99 COI

This time, the boatman didn't attack Lumian. Instead, he rowed the gloomy boat to the opposite shore.

Jumping onto the wasteland covered in withered blood flowers, Lumian, whose spirituality was nearly exhausted, ran towards the pile of bones and corpses on higher ground.

After running for a few minutes, he saw faint starlight piercing through the dim sky.

Next, the void tore open like transparent paper.

The tear blended with the starlight, forming a door of shimmering light.

Standing beyond the door was Madam Magician, dressed in a loose orange dress.

Madam Magician did not enter the Underworld but floated in the void outside the door, smiling at Lumian and the others.

Madam Magician... Lumian had expected another demigod from the temperance faction, bringing a Beyonder of the Death pathway to open the door to the Underworld to fetch him, Sharron, and Maric. But it was the Major Arcana card holder, Madam Magician.

She can find the Underworld?

She can tear through its barrier and create a door?

Suppressing his curiosity, Lumian took a running start and jumped through the starlit door.

He felt a wave of dizziness and his vision darkened before he saw the clear, pure Lake Dalsh and felt the thin air of the highlands.

He reflexively removed the golden mask of the Eggers family from his face to avoid becoming a true undead from wearing it too long.

During this, the figures of Sharron and the Knight of Swords Maric appeared beside him.

"Thank you," the Knight of Swords politely addressed Madam Magician.

Wearing a small black and Gothic dress, Sharron nodded silently.

"It's only right," Madam Magician replied with a smile. "It's a pity we couldn't catch Oxyto. The Great Mother's Bestowed are very vigilant and skilled at rebirth, making them extremely hard to catch."

After a few pleasantries, the Knight of Swords said goodbye.

Before leaving, he and Sharron both nodded to Lumian, showing their approval.

Although the Knight of Swords' request was only to help find Oxyto, Lumian had far exceeded that by chasing Oxyto's premature child into the Underworld and eliminating it. In return, Sharron, despite being injured, helped Lumian control the goat-faced Demon, giving him a chance to defeat it and take the Abscessed Hand's half-body. Thus, neither owed the other, and no additional payment was necessary.

Of course, establishing a friendship and deepening his connection with the Knight of Swords was an added bonus.

After Sharron and the Knight of Swords left, Madam Magician looked at Lumian with a teasing smile.

"Wondering how I found the Underworld?

"For a high-ranking member of the Apprentice pathway, the Underworld is just there. There's no question of finding it. Even if hidden, we can easily locate it by observing the Gatekeepers and master the ability to summon a door to the Underworld. But I didn't summon it; I just opened a door."

"Then why did you say I had to wait for an opportunity to enter the Underworld?" Lumian asked reflexively.

As Mr. Fool's Angel of Stars, couldn't you just open a door to the Underworld for me?

What opportunity was there to wait for?

Madam Magician chuckled.

"Could you have retrieved part of the Abscessed Hand's body if I had sent you to the Underworld back then?"

"No..." Lumian answered softly.

Not only would he fail, but he might also die instantly from illegal teleportation.

This time, with guidance from the temperance faction and the help of a demigod, he had a chance to take the Abscessed Hand's body from the goat-faced Demon.

Of course, the risks had also increased significantly.

"I sensed an opportunity and advised you to wait," Madam Magician said sincerely. "Not all abilities can be repeated; not using them and using them to change one's state directly is very difficult."

Lumian didn't dwell on it, recounting his experiences in the Underworld with Sharron and the Knight of Swords.

Madam Magician listened attentively without interrupting, sometimes showing a thoughtful expression.

"What secrets are hidden in the body of the Second Epoch's Goddess of Harvest?" Lumian asked at the end.

Madam Magician replied, shaking her head, "I don't know."

She paused for a moment before adding, "There are things I hadn't planned to tell you so early because it's not good for you. But since you've merged with Omebella's bloodline and experienced the Underworld, I can share a bit. Do you remember the relic of Omebella I mentioned?"

"Yes," Lumian said, one of his reasons for merging with Omebella's bloodline being the hope of briefly using the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact formed from the relic.

Madam Magician continued, "Do you know where it is?"

Before Lumian could shake his head, she answered herself, "It's in the New City of Silver."

New City of Silver? The Church of The Fool's headquarters? Lumian thought of the giant-like beings that made him feel like a dwarf.

Omebella's relic is a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact of the Church of The Fool's in New City of Silver?

Madam Magician pondered for a few seconds before saying, "First, you need to understand a piece of mystical knowledge. Marauders, the Angels of the Error pathway, can steal others' identities and destinies.

In other words, someone whose identity and destiny are stolen will no longer be recognized by their parents, spouse, or children, gradually becoming rejected by fate."

Lumian recalled the Substitution Spell in the Inevitability domain, which also involved one's identity and fate.

Though different from Madam Magician's description and on a much lower level, it helped Lumian understand her words.

Seeing he had no questions, Madam Magician continued, "According to what we know, I suspect the Goddess of Harvest Omebella had Her identity and destiny stolen by a high-ranking member of the Error pathway and was killed by Her direct relatives.

"Up to this point, it sounds like nothing more than a horrific conspiracy, but think about it. Why would the body of the Goddess of Harvest, killed by Her direct relatives and robbed of Her identity and destiny, end up in the former City of Silver, not silently in a battlefield corner?

"And more strangely, the ancestors of the City of Silver knew it was Omebella's body and Her true identity. At the time, the Steal effect was still present!"

Lumian sensed something amiss and frowned, "What's the City of Silver's records or speculations on this? Does Omebella's body contain Beyonder characteristics?"

"None," Madam Magician answered firmly. "The City of Silver's records are sparse due to the Ancient Sun God's rule in the Third Epoch. But their ancestors mentioned that the Goddess of Harvest walked to the City of Silver on Her own. Heh heh. Strange, right? You'll understand more when you can temporarily use that Grade O Sealed Artifact. Now is not the time."

This confirms that Omebella held significant mysteries... Lumian asked cautiously, "What did the goat-faced Demon mean when it said I had taken the egg for myself?"

Madam Magician gazed at Lumian for a moment before saying, "There's no change in your body, but I temporarily can't confirm whether it's the same for the egg. It'll need some observation."

Lumian tersely acknowledged her words and pointed to the clear, serene Lake Dalsh. "What's special about this lake? How is it related to the Underworld?"

Madam Magician laughed.

"The temperance faction had a King of Angels and Angels ruling here for a thousand years, but they couldn't uncover the lake's secrets. Why would I find out in a short time?

"Even the direct descendants of the Eggers family don't know why Lake Dalsh is special.

"From your Underworld trip, it seems the lake's uniqueness predates the Eggers' ancestor becoming Death."

"Related to the ancient Death, Phoenix Ancestor Gregrace?" Lumian inferred from Madam Magician's words.

Thinking of the huge black egg beneath the ancient Death's corpse, he found this explanation plausible for why Oxyto wanted the bird-clawed creature to be born with Lake Dalsh's help.

"Perhaps," Madam Magician replied uncertainly.

Lumian was silent for a few seconds before changing the topic.

"Madam Magician, now that we have part of the Abscessed Hand's body, I want to go to Lenburg soon to find the City of Exiles, Morora."

"You're feeling a sense of urgency, rather impatient as well," Madam Magician remarked. "Relax for a few days, calm your mind, then go.

We'll follow up on the vortex matter. Your companions will investigate the Mirror People. You probably can't take your companions into the City of Exiles. Also, focus on learning languages. After dealing with the City of Exiles, prepare your team for the advancement."

"Alright," Lumian agreed, feeling he needed to adjust his state.

...

Trier, Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, Apartment 702, 9 Rue Orosai.

Lumian reunited with Franca, Jenna, and Anthony.

After recounting his experiences in the Underworld, Franca said with genuine emotion, "So that's what the Underworld is like. The River Styx really exists..."

Then she frowned immediately.

"You've fully digested your Reaper potion, but I'm still a bit short on my Pleasure..."

