Jia Fang’s serpentine eyes stared at Shi Ming, glinting with interest.

"A fine young man. Full of drive."

"But today,"

"unless Da Yu himself comes, no one can save you."

Da Yu was far away in the Yinping Sea Region.

As a King-level Wandering Ship, a veritable city on the sea, its movements were restricted. It was impossible for it to arrive in person.

Jia Fang’s confidence was well-founded.

This confidence stemmed not only from his status as an S-rank Awakened, but also from the General Trait of his General-level Wandering Ship, the Pharaoh: [Suppression]. It was an exceedingly simple and brutish passive ability: within a three-nautical-mile radius, all other Wandering Ships of General-level or lower would find it difficult to navigate, unable to draw near.

Only ferry craft could pass.

Any enemy ship wishing to attack the Pharaoh would have to open fire from beyond the three-nautical-mile perimeter.

Saving someone from aboard the Pharaoh was even more out of the question.

’Want to force your way out of here? Not unless you can fly.’

He alternated between threats and inducements.

"Brother Shi, rest assured."

"The Pharaoh is not an unreasonable vessel. As long as we ascertain the truth, we will naturally give you an accounting. Just cooperate obediently with the investigation. After seven days, regardless of the outcome, I will report to Ptolemy and release you. Consider it a token of our gratitude for saving the Obelisk."

"What do you say?"

Hearing Jia Fang’s words, Ah Bu grew so angry his beard practically stood on end.

"Jia Fang, you need evidence for accusations! We of the Obelisk are not as despicable and shameless as you!"

Nia was even more indignant.

She had been watching Shi Ming the entire time; when had she ever seen him hide any books? Jia Fang was clearly spewing baseless slander! He was probably trying to get revenge on the Obelisk by deliberately targeting their benefactor!

"Seize him!"

Shi Ming couldn’t help but laugh.

’Yesterday, you old bastard, you used a handshake to inject that Nether Snake Feather into my body. Now that you see I’m about to leave, you’re so desperate you’d toss aside your reputation to slander me! Stealing books? That dilapidated library of yours probably hasn’t seen a visitor in six months. Do you really think anyone will believe that excuse?’

’You mistake a sleeping tiger for a house cat.’

’Fine.’

’Today, I’ll teach you a lesson.’

’You said no one could save me unless Da Yu himself showed up, right?’

’Then watch how I leave!’

...

...

...

After its upgrade to a General-level ship, the Grand Fortune could be controlled remotely.

Right now, it was furiously charging, absorbing the Pure Dome Crystals Shi Ming had placed on it in advance. This was the first time it would use its General Trait since its upgrade, and Shi Ming was curious to see just how powerful the [Momentum Break] fueled by several dozen Pure Dome Crystals would be.

General Traits—

[Heir Apparent]! [Momentum Break]!

Activated in unison!

The power of the Pure Dome Crystals flowed into the Grand Fortune’s drive as if it were free. Having built up its power, the newly-promoted General-level ship slowly started up from outside the three-nautical-mile radius. It rapidly accelerated, steering straight into the Pharaoh’s suppression field.

With the Bearing of the Young King, it was immune to the General Trait, [Suppression].

Uncontrolled. Unaffected.

Its speed climbed higher and higher, faster and faster. By the time it was one nautical mile from the Pharaoh, it had soared to its absolute limit. Despite its hull being dwarfed by the Pharaoh, it flew like an incredible cannonball, roaring forward with unstoppable momentum.

Mountainous waves churned in its wake.

The crew of the Grand Fortune hastily braced themselves. They felt like they were riding a rocket.

Not that any of them had ever ridden one, but they imagined this must be what it felt like!

BOOM!

Such a massive disturbance naturally caught the attention of the Pharaoh!

A piercing alarm blared.

’Is it a sea beast?’

Enemy attack!

The crew of the Pharaoh scrambled into position. Countless cannons were loaded in seconds, ready to fire!

But it was mostly for show.

’It’s probably just some foolhardy C-rank or B-rank sea beast,’ they thought. ’Daring to attack the Pharaoh? How audacious!’

The ship’s pillar of support, the S-rank Awakened Lord Jia Fang, was right there.

What was there to worry about!

