"Hard to port! Get away from that damn Storm!"
"Where’s the Boatswain? Take some men and throw anything non-essential overboard! We can always plunder more money if we lose it!"
"..."
The scattered Pirate Ships and noble merchant vessels immediately chose to detour the moment they detected the Storm.
In their experience, only a Five-Masted Sailing Ship could maintain basic stability in a storm like that. An ordinary three-masted ship, with a hull barely fifty meters long, couldn’t even match the height of a single wave.
"Look! A ship is heading into it!"
"Who’s that brave?"
"Is that the Bai Ke Li?!"
"Black Jack, that bastard is back?"
"He’s as reckless as ever, choosing to cut straight through. Is he in that much of a hurry to get to Avad Island?"
"Quick, quick! Cut the crap and get this ship on a new course! We’re going around!"
"Activate the Array! Faster, faster—"
In a corner of the Stormy Sea Region, dozens of ships that had just turned back confirmed the identity of the Five-Masted Sailing Ship through their lookout posts and couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat for its crew.
A Five-Masted Sailing Ship was only guaranteed not to capsize in that Storm, but there was more than just waves in there. There were also terrifying mutants swept up in the current, and it wouldn’t be impossible for a Deep Sea Giant Beast to appear...
Aboard the Bai Ke Li.
Black Jack and Yuan stood on the ship’s figurehead, their hair whipped into a frenzy by the raging sea wind. Yet, both of them stared at the Stormy Sea Region ahead with solemn expressions.
"Let’s see just who those bastards are!"
"Don’t be careless. Have you forgotten what Menor said? Those Grave Diggers are no pushovers, and with the crew of the Alanjia around, it’s better to be careful."
"Afraid of them?" Black Jack snorted. "It’d be best if that bastard Suyade showed up too. Then I can teach him a lesson on behalf of the Captain."
"You?"
Yuan glanced at him. He didn’t say anything more, but his tone was heavy with disbelief.
"The last time he dueled the boss, I was away. Otherwise, I would have definitely put him down for good. We wouldn’t be facing this threat now, would we?"
Black Jack said indignantly, "If that bastard hadn’t gotten lucky and obtained that ’Homeward Bound’, I would’ve finished him off years ago in the Cordo Sea Region."
"Don’t speak in anger!"
Yuan shook his head and advised, "Suyade was never weak to begin with. After obtaining that taboo item, and with his gains from maritime taboos and other special regions, it’s no surprise he is where he is today."
"Jack, sometimes luck is a part of strength!"
Back when he was still at sea, he never believed in such ethereal things as luck or fate. But ever since Kali received Dawn’s Divine Favor, and after he personally witnessed the strangeness of that authoritative power, he suddenly felt that this must be what people called destiny.
Fate had led him to that woman. Fate had made him leave the Pirate Ship and go to the Caster City State. Fate had allowed Kali to obtain that power and become a Saintess...
In the unseen world, it was as if a great, invisible hand was looming over him, making even a legend like him feel its pressure and threat...
"I know, I’m just pissed off about it..."
Black Jack grumbled for a bit, then looked at the approaching edge of the Storm and asked, "Didn’t that bastard Menor say he was coming? It’s been so long, why isn’t he here yet?"
"Him? His word is fairly reliable; he should be on his way." Yuan thought for a moment before suggesting, "Why don’t we turn the ship around and wait for him? You know that with him, our chances will be much better."
"Forget it," Black Jack refused without a second thought. "Lodilia is nagging us daily, and with your situation on top of that, the time we’d lose by detouring and waiting... it’s not worth it."
Yuan nodded silently and didn’t try to persuade him further.
Just then, Waleed came running out from the ship’s cabin.
"Boss, all the Arrays have been activated. The [Wave Breaker] on the hull has been set up and is ready for activation at any time."
"Also, the sniper rifles that Wei’en kid promised us were just teleported over. What are your orders for them?"
"Burst Sniper Rifles?" Black Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Those same terrifying things."
"Then what are you waiting for? Have Marco take his squad to pick up the new equipment. It’s been a while; time for that kid’s Long Spear Team to get some action."
"Yes, sir!"
P.S. Sorry, today’s update is very late.