"Kid, don’t spout such nonsense!"

"This is the *Pharaoh’s* territory. No matter how arrogant you are, how dare you challenge the might of an entire faction? Even if you’re an S-class Awakened, you will pay the price today."

Jia Fang issued a bold threat.

’But inside, he was already plotting his retreat.’

’A single direct clash was enough to confirm it: Shi Ming was also an S-class Awakened! What was more terrifying was the aura emanating from him; it made his own Netherworld Serpent bloodline tremble...’

’A venomous snake skilled at hunting never puts itself in danger.’

’There’s no shame in retreating.’

But just as he tried to use his skill, Nether Snake Feather, to escape, he found that his greatest trump card could no longer be activated. Not even a shred of power would respond. The eighteen pairs of oily wings on his back also withered as his power dissipated, slowly falling apart.

It was as if they had been sealed.

’???’

Before he could even process it, a fist the size of a sandbag, covered in the runes of chains, came smashing viciously toward his face. This punch didn’t have ten times the power behind it, but it was still incredibly fierce. His body was sent flying again, crashing hard against the mast of the *Great Fortune*.

"You came to my turf looking for a beating. I’m happy to oblige."

’Handing me your head on a platter, are you?’

Jia Fang scrambled to his feet and looked up. The mark of the Chain of Order had already spread across his face.

The mark slowly spread.

Shi Ming, his body covered in the runes of chains, advanced step by step, looking like a great demon from the abyss. With every footfall, Jia Fang could hear the heavy, dragging sound of chains.

"Brother Shi,"

"There’s no need to be so ruthless. You can leave freely today. As for the damage to the *Pharaoh*, we can let it go."

He tried to placate Shi Ming with his words, but inwardly he was cursing—

’Damn it, are the Awakened I brought from the *Pharaoh* all dead? Seven of them, and not a single one has come to help me fight! All they do is fire cannons from a distance. Can’t they see their cannonballs are all being intercepted by his crew? Now I’m all alone, deep in enemy territory, and I’ve lost my biggest trump card. It’s not even certain I can get out of here alive!’

’For now, all I can do is grovel!’

"Let it go?"

"Weren’t you scheming to ambush me and eat my heart? What, lost your appetite?!"

Shi Ming’s black pupils reflected endless, overlapping layers of rusted chains.

Spurred by his Titan bloodline, his killing intent soared.

The iron-like chill made Jia Fang shudder.

’Flee!’

Jia Fang knew when to put on a show and wave the banner of "fighting for the Pharaoh," and he knew when to make a tactical retreat, preserve his strength, and use others as a shield. Right now, with his skills mysteriously disabled and this menacing enemy before him, the choice was clear.

’A direct fight is impossible.’

’So, retreat it is.’

’It’s a bit humiliating to retreat with so many people watching, but he knew which was more important: his pride or his life.’

’As for Ptolemy?’

’Hmph.’

’If he has a problem with it, he can deal with this guy himself! The *Pharaoh* is already a wreck. Even if I manage to take this kid down today, I’ll still be punished for dereliction of duty. I might as well cut my losses. A wise man doesn’t fight a losing battle.’

Jia Fang sidestepped to the edge of the *Great Fortune*, then launched himself off with a powerful push of his legs, intent on escaping.

He still had several A-rank skills at his disposal, but he had completely lost the will to fight.

’Trying to escape?’

’You think the *Great Fortune* is a place you can come and go as you please?’

Shi Ming caught up in a flash, appearing before Jia Fang in the blink of an eye. He swung his right leg in a sweeping kick. Jia Fang, who had nearly reached the edge of the *Great Fortune*, was kicked back onto the deck. It was a constant back-and-forth, like a one-man soccer match.

And Jia Fang was the ball.

"Using... Nether Snake Feather... on me... during a handshake!"

"Spreading... cursed mummies... all over the sea!"

"And trying to... use the Sea Beast Feast... to backstab... other Awakened!" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"And today... you think... you can escape?"

Shi Ming’s voice was strangely halting, yet to Jia Fang’s ears, it sounded like a demon’s cry from Hell itself. Jia Fang’s skills were sealed, but his physical conditioning and strength remained. However, Shi Ming’s "Chain of Order" state didn’t have the terrifying Attack Power of his "Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Body." The fight was like being slowly cut with a dull knife, leaving Jia Fang feeling utterly suffocated and helpless.

There were eight Awakened from the *Pharaoh* watching nearby, including Nia, but not a single one dared to step forward and help. Besides, they too were trapped within the domain of the Chain of Order, which was a crowd-control skill.

They were, however, relentlessly firing cannons and other firearms!

Nia, for her part, was appreciating the artistry of the battle. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. On the day of the obelisk incident, Shi Ming’s form had been too dazzling, and she hadn’t been able to make out the finer details of the fight. Today, however, she could see and study every single detail.

’When will I be that powerful?’

she wondered.

Meanwhile, Ah Bu, smelling the thick scent of rust in the air, was already considering how to properly handle the fallout from this incident.

’Without Shi Ming, they would have died on the obelisk that day. And today’s events were entirely brought on by Jia Fang’s own aggression. The only question now was how to absolve the ’obelisk group’ of responsibility and avoid drawing the future conflict onto himself. That would require careful planning.’

After a moment of thought, he had a plan.

As for the others...

...they just looked at each other, none of them daring to step forward and join the fight.

Jia Fang was screaming in silent agony. He could feel his body starting to stiffen. Soon, he would lose all ability to move. And given this kid’s ruthlessness, he would surely be killed.

The *Great Fortune*’s engines began to roar as the ship prepared to depart.

Shi Ming, too, was about to conclude his performance.

He slammed a fist into Jia Fang’s abdomen in mid-air. Jia Fang tasted something sweet in the back of his throat as his body was once again sent flying. At that moment, the chain runes covering his body linked together completely. The Chain of Order’s confinement activated, binding him as tightly as a trussed-up pig, completely immobilized.

"If I kill you... will the innocent people... tangled in the Nether Snake Feather’s curse... finally be... free?"

Jia Fang opened his mouth, about to beg for mercy.

But no sound came out.

Shi Ming’s eyes were glacial, carrying a chill straight from Hell.

Jia Fang felt an unimaginable cold seeping into his body, threatening to freeze the very blood in his veins. The Netherworld Serpent was a cold-blooded creature by nature, but this was a true, deep cold. White frost began to form on his eyebrows.

His breath hitched, and he was sent flying once more.

A moment later, he landed heavily on the deck of the *Pharaoh*, his fate unknown.

Shi Ming stood at the bow as the *Great Fortune* slowly set sail. Amidst the Pharaoh’s [Suppression] and a rain of cannonballs, the ship departed as if passing through an empty wasteland, completely unopposed.

One man holding the pass, and no one dared to stand in his way.

...

...

...

Singer and Eliza had just recovered from the violent tremors, their eyes filled with worry and unease.

Ptolemy had arranged for them to stay in a treatment room on the *Pharaoh*, where they were undergoing a month-long curse-removal service. The cost had been nearly a decade’s worth of accumulated wealth, plus a huge favor owed to a high-ranking member of [Shiva].

Fortunately, the payments were being made weekly.

But at that moment, Singer and the others were astonished to find that the black scales and cracks on their chests had vanished without a trace. The heavy, stagnant shackles and unbearable pain that had wracked their bodies were also completely gone.

The group looked at one another, their faces filled with elation.

"Thank Shiva!"

"Thank Great Brahma Heaven!"

"Thank Vishnu!"

...