Chapter 290

Chapter 290: The Little Fish vs. The Vulture

"Your Excellency, the Saint, they seem to be fleeing!" The captain of the Magic Griffin warship immediately made his judgment upon seeing Midi’s disorganized retreat.

Though it only appeared correct on the surface.

"That Skyship… looks familiar," the Saint rasped several seconds later, his voice grating like rusted metal.

Bishop Marlan seized the opportunity. He hurried forward, bowing as he answered: "Your Excellency, if I may – that’s the Narwhal from the Rothschild Guild. Their largest Skyship, owned by Lady Victoria Rothschild herself. She’s considered the most likely successor to lead their Guild."

When Midi and Victoria had acquired the auctioned techniques, they’d traveled to Windstream via whaling ship. The Narwhal remained behind as guild symbol, circling the Monsoon Fleet for days under Victoria’s orders to avoid Blue Truth Sect suspicion. Even the Saint from Stormy Region recognized its silhouette.

As temple leader of the Monsoon Fleet, Bishop Marlan had seen the vessel countless times. He answered swiftly now, both to curry favor and atone for prior failures.

This bishop had originally sworn they’d reach Dusk Graveyard within one week. The Magic Griffin’s speed made this possible – but locating the actual site proved troublesome. The Sect only possessed coordinates from intelligence reports, requiring days of searching until Marlan finally found the entrance as the Saint’s patience thinned.

Then came the greater humiliation – sentry posts at the entrance! Though their Vanguard ship instantly destroyed the scout, the mere evidence of prior explorers made Marlan fear the Saint might cast him into the Sea of Clouds. Now he attended with sweating diligence, desperate to avoid further mistakes.

"Any ties between our Sect and this Guild?" the Saint inquired.

Marlan paused. "No direct relations. But Victoria’s brothers have donated heavily to multiple temples recently. Clearly seeking our backing against their… gifted sister."

"Pathetic weaklings," the Saint sneered. In the Sea of Clouds, strength ruled. Allies had uses, but relying on outsiders for internal squabbles reeked of incompetence.

Yet the Saint’s mission involved assessing major factions. If fools offered themselves as tools, why refuse? "Their weakness becomes our advantage. Victoria knows of Dusk Graveyard – eliminate her, then claim we aided her brothers." He gestured dismissal.

The eager captain snapped upright, roaring to the bridge crew: "Attack! Full firepower! Sink the Narwhal!"

"Are you mad?" Marlan choked. Empty boasts held no value. With their warship’s superiority, capturing Victoria alive offered far more options – interrogation, leverage, even forced cooperation. And if that fleeing Skyship carried treasures from the ruins…

"Pursuit formation! Deploy Vanguard ships to force surrender!" Marlan’s bellow overrode the captain.

Flames erupted from the warship’s engines as the behemoth plowed through wreckage, giving chase.

Midi exhaled as the Magic Griffin chose pursuit over instant annihilation. The Narwhal had been within firing range from the start – one broadside would reduce them to splinters. But his feigned retreat bought time. Now this little fish just needed to outmaneuver the hunting raptor.

"I’ll take the helm!" Midi shoved past old steward Lund, gripping the ship’s wheel.

In the next moment, a golden-red glow suddenly surged around him.

Under Midi’s will, this rich crimson radiance spread out like a massive net across the entire deck. It kept expanding until completely enveloping the 65-meter-long Narwhal in countless golden-red threads!

All ends of these glowing threads converged into Midi’s palms.

Ghost Cry skill – Demon Shadow Step.

The Demon Shadow Step cast using Awakened power.

Midi had previously used this technique to enhance his Vanguard ship’s performance, crushing one hundred and twenty enemy vessels. Now he employed the same method again – but this time, his target wasn’t a small scout ship, but the gargantuan Narwhal itself!

Under Reinhardt’s stunned gaze, Victoria’s wide-eyed disbelief, and even old steward Lund’s poorly concealed astonishment, Midi roared and violently spun the helm.

The golden-red aura-cloaked Narwhal suddenly displayed impossible agility for its size, writhing like a cloud-diving leviathan as it plunged into debris fields. Executing complex evasive maneuvers, the massive Skyship dodged all wreckage and left the pursuing Magic Griffin warship eating its wake.

But the cost was immense.

This was Midi single-handedly moving an entire Skyship.

While Awakened Ones could destroy fleets with Sky Sword Dance, sustaining such power was different. Killing required a dagger through the heart, but carrying someone ten kilometers would exhaust anyone. Similarly, propelling the Narwhal drained Midi completely. His face turned deathly pale, chest heaving, Dragon’s Blood White Crystal magic pouring from him like raging floodwaters.

For the first time, Midi felt his magic reserves failing.

He’d never choose this path normally – revealing trump cards and exhausting himself contradicted his principles. But with the Narwhal’s normal speed, they’d be captured within the hour. This golden-red aura infusion was their only escape.

Now he realized he’d overestimated himself.

"Magic crystals!" Midi growled through clenched teeth.

"Magic crystals?" Victoria blinked in confusion.

"Giv-" Midi’s explanation died as sudden reef formations forced him to channel every ounce of White Crystal magic into frantic helm adjustments. The Narwhal threaded through stone obstacles like a weaving butterfly, leaving Midi too drained to speak.

"He needs magic absorption!" Reinhardt barked, thrusting the Delos Empire’s priceless Heart of the Ocean gem into Midi’s hand. The gem shattered instantly, its magic greedily devoured by the exhausted man.

Without looking back, Reinhardt sprinted toward the cargo hold. Though the Narwhal had jettisoned most weight, its magic crystal fuel reserves remained. Victoria hitched her skirts and followed, while old steward Lund finally revealed his full capabilities – outpacing even Reinhardt in his descent.

Supported by a mountain of magic crystals, Midi’s absorption finally matched his expenditure. The Demon Shadow Step-enhanced Narwhal shook off pursuit, escaping the Magic Griffin’s reconnaissance range while leading it away from the graveyard’s heart.

The immediate crisis passed, but Midi knew this safety was temporary. The Saint would eventually act – and against mind-related abilities, no thought could remain hidden.