Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 1327: Section 1328: The Pirate Ship on the Shampoo Coast

Although Angel had suspected it for a while, hearing Sanders’ reply still made him somewhat sentimental, for items that increased luck were too rare in this world.

“If I really can’t find one, then I’ll just have to try to trade for a drop of Constant Fragments with Vifette,” Angel said helplessly.

Sanders: “I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

The reason Sanders was so proactive in his search was that he wanted to study the powers of the Wilderness of Dreams as soon as possible. If all else failed, Sanders was also considering looking for Vifette. Although the Constant Fragments were expensive, using the Dream Conch to duplicate a Magic Rune Scroll that increased luck in the Wilderness of Dreams could be done over and over again, which actually made it quite profitable.

“Has Mentor already gone to Punk Theme Park?” Angel asked. Since his visit to Lord Xity proved fruitless, according to Sanders’ schedule, he should have by now reached Punk Theme Park.

Sanders nodded: “I am in Punk Theme Park right now.”

“Then, has Mentor found the materials needed for Jon’s recovery?” Angel inquired anxiously, his hopes actually set higher on this than on the Magic Rune Scroll that increased luck.

“Found some,” Sanders paused for a moment, his face betraying a peculiar expression: “However, rather than the materials found, I’ve actually come across something more interesting.”

Angel looked at Sanders with a puzzled expression.

“The latest issue of ‘Glowing City Night Talk.'”

…

On the east coast of Flourish Continent, a large vessel flying a pirate flag was moored by the seashore of Xiangbo.

The pirate flag depicted a skull wearing a pirate hat, notably with a long smoking pipe in its mouth.

When the pirate ship appeared on the shore, the fishermen living near Xiangbo Seashore were all startled.

For those who lived off the sea, there were three fearsome disasters: storms, mermaids, and pirates.

This area frequently experienced storm landings, sometimes with waves whipped up by the fierce winds reaching tens of meters high. Thus, every storm season, the nearby fishing villages would be deserted as everyone relocated to inland areas. Arguably, storms were the most terrifying disaster.

As for mermaids, the nearby waters of Xiangbo were gathering places for Fieg mermaids. To wizards, Fieg mermaids were popular commodities, but for the fishermen living there, an encounter with Fieg mermaids spelled disaster.

Fieg mermaids were man-eaters and their hatred for humans was innate. If the fishermen encountered them, there was virtually no chance of survival.

Aside from the disasters of mermaids and storms, what troubled the fishermen the most were pirates.

At least storms were predictable, and mermaids only appeared in certain waters. If one could discern their patterns, many risks could be avoided. Pirates, however, were a different story: lawless, conscienceless, murderously intent, and a threat that could materialize at any time of the year.

With each visit, they would sweep away a vast amount of wealth, often killing people and abducting women.

Storms were natural disasters, mermaids were natural foes, but pirates represented infighting among humans.

For humans, internal strife was always more ruthless than the united hatred against a common enemy.

It could be said, fishermen feared and detested pirates the most!

Now, a pirate ship anchored by the shore caused all the fishermen to turn pale, and they all began running towards the village, shouting as they went, “Pirates are coming! Quickly hide the women and children, and rush to the woods!”

As everyone ran toward the village, a young man who was lazily sunbathing by the beach stood up and walked toward the shore.

“Reynaud! Are you looking for death? Hurry back!” An old fisherman called out upon seeing the young man’s actions.

The young man known as Reynaud, shedding his usual indolent demeanor, earnestly said to the old fisherman, “I’ve mostly recovered, and I was planning to leave Xiangbo Seashore today. I didn’t expect to run into a pirate attack. I’ve been thinking of how to repay your life-saving grace. Now it seems that I won’t have to. The heads of these pirates will be my parting gift.”

After Reynaud spoke, he ignored the old fisherman’s advice to retreat and insisted on heading towards the pirate ship.

Although the fishermen were anxious, they remembered that when they found Reynaud unconscious at sea half a month ago, his body was covered with scars, both old and new, and his muscular frame hinted at great strength, leading some to speculate that Reynaud was quite formidable.

However, after Reynaud awoke, he didn’t show any signs of combat capability, and as he lazed around in the sun by the seaside, everyone gradually forgot about it.

Watching Reynaud’s lone figure walking against the tide, the fishermen exchanged glances. Although they believed Reynaud might have some fighting ability, that was a sizable pirate ship with at least dozens of men. Could Reynaud really take them on by himself?

The old fisherman’s eyes flickered with hesitation. After thinking it over, he turned back to some of the more agile young men and said, “You go back first and have the women hide in the woods. We… will go support Reynaud.”

Support in this context wasn’t quite about joining the fight, but more about the idea that if Reynaud was defeated by the pirates, they’d approach and plead with the pirates, offering wealth in exchange for mercy.

The old fisherman, along with a dozen or so braver individuals, followed behind Reynaud.

Soon, they saw the pirate ship at the coast, its flag flying high against the clear blue sky.

