"This is troublesome..."
In the deep sea, Ulpianus attempted several explosive charges from different angles, trying to break through the Bloodline Heir's encirclement.
The opponent's teamwork wasn't particularly outstanding in his opinion, but their almost predictable interception efficiency still made things difficult for him.
What alarmed him even more was the other party's identity.
Aside from the hair color being different from Abyssal Hunters, in every other aspect it's practically a high-end version of Hunter.
Another Bloodline Heir pounced, its speed comparable to a torpedo, yet it made no sound whatsoever.
Ulpianus narrowly escaped, but found the situation increasingly difficult.
Especially this ability...
The image of the special Seaborn in the laboratory flashed through Ulpianus's mind, and he had a guess.
"Fellow countrymen, the We Many need you."
The leading Bloodline Heir extended another invitation, attempting to communicate through their the We Many, but Ulpianus remained unresponsive, and they could only convey their will through sound.
Ulpianus's heart sank; he held the anchor horizontally in front of him, poised to set sail.
"Are you the Church of the Deep?"
"No, we are..."
The Bloodline Heir collectively paused. For the first time, these creatures, who had always acted on instinct and Vane's commands, faced a situation where they needed to define themselves.
[Who I am?]
They instinctively sought answers from the We Many, but all four original primordial Firstborn were asleep, and the only active "Fifth Firstborn" did not provide any feedback.
So they turned to searching their own memory banks.
Soon, a voice emerged clearly—
[From this day forward... you are the Bloodline Heir of my Fifth Firstborn Seat!]
"We are... Bloodline Heir."
Bloodline Heir?
Ulpianus's brow furrowed even more.
A title never heard before, combined with their abilities resembling those of Abyssal Hunters yet possessing new types of Seaborn...
Is this a special unit created by the Church of the Deep in imitation of the Abyssal Hunters?
"I see..."
Ulpianus attempted to integrate the information.
The Church of the Deep created another type of hunter using a new type of Seaborn, but it wasn't successful in some aspects, so they need Abyssal Hunters project data for reference...
As the mastermind behind the Abyssal Hunters project, he naturally knew the whole story, but who leaked the information?
With a sinking feeling, Ulpianus quickly pointed the finger at the person he least wanted to be suspected.
"Brandus..."
If it were him, many things would make sense.
At this moment, more than his anger at his friend's betrayal, Ulpianus felt worried about Aegir.
At this moment, the Bloodline Heir on the opposite side spoke again.
"Fellow countrymen, please rejoin us in the We Many."
Ishar-mla needs you.
Ulpianus's response to the Bloodline Heir's dissuasion was--
With the anchor caught in the raging current, attacks were ineffective, and Ulpianus could only rely on precise calculations to maneuver against the Bloodline Heir.
He had to buy time for Skadi while also trying to carve out a path to survival for himself in this desperate situation.
In the distance, Skadi's eyes reflected the fierce battle, puzzled by the strange behavior of her captain and the "hunter" before her.
Yes, that's strange.
The captain did give the order to break out, and she did carry it out.
However, those who surrounded her, whom she subconsciously categorized as "strangers," had no interest in her whatsoever.
What's even stranger is the form of the battle.
Because attacks are ineffective against Bloodline Heir, Ulpianus had long since abandoned direct confrontation and instead resorted to high-speed movement, feints, and area-of-effect water surges to try and disrupt and break through.
However, this high-speed maneuvering and dodging, combined with the occasional whirlpools created by the anchor...
In Skadi's eyes, it had an eerie sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of the dance performed by the second team members that she had once glimpsed by chance.
Is the captain dancing?
Skadi wanted to ask for more specific instructions, or to confirm whether she needed to intervene in this strange "cooperation".
But was it appropriate to interrupt the team leader midway?
She was unsure and could only observe in silence.
Ulpianus is finding it increasingly difficult, as the Bloodline Heir's encirclement is rapidly tightening.
He knew he probably couldn't escape today; his only consolation was that Skadi had successfully broken through...
Thinking of this, Ulpianus subconsciously glanced in the direction Skadi had broken out.
Skadi: Confused (jpg)
Ulpianus: "..."
A vein throbbed on Ulpianus's forehead, and he hurled the anchor in his hand toward Skadi with tremendous force.
"Let's take action!"
Having finally received the command, Skadi easily stopped the ship, her doubts undiminished.
Action? How exactly should it be done? Should we join the captain's "dance"?
Before she could figure it out, the battle situation ahead suddenly changed.
Ulpianus's distraction revealed a weakness, and the Bloodline Heir surged forward in layers, completely engulfing him.
Under the combined pressure of sheer numbers and power, Ulpianus quickly lost his ability to move and was firmly bound by the Bloodline Heirs.
Without pausing, they immediately changed direction and escorted the subdued Ulpianus away.
Skadi seemed to suddenly understand something as she watched her captain being surrounded by hunters as they left.
