Lucita Beta stepped out of the elevator, and the presence of the intruder in the main hall had been confirmed. She walked briskly through the corridor lined with red carpet and arrived at the golden gate at the end. Behind this gate slept the object she must risk her life to protect, and now she had to shoulder the responsibility of being the gatekeeper.

"Security system," she commanded, "Revoke all permissions of Fiona Alpha!"

"Invalid command. Co-sequencer cannot revoke the permissions of another co-sequencer. It requires a higher authority command," replied the system.

Lucita sighed. The beautiful woman she had encountered in the main hall was not an intruder, but a returnee. They both shared the mission of guarding the gate, but a hundred years ago, she had quietly left.

"Why did you come back now, Fiona?" Lucita desperately thought, but she couldn't find an answer. The only thing she could be sure of was that Fiona would definitely come here.

The corridor was fifty meters long with no obstacles, limiting the opponent's maneuverability. It was an ideal battlefield for a spellcaster. However, Lucita didn't believe she could defeat Fiona, the complete form of the melee specialized spellcaster life form - Knight. Fiona's strength definitely lived up to her title as the Sword King.

The Sword King versus the Field Marshal.

As co-sequencers with Alpha and Beta assigned to them, they were about to engage in a deadly battle.

Finally, the elevator doors at the end of the corridor opened. Fiona Alpha, carrying two swords on her back, stepped out of the door decorated with brass and gemstones. She had almost the same appearance as Lucita, except her eyes and hair were a light blue. The two of them, like sisters, were equipped with completely opposite styles. Lucita, wearing a spellcaster robe, faced Fiona, wearing a tight-fitting armor, and the two stared at each other without giving an inch.

"Long time no see, my sister," Fiona smiled seductively. "But let me make it clear, I'm not here to accompany you today. I'm here to welcome our sovereign."

"No, our sovereign is not your pawn," Lucita said.

"Hahaha, you still cling to that rotten glory?" Fiona laughed. "Unlike you, I am not bound by past glories. A pawn should be brought out and used. Locking it away here will only make it lose its value. It's time to show our power to the foolish humans. The great Mage Kingdom will be revived."

"Fiona, is your control program working properly?" Lucita forced a smile. "The Mage Kingdom has long vanished. One thousand years ago, it was the arrogance of our creators that destroyed the entire world. Now, the 'Gate' that connects two timelines continues to inject Magic Element into our world. Closing the gate should be the topic we should study."

"So, have you made any progress in your research?"

"Unfortunately, I haven't found a solution yet."

"A thousand years may be just a moment for us, but you are wasting time like this." Fiona sneered as she drew the twin swords from her back. "Our sovereign will never awaken, but its sacred remains are still useful to me."

"I will protect it at the cost of my life," Lucita summoned her staff. "I advise you to give up."

"If it has no soul, I'll use it as my puppet. There's nothing wrong with that," Fiona took a stance. "Or, do you, who were heavily injured in the final battle, have the ability to defeat me in my full state?"

"I don't think I can win," Lucita raised her staff. "But I won't let you take another step."

"How ridiculous!" Fiona lifted her red magic sword. "Crimson! Roar!"

The magic sword called Crimson released a shockwave, tearing through the magnificent red carpet and rushing towards Lucita at the end of the corridor.

"Activate!" Lucita commanded. "Inherent Art No. 771, Golden Fortress!"

Several translucent barriers appeared on the path of the shockwave. The shockwave of the red magic sword penetrated four of the barriers but was barely stopped by the last one.

"Very capable, my dear sister!" Fiona sneered. "Azure! Freeze!"

The magic sword called Azure released an extremely cold breath, instantly turning the gorgeous corridor into an ice cave. Faced with the approaching ice cones, Lucita once again initiated her spell.

"Inherent Art No. 745, Flame Burst!"

A huge fireball shattered the ice cones but was then severed by Fiona's sword.

"Tell me, Grand Marshal of Magic, can you engage in a few moves with me using magic below the third order? Or is it that you are incapable of using magic at all right now?"Lucita couldn't help but be amazed. Broken circuits of magic power appeared on her arm. Just by using the seventh-level spell, she was already nearing her limit. The destroyed magic circuits were impossible to repair, and she had already lost most of her combat capabilities.

"Well then, let's end this farce," Fiona lowered her body. "Swift!"

