Debuff Master

Chapter 804

Late at night, in a tavern somewhere in Kraken Harbor.

Shwaaah!

A storm raged outside, and the torrential downpour beat against the tavern walls, generating a cacophony of noises. Captain Joshua, drenched from head to toe, stepped inside with water dripping from his soaked leather coat.

He handed his coat to the tavern keeper and ordered a beer. Then, he dragged a chair to the table where Siegfried, Hamchi, Bellatrix, and Baroque were seated.

“I didn’t expect to find everyone gathered here. So, you must be Captain Drake?” he said, extending a massive hand for a handshake.

Towering at a hundred ninety centimeters tall, Joshua was a giant of a man, and his hand resembled the size of the lid of a large cauldron.

“Francis de Drake,” Siegfried replied, shaking Captain Joshua’s hand firmly before glancing at the other Pirate Lords seated with him.

The tension in the air was palpable as it hung like a heavy fog over everyone.

Captain Bellatrix made no effort to hide her disdain for the unexpected arrivals.

Meanwhile, Captain Baroque’s expression remained concealed by his white mask, but his fingers tapping on the table showed his obvious irritation.

Captain Joshua cast a quick glance at his ally, Captain Baroque, and then smiled warmly at Siegfried.

‘Heh, I can practically hear their thoughts,’ Siegfried thought, trying his best to suppress a grin while he observed the subtle power plays between the three Pirate Lords.

Captain Bellatrix was in a desperate situation. She lacked the forces to stand against the two other Pirate Lords—Captain Baroque and Captain Joshua. To make matters worse, the major pirate crews under her command had already been hunted down by Siegfried.

On the other hand, Captain Baroque and Captain Joshua were not too concerned with Captain Bellatrix. They knew that they could easily crush her by working together, as she was drastically weakened.

However, the real problem was what would happen after her downfall.

Although allies for now, Baroque and Joshua were destined to clash over control of the Green Isles. To prepare for that inevitable battle, they were eager to recruit more major pirates under their banners.

[Alert: Captain Bellatrix desires you! Affinity is rising rapidly!]

[Alert: Captain Baroque desires you! Affinity is rising rapidly!]

[Alert: Captain Joshua desires you! Affinity is rising rapidly!]

Siegfried had suddenly become the object of desire for all three Pirate Lords.

It made perfect sense, as a newly emerged powerhouse known as the Pirate Butcher, he was akin to an SSS-Rank Free Agent during a transfer season.

In other words, all three Pirate Lords wanted him on their side.

“I’m afraid I’ve already claimed him,” Bellatrix declared. Then, she dragged her chair closer to Siegfried and added, “So, you two can leave now.”

Baroque chuckled and sneered, “I doubt Captain Francis de Drake would cling to a rotting rope.”

Joshua smirked and chimed in, ”Exactly. I’m confident someone of his caliber knows which rope is the strongest. Isn’t that right, Captain Drake?”

The Pirate Lords began bickering, each vying to outmaneuver the others in winning Siegfried’s favor.

“Rotten ropes, huh? You’ll find out soon enough which is the strongest.”

“Do you really want to work under those scums?”

“Our Great White Shark Pirates are the mightiest in the—”

The Pirate Lords were about to begin their pitches when Siegfried excused himself.

“Excuse me. I need a moment,” Siegfried said, standing up and heading toward the restroom. Then, he arranged his thoughts after being finally alone.

‘Hmm... Sam is in Baroque’s territory, but where the hell is the Pirate King’s legacy?’

He pulled out the Treasure Map: Legacy of the Pirate King and checked the location. He traced it with his fingers and found that it was in Bellatrix’s territory.

‘So my first priority is the Epic Quest, followed by the Pirate King’s legacy. Got it,’

“So, should I just kill you both right here?” Bellatrix growled.

“Oh? I wouldn’t mind settling things right now,” Baroque taunted.

“Are you sure you want to settle it this way?” Joshua grinned.

The tension was still palpable, with all three Pirate Lords nearly drawing their weapons, but the tension was immediately diffused the moment Siegfried returned and laughed.

