The Sunken City of Vorago, which was once a crown jewel of Demonic Architecture, was now resting in ruin beneath the demonic sea, half consumed by coral as the buildings and foundations were still preserved by forgotten ancient magic.

The students were swimming around in various circles, allowing themselves to grow more comfortable in their Abyssal Descent Gear.

Their helmet visors projected faint runic overlays, translating spatial currents, life signals, and magical anomalies into glowing icons across their vision.

Even so, nothing could prepare them for the sight before them. The pathways that led out of the outpost immediately gave way to the open expanse of the magnificent city.

The floor, once smooth obsidian in the outpost, was now overgrown with sheets of luminescent algae that glowed in soft blues and purples. Crystalline corals jutted from collapsed towers, refracting light into shimmering fractals that danced across the ruins.

The Demonic City stretched endlessly downward, a labyrinth of spiraling streets, flooded plazas, and towering spires wrapped in sea vines thicker than trees.

Faintly glowing jellyfish-like beings drifted between the ruins, their long tendrils brushing against broken arches. Fish with translucent scales and mana-rich blood pulsed in rhythmic light, darting between the skeletal remains of once-grand structures to feed on the algae.

Lieutenant Kaen's voice cut through the comms, crisp but calm. "Stay close. The deeper sectors are under restricted access until the mana density readings stabilize. We'll begin with these parts of the City. Once we find out the reason for some of the residual constructs activating, we'll explore those regions. Keep your energy signatures controlled; will mana flaying can attract.....things,"

"Things?" Lira asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Kaen's lips curved into a faint smirk, visible even behind his helmet visor, "You'll see soon enough."

Their group descended along a gently sloped walkway, once a grand boulevard now covered in coral and debris.

Massive statues of winged demons lined the path, their forms worn down by centuries of water erosion. Some still glowed faintly, the remnants of enchantments flickering deep within the stone.

Some of the statues were completely destroyed, and some were missing certain parts, like arms or even their head that had detached long ago and shattered into pieces, disappearing into the erosion of time.

"Hard to believe people actually lived here," Elara whispered, brushing a gloved hand against the coral-covered wall. The mana from her suit briefly illuminated ancient carvings beneath the growth, sigils of trade and conquest.

"Vorago was once the center of demonic innovation," Orphelia said softly, awe threading her tone. "They say the first Demonic Reactors were built here, using the sea itself as a conduit. To power an entire city through ambient mana flow within water… it's genius."

Lilian glanced around, her crimson eyes reflecting the eerie light of the ocean beyond the translucent barriers. "And yet, it fell. Everything does, eventually."

Her words hung in the water-heavy air like a solemn truth.

The group reached an open platform overlooking what must have been the city's central plaza. From here, the true scale of Vorago became visible, a sprawling underwater metropolis, its avenues winding between half-buried towers.

The entire city glowed faintly beneath layers of coral and phosphorescent flora, giving the illusion that it was still alive.

Massive manta-like creatures glided gracefully through the water beyond the city walls, their silhouettes illuminated by faint streaks of bioelectric light. Schools of smaller creatures swirled in their wake, scattering as leviathan shadows passed by in the distance.

One of the officers activated a projection rune. A faint holographic map flickered to life above his wrist, showing the upper district and several marked zones.

Kaen raised a hand, and the students halted. Their formation wavered slightly, suspended mid-water, bubbles spiraling around their armored suits like silent ghosts. The lieutenant's voice came through the comms, calm yet sharp as the hum of a blade.

"Listen closely," he began, the faint echo of his tone rippling through the water, "Your Abyssal Descent Gear is layered with concealment runes. To the weaker lifeforms that roam these depths, you're nearly invisible, your heat, breath, and mana signatures are cloaked. To stronger ones…"

He paused, his eyes flicking toward the dark expanse beyond the translucent barrier, "you're little more than an irritation they'd rather ignore, which is why those deep sea leviathans haven't stared at us yet,"

A few of the students exchanged nervous glances.

Kaen's gaze hardened. "However, the system's not perfect. These creatures sense mana instinctively, every ripple, every spark. If you panic, if you let your mana flare or spiral out of control, the cloak fractures. You'll become a beacon. A flare in the dark sea. And the things that swim in those shadows…"

He turned his visor toward the abyss, where something enormous shifted far in the distance, a serpentine silhouette gliding just beyond the limits of light. "They'll come. And when they do, no barrier or suit will save you."

