The Greatest Hunter... Kaine was momentarily stunned by this title. After careful reflection, he realized that Anderson Hood had not earned any bounty. That meant Anderson's self-assertion within the dream world was genuine—he was, in fact, more of a treasure hunter than a hunter of the greatest caliber! Unfortunately, Germán Sparrow had yet to defeat a single pirate admiral. Otherwise, I would be the Greatest Hunter. Kaine did not ease his vigilance; his gaze remained sharp and cold upon Anderson. As long as Anderson Hood showed any sign of irregularity, Kaine would immediately cast the spell scroll he held. After all, the incantation itself was the same, and for him at this sequence level, infusing it with spirit could be done simultaneously. Upon hearing the introduction of "Star General," Anderson gave a serious shake of his head. "No," he said, "not the Greatest Hunter." Well, quite modest, isn't he? Kaine murmured to himself. Anderson chuckled and added, "If you still insist on calling yourself 'The Starborne Commander,' I'd suggest adding a qualifier: 'below the level of demi-god.' 'The strongest hunter below the level of demi-god.' ...I retract what I said earlier. A subtle movement of Kline's嘴角. Seeing that 'The Starborne Commander' remained silent, Anderson let his hands naturally hang down. 'This region is quite dangerous, yet it also holds many treasures—something I'm sure both of you are well aware of. 'Many adventurers, more precisely, treasure hunters, have entered here in search of fortune, only to find themselves unable to make it out. Indeed, most haven't survived—though, of course, there must be some fortunate ones who not only gather valuable items and materials but also manage to leave safely.' "The treasure-hunting expedition this time was organized by two experienced treasure hunters who claimed to have already determined which ruins could not be explored in the first half of the safe route, which ancient sites were worth attempting, how to hunt specific monsters, and which uncontrollable eerie creatures required specific avoidance strategies. "I've always been curious about this place, and I finally convinced them to join their expedition." "What happened then?" Gardelis of the Star Above, with her slightly violet-black eyes, already reflected the other's image. Anderson sighed, "It started off very smoothly—truly very smooth. We avoided dangers, collected numerous artifacts left behind by earlier explorers, and hunted several monsters, gathering several valuable materials. The turning point came when we discovered a strange temple on an island that had been submerged—there were well-preserved murals there, which this gentleman had also seen in his dream world." "He pointed with his chin at Caine." "That's not the point," Caine replied calmly. Anderson shook his head and chuckled wistfully. "One of the murals is particularly eerie—it depicts a pilgrimage procession moving through parted seas. The leader of the procession is portrayed as an angel, with long silver hair flowing down to his chest, and a gentle facial expression. "I was the first to reach that mural. I extended my right hand, instinctively drawing various lines in the air—really, I didn't touch it at all, there was at least a five-centimeter gap—yet, at that moment, the angel in the painting seemed to open his eyes." ...Your title of 'the strongest hunter' must have been earned through sheer volume of encounters, forced upon you by circumstance... Caine silently scoffed, showing no sympathy. "The silver-haired angel?" Gauthier asked. "Yes, but I don't know which angel this is—at least, none of the paintings from the seven churches show him. Of course, it might have been added casually by the muralist, perhaps not entirely authentic." Anderson was just about to lift his hand to smooth his hair when he realized the man across from him—wearing a button-down shirt, a brown jacket, and a baseball cap—was staring at him with a cold, unwavering gaze, as if he would immediately launch an attack should Anderson make the slightest movement. At that moment, Klein was thinking of something else: "This man must be quite knowledgeable about art—most ordinary people wouldn't be familiar with so many religious paintings." Without receiving a satisfactory answer, Gauthier turned her head and looked at Klein, her expression now conveying a clear sense of inquiry. She had just heard from Anderson Hood that Germán Sparrow had seen the mural. Perhaps, members of the organization endowed with grace could recognize which angel that was... "The Commander of the Stars," Gauthier, unexpectedly felt that Germain Spalro might truly know the answer. Thinking that the lady known as "The Hermit" would simply ask casually at the next Tarot gathering and receive the answer, Caine didn't hesitate, simply stating: "Ulophorus, the Devourer of Tails." Ulophorus, the Devourer of Tails? That very "Angel of Fate"? The Angel King? Gauthier's lips unconsciously tightened, and the purple hue in her eyes seemed to deepen. She had last heard that name at a Tarot gathering, thanks to the information provided by the "Justice" lady. It was the first time she had learned of the existence of the Angel King, and now, just a few months later, she had encountered a clue in the real world! "Ulophorus, the Devourer of Tails?" Anderson seemed somewhat puzzled, chewing on the name. Caine said nothing further, maintaining the air of someone who had no interest in explaining. Anderson saw that the "General of the Stars" remained silent, so he chuckled and continued: "At first, I thought it was just a hallucination, since no further anomalies appeared after that mural. Then our group split into two: most of us were startled by my description and believed we shouldn't explore the temple