Rain was taken aback. “What is this?” he said. He quickly activated his Verity Eye. His eyes widened in shock. “What the hex is this Digby Dragon!? Do dragons also live in muddy fields?”

As if it had heard the words 'Digby Dragon,' its open mouth widened, increasing the pressure of suction.

“What, what, what,” Rain spread his hands like an oar, shoveling mud and dragging his body forward. It was faster than his first attempt, but not enough to match the monster’s suction speed. “I didn’t mean to tempt you. Please let us go. I will give you the title of fish king,” he said, his voice trembling.

His body was hauled further, but Faye stood still, not moving an inch, with only mud on her heel bubbling.

Rain reached his hand out with full force. “Faye!”

Faye was only slightly surprised. A slight smile touched her lips as she waved her hand. “Have a good time, darling.”

Rain’s face became frozen, mouth hung open. But he quickly regained his composure and said. “I’m not enjoying this at all!”

“Eh? I heard you wanted to be a fish?” Faye said as she approached him.

“Ugh, I didn’t mean to be eaten and become a part of it,” Rain replied, pushing through the mud faster, but his efforts were not enough. “I just took inspiration from the fins on fish to create something like an oar, you know!”

“Aww, so clever. Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped you find more wood bark or a wooden rod,” Faye said, taking another step forward.

Digby dragon looked confused with two little fish in front of it. It wondered why they weren’t coming towards its mouth. It flicked its eerie fins, causing the mud in the area to ripple.

Faye knocked her heel on the ground, causing the ripples under her feet to stop. However, on Rain’s side, he trapped in waves that moved up and down. Luckily, Rain’s surfboard still helped him float on it.

Rain reached his hand out again and said, “Faye, please, help me.”

Faye’s eyes widened. They glimmered with a red radiance, but quickly returned to normal. She then shook her head and said, “Rain, I can’t…” Her voice sounded distant and faded away.

“Why?” Rain furrowed his brows in confusion.

“If you touch me, you will die.”

“What is that? A joke?” Clouds of doubt rushed through Rain’s mind.

“No, it’s not humorous. You will die and turn into cinder.”

“All life has its end, but if you don’t help me, I’m going to die soon,” Rain pleaded as the surf came closer to the monster’s mouth.

“That way would be better…” Faye said, her sound faded away.

“Faye! Trust me,” Rain said, his body now covered in a shadow of a monster. His eyes shone blue in the darkness.

She stared at him for a moment. She then slowly shook her head. Her eyes turned crimson, and her iris changed into a vertical line. She delicately lifted her skirt and gracefully inclined, resembling a porcelain doll displayed in a glass cabinet. “Darling, I wish you a good time.”

Damn Carran, I will punch you in the face hard. How dare you make her like this!

The monstrous mouth slowly closed, and the wall of black life gradually shut down. Mucus and saliva mixed with dirt and mud covered its entire mouth. It was definitely not a place for life, but the child in that dark tunnel still held onto hope tightly. He bent his knee as the surf surface under his feet cracked. With a swoosh, he dashed out of the black wall quickly, just inches before it could touch his body. While in the air, he swiftly spun and threw a green rock back into the monster’s mouth, creating a soft thud sound.

Squelch! His body slid across the mud field and landed beside Faye. His body was dirty, caked in mud and slime.

Faye was shocked to see him fly from the monster’s mouth, but a smile crept onto her face. “You came back to me.”

He used his dirty hand to clean the mud off his face. “Yep, yep. I saved myself, but it came at the cost of my biggest invention, the smart fishing board. That made my worth an hour’s loss, not to mention the little whiny Goma Grass rope. Such a loss,” he said, sounding tired.

The monster shaken, its eyes winching into a line, and its fins waving back and forth. Its stomach started rumbling, with waves moving from bottom to top.

“What did you give it?” Faye asked, her voice monotonous.

“Sassafras grass,” Rain crawled through the mud, trying to move closer to Faye, but his speed was very slow. “It tastes super green, like a whole forest. Just a nibble, and your whole meals will return outside.”

“That seems very inappropriate.” she stepped further away from him, her smile frozen on her face.

The monster sucked in air, its body bulging to its maximum, with some dirt and mud starting to leak out from its fish gills. It wouldn’t be long before it exploded.

Rain reached his hand out for the third time, a small teardrop falling from his eyes. “Please, lady Faye of a kind heart.”

Faye took a step back and apologized, “Sorry Darling, but you’re really dirty and smelly like a fish now.” She reached out her hand towards the monster as a spherical barrier materialized. “And my dress is expensive. If that smell touches it, I don’t know if it can be wash. I don’t want to bow my head to Iron Maiden just to clean my clothes. However, if it was you in that scenario, even if you changed into a mud monster, she would surely become a blue fairy to aid you.”

