CHAPTER 545: CHAPTER 490: SETTING OUT AGAIN

The gentle sea breeze swept across the Treasure Sea.

Pipi Snake swung its steel-like long tail, the fierce whirlpool providing it with powerful thrust, moving swiftly towards the northern shore of the Treasure Sea, yet its head, flat like a small boat on the surface, remained motionless like a reef in the sea.

A normal ship would need to carefully navigate for a month and a half, but for it, the journey takes only six days.

On the spacious head of the "Thorny Crown Sea Serpent".

Aiven and Olivia sat across from each other at a small cherry wood table, fully absorbed in writing and drawing on paper, reminiscent of childhood friends doing homework together after school.

Perhaps... not everyone was so fully absorbed.

Putting down the golden quill in his hand and the ship design draft that was only a third completed, Aiven propped his chin with one hand and began admiring the view across the table.

The girl had changed out of her uniform and into a silk water-green long dress.

The off-shoulder design accentuated her soft, round, and fair shoulders. Short sleeves made of layered white tulle revealed her delicate lotus-like arms, and the skirt was decorated with patterns of water waves made of silver threads and gemstones, perfectly matching the girl’s temperament.

This long dress was the spoils they once won, the "Fairy Spring".

With "Data Visualization" precisely measuring the size, Aiven had made minute adjustments to the dress using "Activated Spiritual Light." Now, on the girl, it looked exceptionally elegant and fitting, endlessly pleasing to the eye.

Of course, Aiven sincerely believed Olivia herself was more beautiful than any master-crafted long dress.

The brain that had been racking itself at full speed to design the ideal "Legendary Battleship" now felt as if it had dipped into a refreshing spring, bringing an internal and external sense of comfort and relaxation.

However.

Perhaps his gaze was too overt, for Olivia soon found herself unable to continue writing.

Putting down her nearly completed "Method of Cultivating Organic Gemstones," she held a quill pen similar to Aiven’s in one hand and pinched her slender waist with the other, casting a disapproving glance at Aiven:

"What are you staring at? Have you finished your battleship design sketches?"

Gentle and composed, without a hint of lethality, Aiven waved his hand, staring into the girl’s eyes without blinking:

"No, not in a hurry. Neither my own Wizard Level nor the Inheritance Secret Scrolls of the second volume and fourth volume have appeared. With only ship materials, it’s impossible to turn the sketches into reality."

"Secrets of Chasing Girls" Rule One: Be bold, meticulous, and thick-skinned; an experienced theorist is still an expert.

"By the way, Hesi, how do you find my feather pen?"

After having barely maintained control while facing the true form of Demigod Kurutena, Aiven had grown two golden feathers from himself. Unabashedly, he fitted them with sapphire tips, making two feather pens.

He gifted one to Olivia.

Mixed with the powers from the "Adventurer’s Blood" of Ocean Goddess Thetis and the "Golden Feather" from the goddess of the sky, Kurutena. For the two of them, they were the best writing tools, enhancing not only regular text but also Spiritual Text, Witchcraft Sigil, Runes, Techniques... with exceptional results.

"Of course, it’s useful, but alas, there are only these two in the world. How about...you sacrifice a bit more?"

Olivia blinked her beautiful sapphire eyes, her gaze scanning Aiven, even reaching out her slender hands to tug at his shirt corners.

Until Aiven, defeated, hastily dodged and pleaded for a reprieve.

After a small retort, Olivia, who seemed like a real seasoned player, sneered:

"Hmph, coward!"

After their usual banter, the girl fixed his clothes and spoke of serious matters:

"Aiven, do you have any ideas for a suitable original host medium to cultivate organic gemstones?"

"Hmm, more or less. ’Flesh Sacrifice’ mentions a few places. We can look for them when we return to the Old Continent..."

Currently, cultivating organic gemstones is the most important research project they have at hand.

They have even expanded it into the "Standardized Gemstone Industrial System." The significance of standardized synthetic gemstones for wizards can be paralleled with the impact standard caliber shells have on shipborne artillery.

Not only does it greatly reduce the cost and difficulty of casting spells, but it also exponentially boosts the promotion of Gem Witchcraft.

Like the effect of papermaking on the dissemination of cultural knowledge, the more members eligible to join the School, the stronger the School’s power becomes, bringing them closer to the ultimate Truth Embodiment.

For Aiven, it may merely represent wealth, but for Olivia, and even the Upper-Rank Wizard Nymph, it concerns the future path of wizards.

Additionally, after the downfall of Dahomey, the title of "Nation Destroyer" automatically bestowed upon him. With a hint from the Sword Saint, this could be related to Aiven’s knightly path.

However, when he uses his body, or even the wizard’s extraordinary Spiritual Sense, nothing feels different from before. Only when connecting with the Mysterious Source "Life Tree" in his capacity as the chief of Vitalist School through a ritual can he sense an elusive power swirling around him.

That is likely the force belonging to the "Name" mentioned by the "Rose Sword Saint," akin to the Power of Faith of the Gods, also one of the roots of the mighty power of the Tier 4 Knight.

But currently, Aiven lacks the ability to harness such unfathomable power.

