Although Odis recalled that the Fountain of Youth seemed to be a hoax and a ritual prepared by the "Undying King" to ascend to the "Devil", he still used his "flying magic" to arrive on the "Future".
At this moment, Cattleya and the others were discussing the "Fountain of Youth." "Admiral of the Stars" glanced at the "Staff of Gus" in Odis's hand, sprinkled some colored powder, and outlined a scene for Odis from the ruins, on a ship.
It was in a captain's cabin, but there was no one there, except for a Fussack phrase on the wooden floor: Fountain of Youth.
At the end of the word, the bloodstain suddenly bends and becomes longer, and there are obvious drag marks in the room.
It's like someone wanted to leave some information about the Fountain of Youth, but as soon as they wrote a short phrase, they were dragged away by something.
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Odis said, "I have heard some legends about the Fountain of Youth."
Cattleya understood his unspoken meaning: "You don't believe in the existence of the Fountain of Youth?"
"I believe it," Odis smiled. "There may indeed be a Fountain of Youth, but eight or nine out of ten times the water from the Fountain of Youth would bring great negative effects."
"To give you an example, if you could turn someone into a monster but gain immortality, would anyone be willing to try something like that?"
Anderson, who had been quite pleased just moments before, suddenly became somewhat disappointed: "Can't we just keep up with some positive fantasies?"
However, he knew very well that what the "Mysterious Admiral" said was closer to the truth: given the extraordinary and twisted nature of the fountain of youth, even if there were such a thing as the Fountain of Youth, there should be unacceptable negative effects.
"Let's not think about how the Fountain of Youth makes people 'ageless'," Cattleya said at this moment. "Let's talk about the ship first."
She paused for a moment and then said, "If the crew of that ship were searching for the Fountain of Youth and died in danger, I don't think anyone would have enough motivation to leave the correct information for those who come after them before they die."
"After all, the people who found this place are most likely not his family members."
Everyone was taken aback at first, then nodded in agreement, agreeing that the "General of the Stars" guess made a lot of sense.
Cattleya added, "Successful adventures often stem from thorough intelligence and adequate preparation, which are currently lacking."
So she shouted the order: "Continue sailing and leave this area!"
Odis returned to his ship, and a dozen minutes later, the illogical falling and flying occurred again, but the prepared group was no longer as disheveled as when they arrived.
Just as they returned to the normal azure sea, Odis, in the captain's cabin, saw through the hanging window a giant ship not far away. It was about two hundred meters long, with its fore and hindquarters raised high like a crescent moon.
Looking at the sails depicting black tombstones, Odis took a deep breath and said, "The Death Note!"
As he spoke, he looked at Bernadette.
"I know what you're thinking," Bernadette said. "I attacked this ship a long time ago, but at a crucial moment in the battle, an angel from the demon family suddenly descended and covered the 'Death Note' as it left."
She paused for a moment and then said, "An effective attack can only be launched with at least two angels present."
"Okay." Odis took a deep breath.
The three ships, including the Argo, sounded the alarm and were on high alert.
Just then, the Death Note suddenly turned and left at a speed far exceeding that of the Argo and Advance 4.
The crew members of the three ships were stunned, never expecting the "Death Slayer" to just run away like that!
Odis knew perfectly well that this was because the "Undying King" felt threatened by the "Mysterious Queen," so he turned and ran away.
"I've been away for a few days; I had some things to take care of," Bernadette said, seemingly unconcerned.
Odis nodded and said, "I also want to go back to Cruz Island for a visit."
Bernadette hummed in agreement, and suddenly illusory wings sprouted from her back. When the wings disappeared, she vanished as well.
Odis greeted Rupert and Bevis, and also took the opportunity of a "trip" back to Cruz Island. Upon meeting First Mate Bazel, the latter immediately said, "Someone has sent you an invitation to the 'Pirate Conference,' inviting you to be one of the hosts of the conference."
Odis smiled. "Who sent it?"
