Pirate Kingship-Chapter 622 - 443 Secret Realm: The Little Mermaid’s Bubble Dream

"Have we already entered the Intertidal Zone? Does it mean that the entire material world has entered the Intertidal Zone of the Sea of Origin Matter?"

The scribbled words on the note immediately caught Byron's attention.

No one in the world truly understood the nature of the Sea of Origin Matter. Its form of existence was unknowable, indescribable, and unfathomable. Perhaps it was an ancient natural phenomenon, perhaps a lifeform, or maybe just a concept. In any case, all explorations of the Sea of Origin Matter had only led to disastrous accidents. Even if the explorers didn't die on the spot, they would inevitably be burned to a crisp in the subsequent onslaught by the Tribunals.

But at least all Transcendents knew one thing: all Extraordinary Powers of the Material World originated from this Sea of Origin Matter, also known as the "Deep Sea."

The Sea also possessed all the characteristics of a real sea, generally divided into land, coast, an intertidal zone, a nearshore area, and an offshore area. What was known as the "intertidal zone" referred to a specific coastal area located between the average highest and lowest tide levels. During high tide, this area would be submerged by seawater; at low tide, it would emerge from the water. Above the intertidal zone, the coast that waves could reach was called the supratidal zone. Below the intertidal zone, the region extending to about thirty meters in depth was called the subtidal zone.

"'We have entered the Intertidal Zone' means that the power of the Source Tides has begun to truly affect this world, and the Material World has gradually slipped into the range of the Intertidal Zone. There might not be an issue when the tide is out, but high tide might be enough to swallow up parts of the Material World. For instance, just two nights ago, during the full moon... it submerged the Glacial Archipelago!"

Violet, the most learned among the crew and a Fourth Order [Artisan] of the Tower Sequence, immediately grasped the meaning of these words and murmured, "Is it not only a mystical submersion but also a literal one? If even the Glacial Archipelago, the starting point of the Second Circulation Belt, has been submerged, what is the state of the Eastern Continent, with its lowest terrain, now? Has it already become an underwater world? What has become of my father, who years ago likely set sail from here, passing through the Second Circulation Belt to the Eastern Continent? And, since Iron Anchor Bay—also a Canary, just like the Glacial Archipelago—faces the Circulation Zone directly, could the Glacial Archipelago's current fate be the future of Iron Anchor Bay?"

The few people and things Violet cared about most in this world were all endangered by this news, and her heartbeat couldn't help but quicken.

Feeling the small hand that suddenly clenched his own in his pocket, Byron knew that he obviously couldn't escape this maelstrom. Moreover, behind Violet's Iron Anchor Bay lay the North Sea and the Kingdom of Hightens in the Strait Islands—an island nation much like his own homeland, and his main base. One might evade for a time, but not forever.

He hastily consoled the girl, "During the last Era change, from the appearance of the signs to the War of The Pantheon and the actual arrival of the Great Flood, the timespan was at least several decades, possibly up to a century. Now it's just the beginning; there's no need to panic yet. Although the ultimate source of the information is still unclear, it's uncertain who is warning other humans on land with these drift bottles. But since they were still spreading these drift bottles just now, it indicates that they themselves are still on the submerged Glacial Archipelago, unable to escape in time. If we can find them, they should be able to help us answer many questions. Judging by the handwriting on the drift bottles, they weren't submerged long ago—probably just during the full moon a few nights past."

While speaking, he activated [Divine Sight], combined with [Weather Intuition], to clearly perceive the true nature of the sea area before them. He discovered that the space in this sea area had actually been distorted. Despite the fact that neither the Western Tempest Ocean nor the Eastern Sea of Monsters showed any rise in overall sea level, only this location was completely submerged. It obviously wasn't the seawater rising, but rather the islands themselves passively sinking, silently slipping to the seabed. Just as the drift bottle mentioned an "eternal fall," it's possible that, starting with this Glacial Archipelago, the entire world might eventually be dragged into the sea.

Beneath the water, a wide World Rift flickered in and out of existence, enveloping an archipelago and forming a vast, bubble-like Secret Realm.

Byron had entered and exited the Sea of Origin Matter many times. He knew this dangerous region in the spiritual world had a process for digesting every soul or foreign entity it captured. Some would be devoured by the ever-present native Bizarres or Evil Spirits, while others, after being rapidly corrupted, would transform into new Bizarres or Evil Spirits. The process of swallowing an island was similar. First, it would evolve into a Secret Realm based on the memories and origins of the island's inhabitants. Then, it would gradually be assimilated, becoming a part of the Sea itself.

Plunging towards Beastliness, falling endlessly into the Deep Sea.

Order is merely an exception; Chaos alone is eternal!

From the outside, it was impossible to see clearly what lay within that bubble-like Secret Realm. Without entering, even the [Nautical Logbook] couldn't decipher the details of its deadly rules.

But that didn't trouble Byron.

Without recalling Hugin and Munin, who had flown off to the frozen continent, he opened his palm. His flesh writhed, producing a translucent "Panacea." With the flash of a crimson Alchemy Array, the Panacea instantly transformed into a thumb-sized, spherical ruby that landed in his palm.

He had transformed it into a "Philosopher's Stone."