Translator: CinderTL
Boom!
The colossal body of the unknown beast tore through the seabed, rising like an underwater mountain range.
The cliffs on either side of the Howling Gorge groaned under the strain, sending a rain of giant stones tumbling down.
The sea surface transformed from waves into a towering, all-consuming wall that seemed capable of swallowing everything.
Against this cataclysmic force, the Seabird was as insignificant as a fallen leaf.
Caught in the monstrous wave, it vanished in an instant, along with the terrified Galvis, Theresa, Hoby, and the others aboard, swept completely out of the Howling Gorge and out of Roland's sight.
Clinging to the cliff, Roland took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his racing heart.
But the cliff face, now cracking like a spiderweb, clearly wouldn't hold him much longer.
Seeing this, he fixed his gaze on the churning sea below.
Just as another wave, laden with debris, crashed against the cliff, his sharp eyes caught a dark shadow rolling within the crest of the wave.
It was a dilapidated pirate ship, tossed about on the waves.
Without a moment's hesitation, Roland kicked off from the cliff face. His body shot through the air like an arrow, piercing the curtain of water and falling debris to land heavily on the deck of the drifting vessel.
Thud!
Ignoring the pain, Roland immediately rolled to his feet and clung tightly to the thick, unbroken mast.
The world spun violently.
The roar of the waves, the splintering of wood, and the crashing of water filled his ears.
When the suffocating chaos finally subsided, Roland forced himself to look up.
The treacherous Howling Gorge had vanished without a trace, and the edges of the land on either side were crumbling into the sea.
The raging waves showed no sign of subsiding.
The ship, tiny as dust before this overwhelming force, was swept along by the aftershocks, hurtling uncontrollably toward an unknown horizon.
Roland gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the slick wood of the mast. He poured all his strength into his arms, clinging desperately to the mast.
Time lost all meaning in this absolute terror, this clash between absolute power and absolute vulnerability.
He struggled for an unknown amount of time, until the intense pulling force gradually weakened. Exhausted, he collapsed onto the deck, his chest heaving violently.
"Hoo... hoo... hoo..."
The icy sea wind rushed into his throat, gradually clearing Roland's hazy consciousness.
"What... what was that thing...?"
Just recalling the glimpse he'd caught of the colossal creature's tip—like the tip of an iceberg—sent a shudder through him.
"Mr. Roland, are you alright?"
A melodious voice suddenly rang out beside him.
Hearing the voice, Roland abruptly sat up, his hand instantly tightening around the hilt of the sword at his waist.
But as his vision focused, he relaxed slightly.
"What are you doing here?"
It was Pixie Tracy, who had previously begged to stay aboard the Seabird to regain her strength.
"When you were fighting that mind flayer earlier..."
Tracy's voice carried a hint of caution.
The memory of their first encounter clearly still haunted her.
She hovered five paces away from Roland, her eyes occasionally darting toward the Mithril Longsword at his waist as she explained rapidly.
"I've been assisting you all along, I just... haven't revealed myself."
"You took me in, and I help you in battle. Wasn't that our agreement?"
"Was it?"
Hearing Tracy's words, Roland couldn't help but recall the recent battle.
"When I cast Fire Arrow, the casting speed and power were indeed much greater than usual... Wait!"
He sharply caught the keyword in Tracy's statement, his brow immediately furrowing.
"You said... that tall, gaunt monster with the octopus head was a mind flayer?"
Seeing the pixie nod in confirmation, Roland's frown deepened.
Mind flayers, also known as Illithids.
Though Roland had never read about them in the ancient texts of this world, in his past life's memories, this terrifying race from the D&D universe was infamous.
These horrific beings, originating from the depths of the Underdark, feast on the brains of intelligent creatures.
Their most lethal weapon isn't their claws, but their formidable psionic energy, which can easily shatter wills, manipulate minds, and reduce living beings to mindless, unfeeling puppets.
A mature mind flayer colony can pose a threat far greater than even the most ferocious giant dragon.
Encountering them can be more despair-inducing than death itself.
"So that colossal beast we fought earlier was being controlled by a mind flayer?"
"I... actually survived that thing."
