At the same time, inside a building on the shore of Black Lake.
Unlike the solemn, formal atmosphere of the Monarch Assembly, the gathering of pirate generals was considerably more relaxed.
The Admiral of Stars had not attended, while Vice Admiral Ailment had been captured and was absent as well.
The remaining five sat in a circle, and none of them looked particularly happy to see the others.
"Dusk, why are you on my territory again?"
Howl Constantine, the Deep Sea Vice Admiral, demanded coldly.
His face was bizarre, as though a translucent octopus the size of a palm had been flattened against it. More than a dozen slick tentacles hung from his chin, dangling toward his chest.
His hair resembled those tentacles. Dark blue and black, thick and rounded, it draped across his shoulders.
Every other part of the Deep Sea Vice Admiral's body, including his hands, was concealed beneath a black cloak.
Rumor had it that this pirate general, infamous for his brutal and merciless methods, carried the blood of a sea monster in his veins, which explained his unnatural appearance.
"The Earl said all five seas are the pirates' playground. Where I go is my business."
Bulatov Ivan, the Vice Admiral Dusk, was an exceptionally large man.
The wooden chair beneath him creaked with every movement, struggling under his weight as though it might collapse at any moment. Faced with the Deep Sea Vice Admiral's hostility, he showed no concern whatsoever.
"Enough. Take your fleet and leave. I don't want to see you here again."
"You want me gone? Fine. Just satisfy my curiosity first."
Bulatov Ivan let out a low chuckle. "I'd really like to know what your ship keeps diving so deep to search for. Could it be the treasure that happens to share a name with your flagship, the legendary lost city of Newin?"
At the mention of that name, the other three generals turned their attention toward him.
"I'll say it again. It's none of your concern."
The Deep Sea Vice Admiral remained completely unruffled, his manner as calm as ever. "Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to ask the Earl to settle this."
"Works for me," Bulatov Ivan said. "Then we'll follow the rules. A duel, with the Earl as our witness. The loser grants the winner one request."
He sounded quite confident that he would win.
Constantine merely stared at him coldly without answering.
"Same as always. You really are terrified that your ship's secret might get out, aren't you? You won't give me even the slightest chance."
The Vice Admiral Dusk smiled, then turned toward the woman sitting quietly nearby, another of the pirate generals.
"Iceberg, I hear you've made quite a discovery yourself. You got your hands on The Death's Key, didn't you?"
Among the legendary treasures of the sea, the lost city of Newin ranked no higher than fifth. The Death's Key, without question, held first place.
"Are you joking?"
Edwina, the Vice Admiral Iceberg, had originally been fascinated by the mention of the lost civilization, but his words had already spoiled her interest.
"How could The Death's Key be that easy to obtain? I haven't even figured out where it came from. Still, if you truly want it, offer the right price and I might sell it to you."
"Forget it, then."
Bulatov Ivan shrugged, then cast a pointed glance toward the Blood Admiral sitting off to the side.
"Sounds like Senor's second mate died for nothing."
Rumors across the seas claimed that the Blood Admiral's second mate, Steel Maveti, had been ambushed by a powerful adventurer while pursuing a lead connected to the key.
Not only had he failed to obtain The Death's Key, but he had also lost his head, which was later exchanged for the bounty on it.
The Blood Admiral, Senor, appeared completely unfazed. He still wore his usual smile, as though the Vice Admiral Dusk had been mocking someone else entirely.
"You're unusually calm today," Ludwell, the Hell Admiral, observed.
Although a mask concealed his face, the surprise in his voice was unmistakable. The other pirate generals were thinking the same thing.
They all knew that Senor's pirate crew was affiliated with the Rose School of Thought, an organization whose members were notorious for indulging their desires without restraint.
In the past, whenever Senor was mocked, he would lash out immediately and retaliate in a rage.
"Heh... It doesn't bother me at all."
The Blood Admiral gave a quiet laugh and raised his head. His gaze swept across the room, and he looked at them the way a man might look at a collection of corpses.
Still smiling, he continued, "You'll all be dead soon enough."
His voice remained calm, but the malice behind his words was so intense and unmistakable that every general in the room felt it.
"You damned wandering ghost! You think you can curse me?"
Bulatov Ivan was the first to lose his temper.
He sprang to his feet and began swearing. Unable to withstand the sudden shift in weight, the chair beneath him finally collapsed with a crash, scattering splintered wood across the floor.
"Senor, what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Ludwell's voice turned icy as translucent light rippled across the surface of his mask.
Deep Sea and Iceberg remained silent, but their expressions made it clear that they were just as furious.
The anger of all four pirate generals focused on Senor at once.
Yet this moderately ranked member of the Rose School of Thought merely continued smiling, with no intention of explaining himself. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a pocket watch, and flipped it open with a click.
After glancing at the time, he said, "About time."
Immediately afterward:
"AAAAAAAH!"
A shrill, terrified scream erupted outside the building. It was accompanied by the sickening sound of flesh tearing, blood splattering, and frantic footsteps pounding toward the door.
"Captain! Something's wrong!"
The voice belonged to Bru Walls, the Vice Admiral Iceberg's first mate. Panic and terror twisted every word.
"Trees have grown on Black Lake Island!"
Trees?
Weren't there already trees on the island?
For a moment, the pirate generals failed to understand what he meant. Only Edwina seemed to realize something, and her expression shifted slightly.
"Watch out!"
Just as she began to speak, someone shouted from behind her.
A bone-chilling wind swept into her body, and in an instant, she lost all control of her limbs.
A Vengeful Spirit had possessed her!
Senor had ambushed her.
Edwina Edwards counterattacked immediately. Tiny points of light rapidly appeared around her, and her eyes began to glow with a flowing golden radiance, brilliant as sunlight.
Imitation, Solar Exorcism!
Fwoosh!
The warmth of the sunlight instantly drove away the cold.
Before the wandering spirit could be consumed by the light, it tore itself free from her body and fled, passing straight through Bru Walls before escaping the room.
Senor had intended to run from the very beginning!
The pirate generals rushed after him and out of the room.
The instant they saw what awaited them outside, every one of them froze, utterly speechless with shock.