We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 471 [The Ship's Soul Awakens] [Volcanic Islands]

Not long after.

Vivian slowly opened her eyes.

The deep purple of the left eye and the emerald green of the right eye no longer clash, but instead present a strange beauty and harmony.

She landed gently, and the spring water rippled with light around her feet.

Xia En asked softly, "How are you feeling?"

Vivian looked down at her hands and suddenly broke into a bright smile.

"I'm so hungry, I want to have a big meal!"

This answer was so unexpected that Xia En was taken aback at first, and then burst into laughter.

Amidst laughter, Vivian suddenly threw herself into his arms, burying her face deeply in his chest.

"Thank you, Captain."

Her voice was muffled, tinged with a sob: "Thank you for not giving up on me."

Xia En patted her back gently, like soothing a frightened cat.

He noticed that Vivian's hair color had also changed—the original pure emerald green was now mixed with a few strands of deep purple, like the aurora flowing in the night sky.

Ann stepped forward, holding a silver-green elven robe in her hands.

"Welcome back, the other me."

Vivian took the robe and put it on, looking at An, who looked almost exactly like her, with a complicated expression.

Vivian is another Lyra from the Seven Seas world.

After experiencing the cataclysmic disaster, they became ghosts.

Later, after being summoned by Lyra, he arrived in the Seven Seas World where Shane was located and obtained most of Lyra's memories.

Ann is the shell left behind after Lyra erased her memories.

It can be said that they are like two complementary and similar individuals.

However, their different experiences shaped their distinct personalities.

Now, they are more like a pair of sisters with very different personalities.

Ann gazed tenderly at Vivian and said softly, "We were originally one, but now we have each taken different paths."

"But no matter what, I'm happy for you."

Vivian pursed her lips, a complex emotion flashing in her heterochromatic eyes.

She suddenly reached out and gently touched Ann's cheek: "Thank you for helping me regain my life."

Two elven girls with almost identical appearances stood facing each other, creating a wondrous scene.

As the strange phenomenon of the Fountain of Life gradually subsided, hurried footsteps could be heard from the outskirts of the sacred site.

A dozen or so elven guards arrived, armed with longbows, led by a silver-haired elven elder.

When they saw the three people standing by the spring, they all froze on the spot.

"This aura..."

The silver-haired elder's pupils contracted sharply, and the longbow in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

"Queen Lyra? No, that can't be..."

This elder was clearly one of the few elves who still remembered Lyra.

Upon seeing two "Queen Lailas," she was naturally astonished beyond measure.

Vivian and Anne turned their heads at the same time, their similar faces carrying completely different auras.

Anne maintained her gentle smile, while Vivian tilted her head, a playful glint flashing in the deep purple of her left eye.

"Queen Lyra no longer exists."

Ann explained softly, "Standing before you is Vivian, and me—Ann."

The elves looked at each other in bewilderment, and the silver-haired elder took a trembling step forward.

"But this soul fluctuation..."

He suddenly knelt on one knee: "Whoever you are, to be able to feel this presence again is an immense blessing for us old folks."

Vivian tugged at the hem of her robe somewhat uncomfortably, and Xia En stepped forward at the opportune moment.

"Vivian is now on my crew. If there are no objections, we should set sail."

……

……

When Shane returned to the Black Swan with Vivian and Anne, the setting sun was turning the deck golden.

Feiya was squatting at the stern, inspecting the steam pipes, the mechanical arm making a clicking sound.

He looked up when he heard footsteps and couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

"Miss Ghost?"

Vivian tilted her head and smiled, the deep purple of her left eye looking particularly eerie in the twilight.

"No, I'm alive and well right now!"

"You can call me... Miss Witch!"

At this moment, Jane and the fairy Tracy also came out of the cabin.

With Jane's keen eyesight, she could naturally see that Vivian had transformed from a ghost into a physical being.

She could even see the power of the laws of [annihilation] and [rebirth] on Vivian's body.

These two contradictory laws coexisted harmoniously within Vivian, which surprised her.

Just as Vivian and Jane locked eyes.

A muffled thud suddenly came from the other side of the deck.

Everyone turned to look and saw that the spellbook in Joey's hand had fallen onto the deck.

The white-haired girl's red eyes trembled slightly, and the lingering glow of her secret power remained on her fingertips.

