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Chapter 654: Prisoner and Guard

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

No way. I haven't gone anywhere… Has the far-reaching hands of trouble come on its own? Klein revealed a grimace that didn't match Gehrman Sparrow's persona. He nearly drew a gasp.

The only thing stopping him from doing that was because it would cause quite a stir, making "trouble" discover his hiding spot!

No longer a green Nighthawk, he rapidly made up his mind. He held his breath, slowly stood up, and moved to the side of the metal gate, without a sound. He secretly and silently looked in the direction of the incoming footsteps.

He believed that, since hiding and avoiding it wasn't necessary useful, he had to determine the danger revolving around the situation so as to make the best choice!

The two miniature suns in his eyes dimmed as Klein waited for nearly a minute as he heard the footsteps turn heavier and clearer. Following that, he heard the clanking sound of a metallic gate slamming into the wall.

Following that, he saw a towering figure appear on the right of the corridor.

The figure was nearly 2.5 meters tall and wore black, full-body armor. The cold feeling it exuded seemed corporeal like a gigantic knight.

His aura was converged, and he was staid like the deep sea. In the space where his eyes were, there were two deep-red glows that flickered. In his hand was a long and broad black sword.

Creak!

He pushed open the metal gate to a cell and stepped in. He circled the cell, seemingly in search of something.

Man… Is he trying to find a particular prisoner? I'll definitely be discovered if this continues… Klein hesitated for a moment and wondered if he should leave the cell and search for a way out before the figure came close, or to sneak an attack to finish the target in a clean swoop before continuing to huddle in a corner to await the end of the dream.

After judging how much time he had left to think, Klein quickly took off the topaz pendant on his left wrist and began divining with a voice that perhaps only he could hear.

"That knight from before is very strong."

After quickly repeating it seven times, Klein opened his eyes to see the topaz pendant turning clockwise at a high frequency and large amplitudes.

This meant that the target was an extremely dangerous existence!

Without any hesitation or time to hesitate, Klein used the Beyonder powers of a Clown and controlled his muscles to pull open the metal gates without causing any additional stimulation.

Then, he took the opportunity when the black-armored entity entered another cell, to gently walk out into the corridor and rapidly headed left with his body crouched.

In the immense darkness, as he listened for any commotion behind him, he maintained his stealthy and swift motions, quickly making a bend and arriving at a metal gate which opened outwards. It looked like an exit.

Attempting to push and pull, Klein discovered that the metal gates weren't heavy, but it had been locked.

After two seconds of thought, he took out the key he picked up inside his cell, inserted it, and twisted it without holding out much hope.

A light click of a latch opening sounded as the metal gates unlocked.

That works? Although it's a dream, you can't just have a randomly picked up key be an important item… I originally planned on folding some paper to insert into the keyhole and repeatedly slice at it, bit by bit… Klein slowly pushed open the door as he lampooned while thinking in puzzlement.

To his disappointment, what stood behind the metal gates wasn't the exit but a hall filled with junk.

Closing the gate behind him in passing, he locked it again and circled around the items randomly strewn around, in search of a possible door or path.

A few seconds later, he noticed an inconspicuous black wooden door in a corner. Therefore, he carefully approached it and reached out for the handle.

The scene inside naturally appeared in his mind. It was a storage room, and on the right was a full-body mirror. And to its right was a figure wearing a short linen robe.

There's someone there? The escaped prisoner? Having been forced to leave his comfort zone, Klein decided to take hold of the initiative in a limited fashion. Therefore, he gently twisted the handle and pushed open the black wooden door.

He wanted to gather information on the general situation, so as to determine where to engage in combat or flee at the critical moment in time.

"Who is it?" the figure wearing a short linen robe hurriedly but softly asked. Its voice was filled with despair and pain.

"An adventurer," Klein succinctly answered.

He had already used his night vision to discern the figure's looks.

It was a man with a weathered face. He had wrinkles on his forehead and the corners of his eyes and mouth, but his hair was raven-black and lustrous. There wasn't a single strand of gray hair.

His short linen robe was ancient and simple. His expression was distorted due to the pain. His rarely seen pure black eyes were filled with unconcealed surprise and puzzlement.

"Adventurer?Why would you be here?"

Klein maintained a certain distance from the man who was difficult to discern whether he was considered young or old. He stood by the entrance and looked at him.

"Before asking others, introducing yourself is a necessary form of politeness."

As a Faceless, just the short act of sizing him up from before had made him grasp the man's features. Apart from the discordant hair and the wrinkles, he had an old, gruesome scar on his cheek.

The man was startled as he worriedly glanced at the hall.

"It's best you close the door. We cannot be caught by that devil; otherwise…"

The muscles on his face clearly twitched as though he had recalled something nasty.

"Devil?" Klein murmured and extended his hand back to close the black wooden door.

The man heaved a sigh of relief and smiled wryly.

