Deep Sea Hunter, but Deep Sea Titan

The flustered heretic called out the poet's name; beneath his loose robe, the proliferating flesh and extra tentacles indicated that he was a cultist who had fallen to a sufficiently deep level.

He skillfully concealed his murderous intent, a skill he had originally honed to deal with the Inquisitor's lantern, but which inadvertently allowed him to evade the deadly burn of the [Sunfire Aegis].

The Fallen Ones all know that the great race sung in the ethereal poems of the Amayas is none other than the Great Horde.

"Do you have a way to spread the Dark Shroud across these increasingly dry coastlines? Our brothers and sisters have suffered heavy casualties, and we need the messenger's help."

Amaya frowned, her senses clouded by an inexplicable intoxication. Even the information she received from Saltwind City was significantly reduced. How easy would it be to summon a large group of microbial environmental modification communities—Minghen—across the vast landmass at this moment?

How many brothers and sisters are still willing to dedicate themselves to the path of evolution?

The believer was utterly perplexed by Amaya's question. Her Excellency the bishop showed equal care to every brother and sister; her neural signals should have been sufficient to monitor the situation of each and every one of them.

But she chose to obtain this information in a human way, choosing to ask questions in human language.

"Not many left. Only a portion of our brethren who have traveled far enough on the path of evolution have escaped both the Punishers and the nameless will-o'-the-wisp."

The Fallen Ones have clearly not yet discovered the pattern to the effectiveness of [Sunfire Aegis].

Amaya knew that if she didn't make one last desperate attempt now, she would never have a chance to return to the flock.

"Is it time for the soul to return to the multitude?"

The fallen ones gathered beneath this dried-up ancient well learned from the pheromones emitted by the Amaya bishop that their last resort was a suicidal march across the seabed, which had dried up due to the rise of the seabed, in an attempt to evade the Punishers and reach the sea, triggering a ripple eruption and calling upon the ocean's power for help.

The raised seabed remains largely untouched by human activity. The remaining Abyssal Cultists huddle around Amaya, their senses further dulled by the influence of the Order, making them easy targets for the Punishment Army's drones.

Unfortunately, Lotin had already located their trail before the Punishers discovered them.

He knew that these depraved individuals, driven to desperation by the Punishers, would resort to desperate measures. Therefore, he was certain he could find the cultists who refused to show themselves in the city on this dried-up seabed.

"My nun, do you remember that person?"

How could Lotin not recognize this notorious "drought traitor" who believed that humans were inherently inferior and needed to be replaced by a superior race—the other bishop of the Great Purification, Amaya.

Most importantly, she personally designed and participated in the experiment that persecuted Laurentina.

The only reason Lothing would personally seek out these enemies on land was simply because he felt it would be too easy for them to be killed by the Punishers, and that they should not be allowed to get what they deserved.

“I remember that woman. Thank you for leading me to her, darling.”

"She said from outside the glass dry, 'I hate self-destructive warriors like I used to be.'"

"I still remember her arguing endlessly with that stinky, rotten seaweed."

The Deep Sea Church is a rather loose organization with vastly different ideologies among its various bishops. In fact, bishops like Quintus and Amaya, who are able to conduct collaborative research in an organized manner, are a minority.

Laurentina narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Is it time to hunt?"

Luo Ting responded to her with a playful emoticon in the system chat interface.

"Same as always, Orca, Second Captain, leave that frivolous guy to me."

"And so, the happy times begin!"

Laurentina was in high spirits, leaving her two blood relatives behind. Grandia could overtake her with her speed, but as Laurentina's senior, teacher, close friend and comrade-in-arms, she also chose to leave this prey with whom she had a deep grudge to Laurentina once again and not interfere.

Moreover, Goredia is no longer able to maintain the same perfect understanding with Laurentina and Skadi as before, and this subtle sense of distance makes her feel slightly at a loss.

It is as if a sad, thick barrier has been erected.

Laurentina loves to flaunt the favor she receives from Lotin, which Grandia thinks is probably just her way of competing with that silly kid from the third team.

Sigh. How did the hunter in my own team end up in this bizarre "sharing a husband" relationship with the silly kid from Team Three?

Goredia couldn't understand what it was about "Nautilus" that made them so completely absorbed in him without any complaints.

She was very indignant.