Her figure disappeared in an instant, completely beyond human visual perception. In the blink of an eye, Fiona's figure appeared behind Lucita and without hesitation, plunged her sword into her back.

"That's the end," she withdrew the sword, shaking off the blood. "Goodnight, my sister. By the time you're done self-repairing, I'll already be on the ship with our sovereign."

Lucita, lying motionless on the ground, coughed up blood and weakly said, "Stop, don't open that door."

But Fiona paid no attention to her warning and placed her hand on the emblem in the center of the door.

"Authentication complete. Sword King Fiona α identity confirmed. Unlocking seals 1 to 9."

The circular structure in the center of the door began to rotate, unlocking layer after layer of locks. Then, the golden doors slowly opened, revealing a magnificent throne behind them.

However, the throne was empty.

"What's going on?" Fiona exclaimed, "Where is our sovereign?"

Captain's Diary:

Today is truly a good day, despite the snow. My employer ordered me to bring the Barbaresca to the designated coordinates. For the pride of seafaring men, I cannot disappoint her. However, my employer, Lady Fiona α, is a beautiful woman who is difficult to understand. She's beautiful, but also dangerous. She boarded near Fort Hurricane, and her power is off the charts. I don't think all the combat prowess of the Barbaresca combined can defeat her, and she cuts through us like a knife through butter.

Hiring a ghost ship comes at a price. For a hundred years, I've paid countless prices, but today is particularly special. Life, albeit a false one, allows me and my crew to assume human form for a short period.

Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Orlbede, don't ask if it's a fake name. I can tell you it is. If you want to know my real name, hmph, I won't tell you. My crew and I sail the Barbaresca through the Sea of Emptiness, occasionally surfacing to rob unlucky merchant ships, killing those fat, greedy merchants while establishing the reputation of our ghost ship.

Considering the time after death, it has been approximately a hundred years, and I thought there was nothing left in this world to surprise me. But today, I have truly broadened my horizons.

That castle is truly beautiful, even more so than the one I used to live in. Most importantly, it is hidden beneath the dimension of the Sea of Emptiness, an area that humans cannot enter. I finally understand why Lady Fiona α hired this crew of the dead because living individuals would never be able to reach this place.

Before the battle began, I even oiled my skull to make it shine. If only I could have a sip of rum. Unfortunately, if I pour it into my mouth, it would leak out between my ribs, not only ruining the taste but also dirtying my clothes. Sigh, there are pros and cons to being dead, but the biggest downside is not being able to taste fine wine anymore. If my wife, Alicia, were still alive, she would be laughing happily because her alcoholic husband has been sober for a hundred years.

The castle had almost no defensive fortifications, so there was no resistance.

At least, that's what I thought until that Magic Armor suddenly appeared. Although only one, in order for my employer to land safely, I ordered Tristan and his Magic Armor unit to take off and engage in battle. Sixteen against one, it should have been an effortless fight, even if our Magic Armor was outdated. The pilots had a hundred years of combat experience and, combined with their overwhelming numbers, there was no way we could lose.

But I was wrong, I was truly wrong!

Today, I have truly opened my eyes.

Today, I have met a true ace pilot!

That fool Tristan was shot down on the flight deck before even taking off, and his subordinates were easily dispatched by the enemy. The enemy aircraft unexpectedly gained an advantage in height, suppressing my men on the ground. Sigh... I couldn't bear it anymore and ordered anti-aircraft fire support. AA shells are precious, but for the reputation of the ghost ship, we had to fire.Damn! What the hell are those artillery guys doing? They fired so many shots and didn't even graze the enemy's clothes? (Actually, they did graze them, but Uther's Magic Armor is well armored, so Albert thought he missed.)

Oh no? The enemy aircraft is coming at us!

With a loud crash, it landed on the bridge, extending its machine gun through the porthole. It's the standard rhythm of sending us to the afterlife.

But why isn't it shooting? Hahaha, out of bullets, I guess?

Just then, Tristan finally revived. He grabbed the enemy aircraft from behind and threw it onto the deck like in a wrestling match. I could feel all my fallen men coming back to life, although I felt a bit sorry for this ace pilot, but us dead folks are hard to kill. I walked to the window and looked down at the enemy plane that had stood up after being knocked down by Tristan. It raised its head and looked at me. I don't know why, but I really wanted to see what the pilot's face looked like.

Judging from his swift and sharp maneuvers, he should be quite handsome, right?

