Steering was straightforward for Bushidora; his main focus was maintaining the right course.
They had set off from the eastern edge of the Six Continents, planning to land on the east-southeast coast of the Dark Continent.
This area had been explored by V5 and was known for its swamps where the ultimate food, "Nitro Rice," grew, a plant said to extend human lifespan.
The choice of direction had come from Larry himself.
Despite numerous expeditions, humans still knew very little about the Dark Continent, so every bit of information was precious.
Among the various hopes and dangers they faced, Larry was most intrigued by the Nitro Rice, a substance said to extend human life.
Compared to the sahelta, which could generate 20,000 kilowatts of electricity in a day, and the three-source water that could produce any liquid, Larry believed the Nitro Rice held far greater significance.
His choice was widely supported by others; after all, who wouldn't want a longer lifespan?
So, the group set their course toward where the Nitro Rice was said to be located.
At this point, no one noticed anything unusual, but Larry had a nagging feeling that something was off.
The appearance of the gestation bar indicated they had entered a new area, which usually meant unexpected events were likely to happen.
High up on the ship was a lookout platform designed to give guards a better view of the surroundings.
As a vessel sailing on Lake Mobius, the guards aboard were highly skilled professionals.
On duty at that moment was Miru, a member of the Stone Wall mercenary unit and one of the few women on the team.
Miru had a strong, capable build with short hair and healthy, sun-kissed skin.
She wore the Stone Wall uniform with pride.
"Hmm?" she murmured, sensing something was different.
She quickly raised her telescope to scan the surrounding waters more closely while resting her hand near the bell.
This bell was fixed at the guard post and used to alert the entire crew in case of emergency.
Its sound was specially designed to carry clearly and sharply across the ship, loud enough to wake even someone deep asleep.
Miru's uneasy feeling came from her unique ability called "Listen to the Sound of Nature."
This mind skill allowed her to pick up on the natural sounds around her and interpret their subtle changes through sound waves.
It was precisely this talent that made her an excellent guard, especially on an exploratory mission.
Since her ability was passive, it didn't drain her aura, though using aura would enhance its effectiveness.
Thanks to this, Miru was always alert to even the slightest shift in their environment.
Miru wasn't just suited for exploration; she had undergone rigorous, professional training to sharpen her skills.
From the moment she sensed something was off, she immediately began scanning the surrounding sea with precision.
Yet, on the surface, everything appeared normal.
Why emphasize "on the surface"?
Because her telepathic ability was picking up strange fluctuations beneath, signaling hidden dangers lurking nearby.
Frustrated, Miru clenched her teeth and finally decided to ring the bell.
In missions like this, unexpected things happen all the time, and as a guard, she couldn't afford to overlook even the smallest threat.
One slip-up could lead to disastrous consequences.
The sharp, rapid ringing of the bell echoed clearly across the ship, grabbing everyone's attention.
Faces grew serious as the crew dropped what they were doing and hurried to the deck, fully aware of what the alarm meant.
After days of uneventful sailing, they were now staring down a real crisis.
At that moment, Miru's pupils contracted sharply as she stared out at the sea in disbelief.
It took her a moment after ringing the bell to finally understand the source of the danger surrounding them, something she had never seen before.
The once calm sea surface suddenly transformed dramatically.
A strong, sudden wind whipped up the waves, but instead of crashing as usual, the waves froze mid-motion, as if sprayed with an invisible, mega-strong hairspray.
The soft, rolling waves turned into sharp, jagged spikes that glistened menacingly in the light.
Normally, a few sharp waves wouldn't be a big deal, but as far as Miru could see, the entire sea had become a field of frozen spikes.
Just before the waves solidified, a fish leapt out of the water, tracing a graceful arc through the air.
But as it fell back down, it pierced through the razor-sharp waves, its body riddled with holes of various sizes.
Blood poured out, and after a brief struggle, the fish fell silent, suspended upright on the deadly spikes.
These weren't waves anymore; they were thorns, turning the entire sea into a dangerous "Sea of Thorns."
The spikes were so sharp and abundant that they would numb anyone who touched them.
Miru wasn't the only one witnessing this terrifying scene; Larry and the other crew members saw it too.
"The Sea of Thorns," Larry muttered under his breath.
It was fitting for such an unknown sea to harbor such a bizarre phenomenon.
Who would have thought that gentle waves could suddenly transform into a deadly thorn-covered sea?
In an instant, the entire area had become a thorny jungle.
Nearby, a frozen wave hovered close to Lapras.
Although splashing waves surrounded him, Lapras sensed something was off.
Before the waves could fully solidify, he used his ability, [Icy Wind], to freeze the waves and the seabed beneath them, turning everything into solid ice.
This kept Lapras and the ship safe, especially since the ship was built from top-quality materials designed to withstand such damage.
But the real danger wasn't from the thorns.
themselves, it was something else entirely.
At that moment, the sea surface was covered with frozen waves, making it impossible to tell it was water at all.
It looked more like a dense jungle on land, completely still and impossible to move through.
"Is this what they call the 'unknown sea'? I've never heard of waves just freezing like this," Ging said, crossing his arms and staring at the strange sight with a hint of surprise.
He then turned to Beyond beside him and asked, "Does V5 have any records about this?"
Beyond shook his head calmly.
"No. Although V5 sent teams to the southeast before, they never encountered anything like this," he said.
"I think it's because the [Guide] helped them avoid dangerous waters and find safer routes," he added with a steady voice.
It was clear he wasn't too surprised by what they were seeing.
After all, he had been to the Dark Continent and seen far stranger things than this.
Ging looked away without asking why they chose not to rely on the [Guide] for navigation.
He preferred to explore the Dark Continent relying on his own skills rather than external help.
Unlike those chasing after treasures, Ging wanted to uncover the unknown mysteries there.
The Dark Continent held many secrets, but so did Lake Mobius.