Danzig held the small copper knife, gesturing with it on the inner side of his left forearm, hesitating before pressing down. He lifted his head, offering a smile. "Though I've suffered many injuries, the pain still fills me with fear." "Get to the point," Caine replied coldly. Danzig chuckled dryly. "Well, actually, I just kind of fear pain." As soon as he finished speaking, he pressed down with his right hand, slicing a shallow wound across his forearm—the words having seemed merely a distraction to ease his nerves. Blood flowed swiftly. Danzig quickly set the knife down, using his right finger to collect the blood and dabbing it onto the deep brown cover of *The Travels of Grozsel*. After completing this, he held his breath, waiting for change. Suddenly, snowflakes the size of goose down appeared before him, and a howling wind roared at his ears, then a piercing cold surged into his very body. Daniz had mentally prepared himself, yet at this very moment he was stunned, instinctively scanning around to orient himself. He realized he had somehow left the bridge of the "Golden Dream" and now found himself in a landscape shrouded in blizzard snow, the conditions so severe that he could barely see beyond his immediate surroundings, and had no way of telling whether he was on a mountain or a plain. Indeed, he had entered a strange world... Was the captain here too? Daniz raised his hand to shield his face, fearing the snow and wind would blur his vision. He calmed himself, recalled Gelman Sparo's instructions, and quickly pulled out the folded square of paper from his trouser pocket, carefully unfolding it. Throughout this process, he was especially afraid of any unforeseen mishap—such as the paper tearing or being blown away—that would leave him with nothing but hope. Fortunately, none of that happened. He saw the content written by Germain Spaulo: "In Hermes tongue, preferably the ancient Hermes tongue, recite the following divine names: 'The fool of a time unbound; The mysterious sovereign above the gray mist; The king of yellow and black, lord of fortune.' Recite them, then burn." This... this was a divine, hidden entity? Under Edwena's rigorous teachings, Daniz had never been a novice in esoteric studies—he even possessed a solid foundation. Holding the paper in his hands, he unconsciously drew a deep breath, inhaling the biting cold wind and the icy snow, which immediately caused him to cough continuously, his expression twisting in discomfort. He could now confirm his earlier hunch: Germain Sparo truly belonged to an exceptionally powerful and highly secretive organization that revered a divine entity known as "The Fool!" Indeed, such a strong and extraordinary figure could not have simply emerged from nowhere—could not have grown up out of the ground at random. Daniz pulled at his collar, tightened his garments, and gazed at the paper fluttering in the wind, his expression clearly hesitating. He was well aware of how dangerous it was to invoke a nameless, morally ambiguous, hidden entity—this act might bring about a fate far more dreadful than mere death! The captain was also trapped here, unable to leave. Daniz clenched his fist and pressed it to his mouth. Suddenly, he raised his hand and recited in ancient Hermes tongue the sacred name of "The Fool." ........ "On the Golden Dream," in the captain's quarters. Klein witnessed Daniz first becoming indistinct without any apparent reason, then vanishing entirely—now he had no further doubts about how to enter The Chronicle of Grolle. After patiently waiting, a layered, ethereal voice of clear male tone suddenly rang in his ears. Ah, it seemed The Chronicle could not sever the gray mist; the world within the book remained connected to that mysterious space. Thus, even if he followed in and entered, he would still have a safe retreat and a solid backup. Klein breathed a deep, unmistakable sigh of relief. To confirm, he reversed four steps once more, recited the incantation, and stepped into the mist above, observing the luminous spot representing Daniz ripple outward in concentric circles beside the High Steward's chair. "The body, together with the soul, enters... the world within the book is stable and cannot be shattered by pulling at the spirit... indeed, if possible, the earlier divinations would have provided corresponding insights. 'The Staff of the Sea God' is too dangerous—bestowing it directly upon Daniz would only result in his swift demise." Kline half-closed his eyes, allowing his spiritual presence to spread and sense the surroundings, drawing several conclusions. Without delay, he returned to the real world, picked up the small copper knife, wiped the blood of Daniz from its surface with a sheet of paper, folded the paper, and placed it in his pocket. He then began to consider what to do next: "It seems we must smear the blood and enter directly. This way, we can ensure the body remains safe from unforeseen accidents, and resolve the matter swiftly." "But we can't be careless or negligent either—we must remain vigilant against other dangers. Indeed, if anyone aboard has any issues, and after I enter the *Grosset Travelogue*, manages to slip into the captain's quarters and offer that book as a sacrifice to the 'True Maker,' the 'Primordial Witch,' or the 'Hidden Sage,' I'll be in serious trouble—certainly, I'll suffer terribly. The crew of the *Golden Dream* seems largely enamored of the 'Commander of the Ice Mountain.' Anderson's earlier, rather superficial attempts at stirring up trouble have proven effective, which