“You really had… to do all of… that?”

  The young Princess asked meagerly as she sat tight in a corner of the deck, leaning against a half-broken wooden barrel. With intertwined fingers at her knee, she looked up at the mountain of muscle upon the bow.

  “I don’t know if that level of destruction was necessary at all…”

  The Pirate galloped back to the deck and paced around with a new energy.

  “Yeah! Enemy, is an enemy. What’s the problem?”

  “I mean… we can let them go…?”

  The Pirate rubbed her chin at the idea, showing the smirk on her face.

  “Well, that’s very interesting! But hear me, comrade. Killing them was absolutely necessary!”

  The tall girl slapped the Princess’s shoulder playfully, vibrating the small girl’s frame entirely. The Princess, shaken by the bouncing mass, attempted to push the Pirate away with her frail arms.

  “I just… don’t get you!”

  She escaped the small cage and walked away from the Pirate. A bird landed on her shoulder, rubbing its wing against where the Pirate hit. Upon the gesture, she lightly patted the animal’s head.

  The two weren’t the only guests on the vessel. A circle of seagulls hovered above their heads, and a dozen more alighted on the still surface. It was an image of fantasy, or a bountiful blessing, where nature completely ignored the boundary between it and humanity.

  All of them weren’t just hanging around. Each one of them was on high alert against the surrounding sea, spanning over a kilometer wide. Out of volition, to protect the very vessel, or the Princess herself.

  Unbounded by chain or runes.

  A monster, though unfitting to be named.

  Yet, none of the commotion ever concerned the Pirate. She had been used to such sights, no less. Along with another bark of laughter, she answered.

  “Haha! Of course! You’re still the newly fresh! We will get to know each other sooner or later!”

  Just as her hand hung up for another round of clapping, she stopped herself in mid-motion.

  “Ah! My bad, hehe. I wasn’t supposed to do that? Thank you, folks.”

  The Pirate spoke, looking at nothing behind the Princess. The Princess glanced back and forth, unsure how to interpret her sentence.

  “Again, with your… special circumstance.”

  “That’s rude, you know?”

  “I’m surprised you learned what rudeness is. Have those… people, well, taught you such things?"

  “Plenty."

  A slight pause before the Princess added.

  “I suppose your story could be believable… unlike my siblings and parents, I don’t have much faith in these… extraordinary things. But I'll make an exception for you.”

  “Gracias.”

  “Oh, 没问题.”

  Then, a seagull landed on the palm of the Princess.

  They both looked at each other for a couple of seconds, without a word leaving their throats. Afterwards, the bird flapped its wings and flew away. In that minor moment, even when nothing seemed to have happened, something between them was established. A mutual understanding.

  With the bird out of the way, the Princess continued.

  “We ought to reach the mainland after half an hour. No obstacle.”

  “Nice work, comrade!”

  The compliment didn’t reach the Princess at all. She then sat down on the staircase, glancing down at the ground aimlessly. A hidden thought resided behind her exterior, as the noise around her was silenced by her mind. Her voice then came lightly.

  “Hey. About our promise. You still remember, right?”

  In contrast to her, the Pirate shouted loudly.

  “Of course! I will take you on the best journey ever! Like I said before when we met! As the captain of this ship, I shall not abandon a comrade of mine!”

  “Do you really… believe this is it? A war of another country…”

  “Yes. I do! As everyone also believes. This war is different! Have you heard the stories? The myths? The legends? It’s amazing! I wonder what treasure lies await there?”

  --

  Reeling from the past memory of a caged maiden.

  A garden of flowers. The smell of herbal tea and aromatic incense. The whispers of strangers.

  The fabric was warm. Everything seemed so distant. The only world that she could hold onto was her own. It was warm and familiar. It was the only thing that spoke of reality. The reality only she acknowledged was to stray away from what she deemed fantasy.

  Everything else was blurry. A fog she couldn’t ignore. A curtain she herself had built. A cage to protect herself.

  A heavy smell infiltrated her.

  Crept onto her stage, a shattered porcelain cup. The herbal tea seeped into the pattern of the surface.

  And a mountain of corpses beneath her feet.

  As long as she was alive, nothing else mattered.

  Such a nightmare had become her life.

  --

  The Princess tightened her crossed fingers, her eyes landed on the far horizon.

  “Is it really necessary?”

  “Necessary?”

  “To participate in that war, wouldn’t it be easier… to travel straight to the place? So, we could avoid… killing for a ticket and fight against other contenders.”

  Her voice was laced with doubt. It was weighted with responsibility, uncertainty, and a small wish.

  The voice that answered her wasn’t the Pirate’s.

  “Oh dear, I would assume it is necessary to enter via the intended way, m' lady."

  The door to the lower story creaked open, a gloved hand reaching out from darkness with an intricate cane. The voice of a man.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  From the shadow, a long black coat with a fancy top hat emerged. Fixed on his waist were a small dagger and a bag of pens and notes.

