"Yes, the true body should be at the mountaintop, but for now... you'll have to wait. I'm going inside to take a look first."
Leaving Triangle Head outside, Bella walked through the stone door. After proceeding through darkness for over a hundred meters, her vision suddenly opened up.
A fairly large waterfall descended from an extreme height. She looked up—over eight hundred meters high, roughly the height of the Burj Khalifa.
The layout here could only be described as miraculous craftsmanship. The waterfall had broken through the cave's ceiling. Water dripping on stone over who knew how many years had made this opening larger and larger. Now, a beam of light roughly ten meters in diameter shone directly on the cave's center—a mound-like elevation where the villagers of Mizushima had placed a somewhat tattered palanquin.
The waterfall descended from eight hundred meters into this cave, then flowed around the central highland and exited through both sides into Mizushima Village.
The villagers drank this water falling from the sky daily, which turned them into monsters with pale skin covered in blisters and corpse spots.
Bella first searched the highland area. She kicked apart the broken palanquin Mizushima Village had used to establish ties with Fountainhead Palace. She had her flying carpet and didn't need such things. For the people of Ashina, eight hundred meters might be an insurmountable chasm, but for her it was merely slightly troublesome.
As for magic? Did she need to worry about magic?
In front of the palanquin stood a crude altar with a faintly glowing stone—the Shelter Stone.
Divine water descending from heaven, granting immortality—when the villagers of Mizushima discovered the miraculous properties of this water, they were ecstatic.
They believed the mountain peak eight hundred meters above was the Capital, and this water flowing from the Capital was Capital Water.
They'd guarded this secret zealously, monitoring each other. Everyone had to drink this water. They all drank down this bowl of Capital Water together—to be Mizushima people again in the next life!
Some noticed something wrong after drinking—this immortality ability seemed strange—but were swept up in the fanatical environment. Anyone who didn't drink became the village's enemy.
Those with weak constitutions died within days of drinking. Those with strong constitutions slowly formed these things called Shelter Stones in their bodies.
The Okami clan of Fountainhead Palace considered those who could form Shelter Stones to be excellent experimental subjects. They spread a grand lie, encouraging those with good constitutions to voluntarily come to Fountainhead Palace to "unite with the nobles."
Wasn't this just kidney stones? Poisonous kidney stones at that!
Bella regarded it with complete disdain, drawing her sword and splitting the stone in half.
Leaving the cave, she called Triangle Head to walk back with her.
"Yes, there should be a big one at the mountaintop. That thing will definitely give you plenty to absorb. Come on, let's rendezvous with Jason first."
Ten minutes later, Bella found Jason and was left speechless. This guy was truly a life's winner—what boundless energy! In such dire straits, he'd managed to find a girlfriend!
The female ghost Rin from Mizushima Village still wore that basket, so her facial expression was unclear, but judging from their positioning, she and Jason seemed quite close.
"What exactly happened? Can you tell me, esteemed Mr. Jason?" Bella's face showed complete astonishment.
Out of nowhere, her ship had gained another "person"?
Bella had always considered her actions righteous! Now these guys were making it seem like some kind of Revenge Ghost Alliance.
What the hell! A shipful of wandering spirits!
People wearing masks, iron helmets, wrapped entirely in bandages, and now one wearing a basket—none of them could show their faces? Or had her beauty made them all feel ashamed?
Bella's thoughts wandered.
Through their contract, Jason transmitted what had happened via mental connection.
This guy embodied persistence—once, twice, three times, ten times... Jason had been repeatedly crushed by the female ghost Rin.
He could revive, but Rin couldn't. After dying just once, her spirit was absorbed by the Flying Dutchman.
The Flying Dutchman was quite annoyed—Jason had lost far too much life force back and forth. Now it had to collect some interest.
Through this strange coincidence, Mizushima Village's "Sword Saint" Rin boarded the ship.
Bella nodded wordlessly. Jason paired with Rin—one fierce, one cunning—would be invincible in ordinary combat.
So be it!
By that evening—the second night since crossing into Ashina—Mizushima Village was finally completely cleared.
All the undead had been eliminated. Following the principle of quality over quantity, Bella hadn't recruited any of these villagers. Regardless of whether they worshiped Buddha or some other deity, she let them rest in peace.
The Flying Dutchman obtained vast amounts of undead energy. The hull surged to thirty meters long and six meters wide. Draft didn't need consideration—this was a ghost ship that could sail underwater. What need was there for draft?
Unlike its previous hollow appearance, the hull was now pitch black, as if coated with thick ink. Three masts rose high, and the bow featured a spine-like ram.
The ship's hold contained cannons—six per side. Still far from its peak of thirty-six cannons, but it now had sufficient offensive capability. The cannons could switch between ordinary cannonballs and energy rounds.
At the stern appeared a triple cannon very characteristic of the Flying Dutchman—three barrels bound together. When enemies pursued, it could rapidly fire three cannonballs, then turn around for a counterattack.
Upgrading from a two-meter raft to this caravel-style sailing ship had been truly difficult. The villagers of Mizushima had made tremendous contributions. Bella expressed her gratitude.
She called all crew aboard. Triangle Head had no connection to the Flying Dutchman but could board temporarily as a guest warrior.
Currently, counting Bella, Triangle Head, Jason, Rin, and the twenty-four Snake Eyes gunners, the ship held twenty-eight "people."
Worried about her family in the real world, Bella planned to resolve Fountainhead Palace's matter today. She would expend some undead energy to activate the Flying Dutchman's extraordinary ability—to sail upstream along the river to Fountainhead Palace.
Wherever there was water, there was the Flying Dutchman!
After two consecutive divinations yielding "smooth sailing" omens, Bella stood at the helm and, mimicking Barbossa, spun the wheel like a windmill.
"Depart! Tonight we assault this immortal palace! Set sail! Onward—!"
She shouted spiritedly, but after waiting two minutes, found the ship completely motionless...
This was embarrassing. What was going on? She looked back at everyone.
Jason immediately shook his head—he was the boatswain, responsible for charging into battle, not rowing.
Rin quickly plucked her shamisen twice, indicating she was the ship's musician.
Triangle Head also gave an imperceptible shake of his head, expressing that he was a guest warrior and didn't understand naval warfare either.
The Snake Eyes clan all raised their rifles, meaning they were ranged troops and shouldn't have to do such crude work as rowing.