The black sun hangs high

Chapter 313 The Shadow of Turmoil
The good news is that Hughes knows he now not only possesses powerful combat abilities, but can also use them to achieve some of the effects of teleportation magic.

The bad news is that the teleportation path created by the "Hound's Fang" is very likely to connect with "tunnels" dug by other Dark Abyss creations.

The bizarre events that unfolded within the dream sanctuary served as a wake-up call for Hugh.

Regardless of whether the creature scratching at the wall on the other side of the "tunnel" was the "harmless beast" Theseus spoke of, it would certainly pose a great threat to the vast majority of living beings in Vaan.

Not to mention, within the Dark Abyss, there exist extremely dangerous groups such as the Palace Hounds and the Dark Abyss Spiders.

"In other words, if I make a mistake while using Hound's Fang normally, I could very well open a 'convenient door' directly to Vaan for those predators in the Dark Abyss."

Having returned to the real world with many items, Hugh raised his arm, looked carefully at the tattoo encircling his wrist, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

That said, while the "tunnel" opened by the Hound's Fang carries extremely high risks, it does indeed provide an additional escape route in the current situation. With almost all teleportation magic and rituals being interfered with by the Black Sun, this temporary teleportation channel based on the magic of the Dark Abyss is certainly a valuable trump card.

After carefully storing all the bullets, daggers, and potion recipes he had brought back, Hugh checked the Windless One again. Once he confirmed that there was no movement, he lay back down on the bed.

Amid the turbulence of the cruise ship, he quickly returned to sleep.

Perhaps it was because I was at sea, but this time, the dream about the sea and sailing came extremely quickly.

When Hughes fell into that familiar "lucid dream," he almost thought he was still in reality.

It is still the boundless ocean, and it is still that giant ship that keeps breaking through the waves.

With a thought, Hugh arrived on the huge deck, which was as wide as a plaza. He was barefoot, with cold metal beneath his feet, and he could feel the continuous rumbling and noise coming from inside the giant ship.

He looked up and saw a huge black shadow slowly emerging from behind the dense clouds. Compared to reality, the terrifying and oppressive black sun was more complete and its outline was clearer.

Under the gaze of this black "eye," the distorted sea monsters roamed the nearby waters. In the howling sea wind, a strange seabird with a sharp beak and four huge wings flew over the giant ship, calling out repeatedly.

It was not a sharp, piercing screech, but a rhythmic and melodious chant.

They didn't seem like wild beasts chasing after ships, but rather like the missionaries in Hugh's mind who liked to chase after pedestrians and talk endlessly about their faith.

"It's so noisy..."

Hugh was getting impatient with their noises, but just as he frowned, the massive metal ship changed dramatically in accordance with his thoughts.

The loud sound of gears turning continued, and the one-piece metal deck suddenly cracked open before Hugh's eyes. Accompanied by thick magical steam, a series of intricately designed weapons, engraved with numerous magical patterns and inlaid with huge crystals, slowly rose up.

Although no one was operating them, the long, narrow cannons rapidly adjusted their angles amidst the turning of gears. Then, a deafening roar erupted, accompanied by the dissipation of magical steam and the splashing of crystalline fragments. In an instant, terrifying cannon fire tore through the sky and completely engulfed the monsters chasing the ship and making strange noises.

The original "chanting" immediately turned into a miserable wail, and then the figures of these four-winged monsters were completely engulfed in a series of magical explosions. A few survivors adjusted their flight direction and fled in panic into the distance, and the low murmurs emanating from their bodies turned into shrill and ear-piercing screams.

It sounds like a curse.

"This is simply... inexplicable."

Hugh stood dumbfounded amidst the magical steam. The remains of some strange birds had fallen onto the deck. Their flesh, skin, and scales had been completely steamed into dry fragments by the fierce magical fire. After landing on the metal deck, they turned into wisps of smoke within seconds and then dissipated into the sea breeze.

Seemingly confirming that the target had been successfully eliminated, the "anti-aircraft guns" that had risen from below the deck slowly descended. Soon, as the metal deck closed again, these sophisticated weapons, exuding an unusual beauty and amazing charm, were once again hidden inside the giant ship.

The piercing screams of the four-winged birds still echoed in the distance, and their cries triggered a violent reaction in the sea.

As if in response to their plea for help, the once calm sea began to churn. Then, Hugh saw that the distant sea was torn apart by several huge shadows, each of which resembled a small island in the ocean. However, on their surfaces, Hugh saw a dark green color resembling seaweed, which appeared viscous and deep.

The fleeing four-winged birds frantically flapped their wings and descended toward the suddenly appearing islands. The harsh, piercing shrieks that had been uttered earlier returned to orderly low murmurs. It was as if they were praising these "islands" that had provided them with a temporary resting place, pacing over them and singing slowly.

Everything in the distance seemed exceptionally peaceful.

Hugh had assumed that the strange birds would rest peacefully on those "islands," but in the next instant, the enormous shadows that emerged from the deep sea trembled simultaneously. Then, Hugh saw countless dark green tentacles sweep out from beneath the seawater, eagerly wrapping around him and instantly ensnaring the unsuspecting birds.

Then, these round, dark green "islands" suddenly cracked open, just like green fruits that had swelled and split open due to exposure to the sun. A huge crack appeared in the middle of these shadows, and as the cracks widened, countless sharp teeth emerged from them.

