Arc 10Into the Sea of Taboo

Caroso’s card tournament journey aboard the Johanna Smith turned into a struggle against a monster after the ship entered the Sea of Taboo. Separated into another era aboard the Black Pearl, Caroso fought to survive with Elizabeth and Will while Celica, Minette, and Russell battled the creature from the ship.

  • Celica ordered the search for Minette to continue and planned to investigate the Perus Kingdom church, while Bai secured Drandos’s protection for Nimel in exchange for card-making methods.
  • Aboard the Johanna Smith, Caroso entered a card tournament, defeated Karei and Saya, and won first place with his aggressive decks.
  • Caroso revealed Emperor Gufu, sold its prototype for one hundred million Bronze Coins, and told Nature Mages that his team in Azure Wolf Province had created it.
  • After Isli offered to help Caroso pursue ninth rank, the ship entered thick fog near the Sea of Taboo and passengers noticed that their clothing and surroundings seemed to change.
  • A tentacled monster attacked the ship, trapping Sophia and Nimel in cocoons as Celica, Russell, and Minette fought it and Caroso vanished beside Saya.
  • Caroso appeared aboard Tig Sparrow’s Black Pearl in an earlier era, where Elizabeth had been forced to work and Tig declared Caroso his prospective heir.
  • Tig threw Caroso and Elizabeth into the Sea of Taboo to face the monster, while Will joined them and Celica, Russell, and Minette continued fighting it from outside.
  • Caroso summoned Nagas to protect Elizabeth and fought beside Will as the monster attacked, but the bindings failed, their oxygen ran low, and Caroso discovered that its green eyes were weak points.
Chapters 226–250 Vol. 3 Read

Ch. 226The Charm of Emperor Gufu

Celica failed to capture Minette and prepared to escort substitutes to Knight's Country while investigating the Perus Kingdom church. Bai negotiated with the Nature Mage Association to protect Nimel Kolia in exchange for the production methods behind three powerful cards, and Drandos agreed to support her for six years.

  • Celica learned that Minette had escaped with help from a large organization and ordered the search for her to continue.
  • Celica decided to take the substitutes to Knight's Country with two Black Gloves and investigate the Perus Kingdom church.
  • Bai offered Drandos the production methods for three cards in exchange for twenty billion and the Nature Mage Association's protection of Nimel Kolia.
  • Drandos agreed to protect Nimel for six years and help the Church of the God of Wisdom pass its review.

Ch. 227Gambling Ship

Caroso boarded the gambling ship Johanna Smith with Celica and the others, where Alita taught him the rules of card battles. After Caroso entered a card competition, he discovered that his first opponent was Kare Quint.

  • Alita joined Caroso and the others at the harbor, and they boarded the Johanna Smith.
  • Alita gave Caroso a deck of cards and explained the rules of card battles to him.
  • Krumen dressed in expensive clothes and asked Caroso for leave to do business, and he advised her to borrow jewelry from Nimel.
  • Caroso and Alita went to the gambling hall, where the ship announced a card competition with a one-million-Bronze-Coin entry fee.
  • Caroso entered the competition and found that his first opponent was Kare Quint, who had also come aboard the ship.

Ch. 228T7 Hunter

Caroso and Karei began a Hunter-versus-Mage card match aboard the ship, with five million added to the wager. Caroso’s quick Beast strategy badly damaged Karei, who realized he might not survive long enough to play his powerful cards.

  • Karei challenged Caroso to a card match, and Alita revealed she was traveling as Caroso’s private tutor.
  • Caroso and Karei chose Hunter and Mage, agreed to a five-million wager, and began the first round with Karei going first.
  • Caroso summoned Forest Wolves and tigers, while Karei used Fireball to destroy a wolf.
  • Caroso’s tigers attacked Karei, and Caroso later used Kill Command to deal five damage.
  • Karei realized Caroso’s fast attacks might end the match before he could summon his eight-star powerhouse.

