Klein's face darkened with frustration as he immediately defended himself, "I have to correct you—I just had a bad stomach ache!"
"Mm-hmm, of course I believe you just had a bad stomach ache."
Mike nodded, his expression utterly serious, before adding, "But that friend of mine, his medical skills are truly superb. Would you like to consider his services?"
"I don't!"
Mike feigned innocence, though he could clearly see the exasperation on Klein's face.
This only strengthened his own conclusion.
Mr. Sherlock is flustered.
The morning of October 4th.
The Azure Avenger arrived in the waters near Damir Island.
As the land ahead drew closer, Alger's mood lightened. He smiled and said, "Once we reach Damir Island, we'll be close to Pritz Port."
"You're a pirate. Is it okay for you to go to Damir Island?" Ash asked suddenly, leaning against the ship's railing and gazing at the distant island.
"It doesn't matter to me," Alger said, spreading his hands with an unusually calm expression. "I'm not a traditional pirate. It's fine even if I'm wanted by the Kingdom of Loen's authorities."
Though he was nominally a pirate, he had been elevated to his position by the Church of Storms. If anything ever went wrong, the Church would surely protect him.
Of course, that was on the condition that he hadn't apostatized—
Or rather, the condition was that the news of his apostasy hadn't spread.
Still, he had always hidden it well. There shouldn't be any flaws in his cover.
As they spoke, the distance between the island and the ship continued to shrink.
Before long, the Azure Avenger began approaching the harbor of Damir Island—
Of course, this was still a private port.
Even as a coastal colony of the Kingdom of loen, private ports were nothing unusual on Damir Island.
After the Azure Avenger furled its sails, dropped anchor, and finally came to a steady halt at the private port's pier...
They planned to make a brief stop here, partly to restock on fresh water and food.
Partly, too, to gather some intelligence and learn what had been happening at sea recently.
And just as it had been in Bayam, Alger seemed equally familiar with Damir Island.
"You seem to know this place well. Do you come here often?" Ash asked suddenly, glancing at a signpost by the street that read Flying Fish and Wine.
"No." Alger shrugged. "I've only been here a few times. I'm far from familiar with the place. However, I do know a few reliable spots to gather information."
"For example, casinos, brothels, and..." Alger stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on the building ahead. "Bars."
Ash looked at the bar's sign, which read Flying Fish and Wine. That seemed to be the name of the establishment.
The exterior walls of the bar were plastered with all sorts of bounty posters.
The most eye-catching one was for the 'King of the Five Seas,' with a reward of 800,000 pounds.
Besides that, the bounties for ordinary pirates ranged from a few hundred to several thousand pounds.
Layered from high to low, they formed a unique and peculiar sight, one that could only be found at sea.
Creak!
Alger pushed open the door and entered the bar, his gaze sweeping across the room.
His burly build and rugged features exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure. Most people instinctively averted their eyes, unable to meet his gaze.
They all understood this was a warning.
Simple, yet effective.
Alger took a seat on a high stool at the bar, tapped the wooden surface, and spoke.
"Two Southwell Beers."
This was the finest beer brewed in the Kingdom of loen.
"Twelve pence," the bartender replied routinely, his skin a deep bronze and his teeth a brilliant white as he polished a glass.
Alger handed over a one-Sole banknote.
In exchange, he received two large wooden mugs filled with golden liquid, the rich aroma of beer wafting through the air.
Alger lifted one of the mugs, took a long swig, and asked casually, "Any rumors from the sea in the past half-month?"
"Why not ask me instead?"
Before the bartender could answer, a slightly mocking voice suddenly came from behind Alger.
Ash turned toward the sound. A young blond man was walking toward them. He had emerald-green eyes, but at this moment, they held a hint of mockery, making him appear rather frivolous.
At a glance, he looked exactly like a profligate playboy, completely worn out by wine and women.
"So what do you know?" Alger shot him a glance and countered with a question of his own.
"Good question," the blond man applauded, but then added with a grin, "I know a lot of information, but why should I tell you?"
The other patrons in the tavern couldn't help but twitch their lips. How can this guy be so insufferable?
And wasn't it you who approached us in the first place?
Alger, however, merely glanced at him and asked calmly, "Are you a Hunter?"
The Sequence 8 of the Hunter Path was called Provoker, and this wasn't just limited to that specific level. Almost every Beyonder of the Hunter Path above Sequence 8 was highly skilled at provoking others.
"You're quite knowledgeable, aren't you?" The blond man looked at Alger in surprise, then casually sat down beside him and announced openly, "That's right, I'm a Hunter and an adventurer. You can call me Anderson."
