Chapter 406 Pirates!

Life at sea was nowhere near as interesting as he had imagined.

Colin had come to understand this deeply.

Today was the third day since the Black Gull set sail.

Having joined the crew as an apprentice sailor through his Uncle Paddy's connections, he had expected the life described by bards—battling raging storms, singing heartily on nights thick with the scent of ale and food, and fighting pirates to the death with a sharp cutlass in hand.

In reality, these entire three days had left him with nothing but seemingly endless, never-finishing chores.

Mending ropes, pulling halyards, scrubbing the deck, pumping out leaks...

The grueling workload was so intense that on a few occasions, when he finally dragged himself back to his straw mat wedged in the cargo hold, he felt he had practically passed out from exhaustion.

Much like his close encounter with a goblin that had shattered his dreams of becoming an "adventurer," the cruel reality of life aboard the Black Gull had similarly crushed his fantasies of being a "sailor" and exploring the seas.

A youth's passion flared quickly and faded just as fast.

But he was no young master from a noble house. Even if he was the second son, spoiled by his parents and older brother since childhood, he was ultimately just an ordinary boy from a small village.

Colin wasn't going to throw a tantrum and slack off just because reality didn't match his imagination.

If anything, he worked even harder. He showed a sense of responsibility rare for his age, doing his utmost to finish the tasks assigned to him.

He did this both to earn his crewmates' respect and to avoid embarrassing Uncle Paddy, who had looked after him so well.

Truthfully, Colin knew he was already receiving special treatment on the ship.

Unlike other apprentice sailors, he didn't have to clean latrines or eat leftovers, nor was he ever bullied by the veteran crew.

Even a few sailors known for their vicious tempers—men who loved hazing newcomers to relieve the boredom and stress of the voyage—always treated him with a smile and never once lost their patience.

Colin was acutely aware that his uncle's modest grocery shop connections couldn't possibly command this level of respect.

His immunity to the hazing was entirely due to Mr. Xia Nan.

Colin hadn't bragged about it, but every sailor who survived year-round on the open ocean was a shrewd observer.

Ever since Xia Nan greeted Colin on the day they boarded, word of their connection had spread throughout the Black Gull.

Even though their sparse interactions after setting sail suggested they weren't particularly close, the crew unanimously decided to treat this apprentice sailor—who clearly knew the ship's Class Holder guard—with extreme caution.

Xia Nan didn't mind this at all.

If his mere presence spared the kid some unnecessary torment on the ship, he was more than happy to see it.

To some extent, his feelings about seafaring were actually the same as Colin's.

Hailing from inland, this was his first long sea voyage.

Initially, just after leaving port, he had marveled at the boundless ocean and the spectacular red sun dipping below the horizon at dawn and dusk.

But no matter how breathtaking the scenery, it eventually grew stale.

Xia Nan gradually grew accustomed to the ocean view and was starting to feel quite bored.

In contrast, the Halfling Alton, despite his incredibly rich travel experience, always seemed thoroughly enthralled.

Sometimes he would just sit on the deck, watching the seagulls circle overhead for an entire afternoon.

He showed an extraordinary enthusiasm for every aspect of the voyage.

Along the way, he even used newly learned recipes from his travels to cook a few extra meals for Xia Nan, who was already sick of the ship's monotonous rations.

The dishes looked a bit messy, but the taste was fantastic—easily on par with the professional tavern kitchens back in town.

'I wonder if the little guy is cooking tonight. That butter-roasted chicken yesterday was incredible. I should ask him where he learned it if I get the chance.'

Musing on the wonderful flavors from yesterday's dinner, Xia Nan stepped out of the cabin.

It was early morning, but the deck was already bustling with activity.

Several young sailors, including Colin, were busy scrubbing stains off the deck.

The Halfling Alton had dug up a fishing rod from somewhere and was sitting by the railing, excitedly fishing.

Aside from them, the three members of the Silver Claw Osprey squad had also risen early. They were gathered on one side of the deck, discussing something among themselves.

Since they were facing the cabin exit, they naturally spotted Xia Nan the moment he walked out.