In this digestion, Lumian credited eighty percent to Madame Sharron, ten percent to the Knight of Swords, and only ten percent to himself.

Without pride and after some thought, he said to Franca, "Maybe I can help you quickly digest Pleasure."

"Huh..." Franca raised an eyebrow while Jenna looked puzzled.

Lumian smiled and explained, "I've accumulated fate fragments from Moran Avigny's lust outburst. If we find a powerful Beyonder to take this fate, wouldn't it allow you to digest Pleasure significantly?

"Hmm, Pirate Admirals out at sea would be perfect for this."

-x-X-x-

Franca was dumbfounded. "Is that even possible?"

This can be recycled?

It's not like it's water!

I've already digested a lot of my Pleasure potion because of Moran Avigny...

"Why not?" Lumian said with a smile. "It's like wanting a powerful target to experience pleasure but needing my help to get close enough.

Pleasure doesn't have to be one-on-one, otherwise Browns Sauron's female orgies wouldn't make sense. What we're doing is like dealing with Moran Avigny while also affecting another target."

"This... but..." Franca had to admit that Lumian had a point, and it was possible, but it felt like exploiting a loophole, like using a bug ina game.

At the same time, Franca complained to herself about Lumian, Have you been reading too many illegal books or watching too many orgies?

How can you talk about one-to-many so naturally... Also, borrowing your help for other things is fine, but when it comes to pleasure, this description is just too strange...

Under the watchful eyes of Anthony and the still somewhat puzzled Jenna, Lumian turned to Franca and asked, "Let's imagine a scenario:

You're experiencing pleasure with someone, and another person passes by and sees the scene, getting strongly aroused and experiencing pleasure themselves. Would that help you digest your Pleasure potion?"

"Yes," Franca answered with some certainty.

Based on her experience, pleasure didn't have to involve direct contact or a fixed method. As long as it met the basic condition of the target experiencing pleasure because of her, it worked. It was even better if it left the target deeply immersed and unable to extricate themselves.

Realizing this, Franca suddenly paused.

If this were my world before I transmigrated over, as long as one could abandon decency, shame, and morality, digesting the Pleasure potion would be incredibly easy. After the preparations, it might only take a few days or even hours to fully digest it.

Lumian responded with a smile, "What's the fundamental difference between the scenario I described and transferring Moran Avigny's fate fragment to a Pirate Admiral, causing a lust outburst?"

"None..." Franca was convinced.

She then sighed and said, "You're really good at exploiting bugs."

"What's a bug here?" Jenna asked, confused.

Lumian, having heard this strange word from his sister Aurore, helped explain, "Exploiting a bug means taking advantage of a loophole."

Franca clicked her tongue and nodded.

"You know, sometimes I think you'd be better suited for the Error pathway."

"Then I'd probably become an Amon by now," Lumian replied with self-awareness, laughing.

Franca, being an individual of action—otherwise, she wouldn't have drunk the Witch potion—immediately asked, "Which Pirate Admiral should we target?

"Isn't it too dangerous? Each Pirate Admiral has their own fleet with many Beyonders and backing from powerful forces."

"We're just giving him pleasure, not doing anything else. What's there to worry about?" Lumian replied casually. "Even if we can't hold back and kill him, so what? We've already offended plenty of powerful forces.

These Pirate Admirals aren't exactly law-abiding citizens."

Seeing Franca still wanting to say something, Lumian added, "This will also be a good test for our team. Trust me, the few of us together are as good as any Pirate Admiral's crew. Plus, we can find opportunities for Jenna to digest her Witch potion and for Anthony to digest his Hypnotist potion."

"Alright." Franca nodded. "Let's gather intelligence on the Pirate Admirals and see who we can locate."

First, they needed to find someone!

Having settled that, Franca once again commented on Lumian's Underworld trip, "That ended so quickly. I couldn't contact 007 last night to give him Jenna's messenger summoning method. I thought I'd return to Trier tonight to complete this task. Who knew the whole mission would end so soon? We don't need to go to the Southern Continent or give 007 the summoning method."

She had expected the mission to last several days, maybe a week or two, but it was done in one morning.

In Saint Viève Cathedral.

Angoulême, wearing a brown wool coat, stood at the door of the room, gazing up the stairs leading to the higher floor.

Yesterday, he and several colleagues were ordered to stay on night duty without being given a reason.

Angoulême could vaguely guess the reason, as he had provided the relevant information to the higher-ups.

As time slowly passed, a middle-aged man in a white robe with golden threads came up the grand staircase.

The man had black hair and brown eyes, an authoritative presence, and neatly trimmed mustache.

Angoulême recognized him. They had interacted a few times while handling some occult cases in the Trier region.

This was Peacock, Senior Deacon of the Purifiers and one of the heads of the Inquisition.

He wasn't Angoulême's direct superior, as he was in charge of the surrounding areas of Trier, essentially the entire Trier district except for Trier itself.

He was not a demigod of the Sun pathway but a Sequence 4 of the Lawyer pathway, a Earl of The Fallen.

Seeing Peacock, Angoulême averted his gaze and retreated further into the room.

He suspected that Peacock was a core member of April Fool's outside the Curly-Haired Baboon Research Society, who had orchestrated the release of the humanoid Sealed Artifact 1-147 from church control.

Angoulême's reasoning was simple: The April Fool's core member within the church had used a Broker's Under the Table transaction to get other Purifiers to release 1-147 for various purposes. The Lawyer pathway was similar to the Broker pathway, adept at twisting terms in deals and agreements to achieve their goals.

This pathway's demigods had been involved in numerous shady transactions, making them most likely to come into contact with or be contacted by a Broker.

Before Overseer Perle was discovered, Peacock wasn't on the Eternal Blazing Sun Church's investigation list because 1-147 wasn't in his jurisdiction, and he hadn't left his Inquisition during that time. Despite knowing the location and information of most Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts as a Senior Deacon, he wasn't suspected.

Today, Peacock was at Saint Viève Cathedral for a meeting.

The official reason was to discuss disrupting the Mirror People's plans and eliminating these hidden rats. The demigods of the Trier district needed to meet face-to-face to finalize their strategy.

After Peacock's figure in the white robe with golden threads disappeared up the stairs, Angoulême slowly exhaled and became more vigilant about what might happen.

A minute or two later, Angoulême felt the whole cathedral gently tremble.

This lasted only a few seconds before stopping. Few noticed except those already on alert for such occurrences.

In a sunlit room near the dome.

Cardinal of the Eternal Blazing Sun Church and Archbishop of Trier, Plessy, with high cheekbones and blond hair turning white, stood beside a woman in a white robe, beautiful yet sacred.

She was Saint Viève, Trier's guardian angel!

Opposite them, near the door, Peacock's body twisted, mostly melted, revealing an interior seemingly filled with white wax.

The Senior Deacon of the Purifiers laughed heartily. "The Overseer informed me immediately that she was compromised. I've been using this wax figure to act for days!"

His real body hid in the shadows, observing without interacting with anyone from the Eternal Blazing Sun Church.

"Just as expected..." Trier Archbishop Plessy sighed.

This had been anticipated. The Overseer's escape made this development inevitable.

Though the church had kept the Overseer's escape secret, they hadn't held much hope.

The wax figure of the Earl of The Fallen Peacock quickly melted. Looking at Saint Viève's impassive face, his voice turned sharp as he laughed again.

"I made the only right choice.

"The Crimson will come. Only by submitting to the great existences can we Survive the apocalypse!

"The Crimson will come!"

After shouting, Peacock's wax figure completely melted into a half-solidified, half-liquid mess.

Saint Viève, dressed in a white robe with golden threads and no other ornaments, watched silently before speaking a few seconds later, "Who made this wax figure for him?"

"Probably acquired through a Broker," Trier Archbishop Plessy replied gravely.

Saint Viève, Her tone unchanged, said, "Few Beyonders can make such a wax figure."

"Yes, that's a lead to follow." Plessy nodded.

A wax figure that could initially fool an Angel's senses wasn't simple.

