Chapter 175: Terrifying Vitality

Chapter 175: Terrifying Vitality

The enormous gray-black hand clutched the side of the ship and rapidly climbed upward, dragging the part beneath the sea surface out inch by inch.

Through the azure waves, Klein first saw a vast gray-black shadow. Then his entire field of vision was filled by writhing chunks of flesh.

The monster seemed to have been haphazardly stitched together from countless gray and black corpses. Behind its two enormous palms were arms withered like dry firewood, and the arms originated from what looked like the corpse of a giant. That giant’s single eye was tightly shut. Several other heads were fused to its neck, and from those heads extended scaly fish bodies, lizard-like remains, and twisted human corpses. Layer upon layer, piece after piece, they built up into a floating-island-like mass of flesh.

From the different corpses, from the seams where they had been joined, streams of yellow-green gas seeped out and spread in every direction, as though they meant to shroud the area.

Cough! Cough, cough, cough!

Merely smelling a little of it made many sailors on deck cough violently, coughing so hard they could barely straighten their backs.

Seeing this, Frank Lee immediately moved to take out materials from a hidden compartment in his belt and use the corresponding Beyonder ability. Unexpectedly, Admiral of Stars Cattleya’s voice rang first beside his ear.

“Frank, stop!

“Go help Nina command the sailors. Adjust the sails with them!”

“Why?” Frank Lee reflexively asked.

“In this region, supernatural things under the authority of the Earth Mother will mutate, including your abilities.” As Cattleya spoke, both her palms had already pressed forward, landing on a certain spot on her desk.

The symbolic signs and magical marks across the Future immediately lit up in distinct layers, some first and others after, transforming the entire ship into a brilliant sea of stars. They seemed to correspond one by one with the deep-space radiance swirling around Cattleya.

The spreading yellow-green gas was blocked outside by the starlight, while Klein, who had been near the edge, floated toward the window of his own room.

The pirates’ coughing eased. Under the leadership of Boatswain Nina and First Mate Frank, and following Navigator Ottolov’s commands, they swiftly adjusted sail after sail, trying to make the Future leave the nearby sea as quickly as possible and no longer be affected by the power of mutation.

However, that enormous gray-black monster had already entangled the front portion of the ship. Its underwater body extended to some unknown place and forcibly dragged down the Future, making every bit of forward movement difficult.

At the same time, it was as if invisible mountains had appeared around them, blocking the sea wind that blew from afar. No matter how the Future adjusted its sails, it could not borrow any strength.

“In a situation like this, a backup steam-powered system would be needed. Unfortunately, the Future doesn’t have one…

“Mm… It can still leap using starlight, but that seems to cost Madam Hermit an enormous amount. It’s also very hard to control direction and distance. Flying that way in this sea, unless one is favored by luck, would most likely result in crashing into an even more dangerous area. Heh, and Anderson, that extremely unlucky fellow, is on board…” Klein floated by the window of his room, looking over the situation everywhere.

He was not nervous, because neither Admiral of Stars Cattleya nor the Strongest Hunter Anderson had yet displayed their true strength.

Of course, that includes me… Klein added inwardly.

He planned to first return to his cabin and put on the Fire Seed glove. There was no “food” nearby, so using that mystical item was more appropriate than using Creeping Hunger. The latter had to be saved for a chance to respond to a more dangerous and complex situation, then thrown above the gray fog to calm down.

As for the negative effect of randomly losing items, Klein already had a plan. When changing equipment later, he would put his wallet, Azik’s copper whistle, the adventurer’s harmonica, and other items into his suitcase, leaving only Creeping Hunger, the Murloc Cufflink, and various charms from the Sea God domain on him. He would also pay close attention to the first two, guarding against their loss.

According to probability, what the Fire Seed glove would most likely make him lose were charms, because they were the most numerous.

Klein did not worry about that. For each type of charm, he had made several. He could use one, throw one, and lose one without issue!

Besides, the metal corresponding to the Storm domain is tin. It’s very cheap and not worth much, while the Beyonder effect is bestowed by the Sea God Scepter and costs no extra money… Klein muttered inwardly while reaching out to push open the window of his room.

At that very moment, the huge gray-black monster made of stitched flesh climbed upward by a significant distance. As it approached, the hair of the busy sailors on deck began growing wildly, soon reaching past their waists.

This was not the most terrible situation. What was most horrifying was that one mass of flaxen hair seemed to gain a life of its own. It crisscrossed left and right, tangling around its own owner.

Clump after clump of hair underwent similar changes. The brilliant sea of stars covering the Future’s surface could not completely block the influence.

As for certain pirates who had shaved their heads, their uniqueness did not bring them luck. Their nose hairs began multiplying at a visible speed, blocking their breathing.

