...A mont.
The Great Admiral opened her eyes.
[Listen.]
...A voice? She blinked several tis.
[A greedy man will inevitably et a swindler in life.]
Her vision was blurred. The salty air burned her eyes, stinging as if soone had thrown a handful of sand into them.
[One who craves praise will summon a flatterer.]
She couldn’t see anything. Beneath her fingertips there was only uneven stone and damp moss. The Great Admiral realized she was lying in a coastal cave, not a single ray of light reaching inside.
She sensed no human presence. Then where was this voice coming from?
[Such is the law of this world: the one who easily trusts people will eventually et a traitor.]
Traitor. At that word, her clouded mind cleared as if struck by lightning. mories of what had happened before she lost consciousness surged like a wave.
The betrayal of the one she loved. The betrayal of subordinates who had sworn loyalty. The mont they abandoned her on a naless island. She rembered how she couldn’t believe it, how she scread their nas until her throat went raw, until she collapsed from exhaustion.
— ...You were too naive, Illian.
Great Admiral Illian slowly raised her head. Absolute darkness. But sothing in that darkness was breathing.
[And then betrayal calls to . Only the most fortunate among the betrayed are destined to et .]
— You... who are you?
[I am the Vanguard of the Dark Night.]
A cold blue light ignited in the darkness.
[A god who will place the blade of vengeance in your hands.]
.
.
.
Ding!
[Changes have occurred in Act 2, Chapter 2 “Distorted Sea” progression]
[In the open zone of the Black Paths, you encountered the Blue Blade and Black Wind, who betrayed the Great Admiral, and obtained key information about her location]
[The Luthien Theocracy intends to desecrate the Great Admiral in order to distort the authority of the Sea Dragon]
[Their goal is to seize complete dominance over the coast of Nereus and the Northern Sea]
[If their plan succeeds, the Union of Kingdoms will fall, and Luthien will gain enormous resources and stable mariti supply routes]
[Deliver the Great Admiral to the Sea Dragon in good health and thwart Luthien’s conspiracy]
※ Beware of all forms of betrayal.
.
.
.
Splash...
The Crimson Pearl glided across the waters of the Black Paths, cutting through the waves. There were no sailors at the oars, no one managing the sails. And yet the ship of the dead raced forward at full speed, as if it had caught a favorable wind. The figures of comrades waving farewell vanished into the distance in an instant.
The duration of stay in the open zone was random, but at least one day was guaranteed. While the others repaired the ships, Gunther decided to head for the new objective, taking only part of the team with him.
Straight to the sanctuary of the Vanguard of the Dark Night.
«...Strange.»
The fact that the Blue Blade had abandoned the Great Admiral specifically within the domain of the Vanguard of the Dark Night felt suspicious.
«...Hardly a coincidence.»
The more he thought about it, the stronger the sense of a setup beca. The very fact that Luthien cultists were roaming inside the Vanguard’s sanctuary was already abnormal. What were they basing their confidence on? Had the Vanguard of the Dark Night ford an alliance with them? But he had always shown open hostility toward Luthien. More than that, he had warned Gunther about their sches.
«What is he planning?»
[......]
But no further ssages ca from the Vanguard of the Dark Night. There was only one answer: go and see for himself.
— ......
Gunther stood on the deck, watching the sea fog slowly descend. He couldn’t afford to lower his guard.
The open zone only seed like a peaceful resort at first, a place to catch one’s breath. The fierce currents of the Northern Sea, reefs, and storm winds were still there. And sowhere out there, the Blue Blade and the Black Wind gang were lying in wait.
«Right now I’m practically alone, so I absolutely cannot engage in battle.»
Using the ship’s superior maneuverability, he needed to break through this dangerous route while avoiding clashes. And the “sailors” he had brought aboard were perfectly suited for that.
Gunther turned and looked at his companions gathered on deck. Under the light of the Holy Sword that Parco Draven held above himself like an umbrella, the others huddled together. The topic of conversation was obvious — the person they were about to rescue.
— Illian Marest... the Great Admiral. What kind of person is she? There are plenty of rumors, but I’ve never heard anything concrete, — asked Mikhela Iska.
Her gaze was fixed on Tarsha Everlight — the only one in the group who had seen the admiral in person. Tarsha thought for a mont and gave an unexpected answer:
— She’s a drear.
Hearing that, Gunther involuntarily nodded. A drear. Perhaps there was no better word. Noticing the questioning looks, Tarsha continued:
— As soone from Nereus, I’ll say it plainly: from the outside, the country looks respectable, but in reality it’s a rotten swamp.
Nereus was a vast mariti republic made up of peninsulas, archipelagos, and dozens of port cities. Looking at the erald waters, endless trade caravans, and flags snapping on masts, anyone would believe it was a prosperous nation.
But the reality was bitter.
What did it matter that the sea surrounded them and goods flowed endlessly if all the benefits went only to the upper aristocracy? Sailors, fishern, and the poor rely fought each other over scraps.
«People don’t know it, but Luthien had a hand here too.»
Tariffs, route rights, ship insurance, loading permits... they had long arranged things so that all privileges belonged to a narrow circle. This created a monstrous gap between rich and poor.
— That’s why it’s no surprise there are so many robbers, smugglers, and pirates here. If you’re unlucky, like or Levain, and your talent isn’t recognized... it’s much faster to pick up a knife than to starve to death.
