The moment Nishikawa Tetsu and Minato stepped through the enormous dark-gold doors, they felt as though they had passed through an invisible membrane. After that faint sensation of resistance, the sight before them left them utterly stunned.
"Th-this is the Deep Sea Kingdom?"
Namikaze Minato's voice carried an unmistakable awe, and his azure eyes widened involuntarily.
Before entering, they had been curious about the "Deep Sea Kingdom" Sage Fukasaku had described. Yet deep down, they had assumed that, given the harsh conditions of the deep sea and the productive capabilities of ancient times, this so-called "kingdom" could at most be a somewhat larger underground settlement, much like a large Ninja Village.
But now...
What lay before them was an underground world of almost unbelievable vastness.
The ceiling soared overhead in a dim arch, studded with crystals that had long since lost their luster. Their arrangement still faintly suggested the starry sky they had once been meant to imitate.
Beneath that ceiling stretched an immense expanse of buildings, extending far beyond the limits of their vision.
These structures had been built along the uneven rock bed of the seafloor. Some thrust into the air like sharp swords, while others crouched on the ground like enormous hemispherical fortresses.
Broad streets crisscrossed one another, forming an extraordinarily complex and extensive transportation network.
"It's magnificent..."
Nishikawa Tetsu drew in a sharp breath, every bit as awestruck as Minato. "To build a city this vast thousands of meters beneath the sea, overcoming crushing water pressure, a lack of oxygen, and the cold... it's nothing short of a miracle. This absolutely couldn't have been achieved through manpower or simple ninjutsu alone. It would have required incredibly advanced materials science, engineering, and energy systems!"
Nishikawa Tetsu swept his gaze across the buildings and soon noticed the cruel