Raon smiled faintly as he watched the sea spirit gliding through the water, its tail swishing gently.
'It seems to be deliberately adjusting its speed for us.'
The sea spirit kept looking back to check if he, Evelyn, and Roenn were keeping up. Its appearance as a young wolf cub made even its swimming look adorable.
[Raon. Should we get a wolf too when we retire?]
Evelyn sent a playful message about raising animals after retirement.
[You know I love animals. And they tend to like me too.]
She wiggled her fingers, saying she'd like to raise various animals by the seaside.
[I'd be happy to help.]
Roenn chuckled, noting it would require a lot of work.
[We can talk about that later. Both of you, focus on moving for now.]
Raon nodded slightly as he looked back at Evelyn and Roenn.
[We'll soon reach where the turtle rock disappeared.]
They had searched the area thoroughly since the turtle rock vanished, but couldn't find any path. Raon was worried the sea spirit guiding them now might get lost too. However, the spirit seemed to know another way, continuing forward while sniffing the ocean scent even though the turtle rock was no longer visible.
The sea spirit began moving slowly, waving its fuzzy front paws as if indicating the important part was starting now. Its slowed pace suggested the White Blood Religion headquarters wasn't far.
The sea spirit stopped in front of an underwater ravine where the bottom wasn't visible, its nose almost touching the sand. It trembled, fur standing on end and eyes quivering.
'It must mean it's down there.'
But this ocean ravine wasn't in his previous memories. The sea spirit's shared memories didn't include this ravine at all. In fact, even the direction seemed quite different, so Raon wasn't sure what had happened.
'Really...'
Could that massive city have moved? He had suspected it since the turtle rock disappeared, but now he thought the White Blood Religion might have relocated their entire headquarters.
[We need to move even more carefully from here on.]
Raon sent an aura message to Roenn and Evelyn warning them to be more cautious, then stood beside the sea spirit gazing down into the ravine.
'I have an ominous feeling.'
Though nothing was visible and he couldn't sense anything, he felt a constricting pressure in his chest from the hazy darkness.
'Please.'
Raon took a deep breath and patted the sea spirit's head. The spirit nodded heavily as if steeling its resolve, then leapt into the ravine.
-To think it would continue forward despite knowing the fear...
Wrath nodded approvingly at the sea spirit that kept going despite trembling in fear.
-This little one is better than most demons!
'Indeed.'
Raon nodded in agreement with Wrath's words.
'It's already repaid its debt by sharing memories of the White Blood Religion and the ocean's mana, and healing me.'
The sea spirit had given him mana superior to top-grade elixirs, healed his entire body's wounds, and provided information that the White Blood Religion headquarters was underwater. It had more than repaid him for saving it, yet continued to help. Raon dove into the dark ocean ravine, following the sea spirit.
'The pressure is intensifying.'
Though he could withstand it easily, the water pressure was becoming difficult for ordinary people or weak martial artists to endure.
'Could it really be in a place like this?'
The White Blood Religion headquarters he saw in the sea spirit's memories was massive enough to be called a city. It seemed unbelievable that it could exist in such deep waters, even with magical protection.
'Still...'
Raon bit his lip lightly as he watched the sea spirit struggling to move.
'Let's keep going.'
As he descended to the bottom of the dark ravine, trusting the spirit that had shown faith in him, he suddenly sensed an eerie presence that sent chills down his spine.
'Bloody energy!'
Just like at the harbor where the Ninth Apostles attacked, he sensed a very faint but foul-smelling bloody energy rising from directly below.
[Stop!]
Raon raised his hand to block Evelyn and Roenn.
[There's a magical barrier from here on.]
It was magic to detect intruders, but it was spread widely and densely, swaying with the ocean currents, making it difficult to avoid.
[Finally, it's my turn to shine.]
Roenn chuckled, stepping forward as if he had sensed the bloody energy through his intuition as well.
[Can you move while avoiding it?]
Raon slightly lowered his eyebrows as he looked at Roenn.
[Embarrassingly, this old man has spent his life doing such things. The currents change rapidly, but the changes are consistent, so it shouldn't be too difficult.]
Roenn licked his lips, saying it seemed the surrounding water was being manipulated by magic.
[Hmm...]
He closed his eyes, feeling the underwater currents with just his fingers before calmly opening his eyelids.
