Chapter 935: Illumination at Sea
‘On the one hand, I feel like I should be angry at y’all for having all of this build-up…on the other, I feel like I should be asking Logos and Pathos about the literal [Chaos] pillars that are right below our feet as we speak,’ Zhen Liu suddenly interjected as his mind finally finished processing the latest bomb of information. ‘Gonna take a wild guess here that y’all don’t remember these pillars because of the memory seal.’
<=Actually...=>
‘Wait, seriously?’
=And we definitely don’t remember any pillars or platforms near her old kingdom.=
‘Are…are ya sure?’
As Zhen Liu continued to argue(?) with the curators of Logic and Emotion, Kit opted to continue her story for the sake of the other kaijin.
After all, this was probably going to be an important battle theater for them soon, so they needed every bit of information they could.
[So…crazy glowing city?]
[Crazy glowing citadel and a giant glowing city.]
[Right…]
________________________________________
“Okay…the smaller I can understand is not having seen before given that it appears to be inside of a giant scallop…but how the fuck did we not notice the giant glowing city next to it?!,” Kit shouted.
“Don’t know…but I guess now is a bad time to mention that this is the first time I’ve ever seen this city, like, ever.”
“Oh boy…”
“To be fair, it appears to be behind a giant wall of some kind…”
At this moment in time, Zhen Xun Tian, Kit and Rodenia had found not only a giant glowing citadel that appeared to be located in the inside of a giant scallop that radiated this weird repelling effect that they could feel from their current location, but a massive walled city that appeared to be glowing as well. However, all of the light was being directed upwards instead of out, thanks to the aforementioned walls. That stated, they could still see a few towers poking out of the top of the walls, but they were glowing in such a manner that made them look like either glowing moss growths or bioluminescent sea creature humps.
Either way, they had found their target, now was the question of how to approach.
Although…that might not have been as big of an issue as they had anticipated.
Because, just as they were about to begin discussing their plans on approaching the two structures, a loud, gruff voice suddenly boomed across the water and caught their attention.
A voice that suggested just because the two glowing points of civilization in this sea of literal darkness were next to each other, didn’t mean they were on friendly terms with one another.
In fact, it sounded like one side definitely hated one more than the other.
[And as I said before, I don’t care what riches and glory you promise, Undertow is off-limits to anyone without permission from the King. So kindly, fuck off!]
However, it wasn’t the tone or the volume of the voice that caught the trio’s attention, it was the way that it was enhanced that caused their senses to stir.
“That…that voice…was it enhanced by…”
“Yup. That was [Chaos] enhancement.”
“Then that means…”
“That means the legends were true,” Zhen Xun Tian said with a wide grin. “The Storm Queen’s Kingdom is right there, and that means her legacy still lives on.”
Kit and Rodenia were taken aback by this realization, so much so they were stunned silent. By kaijin logic, no kaijin should be able to live past their lord’s passing, at least not for long.
Then again, if this new voice belonged to a kaijin that was anything like Meteor Horn, it was entirely possible.
As for Zhen Xun Tian, well, she made sure to get the boat back into gear.
“Come on ladies, my great grand nephew’s inheritance is in the balance. Let’s make sure we keep it secured, aye?”
“Huh? Oh…right!”
“Right!”
Emboldened, or at least encouraged by Zhen Xun Tian’s demeanor, the kaijin got their butts back into gear.
…
‘Not to be rude, but is this part where the Matriarch got injured? Kind of need an idea on how to possibly treat this if I end up getting smacked with something similar in the future.’
[It is, Maker, but I don’t think that’ll be an issue for you.]
‘Oh, good.’
[Wait, that’s what you’re asking about?,,] Hurricroak interjected. [Not the lord-less kaijin guarding a city that disappeared off the face of this continent hundreds if not thousands of years ago?]
‘I am assuming that any kaijin lord tomb I attempt to dig up will probably be guarded by some rogue kaijin or the remains of one after the fact, so…actually, yeah, tell me more about this kaijin.’
[Of course.]
…
“Please, good sir! We just wish to-”
[Fuck off with your politics! Undertow exists to avoid such things! So leave!]
“But we can’t!,” the exasperated diplomat from the Fallen Clan cried out.
Off to the side, Matriarch Gao Shen Yun and the War Elder were watching this debacle with interest.
“So that’s the monstrous warrior you mentioned?”
“Disappointed?”
“No, quite the opposite in fact…I always had a fondness of turtles.”
Under the direction of the War Elder, the Fallen Clan had managed to bring their home, the Dark Shell Citadel, to the front gate of the legendary Undertow Kingdom.
They knew from the get-go that trying to approach the place diplomatically was probably gonna end shit, due to the Undertow Kingdom’s isolationist policy being known by all.
The Invulnerable Storm Queen founded Undertow as a means to shelter the disenfranchised, the slave, the serf and the downtrodden equally, which made them rub the scales of many other kingdoms and empires the wrong way. After all, it was rather hard to justify stratas such as nobility and slavery, if there was a location that openly decried such practices.
Well, a place that was in walking distance anyways.
Regardless, Matriarch Gao Shen Yun was at least a little hopeful at the idea of opening diplomatic relations with the legendary sunken kingdom, due to the fact that both they and the Fallen Clan were both pariahs and enemies of the Pearl Scale Empire. She was fairly certain that an ancient kingdom that had lost their greatest leader and protectors due to the machinations of the Pearl Scale Emperor would be more than happy to get revenge.
But alas, that wasn’t the case.
Instead of being able to meet the current ruler of the Undertow Kingdom, the Fallen Clan was forced to argue with the guardian of the kingdom, a strange turtle-man monster that was dressed in armor that looked out of place in comparison to Roaring Tide sensibilities.
Not that looks matter, given that the warrior in question was radiating enough power to make most of the Fallen Clan warriors cower in a mix of fear and respect, especially the poor diplomat that was sent forward to try and talk nice. Then again, that should’ve been expected effect, when facing down a member of the fabled Storm Knights.
The only member of the Fallen that wasn’t bothered by the appearance of this strange turtle warrior was the War Elder, but that’s because he had the only means of injuring the bastard and even that was nebulous at best.
When Matriarch Gao Shen Yun asked the War Elder if he could win in a fight against the turtle-like Storm Knight, he flat out told her that he could, but it would end with the destruction of not only his arm, but of the Dark Shell Citadel itself.
As such, diplomacy was the way to go…for now.
Unfortunately, after talking around in circles what must’ve been hours at this point, it was getting harder and harder to not just take the plunge and try to fight this bastard to the death.
Especially after he made this declaration.
[Enough. I have heard it all before at this point, and I’m getting real tired at staring at your insufferable faces, especially since you’re riding around in an artifact that was made by that bastard, Black Shell. So, upon my name as Tortallion, the Bulwark of the Storm, turn that accursed vessel around before I sink all of y’all to the bottom of this cursed sea. I’m sure the sea worms and crabs would enjoy feasting on your foul flesh,] Tortallion told off the diplomat, ready and willing to shoot the messenger at this point.
Sensing this dialogue had come to an end, the diplomat of the Fallen made the wise decision of retreating.
While this was happening though, a thought occurred in the mind of the Fallen’s matriarch.
“Wait…now that I think about it, how did you get into the Undertow Kingdom last time? If this guy was guarding the gate, how did you get in?”
“Ah… now you’re asking the right questions. You see…”
