While on their way at a brisk 75km/h the evening approached everyone was doing something they liked Rem was looking at Senku who disassembled and cleaned the flintlock mechanisms in his pistols after which he sat down sketching designs for something. Otto was driving the carriage and making small talk with the other two in the carriage. Suddenly the atmosphere there felt changed there was white fog which covered things as far as the eye could see.
Senku: The weather didn't look particular for foggy conditions, could it be?
Just then before a reply could be sounded a loud shrill noise took away their attention they looked behind the carriage and saw the ground being plowed by spikes, no teeth. It was indeed what they feared one of the great three mabeast the white whale.
Otto: Ishigami san, hold on let's try to outrun it.
Otto then started making weird noises upon which frufoo the ground dragon accelerated suddenly air resistance wasn't a thing.
Otto: I used my divine protection of Xenoglossy to convince frufoo to move faster its now using its windbreaker ability to move negating the effects of air.
Senku after some silence asked, "Rem, do I still smell like miasma?" Rem nodded still unable to understand. Otto however already knew what he meant
Otto: We must not this quickly! There is hope!
This statement made Rem understand what he meant when he asked about the miasma.
Rem: No! you musn't I will go instead it's my duty!
Senku exhaled and steadied himself to say, "It's an order, please understand!" Rem stopped out of respect Senku pulled out his gun shot the whale one and then put the L pill in his mouth an before jumping off and biting it said, "After all unlike you I can revive mys-" It worked the scent grew stronger as Senku jumped off he bit the pill his life left him moments after he touched the floor right before the pain kicked in.
Senku revived right after his meeting with Anastasia just as he was returning to his residence. "Tch the timing couldn't be worse had this been a few minutes earlier I could have sold the whale's location as it must be a threat to the transport routes. I guess it save point moves to significant successful events. Anyways there is one more thing I must try before I enlist help from Anastasia. "Does my presence effect the pathway the whale takes?" After thinking for a while about this he turned to Rem.
Senku: "I need you to stay at the capital Rem."
Rem: "Your ability activated just now didn't it the scent intensified? Why must I stay back is there something in the way?"
Senku in his mind: "I didn't think about that Shit!"
After some contemplation he says, "Yes my ability did activate some lords visited the residence we rented in the capital after we both left and there was no one left to answer. My reputation got damaged the thing is the designs I have to bring from the manor are very important so I can't stay and if there is someone who is answerable here they won't mind much as for the safety I know a merchant so don't worry!"
Rem: In that case Rem shall stay behind.
Senku: Alright then I would better be off there must be cleaning you must do!
Senku waved Rem goodbye, "Ok now that this is out of the way I have to rent a carriage instead of getting one driven for by me even if I don't know him well (Otto) he seemed to be a good guy I don't want to trouble him." Senku then walked to the commercial ring of the capital where he found a dragon and a carriage for sale knowing that this purchase wouldn't last long he decided not to bond with the animal so as to not feel sad when the loop failed. Senku stiffened himself up slapped his cheeks and left for the mansion in the only other way which would be even mildly feasible for transport. Senku had a lot of trouble keeping the ground dragon in control so the progress was slow but he kept moving. Senku soon approached something unexpected a group of traders waiting it out and camping to avoid being attacked since he didn't get attacked and wished to know more about the White whale's movement patterns he decided to stick in. They had a shared dinner Senku didn't divulge much but heard about the previous few white whale sightings. It's frequency in these parts had increased substantially in the past 12 days.
