Dominating The Sea

Olivia dressed Heian Ciemnosc up, still bare before him, and after bathing her face with his sweat and odor. It was night now, meaning several hours went by as everyone prepared. However, that did not mean Olivia was idle. She had prepared some things before starting talking to Heian Ciemnosc about life. Now, she was departing, and after clothing him, she slowly wore her clothing and black armor with Heian Ciemnosc's help. Then, they looked at each other after Heian Ciemnosc opened the door to the outside.

As they looked at each other, many things seemed to be told. Olivia’s parents died 50 years after the Forbloffende Traes Sect’s isolation period. The lived a blast in the inner territory, which was like multiple cities added together. They even visited and lived a few weeks in the cultivators areas, simply to see the world this way.

Although Heian Ciemnosc could have made them potions to recuperate their fertility, they didn’t want another child. Thus, after the inner territory was opened to the outside again, they traveled the Vrida Region nonstop. All they required was a few stamina potions and sick-prevention pills so they wouldn’t have to stop or feel sore as the years went by.

When their time came, Heian Ciemnosc brought Olivia to pick them up, as they were on their third spin to travel around the Vrida Region. At that time, having already become the Vice sect master, Olivia could’ve arranged a funereal ceremony for her parents, but it didn’t happen.

Since Olivia’s parents didn’t intend to keep interrupting in her life, even placing her future over their lives, she wouldn’t bother them after death. They perished at ease within her residence in the Mythical Tree of Evolution, while their daughter spent her days and nights with Heian Ciemnosc, occasionally coming to them and help them a bit.

When they departed the world, they did so by integrating to the Sect’s core, the tree. Once she saw their corpses’ process into the tree’s center, she was calm again for their fate. The world continued moving. Her parents chose their way, and she would continue her path.

“When are we going to come out and no longer hide?” Olivia asked, placing her hands on his shoulders, close to his neck. Her face was at ease and looking at him softly. She didn’t mean their relationship, as they never intended to hide it, they were just not graphic about it.

Heian Ciemnosc lightly held her forearms and calmly said as he darted his eyes to the right and a little upwards. “I’m not capable enough. I still have many years before that can happen. For now, I can only keep waiting until the Sect achieves the Third Step. But if you were to break into the Godhood Step, that would help me even more.”

“Then, blackie, why don’t you give me the Third Step manual?” Olivia lightly smiled, showing her canines as her short blonde hair, just like Heian Ciemnosc liked it, made her look spectacular. Heian Ciemnosc grinned and placed his hands on her hips, “I was just about to. You can have this one. I’ll let the others know I picked their pockets early this morning. They’ll know to pass the remaining ones to the others. Contented now?”

“Very, mf…” Olivia lightly nodded before tiptoeing. That wasn’t enough, so Heian Ciemnosc lowered his head to kiss her wanting lips. After they separated, just a bit, Olivia opened her greenly, star-twinkling eyes before asking him again as she brushed her left fingers on his slightly long pitchest-blackest hair atop his right corner. “See? Just a little push and you see straight. Now, I presume you’ll start the transition to the Third Step, right?”

“Oh. Go and show the Forbloffende Traes Sect’s promising future,” said Heian Ciemnosc after smacking her small bottom. Olivia bit her lower lip, wishing more could be done, before ruefully shaking her head. She patted his left chest before hugging him. Then, she finally walked through the door as she rushed to her position, where the special forces waited for their leading official.

“…” Heian Ciemnosc looked at the night sky and her departing direction before returning to his residence. The door closed on its own, not even needing Soul energy or Dark Energy, merely by the tree’s nearby tendrils moving its body.

Of course, Heian Ciemnosc wouldn’t stay there, but there was still time before things started taking action, and he really did not want to be seen by others in the 3* Region before the Sect arrived.

. . .

3 days later.

Since the Vrida Region had expanded their sea territory to nearly ⅙ of the ginormous, empty sea, the Small and ‘regular’ Fleets have been taking it easy and lazying around whenever they could. Often times than not, they met some Faunae and mingled with them, trying to convince them to also become their trainable Faunae.

Today, however, the Faunae hundreds of thousands of kilometers below the water’s surface had been confused for the past few days. They wondered where everyone had gone to. They had become so used to the Shadows that they no longer felt at ease not having them even show for a day, let alone various.

Be it on the surface or below it, the Faunae couldn’t find them. They were slightly dispirited now, wondering why they didn’t accept those little demons earlier. The Faunae hoped the Shadows would return. Otherwise, they might go back to mindless competition and slaughter without flavor added into their typical days.

