As the surge's aftermath subsided, Alex found himself sprawled across the boat's deck, adorned with a myriad of small fish like peculiar aquatic ornaments.
Biting his hands, legs, and body, they tried to take a chunk of his flesh, but the armour he wore protected him from getting injured.
Blue light spread around, making the area visible. The water flowing outward from the vessel reflected the glow, as if reluctant to let go.
The boat, emerging from the depths like a survivor from the abyss, revealed itself gradually as the water reluctantly released its grip.
Amidst the disorienting scene, a stabilising force emerged – Ragna stood beside him, extending a supportive hand to help Alex rise from the remnants of the tumultuous event.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," with Ragna help Alex stood up and started to grab the fish, removing them from his body..
"It's surprising we survived. I didn't imagine it would be that easy. Like Out of nowhere, the boat started to float I wondered what the hell is happening then the colossal wave collided with it, for a moment I held My breath but the boat quickly adapted. Such good luck we have a good sailor."
"Of course, we have. I am just worried for the journey further." Suddenly, Ragna pulled out his gun, aiming toward Alex, and then before he could process what'd happening , a resonating sound echoed.
—Bang!
Initially, Alex was intimidated. Then he remembered that his suit was bulletproof; a fish corpse lay beside him, larger than the one he hunted and the ones that were attached to him.
Irritated by the fish, he started to remove them one by one, throwing them on the ground and stepping on, crushing them brutally.
With that, again, a dark miasma returned as the light blinked out.
Everything turned blank.
"Are you there, Ragna?"
"Yeah," Alex received an immediate answer.
Again, the light returned from a bulb hovering above the boat's exterior, attached to a higher point, acting like a searchlight that gave Alex some relief, allowing him to focus on the surrounding mess.
—Clash ! thud ! clouds!.
—Bang —bang.!
These sounds echoed just from a distance away. Rin, as usual, held an assault rifle, firing at a grand shark, while Seth fought with another but the same type of shark.
"Why are there two of them? Weren't there only one stage 5 EVOLved creature?" Alex asked.
""Yeah, but that's not much of a problem; we are prepared for it.The real question is, why are they here?"
Both Ragna and Alex took a stance beside Rin, joining the fight, eliminating the smaller ones, and occasionally distracting, firing at the shark. They also conversed, exchanging worried guesses and assumptions.
The shark's presence in the miasma is bad news. This type of danger was meant to stay in the center.
Basically, Allwater Blessed Land is divided into 3 parts. First is normal, with multiple 7nth Stage evolved fish living in an atmosphere Similar to the classic ocean.
The second part is filled with miasma, surrounded by the Classic ocean; there were meant to be multiple 6-stage fish, as mentioned in the mission details from the blink but reality is different.
Finally at the centre, devoid of miasma, the reason for the Surge is situated here know as The Core..
Whenever a Blessed Land is formed, it's because of three major reasons A core is Manifested. First is the awakening of sealed ancient artifacts. Second is a natural occurrence when spiritual fruit or herb matures. In easy terms, when they bloom into adulthood, in such cases, a large amount of spirituality releases, completing the last incubation.
Excessive amounts of spirituality cause the evolution of the surrounding ecosystem, becoming the core powering the creatures within the ecosystem and aiding them in ascending to the 7th stage of evolution.
The last and final reason for the manifestation of the Core is when a high Enlightenment ritual fails. However, this occurrence is rare due to other contributing aspects.
Regardless, the shark's presence in the miasma indicates that a more ferocious force is waiting in the center, guarding the cause of the surge - the core.
Currently, there was nothing to worry about, as Rin is taking care of the anomaly with her gun and glowing bullets.
Wait, a glowing bullet? Isn't it the same method of coating Dev displayed? The only difference is Instead of hands, Rin using it on guns.
"Watch out!" The shark, which Rin was firing at, suddenly lunged at Alex, attacking him and munching on waist. It marked its jaw into his flesh, but before it could do more, Rin appeared with her assault rifle, its tip coated with blue light, and stabbed it into the shark's body.
Boom!
With an explosion The shark was shredded apart and reduced to meat paste.
"Damn, you just ruined my fun. I was getting excited using my sweeties. If You could have kept an eye around I would have enjoyed it more. Tell me newbie why were you dozing off?"
"I was not dozing. I was surprised when you used blue light on gun."
—Thub!
Rin places the rifle on Alex's head.
"So what? That does not mean you'll doze off.Anyway if you want to make your guns glow you atleast need to be Enlightened like me."
"A magical gunslinger."
—Thud!
"I see."
"what you still want to do it? forget it; you can't, not until you reach 5 enlightenment. That's the bare minimum For a genius."
"
—Thud!
Again, Rin places the rifle on Alex's head.
Then move it up, then down—thud!
Moving up...
"What are you doing?" Alex asked.
"Oh, I am just offended by your interference , so I am annoying you."
—Thud!.