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

Chapter 508 [Eternal Twilight] [Twilight Guardian]

a few days later.

The Crystal Island of the Seven Seas World.

After final adjustments and resupply, the Black Swan is ready to set sail again.

On deck, the crew was making final preparations.

Joey stood at the top of the mast, adjusting the brand-new sail system.

After advancing to the eighth rank, she gained even more control over the power of storms, and could even weave intricate lightning patterns onto the canvas.

"This is good stuff."

She proudly showed off to Carles below.

"It can automatically unleash lightning when encountering enemies, saving me the trouble of doing it myself."

Carles looked up and quickly processed the analysis data in his mechanical eyes.

"Theoretically, it's good, but the conversion rate of secret energy is only 67%, so there's room for optimization."

"Hey! This is a work of art!"

Joey protested, clearly dissatisfied.

String Song is inspecting the dragon scale armor on the ship's hull.

This is an outer armor made from her shed dragon scales, which provides amazing defense while maintaining flexibility.

She gently stroked each scale, making sure they were all in optimal condition.

at the same time.

Jane was in a corner of the ship, flipping through several thick ancient books with the Youxing couple, Marina, and Elvis.

These ancient books were gifts from the federal government.

While the Seven Seas World is rare compared to other worlds in the Secret Sea, it is not entirely absent.

These ancient books record the legends and secrets of many worlds in the [Secret Sea].

Among them are clues about the world that Lyra may be in.

Vivian stood on the ship's railing, gazing absently at the shimmering sea in the distance.

Since her conversation with Xia En that night, her state of mind seemed to have undergone a subtle change.

She held a sparkling crystal in her hand, within which was sealed a wisp of the world's will of the [New Sea Realm].

This was a gift the world, which was recovering, gave her as she left.

"Are you ready?" Shane's voice came from behind.

Vivian turned around, her heterochromatic eyes flashing with determination.

"We are ready to depart at any time, Captain."

Just then, Carles' voice came from the center of the deck.

"Captain, the analysis of the [Fragment of God] is complete."

Shane's expression brightened, and he immediately turned and walked toward Carles.

The crew members also gathered around.

A fragment glowing red floated in Karles' hand; it was the Fragment of God he had obtained in the Mechanized Territory.

At this moment, fine runes appeared on the surface of the fragments, forming a blurry star map.

With this star map, plus the mutual resonance between the [Fragments of God],

Shane will be able to determine the approximate coordinates of the other party, thus enabling him to use the Black Swan to traverse the secret realm.

"Without further ado, let's prepare to depart!"

With a command from Shane, the Black Swan slowly took off.

And just then.

A commotion erupted from the [Liuli Island] below.

Xia En looked down.

They saw Lattywen, Heller, Benny, and many familiar faces from the Federal Navy waving goodbye.

Standing at the stern, Xia En looked down at the familiar faces below, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

Latiwen raised the holy sword high, its tip radiating a dazzling light, like fireworks bidding them farewell.

Heller stood in the shadows, nodding slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Benny waved his fist and shouted something.

Although the content was unclear, the heroic spirit could be felt from a great distance.

"set sail!"

At Shane's command, the hull of the Black Swan began to glow with a ghostly blue light.

The black swan statue on the bow seemed to come alive, emitting a silent, long cry.

The entire ship was gradually enveloped in a layer of silver light, a sign that the [Secret Realm Traverse] was about to begin.

"Target locked."

Carles' voice was steady and calm.

"Entering warp state in ten seconds."

Xia En took a deep breath and glanced at each crew member.

"Gentlemen, this may be our most dangerous voyage to date."

"But I believe we will definitely overcome this difficulty!"

As the countdown ended, the space around the Black Swan began to distort.

A dazzling white light flashed, and the entire ship instantly disappeared into the sky of the Seven Seas World.

……

……

After a familiar voyage through the [Secret Sea].

A place quite different from the ordinary [Secret Realm] came into view of Xia En and the others.

This [secret realm] has a dark red hue, resembling the sky at dusk.

There are also some indescribable black spots all over its surface.

It carried a faint sense of foreboding.

Xia En immediately used the [Peeping Eye] to check the information about this [Secret Realm].