Hahaha, I'm pretty handsome too.

Luckily, I oiled my skull today.

But the enemy plane suddenly took off and flew into that castle, leaving me stranded here as the captain. What's going on? Am I not handsome enough? Ah, brave pilot, if you're dead, please join my ranks.

The last day in the Garden of Eve.

The gate shattered before their eyes as Uther piloted the Magic Armor straight into the hall. The two maid puppets, unable to escape in time, were crushed into pieces, with various parts flying in all directions. She opened the cockpit and jumped out of the Magic Armor, rushing into the center of the hall like a flying bird. The wide-area reconnaissance still recorded the final whereabouts of Luthita. Placing her hand on the control panel, she descended to the fifth underground floor. As the elevator started, Uther anxiously pounded on the wall.

"Damn it! Don't you dare die, Luthita!"

(Permission granted, auxiliary system "Omnipotent" activated, would you like to establish a connection?)

What's this? Uther was surprised by the voice in her mind.

"Connect!" she commanded impatiently.

(Instruction confirmed, "Omnipotent" activated, logging in as Uther Noinheim's auxiliary support AI.)

The voice in her mind continued non-stop, making Uther even more annoyed.

"Don't talk inside other people's heads!" she yelled, "Who the hell are you?"

(I am the support AI "Omnipotent" for combat mage, activated automatically when Uther Noinheim acquired full administrative privileges. My main function is to assist the mage in combat and provide necessary advice.)

"I don't care who you are, just shut up!" Uther pulled out a metal object from behind her. It was a 9mm revolver, originally hanging on a holster behind the Magic Armor's pilot seat. She took it out when she jumped out of her mecha.

Although she wasn't sure if this gun could handle an enemy that even Luthita couldn't handle, it was better than nothing. If only she could bring the Magic Armor with her, but the elevator was too narrow to fit such a large object. When the elevator doors opened, she was greeted by a wreckage-strewn corridor, an open golden gate, an empty throne, Luthita bleeding on the ground, and another woman with the exact same appearance as her.

"I'm warning you once!" Uther aimed at the woman wielding two swords, "Get away from Luthita!"

"That's impossible!" The woman was shocked beyond belief, her face even distorted, "Although she looks younger, her magical fluctuations match perfectly. Luthita β, what have you done? Why... Why did our sovereign wake up from eternal slumber?"

"This is the result of my hundred years of research," Luthita said, covering the wound on her chest, "and a little bit of luck."

"We've already tried artificial soul creation, haven't we?" the blue-haired woman roared, "No artificial soul can withstand the consumption of our sovereign. They disappear almost instantly. That path is a dead end, didn't we already conclude that? What method did you use?"

"I used a human soul." Luthita sneered, "Fiona, you couldn't have imagined, right?"

"Are you insane? My sisters!" Fiona roared, "You've defiled our sovereign with the filthy soul of a human! You're committing a grave betrayal!"Although Uther didn't know what they were talking about, he still pulled the trigger and a bullet flew towards Fiona, who was fifty meters away, but the shot was blocked by a defensive barrier.

"Those toys can't hurt me, my sovereign." Fiona maintained the tone of a lady with a hat, but her expression was extremely sinister.

A cold light flashed, and the gun in Uther's hand turned into parts. She took a step back, and Fiona was already within close range. The distance of fifty meters instantly closed, and Uther couldn't even see her movements clearly.

(Identity confirmed, Fiona α, Sword King, the only completed version of the close combat specialization type magical life form 'Knight', close combat is very dangerous.)

A prompt sounded in Uther's mind, and she stepped back again to create distance. But Fiona closed the gap as if teleporting. Her speed was unbelievably fast. However, her sword stopped just a millimeter away from Uther's neck. Her beautiful face twitched in anger, indicating that stopping the attack was not her own will.

"Damn auxiliary system," Fiona gnashed her teeth, "Damn it, I can't attack higher-level beings."

"Then it's my turn," Uther commanded, "Deploy, Inherent Spellcraft 063, Forest of the Dead, Lin!"

The surroundings instantly changed. A black Forest of the Dead covered the ruined corridor, completely replacing the space where the two were. The chilly wind blew, and the eerie white bones swayed and made terrifying noises.

"Is this the 'Warfield'?" Fiona looked surprised, "Ranking first, the forbidden spell that invades the world. How can a human like you use such a thing?"

