Something strange? Caine felt a headache coming on, but remained composed and asked, "What is it?" "A fish with human fingers growing inside its belly!" Before Germain Spalro could respond, Frank bolted out of the restaurant, returning not long after with a strange, dark-green and black fish in hand. The fish was of ordinary length, with eyelids at the eye positions resembling those of a human. Its belly had been sliced open, revealing three blood-soaked fingers nestled inside. "It wasn't me who placed those fingers there—they were there from the beginning! Look at its mouth—it probably wouldn't eat such things, so it must have grown them on its own. Of course, I still can't figure out what purpose those fingers serve for the fish." Frank spoke rapidly, laying out his observations. Caine glanced at the fish and said thoughtfully, "It might have been someone else who inserted the fingers there." "...That makes sense. Then it's not the most unique fish after all." Frank paused for a moment, feeling a faint sense of disappointment. "Fingers are made of flesh. I'll ask Hisse—he's an expert in this area." As he spoke, he scanned the room and spotted Hisse Dole, hunched in the corner, eating. Frank hurried over and placed the strange, dark-green fish before the "bloodless one." Hisse Dole extended both hands, pressing against the fish's body, ready to lean his face close. Frank watched the scene, suddenly feeling something was off. He quickly realized what was amiss and chuckled. "No, this isn't your meal. You've been eating fish lately—your whole body now carries a fishy scent. My point is, do you recognize the fingers inside the fish's belly? Can you identify their original owner?" Hisse Dole paused in his downward motion, studying the scene for several seconds. "They belong to a 'Rose Bishop,' at least one of them." He carefully removed the three fingers, placing them neatly, still blood-streaked, one upon the other. After a brief solidification, the fingers melted like candles, transforming into a thick, viscous mass of blood and flesh. The flesh pulsed and, on the table, traced out a vivid red word: "Help!" "Help!" The fingers of the "Rose Bishop"... "Help!" Witnessing this scene, standing beside him, Caine instantly drew a connection. He recalled the "Black Saint" Leo Mastor from the world of dreams! This saint of the "Polar Circle" had, at some ancient ruin or abandoned site, split off a compassionate persona due to the lingering influence of the "audience" pathway—be it angels or gods—thereby becoming trapped there. His good and evil personas constantly clashed, engaging in deep spiritual duels, with the darker, dominant persona gradually gaining the upper hand, while the good one had to flee constantly within the realm of consciousness, seeking aid. So, was this the compassionate persona of Leo Mastor making a plea for help? As a Saint of the Aurora Circle, it's no surprise that he has ascended to the rank of "Shepherd," possessing the extraordinary abilities of a "Rosa Bishop"... Klein nodded thoughtfully, feeling his judgment was likely very close to the truth. "Save my life? How?" Frank Lee glanced somewhat茫然ly at Germaine Sparrow. "You should ask your captain—not me," Klein shook his head. "Don't worry about it. There's too much the oddness in these waters." His reasoning stemmed from the earlier dreams, which revealed that the core personality of Leomastor held an absolute advantage. If they truly wished to save someone, they would have to prepare to face a half-god, despite the kindly personality's inevitable interference—though that interference might only moderately reduce the strength of the "Black Saint." Still, that would remain a half-god. Of course, with the "Mysterious Queen" as a safety net aboard the *Future*, attempting the rescue isn't impossible. But if it were that easy—so simple that Leo Mastre could be fully transformed into a benevolent "Black Saint"—then surely the Queen would have already done so. Her lack of action must stem from tangible, real-world obstacles. For instance, the very place where Leo Mastre resides exerts a force that even the "Mysterious Queen" dares not confront. In Leo's dreams, merely restoring a fragment of his personality has nearly thrown me into a crisis, and only after retrieving the Sea God's Staff did I manage to resolve the issue swiftly. Should such a situation arise in the real world, I would experience full personality fragmentation and end up as a patient in a psychiatric hospital—requiring the "Heart-Phobia Candles" borrowed from Father Utravski to stand any chance of recovery. Ah, I could even visit the "Justice" lady for a check-up, though I'm certain her current strength would fall short. Klein recalled this earlier, and offered a few self-deprecating remarks. "Um," Frank Lee had a great deal of confidence in Germán Sparrow, "perhaps the one who made the distress call has already passed away..." At this point, his eyes suddenly