"Joey?"

Just as Xia En was about to speak, he saw the siren girl suddenly turn her face away, her long, snow-white hair drawing an arc in the air.

"Congratulations, Captain, on gaining another...powerful crew member."

Joey's voice was deliberately calm, but the slight tremor at the end betrayed her emotions.

Vivian blinked her heterochromatic eyes and suddenly revealed a sly smile.

She deliberately moved closer to Xia En: "Miss Joey, it's been a long time."

Xia En raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

At the same time, he keenly noticed that Joey's fingers, which were gripping his robe, suddenly tightened.

The steam core on Feiya's body made a "humming" sound, and she quietly took half a step back.

Jane adjusted her glasses and prepared to walk back to the cabin.

Even the usually oblivious Tracy opened her eyes wide, her gaze shifting back and forth between the three of them.

The atmosphere on the deck froze instantly.

Joey's long, snow-white hair moved without wind, and her red eyes flashed with a dangerous light.

The secret power she gathered at her fingertips was almost tangible, emitting a faint crackling sound in the air.

"Miss Ghost... no, should I call you Miss Witch now?"

Joey's voice was as cold as ice: "Looks like your newfound life has made you too proud of yourself."

Vivian's lips curled into a defiant smile, and the deep purple of her left eye intensified.

She deliberately took Xia En's arm: "What? Miss Joey, don't you welcome me back?"

Xia En felt a soft touch on his arm, and two gazes that seemed to pierce through him.

He coughed lightly, about to speak and mediate—

Suddenly, the entire Black Swan ship began to shake violently!
"what happened?"

Feiya looked around in surprise.

A deep hum came from deep within the ship's cabin, as if some enormous creature was awakening.

The grain of the wooden deck lit up one by one, emitting a faint blue light.

Immediately afterwards, a joyful long cry rang in everyone's minds.

【Master!!!】Shaen suddenly realized.

It turns out that Xiao Hei has finally woken up after a period of recuperation.

Moreover, Shane also noticed something.

After this period of slumber, Xiao Hei's soul seemed to be more resilient and stable than before.

This may be the effect of "destruction before construction".

Xia En felt the cheerful mental fluctuations in his mind, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

He raised his hand and gently stroked the deck's texture: "Little Black, welcome back."

In the spiritual world.

Little Black transformed into the shape of a black swan and affectionately circled around Xia En.

Now that Xiao Hei has awakened, it is necessary for Xia En to explain the next steps of the plan to the crew.

Xia En surveyed the people on the deck and said in a deep voice.

"Our next goal is to use the power of [Fleeting Time] to travel to the [Secret Sea] and find Laila's whereabouts."

He took out the compass that shimmered with silver light; the pointer moved automatically even without wind, pointing to some unknown direction.

Joey frowned, her long, snow-white hair gleaming coldly in the setting sun.

"Captain, you and the Black Swan may bear the marks of the Great Sin Apostle and the Corruption Apostle."

"Once we attempt to traverse the secret realm, we might be intercepted by the Fel Fate Master in the secret realm passage, just like before."

Jane nodded to herself.

The encounter with [Hui Si Ming] during the [Secret Realm Travel] was far too dangerous.

It left a deep psychological scar on all the crew members of the Black Swan.

If it weren't for the [Secret Sea Beast] blocking their way, they would probably have already died at the hands of [Filthy Fate].

If they had entered another "Secret Realm" that was even more dangerous than the "Furnace Secret Realm," they might have perished there.

Xia En had anticipated this and spoke up.

"Of course I didn't plan to directly attempt [Secret Realm Travel]."

“Before that, we need to find a way to remove the mark left by the [Apostle of Corruption].

"Or... find a way to block this mark."

"At the same time, the Black Swan and the Diamond Star also need to undergo a complete refining and upgrade."

"Our dwarf friends might be able to help with this."

Shane continued, "I've already asked Grom, and he said that with the right materials, we could even make this ship resistant to Outer God corruption!"

Shane's words gave the crew a pleasant surprise.

They had already witnessed the dwarves' superb forging skills in the [Forge Realm].

And for Grom, the lord of Molten City, to say these words is undoubtedly more convincing.

"However, these days, Grom has been busy with the migration and resettlement of his people."

"We'll have to wait until they've settled down before we talk about it."

