During the brief, tense standoff between Memory Battleship and the two World Serpent executives, the colossal ocean giant in the distance never once paused its inexorable formation.
To be fair to Fuli and the others, they weren't just standing around. Thanks to the basic technique of compressing their dialogue, the entire interaction—from Fuli drawing his sword to Dystopia spilling the beans—took less than thirty seconds.
The main issue was that this entire region was the Sea God's domain—or rather, a part of its unimaginably vast body.
For it to rapidly form an operational unit, a "hand" to swat away foreign objects and express its rage, was as natural and swift as a human raising an arm to swat a mosquito.
By the time the thousand-meter-tall giant, made of shimmering, deep blue seawater, fully took shape, the group had just finished exchanging intel.
BEEEEEP—!!!
It roared. Not with a physical soundwave, but with a sharp, soul-shattering shriek.
It was the raw, primal rage of an ancient being forcefully dragged from its deepest slumber, a being who had accumulated eons of morning crankiness. It poured all its irritation and fury into the most primitive and violent attack imaginable, unleashing it upon the insignificant insects who dared disturb its rest.
The method was simple and brutal: high-pressure water cannons.
No fancy energy transformations, no complex manipulation of laws. Just pure, unadulterated seawater, compressed, compressed, and compressed again, then fired at its targets.
In its wake, the air was displaced, forming brief vacuum tunnels. The ocean surface was effortlessly sliced open into deep trenches.
It was, after all, an ancient god with virtually no contact with modern civilization. One couldn't really expect it to get too creative with water.
But the effect was surprisingly devastating, for one simple reason: its sheer, overwhelming scale.
Simply compressing billions of tons of seawater to its absolute limit and unleashing it was enough to slice through the atmosphere, tear through islands, and annihilate entire cities.
Dystopia did try to sever the connection between the water giant and the ocean using her telekinesis.
She succeeded. Then, dozens of water cannons erupted from the seafloor, instantly teaching her the meaning of humility.
The enemy was the ocean itself—an ocean with an average depth of 4,000 meters, a surface area of approximately 22.7 million square kilometers, a body roughly the size of the entire North American continent.
Severing the localized connection between one avatar and the main body?
To the Sea God, that was as laughable as trying to stop the entire ocean's currents by pressing a finger against the water.
SWISH!
A crescent-shaped sword qi, wreathed in invisible Ideal Fluid, shot out, intercepting a high-pressure water cannon aimed at Mimi and splitting it perfectly in two.
The severed streams lost their cohesion and fell back to the sea as a torrential downpour.
Fuli appeared in front of his Great-Auntie. With a practiced motion, he scooped up the still-dazed ball of pink fluff and placed her back on top of his head, quickly adding, "Hold on tight. Don't worry about pulling my hair out; it'll grow back."
Only then did he look up at the water giant that seemed to connect heaven and earth, and at the furiously erupting sea below, clicking his tongue. "Tch! Feels like after a lifetime of villainy, Mother Nature is finally holding my head down and settling the score."
For individuals like them, who wielded the power of Honkai, who hadn't been held back when fighting powerful enemies, smashing mountains and rerouting rivers without a second thought, all because the Earth itself had no clear consciousness or ability to fight back?
Well, now Nature was alive, and it was time for these rebellious children to get their asses kicked.
On the other side, Castorice's Scythe Where Sweet Dreams Die drew profound arcs through the air. Streaks of purplish-black light, imbued with the power of death and the underworld, flashed out, deflecting or corroding the water cannons aimed at her and Hyacine.
Thanks to her valuable experience dealing with the Living Planet, the girl was handling the situation with relative ease.
But seeing that the attacks were not only not letting up, but were actually growing more frequent and powerful, Castorice finally couldn't hold back. "Everyone," she asked, her cool voice laced with urgency, "what's our next move?"
According to a rough power conversion theory, a standard S-Rank powerhouse was roughly equivalent to eight A-Rankers working together.
Although in a real fight, an S-Rank could often use their mobility, crowd control, and burst damage to pick off the A-Rankers one by one, the theory still held that an S-Rank could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
And the Sea God they were facing now had an inexhaustible supply of high-pressure water cannons.
