Chapter 326: Melee

The lightning released by Ian Cottman submerged Rekton's figure in an instant.

His body instantly grew thin and brittle, turning charred black beneath the silver-white electric light, dissolving into flying ash.

The next moment, his figure emerged from the other side of the Spirit World, his movements still somewhat stiff. The paralysis effect was very strong; he hadn't dodged it completely.

Paperman substitute?

A modified version of the Moon Paperman, replacing the power of the Moon domain with a gift from the God of Knowledge. It should also be achievable to obtain feedback through praying to the Fool.

No need to explain so many principles — the "Sea King" is striking at you again. Your aggro level with him is a bit high.

Wait for me to analyze a few more of Nast's extraordinary abilities before leaving. It was hard to come across him — can't miss this opportunity.

Don't mess this up!

I won't. When it comes to the Spirit World, I'm far more familiar with it than either of them!

As his thoughts turned, Rekton's figure repeatedly dissolved into pale yellow papermen, dodging the lightning striking toward him and the abilities restricting his movements.

Wooo~

The howling of a fierce wind suddenly rose in the surrounding Spirit World region!

The invisible wind turned tangible, enveloping the surrounding area, making every movement of Rekton's extraordinarily laborious.

At the same time, crackling sounds continuously rang out as silver-white arcs of electricity leaped all around, occasionally sliding past Rekton's body. He felt waves of numbness in his body — very slight, but slowly accumulating.

"Hmph!"

Nast gave a soft snort. Dark red light continuously flowed in his eyes. Both the wind that restricted the Black Emperor and the lightning carrying the paralysis effect were weakened by him to the point of being almost negligible.

A faint golden hue spread over Rekton's body, and patches of light condensed into solidity around him, blocking the effects of wind and electricity on him.

His gaze remained fixed on Nast the entire time; most of his attention was devoted to analyzing the other's extraordinary abilities.

"Hmph!"

A terrifying sonic boom suddenly rang out, mingled with the howling of the wind domain.

Rekton's body was swept up once more, torn into a shower of pale yellow paper scraps.

His figure reemerged from another direction, wisps of blood seeping from his ears.

What a terrifying sonic boom — and it strongly countered paperman-substitute-type abilities. There was no way to dodge it completely.

Stop treating me like an experience farm. Disrupt the battlefield a bit — I'm getting out of here. Nast and Ian Cottman are about to reach some kind of tacit understanding.

How do you know?

In the Spirit World, I can more easily obtain more information, which provides a certain boost to a Prophet's abilities.

Above the gray fog, Klein swiftly gathered his thoughts and, aided by the surrounding gray fog's empowerment, continuously channeled spirituality into the peculiar crown in his hand, covered in rust and bloodstains.

Through the corresponding point of prayer light, his gaze fell upon the massive three-masted ship Black Emperor, upon the "Sea King" Ian Cottman.

Through his utilization of the Conqueror characteristic, he created a series of blindingly white, dazzling, scorching giant fireballs.

These fireballs appeared abruptly, striking from the depths of the Spirit World, instantly crossing a vast distance, trailing long tails of flame like meteors crashing down.

Nast's eyes, flowing with dark red light, darkened. He raised his left hand upward, spread his palm, then gently turned it. An invisible, surging power emanated from him.

The fire meteors crashing down from above fell into a certain chaos. The blinding white wrapped in orange-yellow flames shook violently, and their descent paths deflected.

He directly twisted the trajectories of those fire meteors and attempted to disrupt their structure, but the effect was not as good as he had imagined.

This was an angel-level ability — from the one who had been watching in secret all along?

A thought flashed through Nast's mind. He did not feel surprised. He had long detected the gaze Klein projected through Rekton's point of prayer light, but had simply been unable to lock onto the other party.

The howling wind sound abruptly rose, producing an explosive commotion.

The colors of the surrounding Spirit World fell into chaos, as if a paint palette had been stirred. A terrifying, visible hurricane spiraled into existence, coiling upward.

Like a terrifying giant, it charged straight into the sheets of falling flame meteors, setting off a burst of horrifying firelight in the upper reaches of the Spirit World.

Snap!

Rekton's slightly raised right hand snapped its fingers. Pale blue luminescence in his eyes brightened for an instant, and light abruptly erupted before him, instantly covering the surrounding area, turning everything in a vast expanse of white, so blinding that one couldn't keep their eyes open.

Nast sensed something and turned his head to look toward Rekton's position. Dark red flowed in his eyes as the bright, piercing light was twisted by him into normal rays, and his vision suddenly cleared.