Kingesia's curiosity is quite dangerous, but unfortunately, she doesn't realize it. While Kingesia tries to think, observe, and seek the sense of security and comfort that Lotin, a typical tragic hero like the Deepsea Hunter, finds so appealing, isn't she also risking being dragged down the same path as Skadi?

The gleaming spear didn't pierce, but rather cleaved the enemy to pieces. The hunter, who had found his blood relatives but remained alone, hunted down these degenerate scum.

"Nautilus, what kind of spell do you possess...?"

These enemies were too weak, allowing Goredia to continue indulging in her daydreams, even though this was a far cry from her usual meticulous fighting style.

Chapter 229: Sleeping Beauty

The glowing Netherworld spread out beneath Amaya's feet; her mastery of Originium Arts prevented her from being shattered by Laurentina's first attack.

“Amaya, you have been driven to such dire straits that you have to attempt such a desperate march.”

Amaya's Originium Arts are related to perception, and she is also known as a prophet by the followers of Granfalo.

This allowed her to dodge Laurentina's first attack.

"It seems you're awake, Laurentina."

The translator and poet paced back, squeezing her own biomass, turning it into fumes that emitted nerve signals that could cause nerve damage to organic life forms exposed to them for extended periods.

The exposed rock pillars on the seabed were rapidly corroded by these microbial carpets, but Laurentina didn't care.

Do you remember the first time we met?

"On that snow-white beach, you lay on the rocks, badly wounded, like a sleeping beauty."

At this moment, Amaya chooses to recall her encounter with Laurentina. As a land dweller, she obtained experimental material that could demonstrate Agor's power for the first time. Having always only understood the ocean through the knowledge of the islanders, they now had such a perfect creature before them.

"After drifting so far with the ocean currents, what finally woke me up were the land people who exuded the smell of decay. I wish I could just keep sleeping forever."

"But it doesn't matter anymore, the poor Sleeping Beauty has already found the prince to wake her up."

With the circular saw running at full power, Laurentina carefully anticipated her opponent's intentions. Even Originium Arts that enhance perception require the drive of subjective consciousness, but as long as she could take advantage of the Deepsea Hunter's even stronger nerve reflexes, Laurentina could deceive Amaya's consciousness.

"No, what awakens you from beginning to end is another part that makes you powerful."

"This is a tragic outcome. Being close to the ocean enhanced your body with the blood of the Sea King. So, are you now lying on the ground the Sea King or the Deep Sea Hunter?"

"The part of the Originium within you is suppressing the Originium. You will regain consciousness once you return to the ocean."

"Your prince may be disappointed."

Amaya continued to use her Originium Arts to dodge Laurentina's slashes, the wet Liberian's body moving as lightly as if she were dancing.

"So, are you now either Hai Si or a Deep-Sea Hunter?"

Amaya began to argue, hoping that her carefully crafted rhetoric would work and bring another sister back into the embrace of the group.

"I am a nun of Nautilus, nothing more."

At that moment, the expression on her face was as radiant as a child's.

"I really like sculpture."

“Sculptors construct meaning within the form of inanimate objects, liberating them from meaningless nothingness.”

"Just like my destiny. The prince who awakened me is also a powerful man who tramples destiny underfoot."

"Your nonsense has no effect, Amaya."

The circular saw struck Amaya at that moment. Like Quintus, the Sea Transformation enhanced her physical strength; otherwise, half of her body would have been sent flying.

"Cough cough."

Amaya's frail body was bleeding, and the time for her to be executed by slow slicing had come.

Lothing once again handed the Blood-Drinking Sword to his nun.

Amaya saw something enormous stirring in the clouds. The loss of life force prevented her from seeing the true form of the behemoth, but she could see Laurentina smiling in that direction, and a bronze pillar casting a blood-red, pulsating sword down.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty, that's the prince who will awaken you."

Like Quintus, Haze's instincts informed Amaya of the presence she was facing before the optical information she received from sight.

To deal with it, the large group spared no expense in consuming a great deal of nutrients and energy, creating tides of unprecedented scale and intensity, and even deliberately stirring up ocean currents.

“Nautilus, the Titan of the Deep Sea, you chose to serve him over Agor, Laurentina.”

The Netherworld, sucking up the blood flowing from the Amaya, grew wildly, meandering towards the ocean.

The deep blue marks resemble the branches of a majestic ancient tree.

However, Amaya's small body did not contain enough biomass to allow these ripples to spread into the ocean; as an individual, her energy density was limited.

