The Golden Dream lay safely outside the storm, the crimson moonlight piercing the thin stratus clouds and streaming into the dark rooms above, where no candles burned. Danyz stood by the bed, motionless, as if struck by the extraordinary power of Medusa’s gaze or some form of petrification. His jaw clicked incessantly, his legs trembling subtly yet uncontrollably, while in his mind echoed the endless gray-white mist, the indistinct figure towering above all, and the solemn, authoritative voice that murmured, "Call my name within your heart." "This... this truly will respond... truly will respond!" Danyz’s lips moved, whispering silently to himself, feeling his calf muscles already growing weak. He had never before experienced prayer being answered! It frightened him so much that he nearly lost his soul. Though he had long known that "The Fool" was an unknown entity, the cherished object of the secret organization behind Germaine Spalro, and that by reciting the latter's name, he had already established a connection—such that any act of disrespect or betrayal would immediately result in an inexplicable death—these understandings stemmed entirely from the knowledge imparted by Admiral Edwena of the Ice. In reality, he had never personally encountered such events and had never imagined that an unknown entity would respond to him. It was only when the mist, the figure, and the voice suddenly appeared before him and beside him that he first realized that truly, a great existence could directly respond to a devotee. Indeed, Daniz had, without realizing it, begun to mentally transform the "unknown existence" into a "great existence." A sense of shock and awe gradually subsided, and he immediately began taking deep breaths, trying to walk back and forth to dispel the lingering fear. But as soon as he took a step with his right foot, he found himself truly weak in the legs, and had to lean gently toward the bedside, managing to turn and sit down. "It's truly something magnificent, truly..." Daniz murmured, clearly realizing that he was facing a major crisis. In the world of the book, he had only recited the name and hadn't noticed any other anomalies—his fear had stemmed solely from an awareness of the consequences. Now, however, he faced a hidden danger that had finally begun to take shape, along with many other uncertainties that remained obscure, making it impossible for him not to be overwhelmed by profound fear. He didn't know how long it had been before Daniz exhaled, reassuring himself in his mind: "This isn't necessarily a bad thing. At least, Germán Sparo is not only alive—he's thriving." Thinking of this, he forced a smile and silently said: "From now on, I too will be a member of a secret organization—someone great will protect me..." As his thoughts turned, Daniz decided he would also begin praying every morning upon waking. He believed no being could possibly dislike a faithful and devout believer. Of course, he would remember the divine prophecies, but his prayers would usually remain only in his heart. ........ The next morning, after a considerable amount of energy expenditure, Caine woke naturally. He rose slowly, noticing the sky outside was clear and vibrant, the ground damp, with water stains still lingering on the walls. The entire world seemed washed clean, exceptionally fresh—yet the scattered leaves, broken branches, and various debris indicated that the night had not been calm. After washing up, Caine, with his ordinary Ruin face, ordered a cup of "Gurlo Tree Juice" from the island of Ximim and a heavier-than-usual "Taytiva" breakfast to help replenish what he had lost overnight. Sipping a beverage with the taste similar to Jiajia milk lemon drink, and savoring the fresh, fragrant, and subtly sweet and tangy fish-lamb mixture, Klein leisurely picked up several newspapers provided by the inn, beginning with the "Sunya Morning Gazette" and the "News Paper," flipping through one section at a time. As the breakfast drew to a close, he opened the final newspaper—particularly favored by adventurers—the "Curiosities Gazette," and came upon a prominent report: In the photograph, the "Single-Eye Skeleton" stands out unmistakably—its condition is severely damaged, with much of it blackened and scorched, though one mast remains relatively intact, with a figure in a triangular hat pinned to its midsection. "It's Conner Victor... he died just like that?" Klein's pupils constricted, his tone grave as he pondered, "Now it's almost certain that there was a half-god aboard last night. When the 'Mad Captain' was already under watch—or being pursued by the 'Sea King,' forced to focus solely on his own survival—Conner could not be rescued. So, the half-god made the decisive move: he eliminated him and destroyed all evidence." Klein, who had originally intended to pursue the 'Mad Captain,' now felt a wave of disappointment. Though the trail had not been entirely severed, it had dwindled significantly. The only information he currently held was that the half-god most likely belonged to the Path of the Black Emperor. "Given the intensity of last night's storm, the 'Sole Skeleton' should have been delivered to the dock by 'King' Ayn Cortman for further investigation. I wonder if they've made any additional