Leo, who was heading for the Principality of Albatross with the Rondine fleet, had finally arrived at the Principality of Albatross.
　To avoid raising any suspicion, only Leo and the King of Rondine's ship entered the port and were warmly welcomed by the King of Albatross.
"Thank you for coming, King of Rondine."
"In this emergency, I couldn't stay away, King of Albatross."
　With that, the two kings shook hands firmly.
　The handshake between the kings of two long-standing rivals was a historic moment.
　The fleets of both countries, which had been on guard near the port, relaxed their vigilance slightly upon seeing the kings meet without incident.
　Leo and Erna heaved a sigh of relief that they had at least managed to meet.
"We've cleared the first stage."
"Right. Now we need to figure out how to fight the sea dragon."
　As Leo and Erna spoke, they followed the two kings to the castle.
　However, Erna suddenly turned to look at the sea. Her hand was already reaching for her sword.
　Then, Erna suddenly drew her sword.
"Erna!?"
"Everyone, be on high alert! Protect the prince and the kings! It's coming!"
　Hearing Erna's command, the royal guards took up their positions.
　Almost simultaneously, a tornado appeared on the sea.
　It formed between the Rondine and Albatross fleets, swallowing parts of both.
　Everyone was speechless at the sudden and unusual event.
　After swallowing about a third of both fleets and turning them into sea debris, the tornado disappeared in an instant.
　And then it appeared.
"The sea dragon Leviathan...!?"
　There was a long, slender dragon with thin, beautiful blue scales like clear water.
　It had a pair of wings and a pair of arms. It probably had legs underwater as well. A dragon adapted to the sea, it looked more like a snake but was far too large.
　The part of it that was visible was over fifty meters long. It was much larger and more intimidating than the legends, causing everyone to shudder.
　Leviathan showed no interest in the humans' reactions and slowly opened its mouth.
　A massive water ball formed in Leviathan's mouth alone.
　It was incomparable to ordinary water magic.
　Erna immediately understood the danger and gave the order.
"Evade!"
　The royal guards trusted their captain's judgment and carried the nearby kings away from the scene.
　Erna also left the area with Leo. Almost immediately, the water ball hit the spot where Erna and the others had been.
　A deafening explosion echoed, and a massive crater, as if a meteor had fallen, was left behind.
　Seeing this, Leo and Erna's faces turned pale.
　It wasn't because of their own danger. They could foresee what would happen to the city in the upcoming battle.
"Damn! Erna! Take command here and organize the evacuation of the citizens!"
"Leo! What are you going to do!?"
"Head out to sea! We need to draw its attention away from the city!"
"That's reckless! What do you plan to do with just one ship!?"
"I'll command the confused fleet! They need a leader!"
"Those are ships from another country! And they were fighting each other until recently! They might get confused and attack you!"
"My brother brought us this far with the alliance! I can't let it fall apart now!"
　With that, Leo ran off.
　Erna tried to stop him, but it was impossible.
　The second shot from Leviathan was coming.
　Erna changed the course of the water ball heading for the city center by striking it.
　The water ball that hit near the previous crater created another one.
"How long can this last..."
　While looking at her numb right arm and her sword that had chipped from the blow, Erna muttered.
　If only she had the Holy Sword, she thought. Meanwhile, Erna instructed the surrounding people to evacuate the king and the citizens, and began dealing with the water balls herself.
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"Captain! Fire the cannons!"
"Against that giant, it's like firing beans at it!"
"Still, do it!"
"You're asking for the impossible! We're closing in! Get ready!! Men!!"
　Following Leo's orders, Leo's ship approached Leviathan to a distance where the cannons could reach and fired the magic cannons.
　However, the dragon's hard scales were not even scratched.
　Still, Leo ordered the cannon fire.
　Then he picked up the receiver of a magical device.
"To the Rondine and Albatross fleets nearby! I am Prince Leonard Rexus Ardler, the eighth prince of the Empire! We are attacking to draw Leviathan's attention! If there are any ships in both fleets that are not afraid of the sea dragon, I ask you to follow us! Even a little! Distract it from the port! Are there any ships willing to sink with us!?"