"You believe that an unchanging environment can defeat a large group."

"For a large group, ceasing to change means death."

No experience is given during the system hosting period, so the group believes that the danger level of Nautilus will not change. In the two years since Nautilus came ashore, he has become much stronger than before.

This can be considered a side effect that, in turn, creates an information gap.

Laurentina answered with the Blood-Drinking Sword in her hand; this demonic sword did not discriminate whether the blood it absorbed was dirty or not.

"Amaya, do you know what it means to be killed by this sword?"

The lingering marks shrank the moment the sword touched them, and the flowing blood dried up the instant it touched the sword's edge.

"The Ring of Evolution that you've been longing for, I'm afraid you'll never have the chance to enter it again."

Amaya, who had always tried her best to appear detached and calm, began to panic. She stared at the living demonic sword, and her instincts told her of its danger.

She can no longer return to the group.

Sword after sword, as if Laurentina was not torturing an enemy who had harmed her through inhuman experiments, but rather sculpting with flesh and blood as paint.

Unfortunately, Laurentina, whose carving skills were still developing, was unable to complete the piece. A poor piece of material and a ruined work were a perfect match.

Apart from a pile of calcified powder, a few light, fluttering feathers are proof that this fallen being once existed.

Laurentina returned to Lotin's side, and the bronze giant himself lifted the hunters up.

Laurentina still had many topics she wanted to share with Lotin, but it was clearly not the right time yet. The vanguard of the Punishing Army had already reached the Eye of Iberia, and they had crossed the Frost Reef, which was no longer usable as a dock.

This once prosperous port, where giant ships set sail, has fallen into an abyss in the midst of great tranquility, and is now stranded under the might of Nautilus.

The key found in Kazimierz was handed over to the engineering corps at the front by Dario.

Thus, the long-sealed Eye of Iberia was finally opened.

The lighthouse keeper's hut still retains traces of what happened 60 years ago. The disaster struck without warning, and the lighthouse keepers who were stationed there at the time disappeared without a trace. Now, more than 60 years later, one lighthouse gazing out at the ocean is still there.

His body had long since decayed, and his eye sockets were empty, but his perseverance and sense of duty still left their mark.

Lotin gazed at these steadfast men, paying them homage; their courage stood in stark contrast to the cowardly cable operator.

The abundance of Iberian gold coins made the local residents willingly join the workforce repairing the lighthouse, and Lotin's protection ensured they weren't too vulnerable to face the living monsters.

Soon, Iberia's eyes will be lit again, and Lotin will finally be able to find out the whereabouts of the Fool.

Chapter 230: Crossing the Ocean

Lotin was waiting for the Eye of Iberia to light up again so he could pinpoint the Fool's location.

The wandering Terrorfish were not strong enough, and the eyes of the large groups that were trying to detect the land were blinded one by one by Lotin and the Punishing Army. Furthermore, the power of the Order put the Terrorfish and the Sealings stranded on the land in a state of severe signal impairment.

The repair work on the Eye of Iberia is progressing very smoothly. The court has assembled the remaining technical personnel and is doing everything in its power to restore the lighthouse.

It is also a highly efficient monitoring station, as its name "Eye of Iberia" suggests, capable of effectively detecting anomalies in the vast ocean and possessing extremely high strategic value.

The sea fog could not spread across the dried-up seabed, but the Eye of Iberia had been relit, and the songs of the golden age were sung again among the punitive forces and the workers involved in the repairs.

"The golden age will eventually return."

I still remember the high spirits and youthful exuberance of those days...

Loting can sing this song; no, he knows it by heart.

The Fool's Song, the ship's anthem of the Fool, was a song that the salvage crew on board could hum without any difficulty.

Two years ago, before he left Iberia, he sang this song for Laurentina to cheer her up.

In the abandoned factory, the skeletons of unfinished ships lay scattered among the mechanical behemoths, like corpses in the wilderness whose flesh and blood had been devoured. The Punishers were scavenging the skin and flesh from the remains in this factory, preparing to assemble a small boat sufficient to deliver elite forces to the Fool.

Once assembled, Lotin controlled the surface to transport it to the sea.

Finally, the Deep Sea Titan once again faced the ocean.

“My dear, I hear the sound of the sea; the ocean is restless.”

"That Miss Dragon, who loves to drink, doesn't seem to be able to make the sea monsters as drunk as she is."