New Game+

Chapter 293 - The Aftermath Of Fifth Fortress

Pioneer Flantter thought he was dead. The Gehanna Piercer exploded, and a white light enveloped him. It wasn't just any form of blinding light, but it was as if a large ball of pure white energy was summoned.

In his perspective, it looked like he got caught in the sudden explosion.

His eyes remained closed and slowly opened, and then he realized that he was still alive.

"I'm alive?" Flantter was confused.

"Sir Phallus?" Flantter called out.

At that moment, Lennox began to speak and changed his voice to that of Lowengren's.

"Relax. I did that. You see, your country is looking at this battle via satellite. As such, I had to do something to hide the fact that I captured all of them."

"Ca-Captured all of them?" Flantter was confused.

"What do you think happened? Presider's ship is near here. It should surface any moment again. That light was to hide everyone from what happened. The moment that bomb exploded, Presider's ship rose and captured everyone. The WGP, the Lost Primordial, and even that man called General Vender. Your stupidness disappointed Presider. But then again… Vender was naked. I'd probably go for that other guy too..."

"I beg Sir Phallus to plead to Presider! I am willing to divulge everything and anything about Straviaa! I will do my best!"

"Relax. Your connection with Straviaa is very important. Of course, if you lose your usefulness or betray Presider, you'll end up like General Vender."

Flantter could not help but tremble. Vender died by getting hit directly by the modified Gehanna Piercer.

"Never! I won't ever betray him!" Flantter answered.

"Good. I guess it's about time for you to report to Presider Straviaa. I trust I don't need to reiterate what you can and can't say. Anyway, after that, you are to gather the survivors of this base. Soldiers are still soldiers. We can make them allies with that operation. In a few minutes, go towards the sea and gather everyone. The Caliphates are still looking at you. But with this, it will seem that the ship that surfaces is yours."

"I understand. What is my next mission?"

"Presider Pridgeon will tell him yourself."

"I understand."

"Goodbye." The voice disappeared.

Almost immediately, Flantter immediately communicated and sent out his message from Straviaa.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the desert, an invisible object, as wide as a small house, was hovering over the dune.

Inside was a large room with devices that were more advanced than the command center of Owens. 

It used various technology to keep itself from being detected. It made no sounds and hovered over the sands, and kept moving.

"Reverse magnetism technology. Or this could be Dug Down Technology! Whatever this is, it allows us to hover over the metallic sand in this place. There are also Canadian Frost Techs that can hinder and make it unnoticeable." Alean introduced.

 "What happened after I abandoned ship?" It was Salathiel who asked.

"The ship was sinking. I couldn't find a way to save it. I was about to ride one of the evacuation pods like you told me, but then a strange blue ship which had the similar designs of that other ship piloted by Gender Vender appeared. He couldn't save the ship but manage to keep the water from rushing inside through some strange water technology."

Salathiel had already explained what had happened since he left the ship. Alean woke up and tried to help Salathiel, and that led to the events that Alean explained.

"Water technology?" Magantae exclaimed.

"Could it be? Egypt's tech?" Lowengren made a guess. Lowengren was fully clothed, but just like Alean, he still wore a mask.

"The waters did not cease. And that's when I did what you told me." Alean explained.

"Sorry, Fleet Admiral. This was the best that I could think of." Salathiel sighed in embarrassment.

"These technologies assimilated with this erm... vessel just as the pilot told me. And here we are…"

"Who were they? How could they possess techs that are even a match for the WGP?" Magantae wondered.

Alean simply shook her head.

"Still… Despite having lost the Heart of Atlantis, we still have this Core. Thank you, Lieutenant General and General Vender, for your efforts. If it were for the both of you, we would have lost all our techs."

"I have a feeling that we might not have lost your Atlantis. That man was merely a part of a fleet. I have a feeling that he planned to acquire your tech…" Lowengren suddenly explained.

"What?"

"They sent us here because they knew our mission. That's why they were so generous that they gave certain techs that this Core could replicate and create! We are now inside the Caliphates! We are thought to have been defeated and weaponless! The assumption would be that you would retreat!"

Suddenly, the Commanders and Magantae all perked up and were stunned at the realization.

"He's right!" Magantae explained.

"This means we can still continue on our mission! But we have to know… Can we trust that General Gender Vender? Vender Hirock, who is that man?"

