Only option was to continue ascending.
Reaching the second cloud layer, everyone held their breath, waiting for the moment they’d pass through it.
They cleared the cloud layer smoothly, but the cloud mist of the Floating Cloud Bottle was also depleted, signifying the cargo ship had reached its maximum altitude and could ascend no more.
Yet, even there, they still couldn’t see the end of the sea wall.
"Finished, we’re totally finished this time." Everyone looked on despairingly, with some even collapsing to their knees in dismay.
"If this sea wall falls, not even the Island Whale would survive, crushed to pieces." Let alone their ship, it would definitely be smashed to bits.
Sea Dragon’s face also turned pale; he was now contemplating his own safety rather than the ship’s.
He had a flying tool, likely capable of flying higher to escape the sea wall. However, as a Second Level Apprentice, his magic power wasn’t enough to keep him airborne in the Devil’s Sea indefinitely; he’d need to land eventually. Traditionally, the cargo ship provided him a place to rest and meditate, but if the cargo ship were gone, he wasn’t sure if he could survive on his own.
"Sea Dragon, what should we do now?" Everyone looked at the Sea Dragon, placing their hopes on this sole transcendent being.
The Sea Dragon did not speak and silently went to the side, pulling down the magic carpet hanging on the wall.
The magic carpet was precisely his flying vehicle. The others knew this too, so when they saw the Sea Dragon’s action, they realized the gravity of the situation.
Even the guardian couldn’t resolve it; they might indeed be finished.
"The magic carpet can carry up to four people at most. I can take you away," the Sea Dragon looked at everyone and said, "There are five of you now, which means one person still has to stay on the ship."
"You choose yourselves, or I’ll choose."
"Even if chosen, don’t think it will be a relief. Because even if you leave now, there’s no assurance you’ll survive afterward."
The Sea Dragon threw this deadly choice at them.
Everyone looked at each other, remaining silent. Though comrades on ordinary days, they were utterly bewildered when it came to life and death.
"There’s no time for you to waste. Half a minute without a decision, and I’ll choose," the Sea Dragon shouted, eyeing the increasingly surging tidal wall in the distance.
At this moment, the captain stepped out: "I’ve worked on this cargo ship for twenty years; I’ve regarded it as my home. Since the home is destroyed, why should I live? I’ll stay."
The others stayed silent.
The Sea Dragon gazed deeply at the captain: "Alright, you stay, and the others get ready to leave with me."
The Sea Dragon gently waved, and the magic carpet spread on the ground, signaling everyone to step on.
Just as the magic carpet became fully loaded, and the Sea Dragon was about to take others and fly off the cargo ship, a light suddenly flashed across the sky.
Everyone looked up and saw a fantastical flying boat of flowing colors appear high up, this starry-sailed boat sailed from afar, slowly stopping directly above them.
The others couldn’t see inside the flying boat, but as a wizard apprentice, the Sea Dragon could clearly sense that there was a terrifyingly powerful entity aboard, whose gaze swept over them.
Moreover, the person locked their sights on the Sea Dragon.
This kind of gaze that causes the skin to tremble definitely comes from an official wizard!
The Sea Dragon understood well what a terrifying existence an official wizard was. Moreover, official wizards typically have bad tempers; being targeted by one means a high probability of misfortune.
Is this the equivalent of torrential rain following a leaking house? After escaping one catastrophe, immediately entering another?
Sea Dragon felt somewhat despairing.
"It’s coming down, it’s coming down... The flying boat is descending!" exclaimed the two navigators nearby.
The Sea Dragon also nervously looked up, indeed seeing the dreamlike flying boat slowly descending from above.
A hundred meters, fifty meters, thirty meters... Until it stopped approximately ten meters away from them.
The Sea Dragon stole a glance at the person on the flying boat.
It was a young man in loose robes, lazily reclining on a chair. His somewhat disheveled red hair casually draped across his forehead, paired with his somewhat listless golden eyes, gave an impression of world-weary laziness.
The Sea Dragon dared not look at him further, only respectfully glanced once, then lowered his head.
Searching his mental database, he confirmed that he hadn’t seen this person before.
But perhaps the person was in disguise.
"Can these humans actually fly by sitting on a carpet?"
A crisp and somewhat childish voice came from the flying boat, and the Sea Dragon stole a look, finding it was a talking... hand... hanging on that young man’s back.
A hand that could talk? As the Sea Dragon felt surprised, the voice spoke again.
"Oh my, I mustn’t be mistaken; isn’t that ship over there huge? Such a big ship is also airborne, terrifying!"
"Darn, compared to the gondola, we’ve lost."
Sea Dragon: ...Is this sarcasm or sincerity? Just by appearance, you know who wins.
Everyone lowered their heads, afraid to speak, only the chatter of that restless hand echoed.
"Alright, any more words, and I’ll continue to ground you," the young man said.
"There isn’t a fireplace here..."
"Even without a fireplace, I can still ground you; want to try it?"
"Okay." The hand muttered meekly: "I just stated a fact. We obviously lost."
"Shut up," the young man said irritably.
Compliant, the hand ceased speaking, and the Sea Dragon on the magic carpet sighed in relief. For though the hand spoke naively, from a certain angle, it was placing them in a precarious position too.
However, while quiet, the hand was not entirely subdued as it leapt onto the magic carpet, inspecting it like a patrol guard, circling the carpet and examining everyone on it.
Faced with the weird hand, everyone remained motionless and silent.
"This carpet is quite comfy, soft and warm, much better than the gondola!"
Sea Dragon: ...Pray you stop talking.
"Dangross, control your flames!"
The young man on the flying boat scolded, and the others all looked at the hand, only to find that flames were swirling around the hand now rolling on the magic carpet. A burnt hole had already appeared on the carpet.
Upon harsh reprimand, Dangross finally became aware, but by then, the hole on the magic carpet was already expanding.
Dangross had not yet reacted before plummeting through the scorching hole.
Landing directly on the cargo ship’s upper-level balcony.
The magic carpet, now damaged by the burn, lost certain flying capabilities, and amid terrified screams, everyone began to fall.
"Fool, get back and immediately face confinement," the young man cursed, jumping off the flying boat.
At this moment, everyone was dumbfounded, the Sea Dragon trembling in fear.
The Sea Dragon had already deduced that this hand was likely a fire elemental creature. The unconsciously released flames, which burned through the magic carpet, indicated tremendous power, probably enough to handle ten of himself.
Faced with this hand, he felt powerless. Not to mention a mightier official wizard.
Ahead lay the sweeping tidal wall, behind a fire elemental creature and an official wizard, and along with the sole escape option—the magic carpet—now ruined, were they really doomed here?