Chapter 319: Sea Goddess!
The endless pressure of the deep ocean settled around Jax like silence itself. Far above, the world of sunlight and open sky had long since vanished.
Only darkness remained.
The ocean floor stretched infinitely beneath him, broken only by immense coral ridges and towering stone formations that rose like underwater mountains.
Bioluminescent life drifted through the currents in soft blues, violets, and silver-greens. Massive schools of glowing fish moved in synchronized spirals while distant shapes, far too large to properly identify—shifted through abyssal trenches before vanishing again.
Yet Jax barely paid attention now, his golden eyes remained narrowed. That sensation, that thing. The faint presence that had brushed against his senses earlier lingered in the back of his mind.
Not hostile, but deliberate, hidden, and most importantly, divine.
Jax floated silently within the ocean currents, arms loosely folded, "...Annoying."
He had searched for hours already, but found nothing.
Every lead either vanished or redirected him into empty ocean. The concealment surrounding the Merfolk Kingdom was honestly absurd. Strong enough that even someone like him couldn’t brute-force his way through immediately.
Which naturally led him to the next option.
Jax exhaled softly.
"...Sona."
The moment he called her name, reality shifted.
~WHOOOOOM!~
The ocean vanished and now, he was in the Divine Realm, or rather,Sona’s territory within it.
The transition felt smooth, almost effortless, one moment, freezing abyssal currents surrounded him, the next, warm ambient mana brushed against his skin.
Jax stood within an enormous chamber unlike anything in the mortal world.
Towering shelves stretched endlessly upward into impossible heights, filled with books, ancient scrolls, magical tomes and glowing artifacts.
Runes drifted through the air lazily like stars suspended in time. Massive arcane circles rotated beneath polished obsidian floors.
The atmosphere itself radiated intelligence. This place felt less like a palace and more like a divine archive built by someone who had long surpassed mortal comprehension.
At the center of it all was Sona.
Deep midnight-blue skin shimmered softly beneath floating runic light. Silver hair cascaded down her back like liquid moonlight. Piercing amethyst eyes immediately settled upon him.
Her flowing deep-purple gown moved softly despite the complete lack of wind, elegantly framing her refined figure.
A thick book rested in one hand. She had clearly been reading when he called out for her, but now she closed the tome and looked at him.
"...Jax."
Her voice remained smooth and composed. Though the faintest softness lingered beneath it.
"This is the first time you’ve called for any of us, and you’ve summoned me. I honestly would’ve expected it to be Lilith,"
Jax glanced around, "You were busy?"
"No," She said with a pause, "I’m simply happy you were of need and thought of me,"
"Missed me?" Jax said.
Her expression remained perfectly composed, "...Obviously."
Then after half a second, "In a reasonable capacity."
Sona approached slowly, silver hair shifting gently behind her, "What do you need?"
Jax crossed his arms, "I need information, and you’re clearly quite a knowledgable goddess,"
That earned her full attention immediately. Her posture sharpened slightly.
"...Something happened?" Sona asked.
"Merfolk situation," Jax said, explaining everything about Seraphina, the Church involvement, the hidden Kingdom, his search across the Ocean and finally, the strange presence brushing against his senses.
The moment he finished, Sona grew quieter and thoughtful, her amethyst eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Interesting."
She moved past him toward a floating constellation map suspended in midair. Runes shifted around her fingertips as she traced invisible patterns.
"You said the sensation disappeared immediately?"
"Yeah."
"And it felt hidden intentionally?"
"Very."
Sona fell silent again and then, "...I know what brushed against your senses."
Jax’s expression sharpened immediately.
"You do?"
She nodded once.
"Yes."
A brief pause.
"It was not a spell."
Her gaze shifted toward him.
"It was a being like you expected, but it’s a very unique being. Not even I can sense it actively without preparation, it was natural you were caught off slightly," Sona explained.
"So then what was it?" Jax asked.
Sona folded one arm beneath her chest, "A Divine Apostle."
That got his attention immediately. Not a God, but close enough to matter.
"Whose?"
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"The Primordial Goddess of the Sea."
The floating runes around the room dimmed subtly. A strange weight entered the atmosphere. Even Sona spoke more carefully now.
"Her domains are vast."
She raised one slender hand.
"Sea."
"Water."
"Ocean."
"Eternity."
The surrounding mana shifted with every word.
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds overpowered."
"...She is."
Sona answered immediately. Then after a brief pause, "She is also mysterious, even amongst the Gods and Goddesses. No-one really knows her goals, and she never interferes with anything in the mortal realm. In fact, some people don’t believe she exists,"
Jax leaned slightly against a nearby arcane pillar, "...That mysterious, huh?"
"Though, me, Lilith, Skadi and Kayle happened to run into her, which is why I have some information others don’t have, including that of this particular apostle,"
She waved one hand. A glowing image formed. An impossibly vast oceanic silhouette. Something ancient and hidden.
"Her Divine Apostles often guard sacred places, concealed civilizations, and eternal waters."
Jax immediately connected the dots.
"...The Merfolk Kingdom."
Sona nodded.
"Likely."
She studied him briefly.
"If your senses brushed against one, it means you came close, but their concealment is divine, prepared by the Goddess herself naturally,"
That explained why even he struggled. Divine concealment layered atop ancient Merfolk magic. No wonder nobody could find them.
Jax sighed quietly.
"So, how do I crack it?" Jax asked.
Sona paused, then, "I cannot."
That answer surprised him.
"I could help you overpower it eventually."
She clarified, "But directly bypassing that specific concealment would create unnecessary problems."
Jax tilted his head, knowing what she meant.
"Then what do I do?"
Sona stood silently for several moments. Then finally, "There is another option."
One hand lifted. Runes spiraled outward. An underwater map formed between them. Far beneath endless ocean, a location illuminated.
"...A temple."
Jax looked closer.
"Whose?"
"The Primordial Goddess."
He blinked.
"...You’re telling me to go meet her?"
"Yes."
That answer came surprisingly easily.
Jax looked at her flatly.
"Wouldn’t that be a problem?"
"A Demon King visiting another Goddess?"
Sona stepped closer.
Her expression softened faintly.
"...Only if I distrusted you, but I don’t, I know you’ll figure it out,"
Sona extended one hand and tapped Jax’s forehead, and the temple coordinates burned into his senses instantly.
An ancient location, deep, very deep. Far beyond normal ocean routes.
"There."
Sona said softly.
"Seek her temple."
"If anyone can guide you to the Merfolk Kingdom..."
Her eyes flickered thoughtfully.
"It would be her."