A massive, grayish-black hand gripped the ship's side and swiftly climbed upward, pulling the submerged sections inch by inch to the surface. Through the clear blue waves, Caine first saw a broad expanse of grayish shadow, then the entire field of vision was filled with writhing masses of flesh. The creature appeared to be assembled haphazardly from countless gray and black corpses. Behind its two enormous hands were withered, dry-wood-like arms, which in turn originated from the body of a giant corpse. The giant's single closed eye was attached to its neck, where several other heads were stuck, each of which extended outward into scaled fish bodies, lizard-like remains, and twisted human corpses—layer upon layer, one upon another—forming a floating island of flesh. From various bodies, through the seams where they were joined, streams of yellow-green gas seeped out, spreading outward, as if aiming to envelop the entire area. Cough! Cough! Cough! Several watermen began coughing violently upon merely detecting a faint scent, coughing so severely they could hardly stand upright. Seeing this, Frank Lee immediately reached for the materials tucked in the leather sash, ready to deploy his extraordinary ability—only for the voice of Gauthier, the "Star Above," to reach him first: "Frank, stop!" "Go assist Nina in directing the crew and help them adjust the sails!" "Why?" Frank Lee instinctively asked. "Within this area, the supernatural phenomena under the authority of the 'Mother Earth' are undergoing changes—including your own abilities," Gauthier said, as her palms extended and pressed firmly onto a spot on the desk. Instantly, the symbolic emblems and magical insignias aboard the "Future" illuminated in a clear, sequential order, transforming the entire ship into a radiant sea of stars—mirroring the deep-space glimmers that surrounded Gauthier. The yellow-green gas was blocked out by the starlight, and Caine drifted toward his room's window from near the edge. The coughing pirates saw their symptoms ease, and under the leadership of the chief mate Nina and the first mate Frank, they swiftly adjusted the sails according to the captain Otto Lof's instructions, striving to increase the "Future" ship's speed and escape the surrounding ocean, no longer affected by the anomalies. Yet the massive gray-black creature had already ensnared the ship's forward section, and its underwater body, seemingly connected to an unknown point, dragged the "Future" ship steadily, making progress difficult. Meanwhile, it seemed as though invisible mountains had emerged around them, blocking the sea winds coming from afar, so that no matter how the sails were adjusted, the "Future" ship could not gain sufficient strength. "Given this situation, a backup steam-powered system is needed—unfortunately, the *Future* doesn't have one... "Hmm... It can still glide through the starlight, but it seems to drain the *Keeper* lady greatly, and it's hard for her to maintain direction and pace. Flying this way across the sea, without good fortune, she's likely to end up in even more dangerous waters. Honestly, there's also Anderson, that notoriously unlucky fellow aboard..." Kline floated by his window, gazing out at the scene. He wasn't worried, because neither the *Starborne General* Galadriya nor the *Premier Hunter* Anderson had yet demonstrated their true strength. Of course, that included me, Kline thought to himself. He intended to first return to his cabin, don the "Seed" gloves—there was no food nearby, so this magical item was more practical than the "creeping hunger," which needed to be reserved for more dangerous and complex situations. He would then step into the gray mist to compose himself. As for the negative effects of losing items on his person, Kline had a plan: when he changed his gear later, he would place the wallet, Azk copper whistle, and the adventurer's harmonica into the luggage, keeping only the "creeping hunger," the merfolk sleeve pin, and the various inscriptions from the sea god's domain. He would closely monitor the first two, guarding against their loss. According to probability, the inscriptions were most likely to be dropped by the "Seed" hands, since there were the most in number. Kline was not concerned—since he had made several versions of inscriptions with different effects, he could simply use one, discard one, and lose one! Moreover, the metal corresponding to the storm domain is tin—cheap, unremarkable—and the extraordinary effect is granted by the "Staff of Neptune," requiring no additional financial outlay. Klein murmured to himself as he pushed open the window of his room. At this moment, the massive gray-black creature formed by stacked meat pieces climbed higher still, and as it approached, the sailors bustling about on the deck saw their hair grow rapidly, soon surpassing their waists. This was not the most terrifying phenomenon; what was truly unsettling was that a cluster of light-brown hair seemed to possess its own life, weaving back and forth, entangling and binding its host. One after another, tufts of hair began to exhibit similar transformations, and the brilliant starry sea surface of the "Future" could no longer fully contain this influence. For some of the pirates who had shaved their heads, fortune did not favor them—visible growth of their nasal hairs was occurring at a rapid pace, gradually obstructing