Even if Eden and Dystopia were not ordinary S-Ranks, their energy and stamina were far from infinite.
Under this relentless saturation bombardment, it was only a matter of time before their defenses were breached.
"The solution? Hasn't it been written in Hya's ancestor's journals from the very beginning?"
Fuli swung Evernight. Setsuna Blade: Lethe Ward manifested as a pitch-black sun that devoured everything, silently annihilating several oncoming water cannons.
He took the opportunity to exhale a breath thick with the salty tang of the sea, his tone resolute. "The Titan of the Sky. The Hundred-Eyed God. The Eye of Dawn and Dusk—the 4th Divine Key itself, venerated as Aigle!"
To defeat the ocean and water, one could only turn to the sky and wind.
In other words, on this isolated island of sea, completely cut off from the outside world by the Sea God's will, their only path to survival, their only chance of victory, lay at the bottom of the ocean!
They had to dive 6,300 meters into the dark abyss, find the sunken Sky Kingdom, and use the core component of the Key of Radiant Skies preserved within—the Celestial Fresco—to seize control of the atmosphere and once again repel this raging sea god!
At this thought, Little Li shot another fierce glare at the World Serpent duo, who were struggling to fend off the onslaught and looking rather pathetic.
Look at the mess you've made!
The two naturally felt his resentment. Dystopia shrank back, frantically deflecting water jets with her telekinesis while bowing and scraping.
"This one's on us! Please calm your anger, Great King Divine Departure! Once this is over, I'll write a ten-thousand-word self-criticism report and submit it to Hyperion!"
At the same time, she muttered to herself that if she got out of this alive, she would absolutely have to get her hands on a purely physical defensive item of at least A-rank.
It was hilarious, but if this guy really did decide to launch a long-range Divine Departure at her, she, with her telekinetic defenses, would be completely screwed.
As for how Divine Departure had broken its close-range limitation and evolved into a ranged attack? That was all thanks to the daily, meticulous guidance of Master Jingliu.
In terms of swordsmanship, her Transcendent Flash was undoubtedly top-tier in the Honkai world, easily top three.
Although she frequently made her "rebellious disciple" suffer by demanding special "beverages" to "alleviate her palace cold," she never slacked off on his swordsmanship training.
Beyond that, he had to thank the three interlocking metallic arcs on his left chest—the Stigma of Domination, which perfectly contained the conflicting powers within him.
No matter how much Fuli resisted or despised it, he had to admit that Prometheus had been right.
His Divine Departure, a technique created by referencing hundreds of incomplete arts, a move that gathered myriad skills and unified the power of many, was a natural fit for the authority of the Herrscher of Domination.
It was the Domination and Flaw Forms of the Setsuna Blade.
Thanks to the harmonizing ability of the Stigma of Domination, the slight frictions and conflicts between the various techniques that made up Divine Departure were rapidly integrated. Combined with Jingliu's teachings, it finally broke the shackles of requiring a physical medium, transforming into the absolute bane of all mages.
Of course, even so, Fuli would never feel a shred of gratitude towards that bitch Domination.
When he finally got the chance to chop her into mince meat, he'd be sure to make the pieces extra fine, as payback for daring to carve her mark upon his very soul.
Li-bao is no longer pure! Waaaaah!
"I have no problem with diving down to the ruins!"
Dystopia shouted over the roar, struggling to maintain her telekinetic barrier against the onslaught.
"But the entire sky is a meat grinder right now, and the seafloor is probably even more dangerous! There's no way we can descend safely, let alone find and enter the ancient city hidden in that trench!"
"And whose fault is that, my dear Miss Dystopia?"
Raven, standing beside her, ripped off her waterlogged hood, revealing a face etched with weariness.
The Seven Thunders in her hands switched to rapid-fire mode, the muzzle flashing as it blasted apart several high-pressure jets that shot out from odd angles, filling the air with sparks and mist.