"They're said to be under the command of 'Black Hand' Alva," Bazel reported. "They were just delivered yesterday, and their ship just set sail from Cruz Island this morning."
Odis glanced at Bazel, and the first mate immediately understood the captain's meaning: "I left a mark on his ship."
"Let's go visit the friend who sent the invitation," Odis said with a smile.
So Odis led Bazel into the spirit world, and after a few seconds of travel, the two arrived at a small ship.
The sudden appearance of the two men startled the crew members on the ship, who quickly grabbed their weapons, surrounded the two men, and remained on high alert.
Bazel said, "I am Bazel, the first mate of the 'Argo,' and I'm here to see Mr. Chil."
A man in his forties, tall and large like a brown bear, emerged from the driver's seat: "Mr. Bazel, is there anything else you need?"
"This is the captain of the Argo," Bazell explained.
Chill was taken aback for a moment, then immediately forced a smile and said, "Captain Garr, I thought I wouldn't be able to get the invitation to you."
Odis said, "Tell 'Black Hand' Alva to meet at Bayam's Seaweed Bar at eight o'clock tonight. I need to speak with him."
Chill was stunned again: "Captain Gal, your invitation is far too urgent..."
"I had received intelligence beforehand that Alva was on Blue Mountain Island," Odis said. "If he doesn't show up at the 'Seaweed Bar' by eight o'clock, I'll go look for him."
"But if that's the case, then it's not about discussing it with him."
After saying this, Odis, supporting Bazel's shoulder, entered the spirit world once more.
Chil paused for a couple of seconds before quickly turning back to write a letter to the captain.
...
Odis and Bazel returned to Cruz Island, and Odis suddenly asked, "What day of the week is it today?"
"Sunday," Barzel replied.
Odis thought to himself that the Tarot meeting was tomorrow, and he remembered that Mr. Fool was going to give Cattleya a warning at the meeting.
Odis then inquired about the progress of the project on Bazel Cruz Island. The project was proceeding normally, but in the few days that Odis was away, about 10,000 pounds had already been spent.
Odis calculated that she only had about 15,000 to 16,000 pounds left in savings, and at this rate of spending, she wouldn't last more than a few days.
Fortunately, apart from the construction site at Lighthouse Hill, the building materials for the other projects have been basically purchased, and the daily expenses have started to decrease in the last two days.
After a little consideration, Odis decided to wait until after the Tarot meeting tomorrow, when he would receive some income, before considering the issue of open source.
If all else fails, go back to your old ways and fight pirates.
"Pirate Generals" are hard to kill, but taking down a "Big Pirate" or something similar shouldn't be a problem.
After learning about the situation on Cruz Island, Odis used "travel" to come to Bayam. He asked Allen to prepare a gift, changed his appearance with the pendant that had the power of the "Faceless Man," and then went to visit Bishop Dean at the Church of Tranquility.
Bishop Dean warmly welcomed Odis and led him to a small reception room. After chatting for a while, Odis explained his purpose: "Bishop, I will be going to Norhaus Island soon and will be entering the 'dangerous sea area' for some reasons. Have the previous 'Pluto' outpost been cleared out?"
Bishop Dean paused for a moment before saying, "Even if such a place is cleared out, it is still extremely dangerous."
"Of course I know," Odis smiled. "I hope to set a trap there."
Bishop Dean didn't ask who the traps were for, but after a moment's thought, he said, "They've already been cleared, but the 'soldier' who passed by earlier is nowhere to be found, so that area is still very dangerous."
Odis recalled the scene of being chased by that demigod-level elf, and thought to himself: It would be great if that elf hadn't been eliminated.
This could be a completely deceptive trap!
After Odis obtained the information he wanted, he chatted with Bishop Dean for a few more minutes, and then had dinner with Allen early.
During dinner, Odis couldn't help but lament her busy life; so many things awaited her as soon as she returned from the "Ruins of the War of the Gods".
