"Monsieur Neuvillette, Lady Furina, these are our department's findings after thorough investigation."
Neuvillette stared at the speaker, somewhat bewildered. For a long moment, he didn't reach out to take the report.
It had been less than an hour since he had explained his request and received the results.
The speed was utterly astonishing, especially considering this matter concerned the very survival of Fontaine. It gave him the impression that the answer had already been discovered, and they were simply waiting for the right moment to present it.
"Thorough investigation?" Furina asked skeptically.
The speaker smiled and explained, "Indeed. Since it was a request from Monsieur Neuvillette and Lady Furina, we meticulously checked our findings twice."
Furina choked on her own words, unable to resist snatching the report.
"Forget it, I'll just read it myself. If you're trying to pull a fast one, I won't hesitate to..."
As Furina gazed at the report—which presented its findings with remarkably simple diagrams and clear annotations—she fell into deep thought.
I think... I can understand this!
Good heavens, this report is brilliantly done!
A report even she could grasp, even vaguely, left Furina utterly without grounds for criticism.
Just then, Neuvillette snapped out of his astonishment and turned his attention to the report.
It was a calculated diagram mapping the Primordial Sea's outflows, including the Fortress of Meropide, Poisson, and a location that particularly caught Neuvillette's eye: the Tower of Gestalt.
According to the report, the Tower of Gestalt served as another core location, mirroring the Fortress of Meropide.
The positions were determined using an array called the Covenant Seal, composed of two parts: the Surging Flow Tree in the upper half and a four-quadrant circular ring in the lower half.
However, this wasn't the primary concern. The most pressing question was:
"How did you learn about this array?"
"It's been around forever!" the other party immediately replied.
"Isn't it just an energy-gathering array? Back when we needed to distribute the Indemnitium generated by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale throughout Fontaine, every city in the Core State was laid out in a similar pattern based on this array."
"Lady Furina should know about this, right? You were the one who ordered it to be constructed that way!"
Neuvillette's gaze shifted to Furina beside him. She startled slightly, swallowing her initial denial at the last moment. Planting her hands on her hips, she feigned composure and declared:
"Ha ha, of course I knew that!"
"It's just that so much time has passed, I'd forgotten!"
Neuvillette stared at Furina for a long moment, his gaze so intense that it sent chills down her spine, before slowly looking away.
Only then did Furina secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
That was close! I almost got caught by Neuvillette's suspicion!
Just as Furina was celebrating her narrow escape, Neuvillette addressed their counterpart again.
"How did you determine the connection between the two?"
"We simply provided what we believe to be the most likely answer. As for the truth, Monsieur Neuvillette will need to verify it himself."
Neuvillette nodded in response. Indeed, they hadn't provided much concrete information, but having a direction so quickly was already a significant achievement, far exceeding his expectations.
"If Monsieur Neuvillette wishes to verify this, we suggest investigating this location first."
As they spoke, they pointed to a spot on the map.
"This is the next most likely array node to be targeted for destruction. The optimal time for sabotage is approximately 7:26 PM this evening."
"You can calculate the precise timing as well?"
Furina was stunned. The other party had not only pinpointed the time but had even calculated it down to the exact minute!
How did they do that?
Furina couldn't understand it, but it seemed incredibly impressive.
"It's not as complicated as it seems. We simply took the square root and performed integral calculus on the data, introduced thirty-six unknowns into the equations, solved for them, defined the ranges, and found the limits... Ultimately, we arrived at the answer."
As Furina listened, her mind gradually went blank, her eyes clearing.
So this really was the result of thorough research. I've been interrupting...
Neuvillette had initially intended to ask for a detailed explanation of the method, but after hearing just the beginning, he gave up. I'll spend a century studying this when I have the time.
"Very well. Thank you for your hard work," Neuvillette nodded before preparing to leave, intending to verify the location mentioned.
Regardless of whether the information was true or false, he had to investigate. Firstly, to thwart Dark Furina's plan to destroy Fontaine, and secondly, to prevent the Primordial Sea Water from surging forth at that location and endangering nearby citizens.
"Neuvillette, wait for me! I'm coming too!"
Seeing Neuvillette about to leave, Furina followed him without hesitation.
After a quick comparison, she felt safer staying by his side.
Neuvillette didn't object; in fact, he was somewhat gratified to see Furina willingly join him. It reassured him that she truly cared about Fontaine's safety.
-
Meanwhile, in the depths of the sea within Fontaine's territory:
Jacob stood with his hands clasped behind his back, calmly observing the landscape before him.
It was a relatively small pit, its surroundings bathed in an otherworldly glow of crimson and blue energy.
Despite being deep underwater, the pit was completely devoid of seawater.
