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But those are for the future. If you simply seek my answer for what's at hand...

My endgame for the Waterway is to ensure that hundreds of thousands of Millarium's inhabitants and tens of thousands of Penal Battalion troops in Gran Faro live to see Ægir's main force arrive.

Distress signal.

From the squadron tasked with beacon deployment at Nest 37.

You're sharp.

Saved me the effort of looking for you.;Do you always come and go without warning?

How much has Milliarium told you of the Waterway Program?

Thought you'd care more about the Hunters.;Thought you'd care more about your circumstances.

The tribunal has demonstrated their innocence, and they are not alone.

Besides, Gladiia’s return to Ægir and its conspiracies are of her own accord.

Neither of us is being followed or under surveillance, so my movements have not been exposed.

Let's continue where we left off at the Sophontheatrum.

The war between Ægir and the Seaborn has gone on for more than two centuries, but both sides have set their sights on dry land at almost simultaneously.

The sudden migration of an entire species, and a change in direction for an entire nation. Perhaps, deep down, they stem from the same cause.

Sounds like you don't trust any of Ægir's plans.;You still have your reservations about us, Ulpianus.

I know more than I've told Gladiia. This extra knowledge forces me to be cautious about Ægir's past and future actions.

But it's too soon for her to know, and not <i>your</i> place to know at all.

Our only concern for now is the Waterway Program.

A path connecting the land and the sea... Neither that doctor nor the Inquisition fully trust in this, or else you would not be here.

Clearing the seas with powerful weapons to buy time for the main force from the home territories to arrive. Ægir's warfare design is always simple and effective.

But there have been anomalies in the city that we cannot ignore.

The Church of the Deep?;I heard about a missing person.

That consul is a formidable woman.

During Milliarium's voyage, she has culled many of the corrupted and thwarted their sabotages, while the two escorting Legions have sustained far fewer losses than expected.

Everything has gone well... Almost too well.

Now, a staff member in the Program has gone missing at the most crucial stage. This is just the beginning.

I'm looking into it, and will eliminate any potential threats.

I can enter most places and evade the Sea Patrol's regular rounds with ease.

But I fear the problem runs deeper.

I would rather not barge into an important lab or the consul's Pensivarium, unless I have to.

I'm not your messenger to the Hunters, Ulpianus.;You should work with Rhodes Island, Ulpianus.

After all, we can help you move around the city.;After all, Ægir sees you as a threat, don't they?

Rhodes Island wants to work with me... and watch me, I assume? So be it.

One more thing.

...Skadi.

If you truly care about the Hunters, keep a close eye on her.

One hundred fifty-six, one hundred fifty-seven...

I've never seen a port this busy.

Are things not going well on the frontlines?

(Humming♪)

You're still in the mood for music?

Why not?

Soon we might be too busy for it.

There you are, Captain Gladiia.

You went to see Consul Clementia with Dr. Kal'tsit right after the tribunal, right? How did it go?

Well enough, but I was only there to make introductions. They had much to discuss, and I had no reason to stay.

I did have a brief discussion with Clementia on the current plans for the Abyssal Hunters, though.

Ægir's Waterway will open soon. Until then, the Hunters will fight alongside the two Legions accompanying Milliarium.

See? I was right.

Uh-huh.

I'd rather be out there killing monsters than sit through another debate.

So what's the mission and when do we move out?

The command structure and battle plans are pending discussion with the legion commanders.

Skadi—

Hey, that's the emergency alarm, right?

What happened? A Seaborn invasion?

I am Consul Gladiia. Status report.

Yes, ma'am.

Two squadrons from Legion X were sent to deploy the beacon at Nest 37 today, as planned.

But we just received a distress signal. They were attacked by Seaborn on the way.

The Seaborn were prepared?

Unclear. The situation is still developing. The Academy of Technology hasn't had time to produce a report.

Are there any corvettes on standby in the port?

Always. You can claim one by logging into the terminal.

Thank you. Keep me posted about the squadron's coordinates. Once close enough, the Abyssal Hunters will disembark and swim into battle.

Roger.

Laurentina, with me.

...Skadi, you stay behind.

Captain?

Don't overthink it.

The contact between land and sea is paramount. Kal'tsit can't be in two places at once, so I need you to keep the Doctor safe.

This is an order.

Received.

That's...

Laurentina's group is embarking for battle? But they just came back.

It has something to do with the alarm. The fleet deploying the beacon at Nest 37 was attacked by Seaborn, and they're going out to help.

You know the Abyssal Hunters?

I do.

We had a brief partnership on land, facing challenges and battling enemies together, including the Seaborn.

That's... impressive, given their temperament and fighting style.

I'd go up and greet Consul Gladiia myself if we weren't in the middle of an emergency. I haven't had the opportunity since they returned.

Does everyone in Ægir know the Hunters?

Of course not. But I once worked with them... and even aspired to join them.

Someone from your team said you used to be a researcher.

My expertise in genetic engineering qualified me for the Abyssal Hunter program. I studied under the head of the project, who was also the first Abyssal Hunter.

At the time, few were compatible, and even fewer successfully underwent the operation. But he and Gladiia had already achieved spectacular results.

Their most remarkable feat was a three-day battle with the Seaborn in a hydrothermal vent that bought time for two energy survey cities to evacuate.

The Seaborn evolve constantly. With the use of weapons strictly regulated, they were the safest and most effective countermeasure.

I watched them leave and return every day.

I watched them lie down in the regenerative gel, exhausted, waiting as I recorded the data, tested their functions, and repaired their bodies. Those were the costs of victory people could not see.

I'm not entirely sure what motivated me at the time, but one day I submitted an application to become a Hunter to the Institute of Development Planning.

...I'd have done the same.

What?

I mean, I'd have wanted to apply myself.

To see your mentor and everyone else risking their lives like that... Nobody would want to feel that they weren't doing enough.

You seem fit enough, and as a researcher, you are beyond familiar with their functions and combat style. Wait... then why didn't you—

Because my application was rejected.

But why?

(Shakes head)

I didn't ask. And my mentor wouldn't have answered.