"I don't know. He must be from Egypt if he has that tech! If I had known that they would be that strong, I would have contacted them. Maybe that's why…"

"What's why?" One of the Commanders asked.

"It's like this… Have you ever wondered why Egypt, which lies in the borders between Africa and Caliphates, and being a nation which connects our two groups of nations by land, is not attacked?" Lowengren asked.

"Xenophobic Egypt. We have not seen their capabilities in war. I know that they offer huge tributes to the two countries to remain neutral." Magantae answered.

"Yes. But why have we Generals always been ordered to avoid the skirmishes against Egypt? Even when they would cross our borders? Egypt has been secretly exploiting riches from us! It's the other way around!" Lowengren revealed.

The revelation was so shocking that it caused the Commanders and Magantae to remain silent and pondered the implications.

"Egypt… is that strong?"

"What if what we saw earlier was not Candian Frost? What if it was that water technology that is rumored to be in Egypt?"

"What water Technology? I haven't heard of it." Commander Drinths asked.

"Project Nile lives… Interesting…" Magantae sighed.

"Nile… So that's its name!" Alean exclaimed.

"It's said to be an inhumane technology. The Egyptians became obsessed with superpowers. And they kept experimenting and experimenting. We've seen the reports of a failed experiment birthed from this Project Nile. It was a woman who could control water!"

Lowengren gasped as he placed his arm on the side of his jaw. Alean was shocked and placed her hand over her mouth.

"Super Powers? Why haven't the WGP acted?"

"Because it failed! The scientist in charge of that tech had died and vanished! We assumed that it was either the Caliphates or Africa that killed them. You see, they were bullied and are financially being weakened by the two countries! I never expected the opposite to be true!"

"It makes sense! That's how they controlled the storm! It wasn't New Great Britain's Lightning rod tech! It was actually water-bending!" Lowengren declared his realization.

"Water-bending?" Many confused voices echoed.

"It's- It's from my daughter's favorite Post-Modern animated show." Lowengren explained.

"What do we do?" Alean asked as she held out a strange communication device.

"Right before the vessel fell, the pilot sent out a pod that contained this. He said he would communicate with us." 

"It's best we keep it with us. Regardless, the enemy outside is safer than the enemy within…" Magantae sighed.

"What about General Joab Barak! He has to die!" Lowengren voiced out angrily.

"He played me well! He was using me to draw you in! I underestimated his plans! I will do better!"

"We will, General!" Alean encouraged.

"Fleet Admiral! I've received an alert! It's from the local news! The Kraken! The Kraken in Pangea and the Atlantis has fallen!"

"What?!" Magantae exclaimed, and some other loud shouts also occurred at the news, and the group immediately played the local news.

As these events were playing out, another important event was happening elsewhere.

Owens Shedd opened his eyes. He could see that he was in some sort of chamber and that his entire body was locked and chained. 

"What happened?" He cursed.

They had fled into the Pegasus, and the mysterious man went out to help but very quickly, he returned.

The group dived even before the explosion of the Gehanna Piercer.

Thirty-six soldiers followed Owens Shedd into the vessel to escape.

And as the group traveled further and further underwater, they grew more relaxed, knowing no one would chase them back.

The mysterious man said they should rest while he would rendezvous with the Planted soldier Owens Shedd admired.

That was the last thing Owens Shedd remembered.

"I fell asleep?" A dreaded fear entered his thoughts.

"Good! You're awake." Charles greeted as he glanced through the glass chamber.

"Charles Lindmitt?!" Owens was surprised at the appearance of this man. He was able to determine that this was the very same person.

"Oh? Owens is awake!" Another voice exclaimed.

"Vender Hirock!" Owens shouted angrily.

"What happened?! Where am I? What are you doing to me?! Where are my men?"

"One at a time. And I suggest relaxing. Getting agitated makes it only worse. You sure are lucky! Lowengren was so impressed with your performance that he told me to spare a more powerful drug for you! This baby will get you to the Proficient stage of Unbecoming! He was asking if I have one that can get a person straight to Surmounting or even to Inhuman!"

Owens didn't understand what Charles was saying and kept screaming and moving.

"Don't bother. Not even an Inhuman can break out of that chamber…" Charles laughed.

"Too bad that Lowengren wants this team. I can't go all out and lift all constraints in experimenting with these humans." Charles sighed.

