373 - The Blue Tea Leaves

"We will purchase a green leaf for our stock." Jack said. Signaling Don to handle the transaction for a standard gigantic tea leaf. "But we are also interested in the blue leaves."

Chief Moreteh nodded. He didn't seem surprised. "The [Blue Tea Leaf] is the island's spirit. Our livelihood. We don't allow just anyone to trample the groves. The tea trees are sensitive. If you stress them, the leaves turn bitter, and the village starves."

"We understand the need for regulation." Reina said. Her voice was smooth and charming. "What are the terms?"

"The rules of Gigantea Island are simple." Chief Moreteh said in his raspy voice. "You can purchase a searching permit. As long as you don't chop down the trunks, burn the branches, or harm the locals, you are free to search every inch of the island. Other villages won't bother you either as they respect the permit."

"How does the permit work?" Reina asked.

The chief took out a stamp and dipped it into a cup of glowing sap. "I press this mark onto your skin. It acts as an official pass. The sap goes into your flesh and stays visible as a glowing green leaf tattoo."

He paused for several seconds before continuing. "But take note... It is only valid for a single day. The mark will naturally fade and completely disappear in twenty hours. If you want to keep searching after that, you come back and buy another one."

"Fair enough." Jack said. He looked at the western sky where the sun was still some distance away to the horizon. "But there won't be enough time for us to search today. We'll purchase the permit tomorrow, early in the morning. Is that alright?"

The chief nodded. "That's the best course of action indeed. Tomorrow, come to my house, that one over there. I will be waiting."

"Alright! It's free time until the sun completely set." Jack told his crew. "Feel free to do whatever you want. As long as you don't cause trouble to the locals."

"Afterward, head back to the ship, get a proper meal, and rest." He continued giving instructions. "Tomorrow at first light, we head straight into the interior."

The crew agreed without argument.

Later, as the sun had completely set, they returned to the Ocean Wanderer. Don, the ship's cook had prepared a lavish dinner for them. He had used a small piece of the gigantic tea leaf Jack had purchased earlier to create not just tea drink, but also various dishes with a rich, aromatic herbal scent.

The crew gathered in the main cabin. The atmosphere was relaxed and steady. Barnaby tuned his lute in the corner. Soft melodies were drifting through the room. Next to him, Mirella sat at a table. Unrolling a blank parchment map to draft a rough layout of Gigantea Island based on their coastal view.

Near the other corner, the twin healer sisters, Serene and Autumn Meadow, were double-checking their alchemy pouches. Ensuring they had enough salves ready for any venomous insect bites or unexpected injuries they might encounter during the exploration.

Aella sat on a bench near Chloe. The tiny wisps of purplish void fire danced vigorously between her fingertips. Creating a beautiful view. Duplicated almost effortlessly by Chloe's shadowy flames and Sparkle's lightning sparks.

They were exercising control over their power. Following the methods Baroness Artheim had taught them.

Jack sat near the ship's circular window. A plate of steamed fish was in front of him. Reina sat beside him. Leaning lightly against his shoulder as she cut into her meal.

"You think we'll find it tomorrow, Dear?" Reina asked softly.

Jack chewed his food and swallowed, before answering calmly. "If it's on this island, and we're lucky enough, we'll find it. If not, well... we move on to the next island. Simple as that."

He sighed. "I want as many of us as possible to get that luck boost before we head deeper into the Archipelago, of course. But again, the [Blue Tea Leaves] are quite rare. It's like using luck to get more luck."

He looked down at the dark night sky outside. Tomorrow morning, their real blue tea hunt would begin. Hopefully, it would be a nice and fun treasure hunt, without much complication.

...

The morning sun rose over Gigantea Island. Casting a warm, amber glow across the massive, tower-like tea stalks that dominated the landscape.

Jack didn’t waste any time. After a hearty breakfast of rainbow egg omelets, warm tea-scented beef soup, and fresh green tea, he gathered his crew on the wooden docks of Teaworth Village.

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They moved directly to the village chief's house.

Chief Moreteh was already waiting for them. Holding a small clay bowl filled with a glowing green paste.

One by one, the crew stepped forward to receive their 'searching marks'. The chief used a carved wooden stamp to press the paste onto the backs of their hands. It stung slightly. Leaving a faint, luminous green leaf emblem that pulsed in sync with their heartbeats.

"Twenty hours. After that, the mark fades." The chief muttered. Wiping his hands on a greasy rag. "No cutting the branches, no tearing the bark. You break a tree, or you are caught wandering the groves without a glow, the island's guardians won't be polite. Clear?"

"Perfectly." Jack said. His voice was calm and businesslike. He paid the chief and waved his hand to signal his crew.

Before they set off, Ned glanced back at their ship, the Ocean Wanderer. "Who'll be guarding the ship this time, Captain?"

Jack let out a dry, short laugh. "No one. There's nothing in those cabins that weren't permanently stuck to the ship, Ned. Everything of actual value is already secure."

