We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 265 Deep Dive
"[Deep Sea Secret Poison]?"

Shaun's gaze swept past the first two options and landed on the third talent.

【Deep Sea Secret Poison】

[Quality: Rare]

[Type: Talent]

[Description: Legend has it that the deep sea is the origin of life.]

Endless mysteries and secrets lie buried beneath the deep sea.

And that is also the eternal resting place of the "Lord of the Deep."

In such an environment, organisms would naturally evolve all sorts of incredible abilities, thus ensuring the continuation of life.

[The toxin in the "secret venomous stickleback" is one of them.]

This toxin can erode secret power, weakening the combat strength of those who follow secret paths; the degree of weakening increases with the duration of poisoning.

[This effect can be stacked with the "Great Dark Heaven's" absorption of secret power.]

"Not bad!"

Xia En's eyes brightened slightly.

Judging from the description, this talent is not particularly extraordinary, but its advantage lies in its practicality!

【The Great Dark Heaven】 already possesses the ability to weaken enemies and strengthen itself; coupled with this bizarre toxin, it will surely produce an effect greater than the sum of its parts.

More importantly.

It wasn't until this [Deep Sea Hunt] that Shane truly realized the power of the [Deep Sea Devourer] class.

It's not just about enhancing overall capabilities; it's about constantly plundering the abilities of sea monsters and making up for its own shortcomings while devouring them.

It's just like……

An evolution that tends towards perfection!
When Shane consumed the [Giant Sandworm] last time, his feelings weren't as direct and intense as they are now.

But this time, after making his choice, he truly felt that some invisible flaw within him had been corrected.

"Devour, then evolve..."

"Let go of the past, surpass yourself, and constantly transform."

Xia En muttered to himself, "So that's how it is."

In a way, he seemed to have a vague understanding of the core of the [Deep Sea Devourer] class.

Immediately, a prompt appeared on the panel.

[Career compatibility +10%!]

Any actions or philosophies that align with this secret path of career can potentially increase career fit.

However, Xia En couldn't help but have some unusual worries.

"If this trend continues, am I going to stop being a decent human being?"

But then I thought, maybe he wasn't a pure-blooded human to begin with?
Moreover, it's impossible for Xia En to give up continuing on the secret path.

As the [Projected Body] was about to dissipate.

He glanced at the deep-sea monster that had been completely devoured, a hint of anticipation appearing in his eyes, and couldn't help but lick his lips.

"I wonder what kind of prey we'll encounter next?"

……

……

A month later.

A sea area that has been sealed off by several patrol boats.

The federal research vessel Alice dropped anchor.

On the deck, a number of crew members who looked like researchers were watching with excitement as the spherical device was placed into the seawater.

Clergymen, dressed in long robes and carrying incense burners, walked near the cable, gently shaking the incense sticks as they prayed for the spherical device.

This device is called the "Dive into the Abyss," and it is the latest manned submersible developed by the Federation.

It is made of various special and precious materials, and is equipped with cutting-edge magic pattern technology, which greatly increases its pressure resistance.

It is said to be one of only five submersibles capable of exploring waters more than 10,000 meters deep.

Today, the task of the [Dive into the Abyss] is to conduct an in-depth investigation in this sea area.

Wow!

Surrounded by the waves, the [Abyss] slowly sank into the sea and gradually moved towards deeper waters.

Inside the "Dive into the Abyss," the three explorers looked out at the sea through a meter-thick special glass, their hearts filled with trepidation.

The target of the "Dive" this time is an area of ​​sea with a depth of about 10,000 meters.

At that depth, even the slightest malfunction could lead to their demise.

Rescue is simply not a thing.

After all, they would be dead before rescue arrived.

It's fair to say that carrying out such a deep-sea mission is incredibly dangerous.

In those early days when technology was not yet mature, the mortality rate was appalling, which at one point drew protests and opposition from some people.

Only those who value certain things more than life itself would participate in such a plan without hesitation.

At this moment, the three explorers aboard the [Dive] were just such people.

