Medea was startled and quickly suppressed her emotions, putting on a calm expression as she softly replied, "No, it's nothing. I'm just a little dazed after regaining my magic... And, after doing this, I can't help but worry whether the high and mighty Demon King will notice."

"Don't worry." Wang Chong's voice was calm and unwavering. "Even if he notices and tries to harm you, with me here, you don't need to worry. Let him try whatever he wants."

Sensing the unwavering determination in her words, Medea nodded, then looked at Wang Chong with concern: "How are you feeling now? That energy..."

"It's fine, it's just like carrying a little extra weight, it's completely within my tolerance."

Wang Chong chuckled and said in a relaxed tone, "Compared to the pain of being initially sealed and suppressed, this burden is nothing."

As he spoke, he naturally reached out and gently ruffled Medea's soft hair, his eyes warm, and said, "Alright, instead of worrying about me, you should take better care of yourself. Your magic has been sealed for a while, which must have disrupted your long-standing habits. You must have had a tough time these past few days."

He withdrew his hand and continued, "Now, you can finally return to your old way of life. Relax and enjoy yourself. After all, we're setting off again tomorrow for the eye of the storm."

"Setting sail again?" Medea was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. During this time, she had focused on her recovery and had not received any prior information about setting sail.

“Yes, this was a last-minute decision,” Wang Chong explained. “The reason we chose the Sea of ​​the Tide’s Eye is because our pirate members scattered around the world have sent back the latest intelligence—now, pirate groups from all over the world are converging on the Sea of ​​the Tide’s Eye, just like sharks that have smelled blood.”

"Could it be... still related to that rumor of 'sacrificing the sea goddess'?" Medea keenly grasped the key point.

“That’s right!” Wang Chong affirmed. “According to multiple sources, more than one pirate group has claimed to have found the legendary goddess and taken her to the Sea of ​​Tides. A fierce battle for the goddess’s ownership is currently unfolding in that sea area.”

"In order to become the ultimate winner, sacrifice the goddess to the sea god, and thus gain the supreme power to control the world, these pirates have gone completely mad."

Wang Chong's voice carried a hint of coldness as he continued:

"I suspect that the authenticity of this sacrifice is probably about 50/50, and someone must be meticulously planning it behind the scenes... It's highly likely that it's one of the other contingency plans left behind by the Demon King Goetia. Therefore, I must wade into this mess no matter what. Only in this way can I expose the mastermind behind it all!"

Of course, Wang Chong's words were deliberately meant for Medea's ears. Because the true mastermind behind this scheme was none other than himself, Wang Chong.

Medea, unaware of the truth, wholeheartedly agreed with Wang Chong's analysis. She also believed that with the Demon King Goetia's foresight, it was impossible for him to send only her forces to deal with Chaldea and Wang Chong, thereby destroying this singularity.

Therefore, she nodded in agreement: "Since it was an order given by you on short notice, should I inform Circe and Sajou Aika immediately?"

“Hmm.” Wang Chong nodded and continued, “This time, the accompanying personnel will be adjusted. We need a few powerful enough Servants to stay at home, so that they can not only defend against possible enemy attacks, but also keep in touch with me at any time to report the situation on the island.”

Following that, Wang Chong continued, "So, go and inform all the followers, including Orion and the others, to immediately assemble at my manor for a war meeting. I will arrange suitable candidates to accompany me on my voyage at the meeting."

Upon hearing the words "changes in the entourage," Medea's heart skipped a beat. She immediately realized this was an opportunity!

If she could secure the mission of staying on the island alone, with her exceptional fortification building skills, the plan she had been brewing for so long might be able to be implemented ahead of schedule!

An impulse almost made her blurt out that she was going to volunteer, but she swallowed the words back down.

No! I've only just regained my magic; any hasty actions could arouse unnecessary suspicion. The best strategy is to do nothing, let things take their course, and let fate decide whether I'll be spared.

"I hope I can stay... Ideally, I'd like to keep that annoying Sajyou Aika here to 'monitor' me..."

A barely perceptible glint of ruthlessness flashed deep within Medea's lowered eyes:

"Hehe... In that case, I can take advantage of this golden opportunity to... completely eliminate her from Lord Wang Chong's side..."

……

About an hour later, all of Wang Chong's followers, along with his ally Orion and his companion, gathered in the central hall of Wang Chong's manor. The flickering candlelight cast dappled shadows on their faces.

Wang Chong looked around at everyone present, recounted the intelligence he had previously given Medea regarding the sea voyage and the chaotic situation in the Sea of ​​Tides, and then moved on to the most crucial part: personnel arrangements.

"Gentlemen."