Ch. 229The Living Second Brother

Caroso won two card matches against Karei, who tried to provoke him over Elena before rushing off after learning Caroso’s brother might be in the tournament. Caroso then discovered that Saya Kolia was his next opponent and came face to face with his living second brother, who introduced him to the Presia Empire’s Second Prince, Isli Alexeyevna.

  • Caroso beat Karei with an aggressive Hunter deck, then defeated him again after switching to Rogue while Karei played Mage.
  • Karei claimed Elena was on the ship with him and threatened to show her holding his hand, but Caroso said he had no interest in her.
  • Karei left to find the tournament organizers after Caroso mentioned his brother might enter the tournament.
  • A waiter announced Saya Kolia as Caroso’s next opponent, and Caroso wondered why Saya was on the ship.
  • Saya approached Caroso, taunted him for skipping school to gamble, and introduced him to Isli Alexeyevna, the Second Prince of the Presia Empire.

Ch. 230Caroso VS Saya

Caroso faced his brother Saya in a public card match while Isli watched, and used an explosive Rogue strategy to defeat him. The win left Caroso advancing to the next round as onlookers marveled at his unfamiliar deck.

  • Caroso greeted Isli and discussed Saya’s plans concerning Azure Wolf Province before Saya challenged him to a card game.
  • Caroso and Saya began their match, with Saya using a Mage deck and gaining the early advantage as Caroso’s health fell.
  • Caroso played Brann Bronzebeard, Fair Merman, and Rogue spells to assemble his combo while Saya burned cards and prepared to finish him.
  • Caroso triggered Evasion to survive Saya’s Fireball, then repeatedly copied and replayed Fair Mermen to draw through Saya’s deck and make him lose health.
  • Saya lost the match, the crowd reacted to Caroso’s explosive Rogue strategy, and the attendant declared Caroso the victor advancing to the next round.

Ch. 231By the Iron Station

Alita defended her Rogue Card research and sided with Caroso as he faced Saya. Caroso defeated Saya again with a Kingslayer Rogue deck, while Isli began reconsidering whether Saya was useful to his plans.

  • Alita argued that the law prohibited Rogues, not research into Rogue Cards, and credited her research with producing zero-star cards and Star Level reduction.
  • Caroso rebuked Saya for questioning Alita, and the crowd shifted from criticizing Caroso to praising Alita.
  • Saya demanded another match, and Isli decided that Saya was a poor ally and considered approaching Caroso instead.
  • Caroso switched decks and attacked Saya directly with Kingslayer Rogue, overwhelming him with dagger attacks and Blade Dance.
  • Saya asked why Caroso had stopped using explosive cards, and Caroso reminded him that his first deck had been aggro.

Ch. 232An Ominous Premonition

Caroso advanced through a card tournament while Elizabeth watched, and his encounter with her drew attention from Alita and Isli. He reached the quarterfinals and revealed his Nature Mage trump card, Emperor Gufu.

  • Saya apologized to Isli after losing to Caroso, then stayed to watch at Isli's invitation.
  • Elizabeth arrived at the card tournament and was surprised to find Caroso aboard the ship; Caroso explained he was traveling with Bishop Celica and offered Elizabeth a discount on his Rogue deck.
  • Alita pulled Caroso away from Elizabeth and reminded him that they still had business to handle.
  • Caroso used Explosive Card Rogue, T7 Hunter, and Kingslayer Rogue to reach the quarterfinals, while Elizabeth stayed to watch because she wanted his cards.
  • Caroso revealed Emperor Gufu, his Golden Legendary Nature Mage hero card, when he reached five Mana Crystals.

Ch. 233Emperor Gufu Makes His Debut

Caroso revealed Emperor Gufu, a Golden Legendary Nature Mage card that doubled maximum mana, stunning the tournament crowd and raising fears that it could transform the balance of power. After collecting payment from wealthy spectators to show its prototype, he claimed it was created by his card-making team in Azure Wolf Province.

