Chapter 160

Chapter 160. Maelstrom

-Did ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍I lose?

Deep ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍within the Deep Sea , Zer Hyde stared blankly into the darkness while being swept away by the waves.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a terrible pain and a fear of death.

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the end of it, an oddly intense obsession surfaced. It was not a will to live. It was the desire to see that closed place within his forgotten memories.

-I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍know why you saved me. Do you seek the Sanctuary?

Zer ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Hyde turned his gaze blankly to the side. There, a single red light lingered. It was the ancient god of the sea he served.

-That is correct.

-Why?

-Hahaha. You ask the obvious. That object there does not belong to humanity. Then does it not matter who takes it?

The red light spoke like that. Zer Hyde already knew. Once that being used him to discover the Humanity Disc, it would devour the Sanctuary where it lay.

-I cannot just watch as mere humans hold that great tool, which interferes with time and space. Furthermore, I am not the only one targeting the Sanctuary. So, I must strike first.

It was an implication that once Zer Hyde opened the path to the Sanctuary, countless beings would intervene.

-Even so, you will follow my orders, won't you?

-I will.

Zer Hyde has no choice. Having come this far, the only option left is loyalty.

-Good. I shall bring you back to life.

Just as before, Zer Hyde was granted a new heart.

-As for the tentacles, which are a side effect of the devourment, well, I shall remove them to some extent. You must remain human for now. If you lose your humanity, you cannot find its location.

-…….

-I will restore your ship as well. A ship that was merely a bit fast and could leap through space while chewing up enemy shells is still too weak.

-…….

-I shall grant it a new magic. I have already seen how you were cornered, suffocating under the enemy’s firepower.

The Blind, which had fallen into the darkness along with Zer Hyde, began to tremble as it rose.

As the ship floated up, chunks of rock flew in from somewhere and attached themselves, slowly beginning to remodel it.

-Do you need powerful artillery? Very well. It is a cannon that turns fish-men into shells and fires them.

The voice that casually created an enormous cannon raised the ship upright.

-Yes, hmm, as for the ship’s name… shall we call it the Blind Nemesis? Since you lost once, you must take revenge. I have spent a great deal of Karma on you. I will be expecting much.

* * *

“Dealing with that thing is impossible.”

Yul recalled the monster that had vanished into the depths of the sea.

“Its durability is on a different level.”

Until now, he had always found some way to defeat his enemies. But this time, what he faced possessed the toughness of an entirely different class.

It didn’t use steel or metal, but some unknown bio-metal, and even the maximum-output UV Thermal Gun could do no more than leave a scratch.

Moreover, though it lacked reason, it retained instinct, and it relentlessly thrust its spear toward the bothersome Yul.

A Mythic rank creature with no reason, only instinct remaining. Whatever it was, it was heading east toward a single goal of its own.

"How can that be..."

“We can’t stop its movement.”

“If that monster lands on the continent, what will happen?”

“It won’t end with just chaos. If we fail to handle it properly, an entire nation could disappear.”

A colossal sea monster landing on shore made Lucian feel his mind was going blank.

“Is there no way?”

“We finish the Golden Route. If I reach the maximum level of Communion and draw out the power of my main body, I can deal with it.”

Yul could instinctively feel it, that at the end of this Golden Route, his Communion level would reach its peak.

“Captain! We’ve received a message from the Bloody Siren. They say they’re heading straight to the nearest port.”

"Why is that ship even here? Isn't it that woman? Carmen, was it?"

“We encountered them nearby. We were cooperating to eliminate Zer Hyde.”

After saying that to Yul, Lucian signaled that he understood.

“It would’ve been convenient if we had been guided all the way to Hero Island. What a shame.”

“Surviving after encountering that giant monster is already fortunate.”

That thing was a monster that could shatter a sailing ship just by standing up. The fact that it ended with only a hole in the hull was lucky enough.

“But what do you mean, being guided to Hero Island?”

“They say Hero Island is a pirate base. A hub where pirates gather in this region.”

“By the way, is this area really the final destination?”

“Yes. Just a little further.”

Even as they spoke, the ship continued its steady course, and soon they reached the waters where Hero Island was said to be.

The Strellock gradually encountered rapid currents.

“The sea’s getting rough from here.”

“Seems like it’s because of the currents formed between the reefs below.”

The uniquely tangled reefs appeared to catch the currents rising from the Great Azure Ocean and the Continental Ocean, creating violent flows.

Thinking about it, whether there was a pirate island or a golden island here, nothing would be surprising.

The path to the Sanctuary would not appear unless one followed the Golden Sea Chart exactly.

“Almost there.”

“Wait.”

Yul narrowed his eyes, gauging the presence far beyond the sea surface.

“That black ship… isn’t that The Blind?”

“The telescope…!”

When Lucian looked beyond the sea surface through the telescope, he spotted The Blind at the edge of sight.

“We definitely sank it, didn’t we?”

After the explosive shells fired from the Strellock, Carmen had followed up with the heated shells she had carefully prepared, sending it sinking into the sea.

And yet, the ship had returned completely intact—no, even larger than before. It even seemed to be equipped with several massive cannons too large to be concealed by gunports.

