Extraordinary Voyage

Spirit Realm, Lost City Poseidya.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!...

The sword light, cold as the silver moon, flashed brilliantly, piercing through the air once, twice, thrice... finally transforming into countless star fragments that precisely killed each "black insect" one by one.

Almost before the humanoid monster could swing its sword, every "black insect" forming its body had already been sliced in half, and only when Aiven's sword light retracted did the monster's form suddenly collapse.

Bang——

Only a white, chilling three-eyed human skull remained on the ground, spinning around.

[Sword Style: Chirping!]

In this pure spiritual world, although everything had lost its original form and became represented by various symbols and signs, it also enabled Aiven to more easily perceive their essence.

Apart from the growth in witchcraft, even his own practice of swordsmanship had greatly benefited.

Although the threshold that barred Aiven from reaching Master-level wasn't easy to break, it allowed him to comprehend a new extraordinary secret technique [Chirping] in the battles with these "black insects".

The ultimate attack speed could pierce hundreds of small targets in an instant, far more delicate than embroidery solely from a swordsmanship technique standpoint.

He could clearly feel that he was very close to the Master-level realm of "Steel-Slaying"!

During the days everyone stayed at Hatrafa Port,

after exhausting all stocks, including the "Dust of Evil Spirits" sent by the East Lenz Company and Nekado, Aiven finally mastered the method of entering the spiritual realm on his own in dreams.

During this period, taking a two-day cycle to allow his soul time to recover, Aiven would enter the spiritual realm.

Thus, his exploration of this Lost City Poseidya progressed rapidly.

However.

Due to the flow of time, when he was in the material world, this bridgehead had already undergone countless world changes.

The city was now situated in a vast desert.

The only thing that made Aiven curious was that no matter how the world changed, his Lost City and the neighboring jungle pyramid were always side by side.

He also seriously suspected that there might be a deeper mysterious connection between him and the other side; otherwise, the extraordinary gathering effect couldn't be so vividly expressed.

But unfortunately, in previous descents, he had never encountered the glowing girl on the opposite side again and never had the chance to communicate with her.

Clearly, the landing times of both were different.

Today, Aiven's exploration had advanced to the middle of the six-tiered terraced city, reaching the third level from the bottom, where he faced the greatest challenge in his exploration of this city.

Upon stepping onto this level, he no longer had the leisurely demeanor he had before.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!...

Sizzle——

The phantom-like body had now integrated with the sharp sword light in his hand, almost reaching the ultimate realm of human-sword unity in swordsmanship.

The sword light, like a silver moon, dashed left and right through the seemingly endless swarm of insects, with each flicker of the sword light taking away a large swath of black insects.

Bang! Bang!

Two white, chilling three-eyed human skulls hit the ground, and the ground was already covered with a layer of sticky, tar-like insect blood, emitting a nauseating strange odor.

But more humanoid monsters formed from black insects had regrouped, and through the seagull's vision in battle, the surroundings were filled with the annoying "squeak squeak" noise of the insects.

It seemed like all the remaining insects in the entire city had gathered on the third level, swearing to devour this intruder into their home.

However, Aiven was not panicked in the slightest, even shouting:

"Good!"

Because in clearing out these insects that seemed to possess some crude swordsmanship, Aiven finally experienced the benefits depicted in the "Flesh Sacrifice".

When he used swordsmanship to kill the insects, it seemed to align with some hidden inherent mechanism.

With the constant death of black insects, the extraordinary knowledge that came along with the feedback from the spiritual realm, until now, Aiven could already glimpse its true face, which was a magical extraordinary swordsmanship!

[Three-eyed People's Secret: Desperate Thunder Swordsmanship]

Because each humanoid monster formed from black insects only mastered a part of this swordsmanship, they appeared extremely crude in their battle with Aiven.

Though every swordsmanship known in the world is the crystallization of the wisdom of generations of excellent swordsmen, any swordsmanship that reaches the extreme can certainly hold a place among contemporary strongmen.

But in practice, the higher the requirements a swordsmanship has for its user, the stronger its extraordinary secret technique usually is.

These demanding swordsmanships are like reinforced courses specially prepared for those who have long self-taught the regular courses and score full marks because the maximum score is only a hundred.

Taking it to a higher level on the original basis.

After mastering it, compared with those still struggling with basic textbooks, they are naturally superior!

For example: Anita's [Dragon-Slaying Swordsmanship], which has both agility and strength attribute requirements, and... the [Three-eyed People's Secret: Desperate Thunder Swordsmanship], of which only fragments have been obtained but already reveals strict requirements for constitution, strength, and agility!

