Staring at the vast, ocean-like expanse in front of him, Hai fell into silence.
He knew exactly what this place was.
In truth, he'd suspected this location's existence for some time, though he had secretly hoped Texas's discovery wasn't actually what he feared—hence his hurried trip here.
Yet reality remained within his worst expectations.
This was indeed The Great Lake.
After days of continuous territorial expansion, The City had finally reached this infamous region known as The Great Lake.
The Great Lake housed entities known as the "Five Calamities," monsters of at least Star of The City caliber. Besides them, it teemed with various merfolk and bizarre lake rules.
In other words, it was a place Obsidian didn't dare approach even lightly right now.
I simply don't have the means to deal with The Great Lake yet!
Hai felt a headache rising as he stared gravely at the lake, his thoughts racing.
In the original story, The Great Lake was divided into three distinct areas: the relatively safe sandy beaches like where he stood now, distant trash-covered shores inhabited by Junk Crabs, and the perilous Outer Lake.
The Five Calamities, the Lake's strange laws, and the whales—all lurked predominantly in the Outer Lake. Under normal circumstances, perhaps that wouldn't have been too troubling, but there was another issue—
Obsidian had no idea if the creatures within The Great Lake would eventually pose a threat to The City.
Logically, aquatic creatures shouldn't bother venturing onto land… but Obsidian wasn't willing to gamble on that assumption.
Based on past experiences, monsters invariably attacked The City periodically. He certainly couldn't afford to trust that the seafood of The Great Lake wouldn't do the same.
Granted, these creatures had extraordinary economic value. Whales were practically walking treasures—every part yielded unimaginable profits.
But that was only if Obsidian ever got the chance to exploit this value.
Currently, building even a small boat and venturing onto the lake would probably result in its destruction within an hour.
Too dangerous.
Even simply leaving the area unmanaged posed considerable risks.
Sighing inwardly, Hai waved toward Texas and said quietly:
"This area… is known as The Great Lake. It's extremely dangerous. Let's head back first."
"…Understood."
Texas paused briefly, then nodded earnestly.
The pair turned around, temporarily leaving the lakeshore. Yet Hai continued to frown deeply, his mind spinning with worries.
How on earth did we end up discovering this place?
Hai's teeth clenched unconsciously.
He'd have to immediately assign Hana Association Fixers to monitor this region in shifts. At the very least, they'd need to ensure no whales wandered ashore.
If even one whale appeared… at The City's current strength, smaller ones might be manageable, but anything larger could spell disaster.
"Ha… We're just about to wrap up Don Quixote's issue, and now this mess comes along?"
Hai muttered irritably, rubbing his temples.
Glancing back, he let Texas move slightly ahead and cast a distant look toward The Great Lake. At first, his frown deepened, then slowly eased.
The situation had already unfolded; his only choice now was to accept this double-edged sword.
Well then—he'd gained yet another goal.
One way or another, he'd find a way to conquer the Great Lake.
"Ha… Forget it. What's one more burden?"
Hai murmured, determination gradually filling his eyes.
"As I've said countless times already…"
"In the end, victory will always belong to us—The City's 'us.'"
"As soon as we finish dealing with Don Quixote, we'll have to tackle The Great Lake."
...
Later that afternoon, after returning to City territory, Hai immediately dispatched a Hana Association Fixer to guard the lakeshore, instructing them to report immediately upon noticing any unusual activity. Shifts would rotate regularly.
Hai needed to confirm The Great Lake's exact danger level, especially the likelihood of merfolk or whales venturing onto land.
With these precautions set, Hai finally relaxed slightly. At least in the short term, there should be no major incidents arising from The Great Lake to disrupt ongoing City operations.
Under these circumstances, Obsidian quickly tasked Hai with resolving the single most pressing issue before the Lake—the matter of Don Quixote.
Thus, no sooner had Hai returned to the Hana Association than he was leaving once again, heading directly for Alley One.
...
Alley One. Hai gazed quietly at the long-sealed building before him and sighed softly.
This was the very house where Obsidian had first discovered Don Quixote. His existence had forced Obsidian to continuously expand and explore without pause.
Now, Hai had finally come to put an end to it.
Taking a deep breath, Hai stepped into the house. The first floor was thick with dust, but he paid it no mind, swiftly locating and opening the hidden passage and descending the stairs.
Just ahead lay the Bloodfiend named Don Quixote…
Undoubtedly, Hai himself couldn't hope to defeat him alone. Fortunately, his goal wasn't combat—his job was simply to buy time. Truthfully, even the entire City together would struggle against him in open combat right now.
Pioneer's main body was already nearby; The City Head's identity would be crucial to the plan regarding Don Quixote.
Thoughts swirling, Hai descended steadily, finally gazing upon the Bloodfiend herself—his long white hair cascading, clad in an elegant robe.
Let's hope he still retains some symptoms of Bloodthirst and isn't at full strength yet. Otherwise, this will be much more difficult.
Hai leaned quietly against the wall, silent and utterly focused.
Half an hour later, his waiting finally ended.
First, Don Quixote's fingers twitched slightly. Instantly, Hai stood alert, eyes locked onto the stirring figure.
Moments later, Don Quixote's eyes slowly opened, revealing a deep, blood-red gaze…
"Aaahhh…"
Bones cracked audibly as Don Quixote stretched, eyes fully open now.
Hai's expression hardened further, facing him carefully. He knew well that the slightest misstep could ruin everything—
For right at this moment, the Bloodfiend Don Quixote had finally awakened!