Chapter 126

Chapter 126 It was said that not even the fastest horse could outrun rumors, but the events of that day had spread across the entire Alliance even faster than lightning.

The death of Pablo, a prominent figure in the Council of Atlantis, the organization that ruled Atlantis, was just the appetizer. The news that he had been defeated by a boy not even twenty years old was shocking enough, but it paled in comparison to the revelation that Pablo and the entire crew of the Moby Dick Expedition Team that he led had colluded with the Outer Gods that came from beyond the Rift and had gone astray.

This situation transcended typical power struggles, threatening the safety of all the residents.

“They say the Masterpiece ship Moby Dick transformed into a Rank S giant monster and went on a rampage. That has to be a rumor, right?”

“You idiot... You think only a few are claiming that? Thousands have witnessed it.”

“It was confirmed by the Chief Elder of the Magic Tower and Councilman Gordon. Whether it’s true or not, you might be taken away by the guards if you’re not careful with what you say.”

Some were skeptical, some outright denied it, and others were just wary. Regardless of people’s reactions, the shocking news kept spreading. Following the betrayal of the Moby Dick Expedition Team, the true story of the incident from eight years ago was revealed in detail. Sёarᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Naturally, Atlantis was buzzing with this topic, and people were keeping their lights on late into the night.

“Hey! They say Ahab of the ghost ship took Pablo’s head!”

In a tavern, a man slapped his friend on the back, shouting so loudly that everyone at the surrounding tables turned their heads.

As the intriguing story unfolded, the previously lively crowd fell silent.

“The Maestro did? Does that mean Pequod has become a ghost ship? Unbelievable things keep happening.”

“Exactly! Moreover, the Magic Tower announced that the ghost ship only seeks revenge on those who sank it! If that’s the case, why do you think it went after Pablo?”

Immediately understanding what this meant, the man put down his drink and muttered with a shocked expression, “Was... Was that rumor true? Oh, our pitiful princess!”

“Pitiful? She stood back up after eight years and took down the enemy of her expedition team. How incredible is that! Let’s toast to Aquamarine instead of pitying her with useless sympathy. Hey guys! Cheers to you lot too! Drinks are on me tonight!”

At this, the other people, who had been eavesdropping, raised their glasses with a chuckle.

“We’ll drink to that even if you don’t pay the bill! To Aquamarine!”

“To Aquamarine!”

“To Aquamarine!”

The incident in the Third Sea District, despite resulting in significant casualties, sparked immense interest. For people struggling to survive, comedy was always more welcome than tragedy, and a heroic tale that set their blood boiling was even better.

Atlantis was soon ablaze with rage and excitement.

“Bermuda must compensate for the disaster in the Third Sea District! They should apologize for failing to see Moby Dick’s true nature!”

“The Council of Atlantis too! How can we trust them when the governing body has been colluding with monsters?”

Pent-up frustrations finally erupted.

Seizing the moment, Archmage Gordon Haywood watched the enraged citizens with a snake-like smile. “Haha, a perfect opportunity.”

Gordon, who used to have connections with the Rift Preservation Faction members in the Council of Atlantis, could easily identify suspicious individuals like Pablo. Normally, there were extensive procedures to be followed in order to investigate the council members, but with public sentiment on his side, a few breaches of protocol wouldn’t matter.

If Gordon were to storm into their houses at midnight and drag them out by their collars, he wouldn’t be condemned for abusing his authority; rather, his actions would be met with applause.

“Still, I can’t do it alone. It seems they’ve won over quite a few Rank A adventurers, and there are those who evade my watch.”

He turned to look behind him. “I need your strength. Not for my own gain, but to eliminate the threats in these waters as quickly as possible.”

“...Your tongue is still as cunning as ever.”

The curt response came from Russell, the newly appointed Towermaster for his contributions to the recent incident’s resolution.

“Although I’d love to see you fail, it would only increase my workload. I’ll move on my own, so try to keep up this time.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult,” Gordon replied.

“And you? Do you have a plan?”

Startled by Russell’s gaze, a man who had been hiding in the shadows stepped forward with an awkward expression.