Senku was sweating maybe the whale was after him and sure enough from a distance at the horizon he saw white fog approaching. He notified the other 6, they began to pack and left. Senku reminded himself to not stop counting in panic. It was very late at night by now they began running Senku kept himself at the back to drop off once he had enough information and not to endanger lives because he still lacked a crucial answer, Which of the two theories on time were correct and until he knew the answer he would act in patience in his world one of the theories had more acceptance but here if an entity was powering his ability that meant the other was more plausible. Anyways Senku said as he brought back his attention, this time the dragon was a lot more obedient as it also felt fear, fear of being eaten. As the other carriages charged ahead one the fog eventually caught up and before he could bite he dropped his pill from his mouth and the fog engulfed them they soon emerged but the guy on the left Ron was missing. Senku yelled, "Where did Ron go!" to Edward who was rifing to his right as they Ron and Edward seemed more like friends than acquaintances. However this question elicited an unexpected response from Edward a response that said, "Who?" Senku tried to remind him but he couldn't recollect just then he turned left and saw an eye open Senku panicked and fell off his carriage.
This fall was far more painful his back had broken in the fall which meant he couldn't stand up or run.
He groaned in pain as he screamed The whale however stopped chasing the merchants and turned around to look him in the face it approached him, "Damn it you piece of shit what do you find so appealing in me?"
He brought himself together he reached out to his pocket and pulled the second pill which he put in his mouth, "You're not going to get me not now, not ever!" He bit into his pill and his consciousness faded. He returned back to the square near Rem.
Even though she noticed him returning she stood silent as Senku was thinking, It took 9 minutes to catch up to us the pedigree ground dragon had a speed of roughly 75km/h in the roughly 4.5 minute head start we got we should have covered 5625 metres add it to the rough 5km distance of the horizon the whale covered 10625 metres in just under 9 minutes that means its speed is roughly 70.8 km/h. To think that if we hadn't wasted enough time packing more could have survived. But this must be its cruise speed if we were to assume all those missing people were true that means for temporary durations at least the whale is faster than that. Now if you draw two loci from the different locations where I encountered him the area where they intersect is his approx location a third encounter would be perfect for pinpointing it but since it follows me it shouldn't be necessary I can stretch the clock quite a bit for this guy. Senku cracked his neck and said, "Rem we have stuff to do." Knowing that like always he has a plan just assured her she merely put a smile and tagged along.
Senku puts a call to Anastasia on the conversing mirror,
Anastasia (With a grin): What happen'd valuable business partner?
Senku: My protection activated, foresight and I spot a valuable opportunity mind hearing it?
Anastasia: I am all ears.
Senku: I know where the white whale is, through my divine blessing of foresight.
Anastasia: And what does that mean to ya?
Senku (smiling): Stop kidding with me, I know you're losing a lot of money in lost carriages because of that fish consider it an investment and stop trying to extort me.
Anastasia: Alright! Alright! I do need some of the Iron fang with me until tomorrow once I am at the next safe house I can send ya some of them with my knight to attack the mabeast. Now you won't call me if you didn't need anything.
Senku: You've really got me figured, Is it fine if I ask Crusch camp for their help so that it minimises losses on our end and mellows out problems between us, there is also the fact that she has been amassing a lot of armaments for some reason, this should blunt her teeth even though I will go through it without a single causality.
Anastasia: Without a single casuality? That's a impressive goal ya have set for yourself. In fact if you weren't going to ask I would have told you to go to Crusch camp myself one of her closest aide seems to have history with the whale. So as long as you can compensate her for the expedition and assure her of minimum causalities she would happily oblige
Senku (jokingly): Obviously if I were to give people credit when they have nothing to lose they would be happy!
Anastasia: Her attack forces should make the subjugation an easier task also you may have an excuse for manufacturing some of your futuristic weapons without drawing ire from anyone watching, it's a perfect position to advertise your product as a game changer. I will send over the Iron fang to ya by Tomorrow mornin.
Senku: That would be great, as long as everything in my head goes according to plan there is nothing put positive in the spreadsheet.
Anastasia: Well then if there is a change to the plans then do inform me I hope it works out in the end.
Senku: Allying with her was definitely a good idea, before heading off into karsten estate I need to put some things in order at the 3rd factory, We shall have to rush the construction of another weapon of science in the words of Joseph stalin 'God of war' Modern Artillery
Next chapter: A comprehensive guide on artillery and a science heavy chapter, please don't try any of it since its real science and it is deadly.