The Dominant Feather Pirate Crew continued their voyage, with only five short hours remaining until they reached the Mystic Realm. But even these five hours had to be seized—more Ferocious Beasts to slay, granting Ye Yu more experience.
Han Ling began to rest, exhausted as she was, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Ye Yu understood that the danger of this Mystic Realm far surpassed anything they had faced before. Unlike usual, he didn't continue fighting or training. Instead, he reclined quietly on a deck chair, eyes closed, conserving his energy and adjusting his condition to its peak.
Lin Muxue and the others learned that the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew had gained a new member—one who had directly become an Executive.
A ripple of unease stirred in Li Cang's heart. He had been certain that Ye Yu would meet his end in this Mystic Realm, but the appearance of this newcomer planted a seed of doubt in his mind.
"Xue Er, could this newcomer become Ye Yu's lifeline?"
Lin Muxue scoffed lightly. "The Phantom Fruit's ability is just that—illusions. It's not like the shadow clones from Naruto. Even if he can create an illusion of Ye Yu, it'll only last for a brief moment. What good would that do? At most, it'll vanish after a single attack. It's practically useless—hardly any help at all."
After listening, Li Cang pondered carefully and nodded, agreeing with Lin Muxue's reasoning. "True. It seems Ye Yu is still in grave danger."
Lin Muxue sighed regretfully and corrected him, "Ah, to be precise—he's doomed. What a pity. I was looking forward to thoroughly crushing him later and making him submit."
...
Five hours passed swiftly. Han Ling awoke to the tantalizing aroma of food.
Following the scent, she arrived at the dining hall to find the table laden with a lavish feast—each dish a masterpiece of color, aroma, and flavor, instantly igniting her appetite.
Well-rested, refreshed, and now ravenous, Han Ling threw all pretense of ladylike manners to the wind. She wolfed down the food with gleaming eyes, praising between bites:
"Zhou Xing, your cooking is absolutely divine! This spread is incredible!"
Xia Ling chuckled beside her. "Well, he is the chef of our Dominant Feather Pirate Crew. His skills are beyond question."
Zhou Xing beamed at the praise.
Han Ling ate with utter satisfaction, quickly clearing the plates before her.
Zhou Xing watched her with concern. "Had enough? If not, I can make more."
Han Ling patted her stomach contentedly. "I'm full—this is perfect. I feel like I'm back at my peak now."
"Good."
At that moment, the countdown to the Mystic Realm began—one minute remaining. Once the time was up, they would be transported to Taiyuan City.
Han Ling hurriedly took out a camera and snapped a photo of Ye Yu. Then, focusing intently, she channeled the full power of her Phantom Fruit ability. Once done, she handed the photo to Ye Yu and said, "Captain, I hope this helps you."
Just moments ago, Han Ling had been full of energy, but after using her ability, she wilted instantly, exhausted once more. She marveled at Ye Yu's overwhelming strength—merely using his photo once had drained her completely.
Ye Yu accepted the photo with a faint smile, his voice firm with conviction. "This will be a great help."
Hearing this, Han Ling's face lit up with joy. "That's wonderful, then."
As the moment of teleportation approached, the crew gathered around, their eyes filled with worry and hope. One by one, they offered prayers and encouragement for Ye Yu.
"Go get 'em, Captain! We believe you'll create another miracle and shock the world!"
Ye Yu looked at his companions, warmth surging in his heart. With a faint smile, he said firmly, "Don't worry, everyone. Wait for me to return."
As soon as his words fell, a dazzling violet-black light descended, enveloping Ye Yu. Wrapped in the radiance, his figure gradually faded and was teleported to Taiyuan City.
At the same time, the Mystic Realm opened.
A massive vortex expanded across the sky above Taiyuan City. Suddenly, a four-hundred-meter-tall Giant descended from the whirlpool like a meteor, crashing into the seawater a hundred meters away from the city with a thunderous impact.
The sea water surged violently from the tremendous force, sending waves hundreds of meters high—a spectacular yet terrifying sight.
But the people here had no heart to marvel at the spectacle.
Beyond Taiyuan City, the inhabitants of nine other cities were plunged into panic and despair. Though none of these cities were particularly large, each had populations ranging from two to three hundred thousand.
Now, as they gazed at the descending Giant, their hearts filled with terror. The Giant bore an uncanny resemblance to the Colossal Titan from Attack on Titan, but standing at four hundred meters tall, its oppressive presence far surpassed that of its fictional counterpart.
Since no one had chosen to challenge it, the rules of the Mystic Realm dictated that no safe zone would isolate the Giant. Instead, it would directly face the entire city.
The Giant took massive strides, slowly making its way ashore. While submerged in the sea, the water had only reached its knees, but now, as it stepped onto land, its colossal form was fully revealed, intensifying the overwhelming sense of dread.
In the next instant, the Giant suddenly moved. Its gaze locked onto the urban district, but instead of taking steps as people had anticipated, it did something entirely unexpected—it bent forward, planted its hands on the ground, and assumed a sprinter's starting stance.
In that split second, the eyes of everyone in all nine cities widened, their faces etched with horror and unease.
Every Giant in each city mirrored the same movement, pushing people's fear to its peak. Desperate cries erupted:
"Run!"
BOOM!!!
Simultaneously, an earth-shaking roar resounded as the Giant abruptly launched into a sprint, its speed astonishing. In the blink of an eye, it had already covered a thousand meters. Behind it, enormous, deep footprints were left in its wake, the ground cracking and splitting under the force of its strides.
Soon, the Giant reached the city district. It raised its massive foot and, like kicking a soccer ball, delivered a brutal strike to a skyscraper.
BOOM!!!
With a deafening explosion, the building was instantly obliterated by the kick, and a vast stretch of structures ahead collapsed in its wake.
"AHHH!!!"
Many were sent flying by the Giant's kick, their bodies bursting apart midair before they could even scream. Blood rained down like a storm, mingled with shattered organs and fragmented corpses—a scene of utter devastation.
Numerous live-streaming drones captured the moment in high definition, broadcasting it across the world.
Those who witnessed the footage were shaken—this Giant was far more horrifying than they had imagined.
The Giant continued its relentless assault, kicking out repeatedly. Entire blocks of buildings crumbled, debris flying and raining down, crushing cars and killing countless people.
Meanwhile, many crowded into subway tunnels, trembling with fear.
The Giant sensed them. It stopped above one of the subway entrances, clenched its fists, and suddenly began hammering the ground wildly.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
CRACK!
The ground suddenly shattered, burying many people in the subway. Seeing the dense crowd underground, the Giants pounded down with faster and more powerful fists.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!
"Ahhh!!!"
Piercing screams, desperate roars, and endless cries filled the air. With each punch, large swathes of people were instantly crushed into pulp. The world watched these scenes unfold with grim expressions, brows furrowing one after another.
Only now did more people truly begin to grasp the perilous dangers of the world after the mutation.