Afternoon, Aboard Liberator.
The vessel was moving once again, cutting through the waves with newfound momentum. The cursed island behind them had shrunk into a distant speck on the horizon. Now, William busied himself with a long-overdue task, upgrading the ship.
After the morning meal with the girls, he'd taken a moment to center himself. A quiet interlude, spent warming up alongside the twins, steadying his thoughts and reaffirming his purpose: to survive, and to explore the sea.
He had taken the opportunity to ask the twins about their ideals in this life. Yet, unsurprisingly, they had none, not in the conventional sense. Their pasts had carved deep scars into their outlook. Even if they don't show it, for people like Kei and Rei, who have been sold by their parents, ideals have always been luxuries.
Only under William's protection as a living [Myth], could they even entertain the idea of freedom or chasing dreams. Without him, their existence would have been bound in chains, veiled by fear and superstition. Still, they did express one wish, they wanted to grow stronger. To be able to protect themselves better.
The Lambs, however... were different.
They didn't offer aspirations or dreams. For them, William was the ideal. Their minds, warped and reshaped by the faith, had wrapped entirely around their god. In their eyes, nothing existed beyond him. When asked, they simply bowed their heads in silence. He hadn't pressed further. He merely nodded, accepting their truth, acknowledging once again that he was no longer simply extraordinary. He was a [Myth], a living god walking on this sea.
As the afternoon sun drifted westward, the ship's daily rhythm continued.
William next resumed talking about ship operations. Currently, the strongest onboard besides him were the twins, with Rei holding a slight edge in raw combat ability, and Kei possessing a wealth of theoretical knowledge and magical control. He tasked them with training the Lambs.
At the very least, they needed to be taught the basics of combat and survival in the Mystic Sea.
Before that could begin, however, he took the middle Lamb aside to teach her the essentials of sailing and steering. It was practical work, handling the helm, reading the sea currents, adjusting the sails. Time-consuming, but necessary. Because of that, the twin-led combat training had been pushed back, granting the rest of the Lambs an hour of idle time.
Only once he finished did Kei begin her lessons. Even then, William couldn't help but notice something different, her gaze, though calm, carried a subtle edge of concern, along with the unmistakable warmth of a maiden growing more certain in her affection. Perhaps, her experience last night truly did something, solidifying her thoughts and feelings.
As for Rei, she didn't look any different. But the link she had with William doesn't lose out to the Lambs.
If you see now, atop the front deck of the Liberator, an unusual sight played out.
The Lambs were clumsily attacking Rei in a mock battle using a training weapon he bought. Their movements were unrefined, their strikes hesitant and easily parried. Rei dodged with grace, her wings fluttered open, occasionally flicking a hand to block or push back with the flat of her palm. Yet despite their pitiful form, the Lambs did not relent. Their Lord had expectations of them. And they would not betray that trust.
From behind, William watched the scene unfold for a while, his expression unreadable. Objectively, their performance was poor. But the resolve behind each motion, that quiet and unwavering will, was enough to earn a small nod from him. Then, without a word, he turned and stepped back inside the ship to tend to his own work.
They were trying. And in this sea, sometimes, trying was everything.
A moment later.
Now, William was inside the ship, positioned just beneath the middle mast. Here, embedded deep within the mast, lay the ship's core, a crystalline structure pulsing faintly with dim light, the very heart of the Liberator's magical system. It connected to every magical node across the vessel, and by upgrading this core, the entire ship would ascend in grade, evolving from an [Uncommon War Vessel] to a [Rare Grade War Vessel].
The process needs precise control.
As he needed to combine the material he had, then spoon-fed the core with [Sea Silver Dust], a fine, glimmering powder that flowed like liquid mercury. After that, as Sea Silver seeped into the core, the dust then spread along the internal veins of the ship's magical system, awakening dormant runes and energizing degraded channels. Each pulse of light confirmed a successful node integration, one step closer to full transformation.
For the materials itself, he already gained it from the system reward before: [Oceania Heart (Medium)], [Deep Sea Stone (Small)], [Blood Soaked Wood] (10x), and [Crystal Pearls] (5x).
Though good, not all were immediately useful.
The [Blood Soaked Wood] was more suitable for upgrading the ship's body rather than its magical core. The [Crystal Pearls], meanwhile, were meant for the [Ship Crown], the engine-like structure that distributed energy throughout the vessel. But this component didn't require enhancement just yet.
Upon inspecting the existing ship core, William made a pleasant discovery. Though now degraded to [Uncommon], the core had traces of a higher grade in the past, there were remnants of an [Epic Grade] ship core. The crown, especially, was embedded with several high-tier crystals capable of amplifying and distributing immense magical power.
