They did not enjoy the luxurious treatment reserved for first-class ticket holders, but they had their own dedicated boarding passage as well.
Among them were ordinary passengers, carrying expectations for the journey and yearning for the land of Shenzhou;
adventurous young people eager to explore unknown lands and seek their own extraordinary encounters;
and even families of three traveling together, bringing their children aboard the cruise ship to spend precious time as a family.
"Hmm?"
The moment Moros stepped onto the deck of the Ocean Miracle, the corner of his eye caught a pink figure.
But just as he tried to get a closer look, that figure vanished into the bustling crowd.
Moros would not mistake something like that for an illusion.
With his current Legendary Rank life level, his physical abilities were comparable to those of an S-Rank Valkyrie—one at Rita's level, of course.
His senses were exceptionally sharp. There was no way he could have seen wrong.
Searching through the sea of memories, Moros found an image of that adorable pink-haired girl.
Elysia?!
That name echoed in his mind, tightly linked to the pink figure.
This journey seemed very much worth looking forward to...
A smile curled across Moros's lips, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
Reunion with Elysia
With a whistle, the Ocean Miracle, a colossal behemoth of the sea, slowly departed the harbor and began its half-month voyage.
As a two-hundred-thousand-ton giant vessel, the waves it raised upon setting sail stood as high as two meters, a truly spectacular sight.
Even Moros, who had seen much in his life, could not help but marvel at such a scene.
Yet amid his admiration, Moros also felt a trace of regret for the future of this cruise ship.
He knew all too well the tragic ending that awaited the Pre-Collapse Civilization.
When Finality's meteor descended, everyone on this planet would find it difficult to escape the world-ending catastrophe, save for those selected to enter the cryogenic pods and Griseo, who left Earth.
The apocalypse of Finality was not something conventional planet-killing weapons like cyclone torpedoes or atmosphere-incinerating torpedoes could compare to.
The Herrscher of Finality wielded authority over time, capable of rendering all conventional defensive measures useless.
Before that irresistible power of destruction, even the miraculous Ocean Miracle would ultimately be unable to escape its tragic fate.
Of course, Moros was not worried about whether he could survive Finality.
The protection of the Demiplane was enough to allow him to safely weather the crisis of Finality's apocalypse.
Thus, he was able to lounge against the deck railing, feeling the fresh sea breeze brush across his face.
In this brief moment of peace, Moros let his thoughts wander as he considered his future.
Although he currently possessed a Hero Level as high as 24 and his life level had already ascended to Legendary Rank, Moros still had a clear understanding of his own strength.
After six years of effort, Moros had gradually grown from a player unable to cast a single spell without the Hero Panel into a qualified Exemplar Tier mage.
With the magic granted by his Legendary Rank life level, along with the Undead Legion he had painstakingly accumulated, Moros could display combat power nearly at the Legendary Rank.
But that was all.
The gap in strength between those at Legendary Rank was enormous. Though Moros's current power seemed unattainably high, it was actually only equivalent to an ordinary Herrscher of the Pre-Collapse Civilization.
At the current stage, this level of strength was undoubtedly unmatched, but in the future, the power of an ordinary Herrscher
might not even be enough for self-preservation.
Kevin, wielding the Seventh Divine Key, Key of Destruction: Heavenly Fire Sacred Judgment, could easily defeat an ordinary Herrscher.
Origin's Herrscher Elysia had displayed the strength to single-handedly kill a Herrscher during the Second Honkai Eruption.
Not to mention Kalpas, the alien who had once nearly killed the Fifth Herrscher, the Herrscher of Ice, in an instant.
Facing such powerful beings, Moros knew exactly what level his current strength was at.
"Ugh, even after transmigrating, I still have to grind."
With a sigh, Moros set a small goal for himself.
To fully master his own strength, stop relying on the Hero Panel, and cast fifth-level spells on his own.
The goal sounded simple, but it was an enormous challenge for Moros.
After all, lying within his Spellbook was an extremely special fifth-level Battle Spell—Destruction Magic: Armageddon.
Compared with other fifth-level Battle Spells, Armageddon was particularly unique within Ashan World's magical system.
Though it belonged to the category of fifth-level Battle Spells, Armageddon's essence was a full tier above all other fifth-level Battle Spells.
If placed in Faerûn, Armageddon would be a genuine Legendary Spell.
Even beings of Legendary Rank would find mastering such a spell exceedingly difficult.
Yet correspondingly, once Moros achieved this goal, his strength would undergo a tremendous increase.
By then, so long as he did not confront the Herrscher of Finality head-on, Moros, having transformed into a true legendary mage, could live quite comfortably during the final days of the Pre-Collapse Civilization.
Just as Moros was immersed in planning for the future, a voice both familiar and unfamiliar rang out behind him.
"Hi, did you miss me?"
Thanks to the keen senses granted by his Legendary Rank life level, Moros immediately recognized who it was.
Turning around, Moros, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, saw a breathtakingly beautiful girl like a fairy.