  • Caroso played Emperor Gufu in his quarterfinal match, and spectators accused him of cheating when they saw its mana-doubling effect.
  • The tournament manager confirmed that Caroso had not cheated, while the crowd demanded to inspect the card's prototype.
  • Caroso demanded one hundred million for the prototype, and wealthy Nature Mages and other passengers pooled money to meet his price.
  • Caroso showed the Emperor Gufu prototype, whose description doubled maximum mana, restored mana, and let its user draw a card every five minutes.
  • Nature Mages surrounded Caroso, and he avoided implicating Alita before claiming that his card-making team in Azure Wolf Province had created the card.

Ch. 234A World Where Only the Casino Got Hurt

Caroso revealed that Azure Wolf Province had developed Emperor Gufu and said it was selling the card’s intellectual property to the Nature Mage Association. After the casino returned the money it had collected, Caroso resumed his match, leaving the other players wondering how anyone could beat Emperor Gufu.

  • Caroso said Emperor Gufu had emerged from Azure Wolf Province’s card-draw research, making Isli reconsider his plans and the province’s strength.
  • Nature Mages pressed Caroso to sell the card, and he explained that S++ card maker Bai was negotiating with their association over the intellectual property.
  • The old Nature Mage praised Azure Wolf Province and defended Caroso’s hundred million, while Caroso kept the money and treated the matter as business.
  • The Deep Sea Industry manager admitted the casino had broken its rules and returned everyone’s money.
  • Caroso returned to his match for the thirty-million prize, and the card players wondered who could stand against Emperor Gufu in future casino games.

Ch. 235Someone Had Bad Luck, but Who Could Say

Caroso won the card tournament with his Gufu deck, alarming gamblers and prompting factions to seek out Nature Mages. After Russell asked him to look after Elizabeth, Caroso met with Isli, who began probing him over dinner and suggested he seemed more like a warrior than a politician.

  • Caroso took first place in the tournament, won thirty million Bronze Coins, and said he would not compete again the next day.
  • Isli encouraged Saya to approach Elena and use her marriage prospects to hurt Caroso, while Saya privately doubted the plan and considered what benefits it might bring.
  • Karei and Elena grew closer on deck, unaware of the tournament news, while Saya watched them and reflected that Elena was unlikely to marry Caroso.
  • Russell confronted Caroso about losing one hundred million, traded childish threats with him, and then asked him to look after Elizabeth, which Caroso agreed to do.
  • Isli invited Caroso to dinner, spoke with him about Teresa, and told him that he seemed more like a warrior than a politician.

Ch. 236Live Well

Caroso told Isli that he wanted to pursue strength rather than inherit Azure Wolf Province, while Isli encouraged him and offered the Empire's support. As Isli prepared to leave over the Emperor Gufu card's potential impact, Merlin asked Celica to see Sophia, but Celica refused until the church completed its examination.

  • Caroso told Isli he wanted to become ninth rank rather than take on the burden of ruling Azure Wolf Province.
  • Isli welcomed Caroso's ambition, offered help with his cultivation, and urged him to live for himself.
  • Isli said the Emperor Gufu card could shift wealthy users toward the Nature Mage Association and bring pressure from the Mage Association onto Azure Wolf Province.
  • Isli announced he had arranged a helicopter to leave early, and Caroso accepted his offer of assistance.
  • Merlin asked Celica to let her see Sophia, but Celica forbade anyone from having an in-depth conversation with Sophia or Nimel until the church finished its examination.

Ch. 237No Good Comes from Following the Protagonist

Merlin and Celica sensed the magical particles weakening as powerful magic gathered near Sophia and Nimel, while Caroso and Saya encountered a strange fog at sea after Isli departed. The comments suggested that several powerful figures were missing from the expected plot, leaving the cause and scale of the event uncertain.

