From the first sight of it, Ed felt like the boat was alive...... Perhaps the unwilling soul of the Shadow Dragon, who had been dead for many years, was still bound to it to the point where it looked like it had a consciousness of its own.

But when the keel's hull swayed from side to side like a real fish, swimming unhurriedly towards him, he couldn't help but blink, wondering if it was his delusion.

But that's not - the three-masted ship made of keel, planks and metal is really swimming like a fish...... Black shadows spread out from both sides of the ship, like the wings of a dragon with only black bones, and like the fins of a giant fish condensed by black mist, and the masts raised high on the deck were like sharp thorns on the back of a fish, and the ropes that tied each other floated in the water like half-rotten muscles.

It approached slowly, and Ed couldn't help but want to back away - it looked so weird, like a monster crawling out of some dark abyss, neither alive nor dead, cold and terrifying, yet indescribably attractive...... and great power.

Bow Portrait...... When the carved skeleton stiffened its head, Ed was not surprised. Moribai's light emanated from the skull's eyes, but it was clearly not for illumination.

The skeleton opened its mouth. The ball of light at the tip of the Staff of Eternity suddenly lit up, and the water swirled around Ed.

Yet Ed heard it anyway...... If a dragon were to turn into an undead and let out a roar from his rotten and shriveled chest, it would probably be like this—hoarse and sharp, stiff and broken, like a hurricane cut by a messy reef, like a broken sword full of gaps entangled, every syllable like a rough, powerful claw, tearing at his soul fiercely.

He fought back without hesitation. The water took shape at his fingertips, the Staff of Eternity gilded it with a silvery glow, and the water turned into a translucent silver dragon that spread its wings above his head and roared silently into the black magic ship.

For a moment, Ed couldn't see anything. Light and darkness collided together, there was no earth-shattering loud noise, no shaking like the whole world was about to collapse, only countless flashing fragments suddenly scattered, like broken stars.

He subconsciously closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was nothing but the dark waters that swayed slightly under the light of the Staff of Eternity, silent, cold, and strangely tender, as if all this was nothing more than a grotesque nightmare.

Ed was a little dazed...... He wasn't even sure what he had done.

His consciousness had begun to collapse rapidly, as if instinctively aware that the danger was gone—even though the rock that had supported the temple for tens of thousands of years was cracking and falling, he knew it wouldn't hurt him.

His eyelids drooped, and his completely relaxed body spread out in the water, allowing the current to carry him away...... Only the staff of eternity, which is clenched in the right hand, has never let go.

And after he had fallen into a dreamless sleep, a hand was around his waist...... The other hand grasped the slender body of the Staff of Eternity.

The light of the head of the rod flickered suddenly, like a warning, like a joyful welcome.

.

By the time the Unicorn sailed into the small dock of Cloud Island, the tsunami had already passed. The island's sturdy, castle-like houses were not damaged much by the tsunami, but the water was inevitably a mess and full of debris.

Iss jumped before the boat could stop and almost collided with Ada, who had hurried out, at the door. He turned sideways and tried to walk past her, but the housekeeper took a step back in fright, stopped in front of him, intentionally or unintentionally, and habitually reached out and patted her chest, and the smile was already on her lips.

"You ......"

She spat out only one word—Is's gaze froze when it fell on her face.

“...... Leda?"

He muttered, incredulous but unequivocal.

He would never admit his mistake...... Even her once slender figure is now slightly bloated, her once plump and rosy cheeks are now round and soft like freshly baked bread, and fine wrinkles have crawled all over the corners of her eyes and lips...... He could not have mistaken this woman, whom he had almost thought of as a mother in the first years of his life.

Ida was stunned. She looked in amazement at the face that was not unfamiliar—the face she had seen yesterday. Exactly the same blonde hair, exactly the same facial features...... But the light in those light blue eyes was different.

Yes...... This is her little Is, even though he can give birth to wings and fly into the sky, his eyes are as clear and transparent as ever.

“...... The gods are above. She opened her mouth and sighed softly, her smile blooming and tears rolling down her unconsciously, "It's really you!"

She hugged Isis with open arms, wiped away her tears, and pulled him into the cloud castle: "I was just going to find someone to take a look! Young Master Ed is back, but he doesn't look good......"

.

Ed's room was a bit empty. The crisp sea breeze poured in through the half-open window, and the young man lying on the bed looked calm, with a long snort, and a somewhat pale face, but not too ugly, as if he was only sleeping, but still holding a slender cane in his right hand.

Staff of Eternity.

But even if he got it back, Ed did "not look good" - his slightly curly black hair had been mixed with a lot of white hair before, but at least at first glance it still looked black, and now, the black hair was mottled and blinded gray, as gray and dry as a dying old man, and completely lifeless.

Iss couldn't help but reach out and touch it, feeling the urge to shave it off - he really didn't like the color.

“...... When did he come back?" he asked.

"Just after the tsunami, Heath went outside to check on the situation and saw him lying on the beach near the pier, near the reef. Leda wrung her hands worriedly, "He held on to that cane and won't let go, and I can't change his clothes or wake him up...... Are we going to have to get a priest? He's not going to be like Lord Singel, is he?"

Iss frowned slightly. The tsunami came from the east, but Ed appeared on the beach to the west...... Judging by the way he looks now, it's more likely that someone sent him back - and that person is never going to be Ninetoe.

Leda had simply told him about the existence of another "him" who had set off with Ed. Annoyed, he couldn't guess who that guy was.

But before he set off, Ed probably knew it wasn't him, so he asked Bertram to warn him of the possible danger...... He should have left sooner. Experienced adventurers may not need his help to survive storms, volcanoes, and tsunamis......

He should throw away all his worries and find this stupid guy who is always deceived as soon as possible.

.