at all, while one-third remained eager to uncover more treasures and headed deeper into the temple. We waited all day, through three cycles of noon to night, but they never returned. We were all seasoned treasure hunters—certainly something had gone wrong. After confirming the situation, we couldn't hesitate any longer. We immediately left the temple and returned by boat along the same route. We had already gathered enough—there was no need to take further risks." Wait—none of you intended to go and rescue your companions? Well, members of an adventuring party assembled on short notice will naturally only look out for themselves and their closest friends. Based on my experience, your missing companions might very well be eating the fingers of the corpses. Klein muttered a few criticisms under his breath but didn't speak up to criticize Anderson. Anderson sighed again and said, "After leaving that temple, we noticed some strange changes within ourselves. On one hand, we've been having a series of misfortunes—no matter what we do, things go awry. Even something as simple as sipping a few glasses of plain beer, we find someone has mistaken the barrel for a toilet and urinated into it. That's not my experience—it's my companions'. On the other hand, we've gained a sense of control over our dreams. We're no longer drifting in a fog, half-aware and unable to act. As a result, about one-third of my companions—initially, that number—have ventured deeper into the dream world with curiosity, and, well, they haven't come back." Gadelya, who had been listening quietly, asked, "What about their bodies in the real world?" "Those monsters transformed them into monsters and killed off many of their companions, as well as most of the sailors," Anderson took a noticeably deep breath. "Although we managed to defeat those monsters, due to insufficient sailors and a series of unfortunate events, we weren't able to reach this island before the storm arrived. As a result, our ship sank, along with our cargo. The rest of the companions either drowned, were struck by lightning, or were devoured by the monsters living in the water—though I didn't personally witness all of these events. Only I, who was relatively stronger and more fortunate, was thrown by the waves and managed to swim ashore, beginning to build a raft. Oh, you've seen that, haven't you? My final axe broke, and that fracture also manifested itself in my dreams." Anderson's last sentence was directed specifically to Caine. What a series of misfortunes for the treasure-hunting team! In his heart, Klein drew a crimson moon for the other. He believed Anderson's account to be genuine—the experiences sounded authentic, not fabricated—but whether or not he had concealed anything remained uncertain. Perhaps Anderson truly reached the deepest parts of the temple, ate the fingers of the corpses, and yet emerged believing himself unharmed. Perhaps he had already explored many places within the dream world, subtly contaminated by the dreams of unknown creatures. After finishing his narrative, Anderson, now smiling toward both the "Star General" Gardeleia and the unnamed individual, said: "Would I have the honor of boarding the 'Future'?" "I'll pay for the fare," he added, as though completely indifferent to whatever price they might set. Gardeleia turned her head again, looking at Klein, as if asking whether he would agree. In other words, you're leaning toward agreeing? Are you not conducting any further review? I have to go to the Veil of Mist and make a divination to give you a clear answer. How can you be so confident? The extraordinary ability of the "Seer" has reached Sequence 5? A glance from the "Keeper" Gerdelya conveyed a few subtle insights to Caine. While hesitating and speculating, Anderson suddenly exclaimed, "I'm very familiar with the route ahead! I can help you avoid dangers hidden within the safe channels, inform you which ruins should be left untouched, and alert you in time to escape the song of the mermaids!" "The song of the mermaids?" Caine's eyes nearly sparkled, and he struggled to maintain the image of Gorman Sparrow. "Yes, just one more day of sailing from here—by outside time—passing a ruin and turning toward..." At this point, Anderson suddenly realized something, smiled warmly, and closed his mouth, choosing not to elaborate further. Klein thought for a moment, then, in front of Anderson, pulled out a gold coin and whispered: "Anderson Hude has a problem." ... He repeated it seven times, following the standard ritual of divination, though he had no real expectation of an answer. This was a test. If Anderson truly had an issue, he would show some hesitation—after all, he couldn't be certain of Germain Sparo's divinatory skill, nor could he be sure that the outcome would not be disrupted. Clang! The coin bounced up and then settled again. Klein glanced at it and simply tucked it into his pocket: "No problem." He mentally added, as he turned back to the gray mist for confirmation. Gardelica then looked at Anderson and nodded: "I accept your request. But once we pass this sea region, you must give me half of your belongings. If you have nothing to offer, then I will take nothing." Anderson paused for a few seconds, then smiled again and said: "Agreed." He seemed noticeably relaxed, and soon smiled, adding, "Also, I must remind you—though my misfortunes are confined to myself, you should still be cautious, as I might summon monsters. Of course, I have confidence that with you, the 'Star General,' this gentleman, and myself, safety will be assured." As he finished speaking, the island suddenly trembled, and dust began to rise from within the primeval forest. "Are we really going to have monsters after all..." Anderson instinctively opened his mouth in surprise.