  • Merlin and Celica noticed the magical particles weakening, and Celica suspected Merlin of trying to abduct Sophia before sending her priest and knight to investigate.
  • Merlin and Celica sensed powerful magic gathering near the room where Sophia and Nimel were staying.
  • Caroso watched Isli leave for the Presia Empire, then argued with Saya about Isli's motives and their loyalty to Azure Wolf Province.
  • Caroso revealed that he had discovered and sealed Saya's tunnels near the manor, and Saya resolved to keep trying to undermine him.
  • Caroso and Saya noticed the magical particles decrease as thick fog spread across the sea, and Caroso wondered whether the event marked the start of the plot mentioned in the comments.

Ch. 238Organized and Disciplined

Caroso and the passengers found their ship surrounded by wreckage and strange fog near the Sea of Taboo, where magic and communication were suppressed. Russell took control of the panicking passengers, while Caroso and Saya discovered signs that the ship and its occupants might have been altered or displaced in time.

  • Caroso and Saya recognized that the ship had entered waters resembling the edge of the Sea of Taboo, and they agreed to a temporary truce.
  • Russell appeared and persuaded the passengers to return to their cabins while he investigated the fog and the likely hidden enemy.
  • Caroso pointed out that the corpses and wreckage suggested they were in an unfamiliar sea region, and Russell confirmed that the clothing showed subtle differences.
  • Caroso and Russell noticed Saya's butler outfit had changed, though each remembered seeing it differently, and Saya and Caroso concealed their weapons from each other.
  • Russell described an account of a ship that vanished and returned a century later with its passengers unchanged, prompting Caroso to worry that their ship had suffered a similar displacement.

Ch. 239Never Mentioned

Rayne and the others faced a fog-shrouded sea filled with corpses, while thinning magical particles weakened powerful mages and an enormous tentacle attacked the ship. As Minette watched from the shadows, she realized the ship seemed to have entered the Sea of Taboo and wondered what Celica had provoked.

  • A seventh-tier warrior told Rayne that the thinning magical particles would make high-tier experts recover mana very slowly, and urged him to return to the cabin.
  • Elena and Karei joined Rayne, and they noticed that their clothes appeared differently to the seventh-tier warrior than they did to themselves.
  • Russell announced that he owned the ship and Deep Sea Industry, and the passengers and sailors began heading for the cabins.
  • An enormous tentacle struck the seventh-tier warrior's shield and splattered viscous fluid on Elena, while the sailors fired Demon-Breaking Rounds at it.
  • Minette watched from the shadows and suspected that the ship had entered the Sea of Taboo after Celica provoked something.

Ch. 240Knight

Thin tentacles invaded the ship, killing passengers and overwhelming its defenses as a knight from the Goddess of Dawn Church fought to protect the civilians. Celica found Sophia and Nimel trapped in cocoons, and Merlin identified their attacker as a monster from the Sea of Taboo.

  • Tentacles entered the ship’s third-class cabins, swallowed passengers, and revealed that the submerged hull had turned to wood.
  • A knight from the Goddess of Dawn Church cut through the tentacles and ordered civilians to flee, then threw his sword to save a boy and was wounded.
  • Celica entered her room and found Sophia and Nimel trapped in transparent cocoons while tentacles channeled magic into them.
  • Merlin recognized the creature as a monster from the Sea of Taboo and questioned how it had appeared there.

Ch. 241Hunger

Merlin identified the tentacled monster as a pet of the fallen Old One Hunger, which sought to resurrect its god through Sophia and Nimel. As Russell fought off the creatures, Caroso vanished without warning, leaving Saya and a mysterious newcomer searching for him.

  • Merlin told Celica that the monster came from a god's domain and urged her to find and kill its main body while he set up a magic array.
  • Russell used the Ultimate Ghost Sword Technique to cut down the tentacles attacking the ship.
  • Saya and Caroso headed for the cabins, and Saya noticed that some passengers' clothes had changed according to their rank.
  • The audience's messages revealed that Hunger coveted Sophia's power and that the group had been teleported to the edge of the Sea of Taboo.
  • Caroso suddenly disappeared as he walked beside Saya, and a figure appeared in his place asking where he was.