speaks volumes. Therefore, if I simply inform them of the importance of this relationship and urge them to keep watch over one another, ensuring no one enters the captain's quarters, I can rely on that. The real concern, however, is Anderson. He is the most accomplished hunter on board, surpassing even any of the other extraordinary individuals in skill. He is particularly adept at ambushes and stealth movements, and it's quite possible he could evade detection and quietly enter the captain's quarters. Moreover, his background remains somewhat unclear, making it difficult for me to fully trust him." "We need to find a way to get him involved in The Grolsch Journey together with me..." While pondering, Caine flipped through the ancient volume bound in warm brown leather, only to find that this time, no further content appeared and there was no trace of Daniz in the narrative. "So, it means we must survive successfully, meet the main party, and only then become truly part of the story—only then will the book's pages expand, right?" Caine made his initial assessment and once again walked toward the door, opening it. "Has it worked?" "Jodsen," and the others asked in unison. Caine shook his head, speaking calmly: "There will be a long ceremony to come. No one may enter or disturb us, or else Edwina Edwards will vanish forever—or die outright." After outlining the key points, he glanced around and stated directly: "I suspect one of you has an issue. From now on, you will watch over each other." "Connoisseur" Bruce Wolsby habitually objected, but suddenly noticed the captain's office empty—Danius, who had just entered, was now gone. Reflecting on the captain's disappearance, he was certain that Germán Sparrow had indeed pinpointed the issue and was now actively attempting to rescue the crew. Nodding, he said: "I'll take responsibility for this. And they'll be monitoring me." Based on his observations over the past few days, he believes Anderson Hude is a hunter who combines curiosity with a strong sense of adventure, genuinely eager to experience new things and embrace novel thrills. Anderson studied Gorman Sparrow's face intently for several seconds before smiling and saying, "Not interested." He firmly shook his head. Then, before Kline could speak again, he chuckled and added, "I've sensed a dangerous presence—how could a self-assured, wildly enthusiastic, powerful adventurer invite me to join him on an adventure? What does that suggest? That things are terribly complicated and genuinely risky!" "I thought you'd be interested—this is different from your usual behavior. Truly, you're so adaptable—able to both extend and tighten your approach. Hmm, let's try the intimidation tactic again. If that fails, simply send him off to a remote island, let the "Golden Dream" sail away, and then come back to retrieve him. As a hunter, island survival shouldn't be too much of a challenge for him." Kline quickly made up his mind, his gaze deliberately turning colder as he looked at Anderson. "I won't leave any hidden risks for myself." Anderson paused for a moment, then quickly brightened with a smile. "Ah, yes—just kidding! I'm actually very interested in the title of 'Dragon Hunter.'" ...You've changed so quickly! Just hold on a little longer, and you'll be able to enjoy the privilege of having your head served up. Kline nodded, walked back to his desk, and addressed Anderson Hude who had followed him. "Use your blood to coat the book's cover—just a little bit will do." "Coat it? Really?" Anderson glanced at the "Grosel's Travels" with curiosity, then surveyed the room. "Is Edwena's disappearance connected to it? And the one who failed as a hunter earlier too? Ah, yes—Danzis the 'Flame,' I nearly forgot his name. Fortunately, his bounty is now quite high." Klein's lips moved slightly, and he calmly replied, "Yes." "Interesting..." Anderson glanced at the desk, picked up the small copper knife, and casually cut himself on his hand, drawing blood. He then carefully placed the knife down and gently smeared the blood onto the deep brown cover of the "Grosel's Travels." After observing for a few seconds, he was about to lift the copper knife to wipe off the remaining blood when a violent snowstorm suddenly engulfed his view. Watching as Anderson and Danzis both vanished into the storm, Klein took another sheet of paper, wiped the blood from the knife, and folded it, then tucked it into his coat pocket. — He wasn't sure whether the three of them would end up at the same location once they entered the world within the book, so he had already prepared all the materials for the "Staff-based Search and Rescue Method"! After completing all this, Caine took the small knife and began to trace it across his forearm. His facial muscles tensed, his gaze slanted downward, and it took several seconds before he finally pushed with strength. His body slightly contracted, his head tilted to the side, and Caine's mouth naturally curled into a smile. Once the blood began to flow, he grasped the staff and quickly smeared the liquid onto the cover of the vellum book. Not long afterward, Caine found himself suddenly transported into a vast, snowy landscape. PS: Thank you so much to Gu Yi-chuan, a member of the Silver Alliance. Especially grateful— I remember you were the Grand Master during the Arcane period. Even when I was just a newcomer, during the time of the End of the Cycle and the Great Collapse, you've always supported us. Indeed, all the way through, I hope I haven't let my friends who love me down.