The bounty... Danyz's facial muscles twitched, and he forced a smile, pretending not to be "the Flame," completely indifferent to the act. Once Elran had left, he swiftly turned to Germain Spalro and said, "I think we should change our inn. No, we should leave Bayam as soon as possible!" If I carry a bounty exceeding five thousand pounds, I'll never be safe anywhere! The pirates and adventurers who were once on my level will surely swarm in like sharks sensing blood—always eager for a fresh, valuable prey. A prize that not only has the ability to handle the hunt but also proves its worth is always in high demand, just as valuable as a treasure! Danyz held back more of his outbursts. Klein spoke as he walked toward the hat rack. "What?" Daniz asked instinctively. Klein took off his half-high silk hat and placed it atop his head. "A step up in sequence." To align strength with the bounty... He donned his coat, turned the handle, and stepped out of the suite. Sequence 6? The "Strategist"? Daniz paused for two seconds, then furrowed his brow, gritting his teeth. When he had consumed the Sequence 9 "Hunter" and Sequence 8 "Provocateur" elixirs, he hadn't found it particularly difficult—indeed, he had even begun to look forward to discovering the legendary treasures, acquiring high-tier recipes and corresponding materials, and ascending to semi-divine status, becoming a new king of the seas. But the intense pain and discomfort brought by the "Brazier" elixir had left him shaken, fearful, and doubtful. He couldn't believe that his own consistent adherence to the captain's instructions and his habitual provocation of opponents could have nearly unraveled. This made Daniz have to consider whether he should just settle for accumulating enough wealth and then return to Intis as a wealthy man. Standing there, he hesitated for several minutes before finally grasping one key point: even if he wished to take the magical potion to advance his status, he wouldn't be able to do so in the near term, as he would need to gather the recipes and ingredients—an undertaking far from easy—and new quests might be announced tomorrow, or even today! Therefore, he would have to change hotels and leave Bayam as soon as possible. He calmly and confidently envisioned himself sailing out to sea, gathering materials for the hunt—fully convinced it would come to pass. After all, it would take place at sea, and now, with the arrival of a new identity: "The God of the Sea"! After completing all this, he stepped back and spoke in ancient Hermes: "I invoke the power of knowledge; "I invoke the power of reason; "I invoke the favor of the god of wisdom; "I invoke you to allow me to commune with the spirit of 'the teacher who pursues knowledge, the researcher of ethereal beings, the commander of the ice mountain above the sea, Edwina Edwards of Lüneburg.'" ...Ah! As the incantation resonated, the chamber suddenly grew cold. All the bronze sacred daggers, the salt dishes, the pure dew vials, and the sheets of paper and steel pens floated upward, suspended in mid-air. Danzis waited with a slight sense of tension, unsure of what would happen next. After several seconds, the flames of the three candles began to tremble, taking on a pale, translucent green hue. Danzis' body suddenly stiffened, struck by an intense, chilling cold that he could not resist. He watched, helpless, as his feet moved of their own accord, stepping forward. He saw his left hand lift, grasping the black pen and the pale sheet of paper. He saw himself bend forward, left hand holding the pen, writing swiftly: "What's happened?" The words flowed gracefully and continuously, displaying a refined artistry—distinctly different from Daniz's own style. Only now did Daniz realize he could control his head and his throat. "Captain, 'Sea God' Cavitova has passed away!" he managed, his voice thick and hoarse, as though suffering from a severe cold. "Details," his left hand wrote smoothly. Daniz had been waiting for this moment. He recounted the entire sequence of events in full: how Germán Sparo had journeyed to the island of Ximim to fulfill a traveler's wish, how he had seemingly been struck by the 'Sea God's' curse but had easily overcome it once inside the chamber, and how the frantic man had mistaken the ancient elven ruins for the 'Sea God's' sanctuary. At the end, Daniz quickly added his own assessment: "I believe the 'Lord of the Blood' will not visit Bayam for a long time—most of the prominent pirates won't either. It will take at least six months before the impact of this event settles