Axel

Chapter 517: It Has Rules, but No Reason

Added 2025-06-21 15:07:00 +0000 UTC

Charlot Mecklenburg was slightly surprised. Then he understood and said, "It has rules, but no reason?"

Juno Arthur smiled faintly and replied, "More or less."

Charlot suddenly thought of the God of Joy. Although it was also an Evil God, it clearly wasn't powerful enough to be called "strong."

The New Continent housed thirty-six Great Evil Gods, but in truth, there were more than just thirty-six.

Charlot pondered for a moment, recalling the storm over the sea, and shook his head. "It can't be that weak. It can command storms and summon mists..."

Juno's expression changed to one of sudden realization. He exchanged a glance with Charlot, and together, they exclaimed, "There are two Evil Gods!"

Charlot quickly added, "It must be the one commanding the storm that trapped the mist-controlling one. We were lured here by one of them, hoping to use us as bait."

Juno nodded approvingly and said, "Your speculation makes a lot of sense. I think so too."

Charlot looked at the increasingly dense mist outside and smiled slightly. "Coincidentally, I know a little mist magic myself."

From the Swan Lake, layers of rippling mist began to emanate, soon engulfing several nearby ghost ships. With each ghost ship the mist enveloped, its power grew stronger and continued spreading to other ships, soon covering the entire fleet and expanding outward.

Although Charlot was only at the high rank and could summon mist, his power couldn't compare to that of an Evil God. However, he had transformed the entire Ghost Fleet into a labyrinth. Each ghost ship provided him with additional strength, enhancing the mist's potency.

The two masses of mist seemed alive, colliding, crushing, pressing, and resisting one another in the air, distinct and unmixed.

Surprisingly, Charlot held his ground.

He knew this wasn't his own strength but the combined power of four legendary warships, seven magical alchemical warships, eleven ancient magical warships, and hundreds of ghost ships.

Charlot focused his mind and soon sensed a peculiar liquid deep beneath the vast ocean. It resembled a current or a water-based lifeform, but it was more like a mass of mist. It was enormous, with a diameter of dozens of kilometers, surpassing any deep-sea monster. Streams constantly separated from it, rising to the surface, evaporating into mist.

Unable to contain himself, Charlot said, "Teacher, I found the divine creature! It looks like a mass of water!"

"It's enormous, unimaginably so!"

Juno replied calmly, "I sensed it too. It has little remaining thought or emotion, but there is a hint of anger. However, its way of expressing that anger is utterly irrational."

As Charlot and Juno discussed, the magical alchemical communicator relayed a message from Golden Ram Herolf: "I suspect the one trapping us is the former Pirate King."

Charlot did not question him but instead sent a message summoning the old ram to come over.

Golden Ram Herolf soon arrived on the Swan Lake. Charlot asked, "What's this about the Pirate King?"

The old ram countered with a question: "What do you think a peak Saint rank individual would try to do at the brink of death?"

Before Charlot could answer, Juno sighed and replied for him, "Attempt to ascend to godhood!"

Charlot felt a chill run down his spine. He understood—this was human nature. Ascending to godhood carried countless risks, potentially transforming one into an Evil God or merely a divine monstrosity. But when facing death, who would care about such consequences?

He knew Juno spoke the truth.

Golden Ram Herolf elaborated, "There were ten great pirates in those days. The strongest of them, the Pirate King Ranj Nassau, led them. Later, he was challenged by Zimourman Axel Robin, and it’s said he died. But I don’t believe Ranj Nassau would perish so easily."

"I don't know what happened back then, but I suspect the storm trapping us is Ranj Nassau after his attempt at godhood!"

Charlot took a deep breath. Though Herolf’s theory sounded incredible, it was logical and not impossible.

Golden Ram Herolf added, "Ranj Nassau graduated from Hartington Thunder and Storm University and wielded formidable lightning powers. The storm trapping us feels eerily familiar."

Charlot frowned and asked, "If the Pirate King became the storm, then what is the origin of the misty entity it’s battling?"

The old ram seemed puzzled, but Juno quickly explained his and Charlot's theory that the current situation involved two divine entities locked in combat, with their fleet caught in the crossfire.

The old ram frowned in thought and said, "A being with control over mist... That sounds like Tugnevraf, the captain of the Mist Ship among the ten great pirates!"

"He, like Antonio, was a Mist Knight but also dabbled in oceanic magic. There were rumors of a conflict between him and Ranj Nassau. They fought a titanic sea battle, and after his defeat, Tugnevraf was thrown into the ocean, transforming into a water-like monstrosity."

This theory seemed even more far-fetched, yet somehow plausible.

Charlot declared, "I don't want to get involved in this fight. I plan to force our way out!"

Whether it was Ranj Nassau, Tugnevraf, or someone else, Charlot didn’t care. He had the Radiant Holy Kingdom and the Emilia, two legendary warships far superior to the Dolmabahçe and Swan Lake. He was confident they could break through the mist and storm.

Originally, Charlot intended to rest and regroup, but he no longer had the mood. At his command, the fleet slowly mobilized. Despite the mist from the aquatic entity below attempting to hinder them, the mist released by Charlot’s fleet repelled it. Encased in a thick veil of mist, the fleet pushed into the storm.

Charlot had intended for the Radiant Holy Kingdom to lead the way, but Emilia stubbornly took the forefront. No storm could touch the Emilia. Every attempt to divert its course or confuse its direction failed.

After seven or eight days, the sky suddenly cleared, revealing a vibrant blue. The storm seemed to relent, allowing the fleet to escape. Ahead lay the regular shipping lanes, free of the strange island.