Max stood barefoot on the warm sand and walked toward the ocean.
He stopped near the edge of the water and raised his hand. A soft wave of spirit energy flowed out from his palm. The air above the sea shimmered like heat, and then golden light began to take shape.
In just a few moments, a ship appeared—not rising from the sea, but forming from light and magic. It was large, made of smooth dark wood with golden designs on the sides. Red sails slowly opened, catching a wind that didn't exist. Softly glowing spirit symbols lit up along the ship's body.
Max smiled. "There you are."
Behind him, the others were just waking up. Rize rubbed her eyes and stared in surprise at the ship.
"Max," she said, still groggy. "Did you just summon a giant ship for fun?"
Gwen sat up and blinked. "That's no normal ship. It's gorgeous."
Malaika stood and was already analyzing it. "It's not even moving with the waves. That's strong craftsmanship."
Lan Xue and Mu Qing walked up, both surprised and curious.
"You created that?" Mu Qing asked quietly.
Max laughed. "Not created—summoned. I had the design ready for ages. Just never used it till now."
Lan Xue asked, "Why now?"
He looked at her and said, "Because this time, I don't want to fly past everything. I want to travel slowly. See the ocean. Stop at every island. And do it together."
The girls looked at one another, then nodded with smiles.
Rize stepped beside him and nudged him playfully. "A romantic sea trip? Sounds fun."
Malaika gave a slight smile. "As long as there's some action along the way."
Gwen put on her cloak. "I'm in—if I can get some sun on deck."
Lan Xue gently took Max's hand. "Let's go."
Mu Qing smiled warmly. "Then this is our next journey."
Max raised his hand again. A golden bridge of light stretched from the sand to the ship. It hovered just above the sea and led straight to the deck.
They all walked across it, one by one.
Once they stepped on board, the ship came alive. The sails shifted, the wheel turned slightly on its own, and crystals on the deck began to glow. A floating map appeared near the front of the ship, showing nearby islands, ancient ruins, and sea routes.
Max looked at it calmly. "Alright. This time, we travel the sea the right way."
And just like that, they left the island behind, heading off together to explore the world.
The ship glided smoothly across the bright morning sea. With Max steering, a gentle breeze pushed them forward. The group spent the day simply—relaxed but alert.
Rize leaned over the side, watching the waves sparkle. Gwen lay on the deck soaking in the sun. Lan Xue and Mu Qing sat near the front, quietly talking and watching the distance, while Malaika stayed near the back, sharpening a blade.
The day had been peaceful. Clear skies. Quiet sea.
But peace never lasts forever.
As the sun began to lower a bit, Mu Qing stood up, her eyes narrowing. "Something's coming."
Max turned to her. "From which direction?"
She pointed east, just past a large rocky area.
A shadow appeared—big, fast, and coming straight at them. Soon, a ship came into view. It looked rough and dangerous, with messy spirit markings. Its sails were torn and black, but it sped forward unnaturally fast.
Malaika stood beside Mu Qing. "That's not a merchant ship. It's a raider."
"Pirates?" Rize asked, now stretching and cracking her knuckles.
"Worse," Gwen muttered. "Spirit Pirates. They attack small islands, stealing spirit beasts and rare materials."
Lan Xue's voice was calm but sharp. "They're trying to block us."
Max didn't seem worried. "Then they chose the wrong ship."
The pirate ship came up close—ropes ready, and spirit cannons glowing faintly. Several figures stood on deck, cloaked and armed. Their energy was wild and chaotic.
One of them stepped forward and shouted across the sea.
"This is our territory. Give us your supplies and we'll let you swim away."
Max didn't respond.
Instead, he raised his hand, and a wave of spirit energy flowed through his ship.
The deck glowed with spirit symbols. Shields activated. Hidden weapons opened along the sides.
Max looked at the others. "Time to teach them a quick lesson."
Rize grinned. "I needed to stretch anyway."
Mu Qing's hand lit with spirit power. Lan Xue's aura grew colder, the air around her chilling.
Malaika stood ready, weapons in hand. "Say the word."
Max turned to the pirates. His voice was calm and clear.
"Leave now, or get sunk."
They didn't listen.
"Well, I warned you," Max said softly and tapped the edge of the helm.
The ship reacted instantly.
With a deep hum and sudden energy burst, the spirit cannons glowed brightly—and then fired all at once.
The sea lit up in a flash.
In seconds, beams of spirit energy blasted the pirate ship. There was no delay—just immediate destruction. The enemy ship exploded into burning pieces, sinking quickly.
There wasn't even a scream left.
On Max's ship, the others—who were ready to fight—stood still, stunned.
"…Did he just turn this into a warship?" Rize asked slowly, staring at the empty sea.
Gwen blinked. "I thought we'd get a battle… but okay."
Lan Xue looked at Max. "That was... fast."
Malaika crossed her arms. "Overkill. I approve."
Mu Qing let out a breath. "Next time, at least give us a warmup."
Max smiled slightly, still holding the helm. "Next time, maybe they'll listen."
The sea grew calm again, as if nothing had happened.
Smoke floated lazily on the water where the pirate ship had been—the only sign there had almost been a fight.
Max stepped back from the helm, letting the ship go back to smooth sailing. The golden runes dimmed slightly, as if pleased with the outcome.
Rize turned toward him and leaned on the railing. "Okay, serious question—why does your 'relaxing sea trip' ship have weapons strong enough to wipe out a fleet?"
Max shrugged casually. "It's not just for fun. Traveling by sea in this world isn't exactly safe."
***
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