Inside the spaceship's control room, Han Jue climbed out of his nutrient capsule and stretched his muscles. His joints cracked with satisfying pops as he moved through a series of fluid exercises, testing his body's response.
"Stellar Level Seven," he murmured, satisfaction coloring his voice.
Today marked his sixth month within the Dry Sea Secret Realm. The Sky Sea would soon begin its descent into the Underground Sea, the realm's most spectacular phenomenon, and Rimuru had awakened him specifically to witness it.
Four months ago, strange disturbances had rippled through the Sky Sea, lasting only a few hours before vanishing without explanation. Han Jue had attempted to pinpoint the source but found nothing concrete. What troubled him more was that several cultivators had disappeared during that incident, simply vanishing as if they'd never existed.
The bald Territory Lord who managed the secret realm had investigated personally but discovered no traces. No bodies, no spatial anomalies, no residual energy signatures. The missing cultivators had simply ceased to be.
The matter remained unresolved, classified as an unexplained phenomenon.
Upon hearing about the disappearances, most of the wealthy young cultivators who'd paid premium fees to enter the secret realm had left early, unwilling to risk becoming the next victims. A few stubborn individuals remained, those too proud to waste their entrance fee, or confident enough in their abilities to believe themselves immune to whatever had claimed the others.
Han Jue fell into neither category. He'd stayed because leaving prematurely would waste valuable training time, and he'd calculated that the risk of encountering whatever had caused the disappearances was acceptably low given the vast size of the Sky Sea.
However, he didn't plan to overstay his welcome. After observing the Sky Sea's descent phenomenon, he'd leave immediately and seek another training ground.
Hong and Lei Shen had both advanced to Stellar level months ago and were currently exploring various regions of the universe, testing themselves against increasingly dangerous challenges. Han Jue had been considering whether to follow their example and attempt the universe-level mercenary assessment, not because he needed credentials, but because the evaluation process itself would provide excellent combat experience.
"Rimuru, scan for any powerful sea beasts in the vicinity," Han Jue said, rolling his shoulders. "Preferably something worth fighting."
It had been too long since he'd faced real combat. Although he'd honed his techniques relentlessly in the Virtual Universe's Killing Fields, those simulated battles lacked something essential. Without the genuine risk of injury, without the visceral threat of death, without real blood being spilled, the training felt incomplete, somehow hollow.
"There's a Cosmic Level Six Cloud Shark approximately three kilometers southwest," Rimuru replied, his voice carrying a note of curiosity through their neural link. "Oddly, it's traveling alone. Cloud Sharks typically hunt in pods of five to twelve individuals."
"That one will do," Han Jue said dismissively.
A Cosmic Level Six opponent wouldn't challenge him significantly. Even a Cosmic Level Nine creature would struggle against his current capabilities. In the past six months, beyond the physical strengthening provided by the nutrient chamber, Han Jue had achieved another breakthrough in his comprehension of the Water Origin Law, reaching the Ninth Realm!
The Ninth Realm represented a level of understanding that most cultivators only achieved after becoming ninth-level Territory Lords. Han Jue's grasp of Water Law surpassed the vast majority of Territory Lords; even many Realm Lords might not possess such profound comprehension. Typically, systematic study of the Origin Laws only began at the Realm Lord level, making his achievement at Stellar Level Seven all the more remarkable.
Of course, his progress with the Space Origin Law was equally impressive, perhaps even more so. Thanks to his Six Eyes' innate affinity for spatial perception, Han Jue's natural talent for Space Law rivaled that of the legendary Demon Killer Clan, a race renowned throughout the universe for their spatial abilities.
Although he hadn't yet reached the Ninth Realm of Space Law despite months of intensive study, his progress remained extraordinary. He'd successfully mastered nine spatial avatars, placing him just one step away from reaching the Second Level of the legendary "Myriad Avatars" technique.
The Cloud Shark wasn't far. Following Rimuru's guidance, Han Jue collapsed his spaceship into its portable form and shot through the water toward his target with impressive speed.
Within moments, the rotund Cloud Shark entered his field of vision. The creature measured roughly fifteen meters from nose to tail, its hide covered in distinctive cloud-like patterns that gave the species its name.
"Swish!"
Han Jue's figure blurred through the water, moving so rapidly that he left nine perfect afterimages in his wake. To observers, it would appear as if ten identical warriors were attacking simultaneously from different angles.
"Divide the Sea!"
Han Jue unleashed a killing move immediately, his sword tracing an arc of devastating power through the surrounding water. He saw no reason to prolong the battle unnecessarily. If he could eliminate the threat instantly, why waste time whittling down its health?
"Puff!"
The Cloud Sea Sword carved a massive wound across the Cloud Shark's flank, parting scales and flesh with surgical precision. Blood immediately began flowing from the injury, staining the surrounding water with dark crimson clouds.
The Cloud Shark roared in pain and fury, its eyes turning bloodshot as primal rage overtook any sense of self-preservation. It whipped around with surprising speed for such a bulky creature and lunged directly at Han Jue, jaws gaping wide to swallow him whole.
A foul stench emanated from the creature's maw, the accumulated rot of countless meals left to decay between massive teeth. Chunks of putrefied meat hung from its gums like grotesque decorations, mixed with saliva and other filth. Closer inspection revealed bone fragments wedged tightly between its fangs, some pieces still bearing traces of flesh and cartilage.