At the captain’s cabin window, Admiral of Stars Cattleya had, at some unknown point, raised both arms. In her hands was an extra scroll that seemed to be made from smooth fish skin.

“Paralysis!”

As the incantation in ancient Hermes echoed and the scroll burned soundlessly, a pale-green beam of light shot out, striking the monster’s enormous palm where it appeared beside the ship’s rail.

The writhing mass of flesh formed from countless stitched corpses did not pause at all. It slapped down on the brilliant sea of stars, sending radiance scattering everywhere and making the ship sway.

The deep-purple color in Cattleya’s eyes instantly grew richer. She did not take out another scroll. Instead, she pushed her right palm forward.

“Cage!”

After this awkward, mysterious incantation left the pirate admiral’s lips, the brilliant starlight swirling around her flew out one strand after another, descending upon the terrifying gray-black monster.

The starlight instantly condensed, creating a gigantic transparent amber. It wrapped all the writhing masses of flesh inside, limiting them to their original position.

By then, a short sword had appeared in the Strongest Hunter Anderson’s right palm. It was pitch-black and lightless, seeming to carry layer upon layer of sinister patterns, though that was only an illusion.

Taking advantage of the fearsome monster being trapped by the Starlight Cage, Anderson’s body became covered in a layer of blazing-white flames.

The firelight flashed forward, leaping beyond the ship’s rail and landing on the gray-black flesh made of countless corpses.

Then the blazing-white radiance rapidly traveled across its surface, as though creating a work of art at the limit of speed.

With a whoosh, flames shot into the sky. Anderson, carrying the black short sword, leaped back onto the deck.

The enormous monster remained frozen in place, seemingly having lost all vitality.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Wounds so deep their bottoms could not be seen appeared across its surface. Within one second, it split into countless small chunks of flesh.

The offensive power of a Reaper really is exaggerated… Klein, having already adjusted the items he carried, had just returned to the window when he saw this scene.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

At that moment, an abrupt mutation occurred. The flesh chunks that had split apart all stretched out their “limbs” in different ways, shooting toward the deck of the Future in a sky-covering assault.

This enormous gray-black attacker seemed impossible to kill. However many pieces it was cut into, that was how many monsters it could become!

Without a sound, a gray-black chunk of flesh leaped onto the deck facing the captain’s cabin. It shot straight at Admiral of Stars, intending to wrap around her head.

A figure emerged from the shadows, blocking Cattleya from the front. It was none other than Bloodless Heath Doyle.

His mouth opened, splitting apart on both sides from his nose down to between his chest and abdomen. Very quickly, it formed a slowly writhing “vortex” of flesh and blood.

That “vortex” sucked in the gray-black chunk of flesh, then rapidly curled inward, wrapping it inside his body.

Heath Doyle fell to the deck like a shadow. His body swayed a few times before finally returning to normal, while the gray-black chunk of flesh split from the monster had vanished completely.

The most terrifying part of this monster is its perverse vitality. If only I could steal that special trait… Having used another Levitation Charm, Klein floated out of the window, stretched forward his right palm wearing the black glove, and spread his five fingers.

The scene before his eyes immediately changed. Clusters of brilliant light in different colors replaced the corresponding people and objects.

These lights kept changing, flashing at high speed, making it difficult to grasp the laws contained within.

Through this perspective, Klein discovered that those gray-black chunks of flesh shared some lights. They appeared divided, but were in fact a single whole.

He then calmly closed the five fingers of his right hand, grabbed one of the clusters of light, and turned his wrist to the right.

Abruptly, Klein saw that yellow-green light being pulled away, half merging into his right palm.

It was the symbol corresponding to Poisonous Fog.

He had stolen the gray-black monster’s Poisonous Fog!

That was the effect of the Fire Seed glove!

At the same time, Klein discovered that his Beyonder ability of Damage Transfer had been lost, gone!

Within twelve hours, I can only steal from the same target once… With a sudden realization, Klein saw the yellow-green fog blanketing the Future and corroding the brilliant sea of stars rapidly thin, becoming no longer obvious. The gray-black chunks of flesh scattered everywhere began showing signs of drying and darkening.

The pirates gained a chance to catch their breath, while Admiral of Stars Cattleya fastened a golden brooch to the front of her classical robe.

The brooch seemed forged from gold, shaped like a bird trailing long tail feathers.

The surrounding atmosphere abruptly became steady and peaceful. All panic and tension inexplicably vanished. Even Klein was affected in a way he could not describe, feeling as if he had become a living corpse without emotion.

Just as the critical moment was about to arrive, a ship sailed toward them from the sea ahead.

It, too, was a sailing ship, similarly enormous. Its color was mostly deep black, tinged with a gloomy green.

Upon its deathly pale main sail was painted a blooming black tulip.

This was the flagship of Admiral of Hell Ludwell: the Black Tulip.

It was a frequent visitor to these waters!