Reynaud stood at the forefront, silently watching the pirate ship… Shadows of people stirred on deck, but for the moment, no pirate had disembarked.

Until the extended cry of a horn sounded across the sky.

At this moment, a figure gracefully descended onto the sandy beach from the pirate ship’s dropped anchor rope with a light roll in the air.

Reynaud’s brow raised, not expecting that only one person would come down from the pirate ship.

After disembarking, the person waved vigorously at the pirate ship, causing all the fishermen to think it was a signal for an attack, making their faces pale as they hurriedly retreated. It was not until the people on the pirate ship’s deck also waved their hands in farewell that they realized… could this be a goodbye?

Reynaud also heard their parting words, making him somewhat surprised – not because they were saying goodbye, but because… the one who had come down alone was actually a woman!

“Are you a pirate?” Reynaud asked with some suspicion, looking at the woman draped in a black robe opposite him.

By then, the woman had finished her farewell. The pirate ship had pulled up its anchor and set sail again. Hearing the sound from behind, she turned her head and glanced at Reynaud, “Yes, I am a pirate.”

Listening to the beautiful voice that reached his ears, Reynaud couldn’t help but waver, but he quickly cleared the whimsical thoughts from his mind and said sternly, “Since you are a pirate, then don’t blame me.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth, Reynaud intended to take action against the female pirate, when suddenly he heard a shout from the fishermen behind him. Following the direction of the fishermen’s voices, he saw that the pirate ship that had sailed away had actually taken down its pirate flag and hung up a merchant ship’s flag.

“What… what is this maneuver?!” Reynaud exclaimed in surprise.

Could it be that the pirate ship was planning to disguise itself and then reveal its ferocious nature when it was time to rob? Reynaud thought to himself.

At that moment, a piece of black cloth flew over from the horizon, which the female pirate caught effortlessly – it was the earlier pirate flag.

Reynaud was even more puzzled. If they were indeed taking the route of disguise, why would they discard their pirate flag?

The female pirate looked at the pirate flag in her hand with reminiscence, “This pirate flag has accompanied me for many years; I can’t just throw it away.”

While speaking, the female pirate neatly folded the pirate flag and put it into her backpack.

Reynaud watched the female pirate’s actions, unsure if he should step forward to eliminate the scourge on behalf of the villagers.

As Reynaud hesitated, the fishermen behind him cried out again, “It’s… it’s a sea beast!”

Looking over, Reynaud saw the pirate ship that had disguised itself as a merchant vessel now hundreds of meters away; but just as they were about to move away, a ferocious sea beast suddenly raised its head from the sea surface!

The part of the creature that had emerged from the water was already five or six meters high!

This was the bloodthirsty sea lion, which in the nearby waters, loved to feed on mermaids!

With a slap of its tail on the water, it raised a wave of frothy surf! Simultaneously, its gaping mouth revealed numerous sharp, fine teeth as it bit down toward the pirate ship!

Seeing this scene, the fishermen now didn’t know what to say.

Should they warn them to be careful? But a moment ago, it was a pirate ship.

Or should they feel happy about their misfortune? However, the pirate ship had only let down a seemingly frail female pirate, and the ship itself had sailed away, not appearing to be in a robbing stance.

As the fishermen were engulfed in complex thoughts, the female pirate who had disembarked suddenly turned around.

“Oh, I didn’t notice this sea beast earlier,” the female pirate murmured softly to herself.

She then slowly extended her right hand, and as everyone watched, she removed the glove from her right hand, revealing the metallic gleam of a mechanical arm underneath.

Her palm faced the direction of the sea beast, and with the sound of beeps, everyone clearly saw blue light dots appearing at the center of her mechanical palm.

As the dots gathered together, a visible spiral tornado burst forth from her palm with a thundering noise, reaching the sea beast in a blink of an eye.

With a bang.

The head of the sea beast was pierced by the spiral tornado, its blood sprayed everywhere, and its brain matter splattered!

The huge body crashed heavily onto the sea, creating a significant wave.

“Done,” the female pirate said softly.

Her actions left everyone in shock, and the fishermen finally recognized the identity of the female pirate – a Transcendent!

Only a Transcendent could possess such frightening power and kill a bloodthirsty sea lion in a second!

The fishermen who previously thought little of a female pirate were now trembling in their legs. If she truly was a Transcendent, wiping out their entire village wouldn’t be a problem.

While the fishermen were at a loss, the female pirate suddenly said to the silent Reynaud, “You’re an apprentice, aren’t you? I remember there is a Wizard Market around here; can you tell me where it is?”

“Shan said the new issue of ‘Glowing City Night Talk’ should be out these days; I need to see if there’s any information on the New Star competition,” the female pirate murmured to herself, and then, seeing that Reynaud hadn’t reacted yet, she seemed to realize something and said:

“I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Nausicaa, formerly a pirate, now a Wizard Apprentice.”