[Secret Realm Name: Eternal Twilight]

[Traces of intelligent life: Unknown]

[Characteristics: Unknown]

Possible loot: Unknown

[Relevance to the "Seven Seas World": Extremely low!]

[Danger Level: Extremely High!]

"So many unknowns?"

Xia En frowned slightly.

With his current control over the [Peeping Eye], he can already see through most of the information in the [Secret Realm] before entering it.

Previously, when he was in the [Intelligent Territory], Shane had already obtained a lot of information in advance.

But this "Eternal Twilight" before us seems extremely mysterious.

Even the Eye of the Secret can only know one name.

This indicates that the [Secret Realm] itself possesses a powerful force sufficient to resist the [Prying Eyes].

Shane asked the crew.

"This [secret realm] is called [Eternal Twilight]. Does anyone know anything about it?"

"Eternal Twilight?"

Vivian repeated the name softly, a hint of unease flashing in her heterochromatic eyes.

Xia En noticed her unusual behavior: "You know this place?"

Vivian shook her head: "No, but this name makes me feel... uncomfortable."

"It was like something was warning me to stay away from there."

Joey spoke up.

"But we've already come this far, we can't just turn back here, can we?"

Xian Ge nodded and said, "Even if it's a dragon's nest or a tiger's den, we have to go in and explore to find out."

Xia En made up his mind and said.

"Then let's go!"

After the Black Swan crashed into the light bubble represented by Eternal Twilight.

A familiar feeling of dizziness washed over me.

When Shane opened his eyes again, the scene before him instantly made him tense.

They floated in a dark red sky, with an endless wasteland below.

The whole world seemed to be shrouded in a twilight that never dissipated.

On the distant horizon, a huge, dark red sun hung silently, emitting a faint light.

"This is... Eternal Twilight?"

Joey lay on the gunwale, staring in disbelief at the sight before him.

The entire world was bathed in a sickly dark red hue.

It was as if we were frozen at sunset. An inexplicable sense of oppression filled the air, making even breathing heavy.

"High concentration of unknown energy detected."

Data streams flashed rapidly in Carles's mechanical eyes.

"It is recommended to activate the entire ship's defense system."

Xia En nodded: "Everyone on high alert!"

"String Song, ascend for alert; Joey, prepare the storm barrier; Vivian, be ready to respond to mental attacks."

Just then, Joey suddenly let out a cry of surprise.

"Captain! Look over there!"

Following the direction of her finger, Xia En saw a huge black building complex standing on the wasteland in the distance.

It was a city, but its style was unsettlingly bizarre.

The towering spires twisted at incredible angles.

The building surfaces were covered with writhing shadows, and the whole city looked as if it had been moved straight out of a nightmare.

That's our destination.

Carles confirmed.

"The source of the [Fragment of God] is in the center of that city."

Xia En squinted, trying to see more details.

Suddenly, he noticed some dark shadows hovering above the city. They had humanoid outlines but insect-like wings and twisted limbs.

"What...what the hell are those things?"

Joey swallowed.

Before anyone could answer, the shadowy figures seemed to have sensed the presence of the Black Swan and turned around in unison.

Even from this distance, Shane could feel their malicious gazes.

"We've been discovered."

With a low roar, the dragon scales stood on end.

"They're flying towards us!"

Xia En made a decisive decision: "Full speed ahead! Our target is that city!"

"Joey, prepare to intercept them!"

The engines of the Black Swan roared, its speed soaring as it hurtled towards the distant black city like an arrow released from a bow.

At the same time, those monstrous black shadows flew over at an accelerated pace.

Their sheer number almost obscured half the sky.

"coming!"

Joey raised his hands, and a violent storm of thunderclouds instantly formed around the ship.

Dozens of lightning bolts struck the incoming horde of monsters, turning the front few into charred remains.

But even more monsters broke through the lightning blockade and rushed towards the Black Swan.

They emit a piercing shriek, a sound like fingernails scraping glass, sending chills down your spine.

The stringed instrument soared into the air, spewing dragon breath that burned several monsters to ashes.

Vivian stood in the center of the deck, her hands forming a mudra, creating an invisible mental barrier that enveloped the entire ship, blocking the monsters' mental attacks.

"What exactly are these things?"

Elvis asked in a panic as he operated the ship's defensive cannons.

