The Sea God's Secret

Chapter 219 The Sea God's Secret

The headquarters of the Eternal Night Dynasty, the Shadow Royal Court.

Hick stood before a wall made of pure shadow. The few points of light that had originally represented the Erbin Island Project on the wall had all gone out, leaving only a chaotic patch of energy.

His tall figure cast a heavy shadow in the dim light, his fingers clenched tightly, his knuckles white.

"Sorge—missing? Dila seriously injured? The plan—a complete failure?"

His voice was deep, suppressing the pent-up energy of an impending eruption.

"Tell me, who is it? The Ship of Sighs has used unknown powers? Or is it that old fox from the Sanctuary who finally couldn't hold back and wanted to clean house?"

The messenger kneeling below trembled and said in a trembling voice, "M-My lord—according to the last message sent back—it seems, it seems to be two miners—"

"miner?!"

Hick whirled around, shadows swirling around him like living things, the terrifying pressure almost causing the messenger to collapse to the ground.

"Say it again? What is it?"

"It's—it's two surviving miners! They somehow activated the sealed core, causing the space to collapse—"

The messenger's voice was choked with sobs.

"The scene—the scene has completely disappeared!"

Hick fell silent. The churning shadows suddenly froze, like a solidified black glacier.

But his eyes were more terrifying than ever before, a chilling rage born from the utter destruction of his plans and the humiliation inflicted by the most insignificant thing.

"Miners—good, very good."

He practically spat out those words through clenched teeth.

"It seems I was too lenient, letting these insects think they could shake the giant tree."

He then turned his attention to the dark wizard faction led by Mochamo.

"Mokamo, is this the 'talent' from the Silent Forest that you recommended to me?"

Mochamo trembled and quickly said.

"Your Majesty, this matter is very strange; perhaps—there is more to it than meets the eye!"

"Hidden story?"

Hick stared down at Mochamo, his icy gaze like a tangible blade scraping across Mochamo's skin.

"You're telling me there's something fishy going on about two people who aren't even wizards causing such a commotion?"

Who said that Sorge could be completely trusted?

Who said he could hand over the entire archipelago intact to me?

Every word struck Mochamo's heart like a heavy hammer.

He could feel the mocking or gloating gazes cast from the shadows of the royal court.

His faction, the "Silent Forest," considered themselves Hick's direct descendants within the Eternal Night Dynasty, since Hick himself came from the Silent Forest.

Sorge was a talent he had highly recommended, and now that such a huge mistake has occurred, he cannot escape blame.

"Yes, Your Majesty! I will personally go and carry it out immediately! I will bring back the 'Stone of Bora'—no, the 'Darkblood Core'—and present it before Your Majesty!"

Mochamo's voice trembled slightly, but more so with a do-or-die determination. He had to turn the tide.

"Send someone to resolve this immediately! I don't care if it's called the Bora Stone or the Darkblood Core! I just want that stone to appear before me!"

Hick's voice was like shattering ice, carrying an undeniable ultimatum.

At this point, Hick's cold gaze shifted to the other side of the royal court, to the relatively brighter area.

Standing there were the white wizards, led by Monet.

They were dressed simply, standing out from the dense shadows around them. They all had their heads bowed and looked down, but the tense atmosphere showed that they were also feeling the pressure.

"This time, let the white wizards send some as well."

Hick's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.

"Hasn't the Tower of Eternity always been very interested in studying ancient energy fluctuations? Perhaps you can find the 'trajectory' of that vanished space."

Monet, whose name was called, raised his head, his eyes clear and wise.

Unlike Mochamo's gloomy urgency, he appeared more composed. He bowed slightly, performing a standard wizard's salute, his voice gentle yet powerful: "As Your Majesty commands. The Tower of Eternity has indeed been recording and analyzing spatial anomalies in the Burs Islands."

The energy level and nature of this eruption on Erbin Island are extremely rare. Our "astrolabe" and "pulse compass" may be able to detect subtle ripples that are undetectable by conventional methods.

He paused, then calmly met Hick's gaze: "I will immediately assemble a capable team to assist Lord Mochamo in the search. I hope this will alleviate His Majesty's burden."

Monet's answer was impeccable, demonstrating both obedience and highlighting the White Wizard's irreplaceable role in a specific area. At the same time, it humbled himself, indicating that he was "assisting" rather than vying for dominance with the Silent Forest.

This is undoubtedly the most appropriate response to the current situation.

Hick gave Monet a deep look, as if trying to discern something beneath his calm exterior.