But then, as the lazy waiting continued, the surface finally welcomed a change. The Forbloffende Traes Sect’s sea territory was neared by… countless enemy ‘old’ Fleets. These fleets were nothing compared to the Fleets the Sect has. After building many of these, it became more obvious. Especially for the Rear Admirals.

This enemy wasn’t small, not at all. They were going all-out at the very least, with probably First Step organizations using all their manpower and Second Step organizations using nearly everything, about 80% of their troops, all for these countless fleets.

Currently, there were hundreds of fleets, of which dozens belonged to the Second Step. After a century, the 3* Region accepted the Sect’s marvelous possibilities and actually sent Second Step forces to assault the Vrida Region… or attempt to.

Either way, right now, a half-circle formation rushed towards the Vrida Region’s sea. But, did they know that the territory in question had increased a lot during the last 100 years?

In the enemy’s side, the incoming fleets were widely spread but still close-by. After gaining enough information of the Vrida Region from when the first incursion failed, they knew they still had a few more days before being detected. Although the Forbloffende Traes Sect responds well and immediately, they were also upping their guard because of that.

“Any reports?” In the central fleet, where the enemy commander of all fleets stood, coming directly from the Incantation Pavilion, a peak Second Step cultivator spoke. To his right, a citizen spoke after looking through some information that ordinary people would’ve taken a whole day to read in just 10 seconds.

“Yes, commander.” The man looked stern and was very strict. He turned to the commander, who was a Rat Beast with a little belly and without fur or rat-head. He nodded and elaborated, “So far, the Faunae we've seen is becoming less. In fact, the Spirit Sense waves we receive are only probing before we received a warning to not go down there. It’s strange.”

“What’s so strange about that? Even these being Faunae don’t dare attack us since the last Change they tried to take a role within the Myriad Races. What are they, but trash?” The commander asked after a little explanation.

It was rare, coming from a Beast. But the citizen knew not to ask. He nodded again and returned to his job, becoming focused as he still doubted the current situation. Then, as time passed, a few minutes later, a slight whistling wind seemed to pass in between every warship, like a calling.

Suddenly, tens of thousands of kilometers below the water’s surface, warships immediately exited their stealth as darkish energy ripples revealed them, as if they had prohibited colors and light from getting near. Then, countless warheads, also appearing from nowhere, started gaining speed as smaller things followed behind them.

“SIR!” The citizen’s eyes suddenly widened as he immediately read raw, source information from all radars and detectors. He shouted before the respective teams turned and notified the commander. The latter was immediately startled before the citizen yelled, “Multip- Thousands of missiles below! Faunae are becoming crazy, we’re being-”

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM- SPLAAAAAAAASSSHHHH~!!!

As the Faunae below became excited and scared at once, rushing about and easily avoiding projectiles, thousands of missiles exploded below thousands of warships. Unaware Frigates were like ants turned into a fiery mess by the mere enhanced reflection of the sun, but there was no sound, only imminent death.

“Roll and destroy those missiles! More are coming!” Realizing the ambush, not noticing when they actually trespassed the new Sect’s sea territory, the commander ordered. The warships who weren’t turned to helpless fire and destruction rotated, wanting to use their anti-missile turrets to counter the ambush.

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However…

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BAAANG…

“!!” The fleets were instead welcomed by no more missiles, but rockets instead. The look in everyone’s eyes and fallen faces were valueless. The sight of at least hundreds of rockets coming at them, even the Destroyers, let alone Cruisers and Battleships, took their spirits away.

Just 2 seconds after they rolled over and faced their hulls to the sky, rockets started exploding on them, immediately killing many enemies by impaling them. Others exploded along the ammunition and nucleus that kept their warships alive and steady. But some rockets didn’t explode and just penetrated the already exploding warships. They weren’t affected by the other rockets’ explosions or the explosions they caused from the warships.

After those rockets penetrated through and flew into the air, they soared a little more before arching down on another unfinished warship, rolled over or not. Like this, more and more rockets flew past the enemy warships’ hulls and commenced their destruction of other enemy warships.

“!” The commander, whose Carrier nearly rolled over, stopping midway by hearing the nearby citizen out, sweated bullets as he received information from everywhere.

“Sir! We’re being destroyed here! Please send h-” - “My Fleet is being destroyed!! All the Fleets on the right flank are suff-” - “Lords, dammit all! Sir, not even Carriers ca-” - “Need to stop! STOP! Hold your ground! Return fir- noooooo- aaaaaaaaaagggghhh!”

