Finally, I reached my destination — Stormbarrow, the Kingdom of Kareth.
The Kingdom of Kareth doesn't have a large coastline, but it still tries to advertise the small part it does have.
The result? A booming city — Stormbarrow.
The air here carried the unique scent of the sea, and the winds were slightly stronger than usual.
After a long, mostly uneventful — and a little eventful — journey, I finally arrived.
By now, the academy must have opened, and even the Rank Evaluation Exam must be over. Everyone must be shocked by theory exam result of Roderick.
After reaching the city, I left Flash and looked around while the other Claw members followed behind.
Together, we started walking into the city.
Stormbarrow had small vendors selling seafood and others selling various trinkets — some made from materials gathered from the sea, others crafted from things found underwater.
It wasn't a very large city, but not small either. And since sea monsters were often found nearby, many adventurers gathered here.
But this time, I wasn't heading straight for the next Nature Force.
First, I needed to visit a healer.
I made an appointment with the best healer in the city.
The waiting list was only two days — mostly because his fees weren't exactly cheap.
As for why even two days?
Well, he performs a thorough check-up. Even if it's magic, it's not like he just casts a spell and everything appears on a paper.
He uses various magical potions and observes their effects, checking physical state, mana reactions, and much more.
Basically, his work is as demanding as that of a doctor.
To pass the time, we relaxed — ate, visited the beach, went swimming, and did everything we could to unwind.
After all, it's not every day I get time to relax.
Finally, after two days, I met the healer.
He examined me in countless ways — too boring to describe in detail.
All I can say is that he was frowning the entire time.
I just hoped I didn't have stage 4 cancer.
Wait… is cancer even a disease in this world?
Anyway, after four hours of examination, he finally summarized everything.
The healer said,
"Your body's condition is… strange."
I asked,
"In what way?"
He paused, then replied,
"When someone uses a lot of mana, their body develops micro tears — very small tears that actually help the body get stronger. But yours… yours are larger than micro tears, though not large enough to cause immediate harm."
I asked,
"So, am I fine?"
He gave me a look and said,
"What does my expression tell you?"
I replied,
"Please, let my girlfriend play that guessing game instead."
He sighed and asked,
"Do you drink high-level potions like they're energy drinks?"
My eyes widened.
He nodded.
"I thought so. Those potions heal you almost completely — but if they worked perfectly, people would just overwork themselves to death and rely on them to grow stronger."
I said,
"But they can't—"
He interrupted,
"Exactly. They don't heal micro tears or slightly larger ones that aren't exactly micro tears at the same time not big enough to be seen."
Then he continued,
"Your injuries aren't caused by physical strain or mana strain. Basically… I can't tell what caused them."
I asked,
"But they don't harm me in the short term, right?"
He replied,
"No, but judging by what I see, they started more than a decade ago."
"What!?"
Oh… I see. He can't identify the cause because it's from using Apocalypse, but he can tell my condition isn't great. Also he thinks whatever caused it took a decade.
The healer said,
"Take these potions. They're expensive, but you can afford them. And for a week, don't move — or you won't move again. Even an Elixir won't save you."
An Elixir can regenerate limbs or even organs if not too much time has passed.
So, if even that wouldn't work, I really needed to rest.
I mean, if I break before obtaining the next Nature Force, that would be bad.
Who knows how many times I'll need to use Apocalypse this time?
I sighed and thanked the healer.
After leaving, I headed toward the potion shop.
On the way, Raven smirked, and repeated what I said during mana quake
"It worked, didn't it?"
He was mocking me for the Mana Quake incident.
He wasn't wrong — I did get a little cocky after obtaining Apocalypse.
I bought the potions and returned to the inn.
Then… I slept. A lot.
When I wasn't sleeping, I was reading.
Even meals — I ate in my room.
After a few days, I could feel the difference.
It was like some restraint on my muscles had been lifted.
Before, I didn't even realize how restricted I'd felt.
Which probably means… I'm still not fully healed — I just can't tell anymore.
But now, it was time to move again.
I gathered the Claw members and announced,
"Tomorrow, we move."
They looked at each other, and then Emma said,
"How about resting a bit more?"
I replied,
"Don't worry. Achieving my goal will heal me better than any rest."
They looked at me like I was a workaholic — and, well, maybe they're right. It sounds like that
But what can I do?
So, we departed the next day.
We didn't use Sky Dogs this time — because our destination was underwater.
The previous holder of the Nature Force had been swept away by a storm and ended up there, injured.
Though I still had to find the exact spot.
From Stormbarrow's beach, you can see a hill rising from the sea about a kilometer away.
It's shaped like a palm facing the city — and it's called the Hand of God.
They say the palm blesses and protects the city.
I know that the Nature Force lies four to five kilometers beyond that hill.
So, we prepared to set sail — on my yacht.
Yeah, I bought one. Why not?
Borrowing one comes with restrictions, so I just bought it outright.
We set off two days later.
Why the delay?
Because none of us knew how to sail a yacht.
Sure, I could've hired someone and used Sixth Sense to check their intentions, but people change when things get rough.
The Claw members, on the other hand, had already proven themselves.
I trusted them — more than anyone else except my uncle.
And so, after two days, we ventured into the sea.
Nothing extraordinary happened until we reached the estimated location of the Nature Force.
The previous owner mentioned something about a karst cave, so I had done some research.
A karst cave forms through the slow dissolution of soluble rocks like limestone, dolomite, or gypsum by slightly acidic water.
Over thousands or even millions of years, rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide, becoming weak carbonic acid.
This acidic water seeps through tiny cracks, gradually expanding them into tunnels and chambers.
As the water flows and evaporates, it leaves behind mineral formations like stalactites, stalagmites, and columns — shaping the unique beauty of karst landscapes.
Many karst caves once existed on land, but changing climates or rising sea levels have submerged some beneath the ocean.
These underwater systems mix saltwater and freshwater, creating shimmering haloclines and complex ecosystems filled with hidden rivers, sinkholes, and rare lifeforms.
In a world like this, karst caves make perfect settings for ancient ruins, hidden sanctuaries, or secret passages connecting distant lands.
Their twisting tunnels and echoing chambers carry an eerie silence — both mysterious and dangerous.
They're nature's monuments, shaped in patience and silence.
And in this world, one of the Nature Forces was said to be there.
Finding it wouldn't be easy, but we dove into the water — hopeful because…
well, hope remains.
Ahem.
In any case, I wasn't going to use Apocalypse unless absolutely necessary.
The moment I dove beneath the surface, the world above vanished into silence.
Sunlight filtered through the waves, breaking into shimmering threads that danced across the seafloor.
Schools of monster fish glided past, scattering like fragments of light as I descended — teleporting when needed.
The water grew cooler and darker, an endless blue void stretching in every direction.
At least for others. For me, visibility was only slightly reduced — thanks to Omniscient.
Strange corals rose like stone towers, their colors pulsing faintly with life.
Veins of glowing plankton drifted through the current, painting ghostly trails that moved like wandering stars.
Maybe those were paralyzing plankton — not entirely sure.
In the distance, vast silhouettes loomed — ancient rock formations draped in seaweed, whispering of forgotten ages.
The current brushed gently against me, carrying the faint hum of the deep.
Occasionally, bubbles escaped from hidden fissures below, rising toward the surface.
A Stinger Manta Ray passed overhead, its wings gliding with solemn grace — prompting me to teleport again.
The deeper I went, the more alien the world became — still, cold, and terrifying beyond words.
Every movement stirred clouds of sand that shimmered like golden dust before fading into the blue.
Down here, beneath the endless sea, it felt as if time had rewound — revealing a world untouched and unseen.