Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

They were sailing far beyond their usual routes, venturing into the uncharted depths of the high seas. Few dared to traverse these remote and treacherous waters.

William awoke with a start, a sense of foreboding gripping his heart. As one of the summoned heroes, he knew the world was in a precarious state. If it weren't, they wouldn't have been summoned in the first place.

And in that moment, he witnessed the first ominous sign that something was amiss.

On the horizon, a pulsating purple light flickered, and a gaping fissure tore open the fabric of reality just above the surface of the sea. William peered through the rift, his breath catching in his throat. It offered a glimpse into a nightmarish dimension, teeming with grotesque and terrifying creatures.

'What in the world was that?' William thought, his heart pounding in his chest.

Instinctively, his hand gripped the hilt of his sword. But after a few tense seconds, the fissure sealed shut, and no monstrous entities emerged from its depths.

Despite the immediate danger passing, the ominous implications were clear. Something was amiss, something potentially catastrophic.

"Do you know anything about that, Asura?" William asked, seeking the wisdom of his demonic companion.

Asura's voice echoed in his mind. "I have no idea," he admitted. "We should investigate this further when we return. It would also be wise to mark the approximate location of that fissure; we may need this information in the future."

William agreed and tried to return to sleep, but the unsettling image of the dimensional rift lingered in his mind. Was this a harbinger of the world's end?

The following morning, they awoke at dawn and resumed their journey towards the island where they believed Hemlock's ship might be.

"There's the island!" Luke's friend exclaimed, pointing towards the horizon.

They spotted the island around 11 a.m. and reached its shores not long after. Unlike the other islands they had recently explored—including the volcanic one—this island was vast.

But there was no sign of civilization, no indication that people had ever inhabited this land. It was a wild, untamed expanse.

It wasn't a place frequented by fishermen or merchant ships, hence the lack of any civilization. Furthermore, the tales of mermaids kept most people away, as they were perceived as dangerous creatures capable of enchanting and killing sailors. No one wanted to risk venturing into such perilous waters.

William and his companions, however, were undeterred. Their determination to find Hemlock's ship and uncover the truth outweighed any fear of mythical sirens.

As they approached the island, their eyes fell upon Hemlock's vessel, anchored near the shore.

"How convenient," Hemlock remarked, a glimmer of hope returning to his eyes. "We can just reclaim the ship and be on our way."

Indeed, it seemed almost too easy. But as they drew closer, anchoring Katia's smaller ship alongside Hemlock's, they encountered an unexpected obstacle.

An invisible barrier shimmered around Hemlock's ship, preventing them from boarding. The fish-men must have erected it for protection while they conducted their business on the island.

"Can you break this barrier, Seraphina?" Hemlock asked, turning to the skilled mage.

Hemlock favored brute force, while Seraphina possessed the magical finesse required to dismantle such enchantments.

"I can try," Seraphina replied, studying the barrier with a discerning eye, "but it won't be easy. It's a barrier generated by a magical artifact, meaning its level of protection is far greater than that of a normal mage's barrier. To be honest, I'm not sure if I can break through it."

Seraphina's honesty was appreciated. It was far better than her confidently claiming she could break through, only to fail later.

Hemlock placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I understand," he said. "Just do your best, and if you need any help, we're all here to support you."

Seraphina nodded, grateful for their support, and began to analyze the magical barrier, searching for a weakness.

Meanwhile, William felt restless confined to the ship. He wanted to explore the island, confirm the presence of the fish-men, and uncover their motives.

"I want to take a look around the island," William announced. "Anyone want to come with me?"

"That could be dangerous," Hemlock cautioned, his gaze lingering on William's still-healing wounds. "You're still recovering."

"Actually, I'm feeling much better now," William assured him. "I can go without any problems."

Among those present, Hemlock was indeed the most injured after the battle with the elemental. William had mostly recovered; his exhaustion stemmed from using his abilities, not from physical wounds.

