It Opened, So It Opened

Within the blood mist, the hidden merfolk moved with astonishing speed. Their bizarre half-human, half-serpent bodies darted through the air as they swooped down, easily evading the pursuit of the close-defense cannons. They pounced through the firing blind spots between the warships and boarded them.

Their skin seemed covered in thick stone shells; even close-range machine-gun fire was deflected off their bodies. Their four or six arms gripped blades like solidified flowing water, wreaking havoc without restraint. Some gigantic individuals could even tear apart a warship's armor plating completely. Others were entwined with lightning and currents. When they shrieked, they effortlessly turned entire ship's cabins into slaughterhouses. Beneath the whirling assault of countless high-speed water blades, who knew how many sailors in the narrow corridors were caught off guard and sliced into pieces.

But the offensive soon came to an abrupt halt.

As the casualties mounted, Blood Flame surged forth, coiling around the members of the Horde of Chosen Ones aboard every warship. The ones Penalosa had brought to Devour City were all his personal guards and private troops, likewise a Horde affiliated with the Legion.

They suddenly erupted into action and began the hunt. Just as the merfolk tried to widen the distance, a cold snort came from the void, exploding from within every soul like thunder.

All beasts went black before their eyes. Even the mist that carried them as they moved seemed to lose its buoyancy and rapidly dispersed.

When they turned to face the Horde of Chosen Ones, united as three bodies with one heart, what awaited them was a brutal ravaging and slaughter.

Penalosa's cold snort unleashed a savage shockwave from within the Blood Flame, suppressing not only the merfolk present, but also the mist that now filled the sea and sky. Under that indifferent