On the windward side of Simim Island, beneath the towering stone walls, the deep sea swells in rhythmic, substantial motions, influenced by the surrounding waves. On the "Single-Eyed Skeleton," the ship commanded by Captain Conner Victor, known as the "Mad Captain," several pirates pull on cloaks, raise their hats, and walk out of the cabin, braving the rain that stings their skin and the wind so wild it could knock over children. They move purposefully, scanning the surroundings to avoid any unforeseen mishaps. Their cloaks are made of linen, yet coated with a thick, now-solidified liquid that repels the rain—preventing it from seeping through and allowing it to run down, pooling on the deck. This liquid is the sap of the Doningsman tree, native to the rainforests of the southern continent, a naturally water-resistant material that was once inexpensive due to its widespread availability. However, following last year's research suggesting it promotes hair growth, its price has risen significantly. "With this kind of weather, nothing beats a drink of strong liquor in the 'Red Theatre,' smoking some hemp, and holding a woman close!" A pirate peered out toward the ship's side, complaining. His companion nodded and tugged at his cloak hat. "I heard that the 'Red Theatre' has recently brought in a fresh batch of goods—something I'd really like to check out." "How do you know?" asked another pirate casually. The first pirate chuckled. "I heard it from the captain. You can't possibly not know what the captain does for a living—so he must know quite a few human traffickers. By the way, they like to call themselves slave merchants." "Speaking of that," the first pirate said, with a reflective expression, "I remember that incident. Among the deliveries, there was a noble lady who had run away from home. Her skin, her figure, her appearance—well, I can't quite put it into words. Honestly, I still can't forget her to this day. Unfortunately, she took her own life!" As they spoke, they felt the light around them brighten, and instinctively looked upward. Amid the urgent downpour, streaks of silver lightning unexpectedly glided and wandered through the dark, cloud-covered sky that had previously obscured the crimson moon and the stars. Suddenly, a massive lightning bolt illuminated the surrounding sea, striking directly at the upper deck of the "Sole Skeleton." Thunder! The crackling sound of the lightning snakes surged through the wooden hull, and only then did the deafening roar of thunder reach the pirates' ears. Immediately after, a dense cascade of bright, clawed silver lightning fell in succession, transforming the moderately sized sailing vessel into a forest of thunder. At that very moment, the thick, intertwining lightning beams suddenly parted, defying natural laws, missing the "Sole Skeleton" entirely and instead striking the dark water around it, instantly illuminating the nearby sea and creating a shimmering network of tiny, hissing lightning snakes throughout the area. Just now, pirates on the deck were affected—one had turned completely black, like burnt wood, and two had collapsed, convulsing. "Indeed, something's amiss!" Through the view, Kline on the gray mist observed the moment his "Lightning Storm" was dissipated, and couldn't help but mentally remark. He was certain this was power of half-divine caliber. Should he rashly enter the "Single-Eyed Skeleton," even with the "Crawling Hunger," the "Clock of Doom" revolver, and the "Grosel's Travels," he would be powerless against this strange force. By then, there would be no time left to pray to himself and ascend to the gray mist to summon the "Sea God's Staff" for response! Taking a deep breath, Kline caused the entire cluster of sapphire-blue stones at the tip of the white bone staff to glow simultaneously, rather than one after another. Suddenly, the sound of the gale around the *Single-Eyed Skeleton* divided into two distinct tones: one sharp, piercing the eardrums and reaching deep into the brain, the other deep and resonant, as though striking the heart and questioning the very essence of the souls. This proved extremely uncomfortable for the pirates, many of whom felt a strong urge to vomit blood—though this was only the prelude. As the rushing water intensified, a towering wave of deep black water surged up from the stone wall’s side, reaching nearly ten meters in height! This wave surged like a divine wall, propelled by an unseen force, bearing down directly upon the *Single-Eyed Skeleton*. This was the seaquake克莱恩 had conjured—now truly a natural disaster! The roar sounded like an explosion. Inside the ships, the pirates gazed out at the dark sky, the turbulent clouds, and the colossal waves, as if transported to the mythical age of the end of days, losing all will to save themselves. Yet, when they waited in desperate hope for the final judgment, chaos unfolded within the massive waves generated by the tsunami—chaos that defied logic and scientific principles. A vortex of unprecedented intensity rapidly formed, tearing through the entire structure and causing the terrifying waves to collapse with astonishing speed! Amid the thunderous roar of mountains collapsing, secondary waves lifted the "Single-Eyed Skeleton" high into the air, hurling it into the sky. Meanwhile, splashes of water from the disintegrating waves struck the ship, snapping one mast, racking the hull, and completely submerging the deck. Whoa! Suddenly, a fierce wind surged, spontaneously gathering its