Ch. 242Pirate King

Elizabeth and Caroso were Teleported onto the Black Pearl, where they found themselves in a pirate-era world ruled by Pirate King Tig Sparrow. Caroso adapted to his role as Tig’s son, Jack Sparrow, while Elizabeth struggled as a new recruit, and the chapter ended with Caroso realizing the night ahead would be long.

  • Elizabeth’s appearance and surroundings changed, and Bald Pirate ordered her to work aboard the ship.
  • Caroso arrived on the Black Pearl and learned that the pirate captain was Tig Sparrow, who intended to slay a god and make Caroso his heir.
  • Bald Pirate brought Elizabeth before Tig, and Elizabeth mistakenly called Caroso by name before being corrected and kicked down.
  • Moonlight revealed that the Black Pearl’s crew were undead skeletons, frightening Elizabeth as they rowed the ship.
  • Caroso urged Elizabeth to work, then caught a strange fish and offered it to Tig for dinner.

Ch. 243Beyond Comprehension

Saya and Minette searched for the vanished Caroso aboard the Johanna Smith as the ship entered the Sea of Taboo. Celica and Minette agreed to a truce, then witnessed a strange image of Caroso appear and disappear, leaving a cooked Manta Ray behind.

  • Minette questioned Saya about Caroso's disappearance, warned him to stay in his first-class cabin, and Saya returned to hide in his room.
  • Minette used magic to examine the place where Caroso vanished and found that his soul still seemed to be there despite his absence.
  • Celica encountered Minette, attacked her, then agreed to a truce after Minette warned that they were in the Sea of Taboo.
  • Minette told Celica that Caroso had vanished without warning and suggested they had entered a god's domain.
  • Caroso's faint image appeared, speaking about a cooked Manta Ray, then vanished as the Manta Ray fell to the floor.

Ch. 244Temporal Turbulence

Celica, Minette, and Russell fought a vast tentacled monster attacking their ship, while the sea’s temporal effects drained Celica’s mana and regressed her age. Caroso learned that he had entered temporal turbulence and returned to the past, where actions across the two timelines could affect each other.

  • Celica and Minette agreed to work together to kill the monster threatening the ship and rescue Caroso.
  • Celica and Russell fought the tentacles while Minette dove underwater and found the monster’s enormous main body.
  • Celica entered the sea, rapidly lost mana, and learned that the water caused age regression; Minette remained underwater to fight the monster.
  • Minette used Abyssal Star Prison to slash the monster repeatedly but found it exceptionally tough.
  • Caroso watched the Manta Ray vanish, then received an explanation that he had returned to the past and that the timelines could interact.
  • Caroso stayed with Tig while Elizabeth struggled to scrub a floor that drained her mana and stamina.

Ch. 245New Weapon

Elizabeth scrubbed the Black Pearl’s deck with Bald Pirate, learning about the living devil ship and his thief techniques. When a tentacled monster attacked and called out Surtur’s name, Caroso fought it with a newly summoned blade while Tig ordered the pirates below eighth-tier to engage.

  • Bald Pirate taught Elizabeth how to scrub the Black Pearl’s deck by channeling magic power, and she recognized a chance to learn from him.
  • Bald Pirate explained that the Black Pearl was made from powerful monster parts and was one of only three ships able to cross the Sea of Taboo.
  • The ship rocked, and Tig rallied the pirates as a many-tentacled monster rose from the sea and fixed its eyes on Caroso.
  • The monster called out Surtur’s name, and Caroso wondered how it had recognized him despite his journey from the future.
  • Caroso summoned the Cracked Mind Blade and charged into a tentacle, drawing green blood as he struggled to wound the monster.
  • Tig ordered everyone below eighth-tier to fight, saying the monster did not warrant an eighth-tier’s intervention.

Ch. 246Same Style

Caroso fought a tentacle monster aboard the Black Pearl and revealed a powerful ability that alarmed Tig. Tig threw Caroso into the Sea of Taboo to force him to grow stronger, and Elizabeth and Will plunged in after him.

