Chapter 787: Performance

Seeing the assassin who had previously hidden himself now sitting openly in the window-side chair, calmly watching him as if utterly unconcerned by the ongoing battle, "Deep Sea Admiral" Haer · Kangsitanding 's heart suddenly tightened, growing heavy.

Such a posture, such behavior, proved the opponent didn't regard him as worthy of notice—possessing absolute confidence in eliminating him, so he hadn't struck immediately to aid his companions, but instead sat arrogantly, smiling as he observed.

In this moment, Haer · Kangsitanding made no hesitation; instinctively, he aimed the obsidian trident in his hand at Lu Mi.

A silver-white lightning bolt coalesced in the palm of the "Deep Sea Admiral," amplified by the trident's tip, transforming into a furious thunderous serpent that snapped toward Lu Mi.

Lu Mi maintained his posture—right foot resting on left knee—his face wearing a mocking smile, as if Haer · Kangsitanding 's desperate counterattack were merely the play of a child, incapable of altering the outcome.

Of course, this was merely the attitude he deliberately projected.

In truth, he could not attack Haer · Kangsitanding, nor could he leave the hundred-meter radius, or the exchange of fate would break.

But inability to attack did not mean he couldn't influence the battle; Lu Mi exited his shadow-being state, deliberately revealing his presence to Haer · Kangsitanding, using himself as bait to draw the "Deep Sea Admiral's" overwhelming attention, and through posture and expression, instilled pressure and fear, forcing the target into hasty reactions and increasing his likelihood of error!

Even a "Hunter" who cannot strike, cannot speak, and cannot communicate can still provoke, conspire, and set traps!

Crack—the thick silver-white serpent struck Lu Mi's body.

Snap—Lu Mi's figure shattered like a mirror, leaving behind a wooden chair back rapidly charred by the raging lightning.

He vanished again, and the thunderous serpent, constrained by its target's material, dissipated little.

This made Haer · Kangsitanding anxious, seriously considering whether to smash through the window and leap into the water.

Under the sea, he feared no non-deity below the Archon level!

Even many Saints could not dive beneath the waves to fight him!

At that moment, he felt layers of binding constricting his limbs and body—whether stepping forward or turning the obsidian trident elsewhere, it felt as if immense forces pulled against him, making swift movement impossible.

And the binding tightened rapidly.

Taking advantage of Lu Mi's diversion of Haer · Kangsitanding 's attention and vigilance, Francia completed the deployment of the "Pleasure Witch's" silk threads, weaving them in Cengcengchanrao around the "Deep Sea Admiral."

Facing this restricted state, Haer · Kangsitanding halted, causing the semi-transparent octopus clinging to his face to glow with dawn-like radiance.

The radiance suddenly erupted, shattering into countless fragments that swept like a storm through every corner of the captain's cabin.

The long table laden with food shattered into pieces, collapsing with a crack; the surrounding metal walls bore deep, newly carved grooves; Francia and Jenna's figures once again fractured into countless mirror shards, while the invisible silk threads scattered throughout the room snapped one by one, no longer able to restrain Haer · Kangsitanding 's movements.

Anthony, standing in the corridor away from the captain's cabin door, remained untouched by the storm of light; similarly untouched was Lu Mi, whose silhouette had been sketched beside him.

Lu Mi Shunshi pressed his hand against the metal sliding door of the staircase that could be closed, activating his Qiyue ability.

He enclosed this entire area within the "Vessel of Fiction," with the condition for entry and exit being female.

This was to effectively cut off the pirates' rescue attempts, preventing them from disturbing their battle; aside from crews whose captains were women, nearly all pirate ships had vanishingly few female non-deities, some having none at all; as for non-supernatural women, they existed only as onboard prostitutes and could never become ordinary pirates.

………

Outside the Carnival Bar.

Real pirates and Mason's group, disguised as pirates, simultaneously noticed the glass windows no longer reflected the scene of "Great Shark" Jorg and others battling the unknown adventurer.

The glass grew dim, revealing instead the interior of the bar—no bartender, no patrons.

"What's happening?" one pirate cried out, uncertain.

"What ability was used?" similar questions rose and fell.

All suspected the current change was engineered by the unknown adventurer—after all, "Great Shark" and his group had no reason to conceal their battle; they longed to display their strength to as many pirates as possible.

Inside the "Vessel of Fiction."

"Great Shark" Jorg, wearing a pair of black gauntlets, was surrounded by explosion scars and charred black marks.

He had twisted the unknown adventurer's attack intent in time, avoiding injury during the previous bombardment.

His companion, the "Ship Destroyer," also a non-deity of the "Hunter" path, had long since collapsed—overwhelmed by combined supernatural influence and explosive damage.