Nereus was rapidly heading toward self-destruction. And that was when Illian Marest appeared. She opened new routes in the Northern Sea, forcing pirates to hunt not their own people but the enemy’s — the Luthien Theocracy. She crushed the largest pirate fleets and distributed the confiscated wealth to ports and fishing villages. She negotiated with the royal court, obtained privateering licenses, and turned sea raiders into protectors of the seas. People awaited on shore not with gallows, but with applause.
— They say she’s from a poor fishing family herself, — Tarsha added. — Maybe that’s why she believed pirates aren’t born villains. Circumstances made them that way.
At that mont, Levain Bernecker shook his head firmly.
— Poverty isn’t an excuse to rob others.
While Tarsha fell silent, startled, he muttered darkly:
— So people are born cruel villains. And where did her belief that they could change lead her?
— ......
— Now she’s been stabbed in the back, and we don’t even know if she’s alive.
— ...You’re not wrong.
Silence fell over the deck. But soon, a lodic voice spoke — Zahara.
— Maybe they... just wanted to live like human beings. Until Luthien poured fuel on the fire.
Levain frowned.
— You’re saying they betrayed the admiral only because Luthien incited them?
— Isn’t that the specialty of the Cult of Trust? Stirring up desires, sowing doubt, making people hate each other.
— Even if they can amplify greed, they don’t create it from nothing. The seeds of betrayal were already in their hearts.
— You’ve got rather harsh standards, don’t you? — Zahara’s eyes glead strangely.
It was hard to tell what she was thinking. She seed angry, yet at the sa ti almost enjoying the argunt. Suddenly her gaze stopped on Gunther.
— And what do you think?
— About what exactly?
— My son, who betrayed , poured oil over my body and set on fire... did he do that because of so innate evil inside him?
...A heavy question. For Gunther, who had seen in the Bay of the Dead what Zahara had seen, it was twice as difficult to answer.
«Of all tis to start a philosophy lesson.»
Is evil nature or circumstance? Who owns sin in a world where gods intervene? And is free will even possible if gods truly exist?
[Three deities await your answer]
— ......
But Gunther gave no direct answer. Zahara smiled faintly and whispered:
— Right. Silence is better than banal words.
The atmosphere grew even darker. No one spoke anymore. Each of them was clearly lost in thought. But Gunther forcibly cut off his own.
Now wasn’t the ti to pretend to be a philosopher. He even deliberately pushed out of his mind what he had seen in the Bay of the Dead.
«...The mont we arrive, we’ll be in danger.»
After all, the Great Admiral wasn’t the only one in the domain of the Vanguard of the Dark Night. Luthien forces seeking to desecrate her and take her to the Sea Dragon had surely entered as well. The problem was that the enemy’s strength was still unknown.
«Interrogating pirates and privateers gave nothing concrete.»
Most likely, only their leader, Black Wind Armarch, or Isolda — the admiral’s forr lover who led the betrayal — had any aningful information. In the end, Gunther’s group would have to carry out a rescue operation against an enemy of unknown size.
[Level Up! x3 / Lv. 99]
[Strength 71 → 74]
It was all the more frustrating that his level had stalled just one step from the limit. Once he reached level 100 and advanced to the 4th hierarchy, his stats would beco more efficient and a new class change would unlock. His overall combat power would increase by about one and a half tis. Then he could even contend with soone in the mid–5th hierarchy. But right now, that “little bit” was missing.
Splash...
At that mont, Gunther’s sharp hearing caught sothing.
— ...Everyone, prepare for battle.
Soon, three massive shadows erged from the fog. The Blue Blade emblem was clearly visible on their sides. Gunther instinctively glanced at Tarsha. She was already raising her staff. Powerful magic surged from the staff of the Ruler of the Oceans.
— ...It’s the 5th division. The ones who betrayed the admiral.
As soon as she finished speaking, the air on deck changed. The companions took their battle positions. The mont Gunther’s ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ will touched the ship, death energy began to seep slowly from the Crimson Pearl.
Wooooooo...
The ship of the dead let out a low wail, as if yearning for battle. But at that very mont—
— What the?..
Gunther, about to give the order to attack, froze. His hand remained suspended in the air.
Flap...
White cloths rose simultaneously on the masts of all three enemy ships. As if afraid they wouldn’t be noticed, so sailors waved white flags separately. Taken aback by the unexpected turn, Gunther’s companions hesitated.
— A white flag?..
— What does this an? Another trick?
— Where are the rest? Could it be a trap?
— I don’t see anyone...
Moreover, the enemy ships, keeping their distance, had completely lowered their sails. Gun ports closed, no marksn in sight. A perfect position to strike first and gain the advantage. And yet...
Splash...
A small boat detached from the main group. It headed straight toward them. There was only one person in it. Levain Bernecker, watching through magical lenses, whispered:
— Looks like their commander. What do we do, Gunther?
Gunther’s hand twitched upward again. Several magical cannons taken from captured ships were now mounted on the Crimson Pearl, and Tarsha had already filled them with mana, ready to fire. One shot would be enough to blow that boat to splinters.
«What do they want? Surrender? Negotiations? What could those who already betrayed their admiral possibly talk about?..»
Gunther narrowed his eyes. Besides, if he destroyed these three ships, he would definitely reach level 100. Extra insurance in a dangerous situation.
— ......
In that brief mont, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Sensing his bloodlust, the man in the boat rowed even faster.
Just as Gunther’s hand began to lower to give the order—
— Hey—hey! Don’t shoot, you’ll regret it!
A breathless voice cut through the fog and reached the deck of the Crimson Pearl.
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