Chapter 359: Endless Sea, Preparations

"Hmm... so this is the Tide Barrier? Logically, the only way to pass through normally is via that breach blasted open by the Morning Star. But as it stands, the risk is immense; we cannot rule out the Cult of the Dragon lying in wait there, ready to sink any ship that dares approach. Professor, how exactly does this route you’ve marked navigate this place?"

Wang Yu’s hand swept across the massive scroll of a map, his gaze fixated on an irregularly shaped, sky-blue region rendered in startling detail. Although it shared the same blue hue as the surrounding Endless Sea, it was ringed by a distinct boundary line that set it apart from the rest of the ocean.

This was one of the world’s few great wonders, a region where gravity and countless known and unknown physical parameters were either in total chaos or completely inverted.

Within this zone known as the Tide Barrier, the primary gravity was reversed; water flowing into this region would surge upward, causing the Endless Sea to effectively fold over itself, creating the barrier.

The boundary of this gravitational anomaly roughly aligned with the sea level. If a ship were to sail directly into it, the conflicting gravity at the threshold would tear the vessel in two. Of course, that was merely one of the many dangers; otherwise, the Tide Barrier would not be so notoriously impassable.

The upper limit of this inverted ocean was the Dissociation Layer, meaning the summit of the Tide Barrier connected directly to that lethal expanse.

Furthermore, the altitude of the Dissociation Layer within this region was highly unstable. Once inside, one would face chaotic oceanic anomalies far more powerful than anything in the normal sea.

Should a ship be tossed into the upper reaches, it would likely be captured by the Dissociation Layer, leaving no room for resistance before meeting a gruesome end.

Being captured and killed by the Dissociation Layer was actually quite easy to avoid, as it sat at a tremendous height; traversing such a thick layer of ocean to reach the top and be shredded was, in essence, a difficult feat.

Returning to other threats, the gravitational conditions inside the Tide Barrier were equally lethal. Gravity here was almost a random variable, capable of inverting at any moment while one was navigating the interior.

External factors like water pressure were impossible to gauge; one moment you might be enduring the pressure of shallow waters, and the next, you could be crushed by the extreme weight of an ocean tens of thousands of meters deep.

In short, the Tide Barrier was fraught with perils, including extreme ecosystems of creatures living within it. Almost no ship would attempt to cross it, as there was simply no profit to justify the risk.

While the treasures nurtured within the Tide Barrier possessed irreplaceable properties, the odds of stumbling upon them made "finding a needle in a haystack" seem like an understatement. It was not worth gambling one's life on such luck.

Before the Morning Star explosion, aside from an organization on the continent called the "Explorers"—who had assembled a fleet backed by Great Knights and led by legends at the peak of their power—no other fleet had managed to breach this natural barrier.

They had used their overwhelming strength to force their way through, documenting the state of the Endless Sea beyond, but since then, no other fleet had managed to pierce this natural wall.

Therefore, generally speaking, if one wished to cross the Tide Barrier, the only viable path was through the breach in that anomalous zone. When the shockwave of the Morning Star explosion swept across the continent, it changed the entire world, piercing even the Tide Barrier, which had seemed as immutable as a law of nature, and creating a gap in one of its sectors.

Within the confines of this gap, the Tide Barrier reverted to a normal ocean, allowing ships to sail safely across the surface and traverse this dangerous region to explore the seemingly infinite sea.

After a long voyage, that Explorer team returned to the continent, having recorded some of what lay beyond the Tide Barrier.

Outside the barrier, there appeared to be no landmasses as vast as the continent Wang Yu and his companions currently occupied; there were only large-scale archipelagos, and the creatures living there differed significantly from those on the mainland.

The reason for the Explorers' return was simple: the endless sea voyage had filled them with an indescribable sense of isolation. This ocean, which seemed to have no end, appeared to be slowly devouring everything. The further they traveled, the more they realized their own insignificance.

A nameless terror, born from the depths of their souls, eventually consumed them. No matter how strong they were—Great Knights or legends—their strength could not sustain the curiosity that had driven them to seek the unknown.

Of course, there were a few outliers in the Explorer team who felt no such fear; instead, they grew more excited. They did not return with the main force but chose to continue sailing into the unknown regions of the Endless Sea. Hundreds of years had passed since that split, and there had been no word from those who chose to continue the voyage.

"Ultimately, our understanding and influence as sentient races over this world are limited. Vast regions of the Endless Sea are, to us, a complete void of ignorance. Even the impact of the Abyss invasion only touched our continent, which is pitifully small compared to the Endless Sea."

"Apologies, I’ve digressed. These are just thoughts I had while researching the Endless Sea for our route. That isn't the point."

"While reviewing the data, I discovered that, in addition to the breach blasted open by the Morning Star, there is actually another navigable channel through the Tide Barrier."

"However, because the restrictions are so severe and no one has bothered to explore this region, the existence of this passage has been completely overshadowed by the fame of the breach, remaining unknown to almost everyone and absent from most records."

"Fortunately, this is the Sky Mechanical City, which holds a wealth of secrets not recorded in the outside world. Only after a careful search could I uncover this path. If we want to avoid the clutches of the Cult of the Dragon, taking this route to cross the Tide Barrier is an excellent choice."

