They stepped inside the Pyramid.
As they passed through the boundary—that watery veil—a shiver ran down everyone's spine. The hot, dry desert air vanished in an instant. In its place, cool, pristine air scented with ozone rushed against their faces.
And the sight before them... even Kenji, who had roamed fantastic worlds for eighty years, was forced to pause for a moment.
Here, beneath a massive dome, lay an entire city.
The city's buildings were constructed of transparent, light-refracting crystal and blue jade, interconnected by glass-like walkways and waterfalls suspended in mid-air. Water flowed along the walls of the buildings, but it did not fall; instead, it flowed upwards along the surfaces, defying gravity.
High above, hundreds of meters up at the very apex of the Pyramid, an artificial "Sun"—a colossal, radiant sphere of mana—shone brightly. It bathed the entire city in a soft, non-glaring light.
Atlanteans moved through the streets. Some flew on hovering disk-platforms, while others moved rapidly inside transparent, water-filled tubes (likely their metro system).
Here, technology and magic were blended so seamlessly that it was impossible to distinguish where science ended and sorcery began.
"Whoa..." Zero said, looking around and adjusting his glasses. "This architecture... The geometry here doesn't conform to Euclidean laws. The buildings should collapse, yet they float. Antigravity? Or magnetic fields?"
"'Mana Levitation'," Rynna said in awe, checking her tablet (which had started working again). "They built the entire city atop a massive energy field. The mana density here is 50 times higher than outside."
Kenji simply watched the surroundings and whistled.
"Beautiful. Truly beautiful. While the government boasts about its 'Cyborgs,' these guys are playing in a completely different league. If Tony Stark saw this place, he'd die of envy. Or try to buy it immediately."
They walked along a wide central street paved with crystal stones.
The prisoners (who now looked like slack-jawed tourists) stared in amazement at the buildings and the colorful water erupting from fountains. Many had forgotten their wounds, hunger, and fatigue.
The Atlanteans stepped to the side of the road, looking at these strange, dirty, and tattered "surface dwellers" with curiosity, but without hostility.
Children (little Atlanteans) floated in the air, pointing at them with their fingers.
"Their eyes," Odin said quietly to Kenji. "There is no aggression. They aren't even afraid of us. They are very confident in their power and security. That... is a good sign."
Kenji looked at a place resembling a roadside shop. Fruits that emitted an inner glow were floating in the air there.
"Anyone hungry?" he asked loudly. "I think they have more than just fish here. And I hope they accept credit cards."
The female leader guided them toward the center of the city—to the Royal Palace, built entirely of white and blue jade, located at the highest point.
The path to the palace was long. They crossed suspension bridges. Below, in the city canals, massive creatures resembling whales—but transparent and with flowers growing inside them—swam lazily.
Kaito carried Laylo with care. Laylo's color seemed to be returning slightly; the air here—saturated with mana—was providing her with natural healing.
"We have almost arrived," the leader woman said, stopping in front of a massive gate. "The High Council and the Princess await you in the palace."
Kenji looked at the palace gate. In front of it stood a ten-meter statue made of pure gold, depicting a sea god holding a trident.
"Council and Princess," Kenji repeated, cracking his neck. "I hope they aren't boring politicians. Long conversations exhaust me. I need concrete action and results."
The gates opened on their own.
A powerful yet pleasant wave of energy rushed out from within.
"Let's go," Kenji said to his team. "It's time to meet our new allies."
When the palace gates swung open, Kenji and the "army" behind him were greeted by blinding opulence.
Here, the walls were not built of ordinary stone, but of living, flowing water and light. Every pillar was inlaid with the bones of ancient sea creatures and pearls, making them look like priceless exhibits in a historical museum.
At the far end of the hall, suspended ten meters above the ground, stood a colossal throne carved from a single piece of blue jade.
Sitting upon it was Queen Neyra.
She was over three meters tall (imposing even while seated), her skin as white as alabaster, with blue veins pulsating beneath it like lightning. The crown on her head was not made of gold or silver, but of solidified water crystals. Her gaze was so cold and indifferent that she seemed like a goddess looking down upon ants.
Surrounding her were dozens of "Royal Guards"—elite warriors clad in fully enclosed, transparent armor, wielding energy spears.
Kenji and his team (Kaito carrying Laylo) approached the throne. The 500 prisoners formed ranks at the entrance of the hall.
The female leader (who had guided them) stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Majesty! The 'Daughter of the Sea' and her companions have arrived. The girl is in critical condition."
Queen Neyra stood up slowly. Her movement was so fluid it seemed as if she had no bones. she began to descend the stairs. With every step she took, the hall trembled.
"Lay her here, in the 'Pool of Healing'," the Queen said, pointing to a small, circular pool at the foot of the throne.
Kaito glanced at Kenji. Upon receiving a nod, he carefully laid Laylo on the edge of the pool.
Laylo was in terrible shape. Her skin had turned blue, and her breathing was barely perceptible. "Mana Burn" had shut down her vital organs.