"I'll go with you," Katia volunteered. "Hemlock can stay here to assist Seraphina, and Luke's friend can stay as well. I don't think he would be much help in a fight anyway."

In the end, everyone agreed to the plan. William and Katia disembarked, their feet sinking into the soft sand of the beach.

"This island is truly beautiful," Katia remarked, taking in the lush surroundings. "But all this untouched nature surely comes with its own dangers."

William nodded in agreement. "Indeed," he said, his gaze sweeping across the dense foliage. "But will the fish-men be on the island itself, or underwater somewhere nearby? And is Luke here or not?"

Those were the two burning questions that consumed their thoughts. The fish-men remained an enigma to William. He didn't know if they primarily resided underwater like the merfolk or if their lifestyle differed.

"The only way to find out is to search," Katia declared, her voice filled with determination. "It won't hurt to take a look around the island. A large group of fish-men would surely leave some traces."

And so, they ventured into the island's depths, their eyes peeled for any sign of the fish-men. This island was wild and untamed, so any creature passing through would inevitably leave its mark.

They walked along the beach, searching for a break in the dense vegetation that would allow them to penetrate the island's interior. Neither of them relished the idea of hacking through thick undergrowth; it would be time-consuming and exhausting.

Fortunately, they soon stumbled upon a discernible path, a discovery that immediately piqued their interest. "Perhaps the fish-men created this path," Katia suggested.

"Indeed," William agreed. "If this island is as isolated as they say, this path must be recent. The vegetation would have reclaimed it quickly without the presence of intelligent beings."

"Exactly... We need to be more cautious now," Katia agreed, her eyes scanning their surroundings.

As they followed the path, William noticed that it wasn't as freshly trodden as they had initially assumed. Based on the information they had, the fish-men who stole Hemlock's ship had arrived only a day or two ago, yet the path seemed older.

This suggested two possibilities: either other creatures had created the path, or the fish-men had visited this island before.

"I keep wondering why they stole the ship in the first place," William mused aloud. "The fish-men don't need a ship to travel."

"Well, even though they can move through the water," Katia pointed out, "there are still powerful predators that could pose a threat. Traveling by ship might be safer. But they could also have stolen it just to spite you. Didn't you mention encountering them before? Perhaps they hold a grudge?"

William pondered Katia's words. Could they be targeting him because of his connection to the merfolk? The possibility was certainly unsettling.

They continued along the path until they stumbled upon a sight that made their hearts pound. There, in a small clearing, were the fish-men!

Katia and William quickly ducked into the undergrowth, concealing themselves among the dense foliage. Fortunately, the fish-men's senses were dulled when out of the water; their sight, hearing, and smell were not as keen on land. They remained oblivious to the presence of the two observers.

Besides the fish-men, there were other individuals with them. One of them was Luke – Katia whispered the confirmation to William. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire

The others appeared to be pirates, judging by their attire, demeanor, and the imposing figure who seemed to be their captain. He even sported an eye patch, completing the stereotypical pirate look.

"And what's the plan?" the pirate captain boomed, his voice rough and gravelly. "Will the treasure be split evenly amongst us?"

The fish-man who appeared to be their leader nodded. "Indeed," he confirmed. "From what we've gathered, this treasure will be more than enough for everyone here. But the most important prize are the mermaids. We want them alive."

"If I may ask, why the interest in these mermaids?" the pirate captain pressed, his one good eye glinting with curiosity.

The fish-man let out a chilling chuckle. "Let's just say they'll suffer before they die," he replied cryptically. "Now, let's move."

With that, the group moved towards a large rock face, where an opening led into a subterranean cavern. The pirates and fish-men disappeared into the darkness, Luke following closely behind.

Katia and William remained hidden, observing the scene unfold.

"Should we follow them?" William whispered, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.

"Let's alert the others first," Katia decided, her voice a barely audible murmur.

It was crucial to inform Seraphina and Hemlock of their whereabouts and their discovery, just in case something went wrong. But before they could retreat, a voice startled them from behind.

"Going somewhere?" a gruff male voice inquired.