Ashes Of Deep Sea
Chapter 739 - Chapter 739 Chapter 736 Leaving Holy Land Island

Chapter 739: Chapter 736: Leaving Holy Land Island Chapter 739: Chapter 736: Leaving Holy Land Island Deep within the cavern, the “Dark Gate” had been closed, yet the entirety of Holy Land Island continued to spout an increasing number of Profound Demons–this small island, formed from parts of The Saint’s own body, was trembling. Deep, thunderous roars and strange buzzing noises echoed from the depths of the mist, like the rumblings of a great beast’s belly. Countless bizarre silhouettes flitted in and out of view within the mist; with each passing second, shadows solidified into tangible forms, wantonly attacking the unwelcome visitors who had set foot upon the island.

Duncan and his party left the cave and, after successfully regrouping with Fenna, Amber, and others who had stayed in the valley, began to retreat toward the coast.

The earth shook, and from deep within the valley came the thunderous cracking of exploding rocks. Chaotic screams and mumbling whispers reverberated everywhere like nightmares. Indescribable shadows coalesced in the mist, while omnipresent malice wrapped in cold currents howled, piercing through the grotesque and jagged boulders on the cliffsides–within the swirling fog, the cliffside rocks seemingly came to life, with colossal limbs slowly dangling down from the high mountains. Those vine-like appendages twisted and trembled, emitting the eerie sounds of swallowing and chewing. Filthy mud dripped down their surfaces, hissing and producing plumes of black smoke upon touching the ground.

Even the clergy warriors, used to operating in the border seas, grew tense. The marines gripped their enchanted steel swords, lanterns, and amulets, vigilantly advancing while keeping an eye on the restless shadows by the roadside. Amber, sword in hand, walked beside Fenna, softly chanting prayers to the Storm Goddess while progressing. The gentle sound of waves protected the warriors’ minds, shielding them from the demons’ seductive whispers and Corrosion. The tattoo-covered Death Priest led the way, carrying the Sacred Ashes Coffer–beside him, the mist briefly dispersed, and the figures of the demons faded, forging a momentarily tranquil path home.

Upon realizing that these clergy warriors indeed possessed the capacity to handle the troubles on the road and safely return, Duncan finally felt relieved. He walked calmly at the rear of the group, devoting more of his attention to thought.

After a while, they successfully navigated through the wild inner regions of the island and finally set foot on the main road to the docks–the coastline was now close at hand.

The sound of gunfire and explosions emanated from the depths of the fog ahead, and from time to time, colossal flames burst into the sky, brightening and reddening large swathes of the heavens like a surging sunrise, an awe-inspiring sight.

“Ships or ‘counterfeits’ resembling them have begun to appear on the nearby sea, accompanied by roaming giant demons. Our fleet is currently battling those monsters,” Amber approached, the young priestess holding her Longsword in one hand and a storm-inscribed lantern in the other, her expression quite grave, “They report that one side of Holy Land Island is slowly… reshaping. Parts of the sea cliffs appear to be softening and collapsing progressively downwards. Although it hasn’t yet affected this side, the entire island is evidently ‘coming to life’ in some way.”

Duncan lifted his head, observing the giant stones in the mountainsides coming to life amidst the swirling fog, as well as the black tendrils sprouting from the nearby slopes, curling and spreading toward the lowlands, and nodded slightly.

“The island’s condition is just as Sherry described–it truly is a ‘flesh piece’ of The Saint. The whole island is part of some tentacle of his that has pierced into our reality–as for now, it seems he has begun to fix this ‘mistake.'”

“…Such a shame for the countless truths buried here,” Amber pursed her lips, “If we had more time, we could have properly explored the island. The followers of the Usurping Flame have occupied this place for at least several centuries, hiding untold dark and sinful secrets… they might even hide the secrets of their covert bases and personnel lists within the City-States…”

Listening to Amber’s somewhat resentful mutterings, Duncan didn’t respond but couldn’t help recalling the magnificent, grand, yet desolate and dark “mountain range” he had seen at the bottom of the Mysterious Deep Sea as he watched the continuously collapsing and reshaping island.

Ten thousand years had passed… The once Ecological Reshaping Unit “Lead Navigator No. 1” had morphed into a twisted behemoth in its uncontrollable growth, its limbs piercing through the Mysterious Deep Sea, into Subspace, into the real world, yet still not ceasing to grow.

This made Duncan think that even if the Endless Sea had not encountered a “malfunction”, even if anomalous phenomenon 001–the Sun–could still hold up a little longer, the ceaselessly growing Lead Navigator No. 1 itself would likely be enough to bring about another apocalypse.

