Chapter 232: The Traitor of the Kraken

The battles outside continued to erupt that no one noticed that the werewolves were defeated.

Suit and the Fangs were on full retreat. The Armor transformed back into a large shuttle and moved away, evading the bolts and ice blocks. 

He had blocked the charges and ice for only several seconds, but a large part of the Armor was already damaged. 

"Dive underwater! That's the safest place we can be!" Typical ordered. 

"But the Atlantis!" Cliff argued. 

"You think we are the only ones who came here? Richie's here, and deep down underwater, Lennox and a newly formed team are attacking the Atlantis." 

"Lennox has a team now?" 

"You're not the only ones who were busy. Lennox has an impressive member. She has a Path that is as deadly as the Madame's Path. She could control water." 

"Water?" 

"Terrifying, isn't it? Imagine being inside the Atlantis. Lennox can easily infiltrate you with his Lightning energy, and with him is a woman who can control water." Typical laughed. 

"Young master, please stop moving." Blast reminded as he continued to bandage the severed arm of Typical. 

"How did you do it?" Typical then asked Cliff seriously. 

"It's my Path. I have great recollection ability and can daydream. But for some reason, my daydreams were stronger than it originally was. I first activated this a few days ago when I fought with Gardo the first time. But earlier, my recollection ability allowed me to recollect and somehow pause time even if I don't go to my Dreamworld. I think It's because I met Seeker." 

"He must have tread on a Path that aided yours. How interesting. But that battle against the Near Overcomer took great courage. Tell me the secret. What did you do?" 

Being reminded of this, Cliff recalled one memory he recalled during the battle earlier. 

His memories brought him back to after the escape on China. Cliff was gazing at the boundless horizon. He was looking at the direction where the World's Helm was. After learning that their next plan was to fight the World Governing Powers, Cliff couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

"I heard what you did. I'm glad that you paid attention to everything I said." Arthur stood next to him.

"Arthur! Yeah. I still can't believe I'm alive. That was very... scary."

"You'd better get used to it. I have already calculated how Seeker intends to use you. You better prepare for everything." Arthur mysteriously spoke and turned his back to leave.

Cliff didn't understand it then, but he ignored Arthur's statement.

"How did you do it?" Cliff asked Arthur.

Arthur paused and turned back to Cliff.

"Do what? Tread the Lion's Den? It's not something you can prepare for."

"No. I mean... How did you get the courage to go there? This battle was something that already went beyond my capabilities. I... I'm scared now. And we are fighting the WGP? I thought I'd eventually get a back seat in this thing and only deal with the small fries. But when that Qilin's Horn appeared. I thought I was really dead. But you... after facing sure death, you still dared to fight the Empress and even stood in the very middle of that battle. Are you an Overcomer?"

"No. I'm not an Overcomer. I'm far from it. At most, you could say, I'm a Hero." Arthur answered a matter-of-factly.

"A hero?" 

"I finally understand why I was considered someone who barely made it on the Ranked Heroes in Seeker's past. I could not simply take the next step." 

"The next step?" 

"Heroes are like prodigies, and Overcomers are prodigies among prodigies. They wouldn't be able to tell you how they stand and fight against and enemy. But what is most necessary is the ability to stand up and take the next step." 

"How? That battle would have petrified me. How did you find the courage? Every single step you make, you risked dying! Wasn't it scary?" Cliff asked.

"That's just it. That's the main difference a Hero must have. I wasn't scared. The chaos of the groups fighting within that lightning dome and the fact that everyone in there, except for me, were Overcomers didn't bother me. I just focused on my next step. The world could fall for all I care. But what I needed was just to make another step to move on." 

Cliff could only sigh. He couldn't understand what Arthur was saying. 

"There may come a time in the battles to come where you lose the courage or will to take the next step. Take a look at where we are. In the middle of this vast ocean, there are no lands in the horizons. You will find enemies who will look just like this sea." Arthur pointed towards the sea. 

Cliff gave an unconscious look. At that moment, he could feel just how small he was as he looked at the vast ocean with no land in sight. 

"What I did is to take the next step simply. Many will lose courage and give up. But just take the next step and always take the next step. Real heroes will always have the will to take the next step. While most heroes have an incredible path that supports their state as a Ranked Hero, it's really just a matter of courage for people like you and me." Arthur explained as he walked away. 

