After years of exploration.

Based on humanity's understanding of this world, even if only calculating according to known territories, the ocean covers nearly ninety percent.

Apart from a very limited number of main routes, even the most cutting-edge naturalists do not dare to claim they understand even one-thousandth of this vast ocean.

Even on the main routes, what secrets lie hidden beneath the waves remain a mystery to humans!

Clearly.

From the various intelligent creatures active in this underwater city, humans are not the world's unique Lucky Ones.

The Creator did not favor them, nor did they grant ownership of the world to them!

Perhaps as humans continue exploring the world step by step, they will eventually learn how to coexist with these powerful otherworldly intelligent creatures.

In places like the Mist Sea, akin to forbidden zones, in the Broken Star Sea, which has barely begun large-scale exploration, and in Secret Realms uncharted on nautical charts, as humanity steps further, the true face of the world will gradually unfold before them.

Sea Elves, Fish People, Storm Giant Spirits, Souls of Drowning—these creatures capable of normal communication are minor compared to the mysterious Demons roaming beneath the sea, the evil Beloved of unknown existence, and the unspeakable entities hidden in mysterious regions—they are the real terror!

Humanity's oldest and strongest emotion is fear, and its oldest and strongest fear is the unknown.

What price humanity will pay in the future for exploring the unknown is uncertain!

These are precisely the challenges Aiven, who has embarked on a new journey, must face.

At this time.

In the center of the underwater city "Herakleian," within the "Temple of Fury" that has been preliminarily restored.

"Lord Harkins!"

"Dean Fisher!"

The two highest-ranking human members under the Black Sea Goddess's command meet at the door.

One is Pirate King Harkins, who, despite his severed arm, shows no sign of weakness;

One is Storm Priest Fisher, dressed in the robes of the Tempest Church, with a steadfast gaze full of spirit.

Harkins, as the prime contributor to the Liberty Goddess, naturally became the leader of the human members, but Fisher's unexpected rise surprised everyone, especially Harkins.

Only because.

Unlike those elite pirates who initially followed orders and constant self-suggestion, mostly with shallow faith, this unexpected "troublemaker," "Fortunate Prodigy," emerged as the most devout among the thousand-plus members of the Tempest Church!

No faith, false faith, shallow faith, devout faith, fervent faith, right faith...

Just converted by the Goddess's call, Fisher has already become a devout believer, even showing signs of becoming a fanatic!

This difference in faith is hard to distinguish by others, but evident to the God.

Rewards naturally follow.

Especially as "Tempest Priests," being Holy Professionals, heavily relying on divine power means that without much effort, learning various skills and knowledge is unnecessary; offering faith, building merit, and pleasing the God suffice.

Thus.

A month ago just an ordinary person, Fisher has now effortlessly surpassed apprentice status, becoming a Dean-level Holy Professional in the "Tempest Church," equivalent to Tier 2 Transcendent!

Ranking above everyone else who joined the church simultaneously.

Breaking Harkins' plan to monopolize the authority within the Tempest Church.

Of course, only when the new power is in its infancy from zero can exceptions like these occur.

Once the church stabilizes, faith, achievements, and the Goddess's power ceiling will transform into doors, limiting most people's ascent.

However, the renewed Fisher seemingly hasn't realized this yet, holding genuine respect for Harkins, the undisputed strongman in power and achievements:

"Lord Harkins!

Your loyalty to the Goddess is beyond our reach; you are the exemplar for all Tempest Priests!

It's just that we, being weak in strength, would be unable to serve the Goddess if we lost an entire left hand.

However, this does not hinder our unanimous admiration for you!"

Dong... dong... dong...

Hawkins looked at the guy who had wrecked his original plans, his sharp eyes flickering slightly, and the veins on his forehead throbbed uncontrollably.

As someone only concerned with profit and power, he couldn't tell whether the words from these zealous believers were true or insincere.

For a normal person, losing an arm would naturally be a huge misfortune, but to those Tempest Priests under the Black Sea Goddess, it was a dedication and loyalty to the Goddess!

Moreover, this rhetoric was highly popular among the human followers under the Goddess, making Hawkins himself feel caught in a dilemma.

