363. Underwater Survival

Click~ Click~

“What’s that?” one of the knights of Unit 3 asked his partner walking beside him.

The bayonets fixed to the ends of their rifles gleamed under the eerie, bioluminescent green light emanating from the ground. Step by cautious step, they moved further away from the towering shadow of the grounded steamship.

“This? It’s a camera. It was tough to get my hands on one, but I managed,” the younger recruit replied, taking another photograph of the dungeon while still keeping his rifle raised and pointed forward.

“A camera?! The device that captures pictures, the ones that have been used on billboards and newspapers all over the dukedom recently?!” The older knight’s eyes widened in surprise. “I thought those were nearly impossible to get your hands on because of the supply shortages! How on earth did you manage to secure one?” He turned his head to give the recruit a side-eye, continuing to advance with the unit behind Vice-Captain John as they approached a massive archway carved into the far sandstone wall, a yawning threshold leading deeper into the uncharted lower levels of the dungeon.

“You know Lyra and Dori? The two women in the very first photograph taken?” the recruit replied with a proud grin, taking another click.

“Yeah, of course! Their photo is literally everywhere in the city!” the knight answered, his eyes scanning the terrain ahead just as he spotted Vice Captain John holding up a gloved hand to signal a halt.

“Dori... she’s my girlfriend!” the recruit smiled, answering with a soft chuckle.

The entire unit stopped dead in their tracks. Up ahead, Vice Captain John knelt down, pressing two fingers firmly against the glowing green floor. His expression darkened instantly as he felt a deep, monstrous pulse thumping beneath the frozen surface.

His eyes widened in sudden terror, and he roared, “Unit 3! Retreat! I say RETREAT!”

Before his command could even finish echoing through the cavern-

CRACK! CRACK!

The green ice shattered violently right under the young recruit’s feet! A massive, tooth-lined jaw exploded upward from the depths, gulping him down in one brutal, terrifying sweep!

BAM!

“FIRE!!”

The older knight was completely overtaken by raw horror as a spray of warm blood gushed across his face. Without waiting for a formal command, he frantically began unloading his rifle into the emerging silhouette of the magical beast. “Die! Die, you bastard!”

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Click~ Click~

The recruit's broken camera tumbled onto the hard ice floor, its shutter clicking continuously as it took picture after picture of the carnage.

“Follow his lead! Concentrate your fire!” Vice Captain John roared, bringing his rifle up to his eye and locking his scope directly onto the creature's massive, glowing eye. “It’s a Kraken… which means this is at least a double digit floored dungeon!”

He pulled the trigger, firing a precise heavy round that blinded the beast in an instant. As the creature thrashed in pain, John racked his rifle bolt to chamber another round, muttering under his breath, “I will come back to you, Katrina...”

Meanwhile Ravenna’s Study, Lord’s Castle. Kim City, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire.

“Your plan is way too risky, Your Highness!” Alice was the very first to object, her voice sharp with concern.

Dame Aisha immediately backed her up. “Yes, how can we possibly allow you to join the search party in person?! What if the search vessels go missing right alongside you?!”

“I agree with both of them, Your Highness. We still don’t know if this disappearance has something to do with the Witch’s cult,” Sarah chimed in, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Given their recent crushing losses, you yourself warned us that they will try everything in their power to target the Kim Dukedom and the Saintess...”

“I understand all of your concerns, but... this is the only definitive way we will locate them quickly,” Ravenna replied nonchalantly.

As the entire room opened their mouths to push their objections further, Ravenna slammed her palm hard onto the wooden table. Standing up, she glared around the room, her fierce jet black eyes flashing with an unyielding pressure.

“You are all my possessions, not the other way around. These are my orders. Have the search vessels prepared immediately, we depart this evening!”

A heavy, stunned silence fell over the study. Everyone stood frozen for a long moment as the bright sunlight streaming through the arched windows briefly disappeared behind a passing storm cloud, casting dark shadows across their faces.

Knight Samuel was the first to break the stillness. Bowing his head deeply, he murmured, “Then... we shall get everything prepped at once...”

He offered a slow, respectful bow and exited the room, with Dame Aisha letting out a defeated sigh as she followed close behind him. Richard maintained a deeply concerned expression, but knowing her mind was made up, he quietly excused himself as well. One by one, the administrator staff and officers filed out, until only Alice remained.

With just the two of them left in the quiet study, Alice clenched her fists tightly at her sides and demanded, “What in the world are you trying to accomplish now? Don’t you realize just how dangerous jumping directly into the unknown is?!”

“I can find them far easier using my... unique blessing,” Ravenna replied, her gaze steady and determined as she looked directly into Alice's eyes. “Don’t worry. I will ensure we carry a heavy supply of Purple Glass Ball Dust to disrupt and neutralize mana of the dungeon.”

Alice stared at her, her posture slumping as she realized she couldn't break Ravenna's resolve. She let out a long, weary sigh. “Fine... I will personally oversee the acquisition and loading of the Purple Glass Ball Dust.”

Walking toward the heavy wooden doors, Alice paused, her hand resting on the brass handle as she looked back over her shoulder.

“I understand that you refuse to lose any more of your people... but remember, you have also taken on the responsibility of being a mother now” Alice said softly, her voice laced with genuine care. “Think about Marie, too.”

She stepped through the doorway and closed it behind her, leaving Ravenna standing completely alone in the study just as the golden sunlight broke through the clouds once more, bathing the room in bright light.