Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Replicus watched with heavy bones as the massive creature disappeared in a moving hump of the surface ocean water, travelling at about twice the top speed of his ship – when it wasn't bolstered by his skills.

His sockets flashed brightly, and then turned dim.

A sigh then came out of his mouth.

'I did think things were going a bit smoothly...' he thought to himself while taking seemingly aimless steps over the water. 'I also thought that man would be more secretive about his face since we literally have to refer to him as a masked man. Guess I was wrong.'

His exchange with Actuass had sparked a lot of contention and speculation that he now had the time to process.

One of these was, Actuass had an air about him that was almost as detestable as Somanda's in Replicus' eyes. This wasn't simply because he had the power of Undeath, or because Replicus knew the two had a connection.

No.

It was something deeper.

Which was strange because Skullius didn't know Somanda all that deeply.

"You aren't even going to chase after him?" Aurolio said, shattering Replicus' bubble of thought.

The Penetrator hoped he would leave him alone sooner.

The bastard seemed to have started resorting to verbal forms of annoyance since he couldn't harm Replicus without paying dearly for it.

"No, I'm not," Replicus replied simply.

"Hmmm. Odd. I thought you'd be the protective type. The kind who cares for his subordinates dearly. Weren't they aboard that ship? Have you given up on them already?"

Replicus sighed once again.

Instead of answering, he turned towards the remaining vessels.

Some were already turning to chase after Actuass, others with hesitant Factions, made to doubt by the masked man still waiting for a definitive verdict.

Asides from Eaniss' ship, Replicus recognised the Bishop's and those of the others prominent Factions in the Severed Union, like the man with the Harmonic Ember.

He turned to the wall of darkness.

'Is this some kind of luck? The strongest forces of the Severed Union are still here on this side.'

And indeed they were.

However, different from Eaniss who was always outspoken, this part of her surging in the interaction with Actuass just now, the Bishop, Warding Pride and the others had not spoken a word to or about the masked man.

Replicus hadn't even seen the Mad Bishop pop out.

Only Warding Pride and the bejewelled Faction leader showed themselves.

Strange.

The Penetrator imagined Eaniss would call of these Faction leaders to talk about their next plan, if she didn't have one already.

Would she reverse time again?

Replicus wasn't sure.

The cube Eaniss had – if she had been telling the full truth about it – couldn't be used indefinitely.

So...

"Suit yourself then. I thought we could offer you a ride if you cared much for your ship. Would you have a problem with that, Eaniss?" Aurolio said as he walked away from the Penetrator, looking up to face the Head Faction leader who had been staring down at the two of them this entire time.

"Are you sure you want to pass this up, Bright Storm?" Eaniss asked curiously "Have you given up?"

Before Replicus could answer, Warding Pride blubbered first, her mocking tone brazenly sound.

"How can he not have? Look at him. He has nothing. He might have outlived other Faction leaders so far, but it was all just luck and it has finally run out," she said, on her face a mix of fury and triumph. "You got your underlings killed and you don't even have the gall to avenge them. That should speak for itself."

Someone aboard Warding Pride's ship flinched at the last two sentences.

Replicus scratched the chin of his starry armour.

"Only fools hurry to speak in their enemy's stead. I have a voice of my own, thanks," he said. And then...

"Araeyn."

At the call of the name, a small, green glowing sphere only Replicus, and Aurolio – who turned fiercely when its initial light poured, enticing his peripherals – spawned a couple tens of meters away.

It grew large, then larger and with a vibrant flash of light, it disappeared, in its place five figures emerging.

Araeyn was at the forefront, a long red ribbon coiling around him and the group.

"That... was weird!" Grim was the first to speak, his eyes bulging as he took several breaths, his hands on his knees.

"We're finally back. Thank goodness. That place was—ahhh ahhh ouch!" Allora who had attempted to sit down without grasping where she was, accidentally met a bit of ocean water to her face.

"Master!" Pherdanta cried as she dashed for Replicus.

Baddan merely looked around with caution.

Warding Pride wore a look of disgust at the sight of Pherdanta rushing to stand by Replicus' side.

A certain blonde on her ship looked partly relieved but also disgruntled.

"Looks like you didn't lose everything after all. Commendable," Eaniss said in a pleasant tone.

"Indeed," Aurolio, who had boarded echoed her sentiment while looking closely at Araeyn.

That creature...

Replicus stared deeply into Warding Pride's hateful eyes, then turned to Eaniss.

"Fortunately for you, this minor setback hasn't destroyed my will, Eaniss. We'll be alright. We'll find you soon. Though, I'm guessing you won't be making a thorough move on the masked man until you reach Edagon, as he said, right?" the Penetrator said.

Eaniss smiled strangely, and didn't answer his question. Instead...

"Where will you get a new vessel? I'm sure we've both learned through that necromancer's example that not just any vehicle will do on this side of the world," she inquired.

"Let me worry about that. I'll be giving you the thrill you asked of me soon, when I catch up," Replicus replied.

Eaniss nodded, but her gaze lingered. She looked to be considering asking about something she found odd.

Replicus knew what it was. He had thought that she would ask, sooner at that. If anyone would think it was a strange hole in logic instead of a simple slap in Replicus' face, it would be Eaniss.

How did the necromancer they had surrounded just now, emerge so suddenly on Replicus' ship?

In the end, the Head Faction leader didn't ask. She merely turned away, along with Aurolio who gave a last deep look at Araeyn.

'Guess it really doesn't matter anymore at this point,' Replicus thought.

Warding Pride gave him a nasty look before she also turned away, and the man with the black and white jewel merely smiled before disappearing as well.

Soon, the great, bright runes from the great ships ignited and the vessels streaked across the ocean at top speed, disappearing into the distance.

It seems those that had been hesitant to continue with the expedition summoned courage and followed the rest in the end as well.

Finally, the Penetrator and his company was left alone.

"Master, I'm sorry. It was so sudden. We couldn't—"

"Don't worry about it," Replicus cut Pherdanta off and patted her shoulder. "I couldn't possibly expect you to handle something that caught even me off guard, could I?"

Allora grit her teeth secretly, while Grim wore an uncharacteristically serious face.

"Still, boss. We really messed up. We're supposed to be surpassing our limits. Getting the better of stronger enemies. If it wasn't for Araeyn..." Grim grunted.

The Penetrator glanced at his Apostle and chortled. He would have to have a 'chat' with the pale bastard. Maybe reward him, if possible.

"Well, killing a few Incandescent Stagers did get to our heads a bit. We were playing the game with our own rules until now. Uncharted territories and smart enemies... a combination of these would have destroyed a weaker group. We're fine as far as I'm concerned," he said cheerfully.

"What about our ship? How are we supposed to follow on?" Allora asked, deeply convinced that her boss was only saying all these encouraging words to not make them all feel terrible.

The Penetrator chuckled, and the Hollow Dusk's Prison disappeared from his body, leaving a cloud-covered, dark skeleton.

In the next moment, a fancy leather armour appeared over Replicus' body, though, for obvious reasons it didn't quite fit.

But then, he uttered...

"[High Cosmetic Body]. Didn't think I'd be using it on this voyage."

At once, the Penetrator's bones began to turn white while being covered by a powerful layer of flesh.

Auburn hair grew on his newly created scalp.

Two eyes devoid of irises and pupils appeared, along with a handsome face around them.

His frame grew a little shorter, and slightly wider, quickly fitting into the leather armour he had on perfectly.

As the Titan World Storm Penetrator turned into the Hybrid Luman, a massive swathe of darkness exploded out from him, drowning his subordinates who gawked in shock, before taking a steady, solid, shape.