Second-Run Player 1/2
The Eye of the Tide Sea, a winding path through space.
"Rules turbulence zone, activate protective spells, close the dome, speed level two!"
"45 degrees to the left front, be careful! Entering dense area, load the Divine Authority Seal, open all gun ports, prepare to intercept close-range interference! As usual, Heracles is in charge of the bow; Big Sister, watch the port side; Dion... Orion, you take charge of the flank!"
"Enter the Rainbow Coral Zone, turn the rudder, and quickly pass through the gill-shaped channel. Beware of illusions, and everyone should observe the environment out of the corner of their eyes!"
"..."
Inside the fully enclosed Argo, Jason, standing in the captain's cabin, was highly focused and methodically steered the ship through one dangerous area after another.
Similarly, the hundred or so crew members who boarded the ship had a solemn and subdued expression. They spoke and moved without any superfluous words or actions, like precise gears embedded in the Argonaut Expedition.
With seamless teamwork, the Argo, venturing into the Space Path for the second time, shortened its journey through these dangerous zones by nearly half.
Even so, Jason, his brow furrowed and his body a mixture of extreme emotions—mania and calm—biting his thumb, was still dissatisfied with the progress.
Hurry! Hurry! Faster!
Undercurrents surged, and the ship trembled slightly. In the flickering light, the blond captain's gaze fell upon the projected seascape. He immediately rushed to the control panel, his fingertips, which had been on the fish-scale scroll, swiftly moved to focus on the area marked by the colored circles.
Ninth node!
Jason composed himself, his gaze sharp. Following the instructions, the hatches on both sides of the Argo slowly opened, releasing oval Bronze Artifacts, each the size of a swan's egg, covered with divine runes and shimmering with lightning inside. These artifacts quietly floated near an inconspicuous vortex of undercurrents.
After skillfully releasing these gadgets, the Argo closed its hatches again, broke through the gentle current, and accelerated forward.
Hiss!
However, as the vibrant colors of the sea faded, a strange rhythmic resonance came from nearby, accompanied by the trembling sound of metal twisting, and beams of scarlet light crisscrossed and attacked.
Jason spun the rudder sharply, Argo darted through the gaps in the crimson beams of light like a nimble fish.
At this moment, the thousands of bronze cubes suspended in the water ahead lit up with their surface patterns, moving up, down, forward, backward, left, and right. Some suddenly rose and fell vertically to collide, some crossed and attacked from the left and right, some randomly assembled and intercepted like Tetris blocks, and some shot out beams of scarlet light from within. The screen was filled with a barrage of comments that sent chills down one's spine.
Amidst the violent turbulence caused by the surging magical energy, a familiar feeling welled up in Jason's heart, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.
Bronze modules meet the matrix! The last line of defense for the Gate of the Vortex!
You suffered a lot here last time, buddy. This time, I'm going to get all the loot before you do!
Several dozen breaths later, the Gate of the Vortex.
The waves swirled and crashed into a patch of Argo sea without leaving even the slightest scratch.
As the pale waves splashed up, the wooden ship's domed deck slowly opened. Jason staggered out of the captain's cabin, leaned against the ship's side to get some fresh air and soothe his tense nerves, then patted his stiff cheeks. Looking at the vast and boundless Giant God Ocean, a relieved smile appeared on his face.
I cleared the game without taking damage, man, I did it...
Just then, a chilling tremor came from above, and several halos of light, each a hundred meters in diameter and with a cross-shaped pattern in the center, converged and fell.
At that moment, a thick, dazzling golden beam of light shot through the sky with overwhelming force, like a meteor falling to earth.
It's over!
Jason's pupils contracted sharply. The intense sense of impending death sent chills down his spine and made his heart pound. But the sudden oppression and chilling atmosphere possessed a powerful pressure that made him feel as if he had fallen into an icy hell, with every muscle stiff and unable to move an inch.
"Get out of the way!"
At the critical moment, a figure rushed from the bow of the ship, roughly grabbed Jason by the collar with his large left hand, and quickly threw him behind.
At the same time, the burly man, who was about two meters tall, grabbed the dark and Nameless Axe-Sword from the Sorcery Array with his palm. He poured surging red and black divine power into it, and the scarlet flames blazed up.
Battle tactic— Nine Lives!
In an instant, the burly man's arm, gripping the axe and sword, with muscles bulging like dragons, swung nine times in mid-air at an incredible speed, instantly tearing the vast sea of clouds apart like a curtain, a hundred feet long!
Immediately, nine almost seamlessly connected slashes collided fiercely with the descending, dazzling golden pillar of light on the Sky-Splitting Sword.
The layered sonic booms created a terrifying shockwave resembling a mushroom cloud.
Click!
Under the terrifying force of the attack, the Argo floating on the sea surface, like a leaf in a mudslide, was violently tossed and turned by the giant waves. Its seven layers of protective magic shattered like a fragile eggshell hit by a heavy hammer, and the hull creaked loudly.
However, the strike that easily severed the sky and the sea of clouds only offset one-quarter of the length of the Golden Pillar of Light, slightly delaying its descent.
Again!
Heracles strode forward, cracking the ship's planks, his muscles bulging, and with a powerful swing of his arms, he stomped the Argo almost entirely into the deep sea.
Sizzle!
The twelve slashes continued until nearly half the length of the Golden Pillar of Light was shattered before finally dissipating, but the crisis was far from over.
"Get out of here!"
Hercules' forehead veins bulged, he raised his head and roared, his body ignited with red and black flames like hellfire, and the sound of air being torn apart echoed in front of him once again.
Hiss!
Twenty-four afterimages, like black, furious dragons, swept away the golden afterglow falling from the sky, carving Great Hollow through the sea of clouds, as if tearing apart the stars and reaching straight into the vast void.
"Too... too powerful..."
As the waves gradually calmed, Jason, who had risen while holding onto the gunwale, stared in disbelief at the man standing proudly on the deck, holding an unnamed axe and sword. An overwhelming surge of ecstasy and adoration welled up within him.
"Heracles, you are truly a god in human skin! Now we're doomed, with you here..."
"Puff!"
Just as the excited blond captain stepped forward to give the hero who saved the entire ship a warm hug, Heracles burst into clouds of blood mist the moment they made contact.
His bronze skin, harder than rock, split open like a baby's mouth, revealing broken pink muscle groups, with gushing blood meandering from the wound like snakes.
"Snap!"
At the same time, the nameless axe-sword he held, forged from hard volcanic rock, cracked inch by inch, turning into dull fragments. The muffled thuds as it hit the deck struck the hearts of everyone present.
Clearly, Heracles's physical body was already operating beyond its limits in order to withstand this incredibly powerful golden beam of light.
"Asclepius! Medea! Heal! Heal her quickly!"
Jason's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly called to his crew to treat the Hercules.
At that moment, the blond captain frantically pulled out all sorts of life-saving medicines and Magic Potion from his pockets and poured them all over Heracles's split wounds, hoping to stop the bleeding and help them heal.
Unfortunately, the results were minimal...
Just then, that deadly tremor came from the sky again, and the activated golden cross halo shone brightly!