　The first ship to respond to Leo's call was one that had already turned its rudder toward Leviathan the moment Leo's ship was seen.
"We'll accompany you, Your Highness."
　It was the ship that had been the first to stop Al when he entered the port.
　The captain of Leo's ship immediately recognized it.
"Your Highness! That's the ship from back then!"
"Back then?"
"The ship that came to stop you when you entered the port!"
　Hearing the captain, Leo remembered the story Al had told him.
　However, Al had only mentioned entering the port, so Leo had to make the story fit.
"The ship from back then."
　While muttering, Leo thought that if there was something special, Al should have told him.
　But, Leo also thought that this was typical of his brother. Not mentioning it meant it wasn't something Al absolutely had to say.
　There are still many things we haven't talked about, Leo muttered. But, he found that exciting.
　To Leo, Al was always an amazing brother. That's why it was exciting to see his brother do something visibly amazing.
　See, my brother is amazing, Leo thought.
　During this time, ships from the Principality of Albatross had gathered around Leo's ship.
　Not to be outdone, ships from the Principality of Rondine also began to gather.
　Seeing this, Leo took a deep breath and gave the order.
"I thank the brave ships of both countries. Begin the simultaneous cannon fire! Do everything to draw Leviathan's attention to us!"
　Thus, the hastily formed fleet began firing at Leviathan.
　However, Leviathan's eyes remained fixed on the capital of Albatross.
　Leo and the others tried to draw its attention, but Leviathan continued to fire water balls as if it were a routine task.
　Erna was trying to change the course of the water balls at the port, but she couldn't stop them completely.
　The water balls that changed course hit unpopulated areas, altering the buildings and terrain.
　Amidst this hellish scene, a young girl wandered into the Albatross branch of the Adventurers' Guild. The branch was already half-destroyed, and the staff had evacuated.
　Still, the girl headed to the back of the branch.
　There was a long-distance communication room. After reporting the appearance of the sea dragon a while ago, the room had been left unattended. The girl, Eva, knelt and pleaded.
"Please... please... anyone... save our country... if this continues, our country will be destroyed...! All our people will be swallowed by the sea dragon's disaster...! Anyone... please save our country... please accept the request to slay the sea dragon...!"
　Eva, who had lost her guards and separated from the evacuating citizens, had come to this place because she knew the Adventurers' Guild had a long-distance communication room.
　There, Eva continued to plead earnestly, as if praying to a god.
　The only ones who could help now were the adventurers.
　The SSS-class adventurers the guild had should be able to handle this situation.
　Thinking this, Eva kept repeating her plea for help.
　Her plea was not only heard by the staff but also by the adventurers in the branch.
　The building had switched to a mode that broadcast to all branches when it was half-destroyed. Normally, this mode was used to communicate the highest-level emergencies across the continent, but now it was broadcasting Eva's plea.
　The adventurers in the branches also heard Eva's plea.
　Some of them wanted to help but had no way to reach the south.
　The same was true in the capital branch.
"Damn it...!"
"Can't we do something!?"
"Shut up! Yelling won't change anything!"
"What! A girl is asking for help!"
"Can't we just go and help!?"
　The adventurers drinking in the guild heard the girl's plea and cursed their own powerlessness.
　They cursed, drank, and waited for someone to speak up.
　But, Eva's plea continued to flow.
　Because it was in emergency mode, it was broadcast throughout the branch.
　The staff also had pained expressions.
　Then, a man entered the branch and walked to the back, responding in a mode that would be heard by all branches.
"I'm on my way. Wait for me."
　This was an unexpected response for Eva.
　She couldn't believe that help was really coming.
　Moreover, he said he was coming immediately.
　Confused, Eva saw a tear in the space next to her, and a man in a black robe with a silver mask emerged.
"Who are you...?"
"I'm Silver, an SSS-class adventurer from the capital branch. I'm here to accept the request."
　His voice was heard in all branches.
　At that moment, many adventurers cheered at the arrival of their representative.
　Well, well, the second part is getting exciting.