their breathing. The captain's window: Cadrya of "Star Above" had raised her arms at some point, now holding a scroll crafted from smooth fish skin. "Paralyze!" As the ancient Hermes incantation resonated and the scroll burned silently, a shimmer of pale green light burst forth, striking the massive hand of the creature that had emerged at the ship's hull edge. The mass of corpses fused into a pulsing mass of flesh moved without pause, striking the brilliant starlit sea with such force that it sent splashes of light scattering and caused the vessel to rock. Cadrya's deep violet gaze deepened instantly. Without drawing out a new scroll, she simply pushed forward her right palm. "Cage!" As the difficult, enigmatic incantation escaped the pirate general's lips, the brilliant starlight swirling around her cascaded one after another, settling upon the dreadful gray-black creature. The starlight instantly condensed, forming a vast transparent amber that enveloped the entire mass of flesh, confining it to its original position. At this moment, Anderson's right hand now held a short black blade, seemingly adorned with layered, eerie patterns—yet these were merely illusions. Seizing the opportunity while the monstrous creature was trapped by the "Starlight Cage," a radiant white flame erupted from Anderson's body surface. The flame leapt forward, flashing across the deck and landing upon the gray-black mass composed of countless corpses. Then, the brilliant white glow swiftly traced across the surface, as if executing an extreme form of painting. With a sudden burst, the flames surged skyward, and Anderson, hand holding the black blade, leapt back onto the deck. The colossal creature remained motionless, as though it had lost all vitality. Crackle. Crackle. Crackle! Deep, glistening wounds appeared across its body, splitting it into countless smaller fragments within a single second. "The 'Harvester's' attack is truly astonishing," thought Kline, who had just returned to the window after adjusting his belongings. Suddenly, a faint furrow appeared on his brow. At that moment, a sudden transformation occurred. The detached flesh masses unfolded their limbs and arms, launching themselves in a sweeping, overwhelming tide toward the *Future*’s deck. This massive, gray-black assailant seemed invincible—no matter how many times it was cut into pieces, it could always regenerate into as many monstrous forms as needed. Without a sound, a gray-black mass leapt up on the deck directly facing the bridge, charging straight toward the *Star Above*, aiming to envelop its head. A figure stepped forward from the shadows, shielding Gauthier ahead—none other than the *Bloodless* His Dore. His mouth remained open, with the flesh continuously splitting from both sides, extending all the way from his nose to his chest and abdomen, forming a slow, pulsing vortex of living tissue. This vortex swiftly drew in the gray-black mass and then curled inward, fully enclosing it within its body. His Dore settled onto the deck in the shadowy form, his body swaying slightly before stabilizing. The gray-black mass that had once split off from the monster vanished completely. What most terrified him about this creature was its extraordinary vitality—if only he could steal that peculiar trait... Using the "levitation incantation" once more, Caine drifted out the window, extended his right hand, gloved in black, and opened his fingers. Before him, the scene transformed: vibrant, colorful radiance replaced the figures and objects that had previously been visible. These radiances shifted and flashed rapidly, making it difficult to discern any underlying pattern. With this new perspective, Caine observed that the grayish-black masses shared certain glimmers, appearing fragmented yet fundamentally unified. He then calmly closed his right hand, grasping one of the radiants and rotating his wrist to the right. Suddenly, Caine saw the yellow-green glow drawn away, partially merging into his own right palm. This was the symbol of "Toxic Mist." He had successfully stolen the gray-black creature's "Toxic Mist!" That was the function of the "Seed" gloves! At the same time, Crane found his extraordinary ability to "transfer damage" had vanished—gone! Within just twelve hours, he could only steal a single strike from the same target. With a growing sense of realization, he watched the yellow-green mist that had been enveloping the "Future," corroding the brilliant expanse of stars, thin out rapidly, no longer prominent, and the scattered gray-black chunks of flesh began to dry and darken. The pirates gained precious breathing room, while the "Star Commander" Gardeleia fastened a golden brooch to the front of her classical robe. The brooch appeared forged entirely of gold, shaped like a bird with a long, flowing tail. Suddenly, the atmosphere grew calm and steady; all the panic and tension seemed to vanish without explanation, even affecting Crane profoundly, leaving him feeling as though he had become a lifeless, emotionless corpse. Just as the decisive moment was approaching, a ship emerged from the sea ahead—another sailing vessel, equally large, dominated by deep black tones, shimmering with a subdued green hue. Its main sail is painted with a blooming black tulip. This is the flagship of the "Duke of Hell," Ludewil, the "Black Tulip!" It is a regular visitor to these waters!