As he spoke, Xia En turned his gaze to Vivian: "Besides, Vivian has just been resurrected and needs time to adapt to her new power."

Vivian blinked her heterochromatic eyes and gently lifted her fingertip.

A wisp of deep purple [Annihilation] power swirled in his palm, only to be quickly neutralized by the emerald green [Rebirth] power.

She smiled slightly: "Indeed, I still need some practice."

Joey crossed her arms and narrowed her red eyes slightly.

"So, the captain means... we should stay in the Seven Seas World for now and focus on improving our overall strength?"

"Yes."

Xia En looked around at everyone: "The threat of [Hui Si Ming] still exists, we cannot act rashly."

"Moreover, the Federation is currently facing infiltration by the Black Tide Cult, and we may be able to obtain some intelligence from it as well."

Jane pushed up her glasses and calmly analyzed the situation.

"The power of the Black Tide and the Foul Fate is of the same origin."

"If we can develop a way to counter the Black Tide, it might also weaken the Fel God's pursuit of us."

The steam core on Feiya's body hummed excitedly, "I can help improve the ship's defense system!"

"The alloy materials we brought back from the [Forge Realm] will come in handy."

The atmosphere on the deck became lively again, and even Joey's tense expression relaxed a little.

As the sun sets, it casts a final golden glow on the Black Swan.

Xia En stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the night sky that was gradually being illuminated by starlight.

He could sense that beneath this brief calm, undercurrents were surging.

But at this moment, looking at the reliable partners around him, his heart was filled with unprecedented confidence.

No matter what lies ahead, whether it be raging storms or treacherous secrets, the Black Swan will forge ahead fearlessly.

……

……

Several days later, in the waters of the volcanic archipelago at the southernmost tip of the Federation.

Thick smoke mixed with sparks drifted endlessly over the new settlement, which was named "Furnace Island".

After being dormant for hundreds of years, this active volcano was reawakened through the controlled drainage efforts of dwarven engineers, becoming the energy source that powers the entire island.

Shaen stood on the deck of the Black Swan, gazing at the island that was being transformed.

The mountain, which was originally covered with tropical vegetation, has now been carved out with dozens of neat tunnels.

Crimson lava flows like blood vessels through transparent crystal pipes, providing energy to the numerous forging workshops scattered across the mountain's surface.

"They moved really fast."

Joey leaned against the ship's railing, his white hair fluttering in the hot wind; "Three days ago, this was just a temporary dock."

Vivian leaned on the railing, her heterochromatic eyes reflecting the bustling scene below.

"The dwarves have lived underground for thousands of years, and digging tunnels is one of their specialties."

This is true.

When Shane's boots stepped onto the newly built basalt pier, he could clearly feel the regular vibrations beneath his feet.

That wasn't volcanic activity, but the resonance of thousands of steam hammers working simultaneously.

The air was filled with the unique smell of sulfur mixed with metal, and the rough shouts of the dwarves could be heard from afar.

"Captain Shane!"

Grom's loud voice came from the end of the pier.

The dwarven lord was dressed in formal mithril armor today, the War Hammer emblem on his chest gleaming.

Behind him followed twelve dwarven guards wielding ceremonial battle axes, the blades of which danced with orange-red runes.

"It seems you've settled in."

Xia En greeted him with a smile, noticing that the bronze gears embedded in the dock pillars were rotating at a constant speed.

That was a specially designed earthquake-resistant device by the dwarves, capable of counteracting the slightest vibrations in the volcanic area.

Grom slapped Shane on the back with a force that would make an ordinary person stagger: "Thanks to the coral concrete sent by the Federation!"

"We used lava to heat the molds, and the main structure was completed in three days."

He pointed to the giant circular device being installed on the mountainside.

"That's the first large furnace stabilizer; it will be ready for testing tonight."

Following the spiraling lava walkway, Shane saw that the entire island was divided into three ring-shaped areas.

The outermost area is the port and trade zone, where more than a dozen federal transport ships are currently docked.

The middle level is the residential area, with mushroom-shaped stone houses arranged in a staggered manner;

The restricted area surrounding the crater at the summit is the core area of ​​the furnace currently under construction.

Obvious.

This [Volcanic Archipelago] has become the territory of the dwarves of [Forge Realm]!
(End of this chapter)