"Caw~caw..." Seagulls circled above, flapping their wings in panic to escape, one dumb bird, in its haste, crashed into a mast and fell onto the deck with a thud.
The voyage to Doli Island is not always smooth sailing; larger waves cause the ship to pitch up and down and sway side to side constantly.
Some people, even if not hunted, either get seasick or can't adapt to the conditions and quickly become targets for others to take advantage of. If their number plates are snatched, they're immediately out, forcibly sent to the cabin, and as time goes by, this situation becomes increasingly severe.
The last ones still standing on the deck... were all familiar faces: Roy, Wutong, Kurajing, Kate, and Bald Ninja Yuusuke.
"Looks like it's these folks this year." Maxim, alongside Gus, was repairing the Sea God, his gaze lingered on Roy for a few seconds, filled with resentment... yet dared not show it.
The young man was excessively bold and infuriating... practically a ship killer, with one slash leaving a trench almost ten meters long, fortunately the ship was sturdy, with a solid keel, otherwise he truly would have dismantled it.
But now is far from a time to complain... "She was right, the storm is imminent!"
Maxim puffed hard on his pipe, squinting towards the distant sky, where dense dark clouds had gathered in a cluster and in no time completely blocked out the sunlight, causing the entire sky to dim.
"Boom~" Several bolts of lightning struck, and purple phosphorescence began to glow on the mast...
Kate furrowed his brow, standing too high and nearly struck by lightning, he quickly slid down the pole...
"It's Holy Degree Ai Road Fire, you're quite brave!" Maxim glared at him over his pipe, a hint of grimness appearing on his weathered face: "Legend has it, those who see the Holy Degree Ai Road Fire are destined never to return."
"Kid, count yourself lucky."
Kate adjusted his hat brim without speaking, raising his eyes to glance at Roy and Wutong, the master and servant sitting and standing, showing no movement.
Kurajing, who longed for the vastness of the world, often read books and had occasionally come across this phenomenon in some popular science books, added an explanation, "It's not so mysterious, it's caused by static electrons in the air or charged rain clouds affecting the electrons on the main sail, leading to a luminescent phenomenon."
"You do know quite a bit." Wutong looked at her unexpectedly, a faint sense of crisis welled up in his heart.
Kurajing smiled slightly, thinking she had finally made herself useful.
Then Maxim shouted: "Gus, take the helm, everyone else come with me and grab the rope!"
Immediately gathering the sailors, they pulled the sails tight and turned to face the storm!
"Whoosh~" The headwind grew fiercer...
In the face of nature, human-made ships are undeniably small!
"Boom~" Tsunamis like raging beasts continuously battered the Sea God.
The Sea God rode the crests of the waves, like walking on thin ice, pitching up and down, swaying side to side, letting out wails of distress.
Those who suffered severe seasickness... could vomit their guts out.
"Aargh~" The sound of retching was incessant, the people on the deck bounced around like balls against the ship's sides from one side to another.
The few who could still maintain composure were just Roy, Wutong, Kate, and Bald Ninja Yuusuke, as for Kurajing, she cleverly clung to the mast, preventing herself from being "bounced" out, but still couldn't hide her pale complexion, tightly shutting her mouth, struggling not to throw up.
The difference between those with "Nen" and those without became apparent...
Wutong's feet seemed nailed to the deck, motionless... Kate adjusted his hat brim, calmly sitting cross-legged on the deck and reached out to grab a flying apple, taking a bite...
Bald Ninja Yuusuke even had the leisure to stand on a barrel, rolling the barrel while practicing single-handed handstands... As for Roy...
The young man sat cross-legged at the bow, Zen-like, with the staff blade resting flat on his knees, pondering how to unify "sun" and "water"...
As if oblivious to the approaching storm....
"Drip~drip" It wasn't long before the dense dark clouds finally drifted over the Sea God... rain began to pour down, intensifying in an instant, forming a torrential downpour, drenching everyone like drowned rats.
"Crack~" Another lightning bolt struck—
Maxim craned his neck to shout at the deck: "Why are you still standing there, hurry into the cabin!"
Yuusuke wiped his bald head, leapt off the rolling ledge, and sensibly headed over... Kate followed behind him, tossing the leftover apple core into the sea....
The deck now lay empty, only Roy, Wutong, and Kurajing remained...
'I can't go on... I can't hold on.' The girl opened her mouth and immediately dry heaved, weakly glancing at Roy and said: "Master, I'll wait for you in the cabin."
Wutong immediately glared with eyes filled with hidden murderous intent!
"Mind your status..." The young butler's tone was dangerous.
Kurajing glanced at Roy...
The young man ignored her, gesturing to Wutong, letting her leave... Kurajing was pardoned, no longer insisting, stumbled into the cabin.
"Crash!" Another thunderclap exploded!
Wutong asked for instructions: "Master..."
Roy closed his eyes in contemplation, then opened his eyes and looked up at the dark clouds, and froze... Black clouds lowering over the city threaten to crush it... what's the next line?
"The armor shines in the sun, with golden scales opening... wonderful... truly wonderful..."
Suddenly the young man stood up, under the torrents of rain, his spirit lifted, and with a "clang" drew out the staff blade!
Instructing Wutong: "Don't worry about me."
With one step forward, his soles coated with a layer of "webbed" Nen, unleashing "Walking on Water," striding across the waves, heading for the storm without looking back!
Waterfalls were still too trivial, only the storm, solely the storm, could bring pressure to Roy.
'Reborn under pressure, or perish under it.' Suddenly this phrase came to mind, and he unleashed a "Water Surface Slash," dancing freely in the storm!
"Master!" Wutong was stunned, standing at the bow, unable to move forward or retreat, frozen.
His shout drew Maxim's attention, who was busy instructing the sailors to hold the sails, noticing the anomaly and followed his gaze, watching the young man dive into the storm like a floating plant...
"He's truly gone mad!"
"Water Breathing·First Form·Water Surface Slash... Second Form·Water Wheel... Third Form·Flowing Dance...."
The typhoon whipped Roy's face taut, the wind pressure made it hard for him to lift his arms, visibly, large muscles wound like dragons crawled menacingly from beneath his skin... at this moment, the young man's face was fierce, two suns "pearled" emerged from his pupils, stubbornly swinging his sword, with each breath, a burning dragon steam issued from his nostrils!