337 Pride’s Dilemma
After that, they waited for Gluttony to bring her travel backpack while she spoke with the local yakuza who were regulars at her sushi bar. They said goodbye to each other, and the yakuza promised that they would keep the place for her and send people to clean up from time to time.
This was a smart move for them. Who wouldn't want a powerful deterrent like one of the seven deadly sin witches' Sanctum Sanctorum in their territory? Even if it was just a bluff, they could throw a threat that they were acquainted with the witch and could use this place as a deterrent when someone tried to take over their territory.
Other than brain-dead idiots or the ignorant, who would risk offending one of the seven deadly sin witches while they were just non-magic users?
After everything was settled, Daniel brought Emma, who was still sleeping in stasis, and followed Envy, who led them to a secluded spot at the coast outside of the town, far from people and prying eyes.
Outside the area, they witnessed the thick forest and various foliage and greenery. However, when Envy walked past a certain area, the space seemed to ripple like the water's surface, as if she had just passed some sort of boundary.
After Daniel's group walked past this boundary, an unbelievable scene was revealed.
The sea, stretching towards the vast horizon, unfolded before their eyes as the smell of sea salt caressed their noses with each breaking wave hitting the shore.
There, a dark colossal structure, the size of half of Manhattan, floated above the sea. No, only half of its structure appeared above the sea surface, and a large 'Oceanos' word was written on the dark metallic surface, indicating its name.
Numerous ships moved to and fro between the shore and the black gigantic structure, transporting goods such as food and various merchandise. Both humans and drones worked around the clock to swiftly move the goods towards the colossal structure.
On the structure, many people and drones were conducting maintenance and checking its metallic sheen armor plate.
"This… is…" Pride uttered amidst the awe and disbelief of the onlookers. Other than Daniel, Heracles, and Momotaro, everyone in his group was stunned and awed at the sight of such a colossal structure.
"What in the world!?" Gluttony exclaimed. This thing had a greater impact on her than even the first time she saw the Pyramid of Giza.
Various people in Daniel's group, such as Karo and Goro along with both of their families, were either stunned or baffled and forgot to say anything. Only the children started to get rowdy, and they were quickly admonished by their parents to keep it together.
"That… is that… a ship!?" Pride exclaimed.
"No… It's a submarine. Welcome to Oceanos," said Envy, while Daniel looked at her as if she stole his role.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that. You already built that thing. Let me be the one to introduce this. Let me enjoy the feeling of turning other people's common sense upside down too!" Envy teased Daniel while hugging his shoulder.
Daniel could only let out a "Hmpf!" sound and let it be.
"Wait… you… you built this thing!? And that… that dark plate on its hull…" Pride exclaimed before activating her eyes and looking at Oceanos. She continued, "Don't tell me that it's adamantine! Where in the world did you find such a large amount of adamantine!?"
"Sorry, business secret," Daniel said with a teasing smile.
Hearing Daniel's answer, Pride had the urge to just strangle this guy, but she knew that it's impossible since he's stronger than her in both magic and physical capabilities. She could only grit her teeth and follow him while huffing all the way toward the transport ship that would bring them to Oceanos.
"See? I told you he's a prick!" Gluttony tried throwing some gasoline into the fire after they had arrived at the transport ship. But…
Pow!
Pride hit Gluttony's head with her karate chop, venting some of her anger and then going on with the huffing and puffing and pouting at Daniel.
"Ouch! What was that for! I'm not that prick!" Gluttony could only complain while clutching her head where it hurts.
—
As Daniel's group stepped into Oceanos, they were met with a breathtaking sight resembling a bustling city within the colossal submarine. The interior was a symphony of advanced technology, innovative design, and bustling activity.
