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

Chapter 469 [Black Tide Messenger]

Shortly before Shane's Black Swan returned to the Seven Seas World.

On the horizon, several warships flying the flag of the Seven Seas Federation stood ready.

The steel hull reflected a cold, sharp light, and the cannons were raised high, aimed at the collapsing sky.

The naval soldiers on deck gripped their weapons tightly, cold sweat beading on their foreheads, their eyes filled with fear.

"Report! The Secret Force reading has exceeded the critical value!"

"An unknown spatial passage has appeared in the sky above the sea!"

The observer's voice trembled with tension.

The captain gripped the binoculars tightly, his knuckles turning white, staring intently at the dark crack.

His throat was dry, and the great battle that had taken place in the far north not long ago flashed through his mind.

Countless filthy monsters ravaged the icy plains, clashing with the Federation's Far North Expeditionary Force.

"All personnel on Level 1 alert!"

He gave a stern order, his voice hoarse: "Notify headquarters, suspected alien invasion!"

The gunners' fingers hovered over the triggers, ready to fire at any moment.

The binoculars in the naval captain's hand suddenly began to tremble violently.

"Then...what is that?!"

His voice was stuck in his throat, almost turning into a hoarse, breathy sound.

The distant sky seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand.

From within the pitch-black rift, a colossal, crimson shadow, as red as lava, slowly emerged.

First, jagged dragon horns pierced the clouds, followed by a head covered in dark red scales.

The vertical pupils, fused with molten gold, burned like two miniature suns against the dim sky.

"That's... an ancient dragon!?"

"But how can it be so big?"

Through negotiations between the Dragon's Nest and the Seven Seas Federation, the Federation Navy actually witnessed the existence of an ancient dragon.

But here's the thing.

The ancient dragon before us was simply enormous!

When the dragon's ten-thousand-meter-long body was fully stretched out, its shadow directly enveloped the entire fleet.

Its molten gold scales shimmered like a flowing volcano in the sunlight, and every breath it took brought with it a sulfurous hurricane.

The sailors' hats were blown away by the gale, and the flags on the masts fluttered and nearly tore apart.

The mere sight of such a being was enough to deter the Federal Navy from even considering confronting it.

"Captain, should we...fire?"

The gunner's voice was stuck in his throat.

This captain, who was usually decisive and efficient, found himself in a difficult situation.

He suspected that this terrifying ancient dragon wanted to invade their Seven Seas World.

But on the other hand.

With their strength, they were no match for the other side at all.

Forcing a move would only lead to certain death.

In the captain's view, the only one capable of dealing with this enormous ancient dragon was probably the legendary Federation hero, the holder of the "Northern Star" medal, and the captain of the "Black Swan," Shane!

But after a moment's hesitation, the captain made up his mind.

His finger hovered in mid-air, about to issue the order to fire.

His pupils constricted with fear, his Adam's apple bobbed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"All gunners, prepare!"

His voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

Suddenly, a shout, distorted in tone, rang out from the observation tower: "There's something else in the crevice!"

Within the dark crack, two ships were struggling to traverse, enveloped by the mysterious power of the void.

Once the ghost ship, entirely blue in color, was fully revealed, the lookout suddenly began waving signal flags frantically.

"It's the Diamond Star! And following behind is... the Black Swan!"

The name is like lightning striking the deck.

"Captain Shane?"

The nautical chart scroll in the first mate's hand rolled to the ground: "That hero who thwarted the Outer Gods' plot?"

The captain swiftly grabbed the megaphone: "All personnel, stand by!"

His voice cracked with excitement.

"Repeat: Do not fire!"

At that moment, the Ghana was flying over the fleet.

As the scorching heatwave from its wings swept over, the foremost destroyer tilted sharply at a 30-degree angle.

Several sailors clung tightly to the cannon barrel, watching as the spot where they had just stood was now riddled with honeycomb-like holes from the sparks that had fallen from the lava scales.

"That monster is going to attack us!"

Someone cried out in despair.

But the dragon didn't even glance at these "little toys".

It gracefully stretched its body, drawing molten golden streaks of light among the clouds, before disappearing into the horizon in an instant.

The captain's hands were shaking so badly he could barely hold the book.

He grabbed the megaphone and his voice echoed throughout the fleet: "Disarmament! Raise the salute flag!"

