Chapter 84: Ghost Ships |
“Tsk tsk!”
Kyle smacked his lips. He had to admit that brute force sometimes did work quite well.
Unfortunately, it was only quite well.
The thing inside the rift was probably unable to come out for now, but the problem was that the rift itself still existed.
As long as the rift remained, the collapse of the secret realm was only a matter of time.
Like a dangerous building with its supporting pillars broken—when it would collapse was just a question of time.
He was very curious how the empire planned to patch up such a massive hole.
Just as he was waiting to see the next move of that Legendary—
“Boss, something huge has happened in Coral Thorn City!”
The night sky over the harbor was covered by heavy dark clouds. What should have been a star-filled sky was now dim and gray.
Only a few faint strands of moonlight pierced through the clouds, shining onto a rapidly spreading dense fog over the sea, illuminating the silhouettes of several massive ships—masts broken, hulls covered in seaweed and rust.
Even from far away, one could clearly hear the eerie rustling sound of their tattered sails flapping like shredded cloth in the wind.
“Holy shit! Ghost ships?! And a whole fleet of them?!!”
Kyle nearly lost control of his consciousness, almost detaching from Alvaro.
He had initially thought that the indescribable terrifying aura he sensed came from the secret realm—who would’ve thought it was these ghost ships!
Misfortune never came alone—when it rains, it pours!
Ghost ships were cursed vessels that sailed with death. The seas they passed became dead waters, the ports they docked at turned into domains of the dead, and wherever they went became a living hell.
And now—an entire fleet had arrived!
Was this really necessary?!
Not even giving a chance?
Kyle had no mind left to watch how the Legendary would deal with the secret realm. He had to deal with these ghost ships first.
Otherwise, even if the secret realm issue was resolved, Coral Thorn City would probably become a ghost city!
Huh?
Wait!
Wouldn’t a ghost city be easier for him to rule?
No! No!
Kyle quickly reined in his ridiculous wandering thoughts. What use did he have for a ghost city?
“Alvaro, return to Coral Thorn City immediately.”
Kyle’s consciousness spoke through the mental link, while swiftly switching to Montoya’s perspective.
At this moment, Montoya, Isos, and a group of wraiths led by Selena were hovering over a seaside cliff near the harbor, watching the fog draw closer and ships frantically fleeing away from it.
Any ship touched by the fog instantly lost power. Its hull rapidly decayed and rotted.
The people onboard screamed and jumped into the sea, only to struggle briefly before their bodies stiffened, turning into pale corpses with twisted expressions, floating on the surface.
Now, at the harbor, no one was trying to board ships anymore—instead, they were desperately fleeing back toward the city.
“The ghost ships are here!”
“Run!”
Anyone living by the sea had heard terrifying tales of ghost ships.
On the narrow dock pathways, countless people were pushed to the ground, trampled under heavy footsteps.
Screams, cries, and hysterical wails mixed together, tearing through the night like vengeful spirits, shredding the already fragile nerves of everyone present.
Gann Cole sat slumped atop a lighthouse.
He had completely given up on maintaining order. Only one thought remained in his mind: I’m tired… just let everything be destroyed already.
How could people be this unlucky?!
In nearly three hundred years of adventuring, nothing had ever been as “exhilarating” as these past few months!
When O’Brien arrived at the harbor and saw the surging fog over the sea, he too was momentarily stunned.
A ghost ship fleet of this scale—he had only seen such records in Paladin scriptures.
He never thought he would witness it in reality.
Looking at the completely collapsed crowd—
The next moment, he did not hesitate.
Holy light burst from his body, shooting into the sky like a sword splitting the clouds, instantly illuminating the entire harbor.
He was going to summon a Legendary Paladin!
The fleeing crowd instinctively stopped. Even those about to be swallowed by the deathly fog looked up toward the holy pillar piercing the heavens.
Kyle, who was thinking of how to deal with the ghost ships, nearly had his “jaw” drop at the sudden appearance of the holy light pillar.
He didn’t need to look—didn’t even need to think—to know this was O’Brien’s doing.
Was he really going this far?
It could only be said—truly worthy of being a Paladin! Such decisiveness in sacrifice!
Unfortunately… it was already too late.
It seemed this Paladin knew nothing about ghost ships.
Fully immersed in the summoning ritual, O’Brien suddenly realized he couldn’t establish contact with any Paladin at all—it was as if he were drifting alone in a void.
“Stop searching. You’ve been blocked.”
O’Brien stared blankly at Kyle’s mental projection that had intruded into his ritual.
“You… you… you…”
He simply couldn’t understand how this vampire could enter the sacred network created by Paladins.
“Stop acting so shocked.”
Kyle curled his lips.
“This area is already under the influence of the ghost ships’ Path of the Departed. With your Grandmaster-level holy light, you can’t break their blockade—let alone when this isn’t just one ship, but an entire fleet!”
“As for why I can enter your ritual—none of your business.”
Kyle wasn’t about to reveal his secrets—nor those of his subordinates.
Seeing O’Brien still dazed, Kyle added:
“Stop wasting your holy light here. I’ll handle the ghost ships. You go figure out how to calm the people in Coral Thorn City. And remember—change your appearance. Don’t expose your identity as Master Ryan.”
With that, Kyle disappeared, his consciousness returning to Montoya.
“Selena, you all should leave first. The ghost ships suppress you too strongly.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The translucent wraiths emitting faint white light bowed respectfully before gradually fading into the air.
Under the influence of O’Brien’s massive pillar of holy light, the panic within Coral Thorn City began to subside.
“Is that holy light?!”
“Thank goodness! A Paladin has come—we’re saved!”
“It must be the gods sending a Paladin! Thank the gods!”
O’Brien finally regained his senses. Slowly withdrawing the holy light, he simultaneously controlled his muscles to alter his appearance.
He didn’t completely retract the light. Instead, he transformed it into a pair of gentle white wings, continuously radiating healing and calming energy in all directions.
Everyone bathed in the light found their wounds rapidly healing, their fear gradually fading.
“Everyone listen—return to the city immediately and stay away from the harbor. I will handle the ghost ship crisis. Do not panic!”
O’Brien’s steady, reassuring voice spread far and wide along with the holy light.
“Tsk… truly worthy of a Paladin. That presence, that ability to calm people—it’s no exaggeration.”
Kyle watched O’Brien basking in divine display before the crowd, practically drooling with envy.
I wanted that kind of spotlight too!
Unfortunately, if I did it…
I’d probably scare half the people to death on the spot…