CHAPTER 764: CHAPTER 764: THE DANGERS OF THE SEA

The dangers of the sea are not always the creatures that reside in it or the unknown phenomenon that no one knew about but suddenly appeared on their journey.

No, the most dangerous thing at sea was the long journey and the unpredictable weather.

After their tense encounter with the mighty sea beast—the Kraken—everyone aboard the ship was exhausted, both in body and spirit.

The sheer pressure of facing a Peak Rank 7 Spirit Beast had left even Wuhan cautious and thoughtful.

Most of the guards, still recovering, had retreated to their cabins to rest. Only a few remained on deck, quietly taking turns keeping watch over the calm yet treacherous sea.

Wuhan also came out from time to time, silently walking the deck and checking their position.

But only a few short hours had passed since their narrow escape when something new began to stir.

It started small.

A sudden chill in the air.

A light gust of wind that didn’t match the calm around them.

Dark clouds began to gather far ahead in the sky.

Rumble! Rumble!!

It didn’t take long for everyone to notice. One by one, they stepped out onto the deck, looking toward the horizon. What they saw made their hearts sink.

A massive storm was heading straight for them.

It was so wide, so dark, and so tall that they couldn’t see where it began or where it ended. A thick wall of clouds loomed ahead, and thunder rolled through the sky.

Noah was already on deck, watching quietly.

Wuhan joined him and said with a low voice, "There’s no way around it."

Noah nodded. "We have to go through."

With no one controlling the ship, it moved straight ahead, and in no time the black ship pushed forward into a terrifying storm.

Huge waves crashed against the sides, and the wind howled like angry spirits. A giant cyclone spun ahead of them, pulling clouds and water into a swirling vortex.

Above, thunder rolled through the sky, and lightning flashed nonstop.

But that was not the end of it, not at all.

To their right, a tornado was slowly forming, rising from the sea like a water dragon.

It looked like something out of an old pirate story with a drunk captain and a bunch of misfits sailing through the dark seas—but this was all too real.

Noah stood near the railing, eyes sharp. He had faced many dangers in his life, but sailing through a storm like this wasn’t one of his strengths.

He could guide the ship around danger, but he couldn’t steer it himself—not in these conditions.

"But... who’s steering?" A guard looked nervous. "None of us has any experience to deal with a situation like this."

"We have had our fair share of our sea adventures, but..." Another guard spoke in fear as he looked at the dangers all around them and muttered. "nothing like this..."

Rumble... Crack!

A flash of lightning danced across the clouds above. Another boom rolled across the sea, louder than before. The ship rocked gently as the waves began to grow larger.

"We need someone at the wheel!" one of the guards shouted.

That’s when Captain Black Sword stood up from his usual spot on the deck. Somehow, he had already gotten his hat back on his head, and for once, he wasn’t joking around.

He walked to the ship’s wheel and cracked his knuckles.

"Time for a proper ride," he said.

Everyone stared in surprise.

"Wait, Captain can sail?" one of the guards asked.

"You have no idea what I can do," Black Sword replied, grinning. It was like he had turned into a different person. All of his laziness had vanished just like the times when he wielded his sword, but he looked different from those times too.

"Praise the Sea." There was a hint of maniacal fervor in his eyes.

Then, without warning, he grabbed the wheel—and turned it sharply.

The ship tilted and groaned as it responded to his control.

Wind whipped across the deck. Rain began to pour. The sails flapped wildly before the glowing runes held them steady. The whole ship creaked as it pushed forward, straight toward the cyclone.

"Is he serious?!" someone shouted.

"We can only trust him for now." Wuhan appeared casual, as if he knew something like this would happen.

There was a reason he brought the slacking captain along with him and not anyone else. He knew no one else who had better sailing skills than Captain Black Sword.

Noah saw his confidence and calmed down.

’If things get worse, I can always use my powers to guide the ship.’ He thought about moving to the edge of the ship and looking down at the raging tides clashing against the wooden planks of the ship, the splashes brushing past his face.

The tornado on the side roared louder as it moved closer. Waves crashed against the hull. The ship trembled—but Captain Black Sword didn’t slow down.

He spun the wheel with expert hands.

"Hold on!" he yelled. "We’re riding the edge!"

The guards clung to whatever they could grab—ropes, railings, the sides of the mast—faces pale and drenched in rain. Their knuckles turned white as they held on for dear life.

"Is he insane?!" One of them shouted, his voice almost drowned by the roaring wind.

"We’re going to die! He’s going to sail us straight into the heart of the storm!" another cried, panic setting into his voice.

Even Sylvheriel, who was normally calm and composed, looked shaken. Her red eyes were wide, her green hair whipping in the wind. She turned toward Wuhan, shouting through the chaos, "You said he was lazy, not suicidal!"

Wuhan didn’t answer. He stood steady near the mainmast, cloak fluttering violently, watching the captain work with a strange kind of trust in his eyes.

The straw hat captain still had a frenzied look in his eyes as he charged straight at the cyclone.

His one eye was on the massive spiraling crater in the sea while the other was on the typhoon that had fully formed and was charging straight at them.