The deep sea.
The Mechanical Sea Beast continued along the trench, drawing ever closer to the Red Line.
The head-mounted searchlights swept the waters ahead, tearing two ghastly white beams through the pitch-black sea.
Inside the control cabin.
York sat in the pilot's seat, gripping the armrests tightly with both hands.
The rendezvous point designated by the World Government was getting closer and closer, yet the unease in her heart refused to fade.
Especially whenever she thought of Rock, she could not stop herself from shivering. "Impossible..." York muttered softly.
She had already come this far. As long as she passed through the deep-sea rift ahead, she could reach the reception area prepared by the World Government.
Hand over the Mother Flame.
From then on, she would no longer be the "Desire" who handled food, drink, and every other bodily need for the other Vegapunks.
At that thought, a smile returned to York's face.
But the next second.
Beep— The console suddenly sounded an alert.
York froze, and a red dot lit up on the sonar screen.
In just a few seconds, dozens of life signals had appeared around the Mechanical Sea Beast.
York abruptly sat upright.
"What is that?"
She quickly adjusted the detection frequency.
[Fish-Man life signatures confirmed.]
Seeing the result, York instead let out a sigh of relief. "Fish-Men?"
"That scared me to death..." Fish-Men, that was all.
She was riding a deep-sea weapon created by Vegapunk.
If they really dared block her path, she would just blast them apart.
York raised her hand and switched on every searchlight.
Buzz—
Several beams of intense light pierced the darkness at once.
Up ahead.
A massive seabed rock gradually emerged in her field of vision.
And atop that rock stood a tall figure in silence.
Blue skin, curled eyebrows.