Finding its maker might lead to uncovering the Broker and the hidden Overseer.

Saint Viève continued, "Inform all bishops, padres, and Purifiers about Peacock's fall, but don't issue a wanted notice."

"Yes." Plessy agreed that a wanted notice for a demigod would be useless and might damage the Church's image among the public.

A few days later, Franca, Anthony, and the others used different channels to gather the latest sightings and rumored whereabouts of the Pirate Admirals.

Looking at the information, Franca patted the top sheet and said to Lumian, "How about this one?"

Lumian glanced at the name and read it silently: Admiral Deep Sea, Howl Constantine.

-x-X-x-

Lumian had already looked through the information Franca had gathered and could guess her reasoning for this choice: Howl Constantine-Admiral Deep Sea-with rumored sea monster blood, often went to an island called "Banamo" west of the Fog Sea for supplies. A few days ago, someone spotted Howl Constantine's flagship, the Newins, surfacing on a route to Banamo, allowing the crew to breathe fresh air and enjoy their precious freedom.

Based on the distance, speed, route conditions, and weather in the Fog Sea, it was estimated that the Newins would reach Banamo in about two to three days.

Among all the Pirate Admirals, he was the only one with a predictable trajectory in the near future!

"We can give it a try," Lumian responded nonchalantly to Franca's suggestion.

Having participated in battles at the demigod level and played a significant role, he felt that which Pirate Admiral they targeted didn't matter much as long as they could locate him.

Franca glanced at Lumian and mumbled, "I think there's something wrong with your attitude. You can't underestimate the best of the Sequence 5s. You're not a demigod yet, and your body is still fragile.

Underestimating Admiral Deep Sea could cost you dearly. There's a saying from my homeland: Strategically, you can underestimate your enemy, but tactically, you must respect them."

"I know. Aurore used to remind me of that, telling me not to underestimate the villagers' intelligence and think my pranks would always succeed without problems. After being chased by them a few times, I understood it well." Lumian said earnestly, "Your homeland also has another saying: Weakness and ignorance aren't barriers to survival, but arrogance is."

"Stop!" Franca grumbled. "As long as you know it; don't turn this into an exchange of famous sayings."

Seeing they had decided on the target, Jenna spoke up, "The problem now is, how do we get to Banamo Island?"

Banamo, located in the northwest of the Fog Sea, was once a Feysac Empire colony. Later, as the Feysac Empire declined and the natives of Banamo resisted actively, the island gained independence.

It helped that Banamo lacked valuable resources and was only a base for exploring the Fog Sea's end. Giving it up wasn't a big loss.

After gaining independence, Banamo developed into a pirate haven, offering a place for pirates to trade and resupply.

Jenna's point was clear: Even with clear routes and good weather, it would take two to three weeks to sail from Trier to Banamo. Any issues requiring detours or delays could stretch the journey to a month. By then, Admiral Deep Sea would likely have left Banamo, and finding a Pirate Admiral on the open sea would be almost impossible without a stroke of fate.

Given the circumstances, only teleportation could ensure the team reached Banamo in time to wait for Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine. However, neither Lumian nor Franca had the spirit world coordinates for Banamo Island, making long-distance teleportation impossible without getting lost in the spirit world.

Lumian thought for a moment and asked Franca, "Can we contact anyone on Banamo Island?"

"We should be able to. There's a telegraph office on Banamo Island," Franca answered thoughtfully. "We can ask adventurers who've been to Banamo to send a telegram to their friends on the island."

Lumian chuckled. "Good. If everything goes well, we can arrive at Banamo Island tonight."

...

Banamo Island in the Fog Sea, shrouded in perennial fog and gloomy weather.

In the island's only port, Mason, carrying a bundle of items, navigated through the bustling pirates and entered an abandoned warehouse.

The warehouse had been destroyed in a pirate skirmish and never repaired, becoming a desolate spot.

Mason was an adventurer who despised the brutal and ruthless pirates but couldn't leave Banamo because the pirate haven was full of opportunities.

Even if he didn't hunt down solitary, bounty-carrying pirates, he could wait for pirate feuds to end and take the remaining goods from the losers.

This was how he became a Beyonder, now a Sequence 8 Pugilist.

(Amonoculus' note: From the Twilight Giant Pathway)

Today, Mason took on a task supposedly very simple but with a reward of 1,000 verl d'or, seeking a secluded place to complete it.

He quickly cleared the pile of broken wooden crates, stacking them to form an altar.

Following the task description, he placed candles, incense, and essential oils on the altar.

After the preparations, Mason took out the neatly folded task description and read the next steps, "The most challenging part of this task is the necessary knowledge, including basic ancient Hermes and proficient Hermes. If you don't meet these conditions, don't take the commission..."

Fortunately, I learned some ancient Hermes and enough Hermes from other adventurers... Mason felt lucky for his past decision when taking this task.

It wasn't that he was more studious than other adventurers, but the items he had previously acquired involved Hermes. To understand their true value, he had paid an adventurer proficient in Hermes to teach him for a while.

After quickly reading the second half of the task description, Mason assessed the potential dangers and felt confident it wouldn't be a big problem.

He then arduously created a wall of spirituality, lit the candles, dripped the incense, and took two steps back, chanting in ancient Hermes, "I!"

This was one of the few words he knew in ancient Hermes.

He then switched to Hermes:

"I summon in my name:

"A creature wandering above the world, the penitent who awakens from the flames of pain, a messenger that belongs solely to Lumian Lee..."

As Mason finished, the candle flames surged, turning a deep green, almost black.

In the firelight, a tall figure in a black clergyman's robe emerged.

Mason took a step back in fear at the sight.

The figure's exposed parts seemed long scorched by flames, with blackened flesh and skin clinging to the bones. Its eye sockets were dark, burning with deep-colored flames, and its body was oozing a viscous black fluid like water.

It looked like an undead creature!

Mason had seen similar beings in Banamo Port, as some pirates were adept at communicating with corpses. However, the summoned Penitent made Mason instinctively fearful, sensing it was fundamentally different from ordinary undead.

Even the Pirate Admirals who had visited Banamo Port hadn't given Mason this feeling!

Seeing the dried corpse in a black clergyman's robe looking at him, Mason shakily handed over the letter.

His task was to deliver a letter to someone named Lumian Lee!

The blackened, burning corpse messenger took the letter and disappeared into the dark-green candlelight.

The abandoned warehouse returned to normal.

Mason wiped his cold sweat and muttered to himself, "This seems more complicated than I thought... I've heard of people being lured into special rituals, summoning evil gods or devils, destroying themselves and their towns... Was that what just happened? Is a catastrophe coming to Banamo Port? Is Lumian Lee the true name of an evil god or demon?"

won Mason had previously seen that the ritual only summoned a messenger, unrelated to evil gods or demons. As a Sequence 8 Beyonder, he had taken the risk, but the messenger made him uneasy.

Muttering to himself, Mason cleaned up the items on the altar.

Suddenly, he stopped and frowned.

"I think I've heard the name Lumian Lee somewhere before..."

He tried to recall but couldn't remember.

Before leaving the abandoned warehouse, Mason glanced back at the makeshift altar, seeing shadows shifting within the broken crates.

His heart tightened. Pretending he hadn't seen anything, Mason quickly left the warehouse.

In Trier, within Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, in the apartment rented by Franca and Jenna.

Lumian saw Penitent Baynfel step out of the void and hand hima letter.

He didn't even open it, knowing it contained only blank paper.

He asked his messenger, "Can you deliver a reply to the sender?"

"I can," Penitent Baynfel answered in a low voice.

Lumian smiled and pointed to himself.

"Lam the reply."

In the foggy Banamo Port, Lumian leaned against the outer wall of the abandoned warehouse, watching the sender walk out with a fearful expression and quickly leave.

He smiled, took a golden straw hat from the Traveler's Backpack, looked at it for a moment, and put it back.

Having the famous adventurer Louis Berry appear here would arouse unnecessary suspicion and might cause Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine to change his destination and avoid Banamo Port.