Rekton, who had originally not been too far from the Black Emperor, was wreathed in patches of starlight, speeding through the Spirit World in a roaming manner, moving away from this area.

He extended his right hand forward once more, attempting to twist the other party's actions and intent.

Boom!

A streak of blinding white light crashed down, piercing through the barrier of fierce wind and flame waves, heading straight for the Black Emperor.

Nast had no choice but to shift the target of his influence. He twisted the blinding white streak's target onto the "Sea King" Ian Cottman.

Boom!

A silver-white serpent of electricity shot out, violently striking toward that blinding white streak of light.

The instant the blinding white firelight and the silver-white electric light met, a wave of flame erupted that swept up everything nearby, completely engulfing the figure of the "Sea King" Ian Cottman.

Nast glanced at the direction where the other party had been swallowed by firelight, then withdrew his gaze.

The Black Emperor directly ignored the surrounding flames and storms, sailing away from this area as if riding wind and waves, heading toward the depths of the Spirit World — the direction Rekton had just left in.

Above the gray fog, Klein watched as Rekton, through coordinates arranged in the Spirit World, swiftly traveled and continuously changed his position, easily shaking off the "King of the Five Seas" Nast piloting the Black Emperor behind him.

Indeed very skilled. But what's going on with those Spirit World creatures you encountered? They either ignore you or actively avoid you?

"Telepathic Communication" can do more than just communicate. The connection between us has also left me tainted with some of the gray fog's aura.

Receiving a response, Klein nodded slightly and was about to ask something further when he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness assail his head.

I can't hold on — my spirituality can't sustain this. Let's stop here.

As the thought floated through his mind, he set down the crown covered in bloodstains and rust that he had been holding, and his gaze fell upon the Sea God's Scepter set with fine blue-green gemstones nearby.

After a moment's hesitation, he decided to wait until his spirituality recovered before carefully examining this wondrous item from the "Sea God" Kavitua.

He swiftly spread his spirituality to envelop himself, simulated the sensation of descending, and left this place above the gray fog.

Feneport, inside a warehouse on the outskirts of Severia.

Leikdun's silhouette quickly emerged from the corner; right in front of the warehouse gate, a group of people holding dim lanterns were already waiting there.

A purple light flashed in his pupils, and he quickly saw the group ahead holding lanterns, making out their appearance.

Leading them was a middle‑aged man leaning on a black hardwood cane, wearing a dark brown fur coat; he had an exaggerated beer belly and looked somewhat anxious.

The four men surrounding him were clearly adventurers who also worked as bodyguards, mostly around thirty, wearing neat blue‑gray outfits, with bulging waists that obviously held gun pouches, bullets, daggers and other weapons.

Not far away, two carriages were parked; one had a spacious, exquisite cabin at the rear, while the other pulled a simple flatbed for hauling cargo.

He compared the appearance of that leading middle‑aged man with the information in his mind.

He then withdrew his gaze, reached forward slightly, pulled at the surrounding shadows, and completely covered his body.

Within less than a quarter hour, Leikdun's silhouette, holding a lantern, emerged from the road corner and approached the warehouse at a steady pace.

Noticing Leikdun's approach, the four bodyguards surrounding the middle‑aged man quickly became alert.

Only when Leikdun drew near did their wary expressions ease slightly, though their movements and posture remained unchanged.

"Good evening, Mr. Boen~"

"It's still a while before dawn; I didn't expect you to come this early."

Leikdun spoke in an even tone to the middle‑aged man surrounded by the bodyguards, who had an exaggerated beer belly.

This Mr. Boen is the grain merchant that Leikdun Soss sought through his father's connections.

Before Leikdun approached, the anxious look on Boen's face had already faded; he broke into a warm smile and quickened his steps.

As he stepped, his exaggerated beer belly bounced up and down.

"I'm sorry to disturb your sweet dream, Mr. Soss."

"This deal is too important to me, so I couldn't help coming a bit early; please forgive my boldness."

This isn't just a little time; there are at least two hours until sunrise. Leikdun silently complained in his heart without changing his expression.

Boen maintained a proper smile, his voice slightly bitter as he said:

"My business originally centered on Lu'en, but after Lu'en issued the Grain Code, my commercial chain there was almost completely destroyed, forcing me to seek new cooperation channels."

"But this is no easy task, especially since many other grain merchants have made the same choice."

"This is the helplessness of merchants; a casual decree from the kingdom can bring us heavy, even ruinous blows."

(End of chapter)