[Vol. 7] Chapter 5: A Race Between Life and Death
"Waaahhhhhhh!!!"
Even though she had been told about the plan in advance, the sudden drop and intense feeling of weightlessness still made a certain curious thief girl scream instinctively.
After all, “splitting the ocean in half and letting the ship fall straight down” sounded more like a figure of speech than an actual plan. Yet, the priestess actually did it, without even the slightest exaggeration.
The deck didn’t have many secure footholds, and since Le Qiaoqiao was only at Lv.30 in the [Peak Ascension] realm, she had no way of staying afloat or flying. The moment the ship tilted sharply, she rolled like a tumbling gourd straight down.
Luckily, she was quick-witted. Realizing the danger, she immediately threw out a grappling hook, latching onto the railing at the edge of [Noah’s Ark] just in time, barely avoiding the embarrassment of crashing headfirst into the outer barrier and knocking herself dizzy.
As for the others, Violet simply spread her white wings and effortlessly maintained her balance on the slanted deck.
Ming Lan, being a Spirit Veil Tribe member, wasn't quite as powerful as Ming Xin, who's at Lv.70+, she had survived long enough to handle situations like this with ease. With just a slight crouch, she quickly stabilized her footing.
Meanwhile, Hongyan, who stood at the ship’s bow, might not have had their god-like strength, but thanks to the [Shared Battle Covenant], her stats had nearly reached Lv.70. With just one hand gripping the railing, she effortlessly anchored herself in place.
She calmly sheathed her sword, but her eyes never left the abyssal ocean trench that [Noah’s Ark] was rapidly falling into. She seemed to be watching for something.
And she wasn’t the only one. Violet and Ming Lan were also focused on the depths below.
"WHOOOOOOOOSHHHH!!!"
The deafening roar of rushing wind and the churning ocean waves battered against the golden barrier of [Light Protection], but it didn’t falter in the slightest.
Even though [Noah’s Ark] was a massive ship, gravity’s pull sent it plummeting at a terrifying speed.
The force behind Hongyan’s sword strike had carved a path at least a kilometer deep, and strangely, the ocean on both sides wasn’t collapsing back in. As if some unseen force was holding it at bay.
That force was the lingering sword intent.
A thousand meters, not too long, yet not too short.
As the ship plummeted, the gap in the ocean began to close rapidly. Standing on the deck, listening to the howling wind, Violet could even clearly see the roiling waves at the bottom of the trench.
It was obvious. This ocean trench was far deeper than just a kilometer.
Then, at just the right moment, Hongyan unleashed another devastating sword strike!
"ZINGGGG!!!!!"
This slash was even stronger than the first. A full-powered, no-holding-back strike worthy of the name [Absolute Sword].
Under normal circumstances, even if Hongyan had managed to grasp the basics of [Void Energy] under Violet’s guidance, a single attack of this scale would have left her completely drained, possibly even unconscious.
But now, with the priestess as her support, her pathetically low SP was instantly replenished the moment she used it. Thanks to Violet, she essentially had "infinite energy", and her only limit was how much sword intent she could channel.
Once again, her blade split the ocean apart, carving open another kilometer-deep abyss below them. [Noah’s Ark] continued its rapid descent through the forcibly opened path, while above, the ocean surface finally started to close in.
The collapsing seawater blocked out the sunlight, casting everything into darkness.
And then…
"Ugh... this is way too intense... Oh sh*t! Boss! Boss, look up!!! The ocean is crashing down on us!!!"
Violet glanced at the thief girl, who had somehow managed to squirm her way next to her during the high-speed descent. Le Qiaoqiao looked absolutely pale and nauseous, like she was about to throw up at any second.
Annoyed, Violet gave her a firm smack on her bouncy little backside and shot her a "Are you an idiot?" kind of look.
"Stop screaming! My ears are going to burst! Haven't you ever heard of gravity? As long as we keep falling straight down, the water above will never catch up. Maybe try learning some physics, dumbass."
"Eh... So that's how it works... Ugh—!"
"Oh no, you don’t! Hold it in! If you dare puke on this ship, you’re dead!"
"ZINGGG!!!"
While the two were still in the middle of their chaotic struggle, the swordswoman at the bow unleashed another devastating slash.
For the third time, she cleaved through the ocean below, carving a path forward in the pitch-black depths, where only the golden barrier of light provided any visibility.
By now, they were deep within an impossible void beneath the ocean, a space that shouldn’t even exist.
This constant cycle, pushing herself to the limit, exhausting her strength, and then immediately being replenished, was clearly benefiting Hongyan. Each subtle improvement in her sword strikes showed that she was becoming more in tune with her power.
By the time this was over, her abilities would have increased significantly.
After all, experiencing something this insane was a once-in-a-lifetime event for most people.
And so, Hongyan continued slashing downward, keeping [Noah’s Ark] on its rapid descent, while Violet’s [Light Protection] shielded them from all external threats.
Like a golden sphere of light, they plunged deeper and deeper into the abyss.
10,000 meters down...
Yet, even after falling this far.
The ocean below remained just as dark and bottomless.
At this depth, where sunlight had long since vanished, the water pressure was beyond terrifying.
This was the true power of nature itself.
Even though Hongyan was still giving it her all, her slashes were getting weaker, their range and duration shrinking. Inside [Light Protection], the oxygen supply was also running low.
"Still not enough...?"
Noticing how things were getting worse, Violet frowned slightly.
Even for those at the pinnacle of life transcendent-level beings, fighting against the raw force of nature itself was impossible.
If their fall slowed down, the ocean above would come crashing down on them.
She had never actually tested it, but Violet wasn’t foolish enough to claim that a mere Tier 6 spell could withstand the full force of the deep sea.
Because this power wasn’t just strong. It was endless.
Using a higher-tier defensive spell might interfere with how the world-crossing rules are applied, so unless absolutely necessary, it was best to avoid that option.
"ZING!!!"
Another brilliant sword strike cut through the ocean below, breaking apart the closing waters.
But even with Violet’s constant support, Hongyan’s pale face showed that she was nearing her limit. Not physically, but mentally exhausted.
Her strikes were losing power, now only one-third as effective as before, barely creating enough space for [Noah’s Ark] to pass through.
Violet’s strategy had allowed them to avoid direct confrontation with deep-sea pressure while also diving faster, but the risks were high, and margin for error was low.
Everything depended on Hongyan’s swordplay and right now, that was becoming a problem.
Was she still too young for this…?
She had certainly done her best, but Violet had prepared a backup plan just in case.
Sensing the situation, Ming Lan quietly approached the black-haired priestess and cautiously suggested an alternative.
"Miss Violet, why don’t we just go with the simplest method? I brought both of those items. If we set them up now, we should still have time…."
Violet glanced back at the fox-eared youth but didn’t immediately respond.
Instead, she asked, "Based on your experience, how much deeper do we need to go?"
Ming Lan thought for a moment before answering.
"The gap between worlds is always shifting, so I can't give you an exact number. But on average, it should be around 10,000 meters deep. We shouldn’t have much farther to go."
"Hmm..."
Nodding, Violet turned away and stepped forward.
"In that case, I'll take it from here."