Lumian straightened up, tightened his thick jacket, and walked slowly along the streets of Banamo Port, his hands in his pockets.

He planned to take a look around before returning to fetch Franca and the others.

Trier, late at night.

Angoulême arrived at the agreed-upon empty house to retrieve emergency contact information from Hidden Blade.

He quickly found the note and read its contents: "In case of emergency, summon my friend's messenger: "Rabbit-shaped spirit that wanders about the unfounded, a runner who pursues knowledge, a messenger that belongs solely to the Seven of Cups."

Seven of Cups... From the Tarot Club? Hidden Blade, your friend is you, right? Angoulême muttered to himself.

He felt he understood why Hidden Blade always had so many troublesome matters.

-x-X-x-

Banamo Port.

As Lumian strolled along the streets, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had arrived in Backlund, the capital of the Loen Kingdom. Although he had never been there, the foggy sky and damp, cold environment mirrored Trier's newspapers and magazines' mockery of Backlund.

Of course, the architectural style here was distinctly different from Backlund's. There were two main types: one was large yet not crude, with typical Feysac characteristics, and the other was a mix of stone and wood, simple and rough, often crowded together without any clear planning.

Most of the people on the streets were dressed like typical pirates, with short knives strapped to their waists and guns tucked into their belts, not bothering to conceal their weapons. In contrast, the locals with dark-brown skin always wore smiles, their faces full of deference.

Lumian fully understood the mindset of the natives. After all, angering a pirate could result in being dragged into a corner and killed, or having someone sneak into their home at night to murder them. The killer would then sail away on their pirate ship without a care.

The current rulers of Banamo Island were trying to recruit pirates and adventurers to maintain order and hoped the great pirates would agree on a pirate code to regulate behavior in the port. However, these measures had limited effectiveness.

This was because seasoned pirates couldn't suddenly start obeying laws and strict rules, even if they became sheriffs or police officers.

Moreover, there wasn't a strong enough force on the island to keep them in check. As a result, it was common for sheriffs to break the law and accept bribes to shield criminals.

The pirate code, agreed upon by the great pirates, wasn't mandatory.

Even if someone broke it, they would only face minor punishment within their own crew. No one would hand over their own men to be dealt with by others.

These measures' greatest effect was making Banamo Port appear somewhat orderly. As Lumian admired the bustling street scenes, he occasionally heard screams or gunshots from the alleys.

This place is perfect for a Hunter, he thought, genuinely appreciating it.

When two groups of pirates started a brawl in the middle of the street, Lumian had a sudden idea: A Iarge-scale plague for a Demoness of Despair advancement ritual could work here...

But I would need to develop medicine to prevent infection or severe illness and secretly distribute it to the locals...

The only problem is that there aren't 30,000 pirates here. However, there are quite a few Beyonders among them. Infecting them and causing them suffering and despair should significantly reduce the number needed for the ritual...

As Lumian watched the pirate brawl with interest, he pondered the feasibility of holding the Demoness of Despair ritual in Banamo Port.

When the fight was almost over, the sheriffs finally arrived, dispersing the two groups and symbolically arresting a few people.

They were just waiting for the respective pirate crews to pay the fines!

As for the grievances between the two groups, the sheriffs didn't care. If they wanted revenge, they would have to settle it out at sea.

Meanwhile, adventurers and locals quietly dragged away some of the pirate corpses left on the street.

Lumian felt like applauding this kind of order.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight and the sun filtering through the fog, he continued his leisurely stroll through Banamo Port.

Passing a stone house with a small square, he saw a dozen or so people gathered, mostly locals. A pirate wearing a bicorne hat and blue woolen clothes stood on a stone platform in front of them.

The pirate was shouting in Feysac, "You're just a bunch of pups fresh from your mother's embrace. If you want to become proper pirates, you need training. Today, I'll give you your first lesson: who you can and can't mess with at sea..."

Feysac was the language with the least difference from ancient Feysac.

Lumian, skilled in ancient Feysac, barely understood what the pirate was Saying. He realized that the pirate crew was recruiting newcomers and providing basic training.

Why does this feel like a big company in Trier hiring new employees...

Lumian grumbled to himself as he watched the pirate display wanted posters and portraits, introducing the six kings, nine admirals, and notable adventurers.

This was exactly the information Lumian needed. He stopped and listened from a distance.

As expected, he saw a portrait and detailed introduction of Louis Berry.

At the end, the pirate with the bicorne hat pointed to a portrait and said, "His bounty isn't high, but you must never underestimate him, or even have any contact with him."

No contact at alI? Lumian focused on the portrait, seeing a burly man in his thirties with thick brown body hair, wearing suspenders and a white shirt.

The pirate's tone became serious as he introduced the man to the new pirates, "His name is Frank Lee, the first mate of the Queen of Stars. He's a Druid.

"What is a Druid? I'll explain when we cover Beyonder knowledge. For now, just know that a Druid is Sequence 5, on par with the Pirate Admirals. So, understand how terrifying Frank Lee is?

"But that's not the main reason adventurers and pirates fear him. I don't know the exact reason either. I only know that every pirate and adventurer who's encountered Frank Lee acts like they've gone mad. They jump out of their chairs and sometimes vomit when his name is mentioned. They always warn me to stay away from Frank Lee and not to leave any blood near him or eat anything found around him..."

So, the legendary Druid Frank Lee is the first mate of the Pirate King...

But why are so many pirates and adventurers so terrified of him? Even if he has the strength of a Pirate Admiral and is ruthless, it shouldn't cause this reaction... Lumian silently mused as he listened to the pirate's introduction.

He was curious about what made Frank Lee so special.

After watching the pirate crew's recruitment, Lumian headed to the nearby Carnival Bar.

He pushed through the unapologetically pirate crowd and sat on a high stool at the bar, ordering a Lanti Proof.

The common language in Banamo Port was Feysac, but pirates spoke various languages, and few were multilingual. Those who spoke Feysac formed one circle, those who spoke Intisian another, and so on. Lumian chose the Carnival Bar because all its signage was in Intisian.

In the noisy, lively environment, Lumian took two sips of his drink, put down his glass, and asked the bartender loudly in Intisian, "Do you have detailed information on the nine Pirate Admirals? Something beyond the wanted posters."

Suddenly, the entire bar went silent. Every pirate turned to look at Lumian at the bar.

It became so quiet that the sound of someone swallowing could be heard.

The bartender's expression turned awkward and amused. He asked Lumian, "Are you an adventurer?"

An adventurer coming to a pirate bar to ask for detailed information on the Pirate Admirals!

Lumian didn't answer the bartender. He half-turned to look at the staring pirates.

Around him, one by one, crimson-white fireballs began to form and float in the air.

Lumian smiled, raising his chin slightly. "Even though your bounties are low and I don't want to bother, if anyone wants to give me money voluntarily, I won't mind accepting it."

The pirates' expressions changed, but Lumian's gaze remained steady.

He scanned their faces and sneered. "Anyone want to try?"

Silence. The entire Carnival Bar remained silent.

Everyone could feel the danger in those crimson-white fireballs.

Lumian stopped provoking them, pointing to a chair a few meters behind him.

"Don't appear behind me. Don't think about using the crowd to get close and assassinate me.

"If anyone crosses that chair, I'll kill them."

After speaking, Lumian turned back, smiling at the bartender amid the fireballs.

"Now, you can answer my question."

Seeing this adventurer not introduce himself or boast about his exploits, but show absolute confidence and a nonchalant attitude toward killing, the bartender forced a smile.

"We know about the same as the wanted posters. If you want more hidden details, ask the enemies of the Pirate Admirals. Emperor Roselle once said the person who knows you best is your enemy."

"Tell me about each Pirate Admiral's enemies," Lumian said, taking another sip of his Lanti Proof.

In the bar, the pirates resumed their conversations, while some quietly left, seemingly to find help upon seeing the adventurer easily maintain the fireballs.