Just a few dozen meters above the pit, small fish could be seen swimming in the open sea.
For some inexplicable reason, the seawater had been completely repelled from this area.
"Lord Jacob," a man in diving gear, his helmet removed, approached Jacob and bowed respectfully in the manner of a noble.
"The explosives are in place. They will detonate automatically in twenty minutes, completely destroying the energy transport conduit located here."
"Hmm, well done, Virlick," Jacob nodded, then spoke again. "What time is it now?"
"Sir Jacob, it's 7:06 AM."
"Remember this moment. This is the time you contributed to our efforts to save the world."
Upon hearing Jacob's words, Virlick's expression immediately transformed into fervent excitement, his face flushed crimson.
"Yes, Sir Jacob!"
Seeing Virlick's reaction, Jacob nodded in satisfaction.
"Let's head back to shore. Though I fear not the Primordial Sea Water, you cannot endure it. Even through the diving gear, the seeping energy can severely impact your body."
Hearing Jacob's concern, Virlick was moved to tears, weeping uncontrollably.
"Sir Jacob cares so deeply for me! I hardly know how I can ever repay your kindness!"
Watching Virlick's tearful display, Jacob frowned slightly. Truthfully, he didn't think this man was capable of great deeds—he was too easily moved by such trivial matters.
However, considering that this fervor proved Virlick's loyalty and that Jacob's available personnel were severely limited, he had no choice but to make do.
The Tower of Gestalt was a shadow of its former glory. Back in its heyday, they had even dared to defy the Fontaine authorities openly, ruthlessly eliminating their undercover agents and even launching a full-scale war against them. Had Alan not sided with Fontaine, the outcome of that conflict might have been very different.
Now, the Tower of Gestalt had dwindled to a mere handful of members. But fortunately, Rene was still alive, ensuring their world-saving plan would not be abandoned!
Soon, Rene would lead everyone to transcendence, successfully saving them all!
Jacob eagerly anticipated that day, though for now, patience was required.
With these thoughts in mind, Jacob patted Virlick's shoulder.
"Simply devote yourself to completing the mission I've entrusted to you, and that will be the greatest reward you could offer me."
Hearing Jacob's words, Virlick burst into tears once more.
Once his emotions had subsided somewhat, Jacob led Virlick back to shore.
Just as they were preparing to ascend to higher ground to quietly observe the unfolding events, two figures approached from the distance.
"Neuvillette, how are we supposed to pinpoint the exact location of the node here?"
"Even though the map marks it with a tiny dot, this area is just too vast to search!"
"The density of Primordial Sea Water differs from ordinary seawater," Neuvillette explained. "I can locate it by sensing the Hydro Element."
"Even if we're too late, there's no one here. I can calmly suppress the surging Primordial Sea Water..."
As he spoke, Neuvillette suddenly paused, his gaze fixed on two figures standing motionless in the distance.
"Huh? There are two people over there?"
Noticing Neuvillette's movement, Furina also spotted Jacob and his companion.
Furina and Neuvillette approached the pair together. As Neuvillette drew closer step by step, Jacob's mind flooded with warm memories of moments shared with his comrades...
"What are you doing here?"
When they reached the pair, Furina spoke first, her voice sharp with warning.
"This place is dangerous. If you don't have urgent business, leave immediately."
"Right, we understand, Lady Furina!" Jacob stammered, finally snapping out of his daze. Only then did he realize his back was drenched in cold sweat.
Neuvillette and Furina—these were the two people he absolutely wanted to avoid. He couldn't possibly defeat either of them.
Encountering both of them simultaneously felt like a death sentence.
Jacob wasn't afraid of death, but he couldn't die now—not yet. It wasn't his time; he hadn't completed the mission Rene had entrusted to him.
Fortunately, Furina didn't seem to notice anything unusual about him, giving Jacob a glimmer of hope.
"I never expected to encounter two such esteemed figures here," Jacob said. "It seems you must have urgent business. We won't disturb you any further. We'll be leaving immediately!"
"Yes, yes, we'll be gone right away!" Virlick chimed in, finally reacting to the situation.
The two men lowered their heads, preparing to slip away unnoticed from Furina and Neuvillette. But they had barely taken a few steps when Neuvillette, frowning, called out to them.
"Wait. Don't leave yet."
Upon hearing Neuvillette's words, cold sweat instantly broke out on Jacob's forehead.
He couldn't tell if Neuvillette had seen through his disguise—after all, he wasn't currently in his true form. But if he tried to flee at this distance, his chances of escape were practically zero.
After a moment of rapid deliberation, Jacob suppressed the urge to ignore Neuvillette's words and flee. He slowly turned around with Virlick.
As he turned, Jacob discreetly wiped the sweat from his forehead, then met Neuvillette's gaze head-on.
