Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

Church Sea Region.

The core island of the entire sea region, the Holy Mother's sanctuary in the mortal realm. This place was called the Great Cathedral.

The entire island was occupied by a sprawling complex of buildings. Silver-gray structures were layered, rising from the island's periphery towards its center. As one moved inward, the buildings grew progressively taller, making the entire island resemble a spire.

In the very center of the island stood a colossal, larger-than-life statue carved from a single block of stone at least a hundred meters tall. The towering Holy Mother cradled an infant, her head slightly bowed, gazing down with a gentle, loving expression at the child in her arms. At her feet, a child reached out with its right hand to hold the Holy Mother's free arm. The child's face bore a smile of pure, innocent happiness, and in its other hand, it held a stalk of wheat.

When the blazing sun cast its light upon the island, the silver-gray buildings dotted its surface. The material of these structures ensured they did not reflect a dazzling glare, even under the intense sunlight. These buildings did not inspire worship or a sense of sanctity; rather, visitors were willingly captivated by the sheer magnificence of the architectural complex itself. It was neither ostentatiously grand nor dazzlingly brilliant, so it naturally wouldn't intimidate those of a more humble disposition.

The three who had successfully escaped from the Sea Fist returned safely to the Church's headquarters. Protected by a group of Church Knights, they were brought into the church building at the foot of the colossal statue.

A stout, elderly man with a square, stern face, clad in silver-gray armor, sat before them. His stern face, devoid of any tenderness, fixed on Vanessa as he asked, "What exactly happened? Explain in detail."

He was, of course, asking about the incident encountered by Andre's Blue Fist Treasure Hunting Team.

Vanessa, struggling to maintain her composure, recounted everything, from their encounter with Prayer for the Dead at the edge of the Realm of Pitch Darkness to their eventual successful escape. She told the Knight before her every last detail.

Upon hearing their accounts and clarifications, the formidable Knight's brow furrowed deeply as he pondered. However, he remarked with a hint of displeasure, "Those curs of the sea actually dare to defile the Holy Mother's sacred relic. They truly deserve death."

After a moment of thought, he stood up, preparing to leave the room. He then said, "I will handle this matter. You've endured much. Rest well."

At this moment, Vanessa reached out and grabbed his arm.

Not just Vanessa, but the other two also looked up at him. "If this involves action against those pirates, please include us."

Seeing the resolve in their eyes, the Knight did not refuse. He nodded. "Very well. I will begin preparations immediately. I will notify you when we are ready to act tomorrow."

Only then did they feel at ease. A nearby nun led them to a room at the back to rest and recover from the exhaustion of their relentless journey.

「Back in the Realm of Pitch Darkness.」

Alka retrieved the box buried in a corner of the cavern and forcefully pried it open. It had been crafted by an ancestor from a family of shipwrights. Evidently, the box had been deliberately made; it was well-sealed and had several protective layers to ensure its contents could withstand the ravages of time.

With the box pried open, Alka found a pile of schematics inscribed on some unknown type of leather, each drawing featuring a faint blue outline. Alka reached in, stacked the schematics, and lifted them out. Upon his touch, the blue outline vanished, and Alka could now see their contents.

Even as a layman, he could discern from the diagrams on the schematics that these were likely blueprints for some kind of ship. Furthermore, he could tell that extraordinary methods had been employed, evident from the descriptions of Spells on them.

"Chadite, can you discern what kind of ship these schematics are for?" Alka asked.

Chadite briefly flipped through them, then shook his head. "I only have a general understanding of shipbuilding. I wouldn't know about something as advanced as this."

Just then, Lucilia suddenly emerged from Alka's chest. Chadite, who was already in front of Alka, flinched for a moment but quickly composed himself. He nonchalantly watched as Lucilia poked her head out to look at the schematics in Alka's hands.

As Alka showed them to her one by one, Lucilia stated, "Although I can't fully understand these schematics, I've seen many similar ones before. These look like schematics for a prototype Ghost Ship. Judging from this core schematic, this Ghost Ship doesn't have many specific leanings; it's primarily designed to adapt to whichever Treasure it's meant to house."

Alka had heard Lucilia explain this before. The so-called Ghost Ships were Magic Ships possessing self-awareness and countless incredible functions. They were rarer and more powerful than Spellbound Ships. To possess a Ghost Ship, one first needed a Treasure. This was a prerequisite, but this single condition eliminated 99.99% of people. The author of that peculiar travelogue he had read previously had journeyed on a Ghost Ship. In the book, that Ghost Ship had brought great convenience to their sea voyage.

According to Lucilia's brief explanation, a prototype Ghost Ship wasn't vastly different from a regular Spell Ship. The main difference lay in its special customization: the addition of many seemingly useless Spells that, in the presence of a Treasure, made it easier for the vessel to transform into a Ghost Ship. It was a ship deliberately customized with the premise of eventually housing a Treasure.

Having roughly understood, Alka nodded. He then carefully stored the schematics in his Pocket Ring.

Though very precious, it's not of much use to us for now. Alka thought. As for whether it will be useful in the future...

