He gestured toward the projection. “Aquilonis is ruled by two types of Nephilims. Deep beneath the endless ocean are the Aqua Angels, as they call themselves.”

The cities reappeared, shown from different angles.

“Like us, they have civilization, culture, and architecture. They build cities. They govern territories. They wage wars.”

A quiet murmur spread through the hall.

Feng Xiu continued, “They speak Ancient Orlon.”

Several hunters straightened in surprise.

“Yes,” Feng Xiu said. “You will not face much difficulty communicating with them.” He paused briefly, then added, “As for why they know that language… that remains a mystery. We simply did not have enough time to investigate further.”

Feng Xiu let the previous images fade before continuing, his expression turning noticeably heavier.

“First, you need to understand one thing clearly,” he said. “The Aqua Angels are the dominant force in Aquilonis. If you make enemies out of them, your hunting will become extremely difficult.”

He raised a hand, and new data appeared beside the oceanic cities. “Based on Red Cloud’s assessment, many of their elite warriors fall into the Class-2 category. Their top elites are suspected to be Class-1, and their leader…” Feng Xiu paused slightly, allowing the weight of his next words to settle, “may very well be Class-0.”

A quiet ripple of unease spread through the theatre.

“However,” Feng Xiu continued, “this is not entirely bad news. The more monsters you hunt in Aquilonis, the more favorable the Aqua Angels become toward you. They see monster hunting as the removal of threats to their world.”

He shifted the slide again. “That said, Aqua Angels are not the only force you’ll encounter.”

The screen changed to a breathtaking yet ominous scene. Massive floating islands drifted through the sky above the endless ocean, shrouded in clouds and light. On those islands stood beings with wings of radiant feathers, yet their forms were unsettling. Some had sharp avian features, while others bore animalistic traits that made them look closer to beasts than angels.

“These,” Feng Xiu said solemnly, “are the Sky Angels and the Primal Angels.”

His tone sharpened. “The Sky Angels and Aqua Angels share a deep and bitter enmity. You will often see them targeting each other. As for the Primal Angels…” He shook his head. “They are excessively aggressive. Reason does not work on them. The moment they see you, they attack. My recommendation is to avoid the floating islands entire”

A few hunters exchanged grim looks.

The next image appeared, this time clearly not a real photograph but a detailed reconstruction.

A colossal serpent filled the screen, its body coiling endlessly through dark waters. Massive horns curved from its head, and its presence alone seemed to press down on the room.

“And this,” Feng Xiu said, “is Gargantua Leviathan.”

His voice remained steady, but the room reacted instantly. A collective gasp escaped the audience.

“One of the two overlords of Aquilonis,” he continued. “A Saint-tier monster.”

Before anyone could fully process that, the screen changed again.

A whale appeared. Not an ordinary one, but something ancient and immense, its form stretching across the display like a moving continent.

“This is Myticetus,” Feng Xiu said. “The second overlord. Also Saint-tier.”

Silence followed.

“According to local accounts,” Feng Xiu added, “neither of them interferes in worldly affairs. They will not attack unless provoked or if they sense killing intent directed at them.” He paused briefly, then said firmly, “Even so, I advise restraint. Regardless of their behavior, they are still monsters.”

Lin Fang felt his throat tighten. Saint-tier. Two of them. In a single world.

The presentation came to an end as the screen slowly dimmed. Feng Xiu stepped forward once more, his gaze steady as it swept across the room.

“Tomorrow morning, we will arrive at Penglai Island,” he said. “That is when we will enter the Stellar Rift.”

A few assistants wheeled out sealed cases along the edges of the theatre. “You will each be issued special diving equipment. It continuously extracts oxygen from the surrounding water and supplies it directly to you. Breathing will not be an issue.”

He folded his hands behind his back. “Many of you are A-rank hunters. Some of you are even S-rank.” His eyes hardened. “But even so, the risk of death remains extremely high.”

The theatre grew quiet.

“This ship will serve as your safe haven in unfamiliar territory,” Feng Xiu continued. “However, we cannot guarantee your survival. If anyone wishes to withdraw, you may do so now.”

For a moment, no one moved.

Then a hunter seated near the center row stood up. His presence was calm, his eyes sharp with experience. “I can’t speak for hunters who only fight monsters in controlled dungeon environments,” he said. “They know what kind of danger to expect.”

He looked around the room. “But for explorers like us, this is nothing new. We enter Rifts where information is scarce. We risk our lives every time.” A faint smile crossed his face. “If anything, having scouts gather information like this beforehand is a luxury.”