Lumian didn't stop them or even look their way.

When the bartender finished, Lumian had a general understanding of who Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine's enemies were. This Pirate Admiral with sea monster blood was usually low-key and mysterious.

Besides doing pirate work in a bloody and brutal manner, he rarely clashed with other Pirate Admirals or major forces. However, the former Vice Admiral Dusk, now the King of Dusk, Bulatov Ivan, suspected Howl Constantine's two "submarine ships" came from a legendary sea treasure, the Lost Newins. He targeted Admiral Deep Sea, seeking information on the Newins, leading to multiple conflicts.

When Bulatov became a king over the seas, Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine had no choice but to avoid this powerhouse and his fleet.

-x-X-x-

Lumian listened to the bartender recount the rivalries and grudges of the Pirate Admirals while the pirates behind him grew increasingly restless.

They were all hoping someone would make the first move, either by shooting or stabbing the arrogant adventurer, so they could all rush him at once.

But the threat of those crimson-white fireballs deterred them. They looked at each other, but no one dared cross the chair Lumian had designated.

They figured anyone this brazen had to be pretty strong, and the Carnival Bar was low-tier, with no high-profile pirates around. They could only hope those who had left would return with someone more formidable.

After about ten minutes, one of the pirates who had left pushed open the heavy wooden door.

Behind him was a middle-aged man wearing a tricorne hat and dressed in dark blue.

The pirates in the bar immediately straightened up, holding their breath. The noisy, lively atmosphere quickly returned to silence.

Some of them recognized the man, knowing him as Captain Flying Hadmagk of the Rosemary, a well-known pirate just below the Pirate Admirals, active on the Five Seas for over a decade.

The pirate who opened the door flashed a flattering smile and pointed at Lumian's back. "Captain, that's the adventurer I mentioned! He dared to provoke all the pirates in Banamo Port!"

Hadmagk, with his thick, dark hair and imposing presence, stared at Lumian's back for a few seconds. He paused before asking, "How long has he been maintaining those fireballs?"

"I don't know. They were there when I left the bar, but he might not have kept them up the whole time," the pirate replied. He grabbed a young pirate sitting by the door, pointing at Lumian and growling, "How long has he been keeping those fireballs up?"

The young pirate, a bit flustered, glanced at the old clock on the wall and stammered, "Almost... almost fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes? Flying Hadmagk's eyelid twitched, and he suddenly looked like he remembered something important.

He immediately cursed at his sailor, "Did you forget about our important deal at the docks? Bastard, is your brain filled with nothing but booze, women, and pride?"

Cursing, Flying Haddock turned and walked out of the Carnival Bar.

His sailor, though dumbfounded, instinctively followed him.

The captain is always right!

The Carnival Bar remained quiet as Lumian finished his Lanti Proof and stood up.

With those crimson-white fireballs still floating around him, he swept his gaze over the pirates once more.

Then he smiled, raised his right hand, brought his index and middle fingers to his lips, and blew softly.

It was like he was blowing away the smoke from a gun after shooting everyone in the bar.

As the pirates' eyes and expressions shifted, Lumian leisurely walked towards the door with his hands in his pockets.

One by one, the pirates instinctively moved out of his way.

Some felt aggrieved, some ground their teeth, and others consoled themselves with thoughts like, It's not fear; those fireballs are just too blinding!

Lumian seemed utterly unafraid of being ambushed as he walked out of the Carnival Bar, almost like he was receiving their admiration and welcome.

...

Late at night, in an inconspicuous hotel room in Banamo Port.

Leaning back in his chair, Lumian said to Franca, "Disguise yourself and spread the word that an unknown adventurer has been provoking all the pirates, claiming they're cowards with no real strength, and that he could crush any pirate's head under his boot."

Franca's mouth twitched slightly. "Fishing again? You're quite the expert at this..."

Lumian chuckled in response. "According to the information we've gathered, Admiral Deep Sea prefers to stay out of the public eye because of his sea monster bloodline. Even if he comes to Banamo Port, he'll likely stay on his flagship, the Newins. If he wants women or food, someone will bring it to him.

"In this situation, we'll have to risk sneaking onto the Newins. It's an alchemical ship from some ancient ruins, and we have no idea what traps or mechanisms it might have. Plus, there are bound to be many Beyonder pirates on board. As a Hunter, we should avoid fighting on someone else's turf.

"I deliberately provoked the pirates in Banamo Port because I know no Pirate Admirals are here right now. I have enough confidence to handle the other notable pirates. They should soon figure this out too. Expecting pirate crews to work together against me overestimates their trust in each other. Who would they rather rob?

"I don't expect the pirates to have collective pride, but they definitely want to show off their abilities and earn more fear and respect. The pirates in Banamo Port are waiting for a pirate strong enough to deal with me. At that point, when the Newins arrives and Admiral Deep Sea is here, what do you think will happen?"

Jenna suddenly understood.

"If Admiral Deep Sea leaves the Newins and takes action himself, that would be the best outcome. We would be fighting on our terms. Even if he isn't interested, his top men won't miss the chance. With Admiral Deep Sea as their backup, they won't fear failure and will be more willing to challenge you. This will reduce the number of Beyonders on the Newins, giving us our chance."

"Good psychological analysis," Lumian teased.

Jenna shot him a look.

"A good actor needs to understand people's minds."

"And then perform for the 'spectators'?" Lumian joked.

Anthony didn't react.

Franca scoffed. "What if a Pirate King's fleet arrives before the Newins?"

Lumian spread his hands and said, "That's why the adventurer is 'unknown. ' The benefit is that he can disappear without a trace. Change his face and appearance, and we can execute another plan."

"A Conspirer is really an outright schemer..." Franca muttered. "Alright, let's do it."

Lumian then discussed the possibility of using a large-scale plague in Banamo Port, emphasizing the need to secretly distribute preventive medicine to the locals beforehand.

Franca was stunned.

After a few seconds, she said, "You even thought of that... How about we start a plague company? Just kidding, there's some plausibility in this, but in this day and age, there are no vaccines-uh, preventive medicine?"

"Normally, we wouldn't have it, but we can turn to mysticism," Lumian replied. "The Apothecary path specializes in this. We just need to provide them with a number of infected individuals for observation, research, and experimentation. They should be able to create effective preventive or curative medicine. We won't have trouble finding an Apothecary. The Fool Pharmaceutical Company has plenty of them."

Lumian knew from Miss Magician that The Fool Pharmaceutical Company had many ties to the Tarot Club.

Jenna began to calculate.

"A medicine with mystical effects would cost at least 100 verl d'or per bottle. There are probably over ten thousand non-pirate residents in Banamo Port. We'd need to prepare at least a million verl d'or. We can't expect the Apothecaries from The Fool Pharmaceutical Company to work for free or cover the material costs."

One million verl d'or wasn't a small sum. Even a Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic only cost around 200,000 verl d'or.

"A million verl d'or to become a demigod is a good deal," Lumian suddenly laughed. "A million verl d'or is just an Admiral Deep Sea. Even if we can't kill him, his top men are valuable too."

Franca sighed and replied, "You're starting to sound a bit like Gehrman Sparrow. But while Gehrman Sparrow treated pirates as his piggy bank, only targeting high-bounty ones, you're aiming to eradicate them completely!"

A plague like that would likely affect thousands, if not tens of thousands, of pirates.

Before Lumian could respond, Franca self-mockingly laughed.

"Poor Admiral Deep Sea. Just sitting on his flagship, doing nothing, and suddenly he's our target."

Lumian chuckled, and said with some realization, "Nothing to pity. A Hunter's job is to create chaos and strife. And your primary job as a Demoness is to bring catastrophe and affliction. It's better to inflict these on pirates than innocent people."

Franca and Jenna fell silent for a moment.

...

Achoo!

Banamo Port, Mason, sitting at the docks with a bottle of rye beer, suddenly sneezed.

He immediately thought of the messenger summoning ritual he had completed that afternoon and the unsettling messenger it had summoned, muttering to himself, "Could that sneeze be some kind of spirituality warning?

