Germain teleported directly to the last of the eleven special transfer points—Fang Bay.
As the name suggested, the bay resembled a set of fangs. The two sides were razor sharp, the middle narrow and menacing, like the canines of a beast.
With this, the guiding Eleven Stars were all lit, and for the first time, the long-hidden Twelfth Star revealed itself.
"Transfer Point—The Gate of the Darkness."
Germain did not rush toward it. He still needed the Key, which could only be obtained from the Gaseous Lifeform known as Ai. Without that, entering Dark Space was impossible.
But even as he hesitated, the world itself began to change.
The clear blue sky was suddenly swallowed by layer after layer of black clouds. The sun vanished in silence, and night descended without warning.
Moments later, a crimson half-moon rose into the sky. Surrounded by countless stars, it cast a blood-red glow across the land.
Buzz—
Germain felt a sudden pressure swelling inside his head. Instinctively, he resisted it, forcing the sensation down before stepping forward again.
Behind him, Fang Bay began to churn as the tide surged. Waves crashed one after another, rising higher each time, and the sea breeze shook the trees along the shore.
It was clear—the Deep Sea had begun to move.
Germain raised his lantern to sense the shift, and sure enough, he felt it. The underwater city was slowly ascending, drawing nearer to the surface. It would soon emerge.
Everything was proceeding according to plan. But if either he or the Deep Sea made a single mistake, the other would be dragged straight into eternal damnation.
Stepping across the wet mud and tangled branches, Germain advanced from the narrow mouth of Fang Bay toward its far end.
The creatures that usually prowled the bay—massive lizards, jagged-toothed crocodiles, and vulture-like abominations—had all vanished. The moment the sky changed, they had retreated into their nests, leaving the surroundings in a deathly silence.
Germain tilted his head back, gazing at the Blood Moon above. It flickered between fullness and decay, shifting visibly with every heartbeat.
It seemed… this was the Deep Sea's way of stalling for time.
He continued walking forward.
Soon, he sensed the presence of numerous small creatures nearby. Some were approaching him, some were retreating, and a few remained completely still.
These were the "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai."
The "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai" moved almost unhindered through soil, stones, and shrubs, drifting like clouds of black smoke.
Their bodies resembled black potatoes, with short arms and legs. When they walked on the ground, they moved as lightly as if strolling on the moon.
"Ai."
"Ai."
"Ai."
This was the sound the "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai" made, like a chorus of croaking frogs. Their appearance and calls were exactly why they were named as such.
Germain paid them no mind and continued walking.
A few of the "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai" mustered courage. They waddled forward on their tiny legs, calling "Ai Ai Ai" like children learning to speak, and leapt toward him.
They grabbed Germain's pant legs and clung to his thighs. Gradually, their "Ai Ai Ai" sounds began to transform into human speech.
"Play with me."
"Play with me."
"Play with me."
Germain lifted his leg and shook them off.
They floated in the air like dandelion seeds for a moment before landing lightly on the ground, then relentlessly chased after him again.
Finally, a stern voice halted their actions.
"Children, step back… do not trouble our guest."
The "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai" that had been imitating human speech and running after Germain all froze. Then, as one, they turned and fled.
Before long, there wasn't a single "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai" in sight.
For ordinary adventurers, the creatures would have pursued them relentlessly. And under their influence, the adventurers might make wishes with hidden costs.
Those costs—three of them—would be borne by companions, naturally stirring resentment and dissatisfaction, prompting the companions themselves to make wishes.
At the same time, the results of the wisher's desires often diverged wildly from their expectations.
Greed and revenge would drive them to continuously wish to different "Gaseous Lifeform, Ai," dragging the entire team into an abyss.
Eventually, all that remained were records, written as if with the subtlety of a historical brush:
"They seemed to have gotten into some dispute under the influence of the 'Gaseous Lifeform, Ai.' Everyone who returned alive was mentally unhinged…"
Of course, such a fate would never befall Germain.
But he couldn't help recalling that famous horror and suspense story—The Monkey's Paw.
In simple terms, a couple came into possession of a monkey's paw, which could grant three wishes.
Their first wish was for two hundred pounds.
But no matter how long they waited, it never seemed to come true.
At first, they thought the legend of the strange monkey's paw was just a joke.
However, the couple soon learned that their son had died in a work accident—and the compensation happened to be exactly two hundred pounds.
Grief-stricken from losing their son, the wife demanded that her husband use the monkey's paw to wish their son back to life.
The husband was forced to make the second wish.
Almost immediately, there came a violent pounding at the door outside.
The wife, in a frenzy, wanted to open the door, but the husband keenly noticed that the sounds outside were too horrifying—too unnatural to have been made by a normal human being.
Had their son truly been brought back to life?
Even if he had, was he still human?
The husband shuddered at the thought.
Driven by fear, and before his wife could recklessly, hysterically open the door, the husband made the third wish using the monkey's paw.
In the end, nothing remained outside the house.
Germain did not believe in perfect wishes.
Even a wish to a dragon required gathering all seven Dragon Balls, and even then, resurrection came with limits.
"All gifts given by fate already have a hidden price," he thought.
This could easily apply to the monkey's paw, the Gaseous Lifeform Ai, and even to himself.
The sound came from ahead, and suddenly, two enormous figures appeared in the distance.
They were two giants, seated at the mouth of Fang Bay, looking down toward the sea.
One male, one female, both with silver hair and wrinkled skin, appearing aged and feeble.
The old man's chin was covered by a thick, bushy beard, making him look like a fisherman or a hunter.
The old woman, on the other hand, appeared gaunt and lifeless, her eyes not moving an inch, as if she had been dead for a long time.
They were the "Greedy and Mad Old Giants," the true source of disaster in this place.
Germain felt no fear at all and walked straight toward them.
"Originally, we might have had to fight," the old man shook his head. "But there's no way we could ever be your match. Besides, we already know why you've come."
He extended a hand, and an old, silver-gray lantern slowly floated into view.
"Please, take it. I believe that esteemed one is already patiently awaiting your arrival."
*******
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