novelraw Chapter 233: The Road to Kingship
Chapter 233: The Road to Kingship
Among the pirates, whether it was the cold and ruthless doctor or the rude wild men, they all either knelt or stood, raising their heads slowly with reverent eyes, gazing up at the Pirate King above them.
Little Crow also struggled to lift her head.
Through her blurry vision, Little Crow faintly saw the entire layout of the base.
Above her was a massive throne, and beneath the throne was a long staircase.
On the staircase stood three famous great pirates.
However, before that, the first thing that caught her eye was the Blood Hunter...
Why was the Blood Hunter standing next to me...
Little Crow’s heart began to race faster and faster.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
From such close proximity, Little Crow finally saw the Blood Hunter’s full appearance clearly.The Blood Hunter’s skin was covered in sharp knife scars, like countless fine threads had scraped across it.
On the outer layer of his hunter’s garb, stained dark red with coagulated blood, blurred numbers could be seen.
Contrasting with the dark red clothing were two extremely sharp long knives hanging at his waist.
At the same time, Little Crow was surprised to notice that on the Blood Hunter’s shoulders were four prosthetic limbs, each etched with the Steam Hand Workshop’s emblem!
However, these four extra arms were pressed close to his body, the palms resting quietly on his abdomen, mostly hidden beneath his hunter’s garb. Without careful observation, this detail was easy to miss.
Little Crow swallowed nervously.
In the tavern, on pirate ships, the seven Blackfin Crew great pirates with bounties exceeding one hundred million were undoubtedly the topic of countless discussions. They represented the peak of power in this vast sea.
And Little Crow, from the tavern tales, knew many details about these seven great pirates.
The legend of the Blackfin Crew: the undefeated Blade, the Blade-Goblet affinity, the unknown profession, the Blood Hunter.
According to pirate legend, the Blood Hunter once served under the Steam Hand Workshop of the royal capital. From childhood, he was an elite warrior trained by the Steam Hand hunter corps.
After ascending to legendary status, following the Steam Hand’s orders, he became a fringe hunter, battling unimaginable monsters on the border of the New Sun World for a full three years.
But due to internal struggles within the royal capital, after completing his four-year border guard mission, he was abandoned and hunted down by the Steam Hand.
In the end, after killing ten pursuers, exhausted, the Blood Hunter boarded a small returning boat and began a long drift from the edge of the New Sun World.
When he awoke again, he saw Whale Father. From that moment on, with no other support, he became a member of the Blackfin Crew.
In the fifteen years since joining the Blackfin Crew, the Blood Hunter has fought in over a hundred battles without a single defeat.
Moreover, every one of his battles was a solo mission without exception.
The Blood Hunter is the only great pirate without his own fleet or direct subordinates.
He dislikes the atmosphere on pirate ships. Every mission, he sails alone in a patched-up steam boat.
Once, the Blood Hunter, alone and armed with only a drop of blood, walked along Moonstone City’s commercial street wielding his long knives, killing waves of hunters and navy forces, and finally, in front of countless navy soldiers and bodyguards, killed the president of the Moonstone City Hunter Association atop a heap of corpses.
However, despite his rich record, intelligence on the Blood Hunter’s abilities remains scarce at sea.
Rumors say the Blood Hunter was once a puppeteer creator. When he used all six of his hands and six knives, even a navy general could not last more than thirty seconds.
I hope I haven’t been noticed... Little Crow thought, trying to keep calm.
“No need to be nervous.”
The Blood Hunter adjusted his hunter’s hat, retracted his massive spiritual energy field, and said briefly.
Little Crow was stunned for a moment. She realized her heartbeat had become loud enough for an outsider to hear.
“Um...”
Little Crow gave an awkward smile, lifted her head, and boldly looked straight ahead.
On the staircase stood three great pirates.
Dragon Tamer Jie was short, only 1.5 meters tall, wearing heavy thunder-patterned armor.
He was a fourth-tier legendary floral affinity dragon tamer from the Goldenfinch Kingdom, who once signed a contract with a fierce Heavenly Thunder Dragon in the Thunder Strait.
Dragon Tamer Jie is the Blackfin Crew’s favorite pirate for aerial combat. He commands the ‘Flying Fish’ fleet, the ‘Flying Dragon’ fleet, and the ‘Bomber Dragon’ fleet, totaling thirty large ships and three exploration airships.