"Am I really going to be the protagonist of some occult event, the fool who makes a mistake and attracts an evil god or devil?

"Did the ritual I performed bring some kind of catastrophe to Banamo Port?

"Have hidden dangers and problems started quietly spreading in the shadows?"

Gulping down a large swig of beer, Mason tried to reassure himself that he was just scaring himself.

From afternoon until now, there had been no signs of calamity or reports of strange phenomena!

It was just a messenger summoning. It should be fine!

-x-X-x-

Two days later, at a quiet spot on the docks of Banamo Port.

Jenna, dressed in a black outfit that looked like a cross between a dress and a robe, gazed out over the blue ocean shrouded in a thin fog.

Her task was to monitor the docks and be the first to spot Admiral Deep Sea's flagship, the Newins.

Of course, this was just one of her responsibilities. The most critical part was to ensure no Pirate King's fleet arrived at Banamo Port before the Newins. If that happened, she had to quickly inform Lumian so the unknown adventurer could disappear.

Jenna paced back and forth or found a spot to sit, patiently waiting for her target.

Suddenly, she saw a colossal shape break the surface of the water, emerging from the depths.

The massive object was jet black and metallic, with seawater cascading off its surface. It resembled an elongated, inflated spindle with a thin, curved metal tube extending from its top like a snail's eye stalk.

In the next moment, the metal tube retracted, and the upper half of the behemoth split open, unfolding outward to reveal a broad deck, numerous cannons, and hundreds of pirates. Masts and sails were raised.

Jenna was momentarily mesmerized. Though Lumian had described how Bone Splitter Basil's Black Octopus submerged, surfaced, and unfolded, seeing it in person was stunning.

There was a strong sense of mechanical beauty!

Moreover, the behemoth was no smaller than the latest steam-powered ocean liners, vastly superior to traditional sailing pirate ships.

Jenna didn't need further confirmation to know this was Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine's flagship, the Newins.

She quickly deduced that the Newins had arrived alone, without the Black Octopus.

Since Vice Admiral Dusk Bulatov Ivan became the King of Dusk, other ships in Admiral Deep Sea's fleet rarely traveled with the flagship. The Newins and the Black Octopus could submerge and travel secretly, which other ships couldn't do. Forcing them to follow would only expose Howl Constantine's movements.

This was one reason Franca had targeted Admiral Deep Sea.

What a beautiful piece of alchemical machinery... Jenna thought, staring at the Newins.

Her father had been a worker, and his appreciation for machinery had deeply influenced her and her brother Julien.

With Trier full of all sorts of useful and odd machines, Julien had almost given up his faith in the Eternal Blazing Sun in his youth to join the God of Steam and Machinery's Church.

Jenna withdrew her gaze and walked away from the dock, somewhat worried about something else.

Her brother Julien would return to Trier in just over a month after his exchange studies. She didn't want him to continue living in this dangerous city built on a "caldera." She wanted Julien to settle in a place with strong official forces but not as dangerous as Trier. Port LeSeur, where he was currently staying, or another similar town would be ideal.

Jenna knew she couldn't persuade Julien. He would worry about her unless she found a reliable person to marry. Besides, Julien had grown up in Trier, and it offered him more opportunities. How could he leave his hometown?

I need to find a way, something temporary to convince him. Permanent relocation is something Julien would never accept. As Franca said, maybe try for three years, then another three... Jenna didn't consider having Anthony directly "hypnotize" Julian.

Just then, two drunken pirates stumbled onto the dock and spotted Jenna in her hooded, dress-like outfit.

They looked her up and down for a few seconds, exchanged glances, and blocked her path.

"Hey lady, name your price."

"If you don't want to, we'll just decide for ourselves!"

As they spoke, the pirates reached out to grab Jenna.

In Banamo Port, this wasn't uncommon. Local women either worked as streetwalkers in protected places like bars or stayed home to avoid attracting pirates. The best outcome would be the arrival of the sheriff and receive compensation, and the worst would be being killed on the spot by pirates unwilling to pay, their bodies thrown into the sea or taken aboard a ship and sold elsewhere.

Before the pirates could touch her, they suddenly found themselves engulfed in silent, evil black flames.

They felt a surge of fear and pain, sobering up instantly, and turned to flee in terror.

As they ran, they screamed, "Witch!"

"Witch!"

Jenna felt a bit of her Witch potion digest from their fear and pain. She watched them weaken under the black flames, collapsing and dying as they ran.

Jenna then faced a dilemma.

Should I maintain the mysterious and evil image of a Witch or follow my instincts and take the money from their corpses...

...

In a bar in Banamo Port.

Anthony sat on a barstool with a mug of beer, listening to a pirate across from him boast.

His task for the past two days had been to blend in with the pirates, monitor, and guide the "public opinion."

Although Lumian had analyzed a lot, he wasn't entirely sure how the pirate community would react. Human nature was unpredictable, and among so many pirates, it was normal for some to act in ways that defied logic.

A Conspirer couldn't predict events with certainty like a high-ranked Seer, Prophet, or Spectator. They needed to prepare extra measures to ensure things went as planned and not fall apart at the first deviation.

So, Anthony frequented the pirates' favorite bars, making as many friends as possible to understand their reactions to the unknown adventurer's provocations. He identified voices that could significantly influence the outcome and used his Hypnotist abilities to quietly guide and change the attitudes of a few influential pirates, ensuring the public opinion matched Lumian's goals.

This large-scale, covert guidance helped Anthony digest a good portion of his Hypnotist potion.

It involved actual hypnosis and seemed to indirectly guide the collective psyche of the pirates in Banamo Port.

Gulping down golden beer, the pirate beside Anthony admired his new friend.

To him, this new friend was not only amiable but also a good listener among pirates, not interrupting to show off during others' stories.

Holy Lord of Storms, it's rare to meet a pirate like this. I finally got to finish my story! The pirate Stilwell praised the god in his heart and asked Anthony, "Interested in joining our crew?"

Anthony smiled and replied, "I don't think I'm skilled enough to be one of you."

"Haha." Stilwell laughed proudly.

Anthony glanced around and lowered his voice, "Have you heard about the unknown adventurer?"

Stilwell's smile vanished instantly. "Yeah, I heard. There's so many pirate captains here, but none have taught that adventurer a lesson!

What are they waiting for? This is their chance to gain more fame. They might even become the tenth Pirate Admiral!"

In his rant, Stilwell never mentioned challenging the arrogant adventurer himself.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the bar.

"What's happening?" Stilwell picked up his beer and mumbled, heading towards the table.

After a while, he returned to the bar, excitedly telling Anthony, "Admiral Deep Sea is in Banamo!"

"Admiral Deep Sea is here?" Anthony looked delighted.

"Yes, someone will teach that bastard a lesson!" Stilwell sat back on his stool, enthusiastically, "That's a Pirate Admiral! Every Pirate Admiral earned their title through real battles, not just boasting. They could kill all the adventurers here if they wanted to!"

When Stilwell finished, Anthony echoed, "I'm already looking forward to it."

Gulp. Stilwell picked up his beer mug again and took a sip.

He boasted, "I thought Admiral Deep Sea would come to end the humiliation caused by those so-called notable pirates."

"Why do you say that?" Anthony asked curiously.

Stilwell glanced at him. "You don't know?"

Anthony smiled and explained, "Although I'm from Intis, our boss often intercepts ships in the Berserk Sea and rarely comes to the Fog Sea."

"That explains it." Stilwell nodded understandingly. He lowered his voice, "We suspect Admiral Deep Sea comes to Banamo Port every year to find that legendary treasure."

"Treasure? The Lost Newins?" Anthony acted like a genuine pirate.

The Lost Newins was one of the most famous treasure legends on the Five Seas, rumored to be at the bottom of a certain part of the Fog Sea.

It was said to be the site of an ancient civilization of intelligent beings, long destroyed. Strange items often appeared in the area, all pointing to the ancient Newins.

