The three guys had voraciously devoured the body of Eagle King, with White and Tiger King impressively keeping up with Blacky's hearty appetite. Their gluttonous behavior was akin to that of swine, as they barely paused for a moment.
In less than 48 hours, the trio had consumed nearly half of the Eagle King's body.
The ship had anchored itself above the designated location of the treasure. Raine utilized the radar system to scan the underwater topography and cross-referenced it with the location specified on the treasure map.
"Damn, it's such a deep cave," Raine lamented in a disheartened tone.
According to the radar's readout, the cave's entrance lay more than 900 meters beneath the sea's surface. There were also certain areas where the radar failed to provide information.
The depth of the cave was fraught with danger, presenting a high level of risk. However, Raine was not completely deterred by the prospect, given his recent mutation into a scale dragon and subsequent rise in level. Additionally, there were several skilled underwater mutants among his crew, which ultimately led Raine to make a decision.
"Who among you can descend to a depth of 1000 meters?" Raine inquired of his crew.
"I can!" Arsan eagerly volunteered. Her current level, Stage 4 Level 1, was even higher than Raine's, and her mutation as a sea monster granted her remarkable underwater capabilities.
"I too, am up for the challenge." Windbell promptly signed up as well. She was a sea monster mutation of unknown lineage, and she was higher rank than Arsan, at Stage 4 Level 4.
"I'm coming too!" Charge King confidently announced, his formidable strength speaking for itself. Having already fought with Raine underwater, this giant frill shark mutation was an ideal candidate for the mission.
Although there were others who expressed interest in joining the expedition, Raine wisely intervened, mindful of the high level of risk involved. Four participants would offer greater flexibility and safety, he explained.
"Only the four of us shall descend. More people would be too dangerous," Raine instructed, distributing underwater flashlights to each of them. "I will flash the light as a signal. One flash means assembly, two rapid flashes indicate enemy combat, and three flashes signal retreat. Feel free to use the signal if you encounter any unforeseen circumstances."
"Understood, Captain!" they replied in unison.
With that, the quartet donned sharkskin diving suits and plunged into the sea, their bodies undergoing a transformation as they submerged. Arsan's limbs sprouted fins while gills appeared behind her ears, Windbell's neck developed gills and her body was covered in silver scales, and Charge King grew larger with fins sprouting from his back.
Raine's body underwent a transformation, growing to about one meter and eight centimeters in height, and his skin was now covered in a black scale-like texture, devoid of any fins or gills.
The bottom of the sea was where they felt most at home and they quickly arrived at their designated location. The flashlight Raine brought along illuminated the scene in front of them; they found themselves facing a submarine island adorned with jagged rocks and teeming with colorful coral and various species of underwater fish.
In the absence of light, their appearances were random and somewhat eerie. Raine soon discovered the underwater cave and led his companions into its depths. As they swam deeper into the cave, the light gradually diminished until the only thing visible was the plankton drifting before them, plunging them into a state of vulnerability and trepidation.
Had it not been for the possibility of discovering an advanced treasure, Raine may have turned back and fled. They followed the surrounding rock wall, turning a corner, and to their surprise, discovered a faint light in the distance. They quickened their pace, swimming toward the light. As they drew nearer, the light grew increasingly larger.
Before them stood a submarine pillar of light, measuring at least a hundred meters in diameter. The surrounding water revolved around the pillar, causing the view inside the cave to appear quite peculiar. The light was concentrated, with little to no dispersion, hence its faintness from a distance.
As Raine observed the light column, he couldn't help but ponder if it was truly hollow. As he reached out to touch the light curtain, he sought to discern if the other side possessed substance.
Yet, he was taken aback when a sudden suction drew him in without warning. The other three companions made haste to rescue Raine, only to be caught in the same predicament.
Raine's hypothesis was correct; the light column was, in fact, empty. While the phenomenon puzzled them, the foremost concern at that moment was that they were free-falling through the air. The height of the light column's interior was much greater than Raine initially surmised, spanning several hundred meters. The small portion that surfaced represented only a fraction of the whole, with an abyss of immense depth concealed beneath.
They hurtled towards the bottom of this precipice, acutely aware of their current transformed states. However, they soon realized that they were unable to shift from their underwater forms, which offered significant advantages underwater, but were now a hindrance in the air. Should they make contact with the ground below, the consequences would be dire.
In the nick of time, Raine spread his wings and wrapped his arms around Arsan, urgently exclaiming, "Grab hold, Arsan!" Windbell and Charge King reacted swiftly, clutching onto each other in a chain. With a fervent flapping of his wings, Raine managed to lift all three of them to safety.
"Captain, my heart nearly stopped! Your reflexes were astounding," exclaimed Charge King, still reeling from the ordeal, as he hugged Windbell and gazed in trepidation at the ground below.
The beam of light that they witnessed was merely the pinnacle of this otherworldly domain. The peculiar space extended deeply into the earth, and from below, no entry was attainable.