"Anderson Hood?" Alger's expression shifted slightly.
"Tsk." Anderson's look became even more astonished. "You actually know me? It seems you know a great deal more than the average person!"
"Of course I know you," Alger said, his tone deceptively calm. "Anderson Hood, the most famous adventurer and treasure hunter in the Misty Sea, known as the Strongest Hunter. What are you doing in the Sonia Sea?"
"No, not the Strongest Hunter," Anderson corrected him, shaking his head earnestly. Then, his expression shifted as he chuckled. "But if you insist, you'd better add a qualifier: belowDemigod."
"Ah, the Strongest Hunter below Demigod."
"As for why I'm in the Sonia Sea..." Anderson paused, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Like I said before, why should I tell you?"
"Do you know Patch?" Ashes suddenly asked.
It wasn't surprising he'd ask. After all, Anderson's sheer cheekiness wasn't just similar to Patch's—it was practically identical.
"..."
Anderson's expression flickered with a moment of awkwardness. He denied it flatly. "Don't recognize them? Who are they?"
Before Ashes could even open his mouth, Anderson smoothly continued, "Anyway, back to the main point. The reason I'm here in the Sonia Sea is that someone invited me to join a treasure-hunting party. But since it's not time to meet up yet, I figured I'd hang out here for a couple of days before heading over."
"Oh, right."
Anderson paused, then added, "I also want to attend the upcoming Pirate Convention."
"The Pirate Convention?"
Alger's eyes glinted as he pressed, "When?"
"In five days."
Anderson looked surprised. "You don't know? No way, no way. Don't tell me someone actually doesn't know about this yet?"
"Five days?"
Alger remained unfazed by Anderson's provocation, only frowning slightly.
It would take three days to escort Ash to Pritz Port, leaving only two days for the return journey—not even enough time.
It seemed he would have to miss this Pirate Convention.
But it wasn't a major issue. After all, he had already obtained the Wind bless potion for his advancement; attending the convention was no longer a priority.
The Pirate Convention, after all, was essentially a platform for pirates to exchange intelligence and spoils of war. It wouldn't offer him much help at this stage.
"Tsk, how boring."
Seeing that Alger remained unmoved by his provocation, Anderson pursed his lips, a look of disappointment crossing his face.
But the expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared, for the next second he was back to chatting away.
"But seriously, it's a real shame if you can't attend this Pirate Convention."
"In the past, at most two or three Pirate admirals would show up. But this time, at least five have announced their attendance!"
"And," Anderson leaned in closer to Alger, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "two of them have already clashed. A naval battle even broke out nearby two days ago."
"Pirate Asmirals?"
Alger's expression shifted slightly. He was about to press for more details, but seeing Anderson's smugly self-satisfied look, he immediately understood the game.
He snapped his fingers.
"Another round of Southwell Ale."
Thump!
A golden mug of beer was swiftly delivered by the bartender and placed before Anderson.
"Now we're talking."
Anderson took a hearty swig of the beer, wiped the foam from his lips, and continued, "The battle was between Vice Admiral Iceberg and Admiral Blood. The exact cause of the conflict is unknown. But they say..."
Anderson paused, lowering his voice further. "They're both looking for the same person."
"Who?" Alger pressed immediately.
"Someone wearing ten rings on their fingers."
Anderson clicked his tongue in amazement. "They've been searching for this person since Byram. Not just on Damir Island—they even sent people to sneak into Pritz Port."
"They've only paused for the Pirate Convention in a few days. Are they crazy? Who could be worth such a desperate search?"
"Don't you agree?"
As he spoke, Anderson suddenly shot Alger a meaningful look.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Alger's expression remained unchanged, but wariness stirred in his heart.
Has he found out? No, that shouldn't be possible!
Alger forced himself to stay calm.
They had known ten days ago that someone was searching for the person wearing ten rings. The description was a direct, unmistakable pointer to Ash.
Though they didn't know why, they had chosen to take a detour for safety.
Besides, Ash hadn't worn ten rings at once since then.
It was impossible for him to be exposed.
Is he testing me? But why? Why would he suspect us?
Or am I just overthinking it?
Alger's brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Could it be that they've already found the person you mentioned, and that's why they're clashing?"
"Yes, and no."
Hearing this, Anderson withdrew his gaze, his expression turning strange. "They did find the person wearing ten rings, but it clearly wasn't the person they were looking for."
"He was just a nouveau riche from the Kingdom of Loen, wearing a full set of rings on his hand just to show off his wealth."
"That was indeed the cause of the naval battle, but after Admiral Blood handed over his head, the conflict naturally came to an end."
"Tsk, tsk, you should have seen the scene, it was simply gruesome!"
