King of the Seas... Upon hearing the name "Ayan Koutman," the first title that came to Klein's mind was the full, formal designation of "Lord of the Storm": "King of the Sky, Emperor of the Seas, Sovereign of Calamities, God of the Storm!" Sequence 3 is "King of the Seas"... Sequence 0 includes the element of "Emperor of the Seas," which fits quite well. He has no idea what the Sequence 0 title for the "Storm" path is called. Klein once again looked out the window. Though the sky remained slightly overcast, dawn had arrived, the tide had receded, and the rain had completely ceased. He pulled his thoughts back and began analyzing the situation from Daniz's information: The potion's name was "Ocean King." That meant the corresponding Tier-3 half-gods and saints had to embody the role of "Ocean King," with one essential prerequisite: each individual must possess all the necessary abilities. As "Ocean Kings," even if their influence had certain spatial limitations, they would undoubtedly be powerful rulers within their own domains—free to move freely through the ocean depths, capable of generating tsunamis at will, raising sea levels, and commanding marine life. When operating from their home territories, they would absolutely outperform all other half-gods of the same tier. The "Five Kings of the Seas" and the "Mysterious Queen" were roughly at this level as well—differences in their mastery of the abilities, due to varying degrees of integration, resulted in subtle distinctions in strength. Yet, wherever they are at sea, they find it difficult to triumph over the "King of the Sea." With the "King of the Sea's" demonstrated abilities, combined with the vast oceanic environment, it would not be surprising if, without having witnessed true deities such as "Eternal Sun" or "True Creator," people could naturally worship, believe in, and pray to him—this is quite understandable. Many gods in primitive traditions may very well hold this rank, likely even falling short of being angels. Indeed, "the unviewable god" refers specifically to true deities. The earlier sea god, Cavituwa, did not give me that impression, nor did the Amun's avatar. Of course, it remains uncertain whether the original form of the "King of Angels" also possesses this unviewable attribute. One is a sea god on the brink of collapse, currently only at sequence 3, while the other is in stable condition and can readily deploy his seals at any time. The outcome of their contest is certainly predictable: Ayn. Koutman will consistently contain Cavituwa's frenzied outbursts, preventing the sea from engulfing Bayam and ensuring that the entire Blue Mountain Island—and its numerous cities But there are also some issues. First, there should be no unforeseen complications—Latricia, the archaeologist, must have done something behind the scenes on the island of Ximim, orchestrating the very downfall of the Sea God. Her backing organization, either the Moth Ascetic Order or the Dawn of Elements, might seize the opportunity to advance their own interests. This is the greatest concern. After all, the Governor's Office and the military command here are likely to have a high-ranking strong contender as well—this is the cornerstone of the Kingdom's colonial governance in the central and southern regions of the sea. Things won't deteriorate severely. Secondly, the devoted followers—when Cavitua grows more and more erratic and nears death, they will likely become sacrificial offerings, much like the stalks of grain during harvest, falling one after another, in clusters. Yet, for the Storm Church, this was not a particularly bad development. The most devout pagans died alongside their deities, eliminating the need for subsequent identification and processing; those less devout would be minimally affected and potentially transformable in the future. The only drawback was that the Rosedale Islands would face a prolonged labor shortage. While this issue was troublesome, it could be managed with determination. Thus, the Storm Church—led by "King of the Seas" Ayn Cortman—would likely remain indifferent. Ah, within the densely populated areas, especially in the slums, countless lives would surely be lost. Suddenly, Klein’s thoughts were interrupted by a steady, uniform footfall and the resonant rumble from above. He instinctively raised his head and saw several deep-blue airships, their gun turrets and machine guns extending, passing overhead and heading toward various destinations. On the main streets, soldiers from Roon—wearing red coats, white trousers, and black leather boots—carried rifles and dragged artillery, forming neat lines that stretched one after another. The tense, martial atmosphere suddenly expanded. This was the colony... Klein felt it unexpectedly, murmuring softly to himself. "I don't know how long the Church will take to eliminate that sea serpent and uncover its hidden location—there's no doubt it's a treasure trove, filled with countless valuable items..." Daniz, whose primary duty was treasure hunting, suddenly spoke, expressing both anticipation and a touch of regret. His attitude shifted swiftly, having already downgraded the "Sea God" to a mere "sea serpent," referring to it simply as "it." The Church could simply do nothing, merely suppress the situation and wait a few days—then Cavitua would surely fall. Of course, the Church's members might not possess such patience. I've heard that Ayn Cortman's primary role is that of a High Penitent, specifically a "Substitute Punisher." Though he now holds the title of Cardinal Bishop due to the islands' geographical isolation and the need for centralized authority, his style of governance may still closely align with that of a "Substitute Punisher." Where exactly does Cavitua hide? That sanctuary is almost indistinguishable within the spiritual realm—finding it is no simple