"How much longer?" Alka suddenly asked, looking at Chadite.

Chadite turned to look at the passage connecting the cavern to the outside. Just then, the sound of the rising tide echoed. Through their Dark Vision, they saw water slowly begin to flow into the passage. It soon reached a short distance inward.

"It's time," Chadite announced.

Hearing this, Alka sprang into action. Even Pororo, who had been dozing in a corner, jumped to his feet instantly. Together, they first removed the chocks bracing the ship's sides, freeing it to move. Then, they placed logs underneath it, one after another. Perhaps this had been anticipated, as a supply of logs was stored nearby. Although ancient, they were still usable after some minor treatment.

Alka and Pororo went to the bow, each grabbing a chain and pulling forward with all their might. Chadite, meanwhile, continuously moved logs from the rear to the front, allowing the ship to slide forward more easily.

Fortunately, Pororo was already a Two Spirals adept. Combined with his racial and physical advantages, his strength was immense. With Alka helping, they dragged the ship with surprising ease. It was also fortunate that the ship was quite small.

Before long, the relatively small ship was finally dragged into the water that now filled the passage. They pulled until the water was deep enough to submerge their heads, at which point Alka nimbly leaped aboard.

The ship was less than four meters wide, making it rather narrow. It had a slender hull and a keel as sharp as a blade. A small rudder was positioned at the stern. Chadite manned it while Alka went to the mainmast to infuse it with Magic Power.

They had briefly inspected the sailboat earlier. It was clearly a vessel built to maximize speed. Everything, from the hull's construction to the choice of masts and sails, was geared for speed. Moreover, the Spell Ship was covered in Spells, all pertaining to seafaring. The bottom and sides of the hull were engraved with Spells to ensure an Eternal flow of water for propulsion. The mast had Spells to attract wind, channeling it to billow the sails. Even the Spells carved onto the bow were designed to part the seawater, similar to the Spells Sang Kaka had used for swift swimming.

Pororo, at the ship's stern, gave it a final push until it was fully afloat in the waters of the passage. Then, he too leaped aboard from the stern.

Once the entire ship was afloat, even before the sails were unfurled, the Spells on its sides activated. The water currents began to push automatically, and the ship started to glide slowly towards the cavern exit.

The ship, their most crucial asset, was now in their possession, and it was far better than they had imagined. Now, it was time to consider their next move.

"With our current strength, trying to deal with Prayer for the Dead is clearly a fool's errand," Alka began. "Now that we have this ship, perhaps we can consider breaking through their ambush at the perimeter. Can we rush out of the Realm of Pitch Darkness and return to the Church Sea Region, even if they can detect our position?"

Neither Chadite nor Pororo raised any objections to Alka's words. They had discussed this before. Attempting to confront Prayer for the Dead with their current strength would be suicide; after all, this was a Pirate Gang that possessed a Treasure. Having mastered the Treasure, Alka's father would undoubtedly possess the strength of Three Spirals. Mastering a Treasure invariably brought such an enhancement. Furthermore, a Three Spirals adept who had mastered a Treasure was on an entirely different level compared to an ordinary Three Spirals. They were essentially beings of a different caliber. Regardless of the specific Treasure, Alka's father was now among the most powerful individuals in this region.

Rather than seeking immediate revenge, it was more realistic to focus on breaking through their pursuit, regrouping with the Church, and then fighting alongside them.

The current problem was, if Alka tried to escape from the edge of the sea region, would his father allow it? It was previously unimaginable, but now, with this ship built for speed, perhaps they stood a chance.

It was worth a try.

Their objective confirmed, the ship sailed out of the cavern and reached the edge of the island. The sails were unfurled. Instantly, the Spells on the mast attracted the surrounding wind, causing the sails to swell taut. The ship immediately surged to maximum speed, cleaving through the waves and throwing up curtains of spray on either side. Its bow lifted slightly as it darted forward, leaving a white wake in its trail.

"It's so fast!" exclaimed Chadite from the helm, marveling at the ship's sudden burst of speed.

As it sped along, two characters became visible on the hull. Flying Swallow; that was its name.

Alka pulled out a map and began searching for a safe route from their current position, one that would allow them to quickly break through to the outer sea. Based on their time calculations, if Gami and the others were safe, they should have already reached the Great Cathedral. However, they had no idea how efficient the Great Cathedral would be, how long it would take for them to mobilize, or, more importantly, whether Andre—if he was still alive—could hold on. Alka had no way of knowing any of this.

Consulting the sea chart provided by his Magic Power, Alka selected the nearest and seemingly easiest route to exit the Realm of Pitch Darkness. They began their first attempt.

By the time the island was no longer visible behind them, holes began to appear in the dark clouds overhead. Shafts of sunlight from the outside world pierced through, temporarily illuminating the sea.

Just then, Pororo, who was squatting in the middle of the ship, suddenly sensed something and dived into the water. He swam alongside the speeding ship, circling it repeatedly. Distinct, circular waves began to emanate from his position, spreading outwards.