How To Tame A Mermaid

''...''

For a few moments Jax stayed silent. His eyes sank deep in the sea of worries and dread, and his grim expression only grew darker like a storm cloud gathering in the horizon.

King's words rang with an upsetting logic, and Jax couldn't discern even a hint of deception. It was likely that the Royal Knights — or whatever their true designation was — were now racing towards this very location, intent to rescue their precious princess from the clutches of the mysterious assailant.

The unspoken consequences hung in the air, a grim reality that King didn't need to voice out. As the one who hurt the royal mermaid blood, their fate was all but sealed. Capture would only mean execution, a grim retribution for their daring transgression.

"Damn it, what now?" Jax growled, his mind racing with desperate calculations. His heart thundered in his chest, its frantic beat echoing the rising tide of anxiety that threatened to consume him.

Absorbing the mermaid's soul would grant him access to only one of her abilities, a paltry reward considering its true value. Moreover, upgrading that skill would be a near-impossible feat, as it would require him to find and absorb the souls of other mermaids with similar abilities.

Making her a pet, on the other hand, would grant him a formidable companion, one capable of rivaling King's prowess in hand-to-hand combat. In fact, the mermaid's skills might even allow her to gain the upper hand against King. Her defeat at King's hands was likely due to her lack of cunning, for with a sharper mind, she might have outmaneuvered him.

Furthermore, King's assurance that he could strengthen her only solidified Jax's conviction.

No matter how he weighed his options, one thing was clear. Making the mermaid his pet was undoubtedly the wisest choice.

But how would he do it?

Jax's eyes locked onto King, his gaze burning with inquiry.

''How do I make her my familiar?'' he asked, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

King's faint smile hinted that he had expected Jax's decision. He nodded thoughtfully, his expression devoid of criticism for the young man's choice.

''There are three traditional methods used by humans to bind elementals as their familiars or pets,'' King began, his tone measured and instructive.

''The first method involves forming a contract,'' King explained. ''This requires communicating with the elemental and negotiating a spiritual agreement, where both parties are considered equal. The terms of the contract would be mutually beneficial, with both sides agreeing to cooperate and provide benefits to each other. However, given our current circumstances, I highly doubt you'll be able to persuade her to agree to such a contract.''

''The second method involves absorbing their blood essence,'' King continued. ''This entails forcibly subduing the elemental and extracting their blood essence. If successful, you would gain complete dominance over the elemental. However, this approach comes with significant risks. The elemental may perish during the process, and there's a disturbingly high likelihood that they might even will themselves to death. As a result, this option is rarely pursued.''

''Then the third one is...'' For an unknown reason, King's voice faltered, and he hesitated before continuing.

That made Jax tilt his head to the side. A question mark appeared over his head as he couldn't help but ask, ''What's wrong? Why'd you stop?''

''N-no, nothing's wrong,'' he stammered. King's response was laced with a hint of unease. ''It's just that the third option is... rather unconventional, to say the least. Some might even call it perverted.''

Three question marks appeared floating over Jax's head. But a moment later, his face suddenly flushed a deep crimson as his mind began to wander.

''P-perverted?'' He stuttered, his eyes widening in surprise. But as his imagination started to run wild, he abruptly slapped his cheeks, as if to shock himself back to reality and dispel the unwanted thoughts.

''Tch, it seems like you've got the idea.'' King sighed in response as he continued, his tone straightforward, ''Yes, that's correct. The third option involves... intimate relations. By planting your seed within her, you'll establish a bond that will render her your loyal servant, bound to obey your every command.''

Jax's words caught in his throat, leaving him momentarily speechless. His mind reeled in shock and disgust.

''T-that's...'' He stuttered, struggling to find the right words. The method King had described was tantamount to enslavement through coercion and exploitation, reducing another being to a mere sex slave. The sheer audacity and depravity of it left Jax aghast.

King's expression turned mischievous, a sly grin spreading across his face.

''Oho, it seems like you're interested in the third method,'' He said, his tone dripping with amusement. ''Alright, I'll strip her clean for you.''

''WHAT?! I NEVER SAID THAT!!'' Jax's face turned bloody red as he thundered. He felt an inexplicable surge of heat in his cheeks, his outrage and disgust at King's suggestion clear on his face. How could King even propose something so reprehensible?!

He wasn't like that kind of person!

Meanwhile...