It was a mess, a terrible, exotic, bombarded mess. The commander opened all interfaces, only to see the row of half-circle formation he had navigated with for half a year to become helpless in the face of the Sect’s heavy bombardment. The enemy still didn’t know how to call this, but the rockets were signs of the Sect becoming serious, wanting nothing living left behind after it ended.

“To all ‘Fleets’! Hold your formation and return fire!!” The commander kept his cool and rushed his body to his commander’s spot before speaking in a wide open channel. The fleets began resisting the enemy as countless Shadow warships ascended from underwater.

TA- RARARARARARARARA… POH POH POH- POM POM POM… PUH PUH PUH- BOOM BOOM BOOM… PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH- BANG BANG BANG…

After 2 minutes of struggling to get their cool together and sort their minds, the fleets began returning firepower. The machine guns were easier and quicker to lock the Shadow warships. Thus, they made their blackish shields ripple first.

Then, the enemy artillery guns finished being ready before unloading all their ammunition readily. Shells flew, and this time, projectiles didn’t stop them as they would more than a century ago, letting the shells hit near enough of the Shadow warships to damage them or directly.

Then, the missile systems were also readied. Hundreds of missiles flew from each Flotilla every tens of seconds as they targeted the Shadow Frigates, afraid of letting them come near. Finally, the enemy fired their rocket launchers, filling the sky with long trails, some small like baby dragoons taking off into the sky and arching towards the Shadow warships. Others longer and soaring even higher before arching down to the Shadow warships.

The enemy fleets went all-out to show their might! However…

The Shadows’ machine guns started firing even before they fully soared from underwater. Their aim was near each other’s from the same Small Fleet or Fleet. What’s more, Frigates rushed forth with their Flotillas, protected by the Cruisers’ magnificent, improved defense, especially with the anti-missile like turrets shooting pinkish, tiny ball-like bullets.

The Shadows’ artillery guns nearly became machine guns, firing nonstop and more in number as the mid-level height between both sides was riddled with their shells. They all exploded in the enemy shields, leaving no room for taking a breather or accumulate enough momentum to change positions.

The Shadows’ missiles flew sideways, leaving the sky above them clear, seemingly free for any enemy missile and rocket to land on them, clearly not intending to use them to protect themselves.

Then, there were the rockets. The Shadow warships fired them backwards instead, like soaring flood dragons throwing caution to the wind, lying their bellies to the sky before arching upwards several kilometers on the Fleets’ rears. They ‘slowly’ and continuously build up a larger group of rockets as their anti-projectile turrets fired Rositina bullets, made from the material Heian Ciemnosc discovered in the Vrida Region’s beaches, fired at the sky before them.

Meanwhile, those rockets, which became notoriously missing in the naval battle, gradually neared the battlefield’s side where the enemy held their positions.

TA- RARARARARARRRRRRAAAAAAARRARARARARARA… POH POH POH POH POH POH POH POH- POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM… PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH- BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM… PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH PFIUSH- BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG…

It was impossible to compare them. The enemy fleets did their utmost, and it was commendable, but the Shadow warships were simply superior. It was… nothing the old warships and fleets could deal with. The enemy was too late to notice this, thinking their initially superior numbers were enough to make up for the arsenal pieces’ difference.

The Shadows’ machine guns’ firing sounds superimposed each other sometimes, making it seem as if all machine guns got stuck in madness, but this was because Small Fleets were in synchronization.

How could it not happen? The Small Fleets targeted an enemy Flotilla for a couple of seconds. That was enough to bring them to the utmost destruction. The Shadows weren’t slow to change their aim, together as one, and continue destroying enemy Flotilla after enemy Flotilla. It was simply impossible for them to deal with this, they also didn’t count with something like the Elemental Eye array formation barriers.

One by one, the enemy found their people falling without stopping. Then, as they would have liked to do something about it, their sides were busied by the thousands of missiles the Shadows had no qualms for using them all. And when they noticed their every missile and rocket was neutralized by the Rositina bullets, unbeknownst to only them, they also saw the raining rockets nearing ever closer to them.

Were they helpless? They were helpless.

When the flood dragons came crashing down like waves on the helpless, from the ocean to the inland, the enemy finally understood they were done for. The Shadow Small Fleets were already this terrible, let alone the Fleets, which were like the sharpest arrowheads, making whoever it was aiming to too fearful to continue existing.

The enemy was razed down and burst into flames. Countless flaming, smallish dragons with the volume of a regular humanoid’s arm flickered and rushed about in arches everywhere as the enemy warships were obliterated one by one. They truly couldn’t do anything to avoid this fate. Even the enemy fleets’ commander’s Carrier fell before the rockets did, let alone as the Shadows insanely rushed forth after the enemy was nearly crippled.

