The mist around the small boat grew thick and suffocating. It wasn't normal sea mist; it was cold, smelling of salt and decay. The dark silhouette of the ghost ship loomed over them, its shredded sails fluttering like broken wings.
[System Warning!]
[Detecting High-Density Soul Presence: 'Vengeful Spirits'.]
[Danger Level: High.]
"They are coming," Silas whispered, his usual calm replaced by a sharp alertness.
From the rotting wood of the ghost ship, translucent figures began to drift across the water. They were the spirits of pirates who had died in the Grand Line, their souls too bitter to move on. They didn't want gold; they wanted life.
One spirit, a tall man with a hole in his chest, lunged toward Kai. His face was a mask of eternal agony. "Give... it... back..." he hissed, his voice echoing directly inside Kai's mind.
Kai stumbled back. He felt his own soul vibrating in fear. He had the 'King's Will' inside him, and to these ghosts, it was like a lighthouse in the dark.
"I have to fight back," Kai gritted his teeth. He activated [Intimidation of the Void], but the spirits didn't flinch. They were already dead; fear meant nothing to them.
[Ding! Emergency Mission: Defend Your Essence.]
[Objective: Absorb or repel 5 Vengeful Spirits.]
[Warning: Unfiltered absorption will cause mental strain!]
As the first spirit reached for his throat, Kai grabbed its misty arm. Instead of passing through, his hand caught it. The golden light of the King's Will flared from his palm.
"I am the Soul Trader!" Kai roared. "And you... are just fuel!"
He initiated [Minor Soul Touch]. A violent, icy energy rushed into his arm. It wasn't smooth like before; it felt like swallowing broken glass. The spirit shrieked and was sucked into Kai's body, but the whispers didn't stop.
Kill... burn... pain... The voices of the dead pirate began to scream in Kai's head. His vision blurred, and blood began to drip from his nose.
"Two more!" Kai shouted, his eyes turning a chaotic shade of grey. He lunged at the next two spirits, tearing their essence apart with his bare hands.
[3/5 Spirits Absorbed.]
[Internal Age temporarily increased to 58 due to Soul Overload.]
His body felt heavy, his joints stiffening again. The 'Soul Poisoning' was starting. He was winning the battle, but he was losing himself to the madness of the spirits.
Silas watched as Kai struggled, his hand hovering over his own weapon. "If you don't find a way to clean that filth, kid, you'll become one of them before we reach the next port."
Kai looked at his hands, which were now glowing with a sickly, murky light. He needed a way to filter this darkness, or he wouldn't survive the night.