''These depraved bastards... I refuse to be their familiar... Someone, please... save me...'' Nerissa's voice trembled with desperation as she whispered to herself. Her weakened state made every word a struggle, but her fear and revulsion gave her the strength to plead for rescue. Having overheard the disturbing conversation between Jax and King, Nerissa's skin crawled with dread at the prospect of what might happen to her.

As expected of humans. Nerissa's thoughts turned bitter. Typical humans — wicked to the core. No good would ever come from associating with them.

Nerissa yearned to flee, to run as far away from that place as possible. But reality anchored her, a harsh reminder that escape was nothing more than a fleeting fantasy. It was a luxury she couldn't afford in her current state.

Unless someone really went there to help her.

With that in mind, Nerissa summoned her last reserves of strength. She took a deep breath for about seven seconds, gathering every ounce of energy she had left. Then, with a sudden burst, she released a blood-curdling scream through her gills and mouth, shattering the air with a piercing, ear-splitting cry.

The high-pitched shriek echoed far and wide, sending a chill of foreboding through the air. Jax and King were taken by surprise, with Jax instinctively covering his ears to block out the piercing sound. King, however, merely raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable as he turned to regard the source of the commotion.

As abruptly as it began, the mermaid's ear-piercing scream ceased. Her final desperate bid for help exhausted. Moments later, her fragile form went limp, her strength spent, and she slipped into unconsciousness.

Jax scowled, still reeling from the sudden, earsplitting shriek.

''What the heck was that?'' He exclaimed. Turning to face the mermaid, he was taken aback to find her lying limp and unconscious. "And why did she just scream her head off?"

''Tch, I should have been more careful.'' King clicked his tongue as if he already anticipated the mermaid's outburst. He diverted his gaze to Jax and snorted coldly to urge him, ''Enough stalling, Jax. Make your decision now. The mermaid's scream will have alerted her kin. We don't have much time.''

''What?! Then that scream earlier was a call for help to alert her people that she's here?'' Jax's eyes widened in alarm as understanding dawned. His gaze darted nervously around their surroundings, a growing sense of unease settling in. ''Which means we're probably walking into a whole lot of trouble.''

''So, go now quickly and plant your seed into her. Since you're so young, you should be finished within 30 seconds, right?'' King's tone remained deadpan as he urged Jax on. Then his expression turned grave as he added, ''Don't linger. Use the teleportation scroll as soon as you're done. We can't afford to stay in this forbidden land any longer.''

''What?! But I can't do something so perverted.'' Jax flustered in response, his face turned beet red with disgust and indignation. ''And what the hell do you mean by 30 seconds? Are you underestimating me?!''

"Ah, no, that's not the point here!'' Jax shook his head vehemently, ''I will never stoop so low to do something immoral. Right, the contract, let's just make a contract with her!''

''She's unconscious, and even if she were awake, do you honestly think she'd agree to a contract after everything she's been through?'' He gazed at Jax in disdain, his eyes seeming to say, ''Really, are you that naive?''

''Fine, then let's use the second method. How do I absorb her blood essence? Tell me, quickly!'' Jax's impatience grew.

But King's voice dropped to a chilly tone. ''High-ranking elementals possess immense pride and dignity. If you try to absorb her blood essence, she'll likely choose to die rather than submit. It would be simpler to just absorb her soul and end her life.''

''Damn! Is there really no other way???'' Jax's frustration boiled over, and he bit down on his lip. His gaze locked onto King's, his eyes burning with intensity. Suddenly, a spark of determination ignited within him. ''I know you're holding something back! These are just the traditional methods. I want to know the unconventional way – tell me!''

Swoosh!

Boom!

Just as Jax's words hung in the air, a sudden, thunderous crash shook the ground. A dark shape plummeted from above, slamming into the earth mere meters away. The impact was immense, sending shockwaves through the air. Jax and King's heads jerked toward the blast, their eyes locking onto the cratered impact site.

''Now, what is this?'' Jax's voice was low and menacing as he growled. His eyes narrowed, every nerve on high alert, bracing for the potential danger that was looming on the horizon.

As the dust settled, a hazy silhouette emerged from the cloud of debris. Jax's eyes strained to pierce the veil of dust and his gaze fixed intently on the figure. His caution turned to wariness, and his mind racing with possibilities.

At that moment, a sense of foreboding settled in, like a shroud of inevitability. The ominous arrival of the mysterious figure seemed to confirm Jax's worst fears. His instincts screamed that it was already too late to flee, now that their fate was sealed.