The silver gate slowly creaked open.
A few undead creatures nearby, seeing this, immediately went wild and tried to rush inside.
But before they could get close, they were wiped out by a powerful force of laws.
Luca turned and glanced at Levin, giving him a slight nod, then turned to Keik standing nearby. “Full speed ahead. Let’s get out of here.”
“Understood, my lord!” Keik responded, his voice filled with excitement as he rushed to take the helm.
On the Vessel of the Dead, Levin stood on the deck, watching as the Windrunner Ship and the Black Thorn slowly moved toward the silver gate and disappeared entirely. Only then did he turn around and make his way back into the decaying cabin.
Having spent years as the ferryman aboard the Vessel of the Dead, he had seen countless lives and deaths, and had learned much. Some things couldn’t be forced, and those that had passed were best left to remain in the past—perhaps it was for the best to simply let go.
…
At the same time, in the Dead Black Sea.
Ripples spread across the still, black waters, and soon after, an ancient silver gate appeared.
Two ships emerged from it.
At first, the crew remained on edge, fearing some kind of ambush.
But soon, they realized their concerns were unfounded.
Luca looked around, finding it difficult to determine whether this was still the same sea they had been in before, the fog making everything indistinct.
“My lord, do we continue searching here?” First mate Keik couldn’t help but ask.
The sailors and soldiers around him also glanced at Luca, their eyes filled with hope.
The ordeal in the Underworld had left them all deeply shaken, and now they were longing for home.
Luca shook his head coldly. “We continue sailing.”
The Celestial Pearl had not been found yet. If they returned now, all their previous efforts would have been in vain. He couldn’t afford to give up halfway.
Keik and the others were a bit disappointed, but they dared not defy Luca’s orders.
In these waters, a captain’s word was second only to the Sea God’s—an unspoken rule among old sailors.
However, Luca knew that continuing the search blindly in the Dead Black Sea wasn’t the right approach.
Zenobia had refused communication, which meant the only clue to the Celestial Pearl must lie with the Fish Human Race.
After thinking for a moment, Luca turned to the silent Elle and asked, “Do you know where the Fish Human Race’s lair is?”
Elle froze for a moment, then asked, “What are you planning to do?”
Luca didn’t answer, simply staring at him.
Elle’s mouth twitched. “If you really want to die, I’d suggest sticking your head into the sea, rather than dragging us to the Fish Human Race’s lair.”
In just a few days, the brat’s command of the Clinton language had improved remarkably—he was already being sarcastic.
“Don’t worry. If we really run into an unavoidable danger, I’ll give you a ship so you can leave,” Luca reassured him.
Elle hesitated for a moment before replying, “The Sea of Mist is always changing. I’m not sure where exactly the Fish Human Race’s lair is.
“But I once heard an old pirate say that he had seen a city deep in the Dead Sea, a city floating on the sea.
“There were many mermaids there, singing and dancing, the place was very prosperous.”
“A city floating on the sea?”
Luca’s eyes flashed with thought. It was a well-known fact that the Dead Black Sea had no islands. How could there possibly be a city?
If the old pirate wasn’t simply drunk, then this place might actually be the Fish Human Race’s lair.
Back in the captain’s quarters, Luca opened the Barnes family’s nautical map. He found that their current location was not far from the center of the Dead Black Sea.
Marking the coordinates, he instructed Keik to change course and head toward the marked area.
Whether it’s true or not, we’ll know when we get there. Regardless, it’s better than having no clue at all.
After everything that had happened, everyone on board was feeling on edge.
Even though they were safe now, they still didn’t dare to let their guard down.
Fortunately, during the next stretch of their journey, they encountered no danger—not a single monster.
And not a single one.
This left everyone in shock.
Where did all the monsters in the Sea of Mist go?
When they first arrived, they had been charging through the monsters like a wrecking ball.
Luca furrowed his brow. A bad feeling started to rise in his chest.
For no reason at all, all the monsters in the Dead Black Sea couldn’t just disappear.
Something was definitely off.
Just as he was about to urge everyone to stay alert and report any abnormalities to him at the first sign.
A series of frantic shouts suddenly came from the front of the ship, the Black Thorn: “Mirage! Look, it’s a mirage!”
A mirage?
Luca looked in the direction of the shout, and soon enough, he saw a colossal structure through the mist-covered sea.
It was a massive city, as large as an island. The architecture was unusual, with strange designs that resembled coral. The city was surrounded by a faint blue glow.
Within the city, Luca could vaguely make out figures—creatures with the bodies of humans and tails of fish. They had scales and fins, able to float weightlessly in the air, and each one was more beautiful than the last.
Mermaids?
