Alastros didn't bother communicating with the soldiers, aiming for the deck where he believed Marcus should be.
He was able to notice a faint light from the deck, tracing the light to its source.
It took a while, but Alastros finally reached the light source, easily discerning that it was Marcus who stood there, conjuring a white light that was suppressed by the foggy substance.
"Marcus?!" He called out in an attempt to affirm his analysis.
"It's me, no need to be skeptical," Marcus replied, slowly releasing the white light.
Due to the light, some soldiers had gathered around Marcus, awaiting his command.
"Don't you feel it's reckless to make such a brazen move? Didn't you hear the screams?" Alastros scoffed at Marcus seemingly lacking brain.
"I should be asking you that—didn't you hear the screams? Can't you discern that it originated from the stern?" Marcus replied in his usual calm tone, masking his disgust for the Burian.
Alastros, who had a bewildered expression, could not accept Marcus' point, sneering as he said, "How foolish do you think they are to send only one individual aboard this ship filled with foes?"
"Then do you expect we lie in the fog and await death?
Hiding won't solve the problem, Alastros. We need to gather our forces and fight."
Marcus' words were so serious and sincere that the surrounding soldiers tightened their fists, willing to follow this Prince of Valor to war against their now seemingly weak foe.
'Why the hell did I take this mission?!—not like I had a choice in the first place…'
Alastros glared at Marcus with clear hostility.
Marcus was the reason why he decided to anchor the ship, now he wished for them to fight this unknown foe… if he didn't know better, Alastros would have taken the Xadora kingdom to be in coalition with Kynburgh. After all, how did Kynburgh know to set this trap—even though Kynburgh was not behind the trap—who was? And why?
"The propeller is malfunctioning. We can fix it and escape this foggy region… This is our best card."
Alastros could hardly discern the faces of the soldiers, but he could tell they wore looks of disapproval.
The Xadorians in the ship clearly stood by their prince, while the Burians were heated for battle—he was alone with his proposal.
'An ambitious man is truly dangerous… he does not only head to his doom but also carries along the people around him through this tedious and possibly… fruitless path…'
Recalling his Pathfinder Ability, Alastros placed a palm to his chest.
'I need him, so his death is unacceptable. I'll have to work alongside him and hope things work out for the best…'
He had at some time thought of jumping into the sea and swimming off. But if Marcus should survive this ordeal, he would surely die at the hands of his people to appease the alliance course.
Also, the Mist Sea was no joke. Though the edges were safe, swimming without any protective gear was akin to suicide. And with swimming gear, it was still considered a huge risk.
In conclusion, the pros of staying outweighed the pros of leaving. Also on a reverse scale, the cons of leaving outweighed the cons of staying.
'My path has always been before me… I just need to single it out…' A depressed smile formed on his lips as he looked at Marcus's vague figure.
"We need to prepare—very well."
"Welcome onboard, Captain Alastros."
"..."
Not giving Alastros the chance to lay his thoughts out, Marcus added. "As the strongest individuals onboard, we need to share the basics of our Abilities."
Alastros was flabbergasted by the Prince's proposal. He had first confirmed the fact that his Ability had a relationship with the water domain, now he was bringing in a new trend.
'Is he up to something fishy…' Alastros thought, his brain wheels spinning at an incredible rate.
The soldiers were also surprised by Marcus' proposal, only coming to accept it after deep thought.
'How heroic of the Prince… willing to share his Ability basics to win a war—a worthy ruler, indeed…'
This was approximately their general view of the situation, with only a few varying.
Noticing the mood, Alastros knew he was in for a world of pain. There was no way he could lie or deny this request.
"Pathfinding," He begrudgingly said before adding. "In short, I call myself a Pathfinder.
The ability allows me to pinpoint a suitable path—when lost, in battle, among others."
Alastros felt like a fool at that moment, sharing such crucial information with so many individuals. He was sure it would spread throughout Bura the moment they escaped this situation.
"Don't worry, Alastros," Marcus said, creating a light bulb around a dark-colored box. "I had brought this item along in case I needed to share something personal. With this, we are all under a contract of confidentiality."
Marcus released a smug grin as he mentioned all these.
But how could Alastros trust him? He was not a kid to believe something he didn't understand. Since the damage had already been done, he only nodded his head in approval.
The soldiers also heard all the prince said, agreeing with his plans like dogs with no sense of right and left. Everything Marcus said just sounded perfect to their muffled brains.
"My turn I guess," Marcus released a deprecating laugh, before saying. "Friend of Nature—that's my ability. It simply helps me to commune with nature and tune into its power."
Marcus spread his hand outright, a proud smile forming on his face.
To commune and tap into nature's power was a bizarre thing. After all, if one's body was strong enough, he could control the force of nature. He could also get information from the environment!
'It seems nature finds it hard to clear this foggy substance, what actually is it made of?'
Though Marcus' ability was mind-blowing, still, Alastros could not help but think about the substance that could counter it.
"Now, all present should introduce their ability," Marcus addressed the soldiers, quietly awaiting a response.
"Body hardening."
"Super reflexes."
"Calculative thinking."
"Vanishing."
The soldiers called out their abilities, giving a short explanation of their qualities.
Unlike Alastros, they didn't find it strange. After all, to enter the military, you must fill in such information and undergo tests.
Alastros was only skeptical because he had reached a high rank in Bura, so exposing his ability to people who were not under a confidentiality contract and a so-called allied nation prince didn't sit well with him.
Anyway, they had finally grouped up to face this terrifying enemy that made the soldiers on the ship stern to scream in horror.