When the Federation fleet neatly lowered its flag to half-mast and replaced it with the blue and white striped flag, a symbol of peace.

On the deck of the Black Swan, Joey was observing this scene through binoculars.

"Captain, they recognize us."

She turned and reported, "The highest level of naval salute is being given."

"Send a signal."

Shaun said to Joey, "Tell the Federation fleet that we have brought back the dwarves who have been away from their homeland for a thousand years, and request an escort."

……

……

a few days later.

The Black Swan followed a group of Federation warships and headed toward the nearest island.

Although the Black Swan was severely damaged during the previous Secret Realm Transmission, it is no longer able to make the transmission.

However, simple sea voyages are still no problem.

Moreover, with the rest and recuperation over the past few days, the Black Swan has recovered considerably from its damage.

Even Xiao Hei showed signs of faintly waking up.

Besides.

String Song, on the other hand, has entered a state of seclusion.

This is because, before leaving, Ghana gave another drop of her heart's blood to String Song.

String Song was already only one step away from becoming a legend, and then came the gift from [Ghana].

It's only a matter of time before he breaks through to the legendary level during this seclusion.

At this moment.

Before we even got close to the island, a familiar-looking ship sailed out of the port.

"It's the [Gentle Breeze]!"

Karlless, standing next to Shane, quickly recognized the warship, his tone tinged with amusement.

As the "Gentle Breeze" drew closer, Shane stood at the bow, the sea breeze ruffling his black hair.

He squinted and saw a familiar figure on the deck—Daisy was waving at him.

Her silver-white naval uniform gleamed in the sunlight, and the gold insignia on her shoulder straps indicated that she had been promoted to major.

And Alessio, standing beside her, was even more upright than before.

His jawline was strong, but his eyes couldn't hide the joy of their reunion.

After the two ships came together, Daisy and Alessio boarded the Black Swan via the gangway.

Daisy looked at Shane with excitement: "You rascal, you always cause a huge commotion every time you show up!"

“That ancient dragon almost scared our observer to death!” Alessio noticed the group of sturdy, weathered dwarves behind the deck.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the War Hammer in Grom's hand, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"these are……?"

"The dwarves of the [Forge Realm]".

Shaen explained, "They were once inhabitants of the Seven Seas World, and migrated to another world a thousand years ago."

"Now, they want to go home."

Daisy took a deep breath, clearly processing the astonishing news.

She quickly regained her composure and nodded: "The Federation will take good care of them."

She pointed to herself and her newly changed epaulets.

"Thanks to you, Alessio and I are now in charge of the Special External Relations Department, which specializes in handling these kinds of incidents."

"【Special External Relations Department】?"

After a moment's thought, Xia En understood the department's functions.

With the merging of the Seven Seas World and the nearby Secret Realm, the original Ancient Dragon Clan and Elf Clan now require dedicated personnel for negotiations.

Presumably, it was for this reason that the federal government established this department.

And coincidentally...

Whether it's ancient dragons, elves, or dwarves, they all have a close connection with Shane.

Even their first communication with the Federation was facilitated by Shane.

No wonder Daisy would say something like "thanks to you".

Soon, Daisy asked again, "Captain Shane, where have you been all this time?"

"After the Black Tide incident in the [Dragon's Nest Secret Realm], I haven't heard much from you."

Xia En gestured for everyone to go into the cabin for a detailed discussion.

In the captain's cabin, he briefly recounted his experiences over the past period—from the battle in the [Elf Realm], to the crisis in the [Rhine Realm], and then to the adventure in the [Forge Realm].

Daisy and Alessio listened intently, sometimes exclaiming in amazement, sometimes falling silent.

"So, that ancient dragon... [Ghana], is it free now?"

Daisy asked softly, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Yes."

Shane replied, "It has finally returned to the sky that belongs to it."

Alessio whistled: "The Federation's astronomers are in for a treat—a 10,000-meter-long ancient dragon soaring through the Seven Seas is bound to cause a sensation!"

Shane continued, "Actually, there's another benefit to Ghana returning to the Seven Seas World."

"In any case, it is ultimately a creature of the Seven Seas World."

"If the [Hui Si Ming] launches another invasion, with its strength, it can at least hold them off for a while."

Daisy nodded: "That's true."