Though Roland had been interested in D&D lore in his past life, he had never delved deeply into it.
That's why, during the earlier encounter with the monster, he hadn't connected it to the legendary mind flayers.
Now, recalling the perilous situation, a chill ran down his spine, and his gaze involuntarily dropped.
"Hmm?"
As his eyes fell upon the Mithril Longsword in his hand, which had nearly severed the mind flayer's tentacle, Roland couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
The once mirror-smooth blade was now covered in a mass of purple liquid, slowly writhing as if alive.
"Is... is this the blood of that mind flayer we just fought?"
Enhanced by [Material Empathy], his mental power keenly sensed an unusual pulse emanating from the substance.
This blood...
It radiated a formidable power.
Yet this power differed entirely from any energy he had encountered before.
Cold and pure.
If he had to describe it, it bore a certain resemblance to the strength that surged from the depths of his soul when he first activated [Steel Will].
The instant his mental power came into contact with the purple liquid, golden text abruptly materialized before his eyes:
[Detecting abnormal energy response, initiating analysis...]
[High-purity psionic energy source material detected.]
[Host detected with soul-level energy resonance (Steel Will).]
[Conditions met.]
[Analysis complete: Hidden Profession available - Psion]
[Requirements: Spirit 22, Learn and master 0/1 basic psionic skills, Resist 0/3 mental shocks/mind control stronger than the host, Successfully channel and release 0/5 pure psionic energy, Manipulate reality with psionic energy 0/1 time]
"Another Hidden Profession! And..."
A hint of astonishment flashed in Roland's eyes.
"It was actually triggered by mind flayer blood?"
Just as he was about to examine the job notification closely, a faint whisper, without warning, drilled into his ears, piercing straight to the depths of his soul.
The whisper wasn't made of clear words, but of promises of absolute power and twisted knowledge, with the price being the disintegration of his own will.
This seductive whisper didn't seem like direct mind control or attack, so his Steel Will remained dormant.
"Mental contamination!"
Realizing this, Roland swiftly withdrew his mental power, vigorously shaking his slightly heavy head. At the same time, he reached for the pocket at his waist.
Rummaging through the many shattered alchemy bottles, he finally found an intact Energy Potion.
He uncorked the bottle and downed the potion in one gulp. Then, carefully, he brought the empty bottle close to his sword, guiding the writhing mass of purple liquid to flow into it.
"Mr. Roland, what happened?"
Noticing Roland's increasingly solemn expression, Tracy couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Roland, what's wrong?"
Seeing the young man shake his head without answering, Tracy cleverly changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, Mr. Roland, you're incredibly lucky..."
The petite pixie said, looking around curiously.
The pirate ship, which had miraculously avoided being torn apart by the waves, was now listing severely.
The few remaining sails hung like tattered rags from the thick mast.
"I never thought this ship would hold together after that storm."
Hearing Tracy's words, Roland recalled the feeling of being tossed about in the raging waves and couldn't help but feel astonished.
"Could it be..."
A thought flashed through his mind, and his gaze shifted to the characteristic on his Job Panel, which was described with a dark sense of humor:
Shar's Favor
"Could it be that the Goddess of Death's secret blessing allowed me to escape that desperate situation?"
Setting aside this almost fantastical speculation for the moment, Roland reassessed his current predicament.
The pirate ship beneath Roland's feet was in such disrepair that it was utterly incapable of long-distance voyages.
To make matters worse, he was the only living soul aboard capable of operating it.
As for his surroundings...
Roland's gaze swept across the dilapidated deck toward the distant horizon.
The vast, ink-blue sea churned endlessly, stretching to the hazy skyline, with not a trace of land in sight.
"Looks like I'll have to drift with the currents. Still..."
He recalled the terrifying spectacle of the colossal sea beast and let out a sigh of relief, tinged with acceptance.
"At least I'm still alive. That's lucky enough."
Having confirmed his temporary safety, Roland rested, recovering his depleted strength, while refocusing his attention on the Job Panel.
Seeing that all the conditions for becoming a [Pirate] were met, he didn't hesitate to mentally recite:
"Become [Pirate]."
(End of the Chapter)
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