[Author Note: The "Ship Crown" functions like the Engine, while the Core is akin to a Fuel Cell or Battery. Together, they power the ship's magical systems.]
Once, this ship had been an [Epic Grade War Vessel]. Now, he sought to reclaim a fraction of that lost glory.
The most critical step came next: forging a composite upgrade material. He combined the [Oceania Heart] and [Deep Sea Stone] with a rare magical material, the [Living Gold]. The gold shimmered, not just with metallic brilliance but with inner movement, like molten thought, living and alive. The challenge was to prevent the gold from completely devouring the other materials. As he needed their unique properties to remain distinct, yet harmonized.
A delicate balancing act, requiring very high focus and control.
Using his innate control as a [Myth] and his low-level progression of [Spirit Forge] class, William manipulated the composition with mental precision. He used one point of Mystic for this, his strongest and most mysterious stat, to stabilize the reaction and willed the materials to retain their qualities.
Once balanced, the [Living Gold] with two distinct properties was ready. Carefully, he guided it to flow into the ship's core, merging and strengthening its structure. Runes glowed as the transformation took hold, then stabilized at last.
The core had become:
[Item Information]
Name: Golden Ship Core
Grade: Rare++
Description: Forged by a [Myth] who overcame the limitations of his low-tier craftsmanship through spiritual will and mystic manipulation. This core pulses with harmonized essence from the ocean's heart and the depths sea, stabilized within a Living Gold component. Grants increased spiritual energy circulation, node efficiency, and resilience against spiritual corrosion.
]
Now, the final step, feeding the stabilized core with 100 units of [Sea Silver Dust] to complete the magical node system-wide upgrade. Well, he did say it was spoon fed, but in actuality, he needed to manually control where the dust would go and ensure the process didn't destroy the already degraded node. A very time consuming job.
William clicked his tongue slightly as he opened the system shop and confirmed the purchase.
"Five thousand SP… for silver dust alone," he muttered under his breath, "That's a sixth of everything I've saved."
Still, he didn't hesitate. Necessary investments often hurt, but more worth it than never.
As the dust dissolved into the core, the ship trembled subtly. Lights flickered along the runes embedded throughout the Liberator, and the structure hummed with fresh energy. The vessel was stronger than what it once was before.
[Ship: Liberator
Type: Extraordinary War Vessel
Level: 5 Rare Grade Warship
Durability: 4450 / 4500
Size: Mid-Tier Large
Speed: Moderate (Wind-Assisted)
Traits: Reinforced hull, Spirit-boosting sails, Built-in armory and sleeping quarters, Minor sea-stabilizing enchantment, War Flame, Deep Sea Scent(New), Minor Auto Repair(New);
> Deep Sea Scent: The ship emits the subtle fragrance of the Deep Sea, reducing the chance of monster attacks by a small percentage.
> Minor Auto Repair: By consuming spare materials, the ship can automatically restore up to 1000 points of durability over time. Reset everytime durability is full.
Added Modules:
> Fishing Rack(Rare), Water refiner(Rare), Forging Room(Rare, 10% Complete), Witch Laboratory(Rare, 3% Complete).
Upgrade Needs (to Level 6):
Rare monster wood x30
Oceanheart crystal x5
Blessed Nail x3
1500 Spirit Points
300 Gold
And Craftsman Are Required.
]
Though the durability hadn't increased, it remained capped because the ship body/level itself hadn't been reinforced, but the improvements were still substantial. Upgrading the core alone had elevated the Liberator's magical systems and support traits. And as expected, the materials required for the next upgrade were now more demanding, scaling in line with the ship's rarity and grade.
Also traits like the Spirit-Boosting Sails, Sea-Stabilizing Enchantment, and War Flame had all subtly strengthened thanks to the new [Rare++] core. Though he wasn't able to push it to [Epic] grade yet, this was already more than satisfactory.
Stretching his back and rolling his shoulders, William glanced up toward the upper deck. Where the movement of the girls has ceased for sometime.
He nodded to himself, 'There were still things to do.'
The core upgrade had taken nearly four hours in total, most of that spent feeding in the full 100 units of [Sea Silver Dust]. The process was slow not only because of complexity, but because the core could only absorb the dust in small portions at a time, forcing him to wait between each dose.
Fortunately, he used that time wisely. While tending to the upgrade, he also focused on recovering his Mystic energy. As he would need it soon.
[Mystic: 7 / 11]
When he acquired the [Perfect Self] skill, William had gained an additional two points of Mystic, raising his total from 9 to 11. So why did he have only 7 points now?
Because this morning, Rei's ritual consumed three Mystic. The battle with the Golden Gigant took another three. And this ship upgrade, subtle as it seemed, cost one more point.
