Eldritch Horror Theatre

”How do you feel?”

Composure was a leader’s most essential trait. Faced with a visit from a newly promoted High Tier, Professor Fu simply offered a classic gesture of invitation, motioning for his guest to take a seat.

”Physically and mentally, I haven’t noticed anything off so far.”

Ah Kai dutifully took his seat. Even his self-evaluation sounded optimistic.

”So what exactly is wrong, then?”

Which only made the problem seem that much bigger.

Even though Fu Qian had played a major role in this blessing in disguise, Ah Kai should have known the professor cared little for fame or credit. He wouldn’t have rushed over in such a hurry just to say thanks.

Fu Qian gave a slight nod, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

”That Miracle...” Ah Kai said. ”Its effects shouldn’t have been like this.”

Conversations between professionals were just that efficient. Ah Kai didn’t deny it, pointing directly to his recent stroke of fortune.”Elaborate.”

The statement was startling, but it failed to shake an academic leader’s composure. Fu Qian gave the prompt to continue, even sighing in admiration inwardly.

He just knew that once Professor Ah Kai stabilized his condition, he would bring valuable information.

...

”Although we’ve discussed the essence of Miracles before—that they can be summarized as the stories of Deities... for the Benevolent Curse Lineage, the feasibility of formulaically deriving new Miracles from this remains low. It still relies almost entirely on capturing inspiration.”

Professor Fu’s reaction undoubtedly bolstered Ah Kai’s confidence.

Feeling overly secure, he actually began explaining from the very foundational principles.

”Understood. The transcendent was never meant to be so simple.”

Fortunately, Professor Fu didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he immediately agreed.

Leave professional matters to the professionals. Even though he had discussed a few ideas with Professor Ah Kai, Fu Qian didn’t think a few casual pointers could instantly propel the path of Miracles into the industrial age.

Even a moment’s thought brought the example of the former Dean, Nepheli, right to mind.

”Miracles are the stories of Deities.” She had written those exact words in her notes.

If the industrialization route were truly feasible, a Tier 2 achievement would have been considered embarrassingly low by now.

”Right... Regarding this specific attempt, I actually didn’t think too much of it at first. I was just carefully reviewing that experience on the ship when I suddenly caught a spark of insight.”

Sensing Professor Fu’s respect for his expertise, Ah Kai quickly pressed on, detailing the specific origins of the incident.

So it really was the result of time-traveling studies?

Fu Qian found this aligned closely with his expectations. The previous trip to The Ark had indeed brought some inspiration, plus that specific wording...

”Did you use Yesterday Once More on yourself?”

A past memory quickly surfaced in Fu Qian’s mind.

To lay his own eyes on the legendary dragon of decay, Huo, Ah Kai had cast a special Miracle on himself, which was even part of Nepheli’s research findings.

”Yes. The physical discomfort from that time hadn’t fully faded yet, so I figured my experience of it might be deeper...”

Sure enough, Ah Kai admitted it outright.

He clearly placed a much higher value on that experience than imagined.

Even his work-related injury had been utilized to strive for a better understanding—

”A solid approach.”

Fu Qian actually offered high praise, showing not the least bit of worry that the young man might court death.

It just wasn’t very auspicious.

Though he silently tacked on that afterthought.

According to their previous understanding, the former Dean, Nepheli, had used a Miracle of her own discovery to review her life, only to suddenly up and vanish one day.

...

”Professor Fu, do you remember those peculiar algae on the cabin bulkheads?”

Fu Qian’s overly open-minded attitude left Ah Kai somewhat flattered.

Forgoing any modesty for the moment, his recollection quickly reached its endpoint.

”I remember. Very peculiar things. They felt similar in nature to the scales on those ’Feather and Fish’.”

The imagery surfaced in Fu Qian’s mind the instant Ah Kai mentioned it.

Fluorescent algae, dense mist, and the bizarre entities that thrived within it.

If Ah Kai had drawn inspiration from that, it sounded even more reasonable. After all, he had remained on the ship the entire time.

In theory, only he and Su Gao had actually disembarked and run off to a thousand years in the past.

”Exactly, I also felt they fell under the same category... Anyway, when I was reviewing them, the shapes of those algae, and even their colors, sparked a special sensation in my consciousness, which led to a few ideas.

”A certain concept regarding ’change’ grew increasingly clear... so much so that I later thought of Rob, hoping he could help provide a material.”

Instantly agreeing with Fu Qian, Ah Kai pointed at his own head, a trace of excitement faintly audible in his voice.

”Isn’t that a bit of a leap? The material Professor Rob ultimately provided was a mushroom, wasn’t it?”

Fu Qian not only listened intently, but he also quickly pointed out the overly jarring leap in logic.

Algae and fungi—the difference between the two was equally substantial.

”Because of decay, conceptual decay... it made me think of that kind of thing.

”While observing that memory, I developed a growing certainty. To The Ark, those algae weren’t just a naturally growing organism, but rather a representation of its decay...”

Ah Kai held nothing back, clearly relishing the chance to share his findings.

...

Conceptual erosion? Interesting.

”The concept of the sea was eroding the vessel. It compromised the ship’s integrity, and then the algae grew out of that decay like mushrooms.”

Even as the description veered into the abstract, Fu Qian nodded thoughtfully, actually managing to follow the logic.

”That also explains why, despite the ship not actually being submerged in water, such classic things still appeared aboard—along with the Natives and their very distinct marine-biological mutations.”

Adding that observation, Fu Qian let out a soft sigh, incidentally explaining how he was able to follow Ah Kai’s reasoning.

”When I first boarded, I actually found myself wondering where all those things came from. This is definitely an interesting explanation.

”But for you to connect all of that to mushrooms is still no small feat.”

...

”I wouldn’t call it a connection. If I had to describe it, it was just a flash of inspiration... Anyway, after speaking with Rob, he generously shared a piece of his research with me, and then the current situation happened.”

Professor Fu’s listening comprehension was almost absurdly strong. Ah Kai froze for a moment, but he persisted in finishing his explanation.

”So, regarding that Miracle, what were you originally expecting it to do?”

Fu Qian accommodatingly asked.

”I wanted it to corrode me, just like it did the ship.”

Uh...

Professor Ah Kai’s answer made Fu Qian sigh inwardly in that moment.

So after the Snow Tree Goddess and the Fungal Emperor, Excellency Melia even entered the sea?