Han Jue's expression twisted in disgust. He retreated immediately, having no desire for close contact with such a repulsive opponent.
The Cloud Shark, interpreting his withdrawal as fear, grew more aggressive. A vicious gleam entered its eyes. It ground its fangs together with audible scraping sounds and charged forward like an enraged bull, clearly intending to ram him directly.
"Waves!"
Han Jue's figure flickered and reappeared instantly behind the Cloud Shark through a short-range spatial displacement. His Water Domain expanded outward in the same moment, exerting tremendous suppressive pressure on the creature.
"Boom!"
Their domains collided with visible force, sending ripples through the surrounding water.
Han Jue hadn't expected the Cloud Shark to possess its own domain, most Cosmic Level beasts below ninth-level lacked such refinement. However, the creature's domain was crude and weak, barely reaching Second Realm comprehension. Against Han Jue's Ninth Realm Water Domain, it was utterly outmatched, like an ant attempting to topple a mountain.
The "Waves" sword form drew upon fundamental water principles to generate overwhelming "momentum", a concept emphasizing suppression and devastation through sheer overwhelming pressure. Meanwhile, his "Divide the Sea" technique utilized spatial principles similar to Space Strangulation, excelling at sharp, severing cuts.
Now, Han Jue executed "Waves" with his full Ninth Realm comprehension.
His domain crushed down on the Cloud Shark like the weight of an ocean, simultaneously paralyzing its movements and amplifying his attack's destructive force. The creature seemed to sense the incoming threat through some primal instinct and attempted to twist its body away.
"Futile."
Han Jue's sword descended in a perfect arc!
"Boom!"
A tsunami erupted from his blade!
The Cloud Sea Sword, carrying the full force of the surrounding seawater, struck the Cloud Shark's previous wound with devastating impact. The blow expanded the injury dramatically, widening it to expose bone. The tremendous force of "Waves" shattered the creature's ribs, and Han Jue could see internal organs pulsing through the gaping hole in its side!
However, something unexpected occurred in that same instant.
Han Jue's eyes widened in surprise as countless bubbles suddenly materialized around him, nearly obscuring his entire field of vision. The surrounding water began churning violently, as if brought to an instantaneous boil.
The Sky Sea roiled and bubbled like water in a kettle. An endless stream of bubbles rushed upward toward the surface at breakneck speed, each one expanding rapidly as external pressure decreased.
The Cloud Shark, despite its grievous injuries and impending death, began thrashing even more violently in response to these bizarre environmental changes. Han Jue frowned deeply and plunged his sword directly into the creature's brain with clinical precision.
The blade vibrated at a specific frequency, liquefying the Cloud Shark's brain tissue instantly.
Using the dead beast's head as a platform, Han Jue observed the strange transformations occurring throughout the surrounding water with growing concern.
"Rimuru, what's happening?" he asked through their mental link.
Rimuru's response carried equal confusion. "I don't know. The First Bank of the Universe's detailed documentation of the Dry Sea Secret Realm never mentioned anything like this phenomenon!"
"Could this be related to the incident from four months ago?" Rimuru speculated. "Perhaps a fundamental change in the secret realm's nature?"
"A mutation in the secret realm itself?" Han Jue's frown deepened.
This wasn't good news. Some dangerous cosmic secret realms could threaten the lives of even Universe Lords. The Dry Sea Secret Realm had once been home to a Realm Lord-level sea beast of terrifying power. Han Jue refused to underestimate any potentially dangerous location with such a history.
Confidence was one thing; stupidity was another. Recognizing when to retreat didn't damage one's mental cultivation, blind recklessness did.
The Sky Sea began its descent as scheduled, water flowing downward with increasing speed. Gravity intensified dramatically, already dozens of times stronger than Earth's standard gravity and continuing to climb.
Yet the bubble phenomenon showed no signs of stopping. The surrounding water temperature continued rising steadily. Worse, a massive vortex had formed directly beneath Han Jue's position, swallowing everything within range like a spatial black hole. The suction force threatened to drag him into its depths!
"Master!" Rimuru's voice carried urgent alarm through their connection.
Han Jue didn't hesitate. He retrieved his spaceship from storage, expanding it to full size, and dove into the control room without delay. The vessel's engines roared to life, straining against the vortex's pull.
The spaceship succeeded, barely. It broke free from the vortex's immediate grasp and began ascending toward safer waters.
But fate had other plans.
A giant whale, easily over one kilometer in length and possessing at least Cosmic Level Seven strength, suddenly appeared directly in the spaceship's escape trajectory. The massive creature, fleeing from some unseen threat below, collided with Han Jue's vessel with devastating force.
"Boom!"
The spaceship shuddered violently and tumbled through the water, completely losing its carefully calculated momentum. The control systems went haywire, displays flickering and warnings blaring throughout the cabin.
The operating interface became completely unresponsive. Outside, the vortex's pull had intensified to Territory Lord-level strength, and was still growing stronger with each passing second.
"Lord of the Dry Sea..." a bitter voice suddenly echoed through the water, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Even in death, you refuse to rest in peace!"
Just as Han Jue resigned himself to the possibility of dying before accomplishing his ambitions, something extraordinary happened.
A massive hand broke through the water's surface above him, descending with impossible speed. The hand seized his entire spaceship in an unbreakable grip and pulled, yanking both him and his vessel out of the water with overwhelming force, as easily as one might pluck a pebble from a stream.