Off the coast of South Los, on a deserted island.
Using the technique of [Silent Continuous Steps], Arthur stepped on the [Hand of the Void] and descended from midair.
Fuginn circled above Arthur with Stolas and Mapa.
Kuliqi and Kili poked their heads out of the sea, then shook the water from their bodies repeatedly after coming ashore.
"Watch out for anyone approaching this place."
Arthur instructed the two [Death Hounds].
His unprecedented solemnity made both [Death Hounds] look serious. Even Kili, who looked like a husky, nodded.
Kuliqi, who resembled a cream-colored Labrador, stopped smiling altogether.
Woof!
After barking once, the two [Death Hounds] vanished into the shadows.
"Fuginn, if anything appears in the sky, I'm counting on you."
Arthur looked up as he spoke.
Caw!
The raven soaring overhead answered with a piercing cry.
Stolas and Mapa responded as well.
Arthur nodded slightly and turned toward the sea.
The next moment-
Splash!
The seawater churned, and a forty-meter-long serpent raised its head from the water.
"Nidhogg, stop any ships from approaching!"
Arthur gave the order.
Nidhogg, the great serpent who regarded Arthur, bearer of the [Death Serpent] bloodline, as a father and elder brother, nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, then submerged beneath the sea again.
The tens of thousands of water snakes that had followed Nidhogg began gathering in the waters around the unnamed island.
They could not understand complex commands.
So Nidhogg gave them only the simplest order-
Kill any creature that approaches!
In fact, Nidhogg was not alone in thinking this way. Fuginn, Kuliqi, and Kili felt the same.
In their simple view of the world, their master was undertaking something of unprecedented importance, and no one was allowed to disturb him.
Their [spirituality] also told them that this matter was important enough to mean life