Around eight o'clock, Odis arrived at the Seaweed Bar.
As soon as he entered, the once bustling bar became completely silent.
Because Odis entered with his original face, and at that time, he was "General of Mysteries" Gar. Although the bounty was not high, the "Pirate General" rarely appeared in Bayam.
Amidst the surprised, admiring, and fearful gazes of those around her, Odis headed straight for the bar counter.
At the bar, a man in his thirties with a thick beard and a somewhat rugged appearance smiled and said, "Captain Gal, hello! I didn't expect you to meet me in a place like this."
This person is none other than "Black Hand" Alva.
The patrons also realized that this was a meeting between a "pirate general" and a "great pirate".
They all perked up and strained their ears to listen to the conversation.
Even just remembering a part of this conversation could fetch a good price from an information broker.
Odis said, "This is mainly so that you can keep the appointment. You should feel safer in a crowded place."
Alva smiled and said, "That's true."
Then he asked, "What can I do for you?"
Instead of getting down to business, Odis ordered a beer, raised his hand, and the dazzling "stardust" appeared in his palm. To the astonishment of the patrons, they saw a thin layer of mist obscuring "Admiral Mysterious" and "Black Hand" Alva.
After that, they could no longer hear the two people's conversation, which disappointed the drinkers, but they could do nothing about it.
Several drinkers had already rushed out to find information brokers they knew, since the mere fact that "Mysterious General" had suddenly appeared in Bayam was a piece of information that could be sold for money.
In the mist, Odis said to Alva, "I have something to discuss with you."
Alva quickly replied, "Please speak."
Odis got straight to the point: "I hope this 'Pirate Convention' will be held on Crus Island."
Alva thought for a moment before remembering that the current stronghold of the "Mysterious Admiral" seemed to be Cruz Island.
This put him in a bit of a predicament: "Captain Gal, this is against the rules."
Generally speaking, the place where the "Pirate Conference" is held cannot be the stronghold of any "Pirate General". Not to mention "Pirate General", even "Great Pirates" are unwilling to hold meetings in other people's territories.
"Rules are made by people," Odis said calmly, taking a sip of his drink. "To put it simply, if this conference hadn't been held on Cruz Island, you would definitely have been attacked by the navy while you were having the meeting."
Alva paused for a moment before asking with a grim face, "Captain Gal, have you ever heard of the 'King of the Five Seas'? Aren't you afraid of breaking the rules set by the 'King of the Five Seas' and being retaliated against?"
His background is that of Nast Solomon, the "King of the Five Seas." In fact, the "Pirate Conference" was held under Nast's instruction and support.
Based on the recognition of his strength, Alva would be very polite to Odis, but that doesn't mean he would be intimidated by Odis's threats.
Odis smiled and said, "Then I'll change the organization that attacks the 'Pirate Conference' to 'Elemental Dawn'. How about that? You should be satisfied now, right?"
Alva paused for a moment. Of course, he knew that the "Mysterious Admiral" had a dual background in both the "Elemental Dawn" and the Navy.
After frowning and thinking for a second or two, Alva finally asked, "Captain Gal, why did you do this?"
"I want the pirates to know about Cruz Island." Odis didn't hide anything: "It will be a stable and fair place to sell stolen goods. The pirates' personal safety can be guaranteed there, and they can spend their money there with peace of mind."
Alva paused for a moment, then said, "That island must be very desolate, right?"
"Whether it's desolate or not, you can ask the subordinate who delivered the invitation." Odis finished his beer. "Not many pirates know that I have a base on Cruz Island now, so they won't be too resistant to it."
He didn't give Alva a chance to continue bargaining, but simply stood up and said, "I'll wait for your news."
Odis smiled and said, "Finally, let me give you a piece of advice: if this 'Pirate Conference' isn't being held on Cruz Island, then don't bother holding it."
Seeing that the "Mysterious Admiral" was about to leave, Alva quickly asked, "What benefits will I get?"