"He just wanted to show off his wealth, what did he do wrong?"
"Anything else?"
Alger ignored Anderson's exaggerated gestures and asked calmly.
"Anything else?"
Anderson blinked, not reacting immediately.
"It seems there's no other information."
Alger said faintly, "Then could I trouble you to go elsewhere?"
"Huh? Huh?!"
Anderson's eyes widened, his face filled with grief and indignation. "Kicking me out after using me? You're too ruthless!"
"Want another drink?"
Alger didn't even glance at him, only looking at Ash's empty glass and asking.
"No thanks. Let's go."
Ash shook his head, drained the last sip of his drink, and stood up to leave.
Alger followed closely behind, and soon, both men vanished from the sight of the tavern's patrons.
"Interesting."
Anderson watched their retreating figures, a faint, imperceptible smile playing on his lips.
Though the two had concealed themselves well, making it seem as if the blue-haired man was the one in charge, no disguise—no matter how masterful—could fool his eyes.
Between the two, the silent one was the true leader.
Moreover, he could sense it: that man was powerful.
Even a little more powerful than himself!
As the strongest Hunter below the rank of demigod, Anderson refused to believe there could be a Sequence 5 stronger than him.
Which meant...
He must be carrying a powerful Sealed Artifact!
Yes, that had to be it!
Of course, there was another question Anderson couldn't wrap his head around.
"How strange," he murmured, stroking his chin in bewilderment. "Any pirate with a Ghost Ship would be a known name across the Five Seas. Yet I've never heard of these two. Have they only recently risen to power, or have they simply been lying low all this time?"
.......
"Alger, what do you think?" Ash asked suddenly on the way back to Privateer Harbor.
"I suggest we leave as soon as possible," Alger said, lowering his voice. "The 'Admiral of Blood' must have tracked us all the way from Bayam. He's the one who hired the Silver Coin Viper to investigate."
"I don't know why 'Vice Admiral Iceberg' is also involved, but she must be acting on someone's orders."
"From the looks of it, they're just casting a wide net and don't know who 'The Man with Ten Rings' actually is."
"Although the 'Admiral of Blood' probably wouldn't notice small fries like us, it's best to leave quickly to avoid getting caught up in this."
Alger's expression was grave, and he carefully chose his words, revealing as little information as possible.
The ones pursuing them in Byam were the Rose School. Judging by the current situation, the Admiral of Blood was likely a member of the Rose School, acting on orders to find their traces.
But even before arriving on Damir Island, Alger hadn't expected the Admiral of Blood to be so reckless.
After all, Damir Island was no ordinary colony.
There was a military base of the Kingdom of Lone on this island, and the warships patrolling nearby numbered no less than eighty, if not a full hundred!
Any pirate force, other than the Four Kings, would have to give a wide berth to such a massive presence.
Yet the Admiral of Blood had chosen to fight Vice Admiral Iceberg near Damir Island, which showed just how reckless he was.
Although it seemed the other party still had some reservations and had not caused much disruption to Damir Island itself, no one could say for sure if other incidents would occur next.
But in any case, leaving as soon as possible was always the right move.
"You make a good point."
Ash nodded slightly after hearing Alger's analysis.
But just as Alger thought he would agree, Ash spoke slowly, "However, I hope to meet with Vice Admiral Iceberg."
"Why?"
Alger remained silent for a long time before asking hesitantly.
Ash explained casually, "I want to know why she would appear near here."
He didn't care in the slightest who the Admiral of Blood was or why he was looking for him.
But Vice Admiral Iceberg was different.
After all, she had helped him.
Furthermore, the fact that they were being hunted by a Demigod from the Kingdom of Lone was all because of him.
This situation had also forced Vice Admiral Iceberg to set sail for Sonia Island to seek refuge.
By his calculations, she should have arrived at Sonia Island a week ago.
Yet here she was, risking everything to appear near Damir Island, and even specifically seeking him out.
This truly piqued ashes curiosity.
So Ash changed his mind and decided to meet with Edwina first.
At the very least, he needed to know why she was suddenly so eager to find him.
"Then should we go look for her directly?"
Alger was surprised by Ash's change of heart but still asked in agreement.
Ash pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head. "The problem is, we don't know where her ship is right now. Perhaps our only option is to wait for the Pirate Assembly in a few days."
Alger thought seriously for a moment and analyzed, "Many people will attend the Pirate Assembly. We won't stand out much if we blend in. If Vice Admiral Iceberg also attends, it shouldn't be hard to find an opportunity to meet her. This is indeed a viable option, but..."
"First, we don't know the exact location of the Pirate Assembly."