“Haha! You all get along so well,” he said, retaking his seat. Then, with a calm yet firm voice, he declared, “I am afraid I will not be working with Captain Bellatrix. Sorry, but you’re out.”

“What?!” Bellatrix snarled in response.

“I can’t grab onto a rotting rope, can I?” Siegfried replied nonchalantly.

The room fell silent.

“I will be choosing between Captain Baroque and Captain Joshua then. Hmm... I guess I will go with whoever offers the higher salary?” Siegfried continued. Then, he slid two pieces of paper toward them and added, “Write down your offer. The one who pays more wins.”

Baroque and Joshua stared at him, then at each other, before taking the paper.

‘Not that it matters,’ Siegfried thought smugly. He already knew which side he'd join. He needed to join Baroque’s side to complete the Epic Quest, but for now, the bidding war would serve as the perfect smokescreen to distract the Pirate Lords.

***

The next morning, Siegfried logged into the game and immediately set out for the South Island, which was the territory ruled by Captain Baroque of the Swordfish Pirates.

Captain Baroque secured Siegfried and the Golden Rat Pirates’ services by offering five tons of gold as an advance payment, signing them on a six-month contract.

In truth, Joshua had offered a higher amount, but Siegfried had no choice. He needed to join Baroque to complete his Epic Quest. Hours later, Siegfried received an invitation to Baroque’s main fortress, which served as his castle.

“Welcome! It is an honor to work with the renowned Pirate Butcher!” Captain Baroque greeted him enthusiastically.

He hosted a grand feast in Siegfried’s honor with various theatrical performances prepared.

“Hohoho!”

“Kyah! Don’t touch me there, captain! Ang~”

“We will rule the Green Isles!”

The news of the Pirate Butcher joining them allowed the pirate captains under Baroque to indulge freely. They feasted, drank, and fantasized about a bright future, all while having beautiful women by their sides.

“Well, well! A feast isn’t a feast without my music!”

Even Captain Baroque, feeling the rising excitement, began to play a grand piano adorned with gold. The pristine white surface of the grand piano gleamed under the lights, making it quite a dazzling sight.

Surprisingly, Captain Baroque delivered a flawless performance despite having a hook for a left hand, and his music further elevated the mood.

But then, the atmosphere shifted...

As Baroque’s piano performance filled the hall, pirates dragged in prisoners. These prisoners were either subordinates of Oswald, the fallen Pirate Lord, or captured crew members from Captain Bellatrix’s faction.

Without sparing a glance, Captain Baroque continued playing the piano, slowly upping the tempo.

“Argh!”

“Gah!”

“Ack!”

The members of the Swordfish Pirates slaughtered the prisoners one by one, matching the movement of their blades to Baroque’s music.

“Bwahaha!”

“What a spectacle!”

“This is what art is all about!”

The pirate captains roared with laughter, reveling in the gruesome scene.

Meanwhile, Lionbreath, who had accompanied Siegfried to the feast, clenched his fists while trembling with fury.

He looked ready to draw his axe and paint the walls of the hall red with blood.

“You bastards...” he growled under his breath.

The Nordic Tribe was known for pillaging, just like pirates, but they'd never slaughter people for sport. They believed in granting honorable deaths even to those who were captured as prisoners, so they never indulged in such sadistic displays.

“Hold it in for a little longer, brother. The marines are on their way to rescue Sam. Just wait until then,” Siegfried whispered, grabbing Lionbreath’s thick wrist.

“Argh...”

“For now, smile. Laugh, even,” Siegfried said, forcing a broad smile. Then, he laughed loudly, “Ha Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Lionbreath grimaced before following suit, though his laugh was strained and hollow, “Hahaha... Bwahahaha...!”

Captain Baroque eventually finished his piano piece and approached Siegfried.

“We shall set sail in three days, Captain Francis de Drake,” he said.

“Is that so?” Siegfried replied, sounding uninterested.

“I am eager to see the Pirate Butcher in action. The sheer thought of seeing your dazzling display in battle excites me! Will you butcher them piece by piece? Or perhaps skewer a few of them together? Tell me, for I must know, what is your style?” Baroque pressed with his eyes sparkling with an unsettling excitement.

His enthusiasm had reached its peak that even the white mask barely managed to conceal the madness hiding underneath.

