Ferocious Orca

"Orca?" Vio called out, his tone laced with worry.

Unable to see clearly what was happening in the midst of the battle, Vio quickly opened Orca's status panel. His eyes fixed on the numbers that kept changing. Orca's current HP was recorded at 7200 but was decreasing by 60 points with each attack from the Fish Zombie - Elite.

"How is it? Is he okay?" Viola asked anxiously from beside him.

"Yeah, he should be fine," Vio replied, though the doubt on his face was obvious.

He turned his gaze back to the altar, where the battle raged on. The murk and darkness in the water began to clear, allowing them to see the situation more clearly.

At the center of the altar, Orca moved with cunning. Every time it attacked with (Skill 1: Hydrodynamic Spear), it immediately followed up with a deadly tail strike before darting several meters away. The strategy worked; each of its attacks managed to take out three Fish Zombie - Elite at once.

However, the Fish Zombie - Elite were not without retaliation. With more than 20 of them, they struck back every time Orca entered their 20-meter attack range. Water cannonballs shot rapidly toward Orca, leaving no room to dodge. Fortunately, Orca's high HP was enough to withstand it all, ensuring the attacks didn't cause severe damage.

"So strong..." Viola muttered, her eyes wide with amazement. She kept watching the battle, her mouth slightly agape.

"Vio, how much HP does your Orca have?" she asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

Hearing this, Vio turned to her with an unusually serious expression.

"Remember, don't tell anyone, got it?" he said, his tone firm and full of caution.

Viola nodded quickly, her curiosity only growing. "Fine, but... what rank is your Orca?" she pressed eagerly, her eyes shining with undisguised fascination.

With a small sigh, Vio finally answered, "Orca is an Epic-tier beast, with a total HP of 3200." His serious expression didn't waver, as if ensuring Viola wouldn't doubt his words.

"Hahaha, I knew it!" Viola chuckled, a proud smile spreading across her face. The smug tone in her voice was unmistakable. "There's no way it's just Elite."

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone," Vio added, his tone returning to seriousness.

"You also need to be careful with our information. Never share important details with people we don't know," Vio continued, offering advice to Viola. Since they were part of an alliance, he didn't want internal information to be leaked to outsiders.

Viola fell silent for a moment. She recalled how Vio had firmly refused to share Orca's tier with her earlier. As she pondered everything, she slowly realized that Vio was actually in the right. After thinking for a while, Viola finally nodded in agreement.

"Understood, Chief," Viola said with a serious expression, resembling a loyal presidential assistant. Her demeanor shifted 180 degrees.

"What's with you?" Vio asked, his expression puzzled and slightly annoyed. He stared at Viola, struggling to believe how the girl he admired could suddenly act so stiff.

Viola couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Hahahaha... what kind of expression is that?" She laughed freely, amused by Vio's overly obvious surprise.

Vio merely snorted and looked away, choosing not to respond to Viola's joke. To him, this was a new side of her he hadn't seen before. Usually, Viola always appeared flawless in class, like an untouchable goddess. Now, she seemed so relaxed and natural, far from the formal image she often displayed in public.

[ (Orca) received 63 damage from (Fish Zombie - Elite) ]

[ (Orca) received 67 damage from (Fish Zombie - Elite) ]

...

[ Orca successfully killed (Fish Zombie - Elite) ]

[ Orca successfully killed (Fish Zombie - Elite) ]

...

Seeing the notifications pop up on the panel again, Vio refocused on the battle at the altar.

"Is it done?"

They both spoke simultaneously, startled to see Orca swimming closer. With confident movements, its tail swished as if beckoning Vio to praise its success in defeating all the enemies.

"Good job. You're really strong," Vio said as he patted Orca's body.

Running his palm along Orca's smooth skin, he murmured, "You almost got hurt." He noticed some scratches on Orca's body, though none were too severe.

"Kikkkki..."

Orca emitted a soft whistling sound, as if understanding and agreeing with Vio's words.

"Haha, you even understand me. Amazing," Vio said with a light chuckle, his affection for Orca growing even more.

When Vio and Viola turned their gazes to the altar, the sight of piled-up fish monster corpses was clearly visible beneath it. The sharp stench of fishy blood filled the air, blending with the silence that followed the fierce battle.

"Is it over?" Viola asked nervously, her eyes fixed on the five glowing pillars still standing atop the altar. She hesitated to take another step forward.

"Hold on, don't rush," Vio said casually, though the look in his eyes showed he was also considering something.

"Rush? Did you forget we're still in the (Water Zone)?" Viola retorted, reminding him.

Vio froze for a moment, his eyes widening as realization hit him. "Damn, 1 minute and 12 seconds left," he muttered with a serious face. Earlier, he had been too focused on Orca's battle to remember the five-minute time limit they'd been given.

"Let's wait a bit longer. If the time isn't enough, we'll head back to the surface first," Vio said, his tone worried as he quickly devised a plan.

Viola eyed the altar with suspicion. "I have a bad feeling all those fish monsters will revive if we leave this place," she said softly but seriously.

"Yeah, I feel the same way," Vio admitted, nodding as a troubled look crossed his face. So far, they hadn't found anything they could consider a reward.

"Viola, how about you head to the surface first? We can take turns when my time's up," Vio suggested, looking at her thoughtfully.

"But..."

Viola hesitated, glancing at her wolf's status, which had already decreased by 30%. Her confidence wavered, knowing she wouldn't last long if another battle erupted.

"What's wrong? Orca will stay here," Vio said, noticing the doubt written on Viola's face.

"Is that even possible?" Viola asked, her voice filled with surprise. She hadn't expected a beast to remain in place even if its owner moved far away.

"Yes, it should still be within the safe range," Vio replied confidently, reassuring her that everything would be fine.

"Alright, I'll head to the surface first," Viola said. Without wasting any time, she started swimming upward to reset the five-minute limit, hoping to return before the situation grew more complicated.