This state of high alert was completely different from when they had first crossed the boundary of the Silent Sea.
The reason lay in the stark contrast between the environments of the two sea areas.
The waters they were currently in, close to Shield City, were a narrow sea zone surrounded on three sides by the Silent Sea.
To survive, the demons trapped in this area had become exceptionally savage and brutal.
They would even actively leap out of the water to attack terrestrial creatures.
Most terrifyingly, one of these deep-sea demons carried a horrific plague virus.
If it ever spread, the consequences would be unimaginable.
And this was precisely one of the main reasons why the fortress city, Shield City, was built here.
The moment the train crossed the invisible boundary, Lin Gui immediately felt a massive change.
The law of "sinking" vanished, and a majestic buoyancy surged from below!
“Hold on tight!”
He barked in a low voice, pushing his Levitation spell to its absolute limit.
The entire train felt as though it were being shoved violently upward by an invisible giant hand.
Enclosed in the bubble, it began to rapidly ascend!
This speed far exceeded their rate of descent.
The seawater rushed backward frantically, forming countless turbulent whirlpools.
Dragged by the rushing water, the bubble warped violently, emitting an overburdened groan.
“Prepare for defense!” Percel's voice sounded somewhat distorted amidst the rapid ascent.
“They will pass right through the bubble!”
Before his words could even fade, several dark shadows had already breached the bubble's barrier and lunged straight at them.
The bubble could only keep out the seawater; it was useless against these vicious predators.
Amidst the jolts of the rapid ascent, Freya barely managed to steady herself.
However, in the deep ocean, the effectiveness of her concealment magic was greatly reduced.
The complex aquatic environment also restricted her from casting large-scale spells.
Their strongest fighter was currently unable to unleash her full power.
Percel quickly shifted strategies and expanded the bubble.
Although it grew thinner, it provided a much wider space for combat.
“Intercept them!” Freya calmly ordered amidst the violent shaking.
Laisa's arrow shot out with pinpoint accuracy, piercing the throat of a Snake-Neck Demon even within the turbulent currents of their rapid ascent.
Theia's arrow, infused with her battle qi, shattered the shell of a Giant Crab Demon.
Alvin and Dulu darted between the swaying carriages, their daggers precisely stabbing into the vital spots of smaller demons.
The barbarian warrior Barton roared, his warhammer sending a Hammerhead Shark Demon flying.
Lin Gui kept his feet firmly planted at the front of the train, doing everything he could to maintain a stable ascent.
At the same time, he split his attention to control his Levitation spell, deftly flipping away several burrowing demons.
The ascent turned into a fierce underwater melee during their rapid rise.
Demons continuously breached the bubble to attack, while the warriors fought back desperately as the train hurtled upward.
Inside the bubble, blades gleamed, and magic clashed with arrows.
Everyone's nerves were taut as they engaged in a life-or-death struggle within the turbulent deep-sea currents.
As their ascent accelerated, the color of the seawater above began to shift from pitch black to deep blue.
Faint light filtered down, illuminating the countless hideous silhouettes of demons outside the bubble.
This deep-sea breakthrough was accelerating toward the surface!
They rose faster and faster, and the ringing in their ears caused by the rapid change in water pressure made everyone extremely uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, the onslaught grew even more ferocious.
As they neared the surface, the light gradually brightened, only to reveal even more twisted and hideous shapes.
Several massive Deep-Sea Trolls also joined the pursuit.
They slammed wildly against the train, their sharp claws scraping against the metal plating with a screeching din.
Under the relentless barrage, the bubble shattered violently, looking as if it might break at any second.
Laisa's quiver was already half empty, and Theia's breathing had grown ragged.
Alvin had a deep, bone-deep gash on his arm, yet he still gritted his teeth and held the line.
Everyone had been pushed to their absolute limits.
It was at this critical juncture.
Suddenly, the entire world seemed to light up.
“Boom!!!”
Dragging thousands of tons of seawater with it, the entire train erupted from the sea like a giant whale breaking free from its cage!