Her long pink hair fluttered lightly behind her in the sea breeze, and a smile rested on her stunningly lovely face, bright as spring sunlight.
Elysia wore a pale long dress, its cut fitting her elegant figure and perfectly outlining her graceful curves.
She looked at Moros, mischief sparkling in her eyes as though she were waiting for his response.
"It really has been a long time, Elysia."
Warmth surged through Moros's heart as he smiled and praised her.
"You are as beautiful and captivating as ever."
"Beauty isn't my only trait, Moros."
She lightly walked up to Moros and gracefully curtsied, like a noble princess.
Elysia's radiant smile instantly shattered Moros's defenses. Unable to resist, he raised a hand in a gentleman's salute and extended an invitation to the Pink Fairy Lady.
"Then, beautiful Miss Elysia, would you honor me by sharing a cup of tea?"
For someone socially fearless, Miss Elysia would hardly be intimidated by such an invitation.
"Of course, Mr. Moros."
She answered with a smile, delight shining in her eyes.
The two slowly made their way up along the cruise ship's corridors and arrived at the Ocean Miracle's upper deck.
The setting seemed tailor-made for afternoon tea. A gentle breeze brushed their faces, while sunlight filtered through the clouds and scattered across the deck, creating a lazy yet elegant atmosphere.
They chose seats beside a round table shaded by an exquisite parasol.
Two delicate teacups sat on the table, along with a steaming pot of black tea, a plate of freshly baked scones, and several dishes of colorful jam and cream.
Moros gently lifted the teapot and poured Elysia a cup of black tea before pouring one for himself.
The fragrance of black tea spread through the air, mingling with the scent of the sea breeze.
Elysia took a light sip of the tea, a satisfied expression appearing on her face.
Afterward, the two began a pleasant conversation.
Their topic gradually shifted from the rich aroma of the black tea and the enchanting view from the deck to their respective reasons for traveling to Shenzhou.
"So, Elysia, you want to go back and visit the master who taught you archery?"
"Yes, Moros. The archery he taught me helped me greatly."
Elysia answered, a deep note of nostalgia in her voice.
But in the blink of an eye, the Pink Fairy Lady deftly turned the conversation toward Moros.
"What about you? Why are you going to Shenzhou?"
She asked curiously, inquiry glimmering in her eyes.
Moros fell silent for a moment before finally answering Elysia's question truthfully.
"I want to see Shenzhou's scenery, and I also want to leave the Mu Continent."
After all, the memories this continent had left me with were not pleasant.
A Peaceful Voyage
Although Moros did not say the latter half of his sentence aloud, the highly perceptive Elysia immediately sensed the loneliness between his words.
Though she did not know much about Moros's past, Elysia understood that everyone had pain and memories they were unwilling to mention.
So, she decided to change the subject and ease the subtle atmosphere.
"Oh, Moros, did you know?"
Elysia said with a smile, her tone brimming with cheer.
"One of my friends will be performing at tonight's concert on the ship."
Her words carried undisguised delight, as though she wanted to share something especially wonderful with Moros.
The Pink Fairy Lady's smile was as radiant as spring sunlight, instantly dispersing the gloom in Moros's heart.
With Moros's life level, the speed of his thought process needed no questioning.
In a single instant, Moros understood why Elysia had changed the subject.
This concern and consideration from the Pink Fairy Lady, like a spring breeze sweeping over a lake, stirred waves in Moros's heart.
At that moment, a powerful urge rose within him to tell Elysia about his past experiences and the journey of his heart.
However, Moros was ultimately a man with tremendous self-control.
He rationally suppressed the urge to confide in her and replied instead.
"Is that so? Then I really should go listen."
His tone was filled with sincere anticipation.
Moros already had a preliminary guess as to who the musician Elysia praised so highly might be.
"You won't regret it! Eden's singing is simply heavenly, and Eden herself is super nice too..."
Mentioning her best friend, excitement gleamed in Elysia's eyes as she chattered endlessly to Moros about everything related to Eden.
Apparently, even Origin's Herrscher could not escape this kind of spontaneous evangelizing from a fan.
Elysia's enthusiasm and excitement infected Moros, making him even more curious and expectant about Eden's singing.
That night.
The Ocean Miracle's concert hall was brilliantly lit and packed to capacity.
Moros sat in a private box near the stage. Through the translucent curtain, he could see the entire stage arrangement clearly.
Singer after singer took the stage, singing with passion before gracefully taking their bows.
Their performances were all excellent, but Moros's gaze did not linger on them for long.
Tonight, Moros had come to listen to the concert rather than return to the Mage Guild in the Demiplane to study profound magical tomes, not because of those singers.
His target was the girl he had met only once—Eden.
Eden, the brightest superstar of the Pre-Collapse Civilization. Let me see what you're made of.
Just as Moros was thinking this, a figure slowly stepped onto the stage.
Eden!
Her wine-red hair fell to her waist, adorned with dark golden ornaments. Under the lights, her goddess-like delicate face became even more breathtakingly beautiful.
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