As long as you have the courage, fierce ghosts go on maternity leave.

In a surge of unbridled rage, Rayden forgets his earlier promise to let Alexander strike first.

With his long blade in hand, he closes in on his opponent in an instant, stopping just a meter away to deliver a ferocious downward slash. Alexander, however, stands as if paralyzed, making no move to defend himself. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Spare me your feeble attempts! I thought you had some hidden tricks up your sleeve," Rayden scoffs.

Adjusting the angle of his blade slightly, he decides to prolong the punishment; his new plan is to first sever one of Alexander’s arms before subjecting him to more torment.

But just as Rayden’s blade is about to meet its mark, a grey light shield suddenly materializes around Alexander. The long blade rebounds upon striking the shield, causing no harm. The shield vanishes as quickly as it appeared, but not without Alexander’s lips curling into a sly smile.

"Ghost Bind!" he shouts. Instantly, tentacles into being, entangling the recoiling Rayden.

While Rayden may be a king-level ghost, his power isn’t enough to easily shake off Alexander’s enhanced Ghost Bind. His body erupts in ghost energy, shattering the tentacles, but that momentary pause is all Alexander needs.

"Thunderbolt Blade!" Almost two thousand blades materialize around him, each shrouded in a lightning aura. They circle Rayden, forming a terrifying thunder-blade realm. Like a relentless storm, the blades continuously slice through Rayden. These are, after all, two thousand solider-level blades.

Just as Rayden unleashed his Ghost Energy, his body lay completely unprotected. Even the formidable constitution of a Ghost King couldn’t prevent the relentless blade attacks from slicing across him, leaving a series of bloody gashes.

Alexander, Hastily retreated while ingesting a portion of "Ghost Food." He had no intentions of eliminating his opponent with a single move.

True to his assessment, Rayden let out a ferocious roar as verdant ghost flames erupted around him, weakening the force of the two thousand blades to the point where they barely managed to break his skin.

With the emergence of the ghost flames, Rayden’s longblade acquired a greenish hue, effortlessly shattering the incoming blades.

"I’ll kill you! I will kill you!" In a frenetic state, bereft of any semblance of reason, he disregarded the remaining hail of blades assaulting him.

With an enhanced speed, he swung his sword at Alexander again, shouting, "Ghost King Technique—Ghost Flame Slash!"

The flames around his blade surged, morphing it into a monstrous blade of green ghost fire, some forty meters long. Aiming squarely at Alexander’s head, Rayden swung it down ferociously. "You worm, you scum! Die!"

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, the forty-meter long blade ferociously smashed into the ground, scattering countless green sparks. Yet, Alexander had vanished from sight.

Suddenly, Rayden felt a piercing aura emanate from behind him. Without thinking, his ghostly flames surged again, even forming a dragon of fire aimed at his back. But it was too late.

"Spirit Devour!"

A ghastly wail resounded as eerie shadows coalesced from all around, flooding into Rayden’s body. For a moment, a look of pain crossed Rayden’s face, and his surrounding ghost energy came to a halt.

Clearly, the might of the Underworld Sword far exceeded its grade. The move consumed 170,000 units of Alexander’s ghost energy, and this was after reducing the consumption by 90%.

This was an attack on par with skills that consumed a million units of ghost energy, and its only purpose was to subject the target to extreme agony.

Even for a Ghost King like Rayden, that instantaneous torment felt like being bitten by a myriad of ghosts, causing his ghost energy to halt its flow.

Alexander would not miss this opportunity. The Underworld Sword’s other special trait, the Extreme Sword Dance, activated. The recently replenished ghost energy was instantly exhausted as the longsword, like an apparition, launched dozens of attacks in a fraction of a moment.

Layers of afterimages overlapped without a gap. Even in the eyes of the most formidable Ghost King present, it appeared as if Alexander had merely thrust a single sword.

With a soft sound, like the cutting of flesh, the Underworld Sword mercilessly pierced through Rayden’s chest via the deepest wound on his back.

With a flick of his sword, Alexander tore open a gaping wound. Without a moment’s pause, and without the luxury of wondering whether this blow could finish off Rayden, his lightning whip activated simultaneously.

Transforming the appendage into a whip, he channeled it directly into Rayden through the open wound. Clinging to the whip were hundreds of blades.

Rip!

A hair-raising sound of tearing echoed through the space. Ghost King Rayden was instantly shredded to pieces.

Silence.

A profound quiet descended upon the entire cabin. Every Ghost King present had their mouths agape, stunned by the spectacle before them. Even Edward, who believed in Alexander’s prowess, wore an expression of utter shock.

Is he really just a human Chosen one?

His opponent was a Ghost King!

Eliminated in just a few seconds?

Alexander is merely a soldier-level Chosen one!

In this world of horry, fighting beyond one’s level is a rare feat, yet Alexander not only leapt levels, he performed a triple leap.