Such a demanding swordsmanship would be useless to others even if obtained; perhaps ordinary military swordsmanship might be more useful, but for Aiven, it is as if heaven-sent.

With the help of two previous extraordinary transformations and "Holy Baptismal Water", his physical fitness in the three major attributes had already reached a perfect balance.

Even amidst fierce combat, Aiven couldn't help but think whether this is the reason why the city resonates most strongly with his extraordinary traits?

But no matter what, this swordsmanship is his for the taking, and this is the reason he hasn't used witchcraft attacks from beginning to end.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Leaning back to dodge the two simultaneous incoming black sword lights, the sword in his hand danced fiercely, shredding them into pieces.

Before he could stand up, two more sword lights carrying the peculiar scent of insects slashed toward his head.

"Ha!"

At the crucial moment, Aiven sprung up with practiced agility, flung his sword, and pierced through the hearts of the two sneaky creatures.

Bang! Bang!

However, Aiven had clearly realized that the further he went, the stronger the insect-formed humanoid monsters became, making the situation unsuitable for further hunting.

He wondered if the remaining insects were empowered by the death of their companions or if their strength naturally increased deeper down.

Boom!

With both feet planted, he shot into the sky like a cannonball, reaching the fifteen-meter limit before starting to fall.

Flap, flap—

A flock of White Seagulls came out of nowhere and dove into Aiven's chest.

The next moment.

In a flash of platinum light, a pair of giant white wings grew from Aiven's back, with a smaller pair sprouting from his ankles, softly flapping to keep him suspended in the air.

[Witchcraft: White Bird - Possession Mode!]

The Spirit Realm's unique traits allow extraordinaries to perform many unimaginable feats here in comparison to the Material World. [White Bird] is a power developed based on this attribute, usable only in the Spirit Realm.

It's quite similar to when regular people dream they can fly, and by believing, they start soaring just by moving their arms.

Flap... Flap...

Hovering in the air, gazing at the frantically shrieking insect horde almost forming a sphere beneath him, Aiven sheathed his sword:

"It seems unlikely I'll obtain the complete swordsmanship today, I'll spare you all for now! I shall return again... Ptooey!"

Then he broke through the sky heading directly to the top floor.

Aiven wasn't worried about these insects following him back; it was a pattern he discovered during his exploration.

The black insects slain using witchcraft would regenerate next time, making it impossible to completely annihilate them.

But if killed with swordsmanship, not only could he extract part of the information about Extraordinary Swordsmanship, but he could also permanently compress the living space of these black insects.

It was as if their true form wasn't insects but a part of the "Desperate Thunder Swordsmanship" itself.

Marvelous Spirit Realm!

...

Step.. Step.. Step.. Step..

At Fort Navedad located in the area of the Golden Sea, urgent footsteps echoed.

Admiral Trevier, the highest military officer of the Hilus New Continent, had just finished an emergency meeting and, accompanied by two capable adjutants, arrived at a guest room door within the fortress.

The admiral's face was gloomy, evidently receiving no good news from the emergency meeting just concluded.

"Did he come alone?"

"Yes, sir! 'Chisel Teeth' was ordered to remain outside, and we only issued him a temporary pass."

The disastrous news of the Great Treasure Fleet's downfall had reached here long ago, spawning a series of aftermath scenarios that left this top military officer, akin to the colonial navy's anchor, unsettled.

Afterwards, updates trickled back along the route passing through the "Eye of the Black Sea".

Confirming their worst fears, ships continued to capsize in the previously calm sea region known as the "Eye of the Black Sea".

Reports from the Suvi Islands Navy Base confirmed that numerous gigantic sea monsters and marine intelligent beings had started occupying "Eye of the Black Sea".

They even suspected that the long-absent "Black Sea Goddess" Hipponeo might have made her abode here!

This meant.

Not only had Hilus lost the Great Treasure Fleet, but even the corresponding route was entirely lost.

Moreover, the supply points and navy bases along this route would become ineffective.

The Sea Great Wall constructed over nearly a century with massive amounts of capital had undeniably developed a huge breach.

Sufficient enough to incite certain ambitious individuals into challenging Hilus!

After all, the stakes in the New Continent are incredibly high!

Returning fleets would now have to detour around the nest of the Mother of Sea Monsters, or opt for the more northerly Trident Ocean Current to reach Tulip's territorial sea, then turn south via Canary Ocean Current back to Hilus Mainland.

Entailing endless risks and variables along the way.

But those are matters for future consideration, right now...

Bang—

The general brusquely pushed open the wooden door of the guest room:

"Mr. Bradley the Oathbreaker, your last chance has arrived!"