‘This psycho... I promise you I’ll kill you with my own hands for being so disgusting,’ Siegfried thought. However, he remained composed and even smiled.

“I will show you why they call me the Pirate Butcher,” Siegfried said, still smiling.

“Oho! Excellent!” Baroque exclaimed, clearly pleased. Then, he smiled from ear to ear and muttered, “Very good, indeed.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha...” Siegfried chuckled.

“Until we set sail, please relax. You can have whatever you want, be it a drink, women, or anything. Just name it!”

“I would rather just take a quiet walk and enjoy the sea breeze,” Siegfried replied.

“A walk, eh? Feel free to explore my territory as you please,” Baroque said with a nod. Then, he added, “I will inform my men to let you pass anywhere you want on my island!”

“Thank you for your generosity, captain.”

“Come now, raise your glass!” Baroque said, lifting his goblet high. Then, he exclaimed, “To the Pirate Butcher’s glorious exploits!”

“To victory,” Siegfried answered, raising his glass. Of course, he was trying hard to maintain his smile while suppressing the rising nausea welling up from his stomach.

***

The next morning, Siegfried began wandering through Captain Baroque’s territory, pretending to be a tourist.

Before long, he docked the Temeraire at an island that housed Baroque's most prized asset, his cash cow, the mine.

Pretending to be curious, Siegfried explored the mine.

The mine was known for producing D-Grade aquamarine mana stones, but the brutal labor conditions proved deadly for the miners. Of course, these miners were not paid laborers but were slaves bought and sold like commodities.

‘I can’t go around snooping and make it obvious I’m looking for someone,’ Siegfried thought. Thus, he activated Inzaghi’s Clairvoyance and scanned the mine’s layout. Every crevice, tunnel, and underground passage unraveled before his eyes and turned into a detailed map.

He then used the search function to locate one person, and that person was none other than Sam.

‘Found him.’

Sam was deep within the mine, and it was obvious that he, deemed disposable, was tirelessly working alongside other slaves in the most treacherous section of the tunnels.

‘I’ll have to slip in discreetly.’

Avoiding the watchful eyes of the guards, Siegfried descended into the mine, weaving his way through the labyrinthine tunnels.

Unfortunately, navigating inside the mine proved difficult even with the help of Inzaghi’s Clairvoyance.

The air was thick with dust and suffocating heat, making it difficult to breathe. On top of that, the tunnels were so dark that trying to see ahead was a struggle, even with his enhanced vision.

“Kyuuu! Use this, owner punk!”

Just then, Hamchi popped out of Siegfried’s pocket.

Siegfried would often find himself wondering whether Hamchi was actually part kangaroo rather than a full hamster.

Hamchi handed him a safety helmet with an attached lantern and a gas mask.

“Hey, Hamchi.”

“Kyu?”

“Are you some kind of cosplay fanatic?”

“Kyuuu! What are you talking about, owner punk?!”

“How do you explain a hamster having so many outfits then?”

“Kyaaak! Hamchi is not a hamster! I am the Great Spirit of the Forest—”

“Shh!”

Siegfried hurriedly raised a finger to his lips, motioning for silence, after seeing that Hamchi was about to raise his voice just as he always did.

“Kyuu?”

“This is a mine tunnel. Everything echoes down here, so keep it down.”

“”K-Kyuuu?! A-All right...”

“Let’s go.”

Siegfried climbed into a mine cart and began his descent toward Sam's location.

As he traveled deeper into the mine, he noticed something strange appear on the map shown by the Inzaghi’s Clairvoyance.

Beneath Sam’s location was something enormous. Buried deep in the earth lay something so massive that it didn't register properly during his initial scan from the entrance of the mine.

‘What the hell is that?’ Siegfried wondered, tilting his head.

He scrolled through the map and pinpointed the object located roughly fifty meters beneath Sam.

He examined it closely, curious to see the gigantic object.

A few seconds later...

“N-No way!” Siegfried gasped aloud, unable to contain his shock.

What lay beneath Sam was...

[Silver Dragon: Keanus]

The master of the seas, the Silver Dragon, was slumbering just beneath the mine’s depths.