"I apologize. I was indeed impolite.

"My name is Leomaster, an ascetic of a religious organization."

"A religious organization? From the looks of it, you aren't a devotee of any of the seven deities." Klein discovered a problem with his choice of words.

If he was an ascetic of one of the seven deities, he could've directly said it out loud. Even the high priest of the Church of Sun and the bishops of the Church of Storms wouldn't come to blows the moment they met in such a dangerous place.

Leomaster said with a self-deprecating laugh, "That's right. I worship the original Creator. 'He' is an omnipotent and omniscient existence, the source of everything great. 'He' is the Beginning and the End. 'He' is the god of all gods!"

This… Upon hearing how this person revered the original Creator, Klein's first reaction was that it was the Twilight Hermit Order.

However, there are also some smaller denominations in the Northern and Southern Continents. There's quite a number of people who believe in the original Creator… Klein deliberated as he asked, "What's the name of that religious organization?

"How did you end up here?"

Leomaster hesitated for a moment before saying, "To the far east of the Sonia Sea is where my Lord sleeps. 'His' sacred mountain is hidden somewhere there. I led a pilgrimage here in an attempt to witness his miracles to redeem myself.

"Perhaps it's a necessary test. We were caught by that devil, and one by one, we died…

"Later, I seized the opportunity to escape the cell and hid here, awaiting the devil's departure."

Klein thought for a moment before saying, "Do you know the name of that devil? What characteristics does he have?"

"He?" Leomaster shook his head, saying in a somewhat puzzled manner. "I do not know his exact name, but many pilgrims seem to know him. They call him the Saint of Darkness."Saint of Darkness? A demigod? Is this Leomaster's dream, or is it the demigod's dream? From the outcome of my divination, it's likely the latter. Otherwise, it wouldn't be that dangerous… Klein was about to continue asking which organization Leomaster was from and determine the Beyonder powers of the Saint of Darkness when he suddenly noticed the full-body mirror opposite the ascetic through the corner of his eye.

In mysticism, mirrors were passages that connected hidden and unknown worlds. It easily brought about terrifying accidents; therefore, Klein, who was in a dangerous dream, carefully walked over and planned on using the powers of a Priest of Light to destroy the item.

"No, don't!" Leomaster seemed to sense Klein's intention as he cried out softly in horror. "Without it, I-I will immediately die!"

Ah? Klein looked at the mirror again in puzzlement.

Although the environment was abnormally dark, the mirror clearly reflected two figures. One of them was Leomaster with his numerous wrinkles and raven-black hair. The other was the thin-faced, black-haired and brown-eyed Gehrman Sparrow who wore a cap.

At this moment, the Gehrman Sparrow in the mirror slowly moved his head even though Klein didn't make any movements. He revealed a deep, sinister smile towards him!

The mirror's surface suddenly rippled as a hand reached out.

With just the blinking of his eyes, the Gehrman Sparrow, who looked identical to him, crawled out of the mirror. His face was tainted with an obvious sinisterness due to the darkness cloaking it!

How terrifying… Unfortunately, I don't look like Gehrman Sparrow; therefore, you failed to scare me… If Zhou Mingrui came out of the mirror, I might've been woken up out of fright… Klein calmly looked at his counterpart and raised his left hand which swirled with a layer of sunlight.

The sinister Gehrman Sparrow smiled as he raised his left hand as well, making a darkness that was made up of magnificence and sinisterness surface on his glove.

This corresponded to the powers of a Baron of Corruption!

My clone? Klein thought as he raised his right hand expressionlessly.

From out of nowhere, he held a short milky-white scepter in his palm, and at its tip were embedded blue "gems."

Sea God Scepter!

Although his actions in a dream needed to abide by logic in order to achieve the desired effects, Klein suspected that the illusory world was unable to influence the mysterious space or the gray fog. Therefore, he attempted to simplify the ritualistic process and told himself that the Sea God Scepter was stored in a similar unique zone in the spirit world. He could retrieve it whenever he wanted.

The outcome from his attempt delighted Klein. Indeed, the dream world was unable to differentiate between a unique zone in the spirit world and the space above the gray fog. With the premise of the Sea God Scepter belonging to him, this Sealed Artifact at the demigod level was "retrieved!"

It really works… Otherwise, I'd have to engage in an intense battle… Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

He similarly believed that the mirror was unable to replicate matters related to the gray fog.

The sinister Gehrman Sparrow looked opposite him in a dazed state. He instinctively raised his hand, but his right palm was empty.

Then, he saw countless bolts of silver lightning shoot out, enveloping him inside, causing him to expend one Paper Figurine Substitute after another without being able to escape from the area.

With a sizzling sound, a huge ball of lightning illuminated the cramped room which provided no room for dodging. Following that, the Gehrman Sparrow from the mirror vanished.

For some reason, Klein felt himself immediately turn serene, as though he had become a sage.