Neuvillette felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from the man, causing his mouth to go dry.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, is there anything else?"
"Why is he wearing diving gear? What are you doing here?"
Upon hearing Neuvillette's questions, Jacob realized that Neuvillette hadn't noticed the anomaly on his body, allowing him to relax slightly. He quickly explained, "We're here to fish. The diving gear is just for better underwater visibility."
"Y-yes, that's right! We're here to fish!"
"You're fishing dressed like that?"
For once, Furina showed a rare flash of wit. Noticing Jacob's rather lavish attire, she challenged him.
But Jacob, a genius in his own right, found fabricating excuses utterly trivial.
"Lady Furina, I'm the merchant who hired him. I don't need to go into the water myself."
Hearing Jacob's explanation, Furina's doubts were dispelled. His attire did indeed resemble that of a merchant.
However, Neuvillette wasn't so easily fooled. He had noticed another glaring inconsistency.
"If you're here to fish, then where are your boat and fishing gear?"
"This place is half a day's walk for ordinary people from the nearest town. Why would you come to such a remote location to fish?"
"Gentlemen, please give me a reasonable explanation."
Faced with Neuvillette's interrogation, Jacob was at a loss for words.
They had indeed arrived by boat, but it wasn't a fishing vessel—it was a warship.
If Neuvillette were to see that, Jacob would likely end up defending himself in the tower.
What now? Do I stand a chance if I give it my all?
Forget it. It'd be quicker to just find a ditch and lie down in it.
"Gentlemen?"
Neuvillette fixed Jacob and Virlick with a piercing gaze, slowly raising one hand.
Sensing the pair's continued silence, Furina realized something was amiss and lowered her arms, which had been crossed over her chest.
Jacob's eyes took in the entire scene, his heart pounding with urgency.
No, I can't give up yet. I can't let it end here. I haven't finished what Rene entrusted me to do!
Until I witness the day Rene saves the world, I can't stop!
Jacob clenched his fists. Under the overwhelming force of Neuvillette's absolute power, most of his trump cards were useless.
Now, his only option was to temporarily let the Abyss power consume his consciousness, then rely on his willpower to regain control. This might offer a sliver of a chance to escape.
Seeing Neuvillette and Furina's suspicion deepening, poised to strike at any moment, Jacob knew he couldn't hesitate any longer.
Though this method carried immense risk, it was his only opportunity.
Just as Jacob began gathering his strength for a desperate gamble—planning to ambush Neuvillette and Furina before they could fully grasp his capabilities—a figure suddenly stepped in front of him.
"Lord Jacob, you must flee! I'll cover your retreat!"
Seeing Virlick blocking his path, Jacob nearly lost his composure and burst into a string of curses.
I'm preparing to ambush them, and you're standing in my way?!
Cover my retreat? You can't even cover your own ass!
In desperation, Jacob hardened his resolve and prepared to target Virlick as well. But at that moment, the bombs he had planted in the sea finally detonated with a deafening, muffled roar.
The explosion made Neuvillette and Furina freeze momentarily, their attention instantly shifting to the ocean.
As the ground trembled violently, massive waves surged outward across the sea, the water tinged with an unnatural blue glow.
Neuvillette's expression darkened. Ignoring Jacob and Virlick, he immediately unleashed his power.
Seizing this opportunity, Jacob swiftly grabbed Virlick and fled the scene.
Furina noticed their escape, but sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from Jacob, she froze in bewilderment.
I'm supposed to be strong too, right? Why does it feel like anyone could wipe the floor with me?
Ever since gaining her powers, she'd only faced defeat, even struggling against the Gardemek.
Isn't this just like when I had no power at all?!
Abandoning the idea of chasing after them to get beaten up again, Furina turned her attention back to Neuvillette.
By now, Neuvillette had successfully contained the surging Primordial Sea Water, suppressing it with his absolute might.
Sensing Neuvillette's strength, Furina felt a pang of envy, tears welling up in her eyes. If only I could be this strong...
Speaking of which, if I had a Vision, it would probably be Hydro, right?
Which would suit me better—a Hydro Vision or an Anemo Vision?
If I could wield both elements simultaneously, I'd definitely be unstoppable!
Just as Furina was lost in these thoughts, a luminous object suddenly appeared before her.
The dazzling light immediately caught Furina's attention. Instinctively, she reached out to grasp it. As the light faded, a Vision lay quietly in her palm.
Furina froze, utterly stunned. She had only been thinking about it—how had a Vision materialized so instantly?
"...Lady Furina, would you care to explain this?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Furina looked up and saw Neuvillette, who had already finished dealing with the Primordial Sea Water. His gaze was fixed on the Vision in her hand, his expression utterly complex.