The squad leader, Nick, forced a smile and waved to Xia Nan from afar. Compared to their first meeting three days ago, the stiffness in his smile had faded considerably; he had clearly adjusted his mindset.

Guka, the simple-minded and thick-skulled half-orc, was exactly the same as before. His thoughts were entirely plastered across his face, and lingering resentment was still visible on his ugly mug. However, restrained by Nick, he clearly didn't dare to go looking for trouble with Xia Nan.

As for the female half-elf archer named Leda...

Perhaps Xia Nan's killing intent during their initial encounter had been too icy. Even now, three days out of port, the usually aloof and proud half-elf still didn't dare to meet his gaze.

Whenever his eyes swept past her, she would unconsciously lower her head.

Nodding back at Nick in acknowledgment, Xia Nan didn't bother engaging with them further.

He turned his steps and headed toward Alton.

As a devout follower of the Goddess of Luck and a suspected favored of The Smiling Lady, the little guy's performance while fishing perfectly matched Xia Nan's stereotypes about those blessed by luck.

He had absolutely no technique, let alone any professional skill.

He didn't care about the weather or finding a good spot. He just plopped down anywhere by the rail. His bait consisted of random jerky strips snagged from the kitchen, and his cast was so weak that the hook practically just swung into the water.

He didn't even need to pay much attention. He just held the rod with his eyes half-closed, basking in the sunlight in a blissful daze.

And yet, despite this absent-minded and entirely amateurish posture, his hook acted like a magnet for marine life.

Cast, bite, catch...

Cast, bite, catch...

The longest wait between catches was a mere five minutes, and that only happened because Alton had dropped his rod and run to the kitchen to grab a few Sugar Tangerines.

Not only that, Xia Nan had witnessed a moment where Alton reeled in a sea bream—a common fish that had already appeared many times.

Disappointed, Alton had muttered something under his breath.

On his very next cast, he absurdly pulled out a bizarre, silvery-white anglerfish with a glowing lure attached to its forehead.

According to an experienced old sailor nearby, it was a rare deep-sea fish that almost never surfaced.

This made the little Halfling extremely happy.

It also made Xia Nan wonder if Alton could fish up a whale or some unique, massive sea monster if he really set his mind to it.

Standing nearby and watching for a long time, seeing Alton pull up fish after fish as if the ocean were his backyard pond, Xia Nan's hands started to itch for a try.

But the moment he tentatively asked, the Halfling laughed, hopped up, and shoved the fishing rod into his hands.

"I was just getting a little tired anyway, here you go!"

Xia Nan hadn't been a veteran angler in his past life. No matter how interested he might have been, his grueling daily work schedule had never left him any time for outdoor fishing.

He had only been able to lie on his sofa, exhausted after work, swiping through fishing videos.

Regardless, he still knew the basic casting postures and a few minor fishing tricks.

Swish!

Gripping the rod with both hands, he channeled power through his waist, core, and arms. His posture was fluid and perfectly extended; the bodily control of a Class Holder was on full display.

Plop.

The hook arced high through the air before slicing neatly into the water, kicking up a tiny splash.

As the bobber rode the surging waves, Xia Nan focused entirely. His Perception, far exceeding that of an ordinary Class Holder, locked onto that little crimson float bobbing in the sea.

The instant a fish bit the hook, he would sense it. He wouldn't miss a thing.

Dark eyes calm and focused, Xia Nan waited patiently.

Five seconds... Ten minutes... Half an hour...

Until Alton, who had been sitting on the deck watching him fish with an ever-present, cheerful smile, finally let out a bored stretch.

The bobber rising and falling in the waves remained entirely motionless.

Xia Nan's expression remained perfectly serene, but his hands began reeling the line back in.

"I think we need more professional bait. These ocean fish are quite picky."

He secretly regretted not bringing along his [Tide-Surge Lure Pole] with its chumming effect. If he had, he could have let the little guy hook a whale and used the opportunity to test out the gear's capabilities.

While reeling in the line, Xia Nan's hands suddenly paused.

Past the bobber, far out on the surface of the sea, he spotted a faint little black dot.

