Sherrod's hand was tightly gripping the sword hilt, as he seemed eager to make a move to protect the citizens he dearly loved.
"Do not make a move," Su Ming'an issued the second command after the action commenced, "Even if you have the ability to save one person, even if you can lead those around you to break out for a distance, even if you can reach out to help someone who has fallen..."
Su Ming'an moved the loudspeaker aside, keeping his voice from carrying outward: "—you are not to make a move."
"Ah—!"
A burst of blood sprayed up as the core layer was breached by sea monsters, spattering Sherrod's face with the blood of a soul hunter.
"...Captain." He almost squeezed the word out from his throat.
The soul hunter's corpse fell at his feet; he did not linger, stepping almost as if on razor blades, struggling to move forward, leaving the corpse behind him.
