in his mind, but since the monstrous tortoise seemed to be cocky enough in front of him, he didn't mind sacrificing just a bit of his soul essence to take it down. Nevertheless, with Nadia here, he had nothing to fear.

Moreover, there were a lot of trump cards in his sleeves.

In any case, since the monstrous tortoise was spectating, he didn't mind battling its heir apparent, the tortoise in front of him that appeared to be an important descendant.

"I understand..." Nadia disappeared from where she stood and appeared beside Sophie Alstreim in an instant.

Sophie Alstreim instantly stood up, no longer looking to be out of it. She had returned to her battle posture, taking a Glaive out of her spatial ring, but no matter how she saw it, she was utterly useless in this battle.

She wasn't looking at Davis's opponent but the few other Lord Beast Stage Magical Beasts that surrounded her.

Nadia didn't bother about Sophie Alstreim, nor did she care about the newcomers but cast a look at the Peak-Level King Beast Stage Magical Beast, her eyes flashing with the intent to battle.

"Hmph!" That monstrous tortoise simply snorted, her nostrils flaring up while releasing a massive white cloud of steam.

Nadia narrowed her eyes, and the bunch of Lord Beast Stage around her became encased in darkness. They could only watch as they were encased. The next moment, the darkness disappeared, leaving behind a trail of corroded patches of flesh around their body and black shell. Moreover, their foreheads had holes, seemingly having each of their crystal cores destroyed by the strands of dark energy that simultaneously came out and dissipated.

"You dare!?" The monstrous tortoise's undulations flared like a tsunami as it bellowed, causing Nadia to release her terrific fluctuations in return. Even though their levels were wide apart, Nadia's undulations didn't even seem to bend a little when they clashed!

The monstrous tortoise became taken aback!

What was this magical beast? Despite being a Mid-Level King Beast Stage Magical Beast, she can match her prowess!?

Her large blue eyes narrowed in shock, "A King-Tier Magical Beast!?"