"Luzi, tell us quickly about the latest situation in Enkanomiya..."
"Mhm, Coral Palace should have told you. Enkanomiya is currently shrouded in an abnormal black mist. People, who should be absent, are now appearing as unidentified humanoid monsters..."
Luzi couldn't help but sigh. These humanoid monsters, whose existence wasn't even recorded in ancient texts, were not only bizarre in appearance but also formidable in strength, injuring many scouts.
"Humanoid... monsters?"
Arataki Itto muttered to himself. He hadn't encountered any the last time he went down with Boss Fengyi. Where did they come from?
"Yes, according to the soldiers' descriptions, these humanoid monsters are like self-moving armor. Most soldiers who encountered them were mentally stimulated and babbled incoherently, but their descriptions of the monsters were surprisingly consistent..."
"Not only that, but in the darkness, ordinary enemies become difficult to deal with, which is why the scouting and intelligence unit, the Manta Ray Third Squad, suffered heavy losses for a time."
"However, the injured soldiers who have retreated mentioned one thing: a shrine maiden calling herself 'Agi' is helping to treat the wounded..."
"But as far as I know, there is no such person registered among Coral Palace's shrine maidens. This person is presiding over a ritual called the 'Festival of a Thousand Lanterns,' maintaining a sliver of light in the central area of Enkanomiya. Regardless, thanks to her, the injured soldiers have a safe place to recuperate."
Luzi selected the important pieces of the latest intelligence from Enkanomiya and explained them one by one to Captain Fengyi.
"Festival of a Thousand Lanterns? Hiss—I think I've seen that in a book somewhere..."
Hearing the name 'Festival of a Thousand Lanterns,' Fengyi found it somewhat familiar. After thinking carefully, he realized he had seen it in ancient texts in the Coral Palace library.
However, he had only skimmed it at the time and didn't have a deep impression. He only remembered that this ritual seemed to be effective only in Enkanomiya, so it wasn't brought to Watatsumi Island.
"Luzi, do you have any more information about this shrine maiden, Agi?"
Fengyi was very interested in this shrine maiden who could preside over the ancient sacrifices of Byakuyakoku. She was likely to be their ally in this operation.
"Some mentioned that she wears a strange mask that covers the upper half of her face, making her easy to identify. Captain Fengyi, you should be able to recognize her at a glance when you go down."
Luzi also had a good impression of this benevolent ally.
"Captain Fengyi, Miss Luzi, and two friends who are helping. I am Ueno, the acting captain of the Swordfish First Squad. The Swordfish First Squad has now assembled and is ready to depart. This operation is responsible for escorting everyone to the central camp in Enkanomiya and then assisting in the evacuation of the wounded. We will obey Captain Fengyi's orders throughout the entire process..."
At this moment, a Coral Palace soldier holding a spear approached and respectfully reported to Fengyi.
"Without further ado, let's depart now!"
Fengyi nodded. He had asked most of what he needed to know. The specific situation could only be understood by going down to Enkanomiya.
"Yes, the Swordfish First Squad is waiting at the entrance. Captain Fengyi and two friends, please follow me..."
Ueno led the way towards the entrance of the deep pool below.
Fengyi clenched the magatama-shaped stone fragment in his hand and followed with Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu. This fragment was quietly slipped to him by Kokomi before they parted, who called it an insignificant trinket that would bring good luck and hoped it would help Fengyi when he faced difficult choices.
Although Kokomi had said it casually, Fengyi always felt that this stone fragment was unusual and might hold significant meaning for Watatsumi Island.
Plop, plop, plop...
Like dumplings being tossed into a pot, the group penetrated the film beneath the pool and entered the territory of Enkanomiya.
Except for Fengyi and Arataki Itto, who had experienced it once before, everyone else looked around with curiosity and amazement at this peculiar sensation.
"Boss Fengyi, look! The black mist has already drifted here!"
Arataki Itto suddenly pointed towards the direction of the cave, which was one of the paths leading to Enkanomiya.
Fengyi hadn't expected that the abnormal black mist had already spread this far. Although the black mist here was still thin and its impact on visibility was not significant, the road ahead to the Dainichi Mikoshi would likely be completely shrouded in black mist.
"Ueno, tie ropes around your waists and connect everyone. From now on, listen to my command. No one is allowed to act on their own!"
"Understood!"
Ueno fully agreed with Captain Fengyi's order. When moving in the black mist, the worst thing to fear was someone getting separated.
To save or not to save, that was a difficult question.
If not saved, that person was likely doomed.
If they tried to save, they might end up losing more people.
To avoid such problems, the best solution was to keep everyone together as one entity. They would either survive together or perish together.
"I will lead the way from now on. Itto and Shinobu, you two will be responsible for guarding the left and right flanks."
Fengyi took out two specially made lanterns and handed them to the two. These were temporary tools, capturing a portion of the sun's radiance, capable of illuminating the surrounding darkness.
Although Fengyi had not personally dealt with the black mist of Enkanomiya, creating a widely applicable 'Sun Lantern' was not a problem.
This was one of the research results of Cloud Retainer. It had a strong deterrent effect on dark environments.
As it turned out, Fengyi's gamble paid off. The 'Sun Lantern' worked very well. The stubbornly persistent black mist was instantly dispelled upon encountering the lantern that stored sunlight.
However, as soon as the lantern's light disappeared, this area would immediately be filled with the surrounding endless black mist.
The 'Sun Lantern' could only maintain light within a three-meter radius of the holder when it was bright.
If it weren't for time constraints and material limitations, Fengyi could have made more 'Sun Lanterns.'
Such excellent tools were like life-saving artifacts in the mist-shrouded Enkanomiya environment. Who wouldn't want one?
But the decision-making power rested with Captain Fengyi, and the Coral Palace soldiers could only watch enviously.
Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu were also curious about this new gadget. It emitted light continuously without any lamp oil. How was it achieved?
Under Fengyi's leadership, the group entered the cave filled with black mist.
Fengyi gathered his spiritual power in his eyes, allowing him to see through the black mist even without using the lanterns.
"Mr. Fengyi, monsters are rapidly approaching on the left side of the team!"
"Boss Fengyi, there are some on the right side too!"