Klein couldn't force himself to comfort Frank Lee, nor was he comfortable directly stating that the red-wine fish couldn't reproduce was actually a good thing—he could only pretend it was merely a minor issue and offer no further response. He took a few steps diagonally, reaching the edge of the ship's side, and gazed out at the undulating sea. Now, the high clouds had lightened and thinned slightly, and the glow of the crimson moon brought a subtle brightness to the otherwise dim night. In this setting, Klein clearly saw the scene not far away: thick layers of dark clouds pressed low, with a tangible hurricane sweeping back and forth, covering an extensive expanse of ocean. Under the flashes of silver-white lightning, the steady rain danced with the wind, creating a scene reminiscent of an apocalyptic arrival. This devastating storm was only a few nautical miles—perhaps even closer—yet the ship seemed almost unaffected, with only a slight increase in wind. That is the meaning of a safe course—proceeding through the intervals between storms… Without a competent captain, even ordinary navigation might become a disaster. Klein turned his head toward the ship's fore, where the light was dim and fog thick, visibility extremely poor, making it difficult to distinguish safe from hazardous areas by eye. Such conditions were not yet prominent west of Olaavi Island; here, in this hidden channel, they had become the norm. As Klein was about to shift his gaze, he suddenly spotted a massive, dark, looming presence lurking at the edge of the storm! A sea monster? He instantly recalled the sea legends he had heard in various taverns: after departing the safe course, one often encountered all sorts of creatures, some of which were large and aggressive, capable of engulfing entire ships upon rising to the surface. The "Future" did not halt its progress; soon, it drew near to that somber, towering form. Klein finally caught a clear view of the creature and realized it wasn't a sea monster, but a ship even larger than the "Future." The vessel was nearly two hundred meters long, with its bow and stern rising high, giving it the appearance of a crescent moon. Its hull was black; the cannons along the sides were arranged in three staggered rows, neatly aligned vertically. The raised sections of the deck, aside from the masts, were equally towering, at least as high as five stories of a building. The most unusual feature of the ship was that it carried only a single sail, bearing a black tombstone. It is one of the most renowned and legendary ships on the five seas! It is the flagship of the "Immortal King," Agarith! Meeting one of the "Four Kings"—that was unexpected. Klein was silently stunned, instinctively shifting into a state of high alert. Yet on the surface, he maintained his calm and composure, still gazing at the "Ship of Death." Recalling that Gilshias, the second-in-command of the "Immortal King" and a prize-winner of 9,500 pounds, had recently appeared in Nars and had issued a warning to him, Klein found himself reassured, no longer puzzled by the encounter with the "Ship of Death" so near the Galgas Islands. After setting this aside, he recalled more stories, some of which had been verified as true: "The 'Immortal King' Agarith is a middle-aged man so pale he seems to be decaying at any moment; His individual bounty stands at 100,000 pounds; Those who once opposed him—whether pirates, explorers, or a naval fleet—have all perished, with only the other three of the 'Four Kings' remaining alive; He has never directly clashed with the official half-gods, showing remarkable restraint in this regard; Few know his precise rank or have any clear understanding of his extraordinary abilities; He is naturally cruel, fond of warfare and slaughter, and is always ready to launch an attack against anyone or any vessel; He frequently finds excuses to break promises, and beyond the title of 'Immortal King,' he is widely known as the 'Unreliable.' " "Good thing I'm currently aboard the 'Future,'" thought Caine. "The 'Immortal King' will surely give the 'Stellar Admiral' a bit of face, after all, the Lady 'The Hidden One' is one of the Seven Admiral Generals of the Seas... No, not exactly harmonious between the 'Four Kings' and the Admiral Generals. While they can coexist peacefully at the Grand Pirate Assembly convened by the 'Five-Sea King,' under normal circumstances, they both cooperate and compete—more often the latter. Just a few months ago, the 'Blood Admiral' and the 'Dusk Marshal' clashed in battle. And with the 'Immortal King's' own style of leadership, this encounter might not simply be a mere chance meeting! As soon as this thought passed through Caine's mind, a deep, resonant horn call echoed through the ship. Hoo! The sailors resting in the ship's cabins instantly awoke, rushing to their clothes or straight to the gunports, or making their way to the deck to prepare for boarding actions—the 'Future' swiftly transitioned from a calm state to full wartime readiness. Klein turned his head upward and saw the captain's cabin window open. Lady Gardeleia, dressed in her unchanged black robe, stood there, gazing toward the "Ship of the Final Departure." She no longer wore her thick spectacles; her dark eyes, tinged with a hint of deep violet, seemed profound and mysterious. "Indeed, she too is concerned that the 'Unkillable King' might launch a sudden assault..." Klein withdrew his gaze and turned back to the "Ship of the Final Departure," now poised with its bow and stern lifted. The two ships were now passing