Still, something had changed. Perhaps because he'd blessed the Lambs and gained more followers bound to him across this sea, his Mystic regeneration had subtly increased. Enough to bring him back up to seven.
As for his other stats, they had not changed, [Physique: 6(9)], [Spirit: 7(10)]. Until he integrated more classes, they would remain capped at that point.
Still, 7 Mystic was more than enough for what came next: his plan regarding Kei.
William's plan for her was rather bold. He intended to deepen her bond with him through a direct Mystic resonance, flooding her system with his influence, anchoring her to him in both soul and essence. It was risky, of course.
Without perfect control, the process could overwhelm or break a weaker mind. But William had no doubt in his precision of controlling Mystic Energy, and not to mention, Kei was already connected to him. The link existed even if it was still weak. All he needed to do was strengthen it until nothing more could sever it.
As he moved toward the front deck, the sea breeze welcomed him, and with it, the sight of his people.
The Lambs were sprawled out across the front deck, drenched in sweat and breathing hard after an intense training session. Despite their pitiful form and lack of coordination, William could see their earnest effort. And that alone was enough to make him nod in approval.
'Good. Let them suffer a little. Let their muscles remember his expectations.' He silently thought.
Rei stood nearby, smiling with her wings open, hardly winded. A thin sheen of sweat coated her skin, but instead of exhaustion, it made her look… radiant. Sensual, even. She wasn't out of breath as she had been holding back, letting the Lambs learn at their own pace.
Kei, in contrast, remained seated off to the side. Her posture was calm, hands resting in her lap as she focused on meditation, circulating her spiritual energy, refining her control. She wasn't a fighter like Rei, but William could tell: she was improving in her own way. Slowly but surely.
He paused, taking in the scene, and exhaled with quiet satisfaction.
Everything was progressing according to plan.
And tonight, Kei's soul would be bound fully to him.
This timing was deliberate, as tonight marked the final night of the heightened spirituality, And the last moment to secure the approval of the [Silver Beast]. With its acknowledgment, just as Rei had gained her double-lined Myth-bound class, Kei would also awaken a similarly powerful class of her own.
For where did he get the information regarding 'last night of silver'? The answer is from the [Daily News].
Unfortunately for the Lambs, their situation was far different. Coming from ordinary, damaged backgrounds, most of William's ritual energy had to be used merely to cleanse their bodies, class and stabilize their mind. And not receiving any glance from the [Great Beast] their awakenings would thus be limited to single-lined classes.
Likely, they'd awaken as [Cultists], [Believers], or even [Slaves], considering how completely their thoughts and identities had come to revolve around him. Their former selves had been thoroughly shattered by the previous cultists, leaving their potential severely diminished.
At least now, they had him, a [Myth] to shelter and reshape their broken selves.
William briefly considered that perhaps it would be better to simply embrace the [Cultist] class as they were already drifting toward it, and redirect the remaining energy into progressing and refining those classes further. If they were lucky and reached that maximum class progression of [Cultists], a Double Lined class bound to him is not out of reach. Maybe, he could even help them with it, using the cheat power of Mystic.
He shook his head, quietly dismissing the thought for now.
William observed the scene for a few moments more before deciding it was enough. Clapping his hands gently, he drew everyone's attention.
"That's good enough for now," he called out firmly, "The Lambs, go clean yourselves up. I'll start preparing lunch shortly."
The Lambs immediately straightened, their exhausted bodies coming to attention as they bowed respectfully.
"Yes, Lord," they answered softly in unison, quietly grateful for the break.
One by one, the Lambs filed into the ship, leaving the deck quiet again. William then turned his gaze to Rei, who stood nearby, still alert and composed despite the lengthy training session.
"Rei, I want you to oversee the ship until the Lambs return. You can wash up afterward."
Rei nodded dutifully, her lips curving into a small, confident smile, "Alright."
Finally, William's eyes landed on Kei, who had been meditating at the side, her spiritual energy now steady and composed.
"Kei, follow me for a moment. There's something I need to discuss with you."
Kei blinked in mild surprise, immediately rising to her feet. Before she could respond, Rei's playful side emerged, her eyes glittering with mischievous intent.
"Oh my~" Rei teased, stretching her arms above her head with exaggerated casualness, "Private conversations now, Sister? Has our Lord finally decided it's your turn to receive some special attention?"
Kei's cheeks flushed instantly, though she managed to hold her composure with William standing beside her. Drawing strength from his calm presence, she took a deep breath to steady herself, but in the next second, seemingly from nowhere, she conjured a pillow and hurled it straight at Rei's smug expression.
"Be quiet, Rei!" Kei snapped, her blush deepening despite her fierce glare.
