The smell of burning ozone mixed with fear hung heavy in the air. The Eel, cloaked in shadows and the heavy odor of sea-filth, retreated, his reptilian grin hidden by the wide brim of his hat. He had just set his ambush, utilizing the last of his compromised intelligence network to point the world’s most formidable nautical crime syndicate—the Cartel Neptunus—toward the cradle of Jean Valéry’s power. His betrayal was a calculated move, executed with cold finality. The Eel believed he had purchased a future free from the whims of a chaotic Alchemist by trading Jean's forces for the ultimate cosmic chaos.On the rusted deck of *La Grue* (The Crane), the colossal Cartel command vessel that had silently emerged near Jean's battered base, Captain Neptunus—the embodiment of ancient hubris and corporate ambition—observed the transaction’s completion with unsettling calm. The small pouch containing the mineral stabilizer landed precisely at Anton's feet, a stark offering against the grime of

—protecting the Vieux-Port secondary Nexus!"The high-pitched electronic signal that terminated the transmission lingered in the damp air of the lab. Jean slammed the mobile device down on the metal table, its cracked screen blinking furiously with the new coordinates. The coordinates for the old Ice House."It's a redirection," Jean said, the frustration tightening his jaw. His voice, sharpened by the internal presence of the Alchemist, echoed faintly. "They're not just interested in preventing the new Naval ship from launching. They're striking at the foundations. They want to ensure there is no power left for Marseille to defend itself with.""The Grand Harvest," Gaston stated grimly. He stood beside Jean, the transmuted strength making his posture unnaturally stiff. "They are going to drain that secondary Nexus dry, Boss. Then what will we be? Ants without legs?""They won't drain it," Jean corrected, snatching his remaining Tidal Potion bottle—a blue jewel reflecting the urgency

The naval ship *Sang Siluman* shot forward, not cleaving the water, but seemingly drawn across it by an invisible force, piercing the thick fog, accelerating toward the imminent crisis at Gibraltar. But barely a minute into the voyage, Jean Valéry wrenched the controls back, slowing the heavily transmuted vessel to a near stop just outside the visibility line of the derelict shipyard."Hold! Something is wrong," Jean declared.His internal awareness—the enhanced perception given by the Tidal Elixir and his deeper understanding of the Nexus energy—screamed alarms that his auditory senses couldn't yet register. The sudden focus on Gibraltar had left an exploitable blind spot.Gaston, his immense body leaning against a console, immediately braced. "What is it, Boss? Are they sending torpedoes?""No," Jean responded, his eyes scanning the radar screen. The newly applied Coral Strength Elixir provided superior stealth, turning the *Sang Siluman* into a virtual ghost ship, but the passive l

"—The Alchemical Exploitation Battalion Fleet!"The sheer terror in Victor the Viper Head’s voice, a veteran smuggler rarely given to displays of fear, underscored the apocalyptic scope of the threat. The siren that followed wasn’t the low, mournful wail of a French naval warning. It was a high-frequency sonic whine, a signal designed to paralyze ships with terror and confusion, a trademark of the Neptune Cartel’s aggressive dominance.Jean Valéry, standing exposed at the ramshackle, outer docks of the Obsidian Mine, grabbed Victor’s shoulder. His own Tide Potion-stabilized heart hammered a rapid, cold rhythm against his ribs. The Hidden Reef hull of *The Phantom* might keep his ship invisible to alchemical detection, but a massive surface fleet couldn't be easily ignored."Victor! Easy!" Jean’s voice cut through the chaos, commanding the man’s focus with an intentional burst of pure mental will.Victor flinched, the subtle salt crystals in his borrowed Transmutation system registerin

The sudden cut of the radio signal left a violent void, but the ringing in Jean Valéry’s ears was loud enough to fill it. It wasn’t a ringing of silence. It was the desperate, drowning scream of his first external force, Bastien, battling the Sea Calcification Elixir at Gibraltar. Jean’s breath hitched in his throat, and he clenched his fist around the transmuted helm of the *Sang Siluman*.“Gaston!” Jean roared, turning from the console with unnatural quickness. “Full mobilization! Prepare for immediate trajectory leap! We're not running to Corsica. We’re running to the funeral home, and we’re going to steal the bodies back.”Gaston's massive figure instantly solidified with grim purpose, his transmuted silver eyes reflecting the crisis. His voice, honed by the Tidal Elixir into a tool of absolute command, resonated across the invisible bridge of the *Sang Siluman*.“ABS Unit! Sector Orange protocol active! Battle positions now!” Gaston shouted, already directing the remaining core c