However, in the national extermination campaign, especially from the Phaletis Alchemy School Wizards of the Tulip, they managed to seize a vast collection of books, magic books, manuscripts, and notes documenting its unique witchcraft from the "Voodoo Sect" collection.

Aiven naturally copied a copy as well.

And he discovered something interesting in it.

Initially, he couldn’t understand the thoughts behind the "Voodoo Sect" founder, this organization which appears to be a sect but is actually a part of the Black Wizard School, whose ultimate creation is a living "God" with independent consciousness?

Later, after seeing those treasured witchcraft books, he understood. The original "Voodoo Sect" was no different from other traditional beliefs of the Anuma people; "Voodoo" merely means God and Elf.

But a century ago, as a large number of slaves brought the belief in Voodoo to the New Continent, it was finally the Voodoo Queen, a white-black mixed Mastizo named Laviu, who established the current form of what appears as a sect but actually functions as a school.

Then she sent it back in reverse to its origin—the Dahomey Kingdom.

This amazingly talented Female Sorcerer combined the concept of the "Mysterious Source" with the idea of "God," using the power of believers’ faith to accelerate the growth of the Mysterious Source, thus walking a special path that combined the advantages of both Wizards and Gods.

Of course, the effect was immediate; within a mere hundred years, it covered paths that countless Wizard Schools hadn’t completed even in millennia.

Seeing this, Aiven had a flash of inspiration, but after careful thinking, he couldn’t make sense of it.

Nevertheless, Aiven felt this point was crucial, whether it’s the limitations of the "Vitalist School" Mysterious Source or the promotion of the "Branded Swordsman," it might all fall upon this.

Besides.

Aiven still had numerous urgent and non-urgent matters at hand.

After the fall of the Dahomey Kingdom, the Rose Sword Saint arranged for Aiven a half-year vacation.

First, because he was too prominent in the war on the Southern Continent, stepping back temporarily from the frontline to digest the gains thoroughly.

Second, the promotion ceremony for Major General required Your Majesty the Queen herself to preside over it, even the Rose Sword Saint, being both a Prince and the father of the Queen, didn’t have the qualification to substitute.

Moreover, Aiven had risen from Sub-Lieutenant to Major General, and as an object of loyalty for the Navy, it was unreasonable that Your Majesty the Queen hadn’t even met him.

Additionally.

Returning to their homeland this time, besides paying an audience to the Queen, they carried another task.

Not long ago, the Tempest Church, which delivered a grand gift to the Tulip, as expected, extended an alliance invitation through Aiven’s communication channels to the Kingdom, stating they had significant matters to discuss with a friendly human nation.

Since it involved a Demigod, Aiven only focused on transmitting the message accurately.

After reporting to the Kingdom, and finally consulting with the Black Iron Cross Church, the higher-ups decided to abandon past grievances and agreed to ally.

Also assigning Aiven, who shared a historical favor with Fisher, the highest-tier clergy of the Tempest Church, to act as liaison officer, to initially assess the situation development and then decide on the subsequent force input.

Never underestimate the bottom line of politicians.

Even though during Hipponeo’s escape, numerous bloodshed was caused to Tulip.

But now both sides have a basis for cooperation, and the higher-ups understood that the Hilus People couldn’t idly watch their own rise, so they must unite all forces that could be united and go after them.

In the Black Sea dispute, the Black Sea Goddess’s side is in a weak position, so naturally, they needed strong assistance.

Both parties agreed to send representatives to meet next February in the city-state Nation of South Wind.

There was plenty of time, no rush to travel slowly.

Before launching the war against Dahomey, Uncle Gel’s family and the "May Wind" had already departed to return home. However, during the next garrison task, he would apply to go to the New Continent to reunite then.

Apprentice Angie followed the "Storm Horn" back to the New Continent. As an Official Wizard, her survival ability had greatly improved, so Aiven wasn’t worried about Angie’s safety.

At critical moments, there was also the Celestial White Deer Minnie and that one Great Albatross with a wingspan close to ten meters, which successfully survived demonization. Their mobility was entirely sufficient.

He could bring along and groom his second apprentice Calvin, helping him fill in his knowledge gap.

Casually taking back the [Ocean Treasure: King Mansa Musa’s Treasure Box], he might not return temporarily, but as long as the Hatrafa Port owned this treasure, the safety coefficient would greatly increase.

After all, even if his sister Anita became the Pirate King, she couldn’t roam freely in the Golden Sea. At least, vigilance towards Hilus would never slack.

As for the batch of Treasure Trees, they are still inside Kaka’s Shadow Secret Vault. Such treasures are best kept by his side to ensure Aiven’s peace of mind. With Kaka’s deliberate control, leaving them for a year or half should be no problem.

Finally having a period of leisure time, perfect for traveling light with Olivia and the two Servant Demons, Pipi and Kaka, for a spin.

With wings growing stronger, seizing this opportunity, Aiven also planned to gradually embark on his dream of becoming a professional adventurer.

For example: starting from a land where humans had never set foot?

However... was it like he had forgotten someone?

In the New Continent’s Hatrafa Port, a solitary snow-white owl was oblivious, focused on handling piles of documents:

"Worker, so busy, so busy, so busy!"