Duncan and Alice stood at the end of the stairs leading to the lower deck, gazing upon a bizarre and terrifying sight—the entire bottom of the Lost Homeland had somehow shattered into fragments, and beyond the broken cabins lay a void filled with endless dim, murky Faint Light.
Was this the Lost Homeland's true "lower-deck structure"? Then what lay beyond those fragmented cabins?
Could such a sight exist beneath the surface of the Boundless Sea?
Duncan cautiously took two steps forward, entering the shattered cabin area. He stood atop the largest piece of broken plank and turned to look back the way he had come.
The "Last Door" still stood silently where it had been, fixed upon a floating plank. Behind it was a pitch-black staircase slanting upward—but around the Gate, there were no walls that should have existed, only empty space.
The Gate floated alone in this space.
Duncan carefully circled behind the Gate and found nothing there. Through the open doorway, he could directly see the fragmented cabin on the other side.
"Captain..." Alice's nervous voice suddenly came from beside him. The doll looked around in fright before finally turning her gaze back to Duncan. "Th-this... this is normal, right?"
Duncan was actually even less certain than the doll. At least she could blindly place her trust in the captain, but where was this "captain" supposed to find any confidence now? Still, seeing Alice's anxious expression and recalling the Crew Code Goat Head had mentioned, Duncan forcibly suppressed his unease and maintained his usual stern, steady demeanor.
"Don't worry," he said flatly. "The Lost Homeland is a ship beyond your imagination."
"It really is... beyond imagination..." Alice said in amazement. Duncan's calm demeanor had clearly reassured her somewhat. She began curiously examining the broken hull and the chaotic