Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord-Chapter 154: Water Tomb

The fourth squad of Sirens only served as signal relays, ensuring the smooth flow of the Symbiotic Contract.

They floated on the sea surface without participating in the battle while also acting as lookouts.

Thus, they saw the distant ocean, where a small white dot suddenly appeared on the deep blue water.

In just an instant, that white dot expanded into a massive circle, a spectacle caused by the cavitation effect.

When the shockwave reached the free surface, it reflected a rarefaction wave, causing a sudden drop in pressure at that location.

The next second, they saw a mountain rise from the smooth sea surface.

A mountain made of seawater.

It had a poetic name, Water Tomb.

The Sirens had lived in the sea for countless years, yet this was the first time they witnessed the Water Tomb effect.

They widened their eyes, staring at the towering mass of seawater.

It was like the first time they saw the starry sky, a grand and overwhelming sight that instantly cleansed their souls, making their minds tremble.

Hughes had explained the principles of explosives to them, but no explanation could compare to the shock of witnessing it firsthand. This unprecedented sight left them momentarily dazed.

Could magic achieve this effect? Did the Extraordinary possess such power?

If the legendary gods descended upon the world, could they resist this?

And yet, this was merely a creation of mortals.

Since when could mortals be discussed alongside gods?

Countless thoughts flashed through the Sirens’ minds as they blankly stared at the towering peak stretching toward the sky.

It truly resembled a tomb, as if something had been buried within it.

The sea wind from the shockwave blew through their long hair, and the towering wall of seawater crashed toward them.

The explosive yield was still insufficient. If it had been a hydrogen bomb detonation underwater, the Water Tomb effect could have triggered a tsunami, something the Sirens might only witness in the future.

Along with the shockwave came an abnormal fluctuation in the Symbiotic Contract, it was frantically siphoning life force.

The Sirens’ faces turned pale, as they collectively suffered minor injuries.

Only a single squad of twenty Sirens had been present at the explosion site, and even with their Flesh Magic activated, they expended a massive amount of life force, almost enough to save each of them from the brink of death.

The Symbiotic Contract was nearly an inexhaustible life pool in one-on-one combat, but against large-scale AOE attacks, it had limited effectiveness, merely distributing the damage.

Under the sea, within the Fishmen settlement.

Nini clung to a reef, feeling dizzy. It took a moment for her to regain clarity, only to realize that the reef had broken apart, a massive chunk was now in her arms.

The explosion had blasted both her and her cover away.

The seabed had cleared. In the distance, the Fishmen were completely motionless, silently floating in the water, the shockwave had ruptured all their internal organs.

Several other Sirens were nearby. Nini checked through the Mind Link and confirmed that they were still alive, Flesh Magic had saved them.

『Gather everyone. Report if you’re still conscious.』

『1』

『2』

Silence filled the link. The still-active Sirens fought through their discomfort and went around waking up their unconscious kin.

The Symbiotic Contract could only heal physical injuries.

They had just endured an intense battle and then been blasted into disarray by nitroglycerin.

Their heads were spinning, and they desperately needed rest.

『Ash, where are you?』

『A bit farther away. Three Sea Urchins are still chasing me. What happened on your end?』

『The explosion was a little too effective. You…』

Nini glanced at the distant Polluted Serpent. It was still writhing slowly.

A few Sea Urchins outside the blast radius were also moving sluggishly, seemingly recovering.

『Can you shake off the Sea Urchins?』

『I think so.』

『I’ll send the third squad to support you. I’m preparing to retreat, we can’t afford any more delays. Who knows how many of these Sea Urchins are out there!』

『Understood.』

Nini reluctantly glanced at the Polluted Sea Urchin, gritted her teeth, and gave the order to her kin:

『We… retreat.』

The Sirens supported each other as they swam toward Castel.

They soon encountered the second squad, who had come to assist. By the time they reached the island, Ash had also evaded the Sea Urchins.

She didn’t dare return directly, instead taking a long detour with the third squad before reuniting with them.

In the cavern beneath the manor, the atmosphere was heavy.

Hughes stood among the Sirens, having understood everything through the Mind Link.

With the Symbiotic Contract’s healing, Nini had recovered. She looked around and then stepped in front of Hughes.

"Lord, the mission failed. We didn’t bring back the Polluted Sea Serpent’s flesh."

Hughes nodded. "I was here the whole time. I saw all your decisions. Every command was the best choice at the moment. I wouldn’t have done any better myself."

Their plan had been solid, but the sudden appearance of those high-speed Polluted Sea Urchins had been completely unexpected.

"Those Fishmen must have set up a trap for us in advance."

The moment they charged in, the Sea Urchins appeared. The earlier Fishmen squads they eliminated must have already alerted the settlement.

The Sirens had planned to strike and retreat, while the Fishmen had aimed to devour this sharp blade.

"I made the decision. You don’t need to blame yourselves." Hughes looked at the dejected Sirens. "Our goal was to assess the enemy’s combat strength. Strategically, we succeeded. Now that we’ve discovered their secret weapon, it’s far better than finding out only when they attack the island."

Those massive Polluted Sea Urchins were indeed troublesome, but they weren’t completely unbeatable.

If Castel had only learned of them during an actual battle, the casualties would have been far worse.

"Do you think Castel will go to war with them?"

"Of course. We all exist in the Storm Ocean, sooner or later, there will be war. I once thought that with the pirates’ help, we could develop for a while longer. But now I see that was too naive."

Hughes smiled and shook his head. The Sirens exchanged glances, their emotions conflicted.

The Fishmen had always been their mortal enemies. This time, they were the ones who provoked the Fishmen.

If they hadn’t attacked, would they have avoided all this trouble?

This thought made the Sirens feel guilty and uneasy. Castel was their home, yet they had brought war to it.

"Everyone, I know what you’re thinking, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. You are Castel’s people. You are a part of Castel. When the island built its factories, you contributed. When pollution descended, you protected it. Your blood has been shed on this land, it is your home."

"Castel will always be your sanctuary."

"Why should you feel guilty? The ones who should repent are the Fishmen, the slavers, the deep-sea monsters. Unfortunately, they never seem to learn that lesson, so we must give them a little help."

"Sirens, fight for our shared home, for Castel!"

"Let our enemies repent with their blood!"