matter, which is precisely why it has managed to survive thus far. This thought struck a sudden inspiration in Caine. To locate Cavitua's hidden sanctuary from the physical world is no easy task, even if Cavitua has already fallen—such discovery would take well beyond a year or two, unless more precise information were available. But what if one began from the spiritual realm instead? The spiritual realm remains difficult to pinpoint, yet not entirely beyond reach—"The Mercury Snake" Wil. Angsting once performed a folding crane act to demonstrate just that. I still haven't fully grasped the exact method, but that doesn't matter. I can consult Mr. Azk, who holds authority over the spiritual realm as part of the domain of the Death God. The Underworld, or Hell itself, was established by the ancient Death God, Greigal, the primordial ancestor of the Death Gods, within the spiritual realm. A thought struck Caine; he drew out an ancient, finely crafted bronze whistle, brought it to his lips, and blew a single note. He believed that even if he returned to his bedroom or entered the bathroom, the immense presence of the messenger would inevitably be noticed by the inspired Daniz. Thus, he made no effort to conceal himself. Daniz, who had been envisioning the treasures of the "Sea God" Cavitua, suddenly felt a coolness creeping down his neck. He felt a sudden sense of awareness and quickly activated his spiritual vision, turning toward the side and rear. There, white bones erupted from the floor, rising and soaring upward to form a colossal, ethereal skeleton that seemed to pierce through the ceiling. The skeleton slightly inclined its head, and two points of dark flame could be faintly seen even through the ceiling. The immense weight and presence of the skeleton caused Daniz to leap sideways, arching his body and gathering a vibrant red flame in the palm of his right hand. What on earth is this creature? Daniz stared in astonishment at Germain Sparo, who now held a bronze whistle, his head raised, calmly gazing into the eyes of the skeletal monster. Kline looked up at the towering messenger, while the messenger in turn looked down upon him, as if both had become frozen in place. …Hmph, too hasty! We haven't even written the letter yet, and here they are, summoned already. Should I have it wait in place, or should I return and come back later? Right now, I am Germain Sparo—yes, Germain Sparo! Klein said nothing, calmly withdrew his gaze, and with a steady, unhurried motion reached for paper and pen, beginning to write. He outlined the matter of the "Sea God" Cavitua, omitting the details of his near-possession and the necessity of using the gray mist to expel it, weaving in the ruins where the other had been hiding as part of the dream he had just described. "Perhaps we can arrange something through the spiritual realm, though I lack the necessary knowledge—would you be so kind as to guide me?" Folding the letter neatly, Klein turned to face the messenger, only to find that the messenger's lowered palm had already begun to close. He feigned not noticing, and simply tossed the letter upward. The messenger remained still for a moment before unfolding his palm and catching the letter. Instantly, his form dissolved, his white bones cascading down and sinking into the floor. "What... what is this?" Daniz finally spoke. Klein glanced at him and replied evenly, "A messenger." A messenger? Daniz paused, only then understanding what Klein meant. How could such a massive, such a terrifying creature be merely a messenger? Indeed, there must be a powerful, hidden organization behind Germaine Sparrow! If I had such a messenger, every single person on the ship would envy me—this is truly, truly amazing! Daniz imagined himself boasting about his messenger to the crew, telling tales of his prestige. He set aside the Azk copper whistle and found a chair to sit on, preparing to enjoy breakfast later. A while passed, and then he heard a steady knocking at the door. Daniz approached with alertness, using the peephole to see that the visitor was a middle-aged man wearing a ship-shaped hat. "Elan? How did you find your way here?" Daniz asked as he opened the door. The visitor was indeed Captain Elan of the "White Garnet." Elan, with a few lines of wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, glanced around the room and smiled lightly. "When you checked in at this inn, you registered under Germaine Sparrow's name. A simple inquiry would reveal that." "Given that this position is still formal and clean, and in the Storm Church's eyes, people belonging to the military... Caine rose slowly and addressed Elran who had entered the room: "What's on your mind?" Elran pointed outside: "Baym has had an unexpected incident, but it's not serious. The military is now working in coordination with the Church to conduct a city-wide search—those are several accomplished extraordinary individuals, officially named archaeologists. To expedite the search, the military has mobilized all available resources, yet even for such a large city, that still seems insufficient. Honestly, they believe you, though your background is somewhat obscure, have shown a notably friendly attitude toward us. They hope you can assist in identifying potential threats and preventing further incidents, and will compensate you accordingly." This should be your credit—my friendliness has been somewhat exaggerated. That is to say, following the Goddess Church and the Steam Church, I'm now also receiving payments from the military? Caine found himself momentarily feeling a mix of emotions. Seeing he didn't respond immediately, Airlan added, "Although there won't be major issues, finding the target sooner would allow us to control the corresponding disasters earlier. And that might save a few more lives." Kline paused briefly, then nodded gently: "Good."