The demonic fleet was utterly destroyed with impunity. The demons aboard those ships were no match for Sofia and his men.
It was unclear whether they were venting their pent-up anger or some other emotion.
The fighting style of Sofia and his men was extremely ferocious and destructive.
When Alka regained consciousness, he saw that, with the exception of the flagship he stood on, the other five demonic ships had been sunk.
Urulius even soared into the air, then crashed down, delivering the final blow.
Some demons remained on the wreckage, stalling the battle with the others.
As the battle progressed, the surroundings grew increasingly chaotic.
"Alright, alright, they're all dead, that's enough," Alka shouted hurriedly.
Then he left the flagship.
As he left, the entire demonic flagship was instantly annihilated in the elemental explosion.
Alka had already appeared on the deck of the Voice of Dawn, and the others gradually returned.
From the expressions on their faces, it was clear that they had vented their anger this time.
Sofia stood on the deck and said, "Are these demons stronger than when we left?"
"I feel that way," Julia said.
Alka briefly shared his findings with everyone.
You should know that most of the demons aboard demonic ships that had once been able to leave the World Scar and sail through the gap in the center to the outside world were not very powerful.
The farther away from the World Scar, the greater the suppression they faced.
But this was clearly no longer the case.
Even the outer seas were in such a state, let alone the demons within the World Scar. No wonder the global support for the World Scar never ceased.
"There's a ship coming."
Sofia seemed to sense something and said, then turned to look in a certain direction.
As they fought, the fog gradually dissipated, revealing a fleet approaching. This fleet consisted of a flagship and eight escort ships.
A total of nine ships made up the battle fleet.
The ships' appearance was truly peculiar, resembling a unique combination of the Church of the Holy Mother and the Church of the Holy Machine.
They even had plant cannons from the Church of Life, and deep-sea priests could be seen surrounding the fleet.
It was clear that this was a joint fleet formed by the forces of the Four Gods Churches.
Looking at this strange fleet,
Jason said, "It seems that in the years since we were away, the changes in the World Scar have truly exceeded our imagination."
Where had anything like this existed before? Or perhaps it was something they hadn't seen in all the time they had been in the Infinite Sea.
As the fleet slowly approached, Alka also slowly approached in the Voice of Dawn.
"Whose ship is that?"
The leader of the fleet asked from the flagship's deck.
A nearby clerk carefully examined the ship for a moment, then glanced at the Voice of Dawn, not far ahead.
"Although there are no obvious markings, with such a strange appearance, if I'm not mistaken, it should be the Compass Eye treasure hunting group's ship."
"Compass Eye?" the captain repeated, then thought of something and asked, "Alka and his team?"
"Yes, sir, that's their ship."
Hearing this, a nearby Wheat Ear Knight couldn't help but say, "But according to the news from the Church, it will take them at least a year or two to return to World Scar, and that's assuming nothing unexpected happens."
The fleet captain, who clearly knew more, said quietly, "But the problem is that an accident has already occurred... Inform everyone to remain vigilant."
Although it was unknown why, the fleet captain's order was quickly transmitted.
Although the fleet continued to slowly approach, the men on deck were already on alert, ready for battle at any moment.
Sofia aboard the Voice of Dawn had clearly sensed it.
"They're keeping a wary eye on us."
"That's normal, considering we returned at the wrong time," Alka said.
And if you factor in more details, the death of the Newborn God would mean the end of the flesh and blood of Southern Cross Island, if nothing unexpected happened.
The Church of Southern Cross Island would undoubtedly use the highest level of information transmission to report the events up there to headquarters, or even directly to the Reverend Mother.
Due to time constraints, and since Alka was certain the Southern Cross Island issue was resolved, he didn't return, but instead went directly to World Scar.
The timing and other factors didn't match.
Naturally, this fleet would be wary of them.
Under Alka's control, the Voice of Dawn slowly stopped, signaling a safe state. The fleet ahead, forming an encircling formation, slowly surrounded the Voice of Dawn. The flagship then arrived next to the Voice of Dawn.