"Oh, does that mean I should follow them?"
She suddenly realized.
With a burst of water behind her, Skadi gave chase after the disappearing Bloodline Heir.
What do you mean by 'the We Many prepared a gift for me'?
Looking at the Bloodline Heir that had specially returned from the nearshore area, Vane's eyes were full of doubt.
Just now, this Bloodline Heir suddenly leaped out of the shallow sea, blocked his way, and conveyed a vague message.
[Ishar-mla, friends, the We Many, gift.]
"Ishar-mla? She has awakened?"
Vane felt a chill run down his spine and immediately immersed himself in the We Many network perception.
It is clear that Isama's consciousness remains dormant, showing no signs of awakening.
Conversely, in other areas, the consciousness of some Bloodline Heir is emanating more active fluctuations than ever before.
"[Who am I?]... Have they evolved to the point of pondering such philosophical questions?"
Vane was somewhat surprised, and a complex mix of emotions welled up within him.
Of course I'm delighted.
The smarter and more capable these "kids" are, the more confident he feels in Terra.
But concerns also arose.
Classic scenes from numerous works flashed through his mind—awakened artificial intelligence, creations gaining freedom, monsters endowed with intelligence...
How many ultimately evolved into rebellion and retribution against their creators?
Will the Bloodline Heir, like in those stories, one day suddenly deliver a classic "I killed my own father" betrayal?
Vane sensed the unwavering obedience of the Bloodline Heir to his will and suddenly shook his head.
"Hahaha, what are you thinking? I'm the Fifth Firstborn of the We Many, my lovely children are extremely loyal to me, how could they betray me?"
He patted his face, dispelling the unnecessary worry.
Setting aside his concerns, Vane's attention returned to the "gift".
"So, what exactly is the gift? It can't be some delicious seafood you found, can it?"
Vane stroked his chin, beginning to ponder.
Suddenly, Vane remembered his previous conversation with Ishar-mla.
He mentioned some "needs" at the time, half-jokingly and half-seriously, which seemed to include...
After a moment of silence, Vane asked incredulously:
"You... you didn't kidnap someone, did you?"
[They are compatriots.]
Compatriots?
In Seaborn's logic, all living beings that can be "accepted" can be considered "fellows".
Vane tries to narrow down the scope:
"Is it... white hair and red eyes?"
[Yes.]
Vane's heart skipped a beat, but he wasn't sure yet.
"Is he carrying... a particularly large, heavy-looking weapon?"
[Yes.]
Vane felt his blood rushing to his head. He forced himself to calm down. There was one last question, the most crucial one: confirming his identity.
"Then... what's the name? Do you know the name?"
[Name...]
The Bloodline Heir searched through fragments of memory from the capture process.
When communicating with his "comrade" (Ulpianus), the other party did indeed utter some syllables.
[Skadi.]
"Hiss--!"
Vane gasped, his face flushing red with excitement.
Holy crap! Holy crap!
He stood there, gesturing wildly, completely ignoring the look of disbelief on Irene's face, and slapped the Bloodline Heir's shoulder heavily.
"Well done! You all did a great job!"
Vane's bloodshot eyes gleamed, and his voice unconsciously rose in pitch.
"I can't wait! Bring Skadi up already!"
"Mr. Vane ..."
Finally, Elinie couldn't hold back any longer and questioned her with a serious expression.
Are you involved in human trafficking?
"Ah?"
Vane's excitement faltered, and after a brief moment of thought, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Seeing this, Irene's eyes suddenly sharpened, Vane quickly explained.
"Wait! I just want to get to know the other person!"
"But according to what you just said, that was clearly a kidnapping!"
Irene persisted, her accusing gaze making Vane feel uneasy.
"And even if the other party isn't a citizen of Iberia, I can't just stand by and do nothing!"
Vane's face fell. Were they really just going to send him back like this?
But that's Skadi! She got into this hobby because of the sword between her legs!
Besides, what kind of good place is Aegir? Sending Skadi back will only lead to... eh!?
Vane's eyes lit up, and he looked at Irene with a serious expression.
"Your Inquisitor, you don't understand, I'm saving an innocent girl!"
Irene didn't say anything, but looked at Vane with a "keep making this up" look.
"What's with that look on your face? Don't you believe me?!"
Vane clutched his chest and recounted the story with heartbreaking sorrow.
"I had Bloodline Heir bring the person here to save them."
"You don't know, poor Skadi has been kept in the dark by Aegir. Her family was killed by the Church of the Deep, but it was identified as an attack by the Seaborn."
"She was also subjected to human experimentation by Aegir (the Abyssal Hunters Project), and will later be forced into a suicide mission (to slay the sea goddess Ishar-mla)."
The more Vane spoke, the more confident he became, radiating a dazzling aura.
"That's right! I'm saving the innocent girl who's been blinded by the evil Aegir!"