A low murmur of agreement followed.

Saint-tier monsters…

Lin Fang leaned back slightly in his seat, eyes unfocused as his thoughts drifted inward.

In a land battle, he would have plenty of options. In the water, however, things became complicated fast. Xuan Hei, Cloud, Tempest, Nyx, and even those three velociraptors he had once relied on were all ground-based. In an endless ocean, they would be little more than dead weight.

They couldn’t fight, couldn’t maneuver, and would probably become liabilities the moment a real marine monster appeared.

Only Jelly came to mind.

The Spirit Jellyfish was useful, but only in a very specific way. Healing. Survival. Support. Stripey, the undead green anaconda, might still function underwater to some extent, but against Saint-tier existences, even that felt shaky.

This world wasn’t built for land hunters.

Right then, Alpha let out a soft chuckle inside his mind. Kiddo, you’re thinking too narrowly.

Lin Fang’s focus sharpened. What do you mean?

Not just your existing summons are limited, Alpha continued calmly. This is Aquilonis. Kill the marine creatures there. Turn them undead. Use them for hunting.

Lin Fang’s breath paused.

Better yet, Alpha added, find one powerful marine monster. One. Raise it the same way you did with the undead anaconda. A single well-chosen undead summon can dominate an entire hunting ground.

Lin Fang’s eyes lit up.

“That’s right,” he murmured. The idea clicked into place instantly. He had been thinking in terms of adapting old tools, when the real answer was to build new ones entirely suited to the environment.

Alpha wasn’t finished. And one more thing, it added. You should actually take a proper look at Jelly’s abilities this time. That summon gives you an advantage most hunters here don’t even realize exists.

Lin Fang opened his interface quietly, shielding the faint glow with his body. Instead of selecting “Summon,” he tapped into the pet inventory and chose “Details.”

Jelly’s information panel unfolded before his eyes.

He read carefully this time, not skimming, not assuming.

Name: Jelly

Level: 30

Species: Spirit Jellyfish

Grade: Rare

Element: Water

Potential: Level 30 (Commander Tier)

Active Skills:

Jet Spray (Level 10): Fires a concentrated water jet at the enemy.

Cooldown: 10 minutes

Chokehold (Level 20): Uses tentacles to restrain and strangle the target.

Cooldown: 20 minutes

Restoration Skill (Level 30): Restores the target to their peak condition within the last 24 hours.

Cooldown effect: Summon enters hibernation for 24 hours.

Passive Skills:

Water Breathe: As long as the user wears the monster over their head, they can breathe underwater.

*

The healing skill alone was terrifying when used correctly. Restoring someone to peak condition within twenty-four hours meant injuries, fatigue, and even certain lingering damage could be erased completely. The cost was steep, but the strategic value was immense.

The passive skill made sense. Water breathing was expected.

Still, he frowned slightly.

“Breathing isn’t the real problem,” he muttered under his breath. “The hydrostatic pressure is the main issue”

In the deeper regions of Aquilonis, water pressure would be the true killer. Even A-rank hunters couldn’t ignore it. Mana armor could counteract it, but maintaining that constantly would drain reserves at an absurd rate. Jelly solved one problem, but not all of them.

Around him, the theatre buzzed again. One after another, hunters stood up, voicing their determination and resolve. Brave words filled the air. Feng Xiu listened with a faint, helpless smile, neither encouraging nor dismissing them.

Then—

All of a sudden, a figure appeared on the stage without warning, standing beside Feng Xiu as if he had always been there.

Black robes draped over his body. A hood shadowed his face. A demonic mask concealed his features completely.

The moment he arrived, an oppressive aura washed over the room like a tidal wave.

Several hunters gasped. Others stiffened, instincts screaming danger. Lin Fang felt his chest tighten, his breathing growing heavier without him realizing it.

Feng Xiu straightened slightly. “This,” he said, voice measured, “This is an elite of the Red Cloud Mercenary Group. Codename: Mephisto.”

Before Lin Fang could fully process the name, Alpha’s voice snapped through his thoughts, sharp and urgent. “Kiddo, you need to be careful with him. This man carries intense killing intent. And his mana reserves… are nearly a thousand times yours.”

Lin Fang didn’t need the warning.

Even from where he sat, the pressure rolling off Mephisto felt suffocating. It wasn’t just strength. It was the aura of someone who had killed endlessly, without hesitation, without mercy.

Lin Fang exhaled slowly, forcing his body to stay relaxed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep