Odys had not expected the Balam Empire's military outpost from the Fourth Epoch to have sunk beneath the sea.
When he saw its walls glowing a pallid white, he knew part of the outpost was still operating.
He ordered the Spirit-Banishing Cannon charged in case something burst out, then immediately ordered the Argo to surface and get as far from the outpost as possible.
But when the Argo broke the surface, Odys and the others saw someone standing steadily on the water amid the surging waves.
The staff in his hand was about a meter long. Its head was a ring with a deep-blue gem set in the center.
This time, they were close enough to see his face clearly.
He watched the Argo with a cold gaze, but his was no living face. Patches of flesh had rotted away from his cheeks, exposing blackened bone.
Odys also noticed his pointed ears. He seemed to have been an elf in life.
There was no time to wonder about his race. One look at the quality of the gem on his staff told Odys this was a Demi-God-level enemy.
"Spirit-Banishing Cannon! Fire!" Odys gave the order before anyone else had recovered their wits.
At a greater distance, the enemy might have dodged. This close, the Spirit-Banishing Cannon struck in an instant, its stream of shells driving the elf far back.
The continuous barrage blew the elf apart, but Odys noticed that every piece of flesh rolled across the sea's surface as though down a slope. Not one sank.
"Turn! Turn!" The moment the Spirit-Banishing Cannon fell silent, Odys nearly shouted, "Get us away from the Dangerous Sea at full speed!"
The Argo swung around and cut through the waves, fleeing the area.
Only then did the others begin to react. Bazel