As the water depth increased, the submersible gradually quieted down.

In such a closed environment, the silence is undoubtedly unsettling.

Then, the man in military uniform among the three spoke first with a wry smile: "Dr. Hossing, Priest William, shall we talk about something?"

"If this silence continues, I might be driven crazy."

The person referred to as "Dr. Hossing" was a bald, middle-aged researcher.

Hearing the man in military uniform's words, Hossin smiled and said, "Major Reynolds, just relax and treat it as a normal field mission. There's no need to be so nervous."

Beside him, a priest in a long robe shook his head and said, "Hossin, you're not right about that."

"Major Reynolds isn't like you, having participated in deep-sea operations multiple times."

"It's normal to feel nervous when experiencing the deep sea for the first time."

This clergyman, named William, wore a black robe with silver trim and blue patterns, a standard feature of the Deep Sea Church.

Those wave-like patterns are a kind of divine markings, and an extension of the power of the Storm Goddess.

With most of the land submerged by the sea, the power of the Storm Goddess was greatly enhanced, making the influence of the Deep Sea Church almost cover the seven seas.

The priests of the Goddess of Storms also became an indispensable group in the voyage.

Whether it's avoiding terrible storms or fighting against the invisible pollution on the sea, storm priests play an extremely important role.

Back then, even Duke Nova, who followed the Crimson Lord, had many Storm Priests on board.

It is easy to see their importance.

On the other hand.

Storm priests are human too.

After enduring invisible pollution and mental stress time and time again, they will inevitably be assimilated and influenced.

In general.

The priests who traveled on the ship had to return to shore after a period of time to undergo purification and baptism at the Storm Church.

Subsequently, most of them were able to recover and continue serving as shipboard chaplains on other ships.

Some, however, were left with mental health issues and had no choice but to stay away from the sea, spending the rest of their lives as priests on land, continuing to serve the deep-sea church.

It could be said that these priests... were actually expendable supplies during voyages.

It is precisely because of this that the status of storm priests has always been extremely high at sea.

If it weren't for Priest William volunteering, the Seven Seas Federation wouldn't have been willing to send him to escort the [Dive] ship.

However, Dr. Hossing clearly did not have a very good relationship with this pastor.

"Heh..." He quickly sneered and retorted, "Whether it's the first time or the last, since we're already sitting in this submersible, maintaining a calm mindset is the best choice."

“When things get really bad, fear and panic are pointless.”

William frowned: "Hmph, you always treat people like machines."

"How can humans ever truly control their emotions?"

Huo Xin said calmly, "I can."

"……you!"

Seeing that the two companions were about to start arguing, Major Reno quickly intervened.

"Gentlemen, calm down! Calm down!"

"We're still on a deep-sea mission!"

Upon hearing this, William and Hossing glared at each other, then turned away and remained silent.

Seeing that the two of them had calmed down, Renault breathed a sigh of relief and secretly wiped away a bead of cold sweat.

Honestly.

Renault's ability to become a major in the Federation is a testament to his considerable strength and talent.

A fifth-order rank, with the bloodline of the sea race.

Although you would still be crushed into mincemeat at a depth of 10,000 meters, at least you can hold on for half a second longer.

This is one of the reasons why the Federation chose him as an explorer.

However, in front of William and Hossing, Renault could only act timidly.

the reason is simple.

William and Hossin are both sixth-tier Mystic Pathfinders!
The former is the high-ranking Storm High Priest, whom even Renault's superiors treat with respect.

The latter is one of the developers of the [Dive into the Abyss], and also a renowned deep-sea scholar in the Federation, with profound research on the ecology and secrets of the deep sea.

Compared to those two, Renault is nothing but a small fry.
Moreover, what made Renault break out in a cold sweat was...

Priest William and Dr. Hossing have always been at odds, repeatedly expressing differing opinions in public, and have even had physical altercations.

Renault simply couldn't understand why his superiors, knowing this, would still allow them to participate in this deep-sea operation.
Even if two sixth-tier powerhouses aren't skilled in combat, they could easily destroy this submersible in a casual clash, right?

