The black sun hangs high

Chapter 386 "Me and My Mentor"

These words, which hold extraordinary significance for the inhabitants of the land of Vaan today, are spoken through the voices of the sea creatures.

A strange picture from a distant past was finally unveiled in the minds of these "land travelers".

Meanwhile, far away in Watchtower City, Hugh, like everyone else participating in the Black Sun Society gathering, once again glimpsed the lost scene through the Black Sun Ritual.

"Life originated from the ocean."

This statement carries drastically different meanings in different worlds.

If this were in Hugh's true "homeland," it would probably be common knowledge that most people would accept.

However, in Vain, this phrase inevitably takes on a special psychedelic quality.

The brilliant, dazzling colors of the rainbow danced continuously in the surging ancient waves; it was the gaze of the sea god Charon, and also the breath of the deep-sea community with its collective will.

An indescribable life force is nurtured within it, constantly crashing against the shoreline rocks with the waves, extending its footprints to the deepest parts of the land with the circulation of water, just like sowing seeds. The miracle born under the gaze of the black sun gradually spreads to every corner as the world's rules operate.

This is an extremely long process.

But compared to the eternal celestial bodies in the sky, this change was extremely rapid, almost instantaneous.

When the hunters of the Dark Abyss emerged from their long hibernation and once again set foot on their hunting grounds, they were astonished to find that in this world, there had appeared beings capable of confronting them head-on.

The communities born in the ocean also received new instructions from the Lord of the boundless ocean during this contact.

The footsteps of the kin should not stop at the boundary between land and sea. Since the creatures on land also enjoy the life blessings that originated from the sea, they should also be a member of the community. Moreover, only when powerful bodies of water fill the entire world can the eternal hunt initiated by the black celestial bodies be completely stopped.

Therefore, after another "great hunt," the ocean finally declared war on the land.

Under the unseen gaze of Caljun, the surging waves crashed against the cliffs, and the all-pervasive seawater began to rise, rushing towards the land, towards every rock, towards the territories belonging to the so-called deities.

The battle between the rats and the sea monsters that Hughes once glimpsed in the Earth Mother's dream was just a fleeting moment in this long war.

Calron and the ocean in which He dwells are so powerful that countless individuals are connected to each other under the ceaseless life force, and countless wills and thoughts are merged. In this process, those kin, whether ferocious or elegant, are able to gain infinite possibilities.

Devouring, learning, evolving, transforming...

Faced with this colossal community that possesses almost limitless possibilities and space, even the Dark Abyss had to temporarily retreat from its sharp edge.

"For a very, very long time, the hunt initiated by the Black Sun was stopped. The majesty of my Lord Karron was enough to intimidate those terrible shadows... They no longer dared to regard this place as their hunting ground, and could only take 'offerings' from those land tribes to maintain their own power."

In the words of that community messenger, almost everyone could feel its clear emotion.

These dangerous clans are proud of their past glories and yearn for their lost past.

"So the sea continued to advance toward the land... At that time, every god and people on land had to make a choice."

"In order to thwart the will of Calron, those land gods who used to devour each other were forced to cease their conflict and engage in a futile confrontation with us."

"And those races either stayed away from the battlefield and established sanctuaries in safe enough places, or they loyally followed their gods and fought against us... Of course, among the land walkers, there were also many races that made the right choice."

"That is to follow the sea, seek the protection of our Lord, and help us advance towards the land..."

As it uttered these words, the community emissary's gaze pierced through the thick glass barrier and landed on the group of members of the Vaan Magic Academy and Frey Meyer. It carefully examined everyone, and then, through the voice of the sea creature representative, uttered a statement that left everyone present speechless.

"Mel...the one the Landwalkers follow."

"She is one of them. She is the land agent chosen by my Lord. She should have been the key to the world's oceans. She should have been one of us..."

"However, she became a traitor."

……

Like the other members of the society, Hugh's consciousness hovered above this boundless ocean illusion.

The dark abyssal magic within his body was surging at a steady rate, while the black sun overhead appeared exceptionally distant. The Mirror Messenger and the Palace Hound peered upwards in confusion through Hugh's gaze, while the black mask, clearly connected to Theseus in some way, rose and fell within the misty abyss.

It seems that something wonderful is happening to it.

A faint ripple emanated from the void, and Kozlov, the host of the gathering, was using this vast illusion to transmit a great deal of information to the wills that were also within it.

The general condition of the Watchtower defense line, key defensive lines that need adjustment and reinforcement, the types of personnel in short supply, and the mobilization of supplies and military equipment...

Such plans, which should have been discussed directly in a regular meeting, are now being instilled into the minds of every relevant person in the form of detailed drawings and text.

Hugh, who bears the title of Baron Fiorlando, is no exception.

Under the blessing of the Black Sun Ritual, Krzlov's will became powerful and sharp, like a carving knife, directly engraving a message into Hugh's mind.

That was precisely the task that Krzlov wanted to assign to the Baron.

"The Society needs to conduct a thorough search around Watchtower. You will be the primary commander of this mission, while I will be its head. You only need to report directly to me; you don't need to worry about anyone else or any arrangements."