"Are they really Alka and the others?" Looking at Alka and the others on deck, the captain was certain they were the real deal.
So what was the problem?
Alka smiled and leaped directly from the Voice of Dawn to the opposite deck.
"Annafel? Long time no see, so you're in charge of this fleet?"
Yes, the captain before them was an old friend of Alka and the others.
Annafel, the Holy Blade Saint active in the Demon-Proof Fortress.
At this point, Annafel's strength had reached the eighth stage. Although her treasures hadn't increased, her aura had intensified.
She still wore her distinctive metal eyepatch.
"So why are you here at this time? And what about the wreckage of demonic ships and demons around here?
Did you destroy Apatow's demon fleet?"
Listening to the Holy Blade Saint's questions. Alka smiled and said, "Let's take each question one by one. I'll answer your last one first.
If the Apatow you're talking about is a demon that wields dual axes and has blood-colored lines that enhance its strength, then I must have destroyed it."
"You've eliminated a difficult and important target right after returning?"
Annabelle said with a smile, then crossed her arms.
"Welcome back, may the Virgin Mary bless you."
"I'm glad to be back too," Alka said with a smile, crossing her arms and returning the greeting.
Annafelle then looked at Alka and said with a smile, "Our mission this time was to stop Apatow's fleet, but since you've eliminated them once and for all, our mission is complete. We can discuss any questions later. This isn't the place to talk."
Alka nodded.
Then she returned to the Voice of the Dawn.
She joined the fleet and began to follow the flagship back home.
As they sailed, Alka soon came into sight of the distinctive fast-moving channel surrounding the World Scar.
And on this fast-moving channel, Alka and his companions saw the most ships they had ever seen.
Not counting the ships already speeding along the channel, there were dozens of ships surrounding it heading towards it.
Even in the distance, they could see a dense swarm of ships approaching like ants.
That meant there were hundreds of ships within sight.
This was already an outrageous number.
But judging by the expressions of the crew members on the decks of the other ships around them, it was clear they were already accustomed to it.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
Although the World Scar covers a vast area, and the surrounding sea is also vast, it should be noted that countless forces and islands throughout the Infinite Ocean are sending all kinds of personnel, supplies, and resources to this area.
Such a large number of ships is quite normal.
Arka and his companions even spotted a fleet similar to the one they were currently in, with five or six such specialized vessels heading in different directions. One or two, likely returning from missions, bore numerous signs of damage and casualties.
Seeing this, Arka observed more closely.
He discovered that many of the ships bore signs of damage.
Clearly, this type of cruising battle fleet had priority.
As they approached, the surrounding ships gave way, allowing the fleet to proceed to the fast lane, where they then began their return journey at breakneck speed.
Even here, Arka and his companions' ship stood out.
Many on board noticed that this ship, completely uncharacteristic of a fleet, stood out.
After all, what ship doesn't have a sail crowned by a giant tree, resembling an umbrella?
For example, the elemental crystals that grew from the tree reflected a beautiful light under the sunlight. The entire ship was a vibrant sight.
Add to that the fame Alka and his crew had left behind during their voyage around the world.
The appearance of their ship had spread across the world.
Many on board recognized it.
As they sailed along the fast lane, Alka and his crew soon spotted the World Scar from afar.
The sight of the World Scar from afar now felt completely unfamiliar to them.
The volcano rising into the sky was incredibly conspicuous, billowing thick smoke into the air.
No volcano this dramatic had existed before, and the perturbations in the unusually visible black space around the volcano were clearly visible.
That was the environmental impact of the widening World Rift.
From afar, the island looked like a scene of apocalypse.
One could even see legions battling each other around the island.
The only safe area was the one they were heading towards, where a roughly 90-degree angle extended from the island.
All ships entered the island through this funnel-like area.
They kept getting closer and closer.
This funnel-like area filled their entire field of vision.
"Impressive!"
Looking at the area ahead, Jason was completely stunned, muttering to himself.
Or perhaps it wasn't just Jason; even Alka and the others were frozen in place.
