Ocean Master

For hours, Sebastian's hyperactive brain has been cooking up scenes, filling him with imaginations of how magnificent the Great White Shark territory would be though he knew that was pure fantasy.

Even if they had the means to build a magnificent kingdom, the fact alone that it was erected in this cliff surrounding the ocean volcano meant that it would look as plain and medieval as possible.

Even if they had the means to make it luxurious, it was foolish to make it so as any clan war that may arise would render all the luxury to oblivion.

The territory was fairly big, even bigger than Sebastian expected. 

It covered a wide region, expanding into the surroundings but the hole inside the cliff was the real kingdom while the other parts of the cliff they occupied were additional territory.

The wardrobe-like cliff was smooth at some parts and ruggedly rough at other parts, forming what seemed like a stiff red board filled with punctures but all of the holes in it were already inhabited by some predator family.

The holes inside the cliff were where the animal kingdoms were located, not the surface as Sebastian speculated when seeing it from below in the seamount.

At some part of the cliff surface, despite the hot temperature, some stubborn weeds germinated, growing out of cracks and crevices, decorating the surroundings to form a beautiful ecosystem.

Some strange flowers grew out of the cliff also, they had different colors, covering all the colors of the rainbow and beyond. According to Verni, they fed on the heat in the surroundings to survive.

Each of the animal kingdoms occupying each hole had a territory for themselves along the surface of the cliff. The hole next to that of the Great White Shark family was a fair distance away.

According to Verni, it was a hole kingdom housing mutated Cobras.

The water filling the middle of the cliff was so wide apart that looking to the other side of the cliff from where he was currently, Sebastian felt like the other end of the cliff was light-years away.

With Tungsten still in the lead, Sebastian observed curiously as he was led through the Great White territory till they finally came before the hole.

Tungsten stopped and turned to face him. "Welcome home, Sebastian".

Entering the hole, it was like a new page of a masterpiece book was opened before him as he seemed to have been transported into a new world entirely.

As soon as he entered, one thought appeared and dominated his mind. "This is not a hole; this is a secret cave".

His eyes glittered like stars as a scene worth wowing for presented itself before him. Besides the passage at opposite sides through which he entered the cave world stood 2 red towering boulders.

After the boulders came everything, a cave spanning about a kilometer which was a shock to him but the first attractive thing in the cave was the bright lighting. 

What seemed like lanterns hovered above the water close to the cave's ceiling. Sebastian didn't know if it was powered by technology but bright light shone out of the lanterns, illuminating the whole cave.

"This is the work of us light domain magic sharks". Tosh explained, clearly enthusiastic to say more but Tungsten shut him up with a tail fin slap.

Just after the entrance to the cave hovered 2 Great White Sharks, sharks with adaptations that left Sebastian awed.

The first had an adaptation that enabled it to have real hands. With its 2 pairs of arms jutting out of the sides of its body, it held spears and pointed them all at the entrance with a serious expression on its sharky face.

The second had an adaptation that made its tail fin seem like a trident, its tail's 3 sharp ends caused the water to make sizzling sounds which was a manifestation of its fire magic.

"Seba bro, that's Tob and Crono. Hi Tob! What have you eaten today and…?"

"Tosh!"

"Ok, I'll keep quiet". Tosh grumbled. 

"Senior brother Tungsten". Both the guard sharks at the entrance ignored Tosh's grumbling completely before greeting their senior.

Tungsten responded with a wave of his dorsal fin, then he continued leading the new family member inside the cave. Throughout the tour, all Sebastian could express was shock and amazement.

From the entrance, the other parts of the cave were even more breathtaking. It didn't have beautiful corals lining the cave floor like back in the Leroy lair, but the red rocky walls had a certain beauty to them that Sebastian could not explain.

The over a kilometer-long cave was divided into segments by rocks, forming what seemed like rooms where sharks inhabited. If Sebastian didn't know more, he would have never believed that this was the work of sharks.

These perfect structures could restrain the sharks and could also provide the perfect environment for them when their spinal cords wrath mischief during their sleep which was just awesome.

Inside the cave swam Great White Sharks of different colors and sizes. The biggest was at a size of 15 meters long, but still, seeing so many Great White Sharks like him in one cave felt different to Sebastian.

Sebastian was not disappointed, apart from the big mature sharks, little baby Great Whites also patrolled the cave leisurely as they enjoyed the pleasure of living life as a young predator.

The sharks responded in different ways after seeing the new family member, but a majority of the response was warm and inviting.

Apart from the boulders that slightly blocked the entrance to the cave, the family also had other defense measures. Fixed at strategic points of the cave where traps that could unleash metal spikes to crush enemies to death.

"You see those". Tosh pointed at a strategic location where one of the traps was hidden. "Old Mak called them bloodsuckers, cool right?"

"Tosh!" Tungsten growled it out this time, causing Tosh to stiffen in shock.

Without paying attention to him, Tungsten continued leading the way as Sebastian was escorted to all the important points in the family cave before finally leading him to the depth where the throne was.

Before entering the depth, all the other sharks left, leaving only Verni, Tungsten, and Sebastian. Tungsten went closer to the pitch-black wall before him.

"Tungsten seeks your attention, master".

"Come in".. A deep ancient voice sounded from inside in reply.