Chapter : 611

"Sorry, Ken," Hephaestus joked lazily. "The wristband models are still in the prototype phase. They occasionally explode. The chest piece is much safer."

"I strongly prefer not exploding," Ken agreed instantly. "I will accept the metal collar."

Heart finished welding the final piece. She grabbed a small towel and wiped the metal clean. She placed eight identical silver chest pieces in a neat row on the table. Each device had a glowing blue crystal embedded in the center. The crystals pulsed with a soft, calming light.

"The localized breathing fields are completely finished," Heart announced proudly. She slammed her large wrench onto the table. "They are fully charged and ready for deployment."

Princess Iris walked over to the workbench. Her violet eyes shone with deep gratitude. She looked at her brother, and then she looked at Heart.

"Thank you, Prince Hephaestus. Thank you, Heart," Princess Iris said gracefully. She offered a polite, respectful bow. "Your engineering expertise is truly unmatched. We could not attempt this mission without your generous assistance."

Hephaestus waved his hand dismissively. He took a sip of his coffee. "Do not thank me yet, Iris. We still have to retrieve the Core of Luminus. My team is going to accompany you to the lake. We will monitor the devices from the surface to ensure they remain stable."

"We gladly accept your support," Princess Iris smiled warmly. The temporary truce was an absolute success.

"Alright, everyone," Sayma instructed politely. She picked up the first silver device. "Please approach the table. Secure your breathing fields. We need to test the activation sequence before we depart."

The elite girls walked to the table. They picked up the devices.

Naomi grabbed one and slipped it over her head. The metal rested securely against her chest. Laxmi threw her device on quickly. Zinia adjusted the strap to fit her broad shoulders. Ira placed hers on with mechanical precision. Risa gently placed hers over her yellow dress.

Luna slowly sat up from her pile of canvas tarps. She rubbed her sleepy eyes. She let out a massive yawn. She shuffled over to the table and grabbed a device. "This metal is very cold. It woke me up entirely. I do not like cold things."

Ken dragged his cheap shoes across the floor. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He slouched his shoulders. He stopped in front of the table. He picked up the last silver device. He stared at it.

"This is exactly like a sci-fi anime," Ken analyzed casually in his mind. He put the device over his head. "The heroes always get a random gear upgrade before the water level. It is a very convenient plot device. The writers just want an excuse to draw bubbles around the characters. It is very lazy writing. I totally respect it."

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Sayma pushed her glasses up. "On my mark, press the blue crystal to activate the field. Three. Two. One. Mark."

Everyone pressed the glowing blue crystal on their chest pieces at the exact same time.

A soft, high-pitched humming sound filled the workshop. Brilliant blue light erupted from the crystals. The light expanded outward rapidly. It formed a perfect, transparent, spherical bubble around each person. The bubble covered their entire body from head to toe.

Ken looked down at his hands. He was standing completely inside a magical blue bubble. The air inside felt incredibly fresh and cool.

"Wow," Ken said lazily. He tapped the inside of the bubble with his finger. It felt like soft, pliable glass. "This is actually pretty cool. It feels like I am standing inside a giant balloon. Does it pop if I poke it too hard?"

"Do not poke it, Ken," Naomi warned gently. She smiled from inside her own bubble. "Just leave it alone."

Laxmi tested her magic. She snapped her fingers inside her bubble. A bright orange flame ignited instantly. The fire burned perfectly within the localized air supply. "It works! I have fire! The aquatic monsters are going to get totally roasted!"

"The atmospheric pressure stabilizes flawlessly," Ira reported flatly. She stood perfectly still inside her bubble. "The oxygen filtration is operating at one hundred percent efficiency."

Heart grinned a huge, proud grin. "I told you guys it would work. My machines never fail."

Princess Iris pressed her crystal again. The blue bubble instantly deactivated and vanished into thin air. The rest of the team followed her lead. The glowing fields disappeared. They had successfully tested the equipment.

"Pack the gear," Princess Iris commanded smoothly. Her violet eyes locked onto her team. She looked incredibly determined. "We have the technology. We have the plan. The Sunken Labyrinth awaits us. We are leaving for the crater lake immediately."

The 13th Unit grabbed their weapons. Naomi checked her daggers. Laxmi cracked her knuckles. Zinia hoisted a supply bag onto her strong shoulder. Risa hugged her teddy bear. They felt a massive surge of confidence. They were completely ready to dive into the unknown depths.

Ken Eliot walked toward the exit doors. He slouched his shoulders. His white shirt remained completely untucked. He held an empty chocolate wrapper in his hand. He let out one final, dramatic groan.

"I am officially prepared for the worst vacation ever," Ken complained lazily to the ceiling. "I just hope the fish down there are friendly. I really do not want to do any underwater cardio."

Naomi walked right beside him. She bumped his arm playfully. "You will be fine, slacker. Just follow me. I will keep the fish away from you."

Ken smiled a goofy, relaxed smile. He trusted Naomi completely. The unlikely alliance was forged. The technological gear was ready. The epic race for the Core of Luminus was officially about to begin, and Ken was fully prepared to survive the water level by doing absolutely as little work as possible.

The crater lake sat perfectly still. The water looked freezing cold. The surface reflected the bright blue sky. Tall rocks surrounded the massive pool. The 13th Unit stood on the rocky shore. The mission objective waited at the very bottom of the deep water.

Ken Eliot stood near the edge of the water. He wore his tailored navy blue suit. The fabric looked crisp. His white dress shirt hung completely untucked over his belt. He did not wear a tie. His black hair stuck up in messy spikes.

He stared at the dark water. He crossed his arms over his chest. He let out a loud, dramatic groan.

"I am absolutely not going in there," Ken announced. He took a massive step backward. "This is a total disaster. Look at this suit. This suit is very expensive. It requires specialized dry cleaning. Lake water will destroy the stitching completely. I will look entirely ridiculous."

Olivia stood a few feet away. The strict spear user wore her spotless dark blue uniform. Her hair rested in a tight, perfect bun. She gripped her silver-tipped spear. She glared at Ken. Her dark eyes flashed with intense annoyance.