"That looks on your face tells me that my gift pleased you, hehehe"

  Zaarae cheekily laughed as she looked at the dumb and surprised look plastered on Arthur’s face . He stood motionless for a solid five minutes before he lifted his head and looked at the Empress, who blew another kiss in his direction .

  "Was ’that’ even necessary?"

  He looked angry but his tone indicated otherwise .

  "Emm……" She giggled and replied, "It’s a give and take . I gift you a useful thing and you give me a ’kiss’ . "

  "You……"

  She signaled for him to stop talking as she put her finger on her lips .

  "One more word and I’ll take you to my room and eat you . "

  Arthur glared at her but he didn’t dare speak another word . He let out a helpless long sigh and sat, wanting to read more about the new skills and ambiguous titles . Buo Buo’s Telekinesis was already strong but the one Zaarae just gifted him seemed overpowered, to say the least .

  "With that, you don’t need to fear anyone with Purple Stars or any Exalted God but do be careful of those who mastered their techniques, they’re the most dangerous . "

  Just as Zaarae finished speaking, her expression abruptly changed . She appeared in front of Arthur and unleashed a domineering aura which made the calm black waters became turbulent . Ten seconds or so passed before a red light pierced through the grey clouds and stopped dozens of meters above the black ship .

  The Empress’ face seemed unusually serious as she glared at the mysterious individual who was looking down at all the crew and passengers .

  "What a pleasant surprise!"

  The man was wearing a funny costume that had a mix of red and purple, cards danced around him as he heartily laughed while looking at Arthur then at Zaarae, who recognized him . She never met the Joker but definitely knew of his existence, moreover, she felt inferior now that he’s before her .

  Her figure blurred and by the next second, she was in front of the Joker, punching his chest . Unfortunately, her fist stopped inches away from his body, a small card absorbed the force behind her attack, shocking the woman .

  "There’s no need for violence, I’m just passing by . "

  He waved his hand before vanishing and appearing in front of Arthur . Zaarae’s face twisted as she was about to attack again only for Arthur to stop her with his hand,

  "It’s fine, I know him . "

  She fully trusted the parasite but didn’t dare drop her guard . Her figure stood next to Arthur and her aura was still unleashed, causing most of the passengers to faint, with the exception of her companions, of course .

  "Oh! You’re a clone! Nice!"

  The Joker patted Arthur’s shoulder while smiling, appearing very happy . The parasite also smiled back at his brother and responded, "What brought you here?"

  "The octopus is safeguarding something for me . I’ve come back to retrieve it . "

  "Octopus? You mean the Black Kraken?"

  "Yeah yeah whatever, it’s the same thing . "

  The Joker curiously looked at the nearby Shen Shen, who was also looking at him . He then shifted his attention to Fariya, whose face was incredibly pale .

  "Bro, I get that Zaarae is with you but a succubus will surely anger sister-in-law . Just make sure to hide her well . "

  Arthur chuckled and retorted .

  "There’s nothing to hide, she’s a slave but I’m not planning to bring her back . "

  "Good good!" The Joker snapped his fingers, causing a wide golden table and big leather chairs to appear around him . He sat on one of them and motioned for Arthur and the rest to sit too .

  "I happen to have some good whiskey with me…… how about a few glasses? Like the good old days . "

  "Sure . "

  Arthur immediately agreed as he laughed and sat opposite of his brother . Zaarae, still stone-faced, sat at Arthur’s right while Shen Shen sat on the left, her blue eyes glued on the Joker, who acted strangely and comically .

  Glasses filled with whiskey were pushed toward Arthur, Zaarae, and Fariya, while Shen Shen had a cup of hot milk .

  The little girl glanced at milk then creased her brows, she didn’t want to be treated like a little kid, despite the fact that she is .

  "I want that too . "

  She pointed at the glass of whiskey but the Joker laughed and stated, "Brat, just drink your milk, ’kay?"

  "I’m not a brat!" Protested Shen Shen but the man ignored her and emptied his glass, which was automatically and immediately filled again .

  "Shen Shen, you’re a bit young for this . Next time, okay?"

  Only when Arthur spoke did the blue-haired girl calm down and obediently drink the hot milk, although reluctantly . However, her expression betrayed her, she licked her lips and looked at the empty cup with a disappointed look as soon as she emptied it .

  "You see? You’re a brat!"

  The Joker mocked her and pointed his finger at the empty cup, filling it with chocolate hot milk this time .

  "So, what brought my lil brother here?"

  "Little brother?" Zaarae frowned and looked at Arthur, who just shrugged his shoulders .

  "Got a little errand to do in the Land of Golden Sand . "

  "Is that so?" He swept secondary glances at the succubus, the Empress, and Shen Shen, then added, "Lively company you have here, especially the rude brat…… she falls a little short in comparison to Saly . "……

  The Joker and Arthur talked for several hours before the former bid farewell as his matter was a bit urgent .

  "I didn’t know you were brothers . " Zaarae was very interested in Arthur’s relationship with The Joker and she didn’t hold back her questions but the answers she got were nothing but silence .

  *****

  "Hey! Wake up!"

  The Joker kicked the gigantic head of the black Kraken, which violently shook before it opened its red eyes and looked at the man .

  "Move your fat ass so I can enter . "

  The Kraken obediently and slowly moved its body to the side, revealing some sort of a whirlpool blacker than the mythical being itself . It was half of the Kraken’s size and resembled a wormhole, though it emanated no light or energy .

  The Joker was about to enter but, at the very last second, he turned to look at the black Kraken and said,

  "Oh, lay a finger on that black ship and I’ll cut, roast, and eat your useless tentacles . "

  He snorted and dived into the wormhole, disappearing the moment he got too close . The trip through this strange portal lasted three seconds and when the Joker appeared on the other side, he was standing on a moon-like planet, the sky was a vast black starry space .

  "Time to fix the line conjunction…… what a mess . " He sighed and looked at an entity shrouded in a crimson fog .

  "Wassup man!"

  He energetically waved his hand at the man enveloped by that fog . He had the same appearance as his brother but the Joker knew better than to act recklessly and get close .

  "Geez…… vampires here are so scary . "

  54 cards appeared from his hand and spun around his body like a tornado, each emitting either a red, grey, or black light .

  "I don’t think you’ll let me do my business quietly, right?"

  A crimson beast soaked in blood leapt at the Joker, causing him to jump back and throw three cards, which were ripped by the blood droplets spat by the ferocious beast .

  "Yeah…… of course you won’t . "

  *******

  "Lemme see……"

  Edward Ortberg held the piece in paper and read it for the tenth time, feeling lost .

  "’The past kingdom now within reach, for the golden sand will rise, its glow full of praise .

  The tomb raider now here, and the thief’s identity is clear .

  Since time immemorial the leaf is unshaken, it’s time for it to be taken . ’


  I mean, isn’t this a bit cheesy and out of place? What am I supposed to speculate from this?"

  He looked at the awfully quiet forest then took out a brown apple and took a large bite, fully savoring the taste .

  "What golden sand and past kingdom? I’m bored and stuck here…… what the hell woman, can’t you explain a bit before throwing me here?"

  He chuckled, finishing the apple in three more bites before leaving the area, heading towards a random direction, which seemed to be the safest .