each other, with the pirates on the opposite side clearly visible. They too were watching this side—some motionless, as if statues, showing no emotional shift, while others waved their swords and blew on their guns, displaying the utmost provocation. At that moment, only a single matchstick would be needed to ignite the tension and spark battle. In the end, the "Ship of the Final Departure" remained motionless, quietly observing as the "Future Ship" passed by and gradually receded into the distance. "Heh…" Frank Lee, standing beside克莱恩, couldn't hide his breath. He smiled again and said to克莱恩, "Haha, there have been many rumors about the 'King of Immortality's' strength—some claim he's truly a half-god, others say he only holds a Sequence 5, achieving Sequence 4 merely through the ship 'The Ship of Finality.' But no matter what, he's lived long enough, eh? You know, what if we cross-breed him with my fish—could that extend their lifespan?" Frank suddenly had an idea. First, you'd need to either capture the 'King of Immortality,' or make him interested in your fish...克莱恩 muttered a few thoughts under his breath, then calmly replied, "You can talk to him about it." Frank Lee paused, then sighed with disappointment, "He won't agree. He'll simply plant me right into the soil." As he finished speaking, the "Dead-Call" ship, which had already pulled away from the "Future" ship, suddenly heaved its sails. A sharp, malicious laughter echoed across hundreds of meters, enveloping the entire "Future" ship. "Hah! Hah! Hah!" It rang out continuously—sometimes raspy, sometimes chaotic, sometimes like a whisper, sometimes like a song. The sailors on deck one after another collapsed to the ground, clutching their ears desperately, yet still writhing in pain. Sections of the bodies of the extraordinary ones began to develop patches of fish-scale-like formations. Even Caine was affected—his mind felt suddenly overwhelmed by a multitude of thoughts, both positive and negative, bright and dark. These thoughts were exceptionally complex and intertwined with the shifting laughter, creating a sensation of swelling pressure as if his head might burst. Caine's face subtly twisted, and faint flesh buds beneath his skin began to stir and pulse. If he hadn't heard the murmurs of the "True Maker" and the cries of the "Gate" gentleman, if he hadn't endured similar afflictions each time he passed through the gray mist—each time building up a certain resilience—Klein would surely have collapsed like Frank Lee, the "toxin specialist," clutching his head, crouching down, his face contorted in agony against the unbearable pain of that dreadful laughter. Klein noticed that a few patches of short brown hair had begun to grow on Frank's face, as though the man were gradually transforming into a great bear. At that moment, the symbolic emblems and magical inscriptions on the "Future" ship's bulkheads, decks, and masts illuminated in distinct layers, forming a vast, shimmering ocean of stars beneath a moonless night. Though the sharp, guttural cries of terror did not diminish, they seemed to have drawn a distance between them and the others, now echoing from a more distant, hollow, ethereal place. Klein's head, which had been pressing with increasing pressure, finally began to ease, and he found himself able to lift his gaze toward the ceiling. Behind the open windows of the captain's cabin, the face of the "Star Above" bore deep, shadowed streaks that seemed poised to crack at any moment, as if grotesque growths might emerge from them. At this moment, Gauthier's palms rested firmly upon the window sill, with delicate starlight spiraling around her, corresponding beautifully to the brilliant ocean of the "Future." Woo! The wind surged suddenly, the sails adjusting autonomously, and despite the loss of crew control, the "Future" accelerated, swiftly pulling away from the "Dying Ship." Klein glanced toward the room where mysterious eyes had been watching the deck all day, only to find that its windows rattled violently in the gale—no anomaly at all. Woo! Amid the wind, the stars descended, coalescing into a vast "floating ice" that carried the "Future" swiftly into flight. Finally, the silhouette of the "Dying Ship" faded into the distance, and that once-terrifying, disorienting laughter grew increasingly ethereal, growing ever more distant. Frank Li lowered his hands and took deep, labored breaths, finally steadying himself. The sailors on deck continued to roll and struggle, in great pain, though their condition no longer worsened. "The 'King of the Unvanquished' ability is truly remarkable—almost impossible to defend against. That's why he's one of the 'Four Kings'." Klein furrowed his brow, murmuring in admiration. Though experienced and well-versed, this was the first time he had ever been directly attacked by a half-god. Even Agaritius, ranked at the very end of the 'Four Kings,' had left him feeling vulnerable, as though he had no chance of resistance. In Agaritius's style, would he make the 'Gale' ship keep pursuing? While he likely would have to await the return of the 'Slayer' Gilsheas, it was still possible. If Agaritius did come up behind, then Klein would pray to himself, summoning the 'Sea God's Staff' to unleash a vortex, a storm, or a lightning bolt to wipe him out. With this resolve settled, he turned once more to the 'Star General,' Gathelira. The pirate general's face had grown exceedingly pale, no longer bearing the dull shadows, and the starlight swirling around her gradually dimmed, one shimmer at a time.