Lucian put on his mask before stepping outside the cabin for some fresh air, obscuring his face and covering his identity. He was a Woodheart's crew member now.
The rest of Vice's masks were also made out of wood, only the shape was different to differentiate the crew members.
Some powerful pirates could use astral plane to locate each other. The masks contained a layer of lead to prevent their identities from being exposed.
Woodheart's Roots, they called themselves. They followed the Glory flowers' structure. Blooming under the sun, with roots deep in the ground.
The sun was setting over the horizon as the ship sailed to the Varia waters.
"Food is ready," Jax and Roland appeared from below deck, carrying a large pot of soup and bowls. They went around, distributing the food, and got to Lucian first.
Lucian used his pointer to shake it from left to right in refusal, "Follow the hierarchy in the foreign territory."
Jax nodded, and gave Ash his bowl.
Ash gave it to Penny, "I'm just the ship's captain. She's the rightful heir, and the one who is supposed to lead the Woodhearts."
Penny held her bowl with both hands before handing it to Lucian, "I'm not worthy to take over."
Lucian stared at the bowl; then at everyone around him, who were waiting for him to eat first, "I'm a simple crewmate now. Just because you see me as the boss doesn't mean others will too."
"..." Penny ended up having the first spoonful.
"We should tweak the flag in celebration of your succession," Lucian waited for this moment. Everyone was present, the timing couldn't have been better. He pointed at the flag with his spoon.
The skull on the flag had wooden barks instead of crossbones. It represented a dead tree, caused by the nobles who kept cutting down the forests for their own gain. (The forest being the knights.)
It represented the previous kingpin's heart. The sailors brought the flag down. It covered the whole deck like a carpet.
"A dead tree cannot bear fruits," Lucian said, breaking the silence. "A dead kingpin cannot bring prosperity to his crew. The Woodhearts need a new symbol to represent their new purpose."
Penny looked down. The man who raised her had been killed by Lucian. How could she not feel sad when his name was brought up in such a context?
The faces of the crew were hidden behind the masks, but they looked to be deep in thought. Lucian wasn't trying to defame the old captain, just showing them that their future was in the hands of a new leader.
"The Woodhearts will no longer be the protectors of the forest," Lucian referred to people the old Woodheart offered shelter to, "We will be the roots that will spread fear and respect across the seas. We will be unseen, yet our presence will be felt by all."
He turned toward Penny, "What symbol do you think would represent that?"
Penny's hair glowed a bit brighter, giving her a soft light. She looked at the black flag under her feet. She seemed to come to a decision as she raised her hands, making her hair dance around her.
A swirl of water formed above her head, glowing with the same hue as her hair. It contained algae that was used as a green dye. She spread her arms, and the water shot out in all directions, coating the flag with the green liquid. The crew stepped back, making room for the change to take place.
Lucian's clothes also got a bit wet, but he didn't mind. This was what he wanted to see. The strongest nation's people displaying their strength. They used the moon's gravitational force to create pressure resistant bubbles. They used those bubbles to train themselves during deep dives.
Penny was using the technique to hold the water above her head.
Splatters of green representing leaves covered the flag. The skull got sea moss growing around it while the crossbones had corals attached to them.
One could interpret it as a tree branch becoming a new home for sea life, or a sunken ship at the bottom of the sea.
The Glory's ships were also changed to Woodhearts' to prevent suspicion, but used green paint instead of algae. The crew gathered the flag and hoisted it up.
"Shall the roots spread!" Lucian shouted a new slogan, "May the enemies' rot feed our growth! Glory to the Woodhearts!"
"Glory to the Woodhearts!" The crew echoed, feeling the shift in the air.
"..." Penny was speechless, her eyes fixed on the flag waving above them. The wind carried her hair with it.
Lucian left her alone, and lifted his mask just enough to show his mouth, to eat his soup. His Vice found a spot close by to have their meal and enjoy a view.
"Slin and Wolk will take charge of the remaining ships," Lucian informed them between spoonfuls, "Ash, Lord Ashtor and Cansan will attend the Royal Academy with me and resume their knight training."
Cansan hid behind Mumbai, "I hate pain...my body will suffer." He hadn't been in the academy for so long, he probably forgot how it was to be beaten up.
Lord Ashtor didn't seem thrilled either, "I can't afford a knight's lifestyle."
"I will cover the costs."
Upon hearing the money saving offer, Mumbai nudged her husband to grab the opportunity. "You might as well learn something that could save your life one day."
"What about you?" Cansan sulked to Mumbai.
"Fishbone's wife had been trying to tap into his powers, and I thought I should train as well," Mumbai whispered. Southerner women could use the bond to tap into their mate's powers and gain their abilities with their approval, "Boss said he can help me create a bond with you, so we can grow together."
"That's not what I meant. I meant—" Cansan began, but Mumbai pinched his cheek.
"That talk is not suitable here. We will discuss it in private." She ended the discussion so fast, it left Cansan to finish his soup faster just so they could have that private talk.
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The ship had finally reached Varia's waters, which could be easily distinguished by the floating ghostly figures below the surface.
The ghost fishes could not be caught or eaten by normal means, but it was not the case for Varia people.
"Hungry?" Lucian asked Krystal, who stood by the railings.
"Always." Wearing the southern clothes given by the Woodhearts, a bandana on her head, and a coat to cover her skin from the cold, she could have passed as a human if not for her pale irises.
Leaf shuddered behind them, and moved away from the edge of the ship. "I'm getting chills from this place. It's like a graveyard during the night."
Penny, Wolk and Slin, also stayed on the deck, considering they loved to dive.
Lucian threw a piece of bread at the ghost fishes, watching it disappear in the dark water, "Do you plan to eat them?"