As Odis walked out, he said, "The good thing is that your head is still on your neck. Your bounty is about 5,200 pounds, right? I'm a little short of money lately."
As Alva watched the "Mysterious Admiral" leave, he realized that this could be a contest between the "Kings of the Sea," or it could be a conspiracy by the Navy's high command.
Whatever it may be, he has no right to make the decision himself and must report this matter to the "King of the Five Seas" immediately.
...
After finishing his important business, Odis returned to the captain's cabin of the Argo and contacted Edwina with the crystal ball to discuss the upcoming itinerary.
On Monday morning, a fleet consisting of the Argo, the Future and the Golden Dream approached the port of Toscart.
The fleet's size nearly made the governor of the Toscart Islands faint. Just as he was preparing to ask the navy for help, Rupert, the second officer of the Argo, arrived at the port and expressed his wish to rest and resupply in Toscart.
The governor breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that his life and official position were safe.
Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!
Toscate is a relatively large island in the Sunia Sea, and it was the easternmost colony of Loen, as well as an "outpost" against the Fusak Empire.
Such an island would be impossible for pirate ships to dock on.
That was "generally speaking." At this time, the governor of Toscart Island was very welcoming of the "pirate general," as long as he didn't come to attack Toscart Island.
After the Future docked, it simply dropped off Klein and Anderson, while the "Star Admiral" led the Future and its crew away.
Odis and Edwina informed the crew that they would rest there until the next morning.
Anderson left the dock with Klein, who was wearing the face of Gehrman Sparrow. "The strongest hunter" Anderson watched the "Future" leave quickly, and then saw the crew of the "Argo" and "Golden Dream" disembarking, chatting and laughing. He smiled and said, "Edwina and Captain Gar's management is more humane."
Klein glanced in the direction of the port: "It seems they have other plans."
"You noticed it too," Anderson said with a chuckle. "The fact that they're so openly anchored at the port is probably meant to let some people know that they've returned from the 'Ruins of the Gods' war'."
Klein hummed in agreement and said nothing more.
Or perhaps, since the tarot reading is scheduled for the afternoon, he might find out what new plans the "Mysterious Admiral" has.
At this moment, Anderson looked around and saw that everyone's attention was drawn to the "Argo" and the "Golden Dream," so he cleared his throat and said, "Could you lend me some money?"
He explained, "You know, all my winnings and my cash sank to the bottom of that sea."
Klein glanced at the "strongest hunter," took out a 5-sol note, and handed it to him.
Anderson reached for the money and said, "So little? Only 5 soles?"
Klein said calmly, "Look carefully, this is one pound in cash."
"One pound?" Anderson rubbed his eyes, looked at the banknote from all angles, and finally smiled helplessly: "Okay, it's one pound."
...
Odis did not disembark; he remained in his workshop studying the "Staff of Guth."
Soon it was three o'clock in the afternoon. Odis's vision was covered by gray fog. In the blink of an eye, he had arrived at the magnificent hall that seemed to have been prepared for giants, on one side of the bronze table.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool!" Audrey's cheerful voice echoed through the magnificent palace.
"The Fool" Klein smiled and nodded in response.
Next, the other members also exchanged greetings and salutations with each other.
After the greetings were over, Klein looked at the "priestess" Cattleya and said in a nonchalant tone, "Tell Bernadette that she can exchange certain things for some answers."
Upon hearing that familiar name, Cattleya knew that Mr. Fool knew everything, which overwhelmed her with a strong sense of fear, leaving her momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
The Hermit Odis watched this scene quietly. He hadn't had a chance to warn Cattleya before... mainly because he didn't intend to.
It is true that Cattleya's behavior was problematic. She didn't need to be so secretive; she could have communicated with "The Fool" privately to tell him her needs.
Klein is very likely to agree to establish some contact with Bernadette, because for the current "Fool," both "Elemental Dawn" and "Mysterious Queen" are very good channels.
