To the Depth of Abyss

Southwest Stream harbor / 

A harbor with only one shipping line. That is from the harbor to the northwest region.

Why if we want to go northwest we have to go by water?

Well, because the northwest region is a special one. The only route that can be taken is also through the Southwest Stream. 

____________

"How is it, Elisa?"

When they arrived at the harbor, Elisa got amazed by the unique scenery of the place. 

"How do I put this, I read from the book that the western part of Floor 2 is different from the others. But I didn't expect this place to be bigger than its name."

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Abyssal Terra / Floor 2 

Southeast Part / The Harbor

Harbor to the northwest region.

Fighting Policy: Prohibited

Authority: Market Holders

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"Plus, this place is more like a city."

A busy harbor full of activities. From commerce, hunters who talk about hunting, to people who just walk by.

"Let's go, girl!"

Elisa was so amazed at the view of the harbor that Arlene already left her.

The two of them went to the harbor deck, to be precise towards a ship that would take them to the northwest region.

"How about your motorbike, Miss Arlene?"

"He's already loaded on board."

"Will he be okay in there? I mean, he's a motorcycle."

"Dont worry. Black Sky Spine is the most advanced weapon of the six siblings. For example, it is now transformed into a box which makes it easier to level it in the cargo compartment."

"Ooh."

Elisa actually doesn't understand what Arlene is talking about. But it sounded cool and she got blown away by it.

The ship they were on is a galleon carrying two hundred people; passengers and crew. A strong ship that would not be destroyed even after a storm, except for the sea monsters of the Southwest Stream.

"Woooww!"

On the deck of the ship, Elisa looked far to the northwest. Towards a large river flanked by two islands.

The factor that makes Elisa amazed is the large river that only exists in the southwest region.

"It's so big."

Floor 1 only has 1 creek in the Land of Honor and several hidden ones in Giant Leaf Woods. 

Throughout the southern, northern and northeastern regions there are rivers. But none is bigger than the ones in the southwest region.

"The one in the northwest region is bigger than this."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, but we have to got o the captain room first."

"Captain room?"

They are passengers. So Elisa wondered why they had to go to the captain's room.

At the door to the captain's room, Arlene knocked. "Captain Sparrow, we are here."

"Captain Sparrow?"

Elisa seemed to have heard that name before. Before she could remember who the person with that name was, the captain tell them to get inside.

"Come in!"

Arlene immediately opened the door to the captain's room without hesitation.

"Hey, long time no see!"

"Hey, Ophelia girl!"

Inside the room awaits an old man, the captain of the ship, whose body parts have been lost and replaced with wooden body parts. 

"Captain Mike Sparrow!"

Elisa suddenly shouted the name of the ship's captain excitedly.

"Yes, I am. And you?"

Elisa entered the room and happily approached the old captain.

"My name is Elisa, sir! I'm a child of Cathedral that you saved in the Catastrophe incident at the Land of Honor a month ago!"

Mike finally understood the reason for the girl's delight in meeting him.

"Ooh, I see! It's nice to meet you. But I wasn't the one who saved Cathedral back then. So I don't feel worthy of your gratitude, young lady."

"No-no, sir, every distribution is very important in saving Shield City at that time. So you are more than worthy to receive a thank you."

Mike is dealing with a girl who looks like she hasn't turned 18 yet. But the girl is already wise enough and had a lot of respect.

"Ooh, alright. I take your gratitude then. And, are you with Ophelia, young lady?"

"Yeah."

Arlene takes over the conversation. She sat on the sofa in the room, making herself comfortable as if she were at home. Elisa sat down too, but in a more polite manner.

"You're looking for the Greedy Young Master who a week ago went to the northwest region."

Elisa was a little surprised that the captain of the ship had learned the purpose of the two of them going to the northwest region. 

It seems that Arlene the one who told the captain about that.

"We just found out about that when we met the ugly Alexander. The greedy man seemed like he wanted to do the same as he did on the 1st Floor."

"He wanted to hold all power over this Floor."

Both Arlene and Mike is aware of that problem. 

There actually weren't any written rules from the Guild or Staff Saint, which forbade one to control the entire Floor. 

But the thing is –

"This floor is wider and there are many strong people who could fight against him."

"Well, the fact that he already owns the Land of Honor, conquer the Northeast, and make the King of the Northern Region became his follower, all remain is just the northwest region."

Arlene and Mike took a moment to pause. 

There was a cold wind that came in their silence. That scared Elisa a little.

"So she's going to fight that monster?" asked Mike, wanted to make sure. 

"Absolutely. I just got to know him a week ago. But I can confirm, he will fight and go through anything to achieve his goal. Isn't that right, Elisa?"

The two pairs of eyes of the adults in the room look at her.

Elisa was a little surprised at being suddenly asked such a question. But from what she had heard from the start, they were talking about Ars.

"Y-yes. He is a man full of ambition, and power."

On the statement, Mike has a question.

"How strong is that man in your eyes, young lady?"

"H-how strong? I rarely pay attention to things like that. But if you asked that; Ars does not fear the Catastrophe, a disaster even a Diamond Hunter is difficult to overcome. So, yes, he is very strong."

Elisa took an assessment of the experiences she saw in the two Catastrophes that took place that year.

Mike folded his hands. "Even though it's not official yet, so he is already at the Emperor level. But, can he really win a fight against that monster?"

Mike again mentioned the name someone / creature nicknamed 'monster'.

Elisa got curious at that.

"Miss Arlene, who is this 'monster', Sir Mike talking about?"

At the girl's question, Arlene took a brief breath. As if she was going to answer something taboo to talk about.

"This may not be interesting for younger generations to learn. But a smart girl like you must know, that there was someone who attempted to assassinate the Staff Saint back then, right?"

Elisa tried to process what Arlene was trying to tell her. After a few minutes of thinking, she finally realized who they were talking about, and it made her glare in disbelief.

"The First Sin. Ex-Emperor of Death. The Wrath Samurai."

The man who is labeled the most powerful in terra. One capable of rivaling both the Sword Saint and the Spear Saint.

"But, didn't he die seven years ago?!"

After his assassination attempt failed, the Sword Saint and Spear Saint came to face him. But it takes more effort to fight the strongest man in existence. Because of that, the Staff Saint came to help two of his comrades and did the most fraudulent thing he had ever done in a battle, namely stealing the heart of the Wrath Samurai.

"However, the corpse that was stored suddenly disappeared somewhere. After seven years, as an undead, he returned to this world again. He appeared a month ago, in the Catastrophe attacking the Land of Honor."

Elisa just learned about the fact, or rather, had the opportunity to hear the shocking information.

"Arlene," called Mike. "You saw that greedy man fighting in the Catastrophe region of the northeast, right? In your judgment, can he win over Yamato?"

Arlene folded her arms, thinking. "He has a different aspect of strength from Yamato. When Yamato had enormous raw power, Ars was more into the means and equipment he had. One thing I learned from that greedy guy is, he is the successor of the Sword Saint."

"Sword Saint, you say?"

"Yeah, because he held the Sword of Testament with him."

"That legendary Sword of Testament?!"

Mike got up from his chair because he heard the sword that belonged to the Sword Saint held by the One of the Sinner.

"THE SHIP WILL SET SAIL SOON!"

They fell into silence when the noise of ships leaving the harbor was heard.

"That means, the one in the prophecy is not Sword Saint himself, but his prophecy, the Last Sin, against the First Sin."