"We will crush the ship's orlop and infiltrate," Laima.
"Any clue where they might stash the cargo?" William.
"Probably in the stateroom or the cargo hold," Belenus.
"If things get dicey, we'll use our only advantage and go underwater. When a fight happens, not if. I don't see any other way it could go down."
"But you guys are aware that you shouldn't kill anyone, don't you?"
"Of course we do. We can't risk it after all."
Just as Leon was poised to speak, ""Wouldn't they call for help the moment they get attacked?" Triss interjected into the conversation.
'Nice one. I was about to ask that.'
"They wouldn't," William answered for her.
"Why?"
"They'd claim it's all about pride. But, there's more to it."
"And that is?"
Laima took the role, "They aim to accomplish the task independently. For that, the chief of this city won't assist them unless explicitly requested. That's precisely why she can afford to take a day off nonchalantly."
Finished her explaining, ""In a sense, she's granting them an opportunity, just as other guards might extend the same courtesy to her if the circumstance arises"
To clear up the confusion on the faces of the two kids, she continued explaining,
"So that perhaps, one day, they can catch the attention of those higher-ups," Laima conveyed before the kids could pose another question.
In a hushed tone, she added, "The genuine higher-ups."
Her final words caused both Belenus and William's expressions to harden, adopting a kind of murderous gaze. Yet, within that intensity, there also lingered an undertone of fear—a fear of confronting entities greater than the vast expanse of mountains and seas that span the Earth.
The sudden silence following those unequivocal words painted a vivid image in Leon's mind—an image of someone he fervently hoped to never encounter in reality, yet a presence he could envision every time he gazed at the sky.
That certain someone and those both subordinate and superior to her—the very catalysts for the existence of the Rebellious—malevolently materialized in his mind within a fleeting second.
"Real higher-ups?"
"Gods," answered so, Leon.
"Gods…"
"Sigh…" Laima's sigh sliced through the dense atmosphere, "Let's set that aside for now and concentrate on the mission."
"Yes, that would be for the best," Belenus concurred.
"In short, our mission is to steal the Black Metal and make a swift exit."
"Will you use the concealed passageway?"
"Do we have any other way?"
"If you can remain concealed, you might find refuge here. But how do you intend to handle the distraction part?"
"You mean the distraction within the city, right?" Belenus, "Laima will handle that."
"What sort of distraction are you guys talking about?"
"The ideal situation is swiping the metal and hightailing it back to the city without anyone catching a glimpse of us. But, you think the guards will just let it slide when the metal goes missing?" Laima.
"They won't. It's just as the leader mentioned, the mission trumps lives."
"Exactly. They'd chuck their chance and pride out the window and holler for help right then and there. That's why we need a solid distraction for that," turned her head to William.
"Yes?"
Grinned, "Leader filled me in on one of your missions."
"Haha..." A vast, malevolent grin emerged as if from the depths of hell. "Well, let's just say it's a done deal."
"We all need the details, though."
"Of course."
And thus, the discussion about the mission unfolded over the course of an hour. They were not reticent in sharing the details, including some concealed aspects, such as one of William's past missions to the two kids.
Indeed, it was a remarkable mission, and his success elevated his standing in Leon's esteem to loftier heights.
The incessant discussion about the Black Metal led Leon to a realization. No ordinary individual, not even someone of great stature at the pinnacle—Level 6—could contend with the Black Metal.
To clarify, they may attempt to confront it, but their weapons, far from matching those of higher-tiered guards, would likely fare even worse than an ordinary steel one.
"By the way," took the attention, "I can guess that Rebellious has a master blacksmith, but that person isn't part of our branch, right?"
"Exactly," Laima agreed. "Do you think our higher-ups would allow those kinds of people to wander outside the headquarters?" Once again, an answer-like question slipped from her lips.
"And where is that headquarters located?"
"It's in—"
"Not in this continent," Laima.
'Hey, you idiots spilled everything that could be spilled already. But now you're holding back on the headquarters? Are you f*cking serious!?' For safety reasons, he opted not to voice his thoughts aloud, as was his habit most of the time.