He vaulted over three major thresholds: from soldier to general, to prince, to king, tearing a Ghost King asunder. The sheer audacity stunned the thousands of Ghost Kings present.

What followed was a wave of awe that swept over their collective conscience. Terrifying, utterly terrifying!

These were Ghost Kings, discerning and shrewd.

Alexander had genuinely accomplished this feat through his own power, relying on defensive artifacts only in the beginning.

First, he deliberately infuriated Rayden, enticing him into attacking while using valuable protective artifacts to mislead him.

Then, he employed his bladed ghost skill, not only wounding but further deceiving his enemy.

In his rage to kill Alexander swiftly, Rayden even ignored some of the more scattered blades. These blades, while seemingly attacking at random, were actually mostly concentrated at Rayden’s back—a calculated strategy.

Next came the teleportation, reappearing behind Rayden to launch another assault. The constitution of a Ghost King is incredibly robust, so much so that even without employing ghost skills, a soldier-level being would find it challenging to inflict any harm.

But with a torn back and a stagnation of his ghostly energy, Rayden was fatally punctured by Alexander’s sword.

Calculation, power, intellect—each element was awe-inspiring.

Among the Ghost Kings present, at least 70% didn’t think they could have done any better than Rayden. Even if they were prepared, who’s to say that this terrifying figure didn’t have other contingencies in place?

Emerging from their collective shock, all the Ghost Kings turned their eyes toward Edward. Alexander had always addressed Edward respectfully, maintaining a submissive demeanor.

If a soldier-level Chosen like Alexander could be this terrifying, what about Edward, the one who brought him into this?

A palpable sense of dread spread among the Ghost Kings. Just how formidable could Edward’s true strength be? The thought was too overwhelming to entertain.

"Alexander, no—Mr. Alexander, how the hell did you pull that off? You’re just a soldier-level Chosen one!" Even the eternally graceful Ghost King Edward couldn’t contain himself. Pulling Alexander aside, he cursed softly.

Shrugging, Alexander responded with equanimity: "You saw what happened. I cast a few ghost skills, retreated, rushed back in, cast a few more techniques. It’s really that straightforward. If you’re not getting it, perhaps you could try it on a Ghost Emperor. The strategy is simple and easy to learn."

Edward was left speechless, stung by Alexander’s joke.

He, Edward, was a famed figure of Ghost Street, always the one commanding attention, exuding elegance and charisma. To think there would be a day like this!

What’s this nonsense about ’it’s easy to learn,’ or ’try it on a Ghost Emperor’? If Edward dared to try it on a Ghost Emperor, he’d probably be reduced to ashes instantaneously.

Edward fell silent.

Observing his demeanor, Alexander couldn’t help but feel a little concerned.

Alexander was merely trying to tease Edward a bit. Seeing that Edward had remained silent for quite some time, he was about to apologize when Edward suddenly spoke, his tone tinged with sincerity:

"You did an excellent job this time, but I feel as if something was amiss. Particularly at the end, after you won, it seemed like something was lacking."

"Are you missing the line ’I haven’t even used my full strength, and you’ve already fallen’?" Alexander quizzically inquired.

"Yes! Exactly that!" Edward’s face lit up as if he’d found a piece to complete a jigsaw puzzle. "That would’ve made it perfect."

"Only you would think of that," Alexander rolled his eyes, then said, "Do you think I’m showing off? My initial intention was merely to provoke him. Remember what you told me before going in? Keep a low profile and don’t act impulsively.

And what did you do? Your opening line was questioning what kind of trash the Ghost King was—so much for ’keeping a low profile’."

"Well...isn’t it possible that I acted that way because he dared to insult you? Insulting me is one thing, but insulting my brother is entirely unacceptable," Edward stammered, sensing Alexander’s scrutinizing gaze.

Finally, he surrendered any pretense of a defense, throwing up his hands and saying, "I couldn’t help myself, it was purely instinctive."

While the two bantered, a host of nearby Ghost Kings had been cautiously observing them, reluctant to approach. Finally, after the sparring match of words between Alexander and Edward concluded, a few braver Ghost Kings boldly stepped forward.

Assuming they were more troublemakers, Edward’s gaze immediately sharpened, causing them to halt in their tracks.

"What can I help you with?" Alexander asked. Always affable, he hated making others feel awkward.

"Uh... Mr. Alexander, we’d merely like to get to know both of you," stammered a stunning female Ghost King, her face adorned with a restrained smile.

Seeing that Edward showed no signs of irritation, the other Ghost Kings quickly crowded around, lavishing him with flattery, calling him a strong figure or even ’boss.’ Their praise was so effusive, it was as if they were trying to elevate him to the heavens.

For Edward, being the center of attention and receiving flattery felt like the most splendid thing in the world.