Cliff continued to gaze on the vast seas. 

"Even when I can't see land or hope in the distance?" 

Arthur could not help but shake his head as he gave a small smile. 

"That's always how things will look in the coming age. Every battle we lose and even those we win won't take us anywhere nearer to our goal. But that's why you must take the step forward. Just keep making those steps, and you'll be surprised that you're already where you want to be. 

Cliff didn't know how to answer Typical. But he glanced at Blast and Trigger and even to the figure of Suit piloting the ship. They had now dove underwater and escaped most of the terrors above. 

"I just fought him and focused on one move at a time. I guess that's what Heroes need." Cliff smiled. He sat down and slowly lost consciousness. 

Typical could only smirk as he watched the confused looks of his men looking at him for clarification. 

"He is stepping into our realm..." Typical sighed. 

While this battle concluded, the fight between Seeker and the Empress had also escalated. 

The Empress waited for the right time to do her Invoking. She knew that she would be suspected as a traitor if she activated it immediately after losing the communication signal. As such, she could only wait for the moment that Seeker would kill all the surrounding Commanders. 

She rushed and used several powerful attacks that somehow caused the wild lightning energies to focus its Seeker attack. 

But Seeker appeared to be playing around. 

Seeker took the time to help the confused Irvana out. 

It wasn't obvious since Irvana was practically invisible. 

"Hey, Irvana. I wonder what that beautiful face of yours is thinking. This should be the first time that I actually saved you." Seeker teased. 

Seeker used the infamous princess carry to hold Irvana. 

"You..." Adult Seeker could not help but curse. 

"Jealous?" 

"You do know that we are the same person! Play with fire, and you'd get burned!" 

"Unlike you, I have Cold Fusion. A little heat won't burn me!" The younger Seeker teased. 

"We'll see about that." 

Seeker continued his retreat and finally found one of the wind tunnels that Hermes left. 

The Empress suddenly rose to the sky as another burst of lighting energy exploded out. 

The energy gathered on the Rule and shot towards where Seeker was. 

It was as if the Empress could redirect the attack through Origin. 

Seeker didn't retreat and used all the energies he had to form his Realm. 

The approaching energy caused Irvana's body to shake. 

"Oh, don't worry, my Russian Princess. Your knight is here!" 

Seeker could actually sense the Adult rolling his eyes. 

Seeker tossed Irvana towards the wind tunnel, and with his left hand, he summoned all the Realm that he could master. 

His battle with the Realm King drew near. And unless he could control the forces around him, he would die. The battle surprisingly proved to be a practical training. A lifeless Origin approached, and Seeker manipulated it with his Realm. 

The lightning energies that the Titan released and the powers that allowed the Empress to redirect these attacks were all Realm. 

Seeker enjoyed the battle until he could hear the alerts that Richie and Sammy sent. 

"Oh? Good." Immediately Seeker retreated as he pretended to be taking critical attacks. 

The Empress was surprised and wondered why Seeker retreated. 

The Commanders immediately went to rescue the damaged Armors. Seeker's attacks blew off the heads, but the pilots survived as they were positioned within the chest area. 

"What's happening?" The Empress wondered. 

"Empress. This lowly one dares to ask. Do you know Chase Brander? The Kraken is currently divided into who to follow. Please guide us." The Commander immediately reported. 

The Empress no longer had her communication feeds, so she immediately moved the Rule to send a strange ray over to the Armor. 

"Show me." The Empress ordered. 

A few minutes earlier... 

The Admiral had finished reading the text and was so bewildered that he was about to curse out in rage at the strange ploy that Chase had for him. 

He had never talked about lily pads and flower ninjas. But right before he could speak, a figure appeared out of thin air on the chamber's side. 

The Admiral felt a trace of fear as a dark clothed man appeared right next to him. He saw it with his own eyes and couldn't believe the science involved in creating this. 

Rai gave one look at the Admiral and then noticed the markings on the wall. It was then that Ria felt a surge of fear and immediately tried to teleport away. But it was too late. 

"You! Who are-" 

BOOM! 

Even before the Admiral could finish his sentence, the room had already exploded out. 

Although the Admiral appeared to be wearing a larger Exoskeleton, it was the core of the Armor he wore. It could detach and leave the Armor's shell and allow him to enter into the Kraken's main halls and yet carry superior firepower.

