How could one describe the speed of the train now, bolstered by Legendary Wind magic?
Just moments ago, Theia had stolen a glance outside through a seam in the carriage.
A kilometer away, a High-tier Hero Rank sky demon, startled by the train’s roar, had just raised its head to see what was happening.
In the next second, it was instantly smashed to pieces by the train.
The fragmented remains didn't even have time to fall before being sucked into the violent turbulent airflow behind the train.
They vanished completely, leaving not even a trace of residue behind.
Once the train finished its acceleration phase and entered a steady, high-speed cruise, Lin Gui and the other two could finally stop bracing themselves and began to move their bodies with difficulty.
“This speed... it’s too much!”
Theia rubbed her shoulders, which were sore from being pulled by the ropes, her face full of shock.
She cautiously edged toward the window and peered out through the gap.
The sea surface below receded at a lightning pace, transforming into a blur of blue light.
Occasionally, a few reefs could be seen streaking past their vision like arrows.
“I feel like even my breath is being blown away by the wind!”
She turned and shouted excitedly to Lin Gui, her silver hair still pressed tightly against her cheeks due to the inertia.
Eve gently untied the rope around her waist, her movements elegant yet slightly stiff.
She supported herself against the carriage wall as she slowly stood up, her dark-brown eyes shimmering with wonder.
Her slender fingers lightly brushed the window, feeling the slight vibration of the glass.
The howling airflow outside sounded like a stirring musical score, making her hold her breath unconsciously.
Lin Gui was the last to untie his ropes, his eyes exceptionally bright.
As a mage who had used Levitation countless times, he could appreciate the staggering nature of this speed better than anyone else.
“At this rate,” he calculated, “crossing the bay, which would have originally taken several weeks, will now only take a few days.”
And... he had a way to make it even faster.
With a slight nudge of Lin Gui's intent, Levitation quietly opened a wooden box.
An exquisitely crafted staff slowly floated out of the box.
It was the Staff of the Windwhisperer, given to him by Caleb.
The massive wind-element magic crystal at the top of the staff caught the light, and within it, an airflow seemed to be swirling.
Lin Gui unhesitatingly handed the staff to Freya, who was outside the window.
“A demi-artifact!”
Freya couldn’t help but cry out in surprise the moment she took the staff.
“Use this; it should further improve the output efficiency of your wind magic,” Lin Gui shouted loudly to explain.
Amidst the chaotic roar of the storm controlled by Freya, his voice sounded exceptionally muffled.
Lin Gui himself didn't possess many powerful wind-attribute offensive spells. This demi-artifact was indeed difficult for him to wield at its true power.
Only a Legendary mage like Freya could make it shine as it should.
Freya did not refuse, decisively swapping the grimoire in her hand for the Staff of the Windwhisperer.
The moment she gripped the staff, a resonating hum filled the air.
“Buzz!”
The magic crystal at the top of the staff suddenly lit up with a piercing green light.
The ancient runes carved into the staff's body lit up one by one as if injected with life.
The mana fluctuations around Freya surged instantly.
The Legendary magic Circle behind her blazed with light, its diameter expanding by a full ring!
The already violent airflow intensified once more, the howling wind almost tearing their eardrums.
The train, under this new thrust, began to accelerate again.
Meanwhile, in the locomotive control room, a faint light of mana gathered at Betty’s fingertips.
She was barely adjusting the train’s direction with Levitation.
“No—wa—aaay—!”
Her screams were drowned out by the roar of the wind.
The main reason this young mage had always feared controlling the train over the sea was because of her teacher.
Freya, that Legendary ice and wind mage.
To shorten the travel time, Freya had come up with the idea of using Legendary spells to propel the train in a “flash of inspiration.”
That was Legendary magic! A terrifying power capable of altering terrain and destroying city-states!
Now, it was being used just to accelerate a train!
Betty felt the speed spiral completely out of control in despair. She could only use Levitation to make infinitesimal course corrections.
Her slender fingers gripped her staff so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
She had just breathed a sigh of relief when the speed had stabilized earlier, thinking she could finally manage this steel beast.
But now—
“Why is it accelerating again?!” she cried out with a sob, her entire body nearly collapsing.
The scenery flashing past the window had blurred into bands of color.
She didn't even dare to look at the despair-inducing number on the speedometer.
The faint light of Levitation trembled at her fingertips, barely maintaining the train's basic course.
In this moment, Betty finally understood deeply what it meant to be a powerless mage and a runaway train.
And she was just a poor Transcendent mage.
Forced to use a Levitation spell she wasn't even that proficient in to control a train propelled by Legendary magic, performing a show of speed and passion on the vast ocean.
The train continued its high-speed flight above the Reef Sea.
However, this high-speed flight did not last long.
A full-power output of Legendary magic was something even a Mid-tier Legendary mage like Freya could not maintain for an extended period.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead, and her fingers gripping the Staff of the Windwhisperer turned slightly pale.
As the storm behind the train gradually weakened, its speed finally began to slow down.
According to the North Wind caravan’s usual practice, Freya would have frozen the sea water below at this point to create a broad floating ice platform to serve as a temporary outpost in this infinite ocean.
But this time, the situation was different.
The North Wind caravan now had a second mage who mastered Levitation.
Just as Freya’s mana was about to be depleted, and Betty in the cockpit along with the supporting Priest were on the verge of collapse, Lin Gui and Eve stepped in to take over the train’s control.
By this time, the train’s speed had dropped to a level where it was safe to move around on the roof.
With Freya’s tacit permission, Lin Gui rode his oak staff, carrying Theia and Eve, and flew lightly out of the carriage.
The sea breeze gently brushed through their hair.
Flocks of seagulls circled in the azure sky, their white wings shimmering like silver in the sunlight.
This scene should have been incredibly beautiful—until Theia suddenly reached out and accurately snatched a passing seagull.
“We can have an extra dish later!” she declared proudly, brandishing her prey and perfectly ruining the romantic atmosphere of the moment.
Lin Gui shook his head helplessly and led the two women to land on the locomotive carriage, replacing the tearful and limp Betty.
The scholar Eli gave a bitter smile as he helped Betty up.
“You’ve worked hard,” he comforted the still-shaking girl in a soft voice.
And so, the train began to drift slowly at a steady pace over the vast sea toward the Silent Sea.
In the distance, the silhouette of the Silent Sea was already faintly visible.
That sea area, known as a forbidden zone, was waiting for their arrival.
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