As for Aiven himself, he has more pressing matters to attend to.

The universally adopted standard among countries today (actually first started by the Hilus Kingdom) classifies cannon specifications on warships by the weight of the fired cannonballs, with specifications including 9-pound, 12-pound, 18-pound, 24-pound, and 32-pound cannons, assigned based on the size of the warship.

Judging by the specifications of this "Skeleton Tomb," when it was originally in the navy's possession, it should have been equipped with a standard fifty cannons. The two gundecks and the main deck altogether were outfitted with eighteen 24-pound cannons, twenty 12-pound cannons, ten 9-pound cannons, and there were even two small 6-pound cannons mounted on the aft castle.

However, now the ten 9-pound cannons on the main deck have completely disappeared, replaced by ten catapults.

Perhaps for a pirate whose main aim is to capture the opponent's ships and personnel, these ten catapults for launching "Mysterious Worm Balls" would be more useful.

Aiven had previously observed how these ten catapults were used from the perspective of a seabird. Upon boarding the ship again, Aiven deliberately dispatched the seabirds to conduct a routine reconnaissance.

As a result, they found no remaining "Insect Balls" in the cabin, speculating that they had probably all been used up on the "Iron Bone."

Already heavily laden with a lot of grave soil, yellow sand, and hundreds of corpse monsters, even a battleship was burdened so deeply that it sank considerably, bringing along few other items was understandable.

However.

Now that this battleship has fallen into Aiven's hands, it certainly couldn't retain those cumbersome and outdated catapults. Fortunately, the main equipment on the "Big Thumb" pirate ship was originally 9-pound cannons, perfect for retrofitting this battleship to restore its original combat power.

Like most other navies that revere firepower above all, in Aiven's mind, transforming such a formidable weapon as a battleship into a mobile graveyard is truly a waste, tantamount to a treasured sword collecting dust, a pearl cast in the dark.

Only in my hands, in the hands of Captain Aiven, can it shine with its deserved glory!

What do they say.... Destiny has bound this treasure to me!

Later, while the sailors were cleaning the warship, Aiven called for Milan. The two of them together opened Basem's captain's cabin.

This guy fortunately hadn't gone so far as to set traps and other sinister witchcraft in his own living space. Just how large must the heart of someone who sleeps amongst explosives every day be? Unimaginable.

As expected, in this captain's cabin, heavily decorated with human bones, they found some spellcasting materials for black witchcraft and many research notes.

Among them were "Anomalous Limb Sewing Technique," "Corpse Monster Transformation Skill," and Basem's final clearing move "Witchcraft: Quicksand Coffin." Of course, there were many others that hadn't been used, mostly belonging to the realm of black witchcraft.

If Aiven had obtained these things before he received the "Vitalist School" inheritance, he would have been overjoyed, and might have even attempted to learn them despite their severe misalignment with his aesthetics.

However, for Aiven, who now has a systematic progression in witchcraft, the value of this mystical knowledge is just so-so, perused casually before being packed away.

They cleared out Basem's collections.

Milan cast a detection spell to inventory each trophy, storing whatever was useful into the "Magic Pocket," to be divided privately with Milan later. The other "junk" was directly thrown into the sea.

Apart from the treasures Basem plundered from White Whale Port, the most valuable acquisition was the "Ocean Treasure: Ghost Cloak."

After being appraised using Milan's "Spiritual Detection,"

Its effect is: 'Enables a person or even an entire ship to transform into a "phantom ghost" in places without sunlight or at night, hiding themselves while also benefiting from thirty percent damage immunity.'

Moreover, in this state, people won't feel hunger, fatigue, or pain, as if time is temporarily frozen. But the price is steep; the person's senses will gradually degrade, and their nerves will slowly dull, making living barely distinguishable from death in the end.

This process is irreversible!'

For those involved in death-related paths such as the "Necromancy School" and "Yellow Sand Sect"… these "Living Dead" will certainly view it as a Divine Artifact, but for the living, it's extremely unfriendly. Like the once "Shipwreck Elegy," it's another Ocean Treasure with remarkable abilities but significant side effects.

Once the two dealt with the last possible hidden risks on the ship,

the two hundred crew members finally managed to thoroughly clean the forty-five-meter-long colossal battleship, even polishing the decks until they gleamed.

Apparently, not only Aiven but even his subordinates have started considering themselves the rightful owners of this ship. There was no hesitation over the battleship's current status as nothing more than spoils of war, pending confirmation and redistribution by the fleet's higher-ups.

"Hey... hey... hey..."