The word suddenly popped into Luca’s mind. It was almost exactly like the mermaids he had seen in movies. At the same time, he understood—he and his crew had likely found the Fish Human Race’s lair.
But were those grotesque and hideous monsters really the same species as these mermaids?
Luca wasn’t so sure. The difference in appearance was simply too vast. The Mutated Mermen seemed more like monsters than mermaids. But these mermaids were clearly different—they resembled humans with fish tails rather than the terrifying mutants he had seen earlier.
“Let’s get closer and take a look,” he ordered Keik. After reaching Superclass, he no longer had to be as cautious as before; he could figure out what was going on by getting a closer look.
Once the order was given, the Windrunner Ship and Black Thorn accelerated toward the sea city.
Before long, they had approached the mysterious city.
As they got closer, they realized the city was far more magnificent and prosperous than it had appeared from a distance. Not only were there large numbers of mermaids living there, but the city also had various shops and stores.
Seahorses blew bubbles as they pulled carriages across the sky, and simply-dressed mermaids frolicked through the streets. The peaceful atmosphere seemed completely at odds with the terrifying environment of the Dead Black Sea, creating an eerie contrast that unsettled everyone.
“Are you sure this is the Fish Human Race’s lair?” Luca shot a doubtful glance at Elle.
Elle hesitated as well, replying, “This place is exactly like the old pirate described to me. But I can’t be sure what their connection to the Mutated Mermen is.”
As expected, asking didn’t help much. Luca rolled his eyes. Just as he was about to order everyone to hold off on making any rash moves and decided to check things out himself…
A sharp whistle suddenly sliced through the mist.
Turning toward the sound, Luca saw, at some point, a massive, uniquely-shaped octopus lying on the sea surface.
On its back, a Mutated Merman in armor was blowing a conch shell, his fierce gaze fixed on them.
Looks like there’s no need to confirm anything.
Luca’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained calm. A golden Solar Divine Spear materialized in his hand.
He spoke calmly, “Everyone, get ready. We’re going in to fight.”
…
Meanwhile, at the very center of the sea city stood a grand palace made entirely of high-grade materials.
Inside the resplendent hall, adorned with various jewels and pearls, Fish Human soldiers armed with tridents stood at attention. At the farthest end of the room, on a towering throne, sat a tall young man with pale skin, wearing a crown and a cold, expressionless face.
Unlike the other merfolk, he had normal human legs. Apart from a blue scale in the center of his forehead, he looked almost entirely human. Even while sitting, his towering, imposing frame was impossible to ignore.
“The situation outside is as follows,” Eva, her long skirt stained with blood, kneeled in the center of the throne room. Her face was pale as she spoke. “Queen Clinton personally led people into the Western Sea. The Red King was killed by their combined forces.”
A long silence filled the hall. The young man on the throne stood up.
His long blue hair cascaded down his back, and an overwhelming aura filled the entire hall.
His cold gaze fixed on the injured Eva. “The Red King is dead. Why are you still alive?”
A tremendous pressure weighed down on Eva’s heart. Sweat beads formed on her pale forehead as she lowered her head, speaking with reverence. “Honorable White King, I fled from the Western Sea to report this to you. Please trust my loyalty. If there were any way to save the Red King, I would never have returned alone.”
The tall youth was none other than the leader of the three kings of the Fish Human Race—White King EkHard Cruz. He was a world-ending-level Transcendent, carrying the Farlenben royal bloodline, and one of the strongest beings in the Sea of Mist.
Upon hearing Eva’s words, EkHard made no effort to ease the pressure emanating from him. His gaze remained fixed on her, and his eyes radiated murderous intent.
A few days ago, the Black King had gone to the Dead Black Sea to capture a certain exile, only to be killed by the very person they were hunting. If not for the Sea Lord’s intervention, they might not have even found the exiled one’s shadow.
But it was precisely because of this that they had lost the last lead to the key to the Divine Kingdom. Now, at a time when Ekhard was already agitated, the news of the Red King’s death reached him.
In just two days, both of his only remaining brothers had perished. How could Ekhard not be furious?
However, after a moment of silence, EkHard finally averted his gaze and returned to his throne.
Calmly, he spoke, “Give me one reason not to kill you.”
Eva breathed a sigh of relief. She had gambled correctly. The Fish Human Race was currently in need of powerful allies. If she surrendered willingly, they wouldn’t kill her on the spot.
“I swear on my soul that I will offer my loyalty to the Fish Human Race!” she declared.
EkHard narrowed his eyes, the gleam in them sharp. “What I need is more than just loyalty. I will spare your life, but you must swear on your soul that you will serve me, and only me, forever.”