The Duke spent three inferior magic stones to purchase information related to the Shadow Squid.
The information mainly consisted of various activity areas of the Shadow Squid, which were roughly marked on a map.
This map depicted Academy Island and the surrounding sea areas, marking not only the activity areas of the Shadow Squid but also other deep-sea magical beasts.
Additionally, it marked some islands, which belonged to Official Wizards.
Wizard Apprentices were not allowed to approach these islands without permission.
The Duke had memorized the map completely, remembering which areas were forbidden.
He arrived at the seaside, with no intention of preparing a boat, and directly jumped into the sea after removing his robe.
To him, swimming in water was faster than sailing; the physical exertion from swimming was negligible to him.
After entering the sea, the Duke began diving, and at a certain depth, he could gradually see the surrounding terrain.
He swam toward the activity area of the Shadow Squid based on the map in his mind while memorizing the terrain around him.
The map only showed the surface sea areas, not the underwater terrain.
The Duke planned to memorize all the terrain routes he encountered along the way, as mastering these terrains would facilitate future underwater activities.
He moved his body, swiftly advancing along the water current.
Along his journey, the Duke saw many peculiar deep-sea creatures, such as mushrooms emitting blue flames and spiders spinning webs underwater.
He knew these were likely highly valuable magic materials, which could fetch a good price if brought back.
However, the Duke wasn’t blinded by greed; each magical creature was unique, and even gathering them required special methods.
Acting rashly might lead to being permanently trapped in the deep sea.
The Duke simply memorized the positions of these creatures, maintaining a distance while moving forward.
His mind was clear, continuously remembering the route he swam.
Approximately half an hour later, he arrived at the activity area of the Shadow Squid.
Upon reaching this area, the Duke became very cautious, moving slowly to avoid making any noise.
The Shadow Squid was wary by nature, fleeing at the slightest disturbance.
They liked to attach to stones at the seabed for rest, their color similar to the stones.
With the dim light underwater, it required careful observation to spot the Shadow Squid.
Fortunately, the Duke possessed the physique of a Great Knight, with excellent dark vision, and the dim underwater light didn’t cause him much trouble.
The Duke felt the flow of water around him, moving with it while slowly diving deeper.
He widened his eyes, observing the stones below while slowly swimming forward, searching for the Shadow Squid.
About five minutes later, the Duke stopped, noticing an inconspicuous protrusion on one of the stones below.
Upon closer inspection, he saw some tentacles naturally floating behind the protrusion.
After carefully identifying it for a while, the Duke recognized it as a Shadow Squid.
Rather than moving recklessly, he silently conjured several large Water Shields, quietly placing them around, controlling the shields to close in gradually on the Shadow Squid, completely blocking its possible escape routes.
Once the Water Shields were set up, the Duke silently conjured a Water Arrow, aiming it at the head of the Shadow Squid.
The Arrow could not strike the Shadow Squid’s abdomen; otherwise, the ink would spill, rendering his trip in vain.
Once the Water Arrow was formed, it suddenly shot out, its high speed stirring the surrounding water.
Sensitive to water flow changes, the Shadow Squid immediately leapt off the stone, dodging the Water Arrow.
The Water Arrow exploded upon hitting the stone, creating a small pit at the site.
The Shadow Squid’s burst speed was quite fast, and as it attempted to flee, it collided head-on with the Water Shield.
Due to its high speed, the collision unexpectedly knocked the Squid unconscious, leaving it limp in the water.
With a smile, the Duke reached out, grabbed the little creature, and tossed it into his Space Ring.
Inside the Space Ring, life cannot be sustained; the Shadow Squid would soon die.
The Duke didn’t mind, as he only needed the ink from the Shadow Squid.
Having caught the first Shadow Squid, the Duke was in good spirits, continuing to explore further.
In about ten minutes, the Duke found a second Shadow Squid, repeating the process of using Water Shields to block its escape routes before capturing it.
This Shadow Squid wasn’t as lucky; its reactions were slower, and the Water Arrow directly pierced its head, blowing it off completely.
The Duke picked up the Squid’s corpse and threw it into the Space Ring.
He glanced at the Shadow Squid’s blood dispersed in the water, controlling the flow to encase it within a lump of water.
The glob of water contained some Magic Power, capable of sustaining itself for an hour before dissipating automatically.
The Duke did this to prevent the scent of blood from attracting troublesome deep-sea magical beasts.
After another half-hour passed, the Duke caught the third Shadow Squid.
Indeed, the Squid’s numbers were quite limited; capturing more would require venturing into farther sea areas.
However, for caution’s sake, the Duke was not ready to risk going to such distant waters; catching three Squids exceeded expectations.
With these three Squids, he had enough to complete a batch of Shadow Water.
Having accomplished his goal, the Duke resisted greed, using surrounding water currents to assist his accelerated return, moving through the water like a nimble fish.
Following his route back the way he came, avoiding unfamiliar underwater paths.
While swimming, the Duke continued to pay attention to his surroundings, remaining vigilant.
About half an hour later, he suddenly stopped, sensing something abnormal ahead.
Upon comparing with memories in his mind, he noticed some differences, realizing there seemed to be something additional in the water ahead.
After carefully observing, he discovered they were actually spider webs.
The Duke immediately became alert, looking around, but the Underwater Spider was nowhere in sight.
This web must have just been spun, likely waiting for someone to fall into its trap.
Without hesitation, the Duke turned back, no longer proceeding forward, choosing to skirt around this area.
Uncertain about the spider’s strength, engaging in a battle without information was extremely dangerous; it was unnecessary to take such risks.
As the Duke swam away, a large stone at the seabed shifted slightly before transforming into a spider.
The spider’s body color was grayish-white, possessing a petrifying ability, camouflaging itself as a rock.