Rhett was astonished, his eyes gleaming with wonder as he examined the Sharkman before him. "This creature... isn't it a monster? It has so many strengths!"
—It possessed the agility of a humanoid, combined with the raw physical power of a magical beast. If its intelligence were sharper, it might even surpass the Beastmen in actual combat!
Of course, it was far from perfect.
The Sharkman lacked the ability to comprehend human profundities, couldn't harness the elemental powers of the magical beasts native to this world, and lacked the innate talents of the Beastmen.
In summary, the Sharkman had inherited some of the strengths of all three, but also some of their weaknesses.
Overall, Rhett would still consider the Sharkman a top-tier species—remarkably strong in multiple aspects! But as for the rest of the fishmen, compared to the Sharkman, they were just "small fry." Yet, they still held valuable potential for study!
Rhett gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with anticipation.
In later generations, records of fishmen had become scarce. Now that he had the rare opportunity to encounter them in this era, he was determined to uncover all their secrets!
Most importantly, he wanted to explore the mystery of their disappearance...
Half an hour later.
All the soldiers had returned to the military port, gathering in an open area. Dozens of fishman bodies lay scattered, some twitching in their death throes, others already lifeless, their bulbous eyes staring vacantly.
Most of the captured fishmen were of mid-level transcendent strength, as the more formidable fishmen had managed to escape, aided by the sea and their natural advantage. Even the Sky Knights and Grand Mages couldn't match their speed.
At this moment, all the soldiers stood at attention, their expressions stern. Yet, as their eyes occasionally darted toward the fishmen, they couldn't hide their curiosity.
Rhett swept his gaze over the soldiers. This battle had served as an excellent way to further integrate himself with the forces of the Ice River Line. Whatever sense of being an outsider he might have felt was now dissolved.
Looking around, he saw that the remaining long-distance ships docked at the port had been utterly destroyed, shattered into fragments of wood that now floated amidst the frozen wreckage.
The fishmen's attack had completely obliterated any hope Rhett had of leading his troops to the Far North.
At least they had captured the real culprits behind the attack. When the commander or Pettis returned to question them, Rhett would have a good excuse—one that might not only spare him from blame but even earn him some merit.
—Perhaps revealing this discovery would even win him some accolades.
Rhett sighed inwardly, regretting the missed opportunity to witness the legendary battle of a hundred Saints. As his eyes swept over the captured fishmen, he noticed a few particularly unique individuals. Suppressing his curiosity, he called out loudly, "Regroup! Back to camp!"
Ice River Line, Alchemy Workshop.
"Dagula? Weren't you supposed to head to the Far North on a mission? How come you're here at this time... wait, something's not right. Why is the entire camp back? Aren't you afraid Pettis will punish you severely for violating military orders?"
In a top-floor laboratory, Heisenberg was fully absorbed in his research, carefully tracing some familiar patterns on a metal surface.
Upon closer inspection, these patterns were none other than those Rhett had drawn on the parchment earlier, though slightly modified.
After analyzing and reverse-engineering the alchemical patterns, Heisenberg had spent nearly a whole day immersing himself in experimentation, even forgoing sleep. It wasn't until Rhett opened the door to his lab that he noticed something amiss.
As he looked at Rhett, standing in the doorway and dragging along several bizarre creatures, Heisenberg's eyes gleamed with curiosity, and he blurted, "What creatures are those in your hand? New magical beasts? Hmm... no, they don't seem right... maybe mutated Beastmen?"
Heisenberg scratched his messy hair in confusion, feeling a peculiar sense that this officer kept surprising him.
Rhett, looking somewhat exasperated, slowly walked inside and dumped the fishmen onto the floor with a thud, his voice filled with frustration. "If you're wondering why we haven't set off, the answer lies with these ugly creatures!"
"Damn it! Our troops were all gathered by the coast, ready to embark, but out of nowhere, these strange, fish-like humanoids appeared... let's call them 'fishmen' for now."
"These fishmen launched a surprise attack, not only destroying our long-distance ships but also damaging our military port and injuring our soldiers. They are unforgivable!"
As Rhett recounted the story, his frustration boiled over, and he kicked one of the fishmen on the ground in a fit of anger.
"Alright, I see where you're coming from now," Heisenberg said, shaking his head with a look of pity. "I'm sure once the commander hears the full story, he won't hold you responsible."
"I hope so..." Rhett sighed. Suddenly, his eyes landed on the pigeon whistle, resembling a lollipop, sitting in the corner of the workbench. A thought struck him, and he asked, "What's the maximum range for your communication device? Could it reach the Far North?"
Heisenberg froze for a moment, his expression turning odd. "Why are you asking that? Hmm, the communication devices I gave you all have a range of about a thousand miles at most. But..."
Rhett's eyes brightened. "But what?"
"But there are two models," Heisenberg explained. "One is made with standard materials, limiting its range to a thousand miles. The other uses top-grade materials and can reach a distance of up to ten thousand miles."
"Ten... ten thousand miles?" Rhett's smile froze as he repeated the number, his heart sinking.
While ten thousand miles was impressive, it still wasn't enough to cover the distance to the Far North.
"Is there any way to extend it further?" Rhett pressed, not giving up hope.
"Extend it further? What do you think this is, a rubber band you can stretch? Alchemical advancements don't work that way! Ten thousand miles is already the current limit!" Heisenberg snapped, glaring at Rhett. Then, with a reluctant sigh, he added, "But, since you've been helpful with the alchemical patterns, I'll give you one of the top-grade communication devices."
