Chapter 4: Blood and Freedom

System explain: For the real story, mermaid princess Ijeoma try all torture, but still no fit pull Umaru heart-protecting scale.

But she wound am well, anger value reach top.

E no suppose come out at all.

But something still remain. I check the panel again.

I see am—this part of the story need blood to complete.

System give me hint:

Make am cough blood.

No, better still, use your fish tail knack am. Tail dey pain pass.

I never get used to this tail, e still dey strange.

As I hear say make I slap person, my tail begin shake.

I no wan wound Umaru again. No be him fault say crocodile scale grow for him body.

But I no wan make system vex too.

Like seahorse, I waka go Umaru side.

I try gather mind, lift my big tail fin, knack am towards him fine face.

My blue fin slice water like cutlass dey clear bush for farm, just small e touch Umaru cheek as e land.

Umaru surprise as e see wetin I do.

System wan knack my head.

You dey clean sweat for am? Why you no use feather duster? You dey fear say e go catch cold?

You sef, you sure say you fit do this work?

I nod, tears for my eye.

I bite my lip, swim small go far from Umaru.

System ask: Wetin you dey do?

I pack pearls, whisper:

I wan get space—ehm, swimming start. Make e strong.

System: At last, you get sense. Do am!

I lock target, swing tail, swim go Umaru.

As I wan reach am, system shout for my head:

Stop! Stop! I just check—inside merfolk culture, if you knack person with tail, na courtship be that!

Before system finish—

My tail don hit Umaru belle.

I use too much force—blood splash everywhere.

From him face reach stomach, all red.

Na my blood.

My blood dey mix with river water, red dey spread like palm oil for ogbono soup.

My tail fin cut the spirit-binding rope, tear am.

System shock, then scream:

Chai, wetin you dey do, you this big fish? Why you too rough?

Rope don break, Umaru don free.

E look me, eyes wide, no believe.

Then, the cold face change, panic enter.

Umaru eye open, e no believe say fish go slap am.

E grab me, carry me enter him chest.

Crocodile roar full everywhere.

Red blood dey pour from my tail fin, like thread dey tie me and Umaru together.

Blood don too much, pain dey catch me, belle dey turn.

Umaru hand dey shake as e hold my tail, dey pour spiritual power give me.

I blow small breeze for the wound, like mama dey do for pikin wey injure.

Half awake, I ask system:

Blood don show, e count?

System shout:

You dey craze! Even if blood show, no suppose be your own!

Then e scream:

Wahala dey! Male lead panic value don full!

Panel update the quest.

Panic value: done.

Anger value: done.

Blood: done.

Panel talk: task over-complete.

Reward—

Host revival points +30.

System revival points +30.

System dey happy, e even play small Fuji for my ear.