Yet the fervor of the surrounding Ghost Kings left him puzzled. Shouldn’t they be focusing their admiration on Alexander, who had shown exceptional skill? After all, he wasn’t the one who had slain the Ghost King Rayden.

After dismissing the fawning Ghost Kings, Edward, catching their reverential glances, suddenly understood.

Yes, Alexander had killed the Ghost King, but it was Edward who had brought him there! Reflecting on Alexander’s demeanor when they were together, he seemed quite subservient.

Particularly before they entered the battleground, what had Alexander said? "I’d like to try, and if I lose, you can step in." The man had acted like a subordinate, making Edward look all the more formidable.

If a mere soldier like Alexander was this powerful, then what did that say about him, Edward, the Ghost King? Alexander had set him up to be considered an unbeatable force, avoiding the potential complications of envy or rivalry.

Having figured this out, Edward looked at Alexander and inwardly marveled at his cunning. None who had crossed paths—and swords—with Alexander had walked away unscathed, let alone alive.

Wait a moment...

Edward suddenly froze. They hadn’t known each other back in the Ghost Restaurant. So, what about back then?

"What’s the matter?" Alexander asked, noticing Edward’s sudden change in expression.

"Tell me honestly, have you ever plotted against me before?" Edward questioned, a note of suspicion coloring his voice.

"Cough, cough!" Alexander choked momentarily, his eyes briefly evading Edward’s. With an awkward laugh, he replied, "What are you talking about? I consider you my brother. How could I possibly harm you?"

Though Alexander had never harmed Edward, he did recall that he’d turned Edward’s restaurant manager into a ghost food, boosting sales in the process. A win-win, so to speak.

"Let’s hope so," Edward said.

Just then, the wooden stairs leading to the upper cabin echoed with the sound of footsteps.

"Someone’s coming down. Aren’t all the ghosts up there of Imperial rank? They can come down too?" Alexander asked, puzzled.

"Of course they can. There are no movement restrictions on the steamboat. However, people from the lower deck can’t go up, while those from the upper deck can come down," Edward explained.

Alexander felt slightly relieved; he had a premonition that this newcomer was likely drawn to them because of what had just occurred.

Sure enough, a lean figure exuding a menacing aura descended the staircase. His gaze swept across the gathered ghosts before settling on Edward.

"You’re Edward? You killed my men?"

"Who are you? From the Endless Abyss?" Edward retorted boldly.

"I’m ranked sixth among the seven ghost sages of the Endless Abyss. People call me Wealthy Imperial—Desert!"

The sixth-ranked sage of the Endless Abyss had appeared, sending a jolt through Alexander.

However, a wealthy Imperial, huh? Seems like he’s pretty well off.

Although Alexander was tempted to rob Desert, he knew that with the man’s Imperial level, the opportunity wouldn’t present itself anytime soon.

Desert was clearly here for Rayden, and Alexander knew he couldn’t avoid involvement. He stepped forward and declared, "I killed him. I’ve already buried the body. What do you want to do?"

Buried?

Desert’s mouth twitched in disbelief. They were all in a cabin on a ship that even a Ghost Emperor couldn’t rip apart. Buried where?

His expression changed in a heartbeat, locking onto Alexander: "You’re that Alexander who’s been at odds with my second brother, huh? Lol... Never thought I’d meet you here. Listen up, all you ghost lords. From now on, take turns challenging these two. Drain them dry! Anyone who disobeys me—just hope you never run into me in Cangshan City!"

A blatant threat!

Now, under the overt menace of Wealthy Imperial Desert, the numerous ghost lords present were visibly hesitant.

While Alexander was fearsome and Edward perhaps even more so in their eyes, neither commanded as much dread as the threat of an Imperial.

"You two must be first-timers in the Mist Instance, huh? Even if you’re prepared, how many opponents do you think you can beat?" Desert sneered.

Casually, he pointed to a ghost lord who looked quite strong and commanded, "You, challenge Alexander. Any ghost energy you use will be compensated."

The ghost lord shivered, his face tinged with hesitation. But under Desert’s piercing gaze, he ultimately decided to challenge Alexander.

Just then, a furious shout suddenly came from the staircase: "You audacious bastard! I’d like to see who dares harm my brother! You think you’re the only one who can make threats?"

Upon seeing the figure slowly descending the stairs, Alexander broke into a hearty laugh and stepped forward.

"Kassadin, my brother!"

"Brother Alexander!"

The two men embraced fiercely, laughing uproariously.

Behind them, Edward hurriedly came forward and bowed respectfully, "Greetings, Flame Imperial!"

Alexander looked at Edward, puzzled. Initially, he had thought Kassadin was just a prince. But according to news from Sam, Kassadin had already reached the level of a ghost king.

Yet today, judging from Edward’s demeanor, Kassadin had actually attained the rank of Imperial.

All the better; Kassadin was Alexander’s sworn brother, and the higher his power and status, the greater the help he could offer Alexander.