The Grand Fortune brutally sliced through the sea’s surface. It no longer seemed like a Wandering Ship, but a meteor wreathed in destructive power, carrying an unstoppable force!

"What tricks are you playing now?"

Jia Fang glanced over, unconcerned.

’My General Trait, [Suppression], blocks all Wandering Ships. A disturbance like this is probably just some sea beast that doesn’t know its place. The ship’s cannons will tear it to shreds.’

BOOM!

The Grand Fortune grew faster!

The Grand Fortune evaded the cannon fire!

The Grand Fortune sailed on!

The Grand Fortune roared like thunder!

The Grand Fortune struck!

Only then did the crew realize that it wasn’t a sea beast in the giant waves, but a ship.

But it was too late!

In that instant, time seemed to both compress and stretch to infinity.

A cataclysmic crash, like a meteor strike, erupted. The Wandering Ship, acting like a colossal siege ram, slammed deep into the railings and hull of the Pharaoh’s flank. The Gold cobras encircling the Pyramid shattered as if they were petrified stone, crumbling section by section!

An unimaginable tremor followed.

Countless cups and chairs swayed, tilted, toppled, and shattered.

The magnificent crystal chandelier on the golden ceiling tilted until it was almost horizontal.

Then, with a great CRASH, it tore free from its chains and fell to the floor.

It shattered into a field of glittering shards that looked like broken diamonds.

No one aboard the Pharaoh had ever experienced such a violent shock! Below the throne, Ptolemy lost his footing and fell, his head striking the Gold steps with a heavy THUD.

The countless crew members, who had been standing ready, were all thrown off-balance, struggling just to stay upright!

The point of impact was a scene of utter devastation. An unstoppable crack spread across the Pharaoh’s Pyramid structure. Sections and buildings that had stood undamaged for decades now crumbled like toy blocks, collapsing and breaking apart before plunging into the ocean with a deafening roar.

A corner of the six-hundred-meter-long Pharaoh had been sheared off.

In stark contrast to the Pharaoh, the Grand Fortune, having expended its briefly stored energy, floated calmly beside the collapsing Pyramid as if nothing had happened.

It waited for its master’s return.

"Jia Fang."

"Allow me to introduce you. This is my Wandering Ship."

"The Grand Fortune."

"Congratulations. You’ve just run into some great fortune."

...

"You bastard!"

"Look what you’ve done!"

Jia Fang was overcome with shame and fury. Right under his nose, the General-level Wandering Ship, the Pharaoh, had been smashed to this extent by some inexplicable vessel.

If word of this got out, the Pharaoh would lose all face, its ability to intimidate others on the Sea of Yellow Sand utterly ruined!

The shadow of a colossal serpent, wreathed in an aura of death that seemed to emanate from the Netherworld, descended abruptly! Countless oily feathers drifted down, like an invitation from the Netherworld itself.

An S-rank skill!

The combat form of the Nether Snake Feather!

Stone Pillar, who had accompanied Shi Ming, saw that the situation had turned sour. Amidst the chaos, he had already used his C-rank Awakened skill to return to the Grand Fortune. He couldn’t help here; he would only get in the way.

As for Nia, the moment the collision occurred, she had grabbed her father, Ah Bu, and retreated far from the center of the conflict. Her mind was reeling at how far things had escalated. The consequences were now beyond their control; all they could do was hope that Shi Ming could escape safely.

’As for Ptolemy’s inevitable rage... we’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it!’

Shi Ming, however, let out a low growl.

His magnetic voice was tinged with a divine quality.

The Titan Mark left on Jia Fang’s body detonated. The damage was hardly enough to truly affect an S-rank Awakened, but it still left the man dazed for a split second. And in that fleeting moment, Shi Ming’s fist was already upon him. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The Right Arm Red Pattern glowed with a blood-red light.

Tenfold Power!

BAM!

Jia Fang’s body shot away like a cannonball, scraping violently along the edge of the Pyramid as he flew toward Ptolemy’s golden hall at the summit. The oily Nether Snake Feathers scattered in the wind, like a molting Angel shedding its plumes.

A resounding CLANG echoed, clearly audible even at the foot of the Pyramid.

"You said I couldn’t leave unless Da Yu himself came, didn’t you?"

Shi Ming retracted his fist.

Then, he leaped.

...

The Grand Fortune welcomed the return of its master.