There was only one living person on the entire foredeck, dressed like a typical pirate captain.
He wore an extravagant tricorne embroidered with a white skull and adorned with feathers, a lace-trimmed white shirt, and an ornate brown short coat. A slender rapier hung from the cowhide belt securing his tight white trousers.
A silver-white mask covered his face. He looked up into the air, seemingly able to see Cyril in the Spirit World.
He was the Admiral of Hell, Ludwell!
Their gazes met in midair, confirming to Cyril that the Admiral of Hell, Ludwell, had seen him.
Beneath the cold silver-white mask, the pupils of those light brown eyes, tinged with eerie green, contracted slightly.
Then Ludwell reached for the slender rapier hanging from his cowhide belt and coldly swept it through the air.
Every zombie, skeleton, wraith, and shadow aboard seemed to receive an order. Some worked furiously at the sails, helm, and cannons... while others merged into the ship, controlling its course and acceleration through something akin to Wraith Possession.
At the same time, the sea around the Black Tulip rapidly turned black, as though reflecting a deep night sky without stars or a moon.
Then translucent, illusory creatures crawled out of the pitch-black sea one after another.
They swarmed around the Black Tulip, pushing it swiftly away from these waters.
On the Black Tulip's foredeck, a figure wearing a round-necked shirt, wide-legged trousers, and a flat cap rapidly took shape.
His sluggish thoughts struggled to turn. Then a soft, clear golden glow suffused his body, spreading outward layer upon layer.
"Purification Halo!"
The pale hand Ludwell had extended immediately turned transparent. The undead attempting to approach and attack him fell in swathes, like wheat stalks in a field swept by a hurricane.
Immediately afterward, a crimson