Chapter 618 - 238: Black Fire Mark (2)

With that, he took Tina’s small hand and motioned for Ronan to continue leading the way.

There weren’t many things that could make Little White Fur feel a sense of familiarity. Aside from the people and things she’d encountered in the Caster City State, there could only be what she had come across before Ales brought her back to Caster.

’But regardless of what it is, as long as it’s still on this island, it won’t get away!’

"Please, follow me."

Although Ronan was confused, it wasn’t his place to ask if his captain didn’t elaborate. He could only walk ahead as instructed and pay the entrance fee for the city-state at the large, open gate at the base of the high wall.

"Ship and name!"

At the gate were two pirates wearing standard-issue Black Pearl jackets, similar to the one Black Jack wore, though the color was slightly different. Beneath their open jackets, you could see two flintlock pistols hanging from their waists. On the sash over their black shorts was a pendant signifying their allegiance to the Black Pearl.

The two acted like city-state guards, warily sizing up Wei’en and his companions. Their gazes lingered on Wei’en in particular, having clearly recognized him.

"The Leonard. Captain, Wei’en. Second Officer, Ronan. And..." Ronan glanced at the white-haired girl sticking close to the captain and hesitated.

Although he had seen Tina on the ship before, he didn’t know her name.

"She doesn’t need to be."

Wei’en shook his head, indicating that Tina didn’t need to be registered.

"Not happening. Everyone who enters the Aleksey City State must be registered!" one of the pirates—the one with several scars on his face—said firmly.

"Oh?"

Wei’en watched them calmly, a faint light flickering in the depths of his red eyes, reflecting the two pirates’ figures.

"This is Aleksey Island, home of the Black Pearl. Don’t think you can ignore the rules here just because you turned down Jack First Officer!"

"The man in charge here now is Boss Adolrad, and he’s not as reasonable as Jack First Officer!"

The other pirate’s expression turned hostile. His hand rested on the grip of his flintlock, ready to draw if they said another word.

"And if I insist?"

"Who do you think you are?!"

Wei’en chuckled. "Me?"

’Talent—Deception, activate!’

’Illusion Creation!’

’Psychological Control!’

Wei’en stared into their eyes. "Who do you think I am?"

As his talent activated, he could feel a subtle, indescribable power emerge from the Origin World behind the panel in his mind. A wisp of it bypassed the panel, transformed into Spiritual Power via his soul, and spread throughout his body.

The moment his voice reached them, the strange talent had already taken effect.

"You? Y-you!? Lady Lodilia!?"

The two pirates’ expressions changed in a flash. In an instant, their ferocity melted into deep fear. A layer of sweat broke out on their foreheads, and their faces turned deathly pale.

"Fo-forgive me, Lady Lodilia! I... I didn’t realize it was you..."

"Y-yes! If we’d known you were coming to Aleksey Island, I’m sure Boss Adolrad would have rushed from the garrison to welcome you. I’ll... I’ll go inform him right now!"

"That won’t be necessary."

Wei’en glanced at the onlookers behind him. The effect of his Deception talent shifted with his will, pulling them all under its sway. "My arrival is to be kept secret. Forget you saw me."

"Yes, yes, My Lady. We know nothing."

"Understood. I’ll be sure to forget!"

It wasn’t just the two Pirate Guards who bowed low; the surrounding pirates and sailors from the Extraordinary Clans also felt their vision blur. They suddenly saw Wei’en and his group as their own captains or high-ranking clan members. Tense, they lowered their heads, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

"Now, may we enter?"

"Of course, of course! Please, right this way!"

Wei’en gestured to Ronan, who was still confused about what had just happened, then led Tina straight through the gateway in the high wall and into the pirate-controlled city-state.

Once they had vanished from sight, the onlookers came to their senses as if waking from a dream. They exchanged glances, each seeing the confusion in the other’s eyes.

"A moment ago, I thought I saw..."

"Shut up! You didn’t see anything, and you didn’t hear anything! Scram!"

The scar-faced Pirate Guard waved menacingly at the crowd. "Get lost, or I’m calling the city-state’s Guard patrol!"

"We’re going, we’re going! Right away!"

The people only felt as if a few figures were missing from their recent memory. Having been snapped at, they came back to themselves, remembered what they needed to do, and hurried through the gateway in the high wall.

"Adheid, are you sure that was *her* just now?"

"Her who? Uraqi, don’t get me killed!"

"Hmph."

The two Pirate Guards exchanged a few brief words. Then, just as before, they resumed staring at the people wanting to enter the city-state, gradually forgetting the scene they had just witnessed. The only thing that remained was a line of scrawled handwriting in the register: *The Leonard, Captain Wei’en, Second Officer Ronan.*

Meanwhile, on the second floor of Aleksey’s Golden Tavern not far away, a figure dressed as a sailor stood quietly by a window, having witnessed everything that just transpired at the city-state’s entrance.

"So you’re finally here..."

The figure’s somewhat murky eyes narrowed. After muttering to themself, they flickered and vanished from the spot as if they had never been in the tavern at all, completely unnoticed.

...

...

「Far from Aleksey Island...」

In a remote stretch of the Stormy Sea Region, heavy, dark clouds blanketed the sky. Thunder and lightning gathered as fierce winds raged.

But bizarrely, despite the celestial phenomena and gale-force winds, the entire surface of the sea was devoid of waves. It was as calm as a pool of stagnant water, without a single ripple.

From a distance, a blurry black silhouette could be seen standing on the water in the dim center of the region, moving slowly along with the shifting storm clouds.