[From now on, just follow behind me. Since Lady Evelyn might be a bit slow, it would be good for Lord Raon to stay by her side.]
Roenn clasped his hands, telling them to follow closely behind him while Raon looked after Evelyn.
[Understood.]
Raon nodded and moved Evelyn in front of him.
[Hold on tight!]
Evelyn forcibly made him grab her waist, insisting he must not let go.
[My waist is thin, right? It should be easy to hold onto!]
[Sigh...]
Raon squeezed his eyes shut at Evelyn making such remarks even as they approached the White Blood Religion headquarters.
-How can she be so crazy even at a time like this...?
Wrath also shook his head in disbelief.
[You two look good together.]
Roenn chuckled, seeming pleased with Evelyn's bold approach.
[Please just start moving...]
Raon called out to Roenn in a slightly deflated voice.
[Then, let's go.]
Roenn spoke in a solemn tone as if he hadn't just been joking, and began descending the ravine while avoiding the bloody energy's magic.
[Let's go too.]
[Yes! I can do anything with you by my side!]
Evelyn sent an aura message so loud it made his head ring, seeming to be in a good mood.
[Stop thinking unnecessary thoughts and focus.]
Raon led Evelyn forward, following the path Roenn was opening through the ocean. Though they weren't descending further, the currents grew stronger, making it difficult to avoid the bloody energy's magic.
However, Roenn moved inward, avoiding all the White Blood Religion's detection magic as if he knew every path, sensing the bloody energy with his body.
[We seem to have arrived.]
He exhaled deeply as he looked at the brown sand covering the ground and the white fog filling the space above it.
'Is this...'
Raon clenched his fist as he gazed at the massive white city shrouded in fog.
'The White Blood Religion headquarters.'
Though its form seemed slightly different from when he entered to rescue Ogram, the otherworldly aura that felt unreal remained the same.
'Now if I memorize the location and state of this place and return... Huh?'
Raon stopped abruptly as he was about to move forward to gather more information.
[Then I'll go a bit further.]
[You can't!]
Raon raised his hand to block Roenn as he was about to move forward.
[If we go any further, we'll definitely be detected.]
[What? It should still be fine...]
[No.]
He shook his head firmly, saying it absolutely couldn't be done.
[Erasing our presence and avoiding the barrier isn't enough.]
Raon bit his lip deeply as he looked at the sand on the ground where the White Blood Religion headquarters was built.
[We'll be caught in the eyes of the one below!]
***
Martha swung her sword fiercely in the training ground inside the Wise Martial Palace.
'Why isn't it working?'
It had clearly worked when fighting the Ninth Apostles...
When she fought her final battle against the Ninth Apostles, risking her life, the Crushing Ocean Sword moved as if it had its own will, cutting through the dense bloody energy.
She had been repeatedly practicing swordsmanship to revive that memory, but the sensation from that time wouldn't return.
'I want to feel it again.'
The feeling of her body and mind becoming one with the sword.
When she became one with the Crushing Ocean Sword and cut down the Ninth Apostles, she felt an immense thrill and elation. She wanted to experience that feeling again but didn't know how.
'I guess I have no choice but to keep going even if it doesn't work.'
In the end, it meant her swordsmanship proficiency was lacking, so she had no choice but to practice until it worked. She began training with the Crushing Ocean Sword again. Before she knew it, the purple dawn had passed and day was breaking.
'Still not enough. Again.'
Martha was about to swing the Crushing Ocean Sword repeatedly under the rising sun,.
"Aren't you overdoing it?"
Denier entered the training ground, putting on his outer garment.
"I have no choice."
Martha shook her head without stopping her training.
"We don't know when war with the White Blood Religion might break out, so I need to get stronger as quickly as possible."
She wanted to rest too, but with little time left, she had to make the most of every minute and second.
"I understand how you feel, but excessive training can be harmful."
Denier shook his head, standing in front of Martha and telling her not to overdo it.
"Even this isn't enough if I want to land even one strike on the White Blood Religion leader."
Martha bit her lip, saying she would do anything if it meant saving her mother.
"I'm not even properly expressing what I've realized yet."
"What do you mean by that?"
Denier lowered his chin as if telling her to explain properly.
"I told you before that I killed the Ninth Apostles. The truth is, I didn't cut them down with just my own skills."
