Chapter 49: Forbidden Power: The Price of Enchantment

In Ian's mental link, three sinister crows cawed incessantly, relaying information to him and "painting" the scenes they had witnessed.

It was now the evening of December 12th, and the Leviathan was less than 100 nautical miles from Stormport. Unless something unexpected happened, they should arrive at the port early tomorrow morning.

Aside from the earlier naval battle, the journey had been relatively peaceful. They had kept clear of the main shipping lanes, encountering only a few vessels, which they had avoided without issue.

Ian severed the mental link, rubbing his throbbing head. One hundred nautical miles was nearly the maximum range for his current mental connection—ten times the distance for shared sensory perception.

He went over the message Beatrice had relayed. The naval ensign at Stormport had changed; it was now the flag of the First Fleet, meaning the Second Fleet had moved south to patrol the waters around Heaven Island. The First Fleet had stationed a Level 5 ship and two Level 6 ships at Stormcorner, far fewer than the original garrison of the Second Fleet.

Beatrice had attempted to infiltrate the zone where the followers of the God of Truth and Justice resided but was discovered and had to retreat quickly.

Although Ian had been teaching Beatrice how to suppress her spiritual presence and blend in, it wasn't always effective unless Ian actively used sensory sharing to assist her.

On a cliffside by the sea, the ruins of the former Calvin Family castle lay scattered. The remnants of a gunpowder explosion and traces of flames were everywhere, and dark crimson bloodstains marked the ground. Even after a month of wind and rain, the stains remained visible.

Ian couldn't help but recall the moments from his past spent here, his fist instinctively clenching. "I'm back."

…

In the spiritual realm, amidst the endless void, a golden-red "sun" and several colorful "stars" slowly orbited around the fate curtain. Beneath it, immense waves of magical power surged, causing the towering primal trees to sway gently.

Ian stared blankly at the Fate Curtain, watching as the gift of destiny arrived on time—a new "star" shining brilliantly.

"Is there really such a thing as fate? What exactly is fate?"

It sounded almost ironic. Ian had never believed in fate, yet here it was, presenting him with a gift. Perhaps the more one believes in fate, the more it mocks them.

With a flick of Ian's mind, the "star" vanished, and a card suddenly appeared before him.

It was a silvery-white card, with strange silver patterns etched on each corner. The card depicted a naked woman looking over her shoulder, her body covered in intricate, glowing patterns, even her neck and head adorned with shimmering marks.

Card: Forbidden Enchantment

Effect: Grants the ability to perform Forbidden Enchantment.

Forbidden Enchantment: Unlike standard enchantments, Forbidden Enchantment is a form of biological enchantment, transferring abilities from one living being to another. The materials required are the soul and spirit of an extraordinary being, and the process consumes the caster's vitality.

The abilities gained through enchantment come from the soul and spirit of the sacrificed being. The caster can choose to strip or select the abilities for themselves.

Taboos:

The greater the disparity between the "materials" and the recipient's rank, the higher the chance of failure, which could result in injury or death.If the spiritual characteristics of two enchantments on the same recipient differ greatly, the chances of failure increase.The recipient will be continuously eroded by the spirit of the "materials." The greater the disparity, the more severe the erosion, eventually leading to the loss of self.

This was a new type of card, granting the ability of Forbidden Enchantment, which included knowledge, experience, and spells.

"This ability is essentially about stripping some of an extraordinary being's power and transferring it to someone else. It sounds strong, but the side effects are too severe. It's a bit of a double-edged sword."

After all, theoretically, no two spirits were identical, which meant there was no such thing as a completely harmless biological enchantment.

Ian stroked his chin thoughtfully, "It feels like there's more to this ability than just that…"

…

As dawn broke, the temporary captain of the Swordfish woke the crew.

He shouted at the groggy, hungry sailors, "Hurry up and clean up, we'll be in port soon. Everything must be spotless before we dock."

Grumbling, the sailors reluctantly began to scrub the deck, clearing away the bird droppings.

"Hey, where have all the birds gone today?" one sailor muttered to his mate.

The other sailor casually glanced up, noticing that the usual swarm of seabirds, including that menacing raven, was nowhere to be seen.

His face lit up in relief. The raven had been a constant source of dread for him. He looked ahead at the Leviathan's mast and rigging—there were no birds there either. He hurriedly whispered to his friend, "They're gone, even from that ship up ahead…"

Soon, more sailors noticed the absence, and the previously tense atmosphere began to ease. The crew started to converse in low voices.

On the Leviathan's deck, however, it was eerily silent. Bird droppings are corrosive, and Ian wasn't about to let the Leviathan become covered in them. He had already "warned" Beatrice to prevent seabirds from fouling the ship. If they couldn't control it, she had been instructed to guide them to the Swordfish.

At this moment, on the cliffs several nautical miles away, flocks of seabirds circled above the ruins of the Calvin Family castle. They began landing on the rooftops and walls of the crumbled structure. Beatrice had also suppressed her spiritual presence, blending in more seamlessly.

Though the day had just begun, the scene caught the attention of many in Heaven Port, who marveled at the unusual sight. They had seen flocks of birds before, but they had always been the same species—this mixed flock was something new, and they were coexisting peacefully.

The castle area was rarely visited, and Ian had deliberately chosen to shelter them there, knowing that large flocks of birds were a common sight in the cliffs, so it wouldn't attract undue attention. Keeping them on the ship would have made them more conspicuous.

Ian hadn't dispersed the birds because he still had a use for them. If a conflict arose, the seabirds' interference would cause significant problems for both the fleet and the guards, making it easier for Ian to escape.

…

Ian stood silently on the aft deck, staring at the familiar yet unfamiliar port city ahead.

The harbor of Stormport was much smaller than Heaven Port, but its layout was more efficient, with several jutting piers designed according to the shape of the coast. The harbor was quiet, with only a few sailing ships docked.

After the massive mobilization of ships, both Stormcorner and Heaven Island appeared noticeably quieter.

Stormport's layout resembled a large "井" (well) symbol, with two main roads running east-west and two running north-south, intersecting at the central commercial district. The Calvin Family castle was located outside this area, on a cliff that extended from one of the outer horizontal lines.