"Expand," Uther commanded expressionlessly, "Inherent Spellcraft 013, Fall of the Stars!"

A giant meteor appeared in the night sky. It slid through the atmosphere with flames and crashed towards the location where Fiona was. Fiona tried to escape the attack range, but an arm that had already turned into bones emerged from the ground and grabbed her.

The meteor fell, and the shockwave flattened the land, turning the Forest of the Dead into a sea of fire.

Fiona, covered in injuries, stood in the flames. The flames licked her face, but the burnt flesh quickly regenerated. In front of her, Uther, protected by multiple barriers, was unscathed.

The scenery instantly faded, and the two returned to a ruined corridor.

"Although you consecutively used two first-level magic spells, your mana hasn't noticeably decreased," Fiona gasped for breath, "What's the deal with this exaggerated amount of magic power? Is it really the soul of a human? Could it be the soul of a god?"

"The gods don't have souls," Lucita, leaning against the wall, walked over with blood flowing from her, leaving a trail of red behind her, "Stop it, Fiona, we don't need to fight amongst ourselves."

"But don't you find it strange, Lord Marshal?" Fiona turned to Lucita, "Although it's a first-level magic spell, the power seems a bit too weak, doesn't it?"

Lucita's face immediately changed.

"I don't care whose soul you used," Fiona pointed her sword at Uther, "But although this guy has a huge total amount of magic power, his mental field is too narrow. Injecting magic power forcibly without sufficient mental strength will significantly reduce the power of the spell. Am I wrong, my sister?"

"Uther indeed hasn't completed the training of a Mage," Lucita covered her wound and leaned on the wall, "But she is a true genius, unlike us impostors."

"I am not an impostor!" Fiona turned around abruptly and unexpectedly inserted her hand into Lucita's chest. Blood splattered, and she forcefully dug out a red crystal from Lucita's body. "Since I can't use the core of a sovereign, I'll use yours instead, my dear sister."

As she looked at the scattered blood, Uther's pupils shrank in shock.

"I have acquired what I came for, so I shall take my leave, my sovereign." Fiona placed the blood-stained crystal between her ample bosom. The crimson blood dripped onto her fair skin, making her look even more enchanting.

"Stop right there!" Uther shouted, "Stay where you are!"

"I believe I can," Fiona turned towards Uther, "Emergency Code 499666, cease all functions."

Suddenly, Uther's body went limp, and she knelt on the ground.

What on earth is happening?

(Answer! Emergency shutdown procedure initiated. Unable to execute any commands until automatically released after 360 minutes.)"Is there no other way?"

(Response! Activating battle program will skip this program, but currently the proxy battle program is not yet synchronized and there is a possibility of losing control. Please proceed with caution in making a decision.)

"It's okay, force start!"

(Understood, proxy battle program forcibly started.)

Uther's vision instantly turned blood red, something in her body was accelerating, her heart beating violently as if it was about to explode. The desire for slaughter and destruction filled her mind, forming a terrifying red vortex, devouring her consciousness.

Kill! Kill everyone!

A huge burst of magic almost blew Fiona away. She struggled to stabilize herself and turned around to see Uther slowly standing up. A red spell formation unfolded beneath her feet, black tattoos crawling all over her snow-white skin like ants. At the same time, the young girl's inexperienced body quickly grew, her light brown hair losing color and turning into silver like snow. And in those beautiful golden eyes, a colder killing intent than death could be seen.

"My sovereign?" Fiona's legs trembled with fear, unable to move. "Your Majesty! Please...calm down."

"Announcement!" Uther raised her right hand. "Proxy program activated. To ensure the safety of the host, all moving targets within a radius of one hundred kilometers will be eliminated."

Upon hearing this announcement, Fiona leaped into the elevator in a flash. She destroyed the ceiling of the elevator with her twin swords and leaped continuously in the shaft, escaping into the lobby. However, the building behind her vanished in a black light. The silver-haired Archmage slowly floated up into the sky, her unfocused golden eyes fixed on the Barbarossa, anchored amidst the flying snowflakes.

"Due to insufficient mental power, the power of the spell cannot be guaranteed." She announced loudly. "Protocol 0 initiated. God's Hand ready for firing, output power at 5%."

