NOVPUB
Chapter 76: 016: Can it be done?
The sailboat had been sailing westward for about two hours when a small island appeared before them, standing quietly in the night breeze, looking eerie.
Still some distance away from the island, the sailors on the boat lowered the sails and dropped the anchor.
"This is the place."
Avery walked over to Lynch, lifted her magic wand, and made a gentle stroke in the air. A ball of Light Elemental Energy sank into the sea below, and soon, clusters of colorful light began to glow beneath the surface.
Avery turned to Lynch and said, "Those glowing spots down there are Elemental Coral."
Lynch stepped forward to take a closer look. The glowing points resembled streetlights standing in the pitch-black waters, encircling the island and forming a boundary that surrounded it completely.
So, this is how it works...
Lynch understood, "Using Elemental Coral as the energy source and adding Echo Seashells to link them together, it forms a self-sustaining natural defense system. When an intruder attempts to break in, the Echo Seashells provide an immediate alert—is that right?"
Avery’s eyes lit up. She nodded, "Exactly."
After a pause, she added with approval, "Now I understand why Bike was so insistent on recommending you to me."
Even Lucas couldn’t find words to refute.
Just by glancing at the scene, Lynch was able to analyze the underlying mechanism and its purpose with such clarity—truly a testament to his professional expertise.
Perhaps he really could dismantle the Elemental Coral?
Avery’s expression grew more serious. "We just need you to disable some of the Elemental Coral, creating a gap for us to infiltrate without alerting the enemy inside. Once that’s done, your task will be completed."
She asked, "What do you think? Can you do it?"
Lucas and Adam also turned their attention to Lynch. If Lynch could indeed dismantle the Elemental Coral, it would provide immense support for their battle tonight.
Lynch didn’t display blind confidence: "I’ll need to go down and take a closer look first."
Avery nodded in agreement.
She then pulled out a small box from her Space Pocket. When opened, it revealed two fish gill-like objects submerged in water.
Lynch had read about these in books; they were magical items called Mermaid Gills that, when affixed to the sides of the face, granted the ability to breathe underwater like a fish.
Avery explained, "These are Mermaid Gills. Stick them to the sides of your cheeks, and they’ll help you breathe freely underwater."
Lynch took the Mermaid Gills and attached them to his cheeks, near the jawline.
A chilly sensation spread across his skin. As soon as the Mermaid Gills made contact, they quickly adhered to his cheeks, seamlessly integrating with his skin. Visually, it looked as though actual gills were growing from his face.
Avery then summoned two knights, who also equipped Mermaid Gills. Their task was to ensure Lynch’s safety underwater.
"Be cautious and prioritize safety above all else. If the issue can’t be resolved, don’t push yourself too hard. We’ve made ample preparations, so your work won’t impact the success of our mission."
Lynch nodded, "Understood."
He secured Parker on the deck before tying a rope around his waist and diving into the water with the two knights.
As the trio descended slowly into the water, the icy touch of the cold seawater against their skin sent sharp stings through them. Conditions were challenging without the insulated Apprentice Cloak.
While the temperature was still manageable, Lynch quickly activated the Magic Model in his Sea of Consciousness to cast the spell [Warmth].
[Warmth] was a 0-level Low-level Magic spell of the Fire Element, designed to dispel cold and provide warmth, just as its name suggested.
Lynch cast the spell on his companions as well, then led them further into the depths of the sea.
Amidst the pitch-black waters, several Alchemy Fireflies flitted around, emitting faint glimmers that illuminated the underwater darkness and helped Lynch and his team navigate.
Following the direction of the Alchemy Fireflies, they descended several hundred meters, eventually reaching the seafloor.
The ocean floor resembled a dazzling underwater forest. Gentle hills were covered in fine sediments and adorned with aquatic plants, seaweed, starfish, coral, shells, and various other marine creatures. During daylight, this scene would undoubtedly be stunning.
However, Lynch wasn’t there to admire the scenery. Leading the knights past a dense area of seaweed, he arrived at an Elemental Coral.
The coral stood as tall as two people, its sprawling branches resembling the limbs of an underwater tree.
Embedded in the coral’s central area were several Echo Seashells, fused so seamlessly they seemed like part of the coral.
"I see now."
"They’ve modified the coral’s basal layer, creating openings in the outer ectoderm and fusing cells from the inner endoderm with cells of the Echo Seashell, forming the conditions necessary for the seashells to parasitize the coral."
"An intriguing transformation method. However, it could be improved by connecting the coral’s polyps directly to the Echo Seashells’ appendages for a tighter integration..."
After examining the scene, Lynch quickly deduced the underlying principles of the biological transformation. It wasn’t extraordinarily sophisticated, but completing such a modification demonstrated considerable aptitude on the part of their apprentice.
Having critiqued the design, Lynch began dismantling the Elemental Coral...
Meanwhile, on the sea’s surface, aboard the Storm Sailing Ship.
Lucas stared at the pitch-black waters with a worried expression. "Do you think that kid can pull it off?"
Avery replied, "Let’s hope so."
"But we shouldn’t blindly place our faith in him. Stick to the original plan and have the knights ready. Whether the Elemental Coral is dismantled or not, we launch the attack in half an hour!"
In the end, brute force was still their primary strategy for this mission. All their arrangements had been made with that approach in mind.
Bringing Lynch along was mainly a gamble. After all, dismantling the modified Elemental Coral and Echo Seashell combo was no easy feat—in Avery’s understanding, it exceeded the scope of an apprentice’s knowledge.
Minute by minute, time slipped away, and before long, half an hour had passed.
"Time’s up."
Avery checked her watch, then tied her hair back with a ribbon before issuing a command: "Summon the knights; prepare for the assault."
"Yes!"
The knights and soldiers who had been prepared for action quickly gathered on the deck, while sailors moved various tactical equipment onto smaller boats.
The battle was about to begin.
"Huh? Look at the seabed! Something’s happening!" Lucas suddenly pointed toward the sea.
Below the surface, the glowing Elemental Coral began to dim in several spots. The once continuous defensive perimeter had a noticeable gap.
Avery froze momentarily.
At the same time, several figures emerged from the dark waters.
Lynch waved at the deck, "It’s done."
Cheers broke out among the gathered crew. Anyone with experience knew the vast advantage of a surprise attack compared to a full-scale assault.
Even Lucas, who hadn’t thought much of Lynch, broke into an approving grin. "Good kid! Well done!"
Standing at the edge of the ship, Avery looked stunned.
Though she had brought Lynch along, it was mostly a gamble of chance.
She hadn’t truly expected him to succeed.