They had only been away for less than ten years.
And yet this place felt completely unfamiliar.
A long stretch of coastline had been transformed into a port area.
In other words, everything they could see was a port.
Densely packed with ships lined up at these ports.
Countless ships came and went, forming perhaps hundreds of shipping lanes, like densely packed ants carrying cargo.
It seemed chaotic, yet there was a remarkably orderly, perfectly efficient operation.
One could even see numerous marine creatures waving beacons of power in the ocean, guiding the ships.
What kind of scene was this?
It was simply unimaginable.
And the entire coastline stretched upward, forming a vast city stretching as far as the eye could see.
In the center of the city stood a towering tower.
It wasn't a tower, but more like a column hundreds of meters long.
This tower column wasn't just one; multiple columns could be seen at the far end of the field of vision. They weren't as tall as the central one, but their power connected to form an extremely powerful protective formation.
A dense swarm of airships continued to soar in the sky.
These airships were clearly not used to transport supplies; they were loaded with all sorts of weapons.
"There are thousands of ships gathered here!" Simon did a quick count and was astonished.
Not to mention the vast variety of ships, some reaching 200 meters.
200 meters, why is it so large?
Especially since this ship was sailing right next to them.
It was like a giant fortress, brushing past them.
"It's spectacular, isn't it?" Annafiel said, appearing to know they hadn't been back for a while.
Alka nodded.
Indeed.
It was truly spectacular! It was a sight he hadn't seen in his two lifetimes.
"This ship isn't even the biggest. The biggest hasn't returned yet. That's the truly spectacular thing."
Annafel said with a smile.
Soon they were approaching the harbor. The port they entered was clearly a military port.
All the surrounding ships were of various warship styles. Besides their fleet's Four Gods fusion ship, there were even more styles, including some specifically designed for special operations.
The ship was shrouded in holy light, clearly designed to target demons.
As the ship quickly docked, various crews began to inspect and repair it.
Alka's ship also docked nearby, and they followed Annafil and the others onto the island.
Or rather, onto the shore.
The most obvious feeling upon landing was the complete absence of any demonic aura in the surrounding area, clearly due to the abrasion-resistant barrier formed by the towers.
As soon as they arrived, Alka dismissed everyone's group.
Then, he came alone to Annafiel's side and said, "I need all the highest leaders of the Four Gods Churches on the island to preside over a meeting and inform them that I have returned and that I have completed my mission."
Annafel clearly had some understanding of Alka's mission, though it was unclear whether she knew it fully.
She nodded solemnly.
Then, he waved.
A clerk approached.
"Make sure they have a place to rest."
Finally, looking at Alka, he said, "I will complete these tasks by tomorrow. If nothing unexpected happens, the meeting will be held at dawn.
I will send someone to inform you then."
Alka nodded.
Followers Sofia and the others, along with the clerk, headed to their resting place, observing the changes in their surroundings.
Annabelle hurried away.
Soon, the news of Alka's return reached all the higher-ups.
Meanwhile, on the island... Leading the forces of the Holy Mother Church is one of the three highest archbishops.
He holds the same status as Archbishop An.
In recent years, he has been presiding over this mission.
"Archbishop Ektomo, should we immediately pass on the message and begin presiding over the meeting?"
The assistant beside him asked.
The archbishop nodded. "Send the message out. Tell those people they must attend the meeting tomorrow.
And tell them that there will be strict inspections during the meeting and that they should not bring anyone who does not meet the requirements."
The assistant nodded, and after a moment
Then he returned.
"The time and place of the meeting have been decided. Do we need to inform Lord Alka and the others now?"
The archbishop shook his head.
"No, they don't have time to listen now. Simply inform them an hour early tomorrow."
The assistant nodded.
As the archbishop had said, Alka truly didn't have the time or energy to listen to any announcements right now.
As soon as they returned to the residence prepared for them, Alka received a notice from the Reverend Mother.
In short,
The Four Gods wanted to see him.
The moment this news broke, Alka couldn't help but feel nervous.