On the volcanic rock island, an arm that resembled one cast from bronze extended for several meters, carrying a sharp sonic boom as it cut through the thick dust, swinging towards what was ahead.
"Boom!"
In an instant, a thunderous explosion rang out as if from flat ground, causing the entire island to tremble. Debris and dust were flung in all directions, resembling locusts as they swept everything away with irresistible force.
However, amidst the storm and tremors, a dazzling golden light stood firm, forcefully halting that fierce punch.
"Polyphemus..."
Standing behind the defensive charm, Luo En spoke somberly, his silver hair wildly fluttering in the chaotic air currents, and his squinting eyes locked onto the fierce and ugly face, with blue-black skin and a stature of over ten meters, of his old nemesis.
Polyphemus, son of the god of the sea, Poseidon, and the sea nymph Thoosa, was a fierce and brutal one-eyed giant from Sicily who liked to eat humans.
At the same time, he was also a neighbor of Aiaia Island and had encountered Luo En and Circe a few times.
However, clearly, from the reaction of the one-eyed giant, those were definitely not pleasant encounters.
To be precise, he was the victim in the story.
——As a giant with an incredible appetite, Polyphemus in Sicily usually relied on free-range sheep to stock his pantry, in addition to the rich marine resources of the Sea of Okeanos and the occasional ships of mortals that lost their way and came knocking, serving as side dishes for his snack.
Thus, his life was quite bearable.
However, a little rat with human bloodlines slipped onto his island time and again, not only stealing his painstakingly raised sheep but also releasing the imprisoned mortals amidst the chaos, making him endure a miserable existence of starving for three out of nine meals a day.
For this reason, the one-eyed giant was mocked by his kind on Sicily for a long time.
Although Polyphemus later learned of this little rascal's origins, he was still helpless.
On one hand, Aiaia Island had a powerful magic barrier that was difficult to pinpoint; on the other, the enchantress managing that island was a challenging demigod to contend with, who also had intricate connections with an ancient goddess.
So, the unfortunate one-eyed giant could only swallow his broken teeth in frustration.
But unexpectedly, today, in his quest to fill his belly and hunt sea beasts, not only did he unintentionally discover a newly-forming island nearby, but he also encountered the very nemesis he had bitterly despised.
At this moment, meeting the enemy, his blood boiled with rage.
Polyphemus twisted his ferocious lips into a sinister, maniacal laugh.
"Ha ha, little rat, you've finally crawled out of your hole. Without that bird-winged woman to protect you this time, let's see where you run off to!"
The rough voice, like sandpaper rubbing against glass, poured into his ears, making Luo En, who had just ascended to demigod status and could not fully control his heightened senses, deeply furrow his brow as his brain rapidly processed the confrontation.
Polyphemus... demigod rank... son of the god of the sea, Poseidon...
The rock spears, like falling meteors, struck the golden-red magical barrier one after another, producing deafening roars.
The clouds around them were torn and pushed aside by the violent impact, the Hermes script that made up the magical barrier successively shattered and extinguished, leaving glittering cracks spreading across it.
"Bang!"
In the blink of an eye, the defensive charm that stood before him completely fell apart, and the chaotic magic tide swept in all directions.
"Pugh!"
Luo En, suffering from the backlash, turned pale and spat out a mouthful of blood before tumbling into the sea.
What an idiot!
Polyphemus spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on the ground, his hairy and ugly face revealing a smug sneer.
The difficulty of herding one sheep compared to a flock was incomparable.
Those energetic rams always scurried about during feeding, and the slightest lapse of attention would let them stray far from the shepherd's sight.
In order to control these unruly rams with the least effort and energy, Polyphemus often resorted to throwing stones and such to drive and intimidate the straying rams, herding them back to graze obediently within the meadow, waiting for the day they would be culled and slaughtered.
Over time, he had mastered a nearly unerring throwing technique.
However, as there were few rivals in the nearby seas, this skill was little known.
Caught off guard, that damned little mouse suffered the same humiliating fate as those rams he had once toyed with.
And next, he would employ the rest of the methods he used on those foolish sheep to properly entertain this stinky rat.
So, should he eat it directly, or skewer it and grill it?
Thinking of the taste of human flesh, the one-eyed giant salivated, picked up a conveniently sized rock spear, and with a malevolent smile, strode towards where Luo En had fallen.
However, before he could take a few steps, a strange cracking sound came from underfoot on the volcanic rock island.
"Crack—!"
In an instant, a web of fissures spread across the entire island, torrents of seawater burst from the crevices like a final straw breaking the camel's back.
Suddenly, the island crumbled, rocky fragments plunged downward, dragging the unsteady cyclops along and down into the boundless sea.
"Buzz!"
Meanwhile, beneath the surface, the furious magic tide surged, pulling thousands of tons of seawater into azure serpentine forms that coiled and bit at the falling Polyphemus.