"Right. You said Raon finished them off."
"That's not what I mean..."
Martha shook her head, looking at her hand gripping the sword.
"When I clashed with the Ninth Apostles for the last time, the Crushing Ocean Sword changed its form on its own and tore apart all of their bloody energy."
She explained the details of the situation she hadn't shared before.
"The Crushing Ocean Sword?"
Denier raised his well-groomed eyebrows in surprise.
"Did you feel like you were cutting through multiple sheets of paper when you cut the bloody energy?"
"Yes, exactly that!"
Martha nodded immediately.
"Do you know what happened?"
She approached Denier, asking him to explain the method.
"Try cutting my aura with the Crushing Ocean Sword while thinking about when you fought the Ninth Apostles."
Denier created a solid aura shield above his palm and held it out to Martha.
"Alright."
Martha took a stance without hesitation, trusting Denier completely, and swung her sword down. Her sword cut through Denier's aura like the bow of a ship cleaving through waves, stopping just in front of his palm.
"This is it! Exactly this feeling!"
Martha exclaimed that it was the same sensation as when she cut down the Ninth Apostles, raising her fist.
"As the Crushing Ocean Sword's achievement increases, it gains the ability to cut through subtle energies. It seems you've finally reached that level."
Denier applauded, congratulating Martha.
"So that's how I cut the bloody energy..."
Martha's lips trembled slightly as if she finally understood.
"Then does the ability to cut subtle energies also strengthen as the Crushing Ocean Sword's achievement increases?"
"That's right."
Denier nodded, saying of course the power increases with swordsmanship achievement.
"Then I don't have time to be doing this!"
Martha swung her sword again, saying she needed to save even the time it took to breathe.
"Really..."
Denier nodded heavily as he looked at the very faint wound appearing on the palm that had held his aura.
"You're getting close."
***
Raon swallowed hard at the calm yet majestic presence he sensed beneath the white city.
'Something is there.'
He sensed the presence of a massive being beneath the White Blood Religion headquarters. It was hiding with the ocean's energy like the spirit beside him, so they would have been caught immediately if they had entered unaware. Strangely though, while he could sense it, he couldn't see it.
The sea spirit also seemed unable to go further, trembling with its fur standing on end as it pressed close to Raon's side.
[Can you tell us what's going on?]
[What is it? Say something!]
Both Roenn and Evelyn seemed unable to sense the presence beneath the White Blood Religion headquarters, likely because they were deep underwater.
-Khmm...
Wrath furrowed his brow as if in disbelief.
-It's the largest one this king has ever seen! To think it would be bigger than those lizards!
He let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the brown sand covering the ground, seeming to have realized the identity of the hidden being.
'You can see what it is?'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Wrath.
-Indeed.
Wrath nodded as if it were obvious.
-You should be able to see it with those new eyes of yours.
He waved his hand as if telling Raon to use the Azure Clear Eye.
'Hmm...'
Raon briefly licked his lips before activating the Azure Clear Eye. As blue energy seeped into his pupils, he saw the form of a massive being that had become one with - no, had become the sand itself beneath them.
'Insane...'
How could something so huge exist? It seemed impossible, yet it also made sense. This explained why the location of the White Blood Religion headquarters now differed from the memories he received from the sea spirit.
[Tell me too!]
Evelyn grabbed his hand, insisting he explain to her as well.
[It's difficult to explain, so watch carefully.]
Raon took out a fish that had died recently and still retained some vitality from his subspace pouch and pushed it forward. As the dead fish drifted along with the current, approaching the White Blood Religion headquarters...
A white tentacle like a spear rose from the ground that had appeared to be just brown sand, pulverizing the fish's flesh that had been drifting in the water.
The tentacle, larger than a building, was inscribed with the White Blood Religion's magic in text form. It seemed to use that magic to detect enemies, moving at light-like speed to search for other threats before sinking back into the ground and returning to the color of sand.
[T-This is...]
[If it has tentacles with suckers, could it be...!]
Roenn and Evelyn also seemed to realize what being was hiding beneath the city now, swallowing hard.
[Yes...]
Raon bit his lip deeply as he confirmed the existence of the mythical monster carrying the city on its back.
[It's a Kraken.]
The Kraken is carrying the White Blood Religion headquarters on its back.