Suddenly, several ice spears struck the ship — not meant to destroy it, but clearly thrown to keep it from sailing further.

From a distance, Nujah and Crow watched the small vessel.

Nujah whispered, low and tense:

> "All this chaos… just for me?"

Crow, clearly nervous, chuckled awkwardly:

> "Ahh… I might've forgotten to mention that, Boss…"

> "Forgotten?"

> "Well… saving you was only part of it. They're serious. Like, really serious."

> "What do you mean, serious?"

Crow gulped.

> "They're angry you ran away. After everything that happened… they think you're avoiding your responsibility. They want to… I dunno… teach you a lesson. Make you realize your mistake."

He hesitated, then added:

> "And kidnapping Vercurius? Yeah, that didn't help. Probably made it worse."

Nujah gritted his teeth, stress building in his voice.

He looked out across the bay, mind racing.

Crow leaned closer:

> "They're getting closer, Boss. Your purple-haired brother Muzan is with them — and judging by his face, he's not here for a hug."

Just then, a massive energy surge exploded beneath the ship.

Crow snapped his gaze toward it, panic flashing in his eyes.

> "What now?!"

Nujah answered quickly, voice steady:

> "Relax. The seals I used are reinforced with my dead blood. As long as they're intact, Vercurius can't break them — not while he's still in human form."

He said it more to reassure Crow than himself, though he remained composed.

Then Nujah added with quiet certainty:

> "As long as they don't get him out before we're gone… we're fine."

---

Meanwhile, Maria had reached the ship.

The blonde girl beside her raised her arms — and summoned dozens of glowing green wolves from the ground, a soul technique.

From the shadows, Nujah partially emerged and subtly waved to one of the wolves.

It saw him — and ran back to Maria.

> "He's here," she whispered under her breath.

Muzan glanced at her.

> "The coward… and Vercurius. Are they both up there?"

Maria kept her expression calm:

> "Definitely not above. I'll check the lower deck."

Muzan, Maria, and Ren — the one who had halted the ship — descended into the lower levels.

While they were distracted, Nujah moved.

He crept across the deck like a shadow, silent and swift.

Reaching the small plank they had used to board earlier, he placed a hand on it — and with a touch, set it ablaze without a sound.

As flames consumed the wood behind him, he slipped into the opposite ship.

---

Below deck, the others didn't sense Nujah's presence.

They assumed he had escaped.

Still frustrated, they turned to Vercurius — the source of the earlier energy burst.

His mouth was bound, but the pressure of his power was undeniable.

They quickly released the chains.

Vercurius stood and shouted in rage:

> "Where is he?!"

Maria answered flatly:

> "He's not here. If he was ever on this ship, he's long gone."

Just then, the sound of a ship engine rumbled from outside.

Everyone rushed to the upper deck — but Maria, moving first, stepped right where Nujah had predicted.

 

She vanished in a soft flash of light.

Ren froze.

"…That wasn't supposed to happen," he whispered.

Muzan clenched his jaw.

"He knew we'd come."

Vercurius emerged from below, chains still cracking with residual energy.

"He always does."

Ren removed the ice spears keeping the ship in place, and Muzan rushed to the engine room…

Only to find it ruined — the main seals shattered, the power core melted.

---

Far in the distance, Nujah stood at the wheel of the stolen ship.

The wind in his hair.

Behind him, the only sound that remained…

was the furious shouting of his siblings fading into the sea air.

---

She was on a ship.

But this was a different ship.

No light.

Only the creaking of old wood and the distant sound of water.

Maria opened her eyes.

Darkness… surrounded her. But it wasn't a peaceful darkness.

Something was missing.

Or perhaps… too much.

Movement stirred to the side.

The crow dropped down from a rope it had been hanging upside-down from.

It fluffed its feathers, then smiled.

> "Good morning, our little star fragment…"

"I must admit — the job you did was brilliant.

Thanks to you, we made it out. No one even noticed."

Maria turned her head slightly.

Her lips moved, but no sound came.

Her eyes were tired. Or maybe just quiet.

The crow continued:

> "I know… it was a hard choice.

But only you could've pulled it off.

If not you — no one else could have."

Nujah's voice, creeping from the shadows, echoed softly in Maria's ear:

> "Hello, princess."