Queen Neyra stood over Laylo. She leaned down, staring at Laylo's face.
"Weak," the Queen said coldly. "She carries the ancient blood, but her body cannot bear it. Foolish child."
Suddenly, the Queen raised her hand and... grabbed Laylo by the throat!
Her fingers were as hard as steel. She squeezed Laylo's slender neck so tight that the sound of cracking bone echoed in the silence.
Kenji froze.
What is she doing?!
The Queen raised her long, razor-sharp, glass-like claws and... plunged them straight into both sides of Laylo's neck—into her jugular veins!
A fountain of crimson blood sprayed out, mixing with the water of the pool.
Something exploded in Kenji's brain.
His eighty-year-old instinct saw only one thing: The Enemy is killing his sister.
"GET AWAY!!!" Kenji roared so loudly that his voice shook the hall.
He launched himself forward.
In mid-air, in a thousandth of a second, the legendary "Dragon Tooth" materialized in his hand.
This sword had sliced through the hides of thousands of Bosses, the armor of Demons, and even the hulls of spaceships over eighty years. It was Kenji's most trusted, sharpest, unbreakable weapon.
Kenji aimed for the Queen's neck with all his strength, all his speed, and all his mana.
I'll take your head off.
The blade struck the Queen's neck (or rather, the invisible "Aura Armor" coating her skin).
There was no sound of cutting.
There was the sound of shattering.
Kenji's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
"Dragon Tooth"... that legendary sword forged of black metal... shattered into pieces like glass.
Shards of the blade scattered into the air. There wasn't even a scratch on the Queen's neck.
Queen Neyra didn't even turn to look. She continued her work.
But the Royal Guard did not stand idly by.
The moment Kenji struck and lost his balance, four guards appeared around him as if teleporting.
Two grabbed his arms, two seized his waist and legs.
Their strength was terrifying. Kenji—a player whose physical strength neared S-Rank—was immobilized like a small child. They slammed him into the ground.
"Let me go!" Kenji struggled, grinding his teeth. "Laylo! Don't touch her!"
At that exact moment... the 500 Prisoners (Former Heroes and Night Owls) standing at the entrance moved.
Their Leader (Kenji) had been attacked and captured.
To them, this was a "War Signal."
Odin aimed his Atlantean rifle.
Grom roared, raising his axe.
Zero and Kaito entered combat stances.
The Murderous Aura of 500 S and A-Rank "psychos" who had seen death and returned from hell exploded all at once.
The pressure was so intense that the water in the palace rippled. Electric sparks crackled in the air.
Though they were weaker than the Atlanteans, their numbers and savagery made them dangerous. They were ready to wash this palace in blood to save their Captain.
"Release the Captain!" Grom shouted. "Or I'll smash this aquarium to pieces!"
The Royal Guard leveled their spears. The situation was on the verge of detonation.
Suddenly, Queen Neyra stood up slowly.
She removed her hands from Laylo's neck. Her claws were stained with blood.
The Queen looked at the enraged army of 500 and at Kenji, struggling on the floor.
There was no fear on her face. Only... a mild weariness and majesty.
"SILENCE!" the Queen said.
She didn't shout. She simply gave an order.
But there was such power in her voice that it crushed everyone like a physical weight ("Haki"). The prisoners' knees buckled.
With a slight gesture, the Queen pointed to Laylo's neck.
"Look, you fools. Do you see murder? Or Life?"
Everyone looked at Laylo. Kenji strained to lift his head and look.
The holes in Laylo's neck... they had closed.
And most importantly—Laylo took a deep breath. Her chest rose and fell. The pallor of death was gone from her face, replaced by a flush in her cheeks.
"The 'Ancient Water' was in her blood, but it was sleeping," the Queen said, washing her bloody hands in the water. "I pierced her jugular veins and injected my own 'Royal Essence' directly into her heart. It was the only way. If I hadn't done it, she would have died in a minute."
Kenji went limp. The red fire in his eyes died out.
Laylo was alive. She was breathing.
Kenji looked at the shards of his broken sword. Then at the Queen.
He understood: He had made a mistake. And he had lost.
The Queen signaled the guards.
"Release him. He is just... a protector. Even if he is short-sighted."
The guards let Kenji go.
Kenji stood up. His hands trembled slightly (for the first time in eighty years, he felt this helpless).
He walked up to the Queen and... bowed his head.
"I apologize," Kenji said in a low voice. "And thank you."
"Apology accepted, 'Shadow.' But let this be a lesson to you: There are things in this world that your sword cannot cut. For example... Trust."
She looked out at the hall, at the 500 prisoners.
"Be at peace. There are no enemies for you here."
"Laylo needs time to recover. Until then... be our guests."
Grom lowered his axe. Odin let out a breath of relief.
Kenji gripped the hilt of his broken sword tightly.
My strongest weapon broke, he thought. That means I am weak. Still weak.