It was Herman Melville, the former second-in-command of the Moby Dick Expedition Team. Though he had left before the incident, he needed to take part in this in order to prove his innocence. Besides, he had no intention of leaving Atlantis just yet.

“I know a few people who secretly met with Pablo. They don’t know I’ve changed sides, so we can catch them off guard and capture them alive.”

“Hoo...? Not bad. Prisoners are more useful than corpses.”

While Gordon was pleased, Russell remained cool and analytical.

“Some of them might already be inhuman, just like the members of Moby Dick. Do you have a way to subdue them?”

“...Cutting off their limbs should do the trick.”

“Highly mutated ones can regenerate not only limbs but also their hearts. Unlike with trolls, those things will regenerate even cauterized wounds. Freezing them seems to be the only effective method.”

While muttering, Russell briefly rummaged through his belongings before tossing a staff, which looked like an artifact, to Herman.

With his senses becoming heightened in the Transcendence Tier, Herman sensed the intense cold radiating from the staff. If directly hit by it, even a Swordmaster would be immobilized for a while.

“Impressive. You figured it out immediately, despite not being a mage?”

Noticing that Herman realized what the staff was, Russell briefly explained about it, “It’s not an item meant for combat. Use it after cutting off their limbs. The activation phrase is Deep Freeze.”

“Will freezing their entire bodies not kill them?”

“Some will survive, some won’t. Don’t worry about it, just use it.”

Even those from generic secret organizations would immediately resort to suicide upon being exposed, so the Outer God Worshippers would almost certainly choose death rather than talk. Capturing them alive was just wishful thinking, not a strategic goal. The most crucial element of this ambush was speed.

The Masters divided their target areas on the map, their eyes gleaming.

“We start tonight,” Gordon declared.

Nodding in agreement, the two men darted off into the night, the Archmage and the Swordmaster weaving through the dim streets of Atlantis.

They were essentially a one-man army, each of them standing at the pinnacle of destruction, capable of taking on an entire legion if they unleashed their full power. No one in Atlantis would be able to stand in their way.

* * *

Three months had passed since that day.

It had taken three whole months for things to settle down within the Atlantis Maritime Alliance, at least on the surface. Pablo and Moby Dick’s betrayal was merely the spark that ignited the fuse, causing all the festering problems to finally erupt one after another.

Within the Council of Atlantis, three out of the thirteen council members were beheaded, and those from the Rift Preservation Faction who managed to keep their heads lost significant influence.

Bermuda was no different—the executives connected to the three executed council members lost their lives and fortunes, while the adventurers previously won over by Moby Dick were uncovered, sparking skirmishes across the city.

However, the powerful threats had already been dealt with by the Masters, so those adventurers were quickly subdued or executed on the battlefield. In total, fifteen Rank A and over three hundred Rank B individuals were involved.

“The only place completely free from the influence of the Outer God Worshippers is the Magic Tower,” muttered one council member, sweating as he read the seemingly endless list of names.

Across from him, Russell merely scoffed at the ignorant remark.

“Obviously. Fundamentally, mages and Outer Gods cannot coexist. Even if some of the people on that list are magic swordsmen, none of them are pure mages.”

“Indeed...”

“The so-called mages in Moby Dick were likely not true mages but Outer-Order Sorcerers who use the power of the Outer Gods. True mages would never accept the power of the Outer Gods, as it contradicts the laws of our world. Evidence from their traces confirms the presence of the Outer World Order.”

A genuine mage accepting the power of the Outer Gods would be equivalent to discarding all their accumulated knowledge and training. The Outer God Worshippers could never infiltrate the Magic Tower because Outer Gods and the Outer World Order were subjects to be studied and dissected, not embraced.

“Now, let’s begin the voting,” Gordon said confidently as he stood up, scanning the nearly filled round table. He had effectively been the second-in-command before the incident, but now, with his active role in the recent incidents, he was essentially treated as the chairman.

Having taken part in the Moby Dick subjugation battle, Gordon had naturally gained popularity among the people. On top of that, he took an active role in tracking down and exterminating the renegades.

Gordon’s contributions were taking effect, and now, this vote was the process of declaring the completion of the system centered on him.

“Let’s vote on inducting Frances Ler von Okeanos, captain of the Aquamarine Expedition Team, into the Council of Atlantis. Raise your right hand if you are in favor.”