A colossal wave shot into the sky, only to crash back down like a torrential downpour.
Dazzling sunlight instantly flooded every corner.
Eyes accustomed to the eternal darkness of the deep ocean stung painfully from this sudden brilliance.
Everyone instinctively closed their eyes or raised their hands to shield them, their movements momentarily freezing.
And during that brief window of adaptation.
Several aquatic demons that had breached the surface alongside the train shook off the seawater clinging to them.
Their crimson eyes immediately locked onto the "prey" right in front of them.
Slimy tentacles and razor-sharp claws lunged forward, accompanied by a fishy gale, aiming at the temporarily defenseless crowd!
“Everyone! Get down!”
Freya's cold, clear voice cut through the chaos.
She had stood up in the center of the train at some point, her robes fluttering in the sea breeze.
Lin Gui felt his shoulders sink as the scholar Eli and Betty firmly pinned him down onto the floorboards.
On the other side, Theia was tackled to the floor without hesitation by Laisa, who shielded her with her own body.
It was almost the exact instant everyone flattened themselves.
Freya spread her arms, and a powerful surge of mana erupted from her!
“Wind Burst!”
There was no lengthy incantation, only a concise word of power.
An invisible, circular shockwave expanded rapidly in all directions with her at the center.
The air compressed violently, letting out a low hum.
The marine demons had either just leaped or were preparing to pounce.
They felt as if they had been struck head-on by an invisible warhammer.
Their massive bodies stiffened abruptly, and they were sent flying backward uncontrollably.
They let out shrill shrieks, tracing chaotic arcs through the air.
They crashed one after another into the sea around the train, kicking up countless muddy splashes.
Some of the weaker demons even disintegrated midair.
The sea temporarily returned to calm.
The brilliant sunlight shone down upon the dripping wet train and the thoroughly shaken crowd.
In the silence of survival, only the sound of waves lapping against the carriages and the heavy breathing of the survivors remained.
After a brief silence, cheers suddenly erupted.
“We made it out! We really made it out!”
Betty excitedly grabbed the scholar's arm, jumping and laughing.
Even the usually stoic Deputy Captain Aubrey showed a relieved smile, heartily clapping the barbarian warrior Barton on his broad back.
The beastkin Grom let out a low, satisfied grunt.
Theia let out a long breath, only then realizing her hands were still trembling slightly.
She looked at Laisa, who had just shielded her. The other elf had already nimbly gotten to her feet and was checking her bowstring.
Sensing Theia's gaze, Laisa gave a slight nod in response.
“Don't let your guard down too early.”
Freya's voice remained cold and clear, though her tense shoulders had quietly relaxed.
The grimoire in her hand flipped open on its own without any wind, and icy blue mana began to flow once more.
“Veil of Concealment, cover our tracks.”
After a brief chant, a familiar magical wave enveloped the entire dripping wet train.
The train's frame began to blur over the surface of the sea, flickering in and out of sight.
“Lin Gui,” she turned toward the front of the train, “it's up to you.”
Lin Gui nodded without saying a word.
He took a deep breath of the salty sea breeze and gripped his staff tightly once more.
Under his delicate control of the Levitation spell, the train smoothly turned.
It floated steadily toward the faint, dark brown silhouette of the coastline visible in the distance.
The sunlight was bright, but it was no longer uncomfortable.
The sea breeze blew through everyone's soaked robes and hair, carrying the long-lost scent of the "outside" world.
Despite their exhaustion, a relaxed atmosphere finally truly spread through the group.
They had succeeded.
They had fought their way out of the eternal darkness and dead silence of the Silent Sea.
Theia leaned against the side of the carriage, watching the land draw closer as a smile involuntarily crept onto her face.
Even Eve, who usually showed little emotion, squinted slightly, enjoying the warmth of the sun.
Only Lin Gui, while steering the train forward, subconsciously touched the bead in his pocket.
Deep in his eyes, a trace of doubt had not yet completely faded.
But regardless, Shield City was just ahead.
Rate on N.U.