God's Hand, Fiona knew exactly what that was – a weapon manufactured by the Ancient Demon Kingdom, composed of magical machinery configured on satellite orbit and complex and astonishing spell formations, specifically designed for wide-area annihilation. It was also the pinnacle of ancient magical technology. Uther's mental power was low, directly affecting the power of the spell, but God's Hand absorbed energy from the sun and was not affected by the user's mental power. Even with only 5% output power, its power could not be underestimated. Fiona made a quick decision, casting flight spells desperately, trying to escape the impending destruction, and flew towards the nearby Barbarossa.

On a distant satellite orbit, the dormant magical machinery was awakened, activating the spell formations engraved on its magic steel surface. Gears began to turn, and the contracted egg-shaped magical mechanism unfolded into elaborate constructs, transforming into massive wings resembling angels. Subsequently, dozens of spell formations beneath the wings unfolded one after another, forming a cannon-like structure. The largest spell formation at the center began to rotate, absorbing the powerful energy from the stars. After being focused and amplified by the spell formations arranged below, it was shot towards the ground.

In the next moment, Eve's Court was enveloped in a dazzling light.

Interlude: Captain's Log

Light! Light! The light is coming down!

My customer rushed onto the bridge all of a sudden. She seemed completely consumed by fear, speaking incoherently. I managed to make out two words: "Escape quickly!"

I am an undead, I am not afraid of death. Who can kill a dead person twice?

However, today I witnessed something extraordinary. The light from the sky descended, and the core of the ghost ship couldn't possibly withstand such power. Killing us multiple times is no problem. The blinding light dispersed the clouds, and everything around evaporated. Have you ever burned ants with a magnifying glass when you were a child? Unfortunately, the Barbarossa is now like the ant under the magnifying glass.

Planar travel! That's the only way!

Before being completely vaporized, I used the inherent spell of the Ring of the Dead to sink the entire ghost ship into the threshold plane, avoiding the light's illumination.

I don't want to experience something like this again.

Eve's Court's Final Day 2

(Battle program disengaged.)

Uther's body suddenly went limp, the feeling of emptiness within her becoming extremely strong. This was a symptom of massive magic expenditure, and resting for a while would allow her to recover. However, looking around, Eve's Court had turned into ruins. Half of the main mansion had collapsed, and the remaining half had melted like hot chocolate. The glassy building materials had clearly been subjected to temperatures over a thousand degrees. Fortunately, a part of the defensive barrier was still functioning, and the damage near the entrance hall was not significant.Is this my doing? Uther looked at her hands, surveying the ruins that were now covered in falling snowflakes. A deep fear rose within her heart. This power was beyond the control of a human. It was the destructive Excalibur, capable of even slaying gods. Humans should never wield such power, let alone use it. Uther silently swore that she would never use the power of a sorcerer unless absolutely necessary. She did not desire destruction and slaughter.

Walking into a devastated hall, Uther saw surviving magical puppets cleaning up the aftermath. She noticed her Magic Armor toppled at the elevator entrance, seemingly undamaged. Behind the elevator, however, was a gaping hole with smooth edges, as if cut by the sharpest blade. Uther activated her levitation magic and slowly descended into the bottom of the hole. Multiple layers of armor belts were pierced, and the hole led to an underground corridor five floors below. It was there that Uther found Lucia's body.

"Lucia..." She gently stroked the dead woman's cheek, tears streaming down her face.

Is there any way to revive her? Her question was immediately answered.

(Answer! Lucia Beta, the Grand Marshal of Sorcerers, is in a state of forced hibernation due to the removal of her core. She can be rebooted by reinstalling the core. Please preserve her body properly.)

"Who are you?" Uther asked, "Stop chattering in other people's heads!"

(I am the 'Omnipotent' AI, designed to support combat sorcerers.)

"Since you go by the name Omnipotent," Uther grasped onto a lifeline, "then you should tell me how to properly preserve Lucia's body."

(In the underground level three of Yggdrasil Altar, there is a medical pod where Lucia Beta Hadri's body can be placed.)

"You mean the jar that preserves my body?"

(Exactly.)

Uther picked up Lucia's body, which felt light as if it had no weight. The sorcerer, whose magic circuits were half destroyed, had no value, but Uther never thought anything was wrong with that. She placed Lucia into the medical pod, and a green nutrient solution filled the transparent cylinder as nanomachines began repairing the damaged body. Uther looked at Lucia floating inside the pod and gently touched the cold glass casing with her finger.