He turned his head and looked at Leomaster again.

"What's the name of the religious organization you joined?"

Leomaster trembled as he answered, "Aurora Order…"Aurora Order? Klein was stunned as he couldn't help but prick up his brows.

At this moment, there was a loud clanking outside. The locked gates that opened outwards had seemed to have been kicked open.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The heavy footsteps that sounded like drumming walked towards the corner, seemingly discovering where Klein and Leomaster were hiding.

Klein suspected that the Lightning Storm from before had been sensed by the Saint of Darkness!

There's no way of hiding… Klein held the Sea God Scepter and kicked the black wooden door of the storage room open towards the Saint of Darkness!

As the door tumbled, he clearly saw his target's appearance.

The knight, who was wearing black full-body armor, had already raised up his visor at some point in time, revealing his deep wrinkled face and some of his bright raven-black hair, as well as the old scar on his cheek.

He looked identical to Leomaster. Even the minute features were identical!

The only difference was the deep redness that emitted from his eyes.Chapter 655: Dream Analysis

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

!

Klein was alarmed. He instinctively turned his body to the side without exposing his back to Leomaster, who was trembling in horror in the storage room.

He couldn't be certain that the prisoner wearing a short linen robe wasn't problematic!

At this moment, the deep redness in the black-armored knight who had the same face as Leomaster brightened drastically. He raised up the gloomy broadsword in his hands.

Bam!

With a step forward, he cleaved forward at a speed that Klein couldn't capture with his naked eyes.

At the same time, Klein, who was standing to the side of him, subconsciously raised the Sea God Scepter and made the blue gems at its tip light up simultaneously.

Whoosh!

A corporeal hurricane appeared out of thin air as it swirled around Klein, protecting him within the eye of the hurricane.

Whoosh! The black streams of light carved its way over as layer after layer of the strong winds dissipated, scattering in every direction, causing the entire hall to tremble.

Boom!

Under the black broadsword, the hurricane produced an explosive boom and was reduced to a surging wave that flooded the entire region. It lifted up all the junk into the air.

The intense collision clearly shook the dream as Klein felt his mind go adrift. He couldn't help but roll twice.

Plop!

He fell from his bed to the floor, the fall causing him to open his eyes.

That Saint of Darkness is really powerful… Or should I say that I've never used the Sea God Scepter in the real world, so I'm unable to replicate its full might in the dream… Wait! It's still night! Klein suddenly noticed a problem.

At that moment, the midday sunlight wasn't beaming in from the windows!

His awakening was due to the intense struggle in the dream, not due to a natural occurrence!

That also meant that he needed to sleep immediately; otherwise, he might very well disappear in the dark night, never to be found again!

With that thought flashing in his mind, Klein pushed his right hand to the ground, flipping his body up as he flew towards his bed and laid himself down.

Then, he imagined the stacked spherical lights and quickly entered his dream.

During this process, Klein swept his gaze to the window and vaguely saw the dark night outside. It was quiet and serene without any sense of sinisterness.

Meanwhile, he vaguely felt that there was a fog encompassing the surface of the sea relatively far away. Amidst the fog, there was a cathedral composed of rather ancient architecture. It was completely black in color. There wasn't a bell tower, and at the top of it were pitch-black ravens spiraling around it as though they were consecrating or lamenting over something.

This cathedral has many buildings around it. There are ordinary two-story residences and simple wooden huts. There are bread shops with hanging signboards and grayish-white mills using waterwheels for power… Pedestrians pass through the main streets and alleys with their figures flitting about, impossible to know of their actual situations.

A mirage? The source of the danger at night? All the people who disappeared had lost their minds and went somewhere? Klein woke up from his dreams because he subconsciously considered the questions that he had accumulated.

Following that, he forcefully made himself concentrate. He retrieved the Sea God Scepter from the "spirit world's unique zone!"

He remembered that he was in an intense battle with the Saint of Darkness just before he left the dream!

The slightly dim golden light shone into Klein's eyes as everything immediately turned bright.

What he could see was no longer the tall knight dressed in black full-bodied armor, nor was it Leomaster, who was dressed in a short linen robe. Instead, he was facing a floor-to-ceiling window that faced the setting sun.

The window was very clean and revealed an indescribable sense of purity under the sun's illumination.

By the side of the window were tables with their original wooden colors and black high-back chairs. Further away were rows of bookshelves with all kinds of books placed on them.

A library? A book repository? Every time I enter this dream world, I'll be placed randomly in a certain area? Klein carefully observed his surroundings and confirmed that it was temporarily safe without the so-called Saint of Darkness or strange evil creatures.

He held the Sea God Scepter and first came to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the environment outside.

The first thing that he saw was the opulent buildings that covered the opposite mountain peak. The huge palaces, magnificent steeples, and the towering city walls that all appeared frozen in the sunset. It was a visual spectacle.

