Chapter 605 [Wave-Chasing Sea Fang]

Xia Nan's final bowl of cream of mushroom soup in Barracuda Bay was especially hearty.

Unlike the usual fare, where extra seafood depended on whatever leftovers the kitchen had, the bowl before him had clearly been prepared with care. A massive shrimp that would normally cover the entire bowl had been completely peeled to save space, leaving only a single, crystal-clear piece of tender white meat faintly visible beneath the thick broth.

Several unnamed mushrooms had been cut into thick slices, their fine textures soaked with broth. They intertwined with crisp kelp, a wonderfully chewy whole baby cuttlefish, and scattered pieces of soft, fresh clam, all swirling and tumbling as he stirred.

The ingredients were packed in so generously that even a casual spoonful scooped up a mouthful of seafood.

Bringing a soup-coated bite to his mouth, the unique umami of the seafood blended perfectly with the intense aroma of garlic sautéed in butter and the rich, savory flavor of pan-fried mushrooms.

The broth was smooth as silk, yet the crisp chewiness of the seafood kept it from feeling the least bit cloying.

Xia Nan even thought this might be the best bowl of cream of mushroom soup he had ever had in Barracuda Bay.

In his future career as an adventurer, out in desolate forests, deserts, and the Ice Plains, on those countless late nights staring at a campfire in front of his tent, his wandering thoughts would definitely return to this special bowl of cream of mushroom soup, eaten on a crisp, comfortable morning in a quiet tavern.

"How is it? Tastes alright?"

Having watched the black-haired young man eat countless bowls of cream of mushroom soup, Hera could easily read his good mood from his reactions and micro-expressions. She was asking even though she already knew the answer.

Only after Xia Nan offered a direct compliment did she curl her lips and claim credit, her tone not the least bit annoying.

"Knowing you were leaving today, I got up early and went to the docks to pick out the fresh catch from a reliable fishing boat. These are all the absolute finest of the bunch."

As a famous information broker in Barracuda Bay, Hera had decided early on to build a good relationship with Xia Nan, investing ahead of time in a young adventurer with such immense potential. After spending so much time together, she had at least thoroughly observed his food preferences. The extra seafood added to this loaded cream of mushroom soup were all types Xia Nan favored, perfectly tailored to his tastes. Hera's special preparation truly hit the spot for Xia Nan, who had eaten so much seafood lately that he was starting to miss the classic, original mushroom soup from Rivervale Town's White Chickadee Tavern.

He thought about paying extra later to have the kitchen cook up another large pot, storing it in the [White Flask] pocket watch to eat on the road.

Suddenly, Hera spoke up.

"You've finally made a name for yourself. Are you sure you don't want to stay a few more days?"

If Xia Nan had merely been a rising adventurer star before the Stodd Island incident—the kind that popped up once or twice every few years—things were different now, bolstered by his new reputation as the "ruiner of 'Algae Scale' Dodd's advancement ritual" and the "sahuagin slaughterer."

The name "Sea Fang" Xia Nan was now truly established in the Southern Archipelagos, making him the focus of numerous large factions. Going forward, whether he continued his adventurer career at sea, used his reputation to recruit people and build his own faction, accepted an olive branch from a large organization, or officially joined the Governor's Mansion, he had excellent options.

To some extent, this was the ultimate dream for the vast majority of ordinary adventurers in Barracuda Bay.

Strangely, right when his fame was at its absolute peak, this exceptionally young-looking black-haired adventurer made a choice completely contrary to Hera's understanding.

Retiring at the height of success and walking away.

Choosing to leave Barracuda Bay and return inland in a manner that seemed casual, but was actually resolute.

This inevitably stirred up some complicated feelings in Hera, who had practically watched him make this decision with her own eyes.

Partly, it stemmed from her own ambition. Running such a special tavern that gathered massive amounts of intelligence in an adventurer hub teeming with undercurrents, Hera desired to climb higher and wouldn't hesitate to pay exorbitant sums to do so.

She thought it a pity that Xia Nan wasn't maximizing his fame and popularity.

But perhaps it was also because she had been tethered behind this narrow bar for most of her life.

Amidst her pity, an indescribable envy faintly welled up in her heart.

Envy that the black-haired young man before her could remain so calm and free in the face of fame and fortune.

Envy that he acted entirely on his own desires, leaving whenever he pleased without the slightest outside interference.

