The Hunter Who Pierces the Goddess (Part 2)

Our rate of descent's slowed down a bit now that we've submerged! But now there's a humongous whirlpool up ahead!

This is...the underwater equivalent of going out of the frying pan and into the fire! We're like frogs in a washing machine!

Calm down. Just focus on keeping us steady and going with the vortex's flow.

All hands, keep to your posts! Keep an eye out for hostiles!

O-oogh, this is the worst turbulence I've ever experienced!

Please tell me this will be over soon! I don't think my stomach can take much moreUrp.

Annnd there it is! We've got an enormous mass headed our way at one hundred knots!

All ahead flank! Evasive maneuvers!

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I need a damage report! How's the engine!?

Aye, sir! Engine room here!

One of the main engines has been busted! I'm gonna have to shut it down to fix it!

Got it. Activate the secondary engines in the meantime!

Aye, sir! We should reach our top speed in about twenty seconds!

I just finished my analysis.

This mass is composed of parts that are a sixty-three point eight percent match to those used in Artemis.

So that, plus our current circumstances, lead me to conclude that it pretty much has to be Poseidon!

It just came out of nowhere and slammed right into! Not the most sophisticated attack, but quite effective all the same! And here it comes again!

Load torpedo tubes one and two! Let's bust this thing's head open!

Aye, aye, Captain! Torpedoes are loaded and ready!

Fire!

Yes, sir! Firing first and second torpedoes!

Confirming two impacts!

But it doesn't look like they had much effect! The target's only getting closeeer!

Ready tubes three and four! Get the others reloaded on the double!

Excuse me, can I say something!? Those last torpedoes didn't actually hit! All they did was blow up!

...Explain.

I just told you. Those torpedoes didn't hit their target at all. They just exploded right before they reached it.

So I tried scanning further down...

...and I found a ridiculously strong magical energy barrier shrouding that thing.

That barrier is powered by fourUh, three highly dense energy sources.

And when I say highly dense, I mean each one has Holy Grail levels of magical energy.

I thought they looked familiar, and I finally remembered why. They're the same as this.

Right! That thing Drake took from Poseidon!

Exactly. A Poseidon core.

That magical energy barrier is supposed to be powered by all four cores, but now that one core is missing thanks to Drake, it's left a noticeable hole.

Professor, reanalyze our offensive options with this new information in mind!

On it.

Da Vinci is right. I'm reading a gap in the defensive barrier toward Poseidon's aft quarter.

It's clear we'll have to make use of this gaping hole in our strategy.

I know! We could shoot a bunch of torpedoes into it!

...No, that won't work.

Even if we fired every last torpedo we have in there, it would only destroy his back.

Remember what happened with Artemis.

These things won't stop unless we completely destroy their weak points.

In Poseidon's case, that means we'll have to destroy the other cores.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you saying? Do you even hear yourself?

We might know that Poseidon's weak points are these cores, but those cores are all being protected by this impenetrable magical energy barrier.

So how can we destroy the cores and get rid of the barrier...

...when that same barrier is preventing us from destroying the cores?

There's nothing we can do. It's hopeless.

That logic's as circular as a school of pilchard...but it's not wrong.

...Now I see.

Once again, it appears we owe Francis Drake a great debt indeed.

Hm? What are you talking about, Holmes?

While I'm afraid she took her methods to the grave with her...

...the fact remains that she opened a hole in Poseidon. Do you realize what that means?

It means we can use that hole to hit the cores directly, without needing to punch through the barrier.

... ...

... ...

Are you nuts!?

Now I get it. You want to use the Storm Border!

Precisely! We're going to get right inside Poseidon and dismantle him from within!

A landing operation, huh? Not a very sophisticated plan, but that also gives it the most realistic chance of success.

But are you aware of just how dangerous this operation would be, Holmes?

Indeed, I expect it will be a fiendishly risky endeavor, with very little room for error.

But, it is far from impossible. Besides, it's the only option we've got.

...Yeah, you're right. In war, death is an inevitability.

You can't win without shedding some blood, and the ones who go in first always end up paying the heaviest price.

In this case, that would be memy ship running aground, followed by the soldiers disembarking from it.

Even if they succeeded at destroying the enemy base that way, it leaves them stranded, with no way to come back home.

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But as sure as my name is Captain Nemo, I refuse to let that happen!

So I'm not running aground, or leaving the battlefield, or abandoning any soldiers to die!

Poseidon might be the ruler of the sea, but we're the raging storm that treats it like our plaything!

General quarters! All hands, brace!

Once we evade Poseidon's next hundred-knot charge, we're going to grab onto his stern!

Um, can you be a little more specific, sir!?

Isn't it obvious!? We're going to fight collisions with collisions!

Yaaay! I love pirate warfare!

There you have it, Fujimaru. We're going to do whatever we have to in order to get on top of Poseidon.

By that, I presume you mean to break through the hole in his magical energy barrier?

Right. From there, we'll be racing against the clock. Are you ready, Da Vinci?

You know it. We can't race the clock without something to race in, after all.

Exactly. Besides, it was always meant to be a landing ship, right?

Oh Gooordyyy♪

Wh-wh-what is it? Why are you talking singsongy to me all of a sudden!?