"But I guess receiving those reports from the WGP's other experiments in the Atlantis should prove useful."

"The Atlantis conducts human experimentation?"

"Perhaps only the experiments in the Arctic Regions of the World Helm. But I mean, you have an underwater fortress with massive power that is unchecked. That sounds like a good place to conduct experiments. And all that data is right in this Kyogre now!"

"Any reports about the plague?"

"Yes. The Atlantis seems to be one of the places where the Plague is being studied and experimented on. It makes sense. The Plague could be infectious and may spread. So it's best to isolate it. The Atlantis is the perfect place for it. It looks like they even managed to make a name for that plague that struck your daughter. Sadly, it looks like they haven't been able to cure it yet."

"Doctor Charles, do you think there is hope in curing my daughter?" Vender asked when he heard that even the WGP couldn't cure it.

"We'll have to wait a few days to find out. I just got word that more of the Empress's slaves are on their way here carrying more information. But the data is nothing compared to the fresh cells of the Overcomers. You see, it's only in battle and life-threatening situations that I can break through the veil and understand the Unlocking." Charles explained.

"I know that the Unlocking is strong. I couldn't even believe what I had just done. Even with my clumsy piloting, I was still able to fight that many easily! But can the Unlocking save my daughter?"

"Don't worry. Our victory here is nothing compared to Seeker's victory. Seeker pulled a huge on! I believe the information we will be receiving and the science we will acquire will roughly be on par with the WGP! And even better is that Seeker seemed to have met an important figure. Nogard Meng is alive! His cells ought to be something that can help your daughter!" Charles smiled.

"Really?!" 

"We can only hope. Also, some improved and harnessed samples are coming. Rosa and Meng's samples ought to do the trick." Charles laughed.

"Doctor Charles."

"Lennox? You're here?" Charles was stunned.

"I gathered enough energy from that base to create another exact copy of me. I have already met the Empress. I have already discussed with her what has transpired. And she wants to help provided she gets access to more drugs. Rest assured, she will ensure that you won't meet her or hear her voice."

"How strong is she?" Charles asked curiously.

"None of the Overcomers will stand a chance if they fight her again."

Back on the shore, Flantter gave his full report and Straviaa, but the Presider didn't reply at his messages.

Flantter had managed to convince the remaining soldiers that Owens was the real traitor and that the Planteds betrayed him. Since the base was in ruins, the soldiers did not have the support and techs to help them.

They had just seen a powerful tech that they believed to belong to Flantter and decided to surrender.

After gathering the survivors of this battle, Flantter moved towards the sea as instructed. He waited and began to check on the reports of his Caliphate subordinates. But for some strange reason, he could not contact them.

"Strange. Why haven't they sent their reports?" Flantter frowned. The many Caliphate bases should have sent reports to him. But he forgot about it due to the battle and the non-stop talks of Phallus.

It was then that Flantter realized something.

"The reports that I should receive from the surrounding bases stopped ever since I got attacked by that Lightning Energy!" The idea dawned on him, and a terrifying fear broke through his heart.

"Have I been deceived?" Flantter was about to open his communication, but then, the sea began to convulse. 

A small ship emerged on the shore. Several other ships that looked like the Pegasus also surfaced.

Flantter was about to raise his arms and ready his weapons when the first ship opened its doors.

The moment Flantter saw her, he couldn't move.

On a certain aircraft that was moving across the World's Helm, the pilots and the passengers could not help but marvel at how their ship could avoid detection.

The WGP had now activated all of its scanners and defenses and would attack ships and aircraft without warning.

But yet, it could not detect this ship.

The crew was quiet. The only sound they could hear the happy humming tune of the man responsible for their stealth.

"Hm?" The hum stopped. Richie's relaxed expression slowly changed. A powerful killing intent surfaced, and everyone in the room could feel it.

The pilot even lost control, but Richie used his sounds to keep the plane steady.

His killing intent was so powerful that it was causing all matter around him to vibrate erratically.

A woman next to her immediately moved to the other side of the plane.

"What are you doing? You'll kill us?!" She cursed.

"She's grown so powerful. I guess I can't fool around anymore."

"Bo-Boss?" Sammy asked with a trembling voice.

"She's out, Sammy.. The Tyrant Empress has surfaced."