She was just as pissed at her companion's reckless move, but with a major enemy in front of them, this was no time for infighting. A bit of verbal abuse would have to suffice.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Dystopia kept her mouth shut and focused on redirecting several thick water cannons that were heading for Hyacine and Castorice.
"So, what you're saying is... we need to quiet this raging ocean, if only for a moment?"
A beautiful voice, carrying a strange, soothing power, cut clearly through the roar of the waves and the boom of the water cannons.
Everyone turned to see Eden, her wine-red hair flowing behind her as if moved by an unseen melody.
The Golden Singer's fingers elegantly brushed the air, a faint, reassuring smile on her lips. "If that is the case, I believe I can be of assistance."
"Really?!"
Hyacine's dull eyes instantly lit up with hope.
"Of course she can! Our Eden is super amazing!"
Mimi waved her little paws excitedly, her fluffy tail wagging like a fan. She looked ready to fly over and cheer her best friend on personally.
The only problem was that her movements were a bit too big, and she accidentally slapped the back of Fuli's head.
"I'd be more grateful if you cheered for her without smacking me in the back of the head," the boy wearing the Mimi-hat grumbled, before his expression turned serious. "Miss Eden, please elaborate."
"To be frank, even I cannot soothe the rage of 22.7 million square kilometers of ocean... but I can attempt to use my Resonance to forcibly intervene and attune a limited area of the sea."
Eden's voice was steady and clear, carrying a convincing power. "With the ruins as the center, I will create and maintain a spherical domain with a radius of about fifty kilometers, temporarily severing the Sea God's will and creating an opening for you all to dive in."
"Whoa!"
The group collectively sucked in a breath.
A fifty-kilometer radius might not sound like much—about the size of a Divine Grace field or a major city.
But this was within the Sea God's domain, under its constant, furious assault! To forcibly carve out a circle of absolute calm on its very body!
"I do apologize. I am not a front-line combatant."
And yet, Eden was sighing, a hint of apology on her beautiful face. "While I am maintaining this field of tranquility, I must concentrate completely and cannot be distracted. I will need companions to guard me and ensure I am not disturbed."
"That's more than enough!"
Dystopia said excitedly. "Don't worry! As long as you can create an opening, we'll find the ruins, get the Celestial Fresco, and shove this crazy sea god back where it came from!"
The moment she finished speaking, she sensed the atmosphere shift.
Fuli, Castorice, Hyacine, and even Raven were all staring at her with incredibly strange expressions.
There was speechlessness, helplessness, and a hint of pity, as if to say, "Is this child missing a few screws?"
"W-What? Did I say something wrong?"
The orange-haired girl blinked, her face a mask of confusion.
"Miss Dystopia."
Castorice couldn't bear to watch her flounder any longer. She coughed lightly and, in the most diplomatic tone possible, reminded her,
"If even you, a powerful S-Rank combatant, descend to the ruins... who, then, will remain on the surface to ensure the safety of Miss Eden, who will be completely defenseless while maintaining the field?"
"Well, obviously—"
Dystopia started to say, "Obviously, Divine Departure (Fuli) will stay," but the words died on her lips as she realized the problem, scratching the back of her head with an awkward smile.
Right. If Fuli stayed behind to guard Eden, the deep-sea team would be left with her (an S-Rank), Raven (roughly S-Rank with her Divine Key), Castorice (A-Rank), and Hyacine (dead weight).
What if the World Serpent duo decided to betray them in the ruins? Without Fuli there, Castorice and Hyacine would be lambs to the slaughter.
"Then I'll stay and guard Miss Eden, and you all go to the ruins?"
Dystopia weakly proposed another solution, then immediately realized how dumb it sounded.
Leave an S-Rank World Serpent executive, who had just been threatened at sword-point and was essentially on probation, alone with a completely defenseless Eden?
Even if Dystopia swore on her life that she would be loyal, would the other side believe her?
Mimi finally understood. "Oh, so this kid isn't evil, she's just dumb."
"Hey!"
That one hit a nerve.
Lies don't hurt. The truth is a sharp knife.