And this “apocalypse” obviously wouldn’t be too far off–perhaps on some day in the next hundred years, the exponentially growing body of Lead Navigator No. 1 would fill the entire Mysterious Deep Sea, and then spread at a mad pace towards all dimensions, its tendrils piercing through every City-State, meandering across the great sea, entangling every vessel sailing the sea, until everything physical in this world was again consumed by its “creators” and reverted back into that black sludge and writhing tentacles.

…Was this what those annihilation cultists saw in their deranged hallucinations? Just as they proclaimed–that one day in the future, The Saint of the Profound would return to this pitiful world, the Prime Element would erupt from the depths of the world, and once again reshape the entire world into its pure, primal form…

In some sense, those deranged and fervent cultists had indeed glimpsed a part of the world’s “truth”, whether it was during a brief connection with The Saint of the Profound or in their transformation into Profound Demons, recklessly touching the Prime Element… They glimpsed the future and interpreted that terrible future in the way they were willing to understand.

Duncan took a light breath, slowly shaking his head.

Lead Navigator No. 1 invited him to “take over” the maintenance of this Shelter and hoped that he would burn its already completely out-of-control colossal body in the process… Lead Navigator No. 1 openly admitted that this was a form of “liberation”, a release from its long mission.

It seemed that maintaining this Shelter was indeed a long and arduous mission, even exhausting enough to make an ancient “machine” feel fatigued and desperate.

Duncan’s resolve to find another way out strengthened once again in his heart.

Maintaining this Shelter was not a good choice–at least not the best one.

After a perilous journey, the landing party finally returned to the secret dock, which was covered by internal bays and cliffs. The small boats they had arrived in were still anchored at the shore, swaying back and forth in the turbulent sea.

The small boat that had been lowered from Homeloss was the most noticeably unsteady–it was rocking vertically.

In short, the entire boat’s bow pointed towards the sky, sticking out like a foxtail in the shallow water, bouncing and swinging. It only dropped onto the surface of the water with a “thump” when Duncan and his team appeared, before slapping its paddles and scuttling to the shore, excitedly rocking back and forth while smacking the sides of its hull with its paddles.

Duncan: “…”

Lucricia glanced silently at the small boat for a while, then muttered to Duncan, lowering her head, “Dad, I don’t really want to get on this boat…”

“It is a bit embarrassing,” Duncan fell silent for a few seconds, then sighed softly, “But let’s get on anyway. We’ve come this far, and if we ditch it now, right in front of it, the thing might just sink itself on the spot–and there are already enough ghost ships in this world. One more resentful landing craft would make it hard to explain to the people…”

Lucricia sighed and could only follow her father aboard the small boat with mixed feelings.

The three speedboats left the dock, racing out of the small bay toward the exit, toward the dense fog that kept rising with flashes and booming sounds.

And just as they were leaving the bay’s exit, when the main battleships could be seen stopped on the nearby sea surface, Sherry seemed to suddenly sense something and abruptly turned back to look in the direction of the small island.

Her eyes, filled with a crimson microglow, slowly widened–

“The island is starting to sink!”

In a series of thunderous roars, the entire Holy Land Island was collapsing and slumping down, like some kind of unsupported soft material. Its sea cliffs were flowing downward as if melting, and dark mud oozed out from every inch of soil and stone. Huge tentacles and rugged limbs were piercing through the softened cliffs and coasts, thrashing wildly in the rising seawater; numerous raging demons were running and screaming between the collapsing rocky cliffs as though attempting to escape, yet they were tethered by an invisible force, unable to leave the range of Holy Land Island. They could only sink along with the island…

Duncan noticed that Holy Land Island was not, in fact, sinking into the sea but seemed to be “melting” away on the sea’s surface instead.

Shelter One was slowly “withdrawing” this mistakenly extended limb into the reality dimension.

Even as the collapse of the Shelter loomed imminent, and even as its own loss of control became irretrievable, it was still fixing the system’s errors within its capacity, delaying the critical point of ultimate breakdown.

But… how many more times would this “delay” still be effective?

Duncan and Alice sat at the stern of the small boat, looking back at Holy Land Island, which was rapidly “melting” into the seawater. Its last outline swayed in the thickening fog, like a dream fading into the distance.

And before that outline thoroughly dissipated, Duncan faintly heard a voice–it was a deep tremble carried by the breeze.

“Don’t forget our promise, Usurping Flame…”

Duncan felt someone grab his arm. He turned around, and in the mist, the clearest sight was Alice’s deep purple eyes.

“I hear him speaking, Captain.”

“I hear it too, Alice. Can you still find the place where he is?”

“Mm,” Alice nodded her head, then scratched her hair, “But I’m not sure exactly how to do it. I just feel… If you need me to, I can still take you to find him because I remember… ‘the way.'”

Duncan nodded gently, “That’s enough.”

Alice hesitated for a moment before asking carefully, “Will… will we go back to find him?”

“I think… we will.”

“So, when might that be?”

“… At least before the end of the world.”