"My mentor, I owe you so much that I will definitely bring you back to life." She then lightly tapped her forehead against the glass casing, only to witness her own golden eyes reflected in it. Uther finally noticed the changes in her own body - golden eyes, silver hair, and fair skin covered in black tattoos, giving her an eerie appearance. "What is going on?"

(Answer! The forced activation of the combat program caused an increase in magical power, leading to heightened cellular metabolism and growth levels in the body. But don't worry, this is temporary.)

Temporary? Uther touched her ample chest, finding it surprisingly pleasant. Just then, a dizziness came over her, and her vision suddenly decreased, making her bosom disappear. She reverted back to a childlike form, and the tattoos on her body vanished.

"Back to normal..." Uther sighed deeply.

(Answer! Magic power level decreased, entering low-energy consumption mode.)

"So, the childlike form is the energy-saving mode." Uther sighed, "How ridiculous."

(Stay calm.)

"I am calm..."

Taking a deep breath, Uther lifted her head and looked at Lucia. "Next, I will go after Fiona. No matter how much time it takes, I will wake you up."

With firm determination, she turned around and walked out the door.

The grand spell to protect Yggdrasil Altar itself had not disappeared. The damaged buildings would be automatically repaired by the magical puppets. The entire project was managed by the administrative AI of Yggdrasil Altar. With some time, all the buildings would be as good as new. Before she set off, Uther went to the graveyard in the petrified forest. There lay the tomb of her past self, a pilot named Carlus Noinheim. The empty tombstone only had one name on it. Standing in front of her own grave, Uther's expression turned solemn. What kind of feeling was it to visit one's own grave? She now understood fully.

"I'm leaving," she whispered, "Farewell, my past self."

Leaving behind those few words, Uther turned and walked away. The snow and wind blew through her light brown hair, making her platinum strands dance in the air. At the end of the snowstorm, a Magic Armor awaited her, its battle-scarred armor in need of repair and maintenance, both technically and spiritually, just like her.The Spirit Seed Furnace released pale blue light particles as Uther piloted the Magic Armor, soaring through the Storm Barrier and flying towards the distant Floating Island where humans resided.

The Magic Armor flew at a speed of 200 sections, with the sea of clouds beneath it, swiftly passing by. The endless wind and snow had dissipated, leaving only dark clouds hanging low in the air. After flying for eight hours, Uther felt no fatigue whatsoever, and not even a hint of sleepiness. The Omniscient had told her that as long as her magical power wasn't depleted, she could operate indefinitely. However, her stomach would still grow hungry. The portable rations in the cockpit were dry and hard, and a bit expired, emitting a faint musty smell. Uther fought fiercely with the hard ration bars against her teeth, making a crunching sound, but in the end, they were crushed.

"So unappetizing," Uther completely lost her appetite and threw the ration bar into the canvas bag behind her seat. "Can't those guys in the logistics department find someone with a normal sense of taste to taste test them?"

(Denied! According to my analysis, portable rations can provide balanced nutrition for humans.)

"Taste is the most important thing," Uther took a sip from the water bottle. "You, a non-physical program, wouldn't understand. Cuisine is an important part of human life."

(Denied! Uther Noynheim is not human.)

"Can you stop bringing that up..."

Suddenly, something entered Uther's perception range. Wide-range detection was indeed a very convenient spell, given Uther's magical power level, she could detect all objects within a radius of fifty kilometers. Judging from the size and speed, it should be a ship, and most likely a merchant or transport vessel. Uther adjusted her course and headed towards the ship. Ten minutes later, she spotted the target with her naked eyes.

Sure enough, a merchant ship appeared in the sky above the sea of clouds. It was a high-speed ship manufactured by Yujing and had a streamlined hull and three propellers that were spinning rapidly, emitting a buzzing sound. The flag of the Commercial Alliance was flying on its main mast, the unified organization of stateless merchants who undertook all unofficial trade between the four great countries. As long as this flag was flying and they followed navigation regulations and commercial conventions, these merchants could move freely between the four great countries. Even though the Empire and the Federation were still at war, the merchants were eager to reopen trade routes between the two countries.

However, this route had to pass through Fort Hurricane, which happened to be where Uther wanted to go.

