Chapter 388 - 388: A Fight
"Whitewashing? That's an interesting term, but I have no intention of redeeming myself. I confess to all the crimes I've committed against humanity and calmly accept their crusade."
Mercphobia's voice was serene, carrying the heavy, melancholic weight of centuries. He stood against the coastal breeze, his gaze fixed on the endless horizon of the ocean rather than the young mage standing beside him.
"I am simply living according to my current will. If you wish to lead a crusade against me, please don't harbor any psychological burden," Mercphobia continued, turning his calm eyes back to Ren. He spoke with the quiet dignity of a being who had long since accepted his own execution.
"Even if you say that..." Ren sighed, scratching the back of his head in mild exasperation. He still felt this entire situation was incredibly troublesome.
Dealing with pure evil was easy; you just punched it until it stopped moving. But dealing with an overpowered, guilt-ridden deity who actively wanted to be put down required a much more delicate touch.
Breaking the brief silence, Mercphobia gestured toward the coastline. "You've seen the city of Elmina, haven't you?"
Ren was stunned for a moment, blinking in confusion. He had no idea what the God Dragon meant by suddenly shifting the topic to local architecture.
"That abnormal phenomenon where the entire city sinks beneath the high tide occurs entirely because of my power," Mercphobia explained, his tone laced with deep regret. "I can no longer properly control my magic. The fish swimming through those submerged streets were originally humans. I had to cast a spell to transform them into marine life just so they could adapt and survive underwater."
"Does it really matter?" Ren replied casually, crossing his arms. "This city is quite unique just the way it is, isn't it? If the local government developed and promoted it properly, this place could easily become a massive tourist attraction."
Ren genuinely thought the underwater city was a fascinating concept. If this were his previous life on Earth, a fully functional, breathable submerged town would instantly become a viral sensation and a tremendously popular holy land for influencers.
Ren's blatantly capitalist perspective made Mercphobia falter. The Water God Dragon stared at the young man, his majestic mind briefly short-circuiting as he tried to process the sheer audacity of the statement.
Logically, stripping humans of their natural forms and sinking their homes was a horrific disaster. Yet, coming from Ren's mouth, the tragedy casually took on the flavor of a lucrative real estate opportunity.
"This... how can this possibly be a good thing?" Mercphobia asked, his usual calm completely broken. "The flooding of the city is undoubtedly a catastrophe. They were forced to become fish, deprived of their inherent freedom to live as humans."
Mercphobia clenched his fists, the surrounding seawater bubbling slightly in response to his emotional turmoil. "Even worse, their consciousness has grown blurred over time. They have forgotten they are human and truly believe they are fish, all because of my failing restraint."
"So that's what you're so concerned about!" Ren clapped his hands together as if the answer were obvious. "Then the solution is incredibly simple. Either they pack up and leave the coast, or you relocate to an uninhabited ocean. Once you separate, the problem is solved."
Ren truly didn't understand why this guy was so distressed. If a localized magical leak was the issue, spatial distance was the easiest and most practical fix.
Mercphobia shook his head, a bitter smile crossing his face. "It's useless. That would only be a short-term solution—treating the symptoms rather than the underlying disease."
He looked down at his own hands, watching the faint, uncontrollable ripples of blue magical energy dance across his skin. "I am increasingly unable to control my vast power. Perhaps one day, my sanity will slip entirely, and I will revert into an unpardonable, mindless evil dragon."
Mercphobia met Ren's gaze with absolute seriousness. "That is exactly why I have remained here, waiting for someone who can kill me to finally arrive."
"Are you just tired of living?" Ren curled his lip, looking at the God Dragon as if he were a spoiled child. This guy was truly being extravagant with his existence.
Dragons were the absolute darlings of this world's magical ecosystem, naturally possessing incredibly long, robust lives. An old monster like the Water God Dragon, who had lived for over 400 years, was technically still in the prime of his youth by draconian standards.
For context, a middle-aged veteran like the Fire Dragon King Igneel was well over a thousand years old. The longevity that human emperors and dark mages desperately craved and killed for was merely a basic, standard lifespan for these magnificent beasts.
"Yes!" Mercphobia admitted without a hint of hesitation. "Having lived with this immense guilt for 400 years, I am quite tired of living."
"Then why not just let those three loudmouths from earlier kill you?" Ren asked, genuinely curious. "They seemed more than eager to do the job."
"Though I am waiting for someone to end my life, I am absolutely not waiting for greedy scavengers like those three," Mercphobia scoffed, his eyes flashing with a sudden draconic pride. "They solely crave the blood and flesh of dragons to fuel their own strength. They are Dragon Eaters."
"Dragon Eaters?" Ren murmured, his brow furrowing as he searched his memories.
He felt a vague flicker of recognition at the term, but the specifics eluded him. He didn't remember the Hundred Year Quest arc very clearly. Back in his previous life, when the sequel manga was releasing, he had only skimmed through the chapters and never bothered to analyze the lore closely.