Carles quickly analyzed: "The physiological structure does not conform to any known species..."

"The energy signatures indicate that they are highly integrated with this world..."

"Perhaps some kind of guardian or..."

"Who cares what it is!"

Joey shouted, and then illusory waves mixed with lightning struck out.

"Let's take them down first!"

The battle instantly intensified.

The Black Swan pierced through the monster horde like a sharp blade.

The black swan statue at the bow emitted a blinding blue light from its eyes, forming a cone-shaped shockwave that pulverized all the monsters in front of it.

Xia En stood at the stern of the ship, his hands clenched into fists, the power of the [Dominator Law] gathering in his palms.

"Now that we're here, let's give our 'friends' a proper welcome!"

He suddenly pulled his hands apart to the sides, and a gray barrier unfolded around the ship.

The monsters that crashed into the barrier immediately let out shrill screams.

The body, like a pencil drawing erased by an eraser, gradually disappears from the edges.

"As expected of the captain!"

Joey smiled, while manipulating the storm to engulf and crush the few that had escaped.

However, there were simply too many monsters.

Despite everyone's best efforts to resist, many still managed to break through the defenses and began tearing at the ship's hull with their sharp claws.

"Damn it!"

String Song's dragon wings swept across the deck, smashing the three monsters into a bloody pulp.

"There's no way we can kill them all!"

Just then, Carles suddenly shouted, "Attention! High-energy reaction ahead!"

Xia En looked up and saw a dark red beam of light suddenly appear on the top of a tall tower in the center of the black city.

The beam of light shot straight into the sky, appearing particularly dazzling in the twilight.

Immediately afterwards, a suffocating pressure emanated from the direction of the city.

“That’s it.”

Xia En's pupils suddenly contracted.

Within the pillar of light, a gigantic figure was slowly taking shape.

It was a humanoid being, over ten meters tall, covered in dark red armor.

A pair of eyes burning with eerie green flames were visible beneath the helmet.

Most striking are the three pairs of blade-like wings that unfold behind Him, each gleaming with a metallic sheen.

"Warning! An out-of-specification energy reaction has been detected!"

Carles' mechanical tone showed an unusual fluctuation.

"Energy level: Approaching that of a [Corrupted Apostle]!"

"What?!"

Everyone gasped.

Xia En stared intently at the figure, activating the [Peeping Eye] at full power.

Name: Twilight Guardian Astaroth

[Rank: Ninth Rank (Pseudo-God Level)]

【Characteristics: Guardian of Eternal Twilight, possessing some divine qualities】

Weakness: Unknown

"Pseudo-god level"

Xia En frowned.

Although not comparable to a true [Filthy Apostle], this enemy's strength far surpasses that of an ordinary ninth-tier being.

However, Xia En is now a ninth-tier expert.

They weren't afraid of the Twilight Guard.

However, the appearance of this Twilight Guardian indicates that the power level of this [Eternal Twilight] secret realm is probably frighteningly high.

Any guard who comes out at random possesses the strength of the ninth rank.

So how terrifying must the truly powerful being of the [Eternal Twilight] be?
Just as Shane was pondering, the Twilight Guardian named Astaroth had fully materialized.

His three pairs of blade-like wings slowly unfolded, each one ten meters long, gleaming with a cold metallic luster against the dark red sky.

The eerie green flames beneath the helmet locked onto the Black Swan, and a suffocating pressure surged forth like a tidal wave.

"Intruder."

The deep, hoarse voice resonated directly in everyone's minds, as if a thousand rusty knives were rubbing against their skulls.

"Those who trespass into the Eternal Twilight shall die!"

As the last word fell, Astaroth flapped its wings and vanished instantly.

"careful!"

No sooner had Shane’s warning been uttered than a dark red afterimage appeared directly above the Black Swan.

"boom!"

The massive metal wings slashed down like a guillotine, causing the ship to tremble violently and the protective shield to groan under the strain.

Karlless reported urgently: "Shield energy reduced by 27%!"

"Damn it!"

Joey gritted his teeth and manipulated the storm, sending dozens of bolts of lightning striking Astaroth.

However, the lightning bolts that were powerful enough to turn ordinary monsters into charred remains vanished without a trace when they touched His armor.

(End of this chapter)