The ocean screamed.
That was the only way to describe the sound of the Black Whirlpool. It wasn't just water spinning; it was a tear in the fabric of the world. Millions of tons of water were being sucked into a massive, dark abyss in the center of the sea, creating a roar that made bones vibrate.
A small, sleek black boat approached the edge of this watery hell.
It was an Interceptor, a fast scout boat stolen from the Iron Shark.
Inside the boat, Bo was gripping the railing so hard his fingers had turned purple. He was wearing a stolen pirate uniform that was two sizes too small for him, making him look like a stuffed sausage.
"Boss..." Bo shouted over the roar of the water. "Are you sure about this plan? We are literally driving into a giant hole in the ocean! This is suicide!"
Kaelen stood at the helm. He wore the black, iron-plated armor of the Pirate Captain he had defeated. A metal mask covered the lower half of his face, hiding his mouth and nose, leaving only his cold, sharp eyes visible.
"It is not suicide, Bo," Kaelen said, his voice amplified by his internal Qi. "It is a delivery."
He pointed ahead.
Hovering above the edge of the Whirlpool was a massive floating fortress. It was built of black steel and suspended by anti-gravity arrays. This was the Gate of the Eclipse.
"If we fight, we die," Kaelen explained. "But the Eclipse is arrogant. They believe no one dares to rob them. We will use their arrogance as our key."
"Rai," Kaelen whispered.
The Thunder-Spirit Hawk, painted black with squid ink to look like a common crow, sat on Kaelen's shoulder. It let out a low croak.
"Let's go."
Kaelen steered the boat directly toward the floating fortress.
...
The Checkpoint.
A spotlight blinded them.
"Halt!" A magical voice boomed from the fortress. "Identify yourself! This is a Restricted Zone of the Eclipse Order. Trespassers will be disintegrated!"
Bo started shaking. "Oh god, oh god, don't disintegrate me..."
Kaelen stood tall. He didn't flinch. He channeled a trace of the Dragon Qi to change his voice, making it sound raspier, older.
"Supply Unit 7!" Kaelen shouted back. "Ship Iron Shark. We were attacked by Sea Beasts! The main ship was lost! I am the only survivor carrying the Priority Cargo!"
There was a pause. The spotlight swept over the small boat, checking for weapons.
"Priority Cargo?" The voice sounded skeptical. "The schedule says the Iron Shark was carrying 50 'Raw Materials' (children). Where are they?"
"Dead!" Kaelen lied smoothly. "The Sea King Beast ate the ship. I barely escaped with the Special Sample."
Kaelen held up the Black Box. Inside was the jar of eyes he had taken from the City Lord's vault—and the Human Trafficking Ledger.
"This is for the Doctor," Kaelen threatened. "If I am delayed and the sample spoils... I will tell the Doctor that you kept me waiting."
The mention of "The Doctor" caused a visible reaction. The guards on the fortress exchanged nervous glances. Everyone feared the Doctor.
"Dock at Platform B," the voice commanded, sounding less aggressive. "Prepare for inspection."
...
Platform B.
The boat docked. Kaelen stepped onto the metal platform. Bo followed, trying to look tough but tripping over his own boots.
Three guards approached. They wore full-body gray armor and held spears that hummed with electricity. The leader, a Spirit Ocean Level 2 cultivator, stepped forward.
"Remove your mask," the Leader ordered.
Kaelen stared at him. "I have a chemical burn from the engine explosion. It is ugly. You don't want to see it."
"Remove. It." The Leader pointed his spear at Kaelen's throat.
Bo held his breath. 'This is it. We are dead.'
Kaelen slowly reached for his mask. But he didn't take it off.
Instead, his eyes—the Vertical Dragon Pupils—flashed.
Soul Pressure: The Tyrant's Gaze.
For a split second, Kaelen unleashed the pure mental pressure of a God Emperor. He didn't use Qi; he used pure Will.
To the Guard Leader, the world suddenly turned dark. He felt like a giant, invisible beast was breathing down his neck. His instincts screamed PREDATOR.
The Guard Leader flinched, stepping back in genuine fear. His spear wavered.
"My face," Kaelen whispered, stepping closer, "is the last thing you want to see. Do you really want to delay the Doctor's delivery for a beauty contest?"
The Guard Leader swallowed hard. The fear was primal. He lowered his spear.
"Fine," the Leader grunted, trying to regain his dignity. "Pass. But the fat one stays."
"What?!" Bo squeaked.
"Only authorized personnel can enter the Laboratory," the Leader sneered at Bo. "He looks like a cook. Cooks stay here."