surrounding companions and intensifying into a hurricane far beyond its own limits, powerfully pushing the "Single-Eyed Skeleton" toward the open sea. Then, the ship soared through the storm, flying through several nautical miles of open water—without ever settling back onto the undulating sea surface, as if it were a flying airship, continuing its steady journey. Klein was astonished by the method the half-god or equivalent sealant aboard the "Single-Eye Skeleton" used to counter the tsunami, and sighed at his own insufficient sequence—despite drawing upon a portion of the mysterious spatial power above the gray mist, he still couldn't generate a tsunami capable of destroying a port, as Cavitua had done. At the same time, he had to command the hurricane, forcing the "Single-Eye Skeleton" to lose its anchor and plummet directly, so as to prevent it from escaping his influence beyond a five-mile radius. He only hoped it wasn't the "Seer's" path, or else who knew if it were truly his face... Nevertheless, this proved beneficial—allowing him to investigate the truth behind the great smog disaster, uncover what Ins. Zangwei was up to, prepare for his eventual revenge, and at the same time seek out the magical formula and primary ingredients of the "Witch-Doctor's" elixir. While silently marveling at this, Caine caused a single gem at the tip of the "Poseidon's Staff" to emit a pure, clear glow. This comes from Ayen Koutman, the "Ocean King!" Though he's still a long way off, he can exert influence over this sea even as he journeys toward us! That's a Sequence 3 Saint—close to the rank of an angel! The shockwave of sheer force launched the "Single-Eye Skeleton" ship skyward, without even pausing to ask if it was a victim—after all, when fighting pirates, there's no mistake in such a move! Meanwhile, Caine sensed a powerful, almost terrifying mental presence sweeping through the surroundings, meticulously scanning every potential anomaly, so much so that the scene before him grew blurred and indistinct. Holding back the urge to strike again, Caine calmly and rationally concluded his response, closed the corresponding prayer screen, and then casually tossed the "Sea God's Staff" into the pile of miscellaneous items. "It's not just a little short of it. If the 'Ocean King' hadn't appeared, I still wouldn't have been entirely confident in forcing out that half-god—my own sequence is simply too low. Using the scepter has always been a challenge, and it's quite a burden. Still, on the sea, the 'Storm' path is truly powerful—it's like a mobile disaster. The abilities the half-god displayed just now—distortion, chaos, borrowing, defying the norm—these are very much in line with the 'Black Emperor' path. Others might not notice this, but I do have a clear alignment with the 'Card of Desecration.' This isn't just the sequence-5 'Chaos Mentor.' It must be a 'Dethroned Count'!" Well, the military has part of the elixir formula for the "Black Emperor" path, but it seems to cover only the first five sequences—sequences 4 and beyond are missing...” Although克莱恩 hadn’t managed to compel the half-deity or entity of comparable rank to reveal itself, he had nonetheless picked up certain clues from the other’s demeanor, suspecting that a royal faction, in addition to its cooperation with the mage order and the Inz. Zangwei family, was secretly negotiating with a power that holds most of the higher sequences of the "Black Emperor" path. Could it be Solomon, or a descendant of Trenzost? Has King Nast, the "Lord of the Five Seas," been involved as well?克莱恩 was seriously considering this, when suddenly a layered, resonant prayer sound rang out in his ears, interrupting his train of thought and prompting him to instinctively extend his spiritual awareness toward the luminous circle beside his seat. Then, he saw Daniz. The renowned sea pirate was closing his eyes, praying sincerely to the "Fool." “….” Kline stared呆ly, pulling out his watch, checking it repeatedly, confirming it was just after midnight. Was he going mad? What on earth was he doing praying at this hour? Wasn't he supposed to be sleeping? Kline felt both exasperated and amused, carefully observing Daniz, who looked as if he had just woken up from a drunken stupor, while faint voices of song echoed faintly outside. Were the crew of the "Golden Dream" holding another bonfire celebration? This time, to mark the departure of Germain Spalro? They had clearly managed to keep it going until past midnight! Kline suddenly understood why Daniz had only just begun his prayer. Taking a deep breath, he extended his intent into the circle and spoke softly: "Call upon my name within your heart." ………… The tall, imposing storm bishop, the senior steward known as "The One Who Imposes Penalty," clenched his fists, and the clouds above split open, allowing a crimson moonlight to spill upon the sea. After assessing the positions of the stars, Ayn Cortman took off in a particular direction. Suddenly, his speed slowed, as a pirate ship bearing the emblem of "The Single-Skull" drifted ahead on the sea. The vessel was uncontrolled, drifting with the wind and waves, with several spots blazing in red flame and scattered bodies of charred remains. At the midsection of one of its masts, a middle-aged man was tied, wearing a triangular hat and a black eye mask. His single eye was wide with terror, and a wooden pole had been driven deep into his chest, staining the area around it with blood. Both his life and spirit had completely faded.