Some of the council members frowned at the idea of appointing the barely twenty-year-old captain of an expedition team as a council member, but none had the grounds or power to oppose Gordon.

The Council of Atlantis owed too much to Aquamarine.

Four council members were directly involved in the incident eight years ago, and she restored her father’s honor with her own strength. We have no right to object.

Damn it! I’m being persecuted just for meeting Pablo a few times. I’ll have to bow to Gordon and that girl for at least ten years...

In terms of politics, she’s sharper than her father. There’s no point in opposing Frances when she’s being backed by Russel, the new Towermaster, and Gordon. It’s better to align with her.

The council members, some resigned to the idea and others bitter about it, raised their right hands one by one.

Among them was Jack Russell, who, on top of being the Towermaster of the Atlantis Magic Tower, was also a council member thanks to the fact that the Magic Tower was the only organization out there with no connection to the Outer God Worshippers.

Jack Russell wasn’t happy to be inadvertently seen as part of Gordon’s faction, but he needed to take the wheel to allow Atlantis to quickly stabilize itself.

“Eleven votes in favor, two vacant seats. With unanimous agreement, we welcome Frances Ler von Okeanos as the newest member of the Council of Atlantis.”

A smattering of dry applause followed. Some were displeased, others anxious, but none were foolish enough to show it. In politics, it was essential to lie low and wait for the right moment.

“...Then let’s conclude today’s council meeting. The next one will be in two weeks. Please inform me in advance if there are any requests to change the schedule.”

With Frances’ induction made official, the remaining items were minor. As the council members dispersed with a brief greeting, three figures remained—Gordon Haywood, Jack Russell, and Benjamin.

“I never expected to join the Council of Atlantis and have Captain Frances as a fellow council member,” said Benjamin, wiping the sweat from his brow after maintaining a stoic expression throughout the entire meeting.

Gordon laughed heartily and said, “Don’t be modest. I’ve looked into you.”

The recent events had created a significant power vacuum both in the Council of Atlantis and Bermuda. Over six high-ranking executives had died, and another twenty had been forced to step down. Hundreds of positions needed to be filled, and those who had worked diligently rose, while those with connections or bribes were demoted or requested to resign.

“Everyone with more experience than you had some blemish on their name, some worse than others. Actually, everyone who held a high-ranking position, however briefly, was like that. The fact that your name came up for the council seat from Bermuda is a testament to your honest life. You should be proud.”

“Th-Thank you, Councilman Gordon.”

“Let’s talk more over a drink later, Councilman Benjamin. After all, today wasn’t about you or me.”

Gordon then looked around. “Hey, Russell.”

“What?”

“Where is Councilwoman Frances? She should be here by now.”

Russell smirked, ready to deliver unexpected news.

“Sorry, but it seems today isn’t the right day.”

“...What?”

“Leonard came out of his room. She returned to the ship as soon as she heard the news.”

At that, Gordon and Benjamin’s expressions suddenly changed. It was only natural.

Leonard, a prodigy who had broken through to the Transcendence Tier at sixteen, had collapsed after the decisive battle and taken six days to recover. Even when he finally awoke, he hadn’t fully recovered, teetering on the brink of qi deviation, his mind and body dangerously fragile. Because of that, Leonard had gone into seclusion to properly stabilize himself, not showing his face for three months.

“Considering the news, it's understandable. How about a drink tonight, Councilman Benjamin?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m free!”

“Since we’ve been stood up, let’s drown our sorrows together, eh? Russell, care to join?”

“Not interested,” Russell said curtly, turning away. “I plan to visit Leonard. Enjoy your night out.”

“Then give him my regards, will you? Tell him I’d like to see him before he leaves.”

“...Hmph.” With a scoff, Russell teleported away, disappearing with a flash of light.

After staring blankly at the spot where Russell had been for a moment, Gordon quickly snapped back to his cheerful demeanor and pulled Benjamin along.

Indeed, it was a good day for everyone.

Archmage Gordon, now firmly established as the de facto chairman of the Council of Atlantis, gazed out at the horizon with a satisfied expression. By chance or not, his gaze was fixed precisely on the docked Aquamarine.