"Yes." Stilwell nodded emphatically. "Think about it. Admiral Deep Sea's flagship was found in some ruins and named the Newins. Anyone would suspect those ruins are the Lost Newins! Besides, the area where the Newins supposedly sank isn't far from here."

-x-X-x-

Banamo Port, Carnival Bar.

Adventurer Mason had donned the loose pants and thick jacket favored by pirates. He looked toward the unknown adventurer drinking strong liquor with his back to him, feeling a constant tension.

He wasn't worried about being hurt but was anxious about when this kind of life would end.

Pirates were never reasonable; they would always vent their anger on others. After no one stepped up to respond to the arrogant unknown adventurer, many pirates tried to take their anger out on other adventurers in Banamo Port.

Frequent adventurers in Banamo Port were used to a life of hiding. They would never openly identify as adventurers, disguising themselves as other professions instead. Otherwise, bodies would be found in alleys or floating near the docks.

In this pirate-dominated port, being an adventurer was clearly a dangerous and elusive profession. People like Mason had regular identities to disguise themselves, sometimes even joining pirate crews to help gather supplies while stationed in Banamo Port.

Taking on commissions wouldn't expose an adventurer's identity because many pirates also took jobs for rewards. For example, if they killed a rival pirate, they could collect a bounty through connections.

Who wouldn't want that?

Pirates approached tasks differently from adventurers. They would first identify the mission issuer and decide if they could kill the client directly. Some adventurers would naturally turn into bandits in lawless areas.

Mason had recently lost his job at a trading company. With his distinct, non-native features, he had to dress as a pirate to avoid trouble.

His thoughts drifted to a corner of the Carnival Bar near the window.

The walls were charred, the glass cracked, and overturned tables and chairs lay amidst two charred bodies that had been burning for a long time.

These were two pirates.

Earlier that afternoon, they had recognized an adventurer they had encountered before and decided to vent their malice on him. The unknown adventurer at the bar counter didn't even turn his head, summoning one fiery raven after another, blasting the pirates apart and burning them.

This convinced the watching pirates that the unknown adventurer was a man of his word.

If he said he would kill, he would kill. If he promised punishment for crossing the line, there would be punishment, even in a pirate port watched by thousands of pirates and many Beyonders.

And the pirates' captain didn't dare retaliate.

Mason had witnessed the entire scene. He noticed that the two pirates were familiar with the Pyromaniac's abilities and were quite skilled, with one being a Low-Sequence Beyonder. Despite their precautions, they couldn't escape the ravens. They were covered in flames by the window before they could escape from the center of the bar.

This filled Mason with admiration and longing.

When will I have such power?

When can I become an adventurer who can intimidate so many pirates?

Mason had intended to "kindly" help the pirates deal with the bodies, but to his regret, their captain and first mate quickly arrived and collected their "inheritance."

I should stick close to this adventurer. If I'm recognized, I'm done for...

Mason muttered, gulping down his dark beer. How did my life change so drastically?

Though he hadn't been harmed, he felt implicated.

This heightened his fear that he might have brought disaster to Banamo Port, though it didn't seem like a disaster yet. He hoped it would end when the unknown adventurer left or a Pirate Admiral or King arrived.

Never perform rituals you don't fully understand... Mason warned himself.

He then raised his glass to his reflection on the wall, toasting to his resolution.

...

In the shadow, Franca was intently observing the Carnival Bar inside and out.

This was her task.

Even though Lumian was vigilant and prepared, he could still be ambushed. The Beyonder world had many strange, unpredictable, and hard-to-defend abilities, rituals, and spells. Thus, Franca stayed hidden, monitoring the surroundings from another angle, ready to intervene or provide a Mirror Substitution.

In the past few days of wandering around Banamo Port with Lumian, Franca had seen pirates drinking, chatting, joking, eating, gambling, venting, and sleeping, making them seem no different from ordinary people. She felt a bit guilty about the possible plague plan. But after witnessing pirate battles and hearing about killings, kidnappings, bullying, robbery, and rape, she genuinely felt that letting these scum die from the plague would purify the world and be a good deed.

Ignoring her hunger, Franca grumbled about Lumian, This guy, doesn't he know it's been an hour past lunch? You get to eat, but I don't! Based on our previous understanding, shouldn't we shake off potential trackers, hide back at the inn, and let me rest and eat something?

Despite her complaints, Franca continued to dutifully monitor the surroundings.

At that moment, a few pirates entered, bringing a lively, joyful, and excited atmosphere to different tables.

Hmm... Franca melded into the shadows, sticking to the wall, and stealthily approached a group of pirates to listen in.

"Admiral Deep Sea is really here?"

"The Newins has already docked!"

"Do they know about the adventurer?"

"..."

Oh, Admiral Deep Sea is finally here... Franca silently confirmed with a guess.

Since Jenna hadn't issued a warning, it meant no Pirate King had arrived in Banamo Port. Franca began to anticipate Admiral Deep Sea's reaction and actions.

She was sure Admiral Deep Sea and his key subordinates were aware of the unknown adventurer's provocation.

It was a simple deduction.

Since Admiral Deep Sea was avoiding the King of Dusk, he would first confirm the situation in Banamo Port before coming to resupply.

The common practice was to send lesser-known pirates from the fleet on other ships to scout Banamo Port. If Banamo Port was a regular stop, trusted subordinates might be stationed there long-term, reporting back promptly.

Of course, local forces could also provide warnings. In any case, Admiral Deep Sea would be well aware of recent events in Banamo Port; otherwise, he wouldn't surface the Newins.

Franca calmed herself, no longer distracted by hunger.

But like the pirates, she waited half an hour without seeing Admiral Deep Sea or his key subordinates, growing puzzled.

Why haven't they shown up?

Could it be that Admiral Deep Sea is also a cautious person? But Lumian is only showing the strength of a strong Sequence 6. This crafty guy is using crimson-white flames, not the Reaper's white flames...

Franca thought carefully and understood the reason.

If she were in his shoes, targeted by the King of Dusk, she wouldn't cause trouble right after arriving at a port. She would complete the resupply first and prepare for another dive. That way, even if something unexpected happened, they could leave Banamo Port immediately and not complete their primary objective here.

Also, Lumian, the unknown adventurer, had been in Banamo Port for two or three days. He didn't seem to be hunting bounties of lesser known pirates, as if he were waiting for something.

This could make people suspicious of his true intentions. Admiral Deep Sea would naturally be cautious.

Phew... Franca sighed silently.

Her gaze continued to sweep across the Carnival Bar, wary of any surprises.

In the process, her eyes inevitably swept over Lumian, noticing her companion's slight smile and good mood, holding a cup of amber-colored Lanti Proof mixed with something unknown.

...

Lumian played with his glass, using his Hunter's exceptional hearing to roughly understand why the pirates were suddenly excited and anxious.

His target had arrived!

Lumian wasn't surprised since he already knew-Jenna had come by earlier and left a note under his hand, concealed by shadows.

Knowing Admiral Deep Sea wouldn't come looking for him immediately, Lumian remained calm, acting unaware of the commotion behind him.

He glanced at the bartender trying to control his expression and smiled.

"The wind is quite noisy today," Lumian said.

The bartender didn't know how to respond, forcing a stiff smile. "True."

Lumian said nothing more, feeling his emotions and state change.

To be honest, he felt a bit nervous about facing a Pirate Admiral with his fleet. But it also made his blood boil slightly.

He had never been one to shy away from challenges. Since becoming a Hunter, he had tasted the allure of challenges even more.

With that thought, Lumian raised his cup of Lumian to his lips, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one go.

-x-X-x-

Banamo Port, near the docks.

Jenna hid in the shadows, watching Anthony mingle with the crowd, blending in with the pirates.

She didn't deliberately track the famous pirates who arrived on the Newins when it docked. On the one hand, she feared being discovered, which would alert Admiral Deep Sea to a grand conspiracy awaiting him at Banamo Port. On the other hand, she didn't need to follow them to know the whereabouts of the Newins' first mate, second mate, and boatswain.