Kaelen stopped. He couldn't leave Bo alone. Bo would crack under interrogation in five minutes.
"He is not a cook," Kaelen said coldly. "He is the... Sample Tester."
"Sample Tester?"
"The Doctor is experimenting with... appetite," Kaelen improvised. "This man has a rare constitution. He can eat poison and survive. We need him alive for the Gluttony Experiment."
Bo blinked. 'Gluttony Experiment? Is that a real thing? Can I eat?'
The guards looked at Bo's round belly. It was a believable lie.
"Fine," the Leader waved his hand dismissively. "Take your trash and go. The elevator to the Whirlpool Base is on the left."
Kaelen grabbed Bo and walked past the checkpoint.
As they entered the elevator, Bo exhaled so loud it sounded like a balloon deflating.
"Sample Tester?" Bo whispered angrily. "Gluttony Experiment? You made me sound like a pig!"
"Better a live pig than a dead hero," Kaelen pressed the button for Level -10.
...
The Descent.
The elevator descended into the Whirlpool. The walls were made of transparent reinforced glass.
Outside, the water swirled in a chaotic vortex. Kaelen could see massive sea monsters swimming in the dark currents, kept away by the base's repelling arrays.
"We are underwater," Bo marveled, forgetting his fear for a second. "This place is huge. It's a city!"
Below them, a massive underwater complex revealed itself. Metal domes, connecting tunnels, and laboratories were anchored to the sea floor.
Kaelen's eyes narrowed.
'This level of technology... these arrays... this is not from the Mortal World.'
The Void Cauldron in his stomach vibrated violently.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
It was close. The Ancient Artifact or whatever was calling him was somewhere in this base.
The elevator opened.
They stepped into a pristine white hallway. It smelled of antiseptic and ozone. Scientists in white coats walked briskly, holding clipboards.
"Act like you belong," Kaelen whispered.
They walked down the hall.
"Subject 402 failed. Disposal."
"Subject 105 is showing promise. The Visual Catalyst is reacting."
Kaelen heard a passing scientist mention Subject 105.
He stopped.
Subject 105. His mother.
The scientist entered a door marked: "Sector 4 - High Security."
Kaelen changed direction instantly.
"Hey! You!" A voice shouted.
A tall, thin man with glasses—a Supervisor—blocked their path. "That is a Restricted Area. Deliveries go to Sector 1."
Kaelen looked at the Supervisor. He looked at the door to Sector 4.
He didn't have time for lies anymore. He was ten meters away from his mother.
"Bo," Kaelen said softly.
"Yeah, Boss?"
"Block the camera."
"On it." Bo pulled out his massive pirate cape and "accidentally" tripped, flaring the cape to cover the surveillance crystal on the wall. "Oops! Clumsy me!"
In that one second of blindness, Kaelen moved.
He grabbed the Supervisor by the throat and slammed him into a side alcove.
"Where is Subject 105?" Kaelen squeezed.
The Supervisor gagged, his face turning purple. "I... I don't know..."
"Liar."
Kaelen placed his finger on the man's forehead.
Soul Search: Memory Fragment.
It was a forbidden technique. It damaged the user's soul if used too much, but Kaelen didn't care.
Images flashed in his mind:
A woman tied to a metal table.
Tubes connected to her spine.
A man in a mask holding a syringe of glowing green liquid.
The woman screaming Kaelen's name.
Kaelen snapped back to reality. He dropped the unconscious Supervisor.
His eyes were burning. Not with tears, but with a fire that could consume the ocean.
"They are extracting her bloodline," Kaelen whispered, his voice trembling with rage. "They are trying to synthesize the Solar Body."
"Boss?" Bo peeked into the alcove. "Is he dead?"
"He is lucky he is sleeping," Kaelen stepped out. "Because everyone else in this building... is about to die."
Kaelen ripped off the pirate mask. He didn't need it anymore.
"Rai," Kaelen said to the bird. "Go to the generator room. Find the biggest, most volatile crystal you can find."
"Screech?" (Explosion?)
"Yes," Kaelen smiled, a smile devoid of mercy. "Big explosion."
Rai flew off into the ventilation shaft.
Kaelen drew his Black Sword.
"Bo, stay behind me. Don't look at the blood."
"Where are we going?"
Kaelen kicked the door to Sector 4 open.
The steel door flew off its hinges, crushing a guard standing behind it.
"We are going," Kaelen said, walking into the alarm-blaring hallway, "to reunite the family."
[System Alert: Void Cauldron Second Seal - unlocking progress 10%... 20%...]
The rage was feeding the artifact. The closer he got to his mother, the stronger he became.
The Infiltration was over.
The Slaughter had begun.