Chapter 1

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On the azure sea, a luxurious cruise ship glided smoothly. Thanks to humanity's ingenuity, the once invincible sea was now tamed. Inside the opulent Great Hall of the cruise ship, everyone exuded refinement and grace.

However, this idyllic scene contrasted sharply with the maintenance room located directly below. Inside, a young man in his twenties sat before a laptop, engrossed in an anime called "Pirate Wang."

The young man's focused expression revealed his deep affection for this anime. As the animation concluded, he stretched and mused to himself, "Well, I've still got a dozen episodes left to satisfy my addiction. I should take on Kaido next. That guy's as fierce as they come. I wonder if Okada can handle him, maybe at level 5?"

Just as the young man was lost in thought, a sudden uproar broke out among the passengers. As the ship's chief engineer, Vail felt obligated to investigate. Mechanical malfunctions disturbing the guests were unacceptable, especially with the captain's high standards. As he made his way to the staircase, he heard an unusual noise emanating from the water, followed by a resounding splash as something heavy plunged into the sea.

The deck erupted into chaos, with some passengers even screaming. Vail quickened his pace, advising himself, "If something's amiss, I must act swiftly."

Upon reaching the deck in haste, Vail spotted a group of passengers and the first officer gathered there. Without wasting time on formalities, he approached the first officer, John, and inquired, "John, what's happening?"

John, a burly man with a bald head akin to Whitebeard, the pirate, appeared genuinely startled. "Squid, Xiao Wei," he stammered, "I saw a golden squid, bigger than our ship! My God, how can such a colossal squid exist?"

Vail, equally taken aback, couldn't conceal his skepticism. "A squid larger than our 200,000-ton cruise ship? That's highly unlikely." As he finished speaking, another event unfolded behind him.

Upon turning around, Vail's worldview was upended. A colossal golden squid, its body aglow and a crimson tail, loomed before them, dwarfing the cruise ship. It was a sight to behold.

Suddenly, a dull thud resonated through the air as the immense squid leaped into the sky, only to be repelled by an invisible barrier and crash back into the water.

Vail felt as if the entire world was shaking, not just the ship. The intense tremors sent him sprawling to the ground. After a few moments, Vail, regaining his senses, heard a thunderous roar from the sea, "Let me out! I've robbed and slain countless souls. How can I face my master?"

The formerly clear sky had turned ominously cloudy, with dark clouds forming a massive vortex and thunder reverberating through the air. While foreign passengers might remain oblivious, Vail, a native Chinese, knew that this situation defied all his preconceptions.

"Is this a heist?" he pondered, or "Could the squid be leaping to reach the Dragon Gate?"

Vail didn't wish to ponder further. He merely sought a swift departure. Trembling, he reached for the walkie-talkie on his belt.

"Captain, Captain," Vail urgently radioed, "This is Vail. I'm increasing speed. We have unidentified giant creatures nearby. If we're attacked, we might be in danger of sinking!"

The captain in the control room responded with gratitude, "What's happening, Vail?" Then, with a determined tone, he ordered, "Increase speed and leave this area!"

The captain trusted Vail, who had served on the ship for six years, especially when he heard words like "sinking" and "giant creature."

As Vail informed the captain, he rushed to the deck's edge to survey the situation. A colossal shadow was traversing the water. At this point, Vail could do little more than watch in awe.

After a while, Vail heard hurried footsteps behind him. The captain had arrived.

"What's going on, Vail? Why did you suddenly order full speed ahead?" the captain demanded.

"Look, Captain," Vail replied, gesturing towards the sea, "this creature dwarfs our 'Queen Avis.' It appears to be a freshwater squid."

The captain's expression shifted from confusion to astonishment as he gazed down at the colossal shadow.

Just when everyone was uncertain about what to do, a loud thud shook the ship. Vail felt as if the vessel had struck something, yet there was nothing in sight. In an instant, he was lifted into the air, catapulted over ten meters, and slammed to the ground, losing consciousness.

When Vail eventually awoke, he realized his right hand was numb. Upon raising his head, he witnessed a surreal sight. The sky had turned silvery, forming a colossal silver-blue vortex. A massive golden squid floated in the air, periodically changing direction and gazing at the sky.

Before Vail could make sense of this bizarre scene, the heavens seemed to unleash their fury. A silver-blue lightning bolt struck the squid with a deafening crash. The wound on the squid's head, previously healed, now emitted dark smoke.

In the distance, Vail caught a whiff of roasting meat, but he could hear nothing except for the ringing in his ears.

The colossal vortex in the sky continued to swirl until reaching a critical point. An even larger lightning bolt, several times thicker than before, became too much for the golden squid to bear. It disintegrated under the force of the strike, and the lightning continued its descent, plunging towards the depths beneath the 'Queen of Avis.'

Vail's last conscious sensation was a numbing sensation spreading through his body, a sensation of becoming lighter, and then everything faded to black.

After a considerable time, Vail perceived an intense friction all around him. He couldn't see or hear anything, but his body felt as though it was being gnawed by countless insects, slowly breaking apart.

It was impossible to determine how long this lasted, but when Vail glimpsed light once more, he found himself in a strange place cloaked in thick fog. Surveying his own body, he discovered it was no longer the same, it had transformed into a translucent form, riddled with tattered patches, as if it had been worn down over time.

As Vail reached out to touch his damaged form, he felt no pain, but a profound sense of vulnerability, as if his very soul had been fractured.

While contemplating his predicament, Vail heard a young boy's voice not far away, shouting, "Leave! Get out! This is mine! If you don't go, I'll bite you!"

Vail looked up and saw an 8- or 9-year-old boy pretending to be fierce.

"Well," Vail mused, "I must be dead. My soul must have traversed to a perilous place, and now I find myself in this boy's consciousness space or something similar. The boy before me must be the owner of this space."

As Vail was lost in thought, he experienced excruciating pain in his hand, unlike anything he'd ever felt. Unable to contain his agony, he let out a cry and instinctively struck the boy in the face with his other hand.

The force of the blow sent the boy floating away. Vail inspected his hand, which now bore yet another missing piece. The pain was excruciating, piercing his very soul. Meanwhile, the boy was enjoying his meal with apparent relish.

Vail couldn't resist. He advanced toward the boy, gently placed him on the ground, and bit into him directly. It felt like biting into marshmallow—soft and yielding. After swallowing, Vail sensed his fragmented soul becoming whole again, and his senses sharpened.

"Thank you for rejuvenating me, young one," Vail said with gratitude before swiftly performing a horrifying act. He pinned the boy to the ground and devoured him in one swift motion.

What unfolded next was even more astonishing. While consuming the boy, Vail's form diminished in size, but he grew clearer and more complete. When he finished, all that remained in the bustling space was an 8- or 9-year-old boy.

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If you want to read 5 chapters ahead go to

patreon.com/Blaze987