Even though it wasn't his first time seeing it, Klein still held his breath, quietly admiring this miraculous scenery for a few seconds.

He then moved his gaze away towards the cliff. He saw the high walls of the black cloister and the withered trees beside the boulders. But as they were blocked, it was impossible to confirm whether Cattleya remained in her original spot.

Indeed, within a certain radius, it's not possible to leave this region… I'm deep inside the black cloister? Klein retracted his gaze in thought as he walked to the bookshelves.

He temporarily didn't have the time to consider what happened between the Saint of Darkness and Leomaster in his previous dream. This was because he needed to determine his current situation.

When he arrived by the bookshelves, Klein discovered that the books placed on them had their own names. They weren't blurry and indistinct like ordinary dreams.

The Spirituality of Life, Book of Charms, The Flower Within the Heart, The True Cosmos and Inner Universe… These are all books on mysticism… Klein carefully reached out and took out the Book of Charms.

He quickly flipped through it and realized that he knew most of the content, but there was a small portion which he had never come into contact with.

It can be confirmed that this isn't from my dream… Ma'am Hermit's? The knowledge that pursues her and is injected into her has been conjured in this black cloister? Klein had no desire to explore beyond where he was. He held the Book of Charms and returned to the side of the floor-to-ceiling window. He found a spot to sit down and began reading in a serious manner with the sunset's glow.

You can still study even in dreams! As he lampooned, he took out a pen and paper as he wrote and drew.

While he was engrossed in this, the light suddenly bloomed as blinding whiteness blanketed his vision.

Klein naturally opened his eyes and felt warmth from the sunlight that shone inwards.

I just read a few pages and planned to speed read it before using dream divination to recall them… Klein sat up, frustrated. He felt like he had lost a good opportunity to study. This was because he couldn't determine if he would be randomly placed in the black cloister's library again.

He straightened his hair, wore his cap, and went to the deck. As he observed his surroundings, he recalled the dream.

That prison is likely inside the black cloister as well. Yes, it might be underground. In other words, the Saint of Darkness and Leomaster are in a ruin nearby.

It's no wonder that Will Auceptin told me not to attempt exploring the dream. These places are really filled with danger!

Why would the Saint of Darkness and Leomaster look identical? That dream was a little strange. Also, that full-body mirror was very magical and sinister. It actually managed to clone a Gehrman Sparrow…

Upon recalling this, Klein began to find examples from his past experiences to confirm his through processes by comparison.

This was called relying on experience.

Soon, he thought of something. He had once borrowed the Mental Terror Candle in Backlund and helped Father Utravsky eliminate the "past him." A character that was dissociated from his original self!Could it be that Leomaster is the Saint of Darkness from the Aurora Order?

Due to certain reasons, he had split his personality, separating his good and evil sides? That sealed and dark prison is the reflection of his inner dream?

Yes, that full-bodied mirror! Leomaster had said that if it were destroyed, he would vanish as well. When I looked into the mirror, the Gehrman Sparrow inside it did form a corporeal body. It was evil!

It's no wonder I felt like a sage after I eliminated the Gehrman Sparrow in the mirror. It's because I got rid of my evil and sinister thoughts in my mind…

Yes, that full-body mirror must be in the form of a mirror in the real world… These waters clearly have the Beyonder remains of a Visionary. It conjures many unreal and real monsters that can kill… And this belongs to the Spectator pathway; therefore, being able to split good from evil and causing dissociated personalities does make logical sense…

Heh heh, Saint of Darkness Leomaster is a high-ranking member of the Aurora Order. He must originally be very evil, but that ruin or item stirred up his inverse side, which is the good hidden deep in his heart. It caused a split personality; hence, he is trapped somewhere nearby. Klein felt that he had roughly understood the truth to the matter and felt a little regret.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to enter the same spot a second time. Otherwise, with the Sea God Scepter and Leomaster's good side, there's a high chance of defeating his evil side, the Saint of Darkness. And the damage dealt in the dream world would continue on in the real world…

In that case, a good saint who understands the Aurora Order would be born. It will make it easier to strike down on this cultist organization… Klein silently sighed and turned halfway around and watched Anderson Hood walk out of the cabin.

"Where did you go in the dream? I didn't actually find you," the Strongest Hunter asked as though they were best buds.

Klein secretly frowned as he asked, "Why should I be seen by you?"

Anderson was taken aback.

"Shouldn't you return to the spot where you left the dream upon returning there again?"

… There are other elements involved in my random appearance in other spots within a particular radius? Something to do with my uniqueness? Klein realized that the problem was more complex than he had imagined.

He said with some deliberation, "I went elsewhere after entering the dream."

"Strange…" Anderson frowned as though he was very puzzled.

Without waiting for Klein to speak, he thought before speaking again, "There's another strange incident."

"What?" Klein asked cooperatively.

Anderson surveyed his surroundings.