The first thing that caught their eyes was the intricate network of metallic walkways and bridges, forming a complex web that connected various levels and sections. The walls were adorned with holographic displays showcasing information about various city facilities and buildings. The main thoroughfare resembled a busy urban street, complete with shops, cafes, and bustling crowds. The atmosphere was lively, with people in various cloth and attire moving about, engaged in conversations or simply going about their daily tasks. Hovering drones zipped through the air, serving various purposes from transporting goods to monitoring the surroundings and maintenancing various equipment and electric system.
A soft ambient hum resonated throughout Oceanos, a testament to the advanced machinery that kept the massive structure operational. Luminescent panels embedded in the ceiling emitted a gentle, futuristic glow, illuminating the surroundings with a mix of cool blues and vibrant hues.
The architecture of Oceanos mimicked a modern metropolis, with towering structures housing different facilities and departments. Glass windows offered glimpses into laboratories, research centers, and living quarters. Greenery was strategically placed, providing pockets of serene beauty amidst the technological marvel.
Transportation within Oceanos was facilitated by sleek, high-speed trains that glided noiselessly along magnetic tracks. Escalators and elevators seamlessly connected different levels, ensuring a smooth flow of people and resources.
"Did you relocate an entire base into Oceanos?" Daniel inquired of Envy.
"Do you know that the living space in this thing is larger than the entire Atlanteus base? It's not designed to stay silently in a dry dock; when it moves, it requires a significant crew for maintenance and oversight. I wanted to suggest that Oceanos should be your main base instead of Atlanteus; the latter is nothing more than a fueling station now. Atlanteus lacks the support facilities to house this colossal structure," replied Envy.
Daniel smiled wryly. This was an oversight on his part. When he materialized Oceanos, it only had the hull and the minimal necessities for movement. He needed to relocate it somewhere else using its autopilot function and then call Penthesilea to send someone to help operate it. Envy had taken over the command of Oceanos and refurbished it to its full capacity in a short time to come here and support him.
"Do you have any problems or technical issues with this thing?" Daniel asked, recalling that he had written a basic manual for Oceanos, but it was essential to hear feedback from the user.
"Well, for starters, Oceanos is ridiculous. It can travel hundreds of miles with just one Philosopher's Stone while maintaining all other functions at maximum capacity. I don't know if Oceanos is ridiculously advanced or if your philosopher's stone is absurdly powerful to be able to maintain it.
But that's not the point. The fluctuation of Oceanos's weapon power output, depending on those little metal scarabs, is still something I can't wrap my head around. I know those bots maintain this thing and all, but what in the world is the weapon output depending on?" Envy complained.
She recalled Hermes mentioning that Oceanos's weapon power output could easily destroy a moon with about a million metal scarabs working in the weapon manufacturing section. The mystery remained, as Envy and the technicians couldn't find the compartment to enter, other than a small hole allowing the metal scarabs to work on it.
"Isn't it good? It can adapt to many situations," said Daniel with a proud smile.
Truly, the ability of this submarine, matching the power and toughness of the artifacts he controlled, was no joke. Daniel now realized that this ability of Oceanos had manifested in reality with the infinite weapon manufacturing section continuously producing missiles, torpedoes, and ammunition endlessly. It made perfect sense, after all.
At least, it wasn't what he feared, that this thing could blow a hole in the Earth in one shot, destroying the planet in the process and leaving him unable to use its weapon system.
"Seriously, sometimes I want to cut open your skull and see what's inside, or maybe you're some kind of alien from the Andromeda galaxy disguised as a mage," Envy said, examining Daniel from head to toe.
As the group walked past the living area, which resembled a city, everyone except Daniel and Envy was left speechless at the sheer size and technological marvel of Oceanos.
Among the group, Pride's face turned pale as she witnessed all of this advanced technology around her. At this rate, not only Texas, but even Washington might be at risk if a war broke out. Now she understood why Daniel told her to delay the decision about compensation for a few days. It was because he knew he would bring her to witness this monstrosity!
[Is it possible to sabotage it?] Pride wondered while observing the surroundings. She saw many bots and drones flying around, going about their daily routines. People stopped when they saw Daniel, saluted, and then continued with their tasks.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