It didn’t take more than an hour and 10 minutes before the warships began collecting the spoils of war. Although these wouldn’t be useful to create war instruments, it would be enough to forge more arsenal and ammunition.

“… Rear Admiral Tetor, follow 3 days behind me. Help me show whatever we find ahead the Sect’s honors.” As time passed, a plethora of Shadow Small Fleets and Fleets approached from the south. Saon Gori’s voice echoed through the Shadows’ channel, but there was no response.

In his Carrier, Tetor grinned from the right corner of his mouth before ordering his people around. Then, as the navy that protected the sea territory by ambushing the enemy separated and made a path leading north, they watched as most of the navy navigated northwards. Their warships entered stealth mode as they submerged before rotating their spaceships. Then, their engines were activated several hundred kilometers underwater.

Wyyuump…

Their muffled sound did nothing to hide the tremendous power they exuded as they shot into the distance. The navy that already had fun felt envious. Some missed the sensation of traveling in their navy at the front, fearless yet nervous of the unknown. Others also felt similar, but they didn’t experience the sinister years, much less the initial 24 years of battling for recognition.

“I hope not everyone is looking at them like puppies. What are you waiting for? You have 3 days to clear things up. Go tell our pals below that they’ll feel lonely for some time. If they want to come play, now they’ll wait… We’re busy.” Tetor’s voice echoed in the remaining navy’s communication general channel.

“Hua! Hua! Huaaa!” The people across the warships surged with excitement as they looked northwards one last time before getting to do their jobs. Every crew member was put to work, and reparations were rudimentary. However, 3 days was enough to get everyone and everything ready. After all, the entire land forces were in most of the navy that just left.

… Back to the Vrida Region. On the southeastern beaches, Heian Ciemnosc had just moved here with his Myriad Darkness Materialization. After becoming a God, Heian Ciemnosc could simply use his Godly Dominion to hide his dark dome, although another dark barrier would spread outwards like a light bulb.

However, only Godly cultivators would notice, and beyond. So far, no being or existence would notice unless Heian Ciemnosc didn’t cover his actions with his Spirit Sense, which was now ¼ of a Universal Land. Needless to say, it was nothing to worry about.

Crrggh…

Heian Ciemnosc stepped into the sand with his right foot. Presently, the place was empty and desolate, but he felt it was pretty calm to the point he’d take his torso off any clothes and lay a bit. However, today was an important day, especially as it involved his Forbloffende Traes Sect.

“I know you’re watching,” Heian Ciemnosc said as he picked up a bit of sand and let it fall through the lower end of his right palm. His darkest eyes serenely looked into the distance as he imagined his tree’s face turning around to see him. “I’m getting there.”

“Just wait a little more… then you can bring the Crimsons back… and we’ll let the whole world know.” Heian Ciemnosc’s chin was lifted as he spoke. By the end of his words, he had already smiled with a naughty, devious touch. Then, his countenance calmed down as his expression turned ultimately cold and lifeless.

“Hereby,” Heian Ciemnosc looked down at the beaches’ waters as the Vrida Region’s shores overall seemed to ripple, sand and little rocks alike. There were no more cultivators actively collecting Rositina clay-ish raw material, but many people were enjoying the beaches or still working on the collection of resources. When they noticed the rumbling, it was also the moment their hearts began beating to utmost contentment.

“The Forbloffende Traes Sect leads with nature to the Third Step… My Sect!”

RUUUUUUUUMBLEE~~…~~…

The water surrounding the Vrida Region’s land territory seemed to ripple. Not only throughout the new territory they gained decades ago, but even farther… As it happened, the Faunae that remained near the Shadows’ sea territory were shocked silly, but that wasn’t everything Heian Ciemnosc sensed.

Many immense, unthinkable, and almost omniscient ‘eyes’ latched onto the Vrida Region, before focusing on him. The mere notion nearly caused his chest to split and his head to implode. However, after finding nothing on him, they simply concentrated inside the Vrida Region before departing, as if too bored not to give this small land a glance before resuming whatever they were doing.

“Phew… I have to thank this world’s lower standards for something, at last.” Heian Ciemnosc grinned from ear to ear before turning around. He wasn’t wrong. If these people were at least Lord-level, they would’ve suspected him right away. Alas… the only person close to that title was no one else but his Master.

Now, Heian Ciemnosc had a date with Sara to watch fireworks in a 3* Region, which he couldn’t afford to miss.

…