"Hunting them?" Daniz asked instinctively. Once he fully grasped what Gerem Sparo meant, he instantly became excited, changed his seat posture, and spoke in a low tone: "Is there anything I can do to assist?" As a competent part-time pirate, he had little connection with words like tolerance, compassion, or mercy. After nearly dying at the hands of "Steel" Mavith and now having the chance to strike back, he certainly didn't want to miss it! He believed his survival in the pirate world relied on his keen sense of timing—knowing when to resist, when to fight fiercely, when to pretend not to see his enemies, and when to finally settle old scores. Now, that was the moment. How immensely powerful Germaine Spalro truly is, Daniz still hasn't quite judged. But given that he resolved the fallen bishop Miller in just ten seconds, he believes confronting "Steel" McVitt won't be too difficult—though even facing "The Blood Above" Senyol, he still has a chance of victory. Of course, this assumes a one-on-one encounter. But the pirates never adhere to chivalry—Daniz has felt this firsthand. Hmm... Germaine Sparo must certainly be interested in how much they've plundered. Daniz quickly organized his thoughts, pulled out paper and pen from the room, and scribbled down a long list. He was especially grateful that his injury was to his left arm. Once he finished, Caine took the notes, read them carefully, and confirmed from the parts that were not elaborated upon that the "Blood Above the Crown" were indeed the most typical and worst pirates—not only seizing goods but also capturing people, killing crew members, and brutally treating women. Daniz, a pirate, apparently knew ancient Fussac—so well educated! Caine murmured these thoughts to himself, then pulled out a copper penny and used a divination method to verify the authenticity of the materials. Next, he spoke in the tone of someone asking about breakfast the next morning: "Tell me about the 'Blood Above the Crown' and his men." Detailed information, he hoped—was he preparing to hunt them down? Danzig was thrilled, yet regretted that he knew even less: "Senyor, the 'Lord of Blood,' is suspected to be a malevolent spirit. Anyone who faces him dies strangely—either by strangling themselves, or by shooting themselves, or by willingly embracing a bomb, or by massacring their companions. Our captain says this is a spirit possessing them. It's very much like Miss Sharin's extraordinary ability—'a spirit of resentment'? Klein remained silent, listening attentively as Danzig continued. "Senyor can emit terrifying shrieks. During our last battle, I was nearly knocked out, fell off the deck into the sea—hah, I managed to return the favor and set one of their ships ablaze. "Senyor knows many necromantic spells. He is cruel, bloodthirsty, and intensely driven—his targets can be men, women, or even humanoid beings." This aligns well with the indulgent nature of the Rose School—more precisely, with certain characteristics of the 'Prisoner' path. Likely, it's the 'spirit of resentment.' Klein nodded thoughtfully. Danzis became more enthusiastic and slightly accelerated his pace: "Our captain believes Senyor possesses a remarkable magical artifact that brings him great fortune, ensuring constant divine favor—such as when opponents suddenly slip or their abilities fail at crucial moments, like winning twenty-one consecutive gambling rounds." A magical item that grants luck? That's quite rare... Originating from the "Monster" path? Or linked to a particular spirit? Kline made educated guesses based on his knowledge of esoteric studies. "I haven't directly faced Senyor myself; this is all I know." Danzis had intended to raise his hands in gesture, but was promptly restrained by pain in his left arm. "He commands approximately seven or eight ships, with the 'Tree of Flesh' serving as his flagship—ah, quite different from ours. We primarily pursue treasure and are selective about our crew, retaining only the 'Golden Dream' as one of our vessels." "It's no surprise that the 'Blood Above the Admiral' commands a significantly higher bounty—42,000 pounds—than the 'Ice Mountain Admiral'... they should also be stronger in实力. Cléen suddenly felt it all make sense. He remained in the same posture, as if unimpressed by the information about the 'Blood Above the Admiral': "What about their officers?" Danyz was well-prepared and immediately replied: "Among Senyor's top ten officers, we have the first, second, and third lieutenants of the flagship, as well as the captains of each ship. 