Chapter 254 Entering the Red-Draft River
Inala took a seat on the floor towards the front section of the Sumatra Ship, dispersing the four Empyrean Zinger Commanders throughout it.
The first Empyrean Zinger Commander entered a nozzle at the head and sat within a spherical glass container, acting as the eyes of the ship. This glass was refined using grey sand by the Mudropper and was tremendously tough.
Inala's full-powered punch using Internal Inertial Gravity failed to even dent it. Hence, it was safe to be posted there.nove.lB(In
The second Empyrean Zinger Commander entered a compartment within the ship's interior, situated along its stomach section. Within it was the lungs that constantly inhaled air from the outside, compressed and stored it.
As the ship moves, these lungs release the compressed air through all the vents in a calculated order, thereby helping the ship accelerate in its slithering motion.
The third Empyrean Zinger Commander entered the store room where Inala spilled out a bunch of Prana Bombs. From time to time, it fed a Prana Bomb into a mouth part in the room, one resembling Inala's jaws.
The jaw crunched on the Prana Bomb and generated Prana for the lungs to use for compressing air. This third Empyrean Zinger Commander was in charge until the stomach region finished digesting the fluid in the Prana Bomb and transformed it into Prana.
The final Empyrean Zinger was positioned in the tail section where it gathered the Prana Bomb shells shat out by the ship's digestive system. It used Mystic Bone Art to refine the shells into liquid form and pour them into a large reservoir.
This reservoir would be used to heal any damage sustained by the Sumatra Ship during its travels. And any excess would be shat out.
Of the Sumatra Ship's length of twelve metres, the first two metres were reserved for the head, mouth, and the necessary gear mechanisms that actuated its motion.
Following that was the cabin, spanning a length of three metres. This was where Inala, Asaeya, and Gannala sat, the only location in the ship for passengers.
The next five metres was the engine room, containing both the ship's digestive system, storage, and the gear mechanisms necessary for it to move. The final two metres contained the reservoir.
This was its current split, the minimum most length necessary for it to operate functionally and transport people. As Inala's strength grows, the ship's length increases. By then, the passenger compartment would be longer and be able to hold more people.
Since it had been fused with a Sumatra Gold, the ship's functions remained stable. The effects of Internal Inertial Gravity coursed through it. Therefore, neither the structure nor the people experienced any shock as the Sumatra Ship traversed through the rough terrain.
Mystic Bone Art—Puppetry!
Inala extended four energy streams of Prana and connected with the four Empyrean Zinger Commanders, treating them as Spirit Weapons as his Tertiary Nature became active. Through it, he was able to have overall control of the ship's workings.
Thanks to that, they were able to coordinate.
With a thought from him, the Sumatra Ship weaved through a row of trees. It was his Spirit weapon, but unlike other Spirit Weapons where he needed to control them completely, not to mention bear its weight and the mental load associated with controlling it complexly, it was easy to control the Sumatra Ship.
After all, with a thought from him, compressed air would gush out of the vents, generating the necessary force for it to move. So, he wasn't actually moving such a large body.
Besides, all the fine controls were left to his Empyrean Zinger Commanders, since upon activating their Puppetry Skill, they too could control four Spirit Weapons each. Hence, they were the ones multitasking to make the ship move.
Inala had designed the Sumatra Ship in such a way that it could be easily controlled with the help of four Empyrean Zingers. He only had to act like the ship's captain and delve out instructions when necessary.
The Empyrean Zinger Commanders were Silver Grade Pranic Beasts, possessing intelligence on par with a human. Hence, they knew what to do on their own.
Inala's input was only necessary when an unaccounted-for situation cropped up.
"Isn't this amazing?" He stared at Gannala and Asaeya with pride, boasting, "I refined this alongside the Mudropper. This is the only one of its kind in our continent."
"Oh, also." He said all of a sudden and took out a box from his pocket.
"Are you making a proposal..." Asaeya blurted out subconsciously as she became excited.
"This is the Inhibition Needle!" Gannala interrupted her and grabbed her Inhibition Needle from the box. She stabbed it on her forehead and activated Mystic Bone Art, watching it merge into her skull. Immediately in response, her presence began to resemble that of a Free Human, "This is amazing, Dad!"
"Right?" Inala grinned and gave the last Inhibition Needle to Asaeya, "With this, we wouldn't have to worry about living in the Brimgan Empire."
"Is that so...?" Asaeya muttered as she picked up the Inhibition Needle, a tad disappointed. But once she stabbed it in her forehead and watched it merge into her skull, she felt some clarity in her mind, "Wait, how is this possible?"
"It forcefully suppresses your instincts and tendencies as a Mammoth Clansman." Inala said, "Just hiding our presence isn't enough. We'll still react favourably at the sight...forget sight. Even a mere mention of an Empyrean Tusk gets us going. If not Mammoth Clansmen, we'll be labelled Empyrean Tusk worshippers."
"The Brimgan Empire has labelled Empyrean Tusk worship as taboo."
While the Sumatra Ship continued to travel through the plains surrounding the Guna Caves, the Empyrean Zinger Commander fed it the Prana Bomb that had absorbed a Millinger's Prana.
The ship's digestive system didn't consume this one but instead retained it and began emitting the presence of a Milliner. As a result, no Iron Grade Pranic Beast dared come close to the Sumatra Ship.
Even Silver Grade Pranic Beasts hesitated, not knowing what this massive beast of ivory was. The presence of a Gold Grade Pranic Beast radiating from it caused them to keep their distance. That was why travelling on the Sumatra Ship was safe.
It was what Inala had created with careful consideration to travel Sumatra Continent in the future. Not only was it safe, but it was also fast, capable of reaching speeds up to forty kilometres an hour on even rough terrains.
Capable of moving on all land terrains, the Sumatra Ship could also sail on water. Moreover, during dire situations, it could even glide in the air for short distances. Of course, Inala paid extra care on this part to ensure the Sumatra Ship's gliding speed continued to decrease once it began gliding, hence not being registered as flying.
He didn't want that mysterious creature that had banned flying to destroy his ship.
It was peaceful within the ship, a hard task to achieve in the dangerous wilds of Sumatra Continent. Based on the information he obtained, Inala set a course through regions only with Iron Grade Pranic Beasts.
Two weeks of journey later, the Sumatra Ship reached the Red-Draft River, a river whose breadth surpassed two hundred kilometres, almost on the level of a sea. It had rough tides, at the mere sight of which, Inala turned nervous, 'There are plenty of dangerous Pranic Beasts in the Red-Draft River.'
Most of the regions built around the banks of the Red-Draft River were territories of Gold Grade Pranic Beasts. Hence, the Sumatra Ship's Gold Grade Pranic Beast presence would be treated as an invitation to war.
The only way to avoid it was by travelling on the Red-Draft River itself. 'There's no other choice.'
'This is the only way to our destination.' With a thought from him, the Prana Bomb emanating the Millinger's presence was changed to Fhoong Brimgan's.
"Be ready," Inala said as his Sumatra Ship entered the river water immediately after.