Xia Nan naturally didn't know what Hera was thinking, just as she didn't know that part of his reason for leaving Barracuda Bay was likely because he had grown tired of eating the cream of mushroom soup here.

Coming from modern society, he had been thirty-two when he transmigrated, possessing a relatively mature and firm worldview. In his past life, he had been chained to his office cubicle, keeping company with mountains of documents and silent moonlit nights.

Having finally gotten a second chance at life—and in a fantasy world with supernatural powers to boot—how could he possibly allow himself to be bound to such a small bay?

Returning to Rivervale Town first to see his friends, while gathering some intelligence on secret realms and combat techniques, before continuing his exploration of this world—that was Xia Nan's near-term plan.

He casually chatted with Hera while finishing his cream of mushroom soup.

Suddenly, he heard a flurry of footsteps coming from the street outside, which was growing increasingly lively as the sun rose.

With his acute Perception, Xia Nan subconsciously turned his head toward the door.

Before he even saw anyone, the Barbarian Aken's highly recognizable, booming voice squeezed in through the crack in the door.

"I told you we had to rush that old man!"

"If you don't push guys like him who have a little skill and love fishing, we probably wouldn't get the goods until this day next year!"

Creak.

The tavern doors were pushed open. The tabaxi, Sasha, walked at the very front, helping to carry the Barbarian's great-axe while gently swaying his fluffy long tail.

The druid Hein followed closely behind.

While teasing the silver-banded snake Ayin wrapped around her wrist, she picked up Aken's conversation without even turning her head.

"We spent a lot of extra money to skip the line and expedite this order. The contract is signed. If he breaches it by a single day, he owes half the amount; three days, and it's a full refund. No matter how much he likes fishing, he wouldn't go against his own wallet."

"That's not necessarily true..." Ellison said composedly, his hands clasped behind his back.

Only then did the Barbarian Aken, whose voice had reached the tavern first, finally appear in the doorway.

After so many days, the injuries he'd sustained on Stodd Island had long since healed.

He was currently carrying an object with indistinct outlines, wrapped in black cloth, on his shoulder.

It looked to be about two meters long—not particularly huge, but seemingly exceptionally heavy. Even for a Barbarian like Aken, whose attributes leaned toward Strength, bulging veins showed tight beneath his skin from the exertion of carrying it.

Knowing this might be their last time seeing Xia Nan for a while, the twin brothers Ryan and Gordon, who usually stayed behind to guard the ship, had tagged along this time. They flanked the Barbarian on the left and right, ready to catch the heavy object if it accidentally dropped.

Meanwhile, Lorraine, captain of the Blade of Vengeance Fleet, trailed leisurely at the rear alongside the squad's newest addition, the archer Sarissa, who would be continuing her adventurer career as a Blade of Vengeance member. They were the last to enter the tavern.

The hall was relatively quiet in the early morning. The group had barely stepped through the doors when they spotted Xia Nan happily enjoying his breakfast at the bar.

With his straightforward personality, the Barbarian Aken was unable to contain his excitement, shouting from afar before he could even unload the heavy object from his shoulder.

"Sea Fang! Come look at the farewell gift we got you!"

Having already heard about it from Hera, and seeing the Blade of Vengeance's grand entrance, Xia Nan slipped his last spoonful of cream of mushroom soup into his mouth and stood up to meet them.

"Thank you for the thought, but this is too grand. You didn't have to..."

"It was necessary," Captain Lorraine said, interrupting his pleasantries. She snuffed out her cigarette, her expression serious.

In just a few months, the Blade of Vengeance Fleet had encountered dangers greater in frequency and severity than the sum of their past several years combined.

They had faced situations that nearly wiped out the entire group more than once.

And the reason they could stand here safe, sound, and with all limbs intact was precisely because of this young black-haired adventurer. Even now, Lorraine grew increasingly thankful for her decision to agree to Hera's proposal and let Xia Nan join the Blade of Vengeance as a temporary crew member. If not for him, even if the name "Blade of Vengeance" still existed today, they would likely be reduced to a handful of stragglers gasping for breath—much like the Raging Tide Warband and the Windforged—rather than keeping their full roster intact.

His performance in battle was obvious to all. Although it was never explicitly stated, Xia Nan's status in the hearts of the Blade of Vengeance crew was clear from the way their attitudes had shifted since he first came aboard.