  “Pardon my intrusion, O, but a humble man I am.”

  A smiling gentleman. The Detective.

  --

  With his presence, he caught the attention of the two girls. The Pirate greeted him with a wave, tilting her head.

  “Good day, comrade! Got a good sleep?”

  “Ah, I express my gratitude for your concern."

  Unlike the Pirate’s easygoing nature, the Princess looked at him with a hint of worry in her eyes. Yet, her manner remained polished as she bowed her head politely.

  “Mister Detective. I hope I didn’t bother you.”

  The man quickly waved his hand.

  “Ah, no. It was I who should apologize for such a sudden entry. My deepest condolences, O Princess.”

  After the short introduction, he continued.

  “So, yes. Moving towards the topic. I shall explain. First, regarding another entry to the cursed land. I’m afraid such would be… impossible.”

  “Why, mister?”

  “It was on the report, m' lady. Upon the landing of the star, it established an ominous barrier, or rather, a border, surrounding the crater and taking over the region. It also includes the water. To this day, only one entrance has been discovered, and such lies within the landmass. And that entrance… is within the power of the Mayor whose state was fortunately, or unfortunately enough, to be there.”

  He rubbed his chin, awaiting any question. To his expectation, the Princess asked.

  “I understand. So that’s why the European had to comply with such regulations and sent spies into this… States. But I must ask one more time.”

  “Please, it is my pleasure.”

  “Why did you betray your allies?”

  The question hung heavily in the air.

  “You sent us the route and when to expect the fleet. Aren’t you a ticket holder too?”

  Her words were filled with accusation. If this man were able to betray his allies once, there would be no guarantee he would perform the same for them. Coming from a unique background, the Princess couldn’t hide her suspicion.

  The Pirate, on the other hand, seemed to not mind his action nor the Princess’s question.

  Faced with a pointing finger, the Detective sighed mildly and placed a hand on his chest.

  “It is true I betrayed my allies. I would never deny it. However, I beg you to place your trust in me. I have my own goal and my own method, yes. But I assure you, our goals or methods do not cross.”

  “Then tell me something assuring first.”

  “Hmm… It’s an investigation.”

  The Princess frowned at his answer, a hint of confusion.

  “Investigation?”

  “Yes. My clients, or rather, some of the fellows I was acquainted with, were assassinated by someone from the States around the time the star fell. The men I was supposed to arrive with, however, planned to sabotage the stage from within. Such would disturb my investigation.”

  “What about other options?”

  “In a limited time and with the imposing order from higher-ups, I’m afraid it would be impossible.”

  “That’s it?”

  The man continued smiling and offered a hand to the Princess.

  “That’s it. If you were to ask me if I regret sacrificing those men, it would pain me to say no. I did not wish for such a thing to happen, but it was something I had to do.”

  Faced with his extended hand, the Princess froze. A long, straining minute passed by. The Detective couldn’t blame her obvious reaction. Not one normal person would believe him after such a tragedy, the exception being the Pirate.

  If he were to be on guard, it wouldn’t be for the Princess, but the Pirate. A person he couldn’t comprehend, or rather, a collective of something.

  Then, the Princess’s hand firmly grabbed his.

  “I will trust you. For now.”

  Just like that, a small alliance had been established.

  --

  Afterwards, the Princess turned away and walked towards the staircase once again. She didn’t add anything to the conversation, a clue that her suspicion had temporarily subsided.

  The Detective sighed once again, adjusting his sleeve. Then, he finally turned to the big Pirate.

  “Oh, yes, one more thing.”

  “Ah! You need something?”

  He lifted his finger towards the Cutlass.

  “Would you mind if I… touch your blade, captain?”

  Just before the Pirate’s finger was placed on the hilt, the Princess behind them expressed loudly,

  “Is it okay? I mean, you need it, right?”

  The Pirate dismissed it with a shrug.

  “It’s okay! Come on, all yours!”

  She lifted the Cutlass up, offering him the handle with enthusiasm. She truly harbored no doubt or hesitation sharing her ultimate weapon.

  Did her power stem from this sword? Or from herself?

  The Detective had committed thorough research of the person in front of him. He had read of the weapon countless times from many sources. A cursed blade, hidden in the deep sea of the Golden Line.

  The Cutlass that drove its user to madness.

  Yet, it seemed that she was an exception. Or the opposite.

  With a deep breath, he reached out and gripped the handle.

  --

  Under the darkness of the tunnel’s depth, the corpse awoke in a dark flow of liquid.

  The coffin rose to the girl’s back.

  The Sage, crouching on the ground with both hands on her cheek, voiced,

  “How’s the new body?”

  The cracking sound of bones being fixed and the rippling noise of bloodstreams echoed.

  “Fine enough.”

