Chapter 966

Steber's mind drifted into a ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) haze.

‘Success...? Or failure...?’

To be honest, anyone with a brain could tell that Yuder’s plan was far more likely to fail than succeed. They weren’t even in the shallow seas—this was the crushing deep, where merely protecting one’s body from collapse was already a miracle. And yet, the plan was to descend even further to the very bottom, locate the hidden abnormal rift, and eliminate the monster lurking within.

No ordinary human could say something like that—say they’d go to the ocean floor—without the slightest hesitation unless they were ready to die.

But Yuder was no ordinary human. He possessed strength beyond anyone else in the Cavalry, unmatched stamina, and even more astounding mental fortitude. No matter how impossible something seemed, if he stepped up, it always got done.

And then, there was Commander Kishiar at his side. He was just as extraordinary. The Cavalry still didn’t fully understand the extent of their Commander’s capabilities. The world might think the Duke of Peletta was just a frivolous noble, but to the eyes of the Cavalry, Kishiar was anything but. And yet, Kishiar would often shamelessly act in ways that made those outsider misconceptions seem accurate—almost like he was doing it on purpose. The fact that they’d spent considerable time close to him and still couldn’t fully grasp what kind of person he truly was... was terrifying in its own right.

To keep secrets and thoroughly deceive others was far harder than people thought—and if someone had pulled that off until now, what could they possibly fail to do in the future?

Having those two together... it made even a seemingly impossible situation feel like it could be overturned once more.

But now, this ominous vibration rising up from below. And the silhouette of that serpent-like monster drawing ever closer...

–Krrrrrrrrrrrr––!

Steber shut his eyes tightly, then opened them. The brief but intense train of thought vanished. He was deeply worried about the two who had gone down, but now wasn’t the time to indulge in fear.

After all, their task was simple.

Yuder had instructed: “If the monster rises, the remaining members should combine their power to create a current and send it to the surface.” Even if they couldn’t avoid an undersea quake, the monster’s form was clearly visible in the distance, so it was time for Steber to act.

If someone had asked him whether he truly believed he could protect his body here with his remaining strength, the honest answer would have been no.

If even for a moment the protective power on his body failed, he would be torn apart by the currents and pressure, and his remains wouldn’t even be found. Or he’d be attacked and devoured by that rising monster. Either way, death was closer than life.

But Steber didn’t turn away. He didn’t give in to despair or fear. He thought of Yuder Aile, who he had watched all day yesterday. He also thought of the Commander, cutting through the sea with his sword at the very front.

Then, without hesitation, he gathered power in his hands and signaled briefly to his comrades.

‘–Engaging!’

Even if what they could muster was no more than pebbles in a great wave, doing nothing would mean an even greater disaster for those above. Even without Yuder’s command, they would never retreat.

Steber squeezed out every last bit of his power and began generating a current. Having observed and mimicked Yuder before, it didn’t feel as unfamiliar or overwhelming as the first time. It was just agonizing and exhausting due to the extreme consumption of strength.

As his limbs trembled and he struggled to create the flow, Steber looked around—and realized his comrades were already doing the same, even before he signaled.

Only one person, tasked with protecting the Commander’s guest and unable to use their power otherwise, had withdrawn upward. The rest, all at once, channeled their abilities. Small whirlpools formed and began generating a new underwater current. Naturally, it was far weaker than what they had created with Yuder before. But the members remained calm, focused to a frightening degree, and prepared to release their force the moment the signal came.

Once everyone was ready, Steber sent the signal without hesitation.

‘Now!’

He felt a strange current crawling up his body—and with it, the enormous shadow of the monster ascending. Steber released his stream. Simultaneously, the other members launched their currents forward.

Each individual stream was small, but together, they had already learned through Yuder how powerful that combination could be. Even though their power now seemed feeble compared to before, the combined currents somehow held together and surged toward the monster.

Compared to the enormous shadow rising from below, their efforts looked pitifully small. No one could say for certain if they’d be able to push it to the surface. Steber clenched his jaw, not missing a single second as the streams launched toward the monster’s silhouette.

And then...

–Kuwaaaa... aaa...

Just as the Cavalry’s current seemed about to reach the monster, Steber realized something. That massive creature, which looked like it might lash out at any moment with tentacle-like limbs, wasn’t moving.

‘What...?’

The moment he noticed that, the tangled currents from Steber and the others struck the monster simultaneously.

Despite their best efforts, the currents had lost their edge—they were faint, barely sharper than ripples. They looked like they’d be swallowed up instantly, like pebbles tossed into waves.

But then, something entirely unexpected happened.

–Puhwaaaa––

The massive, serpent-like figure—what they had assumed was a unified body—burst apart like a bubble, as if to say it had been an illusion all along.

‘What...!’

Thousands of small, insignificant fragments that made up the creature’s body scattered into the sea like a pale mist. A huge shockwave swept through the waters, crashing into Steber. But it wasn’t nearly as terrifying as the death he had braced for.

Reflexively shifting into a defensive posture, Steber opened his eyes again—and saw someone else’s power enveloping his body.

A transparent wall of water—sturdy, yet delicate. This firm protective force originated from somewhere far below, amid the remains of the monster. In that darkness, Steber thought he saw a faint golden glow. There was only one person who could find their location and use such power in this pitch-black sea.

A sudden shiver of joy and realization ran through him.

‘–Yuder!’

A small shadow shot up from the depths at an almost unbelievable speed. Piercing through the monster’s remains like arrows, they emerged—Yuder Aile and Kishiar la Orr.

Even in the darkness, it was obvious their condition was terrible. But their limbs were intact. They were alive.

‘They’re alive!’

One of Yuder’s eyes emitted a light brighter than any mana stone bracelet as he raised his hand.

His fingers, raised toward the surface, trembled with intent. The meaning was clear.

–Earthquake.

At the same time, Kishiar made a signal of his own.

–Ascend.

The moment he signaled, everything around them seemed to swell. The remains of the monster scattered in the sea surged toward them like a tidal wave. The currents the Cavalry had created dissolved without resistance. But Steber no longer felt that death was near.

He couldn’t fully understand what was happening, but if those two had finished their task and returned to them, then that was enough.

He laughed loudly, didn’t ask a single question, and released his power. The water beneath him blasted upward, propelling his body explosively toward the surface.