“Nah—”

“Diggbeee” the monster cried.

Bam! Splash! Mud, water, saliva, fish, and bones burst out in every direction.

Rain quickly stretched his arm and used his rugged shirt as a makeshift boat canvas, floating on the waves. Luckily, he sent away by the burst and didn’t drown in the mess. He landed and slid farther away, ending up facedown on the ground.

He lifted his head, “Phew, phew, phew, Yak, tastes like mud.” He pressed his hand into the sloppy mud, which was soft enough for him to flip his body over and look up at the sunny sky. He glimpsed a red dress. Huh, at least you still be here.

Faye was already sitting on her heels next to him, giggling. She said, “Rain, you’re so lucky. Even with all that chaos, you managed to stay safe.”

“Hahaha, that’s a good trait of mine,” he replied, sitting up and looking at Faye. She had returned to her charming self. “Why didn’t you run away or leave me alone with that monster? And how did you keep your dress clean?”

“Why should I run away? It’s more fun to be with you. Besides, you haven’t lied to me once, just some playful teasing. Plus, your life is so short and you could die at any minute. I wanted to talk to you before that happens. And as for your second question…” Faye looked down at the hem of her dress, which had dirt stains mixed with fish scraps. “Eh? My dress… it’s stained?” Her face suddenly darkened, her eyes shining blood red as her iris turned into a white star shape.

She stood up and knocked her heel on the ground, causing it to turn into solid land. “Don’t move and hold your breath,” she said, her voice cold as the underworld.

“Faye, please don’t—”

She swiftly turned her head and looked at him. “Rain, do as I said.” Her eyes shone brightly, her iris dancing with madness.

Rain locked eyes with her, nodded, and then covered his mouth.

Faye slowly turned her head back to the monster, which was still dwindling as it choking its food. The Sassafras grass had perfectly fulfilled its purpose.

She extended her hand, and gems floated out from her palm. “Dung Eater, hasn’t your father taught you manners?” The gems stared and glowed one by one. She flicked her hand up, causing her luxurious needle sword to float up from her waist and point its blade at the monster. “Hasn’t he told you not to soil a lady’s dress? If she gets angry, she will burn you to cinders.” A red line ran along the edge of her sword.

“I am Fayeleel Carren, The Red Witch, who holds the title Demon Lord of the North. In this twisted world, I will grant you a great wish,” she said. Her voice resonated with ancient knowledge, ripping through the air like it was tearing space. The gems slowly rotated and coiled on her sword, then rapidly increased their speed. The air swirled around them, creating a shining orange circle. The view distorted into that ring.

She pointed at the monster, adjusting her sword’s position. “I will give you a lifetime ticket that will transport you to an endless world.” Then she clenched her fist.

Whoosh! The sword flew at the monster, created burning trail. All the dampness and mud turned into charred blackness. A large empty hole formed in the center of the monster, giving rise to a fiery ring that released a sizzling sound of water and fire.

“Crrrreeez—” the monster cried.

“Silence, you foul creature,” she flicked her hand. The sword rotated in the sky and lodged itself from the top, sealing its cries.

The monster's body throbbed violently, then started to crack. Red-orange veins crept across its surface. Fire began to burn inside, eventually engulfing its entire body. It turned into a blazing bonfire, and the ashes cracked and dried up, finally turning into cinder.

“May you learn how to treat women in the endless world,” the sword gradually flew back to her, releasing a hot stream of air.

Rain’s eyes widened in shock as he lowered his hand from his mouth. The burning filled the air with a thick, toxic smoke that made difficult to breathing. Nevertheless, he drew in a deep breath and uttered, “Curse me! What is that, Faye? What a Demon lord of you?”

Faye looked at him, tilting her head in confusion. “Didn’t I tell you about this during our proper introduction?”

“No, no. You only mentioned that we were going to fight a demon lord, not that you are the demon lord,” he said, his voice sounding pinched like an angry rat.

She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes looking at him sweetly. “Oopsie, sorry, darling. I should have told you beforehand. But it’s also your fault for not informing me that you also know our cryptic language. Please keep it a secret, okay? I want to keep my head on my shoulders.” Her eyes shone red.

Rain shook his claw in front of him and said, “Don’t ‘oopsie’ at me. I’m going to be mad before we even reach the north. If I tell you the secret, you split my head open. If I don’t tell it to Aria, she still takes my head off. Either way, I’m dead.”

Faye knocked her fist against her hand. “Wow, that’s a good conclusion. You’re really a clever boy.”

He rubbed his head with both hands. “Argh, what is this? A demon lord? Are you kidding me? When did this happen…”

Faye stared at his chest, her smile widening. She softly whispered, “So lovely.”