"Back when I was pretending to make a canoe in the hall last time, I heard the sounds of a door opening and of footsteps that came out from deep inside. But when I looked up, I found nothing.

"I originally thought that it was someone from the ship, but later it didn't seem like the case."Chapter 656: Crazy Mutations

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Someone opened a door deep in the hall of murals and came out? A Rampager or Beyonder creature who was nearby? Furthermore, it possesses the ability to act in dreams? After hearing Anderson Hood's description, Klein began making logical speculations.

As his thoughts whirled, he suddenly had a new idea.

Could it be the owner of the mysterious eyes that observed me and the deck?

It's possible! If that mysterious person has been lurking on the ship the entire time and followed us into these waters, then he'd have to sleep when night falls, so he will appear in the dream world… Ma'am Hermit is completely unaware of his existence, or has she tacitly agreed to his actions? Or he's the trump card that she wields, which is why she isn't afraid of the dangers in these waters when taking on my mission? No, that cannot be determined. At the very least, I can't determine that the person who opened the door deep inside the hall of murals is the mysterious person on the ship… Klein looked at Anderson with a deep, gloomy look before asking, "Why does it seem unlikely?"

Back when Anderson Hood mentioned it, he originally suspected that the person who opened the door was a member of the Future, but he later felt that it was unlikely.

Anderson chuckled.

"I visited every person on the ship in the dream, and I discovered that no one possesses the ability to act freely in that world except you."

"Unfortunately, I was pushing open a door outside back then," Klein said calmly.

Anderson shrugged and said, "I know; that's why I'm not suspecting you. These waters have dangers lurking everywhere. All sorts of unimaginable monsters are active here. Perhaps the person opening the door from before was the stone giant from earlier or a rotting dragon who dreamed of countless treasures."

Upon saying this, he leaned against the side of the ship and looked at the sea which was bathing in golden sunlight as he smiled wistfully.

"I discovered that ever since I escaped the ship-sinking crisis brought about by the storm, my bad luck has been decreasing bit by bit. Haha, it's obvious that it's not fixed and wouldn't last forever.

"Look, I successfully swam onto the island, and although I kept meeting with all kinds of bad luck, I managed to last until you arrived.

"Yes, I do attract monsters and did make that stone giant appear, but didn't we easily resolve it?

"Also, nothing happened despite me being on board for several hours. Doesn't that explain…"

Before Anderson could finish his statement, Klein coldly cut him off.

"Shut up!"

Doesn't this guy know to keep his words to a minimum when faced with a livid expression? I really want to beat him up! If it wasn't for the divination above the gray fog that said that you haven't mutated or have a big shot possessing you, then I would've already sunk you to the bottom of the sea. Yes… Sequence 8 of the Hunter pathway is Provoker. He must've easily digested the potion back then… From the bottom of his heart, Klein felt that the level of Anderson's provocation was far higher than Danitz.

Without feeling frustrated, Anderson raised his arms and said with a rueful smile."Fine, fine. I'll shut up."Seeing how he wasn't providing him with any more clues about the individual who opened the door in the dream world, Klein remained silent for a few seconds, suddenly turned around, and walked into the cabin.

He had discovered a huge oversight on something!

Since Anderson, who's plagued with bad luck, was on the ship, that meant that the chances of them experiencing an incident would only increase exponentially. Therefore, he needed to make some preparations!

After returning to his room, Klein walked to the bathroom as he picked up Azik's copper whistle and Will Auceptin's paper crane. After setting up the ritual to summon himself, he brought Tinder, the Sun Brooch, and the Nightmare Beyonder characteristic from above the gray fog into the real world.

He didn't immediately switch out his equipped inventory, but he did place them inside his suitcase and beside the Biological Poison Bottle.

This way, even if danger suddenly struck, he would have a chance to adjust his "inventory," and then he could make a selection based on the danger he faced.

After doing all of this, Klein felt significantly relaxed. He put away the other items and left the room for the deck, afraid that he would miss any signs of mermaids.

Just as he walked out of the cabin, he saw Frank Lee crouched in a corner, looking shocked and dazed.

"What happened?" Klein felt his heart skip a beat.

He was afraid that something had gone wrong with the crazy cross-breeder's experiments, causing everyone on the Future to be embroiled in a terrifying biological disaster.

Frank shook his head in a daze.

"Didn't I mention about those little things before?

"They actually need to sleep for some time before they can grow and reproduce. In the end…"

"What happened in the end?" Klein's expression turned solemn.

This made the Strongest Hunter Anderson, who was bragging about how many pirates he had hunted to the audience around him without realizing the change in their eyes, sense something as he curiously stopped his description and came over.

The crouching Frank looked up and said, "They just finished a large-scale reproduction stage and have even mutated.

"Th-this is a miracle!"

"And? Where have they gone? Are they still in your laboratory?" Klein instinctively felt that this wasn't something good.

Frank used two seconds to digest the problem as he rolled up his sleeves to show his hairy arm.