Zige sighed slightly before beginning to explain how the route he had mapped could bypass the breach created by the Morning Star, which was likely under constant surveillance by the Cult of the Dragon, making it too risky.

"This place... it seems to be the territory of the Merfolk."

Wang Yu looked at the intersection of Zige’s marked route and the Tide Barrier, searching his memory, and recalled that this area appeared to be the domain of the Merfolk.

The Merfolk were much like the mermaids of Earth’s traditional folklore: human torsos with fish tails. They were generally quite beautiful and skilled at singing, which aligned with Wang Yu’s initial impression of them.

The reason this race wasn't counted among the Five Great Races was that they could only inhabit the coastal waters of the Endless Sea. The ocean beyond was the territory of deep-sea behemoths—super-giant creatures born of the vast, unfathomable depths that no human effort could hope to contend with.

Coupled with their mediocre overall strength—and the fact that even if they could sprout legs on land, they were significantly weakened—and the lack of any peerless geniuses like Roland or Sura, they had fallen to the same level as the Goblins living with the Dwarves.

Incidentally, there were also Mermen—those creatures with fish heads and human bodies. They were a collection of everyone’s shortcomings with no redeeming qualities, possessing no skills other than breathing underwater and running on land.

They lacked intelligence and combat prowess, spending their days on the shores of the Endless Sea, shouting and swinging wooden clubs at each other from dawn till dusk. Their actual combat power was roughly equivalent to a quarter of a giant crab, leading Wang Yu to wonder what the point of their existence even was.

Later, when he learned that these "combat-power-of-five" losers survived only because of the favor of the Lord of the Ocean and Storms, he began to doubt his own judgment. After comparing this to the aesthetics of the Lady of Night’s followers, he concluded that the Lord of the Ocean and Storms must also be a fish-head; otherwise, why would He bestow so much grace upon them when even the Merfolk didn't receive such treatment?

"Yes, exactly here. This information was written by a Merfolk scholar. Their race, by virtue of their innate advantages, is the only one capable of simple activities within the Tide Barrier, which is how they accidentally discovered the changes that occur in the barrier at specific times."

"Every year, as the color of the Magic Moon shifts toward red, a channel gradually opens in a specific area of the Tide Barrier within the Merfolk territory. When the Magic Moon turns completely blood-red, that channel opens fully."

"During those few days of the Blood Moon, the passage remains open until it collapses the moment the crimson hue begins to fade. The Merfolk have used this path to leave the Tide Barrier before, so we can generally confirm it is safe."

Zige provided more details about the route he had chosen and explained the method for passing through the Tide Barrier.

"Hmm... the current time is the Deep Blue Moon, which means in about half a month, the Magic Moon will shift to the Blood Moon. If we want to cross the Tide Barrier this year, we must be at the coast of the Endless Sea by then."

Avia gazed out the window. It was night, and the bright Magic Moon in the sky displayed a deep, beautiful azure hue. She offered her judgment on their subsequent actions.

"Is this an effect caused by the moon's gravity in this world?"

Wang Yu muttered to himself, not dwelling on it. There were too many things in this world that the scientific technology of Earth could not explain; the fact that the moon changed color was strange enough on its own.

The Magic Moon shifted through three colors over the course of a year: bright yellow, blue, and blood-red, with time allocations of roughly ninety percent, nine percent, and one percent, respectively.

Most of the time, the Magic Moon was bright yellow, which was unremarkable. The blue Magic Moon triggered mana tides, which had both benefits and drawbacks for mages.

During the Blood Moon, strange things would emerge, and some creatures—even sentient races—would be affected by the crimson moonlight, suffering mental instability or falling into madness. The power of the Night-born would also be greatly enhanced during this period.

However, the inhabitants of this world had lived with the Magic Moon for at least several hundred years and were well-versed in these phenomena. Even the ominous-sounding Blood Moon, as Wang Yu had experienced a few times, turned out to be nothing special; the way those werewolves howled like they were in heat was quite comical.

"Professor, do you know any Merfolk? We’ll need professionals for the ship and such; our experience in this area is ultimately too limited."

Wang Yu looked up to ask Zige. Given Zige’s age, he must know many people; perhaps he knew a few Merfolk—he was friends with Elven Elders, after all.

"You’re really putting me on the spot. My sister and I originally fled from the Endless Sea to the continent with Noelle; we wouldn't dare stay near the Endless Sea, so how would I know any Merfolk?"

Zige gave a helpless, wry smile, indicating he truly had no Merfolk friends. His original intention in bringing the charts was to discuss things with Wang Yu and Avia. In truth, he was reluctant to drag them into the affairs of the Dragon race; once they left the Endless Sea, the risks would escalate rapidly. If only...

"Hmm... that’s a bit troublesome. Wait, no.

I recall that beyond the St. Anna Peaks in Seoventan lies the Endless Sea. The Church of Night has been quite successful in its missionary work there; perhaps there are Merfolk believers. Making a detour there isn't impossible."

Wang Yu tapped his forehead. The archbishop, who usually didn't concern himself with such things, was finally remembering the utility of his followers.