Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight: The Arrival

“Looks like your master isn’t doing such a great job!” Samuel said with a pointed tone, fully aware of the Phantom Master’s methods. It was quite normal for the Phantom to choose betrayal at this moment.

“In that case, you stay in Saint Cirrus City and keep a close watch on the person I want. Don’t let him escape!” Samuel’s spirit force swept across the entire nearby sea region as he warned the Phantom not to play any tricks, or he would outmatch his master’s tactics.

“No need for you to say that!” The Phantom, seeing that his objective had been achieved, withdrew from the area and prepared to return to Saint Cirrus City.

“Sir, that last surge of yours might attract the attention of the wizards outside!” A sea monster nearby cautiously approached. Samuel’s recent mental assault had been so powerful that it nearly crushed the creature beneath its overwhelming force.

“What’s there to fear? A battle is about to break out anyway; why should I be afraid of them?” Samuel dismissed the concern. In his eyes, the forces of Saint Cirrus City were simply no match for him and the Abyssal Leviathan.

“Uh, yes!” The sea creature, hearing its master’s words, obediently retreated without further protest.

News of the sea monster invasion had already swept through the entire Lost Domain. All coastal areas nearby had stationed wizards who were reluctant to confront these monsters but had no choice. If the Lost Domain fell, their fate would be grim.

“Sir, reports are coming in from all around. The reinforcements sent by Saint Cirrus City have begun establishing defensive lines. When do we move?” someone asked.

“Tonight,” Samuel replied after hearing the updates. The timing was nearly right, and the night was the best opportunity to strike.

As night fell, the sky was studded with stars, and a faint blood moon hung low, casting a crimson hue over the vast sea, making the waves appear like blood itself. A gentle breeze carried the sound of waves lapping against the shore. Everything seemed peaceful and serene.

“Notify all sea monsters around the Lost Domain. Begin the assault!” Samuel no longer concealed his presence; his voice, imbued with spirit power, echoed through all the surrounding waters.

“Yes!” The subordinate sea monsters began alerting their kin. Tonight, the Lost Domain would be soaked in blood.

“There’s movement!” Marco, the wizard in charge of the Silver Rose, had naturally heard Samuel’s command. His expression darkened immediately.

He and Fabian, along with other wizards, had suspected the Abyssal Leviathan to be behind the large-scale sea monster attacks on the Lost Domain. But Marco could tell from that voice—it was definitely not the Abyssal Leviathan’s.

This meant someone else was orchestrating the sea monster invasion, and the Leviathan was only a scapegoat.

The more Marco pondered, the more suspicious he became. But with the sea monsters preparing to attack, he had no choice but to relay the information to the other wizards.

Only a small group understood the true nature of the crisis facing the Lost Domain this time. They had concealed the discovery of numerous secondary sea monsters and announced that wizards willing to participate in this battle could choose an advanced meditation spell afterward, thereby mobilizing the wandering wizards of Saint Cirrus City and the Lost Domain.

Had the truth been revealed, the situation would have been far more difficult.

These sea monsters were distributed around the waters near the Lost Domain, their intention obvious: to weaken the combat strength of Saint Cirrus City.

Every wizard understood this, yet there was no alternative. If they didn’t intercept the monsters, it would be even more troublesome once the creatures entered the core of the Lost Domain.

“All wizards, prepare yourselves. The sea monsters will attack tonight!” Within the defensive camp, all wizards readied themselves, not daring to relax even slightly. They had also heard Samuel’s voice.

They had not expected that on the second day of arrival at the defense line, the sea monsters would already be losing patience.

Meanwhile, all the surrounding waters of the Lost Domain acted in unison, as one by one, sea monsters surfaced.

At the same time, in the sea region closest to Saint Cirrus City, a sound reminiscent of a bell yet sharp and piercing suddenly rang out.

The sea churned, and a massive whale about 300 meters long emerged.

Its colossal streamlined body emitted a pale blue glow, eerie under the moonlight. The brown spots on its skin seemed imbued with magic, drawing observers into a trance.

The whale’s belly was covered with folds, its tail wide and flat, with a massive fluke measuring a third of its body length. It rolled through the sea with powerful tail strokes, each swing sending giant waves crashing onto the shore.

Samuel no longer concealed himself; his enormous form stretched across the sea surface, revealing his third-tier strength without reservation.

“Just as I thought!” Marco, seeing Samuel’s figure, realized the voice issuing commands earlier must have belonged to him.

His suspicions were correct—the invasion was far from simple. It seemed the third-tier Abyssal Panopod was the true mastermind behind this crisis.

“Scarata...” The sea monsters around closed their eyes simultaneously, chanting in a high, strange tone. Marco heard an unfamiliar incantation.

At the same time, Samuel’s spirit force linked with the Abyssal Leviathan’s, sending a vast wave of mental energy outward.

“This Abyssal Panopod has broken through the limits of its bloodline!” Marco was stunned as he gazed at Samuel’s form. Though not a specialist in bloodline research, he knew enough about these advanced creatures to be shocked.

Not only Marco was surprised. Fabian’s face also darkened upon sensing the surge of spirit power. Marco had recently warned him that the mastermind behind the sea monsters might be someone else and to remain vigilant.

Fabian knew something was amiss, but time was short. The sea monsters were preparing to attack, and the Abyssal Leviathan had already revealed itself. He could only set aside suspicions and focus on contending with the Leviathan.

But Samuel’s sudden burst of spirit power made Fabian realize they had been outmaneuvered. The enemy’s plan was to scatter and weaken Saint Cirrus City’s main fighting force.

In Saint Cirrus City, Fabian was the only third-tier wizard, capable of handling the Abyssal Leviathan alone. But with the addition of a third-tier high-level creature, the Lost Domain might truly be lost.

On the tranquil sea, grotesque sea monsters writhed something in their mouths, uttering strange syllables. Their coordinated, low chants echoed across the sea, unsettling all who heard.

For a moment, the entire Lost Domain seemed to be engulfed in the monsters’ incantations, spreading widespread panic.

“Attack!” Marco ordered, seeing the monsters continue their chant. He urged his forces to strike first, catching the sea creatures off guard before they could react.

“Hm?” In a laboratory, Hughes noticed a mark on the woman’s hand begin to flicker.

“Is it time to begin?” Hughes and the woman had agreed to contact him once the operation started.

He quietly slipped out of the lab. The large facility was sparsely populated, with everyone deeply engrossed in their work, so no one noticed his absence.

“Is it time?” Hughes found a secluded spot where no one would come and connected with the woman.

“Not yet. The sea monsters are ready to move, but surprisingly, not only has the Abyssal Leviathan appeared, there’s also an Abyssal Panopod that has broken through its bloodline limit!” the woman exclaimed excitedly.

“With both of them involved, even if the reinforcements from Saint Cirrus City survive, they won’t be able to focus here for some time. Our plan is certain to succeed!”

“An Abyssal Panopod that has broken through its bloodline limit!” Upon hearing the woman’s words, Hughes immediately thought of Samuel.