"I require you to transform the Rock Lake Mine into a search outpost within five days and to search several possible hideouts of spies and agents. This is the Society's trust in you—currently, you are the only core member who has actually made contact with those infiltrators and is still alive. Fiorlando, I want you to take on this important responsibility." "There's no need to worry about manpower. As long as your requests are reasonable, I will try my best to meet them. You can also deploy the Azharu, Darkhounds, and other creations in the region to a certain extent."

"Your most important goal is to find Hugh Ernst... Hugh Ernst of the Dawn Order. Find him, whether he is dead or alive."

A series of words were imprinted in Hugh's mind. These commands contained astonishing magic. If Hugh had not set up a magic barrier beforehand and had not had a high enough mental strength, he would probably have been completely marked by Krzlov, just like the others present, and become a pawn to be manipulated and dispatched by him.

The surface work, including the repair, was done very well.

Faced with these terrifying mental commands, he showed complete obedience and loyalty, and after confirming that Feorlando had accepted his commands, Kerzlov withdrew his will with satisfaction.

Now that all the instructions and plans, big and small, have been delivered, the next step is the society's grand gathering.

Everyone present will witness a lost true history.

For members who have already joined the society, its effect is relatively limited, but for officials who have not yet completely shaken off the influence of the "false god," these powerful shadows of the past can completely change their thinking and make them truly devote themselves to the affairs of the society.

Then the waves began to surge, and the colors that once belonged to Caljon emerged from the deepest part of the ocean.

Hugh had intended to take this opportunity to observe these past scenes closely, but at that moment, the black mask that had been floating in the mist of the Dark Abyss suddenly trembled, and then a familiar voice rang in Hugh's mind.

"Hmm... they are really good at doing these things, although they are still rough, but they are enough."

Hugh was stunned for a moment, because it was indeed Theseus's voice.

Just like when she left, Theseus used a voice that was more feminine, and she sounded very languid, as if she were lying in a chair doing nothing.

Of course, what's hidden beneath this languor is probably weakness and exhaustion.

"You need to speed things up... Before long, the inhabitants of Saint Steel will probably all be throwing themselves into the arms of those gods, and what awaits them next is a deeper transformation, just like those members of the society you saw before."

"Transcending the purely physical state, offering one's spirit and thoughts as a sacrifice, ultimately transcending one's original limitations, and becoming a member of the kin of those lost beings."

"If it really comes to that, the weapons and methods you have now will probably not be enough to deal with it."

Hugh wanted to ask about Theseus, but before he could speak, Theseus ruthlessly interrupted him: "Don't rush to speak. You'd better keep your mind stable... Their rituals are completely different from before. If you don't want all your efforts to be in vain, then keep quiet and listen to me."

The voice in his mind let out a heavy sigh of relief, and then Hugh heard Theseus say, "The revival and spread of the Color of Life is happening a little too fast. This is probably because some people in the Black Sun Society have successfully found the key to catalyze it."

"You'll have to figure out the specifics yourself, and you'll need to speed things up... If you don't want to see the return of Charon, you'd better speed things up even more."

Hearing this, Hugh couldn't hold back any longer.

"When Charon returned, wasn't He banished?"

A sneer came from the depths of the spiritual world, and then Hugh heard the lazy voice say, "For these special beings, the meaning of expulsion is many... It can be complete annihilation and devouring, or it can be a short-term blockade and obstruction."

She paused slightly before adding, "Of course, it could also be the destruction or erosion of the very source of its power."

"Look down, although these images are not entirely accurate, they can answer some of your questions."

Following Theseus's words, Hughes looked down and saw that within the surging rainbow colors, various sea beasts gradually emerged. To his surprise, some of the strange fish he had glimpsed in the "Dream Ship" and some of the strange beasts he had encountered while aboard the Windless were also among them.

Hughes saw that this boundless army, completely integrated with the waves, was advancing towards the coast.

Meanwhile, fighting was already underway on the coast.

He saw a small number of sea beasts mixed together with soldiers of various races, including humans, elves, and ogres. They were not enemies, but allies who relied on each other to fight.

Engaging this mixed force are a swarm of rats belonging to the Earth Mother Goddess, as well as many strange tribes whose affiliations to various faiths and deities are unknown.

Giant falcons with horns and many narrow eyes on their wings, giant lizards covered in scales, and burly humanoid figures made of twisted vines... They mingled with the endless swarms of rats, launching wave after wave of frenzied attacks on the defensive line close to the sea.

Among the defenders, one figure stood out conspicuously.

The azure waves, like ribbons, surrounded her, and an invisible force, both familiar and strange, danced around her. Hugh recognized the figure.

She had appeared in the rats' dreams, where she was also fighting alongside the sea creatures.

Hugh had also seen her in those fragmented memories belonging to Theseus. Back then, she was the leader of countless races not favored by the land gods, the true leader of that vast tribe.

She was Mel, who later became the goddess of magic.

Beside this figure who constantly uses various ancient magics in battle, there is another shadow active—a constantly shifting black shadow.

Sometimes it transforms into slender ropes and venomous snakes, spreading deadly black mist towards the enemy ranks; sometimes it is like a poisoned blade, piercing through those dangerous and massive targets on the spot; and sometimes it transforms into a concrete human form or other shapes, returning to Mel's side to protect her.

"See that? That's me... Well, it's not exactly the same as the actual situation, but overall it's not wrong."

Theseus's voice drifted in slowly: "Look, that's me and my mentor."

(End of this chapter)