The White Wizard and the Black Wizard have been locked in a long-standing power struggle within the Eternal Night Dynasty. This time, allowing the White Wizard to intervene in a mission botched by his trusted subordinate is both a way of utilizing his expertise and a form of checks and balances.

"very good."

Hick ultimately uttered only two words.

"Mochamo, you are in overall charge of the search operation, but Monet's people have independent advisory and exploration rights. I want to see results, not internal strife. Understand?"

The last three words carried a heavy weight, weighing on the hearts of both Mochamo and Monet.

"Understood!" they both replied simultaneously.

Mochamo lowered his head, a shadow passing over his eyes.

Allowing the White Wizard to intervene means that he not only has to complete the task, but also has to be wary of possible obstruction or even theft of credit from his "allies".

The situation has become more complicated.

Monet remained calm, though a thoughtful look flickered in his slightly lowered eyes.

This is an opportunity, a chance to gain a deeper understanding of the Hick Core Project and the mysterious "Dark Blood Core," and perhaps—it is also an opportunity to break the Silent Forest's monopoly on His Majesty's trust, and to find a new path for the White Wizard!

"Also, regarding that key—"

At this point, Hick paused for a moment.

The royal court fell silent once more, awaiting his final decision regarding this crucial "variable."

"No need to search deliberately, I just want the Bora Stone!"

Hick's voice carried an almost cruel pragmatism.

"As for that so-called 'key'—there's no need to worry about it."

Mochamo was taken aback, and subconsciously said, "Your Majesty, that is, after all, about the ancient times—"

Hick raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone carrying an undisguised contempt: "Ancient times? So what? Mochamo, you seem to have forgotten who we are, and what kind of world we live in."

His gaze swept over every wizard in the royal court, his voice not loud, but carrying the heavy weight of history: "To be honest, I personally have absolutely no interest in this matter. If it weren't for the excessive enthusiasm and incessant chatter from the Holy Temple, I wouldn't have bothered at all. And I have even less interest in the so-called 'Sea God' represented by that key."

The word "Sea God" came out of his mouth without any reverence, only a cold scrutiny belonging to a conqueror and researcher.

"According to ancient intelligence shared by the Sanctuary, and records compiled by our Eternal Night Dynasty from various secret texts, the reason why the ocean of the wizarding world can suppress the magic within us to a certain extent is precisely because of that magic that has long been annihilated in the river of time—"

The curse of the sea god!

He paused, letting this information shock some of the wizards present who might not have been aware of it.

"Yes, the wizarding world once had gods born of nature! They were born to govern the rules and were incredibly powerful."

Hick's voice carried a complex meaning, containing both an acknowledgment of ancient power and a wizard's pride that transcended it.

"But unfortunately—this is the wizarding world!"

He emphasized these words, with a resolute certainty that belonged to the descendants of the victors.

"That so-called sea god, in ancient times, was regarded as a target by our ancestors—as their most precious and top-tier experimental subject!"

A wisp of shadow entwined around his fingertips, mimicking the actions of forbidden analysis.

"Faced with the hunting and research of the ancient wizards, that sea god—ultimately perished."

Before his death, he burned away his control over the rules of the sea, casting the most malevolent curse upon the ocean of the entire wizarding world—making the seawater a medium to suppress wizards!

Hick let out a cold laugh, which echoed through the empty royal court, full of judgment on that period of history.

"Unfortunately, the effect is not significant. Seawater can indeed suppress our magic, making us somewhat restrained in naval battles, but that's about it."

His curse failed to stop the wizard's steps, nor could it save him from being dismantled and studied.

His remains, his divinity, and even the curse itself, have become part of our wizarding knowledge system.

His gaze returned to Mochamo and Monet, with absolute authority: "So, a key, whether or not it is related to that failed and fallen sea god, a miner, is he worth my excessive attention?"

The "Dark Blood Core" may be a product of the power left behind by the Sea God, infused into the Bora Stone. It contains immense power, but this power will ultimately be analyzed, controlled, and utilized by us wizards! Just as our ancestors did!

"Find the core, bring the core back. As for the miner—if he's lucky enough to appear with the core, then strip him of his mark; the core is ours, his life or death is irrelevant. If he's in the way—then let him disappear like dust. Understand?"

Hick's orders were clear and ruthless, full of the typical attitude of the wizarding camp towards those who are not of their own race, especially towards the so-called "divine" legacy: to exploit, study, control, and, if necessary, to completely destroy them.

"Yes! I understand!"

Mochamo took a deep breath, suppressing the distracting thoughts in his mind.

He understood that any extra attention paid to the "key" was superfluous in the face of His Majesty's will, and might even arouse suspicion.

His mission was clear and ruthless: find the core and remove the obstacles.