She knew very well that the shadow of [Hui Si Ming] had not yet been dispelled.

Any top-tier power in the Seven Seas World is precious.

"Speaking of this, during the time you were away, the black tide on the [Sea of ​​Annihilation] underwent some changes, and its range expanded."

Daisy's expression suddenly turned serious, and her fingers unconsciously traced the rim of the teacup.

"The most troublesome thing is that some entities calling themselves 'Black Tide Messengers' have begun to appear on various islands."

"They seem to worship the Black Tide and have secretly formed a cult."

"【Black Tide Messenger】?"

Xia En frowned.

He knew very well that the "Black Tide" was backed by the "Corruption Apostles".

Or rather, it is the "Filthy Fate" behind the "Corrupted Apostles"!
The emergence of such a religious group can hardly be a good thing.

Daisy's voice lowered: "These [Black Tide Messengers] are elusive and often spread prophecies about the Black Tide in coastal villages."

"They claim that only by worshipping the Lord of the Black Tide can one survive the upcoming 'Great Purge'."

Alessio added, "What's more troubling is that they seem to have mastered some strange secret arts that allow them to control some of the Black Tide creatures."

"Several Federation patrol fleets have been attacked, and the crew members have been transformed into half-human, half-monster beings."

Xia En tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He had witnessed firsthand the horrors of the "Filthy Life" and was well aware of the dangers of the spread of this belief.

What measures has the federal government taken?

"The current focus is on clearing out and eliminating the enemy."

Daisy sighed, "But the effect is limited. These believers are like weeds; you wipe one out, and new ones will sprout up."

Shaun speculated, "This might be the work of the Corruption Apostle."

"The only way to completely eradicate this belief is to utterly kill the [Corrupted Apostles]!"

Daisy agreed, "That's right."

"However, with our current strength, it is unrealistic to kill the Corrupted Apostle."

"The Federation has already sent members of the [Radiant Church] and the [Deep Abyss Sect] to take action in hopes of curbing the expansion of the [Black Tide Order]."

Xia En sighed softly.

If he had the combat power of a ninth-tier warrior, he might already be heading to the source of the Black Tide to fight the Corrupted Apostles to the death.

But right now, he's still a long way off!

"We still need to continue improving our strength!"

Xia En thought to himself, deciding to take advantage of this time back in the Seven Seas World to rest and recuperate, and find some more ways to improve his combat power.

"Oh right, I almost forgot something."

Soon, Shane called over Angie, Quinti, and the dwarf Grom.

During this period, due to the harsh environment of the [Forge Realm], all the other elves were sent back to the [Rhine Realm] by Shane.

Then let them return to the Elf Realm through the two [Secret Realm] passages.

But Angie and Quinti stayed.

Now, the federal government is to handle the resettlement of the dwarves.

We might as well bring the negotiations between the elves and the Federation into the open.

of course.

Xia En only acts as an intermediary and does not conduct any specific negotiations.

When Daisy saw Angie and Quinti, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: "Who are these two...?"

"The representative of the Elven race."

Shane introduced, "Angie and Kundy are from the [Elf Realm]."

Angie nodded slightly, elegant and composed: "Envoy of the Federation, our Elf race hopes to establish deeper ties with the Seven Seas World."

"Elves!?"

After confirming the other party's identity, Daisy was greatly shocked.

Dwarves are rare in the Seven Seas World, but they do exist.

However, the Elven race did indeed disappear from the Seven Seas World thousands of years ago.

Shaen's return brought not only an entire dwarf race, but also an envoy from the elves!

All I can say is, he truly lives up to his reputation as Captain Shane!

Daisy took a deep breath, quickly composed herself, and solemnly said, "The Federation welcomes any friendly exchanges."

"Please rest assured, we will arrange the highest level of hospitality."

She turned to Alessio: “Contact headquarters immediately and prepare to convene an interracial council.”

After Alessio nodded and left, Daisy's gaze shifted between the elves and dwarves, and she suddenly chuckled softly.

"Captain Shane, the 'gift' you brought back this time will probably keep those old men up at night for days."

Xia En shrugged: "You'll get used to it."

It didn't take long.

The Black Swan and the Breeze entered the port of this island.

While the Federation was negotiating with the elves and dwarves.

Shaen returned to the [Rhine Secret Realm] alone.

(End of this chapter)