Shrouded Seascape

A raspy voice emerged from Bart's lips. It sounded like that of a man in his mid-thirties, a stark paradox with Bart's small, battered form.

Anna folded her arms across her chest and studied Bart with a curious gaze. "Let me guess, you're with the Foundation, aren't you?"

Bart's silence confirmed her guess, prompting Anna to nod in understanding.

"That was a surprisingly easy guess. There's no challenge at all. With that said, is my man so important to you guys for you guys to attach a spy on him for years?"

Bart struggled to prop himself up with his twisted arms and pushed his shriveled body upright. With drops of blood trickling down the corners of his eyes, his eyes glowed with a blue light as he said, "Don't think too highly of yourself. We placed NC91 on Charles' ship then to monitor the Divine Light Order.

"But the Light God knows us all too well, just as we know Him. The Divine Light Order has evaded all our countermeasures, and the chaos they created has severely disrupted our plans."

Anna squatted down and rested her chin on one hand. Her eyes lit up with curiosity as she pressed further, "What plans? There aren't even traces of the Foundation in the seascape. By the way, where are you guys now?"

"Do you really think that you, an ingenious creature of this Subterranean Sea, are of equal footing to converse with us?" Bart questioned, his voice icy and laced with evident disdain.

"It's not for you to decide if I'm qualified. The sea levels are rising, and the humans in the Subterranean Sea are on the brink of extinction. We're left to save ourselves. Where are your people in all of this?" Anna retorted.

"How do you know we haven't done anything? Every human in the Subterranean Sea was seeded by us. They're like our children," Bart asserted.

Anna smirked dismissively. "I really wished Charles was here; his banter with you would have been interesting to watch. But enough of sidetracking—back to my original question: why did you send someone to get close to my daughter?"

"Your child with Charles is a special existence. She's a perfect confluence of the three energies—human, Divinity, and Dioite. That's why we wanted to get closer to her. We didn't expect you to uncover it so soon."

Anna's lips curled into a faint smile. All of a sudden, her human form disintegrated to reveal a terrifying monster, and a tentacle coiled around Bart and lifted him up to her eye level.

"I'm telling you, no matter where you are or what you are planning, if you dare lay a hand on my daughter, you'll be buried once more!"

Crunch!

Bart's head was crushed. His brain matter and blood spilled all over Anna's tentacles.

Time seemed to have frozen until Sparkle broke the stillness. She walked over to Anna and wrapped her arms around her mother. Pressing her cheek against a slick tentacle for comfort, Sparked asked, "Mommy… who are they?"

"A bunch of people who believe in serving mankind. Sadly, we are not humans. Sparkle, let's keep this between us; your father has enough on his plate. I'll handle this," Anna spoke softly.

"Okay."

Anna used her tentacle to caress Sparkle's tiny face tenderly and said, "Remember, in this world, power is everything. Only by possessing strength that surpasses all others, even at the cost of sacrifices, can you ensure that no one can threaten us."

Sparkle nodded with a firm resolve. "I want to grow up quickly. I'm not growing fast enough. When I become an adult, I'll be able to protect you and Daddy. No one will be able to threaten us then."

***

April 5, 808

The last ambush by Margaret has inflicted heavy damage on us. Nearly half the crew had perished; we were forced to abandon the mission and make the return journey.

But it's no easy task to return to the Colossal Hole Fortress. Though the Narwhale was plated with the highly durable Type-3 Steel, the material was nearly wrecked after the cannon barrage. Halfway through the journey, our turbine chamber even went out.

Fortunately, the other explorers were behind us. Using towing ropes, they pulled us safely back to the Colossal Hole Fortress. Anna had already notified the Fortress, and the military presence there had intensified. Now, anyone hoping to descend to the sea had to undergo layers of strict security checks.

However, I have a feeling that Margaret won't be captured so easily. This isn't over yet. After a strategic discussion with Julio and the others, it turned out that I wasn't the only one who had gotten ambushed. Three other groups had also been attacked.

It seems that those bastards who have sold their souls to the evil god are getting restless now that they heard we've stumbled upon a clue to the darkness' whereabouts.

The Narwhale has been sent to the shipyard on Annarles Island for repairs. It's a major overhaul this time and the process would probably take a long while. To avoid wasting time, I've decided to use a different exploration vessel for our next mission.

Fortunately, the power of the industrial revolution is starting to show its might. All the factories are working around the clock, twenty-four hours a day. The collective manpower and resources of the entire seascape are coming together, shining brightly and fueling our salvation.

With the industrial chain established, the duration needed to modify exploration vessels has shortened.

Charles was absorbed in penning his journal entry when a cacophony from outside drew his attention. He turned his head toward the window to see a throng of people pouring out in a dark wave from the giant airship that had landed in the Colossal Hole Fortress.

Their attire was particular. Most of them were cloaked in black capes. As Charles watched, some transformed into bats and circled in the airspace overhead. He immediately knew their identities; they were vampires from the Dark Crystal Island.

Another group of people stood out from the people who had disembarked from the airship. They were garbed in robes adorned with strange inscriptions, and most of them were elderly. Charles recognized the man leading the group. He was Harold, the representative of the Western Seas.

Charles wasn't surprised. In fact, this arrangement was part of a strategic response they had conceived after recent events—to have Harold bring some men to station at the Colossal Hole Fortress to prevent any repeats of the previous incident.

Charles tucked the journal into his coat pocket and stepped outside.

However, Harold seemed preoccupied and didn't have time for Charles. His white hair was almost glowing as he engaged in a deep, animated discussion with the other mages.

"The magic here is frighteningly abundant! I can feel power coursing through my veins," a mage exclaimed.

"Yes, I agree! I believe this place amplifies spells. Even the most basic Stonethrow spell would be at least three times more powerful than below," another added.

Charles watched in puzzlement at the group of mages before him, their faces flushed with excitement. What was this magic that they spoke of so fervently? It seemed far from ordinary.

Meanwhile, Harold had noticed Charles. With his black crystal staff in hand, Harold strode toward Charles.

"Charles, we finally met in person. It's a pleasure," Harold greeted.

"How many did you bring with you this time?" Charles asked as he eyed the group behind Harold.

"Three hundred. But don't worry, they are the elites of the Western Seas and include members of the Gantt family, who are adept in soul magic. We will keep a guard against everyone to make sure the previous incident will never happen again," Harold answered.

Charles nodded. "Good to hear that. The telegraph tower has also been erected, a double safeguard."

Harold smiled in agreement before he continued, "By the way, given the current instability, I'd advise you to hold off on any further expeditions."

However, Charles dismissed the suggestion with a shake of his head. "There's no avoiding it. The seawater has already submerged the lower reaches of the harbor districts. Time is not on our side."

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