Although the profession of "Exiled Prisoner" was born from knights skilled in physical strength, their ideology believed that the human body was a shackle that imprisoned the soul.

By freeing one's instinct and nature, exiling reason, compassion, and even human nature, they release the "prisoner" within to gain tremendous strength beyond their limits.

As someone who had just set foot in Tier 4 as a "Lawless," he still needed the combat support of his body.

But if he reaches the stage of a Titled Knight condensing a "Titled Sacred Artifact" or a Crowned Wizard completing a "Truth Embodiment," he would completely rid himself of the final confines of a human body, existing in a form that combines spirit and energy, achieving true freedom!

So how could a "Lawless" who sees the body as a prison have the ability for limb regeneration?

When everyone assumed Hawkins was showing loyalty by not doing so, it was hard for him to shamelessly ask the Goddess for a new arm.

Maybe.

Right now, whether in power or reputation, he was indeed the number one under the Goddess.

But if suddenly one day he appears before these followers with both arms intact, leading the group would indeed become problematic!

At that point, he would be far from the status of the Deep Sea Brotherhood leader Heimtz, someone whose call would echo universally.

Clearly, Hawkins, who thought he had broken free of all restraints, did not realize that he was being firmly bound by another shackle he had woven himself, one he might never think to escape.

That is a fervently burning "ambition for fame and fortune!"

"Hahaha, Dean Fisher! We all witnessed your devotion to the Goddess, and as the Tempest Church begins again from nothing, we need to sincerely cooperate and strive together!"

Hawkins tacitly accepted Fisher's praise, having already decided to seek out the "Evil Alchemist" he once met, to see if he could get a replaceable alchemy arm.

"For the Goddess!"

To devoted believers, nothing is evidently more important than the Goddess's mission.

"I have received the Goddess's promise, allowing us to use Her power to build our Tempest Church's Legendary Battleship.

However, we need to find the Extraordinary Materials ourselves.

To the goddess of human origin, we clearly are Her true direct power, and the increasing number of Otherworldly Beings might not necessarily be a good thing.

I hope that when I am not around, you as the current highest divine clergy, can shoulder your responsibilities, ensuring the purity of the Tempest Church!"

Since the matter was settled and he couldn't fully control the nascent Tempest Church, and couldn't risk offending the Goddess by eliminating this most devout follower,

he could only turn to cooperation, jointly holding this power.

Faced with Hawkins's "far-sightedness," Fisher truly trusted and felt the other genuinely deserved the title of Pirate King, who dominated the seas.

"Rest assured, Hawkins, Lord. You can focus on building our Legendary Battleship, and leave the underwater city Herakleian to us Tempest Priests!"

In the depths of the temple behind him, the Sea Elves, who became the Goddess's close servants, sang the melodies of the sea with their melodious voices.

"Uha! Uha!"

Not far from the temple, a square half-submerged in water, Fish People clad in various scales abandoned their old bone and stone tools and were diligently practicing with the steel cold weapons brought by the Pirates underwater.

With the Fish People being physically strong and having no underwater vulnerability that human battleships can exploit, as more Fish People tribes arrived as the main force, they could completely encircle and slay Sea Monsters with a numerical advantage of tenfold or hundredfold.

The Soul of Drowning, armed with weapons of various eras like scimitars, longswords, short spears, crossbows, matchlock guns, and flintlock guns, swarmed through the city in groups.

Unaffected by physical damage and able to become Void, they were the best scouts and assassins.

The Storm Giant Spirits, though the smallest in number, were the backbone commanders under the Goddess, each as strong as a small species Sea Monster, while possessing exceptional wisdom comparable to humans.

More wild Sea Monsters had been dispatched to regain control of their once-owned territories.

Here.

Based on the Eye of the Storm, the newly reborn power had begun arming itself, ready at any moment to start a war for control of the Black Sea against the Mother of Sea Monsters on the other side.

It might be a month, or a year; though both Goddesses were in a weakened state and unlikely to clash directly soon, the war among the beloved could break out at any time.

It might be in the dark depths of the ocean, or possibly... on the distant sea trade route, the main artery of human commerce!

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