"I can't just let a supernatural tale wreak havoc on the ship."

Lin Yaqing's sword tip pointed directly at Angelina, demonstrating her resolve.

Angelina seemed to hear something funny, half-covering her face, her shoulders subtly trembling.

"Each and every one of you is like this. I'm tired of explaining anything."

Angelina thrust her lance into the ground, a pale purple light infusing down the complex floral patterns on the lance, enchanting white flowers blossomed around the lance tip, like seeds of the earth blooming into a sea of white flowers.

She twisted the lance handle, suddenly pulling it out from the ground, causing cracks to rapidly fracture. Purple magical energy erupted, blasting toward Lin Yaqing, the ground cracking open along the path, forming a dreadful chasm.

Lin Yaqing leapt into the air, peering down, seeing countless small dark purple eyes staring at her from the chasm, forming arcs.

Sensing danger, she narrowly evaded a silver-white sword tip thrusting out from the fissure, barely escaping being pierced.

Lin Yaqing continuously jabbed, slashed, and shattered the attacking white spears, spinning on her foot upon landing, leaping like a nimble hare, just as the Other Shore Flower bloomed, decaying instantly at her previous position.

The lance and the thrusting sword clashed in the air, both plummeting into the corridor below, without hesitation as Angelina raised her hand. All the white flowers blossomed into the air, petals interweaving into a spiral spear, shooting toward Lin Yaqing.

Lin Yaqing responded quickly as well, her finger brushing past the thrusting sword, unfolding a crimson array before her, gathering a red glow into countless red meteors that shot out to disperse the spiral spear.

The lance and the thrusting sword separated briefly, clashing again, glass shattering in unison and the residual force oscillating through the long corridor, the crystal chandelier sliced diagonally open, vases and paintings cleaved with precision.

No one could discern their movements. Dozens of clashes per second manifested an aesthetic of pure force, ignoring technique, until the world behind them began to collapse, as they continued exchanging blows, running forward. Every minute, flesh and blood flew from their bodies, the spear intent or sword edge ripping apart their sinew and bones, wantonly destroying their innards.

But, for these two spirited young girls, none of it mattered. Like monsters, their bodies constantly healed, and adrenaline prevented them from feeling pain, only through their senses they could capture the lethal strikes hidden in the rain, blocking attacks aimed at their hearts or eye sockets.

As feints ceased working, and thoughts only hindered their bloodthirsty weapons, they abandoned all reason, letting the wildest spear intent and sword edge unfold until the castle began to crumble and the entire corridor collapsed. They briefly separated during the fall and ultimately lost sight of each other beyond a wall.

Yet, neither stopped, this fight would not end as long as either's fighting spirit endured.

They started to walk slowly along the wall, eyes resting on the priceless exquisite paintings, not appreciating them but aware the other could ambush from behind the wall at any time.

The walking pace quickened, then they started running together, dragging their lance and thrusting sword, sprinting along a row of torches, finally splitting at a fork, running down a spiral staircase until they burst toward two massive doors facing each other.

They simultaneously rushed into the castle hall from either side, lance and thrusting sword clashing intimately, their figures dancing amidst the flames, while a corner of the king's portrait above the throne burned, its dignified eyes consumed by the climbing flames turning into blackened holes.

"Truly persistent," Angelina commented with an expressionless countenance.

"You as well," Lin Yaqing retorted sharply.

They simultaneously disengaged by mutual understanding.

"Let's end this quickly."

Angelina raised her lance high, white branches from the surrounding Other Shore Flower sea grew toward her legs, both hands gripping the lance handle, as countless fissures formed around her, various eyes mocking, with tremendous purple magical energy converging into the Abyssal White Flower. The lance multiplied in size several times, soaring skyward like a tower.

Lin Yaqing took a deep breath, one hand held behind her, raising her sword hilt in front, sword tip pointed forward, adopting the stance of a Western sword; softly murmuring:

"Great will of the Stars, bless me, may I be granted a glimpse in exchange for a year."

— Advance Tribute.

This was Lin Yaqing's unspoken secret and the reason she could grow at a speed dozens or even hundreds of times faster than her peers.

Her ornate attire grew increasingly dazzling, starry points arose beneath the feet of this young Sword Saint, the thrusting sword erupting in intensity, with scarlet flames surging upwards from the base, lava-like patterns flowing across it.

Angelina leaned forward, thrusting out the lance, while Lin Yaqing let out a yell, slashing with the thrusting sword!

Purple magical energy and scarlet brilliance mutually devoured and annihilated each other.

...

"Damn, this happened, where's the chief?"

The heavy freight elevator rapidly ascended the narrow shaft, sparking fiercely as the wire mesh scraped against the elevator walls, possibly due to the disturbance above causing the tractor unit issues, though it's still operational.

Inside the elevator, the youth frowned tightly, trying to reach someone via the network but getting no response; unsure what occurred, he was unable to contact any of his companions from Special Sixth Class, as if they vanished into thin air.

Just moments ago, Bai Zhou received a private email mentioning a supernatural event on the Opera Layer of the deck, likely awakening a world-class monster.

After first encountering the monster at Belvedere Station, they hadn't detected any signs until recently, capturing its awakening traces; the monster had been hiding on this cruise ship for a month.

After interaction, they concluded the monster hadn't reached world-class threat level, or was suppressing itself. Using a bizarre black glove, she could restrain her Power and desires.

Yet, this didn't mean they could relax their vigilance, quite the contrary, they needed to resolve it quickly, as no one knew when it might lose control. If this ticking time bomb exploded, the consequences would be unimaginable.

While pondering, the freight elevator reached the Opera Layer.

The rusting old freight elevator, groaning under the weight, issued protesting squeals as it banged against the walls—a workhorse since the Dream of the Ocean's construction at the docks, the ship once an icebreaker before conversion, the elevator shaft intended to transport weapons during war.

Repurposed for civilian use, the elevator served for fifty to sixty years, nearing Bai Zhou's father's age.

As Bai Zhou grumblingly kicked open the rusted mesh door, stepping into the dimly lit catwalk behind the Opera Layer stage, he saw a figure approaching, his vigilance immediately rising.

The person wore a strapless tuxedo suit, standing tall, golden hair cascading down her back, the unsettling part being the white smile mask she wore—a bizarre light streaming across.

"Sorry, this area is off-limits."

Her voice, devoid of inflection, emerged from behind the mask. Bai Zhou clicked his tongue, summoning his Mimicry—a high-tech massive blade fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Do you know who I am?"

"I'm part of the association's Special Sixth Class, heed the name and step aside."

The response was measured footsteps, and seeing that even knowing his name the approach continued, Bai Zhou realized the intentions weren't good, raising his Giant Blade:

"At least state your name before we fight?"

"Dark Gold Rose."

"Or you can call me..."

Xu Xiaoyou's hand produced a bony whip, snapping as it dragged across the glove to the ground.

"Destiny."

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