"I really hate this place." Hazumi muttered to herself, her quiet voice lost in the cacophony of shattering ice and breaking waves created in the wake of her ship as it plowed through the shallow ice fields surrounding Mizu No Kuni. The woman stood at the bow of the Icebreaker, leaning against the railing of the ship. Most of her features were concealed by the heavy clothing she wore in a futile attempt to stay warm, but the thick coat she had purchased in Kaminari No Kuni during her last mission did little to keep out the unnatural chill that lingered around the dead islands. Not for the first time Hazumi cursed Genbu for building his Tower here of all places. Mizu No Kuni was considered a dead zone for a reason, after all. What the cold didn't kill, the creatures and demons that roamed the tundra usually took care of. Fortunately, the worst of them usually stayed near the ruins of old Kirigakure, a fact she was thankful for.
Looking into the distance, Hazumi saw the first light of the dawning sun starting to break over the horizon, illuminating the silhouette of her destination. The Black Tower was built within the ruins of an old research platform abandoned during the fall of Mizu No Kuni, and outwardly, time hadn't been kind. At least half of the station had collapsed into the sea under the weight of the ice and snow, and the rest was a mess of broken catwalks, shattered windows, and rusted metal. But the discarded ruin concealed a great deal, and much of the original facility remained intact beneath the ice. The Shijinju had refurbished the lower levels of the station, and expanded upon the entire complex over the years, leading to a large installation that was hidden in plain sight, if anyone actually bothered to come out this far to look around.
Hazumi sighed as the ship shuddered beneath her and slowly came to a stop, the iron hull groaning against the ice. ‘Looks like this is as far as we go.’ Hazumi thought to herself, grimacing slightly at the distance that still remained. Ordinarily she’d simply use her bloodline and warp to the station, but using her powers in Mizu No Kuni tended to draw the attention of things she’d rather not deal with at the moment, so walking it was. Pushing herself off the railing, Hazumi turned toward the Captain’s cabin, and seeing that she had the attention of the crew, she gave a wave signalling her departure.
It was time to get going. She had a meeting to attend, after all.
[Country Entered]
Looking into the distance, Hazumi saw the first light of the dawning sun starting to break over the horizon, illuminating the silhouette of her destination. The Black Tower was built within the ruins of an old research platform abandoned during the fall of Mizu No Kuni, and outwardly, time hadn't been kind. At least half of the station had collapsed into the sea under the weight of the ice and snow, and the rest was a mess of broken catwalks, shattered windows, and rusted metal. But the discarded ruin concealed a great deal, and much of the original facility remained intact beneath the ice. The Shijinju had refurbished the lower levels of the station, and expanded upon the entire complex over the years, leading to a large installation that was hidden in plain sight, if anyone actually bothered to come out this far to look around.
Hazumi sighed as the ship shuddered beneath her and slowly came to a stop, the iron hull groaning against the ice. ‘Looks like this is as far as we go.’ Hazumi thought to herself, grimacing slightly at the distance that still remained. Ordinarily she’d simply use her bloodline and warp to the station, but using her powers in Mizu No Kuni tended to draw the attention of things she’d rather not deal with at the moment, so walking it was. Pushing herself off the railing, Hazumi turned toward the Captain’s cabin, and seeing that she had the attention of the crew, she gave a wave signalling her departure.
It was time to get going. She had a meeting to attend, after all.
[Country Entered]