He pounded the deck in front of him and revealed a smile.

"They have drilled inside and have seemingly reconstructed the Future…"

Amidst the dull pounding, something that seemed like milk spewed out like a fountain from the deck, spraying Frank Lee in the face.

He licked the liquid by his lips and said in pleasant surprise, "The Future… The Future has produced milk!"

At the same time, the pirates by the side of the ship pointed down at the cannons in horror.

"The cannons are spewing milk!"

This… This isn't scientific… Klein nearly couldn't control the twitching of his facial muscles.

Ever since he boarded the Future, and ever since the ship came to the ravine and began the descent, he felt that many of the things that had happened were extremely unscientific. It even exceeded the confines of his mysticism knowledge.

Anderson watched agape, nearly forgetting to inquire. He stomped his feet habitually and successfully saw another milk fountain spew out.

One thought after another flashed past Klein's mind as he acutely figured out a problem.

He immediately looked at Frank Lee and asked in a deep voice, "After your little things have infected the Future, will it continue infecting people?"

While asking, Klein's right palm reached into his pocket. According to the situation, he selected the Floating Charm and prepared to fly into the air in order to escape the infection.

Frank Lee thought seriously for a moment.

"In theory, yes…"

Before he finished his sentence, a figure appeared and kicked him in the ass, sending him tumbling a few times, slamming into pools of milk.

That person was none other than linen shirted Nina, who was draped in a blue jacket.

She glared angrily at Frank Lee on the deck as she cursed while hyperventilating.

"Aren't you going to finish off those darn little things of yours!?

"Did you do this while thinking that my breasts aren't big enough?"

"A-alright," Frank Lee patted his ass and said unwillingly.

At this moment, Klein had already taken out his charm and softy chanted, "Storm!"

He believed that he had underestimated Frank Lee's ability to cause trouble and suspected that the disaster brought about by him would only worsen; therefore, he decided to first fly into the air.

Blue flames enveloped the charm made of tin as squalls immediately stirred. They swirled around Klein's feet and body, lifting him off the deck and to a height of four to five meters.

Anderson was first taken aback before he reached out his palm in an attempt to grab Klein, but he was a moment too late. All he could do was watch Gehrman Sparrow rise up as he remained standing on the spot.

This ordinarily handsome hunter shook his head with a warped expression, somewhat amused while also wanting to dismember the first mate of the Future.

At this moment, Frank had already taken a bottle of dark green powder. He grabbed a handful of it, and as he chanted in Jotun, he scattered it around his surroundings.

The moment the powder made contact with the deck, it immediately produced green vines that grew wildly. Soon, it drew out the milk and the "little things," entangling the entire deck and cabin within.

In just about ten seconds, the Future had been reduced into a forest of vines.

"Phew, it's over." Frank smiled at Nina before his expression changed again. "Th-they've mutated!"

At this moment, a pirate walked over in a stagger, shouting with a tinge of horror, "A… A watermelon is growing from my head!"

Klein looked towards the voice and saw a green vine drilling out of the pirate's head. One of them seemed to produce a soon-to-ripen watermelon.

"This is the so-called mutation? This is way too crazy, goddamn madness!" Anderson blurted out a sigh.

His eyes then darted around as he said in a deep voice, "There's something wrong with the surrounding waters!"

In midair, Klein had also determined the same thing.

If there wasn't any external disruptions, then Frank Lee's experimental products and Beyonder powers wouldn't have caused a simultaneous mutation!

Rip!

One vine after another tore apart as the window to the captain's cabin opened.

Cattleya appeared there and shouted in an amplified voice with witchcraft, "Frank, stop all experiments.

"There are remnant auras of Mother Earth here."

Mother Earth? Klein looked in surprise at Ma'am Hermit, and he felt that his theories about these waters being the battlefield of the gods had been completely overturned!

"Oh my, Merciful Mother!" Frank crossed his arms and made a pose like he was hugging a baby.

Following that, he sprawled on the floor as he devoutly kissed the vines.

Cattleya silently watched this scene as resplendent stars instantly swirled around her. Following that, she made the entire Future light up.

With a flick of her finger, she made a colorless flame land on the vine outside the window of the captain's cabin.

The vines were immediately ignited as they silently turned to ashes.

The colorless flames silently spread and wreaked havoc, without harming a single sailor. As for the Future, the light it produced helped it withstand the fire.

Before long, the forest of vines vanished completely, leaving behind the pirate who had a watermelon growing on his head. Of course, the vine that was connected to it had been burned to nothingness.

"Phew, th-this is no different from a devil's descent!" The pirate took two steps forward and carried the watermelon which had grown out from his head.

"Don't open it!" Just as Cattleya's warning reverberated, the pirate had opened the watermelon with brute force, partially to vent his anger and partially to satisfy his curiosity.

