Seraph Ascent PG 1-8 (Pixiv Fanbox)

It's the start of the Seraph Ascent comic~ I'm super excited (and a bit nervous) to see how this will do :D A lot of heart has gone into this, and it's been my dream to make a long running comic that people can enjoy. Thank you all so much for supporting me ^^ If this comic does well, I'll definitely make sequels~

I'll include a transcript below for those who need to translate the text :)

FOR CONTEXT: This story starts after the Jellyfish Queen image set, which can be found here for reference: https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/105814441 )

After a tough (and quickly lost) battle, the bold yet underprepared Dark Knight Arcelia was captured and taken into the Jellyfish Queen's womb. The queen then retreated into her deep sea lair, where she is far from any kind of rescue... Constantly violated by the queen, Arcelia is used to feed the Jellyfish Queen with her mana and bodily fluids as the days go by, causing the Queen to grow stronger with each passing day.

However, the mage Espen has heard of Arcelia's disappearance and has paid the mercenary Ilya to help rescue her. It's going to be a long and dangerous journey, but the two are determined to rescue her!

(Check out the story Swallowed by the Jellyfish Queen for a prequel. The link is in the description below~ ( https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/105814441 )

Espen: We must help Arcelia! Let's go venture to the Jellyfish Queen's Palace to rescue her!

Espen: (Here's your payment...)

Ilya: (Thanks...)

Espen - Level 30 Divine Mage

Ilya - Level 40 Mercenary

Espen: Wah? Look, it's under the ocean...

Ilya: You didn't know that..?

Ilya: Well... I know of someone who could provide some help with traveling through the sea...

THE ANTIQUARY

Antiquary: Welcome back, old friends~

Antiquary: You need something from my wares?

Ilya: Greetings... We need to travel underwater into the Jellyfish Queen's territory...

Antiquary: Is that so? How bold of you.

Antiquary: Ever since the collapse of the Marine Kingdom that once governed the sea, there's been quite a massive influx of monsters that have made the ruins their home. I'd be very wary if I were you...

Espen: I remember... Queen Marilla was slain a while ago, and now the Jellyfish Queen is the new ruler...

Antiquary: Keheheh... And look! I have just what you need!

Antiquary: This little brew will make it so you won't need to breathe for three days straight! Perfect for traveling underwater! (And perfect for curing allergies too~)

Antiquary: Anyways, what do you think? Surely this'll be enough for you to get in and out of the Jellyfish Queen's lair, right?~

Espen: Wonderful! How much does it cost?

Antiquary: All that I ask in return is for you to gather some purple kelp for me! It is located in the deeper areas of the ocean and it makes the most wonderful tea~ But if you don't find it, no worries. You can think of the potion as a gift from your humble antiquary friend~

Espen: We'll be sure to get some on our journey! Thank you mister antiquary~!

Ilya: (Bye.)

Espen: A split in the road, huh... Hmm.. Which path should we go?

Espen: You're a knowledgeable traveler, aren't you? Which path do you recommend?

I: I've never personally been to this area, so I can only go by what I've heard as well as this map...

Ilya: Both paths lead to the same place in the end, but they're quite different from each other. The first path leads to a sea garden which has a more scenic route. The area is larger, and it passes through a coral reef.

Espen: Coral! That sounds lovely~

Ilya: You have to be careful around coral, you know. You can cut yourself on it. Also, many species are highly toxic and can cause pain, paralysis, or even death.

Espen: Oh... (It's still nice to look at...)

Ilya: The other road is through an ocean trench that is mainly occupied by fish and other creatures. The path is a bit more narrow than the other one, and it's rarely travelled.

Ilya: It's also much deeper into the sea, so it can get rather cold.

Espen: Hmm... How about we go to...

Sea Garden: Go to Route A

Ocean Trench: Go to Route B

( This story has multiple paths that lead to different encounters! )

You can vote here if you'd like to influence which part I post first ^^