Oh, nothing. I just thought you might want to start stretching now, is all.

Huh?

Okay, we're ready!

Marines! Engineer!

I'm expecting nothing but the best nautical skills from all of you.

Remember, even a single second's delay could cost us our lives!

Aye, aye, Captain!

Don't you worry! It might be a lot flashier looking now, but this bad boy's still our Nautilus!

The engine room's all good to go! Anything you want done, we'll get done in no more than a second!

That's the spirit!

It's the sonar! Poseidon's headed our way again!

And he's still cruising along at a hundred knots!

Keep going. We're going to charge straight in, without fighting the vortex's current.

B-but won't we end up colliding with him head-on if we do that!?

We're going to make an emergency dive right before impact, and evade him with a meter to spare.

That's crazy!

One minute to impact!

Evasive maneuvers in thirty seconds!

Only thirty!?

Looking at the numbers, that should be just enough!

Any sooner than that, and Poseidon will catch on to us!

Start the countdown, Marine!

F-fifty seconds to impact...

Forty seconds... Thirty-five...

Thirty-four... Thirty-three... Thirty-two... Thirty-one...!

Now! Blow the main ballast tanks! Emergency dive!

Aye, aye, Captain!!!

We've got a topside collision!

Damage report.

Nothing to worry about! It looks like he just scratched the tail fin!

Good. Now come about one-hundred eighty degrees. Line us up with the current!

We're going to make our way into that hole in the magical energy barrier before Poseidon can turn himself around!

Aye, aye, sir! Coming about!

... ...A-are you sure about this?

This should be substantially easier than India. All you need to do here is hit the ground running at full speed.

I wish I could share your optimism.

The hairs on my arms have been standing on end for what feels like ages. I've got a terrible feeling about this!

I-it's all right, Director. We know you can do this!

...Well, I suppose we have made it this far.

Indeed, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't steal the spotlight right at the end!

This is the Storm Border. We just made it through the hole in Poseidon's magical energy barrier.

I'm about to eject the Shadow Border! Are you all ready?

Hang on, just give us a moment. Can you do this, Gordy?

Nn... Ghh... Gnnn!

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Guh, I don't know if you're trying to pressure me, but will you stop looking at me like that already!?

Oh, the hell with it! Whatever happens, at least it'll be better than sinking and drowning! All right, I'm ready!

You want to see the driving technique I honed in the Safari Rally!? I'll show you the driving technique I honed in the Safari Rally, dammit!

We're ready, Captain! In fact, don't wait any longer! My courage is fading more every second!

Got it. I'll eject you right now. Fly, Shadow Border!

I'll handle everything up to the landing! After that, it's all up to you, Gordy!

I know, dammit! Come on, tires, don't slip on me now!

I refuse to tumble to my death by accident after coming this far!

There, I'm picking up the signal of another Poseidon core! Just keep going straight, Gordy!

I know that! ...Hm? There it is!

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...! Look out!

Yiiikes! That was too damn close!

Hmm. So he does have some manner of defensive system in place in the event that his interior is breached.

...Though they were clearly designed quite hastily, if not outright sloppily. Their aim is all over the place.

I see. He must have scrambled to put something together after Francis Drake made off with one of his cores.

Sloppy or not, those things'll still definitely kill us if they hit us, right!?

Dammit all...!

Fujimaru, Shielder, what do you think you're doing?

Get out there and get your asses to the core already!

It doesn't seem to be all that far, so it shouldn't take you long. Come on, get going!

Master!

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Yes, get going! I'll come pick you up as soon as you've destroyed the core!

Right! Please wait here until we get back, everyone!

No harmful substances detected outside, and the air circulation looks good, too.

...The mana seems to be at Age of Gods-level concentrations, but that shouldn't be a problem for you guys!

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Right!

Activating Ortinax now. Here goes!

Intruders detected. Intruders detected.

Mobilize defenses. Mobilize defenses.

!

Let's keep going! Awaiting your orders, Master!

That's one Poseidon core destroyed!

Come on, get in! You still have two more left to go!

R-right!

Hang on. Shouldn't you be out there helping them!?

In a minute! I'm still recuperating here!

Don't be ridiculous! You're obviously the picture of health!

Not every wound is visible, you know! Oh man, it hurts.

... Wait. Don't tell me you

Hold that thought, Director. We need to head to the next core.

Master!

I'll go out to the Shadow Border's roof and keep the Ortinax engaged!

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Yes, that would be for the best, as I expect you two will be the enemy's primary locus of attack.

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I'll tell you on the way. Now let's get going!

Maintaining defensive position!

Hold on! Things are about to get bumpy!

Right!

Attack target: Francis Drake. Attack target: Francis Drake.

Mobilize defenses. Mobilize defenses. Mobilize defenses.

MoKill. Kill. Kill. Kill, kill, kill. Kill her dead. Incinerate her. Leave no trace of her corpse behind.

...!

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I'm fine! The Ortinax is still good to go!

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I expect Poseidon's estimation of your threat level has gone up considerably now that you've destroyed one of his cores.

I advise you to keep that in mind, and to expect that the next core will be even more difficult than the last.

Understood! Let's go, Master!

Initiating defenses. Initiating defenses. Target: Francis Drake.