The watermelon split into two, and inside it was a milky-white "brain" filled with gullies. Flowing around it was a blood-like liquid.

With a thud, the pirate died immediately, without any chance of saving him. The Beyonder characteristics on him rapidly condensed at an extraordinary speed.

How sinister and crazy… Klein sighed silently and prepared to land back onto the deck.

At that moment, he saw a gigantic palm suddenly reach out from the surface of the sea, smacking the side of the Future.

The five fingers of the palm were long, each almost half a meter long. The entire thing was a grayish-black color like an arid desert!

Klein silently drew out a gasp as he couldn't help but look at Anderson Hood.

This fellow had just mentioned that nothing had happened since he came on board!

Chapter 657: Terrifying Vitality

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The grayish-black hand grabbed the side of the ship and quickly hoisted it up, revealing the submerged parts, inch by inch.

Through the blue water waves, Klein saw a huge grayish-black shadow. Following that, squirming flesh occupied his entire vision.

The monster seemed to be an amalgamation of countless blackening or graying corpses. Attached to the two gigantic palms were withered-looking arms that resembled dry timber. The arms stemmed from a corpse that was suspected to be from a giant. This giant's single eye was shut tightly as a few heads were stuck to its neck. And further down these heads were incomplete scaly fish, lizard bodies, or warped human corpses. Layer after layer, they formed flesh that appeared like a floating island.

From the different corpses and the connections of the crevices, a yellowish-green gas was emanated and spread to its surroundings as though it was enveloping the entire area.

Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!

Just the smell of it had made many sailors on deck cough violently. It was so bad that they couldn't even straighten their backs.

Upon seeing this scene, Frank Lee didn't hesitate to take out the materials inside a hidden pouch on his belt. He showcased his corresponding Beyonder powers, but to his surprise, Cattleya's voice rang in his ears.

"Frank, stop!

"Help Nina command the sailors to get them to adjust the sails!"

"Why?" Frank Lee subconsciously asked in return.

"In this area, the supernatural matters within the authority of Mother Earth will mutate, including your powers." As Cattleya spoke, she extended both her palms forward and pressed down on a particular spot on her desk.

The symbols and the magical labels on the Future immediately became more pronounced as they lit up one after another, converting the entire ship into a resplendent sea of stars. They seemed to correspond to each and every point of starlight that swirled around Cattleya's body.

The spreading yellowish-green gas was kept out as Klein began floating towards the window of his room from the closest wall.

The coughing pirates felt alleviated, and under the lead of Boatswain Nina and First Mate Frank, as well as the instructions of Ottolov, they quickly adjusted the sails and attempted to make the Future escape from the nearby waters in order to escape the influence of the mutation effects.

However, the grayish-black colossal monster had held back the front of the ship, and the body beneath the water had connected to unknown parts of the ship in order to hold the Future, preventing it from advancing forward.

At the same time, formless tall mountains seemed to appear around them, blocking out the sea winds that blew from afar, preventing the Future from using its strength no matter how it adjusted its sails.

Faced with such a situation, there's a need to use a backup steam engine system. Unfortunately, the Future lacks it…

Yes… It can still fly with the help of the starlight, but that seems to be extremely draining on Ma'am Hermit. Besides, it will be difficult to grasp the direction and distance it will bring us. To make such a flight in such waters, there's a high chance of entering a more dangerous zone without being blessed with good luck. Heh, there's still the extremely unlucky Anderson on board… Klein floated by the window in his room as he took in the situation.

He wasn't nervous, as neither Admiral of Stars Cattleya nor the Strongest Hunter Anderson had showcased their true strength.

Of course, that includes me as well… Klein added inwardly.

He planned on first returning to his room and wearing Tinder. Without any "food" around, using such a mystical item was more suitable than Creeping Hunger. The latter was to be reserved for him when facing more dangerous and complicated situations before throwing it above the gray fog for it to cool down.

As for the negative effect of losing items on him, Klein already had a plan. He decided to put in his wallet, Azik's copper whistle, the adventurer's harmonica, and other items into his suitcase when changing his inventory, leaving Creeping Hunger, Murloc Cufflink, and the charms from the Sea God domain. He would keep a close watch on the latter two to prevent them from being lost.

And from a probability standpoint, the most likely item to be lost by Tinder would be the charms since they were the greatest in number.

Klein wasn't worried about this. He had created charms with different effects. They were highly disposable!

Besides, the corresponding metal in the Storm domain is tin. It's very cheap and worth nothing. The Beyonder effects are bestowed by the Sea God Scepter, so I don't have to spend any additional money… As Klein mumbled, he reached out to push open the window to his room.

At this moment, the colossal grayish-black monster, which was a combination of flesh, climbed higher again. With its approach, the busy sailors had their hair grow wildly, to the point of exceeding their waists.

This wasn't the most terrifying outcome. It was more harrowing that the blob of flaxen-colored hair seemed to have a life of its own. They would interweave and bind themselves to their owners.

