The elderly announcer from the lower glass chamber began speaking through the loudspeakers, rousing the crowd into excitement for the grand event
"Now, the Selection has commenced once again! But this year holds something special that you can notice from the report listing all participants"
"I foresee that this year! More will pass the Selection and survive than in previous years, for a child of a high-ranking noble participates with honor. Though their rights were curtailed, the princess graciously granted a chance to demonstrate the duties of the privileged—Diego Frether"
"Diego Frether!!"
Daniel, seated beside Victor, sprang up in astonishment, his face barely believing what he heard. He peered repeatedly into the arena and spotted a familiar man clad in expensive, tightly fitted armor, twin swords in hand
"Oh! This is bad. Father will kill me if I let this happen!"
A snapping finger cracked, capturing every eye to witness the phenomenon. The surrounding canal seemed distorted, as if a heavy object had fallen, generating chaotic waves beneath the violent winds that struck the wooden sails, propelling them into the arena walls
Dozens of large wooden ships emerged from the void, outfitted with cannons and full equipment
"For this year' s Selection, everyone is to spread out among the ships that you deem the best choice"
"From now, the arena will descend and transform into a miniature naval battlefield. Assign your crews according to skill. Each ship is essential for coordinating objectives. Rules are clear: any who fall into the canal are disqualified and must join the procession to the barren lands"
Soon, the rippling water darkened into an opaque black, as enormous fins of deep-sea creatures surfaced, swimming against the current to form endless whirlpools
"Behold the dangerous sea creatures from the Dark Sea of the Inphineus Empire, nightmares that consume indiscriminately, which no one has conquered in centuries of frantic expansion attempting to spread into other seas—Deepnecros Sharks"
"Do not fear death, for their abilities are constrained from harming humans. They will ignore those swimming in the water"
"Furthermore, the Emperor himself takes a special interest in the arrival of the first envoy from the Ven Republic and the first combined Selection of nobles and commoners. A message was sent, declaring his desire to personally witness this Selection"
The weather changed abruptly, fierce storms lashing the ancient site
Hundreds of billions of bloodlines intertwined into pipelines, spreading across the sky into a crimson hue, forming a single sacred eye
It turned sunlight into torment, creating haunting sounds of death from nowhere, gazing upon everything like a divine entity shaping all
"Everyone, worship and pay respect to the Emperor of the Blood Empire, Carlos Verndirith"
The crimson glow struck Victor' s eyes, everything before him suffused with red. Whispers chased his ears, the coffee in his hand trembling, water twisting into foul, rotting blood
The atmosphere was stamped with finality. Applause rose in unison, the instruments praising the spectacle
When his gaze swept toward foreign envoys, their expressions mirrored Victor' s; the Emperor' s grandeur was evident equally to all
Even Daniel' s face tensed, his breathing noticeably strained
Meanwhile, King' s Knight Robart smiled softly from behind them
"The Selection has officially begun"
…
Cannons were aimed at inescapable targets. People scrambled to load ammunition and adjust sails for optimal movement along the currents
Hand signals coordinated as one ship relayed instructions to nearby vessels, forming a command network
A commoner stood on the deck, observing intently while adjusting his glasses, rolling up sleeves to reveal well-trained muscles
"Everyone, prepare to fire! When all ten ships encircle it, we will begin an attack that will never miss"
A man ran up, panting
"The ammunition room reports sufficient cannonballs for ten consecutive shots; restocking is required, though total reserves allow ten more rounds"
"Good! Prepare crews for emergencies. Ship positions must not overlap"
"Acknowledged!"
Heavy waves rocked the ships, destabilizing aim. Cannons pointed toward swirling currents, waiting for the perfect moment
A man raised his twin swords, scanning the gleaming metal reflecting the crimson light
His face confident, filled with warrior spirit. Blonde hair unkempt, heavy armor projecting arrogance atop the deck crowded with the shouts of those below
Diego awaited the right moment, aware of what his enemy would do
The shark would not wait for humans to bombard it with cannons; it constrained human territory through its swimming pattern. Circling merely enforced its enemy' s formation
Once firing erupted, it would counterattack with no time to prepare. Should the ships break formation, they' d become its shields, potentially destroyed in the whirlpool
"Damn it. Hope Father is watching"
"Staying idle is no longer an option"
The young man leapt onto a deck plank. The chaos paused, all eyes staring in astonishment
No one demanded help or protested his apparent recklessness
They trusted their own teamwork over the privilege of raw strength
The commanding officer wearing glasses approached, assessing the situation. Both smiled confidently at their calculations
"You need not descend. Soon, all will conclude without your intervention"
"I suggest you furl the sails for calm in this canal.. otherwise, prepare for death unconsidered!"
Diego straightened, breathing rhythmically, crouching low as he focused ahead
"You noble fools, what do you intend? Do not interfere with our plan"
"That' s your problem!"
The man in glasses scowled. Suddenly, the deck shook violently, pressed downward into the water. Wooden planks splintered into the hull
Diego launched into the air above the dark whirlpool, ink-black water consuming all around
The air split briefly. Roars, rain, and wind battered Diego, lifting him close to the Emperor' s gaze
The giant shark leapt madly behind
Its flesh and skin twisted grotesquely, encased in thick skeletal armor. Sharp fangs lunged at the young man as a cacophony erupted, tearing the wind and waves into chaos
All ten ships floated helplessly, tilting, some colliding with the arena edge, others nearly capsizing
The shark roared, spraying water across the arena. Twin swords stabbed its body, slashing from eyes to tail
Though Diego descended with it, remaining atop the creature, it was not defeat but a mad combat strategy
All ships were heavily impacted, yet none fell into the canal
After the sails were furled and the ships stopped, the central whirlpool dissipated. The plan ended all major risk in exchange for minor exposure
He knew he could lure it above the water to stop the cycle
Yet it was not easy, gripping the thrashing body with all strength. Its roars spread, sending violent windwaves that battered distant ships
Several ships collided with the arena edge repeatedly
This made the creature a stationary target, unable to neglect its injuries or its rider
The man in glasses commanded again. Everyone signaled in unison; cannon fire echoed around. Diego stood at the ship' s edge, scanning for the source
A nearby ship' s crew panicked, mutinying uncontrollably
As gunpowder filled the air, the injured shark dove deep to hide. It reacted cleverly to danger, yet Diego refused to release it
He bit through its scales, blood covering his tongue and skin. Ignoring breath, he attacked relentlessly
The shark' s confinement in the narrow canal limited its wildness. Though it tried to scrape along the bottom, it struck walls, unable to kill him due to invisible limits
Diego' s vision blurred; lack of air was inevitable
Crimson blood mixed with dark water beautifully. He endured pain to rise to the surface among all ten ships
One ship surged forward, tilting drastically. The man in glasses yanked Diego aboard before the vessel collided with a burning ship, smashing its bow
In an instant, only the wounded shark remained. Hand signals relayed through every angle, sending blood arrows and cannon fire swarming against it.