Chapter 158

Chapter 158. Restoration

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the past, an immortal race once modified even their own kin in order to confront their enemies.

In ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the process, their personalities were worn away until they became beings made solely for battle.

It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a tragic story.

Even ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍so, there had been those who advanced their technology in an effort to overcome even that tragedy.

Kaiman, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍who had carried on the will of a close friend whose name was now fading from memory, realized that he had finally made that dream a reality.

-It’s ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍opening.

-Truly, every trace of its former appearance is gone.

Kaiman, wearing a black hood, and the man beside him, Yul, stood with their arms crossed as they examined the pod.

The former black mass was nowhere to be seen. The glass opened, and from within, a new Turusain woman opened her eyes.

-Where…… am I?

-You’ve awakened. Do you remember anything?

The hooded man stepped closer. He felt somehow familiar, yet there was no memory of him in the woman’s mind.

-Nothing at all…… ngh, my head.

-If your memories are confused, there’s no need to force yourself to recall them.

-Still, I never imagined that the Syrendron would turn out to be female.

Yul said this as he uncrossed his arms. Before him stood a beautiful Turusain woman.

Aside from the webbing on her arms and legs and her ability to move freely underwater, there was nothing particularly unusual about her.

-Ah. Quest complete just popped up.

-Hm? What was that?

-Nothing.

Yul looked at the text that had appeared before him.

-Find one fallen race and restore it. (Complete)

For some reason, merely reviving a single Turusain woman had completed a quest labeled “restoration.”

Was it because the species could now reproduce? Did the word “restoration” really apply to a race with only two surviving members? He still didn’t understand the criteria for quest completion.

‘Either way, that leaves just one.’

Only one quest remained now. It was something that could be finished quickly if he worked together with Lucian.

-You don’t remember your name either?

-Nothing.

-That’s unfortunate. Then, for now, may I call you Marei? Just until you recover your memories.

Kaiman knew that she would never regain her memories, but he thought it better to say it that way, regardless.

-Marei…….

-Hm? H-hey, where are you going?

With vacant eyes, the woman naturally stepped out of the pod and swam off toward somewhere else.

Kaiman followed after her. Yul moved along with them.

-Marei!

-Wait. Let’s just see where she goes.

Yul stopped Kaiman as he tried to intervene. He felt this had something to do with the quest’s completion.

As if unconsciously drawn by something, Marei soon arrived at a strangely shaped pod.

-Ah. This place is……?

-What is this place?

-This is where the deaths of the old Turusains were confirmed.

-Hm? What do you mean by that?

-To stop them, all Turusains had to die. And as you know, Turusains are an immortal race, so they don’t truly die.

-Seeds…….

Marei naturally opened the pod. Though she had no memories of her life, for some reason, technical knowledge still seemed to remain in her mind.

Inside the pod were compartments holding large orbs of light. Each compartment had a button, designed so that the containers inside could be raised at any time.

Marei gently touched the containers holding those orbs of light.

-The last Turusains are placed in an overlap between life and death. Since I don’t know the technology to undo that overlap, they’ve remained inside ever since.

-Then how did you come back?

-I died in a different way.

-A different way?

-At the very end, the researchers chose between two kinds of death. Either to maintain that overlapped death state, which couldn’t be resolved with the technology of the time, or to truly die by using spatial folding.

By applying to oneself the spatial folding technique used by the avatar known as Darasamyak-Aranho-Emal, one could truly die.

-I chose the latter. I truly met death, but I believed that if I unfolded the spatial folding exactly as it had been activated, it would work. At the very end, the other researchers thought I had gone mad, so they ended up like that, while I used the folding process in complete reverse and revived.

Kaiman laughed, saying that he was the only one who had succeeded out of the two methods.

-I can’t save my comrades who entered the overlapped death state. At least, not me.

-However, that woman seems capable of it.

-What?

One of the Turusains, appearing as an orb of light, slowly began to regain form. It was clearly an elderly Turusain.

-Old man Tyson!

However, though his form returned, he didn’t open his eyes at all.

-He isn’t dead. There are vital signs.

-It seems to be her ability.

Marei took out the orbs of light one by one, returning them to their original forms.

Each of them, however, remained asleep, as if dead, unable to awaken.

-I don’t know how she made this possible, but there’s hope now. To think she could take them out of the orbs of overlap.

‘So that’s why it was called restoration.’

No matter the method, Kaiman might soon be able to return his comrades to their original state.

-Marei, thank you.

-…….

The vacant-eyed Marei seemed to smile faintly.

-I don’t know what kind of being she was in life, but that doesn’t matter. I won’t let go of this hope I’ve been given…….

Yul gently patted Kaiman’s trembling shoulder.

-You’ll succeed.

It was truly time to leave this place now.

* * *

While Yul was crossing the Archipelago Ocean around that time, Lucian was circling endlessly around somewhere in the center of the Great Azure Ocean.

“We’ll soon reach the waters where the Black Priest is said to appear, Captain Lucian.”

“There’s no helping it. The compass is pointing this way.”