'Steel' Mavithi, the flagship's second lieutenant, is believed to be of sequence 6. He possesses a body as strong as steel—capable of withstanding bullets and cannon fire, immune to fire, drowning, and various spells. He is physically powerful, moves swiftly, and can directly tear through his opponents. He has mastered certain necromantic spells, enabling him to awaken the dead and cultivate undead servants." "Undead servants?" Cléen immediately thought of Marič, the one who played cards against the undead. Combining Senyor’s "ghostly" traits as a "blood above the general," could it be that this group of pirates is actually the periphery of the Rose School—perhaps even a profit-driven arm? Unfortunately, I don’t have a messenger, and I haven’t asked Miss Sharon whether she does either; otherwise, I could have reached out to her to verify Senyor’s identity. Klein slightly regretted this. He hadn’t abandoned the possibility due to its connection to the Rose School—after all, he could always change his face and assume a new identity afterward. With the Polar Circle, the Witch’s Order, the Redeemed Rose, and the Dusk Hermit Order already in his crosshairs, he wasn’t afraid of adding another adversary. In fact, I haven’t exactly avoided the Rose School—earlier, I’ve already defeated a "ghostly" figure, a "living corpse," and a "wolf-man," and seized the "Deep Crimson Coronet" and the "Biological Toxin Vial." Klein suddenly realized how many conflicts he had actually stirred up. "Mevith probably doesn’t possess any particularly remarkable magical artifacts; otherwise, I likely wouldn’t have escaped back then." "Danzis was relieved to say," he had a group of puppets and the undead around him, along with several subordinates of sequence 7 and 8, serving as the second-in-command of the flagship. Since he was here, he should naturally be the leader among the nearby personnel. They could therefore consider targeting him first. Among the lower-tier sequences, when the number of extraordinary beings grows, a qualitative shift occurs—when abilities complement each other, they can defeat extraordinary beings stronger than themselves, just as a small watch unit can take down a sequence 6, or even a sequence 5. Despite gaining significant strength from the 'craving hunger,' Kline did not grow overconfident about his 'steel' counterpart, Mavith, and his team. He remained as cautious as always. The actions must be carefully planned and thoroughly prepared. Indeed, the frequency and code obtained from the "Great White Shark" can now be put to good use. Once the "Magician" lady's radio receiver arrives, Daniz will begin routine monitoring to see if relevant intelligence can be gathered—enabling me to seize the opportunity for swift harvest. In the meantime, I will search for the genuine opportunity to step into the role of a true participant. Klein quickly formed a clear plan and continued listening to Daniz as he relayed further intelligence about the other officers under the "Blood Above." You still have quite the vision, don't you? Kline nodded. "You'll be in charge of gathering comprehensive intelligence on the 'Steel.'" "Great!" Danyz, recalling the punch that had nearly shattered his heart in the late afternoon, responded with a smile that carried a hint of grim determination. Kline then rose slowly and walked to the window. Outside, the sky was dark, the wind howling, and the rain pouring down—seeming as though the end of days had already arrived. As he thought about what lay ahead, a sense of embodiment settled over him. With a quiet, resonant voice, he murmured, "Tonight, Germain joins the hunt." ........ "The City of Generosity," Bayam, within the Sea Church. Aljé Wilson, who had just secured the "Bloodline Anesthetic Gas," was preparing to set sail in search of the next primary material from the "Wind-Attuned," when he was unexpectedly summoned by the local archbishop. "There's been a rumor circulating recently," the archbishop said, "that the 'Ice Mountain Commander' has obtained the Death God's key—news that has sent the pirate fleets across the Sunia Sea into a frenzy." "The Bishop spoke calmly," "Investigate this matter." He was an older man with white hair, yet vigorous and mentally sharp, speaking faster than a young man, as if he might at any moment surge forth to personally resolve every issue. His robust frame held the bishop's robe taut; with each breath, the wind around him stirred, and the air was moist. Year after year, such stories circulate—yet they're always false. The sea seems to love spreading such rumors. Even if they were true, I wouldn't have the standing to get involved; it would be unnecessary to risk anything. I could simply gather information from the periphery," Aljir murmured to himself. He then firmly clenched his fist and struck his left chest: "Very well, Your Excellency! 'The storm is with you!'" Bishop Qogri was pleased with Aljir's demeanor and returned the gesture with equal courtesy: "The storm is with you!" Encouraged by this affirmation, Aljir Wilson quickly left the church and stepped out onto the square. The storm last night has now subsided, leaving only scattered leaves on the ground and here and there patches of water of varying sizes as proof of its passage. Alger took a deep breath of the fresh post-rain air and decided to head off to a few places where pirates might be likely, to inquire and to show initiative. If he encountered someone with a bounty of several hundred pounds, he wouldn’t mind making a capture—after all, in his eyes, that would be liquid, stored capital. PS: Participation in the event means no updates before dawn; regular updates will resume on Monday. Please kindly recommend tickets in advance!