His Exoskeleton was thrown on the back as he smashed to the wall, which later fell as the explosion's force continued to damage it. 

Several floors and rooms were demolished in this blow, and a large trembling could be felt within the Kraken. 

The alarms surged as the announcements and proclamations rang out all over the Kraken. 

The soldiers of the Kraken began to panic. The destruction meant that their entire craft would be bound to sink. 

The weapons used were among the higher-tiered weapons. While these weapons wouldn't penetrate the hull, the insides of the Kraken were much more vulnerable. During the time that Chase and the Admiral continued to talk, the supersonic sound that Roselyn continued to send out directed the rest to gain access to the weaponry of the Kraken. 

At that time, the game that Chase and the Admiral played was akin to a chess match. At that period, the Admiral had opened several of the weaponry chambers and storehouses. Chase also gave his orders to open his. Since both were not yet proven to be traitors, the Commanders and soldiers hesitated in obeying the respective orders. 

Some obeyed while some held their ground and refused. 

It was there that the Covenant and Tyler's team acquired the explosives they used to attack some of the chambers! Although the strongest weapons were beyond these two groups' reach, they still managed to catch several powerful bombs that could quickly destroy the chambers. 

The first few buoyancy chambers were being destroyed through the explosive weapons that the Exoskeleton's of the Covenant and Harker's three soldiers had. But the main chambers and some others were wrecked using the explosives found in the Kraken. 

The Admiral was unconscious for a few seconds from directly experiencing the powerful blast that sent him towards the back.

The entire chamber was destroyed, and water began to rush inside the Kraken! 

"You destroyed the main buoyancy chamber?!" Chase screamed in anger. 

"You really are the traitor! Everyone in the Kraken, heed my words! I will tell you a secret! I do not deny my name! I am Chase Brander! I had a relationship with one of the Empress of the WGP! Because of that, I was chased out! But the Empress that I loved risked a lot and protected me. She is that Empress who is defending us outside! And I will dare say her full name to tell you of my mission! She is Empress Miranne Zoren Everhiss!" Chase declared with great boldness. 

The Empress was listening to this while she and a troop of Commanders battled against Seeker. Seeker had already told her where Chase was and how he was currently aiding his team members. When she listened to the broadcast, the voice of the man, she loved echoed strongly. And when Chase boldly says her full name, which was punishable by death, her heart quivered. 

Empress Everhiss recalled the promise that Seeker gave earlier.

"Can he soon call me by my name? Will this group allow me and him to be together?" The Empress could only hope in her heart. 

The Commanders waited at the Empress's response. 

But then Chase continued. 

"Here is proof that he is the traitor! He might not be the Admiral we used to serve but an impostor! When I was with the Empress, she revealed to me a secret! And that secret is that the Kraken won't sink even with all the buoyancy chambers are destroyed! This is a false secret! But if he were the real Admiral, he would know that and not destroy it!" Chase shouted. 

The Admiral finally had a sense of what was going on. He coughed up blood and was forced to make his Exoskeleton move. But the blow had damaged many parts of his Exoskeleton that it required more time to initiate its self-repairs. 

The Commanders who were with the Empress were shocked. 

"Empress? Is this true?" This gave hope to the Commanders. 

"Yes. And I am indeed Empress Everhiss. I knew Chase would be killed, so I made him go here. But the orders for the death of Chase Brander has been revoked. That is because he is one of the agents we placed to find out who the Kraken traitor is!" The Empress made her declaration. There was fear in her heart. If these commanders live to tell the tale of this battle, her identity would be jeopardized. But now, Chase faced the possibilities of being killed, and she could not retreat. 

"It is as Chase said! Commanders! The Admiral is the traitor! Announce it! We follow Commander Drake- no- Knight of the Emperor Chase!" 

The reports were cascaded all over the Kraken. 

The Admiral was stunned to hear then news. An Empress had agreed with Chase! 

"What's going on! I have to act now! Either that Commander is working with Chase and is also a traitor, or the Empress herself is the traitor!" The Admiral made a daring guess. 

"It could even be that all three are the traitors! I have to move fast! I'll just assume that it's the Empress that's the traitor!" The Admiral had no choice anymore. He was seen as the traitor. He had to do his best to save the Kraken from sinking. This would be proof of his loyalty. 

As he moved, the confusion and chaos even made the Admiral ask himself a strange question. 

"Maybe it's me... Am I the traitor?"