Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Kyle ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍had initially not taken it seriously when he heard that the Banshees had gathered in the church. Those extraordinary beings were far too capable of stirring up trouble—no matter what they did, it was never surprising.

Until ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he heard that the Banshees were praying.

Kyle ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍immediately reported the news upward, then tremblingly picked up his gun and walked out of the office with a resolute expression.

What ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a joke. Even that group of restless Banshees had started praying—how desperate must the news be?

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Banshees possessed Mind Links, and their information was far more up-to-date than his. This was probably Castel’s most critical moment already!

Kyle ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍finally reached the main hall. The moment he saw the Banshees in heavy armor, standing in neat formation with their weapons fully equipped, his vision went dark.

The news was real. The Banshees were truly praying quietly inside the church.

Kyle let out a miserable laugh. It seemed the situation had already become dire beyond measure. Although he did not know who the enemy was, the fact that even the Banshees were fully armed and ready for battle meant only one thing.

“Kyle! Come here for a moment.”

Kyle shuddered and turned his head, only to discover that it was Nini. She was the only one not wearing armor, blinking desperately as she softly beckoned him over.

“What is it, Lady Nini?”

“Help me with something.”

Helena stood there blankly, staring at the Banshees before her, still unable to process what she was seeing. Instead, the despair in her heart was carrying her farther and farther away.

She suddenly jolted in alarm. Her intuition was screaming warnings. As a seasoned Transcendent, she immediately realized that something was wrong with her state.

Damn it. The shock her will had just suffered was far too severe. She could no longer maintain her anchor point in the Sea of Unawareness. The unceasing tides were pushing her gradually farther away.

This was extremely dangerous. After all, there was no sense of direction in the Sea of Unawareness. Once lost, one would never be able to find their physical body again.

However, as long as she calmed down and handled it properly, recovering her anchor point in time, it would only amount to temporary damage to her mind. In reality, she would probably fall into a period of temporary madness. It might be embarrassing, but at least she would not lose her life.

As for whether she would cause trouble after losing control, she was well aware of herself. That entire group of Banshees was watching right there. Even if all of them Burial Ones went mad together, the other side could suppress them instantly.

At worst, she would just wake up bruised and battered.

Right now, returning her consciousness was the most important thing.

Helena immediately steadied her mind and tried to recall her anchor point to locate her body. Yet in the very next moment, she realized she had already found it.

Why was it so easy?

A Transcendent’s anchor point in the Sea of Unawareness was like a star in the sky. One’s own would shine more brightly, and by using it as a reference, one could guide themselves back to their physical body.

But what Helena saw in the Sea of Unawareness was a blazing sun.

Scorching, vast beyond all limits. She had never seen such an enormous anchor point. Even those existences that had touched the Trident Gate seemed pitifully insignificant before it.

But… how could she possibly have such an exaggerated anchor point?

Helena soon located her physical body. Because the time she had been lost was too short, she had not even lost control. Yet just as she was about to return to the real world, she suddenly sensed a subtle discrepancy.

That anchor point did not seem to be anchoring her body.

Instead—

She glanced toward that anchor point. That indescribably majestic existence seemed to be nearby, right beneath her feet—

“Hah… hah… hah…”

Helena abruptly opened her eyes, gasping for breath. A sudden spasm seized her stomach. She clutched her mouth and bent over, then vomited several mouthfuls of salty, bitter seawater.

A small Devil Fish, tangled with a few strands of seaweed, fell onto the floor.

“Why… is it seawater…”

Helena retched a few more times, her eyes filled with both terror and confusion.

Even if the priests of the Silent Sanctum accidentally lost control, what they brought back from the Sea of Unawareness would be ice shards and frost symbolizing the Bone-White Raven. Seawater? The Imperial Truth did not seem to have any extraordinary connection to the ocean either.

“Watch your feet—” A mop suddenly intruded into her vision. Several Holy Guards were skillfully cleaning the floor, while someone else helped her to the side. Helena looked up and realized that many of her companions were already sitting against the wall on long benches at the edge of the hall.

They all looked somewhat drained, but none of them had lost control, and no one had gone mad. Patriarch Ignati’s condition seemed worse, but he had not lost his sanity.

“Patriarch, what happened?”

Ignati rubbed his brow with his hand. “Seeing so many Banshees shocked everyone. But fortunately, none of us were lost.”

He cast a deep glance toward the church. “This place… is very easy to find.”

Helena nodded and leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Is it because of them…?”

“That’s right. They should be worshipping some Heretical God, related to the ocean. This may be the reason for their strength. It’s just unclear what Castel sacrificed to a Heretical God in exchange for such power.”

“Heretical God?” Helena frowned and turned to look into the hall. The Banshees were still devoutly bowing their heads in prayer, completely unconcerned with the disturbance on this side.

Such powerful beings probably did not care about ridiculous humans like them at all.

“Heretical Gods, Old Gods, or other ancient things like that—it makes little difference,” Ignati sighed. “But if that’s the case, Castel’s Path Sanctum cannot be replicated. In the end, we must walk our own path.”

“Patriarch, I’m still a bit worried. If Castel is acquiring knowledge through sacrifices to such existences, then—”

“Sacrifice is not necessarily a bad thing, Sister Helena. Please do not hold prejudices. They rely on these existences now, but in the future, they may still walk toward independence. Don’t you think so, Nora?”

At this moment, Nora was still in Gwen’s arms. She had watched the entire process from beginning to end. Hearing Ignati’s question, her expression turned strange.

“I think Castel might not want to be independent that much. Those existences you mentioned—Castel might be planning to rely on them for much longer.”

Not only did they have no intention of distancing themselves from Heretical Gods, Castel was even looking for more. For example, that captured Bazel—Hughes cared about him immensely, keeping him imprisoned in the most heavily guarded prison. Blood Harbor was currently building a new furnace, just waiting for it to be completed.

This thing alone could support the energy consumption of an entire city and even supply others. If you suggested that Castel give it up, Hughes would jump up in rage.

But in Ignati’s ears, these words carried a completely different meaning.

The Patriarch of the Silent Sanctum let out a sigh. “Very well. Since this is Castel’s choice, I hope you will realize the danger in the future.”

“No need for the future. You’ll be able to see it shortly.”

“?”