The pirates in Banamo Port were eagerly anticipating Admiral Deep Sea or his capable subordinates to teach the unknown adventurer a lesson.

Naturally, they kept an eye on these individuals and shared information with their companions and friends!

In other words, with so much attention on the situation, most of the pirates in Banamo Port had become unofficial reporters. Admiral Deep Sea's key subordinates couldn't go anywhere without being noticed and widely discussed.

If they used stealth abilities or invisibility, they might avoid the curious eyes spread throughout Banamo Port. However, they were currently gathering supplies, which meant they couldn't hide the large quantities of goods.

Thus, information flowed swiftly into Anthony's ears: "Great Shark is at Firth Trading Company."

"Ship Destroyer is heading towards the Carnival Bar!"

"Holy Lord of Storms, those guys are meeting at Blackstone Square!"

"They're one street away from the Carnival Bar!"

"They've stopped for now, discussing something!"

"They seem to be heading to Old Dante's for large barrels of pale ale!"

"..."

Anthony sensed the commotion among the pirates, watching them leave the current street and head towards the Carnival Bar.

He stood up as well to avoid standing out.

During this, he gave Jenna's hidden shadow a look.

Jenna understood immediately, using the shadows along the street to slip through the growing crowd towards the Carnival Bar.

...

Lumian sipped the freshly poured amber-colored Lanti Proof, nodding to himself.

He then looked at the bartender behind the counter, smiling as he said, "You might want to move the valuable liquor and items out of here for now. It's probably best if no one stays inside."

The bartender froze for a few seconds before responding hastily, "Alright!"

No one wanted to alert Lumian by passing on messages that might affect the plan, but he guessed something was brewing from the pirates gathering outside the bar.

He was both excited and nervous, knowing the impending conflict would take place in the Carnival Bar, where he was.

Watching the bartender instruct the waiters to move valuable items out the back door, Lumian pulled out a blank sketchbook and an ink pen, casually sketching as he asked, "How much is your bar worth, including this two-story building?"

"Uh..." The bartender was stunned again.

What does this mean?

Is he implying the bar might get destroyed in the upcoming conflict, collapsing the whole building?

Recalling the powerful crimson-white fireballs, the bartender grew even more anxious, forcing a smile as he said, "Are you offering compensation? You decide, or let the loser pay..."

"This building is a simple structure built by locals. It's definitely cheap. Your bar caters to low-level pirates, so the furniture and décor are all the cheapest kind..." Lumian continued his assessment without looking up, still sketching in the blank book.

"Yes, that's right." The bartender nodded quickly, agreeing.

Lumian looked up, shaking his head with a smile. "Whatever I say, you agree. It's making things difficult for me."

"..." The bartender closed his mouth, unsure how to respond.

Lumian lowered his head again. "How about 2,000 verl d'or?"

"Okay." The bartender used a different word, not even trying to bargain.

Lumian didn't pause his sketching, his tone calm.

"Payment will be after assessing the damage. If the big pirates coming later want to help compensate, that works too."

"Alright." The bartender responded quickly.

He looked around, wishing he could sprout wings and fly out of the Carnival Bar.

From their conversation, he feared staying could lead to him becoming a mangled corpse.

A few minutes later, the waiters had moved the few valuable items out, leaving only the cheap goods in the bar.

The bartender left through the back door, and the other patrons, including Mason, exited to wait and watch outside.

They didn't dare stay in this anticipated battlefield.

This was the lesson of experience.

Lumian sketched for a while, then put down his pen and slowly sipped the remaining Lanti Proof.

A few minutes later, Franca sneaked into the shadows near the bar and whispered, "Admiral Deep Sea didn't come, but his first mate, Great Shark, and others are almost here. They'll be here in about two minutes."

Lumian picked up the ink pen again and continued sketching in the book.

He chuckled and said, "Remember to prepare the 2,000 verl d'or compensation, and when we get back, return the 1,000 verl d'or bounty for summoning the messenger."

"Ah?" Franca was a bit surprised.

Lumian chuckled and said, "All of this is to help you digest Pleasure. You should cover all expenses, including consumed Beyonder items."

"No problem." Franca wasn't resisting; she was just surprised Lumian brought it up suddenly.

She watched Lumian finish his sketch on the blank page, curious as she asked, "Why not just take out the Pride Armor, disguise it as a person with a robe, and have it sit in this chair facing away from the incoming pirates?"

With Lumian present, the Pride Armor couldn't be used, so it might as well serve some purpose by being placed here.

"Do you really want this building destroyed?" Lumian chuckled. "Besides, the Pride Armor can't use Lie and can't disguise itself as me. The subordinates of Admiral Deep Sea would notice something's wrong before even entering."

As he spoke, Lumian finished the last stroke on the blank page.

It was a sketch outlined in deep blue ink, depicting Lumian himself.

The paper gradually turned translucent, and the sketch of Lumian suddenly came to life, thickening and expanding like a balloon.

In an instant, a stoic-faced Lumian appeared before the bar counter, blocked by Lumian's body.

It had the instinct to complete a few minutes of combat and possessed some of Lumian's abilities, obeying the sketcher's commands.

As the sketched Lumian sat in a chair facing away from the bar door, Lumian transformed into a shadow creature, disappearing from the bar.

Soon, Great Shark, the first mate of the Newins, arrived at the Carnival Bar with a few companions of similar strength, surrounded by a crowd of pirates.

The tall, muscular, bald Great Shark glanced at the unknown adventurer calmly sitting at the bar and gestured, leading the way through the door.

As the Beyonders from the Newins entered the bar, Lumian, disguised and watching from the window, placed his right hand on the glass.

A black mark hidden under his clothes glowed.

Bottle of Fiction!

He trapped the Carnival Bar inside the Bottle of Fiction, setting the condition for exit to be non-Beyonders.

Lumian turned, and in the chaos of the pirates losing sight of the bar's interior, he squeezed through the crowd and headed to a nearby alley, teleporting to the docks with Franca.

They met Jenna and Anthony at the designated spot, using shadows and Psychological Invisibility to remain hidden as they boarded the alchemical ship Newins.

Compared to when they arrived, there were fewer pirates on the ship, just enough to maintain basic vigilance.

Lumian wasn't worried their actions would alert Admiral Deep Sea.

According to gathered intel, Howl Constantine wasn't a Beyonder of the Devil pathway and couldn't sense malice. His abilities resembled a Sequence 5 Ocean Songster of the Storm pathway, and according to the Tarot Club, Admiral Deep Sea had no ties to the Church of Storms.

Thus, Lumian had Jenna confirm if the Black Octopus had followed the Newins to Banamo Port-the Black Octopus's captain, Bone Splitter Basil, was a Devil.

Considering the changing situation at the Carnival Bar might alert Admiral Deep Sea, Lumian and his team didn't waste time, swiftly sneaking into the ship's hold.

Within a minute, they found a lone pirate in a corridor room.

Franca checked the surrounding mechanical devices for alarms, then whispered to shadow-form Lumian, "It's show time."

Lumian immediately slipped into the room, moving behind the lone pirate and emerging, giving a harrumph.

Two flashes of white light, and the pirate fell unconscious.

Anthony entered the room quickly, beginning hypnosis.

Jenna and Franca guarded the door from the shadows, soon hearing friendly conversation inside, "Where's the Admiral?"

"In the captain's cabin."

"The Admiral must have a powerful backer to be one of the most famous pirates, right?"

"I don't know, but the Admiral is indeed mysterious."

"..."

After a brief inquiry, Anthony made the pirate forget he had such a friend on board.

They then sneaked to the upper deck, stopping outside the captain's cabin.

Lumian's eyes twitched as he gazed at the silver-white metal door.

He realized Admiral Deep Sea's possible pathway and sequence.

On an alchemical ship like this, an Ocean Songster's power might not be inferior to being in the deep sea or the air!

While Lumian pondered, two pirates pushed a food cart to the captain's cabin using a mechanical lift.