He didn't need to explain further. The crew knew about his Mirror Mansion. An entire personal pocket dimension. Holding all their food, ammunition, and treasures.

Even the ship itself was a farce. Beneath its mundane illusion, the Ocean Wanderer was still the Silent Mermaid. A spectral ghost ship bound to Jack's essence.

If anyone tried to steal it, Jack could simply unsummon it into thin air, and summon it back to his side.

The crew quickly split up. The plan was to maximize coverage. The island was not exactly big when it was compared to other islands. But for them, who had to walk while searching a small leaf out of these gigantic ones, the place was terribly huge.

Jack decided to hunt alone, or rather, only with Rune. The little steamrune fairy hovered near his shoulder. Her wings were buzzing with a faint, melodic hum.

"Can you find them, Rune?" Jack asked.

Rune didn't speak. But she nodded and her body pulsed with a soft, golden light. She darted forward. Weaving between the massive trunks of the tea trees.

Jack followed at a steady, tireless pace. His human form was extremely fit, closely reaching the peak of an enhanced transcendent being.

He moved through the undergrowth effortlessly. Vaulting over roots that were as tall as fences without any problem.

Less than thirty minutes into the trek, Rune stopped. She hovered over a specific patch of moss nestled between the roots of a thousand-year-old tea giant.

There, shimmering with a faint, ethereal glow, was a palm-sized leaf. It was a deep, vibrant blue in color. Looking more like a gemstone than organic matter.

Jack reached out. The moment his fingertip brushed its surface, the leaf dissolved into a flurry of blue sparks. These sparks almost instantly surged into his skin.

Then, a familiar chime rang in his head. A translucent panel flickered into existence before his eyes.

[OBJECT OF POWER DISCOVERED!]

[TEMPORARY STATUS EFFECT ACQUIRED...]

[GREAT YEAR OF FORTUNE]

Jack opened his full status panel to inspect the details.

[Status Effect: Transcended, Great Year of Fortune]

He had one more status effect for his human incarnation, other than [Transcended]. He immediately checked the new effect.

[Great Year of Fortune. A rare cosmic alignment of probability concentrated within the host's spiritual vessel. For the next 360 days, the user's passive luck attribute increases significantly. Favorable coincidences, probability-based actions, and random encounters will skew heavily in the user’s favor. Negative environmental anomalies and natural disasters will actively manipulate themselves to avoid the user. Near-death experiences have a 50% higher probability of yielding unexpected, positive resolutions. This effect is absolute and cannot be dispelled by standard mortal magic. Does not stack.]

"Well, this is certainly useful." Jack grinned widely. It wasn't direct power upgrade. But, in a world filled with hidden dangers, luck was often more valuable than a direct power up.

He signaled Rune to continue. With the [Great Year of Fortune] active, Rune's detection abilities seemed to sharpen. Within twenty minutes, she found another Blue Tea Leaf tucked under a decaying log.

Jack used his [Eyes of Judgement] on it. The information confirmed what the system had hinted at. The effect wouldn't stack. If he touched it, the leaf would simply vanish, wasted.

"Even if I can't use it, the others in my crew will do." Jack mumbled. He looked at Rune. "Can you absorb it?"

Rune hovered close to the leaf. Her mechanical gears were clicking. She pulsed a dull, negative red. It was useless to her as well.

"Fine. Reina then." He whispered.

He focused on his connection to the crew. He had placed marks on all of them before. And it would definitely be useful in such situations. He closed his eyes and sensed the strongest signature.

He activated the [Summon] part of his [Mark and Summon]. Space folded in front of him. A ripple of distorted air manifesting into the elegant form of Reina Night.

She blinked calmly. Her black hair swaying as she stabilized herself almost instantly. Teleportation was no strange thing for her after all.

"Found one already, Dear?" She asked. A playful smile was on her lips.

"The second one actually. Right there." Jack pointed. "Touch it. It's a real luck boost. Non-stackable, but it'll last a year."

Reina didn't hesitate. She reached down and touched the blue leaf. It dissolved into her just as it had for Jack. She shivered slightly as the magic took hold.

"I feel... lighter." She said. "Like the world is suddenly rooting for me."

"Good. Stay with me for a bit," Jack said.

With two of them fueled by supernatural luck, finding the next few leaves was almost trivial. Rune lead them to a third leaf ten minutes later.

Jack checked his mental map. Mirella Shawl, the cartographer, was the closest. So, he immediately used her [Summon] power to teleport her there.

A flash of light reappeared. Then, Mirella appeared. Standing in the grove. Looking slightly dizzy from the sudden teleportation.

"Captain? Oh! Is that it?" She saw the blue glow.

"Take it." Jack ordered. "It's your luck to be the closest to this place."

She touched the leaf and the sparks reappeared. Entering her body. Boosting up her luck significantly.

She beamed. "Thank you, Captain! I was just thinking how hard it would be to find one of these."

They moved together afterward. Following Rune's guidance.

The fourth leaf appeared almost an hour later, near a stream of clear water. Jack checked his mental map and summoned...