Then, some sailors called out as they maneuvered the "Big Thumb" alongside, using the battleship's mainmast and sail boom as "cranes" to transfer the ten 9-pound cannons from the "Big Thumb" onto the battleship.

After several hours of labor, the battleship already looks brand new from the outside. Of course, systematic maintenance and hull cleaning still require a return to the Navy Base's dry dock.

Only then can this battleship truly return to its peak condition.

However, before that, as a Wizard, there's one more thing Aiven and Milan need to accomplish...

Then.

Captain Aiven sent everyone off the battleship again, leaving only Milan with him.

Having served under Aiven for so long, even the dullest soldiers have realized the captain's magical nature. Officers who have seen more clearly already recognize the fact that the captain is a mysterious wizard.

However, putting aside the mental hints subtly planted by Aiven and the fact that he's the greatest support for these fleet members, even without this layer of insurance, what good would come from revealing the captain's secrets?

The Church issued the prey order, and it has nothing to do with the Kingdom.

As members of the Kingdom Navy, they understand the principle of "if the seat is crooked, the head will also be tilted!" Moreover, their captain is a divine favored of the Goddess and the Crown Prince's Guardian Knight!

Anyone with a bit of sense would not do something so foolish as to sabotage themselves.

Therefore, not only did they disembark immediately themselves, but they also covered for the captain, preventing the captured officers from the original "Reef" from noticing the movements on the ship.

"Let's begin!"

Aiven nodded to Milan on board, and the two entered the lower deck with materials prepared long ago. Starting from the lowest deck actually below the waterline, they painted a series of mystical symbols with brushes dipped in special spiritual pigments.

Swish… swish… swish…

From the second deck all the way to the upper main deck, even the forecastle and stern never being overlooked.

Then Aiven, holding a pure silver dagger, went to one end of the lowest deck, and spiritual energy belonging to a wizard burst forth from the dagger's tip. He walked precisely in a ∞ shape within the lower deck.

Simultaneously, Milan also held a silver dagger on the upper deck, walking in a ∞ shape in exactly the opposite direction. Maintaining a mind connection the entire time, their movements were incredibly synchronized.

When their endpoints coincided, the spiritual barrier gently unfolded, and a breeze only felt in spiritual perception passed through, igniting all the mystical symbols painted throughout the ship in advance.

Boom——

Visible golden flames surged forth, rapidly burning along the wooden planks, missing no dark corners, eradicating every "filth" within the battleship's range in a blink.

Strangely, the golden flames left no scorch marks, not even the slightest on the wood.

Aiven felt it most directly; the persistent dark and cold atmosphere, the corpse smell lingering after thorough cleaning, vanished after the blaze.

Even a faintly fresh scent akin to that of a forest after rain lingered.

"Whew—, truly the mystical knowledge from the school's tradition is much more potent than common goods!"

This method of using a spiritual barrier to cleanse the cold and stagnant aura on the ship came from the knowledge in the Vitalist School's heritage tome "Flesh Sacrifice."

Now anyone looking would find it impossible to believe it was once a mobile tomb filled with "corpse monsters" and burial earth.

"Alright, just a trip to Saint Martin Island to replace the black sails, and it will be a perfect naval battleship!"

After meeting with Milan, standing on the high stern of the battleship, Aiven looked at the newly transformed warship with a sense of satisfaction.

Trading a Level 6 for a Level 4, switching a musket for a cannon couldn't even convey the disparity!

"Aiven, do you think we should give this ship a new resounding name now? 'Conch' is too ordinary a name for a battleship!"

Milan looked at the battleship with contentment; today's battle was truly worthwhile. He received the destiny's gift, Aiven took the head of Basem worth eight thousand Golden Lions, plus this battleship and all of Basem's extraordinary legacy.

What could a "Spring Breeze" truly encompass?

"Hmm, we should rename it. Gather the officers and see if they have any good ideas."

Aiven knew that letting officers widely participate in such symbolically significant yet mostly beneficial activities enhances their sense of belonging. Why not do something rewarding without cost?

"Captain! I think 'New Conch' is nice..."

"No, no! How about..."

Aiven watched the officers discuss vigorously, listening with a smile to their series of names proposed without immediately endorsing or opposing them.

Until everyone had spoken, suggesting five or six names in total, it was finally decided by a vote to confirm the new name proposed by Milan – "Storm Horn!"

The Level 4 Battleship "Storm Horn" that belongs to them!

It's named after this sea region, to commemorate the battle destined to change many people's destinies.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.