  The voice slightly deepened, and the posture changed. Instantly, it spat out the bullet from the mouth. A second later, all of the darkness dissipated and welcomed the newly Chemist, or rather, the Wolf.

  “I’ve read this body’s memory. Good. I got a grasp of things now. First, …”

  A black wave of blackness ran under the veins and muscles, breaking down and reinforcing the structure entirely. More muddy liquid leaked out of her eye sockets and ears, dripping to the ground.

  “All chemical waste is rid of. Core strength is good. I’ll take a look at this body’s list of weapons as well.”

  In the acquired host, the Wolf swung its arm to the wall. The force broke the wall in pieces, sending dust and debris away despite the clear distance between the fist and the surface.

  “Good.”

  The Wolf chuckled. Then, the Sage reminded it.

  “Cover your face up. Your fur is leaking out.”

  “Really?”

  The dark aura was still visible on its face, dancing like fire.

  “Haha. It has been a long while since I last possessed another body.”

  The Wolf reached for the gasmask the Chemist hid under the suitcase and put it on. Under the glass goggles, only a black fog was visible.

  Thus, the Wolf officially began its hunt.

  Meanwhile, the Sage stared blankly into the ground. She was watching something else within her eyes, something no none could observe. On the other side was the pirate ship.

  “Looking at something?”

  “Yeah. New faces, hehe.”

  “So how will it turn out?”

  "Admiral is going to die in a minute. Then, these… three…?”

  The Wolf walked closer, towering over her sitting posture.

  “Then what?”

  A long pause. Then, the Sage giggled intensely, covering her mouth with a futile attempt. Her chest bounced outward and inward, as if she were watching a comedy show, like she had done before.

  “Really, huh? That’s funny. So goddamn funny."

  The Wolf didn’t react to her antic, instead it asked with a cold voice.

  “Found something?”

  “Yeah…

  … someone is immune to my sight. I can’t see them at all.”

  --

  The blade was in the Detective’s hand, yet he felt nothing.

  He gripped it tight and readjusted his position many times, but as time slowly passed, nothing was ever achieved.

  Nothing happened.

  It was just a regular sword to him.

  With a smile, he reluctantly returned the Cutlass to the Pirate.

  “Oh? What’s wrong? You got sick? Seasick? Do you need-”

  “Pardon… I believe it was just that… My imagination was a bit too wild.”

  It had always been like it to him.

  Nothing that the world deemed common ever resonated with him.

  Once, on a busy street, he encountered a magician. The magician handed each kid an icy popsicle made out of thin air. Yet, when it was his turn, the cold turned void. The ice pop on his hand had disappeared.

  An invisible cage.

  Far away from the world people witnessed. Rejection of blessings and love.

  He had wondered how he would feel on the other side countless times. He had tried countless cursed items, artifacts, or relics. He had encountered many individuals listed as extraordinary.

  The result had always been a blank answer.

  Ironically, such was both a blessing and a curse to him. To be excluded from the realm was to behold the truth behind the fa?ade.

  He was one who belonged not to the world, thus the world influenced not him.

  With a light clap, he grabbed the attention of both the Princess and the Pirate.

  “Back again, there is one last thing. We don’t have enough tickets. Right, lady captain?”

  “Oh, right! One… two… yeah! I forgot they reminded me that.”

  The Pirate pointed a finger and counted the Detective, then herself.

  The Detective, thus, stepped towards the bow, facing the breeze of the sea. The sound of seagulls and the scent of salt pulled him back to reality. Then, he pointed forward.

  “The only solution would be to take… one more, right?”

  At the end of his finger, coming into view, were the States.

  --

  The Sage stood up, stretching her arms.

  “Well… this will be good.”

  “An enemy that is resistant against your ability?”

  “Yeah. I can’t see them.”

  Amusement. So far, the conflict hadn’t betrayed the Wolf’s expectation once. It opened the Chemist’s memory and read it again and again.

  Until a light tap from the Sage.

  “Hey, yeah.”

  “Anything else, brat?”

  Something had followed them. The original intention was to get rid of the Chemist and her people. However, as the situation had changed, it had tracked down the path of destruction and arrived at the hideout.

  In the Sage’s vision, the tunnel entrance had been pried open. Despite having seen nothing within the complex structure aside from them, she knew something was coming. The door had been breached just a minute before.

  “Wanna try out that body first?”

  Hearing her words, the Wolf staggered for a second. It had also sensed it. The presence of something.

  Something even more hidden than itself. The Wolf could feel the very existence heading towards them at an impossible speed, yet its visual gave nothing.

  “Brat.”

  In an instance, that being had maneuvered into their position.

  “This one is not a human?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Interesting. The human has tamed something interesting.”

  The Sage leapt back and declared loudly. It had arrived.

  “Our invisible friend is here.”

  From nothingness emerged three gunshots.

  The Nobody.