"Laima, I think we can spill the location," Triss stood up in that instant. "We've already spilled the beans on everything, and he even killed a guard. He's proven himself more than I have."
"Well…"
'Good job. I'll raise your position in my eyes,' a genuine smile appeared on Leon's face. It was nice to have someone backing him up.
"Sigh… Fine, fine," pointed at above, "Northern Continent Articia."
---
"Our mission is rather straightforward," addressed the around thirty people in front of him, a muscular, white-haired man.
Not only humans but there were also Zetas, Yuorians, Aqrabians, Tayirians—almost every race existing on Earth stood before him.
Three people stood at the forefront: one Yuorian, one human-looking individual resembling the speaker, and the last one a Tayirian.
"We are more than capable of handling this mission. We'll simply unload the cargo and return here. However, caution is still imperative. Even though there shouldn't be any issues, we, the Gods' Guards, must remain vigilant at all times. Understood?"
""Understood!""
"Good, good," casting a thorough gaze at each and every face before him, especially focusing on the younger ones, "Everyone to the ships!"
As if to substantiate his statement, there were indeed only two ships. In reality, these were not even sizable vessels, capable of accommodating around 50 crew members each.
It underscored the significance of the mission. However, there was another interpretation: Keep it compact so that the true value couldn't be discerned from the outside.
These ships were no different from those of a century ago. In fact, even the warships from that era had all their colossal weapons removed, as they held no significance anymore.
It's safe to say that the field of ship technology was one of the few that rarely witnessed the advancement of technology and, in the weaponization field, regressed to a state reminiscent of the past.
Why did no one invest in ship technology? There is more than one answer to that. However, first and foremost was its cost. Enveloping an entire ship with pure Black Metal was as expensive as constructing a city.
Not only that, but Black Metal also wasn't indestructible. While it was possible to destroy it, albeit required significantly more power and time compared to normal metals like steel or even diamond.
Secondly, why would they invest in ship technology when they could channel resources into spaceships or other airborne transportation means? These avenues offered safer options for transporting precious cargo.
The list of reasons could go on, but the underlying factor almost always revolved around cost-effectiveness.
A mere three kilograms wasn't much, especially when their archenemies were dormant.
---
Out on the open sea, with approximately two hundred kilometers remaining to Neaire.
"Do fishes swarm this frequently?" Inquired a young human girl adorned in armor devoid of stripes or a golden pyramid.
"They do it from time to time, don't mind them. It's just natural," replied a man proudly displaying a pyramid on his armor.
"Thank you, sir."
"It's okay," retrieving a cigarette, "Don't be so stiff. Just treat all of this as a vacation."
"But, sir, isn't there a possibility for Rebellious to attack us?"
Puffing without a care in the world, "No, they wouldn't risk anything for this much. Plus, when was the last time you heard news about them?"
Well," she pondered her memories for a moment, "I think it's been a long time. I can't remember the exact date."
"Right? So, there will be noth—"
Buuuum!
The resonance of his words was abruptly severed by an earsplitting sound and the tremor akin to an earthquake. People, particularly cadets, swayed like leaves, suddenly finding themselves confronted by the unyielding embrace of the metallic ground.
"We are under attack!" Bellowed a guard with wings protruding from the rear of his armor.
Shiing!
Those wielding swords unsheathed their blades, while spears were drawn from the backs of others. Everyone endeavored to prepare for battle, mirroring the actions of those on the other ship, which too had been shaken to its very core.
The undisputed champions of swimming are unquestionably those denizens of the sea.
With a spear firmly gripped in his right hand, Belenus, a Merman of the Orca type, displayed his formidable physical prowess to the occupants of the ship's orlop, showcasing the unique fusion of his lower human half and upper orca half.
With a left hand composed entirely of pale-blue tentacles and the other immersed in water that vigorously assailed the adjacent ship's orlop, the upper half of the entity bore the features of a masked human concealed beneath a hoodie.
Its lower extremities mirrored the aquatic intricacies of its left hand.
Box Jellyfish type of Mermaid, Laima, poised herself to instill terror.
The former hailing from Atlantis, the latter from Mu, the Merpeople pair of the Stone City branch revealed to the world that the flame of rebellion burned as intensely as ever.