However, in the Rift Sea, his fleet focuses on conquering the storm zones in the southern Rift Sea and the rifts inside the Great Whirlpool, without engaging in large-scale conflicts with any other forces.
Within the Blackfin Crew, rumors say Dragon Tamer Jie is preparing to tame an adult Blackship Sea Dragon using navy base information and the Goldenfinch Kingdom’s Dragon Chains!
I have to remember these great pirates’ appearances... Little Crow thought as she looked toward the highest point.
To Whale Father’s left stood a doctor.
He wore a black gentleman’s hat, had a typical aquiline nose, and dressed in a black pharmacist’s coat.
From afar, he appeared as a lifeless patch of deep black.
Black Death Doctor, a plague doctor of the Floral Goblet affinity, was the head of the Blackfin Crew’s research institute.
Rumor has it he was originally a member of the navy research institute, but after violating multiple prohibitions, he fled and ultimately joined the Blackfin Crew.
According to pirate gossip, the Black Death Doctor is a researcher even more terrifying than the original Flower Witch. He wields potions full of plague toxins; just one vial can spread disease and annihilate a city.
The Black Death Doctor once declared he would show the Flower Witch what true potions were.
Under his command are the ‘Black Death’ special operations team, the ‘Black Filth’ fleet, the ‘Sea Monster’ exploration fleet, and a large number of Blackfin Crew researchers.
To Whale Father’s right stood a figure wearing a straw hat and holding a boat paddle.
He was the ferryman who brought them here, the legendary River Styx Ferryman... Little Crow thought silently.
According to pirate rumors, the Lamp-Phantom affinity River Styx Ferryman can travel through rifts and transport people to other worlds.
However, information on this great pirate is scarce.
Rumors say all of the Blackfin Crew’s large ships can be controlled by this ferryman!
Counting the ferryman, there were a total of four Blackfin Crew great pirates here!
Fear... Little Crow trembled helplessly.
The Blackfin Crew’s seven great pirates were only missing three.
They were the missing Hammer affinity artillery specialist Carol, the Ice Phantom affinity Drowned Man, and the Book affinity legend, Grand Mage General Looking at the News, active in White Tower Federation waters.
Next, Little Crow’s eyes widened as she looked toward the person on the throne.
Seated on a throne made of ebony, trophies, and piles of sea beast bones was a towering figure.
The Pirate King Whale Father, a name enough to send shivers through the Witch Sea. His face was covered with scars, almost unrecognizable, and his skin was bronze, sculpted by years of sea wind and scorching sun.
On that skin were twelve dark red stone scars, said to be proof that Whale Father had hunted the twelve-tentacled deep-sea titan and finally killed it.
Little Crow took a deep breath.
Unlike the other four great pirates, Whale Father’s spiritual energy field was extremely weak; her spiritual energy perception could not sense it at all!
Though burly and robust, compared to the various Goblet affinity monsters, Whale Father’s figure was only considered outstanding among ordinary humans.
Yet in Little Crow’s eyes, Whale Father was still enormous, beyond human scale.
Lions, elephants, even dragons could not describe Whale Father at this moment.
If one had to compare, it would be like a whale, a great whale standing firm amid a storm.
Though he hadn’t acted for over twenty years, Whale Father remained a lighthouse in countless pirates’ hearts, the undisputed Pirate King!
Whale Father rested his face on his hand and spoke in a low, powerful voice:
“My children, I have gathered you here to announce two things.”
Little Crow blinked. Unexpectedly, Whale Father’s voice, while powerful, was surprisingly gentle, like a kind old man.
Whale Father clenched his fist:
“First, the Great Whale’s tidal wave is approaching from the border. Along with the celestial phenomenon, a darkness will descend upon our night.”
“But crisis means rebirth! B-level, A-level, and the Witch Trial Grounds, along with countless ruins, are opening continuously under the tidal wave’s sweep!”
“In the past, our path to advancement was firmly blocked by the nobles.”
“But now, those B-level rifts sealed by the nobles, those who obstruct us from becoming legends, saints, and beings on par with gods, will no longer be able to stop us.”
“Everyone, beneath the tidal wave, on this vast sea, a path to kingship is opening before us.”
Whale Father’s voice was unusually calm but stirred everyone’s hearts.
The path to kingship... Little Crow didn’t know how to describe her feelings at this moment.
The Smiling Moon disaster was coming, the tide was intensifying, and rifts were upgrading; these were no longer secrets in the current sea area.
B-level rift rewards meant the production of legendary profession cards, and the appearance of the Witch Trial Grounds confirmed this!