But when Dystopia's gaze met Fuli's—who was staring at her calmly from under his Mimi-hat—all the arguments she had died in her throat, leaving only a look of pure frustration.
I wish Kosma had come on this mission! the girl thought, tears welling in her eyes.
As a MANTIS fused with the Doomsday-class Honkai Beast "Vishnu," Agnus Kosma's defense was on a whole other level of insanity.
Combined with his heaven-defying combat power, you could hack at him all day and not even scratch him.
With that dilemma established, Fuli quickly made a decision.
"Cassie and Dystopia will stay behind and guard Miss Eden. Raven, you will temporarily hand over the Seven Thunders to Cassie, then you will descend with us."
"An excellent decision," Eden said with a smile.
Logically, Dystopia, as an S-Rank, had to stay behind to keep the Sea God occupied. Among them, only her telekinesis was suited for the job.
Castorice would be there to back her up and monitor her, acting as Eden's personal bodyguard.
And to ensure she had the firepower to react, Fuli was giving her the Seven Thunders.
Divine Keys weren't bound to a single user. Under the right conditions, anyone could wield them.
And even if the Seven Thunders was a rare, tsundere type, the basic, all-around stat boost would still be there.
"Tch."
Raven was clearly unhappy with the arrangement, but she decisively tossed the Divine Key to Castorice.
With Dystopia present, she wasn't worried about the key being stolen or confiscated.
And considering her side was at fault, Fuli allowing her, a World Serpent executive, to accompany them to the ruins was a fair, if not slightly risky, arrangement.
However, if Little Island Bomber Raven knew the other reason behind Fuli's decision, she probably wouldn't think it was fair at all. She'd probably be jumping up and down, screaming bloody murder.
The underwater ruins were undoubtedly dangerous, possibly even lethal to an S-Rank.
If things went south, Fuli was confident he could protect Mimi and the tiny Hyacine.
Adding Castorice to the mix would be stretching it thin. That's why he deliberately placed her in a clearer situation on the surface, away from the unknown dangers of the frontline.
As for Raven?
Her survival skills and adaptability were top-notch. She'd be a good scout and a decent addition to their combat power.
And if they did run into a truly desperate situation, and someone needed to make a sacrifice...
Well, it was for the greater good, wasn't it? Maybe one day he'd remember to burn some incense for her, to commemorate this brave, temporary teammate who died exploring the unknown.
"The Third Divine Key..."
Taking the dark purple sniper rifle from Raven's hands, which still pulsed with a faint, intimidating aura, Castorice's palm felt hot, her heart beating faster.
Who in the Honkai world hadn't heard the legends of these supreme god-slaying weapons?
She instinctively looked up at Fuli, her eyes a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
The boy gave her a thumbs-up and a smile full of encouragement.
The girl took a deep breath and gripped the Seven Thunders firmly.
Perhaps because it liked the kind-hearted, shut-in princess, the Divine Key didn't emit the strong, irritable rejection it showed to others. The weapon glowed faintly, transforming into a stream of brilliant lightning that coiled around Castorice's other hand, which held the Scythe of the Dead Moon.
The lightning and the swirling purple-black aura of death on the scythe didn't clash. Instead, they strangely merged, plating the blade with a crackling, thunderous edge.
CRACKLE—!
As if by instinct, the girl swung the massive scythe. In an instant, a hundred streaks of brilliant, high-temperature arcs shot out in all directions like living lightning snakes.
The oncoming water cannons were detonated and vaporized before they could reach them. Even the surging waves were momentarily stilled, a small patch of relative calm cleared around them.
At the same time, Eden's song began.
The raging ocean, as if throttled by an invisible hand, began to calm, its surface rippling faintly.
"Good!"
Seeing his chance, Fuli didn't hesitate. He wrapped an arm around the pale-faced Hyacine, pulling her into his embrace in a secure, protective hold.
The afterimage-blades materialized around him, the crystalline blue energy forming a streamlined shuttle that enveloped the three of them. With Raven shouting "Wait for me!" behind them, they plunged into the seemingly calm but bottomless dark water, leaving behind two small splashes.