Chapter 37: Visiting the Empire, Section 10

Kurokami’s plan progressed even more smoothly than expected.
The giant dolphins were clearly driven mad by the long wait. As soon as Kurokami gave the order, they rushed forward eagerly. Kurokami noticed that behind the giant dolphins were the five most severely injured dolphins.
Could they even bear waiting anymore for the prosperity of their race? Kurokami silently watched the dolphins’ backs, unable to speak for a long time. Through Rikuo’s high-powered scanner, he could clearly see the six dolphins turning into six swift arrows that entered the enemy’s territory within just two minutes. Visibly, the dense cluster of light points around the water bubbles began to stir. Hundreds of these light points left their original positions and moved toward the dolphin-like light points.
The hunting had begun. Kurokami could imagine that hundreds of Saktribe sharks were surrounding the giant dolphins, showing their sharp teeth and staring maliciously at these uninvited guests. The giant dolphins’ huge bodies were undoubtedly a feast for them.
But obviously, the giant dolphins were not satisfied with this outcome.
They were the most faithful to their promises. In these waters, no one valued their oaths more than they did. Since they had promised those steel monsters to draw away all the Sak, being surrounded by just a few hundred Sak was certainly not enough for them.
Though those few hundred Sak were already enough to tear them and their companions to pieces countless times over.
“Faster! Even faster!! Only by doing this can we avoid them clinging onto us. If they can’t catch us, they’ll send more. Only then can we fulfill the promise we made to Beck!” Urgent sound waves were emitted at ultra-high frequencies, converging into shouts that resonated within the hearts of the six dolphins. Driven by the giant dolphin, their eyes turned blood red as they struggled to move their wounded bodies, trying to gain even a little more speed.
But it was already extremely difficult. After all, compared to the Sak, dolphins excelled at long-distance travel, not short-distance acceleration. Moreover, the giant dolphin’s companions were among the most severely injured. It was already remarkable that they had held out for so long under the siege of hundreds of Sak. Attracting even more Sak would be no easy task.

“Ahh!!” A tragic cry suddenly erupted among the dolphins. The dolphin at the back of the group finally couldn’t hold on and fell behind during a sudden detour. In an instant, dozens of sharks swarmed over, their sharp teeth tearing through its muscles. Bright red blood once again stained the surrounding seawater. But no one expected that the death of this dolphin would bring about a turning point. After all, sharks are bloodthirsty creatures—whether on Earth or here. In the last encounter, an injured shark was even devoured by its own kind, showing just how sensitive they are to the scent of blood. Now, the blood spilled from the dying dolphin undoubtedly caught the attention of the other sharks. In the distance, the sharks that had remained motionless began to stir. Many of those chasing the dolphin also gave up on their target and rushed into the pool of bright red flesh. Seizing this opportunity, the lead dolphin finally led its remaining companions out of the sharks’ encirclement. Without hesitation, they charged at the group of sharks that still hadn’t moved in the distance. Were they not fleeing?? The watching sharks immediately became agitated; almost all of them couldn’t believe their eyes. What was in those five dolphins’ minds? Were they seeking death? No, it was a provocation!! Doubt was instantly replaced by anger. The rulers of the ocean, the shark clan, had never encountered such arrogant enemies before. In the blink of an eye, the agitation turned into a frenzy. Just as the dolphins reached halfway, all the remaining sharks rushed forward, piling in on them! They wanted to teach these overconfident creatures a lesson, to make them realize that the sharks were the true rulers of the sea—nothing could defeat them here!! With their blood-red eyes and sharp teeth, almost all the sharks shared this thought. They rushed out of their gathering place, eager to pounce on those five poor dolphins. In their eyes, those five dolphins were already dead fish. But what they didn’t know was that at that moment, the lead dolphin had other thoughts in mind. “Now, I’ve finally kept my promise, right? Will my tribe get a new start because of this? My young ones should have enough food to eat this year.”

All simple wishes are about to be fulfilled. The great dolphin was also satisfied. Though in its dolphin community it was merely a warrior inferior to the elite, there was no doubt it fulfilled everything expected of a warrior. It believed that even among tens of thousands of dolphins, no one could do better than it.