Wang Chong's voice was steady and powerful as he stated frankly:

"During this voyage, I am concerned that the Demon King's forces may take advantage of the situation and launch a surprise attack on our vital spiritual vein base. Therefore, we must leave behind a member with sufficient strength who can communicate with me remotely in real time to oversee the operation."

Wang Chong's gaze swept across every face present as if it were a tangible object, and finally, it locked onto Sajou Aika, who was standing quietly to the side.

“Aige,” Wang Chong clearly announced his first decision, “our island is now in your hands to protect.”

"Your task is to continue to improve and strengthen the island's magical defenses, ensuring they can effectively resist any intruders or monsters. Be especially vigilant and guard against possible surprise attacks from enemy Servants!"

Chapter 608 Setting Sail Again

Wang Chong's first order immediately stirred up waves in the hearts of his followers.

"strangeness……"

Circe observed Wang Chong and Satō Aika silently, her mind filled with doubt:

“Sajyou Ayaka and Master were in the throes of a passionate and inseparable relationship recently… Why would Master suddenly decide to separate from her and leave her alone in this remote rear area far from the main battlefield?”

She thought quickly:

"While it is true that a powerful magician is needed to oversee the island... Medea has just regained her strength and her mind is unpredictable. As long as the Master is clear-headed, it is impossible to leave her behind without keeping her by his side to monitor her."

"And as one of the Master's most trusted and closest people, Ayaka Sajou should logically be kept by his side... I had already mentally prepared myself to be left behind to guard the island..."

A thought flashed through Circe's mind, and a complex emotion welled up within him:

"Could it be... that Master doesn't even trust me? So he'd rather bear the pain of leaving his most trusted Sajyo Ayaka behind to ensure everything goes perfectly? I'm afraid... that's the only explanation."

The thought that she, like Medea, had been included on Wang Chong's list of those to be wary of made Circe feel that all her efforts to "sell favors" and gain favor with Wang Chong had been in vain.

But upon further reflection, she felt somewhat relieved. After all, most of her "selling benefits" was actually to gather information for Medea, which was inherently purposeful.

It was probably because he had been getting quite close to Medea recently and had been frequently passing on information to her that Wang Chong had categorized him as someone who needed to be wary of.

"Sigh... another sea voyage, and this time with Medea..." Circe sighed inwardly. "Tsk, just thinking about it gives me a headache. Now that her magic has fully recovered, I'm not confident I can suppress her as easily as before..."

Medea, standing a little further away, also had a slight, almost imperceptible, contraction in her pupils when she heard the decision to leave Sajō Aika behind. However, being astute as she was, she quickly grasped, just like Circe, the key consideration behind Wang Chong's arrangement.

“It’s alright… Since we can’t stay on the island, continuing to follow Lord Wang Chong is just as good…”

Medea quickly adjusted her mindset and replanned: "In some ways, it's even better. Without Sajou Aika as the biggest obstacle and monitor, I can more easily advance my plan against Lord Wang Chong from other aspects during the rest of the voyage."

A subtle calculation flashed in Medea's eyes, and she thought to herself, "This is also my opportunity."

Upon hearing this, Aika Sajou's delicate face showed no hesitation, as if she had already foreseen this arrangement. She nodded gracefully, her voice flowing like a clear spring: "Please entrust the affairs of the island to me with peace of mind, Your Highness~"

Wang Chong nodded slightly and turned his gaze to the other two followers: "Elizabeth, Tamamo Neko, you two assist Aika and make sure to defend our base."

He paused, then looked specifically at Elizabeth, and added, "Elizabeth, if you have the chance, try to tame the pterosaurs on the island. Their power might be an asset to us in the future."

"Eh—?" Elizabeth deflated like a punctured balloon, her shoulders slumped, and her dragon tail drooped listlessly. "Can't we go on a sea adventure?...Okay..."

Despite her disappointment, she immediately rallied her spirits, determined to complete the task perfectly and live up to Wang Chong's trust, since it was a task personally assigned to her.

In contrast, Tamamo-no-Mae's reaction was rather uninteresting. She flicked her fluffy tail, her golden eyes revealing obvious disdain: "The sea? I hate that sticky, wet place the most, woof! And the boat is so small, you can't even stretch out to run a few steps. How can it compare to the freedom on the island?"

For her, being able to stay on the dry, spacious island and have fun was actually a joy.

Wang Chong's gaze swept over the remaining Servants, and he said calmly, "With three Servants guarding the island, there should be no problem. So, Musashi, Circe, Medea, Orion, and Artemis, come with me to board the ship tomorrow. Our destination—the Sea of ​​the Eye of the Tide."

"Yes!" Musashi and the others responded in unison, their voices echoing across the empty coastline.