“How did it recover so quickly?”

“Is it another ship?”

“It’s grown bigger and has more armament, but it’s definitely the same ship. Even the scratch on the figurehead is identical.”

After carefully observing, Lucian lowered the telescope with a look as if he had seen a ghost.

“Then it must have used Karma.”

Like the techniques used by Kaiman, it seemed to be an ability that restored matter instantly through the use of Karma.

“Did it come chasing us for revenge?”

"We can just bury them in the sea again."

Yul returned to his true form. Then, just as he was about to erase the enemy ship with the Sea-Sync Demon Eye, he stopped.

It was because of the overwhelming presence he felt from beneath the sea.

Looking down, it was understandable

A massive eye, so large that the Strellock looked like a tiny speck, was staring up from beneath the surface.

It was so close that he involuntarily inhaled.

-When…!?

-Speak with me.

Yul blinked his eyes. That was an illusion. A being with eyes of that size existed, but it was impossible for it to be right beneath the surface.

It was far below.

How far below?

Unimaginably deep.

Far deeper than Yul could even conceive.

Perhaps deeper than the Deep Sea where he was born… a monster dwelling in the abyss he had never once reached.

Yul immediately conveyed his intent to Lucian through thought. He said he had to go down to face the being below.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

The moment his intent was received, Yul descended straight downward.

Piercing through the illusion and going deeper, he began to hear thoughts from that being.

-Are you a powerhouse of the Deep Sea?

-A powerhouse of the Deep Sea? Hehe, I have been called that before, young one of the Deep King Tribe.

-What do you want?

-In the past few years, I have read a strange current of history flowing through the sea. Then I found it. A ship where a massive amount of Karma is gathering.

-…….

-I know what you are trying to open. The path to the Sanctuary, is it not?

-Ha. Now I understand. So it’s you, the one behind Zer Hyde.

Something had felt off. Zer Hyde’s ship could create fog, distort space to escape, or even form a mouth in the sea.

Clearly, it wasn’t an ordinary ship—every bit of it used magic he had never seen before.

And the gaping hole in Zer Hyde’s chest. Yet he had survived. And even his fish-men pirate subordinates.

From the beginning, Yul had suspected there was a patron behind it all.

-Hehehe. Indeed. He is the spokesperson of my will. And, he happened to bring back something delicious. The Sanctuary.

- The Sanctuary, so what?

-I know that the Humanity Disc lies within that Sanctuary. That was never meant to belong to a weak species like humans. It is something a powerful species like mine should possess.

-Hah?

-I will not interfere with your path to the Sanctuary. But how about we share what lies within it?

So, he was suggesting hitching a free ride and splitting the treasure in half?

Fury surged within Yul.

-Are you kidding me right now? I got that book from some bookstore owner or clerk, sailed for years following the Golden Sea Chart, and only now can I finally open the path to the Sanctuary.

-Of course, of course. I acknowledge your efforts. That is precisely why I propose we split it in half.

-You shameless bastard, what have you even done? Split it in half? Want to die?

-Oh? Do you think I am the only one interested in that Sanctuary? Any sufficiently powerful creature must already feel the turbulence of Karma in the Great Azure Ocean. How long has it been since Heaven and Earth Resonance occurred, yet such a disturbance in Karma already arises?

-So what?

-If it comes to it, I could spread information about the Sanctuary far and wide. Those who have only been tense because they did not know the source of the disturbance, what do you think they will do once they learn about you?

They called him a powerhouse of the Deep Sea, but wasn't he just a con artist of the Deep Sea?

-Information? Go ahead and spread it.

He couldn’t. The fact that he initiated this conversation, that he proposed sharing, it all meant he was trying not to be exposed.

-You’re proposing to share even now, and you think you’d actually do that?

-……Then there is also the option of me going up myself. You are no match for me, young one of the Deep King Tribe.

-You can’t come up anyway, powerhouse of the Deep Sea. You know why your kind can’t ascend. The Sea God stands like a gatekeeper between the Deep Sea and the surface.

Yul had heard it while traveling the seabed. Those who dwell deeper than the Sea God’s domain are blocked by Sea God Kaidron.

That was also why he had once fought Abysarion.

-While you’re busy grappling with the Sea God trying to come up, I’ll head to the Sanctuary alone.

-……Do you think I cannot interfere?

-Try it.

-Very well. Do not regret this.

Then, a surge of magic began to be felt from deep beneath the sea. It was magic so powerful it could be felt even here.

He felt the entity circling its finger from a vast distance away.

-If I ascend directly, Sea God Kaidron will stop me. Defeating him is not difficult, but it takes time. However, he does not block such indirect methods.

-…….

-No, it is closer to saying he cannot stop it. All I am doing is slightly altering the flow of the waves with my own power.

The magic turbulence created a flow in the currents, and a massive maelstrom began to form.

That maelstrom, crossing the Deep Sea, piercing the twilight zone, and following the sunlight zone, began to affect even the surface of the sea.

-Are you insane? Your own subordinates are here too!

-That is none of my concern. Will you still refuse my offer?

-Screw off.