The Wizard's Biological Chip Can Process Everything-Chapter 15: The sea of death, a cruel and violent place full of dangerous creatures.
Emily raised her voice firmly, reclaiming everyone’s attention.
— We have already discussed this with the other participants of the voyage.
— We will switch positions with them.
— When the ship stops at deserted islands, the Dark Sea Alliance will remain on vessels close to one another.
She crossed her arms.
— I believe the ship will still make a few stops in the Waters of Death before we completely cross them.
A murmur ran through the group.
I remained silent, analyzing.
— In addition — she continued — everyone who can wield a weapon will do so.
— We will take turns standing guard.
— This is only a second layer of security... in case something goes wrong.
Her tone was rational.
There was no panic.
There was calculation.
— As for weapons, there is no need to worry.
— We have already made preparations.
— We even managed to obtain a crossbow.
Some of the youths widened their eyes.
A crossbow was neither cheap nor easy to acquire.
The discussion began in small groups.
Whispers.
Arguments.
But in the end, the majority agreed.
— We agree!
The decision was nearly unanimous.
It was inevitable that Emily would assume the position of captain of the guards.
She already led naturally.
Without wasting time, she began assigning tasks.
Watch rotations.
Those responsible for the weapons.
Messengers between the boats.
The banquet continued afterward.
But the earlier lightness did not return.
Fear had been planted.
And everyone knew it was no exaggeration.
Emily approached me with a cup in her hand.
— Initially, I had planned to give you a rapier.
She pointed to the sword fastened at my waist.
— But it seems that is no longer necessary.
I smiled faintly.
— Is it true that every time a group enters the Waters of Death, there are many deaths?
I asked in a low voice.
She did not avert her gaze.
— In the best-case scenario, only one or two die.
She swirled the remaining liquid in her cup.
— But there have been voyages where at least ten perished.
Ten.
The word lingered in the air.
— Otherwise — she shrugged — why would I spend so much money and energy establishing an alliance that will dissolve once we reach the shore?
She tilted her head slightly.
— Wherever you plant a seed, there will always be some kind of profit to harvest.
I smiled.
She was not thinking only about immediate survival.
She was investing in the future.
If we survived together, bonds would be formed.
Gratitude.
Debts.
And among us were future magi.
The return would be immeasurable.
Even if only a few survived, a single exceptional talent would be enough to compensate for everything.
— Besides your dagger — I said — your intelligence truly impresses me.
Her eyes shone with restrained satisfaction.
— All I did were things my father taught me.
There was discipline in that answer.
Upbringing.
Training from an early age.
She then extended her hand toward me.
— So, are you willing to help me?
I looked at that hand for a brief second.
— Obviously.
...
Some time later.
...
— It has been fifteen days since we entered the Waters of Death.
I rested my hands on the railing at the bow and looked back.
The ship was no longer the same one that had departed full of youthful enthusiasm.
On the thick wooden hull, three deep gashes stretched side by side, curving as if they had been made by a single colossal mouth.
The fibers were torn.
The wood, crushed.
Every time my eyes touched those marks, a shadow grew within me.
The Waters of Death truly lived up to their name.
The dangers here were such that even ordinary humans...
Even Preparatory Knights...
Would struggle to survive.
Since we crossed that invisible boundary at sea, the servants have doubled the patrols.
Longer shifts.
Weapons always at the ready.
We, the acolytes, also strengthened our own vigilance.
Even so... there were casualties.
Those marks on the hull had been left by a group of giant common whales.
"Common" was a misleading term.
The moment they surfaced, they surrounded the ship like living shadows beneath the dark water.
The impact of their bodies against the hull made the entire vessel tremble.
For an instant, I thought we would be flipped over like a toy.
There were no deaths in that attack.
But the feeling of powerlessness...
That remained etched within me.
After that, no one dared to camp outside anymore.
The nighttime conversations beneath the stars vanished.
Everyone retreated to their rooms.
Doors locked.
Windows shut.
But not even that was enough to prevent the inevitable.
Even with guards posted, some of the youths still needed to step outside.
To breathe.
To feel the wind.
To look at the blue sky so as not to go mad in that suffocating confinement.
In the Waters of Death, even that small desire was a mortal risk.
One of the boys from the alliance stepped too close to the edge of the deck.