As the hair began to produce similar changes, the lustrous sea of stars on the surface of the Future could no longer hold back this influence.

To a number of pirates who had shaved themselves bald, their uniqueness didn't bring them luck either. Their nose hair would rapidly grow at a discernible pace, blocking their nasal passageways.

By the window of the captain's cabin, Cattleya had raised her arms at some point in time. In her hand was a scroll made of smooth fish skin.

"Numb!"

As the incantation in ancient Hermes resounded while the scroll burned in silence, a light green luster shot out from within, striking the monster's gigantic palm that appeared by the side of the ship.

The squirming flesh formed from countless corpses didn't pause at all. It slammed down on the lustrous sea of stars, sending sparks flying while the ship trembled.

The dark purple color in the depths of Cattleya's eyes deepened. She didn't take out a new scroll, and she instead directly pushed her right palm forward.

"Imprison!"

When the mysterious incantation came out of the pirate admiral's mouth, the resplendent starlight that swirled around her flew out, descending upon the terrifying monster.

The starlight instantly converged, creating a gigantic, transparent amber. It enclosed all of the squirming flesh and bound it to where it was.

At this moment, a pitch-black and lusterless short sword appeared in the Strongest Hunter Anderson's right hand. On the surface of it was layers of diabolical patterns, but they were only an illusion.

Seizing the opportunity of having the terrifying monster trapped in the starlight cage, Anderson's body produced a layer of blinding white flames.

The flames flew forward, leaped out of the ship, and landed on the grayish-black flesh which was formed from countless corpses.

Following that, the blinding white light rapidly flowed across the monster's surface as if it was engaged in painting an extreme piece of artwork.

With a boom, the flames surged into the sky as Anderson jumped back onto the deck with his pitch-black sword.

The colossal monster remained frozen in place, as though it had lost all its vitality.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Deep wounds appeared on its surface, shattering into countless pieces of flesh in just a second.

A Reaper's offensive strength is truly exaggerated… Klein, who had redone his inventory, returned to the side of the window to see this scene.

Suddenly, he frowned indiscernibly.

At this moment, something unexpected happened. The fractured pieces of flesh spread out their "limbs," shooting towards the deck in a barrage of attacks.

This colossal attacher seemed impossible to kill no matter how many pieces it was divided into—the number of pieces determined the number of monsters!

Silently, a piece of grayish-black flesh facing the captain's cabin jumped up from the deck, heading straight for Admiral of Stars in a bid to wrap around her head.

A figure surfaced from the darkness and shielded Cattleya. It was none other than Bloodless Heath Doyle.

He opened his mouth as they cracked open, all the way from his nose to his chest. Soon, he formed a squirming vortex of flesh and blood.

The vortex sucked at the grayish-black flesh and rapidly swirled inwardly, pulling it inside.

Heath Doyle landed on the deck like a shadow. After wavering a little, he finally recovered. As for the grayish-black flesh that had splintered off from the monster, it had completely disappeared.

The most terrifying part of the monster is its ridiculous vitality. If only this trait can be stolen… Having used another Floating charm, Klein floated out the window. He reached out his black-gloved right hand and spread his fingers.

The scene before him changed as a result. Blobs of different, gorgeous colors replaced the corresponding people and items.

These colors kept changing as they rapidly twinkled, making it difficult for anyone to grasp the rules it followed.With the help of this vision, Klein discovered that the grayish-black flesh shared some of this luster. Although it was splintered, it was actually one.

Calmly, he clenched his right fist, grabbed a blob of the light, and turned his wrist to the right.

Suddenly, Klein saw the yellowish-green luster being drawn away, fusing into his right palm.

This was the corresponding trait of the Fog of Poison.

He had stolen the grayish-black monster's Fog of Poison!

This was Tinder's effect!

At the same time, Klein discovered that his Damage Transfer Beyonder power was lost. He no longer had it!

I can only steal from the same target once every twelve hours… With some level of realization, Klein looked at the surrounded Future. The yellowish-green fog which was corroding the resplendent sea of stars rapidly thinned and no longer looked obvious. The grayish-black flesh that scattered everywhere also showed signs of desiccating and darkening.

With that, the pirates found a chance to catch their breath. As for Cattleya, she wore a golden brooch on the front of her classic robe.

The brooch seemed to be made of gold, and it was shaped like a bird with a long feather tail.

The surrounding atmosphere suddenly turned staid and serene. All the chaos and anxiety vanished in a baffling manner. Even Klein sensed the indescribable influence and felt like he had become an emotionless zombie.

Seeing how the critical moment was at hand, a ship came cruising over.

It was also a sailboat and was equally large. Its color was mainly dark with a ghostly green to it.

Its ghastly pale main sail drew a blooming pitch-black tulip.

It was the flagship of Admiral Hell Ludwell, the Black Tulip!

It was a ship that frequently plied these waters!