After the Rift Tide, the number of third-tier transcendent beings in the Rift Sea was steadily increasing!
And now, the legend—once the coveted endpoint for countless hunters—was appearing on many people’s paths.
Whale Father continued:
“Second, the lost ruins.
Countless ruins once existed in this sea, countless paths to sainthood. However, to maintain absolute power, the Ice Witch sealed these ruins tightly.”
“According to legend, the path to godhood granted to mortals by the Sea Goddess was also sealed by the Ice Witch and taken into her coffin.
And now, her disciple has reappeared, trying to use knowledge to wield those sealed powers. Undoubtedly, the knowledge she holds is enough for the Blackfin Crew to possess power rivaling gods!”
The path to godhood granted by the Sea Goddess... Little Crow blinked, as confused as the other pirates.
Whale Father meant the Ice Witch was blocking their growth?
Their becoming gods?
Little Crow’s heart pounded more violently.
Whale Father continued:
“And our Rift Sea Gunfire King also fell due to arrogance in the Rift Sea.
But everyone here should know that Carol’s power is only a small part of the Blackfin Crew’s strength.
From today forward, the Blackfin Crew will no longer tolerate this. My children, let them see our power! Go out on the sea and ignite a war, seize all the treasures of the rifts!”
“For this battle, my children, go to your commanders to claim your rewards and missions.”
Whale Father finished calmly and waved his hand.
With the wave, the four great pirates below the staircase began to act. They took out Backpack Cards and suddenly dumped countless dazzling treasures.
Massive amounts of gold coins, treasures, skill cards, relics, and weapons rolled down the huge staircase!
The Blackfin Crew’s accumulated wealth was enough to pile into a mountain of gold!
The dazzling golden light instantly filled the entire base.
“Hoo!!! Thank you, Whale Father!”
“Whale Father! We love you!”
“Don’t snatch my Goblet affinity weapon! Whoever dares will lose their hand!”
A thunderous roar echoed across the sea.
Commander, rewards, missions... Little Crow stared dumbfounded at the countless dazzling treasures.
As the ship doctor under Captain Blackeye, Little Crow had almost never participated in such a treasure-sharing feast.
She stared blankly at the treasures. Among those thrown out by the Blood Hunter were not only Deep Sea Hunter weapons but even legendary fourth-tier profession cards!
Everything from the Blood Hunter was rare enough to make any legend envious!
The foundation of the Blackfin Crew...
In Little Crow’s mind, although the Blackfin Crew was strong, it was definitely not a match for the navy supported by the royal capital.
Their failure was due to internal navy problems.
At the same time, the navy’s wealth and transcendent resources surpassed the Blackfin Crew.
But judging by the current situation, the Blackfin Crew’s transcendent foundation was not inferior to the navy.
No, to be exact, it completely outclassed the navy!
Is this, this, this the future of the Blackfin Crew?
Little Crow swallowed and was deeply moved in that instant.
However, none of these matters concerned her.
According to Whale Father’s order, their rewards were to be distributed by their respective superiors.
Her direct superior was originally Carol, but with Carol missing, their ship Mermaid probably wouldn’t receive much reward.
Beside Little Crow, Siren looked equally confused.
The next moment, the Blood Hunter came to their side:
“Doctor Crow, Siren...”
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Little Crow and Siren’s faces, but they forced themselves to say:
“Lord Blood Hunter, what is it?”
The Blood Hunter spun something in his hand and took out a dark-colored profession card.
“Crow, you are captain.”
“And Siren, you are vice-captain.”
“Your fleet is responsible for capturing the Black Hunter.”
Little Crow instinctively nodded.
Siren asked:
“Why the Black Hunter and not the Flower Witch?”
Siren didn’t understand why the Blood Hunter didn’t want them to capture the Flower Witch.
The Blood Hunter paused for a moment and said calmly:
“At this stage, the witch doesn’t matter. Even if she becomes fourth tier, she cannot defy us.”
“The Black Hunter can equip the Deep Sea Hunter’s Ember’s Touch. No one below fourth tier in this sea can bear that equipment.”
“That means he has the talent, the talent to become the hand of the Blackfin Crew...”
Talent? The hand of the Blackfin Crew? Siren and Little Crow looked dumbfounded.
The Blood Hunter revealed the dark red card in his hand:
“You don’t need to care. Whoever among you can catch the Black Hunter, this witch profession card is yours.”