Gardner's actions are somewhat reminiscent of someone secretly eating snacks with their deskmate in class and getting caught by the teacher.
For Odis, it was good that Cattleya was taught a lesson; at least Klein wouldn't kill her or corrupt her.
The other members were all speculating about who Bernadette was. Meanwhile, "Justice" Audrey and "The Hanged Man" Alger guessed that the "Priestess" must have used hints to reveal some things about the Tarot Society to the woman named Bernadette.
Audrey was a little angry after guessing, while Alger was somewhat gloating.
"The Sun" Derrick didn't think too much about it, but he felt that the person mentioned by "The Fool" must be extraordinary, so he asked with some curiosity, "'The Fool,' who is Bernadette?"
Klein remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he thought: Good question! I thought it would be "Justice" asking such a question.
For him, clarifying Bernadette's identity was a crucial step in putting pressure on the "Star Admiral," so he casually stated, "The eldest daughter of Roselle, the owner of the 'Dawn,' and the leader of the 'Elemental Dawn.'"
The reason for using "the master of the Dawn" instead of "the mysterious queen" is that Klein felt it was impossible for "The Fool" to call Bernadette "queen".
Alger felt a surge of excitement upon hearing the Fool's reply: Ha! Lady Priestess, so the rumors about your falling out with the Mysterious Queen were false.
Bernadette maintained such an air of mystery that even the "veteran pirate" Alger didn't know the "mysterious queen's" name or background, only that she was a very beautiful woman.
Then Alger felt much better, as if the depression he had felt for the past three months had suddenly disappeared.
He couldn't help but laugh to himself: "Emperor Roselle once said that those who play with fire will surely burn themselves, and 'General of the Stars,' you dare to challenge the insight of a god."
At this moment, Cattleya finally calmed down and regained her ability to think. She turned to look at the head of the bronze table and said, "Yes, I made some mistakes. I will not defend myself; they were indeed mistakes."
"Mr. Fool, whatever you do to me, even kill me, I am willing to accept."
Alger, the "Hanged Man," scoffed at this: "Hypocrisy! If Mr. Fool wants to punish you, what way can you resist?"
Meanwhile, Audrey, the "righteous" one, discerned the hidden fear in Cattleya from her subtle movements and choice of words.
In her view, people who specifically emphasize that they are willing to be executed are often very afraid of dying.
The other members, seeing the Fool's calm demeanor, realized that the Tarot Club's activities had not been leaked, so they relaxed and waited to see what punishment the Fool would impose.
At this moment, seeing Mr. Fool remain silent for a moment, the priestess Cattleya could not contain her unease and slightly raised her head to observe the being behind the thick gray fog.
Suddenly, Cattleya felt her glasses disappear, followed by the flow of illusory blood.
Then she heard eerie, terrifying, depraved, and indescribable horrific roars echoing in her ears.
This caused Cattleya's senses to be instantly overwhelmed by extreme pain, and her body began to convulse and tremble uncontrollably.
Her face, arms, and other exposed areas quickly developed fissures that revealed flesh and blood, from which black worms and white moths wriggled, soon forming indescribable eyes.
Cattleya's screams echoed above the gray mist, causing the other members to exchange bewildered glances, as if they could directly feel the pain she was enduring.
The "priestess's" agony lasted for two or three seconds. Klein, seeing that things were going well, stopped simulating the "true creator's" ramblings.
Regarding how to punish "Admiral Star", Klein made many preparations. At that time, he first thought that the characteristics of being corrupted by the "True Creator's" ramblings would make her suffer the "True Creator's" ramblings, which was a good plan.
However, the characteristics of the "Master of Mysteries" have been shattered through the channels of the "Hermits," becoming harmless and used for advancement, and there are no longer any more ramblings of the "True Creator."
Just then, Klein noticed that the iron box that had been containing the "Master of Mystic Puppet" trait had undergone a certain mutation.
