...At that time, with Sherlock boarding the ship and many other passengers boarding as well, Sherlock sits in a relatively small space, specifically in the cargo area located in the lower part of the ship, while a ladder is before him to ascend above. At that moment, Christopher looks at him and says, "I forgot to tell you, the journey will take about a week if the weather is good." Sherlock then says, "Alright, no problem. Could I just have a pen and paper?" Christopher responds, "Okay, no problem, a crew member will bring them to you." Sherlock then sits while saying to himself: [I no longer care about loss; it has become ordinary. I cannot live without it; it is something inherent to me. Only the Perfect One will be with me in this.] Sherlock sighs, and then a relatively young boy, looking tired and exhausted from hard work, comes and gives Sherlock the pen and paper, saying, "Here you go, sir, here's the paper." Sherlock smiles, takes the paper, and says, "Thank you, you look exhausted, why not rest a little?" The boy replies, "I can't, I must work to earn my living." Sherlock smiles and gives the boy 20 silver coins, saying, "This is for bringing me the pen and paper." The boy responds, looking joyful, saying, "Thank you, sir, but this is too much!" Sherlock smiles and says, "No, go now, boy, and continue your work, come on, haha." The boy laughs enthusiastically, thanks Sherlock, and leaves, while one of the other boys watching this scene from afar smiles and steps forward toward Sherlock's spot...
...And elsewhere, specifically in the region where Lady Flowers resides, a kingdom called Asgard, Lady Flowers speaks, saying, "I had wished for the woman who broke on the day Lord Fool summoned me into the golden mist to be restored, and now suddenly she has become new!" Meanwhile, Lord Waves, somewhere at sea, is surprised by the return of the lamp that broke when he first entered the golden mist, and says to himself: [The treatment has indeed succeeded. This can only mean one thing: the Fool's existence indeed equals that of the gods. Glory to the Fool.] And at that moment, with Lord Sherlock on Christopher's ship, as the ship moves through the vast ocean called the Legendary Ocean, someone feels seasick and vomits on the deck. Meanwhile, Sherlock thinks: [I must find a way to create the Sequence 8 potion, Fool's Flame, soon. But now I must focus on this thing.] Sherlock looks at the vomit on the deck and says to himself: [The Perfect One is of absolute beauty. Since, in my view, He is the creator of all things and omnipotent, everything else is a reflection of His eternal beauty. Even that which appears ugly in its microcosmic form has beauty within it. Everything is beautiful. Beauty is not relative; beauty is absolute, and we are merely reflections of this absolute beauty.] Sherlock smiles, while suddenly a man dressed in fine, clean clothes approaches and says, "Hello, pleased to meet you. I'm Finn, and you?" Sherlock sighs slightly and says in a calm voice, "I'm Sherlock, pleased to meet you, Mr. Finn."
...Finn speaks in a calm voice and says, "You seem a bit strange. I sense the power of the Transcendents in you. Are you a Transcendent?" Sherlock is surprised and says, "Yes, indeed, and you also seem to be a Transcendent." Finn smiles slightly and says, "Yes, I am a Transcendent from the Spectator Path." Sherlock is surprised and says, "What is the Spectator Path? I've never heard of it." Finn then says, "It's the most difficult Path I've seen in my life. I am at Sequence 9, the Sequence called the Observer's Flame, and I don't even know which deity it belongs to." Sherlock thinks for a moment and says, "Alright then, are you the son of Lord Christopher?" Finn then says, "Yes, did you know from my clothes?" Sherlock smiles slightly and says, "Yes and no. I knew through knowing your thoughts." Finn is surprised and says, "You're a Seer, aren't you?" Sherlock then says, "Yes."
...Finn then speaks, saying, "Would you like to play chess?" Sherlock smiles suddenly: [I haven't played that game in countless years. It seems it exists in this world too, somehow. Could John have something to do with this and his transition to this world?] Sherlock then says calmly, "Alright then, I have no problem," while Finn goes to get the chess set. The weather outside is calm, and the sea is not angry. Finn arrives with the chess set, sits down, and says, "Will you start, or shall I?" Intelligence and Transcendent power show on Finn, with his shining blonde hair and clothes decorated with chains. Sherlock then says, "You start." Finn moves a pawn forward one step, watching all of Sherlock's moves through his abilities. Sherlock moves a pawn two steps. Finn thinks for a moment, moving another pawn forward two steps, and says to himself: [I can predict his next move. He will move the far-right pawn two steps, and I will use the tactic to trap the king and end this.] Sherlock smiles, then moves a knight two steps forward and one step left, capturing one of the pawns, greatly surprising Finn. Finn thinks: [Hmm, I couldn't predict that move. Then I'll use some tricks.] Finn then uses the Governor's Gaze, causing an eye to appear above Finn, unseen by anyone, and suddenly illusions of chess pieces appear, specifically illusions of the possible future moves Sherlock might make. Finn then moves a pawn on the left side forward two steps, while Sherlock moves the same pawn on the same side forward two steps. Finn smiles slightly: [I predicted that one.] Finn then moves his knight two steps forward and one left, capturing one of the pawns. Sherlock smiles, then suddenly moves one of his rooks and ends the knight, while surprise shows on Finn's face: [His moves are unpredictable. How is this!?]
