Cold wind swept across the endless waters of the Sonia Sea.
The small sailboat drifted slowly through the gray mist like a lost ghost. The wooden deck creaked softly as the waves pushed the ship forward.
Adrian leaned against the railing, staring at the dark ocean.
His mind was still chaotic.
"Lord of the Mysteries… Beyonders… Outer Gods…"
He rubbed his forehead.
"Why did I have to transmigrate into this world of all places…"
He clearly remembered how dangerous this world was. Hidden cults, terrifying monsters, and mysterious organizations lurked everywhere. Even powerful Beyonders could lose control and turn into horrifying creatures.
And Adrian had arrived one month before the story of Klein Moretti would begin.
"That means the chaos hasn't started yet…"
That was the only good news.
If he prepared well, he might survive the coming storm.
Adrian sighed and looked down at his hands.
"So I'm a Sequence 9… Spirit Master." When he got connected to sefirot he suddenly became a spirit master which was the first sequence of his pathway.
He could faintly feel the surrounding spiritual energy. The world looked normal, but at the same time… different.
Sometimes he could sense strange whispers drifting in the fog.
Sometimes he felt like something was watching him from the sea.
It made his spine shiver.
"This world is really dangerous…"
Adrian walked across the deck and began checking the ship again.
The original owner of this body had been unbelievably reckless.
Buying a ship and becoming a pirate without any experience…
Adrian shook his head.
"And he died from excitement."
Even now, Adrian still found it ridiculous.
But the situation wasn't entirely hopeless.
According to the memories he inherited, the fallen noble had still left behind some supplies.
Adrian entered the small cabin of the ship.
Inside were a few wooden crates, some food, water barrels, and basic sailing tools.
Not much.
But enough to survive for a while.
"Good… at least I won't starve immediately."
Adrian opened another crate.
Inside were some simple tools, a few candles, and a strange metal lantern.
He froze.
"…A lantern?"
It was an old lantern made of dark metal. The surface was covered with faint engravings that looked almost like mystical symbols.
For some reason, Adrian felt strangely attracted to it.
He picked it up slowly.
The moment his fingers touched the cold metal—
His vision suddenly blurred.
Boom.
Fragments of strange memories exploded inside his mind.
A dark ritual circle.
Ancient runes carved into stone.
A lantern burning with pale blue fire.
And a deep whisper echoing in the void.
"Anchor the soul… forge the flame…"
Adrian staggered back and almost dropped the lantern.
"What the hell was that?!"
His heart pounded violently.
Those memories clearly didn't belong to him.
They belonged to the Outer God inheritance inside him.
Adrian stared at the lantern in shock.
"…Is this a hint?"
He slowly calmed down and began thinking carefully.
According to the fragmented memories, when advancing to Sequence 8, he would need to perform a ritual.
A Soul Anchoring Ritual.
The ritual would forge a part of his soul into a mystical artifact.
And that artifact would become the core of his existence.
Adrian looked at the lantern again.
"…So this will become my Soul Anchor?"
His expression turned serious.
If the ritual succeeded, he would gain incredible abilities.
But the risk was terrifying.
If the artifact was destroyed…
He would die instantly.
Adrian placed the lantern back on the table.
"Too early…"
Right now he was still only a Sequence 9 Spirit Master.
Trying a dangerous ritual without preparation would be suicide.
"I need materials first… and knowledge."
He sighed and looked outside through the small cabin window.
The fog on the sea had started to thicken.
The horizon was almost completely hidden.
Suddenly—
The lantern on the table flickered slightly.
Adrian immediately turned his head.
"…?"
The lantern wasn't even lit.
Yet the glass inside faintly trembled.
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
His Spirit Master senses were reacting.
Something nearby carried spiritual energy.
Slowly, he stepped out of the cabin.
The fog had grown much denser.
The sea had become eerily silent.
Then Adrian saw it.
About twenty meters away from the ship…
A faint human-shaped shadow floated above the water.
Adrian's pupils shrank.
"…A spirit."
The ghost slowly drifted closer.
Its shape was blurry, like smoke twisting in the air.
Adrian's heart began beating faster.
This was the first supernatural creature he had encountered in this world.
For a moment he considered hiding.
But then he remembered something.
"I'm a Spirit Master…"
He took a deep breath.
Adrian slowly raised his hand and focused his spiritual senses.
The ghost suddenly paused.
It seemed to notice him.
For a few seconds, both of them remained completely still.
The cold wind blew across the deck.
Adrian forced himself to stay calm.
"…Let's test my abilities."
His voice was quiet.
"Spirit… can you understand me?"
The ghost trembled slightly.
Then—
It slowly turned its head toward him.
And drifted closer.
Adrian's heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
But strangely…
The spirit didn't attack.
Instead, it hovered near the ship like a lost traveler.
Adrian frowned slightly.
"…A wandering soul."
Perhaps it had died at sea.
Lost.
Unable to move on.
Adrian looked at the ghost carefully.
Then a bold idea appeared in his mind.
"…Can I bind it?"
If he succeeded, this could become his first spirit servant.
The fog continued to swirl around the lonely ship as Adrian prepared to test his power for the first time in this mysterious and dangerous world.