The other pirates were scattered and badly damaged.

Gazing at the unknown adventurer—black-haired, blue-eyed—fifteen meters away, "Great Shark" Jorg loathed the "Teleport" ability intensely.

Just as he prepared to shift position and execute a "Bribe," he saw the handsome unknown adventurer's body rapidly fade, vanishing like a projection.

"Great Shark" Jorg feared this was another "Teleport," immediately lunging sideways and twisting his body to look behind him.

Nothing happened.

Amid suspicion, Jorg and the other pirates outwitted the air, performing multiple evasive maneuvers—but the unknown adventurer never reappeared.

Finally, the bald "Great Shark" faintly understood something:

"That was just an illusion?"

"We fought fiercely with an illusion, nearly lost?"

"Where did the real one go?"

Thinking this, "Great Shark" Jorg suddenly blurted out:

"No good!"

"The 'Neuins'!"

The unknown adventurer's true target was the "Neuins," the Admiral!

Jorg and the others grew frantic, yet were trapped inside the "Vessel of Fiction," unable to escape.

After trying several methods and abilities to no avail, they began violently dismantling.

………

On the "Neuins."

As the storm of light began to subside, Jenna's silhouette swiftly sketched itself behind the "Deep Sea Admiral," within the blind spot created by Haer · Kangsitanding 's own storm.

Then, with all her strength, Jenna thrust the dagger sheathed in quiet black flame toward Haer · Kangsitanding 's lower back.

Though Haer · Kangsitanding had no time to sidestep or turn the obsidian trident backward, he showed no panic.

From within the cloak tightly wrapped around his body, a silver-white lightning bolt shot out, striking Jenna at a speed she could not evade.

Countless tiny electric serpents writhed across Jenna's skin, yet she showed no obvious injury or severe paralysis—her movements merely slowed slightly.

Plop!

The dagger sheathed in quiet black flame pierced the black cloak of the "Deep Sea Admiral."

At the battle's outset, Jenna had thrown a gold louis toward Haer · Kangsitanding —not to beg for luck, but to activate the power of the "Decency" brooch, completing a "Bribe," which would significantly weaken the enemy's attacks, defenses, and controls against her for a set duration!

After that, whether the raging lightning or the storm of light, their effects on Jenna were far less severe than she had pretended.

Her frantic dodging, her forced use of "Mirror Double," were all meant to mentally lull the "Deep Sea Admiral."

She never expected Haer · Kangsitanding to be unaware of the "Bribe" ability or to neglect its threat—after all, this Admiral's first mate was likely a "Briber"—so Jenna deliberately and repeatedly performed the illusion that the "Bribe" had failed, causing Haer · Kangsitanding to interpret the gold louis throw as some other supernatural ability, and to guard against that instead.

At the battle's start, Haer · Kangsitanding might have considered this but still remained wary of the "Bribe"; but the fierce combat had already lasted a while, and now was a moment of lightning-fast urgency, leaving no time for careful deliberation—only instinctive reaction.

Thus, he ignored the prior "Bribe," failing to block Jenna's assassination!

With a plop, Jenna's dagger, wreathed in sinister black flame, pierced through Haer · Kangsitanding 's cloak and sank into his flesh.

Performance was for better assassination!

Upon landing the strike, Jenna immediately felt immense resistance, as if the flesh itself had come alive and writhed—even with all her strength, she could not drive the dagger further.

She immediately abandoned force, pouring the black flame covering the dagger into Haer · Kangsitanding 's body.

As the black flame surged, the "Deep Sea Admiral" screamed in agony.

Francia seized this opportunity, moving to Haer · Kangsitanding 's side and thrusting her transparent "Cold Blade" toward the "Deep Sea Admiral."

Her "Cold Blade" pierced skin and flesh, yet could not penetrate deeper into Haer · Kangsitanding 's body.

But that was enough.

Haer · Kangsitanding 's body instantly froze rigid, his thoughts growing sluggish and uncontrollable.

Francia slid her foot, arriving beside Jenna, and retracted her "Cold Blade."

Simultaneously, she flipped open a compact mirror in her left palm, reflecting the "Deep Sea Admiral's" body.

Then, with her right palm, she lightly swept the mirror's surface with black flame.

The Witch's Curse!

Vast quantities of black flame erupted from Haer · Kangsitanding 's body, burning his flesh, yet unable to enter the head where the semi-transparent octopus clung.

Haer · Kangsitanding emitted a piercing, agonized shriek, breaking free from his body's rigidity and mental sluggishness, and slammed the obsidian trident hard onto the metal floor.

Lightning blazed forth, blindingly bright.

(End of Chapter)