...Finn focuses more and uses his strongest ability, the Unnoticed Adjustment—turning observation into a forgotten external trace! Finn moves his knight and rook forward, devouring Sherlock's rook. Sherlock then thinks for a moment and moves the central pawn forward one step. Suddenly, Finn's ability activates, and the pawn is moved forward two steps without Sherlock's notice. Finn then moves his rook to the right side and captures the pawn, putting the king in danger! Sherlock is surprised: [I only moved that piece one step!] Sherlock thinks for a moment and smiles slightly: [So you're using your powerful abilities, huh? Alright, no problem.] Finn moves his knight two steps forward and one left, while Sherlock uses his Divination ability, suddenly seeing before him the illusions of the pieces from Finn's power. Sherlock thinks for a moment: [Each piece represents a predicted move. Through observation, he tries to predict that move. Brilliant. But there's one thing missing: what if I cut this link between him and his illusions or disrupt it by directing the Seer's eye toward the eye above him, causing a collision between two different energies, creating interference? Since the ability takes time to activate, when my turn comes, I'll use the activation period to my advantage.]
...Sherlock then moves one of the pawns forward two steps, while Finn is occupied with his observation. Just as he is about to move one of his rooks toward one of the pawns, Sherlock closes his eyes twice with the intent to activate his ability, directing his gaze toward the Governor's Eye above Finn. As Finn finishes his turn, an energy disturbance occurs, suddenly confusing Finn as the illusions move strangely and incomprehensibly, preventing him from predicting his opponent's next move. Sherlock then moves one of the bishops to the spot from which Finn moved his rook, suddenly putting the king in danger. Finn is surprised: [I'm already trapped.] Finn then says, "Are you planning to put your own king in danger and attack?" Sherlock smiles slightly and says, "This is the power of the Seer Path. Everything is known in advance." Finn tenses up, and Sherlock smiles slightly: [Yes, everything is going according to plan. I must deal with the Seer piece. Not all knowledge allows me to know every move in advance. I'll confuse him, haha.]
...Finn thinks for a moment, while his illusions are confused and moving in multiple places simultaneously. Finn then says to himself: [He's trying to deceive me. I can't start thinking that he has omniscience. Don't think you can manipulate me psychologically so easily.] Finn acts recklessly and moves one of the bishops next to his king, capturing Sherlock's bishop. Suddenly, Finn says to himself: [No, I acted recklessly. He'll use the rook and capture my bishop!] Then, suddenly, Sherlock moves the bishop forward two steps. Finn is surprised: [Was I wrong? What is he trying to do? He was about to end the game.] Finn then moves one of his pawns forward to cover the spot left by the bishop, and then Sherlock says with a cold smile, "It's over." Sherlock moves one of the knights that was in the front to the side of the king, trapping the king and ending the game!...
...Finn is surprised and says, "Amazing, that was a great game. I admit I made some mistakes, but I acknowledge your victory." Finn then raises his hand to shake Sherlock's, and Sherlock shakes it, saying, "Well played, you too. This wasn't just a strategic battle; it was also a battle of Paths." Finn smiles and says, "I knew you were the cause of that disturbance, haha." They both laugh slightly, and then Finn says, "Shall we go to the deck?" Sherlock says, "I don't mind, alright, let's go."
...Sherlock and Finn head outside, climbing the stairs upwards, while Christopher sits below the ship's helm. Sherlock and Finn look out at the Legendary Ocean. Finn then speaks, saying, "Legend says there is a massive Kraken in the deepest depths of the ocean, a mythical beast that was able to destroy many kingdoms in the past." Sherlock smiles and says, "The view is beautiful. What time is it?" Finn looks at his pocket watch and says, "It's 5 now. The sun will set soon. And also, where do you intend to go?" Sherlock speaks, saying, "To the End Continent, in the far north." Finn then says, "Don't worry, every two days we take a stop at one of the ports in many different kingdoms." Sherlock smiles slightly and says, "I'm not worried. I'm just a little sad that this view will be absent for a while." Finn then speaks, saying, "If only everything could last forever. Do you agree?" Sherlock speaks, saying, "I don't agree at all. If everything became eternal and unchanging, it would lose meaning and purpose. A time would come when you would feel you've seen everything and said everything. You would be in an eternal prison you could never escape. Would you call that paradise?" Finn is surprised and says, "It seems my perspective was a bit shallow. I didn't focus on what you said. But you seem to be right indeed; that would never be paradise." Sherlock then says, "True paradise is when everything is perpetually new. Nothing is like what came before. Even a single piece of fruit, the next piece will be far better." Finn then says, "So where is this paradise then?" Sherlock speaks, saying, "I don't know. But I know only one thing: this absolute paradise must exist in a world called Heaven. A true, unending, and imperishable bliss [unlike the Firdaus or other paradises that existed in the immaterial world, which were perishable]."
...Finn is surprised and says, "What is the name of the deity on your Path?" Sherlock becomes slightly angry: [Do not call this powerful entity a deity; He does not even deserve to be beneath my feet!] Sherlock then says, "I am like you; I know nothing about Him." Finn smiles and says, "It seems we share the fact that neither of us knows the deity they follow." As the sun sets, the crew and passengers gather on the first deck of the ship for dinner. Finn then says, "Let's go eat now; I'm hungry, haha." Sherlock smiles and says, "Alright, let's go." The two head to eat, while another ship appears in the far distance, turning toward Christopher's ship.