"Splash..."

The howling wind roared like some kind of invisible demon letting out a mournful wail; the pouring cold rain seemed to seep into every strand of the wind, making even breathing difficult.

Darkness was boundless between heaven and earth, only occasionally illuminated by fleeting thunderclaps that lit up the deck and allowed a glimpse of the oppressive leaden clouds churning above, and from all directions, the towering black wave ridges rising like mountain peaks.

"Chh."

Sharp claws extended from the pads, and with a slight force, dug deeply into the wooden boards, providing precious support to the body.

Sasha was a member of the Spotted Cat race, walking upright on two legs with a humanoid form, a legitimate intelligent being, and spoke the Universal Language more fluently than eighty percent of the adventurers on the pier.

But there was no denying that the Spotted Cat blood flowing within him, just like the furry patterned fur on his body, endowed him with some of the typical behaviors of felines in daily life.

Instinctively arching his back and hissing in the face of danger, purring softly when relaxed or pleased...

He also had an almost instinctive aversion to liquids of mysterious origin, worried about getting his fur wet, and even when traversing the Wave-breaking Pier, he took care to avoid puddles on the ground.

But this did not mean "afraid of water" was his weakness.

Just like those humans who fear bugs, often even a tiny one no bigger than a thumbnail can scare them into jumping up with a scream, but when a crucial moment arrives, urgency and pressure can suppress physical instincts, letting reason return to the brain, and crushing a little bug requires hardly any effort, at most causing some nausea afterward.

The same applied to Sasha.

Earlier, he might have instinctively stepped back, worried the water droplets from the grass spur fish would splash onto him as the sea fish thrashed about.

Now, as the storm descended and the Vengeance Blade was in danger of capsizing, when his fur was instantaneously drenched by rain, those hydrophobic instincts from his bloodline were suppressed to the deepest part of his being.

Whoosh—

The racial talent of the Spotted Cat race in agility allowed Sasha to maintain his balance despite being caught in the midst of the storm’s fury, moving like a nimble leopard, his long tail curling and twisting as he maneuvered among the masts, deftly adjusting the sail rigging, protecting the ship’s vital source of power.

"Give me time!"

Druid Hai Yin, who had been preparing since noticing the signs of the approaching storm, was now standing alone at the front of the deck near the ship’s bow statue.

As if reaching some critical moment, one hand gripped the Practice Staff tightly, with a green glow gathering and swirling at its top, while the other hand, palm up, held a few seed-like objects that lay quietly in the palm under the halo of green light, unaffected by the external fierce wind.

The twin warriors Rein and Gordon, serving as the commanders of the ship’s sailors, had officially taken over the sailors’ duties by now.

The extremely harsh environment drastically reduced the efficiency of the crew’s work, and only professionals like them could move freely in the storm.

With daggers clenched in their mouths, they climbed the masts, swaying violently in the storm along with the ship, to help Sasha cut the ropes; personally undertaking those dangerous and complex tasks, while keeping an eye on the entire deck, directing the sailors to areas in urgent need of manpower with the simplest yet most powerful commands.

Akken, a tattoo enthusiast who had taken on the job of a barbarian, exhibiting outstanding strength and robust physique, demonstrated his role as a firm front for the team at this moment.

He sprinted to the side of the deck, grabbing a hemp rope that had come loose in the gale, lashing like a long whip in the air, and held it firmly in his palm with just one grasp.

With arms thicker than an ordinary person’s thighs swelling and exerting force, he used his muscle strength to forcibly pull the rope back against the storm, using his body to brace and reattach it.

Captain Lorin was now standing in front of the ship’s wheel.

Though her appearance did not seem to embody strong power, yet her professional level was as high as Level 7, nearly completing the path to "Transcendent" as a formidable adventurer.

Single-handedly, she firmly controlled the ship’s wheel in the storm, steering the direction and balance of the Vengeance Blade.

Her extensive experience in navigation and fully focused spirit allowed the woman, whose fiery red hair was now drenched by rain, with an extinguished cigarette in her mouth, to seemingly perceive every wave on the surrounding sea that could threaten the Vengeance Blade.

The turning of the wheel kept the bow continuously facing the waves, ascending and descending over surging waves, minimizing the risk of the ship capsizing.

Meanwhile, the two newcomers to the crew, Xia Nan and his companion, were also playing their parts.

"Ding dong..."

The exhilarating, high-pitched sound of the zither suddenly echoed in everyone’s ears on the deck.

It sounded as if lacking any melody, yet it harmonized with the storm and waves, with deep bass chords exploding as the bow plunged into wave troughs, while rapid notes leaned continuously with the torrential rain.

But it was precisely these chaotic notes that seemed to dispel the oppression and dullness in the air at this moment.

An invisible force was quietly gathering.

The sailors, exhausted from battling the storm, reignited their fighting spirit, with crew members who were gripping ropes tightly despite palms of blurred skin and flesh, subconsciously clenching their teeth and extracting the last bit of stamina deep within their muscles.