Now, this incredibly reliable teammate—a rarity in the adventurer trade, someone worthy of entrusting their backs to, someone who had shared life-and-death battles with them—was leaving. No matter how one looked at it, it was impossible for the members of the Blade of Vengeance to remain indifferent.

Signaling for Aken to pull away the black cloth, Lorraine faced Xia Nan.

"Compared to high-quality enchanted gear that easily costs five or six figures, it isn't particularly valuable."

"But from selecting the materials to drafting the design, all the way to its actual crafting, every single person on the ship pitched in."

Hearing her say this, Xia Nan's expression turned serious as he looked over.

The Barbarian Aken chuckled and gently set the heavy object onto the floor with a muffled thud.

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he slowly peeled back the black cloth.

It was a pitch-black figurehead, custom-made with a Winter Wolf as its model.

Painstakingly referencing the sight of Xia Nan unleashing [Fang Hunt], the Winter Wolf was not static. Instead, it struck a fierce pose of a sprinting pounce, its mane flowing and its form seemingly blurred in motion.

The entire piece was carved from a special dark wood, its color faintly resembling the pitch-black astral winds released during [Fang Hunt]. The wolf's maw was half-open, revealing jagged, sharp wolf fangs within, as if one could almost hear a soaring howl echoing from it.

Most crucially, its pair of wolf eyes had been polished from dark red amber, concentrating all the imposing aura the figurehead exuded into that single point. Surprised, Xia Nan subconsciously focused his attention on it.

The next second, familiar translucent text surfaced before his eyes.

[Wave-Chasing Sea Fang]

Type: Figurehead

Effects:

1. Sailing Speed +15%;

2. When the ship is pursuing a specific target, gain an escalating bonus to movement speed (up to 20%);

3. During combat, the howling wind from the figurehead has a chance to inflict fear upon enemies, weakening their morale;

4. Crew members gain a certain resistance bonus against curses, charms, and other mental debuffs.

Description:

An unusually colored Winter Wolf is viewed as an ominous shadow spreading misfortune on the freezing northern plateaus;

But in the warm, endlessly churning waters of the southern seas, it has acquired a different symbolism.

Note:

"Sea Fang, from Barracuda Bay."

"How is it? Not bad, right?" Ellison asked with a smile, crossing his arms. "We specifically paid extra for the most famous shipwright in the bay to jump the queue and custom-make this."

"To get it done before today, I even accompanied that old man fishing for two days. Tsk, his technique was terrible. By comparison, even Aken knows a bit more about it."

Following the battle on Stodd Island, he had already reconciled with his sister. While there were no touching scenes of the siblings resolving their conflicts, Ellison had joined the Blade of Vengeance Fleet in an incredibly natural manner that everyone tacitly accepted. Clearly, he would be sailing with them from now on.

"At first, I really couldn't think of a suitable gift for you. Later, I heard Hein mention that you still had a ship at the shipyard, and I suddenly remembered you telling me it was missing a figurehead, so I pulled some strings."

Lorraine stood beside him, explaining the reason for the gift.

"But I originally thought you'd be staying here a while longer, so I didn't think much of it. I didn't expect..."

Naturally, there was no way he could dislike it.

For one, the figurehead's own attributes on the panel proved it was an outstanding navigational aid, not something just any ship could possess.

Furthermore, Xia Nan's own personality made it impossible for him to reject the goodwill others so actively showed him.

Even if he was about to leave Barracuda Bay and might not use this figurehead anytime soon, it didn't stop him from expressing his gratitude to the Blade of Vengeance crew with an incredibly earnest and sincere attitude.

As for how he would ultimately handle this gift...

Selling it was absolutely out of the question.

But if he just carried it around, its massive, nearly two-meter size would take up a storage slot in the [White Flask] pocket watch for a long time. Doing so would reduce it to a mere commemorative decoration, which seemed like a waste.

Quick-witted, and having already discussed this on the way over, Lorraine suggested:

"Don't worry. If you don't know what to do with it, you can just install the figurehead on your ship first."

"It doesn't matter if you just leave it there for now. With us around, your ship can stay docked in Barracuda Bay for as long as you want. It'll be fine to sail it when you come back later."

Hearing Lorraine say this, Xia Nan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He was just about to speak when, suddenly, an inexplicably familiar, bone-chilling aura emanated from the snug pouch at his waist.