A hint of surprise flashed through Musashi's mind. She had thought she would have to stay on the island again, since naval warfare was not her forte.

However, when it comes to close-quarters combat with pirates or Servants, she has never been afraid of anyone with her twin swords.

Wang Chong's decision to replace Elizabeth with her was not based on complicated considerations, but rather on giving her the opportunity to follow him, deepen their bond through fighting side by side, and subtly enhance their mutual affection.

Circe and Medea were not surprised by this arrangement. From the moment Wang Chong named Sajou Aika to stay behind, they already understood their role in this operation.

As for that inseparable couple...

"Eh? We have to go to sea again?" Orion's furry bear face immediately scrunched up, and he exaggeratedly covered his head with his paws. "Spare me... In my current state, what fighting power do I have? I'd just be a burden." He immediately tried to refuse.

Wang Chong raised an eyebrow, directly seeing through his little scheme:

"Oh? So you're really comfortable letting Artemis come out to sea with us alone? Don't forget, she's an indispensable asset on this trip. Besides, this matter involves the mystery of the goddess's sacrifice. With her there, it'll be easier to draw out the real mastermind. She can't stay with you."

“What’s there to worry about!” Orion retorted quickly, without thinking. “What kind of fool would even think of hitting on this violent woman? That would be suicide… Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!!!”

Before he could finish speaking, he finally realized that he had once again precisely stepped into his partner's minefield.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Artemis had already made a lightning-fast move, squeezing him tightly in her hand like an oversized plush toy, gritting her teeth and repeatedly kneading and squeezing him, as if she wouldn't stop until she had turned him into a bear ball.

Wang Chong watched this daily farce unfold helplessly, then played his trump card: "Alright, once we reach the Sea of ​​the Tide's Eye, we'll inevitably clash with various pirate groups. After the fierce battles, the spoils will pile up like mountains, and naturally, they'll need to be distributed..."

"Don't you want to take this opportunity to make a fortune, so you can save up enough capital to go find One-Eyed Dragon and win back the games you lost before?"

Sure enough, these words were like a shot of adrenaline, instantly brightening Orion's eyes. Lately, he had been on a losing streak, suffering defeat after defeat, and had lost most of his hard-earned savings, leaving him so penniless that he dared not even set foot on the gambling table.

He immediately broke free, waving his little paws excitedly: "Hahaha! That's great! What are we waiting for? Let's go now!"

Clearly, Orion was getting restless from not having any gambling games for days.

"Darling—!"

Artemis's voice suddenly rose, carrying a dangerous undertone:

"So you were willing to board the ship just to gamble, completely disregarding your partner's safety, right?! Dinner tonight is canceled! And for the next few days, you'd better quit gambling!"

Orion's excitement only added fuel to the fire, making Artemis determined to correct her partner's gambling addiction.

“You two can settle your ‘family matters’ later,” Wang Chong interrupted them, his tone leaving no room for argument. “In any case, we’re setting sail tomorrow, and I expect to see you both on board on time.”

"Please leave it to me, Lord Wang Chong." Artemis grabbed Orion's round cheeks again, pulling them apart forcefully, and assured Wang Chong, "I will 'help' Darling to turn over a new leaf." With that, she dragged the wailing Orion away.

Seeing this, the others also bowed to Wang Chong and took their leave to make their final preparations. Only Sajou Aika, Elizabeth, and Tamamo Neko, who had been entrusted with the important task of guarding the island, remained behind. Wang Chong needed to explain to them in more detail the specific matters of the island's defense and development.

……

A gentle sea breeze caressed us as time quietly slipped by, and before we knew it, it was the next morning.

As the sun rose, the sea was covered in shimmering gold. Wang Chong led his elite pirates and the crew of followers chosen the day before onto the ship.

Accompanied by the heavy creaking of the anchor winch and the fluttering of the sails, the fleet once again broke through the azure waves and headed towards the mysterious and unpredictable sea of ​​the tide.

According to the intelligence gathered by Euryale over the past few days, the Chaldea group has arrived at the outer area of ​​the Eye of the Tide.

They navigated daily among various pirate groups: some, intimidated by Drake's formidable reputation at sea, chose to make cautious contact, exchanging intelligence and supplies.

Meanwhile, some fierce and ruthless pirate groups would open fire at the slightest provocation, launching sneak attacks with sniper cannons. If it weren't for Mashu's indestructible shield repeatedly turning the tide, their ships would probably have been riddled with holes and on the verge of collapse before even reaching the core area.

However, the most crucial information wasn't these encounters. According to information gathered from pirate groups around the Sea of ​​Tides, in the heart of the swirling whirlpool, an inconspicuous pirate crew had also captured a goddess and was conducting some kind of mysterious ritual!

