Asukem was halted by the witch's attempt to stop him, but Kittienia swiftly launched herself at the witch, leaping into the air and delivering a spinning kick to her face. The impact caused the witch to spin and collapse onto the ground. With fury in her voice, Kittienia exclaimed, "I warned you that I am your adversary, do not underestimate me!" She then took a fighting stance, ready for the battle ahead.

The witch's eyes widened in shock as she glanced back at Kittienia, clutching her jaw in disbelief. "You struck me! You actually struck me!" Asukem grinned smugly and proceeded towards the castle, casually waving his hand at Kittienia. "I'll let you have your fun," he remarked. The witch rose to her feet, her anger palpable as a cold, icy wind enveloped her. Sharp, icy shards materialized and hurled toward Kittienia with deadly precision, one by one. Yet, Kittienia swiftly destroyed each shard with powerful strikes, then charged toward the witch.

The witch conjured a frosty barrier before her, yet Kittienia effortlessly scaled the wall like a cat on the prowl, digging her claws into the icy surface. Reaching the pinnacle, Kittienia leaped over the witch and landed stealthily behind her. With a swift kick, Kittienia tripped the witch and delivered a powerful punch, sending her hurtling into her own icy barricade. The impact caused blood to splatter on the wall, but the witch passed through it as if she were a specter. Kittienia charged at the wall, her fist surrounded by a radiant spiritual aura. The witch touched the wall and unleashed a towering column of ice toward Kittienia. Undeterred, Kittienia charged straight at the pillar and struck it with her glowing fist. The pillar shattered into shards, creating a hole in the wall that exposed the witch on the other side.

The witch's face displayed a hint of fear as she quickly carved blocks of ice from the wall and threw them at Kittienia. However, Kittienia effortlessly shattered one with a backhand and destroyed another with a roundhouse kick. Undeterred, the witch launched two more ice blocks at Kittienia, only to have one smashed by her fist while she gracefully front-flipped over the other, closing in on the witch.

The witch frantically creates a new barrier of ice, but Kittienia remains unfazed. Her narrowed eyes shoot daggers as a menacing growl escapes her lips. With no remorse or delay, Kittienia smashes through the icy wall like a wrecking ball and delivers a devastating punch to the witch, rendering her unconscious, appearing as though she had ceased to breathe.

Kittienia loomed over the witch, a menacing tone in her voice, "This is the consequence of trying to deceive these innocent souls! Especially the young ones!" In a matter of moments, the witch transformed into seaweed and a pool of water. While Kittienia continued to punish the witch, Asukem strolled down the path towards the castle.

Asukem was left speechless by the amazing environment, with the sandy pathway lined with sea stones and plants swaying as if there was a breeze. The corals and stone archways caught his attention as he journeyed through them. Unbeknownst to Asukem, he was actually underwater, as the environment seemed to deceive him into thinking he was still in an air-filled area. Asukem pressed on down the path, but he found it increasingly difficult to breathe.

Asukem settled onto a bed of coral, attempting to regain his composure, yet he struggled to stay awake. Eventually, he shut his eyes, believing it would conserve his strength, unaware that he was slowly succumbing to the water. With each breath, his lungs filled with water, leading him into an eternal slumber as his lifeless body blended with the coral and the gentle waves of the ocean.

Aquatina was approaching the castle from the fork in the road when she noticed something wrong. As she turned back, she saw Asukem's lifeless body and rushed to check his pulse, relieved to find that he was still alive, albeit barely. Aquatina took no time, she fell to her knees while sitting on her feet, putting asukem's head on her lap. Aquatina leans over towards his face and kisses him on the lips. Despite the kiss, Aquatina was sucking the water from his lungs, she spit out the water and continued to kiss him.

As she pressed her lips against his, her heart raced with excitement. She gently explored his mouth with her tongue, feeling a strange sensation as their saliva mingled. When she finally pulled away, a glimmer of their shared saliva sparkled between them, almost as if magic had been unleashed. A few moments later, Asukem coughed up the remaining water, gasping and trying to make sense of his surroundings.

Aquatina's calm expression shifted to one of concern as she spoke to Asukem, "You were underwater in my city without realizing it. Please be more cautious, Asukem." She smiled gently, tears glistening in her eyes as she looked at Asukem. Asukem gazed up at Aquatina, a look of confusion on his face. "Aquatina?" Aquatina's smile widened, a hint of flirtation in her eyes as she brushed her hair back and revealed, "I granted you the ability to breathe underwater."

Asukem breathed a sigh of relief, expressing, "You have repaid your debt to me, thank you for saving my life." Placing his hand on her cheek, he smiled warmly. Aquatina closed her eyes, feeling his touch, and she blushed with excitement and tranquility. Asukem then stood up from her lap, suddenly realizing his position. She chuckled, scratched his chin, blushed, and glanced around, while he remarked, "Oh dear, I didn't realize I was on the ground..."

Asukem takes a few minutes to regain his composure, standing up and preparing himself for what's to come. Meanwhile, Aquatina reflects on her interaction with him, realizing that she craves a connection with someone from her own race. She licked her lips and bit her lower lip as she watched him from behind, but those feelings subsided as he was not the one for her.

Asukem suddenly declares, "Alright, I'm back to my senses. Let's go after those guards!" Aquatina snaps back to reality upon hearing Asukem's words and questions, "Which guards?" Asukem looks back, stretching, and remarks, "Ah, yes. It appears that your royal guards have been taken captive, leaving innocent civilians vulnerable." Asukem observes Aquatina's angry expression and smirks, realizing he has stirred up trouble.

Aquatina rose to her feet, dusted herself off, and inquired, "You were attempting to rescue those guards without even knowing where the castle was?" Asukem placed his hands behind his head, kicked the ground, and proudly replied, "Indeed." Aquatina shook her head with a hint of worry, stating, "I swear, if it weren't for that incredibly cool aura you exude, your naive actions would have made you the subject of ridicule or worse." Asukem scratched his chin confidently and remarked, "I was counting on running into you before I became completely lost." He chuckled and flashed a smirk.

Aquatina's cheeks turn pink and she grins with embarrassment for both of them, saying, "You know your faith is truly remarkable, right?" Asukem smirks and replies, "Yeah, I know." He then glances at the pathway and then back at Aquatina, asking, "Shall we, your Highness?" while bowing. Aquatina giggles and playfully scolds him, "Oh, stop it." Asukem smirks as she walks past him, leading the way down the pathway.