down. Captain, your and Germaine Sparrow's hunting mission may have to be put on hold for now. I think I'll return to the 'Golden Dream.' " His left hand paused for a few seconds before writing: "You'll continue to follow Germaine Sparrow, serving as the liaison between me and him." "Captain, you—can teach him the 'Soul-Calling Rite!'” Daniz gasped urgently. His left hand wrote swiftly: "This communication is limited to a range of 500 nautical miles, and for the person performing the rite, it carries significant risk. But you know our network of contact points across the islands—this is information that cannot be shared with outsiders." "Indeed... Germán Sparo is just a stranger to us... but, Captain, I really want to go back to the *Golden Dream*! Daniz said, thinking hard. "Perhaps we could invite him to visit us on board—no, that's not quite right..." Suddenly, Daniz had a sudden inspiration: "Captain, he has messengers! He has messengers! Messengers who travel between the realms to deliver his letters!" This should be an unimpeded means of communication—more secret and secure! I no longer need to act as the intermediary! Daniz thought with great excitement. With his left hand hovering for several seconds, he wrote: "If that's truly the case, then there's no problem. The New Year holiday is drawing to a close, and you truly should return to the ship. You have a certain talent in language, but there are still significant areas where you need improvement—more listening, more effort." Daniz opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He suddenly felt that returning to the "Golden Dream" wasn't anything particularly exciting. In the late afternoon, Crane arrived at the "Blue Wind" inn. That day's efforts had not yielded a suitable candidate, as several pirates and adventurers carrying cases had been apprehended earlier, and the remaining ones remained cautious, avoiding public appearances. Whether at the tavern, the casino, or the brothels, business was sluggish, with few patrons. "This is the situation," Daniz approached, clearing his throat and offering a dry, cheerful smile. "I've never performed the 'Spirit Summoning Rite' before, so I wanted to try it out first—well, I'm glad to say it worked! I've already spoken with the captain, who agrees that there's currently no opportunity to pursue the 'Blood Above the Commander.' She's planning to recall me to the 'Golden Dream.' As for communication, you have a courier, don't you? I'll have him deliver a message to the captain." "My messenger was sent by the great lord, not by me. Moreover, the messenger can only pass messages between the master and the holder of the token, involving no one else—well, perhaps between a ritualist and the master. That does remind me: I need to find a messenger of my own, otherwise many things will become inconvenient. As for how, of course, I'll write a letter to Mr. Azk, who must surely be an expert in this matter. Carefully and calmly, Caine pulled over a chair, sat down, leaned forward, and spoke in a low tone: 'Tell your captain that I have a way to find the "General of Blood." ' 'Ah?' Daniz stood speechless, not expecting such a response. Then he noticed that Gorman Sparrow was slowly widening his smile and repeated: 'Tell your captain.' ...Daniz shivered, hesitated to ask further, and forced a smile: 'This will have to wait until the next Blue Star, that is, from 11 p.m. to midnight.' "Very good," Kline said with a bright smile. Yet Danariz felt nothing joyful. Kline slowly rose, savoring a special dish he had enjoyed during dinner, and made his way toward the bedroom. The dish was called "Tayatavi," which translates to "meat within fruit" in Roon. The chef used a native giant fruit known as "Tayana," hollowed out to retain only its firm rind, then filled it with finely mashed lamb and fish, seasoned with sea salt and several spices, and baked repeatedly over fire. The result was a rich, aromatic texture, with the meat's flavor perfectly blending into the fruit's subtle sweetness and acidity. Once the door to the room was closed, Kline first wrote a letter of thanks to Mr. Azk, then asked again about how to establish his own personal messenger. He folded the letter, then drew out his copper whistle and summoned the messenger. The messenger did not linger; he took the letter in his hands and dissolved into nothing at once. Hm... Caine rested for a moment, preparing to step into the gray mist, to see whether the prayers of the devotees could provide him with useful information—such as authentic roles he could embody.