With a flick of his hand, Heisenberg produced a device that was slightly larger, shaped more like a microphone than a lollipop, and handed it to Rhett.
"This... is..." Rhett was filled with a mix of surprise and joy, though he tried to appear confused.
"Just take it. Consider it a gift in return for the alchemical patterns you gave me," Heisenberg said, closing his eyes to avoid watching the precious device leave his possession. "Take it before I change my mind!"
Rhett blinked in surprise at Heisenberg's unexpected generosity. He was genuinely touched, but he wasted no time snatching up the communication device, thanking Heisenberg earnestly.
"Thanks for the gift! I'll remember this favor forever."
"Yeah, yeah... but take care of it! This isn't something you can use lightly. It consumes an insane amount of energy. A high-grade wind crystal will only give you about a minute of communication time. So don't go wasting it—you might not be able to afford it," Heisenberg warned seriously. He then coughed and added, "Oh, and if you ever recall more details about that alchemical pattern, don't hesitate to use this device to contact me…"
Ah, so that's what he's after... Rhett thought to himself with a wry smile. He nodded, saying, "No problem!"
He took the microphone-like device, feeling its light, smooth texture, as though it might float away like a feather. Though it didn't require any formal bond with its user, Rhett did need to leave a mental imprint to link it to other communication devices, much like adding a contact on some messaging app.
Following Heisenberg's instructions, the two exchanged imprints on each other's communication devices, allowing them to reach out whenever necessary.
"This device does have limitations," Heisenberg continued. "If a strong wind elemental with mastery over sound waves or extreme speed is nearby, they could easily intercept the transmission. Even someone who only comprehends one of those profundities could interfere."
"Understood," Rhett replied, committing the advice to memory. He then asked, "I heard there's a hint of profundity power in this device? How did you manage that?"
Heisenberg let out a sly laugh. "Dagula, there are some things you shouldn't ask. This is my greatest achievement, and no one's getting it from me!"
He glanced over at Ming, who was quietly working on an experiment, and then added, "Except maybe that kid—if he proves worthy, I might teach him one day..."
"That would be his good fortune," Rhett smiled. Suddenly, an idea struck him as he looked down at the communication device in his hand.
But this wasn't the place to test out his theory. For now, Rhett pushed the thought aside and kicked the sharkman at his feet. "Stop playing dead. I know you're still alive."
Heisenberg glanced at the sharkman with curiosity. "It can understand you?"
"Not really," Rhett shrugged. "It seems like they have their own language. To me, it's just a bunch of random noises. And to them, I'm probably speaking gibberish too."
"Leave the fishman here then," Heisenberg said, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of discovery. "What a fascinating creature... Where did it come from? Oh, Dagula, you've really given me a dilemma now—between the fishman and the alchemical patterns, I'm torn. Which should I research first?"
Seeing Heisenberg's conflicted expression, Rhett chuckled. "Isn't that a good problem to have?"
Heisenberg shot Rhett a look and waved him off dismissively, clearly indicating that his presence was no longer needed.
Rhett smirked and shrugged, turning to leave without another word.
Before exiting, he glanced back at Ming. Their eyes met briefly, and Rhett gave a slight nod of encouragement before walking out the door.
Two days later.
In an empty wilderness thousands of kilometers from the Ice River Line.
Golden, withered grass stretched out into the horizon, forming a vast sea of gold. Rhett sat among the tall grass, perched on a haystack, poring over a world map. His eyes quickly scanned the map before settling on a specific location.
—This was where he currently stood, an unclaimed land, far from any kingdoms or settlements.
With most of the continent's Saints gathered at the Far North, Rhett figured this would be the perfect time for Manu to descend.
Holding the communication device in hand, Rhett gazed up at the sky and muttered softly, "Manu, if you can hear me, now's the time to show up..."
He waited for over an hour.
Suddenly, a ball of light descended from the sky, falling quickly before landing before Rhett.
The light expanded, revealing a fiery, molten figure. The figure stretched out, as if relieved to finally relax after enduring immense pressure, and sighed.
"It wasn't easy, but I'm finally here!"
A smile of relief crossed Rhett's face as he looked at Manu, whose body glowed like molten lava. "Manu, finally! I've been waiting for you. So, what took you so long? I'm guessing you ran into some complications?"
"Complications? Too many to count. When I was crossing the world's barrier, I sensed several Saints locking onto me. I didn't dare take another step forward, so I had to hide at the threshold," Manu explained. "It wasn't until recently, when all the Saints left for the Far North, that I saw an opening. And now that you've left your usual post, there's no Saint within a thousand kilometers of here. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it down."
"You've done well," Rhett said with a smile, then turned serious. "Let's not waste time. Saints are indeed abundant in this era, and I had feared you wouldn't be able to descend. Fortunately, the events in the Far North have drawn away all the powerful eyes. Now's the perfect time to engage that mad genius of an alchemist."
"You've found him?" Manu's eyes lit up.
"Of course. I even got something interesting from him that will allow the two of you to communicate. Otherwise, with his eccentric personality, I wouldn't risk introducing you—he might just decide to dissect you for research."
Rhett grinned mischievously as he waved the communication device.
"Oh?"
Manu's curiosity was piqued as he eyed the pigeon whistle. "Does that thing allow long-distance communication?"
"Haha, you're sharp as always!" Rhett chuckled, not surprised that Manu had guessed so quickly. "Here's the plan. I'll use this device to talk to Heisenberg, and you'll write down your responses. I'll relay them to him. Understand?"