Rei caught the pillow effortlessly, laughing brightly as Kei turned away in embarrassment, following quickly behind William toward the ship's kitchen.
William shook his head slightly, unable to suppress a faint smile at their antics. The twins were truly inseparable, even when teasing one another.
Inside the ship's kitchen, William began preparing lunch. As he moved, efficiently laying out ingredients and utensils, he glanced briefly at Kei.
"There's a reason I'm pulling you aside," William began, his voice steady but gentle, "Tonight's the final night of spiritual abundance, the last night [Silver Moon] will appear. It was unknown when the Silver Moon would appear again. And… I plan to make you completely mine tonight."
Kei's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in a small breath as William continued.
"For that, I need you to undergo a different kind of ritual, one unlike anything you've seen before."
He explained the process in detail. The nature of the ritual, the risk if she resisted. But also, the rewards. If successful, the link they have will be as strong as the other girls, unbreakable by external power and just like Rei, the subsequent ritual would grant her a Myth-bound class, something beyond the reach of ordinary souls.
He reassured her that as long as she didn't reject his influence and keep holding tight to her belief in him, the side effects would be minimal. At worst, she might feel intoxicated, as Rei once did after drinking his mystic-infused blood, drunk on faith, caught in divine bliss.
But he also didn't shy away from the alternative.
If, for some reason, Kei did not undergo the bonding ritual after being saturated with his mystic presence, the result would be far worse. Her mind, overwhelmed by faith, would spiral out of control. Without a stabilizing anchor, she would inevitably receive a class like [Cultist] or [Believer], a weak, single-lined class rooted in spiritual obsession.
While such classes might hold potential under certain circumstances, they were fundamentally misaligned with her nature as a [Witch]. Worse still, they would occupy one of her limited class slots, wasting her potential and hindering future growth.
And even if she somehow awakened a double-lined class, it would likely be something warped, such as [Abandoned Cultist] or [Mad Believer]. These were known as [Minus Classes], the kind of class with overwhelming drawbacks that outweighed their strengths.
Of course, William had no intention of letting that happen. He wasn't foolish enough to cast aside a witch, especially not the first girl who had accepted him in this world. She was too valuable and precious to him, both as a person and a symbol.
Kei listened silently, taking it all in. A faint flush bloomed across her cheeks, her gaze softening with realization. Then, she smiled sweetly, "So that's why you're in a bit of a rush..."
He nodded firmly, "Yes. Time is short, and we can't afford to miss this chance."
A quiet pause followed, filled only by the soft sounds of food preparation. After a moment, Kei stepped slightly closer, her voice softer and warmer than usual.
"Will... thank you," she whispered sincerely, her eyes meeting his for a brief but meaningful moment, "For caring about me, and about us this deeply."
He looked back at her, the intensity of her quiet gratitude striking something gentle within his heart. He smiled softly, placing a reassuring hand briefly on her shoulder.
"You don't have to thank me. This is what I want to do."
Kei smiled warmly, reassured and content. They continued side by side, finishing their lunch preparations in comfortable silence.
…
Shortly afterward, everyone gathered again on the deck for lunch, seated around a large, makeshift table beneath the gently billowing sails. The day was clear, the sky vast and endlessly blue, the sea calm, stretching serenely in every direction. It was a peaceful moment, one rare enough in this chaotic sea that each of them quietly savored it.
In the center of their table lay the main course: fresh meat from a massive three-meter crab William had purchased from the [Trade Channel], aptly named the "Spaghetti Crab." Its succulent, tender flesh had been meticulously extracted, steamed until perfectly tender, then generously seasoned and mixed with flavorful noodles and aromatic spices. The dish emitted a mouthwatering aroma that drifted lazily on the sea breeze, further heightening their anticipation.
William quietly observed the smiles around the table. Rei and the Lambs chatted lightly, the exhaustion from training forgotten momentarily, replaced by cheerful banter and soft laughter.
Beside him, Kei sat in calm silence, savoring each bite. Every now and then, she'd glance his way, her eyes carrying a quiet warmth, a flicker of emotion she rarely let surface. A faint blush still colored her cheeks, the echo of their earlier conversation lingering between them.
Everything felt right. Peaceful, even. And for a moment, William allowed himself to wonder, how long would this calm last? How long until the sea demanded another sacrifice, another struggle?
Yet behind his composed expression, his thoughts had already moved ahead. He was preparing, for the ritual, for the Silver Moon's rise, and for the moment Kei's soul would finally, completely belong to him.
There was still much to do.
But for now… he let the warmth of this moment remain. Let it settle into the memory of the day, one small, perfect pause before the tides turned once again.