His attention instinctively focused, and his Perception kicked in.

That was...

Almost at the exact same moment, the spotter high up in the mast, clutching a spyglass, gathered all his strength and bellowed a clear, resounding warning from above:

"Starboard! Windward! A single-sail cutter!"

...

Out on the vast and boundless ocean, there were no long-distance radio signals like in his past life, and the vast majority of ships didn't have a Spellcaster among their crew.

Unless they were familiar friends.

Otherwise, when two unfamiliar vessels met at sea, assuming the absolute worst of the other party's intentions was a standard and justified practice.

The moment the spotter's warning reached the Black Gull's deck, the previously relaxed atmosphere froze instantly.

While the inexperienced apprentice sailors instinctively peered off into the distance, the grizzled veterans didn't need orders. They immediately split up and sprinted for the sterncastle and the lower cabins.

They relayed the message to the captain and officers while arming themselves as fast as possible.

In less than twenty seconds, Captain Gregory of the Black Gull rushed onto the deck.

Spyglass in hand, he swept it toward the direction the spotter had called out.

A single-mast wooden ship came into view, rising and falling on the waves like a drifting leaf.

"All hands to your stations!" he roared, thrusting his clenched right fist into the air. "Prepare to turn, take the windward side!"

Gregory knew exactly what the Black Gull was built for; their current mission was to transport cargo safely.

Voluntarily giving way to a strange vessel entering their line of sight was undoubtedly the correct way to show they had no hostile intentions.

If the other party meant them no harm, this maneuver would easily prevent any pointless conflicts.

The helmsman stood rooted like a nail behind the wheel, arms straining. Sailors threw themselves at the rigging, hauling on ropes to adjust the sails, while others frantically cleared the deck, lugging any clutter that might get in the way down into the hold.

Time ticked by, second by second.

But Gregory's face only grew darker and more severe.

Through his glass, the single-mast ship wasn't getting any farther away despite their evasive maneuvers. In fact, it was closing the distance.

By now, even ordinary sailors with average eyesight could spot the little black dot on the horizon.

The dark-skinned middle-aged captain's wealth of sailing experience confirmed his worst fears.

The single-sail cutter was gunning straight for them.

Without a shred of hesitation, he bellowed:

"All hands on alert, prepare for battle!"

The Black Gull was an ordinary medium-sized cargo ship, and riding heavy with a full load, she was far slower than the approaching vessel.

Since the enemy had already locked onto them, getting run down on the completely open ocean was basically an absolute certainty.

There was a slight chance the other ship had suffered some emergency and was approaching them for help.

But under the circumstances, bracing for combat was mandatory.

A cacophony of rapid footsteps thundered across the deck.

Having drilled for this, the sailors didn't need any further instructions. At the captain's order, they sprang into action with ruthless efficiency.

Men wielding bows and crossbows scrambled up to the sterncastle and other high vantage points to secure firing lines. Pikemen massed along the railings, ready to push back the enemy in a boarding action. The burliest sailors, armed with swords, shields, and axes, stood grimly at the center of the deck on standby, ready to engage the invaders in brutal hand-to-hand combat the moment they breached the ship.

Xia Nan and Alton watched the entire process from the sidelines.

Having no sailing experience, jumping in blindly right now would only cause trouble.

Still, he readied himself for a fight.

The straight sword [Ember Fall] slid silently from its sheath. The grayish-black blade mirrored the azure sky above, reflecting a sharp, icy glint.

His cold, pitch-black eyes locked onto the rapidly approaching wooden cutter, remaining highly vigilant.

Even though Captain Gregory had reacted as fast as humanly possible, the sheer speed difference between the two ships was a stark reality that couldn't be overcome through skill and vigilance alone.

To the naked eye, the gap between the two ships was visibly shrinking.

The sailors could even make out the heavily armed adventurers standing on the enemy deck.

By this point, the pursuers had clearly confirmed the Black Gull's identity as a merchant transport.

Whoosh—

A pitch-black flag, the very symbol of bloodshed and doom, was abruptly hoisted up the mast of the fast cutter.

"Pirates! It's pirates!"