Nast's gaze instantly turned sharp. "You want to take my Black Emperor?"
"Not for now. You can keep it for me."
"..." Nast's expression darkened, but he didn't dare act out yet.
He just felt extremely frustrated. What kind of era was this lately? All sorts of monsters and madmen were popping up, and even the sea was no longer as peaceful as before.
"You've been lingering around the waters near Southville County recently, haven't you?"
"So you came to me just to ask that?" Nast didn't answer, instead questioning back.
Hastur narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "It seems you still don't understand that humility is a virtue."
Before Nast could respond, two Chains of Order shot out from Hastur like sparks. Before Nast could even react, they bound his body.
Nast's face changed drastically. He tried to break free, but no matter what he did, the chains wrapped around him didn't budge and couldn't be destroyed.
His face completely darkened. "Are you really going this far?"
"I'm just helping you recognize reality." Hastur smiled faintly and said calmly, "Kneel."
Thud.
Nast's legs gave out uncontrollably. His tall and imposing body could only bow his proud head.
"Ah!" Stimulated, Nast roared and revealed his mythical creature form. But the chains wrapped tightly around both his body and soul.
After struggling in vain, Nast gradually calmed down from his rage.
"Know your place. That way, our future conversations won't be so tiring."
Hastur withdrew the Chains of Order.
But the moment the chains were withdrawn, a sharp glint flashed in Nast's eyes, and he suddenly launched an attack.
Countless black tentacles filled with chaos and corruption surged from all directions, as if to drag Hastur into the abyss of death.
At the same time, under Nast's control, the Black Emperor shifted into a ghostly state and crashed into the spirit world.
Nast himself boarded the ghostly Black Emperor and quickly fled into the spirit world.
"Oh? Interesting."
Only then did Hastur realize that the true Black Emperor was actually a ghost ship. Normally, it could overlap with a real ship.
Nast must have created an identical ship as a vessel to carry the real Black Emperor.
That was why he could display all sorts of strange abilities aboard it.
Hastur wasn't in any hurry about Nast escaping into the spirit world. He simply opened a door and stepped inside.
The Black Emperor moved extremely fast, disappearing deep into the spirit world in an instant.
Yet Hastur still knew exactly where it was, despite Nast thinking he could conceal himself.
Hastur silently connected with the Hall of Stars and retrieved the Black Emperor card.
In the hands of the divine vessel, the Black Emperor card could be used in far more ways.
Sensing the fleeing Nast was just one of its most basic abilities.
Besides, the gaze of the stars sees everything. Even beings like High-Dimensional Overseer couldn't evade it, how could Nast possibly hide?
When Hastur found the Black Emperor, Nast was kneeling on one knee at the bow, head lowered, his body trembling slightly.
In front of him stood a massive firebird with a wingspan of about ten meters.
More precisely, it was an enormously grown phoenix.
Hastur landed steadily on the deck and looked at the phoenix ahead.
This was their first time meeting like this.
With just one glance, Hastur knew that the phoenix, Gregrace, had already recognized his true identity.
After all, they had once made a contract, and this was the spirit world, where hidden truths were more easily seen.
"What are you doing here?"
"Chirp." Gregrace still didn't speak human language, but Hastur understood clearly.
It had sensed his presence in the spirit world, came out for a stroll, and conveniently caught this little bug.
Hastur smiled and nodded. "You've grown quite a bit lately."
"Chirp." The ten-meter-wide phoenix instantly shrank into a palm-sized little firebird.
"Go back and rest. I'll handle this little bug myself."
"Chirp." The small firebird didn't hesitate. It flapped its wings and flew away like a tiny fireball.
It even thoughtfully drove away nearby powerful spirit creatures that had come to watch.
Only after its figure completely disappeared did Nast dare to slightly raise his head. His body stopped trembling.
But he still didn't stand up, he remained kneeling. Because Hastur stood before him, holding the Black Emperor card he had always dreamed of.
"Not going to say anything?" Hastur's casual remark made Nast's body tremble again.
The almost tangible majesty of the Black Emperor slowed his heartbeat and made breathing heavy and difficult.
"If you had…" Nast gave a bitter smile and didn't finish, only letting out a long sigh.
If this mysterious visitor had taken out the Black Emperor card earlier, he would have willingly cooperated, even tried to curry favor.
If he had known there was such a terrifying existence in the spirit world, he wouldn't have had even the slightest thought of resisting.
It was simply too terrifying. When that giant firebird appeared before him, it felt like his soul had frozen. The only thing he could do was kneel in submission.
This wasn't even the same level of existence. He didn't even dare think of escaping.
At the very least, it was a Sequence 1 being, perhaps even more terrifying, just one step away from ascending to godhood.
As for anything higher, he didn't dare to imagine.
He was only a mere Sequence 3!
He simply couldn't withstand being tossed around by so many big shots!
For the first time in his life, Nast felt just how small and helpless a Sequence 3 was.
Even though he was only one step away from becoming a Sequence 2 Angel.
"I am willing to submit." After a long silence, without needing Hastur to speak, Nast chose to surrender on his own.
After today's events, he finally understood, Sequence 3 Beyonders also need backing.
Just like Bernadette. Recently, many people on the sea had been talking about her being a followers of the Stars.
She had already successfully advanced, even ahead of him, yet she still became a follower of the Stars.
So why couldn't he cling to someone powerful? Was that excessive?
No, it was completely reasonable.
Nast could already foresee that in the future, those on the sea without strong backing would all be wiped out.
Following this mysterious visitor who possessed the Black Emperor card, and who even had such a terrifying ally in the spirit world, seemed like a solid choice.
Rather than waiting to be asked, it was better to act decisively. Maybe it would even leave a good impression.
"You're not bad." Hastur's impression of Nast improved slightly.
"I just want to live… and witness the glory of the Black Emperor."
A hint of hope appeared in Nast's eyes.
The Solomon Empire, still not too distant in memory.
Once, restoring that great empire had been his goal, until he fell to the seas and became a pirate king.
As time passed and glory faded, even his original ambition had gradually changed.
"The Black Emperor…" Hastur sighed with emotion. That had once been his goal too, but time wasn't on his side.
…
April 1st. Morning.
In the study, Hastur received a letter requesting a visit, signed by Alfred, Audrey's second brother.
If not for this letter, Hastur might have forgotten such a person entirely.
He had been busy handling other matters lately and had no energy for unrelated things.
"For Miss Audrey's sake, I should meet her brother." Hastur quickly replied, saying he would be available around 2 p.m. tomorrow.
After handling this, he leaned back slightly.
The port's new recruit training was now on track and no longer required much of his attention.
Nast's submission also gave Hastur more initiative in the coming war.
Thinking carefully, most of the forces on the sea were now connected to him.
The mysterious queen Bernadette was a follower of the Stars. The high-dimensional observer, the uncrowned king, could be considered an ally. And Nast, King of the Five Seas, had become a subordinate.
"Even I find it a bit terrifying…" Hastur muttered to himself.
He had never deliberately planned to dominate the sea.
But as things developed, whether intentionally or not, he could now be said to have already conquered it.