And so, with the swaying of those tentacles, the strange birds that had just found a place to live were sent into these enormous mouths. The huge gaping mouths, full of teeth, slowly closed, and the soft shadows covered with dark green seaweed kept wriggling, as if they were carefully chewing their food.

Soon, the meal was over.

However, the few scattered four-winged birds clearly couldn't satisfy the appetite of these "dark green islands." Their bodies slowly turned, and within that gloomy color, enormous pupils appeared as new cracks opened, their dull yet greedy gazes fixed on the moving giant ship. Hugh sensed obvious hostility. Although he knew he was dreaming, instinctively, he felt a natural resistance to these ugly, twisted creatures.

The giant ship seemed to be able to detect even the slightest emotional fluctuations in Hugh. So the moment Hugh had this thought, the changes that had occurred before happened again. However, this time, the operation of the mechanical structure and the flow of magic became more intense. Amidst the continuous magical light and shadow and drifting steam, more heavy mechanical structures that gave people a strong sense of security appeared.

Despite the absurdity and bizarre nature of such scenes, they can still stir the heart.

The dark green island was rapidly approaching, and just as the artillery fire was about to erupt, Hugh suddenly heard a strange buzzing sound.

The hum came from the ocean, from the depths of that vast body of water; it was like the unconscious snoring of a giant beast sleeping in a distant time and space.

As the buzzing sound spread, the dark green behemoths that were moving stopped, and Hugh saw that the sea in the distance suddenly changed color.

Bubbles bursting with countless vibrant colors drifted up from the deep sea, leaving their colors on the surging waves as they exploded on the surface.

"The Colors of Life?"

Hugh looked in astonishment at the sea covered in psychedelic colors, feeling as if those colors formed a giant "blanket," seemingly directly covering the surface of the sea, or perhaps simply blending into the surface water...

As the "Color of Life" appeared, the deep hum grew louder, and these dark green behemoths seemed to be restrained as a result. They twisted their bodies and silently dived back into the sea.

……

"Buzz!"

The deafening noise jolted Hughes awake from his dream.

As a cruise ship, the Windless is somewhat old in terms of model and structure. A significant portion of its cabins are located close to the bow, so whenever the cruise ship anchors or some of the ship's machinery begins to emit magical steam, passengers living in these cabins are easily disturbed by loud noises.

Solving the noise was simple; a simple soundproofing magic ritual would suffice. But after that bizarre dream, Hugh was now completely wide awake. He stretched his body and sat up, taking his pocket watch from the side.

It's always hard to feel the passage of time when you're dreaming. Hugh glanced at his pocket watch and realized it was already 6:10 in the morning.

So he put on his coat and casually pulled open the tightly closed curtains.

The wind and waves seemed to have subsided considerably. From here, Hugh could clearly see the sailors of the Calmbrero skillfully carrying out inspections and maintenance. Later, the cruise ship's deck would be open to passengers, who would even be able to dine on deck if conditions permitted.

While Hugh was asleep, the rats responsible for guarding and monitoring had already completed their rotation.

However, the rotation of these Ernst family wills does not represent rest. They have been transformed into the purest magical creations. The so-called rotation is merely the metal discs replenishing their missing magic power and simply organizing the collected information and intelligence.

These rats were incredibly enthusiastic about this relatively free form of activity; the energetic General Bernhardt had even begun planning to send himself to an escort warship.

After getting up, Hugh skillfully operated the equipment set up in a corner of the cabin.

It was a metal teapot inscribed with some magical rituals, capable of directly brewing beverages. As magic was injected, the energizing drink powder inside the teapot quickly dissolved in the boiling water. Accompanied by the unique aroma of the energizing drink, Hugh began to process the important information that had accumulated in his mind at an extremely fast speed.

In the past few days, due to the rise of the black sun and the violent upheavals within the Kingdom of Saint Steel, the overall situation in Vaan has entered a new phase.

Just as Hugh and Mayer had predicted, all the nations have now entered a state of observation and vigilance, with the Kingdom of Hein and the Kingdom of Walter being the most cautious.

The actions of the Saint Steel royal family and their "announcement" have essentially constituted a betrayal of the "Alliance of the Highland Kingdoms," and as the purges launched within these two kingdoms continue, more and more signs and evidence related to the Black Sun Society are being successfully unearthed.

However, those who are punished are often just ordinary officials and nobles abandoned by the Black Sun Society. Those traitors who have formed close ties with the Black Sun Society, or even contacted its core, have already made preparations. With the assistance of the Black Sun Society, they have already fled their homeland and are quietly moving towards Saint Steel along some hidden routes.

Within the Kingdom of Wotel, a considerable number of people have shown unprecedented hostility towards the Black Sun Society. These highland residents, with their strong sense of national identity and ethnicity, believe that the Saint Steel royal family's public execution of their ambassador is tantamount to a declaration of war. Furthermore, under the mobilization of the Wotel military, more troops and weapons have been gathered in the north, and if necessary, they can advance northward via the previously constructed railways.

Compared to the confidence and caution shown by the major powers, the northern duchies that had previously been subordinate to the Kingdom of Saint Steel exhibited a completely different, extreme attitude.

Through the intelligence gathered by the rats, Hugh learned that those duchies, which were also located in the North and had close ties with the Saint Steel royal family, had already made their own choices in the short period of time that had just passed.

Although these northern principalities have not issued any official announcements.

However, investigations by numerous spies and secret agents revealed that these principalities were in fact already prepared to join the Black Sun Society and merge into the Kingdom of Saint Steel.

(End of this chapter)