Ergo, if they were to access this domain through the water column, they would inevitably face a perilous drop to the ground below.
"Good gracious, is that molten lava beneath us? If I plummet down there, I'm a goner!" Charge King peered down and clung tightly to Windbell's legs in fear.
"Windbell, toss Charge King up. It's a bit tricky for me to balance while pulling you guys with one hand." Raine bellowed.
The trio then performed an aerial trapeze act. Windbell propelled Charge King towards Raine's left hand with a swift kick of her leg.
The bottom was, in fact, ablaze with molten lava. The searing lava pulsated with a crimson heat that spanned for hundreds of meters.
A solitary treasure chest rested atop a small raised rock amidst the fiery glow.
"Damn, who the hell would stash a treasure chest in a place like this!" Raine cursed. One must have the ability to plunge to depths of a thousand meters underwater and fly, and what's more terrifying was that it was impossible to retract the prior metamorphosis in this area!
Without Raine's unique flesh as the Son of Poseidon, it was doubtful that anyone could retrieve this treasure chest.
"Captain, the air below is becoming thin!" Windbell was situated at the base, and she recognized the change in oxygen levels, immediately alerting Raine.
"Windbell, hold on. Let's give it a shot. I'll dive down, and you try to extract the treasure chest!" Raine commanded.
"Understood, I'll try my best!"
All three individuals were mutations of underwater creatures. Raine did not dare to procrastinate, quickly descending towards the bottom. As he approached the surface of the lava, Windbell braced her legs on both sides of the chest.
With a piercing sound, the silver scales on Windbell's legs were instantly charred!
"Windbell!"
"Captain, I can hold on. Please ascend!"
Raine swiftly pulled himself up, not dwelling on the situation. However, while ascending, Windbell suddenly lost consciousness, causing her to slip away from Arsan's grasp and plummet alongside the treasure chest.
"Windbell!" Raine cried out, "Tiger's Fang!"
In an instant, Raine's velocity increased dramatically as he raced toward Windbell. Just as she was about to plunge into the boiling lava, Raine hooked her and the treasure chest onto his back and rapidly ascended.
Yet, the ceiling of the cavern suddenly began to crumble at that very moment.
"Captain, it's collapsing up there! This is bad news! We won't make it out if the top seals us in!" Arsan urgently exclaimed.
"I'm aware! Hold on tight!" Raine's eyes turned red as he exerted himself, dashing towards the topmost section of the light column that protruded from the earth.
Come on! Let me escape from here!
The three guys had voraciously devoured the body of Eagle King, with White and Tiger King impressively keeping up with Blacky's hearty appetite. Their gluttonous behavior was akin to that of swine, as they barely paused for a moment.
In less than 48 hours, the trio had consumed nearly half of the Eagle King's body.
The ship had anchored itself above the designated location of the treasure. Raine utilized the radar system to scan the underwater topography and cross-referenced it with the location specified on the treasure map.
"Damn, it's such a deep cave," Raine lamented in a disheartened tone.
According to the radar's readout, the cave's entrance lay more than 900 meters beneath the sea's surface. There were also certain areas where the radar failed to provide information.
The depth of the cave was fraught with danger, presenting a high level of risk. However, Raine was not completely deterred by the prospect, given his recent mutation into a scale dragon and subsequent rise in level. Additionally, there were several skilled underwater mutants among his crew, which ultimately led Raine to make a decision.
"Who among you can descend to a depth of 1000 meters?" Raine inquired of his crew.
"I can!" Arsan eagerly volunteered. Her current level, Stage 4 Level 1, was even higher than Raine's, and her mutation as a sea monster granted her remarkable underwater capabilities.
"I too, am up for the challenge." Windbell promptly signed up as well. She was a sea monster mutation of unknown lineage, and she was higher rank than Arsan, at Stage 4 Level 4.
"I'm coming too!" Charge King confidently announced, his formidable strength speaking for itself. Having already fought with Raine underwater, this giant frill shark mutation was an ideal candidate for the mission.
Although there were others who expressed interest in joining the expedition, Raine wisely intervened, mindful of the high level of risk involved. Four participants would offer greater flexibility and safety, he explained.
"Only the four of us shall descend. More people would be too dangerous," Raine instructed, distributing underwater flashlights to each of them. "I will flash the light as a signal. One flash means assembly, two rapid flashes indicate enemy combat, and three flashes signal retreat. Feel free to use the signal if you encounter any unforeseen circumstances."
"Understood, Captain!" they replied in unison.
With that, the quartet donned sharkskin diving suits and plunged into the sea, their bodies undergoing a transformation as they submerged. Arsan's limbs sprouted fins while gills appeared behind her ears, Windbell's neck developed gills and her body was covered in silver scales, and Charge King grew larger with fins sprouting from his back.
Raine's body underwent a transformation, growing to about one meter and eight centimeters in height, and his skin was now covered in a black scale-like texture, devoid of any fins or gills.
