383

[Holy Light Affinity Physique]

After Ebony Throat's hesitant words, a brief silence hung in the air.

"You don't strike me as a pirate," Thanos remarked.

Ebony Throat sighed softly. "Honestly, piracy isn't my calling. I dream of becoming a renowned mage, celebrated throughout Cosmos. Sadly, without the means to pursue magic, I'm stuck here as a mediocre ship's medic—a life devoid of purpose."

Thanos remained silent.

Ebony Throat continued, "By the way, Thanos, would you consider joining us and becoming a part of the Horks?"

"Not interested," Thanos replied casually.

Disappointed, Ebony Throat nodded. "Alright."

Standing up, Thanos declared, "Thank you, but I have other matters to attend to. I need to leave as soon as possible."

"Are you sure? You've just awakened from a coma," Ebony Throat queried.

"Quite sure."

Nodding, Ebony Throat led Thanos out. "Come with me. I'll take you to see Captain Holkes."

As they walked, Ebony Throat couldn't help but ask, "May I inquire about your plans? It seems you have something significant on your mind."

Thanos paused briefly before responding, "It concerns the fate of the entire universe."

"The entire universe?" Ebony Throat looked puzzled but refrained from pressing further. Soon, they arrived at a spacious cabin where Captain Holkes and several pirates were gathered.

"Waking up so soon?" Holkes seemed surprised to see Thanos. He turned to Ebony Throat. "You managed to convince him to join us?"

"Sorry, Captain. Thanos has declined to join," Ebony Throat admitted reluctantly.

Captain Holkes frowned. "Ebony Throat, you insisted we rescue this man, and now you want to release him? We're pirates, not a charity."

Ebony Throat faltered.

Holkes turned to Thanos, asking bluntly, "Big purple guy, do you possess anything of value? If you're willing to pay, I can arrange transport to a nearby planet."

"No."

Holkes hesitated briefly, then chuckled. "Haha, almost forgot—you were practically naked earlier! Can't just send you off empty-handed."

"Captain, I'll cover for Thanos," Ebony Throat interjected.

Holkes regarded him with a slight frown.

After a moment's consideration, Thanos spoke up, "No need. I'll work for you for a while."

"Excellent." Captain Holkes nodded approvingly. "So, what skills do you have?"

"All," Thanos replied casually.

The room fell into stunned silence, everyone processing his assertion.

"Could you repeat that?" Captain Holkes leaned forward, incredulous.

"Captain!" Suddenly, a crew member burst in.

Impatient, Holkes snapped, "What now, Graal?"

Excitedly, the crew member pointed to the screen. "Captain, I've located a large Shiar Empire cargo vessel. Their defenses are minimal—we could strike it rich!"

"Really?" Several pirates leaned in with renewed interest.

Graal's excitement dimmed. "However, their ship boasts an advanced information system. I can't hack into their network as easily."

Holkes groaned in frustration. "You fool!"

"Let me try," Thanos interjected, moving to the screen.

"You think you can handle this, big guy?" Holkes scoffed skeptically.

Thanos worked swiftly on the interface, mystifying to the others. Graal's eyes widened in astonishment. "How…"

"It's done. You can access their systems now," Thanos announced calmly.

Holkes glanced at Graal, who was still dumbfounded. "How did you manage that?"

"The most advanced ship system? Just a few mundane tricks," Thanos replied nonchalantly.

With the Shia cargo vessel approaching, the pirates had no time to dwell on the miraculous feat.

"Brothers, let's make a raid!" Holkes rallied, leading his crew out to seize the cargo.

Left behind in the cabin were Thanos and Ebony Throat.

"Ebony Throat, you mentioned wanting to become a mage?" Thanos inquired suddenly.

Ebony Throat hesitated, surprised by the question. "You know about magic?"

Thanos shook his head. "I lack the talent for magic, but I possess knowledge. I can teach you—if you're inclined—to harness that knowledge and pursue mastery."

"Really?" Ebony Throat's eyes lit up.

"Indeed."

And so, following his escape from Titan, Thanos embarked on a temporary stint as a member of the Horks, beginning his pirating career.

...

Moon, Pyramid.

Forseti lay upon the platform, radiating with holy light that bathed him in a golden glow, casting a sacred aura.

Moments later, a burst of dazzling light erupted from his body, brighter than the sun but fleeting, soon fading back to calm.

Opening his eyes, Forseti retrieved the holy deed from his waist, pressing it with five fingers.

Light shimmered as the deed liquefied, melding into his palm and forming a golden rune.

Forseti gazed upon the rune, a smile gracing his lips.

The integration of the holy deed—a hallmark of the Holy Light Affinity!

Here, atop the moon's pyramid, he absorbed solar energy, infusing his being with holy light.

Though his divine power seemed stuck at a bottleneck, yet to breakthrough, the infusion of holy light marked a milestone. It granted him a physique attuned to holy energies.

The benefits of Holy Light Affinity extended beyond mere physical integration of the holy deed. It promised enhanced mastery and efficiency in wielding holy spells.

Moreover, there was an unforeseen advantage that Forseti would soon discover.

With the deed integrated, he could now access its pages directly from his palm, radiating golden brilliance. Leafing through, he encountered a new blueprint, eliciting surprise.

"This is…"

Rune: Retreat Justly