Facing the overwhelming force of the Sak, the great dolphin had completely given up hope. With such a dense formation, not even a water mosquito could escape. It seemed to already see itself torn to pieces. That bright red color must be the highest honor for a warrior.

I’m satisfied. I’m truly satisfied.

The great dolphin thought this, secretly turning its head. It still wanted to take one last look at that massive steel monster fish—to confirm whether its efforts had paid off. According to its plan, with all the Sak drawn to it, that huge steel monster fish should have had enough opportunity. Then, just as Beck had said, it would approach the bubble until it disappeared…

But… wait!! That monster fish!! Who can tell me why it didn’t flee as planned!! Why is it still at the edge of the battlefield!?

Its pupils widened in shock. The great dolphin couldn’t believe its eyes.

If the monster fish hadn’t fled, wouldn’t all its efforts be in vain? Why! Why didn’t it keep its promise!?

It was unbearably frustrating!! Was it going to die here for nothing!! Without achieving anything in return?!

The great dolphin wasn’t afraid of death—it was part of the natural cycle. But it absolutely couldn’t accept failing to keep its promise. For it, this was a shame a hundred times worse than death. And this shame would likely haunt it forever. Even after a hundred years, its descendants would be too ashamed to lift their heads in front of other dolphins. Other dolphins would say, “Look, that’s the child of a coward. Its father died by breaking his promise. It disrespects our perseverance. It doesn’t deserve to be a dolphin!”

No, this must not be forgiven!!

In an instant, the great dolphin’s eyes turned blood red as its heart seemed about to burst out of its chest. But before it could express its anger, it saw the steel monster fish perform an action it would never forget.

It finally began moving toward the bubble. At the same time, the various pipes on its body all turned in the same direction—toward it.

Staring at those dark pipe openings, the great dolphin couldn’t figure out the purpose of such an action.

But soon it understood…

It was fire!!

Flames as hot as light burst forth from those tubes, large and small. These flames converged into countless straight lines, breaking free from the constraints of seawater. Wherever they passed, the water evaporated, revealing pure white lines. Amidst these white lines, the red of the flames resembled dancing spirits, incredibly beautiful.
Yet, more astonishing than their beauty was what they brought: death. In just thirty seconds, tens of thousands of white lines surrounded the dolphins. Those lines were the most famous metal jets of the Death Star. After being equipped with armor-piercing shells, their power became utterly terrifying! Though they no longer had explosive force, each jet was sufficient to break free from seawater, leaving a hole the size of a bowl in Sak’s body.
A Sak could be hundreds of meters long, so a hole that size was clearly not fatal. But when tens of thousands of jets converged, the result was completely different. In the blink of an eye, the dolphins saw many fewer Sak around them. Especially behind them, the dense group of Sak had been forced to create a bloody passage—just wide enough for them to escape!
Was this the meaning of not fleeing immediately as planned? In that instant, the dolphins finally understood the sincerity of the black-haired one. Their vision blurred. Without hesitation, they emitted a rapid sound wave and led their remaining companions headlong into that passage. At the same time, they didn’t forget to take one last look at that strange steel giant fish.
It was clearly weakened by emitting flames, swimming unsteadily with a thick trail of bubbles as it dived into a nearby crack, where giant bubbles reflected a pale light. After a burst of bright light, that massive steel monster fish vanished without a trace.
“Have a good journey!” the dolphins thought of the strange fish. Though they still didn’t know where it came from, from this moment on, it had won their goodwill. Taking advantage of the chaos among the Sak behind them, they disappeared swiftly into the vast depths.
Fifteen days later, on the other side of the universe, a huge white light finally illuminated a massive receiving station. The mighty hull of the Wind of Fury arrived late among many suspicious welcomeers. A beautiful Swan-class warship approached it first. After a brief exchange, they entered transmigration together once more, leaving the other waiters filled with resentment.

In the cabin, the black-haired man was full of energy. He stared at the pitch-black reverse space outside and clenched his right fist. “Empire of Moore, I’m coming!”