Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Without warning, a flurry of water projectiles shot toward the arowana, which had been floating near the surface. Snap! Snap! The blasts struck the fish’s shimmering body, carving gashes into its scaled flesh. Blood seeped out, slowly tinting the icy water crimson. The arowana thrashed in pain, suddenly aware that it was in real danger. It tried to flee, but Clayton wasn’t about to let it escape. He gripped the fishing line tighter, refusing to give the creature even a second of freedom. Now the tables had turned. The fish was trapped—just as Clayton had been earlier, overwhelmed by its raw strength. Seeing this reversal, Clayton let out a triumphant laugh. "Ha! Now you get to feel what I went through!" he muttered, grinning. "Again—hit it!" he shouted to the skeletons. Snap! Snap! Another volley of water projectiles blasted through the air. Wounded and furious, the arowana became even more aggressive. It whipped its tail violently, doing everything it could to break free from the line. The sudden tug nearly yanked Clayton off his feet. He staggered, but the skeletons supporting him quickly caught hold and steadied him. Sensing the moment of distraction, the arowana went wild. But Clayton refused to let go. He gritted his teeth and held firm. "Take that cursed creature down—now!" Three of the skeletons not busy supporting him launched another round of water spells. The attacks landed, but the damage seemed minimal—the arowana only grew more enraged. Clayton’s frustration began to mount. He needed to end this quickly. But the only spell at their disposal—basic water pistols—wasn’t strong enough to pierce the creature’s dense scales. Anything more powerful, like Water Cannon or Abyssal Whirlpool, could destabilize or even destroy the protective dome shielding them from the storm. Out of options, Clayton clung to the rod, straining to keep the fish at bay. The longer the fight dragged on, the more obvious it became: either the fish would tire out first, or Clayton—or the line—would give in. For a brief moment, Clayton considered just letting it go. "If only I’d mastered something like Needle Rain... a spell that could actually penetrate," he muttered, teeth clenched. Left with no better plan, he ordered the skeletons to target the fish’s eyes using tracking magic. Snap! Snap! The spells launched—and this time, they hit their mark. One of the blasts struck the arowana directly in the eye. The creature let out a guttural, unnatural shriek that echoed throughout the dome. Clayton winced—it was the same mental attack the fish had used on him a year ago. But now, thanks to his improved mental resistance, he recovered quickly. The arowana, now half-blinded and disoriented, tried to flee. But its speed had dropped, and its movements were sloppy. Clayton didn’t waste the opportunity. He yanked the rod with everything he had. Creeaak! The line groaned under the pressure as the fish lurched backward, flailing in a frenzy of pain and confusion. It had lost its sense of direction. Clayton exhaled deeply, finally able to "play" the fish with more finesse. He maneuvered it in wide circles, gradually draining its energy. Occasionally, he paused to rest, letting the skeletons keep an eye on the exhausted creature. Eventually, the battle came to an end. The fish collapsed onto the ice, flopping about wildly once it was out of the water. Clayton had anticipated this. He quickly sealed the fishing hole with anything he could find, preventing the arowana from escaping back into the lake. Inside the dome, the large fish thrashed about uncontrollably while Clayton sat nearby, catching his breath. Dingo and Gemma watched the scene unfold with wide, fascinated eyes. Once he’d recovered a bit, Clayton collected the blood-tinged water from earlier—planning to use it as high-quality fertilizer for his sorghum fields. At last, there was a moment of peace. All he had to do now was wait—for the fish to settle down and for the storm to pass. Still, he couldn’t help being impressed. The arowana’s vitality was nothing short of astonishing. It just kept moving. Clayton began to feel conflicted. Part of him wanted to keep it as a pet. But another part remembered how the thing had nearly killed him—more than once. In the end, he decided to leave it to fate. "Alright," he said aloud, as if the fish could understand him. "All grudges aside. If you survive until the storm ends... I’ll let you live and make you my pet. But if you don’t..." He left the rest unsaid—but the implication was clear: dinner. The arowana continued to thrash at first, but gradually it slowed. Whether from exhaustion or some kind of strange understanding, Clayton couldn’t tell. He let the creature be, then went to prepare food and bedding while reinforcing the dome. He also checked on Dingo and Gemma—especially Gemma, who was still pregnant—and made sure they were warm and safe. Not long after, the howling wind outside began to die down. Cautiously, Clayton stepped out of the dome and looked around. The storm had passed. Wasting no time, he began packing up, hoping to head home before the weather turned again. But in his haste, he forgot all about the arowana. Suddenly, a new gust of wind howled through the air. The sky darkened. Another storm—fiercer than the last—was rolling in. Frustrated but with no other choice, Clayton retreated back inside the dome. As he stepped in, he saw the arowana lying still. At first glance, it looked frozen. Thinking it was dead, Clayton cautiously nudged it with his foot— SPLAT! The fish exploded to life, launching itself into the air with renewed vigor, completely unbothered by the cold. Clayton could only stare in disbelief. Then, shaking his head with a chuckle, he muttered, "You really don’t give up, huh?" True to his word, he accepted the fish’s will to live. He fetched a large basin, filled it with clean water, and gently placed the arowana inside. It lay still for a moment... then started swimming in circles again, full of energy. Satisfied, Clayton nodded and tossed in a few grains as food. Next, he prepared a space inside his Entry Dimension, setting aside an area to function as a proper pond. As the dimension’s master, he could shape the environment however he wished—just like in a video game’s creative mode. He copied water from the lake, formed a wide, deep pond, and transported the arowana inside. With the fish now safe in its new home, Clayton finally allowed himself to rest. He ate, drank, assigned skeletons to stand guard, checked on Dingo and Gemma, and then drifted into sleep. But later that night, Dingo’s barking startled him awake. At first, he was annoyed—until the dog tugged at his sleeve, insistent and urgent. Still half-asleep, Clayton let himself be dragged along. When they arrived, he jolted fully awake. "What the—? What is this?" he muttered, completely unprepared for what he saw...