Lucian’s bizarre route. This was something his three navigators were aware of.

The sailors followed wherever the captain told them to go as long as they were paid, but at the very least, the officers needed to know where the ship was headed.

Lucian had adapted the story of the ‘Golden Sea Chart’ for them, telling them that they were heading wherever the compass pointed.

That at the end of the compass lay a treasure island filled with gold.

Whether they believed it or not, Lucian was the captain of this ship, so they had no choice but to follow.

Even when heading into dangerous waters, the story of the Golden Route was what allowed them to proceed.

“And we’re not alone either.”

Sailing alongside the Strellok was a ship with crimson sails—the Bloody Siren, led by ‘Bloodhand’ Carmen.

At present, Carmen and Lucian were allied against the Black Priest.

Officially, Carmen was escorting Lucian’s merchant vessel under the title of a privateer captain of Britain.

“By the way, Corwin, did you find out anything about the Black Priest on that last island?”

“Yes. We happened to meet a former pirate who once sailed aboard the Black Priest’s ship. It would’ve been difficult without Lady Carmen’s help.”

Lucian had ordered Corwin to investigate the Black Priest, and while gathering information, Corwin encountered one man.

That man said he had washed his hands of piracy and decided to live as a normal sailor. He claimed to have quit piracy over ten years ago.

“The Grimtide Pirate Crew, was it?”

“That’s right. He said it’s been over ten years since he quit, that he’s been living cleanly, and begged us not to hand him over to the navy while telling us about his past.”

Corwin kept his promise. He didn’t report the man and instead extracted information about the Black Priest.

“He knew about Zer Hyde’s past.”

“Hmm.”

The Black Priest, Zer Hyde, had become a terrifyingly influential figure in the time since he and Lucian parted ways.

Britain’s navy had attacked and cornered the Blind, but Zer Hyde had instead sent the naval forces to the depths.

He plundered these waters so thoroughly that a bounty of ten thousand ducats hung around his neck.

Information about someone like Zer Hyde was something anyone would want.

“Don’t drag it out. Go on.”

“Yes. He was originally a former Imperial citizen of noble birth.”

“A former Imperial? He’s come a long way.”

From the Old Empire to the Great Azure Ocean, several seas would have to be crossed.

“As a boy, he was pursued for some reason, barely survived, boarded a ship, and became a pirate. After that, he apparently spent his life searching for a god.”

“So that’s why he was a Black ‘Priest’? A priest of the Three Primordial Gods?”

“No. He apparently worships some other heretical god. An ancient god of sorts, though even they didn’t seem to know the details.”

“Anything else?”

“They said he was someone who always aimed for something incomprehensible, drawing a grand design. There were many occasions where he acted in baffling, inexplicable ways.”

“Hm. And?”

“There were also rumors that he treated his subordinates as expendable, without a shred of attachment. That’s why that pirate left over ten years ago.”

“He had good instincts.”

Lucian recalled the crew of that ship. Had that man stayed aboard, he might have been modified into a fish-man. Retiring back then had been fortunate for him.

“Well, most of it is stuff we already knew.”

“Yes. Unfortunately, there was no particularly special information.”

Even so, Lucian had confidence because of the new prototype he had just completed.

He had upgraded the magic cannon mounted on the shoulder of his rune-frame armor.

By cycling eight magic stones to generate an amplification effect, it could produce enough power to sink a small sailing ship.

With a magic cannon precise enough to sink a vessel in a single shot, he believed he could take down the Black Priest in one blow as well.

“A-ah, fog is rolling in! From the west!”

“They say speak of the tiger, and it appears—guess it’s true.”

An unnaturally formed fog was rolling in from the west. And wherever that fog appeared, the Blind always followed.

It wasn’t visible yet, but it was certainly within that fog.

A flag was raised from Carmen’s ship beside them. It signaled preparation for battle.

Carmen was burning with fighting spirit, as if she had finally found her prey.

“Traitor. We’ve finally met.”

The betrayal at Hero Island. Carmen had left early and learned of it late, but afterward, she had burned with hostility toward Zer Hyde, who had attacked his former comrades.

After the Grimtide Pirate Crew disbanded, relationships among pirates had grown loose. They regarded one another as enemies, attacked each other, and grew hostile.

But still—

“At the very least, he shouldn’t have carried out such a cowardly ambush.”

At the very least, he shouldn’t have attended a meeting and then attacked the other pirates in such a despicable way.

He may have had his own reasons, but Carmen couldn’t accept them.

That was why she stopped testing the waters, joined Britain, and even received the title of baron.

After that, while cracking down on pirates, she pursued the Black Priest. That was how she had met Lucian.

“Judgment upon the traitor.”

The gallows were too merciful for him. Killing him would lower the bounty’s value, but even so, she intended to bring back his corpse.

Soon, the black fog descended, and from within it, the nemesis, the Blind, emerged into identifiable range.

At the moment when everyone was tensed to the limit, Lucian shouted in alarm.

“Beneath Carmen’s ship, there’s something black…….”

The sea surface surged upward, and from within it, a gigantic beast awakened.