Chapter 365: Chapter 347 Shipwreck and Return Voyage (4,000 words)
Under the sea surface.
At a depth exceeding two hundred and thirty meters, even for the Extraordinary, this was nearly the limit.
After all, for every 10 meters of water depth, one additional atmosphere is added. Two hundred and thirty meters plus an additional normal atmosphere is almost 24 atmospheres.
A normal person’s heart would be compressed to smaller than a plum here.
Of course, that’s assuming they’re not dead yet.
Glub-glub...
Held tightly by Reynolds Ban, Aiven was still sinking.
Iron-like arms clamped around Aiven’s body, tightening with creaking sounds. An ordinary Extraordinary wouldn’t need to wait to drown or be killed by water pressure; they’d already be crushed into two by sheer brute force.
Even Aiven wasn’t feeling too well, hearing his ribs cracking under such brutish violence.
Luckily.
As they sunk deeper, Reynolds Ban’s once-immense power began to rapidly diminish, allowing Aiven to catch a slight breather.
When Reynolds Ban’s strength was exhausted and they were merely sinking due to their weight, they had reached 350 meters underwater.
During this process, Aiven, while immobile, managed to reconnect with the Sea Bird’s reconnaissance network, seeing the situation on the battlefield.
Even if unable to tally the casualties yet, seeing that the battle was secured allowed Aiven to finally relax.
"Though the casualties must have been heavy, we still won in the end!"
Especially Milan, who turned the tide at the last moment, saving most of the officers and soldiers on the ship.
Indeed.
Power like "Protagonist Aura" makes no sense and is arguably one of the universe’s most potent forces.
Perhaps in the future, I should give Milan more training opportunities, or if we encounter an invincible enemy, just throw Milan at them?
As for now.
There’s only me left to worry about.
Uh... maybe not so much to worry about.
Turning his head toward Reynolds Ban, who was holding him from behind, it was likely that this guy had more to worry about.
You might ask why a person nearing death could still manage so much mental banter?
For this question...
Reynolds Ban, whose limbs were stiffening and bleeding from the orifices, looked at Aiven, who seemed unchanged, and was equally curious.
"Even if uninjured, shouldn’t you feel something at this depth?"
The density of seawater is greater than that of the human body, although the bone and muscle density of the Official Knights far exceeds normal people.
But overcoming buoyancy and bringing two people to such depths so quickly was the limit of this Peak Knight.
At this moment, due to [Secret Technique: Burning Embers], he was nearly exhausted, with the powerful physique of a Peak Knight constantly deteriorating.
Remaining conscious under such heavy water pressure was already an extreme display of will.
Under these circumstances.
Bang—
Aiven gave a small jerk, and the once iron-clad grip was easily shaken off. He turned to face Reynolds Ban, who might not even feel his limbs anymore.
At a depth of over 300 meters, clear seawater is almost the limit of human light perception, but the two Extraordinaries could still see each other.
Aiven had no trouble seeing the message in this tenacious knight’s eyes: "Even if you break free, you can’t escape at this depth!"
Yet at that moment.
Glub-glub...
A long dark shadow tumbled down from above.
That was a 32-pound cannon, blown off the lower gun deck by Edmond’s self-destruction! Weighing two and a half tons!
Aiven quickly glanced at the cannon and then at Reynolds Ban, who was suffering immensely from the combined effects of the "Secret Technique" and toxins, causing his body to twitch uncontrollably.
"Sigh!"
He sighed in his heart.
Though this was an enemy keen on killing him, Aiven still decided to be the nice guy once more, sparing him from further pain.
At this moment, the sea did seal his words.
Otherwise, abilities like [Talent Magic: Activated Spiritual Light] would be easy to practice with spell-free casting; it was just that Aiven hadn’t had enough time with such techniques yet.
He had to act personally.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, he tied one end of a rope around Reynolds Ban’s waist, then made a noose, looping it around the cannon as it fell past the two of them.
Then the rope was pulled taut.
Glub!
The tightening rope forced out Reynolds Ban’s last breath.
Then, the rapidly falling cannon dragged the knight hastily toward the deep sea.
Even at the peak of their powers, a Peak Extraordinary couldn’t hope to pull something this heavy to the surface, let alone Reynolds Ban, now sustained purely by will and on his last legs?
Even noticing the rapidly sinking Reynolds Ban, he was still straining to lift his head, glaring at him as if wanting to witness Aiven’s tragic end personally.
Like: exploding on the surface?
Aiven sheepishly pulled an item from his pocket and waved it vigorously at him.
In the pitch-black water, that item glowed with a faint blue light, clearly visible even to ordinary eyes.