"A Ghost Ship, feels a bit interesting."
"In that case—"
"Let's see what it's capable of!"
"Don't disappoint me."
Uzumaki Naruto's eyes flickered as he poured the Ghost Ship out of the drift bottle.
The Ghost Ship, which was less than half the size of a palm, rapidly grew larger at a visible speed after leaving the drift bottle, continuously pushing aside the surrounding space, transforming into a colossal object that floated in the sky without falling.
"It seems this is the Ghost Ship's original form."
Uzumaki Naruto surveyed the Ghost Ship before him.
Unlike the Ghost Ships in the Ghost Sea, the Ghost Ship before him had no rotten or decaying parts; it was perfectly intact, exuding a mysterious, ancient, and chilling aura.
It seemed to possess its own domain!
It was clearly daytime, but around the Ghost Ship, a patch of night and ocean seemed to envelop it.
Gekko, as cold as frost, spilled onto the boundless, inky black sea.
Right at the boundary where waves and mist merged, it quietly stood—a colossal ship, breathtaking in its immense size.
It was not a dilapidated, decaying wreck, but rather like an ancient ruin forgotten by time, submerged by the entire sea for thousands of years, yet miraculously it had not collapsed or decayed.
The hull was not made of ordinary wood; it was more like some deep, ink-black metal or strange stone that absorbed all light, smooth and cold, covered with a thick, greasy layer of greenish-grey verdigris that shimmered with a faint, damp glow under the Gekko.
Three towering masts pierced the dark blue sky, bare and stark, with sails as black as ink.
The deck was empty, unsettlingly vast.
There were no sailors, no cargo, not even common ropes or barrels.
The most chilling part was the figurehead.
It was not a mermaid or a sea beast, but a colossal, twisted, non-human, non-beast statue, made of the same material as the hull, as black as iron.
The statue's face was indistinct, its features eroded by time, leaving only a deep, hollow eye socket that stared fixedly into the unknown darkness ahead.
This was the Gold-Grade, legendary Ghost Ship!
The shadow beneath Uzumaki Naruto's feet writhed, retracting the Dark Dusk Court, and his figure slowly descended, his feet landing on the deck.
"Tap, tap, tap"
On the empty Ghost Ship, only Uzumaki Naruto's footsteps echoed.
Following an ethereal guidance, he arrived at the captain's cabin.
With a "whoosh."
The pitch-black captain's cabin lit up with a dim light; the kerosene lamp on the wooden table ignited itself, illuminating the objects on the table.
A thick, cowhide-bound booklet.
An ancient, yellowed parchment scroll.
Uzumaki Naruto walked closer to examine them.
The cowhide book was titled "Captain's Handbook."
After "Captain," there was a blank space requiring a signature.
"Captain, Uzumaki Naruto," Uzumaki Naruto said indifferently.
The next moment.
Charred marks, as if from a flame, appeared on the yellowed paper.
The charring became clearer, finally forming Uzumaki Naruto's surname and given name.
At this moment, the entire Ghost Ship was under Uzumaki Naruto's control.
"It's very strange, the ship feels like a living being."
"And then—"
"This navigation chart, it must be the most important and core item of the Ghost Ship, right?"
Uzumaki Naruto thought, and a yellowed, ancient parchment scroll that had been on the table appeared out of thin air, grasped in his hand, and unrolled for him to examine.
An ancient, damp scent, mixed with the salty tang of the sea, wafted towards him.
The entire parchment, which did not seem too large, depicted the map of the entire Goblin Slayer World!
However, some unexplored areas were shrouded in black mist.
But all the places Uzumaki Naruto had visited were already clear, even with place names marked.
Border Town, Iron Water Village, Goblin Forest, Water Capital, Great Snow Mountain, Wind Capital—
All of them were there!
"Destination—Ghost Sea!"
"Speed? The fastest possible!"
After Uzumaki Naruto set the route and speed, the Ghost Ship's previously still sails billowed without wind, and then with a "swoosh,"
It transformed into a black streak without warning, rushing towards the distant Ghost Sea!
Its speed was far greater than Uzumaki Naruto's own flight using Shadow Wings.
At the same time.
The Wind Capital Ship, under the escort of the Crown Prince, Heather, and other Golden-level Adventurers, after eliminating another wave of sea sirens named "Sirens," successfully spotted the huge island hidden behind the mist—Dragon Island!
It was also the Dragon Mother's lair.
In the past, Dragon Island, with its cliffs and strange rock formations, would undoubtedly have many flying dragons circling above.
But because Dragon Mother Tiamat attacked the Wind Capital a month ago, all the flying dragons on the island were dispatched, leaving only Dragon Mother Tiamat on Dragon Island now.
Dragon Island had no port, so the Wind Capital Ship, given its draft, could not dock.
Similarly, for safety, they couldn't get too close to Dragon Island, to avoid being affected by shockwaves during a battle and getting into unnecessary danger.
"Crown Prince, should we land on the island ahead of time?"
"Or should we—wait for Sir Uzumaki Naruto to return?"
The Insectoid Monk gazed at Dragon Island, which was filled with a demonic aura, and asked worriedly.
Although it wasn't jealousy, the Crown Prince harbored a certain ambition, wanting to compete with Uzumaki Naruto.
The dragon slaying before him was the best opportunity to prove himself.
But!
More than ambition, the Crown Prince valued his own life.
The terrifying and strange aura emanating from Dragon Island made the Crown Prince's skin crawl.
This aura was even more terrifying than the Forbidden Lord Kraken in the Ghost Sea!
The Crown Prince swallowed hard, shaking his head and saying, "Let's wait for Sir Uzumaki Naruto to return first. Eliminating Dragon Mother Tiamat is no small matter; it would be terrible if she escaped."
The Half-Human Archer's forehead broke out in cold sweat, and he nodded, saying, "The Crown Prince is right. We've waited so many years anyway, there's no need to rush."
The aura emanating from Dragon Island was too terrifying.
Even without strong mental power, one could perceive with the naked eye the dark revulsion spreading from the central area of Dragon Island into the air, like Kraken's tentacles swaying.
If even the Gold-Grade adventurers were like this, let alone ordinary adventurers.
They, along with the crew, all hid in the Wind Capital Ship's cabin, their breathing heavy, their hearts feeling as if a huge stone was pressing down on them.
Just as the Crown Prince, Heather, Doria, and others were discussing and deciding to wait for Uzumaki Naruto's return.
Dragon Mother Tiamat, who was napping in the central valley of Dragon Island, suddenly awoke.
She had only slept for a short while, which was a full month in human time.
Upon this awakening, her thick dragon-scaled eyelids suddenly opened, and her dark golden vertical pupils abruptly contracted.
She sensed that her blood-related flying dragons had lost all contact, having all perished.
She also sensed human auras outside Dragon Island!
"My children! My children!"
"How could you all die?!"
"Damned humans!!"
"You even dare to come to Dragon Island? You're practically seeking death!"
"In that case, all of you die for me!"—Dragon Mother Tiamat's hysterical roar echoed through the surrounding valleys, reverberating through the sky, and even reaching beyond Dragon Island!