Or does the boss have other intentions in doing this?

When people are nervous, they tend to overthink.

For Renault, who was diving into the deep sea for the first time, it was especially difficult to contain his chaotic thoughts.

"Drip... drip..."

The beeping sounds from the instruments echoed continuously inside the submersible.

Renault glanced at the instrument panel and saw that the number had jumped to "950".

For a typical submersible, this depth is already quite remarkable.

Or rather, they have already reached their limits.

But for the [Dive], this is only the beginning of its deep-sea journey.

However, looking out through the transparent glass, the seawater had turned completely black.

Only the high-powered lights built into the [Qianyuan] hull emitted a faint glow in the seawater.

But then, Hossin said, "Major Reynolds, turn off the exterior lighting system."

Renault paused, then asked, "Huh?"

This time, William unusually did not refute Hossing's opinion, but instead took the initiative to explain.

"At this depth, the lights will attract the attention of some sea creatures, which may cause damage to the [Abyss]."

Upon hearing this, Renault immediately turned off the exterior lighting system.

However, this left the underwater world outside the glass window as nothing but an impenetrable darkness.

It was like being in a pitch-black fog where you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face.

It's like being in a desolate universe without a single star.

Witnessing this scene, Renault felt an indescribable fear.

If I had to put it in a way, it was a fear of gradually drifting away from the civilized world and of humanity's own insignificance.

"Major Reynolds."

The priest William's calm voice rang in his ears.

The sound carried the undulations of ocean waves, and also a mysterious power to calm the mind.

Treatment is conducted through conversation.

This kind of "talk therapy" magic is widespread in the Deep Sea Church and can quickly restore the sanity of those who have been corrupted.

"I suggest you stop staring at the deep sea."

William advised, "While you are looking directly into the deep sea, the deep sea is also looking into you."

Renault snapped back to reality, and replied with lingering fear, "Yes, I understand..."

As a priest, William had a responsibility to maintain the mental health of his companions, so he spoke up.

"How about we have a chat?"

"Major Reynolds, why did you participate in this deep-sea diving expedition?"

Renault thought for a moment and said, "Because... I am a soldier."

"My boss told me to come, so I came."

"Obeying orders is my duty."

Upon hearing this, Huo Xin sneered, "A boring reason."

"If you can't even follow your own will, even if you rise to a higher rank, you'll still just be a weakling."

Reno was also somewhat displeased by Hossin's retort and asked in return.

"Then why did you participate in this operation, Doctor?"

Looking out at the deep sea, Hossin said in a fervent tone, "Of course, it's for...the truth!"

"I have always been exploring the mysteries of the ocean, so how could I miss this opportunity to peer into the deep sea?"

"I am willing to give everything for the truth of the world!"

Renault frowned. Hossin's words sounded like something a mad scientist would say.

But the word "truth" evoked some other associations in him.

Compared to Hossing, Reynolds liked William more, so he turned to ask, "Mr. William, what are your reasons?"

William stroked his chin and smiled gently, "Perhaps, I just want to see certain beings, nothing more."

"Even if I only get to see it for a second, I will die without regrets."

Hearing William's words, Renault felt a chill run down his spine for no reason, finding the smile on his face particularly strange.

What could it be that can only be found in the deep sea?

After a brief conversation, the three returned to their initial silence.

This silence lasted for an unknown period of time.

Until the numbers on the instrument panel jumped to "8500!"

Renault vaguely sensed that the [Abyss] seemed to have sunk into a trench and was heading towards deeper waters.

Suddenly at this moment.

Drop drop!
The instrument emitted a sharp, short beep, like an alarm.

Renault's expression turned grave, and he exclaimed in alarm, "Something is approaching the [Abyss]! It's moving incredibly fast!"

William and Hossing's expressions changed slightly, and they turned to look out the thick glass almost simultaneously.

In the deep, dark sea, a huge creature could be vaguely seen swimming!

(End of this chapter)