The ship appeared pitch black even under moonlight, forever shrouded in shadow and darkness.

Only the faint lights on its deck were visible.

As it rose from the water, the Blue Fist came to a stop on the surface. Andre stood at the bow, pushed off with all his might, and leaped across the gap, disappearing into the gloom.

The people on deck watched without interfering.

"That ship is…" Ed couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Elena, beside him, first gave him a speechless look, wondering why he thought she knew everything, but she didn't complain, and simply shook her head, obviously she didn't know either.

A moment later, Andre leaped back from the darkness, clutching a cloth bag. The bag was pale yellow with silver trim, clearly no ordinary object. This was likely the reason he had boarded the mysterious vessel.

A short while later, the shadowy ship slowly sank beneath the waves once more.

"Alright, it's time to go to Meister Island," Andre said, his face as serious as ever.

The ship began to sail automatically. Because it was night, Ed and the others returned to their cabins to rest.

…

After about two days of sailing, Ed and his crew approached Meister Island once more. Nearly two months had passed since they left; it was uncertain whether the Shark Bite Gang would have gained much in such a short time.

Fortunately, they had already resupplied far away. As they approached Meister Island, they didn't stop at any of the surrounding islands, nor even sail within sight of them. They deliberately avoided all other ships along the way, solely to maintain the secrecy of their voyage.

The Blue Fist slowed to a stop behind a very small, rocky island.

"We're not far from Meister here."

Early in the morning, Andre had gathered everyone in the captain's cabin to begin final preparations. After speaking, he looked at Sankaka, sitting in the corner.

"Sankaka, how's the weather today? Will it be sunny?"

"Sunny. As for whether it will be sunny on the island, I don't know. We're still quite a distance away."

Hearing Sankaka's answer, Andre nodded. They had to stay here; going further risked being discovered. Who knew if the Shark Bite Gang had posted guards this far out? If any random nobody discover than and report about them, it would be very troublesome.

A soft tap sounded on the table. Andre looked at everyone. "Elena, you come with me to the island. Sankaka, you take us there and then provide support in the area."

Elena and Sankaka stood and nodded without any hesitation.

Andre had originally wanted to take Ed, but considering he had only recently become a Toucher, and with the unknown dangers of a first decryption attempt, he decided to leave Ed behind.

After a brief explanation, Sankaka quickly swam toward Meister Island, disappearing from sight in no time.

Around noon, the three landed on the cliffs at the island's rear.

Elena surveyed the surroundings. "This is near the Valley of Praying Insects. It's a beautiful sunny day. Sigh, perfect for exploration."

The blazing sun had dispersed the clouds, shining its full light and heat upon the sea.

"I'll meet you here. Hurry up; we're running out of time," Sankaka urged, glancing at the sky.

Andre nodded. Carrying the insect cage in one hand and gripping the rock face with the other, he began his ascent. Elena followed closely behind.

In just a few seconds, the two scaled the smooth, steep cliff.

Once atop the cliff, they saw the opposite mountain peak and the valley below. Andre turned to Elena and raised his eyebrow.

Elena didn't speak but crouched down and gently placed a hand on the ground. A faint silver light gathered in his palm and spread outward. He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the energy.

"We didn't find Welter, but there are two magical energy sources reacting, probably his crew. There are also sixteen guards patrolling the valley."

Andre nodded at the report. Having been here before, he led Elena, hunched over, stealthily forward. Soon they reached the top of the innermost statue.

He took out his pocket watch and examined it closely. He thought for a moment, then he gestured to Elena, "We'll go down in the last five minutes."

Elena nodded in understanding and started waiting with her father.

Time began to tick by. The midday sun trekked across the sky. The massive horn of the statue's golden hammer was already tinged with light, about to fully concentrate at its tip.

"Time's up. Let's go."

The two leaped directly from the hillside down. Silver light gathered on Elena's legs and wrists; blue light gathered on Andre's. Except for the colors, their movements were identical.

One with silver-gray hair, the other with bright silver, they flew through the air and silently dropped into the woods below.

Soldiers patrolled in pairs. Three teams constantly guarded the area around the statue.

After landing, the two quickly separated and rushed toward their pre-assigned targets. In less than five minutes, all three patrol teams were knocked unconscious and hidden in the bushes.

By their estimate, it would take at least ten minutes before they were discovered.

Meanwhile, the midday sun was directly overhead.

Andre quickly reached the base of the stone pillar and released the beetle from its cage. Its back still shimmered with light. As if attracted, it flew directly to the pillar and landed below. It began to gently tap the stone with its enormous horns.

With each tap, a clear, resonant sound rang out. Insects throughout the valley began to chirp frantically.

"What's going on?" A man with a shark tattoo on his arm demanded, hearing the chirping.

A middle-aged man beside him, also tattooed, frowned. "Something's happened! Quick, to the statue!"

The two began to run frantically into the valley.

Andre, hearing the commotion, immediately captured the beetle and returned it to its cage. "Let's go."

He and Elena sprinted up the hillside, disappearing in a flash.

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