Chapter 5: Welcome to Seiran

After taking a moment to soak in the breathtaking view, Zeke unfurls his trident with a flourish. "Alright, folks, now that our newest member has beheld the wonders of Seiran, it's time to kick off the diving process."

Rei's brow furrows in confusion. "What does he mean by that...?" His confusion quickly turns to terror as he notices the mischievous glint in Zeke's eyes.

"Zeke, quickly, give Rei a warding sigil!" Mari's urgency cuts through the air as the boat starts to list dangerously.

With a nonchalant shrug, Zeke replies, "Sorry, fresh out of sigils." A smirk plays on his lips as he taps his trident against the boat's hull, causing it to lurch downward even faster.

"You mother-"

Kris swiftly improvises a breathing device for Rei, but despite their efforts, he's already soaked through. With a sigh, Rei resigns himself to his drenched state as they prepare to anchor the boat.

Once Zeke secures the boat, he and Mari undergo a transformation, their gills becoming more prominent and their human legs morphing into sleek aquatic tails. Mari's tail shimmers with a beautiful teal hue, while Zeke's, in stark contrast, bears scars and even a missing portion, its once vibrant blue now dulled.

Rei's curiosity piqued, he asks, "Wait, they're Sirens?"

"Well, Rei, the correct term is Seirian," Mari gently corrects him.

"Ah, got it."

"Let's keep moving, everyone. The sooner we reach the checkpoint, the sooner Rei can meet everyone," Kris urges, her tone firm.

"The sooner I can collapse into my bed," Zeke interjects with a wry grin.

The group proceeds to the checkpoint which seems to be a gateway made of water, where two armored Seirian guards stand sentinel, wielding spears reminiscent of Zeke's trident. Their armor is adorned with depictions of sea beasts, adding to their imposing presence.

Zeke gracefully approaches one of the guards. "Gentlemen."

The guards bow respectfully, allowing Zeke to pass. However, they halt Rei in his tracks.

"Halt! Present your identification, boy," one of the guards demands, blocking Rei's path with a stern grip on his spear.

Rei is taken aback by the unexpected request, his confusion evident. Suddenly, realization dawns on Kris. "Oh, right. How could I forget? Of course, he'd need an ID."

Kris pauses, mulling over the situation for a moment before turning to Zeke with a pleading look. "Zeke," she begins, her tone earnest.

"What?" Zeke responds, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Please, just this once, cover for him. I completely forgot he'd need an ID to pass the checkpoint," Kris admits, her expression conveying genuine regret.

Zeke hesitates, weighing his options. "Why should I use my military rank to help someone I don't even know..." he starts to protest, but one glance at Kris's determined expression tells him it's not worth the argument. Reluctantly, he relents. "Fine."

Swimming over to the guards, Zeke pulls them into a huddle, whispering something urgently. "Are you sure, Lieutenant?" one of the guards questions skeptically.

"Yes, just send Shell to Izzy's later," Zeke asserts firmly.

"Understood, Lieutenant!" The guard turns to Rei, his demeanor softened. "Apologies for the inconvenience, lad. Enjoy your time in Seiran."

Rejoining the group, Rei is relieved as they approach the vortex's gateway. Stepping through, he feels a sudden shift, the sensation of being underwater dissipating. Fish swim gracefully around them, and Rei marvels at the sight of Seirians moving effortlessly through the air as if submerged in water.

"He's got the deer in the headlights look, Kris," Zeke remarks, noting Rei's bewildered expression.

Kris, Kisane, and Mari turned toward Rei and saw his eyes darting around like a hummingbird in a flower field as he was stunned by Seiran's beauty.

Mari whispered to Kris, "If he can't handle underwater I wonder how he'll deal with things above ground.

"Well let him savor this moment, Seiran is the most beautiful city in the world," Kris responds grabbing Rei's arm as they start walking toward their destination.

"Why exactly is he joining us, Kris?" Zeke inquires, eyeing Rei with a hint of skepticism. "He's acting like a lost child."

"You'll see, Zeke. And who knows, he might surprise you. He could be stronger than you think," Kris teases, a playful glint in her eye.

Zeke scoffs dismissively. "As if. Based on what I've seen so far, I'd crush him."

"Brother, don't forget about the time you got put in your place back when you joined the military," Mari interjects, but Zeke swiftly cuts her off, clearly unwilling to revisit that memory.

"Mari, let's not dwell on ancient history," Zeke grumbles, his tone bristling with irritation.

