Midnight had long since passed.
Upon the vast sea, the Eternal Galebreaker continued its voyage.
Following the system’s instructions, Carnes was heading toward the nearest island to receive his newly recruited crew members.
Unfortunately, their starting location had been particularly remote.
There wasn’t a single island anywhere nearby.
As a result, Carnes could only continue leading the crew forward without stopping.
Even so, the ship sailed continuously for an entire day.
It wasn’t until the following dawn was about to break that they finally spotted an island in the distance.
“I see it!
I see it!
There’s an island ahead!” From the lookout platform atop the mast, a crew member on watch pointed excitedly toward a small island on the horizon.
The moment he shouted, the crew members on duty below immediately perked up.
“An island?
Where?” “Northwest!
Port side!” After receiving the direction, another crew member immediately moved to the helm and called out firmly while adjusting course.
“Port side!” The lookout put away his telescope and jumped down from the platform.
Tap!
Landing steadily on the deck, he smiled.
“I’ll go inform the Captain.” However, before he could take more than a few steps, Demiurge suddenly appeared beside him.
His calm voice sounded beside the startled crewman.
“There’s no need.” “The Captain is resting.
We can notify him once we’ve reached the island.” Although the crewman was surprised by Demiurge’s sudden appearance, he had no objections.
After all, the Captain’s rest was important.
Besides, Carnes had never specifically ordered them to report the discovery of an island immediately.
Whether they informed him now or after docking made little difference.
“Understood!” The crewman responded and returned to his post.
Meanwhile— On the island.
Inside a lighthouse near the shore.
A middle-aged man around forty or fifty years old stood at the top, his temples already streaked with gray.
Despite his age, his physique remained sturdy and robust, and his eyesight was still remarkably sharp.
At this moment, his expression was grim as he peered through a telescope at the approaching vessel in the distance.
With the telescope’s assistance, he could see it clearly.
A completely silver-white ship.
Even the darkness of night couldn’t conceal its presence.
Lights flickered across its deck.
Above the mast flew a flag bearing a skull emblem.
A symbol unmistakably declaring its identity.
A pirate ship.
Bang!
Suddenly, the door was shoved open.
The middle-aged man instinctively turned around.
A young man stood at the entrance, panting heavily, his face pale with alarm.
“T-This is bad, Nisen!” “A ship is approaching the island!” “It’s pirates!
A pirate ship!” Nisen’s expression darkened further.
“I know…” He glanced toward the sea once more before turning back to the messenger.
“Notify the other militia members.” “Tell them to arm themselves and prepare for battle.” “The peace of this island can only be protected by our own hands.” Hearing those words, the young man’s expression immediately became serious.
The next second, he nodded firmly.
“I’ll inform everyone right away!” With that, he turned to leave.
But Nisen suddenly stopped him.
“Wait.” The young man turned back in confusion.
“What is it?” Nisen hesitated.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“Send someone to inform Norco as well.” “The pirates look dangerous.
Our self-organized militia may not be enough to deal with them.” “If Norco is willing to lend some assistance, it will benefit both him and the island.” The young man nodded solemnly.
“Understood.
I’ll take care of it.” Then he hurried away.
After watching him leave, Nisen entered a nearby room.
Inside rested a long sword covered in dust.
He carefully removed it and began wiping it clean.
“Perhaps…” “This will be our final battle.” “Even if I die, I won’t let them set foot on this island.” Meanwhile, aboard the Eternal Galebreaker.
As time passed, the sky gradually began to brighten.
The ship drew ever closer to the island.
At that moment, Carnes was notified by the crew and stepped onto the deck.
From afar, he could already see several scattered lights on the island.
“What time is it now?” “Around the Hour of Mao, Captain,” a low-level crew member answered immediately.
“The Hour of Mao…
around five to seven in the morning.” Carnes thought to himself before turning his attention back to the faint lights on the island.
“They sure get up early.” A mid-level crew member leaning against the railing chuckled.
Carnes glanced toward the horizon and let out a soft sigh.
“Dawn is approaching.
That’s not unusual.” “Get ready.
We’re docking.” “Understood!” The crew responded enthusiastically and immediately began preparing the ship for docking.
It wasn’t long before the Eternal Galebreaker came to a stop.
A portion of the crew disembarked first to inspect the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, Carnes stood on the deck, staring at his status panel with a puzzled expression.
He had already arrived at an island.
So why hadn’t his newly recruited crew members appeared yet?
With that thought in mind, he began observing the island more carefully.
It was then that he sensed a considerable number of people approaching.
Buzz— Torches lit up in the distance.
Illuminated by the firelight, Carnes could see a group of armed individuals advancing toward them.
Just from the fact that their weapons were completely mismatched, he could tell immediately— These people were definitely not his crew.
At the same time, Demiurge and the rest of the crew also noticed the approaching strangers.
“Oh?” One of the high-level crew members grinned with interest.
“Judging by this lineup, are they here to welcome us?” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS AniForge_058 Enjoying the story?
Every stone means a lot.
Thank you!