"Just as their grotesque name implies, those humans are deviants who devour dragons," Mercphobia explained, his disgust palpable. "They rely on consuming the bodies, blood, and magic of our kind to artificially obtain the power of a Dragon Slayer."
Mercphobia crossed his arms, the air around him growing heavy with an overwhelming, crushing pressure. "I just didn't expect their target to be me this time. No matter how little I care for my own life, I absolutely refuse to be eaten as a meal."
The Water God Dragon exuded a faint yet terrifying majesty as he spoke. He was a deity of the seas, a creature of myth. He might be waiting for the sweet release of death, but that didn't mean he was willing to die at the hands of arrogant small fry.
He was waiting for a warrior who could strike him down with true, undeniable strength—not a group of inferior, parasitic imitations looking for a quick power-up.
"Troublesome! Incredibly troublesome!" Ren groaned, rubbing his temples to stave off an incoming headache.
"I'm merely telling you the truth," Mercphobia smiled, the terrifying draconic pressure instantly vanishing like a mirage. "After all, no human has ever been able to defeat me in combat yet."
Mercphobia didn't actually think a human mage like Ren could defeat him. He simply felt at ease conversing with the young man. It had been decades since he had enjoyed a casual chat with an outsider who didn't immediately cower in fear or attack him on sight.
"Hmm... although this entire situation is a bit of a hassle, a quest is a quest. The Hundred Year Quest still needs to be completed," Ren said, his eyes narrowing as an idea formed in his mind.
"How about this: the two of us will have a duel right now. If I lose, I'll turn around, leave Elmina, and officially give up on the Hundred Year Quest."
Ren pointed a thumb at his own chest, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "But if I win, I will seal you. After all, the original mandate of this Hundred Year Quest wasn't necessarily to slaughter the Five God Dragons, but to subdue and seal them. Coincidentally, I happen to be exceptionally skilled in Sealing Techniques."
Ren thought about it, and this seemed to be the most humane and suitable plan. In the ninja world, the absolute peak of power wasn't destructive ocular prowess or flashy elemental ninjutsu; it was the esoteric art of Sealing Techniques.
[Akarin's Note: In the Naruto universe, Fūinjutsu (Sealing Techniques) are a highly versatile and powerful branch of jutsu. They are capable of containing impossibly massive entities that cannot be conventionally killed, such as the Tailed Beasts or the progenitor of chakra herself, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who was sealed using the planetary-scale Six Paths — Chibaku Tensei.]
For example, a god-like being such as Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was completely immortal and functionally impossible to kill through conventional physical damage. But by utilizing a supreme Sealing Technique, she could be permanently contained and neutralized without shedding a single drop of blood.
Mercphobia became visibly interested upon hearing this proposal. He was incredibly curious about the confident human standing before him.
Rumors claimed this young man had actually fought the Black Dragon Acnologia and survived. If he had managed to face the Apocalypse and escape its terrifying jaws, the boy must possess some truly extraordinary, world-shaking skill.
Furthermore, Mercphobia was deeply curious about Acnologia's current status. He wanted to test this mage to gauge exactly how strong the Black Dragon's power had become in the modern era. After all, Acnologia was the nightmare that had forced the God Dragons to flee in terror, abandoning Ishgar to hide on the Guiltina Continent.
"Very well!" Mercphobia nodded firmly, a spark of genuine battle intent finally igniting in his eyes. He agreed to the terms of the duel.
"Then let's have a fight out there on the open sea, where we can truly let loose!" Ren declared, his magical energy instantly flaring to life.
A blinding, ethereal light engulfed Ren's body as the atmospheric Ethernano aggressively rushed toward him. The fundamental nature of his energy began to rapidly shift and mutate.
"Full Body Take Over: Minato Namikaze!"
Ren seamlessly utilized his unique Take Over Magic, his physical features quickly transforming. His hair shifted into spiky, vibrant blond locks, and a pristine white haori adorned with red flame motifs materialized over his shoulders. To deal with the overwhelming might of a Water God Dragon, he had to at least bring out a character of the Fourth Hokage's legendary caliber.
"Eh? What kind of strange magic is this?" Mercphobia tilted his head, visibly curious as he watched Ren transform into an entirely different person.
Transformation Magic was an incredibly simple, elementary spell taught to beginners, but it offered absolutely zero combat power. It was merely a cosmetic illusion.
"This is my personal Take Over Magic," Ren explained smoothly, adjusting the collar of his Hokage cloak. "I can pull the souls of different legendary characters into myself, fully utilizing their unique physical abilities and powers."
"I see. Fascinating," Mercphobia murmured, his respect for the young mage growing.
Without another word, Ren tapped his toes lightly against the wooden boards of the lookout tower. With a powerful burst of kinetic energy, he launched himself high into the air, plummeting directly toward the turbulent ocean below.
Mercphobia couldn't help but be stunned. He stepped forward, leaning over the railing, genuinely confused as to what Ren was trying to accomplish by throwing himself into the sea before the fight had even begun.
Immediately after, the God Dragon's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. He watched as Ren plummeted toward the rolling waves. The pathetic splash he had originally expected—where Ren would sink into the dark waters—never occurred.
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