At this moment, this group is engaged in fierce fighting with three other powerful pirate groups that were the first to arrive at the core area. The various forces that arrived later all stopped on the periphery, watching coldly, plotting to benefit from the conflict, waiting for the battle to become clear before seizing the spoils of victory.

This sudden turn of events was the real reason Wang Chong set off so quickly. Unexpected factors finally came into play at this moment!

Wang Chong never expected that, in addition to the known Stheno, Euryale, and Artemis, there was another goddess who answered the call to descend to this world and fell into the hands of an unknown pirate crew.

It can be said that this matter is full of strangeness and permeated with the atmosphere of a carefully planned conspiracy.

Wang Chong knew perfectly well that someone was trying to exploit the situation he had created to secretly plot their own scheme. Therefore, he had to delve deeper into this vortex to see the hidden truth within.

Fortunately, with Chaldea as the vanguard, they were able to uncover a corner of the mysterious veil surrounding the mastermind behind the scenes.

Chapter 609 The Sea of ​​Tides Competition (Part 1)

Another matter that worried Wang Chong was the movements of the crew of the Argo. The situation in the Eye of the Tide was becoming increasingly turbulent. Given Jason's opportunistic nature, what would he do upon learning that yet another goddess had fallen into the hands of pirates?

In any case, all eyes are currently focused on this, and no one is distracted from searching for the legendary Ark of the Covenant.

According to Atalanta's latest report, King David is currently safe, and his valuable artifacts have not yet attracted greedy covetous individuals.

"Hopefully... I won't miss the most exciting part of this grand show." Wang Chong leaned on the railing, gazing into the distance, his deep eyes fixed on the boundless ocean, a meaningful smile slowly curving his lips.

"Ugh... I'm so dizzy from all this swaying..." A slightly uncomfortable voice rang out beside him, breaking the tranquility of the sea breeze.

Wang Chong glanced to the side and saw Miyamoto Musashi leaning against the ship's railing, his face pale and his brows furrowed, clearly struggling with a churning stomach.

"What, you're seasick too?" Wang Chong asked with a concerned smile.

"Hmm... a little... but I... I can handle it..." Musashi took a deep breath, trying to suppress the nausea in his chest, and patted his chest hard, trying to forcefully suppress the churning feeling. "The turbulence on the sea... is really... quite a difficult experience."

“That’s true,” Wang Chong said understandingly, gently patting her shoulder, which was slightly tense due to discomfort. A wisp of gentle Originium energy quietly flowed in, helping to regulate her slightly disordered physical condition. “Just try to get used to it for a few more days. The fierce battle ahead will require your strength, so you need to recover your condition as soon as possible. This isn’t too difficult for you, is it?”

"Of course not!" Feeling the soothing warmth, Musashi's spirits lifted, his face regained its radiance, and a spirited smile appeared on his lips. "To be able to follow you and witness the wonders and challenges of this vast world is something I, Musashi, could never have asked for; my heart is filled with joy!"

Musashi straightened his back, gazing at the surging sea, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a warrior facing an unknown challenge:

"To wield a sword on the boundless sea and confront powerful enemies, one must not only adapt to new foes and tactics, but also overcome the interference from nature... This is the path I, Musashi, seek! I will use this as a foundation to hone my swordsmanship and take a new step towards a higher realm!"

"What a spirit!" Wang Chong nodded approvingly. "This is precisely why I brought you out here. Let those pirates who roam the seas witness the martial prowess of this future sword saint!"

"Hehe, I'm still a long way from being called a Sword Saint..." Musashi scratched her head somewhat embarrassedly. Before she finished speaking, her expression suddenly turned serious, and a chill ran down her spine without warning, as if she were being locked onto by an invisible sharp edge.

"Hmm!? There's murderous intent?!"

She whirled around, her sharp gaze sweeping across the deck and busy sailors behind her like a hawk's. However, the instant she turned, that chilling aura vanished like a ghost, leaving only the howling sea breeze and the shouts of the crew, with no trace of any hostility directed at her.

"Strange? Could it be my imagination?" Musashi muttered to himself in confusion, his vigilance not yet completely gone.

Just then, the purple-robed witch Medea, holding a wand wreath wreathed in eerie light, gracefully ascended the stairs from the lower deck. She went directly to Wang Chong and Musashi, bowed slightly to Wang Chong, her posture respectful and humble, and softly reported:

"Lord Wang Chong, the magic engraving on the entire ship has been completed as planned. Once activated, our speed will be significantly increased. However..."

She paused briefly and reminded everyone, "The ship may experience significant turbulence during acceleration, so everyone must hold on to the fixed objects on the ship to maintain their stability."

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