It was fast.
Far too fast.
A leaping serpent-fish burst from the water like a living arrow.
The bite was almost invisible.
He did not even have time to scream properly.
According to the Biochip’s calculations, that creature’s venom was capable of corroding the brain in less than ten seconds.
Ten seconds.
Not enough time for any rescue.
Even the white-robed magi merely watched.
The young man’s body collapsed onto the deck before anyone could react.
His eyes were still open.
After that day, silence took over the ship.
No one left their rooms without absolute necessity.
Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed through the ship once more.
— Ting!!!!~~
— Ting!!!!~~
— Ladies and gentlemen!
— We will rest on an island selected by our masters.
— If you wish to go out and breathe the fresh air of this paradisiacal island, you may do so.
— We will prepare the boats.
For a few moments, there was hesitation.
Then, like a dam breaking, the youths began pouring out of their rooms in droves.
I walked straight toward Emily, who was already gathered with the members of the alliance.
— Let’s go.
As a member of the guard, I needed to be present.
To protect and to be protected.
Even if my main role was to keep watch and call the servants in case of emergency.
Here, I trusted only Emily.
The others... were still uncertain variables.
— Everyone in the same boat.
— When it reaches its limit, board the nearest one.
— All right!
I motioned for them to follow Emily.
We descended the wooden and rope ladders, assisted by the academy’s servants.
The short journey across the sea was silent.
When I finally stepped onto the sand, I felt something inside me relax.
Solid ground.
I stretched my arms and back, letting the air fill my lungs deeply.
The island’s landscape extended as far as the eye could see.
Dense vegetation.
Pale sand.
— How beautiful!
Emily gazed at the horizon.
— How beautiful...
— And also dangerous.
I murmured.
She tightened the daggers fastened at her waist.
— There is danger everywhere, my friend.
— Disease.
— Hunger.
— War.
— The world is full of threats.
She discreetly pointed toward the white-robed magi in the distance.
— For us, this area is a threat to life.
— For them, it is merely a backyard garden.
I looked at her.
— Are you saying that as long as you have strength, you will have freedom and safety?
— Exactly.
She pointed to a girl ahead of the group.
Yuna.
A dispirited expression.
Shoulders slumped.
— She has already lost her courage.
— On this path toward power, she lacks the spirit to face danger.
— Even if she reaches the academy, she will hardly become a magus.
Emily bent down, picked up a stone, and threw it into the sea.
— Studying magic is a hundred times more treacherous than crossing the Waters of Death.
I watched the circle the stone formed on the water before it vanished.
— Courage...
— But for one who seeks the truth, prudence is also necessary.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
— Biochip. Initiate scan.
Immediately, a three-dimensional scene took shape in my mind.
A blue map of the surrounding area.
White dots represented the students.
None showed signs of injury.
Flashing red lights indicated the servants.
The Biochip classified them as entities potentially threatening to the host.
Sources of danger began to appear in the visualization.
Small venomous insects hidden in the vegetation.
Subtle movements beneath the sand.
Everything within a radius of one hundred and thirty meters was under my control.
— Even a poisonous insect will not escape the Biochip’s sweep.
I slowly opened my eyes.
— For now, this area is safe.
That was the guarantee I could offer.
I used all the herbs again...
I can take advantage of this stop to gather a few more.
But I am not sure whether I will find those same roots on this island...
I walked slowly across the damp sand, gradually distancing myself from the group.
I kept enough distance to still see the members of the Dark Sea Alliance...
The island’s soil seemed fertile.
Perhaps there was something useful hidden there.
— Biochip. Check my body’s statistics.
Immediately, the information surfaced in my mind.
["Status"]
["Eduard Edson"]
["Sex: Male"]
["Age: 15 years old"]
["Strength: 1.6"]
["Agility: 1.7"]
["Vitality: 1.5"]
["Status: Healthy"]
I observed the numbers in silence.
There had not been much improvement... only about 0.1.
I frowned.
The effects of the herbs were diminishing.
As the Biochip had already calculated, the optimized breathing technique would only allow me to raise my basic attributes to approximately 1.9 before reaching the natural limit.
After that...
Only by stimulating my vital energy and advancing to the level of a Knight would I be able to continue progressing.
....
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