The bottom of the sea was where they felt most at home and they quickly arrived at their designated location. The flashlight Raine brought along illuminated the scene in front of them; they found themselves facing a submarine island adorned with jagged rocks and teeming with colorful coral and various species of underwater fish.
In the absence of light, their appearances were random and somewhat eerie. Raine soon discovered the underwater cave and led his companions into its depths. As they swam deeper into the cave, the light gradually diminished until the only thing visible was the plankton drifting before them, plunging them into a state of vulnerability and trepidation.
Had it not been for the possibility of discovering an advanced treasure, Raine may have turned back and fled. They followed the surrounding rock wall, turning a corner, and to their surprise, discovered a faint light in the distance. They quickened their pace, swimming toward the light. As they drew nearer, the light grew increasingly larger.
Before them stood a submarine pillar of light, measuring at least a hundred meters in diameter. The surrounding water revolved around the pillar, causing the view inside the cave to appear quite peculiar. The light was concentrated, with little to no dispersion, hence its faintness from a distance.
As Raine observed the light column, he couldn't help but ponder if it was truly hollow. As he reached out to touch the light curtain, he sought to discern if the other side possessed substance.
Yet, he was taken aback when a sudden suction drew him in without warning. The other three companions made haste to rescue Raine, only to be caught in the same predicament.
Raine's hypothesis was correct; the light column was, in fact, empty. While the phenomenon puzzled them, the foremost concern at that moment was that they were free-falling through the air. The height of the light column's interior was much greater than Raine initially surmised, spanning several hundred meters. The small portion that surfaced represented only a fraction of the whole, with an abyss of immense depth concealed beneath.
They hurtled towards the bottom of this precipice, acutely aware of their current transformed states. However, they soon realized that they were unable to shift from their underwater forms, which offered significant advantages underwater, but were now a hindrance in the air. Should they make contact with the ground below, the consequences would be dire.
In the nick of time, Raine spread his wings and wrapped his arms around Arsan, urgently exclaiming, "Grab hold, Arsan!" Windbell and Charge King reacted swiftly, clutching onto each other in a chain. With a fervent flapping of his wings, Raine managed to lift all three of them to safety.
"Captain, my heart nearly stopped! Your reflexes were astounding," exclaimed Charge King, still reeling from the ordeal, as he hugged Windbell and gazed in trepidation at the ground below.
The beam of light that they witnessed was merely the pinnacle of this otherworldly domain. The peculiar space extended deeply into the earth, and from below, no entry was attainable.
Ergo, if they were to access this domain through the water column, they would inevitably face a perilous drop to the ground below.
"Good gracious, is that molten lava beneath us? If I plummet down there, I'm a goner!" Charge King peered down and clung tightly to Windbell's legs in fear.
"Windbell, toss Charge King up. It's a bit tricky for me to balance while pulling you guys with one hand." Raine bellowed.
The trio then performed an aerial trapeze act. Windbell propelled Charge King towards Raine's left hand with a swift kick of her leg.
The bottom was, in fact, ablaze with molten lava. The searing lava pulsated with a crimson heat that spanned for hundreds of meters.
A solitary treasure chest rested atop a small raised rock amidst the fiery glow.
"Damn, who the hell would stash a treasure chest in a place like this!" Raine cursed. One must have the ability to plunge to depths of a thousand meters underwater and fly, and what's more terrifying was that it was impossible to retract the prior metamorphosis in this area!
Without Raine's unique flesh as the Son of Poseidon, it was doubtful that anyone could retrieve this treasure chest.
"Captain, the air below is becoming thin!" Windbell was situated at the base, and she recognized the change in oxygen levels, immediately alerting Raine.
"Windbell, hold on. Let's give it a shot. I'll dive down, and you try to extract the treasure chest!" Raine commanded.
"Understood, I'll try my best!"
All three individuals were mutations of underwater creatures. Raine did not dare to procrastinate, quickly descending towards the bottom. As he approached the surface of the lava, Windbell braced her legs on both sides of the chest.
With a piercing sound, the silver scales on Windbell's legs were instantly charred!
"Windbell!"
"Captain, I can hold on. Please ascend!"
Raine swiftly pulled himself up, not dwelling on the situation. However, while ascending, Windbell suddenly lost consciousness, causing her to slip away from Arsan's grasp and plummet alongside the treasure chest.
"Windbell!" Raine cried out, "Tiger's Fang!"
In an instant, Raine's velocity increased dramatically as he raced toward Windbell. Just as she was about to plunge into the boiling lava, Raine hooked her and the treasure chest onto his back and rapidly ascended.
Yet, the ceiling of the cavern suddenly began to crumble at that very moment.
"Captain, it's collapsing up there! This is bad news! We won't make it out if the top seals us in!" Arsan urgently exclaimed.
"I'm aware! Hold on tight!" Raine's eyes turned red as he exerted himself, dashing towards the topmost section of the light column that protruded from the earth.
Come on! Let me escape from here!
