After Vane and his group finished their interrogation, let's shift our focus slightly on the journey to the village.
Following the surface of the sea, the view continued to sink.
Piercing through the gradually darkening blue, skimming past the silently swimming schools of fish, it finally reaches the abyss where the sunlight cannot reach.
Absolute darkness, water pressure strong enough to crush steel, frigid temperatures, and a severe lack of oxygen... This is a forbidden zone for life, one of the most mysterious regions on the Terra.
However, in the depths of this darkness that should have been deathly silent, a light shone defied all logic.
A magnificent city stands silently, its enormous dome brightly lit.
This is Aegir, the heart of the deep sea.
In the dark waters surrounding this Miracle city, a group of figures were moving towards the city's entrance.
They all had white hair and red eyes, and wore black hunter uniforms that hugged their bodies.
Without any diving equipment, relying solely on their powerful physique, they moved freely within this terrifying water pressure.
Abyssal Hunters.
Aegir's sword and shield roam the darkness year after year, waging an endless battle with Seaborn.
"This round of peripheral inspections has ended."
A young woman's voice rang out, carrying a sense of relief at having completed her task.
"Have you noticed? We've been encountering fewer and fewer Seaborn lately, even small clusters are becoming increasingly rare."
"Isn't this a good thing?" another male voice responded.
"The fewer battles we fight, the better. My surgeries aren't as successful as yours, and I can't withstand high-intensity battles every day."
"That's true..."
The initial female voice carried a hint of longing.
"If only Seaborn didn't exist. To be honest, I'd rather be a writer than spend all my time cutting through those slimy things in the dark."
Laughter and agreement rang out from the darkness.
For these warriors who spend years fighting in the deep sea, simple conversations are a rare source of mental relief.
There were no giant tentacles suddenly emerging from the darkness, no twisted, howling, corrupted faces of comrades...
Such tranquility is already incredibly precious.
"Quiet."
A cold, hard voice cut in, instantly extinguishing all conversation.
The man speaking was tall and carried a massive, tattered ship anchor.
He is Ulpianus, the captain of the third squad of Abyssal Hunters.
"The mission is not over until we leave the potential risk zone."
"Stay vigilant; any lapse in vigilance is irresponsible towards your lives."
His gaze swept across the group, finally settling on the girl at the very end.
"Skadi, don't fall behind."
Skadi pursed her lips and responded softly:
"I don't..."
"Words are superfluous,"
Ulpianus interrupted him without any politeness.
"Nod, or prove it with actions."
Skadi fell silent and quietly increased her speed.
The heavy isolation door kept the deep sea at bay until the captain disappeared from sight, at which point the hunters finally let go.
"Phew... I always feel so much pressure when I go on missions with the captain."
"As expected of the captain... Despite having the weakest physical abilities, his presence is so imposing."
(Ulpianus was one of the key figures behind the Abyssal Hunters Project, and also the first Abyssal Hunters.)
(In the storyline, after Ulpianus left Aegir failed to create any Abyssal Hunters.)
"Don't worry too much about it, you're new here."
A teammate walked up to her and patted Skadi on the shoulder.
"That's just how the captain is, he speaks bluntly, but with him in the lead, our casualty rate in the event of sudden danger is the lowest."
"He may not say it, but he cares about the team members more than anyone else."
"Care..."
Skadi repeated the word softly, the training sessions uncontrollably flashing through her mind—
Each time, the broken anchor struck her with the force of a smash, forcing her to dodge or parry.
Any slight delay in movement was followed by a merciless reprimand.
[You've regressed, Skadi!]
Skadi quickly shook her head, trying to shake off that suffocating memory.
The team members seemed to realize that their words were too idealistic, and smiled somewhat awkwardly.
"Ahem... Now that you're a newcomer, the captain will inevitably pay extra attention to you."
"Once you've fully adapted to the team's rhythm, the captain's attitude will become more amiable..."
"Kind?"
Skadi's eyes were filled with confusion; she couldn't imagine that the man would show such a kind expression.
Moreover, with that mask covering half of their face, they wouldn't be able to see them even if they were.
The team members exchanged glances, surrounded Skadi, and half-heartedly led her towards the rest area.
"Come on, let's stop thinking about that! It's time to relax now that the mission is over!"
"Let's head to the lounge now. If we're quick, we might still make it in time for those guys from Team Two to have their concert."
"A concert?" Skadi, somewhat puzzled.
"It's just singing! There are a few guys in the second team who sing really well, quite nicely."
Skadi, however, thought of the second team's captain, who was also known for his strictness and efficiency, and hesitated:
"... Won't we run into Captain Gladiia?"
"Don't worry!" the teammate pushing her laughed.
"The second team leader doesn't concern herself with these trivial matters; she might even stand by and listen for a while. Come on, come on! If we're too late, we won't be able to hear anything!"
As the hunters headed to the rest area, their captain went to the solemn research room.
Ulpianus nodded to the guards who saluted him on either side, knocked on the door, and pushed it open before waiting for a response.
In the center of the room, several transparent display cases showcasing various types of Seaborn.
"Brandus, what do you want?"
Inside the room, a green-haired man in uniform was standing with his back to the door, bending over to observe one of the shop windows, and didn't reply when he heard the voice.
"When you meet a friend, is the first thing you ask about work?"
"If we weren't friends..."
Ulpianus walked over to him, his gaze also falling on the shop window.
"I will only have you submit a written report according to procedure, and then we will discuss it in the meeting."
Brandus sighed, skipped the pleasantries, and went straight to the point:
"This Seaborn... is the reason I urgently summoned you here."