After becoming a Sequence 5, Klein was able to manipulate more of the gray fog's power. Guided by his spirituality, he used this iron box as a medium to "restore" to some extent the characteristics that had been corrupted by the "True Creator."
This is a very strange discovery. That property seems to be a projection that cannot be used for advancement, but can only play a certain role in this "gray fog".
What Klein didn't know was that this was actually a skill possessed only by those at the level of "ancient scholars".
Because of the power of the "Source Castle", he possessed a small amount of corresponding abilities, but this ability was far from the true "summoning of historical pore images" and could only be used "above the gray fog".
However, such a "reconstruction" is more than enough to punish the "priestess".
Then it was just a matter of waiting for an opportunity. Klein knew that, given the "priestess's" habits, if she didn't hear his reply, she would definitely look up at him.
So, the instant the "Star Admiral" looked over, he quickly "removed" Cattleya's glasses and connected the "True Creator's" ramblings with her "Eye of Secrets" ability.
Once the punishment ended and the terrifying "murmurs" ceased, Cattleya's trembling quickly subsided, the cracks in her flesh gradually closed, and she soon returned to normal.
At this moment, Alger lowered his head and said in a low voice, "Do not look upon God!"
Upon hearing this, the other members also became solemn. Although Mr. Fool was usually unpretentious and almost always granted requests, giving people a very gentle feeling, he was still a god, an unfathomable god.
Only Odis also became serious, but in his heart he thought: As expected of the "anti-commissar", this praise made this punishment action seem to have been suddenly elevated.
Klein was quite satisfied. He had originally wanted the "world" to say "the gods cannot be deceived" or "the gods cannot be seen."
However, it would be more effective for the Hanged Man to say this, because the other members now basically know that the World is the Fool's favorite, so it would be a bit awkward for the World to say it.
For Klein, the "Star Admiral's" actions were somewhat "below standard": without being sure of Mr. Fool's attitude, she directly gave outside hints, which was too audacious, indicating that past lessons had not been learned enough.
Then he thought of the situation in Cattleya's dream: it seems quite normal for the "Star General" to behave like this. If a child is not taught, it is the mother's fault.
Thinking this through, he looked around and calmly said, "That's settled then."
Upon hearing this, Cattleya, whose spirit had just recovered, breathed a sigh of relief and said sincerely, "I will remember your kindness."
The "Fool" in the gray fog nodded slightly and said nothing more.
After a brief silence in the magnificent hall, "The Magician" Fors was the first to speak: "Gentlemen, would you be interested in taking on a murder mission?"
"The target is a key member of a cult."
Recently, Fors was promoted to Sequence 7 "Astrologer", and her teacher, Dorian Gray, immediately gave her a Sequence 6 potion recipe, as well as a very nice magical item, "Lemanor's Spellbook".
This made Fors want to do something for her teacher, so she thought of Louis Wayne, the traitor of the Abraham family.
In Fors's view, "the Hermit," "the World," and "the Priestess" all seemed to have the power to kill this traitor.
Odis recalled the person Fors wanted to kill and was not particularly interested in the assassination.
For the next period of time, he was busy planning the assassination of Duke Negan and had no energy to do other assassination missions.
Besides, assassinations are dangerous, and he's not a professional assassin, so he should do as few as possible.
Caldelia had just been punished and wasn't in the mood to take on this mission.
So Audrey and the others turned their gaze to "the world".
Klein, manipulating the world, let out a hoarse laugh and said, "Where? What organization?"
"What sequence is it? What are its characteristics and abilities?"
Audrey suddenly realized: Huh? Mr. World is a little different than before. It's hard to explain, but he's not the same as before.
Fors responded with delight: "He is the messenger of the Aurora Order, and in Backlund, he is an extraordinary being on the Apprentice path. He was formerly Sequence 6, and now he may be Sequence 5, but it's uncertain."
Alger sat up straight immediately: Isn't Sequence 5 of this pathway "The Traveler"? It's going to be tough to kill!