brightened as he fixed them on His. Dower. "Can you erase the original spiritual imprints of the flesh?" "Yes," His. Dower replied simply. Frank Lee's lips slowly curled into a smile—one that looked like a child weighing two hundred pounds. "I've always been curious about the composition of the flesh of the 'Rose Bishop.' I've often wondered what would happen if similar flesh were used as a medium for hybridization." One day, you'll die within your own experiments. Fortunately, I'm leaving this ship soon... Caine suddenly felt as though a mischievous child had wandered into a munitions warehouse. His. Dower, pale as if nearly translucent, stood stunned for a moment before sincerely saying, "Thank you." "What do you mean?" Frank Lee scratched his head, looking utterly puzzled. Perhaps it's thanks to your restraint in not using his flesh as a test subject that you're a trustworthy companion... Klein's lips moved slightly as he tried to make sense of it, growing more and more convinced that both the chief and second officer of the "Future" had utterly strange minds. Yet even as the sharp point of the sword pressed against his back of head, the holy servant continued in his repentance, unchanged. Colin Iliad withdrew his silver straight sword, his eyes highlighting the deep green symbol, and surveyed the room. Then he moved toward the altar slightly to the diagonal, his gaze settling on the candles emitting a dim yellow glow. After a moment of silence, he extended his left hand and extinguished all the candles. The central statue on the altar instantly dimmed, and the white-robed man who had been kneeling in prayer finally ceased his murmurs. He slowly lifted his head, his face now a shade of sickly green, his eyes filled with hatred. Before Deryck and Heim and the others could react, the devout servant had already surged forward, moving with such speed that he seemed to drag a distinct afterimage behind him. "The Hunter of Monsters" Colin appeared fully prepared—his right foot stepped diagonally, his body subtly pivoting, and his silver straight sword whistled backward, sweeping across the space. Light spots surged along the blade, instantly forming a vast storm. The storm composed entirely of light surged outward, first freezing the holy servant midair, then completely engulfing him. The storm soon subsided. "The Hunter," Colin, gazed at the holy servant whose body now poured in streams of morning light, and repeated his earlier questions: "Who are the kings?" "What does the great disaster entail?" "Who seduced Sarlir?" The servant, now barely recognizable, responded with a stunned silence: "The kings are Sarlir, Ulorius, Medici..." As he reached for the fourth name, a transparent flame erupted suddenly within him! This flame instantly consumed him, transforming his form into a diffused black vapor. It had been the kings of the angels—so who was the fourth? Why did he vanish the moment he attempted to speak it? Was it the one who seduced Sarlir, or someone else entirely? Deric found himself overwhelmed with questions. With the passing of the cleric, a series of wild, beast-like roars echoed across the street and throughout the town all afternoon. Daryl instinctively turned toward the window and saw a massive face pressed against the glass where it had once been—its face bearing a single, unique eye, covered in dense, dark short fur. Thud, thud, thud! A similar creature surged out from within the church, standing at a normal human height with two eyes, yet its body was likewise thick with wild, dark short fur. "A town completely corrupted—utterly fallen," murmured the "Monster Hunter" Colin, facing one of the creatures. Daryl, Heine, and Joshua formed a defensive line, attempting to hold off the remaining monster. ………… The "Starship" sailed steadily, once again welcoming a brief night. Upon arriving in the dream world, Kaine found himself back in his original position, once again beside the "Star General" Gardeleia. As he was about to gaze at the projection of the "Kingdom of the Giant" on the opposite mountain peak, searching for possible clues, he suddenly heard Gauthier, sitting with her knees drawn up, softly ask, "Have you met her?" Klein nodded, not withholding anything. Gauthier pressed her lips together and said, "She was on the ship?" "Yes," Klein turned his head toward the "Star Above," and casually replied, "You clearly have deep feelings for her." Gauthier's expression no longer showed bewilderment or stillness. She bit her lip and chuckled self-consciously. "Yes. I've been with her since I was just three years old—well, that's what they say. I don't actually remember much of it now. She taught me knowledge, guided me through adventures, and watched me grow step by step. To me, she was not only the captain, but also my teacher—well, and also, my mother..." As she spoke, she suddenly fell silent. PS: Second update—please vote for the monthly subscription! An additional update in the early hours!