Ulpianus frowned; with just one glance, he noticed the difference in Seaborn in the shop window.
Although red is rare, it is not without precedent. What really struck Ulpianus as unusual was its shape.
"... I have never seen such a weak Seaborn."
Yes, frail.
The Seaborn before me had neither sharp limbs nor bone spurs for attack, nor hard carapace or slippery skin for defense.
Its body was in a semi-liquid state, trembling slightly, like a large blob of... dark red jelly.
It discarded any organs used for fighting or self-defense, which completely contradicts the evolutionary logic of Seaborn constantly "optimizing" its own structure.
"Frail...?"
Brandus's voice became somewhat subtle as he picked up a high-frequency chainsaw.
Under Ulpianus's watchful gaze, Brandus actually lowered the chainsaw, which was powerful enough to easily tear through alloy!
"Brandus! What are you doing?! Even if it's an experimental sample, you shouldn't...!!!"
Ulpianus's warning suddenly rose in volume, but his words abruptly stopped.
What happened next sent a chill down the spine of even the seasoned Abyssal Hunters captain.
The sharp, high-speed vibrating chainsaw blade cut firmly into the dark red "jelly".
However, the anticipated tearing and splattering of juices did not occur.
The chainsaw cut down, and not a single scratch appeared on the surface of the "jelly"!
Not only that, it wriggled and quickly spread up the chainsaw blade, trying to engulf Brandus's hand holding the chainsaw as well!
Brandus reacted quickly, immediately pulling his hand away and sealing the sampling port.
The laboratory was deathly silent, save for the faint hum of the instruments.
Brandus's fingers trembled slightly as he turned to Ulpianus, his voice hoarse:
"That's why I had to call you here in person..."
Ulpianus remained silent, his gaze fixed on the dark red object in the shop window.
A good ten seconds passed before he slowly spoke, his voice even lower than before:
"Has it evolved to this extent...?"
"No, this is definitely not an ability acquired through evolution."
Brandus immediately opposed Ulpianus.
"The stimulation we've given the Seaborn is far from enough to make them evolve to this extent, unless..."
"Unless someone is deliberately causing Seaborn evolve."
Ulpianus continued, his eyes dark, as he looked at his close friend:
What do you need me to do?
"This sample was found by Team Two," Brandus, pointing to the display window.
"I need more samples; only with enough data can we analyze the patterns."
"Location," Ulpianus stated succinctly.
Brandus gave out several coordinates, Ulpianus turned to leave, but Brandus called him back.
"You don't mean to go alone, do you?"
Brandus' tone was full of disapproval.
"The fewer people who know about this, the better."
Ulpianus didn't turn around; his voice came through the mask, somewhat muffled.
"Panic can destroy a city's order before the enemy does. A sudden and frequent deployment of an elite squad to an unusual area will attract unnecessary attention and suspicion."
He was telling the truth.
Aegir society appears stable, but under the shadow of an endless war with Seaborn, any anomaly could trigger a chain reaction.
Brandus was silent for a moment, then whispered:
"When Gladiia brought the samples back, she had strictly kept the news under wraps, but..."
"That person should already know."
Ulpianus stopped in his tracks.
Of course he knew who "that person" was.
Gladiia's mother, Aegir's current governor.
Brandus looked at his friend's tense back and softened his tone:
"Take your teammates with you; they deserve your trust, don't they?"
"No need."
Ulpianus snapped out of his daze, his tone still firm.
"Too many targets would distract me; we only need to collect samples, not that many people."
"Bring at least one," Brandus sighed.
"Or are you planning to transport all those samples by yourself?"
Ulpianus paused for a moment, then nodded.
"... Can."
Brandus smiled and joked:
"You really need to change that gloomy expression and the way you talk. I bet your reputation within your team isn't much better."
"It's irrelevant," Ulpianus replied without hesitation.
"They are soldiers, and I am the captain. My duty is to lead them to complete their mission and bring as many of them back alive as possible."
"Everything else is none of my business."
"... You're still the same as always. So, who are you planning to bring? Do you need me to let them know for you?"
"Skadi."
Ulpianus uttered the name almost without hesitation.
"Skadi?"
Brandus paused for a moment, then quickly retrieved relevant memories from his mind—a newcomer, exceptionally talented but lacking in experience.
"That newcomer? Is she reliable?"
"Unreliable." Ulpianus's assessment was merciless, even harsh.
"She lacked sufficient experience in battlefield response, and her understanding of Seaborn was mostly limited to training and basic patrols."
Brandus was even more puzzled. "Then why...?"
"But," Ulpianus interrupted him, with a peculiar consideration,
"She often acts before she thinks."
(Translation: Skadi is a "brute," she doesn't think things through, she just does what she's told, she doesn't ask questions, and she doesn't try to be clever.)
Brandus, upon hearing this, was both amused and exasperated.
This is ruthless, pragmatic, but also very "Ulpianus".
"I will inform her to prepare; the mission briefing and coordinates will be transmitted to her in encrypted form."
Ulpianus nodded, then turned and left without lingering.
"Wait for my news."
The room fell silent again, save for the sludge-like wriggling sounds of the Seaborn.
Brandus turned around and looked at the "jelly" in the shop window, the shadow of the light obscuring his features.
After a long silence--
"I'm sorry... my friend."
Brandus shook his head and left the room.
The lights dimmed, and the Seaborn gradually quieted down.
In the silence, the unusual Seaborn turned around and focused its gaze on the gate.
Neither Ulpianus nor Brandus discovered that the "jelly" also had "eyes," and...
Ever since Ulpianus appeared, he has been keeping a close eye on the other party.
"..."
[Found]