Goblin Dependency

Sarisa is the crew member on the Black Tide Hunter with the highest Perception Attribute.

During the brief exchange with the two adventurer teams earlier, while Xia Nan slyly observed the opposition, she was also carefully probing the situation on the Vengeance Blade Blade under the cover of her comrades.

In terms of Professional Level, it should be Lorin, the captain, who is the highest.

Yet among the crowd, there was another aura that caught her attention.

If "Vengeance Blade" Lorin is a blazing flame burning on the sea, then the feeling Xia Nan gives Sarisa... might be somewhat abstract and hard to describe, but it’s like a Lone Wolf strolling leisurely in the depths of the night.

A sharpness hidden in seemingly gentle movements, ferocity flickering in the depths of mysterious wolf eyes.

That suffocating feeling, as if being noticed after one more glance would make one prey, was something Sarisa had never felt anywhere else but in the presence of demons.

She also knew very well in her heart what such a strong sense of presence under Perception meant.

It meant a danger on the same level as team leader Lorin of the Vengeance Blade Blade Ship Group, if not greater, as well as power far surpassing other adventurers in the group.

Recalling the recent rumors in the Southern Islands about the horrific scenes left behind after the battles of "Haiya" and the dismal encounters of those gang members...

Sarisa had no doubt, if the Black Tide Hunter indeed had a fight with the Vengeance Blade Blade as the Half Beastman Warrior suggested.

The short time Lorin and Aude were in a standoff would probably have been enough for "Haiya" to severely damage the rest of them.

"Alright, it’s all over now. Just be careful if we encounter them again in the future."

Captain Aude interrupted the discussion.

The trade had now been completed, and although it had cost a lot, there was no longer any worry about supplies.

As for the Vengeance Blade Blade, at least not until after the Sea Rhythm Festival, there would be a chance to meet again.

Currently, the most pressing matter was to complete their mission.

Rumble—

Brilliant lightning flashed deep within the leaden clouds of the sky.

Cold raindrops, caught by the howling wind, fell on their cheeks, and ships that had been sailing on calm seas were violently tossed by the rising waves.

In contrast to the other ships at sea, which were defensively evading the storm, the Black Tide Hunter actively charged into the center of the ferocious waves and storm.

Solely for the target they had been tracking for dozens of days.

"Drip—"

Just as the Black Tide Hunter was engulfed by the tempestuous winds and sailed into the heart of the storm, as if about to be swallowed by the waves at any moment.

Unexpectedly, in the intervals between the thunder, wind, and waves, emerged a deep and lingering resonance.

Like the sound of a horn from the depths of the ocean, seemingly containing some unique power, although the tone was not high, it made those who heard it experience a throbbing pain in their eardrums, and even the deck beneath their feet seemed to tremble.

"There it is! At the three o’clock direction!"

After so many days of chasing across the sea, they had finally caught up.

Aude’s face revealed unrestrained excitement, carrying his nearly five-meter long whaling spear, disregarding the slanting deck due to the waves, he quickly moved to the edge of the ship’s railing.

One free hand clutched the railing tightly, his body slightly leaning forward as he stared intently into the direction from which the horn sound emanated.

Rumble—

Another bolt of lightning struck.

The pale lightning illuminated a world otherwise shrouded in ominous darkness under the gathering storm clouds.

Allowing Aude to glimpse on the distant sea, a massive shadow resembling a reef.

Even though separated by a great distance, shrouded in leaden clouds and rain, its vast size allowed them to witness its exaggerated curvature on the sea surface, and from below, long, slender tendrils that lashed through the air like giant serpents.

Most noticeably, from atop the giant creature’s head, a twisted horn pointed skyward, surrounded by a substantial vortex of mist formed by clouds.

"That’s it! Everyone ready for battle!"

Aude shouted excitedly.

The overly enthusiastic mood also prompted the crew behind him to become unwittingly excited, as if they were about to finish this cursed mission and return to Suo Yu Bay with gold coins to enjoy food and wine.

The Half Beastman Warrior was especially exuberant, nearly leaping into the ocean.

Only Sarisa remained basically calm.

Though she hadn’t noticed the buzzing caused by the demon’s horn affecting intelligent creatures’ minds, her keen Perception Ability instinctively resisted the unnatural, chaotic, and agitated emotion from her depths.

Frowning tightly, the amber vertical pupils, granted by her bloodline, provided more sensitive vision in the dark than an ordinary human.

Gazing at the blurry shadow stirring the storm, a worried thought arose in her mind.

"This creature’s size seems to be far larger than they anticipated."

Without time for Sarisa to give a warning, under the quiet urging of the horn sound, as the ship drew closer, Aude had already raised his whaling spear.

The thick and sturdy chains coiled around his arms and waist, the sharp tip directed towards the colossal figure in the sea.

Aude suddenly took a deep breath, and his already tall and robust frame seemed to expand even further, the muscles beneath his wet clothes bulging threateningly, almost bursting his garments.

Stepping forward, his body leaned back in a pre-throw stance, he looked like a fully drawn longbow.

Then...

"Swoosh!!!"

A piercing sound of tearing through the air erupted in an instant.

The whaling spear, previously held high, vanished from his grasp in an instant, replaced by a silver-gray phantom soaring across the rain-shrouded sea, and at its end, a thick iron chain dragged sparks as it was swiftly reeled in.

Roar—

...

...

"Rumble!"

Deafening thunder resonated across the sky.

The churning leaden clouds had already enveloped most of the sky.

Torrential rain fell, waves rose and fell.

The storm struck.

The Black Tide Hunter, which just left, had already vanished amidst the distant waves, while the Vengeance Blade Blade remained in place, quietly awaiting the oncoming tempest.

Thanks to Xia Nan and Hai Yin’s early detection, the crew had completed their preparations, steadfastly standing at their posts despite the approaching storm.

Taking advantage of the last moments before the storm struck, Xia Nan steadied himself with Tidal Shaping, standing beside Lorin at the helm, asking her for details about the Black Tide Hunter Ship Group.

"They’re just a reasonably strong adventurer team, primarily tasked with hunting sea beasts, earning gold coins through commissioned rewards and Demon Material."

"I haven’t interacted with them much in the past, so I don’t know much either."

"Hmm... ’Whale Anchor’ Aude has some fame, rumored to have killed quite a few high Challenge Level demons, the others are relatively ordinary."

"The ranger with the Metal Longbow?" Lorin recalled while steering the ship.

"I don’t have much impression of her."

"Why, is she noteworthy?"

Xia Nan nodded, replying, "Her Professional Level shouldn’t be low, probably not much different from Aude’s."

"That’s strange." Lorin frowned slightly, "If their team really has such a core member, they shouldn’t be unknown."

"Or perhaps, she just joined the team recently?"

Since it was merely a casual inquiry, and seeing that Lorin was similarly unaware of the ranger’s specifics, Xia Nan didn’t pursue it further.

Just as he was about to change the subject, he noticed a familiar, horn-like sound faintly coming from a distance.

He paused.

"Did you hear that?" he asked instinctively.

"Hear what?"

With a much lower Perception Attribute, Lorin looked puzzled.