  • Elizabeth joined Caroso in fighting the tentacle monster while the other pirates attacked its tentacles.
  • The Black Pearl steadied Elizabeth, and Caroso used Riftmaker to sever the monster's tentacles with a slash that drained much of its life force.
  • Tig healed Caroso's eyes and magic power, then told him to experience the Sea of Taboo and threw him overboard.
  • Elizabeth tried to follow Caroso, but Tig kicked her into the sea, and Will dove in after them.
  • Tig told the other pirates that Caroso had to climb out of the Sea of Taboo to prove he was worthy to inherit the captain's place.

Ch. 247Whoever Wins Gets Her

Caroso, Elizabeth, and Will were thrown into the Sea of Taboo and ordered to kill a sea monster, with Tig declaring that the one who struck the final blow could claim Elizabeth. As the group fought, Caroso’s attack devastated the monster, leaving Celica and Russell astonished by his strength.

  • Tig ordered Caroso to kill the weakened sea monster without using his powers, while Elizabeth surfaced with him and Will joined them in the water.
  • Tig offered Elizabeth to whoever delivered the final blow, but Will said he respected her choice and insisted she could earn the right to choose her own future.
  • Tig sent Caroso and Will to fight the monster as Elizabeth watched, while the pirates laughed at Will’s objections.
  • Minette struggled to fight the sea monster despite Russell and Celica weakening it from above.
  • Caroso struck the monster at immense speed, causing its tentacles to explode and reducing its life force by at least twenty percent, astonishing Celica and Russell.

Ch. 248Naval Battle Deck

Caroso led Elizabeth and Will underwater to pursue the monster, while Elizabeth struggled to keep up with the abilities of this cardless era. When tentacles attacked, Caroso summoned a group of Naga followers to defend them.

  • Caroso told Elizabeth that they were in an era before the Card God and ordered her to cooperate with him.
  • Caroso, Elizabeth, and Will dived into the sea to chase the monster, and Will tried to teach Elizabeth how to communicate underwater.
  • Caroso used his Communication Card to explain that Elizabeth could receive Will's messages but could not learn his underwater voice transmission.
  • Countless tentacles shot toward Elizabeth, and Caroso cut through six with his blade.
  • Caroso played follower cards and summoned a Blue Scale Commander, Naga Warlocks, and Naga Warriors.

Ch. 249Different Kinds of Kindness

Caroso, Will, and Elizabeth fought a seventh-tier tentacle monster underwater with help from Caroso’s Naga Elder. The monster was badly wounded by an unexplained phantom, which Caroso suspected was Minette, though he could not see what had caused it.

  • Will and Caroso protected Elizabeth from the monster’s tentacles while Caroso summoned a Naga Elder by sacrificing five Naga.
  • The Naga Elder made a bubble so the group could breathe, and Caroso urged Elizabeth to take responsibility for her own survival.
  • The monster called out for Surtur, and Caroso led the others into battle despite Will’s warning about rank suppression.
  • The Naga Elder bound the monster’s tentacles, while Caroso and Will cut into it and Elizabeth struggled to fight underwater.
  • A phantom appeared and inflicted countless wounds on the monster, leaving Will and Caroso wondering whether it was Minette.

Ch. 250Boss Caro's Talent for Battle

Caroso, Will, and Elizabeth fought the berserk sea monster underwater, using its currents and revealed weak points to attack. As the Naga Elder vanished and the tentacles overwhelmed the group, Caroso sensed their magic and oxygen running low.

  • Caroso used the tentacle’s force to slash the monster’s eye, showing his talent for adapting to combat.
  • Will taught Elizabeth to move with the water currents, and she began fighting more smoothly.
  • Caroso and Will protected Elizabeth when she lost her rhythm and two tentacles attacked her.
  • The Naga Elder’s magic ran out, its bindings broke, and it vanished as the remaining tentacles hardened and charged.
  • Caroso learned from the barrage comments that green eyes were the tentacles’ weak points, then destroyed one by stabbing its eye.
  • The group was driven together by the monster’s attacks, and Caroso sensed their magic was draining faster and their oxygen was running low.
Arc 10 of 22