Silence blanketed the comms.

Then, as if the tension were a living thing, Kaen exhaled softly and straightened, "Regulate your mana flow, as we said early, it's very easy as the suit assists you greatly. As long as you don't get extremely emotional, nothing will happen,"

Lucian muttered, "No pressure, then."

That earned a few nervous chuckles, brief, but grounding.

"Good," Kaen said. "Now that that's clear, we begin the survey. You'll be divided into three teams. Each team will cover a different district of upper Vorago. Your suits will automatically map the terrain as you move. Report anything anomalous, magical movement, corrupted runes, or intact constructs, and remember, have fun!"

He gestured, and the holographic map above his gauntlet expanded, the lines glowing brighter. The city's layout unfolded in layered circles: an outer industrial ring, a noble district built on terraces, and at the heart, the Cathedral of the Abyssal Queen.

The students quickly broke off into respective groups, with Albedo being paired with mostly Elves, including Fade. His group was led by Kaen as they went to the Noble District.

Albedo's group drifted downward along a path flanked by massive obsidian spires that curved like the bones of leviathans. The deeper they went, the more the ruins seemed preserved, less coral, more unblemished architecture.

"Hardly eroded," Fade murmured, running her hand across the black stone. "The enchantments here were meant to last for eternity,"

Kaen's voice was calm as he explained, "The Noble District was shielded by its own mana conduits. It would absorb mana from the environment to power all the enchantments. Water has the highest concentration of natural mana so the city being sunken has allowed some of the higher level enchantments to remain active essentially forever,"

That caught some eyebrow raises as he continued, " The elites of Vorago lived here, high-ranking demons, scholars, and the royal court. Even after the city fell, the mana sealed within the foundations kept this place most intact compared to the buildings outside,"

Albedo glanced around. The buildings rose like obsidian monoliths, etched with runic veins that pulsed dimly as if the city itself still dreamed.

Massive doors, large enough for demons thrice their height, stood sealed beneath layers of sediment and coral growth.

A faint vibration resonated in the water.

"Mana fluctuations," one of the sub-officers murmured, "Localized."

Kaen floated closer, his visor scanning the walls. "They're alive," he whispered. "The conduits are breathing mana again, probably activated by one of the sea beasts, stay alert,"

They continued onward, the narrow corridors opening into vast plazas lined with statues and runic obelisks. A few were shattered, others still emitted faint harmonics, low tones that resonated in their chests like a distant choir.

As they passed beneath an archway, the light from their suits flickered across a mural carved into the ceiling. It depicted the rise of Vorago, the demons constructing their city.

They pressed deeper into the district. The water temperature dropped. Mana density rose—so thick that it shimmered in faint currents of color around them.

Then a shadow drifted through the edge of their vision.Something large and that moved with purpose.

Kaen immediately held up a hand, "Hold position."

The students froze, minimizing mana output instantly. The water grew still, every sound swallowed by the oppressive silence.

Through the veil of floating debris, a massive construct emerged, a guardian golem, half-coral and half-obsidian, its once-smooth armor now fused with reef and bone. Its eyes glowed faintly red as it drifted past, scanning the ruins like a beast on patrol.

"Residual construct," Kaen whispered. "Level estimation… Diamond Rank equivalent. Do not engage."

The golem's gaze swept the plaza, the crimson light flickering across the water, and passed over them.

Albedo's mana remained perfectly still. His breathing, controlled. His presence, nonexistent.

The construct turned away. After a long minute, it disappeared into the shadows beyond the square, leaving only a faint trail of disturbed sand in its wake.

Fade exhaled quietly. "That… could've ended poorly."

Kaen chuckled under his breath, "That's why you regulate your mana."

The students relaxed, tension slowly easing as Kaen gestured for them to move again.

As they continued, the lieutenant spoke more softly, almost reflective. "You'll come to learn something students. The deeper you go, the less the world behaves as it should. Mana stops obeying the rules. The old boundaries between life and death blur. And cities like Vorago?"

He gestured toward the endless ruins below. "They're reminders that lives can change in the blink of an eye, even for the most powerful,"

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