"Kris is right, Zeke," Kisane interjects, her tone carrying a note of seriousness. "He was actually quite helpful when we encountered that Titanpede, so I wouldn't underestimate him."

Zeke turns to Kisane, a smirk playing on his lips. "Darling, I can turn Titanpedes into a paste."

"Call me 'Darling' again and I'll introduce you to either Orochi's Venom or Anti-magic. Pick your poison," Kisane retorts, her eyes glowing with a warning intensity before she strides ahead.

Mari sighs, shaking her head. "When are you going to take a hint, brother? She's not interested in you."

For a moment, Zeke looks defeated, but then he regains his confidence, his smug demeanor returning as he notices some women swimming by. With a slick of his hair and a smirk, he approaches them. "Ladies~," he purrs.

The women blush and giggle at Zeke's approach, much to Mari's exasperation as she facepalms.

Kris effortlessly drags Rei along, her movements indicating little difficulty. "I'm going to catch up with Kisane. I trust you can rein in your brother."

"Yep!" Mari responds, waving her hand in a swirling motion. A vortex suddenly engulfs Zeke, pulling him away from the women he was flirting with. Now back on track, Mari pulls the vortex along behind her.

"Maaari! Stop, I'm going to puke!" Zeke's protests fall on deaf ears as Mari continues swimming, determined to maintain their course. Soon after, they meet up with Kris, Kisane, and Rei, ignoring the swirling vortex trailing behind them.

Kris taps Rei, snapping him out of his awe. "Hey, where are we now?"

"We're at The Six Suns Tavern one of the entrances to our base of operations," Kris explains, gesturing towards the building in front of them.

"Wait, the entrance? I thought this was the base," Rei says, puzzled.

"Well, this is the underwater entrance. We also have an above-ground entrance, but I'll explain that later," Kris clarifies.

Kris pushes open the door to the tavern, only to be met with an annoyed voice. "Oi, do you not know how to read? We're closed," the voice grumbles.

"It's us, Izzy. We're back," Kris announces cheerfully.

"How do I know it's really you, hmm?" Izzy challenges skeptically.

Kris sighs, a hint of annoyance creeping into her tone. Without missing a beat, she summons a golden sword adorned with the word 'password' engraved on its blade. With a swift motion, she launches it into the wall behind Izzy, the sound of glass shattering echoing through the room.

Rei was a bit startled by the sound while everyone else was indifferent to it like they were used to it. 

Izzy snapped his fingers, and the lanterns in the tavern burst into light, revealing his figure. He appeared to be a short beastman, resembling a cat, with sleek black hair, matching black eyes, and delicate black cat ears peeking out from his tousled locks. Despite his diminutive stature, there was an undeniable aura of authority about him that commanded attention. Rei couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence in his presence, despite Izzy's smaller size.

With an annoyed sigh, Izzy spoke up, his voice carrying a hint of frustration. "That was a four-thousand-bottle of Ragnarok Whiskey..." He plucked the sword from the wall effortlessly, watching as it dissolved into golden dust in his palm.

"I know. That's why I aimed for it," Kris replied nonchalantly.

"It's coming out of your tab," Izzy stated firmly.

"I know," Kris affirmed, unfazed by the consequences of her actions.

Meanwhile, Zeke finally ceased spinning, expressing his dismay. "But I liked that one..."

Izzy's gaze shifted to Rei immediately, his curiosity piqued. "Who's the new brat?"

"This is Rei," Kris explained, gesturing towards him. "Someone Vincent owned and decided to join after gaining freedom."

"So, I guess he's dead?" Izzy inquired.

"We'll discuss that later," Kris replied, her tone indicating that the matter was not up for immediate debate.

"Alright, alright. Then c'mon, Luke has been waiting for you to come back," Izzy explained, motioning for them to follow him.

With Izzy leading the way, everyone followed him to the back of the tavern, where a wine cellar awaited. Izzy began pressing valves in a specific order, his movements practiced and deliberate. As he did so, a magical circle materialized on the wall before them, its intricate patterns glowing softly. Moments later, the portal opened, beckoning them forward.

As all of them step into the portal, Rei hesitates at the threshold. Kris notices his hesitation and looks back at him with a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Rei. It's one hundred percent safe," she assures him, her voice calm and reassuring. "You might feel a little strange at first, but you'll get used to it."

With Kris's words of reassurance echoing in his mind, Rei takes a deep breath and steps forward, trusting in their guidance as he follows behind her into the unknown.