"Second, we aren't sure if we can make it in time."
Alger shook his head in resignation.
The plan was sound, but its feasibility was questionable.
The Pirate Assembly had been convened before, but each time, only the Four Kings and the Seven Great Admirals were informed in advance.
The rest of the pirates only received word a week before the event.
Since the location changed every time and the notice was so short, most pirates couldn't arrive in time.
The official reason was to prevent surprise attacks from the Navies and the Churches.
Whether others bought that explanation or not, Alger scoffed at it.
As for the real reason, only the wise could discern the truth.
"About that,"
Anderson appeared out of nowhere, a smile on his face. "I can give you the answer. But in exchange, how about you take me with you?"
"No need."
Alger glanced at him and sneered, "The location of the Pirate Assembly isn't some great secret. I could ask any pirate I find."
"What a coincidence."
Anderson wasn't annoyed in the least. Instead, he grinned. "There isn't a single real pirate left around here. They all set off for the Pirate Assembly two days ago."
"Partly because the location is indeed quite far, and partly because the naval battle between the two Pirate Admirals two days ago drew the Navy's attention. The Navy can't deal with Pirate Admirals, but they have no problem taking on ordinary pirates."
"That's why you can't find a single pirate now. No pirate dares to stay behind."
"Do you want to know the location of the Pirate Assembly? Unfortunately, I'm the only one on this island who knows it."
No wonder it was so quiet on the way here.
Alger felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. In truth, he was already half-convinced.
After all, while Damir Island did have a naval base, it wasn't a forbidden zone for pirates.
Some pirates just liked to live on the edge.
No wonder he'd only seen a bunch of riffraff at the tavern earlier—not a single real pirate in sight.
So they've all gone, have they?
"Well?" Anderson said, his tone tinged with mockery. "I should warn you, you don't have much time to think. That place is quite far. Only with a Ghost Ship do you even stand a chance of arriving within five days."
Alger ignored him, turning his gaze to Ash to ask for his opinion.
"Since you have the address, why don't you go yourself?" Ash asked, his eyes fixed on Anderson's mocking expression.
"That's because..." Anderson stammered, unable to find a reason.
"Because no one is willing to take you, right?" Ashes glanced at him and, without waiting for a reply, said calmly, "You came from the Misty Sea to the Sonia Sea, likely by merchant ship along the coastline. After all, you're an Adventurer, not a pirate—you don't have to worry about being wanted by the major kingdoms."
"You said the Treasure Hunting Group hasn't gathered yet, but Damir Island is actually your rendezvous point, isn't it?"
Anderson's expression froze completely, indirectly confirming Ashes guess.
"The Treasure Hunting Group was originally planning to go straight to the treasure," Anderson explained. "But the news of the Pirate Assembly broke suddenly, so the rest of the group changed their plans. They decided to attend the Assembly first before going treasure hunting."
"So, why exactly didn't they take you?"
"Did you arrive too late to catch up? Or did the others intentionally leave you behind, fearing you'd cause trouble?"
"I think the latter is more likely," Alger added, twisting the knife.
Adventurers belonged neither to the authorities nor to the pirates.
They weren't wanted by the law, but they weren't accepted by pirates either.
For this group of Adventurers to attend the Pirate Assembly, no one would attack them without provocation. After all, they were Treasure Hunters, not Bounty Hunters who collected rewards for pirate heads.
But if this group of Adventurers were to deliberately cause trouble, they would offend all the pirates.
In that case, they would find it difficult to leave the Pirate Assembly alive.
Of course...
The Adventurers weren't fools. They wouldn't provoke the pirates without good reason, just as they wouldn't provoke the authorities.
And Alger had already witnessed the power of Anderson's foul mouth.
Expecting him not to offend people was an exercise in futility.
If the Treasure Hunting Group dared to bring him to the Pirate Assembly, the other pirates would surely wipe them out.
So, without surprise—
The Treasure Hunting Group chose to abandon him and sneak off to the Pirate Assembly.
With the Treasure Hunting Group gone, only ordinary passenger ships remained on the island.
And they certainly wouldn't dare go to the Pirate Assembly.
This was why Anderson had been forced to stay on the island until now.
"This is an accident, an accident!" Anderson argued, veins bulging on his forehead as he strained his neck. "I just overslept the night before, and they accidentally forgot to take me when they left! They'll still come back for me after the Pirate Assembly is over."
"I believe that much," Alger said, nodding slightly. "Though his mouth is terrible, his strength is still decent."
Anderson's face flushed red with anger, and he desperately wanted to hit someone.
After all, he was always the one infuriating others. When did the tables turn so he was the one being infuriated?
(End of Chapter)
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