Legendary Broken Player - VRMMORPG - Chapter 853

Chapter 853: Chapter 853 – Judgment of the Deep

Broken was immediately surrounded from all sides.

The merfolk warriors moved fast, their powerful tails cutting through the water with ease, forming a tight circle around him. Their glowing spears were already raised, aimed directly at him.

“Identify yourself!” one of them barked, their voice deep and commanding.

“How did you survive this deep underwater for so long?” another demanded.

Their eyes gleamed with suspicion. Their stances were tense.

They weren’t just wary—they believed he was a threat.

Broken took a moment to analyze them, his gaze flicking to their status screens.

292, 295, 298.

Damn.

Their levels were insanely high.

Fighting them here, in a completely unfamiliar environment, with no solid ground and limited maneuverability?

That would be a nightmare.

Despite their humanoid forms, their heads still resembled deep-sea creatures. Some had sharp, elongated jaws filled with rows of jagged teeth. Others had multiple gills lining their necks, and their eyes glowed with an unnatural bioluminescence. Their muscular arms were covered in tough, scale-like plating, and their armor was forged from what looked like hardened coral and abyssal metals.

They weren’t just guards—they were elite warriors.

Fighting here was not an option.

So instead, Broken raised both hands slightly, keeping his movements slow and deliberate.

“I came from the island above,” he said evenly. “I got here through the whirlpool.”

The warriors exchanged looks, their expressions darkening.

“There are no humans on that island,” one of them snapped. “And even if there were, you would never survive a journey this deep without proper protection.”

One of the guards stepped forward, pressing the sharp tip of their spear against Broken’s chest. The pressure wasn’t enough to pierce—but it was a warning.

“Explain yourself, outsider. What is your real purpose here?”

Broken sighed. “I have no bad intentions. I’m just curious. I found the whirlpool, I wanted to see where it led, and now I’m here.”

None of them looked convinced.

“You expect us to believe that?” the lead warrior sneered. “No outsider has ever set foot in Azur’Nath.”

Another spoke up. “We cannot allow an unknown land-dweller to roam freely. You will be detained.”

Before Broken could react, thick chains were suddenly locked around his wrists. The material was heavy, likely enchanted to restrict movement.

So this was their answer.

They were taking him prisoner.

Should he fight?

His instincts told him no.

He was outnumbered, out-leveled, and in an environment where he was still adjusting to combat.

For now, the best move was to cooperate.

At least until he figured out more about this place.

Broken was dragged through the water, though “dragged” underwater didn’t feel nearly as rough as it would have been on land.

He let them pull him along, surrounded by at least twelve heavily armed merfolk warriors, all keeping a firm grip on him as they swam.

As they moved, Broken got a clearer view of the underwater city.

And it was incredible.

The streets were bustling with activity, merfolk of all shapes and sizes moving through the currents. Some had almost human-like faces, though their skin shimmered with scales, and delicate coral formations lined the sides of their cheeks. Others had long, flowing hair that drifted effortlessly in the water, paired with elegant, armored torsos that gave them a regal, warrior-like appearance.

They looked powerful. Graceful, yet undeniably dangerous.

But something was wrong.

They weren’t heading toward the city.

Just before reaching the main gates, the guards veered downward, taking a different path that led deeper into the ocean trench.

Broken frowned. Were they avoiding the city?

That’s when he saw it.

A massive underwater cavern came into view, its entrance lined with glowing runes that pulsed faintly in the water. The tunnel stretched deep, leading into darkness.

They were taking him somewhere else.

A separate facility.

A prison?

As they swam inside, the cavern opened into an enormous hollow chamber, large enough to fit an entire fortress inside.

And sure enough—this was a prison.

Lining the cavern walls were rows of underwater cells, each secured by thick, enchanted bars that shimmered with strange blue energy. Inside the cells, other aquatic creatures were imprisoned—different from the merfolk who had captured him.

Sharks with humanoid torsos, eel-like creatures with multiple arms, even massive crustacean beasts.

Some of the prisoners turned when they noticed the approaching guards.

And when they saw Broken—

They began shouting.

Some slammed their fists against the prison bars, others let out low growls or eerie, distorted screeches.

It wasn’t clear if they were angry at him or curious about a surface dweller ending up here.

Before he could process more, they reached an empty cell at the far end of the cavern.

One of the warriors activated a mechanism, causing the bars to briefly flicker and slide open.

Then—

They threw him inside.

The cell door slammed shut behind him, the magic-infused bars instantly sealing.

One of the guards turned to face him.

“You will remain here until your judgment is decided.”

With that, they left.

Leaving Broken alone in the deep-sea prison.

Broken stood still for a moment, letting everything sink in.

This was insane.

Rows upon rows of underwater prison cells, filled with all kinds of aquatic beings. The sheer scale of it was beyond anything he had expected.

Without wasting time, he pulled up his interface, activated his camera, and snapped a few photos of the prison. Then, he quickly sent them to his ship crew.

Broken: So… I’m in an underwater prison. (Attachment: Prison_Photo1, Prison_Photo2, Prison_Photo3…)

Vallrick: Wait. WHAT?!

SexyGrill: WTF? HOW??

Mizuki: KING, HOW DID YOU GET ARRESTED IN A PLACE NO ONE EVEN KNEW EXISTED???

SexyBloom: BROTHER. WHAT IS THIS. WHAT DID YOU DO.

Broken: Uh. I got spotted and now they’re “deciding my judgment.”

Vallrick: A week. A single week. That’s all it took for you to go from “I’m gonna explore the ocean” to “I’m a convicted criminal in Atlantis.”

SexyGrill: You need help? We sending a rescue mission?

Broken: Nah, I’m fine. Just gathering intel.

Next, he uploaded the photos of the city—the massive coral castle, the glowing streets, the merfolk swimming in perfect harmony.

Broken: (Attachment: City_Photo1, City_Photo2, City_Photo3…) Also, this is the city they’re protecting.

SexyBloom: IT’S BEAUTIFUL!

Vallrick: Dude. This looks insane.

Mizuki: KING, YOU JUST FOUND A WHOLE UNDERWATER KINGDOM.

SexyGrill: You’re telling me THIS was hidden under the ocean this whole time??

Vallrick: But why are you in PRISON instead of sightseeing?!

Broken: Yeah. About that.

He leaned back against the cold stone floor, still processing everything.

Even though he was locked up, he had already gained more knowledge about this place than anyone else on the surface.

Now, he just had to figure out what to do next.

Broken considered slipping into Moonlight Dimension to escape. It would be the easiest way to get out of here without alerting anyone.

But—he hesitated.

If he suddenly disappeared, the merfolk guards would definitely notice.

That could make things worse.

He decided to hold off for now.

Instead, he absentmindedly reached for his necklace, his fingers brushing over the familiar surface. That’s when he noticed—

A notification.

His eyes narrowed as he pulled up his system alerts.

[SYSTEM ALERT: TELEPORTATION DISABLED]

[All teleportation-based abilities and escape-type dimensional skills are currently locked within this restricted zone.]

Broken froze.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

He quickly attempted to activate Moonlight Dimension—but nothing happened.

He was completely locked in.

So, wait.

Did that mean—

He was trapped here forever?!