discoveries... Hmm, I can have Mr. The Hangman inquire within the Storm Church. No need to relay this—afternoon is the Tarot gathering, and 'The World' will simply place the request there." Kline quickly formed his thoughts and finished off the last sip of "gurgle tree sap." Then, he returned to his room, preparing to retrieve the radio receiver he had been storing atop the gray mist for some time, to contact 'The Mirror' Arodes and see if it holds any further clues regarding the 'Weird Mage's' potion recipe. — After leaving the eastern waters of Orlavi—the area previously watched over by the semi-divine members of the Aurora Guild—Kline had grown confident in using objects with a hint of gray mist, yet he remained well aware that such usage should not be too frequent or prolonged, or else he risked being detected by 'The True Maker.' For this reason, and out of caution regarding the "magic mirror" Arōdes, he intended to handle everything himself whenever possible, seek advice from others when appropriate, and only resort to question-and-answer sessions when absolutely necessary. ………… The Rebel Fleet docked at the private harbor of Bayam. Aljé planned to make one final supply run before returning to Pasu Island. After assigning his crew the items to purchase, he donned native-style clothing and made his way into Bayam, walking several circuits before arriving at the "Church of the Waves," where he intended to report on his recent activities to Bishop Jogori. Although his return journey was to Pasu Island to report to the church's higher authorities, he was fully aware of who his immediate superior was, and knew it was essential to maintain the proper posture—ensuring that his superiors would not perceive him as being bypassed in favor of direct communication with the upper echelons. Jogori remained vibrant and expressed great satisfaction with Aljere's proactive update. After listening, he spoke swiftly: "This is a standard performance review—there's nothing to worry about. I've already informed Lord Cortman that you are deeply devoted to your duties and to the Church, making you one of the most trusted 'captains' of all. Lord Cortman will relay this to the Cardinal Conference." He paused, allowing Aljere no opportunity to speak, and continued: "Additionally, there's another task—investigate those individuals who maintain close ties with 'Mad Captain' Conner Victor." "This is a direct assignment from Lord Cortman. You must take it seriously." Investigating those connected with 'Mad Captain' Conner Victor? Aljere felt slightly puzzled but chose not to ask, instead firmly grasping his right fist and pressing it against his left chest: "Yes, Lord Jogori." The white-haired Jogori nodded, paused for two seconds, and then asked: "Do you know of Germán Sparo?" "This news came like a thunderbolt—Aljé's eyes narrowed, and he nearly lost control on the spot. Fortunately, his mental resilience was exceptional, and he managed to stay composed." "Indeed, he's been gaining a strong reputation lately—having hunted down the 'Master of Words,' Misol, seriously wounded Tréssie, and even boarding the 'Future' of Gardeleia." Aljé spoke in a stream of words to mask his inner turmoil. "Jogori nodded, "You're a bit behind on the maritime news. Last week, Germán Sparo defeated Gilshéias in Toskát and claimed his reward. Hm, that pirate truly is a demon—no less than a Sequence 5." "Gilshéias? The second-in-command of Agaritú?" Aljé asked, his tone genuine and reflective. He knew that Gilsheias was suspected to be a Sequence 5, but wasn't certain that Gilsheias belonged to the "Demon" path—when you combine Sequence 5 and the Demon path, you gain strength, making him hard to eliminate. That meant that Germán Sparo likely defeated Gilsheias in a sudden, unexpected encounter. This indicated that Germán Sparo had already reached the pinnacle of the Sequence 5 ranks. If he weren't still actively seeking the recipes for Sequence 4 magic potions, Aljé might have doubted that he had become a half-god himself. Aljé thought this with a far from calm mind. He was stunned to realize that in just one week, "The World" had secured the magic potion formula and primary ingredients for Sequence 5, the "Ocean Singer," killed a Sequence 5 Demon, and possibly even obtained the formula for Sequence 6, the "Notary." How had they done it? Aljé found himself starting to fear Germán Sparo of "The World." Of course, he wasn't entirely averse to these developments, since he understood that "the World" was the representative of the Knight of the Fool, and it was clearly impossible for the Knight of the Fool's followers to be limited to just one. If one person was in charge of the "Notary" potion formula and another of the "Ocean Singer" matters, then Germaine Spalro had merely eliminated Gilsheias. While this still carried weight, it at least didn't feel like a fabricated narrative. Jogo nodded seriously: "Yes, Agaritum's lack of response indicates something significant. 'Collect intelligence on Germaine Spalro.' " "Understood, Lord Jogo," Aljer bowed respectfully, already deciding to make the task appear more convincing than it truly was. ........ The inn, Klein placed the radio receiver on the table. Not long after, a rapid series of taps began to sound.