The mermaid curled into Aren's arms as if she belonged there.
Her fingers traced his jaw.Her voice dripped with sugar. 🍯Her eyes sparkled like twin moons. 🌙🌙
"Ahh… my brave warrior… you came back for me~"She stroked his cheek softly."You missed me, didn't you?"
Across both continents—
CHAOS.
Audience Reaction 📺🔥
Students:"IS THIS A ROMANCE ARC!?""WHY IS SHE SO SMOOTH!?""AREN LOOKS LIKE HE'S HOLDING A FIANCÉE—!!"
Teachers:"No potion on this planet is strong enough for this situation…"
Team Father:Ben: "Potion is doing its best…" 😓King: "But she's too powerful."Horse: concerned neigh 🐴
Aren Remains Aren 😐
Aren looked at the mermaid calmly.
"Do you know the next quest?"
The mermaid giggled and tapped his nose. 💖
"No idea~~ but before that… do you want to swing me?"
A collective scream echoed across reality itself.
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?""AREN DON'T SAY YES—!!""MIMI IS GOING TO ERUPT—!!" 🌋
Team Father watched like this was normal Tuesday weather.
King whispered, "Boss… you are married."Ben whispered, "Or don't. Your choice."Horse whispered, "Ho."
Aren sighed.
"Fine."
The Swing 🎢
He adjusted his grip.
Lifted the mermaid.
And began swinging her.
Slowly.Faster.Even faster.Then much, much faster.
Her voice changed rapidly:
"Hehe~ this is fun~~"
to—
"W-wait—this is fast—Aren—slow—AHHHHHH—!!!"
The island trembled.The sea spiraled.Even the projection screens shook violently.
A teacher screamed:
"STOP HIM! THE MERMAID WILL TURN INTO A PROJECTILE!!"
Ben covered his mouth.King looked away.Horse closed his eyes.
And then—
LAUNCH 🚀
Aren released her.
A blue streak shot across the sky.
Up.Higher.Forward.
Until the mermaid became a sparkling star in the heavens. ✨
Silence.
Then—
THE WORLD EXPLODED.
Public Reaction 🌍💀
Human Academy:"…He threw a mermaid into SPACE.""I think the potion wasn't wasted—SHE was.""This man is not normal."
Back on the Island 🏝️
Aren dusted his hands.
"My potion got wasted."
Ben nodded like a philosopher.King patted Horse.Horse neighed in agreement.
Then—
The sea bubbled.
The waves split.
And rising from the water came a massive figure.
Broad shoulders.Crown of coral. 👑Trident in hand.
The Mermaid King Appears 🧜♂️
"Welcome, challengers! Has anyone seen my daughter? She should be—"
Aren pointed casually.
"King. Beat him."
Every screen across both academies froze.
"WHAT!?""HE SAID THAT SO CALMLY!?""WHY WOULD THEY ATTACK ROYALTY!?"
Team Father Obeys Instantly ⚔️
"YES, BOSS."
SMACK!Ben clotheslined him.
BOOM!King body-slammed him into the sand.
Horse stomped once.Just for respect.
Thirty minutes later—
The mighty ruler of the ocean was tied to a hot rock like fish being roasted. 🔥🐟Smoke rose.His tail flapped helplessly.
"UNHAND ME YOU SAVAGES!! I AM—AAAGH HOT HOT HOT—MY SCALES ARE COOKING!!"
Team Father relaxed.
Ben roasted marshmallows.King hummed.Horse warmed his hooves.
Aren Explains Calmly 🧠
"You drown travelers for fun."
"That is our culture!"
"You lure people into the sea."
"That is hospitality!"
"You encourage people to kill each other."
"…Okay that one is true."
Aren tapped his forehead.
"So tell me your problem."
The Mermaid King screamed:
"YOU!! You threw my daughter into the sky like a BALL! You turned her from fish into—into—a BIRD!!"
The world lost its sanity laughing.
The Second Launch 💥
Aren leaned closer.
"Do you want to drown me?"
"Yes!!"
Aren nodded.
"Good."
He grabbed the Mermaid King by the tail.
Spun him.
Faster.FASTER.
Ben stepped aside.King stepped aside.Horse backed up calmly.
And—
LAUNCH.
Another blue streak.Another flying royal.Another star added to the sky. 🌟
"NOOOOO—NOT ANOTHER BIRD—!!"
Phase Three… Cancelled ❌
A pillar of ancient light split the sky.
The Ancient Pillar descended.
"PHASE THREE… IS CANCELLED."
Silence.
"…Why?" Aren asked calmly.
"You arrived one year late.The island resets yearly.It will take four months to restore."
Aren nodded.
"Hm. Unfortunate."
The Pillar sighed.
"You launched a princess.""Hm.""You launched her father.""Hm.""You shattered emotional balance across continents.""Hm."
"You truly are… Aren."
Aftermath 🌿
Ben stretched."So… break?"
King celebrated.Horse neighed happily.
Aren turned toward the forest.
"I will research."
Ben and King screamed together:
"AREN—NOT THE LIBRARY AGAIN!!"
Aren nodded.
"Hm."
And Team Father prepared—
For the chaos yet to come. ⚔️🔥