Seeing the situation, Brant didn't act rashly. Even the Echos around him curiously gathered by his side, looking up at the Sentinel circling in the sky.
The Sentinel Jué spoke in a human voice, "You damn well smashed my boat, huh?"
Brant was taken aback. "This Jinzhou Sentinel is really… quite straightforward, isn't she…"
After hesitating for a moment, Brant settled on this evaluation.
After all, it was his first time seeing the Jinzhou Sentinel.
Who would've thought the Jinzhou Sentinel had such a personality?
He had previously seen some news about Jinzhou on the forums, but they only briefly mentioned the Jinzhou Sentinel Jué.
Instead, they put that… God of Universal Love, Lucian, and Rover on a pedestal.
What was even more shocking was that the forums had mentioned Lucian riding on the head of the Jinzhou Sentinel…
Did that mean Lucian was even more powerful than the Jinzhou Sentinel?
Brant looked closely and saw the black-haired Rover on the dragon's back, but no sign of Lucian.
"Strange… Did Lucian not come with her?"
Unfortunately, the sea fog had been too thick earlier, so he hadn't seen Lucian transform.
That giant whale, known in Rinascita as "Cetus the Tidebreaker," shouldn't come to shallow waters or actively approach humans…
"That's…"
He looked at Cetus the Tidebreaker's tail fin, where a faint dark red glow flickered. Brant frowned.
Meanwhile, Rover held her head and said, "Aalto failed to get us safely to Ragunna City. Looks like not only will he not get his funding back, but he'll lose more. What a pity…"
Lucian, holding the Mandala Flower in his mouth, stared at Cetus the Tidebreaker below, which had smashed their boat and was about to dive back into the water. He muttered,
"The heart is like glass, clear inside and out. One thought of Bodhi dispels all obstacles. Seeing all forms as formless, perceiving the five aggregates as empty."
"Awaken!"
The Mandala Flower in Lucian's mouth swayed gently, scattering countless white lights. Not only did Cetus the Tidebreaker's eyes regain clarity, but the surrounding thick sea fog was also dispersed by an invisible force.
The Red Spider Lily on the whale's tail fin slowly disintegrated, dimming and sinking into the sea.
Brant, witnessing the entire scene, clutched his head in awe. "It's practically a miracle…"
"The Jinzhou Sentinel is already this powerful—how ridiculously strong must Lucian, who can ride on her head, be?"
"I wonder if our Sentinel Imperator is this strong…"
"If we had this kind of power, we wouldn't have to worry about getting lost in sea fog anymore."
As the fog gradually cleared, a charming ray of sunlight spilled onto the sea, creating golden sparkles.
Everyone then realized that beyond the fog was a clear, boundless sky.
Cetus the Tidebreaker joyfully flicked its tail fin, letting out a long, resonant hum.
Rover asked curiously, "What's it saying?"
Lucian translated, "It says: Guests from afar, thank you for your help…"
Rover: "So it knew it was being controlled?"
Lucian looked at the wreckage of their boat below. They didn't know the route to Rinascita.
If this whale knew the way, it wouldn't be too much to ask for a ride, right?
So Lucian shouted, "Hey—matey! Your back's waiting for guests, but my boat's crying in the water!"
Cetus the Tidebreaker: "?"
Rover: "?"
Rover patted Lucian's back. "Is that even human language?"
Lucian scratched his head sheepishly. "I was worried the Rinascita whale wouldn't understand."
Rover said exasperatedly, "Even a Rinascita whale wouldn't talk like that, would it?"
Nearby, Brant, who was watching, didn't fully understand but grasped Lucian's intent. He muttered to himself, Is that even Jinzhou's language?
However, tasked by a friend, he had to ensure Rover reached Ragunna City's port safely.
So Brant waved his hand, mimicking Lucian's accent. "Hey—matey! My ship can hold ten Mt. Firmaments, easy!"
Lucian: "?"
Rover: "?"
Following the voice, they noticed the ornate ship nearby, which had been watching for some time.
The man on the deck wore a wide-brimmed pirate hat that covered his striking blue hair.
He had on a red-and-white coat over a dark blue shirt, with a bold red-and-black cape trailing behind.
Lucian noticed a mask hanging at his waist, along with a long blade shaped like an anchor.
Rover frowned slightly, leaning down to whisper, "He doesn't look like a good guy…"
Lucian nodded in agreement. "I think so too. Looks like a pirate."
"You think about it—a stranger suddenly mimics your accent and invites you? That's way too suspicious."
Brant: "?"
I think the Sentinel speaking some unknown language is more suspicious!
Brant began to doubt whether this was really the Jinzhou Sentinel.
At that moment, Cetus the Tidebreaker below let out a timely hum.
[Get on his ship. He's not a bad person.]
Lucian mused, "So you two are in cahoots?"
Cetus the Tidebreaker: "…"
As if it couldn't bear to listen anymore, it let out another grateful hum before sinking into the sea, becoming a fleeting shadow.
Rover patted Lucian's back. "Why not go check it out? If he's really a pirate, we'll just steal his ship."
Brant: "Who's the pirate here?"
Lucian descended to the ornate ship, transforming back into human form and landing lightly on the deck with Rover's hand in his.
At that moment, Lucian noticed a suitcase behind the curtain suddenly sprout hands and scurry away.
Brant scratched his head in confusion. How did the Jinzhou Sentinel turn into Lucian?
Seeing Brant's puzzled expression, Lucian asked, "Something wrong?"
Brant cautiously asked, "Excuse me… are you the Jinzhou Sentinel Jué… or Lucian?"
Rover shook her head. "How could the Jinzhou Sentinel be here? This is obviously Lucian. But you know him?"
Brant let out a sigh of relief. So it's Lucian—then it's fine… or not!
This is the God of Universal Love, even more powerful than the Jinzhou Sentinel! No wonder he could dispel the whale's illusion and the surrounding fog.
But if it's Lucian, it's not surprising.
At the same time, Brant felt a bit relieved. Earlier, he'd only seen Rover.
According to the second lady of the Montelli family, the ones coming to Rinascita should be Lucian and Rover.
Now it seemed correct. Since he was in the presence of the God of Universal Love, he decided to be upfront about his identity.
So he said, "I learned of your names from the Jinzhou forums…"
"Oh, let me introduce myself first."
He took off his hat and bowed slightly. "I'm Brant, the captain of this ship."
"As you can see, we're a 'traveling troupe,' a group of—freedom-seeking fools."