Although she wasn't sure if Fiona had fled to Fort Hurricane, as the Floating Island closest to Eve's Garden, it was still worth investigating. Most importantly, Uther wanted to find a familiar environment. Having completely abandoned her human identity, she needed an environment she could adapt to. She couldn't even be certain if she could communicate normally with humans anymore. Uther circled around the merchant ship and sent a landing request signal. After receiving a response from the bridge, she landed the Magic Armor on the ship's stern deck.

Two muscular men walked over, wearing clothing that barely covered their bodies. Their dark skin shone with an oily sheen as they warily looked at the freshly landed Magic Armor. Uther opened the cockpit and jumped out, revealing a beautiful young girl inside the steel giant, causing the two men to look bewildered.

"Could I meet the captain?" she asked. "I want to take a ride to Fort Hurricane."

The two men exchanged a glance and both looked at Uther. The metallic collars around their necks gleamed. Uther furrowed her brow as she looked at those collars. These two men were slaves! And they were Kunlun slaves, which were very rare.

"Welcome aboard the Adventurer," a short and plump man approached. "I am the shipowner of this ship. My name is Joseph Brown, but you can call me Mr. Brown."

"Hello, Mr. Brown," Uther said politely. "I would like to take a ride to Fort Hurricane. I'll pay the fare, including the shipping cost for this thing."

"Very good. We merchants like customers who are reasonable," Joseph rubbed his hands together, his small eyes constantly sizing up Uther, making her feel uncomfortable."If you don't mind, " he said, "can we have a chat at my humble abode first?"

"Respectfully, I shall follow your lead."

Uther followed Joseph to the captain's cabin below the bridge. As they passed the compass bridge, Uther noticed that all the sailors were from the Kunlun Slave. The use of slaves in the Eastern kingdom of Yu Jing was normal, but the other three nations opposed slavery, though some aristocrats and those in power in those nations were even more cruel than the slave owners in Yu Jing. At least in Yu Jing, slaves were treated as commodities and not easily destroyed, and had minimal human rights protected by law.

Joseph's room was as tasteless as he was, but the Turkish delight was delicious. Uther sat on the pink sofa, elegantly sipping green tea, which was a specialty of Yu Jing while other countries only had black tea. However, the pink sofa with gold thread depicting explicit scenes of men and women was truly uniquely tasteful, and Uther felt uncomfortable sitting on it.

"I didn't expect Miss Uther to be able to pilot a Magic Armor at such a young age, that's truly remarkable." Joseph poured the green tea, "But you don't seem to be part of the Federation, right? Are your parents immigrants from a foreign country?"

"Sorry, I grew up in an orphanage, I don't know much about my parents." Uther half-lied, at least half of what she said was true.

"May I ask why you ended up in the center of the Sea of Emptiness?" Joseph asked cautiously.

"My training ship was sunk by the Empire's army," Uther feigned sadness, "although I managed to escape at the last moment, there were no friendly ships around. I thought I would fall into the Sea of Emptiness due to mana exhaustion, but fortunately I found your ship, I'm really grateful for the lift."

"But isn't Fort Hurricane already occupied by the Empire?"

"It's okay, I'm not a formal military personnel," Uther said, "I'll figure out a way back home when the time comes."

"I didn't expect you to be both intelligent and brave." Joseph said seriously, "In Yu Jing, slaves are sold at different prices based on their bloodlines. Of course, especially beautiful mixed-race slaves can fetch a high price, but they can never compare to pure-blood slaves. From your appearance, I really can't infer your background, you don't seem to belong to any race, are you a legendary genetic mutation? You're truly precious!"

"I don't understand what you're talking about, Mr. Brown." Uther chuckled, "I got zero in biology exams."

"It's okay, I'm a merchant, I can quickly assess the value of goods." Joseph looked Uther up and down, "And your value can be exchanged for two Hovercraft."

"Oh, I didn't realize I was that valuable," Uther chuckled bitterly.

(Warning! You are consuming extracts of Mandrake, which can cause paralysis of human bodily functions, but has no effect on you. Please handle with caution.)

Mandrake, quite a potent drug. While Uther didn't know what Joseph had in mind, she decided to go along with him casually.

"Oh, I feel a bit dizzy." Uther pretended to be drowsy, collapsing onto the sofa.

Joseph laughed slyly, snapping his fingers, and two muscular slaves walked in silently. "Take her to the cargo hold and put her in a cage."

The two slaves lifted Uther without a word and headed towards the cargo hold.