On the Sonia Sea, there was an island with a towering dormant volcano.
One after another, ships with their masts raised and sails unfurled were docking, filling the not-so-small pier.
The pirates' songs, roars, laughter, curses, and cheers echoed incessantly, turning the place into a sea of revelry.
The Azure Avenger was among them, slowly sailing toward the pier.
"I'm going to find the treasure hunting group. Farewell!"
As soon as they docked, before the ship had even come to a complete stop, Anderson left behind a single sentence and leaped off the ship as if fleeing, his back quickly disappearing into the crowd on the pier.
"Tsk."
Alger shook his head in exasperation. The poor kid was scared half to death.
Ash stood by the railing, his gaze sweeping over the numerous sailing ships at the pier.
He did not see the Golden Dream, Edwina's ship, which shimmered with a golden hue in the sunlight.
"The visibility isn't great here. Let's go over there," Alger pointed to a nearby cliff, reminding him.
After a brief thought, Ash disembarked from the Azure Avenger and climbed the nearby cliff, taking in everything below from the height.
Alger followed him up the cliff. Below, layers upon layers of sailing ships crowded the pier and other nearby docks.
At least several hundred pirate ships were visible, with tens of thousands of pirates gathered here.
They packed the docks, a sea of heads so dense that it was impossible to distinguish one person from another.
Finding a specific individual among such a massive crowd of pirates would be a daunting task.
"Found him," Ash said suddenly.
"Where?" Alger asked, momentarily stunned.
Ash pointed toward a spot on the docks, and Alger's gaze followed his finger.
The area was teeming with people, with no one standing out. Alger couldn't tell who Ash was referring to.
"That's Edwina's boatswain, Danitz," Ash explained.
After a moment's thought, he changed into the Black Knight armor he had worn when they first met and turned to walk toward the "Sun Knight."
"..."
Alger watched Ash change his outfit in an instant, his mind struggling to process the sight. His emotions were a chaotic mess.
Ash wasn't wearing the Ring of the Sleeping Dragon Emblem, so the armor's joints clanked loudly with every step. Even in the noisy crowd, the sound carried clearly.
As a result, both he and Danitz, who was frantically searching the crowd, quickly spotted each other.
"Praise the Sun," Danitz murmured, stepping forward.
"Praise the Sun."
Having exchanged the code, Danitz wasted no more time. He turned and squeezed through the crowd, heading deeper into the island.
Eventually, they stopped at a crude wooden shack tucked away in the island's interior.
"Mr. Ash," Danitz said, taking the initiative. "The Captain has something very important to discuss with you."
"Very well," Ash replied. "When do I see Her?"
"Not right now," Danitz said, shaking his head helplessly. "The Captain is currently entangled with the Admiral of Blood's subordinates and can't break free. Even I had to go through a great deal of trouble to sneak onto this island. If you want to meet the Captain, you can only do so through me."
Danitz thought for a moment and added, "To be precise, you'll need to meet Her by performing a Spirit Summoning Ritual through me, allowing you to communicate with the Captain."
As he spoke, Danitz glanced at his wrist to check the time and let out a sigh of relief. "Good thing you arrived right on time. It's currently Blue Star Time. If we had missed the morning window, we wouldn't have been able to communicate with the Captain until four o'clock this afternoon."
Muttering to himself, Danitz began taking out the materials he had prepared. He started setting up the altar with a level of clumsiness that betrayed how recently he had learned the Spirit Summoning Ritual.
"A Spirit Summoning Ritual?"
Ash watched Danitz perform the so-called ritual, his expression filled with suspicion.
Why did this so-called Spirit Summoning Ritual give him a sense of familiar déjà vu?
Just as the thought surfaced, the various ritual implements on the altar began to float, except for the three candles.
Danitz's body convulsed uncontrollably, and his expression gradually grew cold.
Soon, he spoke in the female voice of the "Iceberg Vice Admiral":
"Good morning, Mr. Ash."
"Good morning," Ash replied. "Ms. Edwina, you seem to have some urgent business for me?"
"Yes," 'Edwina' nodded slightly. "My teacher wishes for me to invite you to Lunburg, preferably immediately. There, you may find some of the answers you have long been seeking."
After a pause, 'Edwina' continued, "People always find their answers in Lunburg."
Ash's expression shifted slightly. He pressed, "Who is your teacher?"
"Her name is..."
'Edwina' opened her mouth but made no sound. After a long silence, she whispered, "I'm sorry, I cannot reveal her name to the outside world."
She could write the name in a letter to her teacher because only the teacher would see it. But at most other times, she couldn't even speak it aloud.
Her Spirituality was warning her.
"I will go."
Ash pondered for a long time before slowly giving his reply. "However, this will take some time. Once I've finished what I'm currently working on, I can make a trip to Lunburg. At that time, I will come to the sea to find you again."
"But..."
'Edwina' hesitated, seeming somewhat conflicted.
Ultimately, however, she chose to compromise.
"Of course, Mr. Ash."
'Edwina' regained her composure and said softly, "If you have finished your current business, please be sure to come to the sea to find me. I will take you to Lunburg. Also,"
'Edwina' spoke through Danitz's body, "Danitz has requested a long leave of absence from me. He will not be returning to the Golden Dream for the time being, as he wishes to remain on Damir Island for a vacation. We will continue our journey north to Sonia Island. During this period, he will be responsible for communicating with Mr. Ash."
"Very well."
Ash glanced at Danitz and replied, "If I have any needs, I will contact him."
"Then, farewell, Mr. Ash."
'Edwina' said her goodbyes softly and subsequently severed her connection with Danitz.
As the Spirit Summoning Ritual ended, Danitz could feel 'Edwina's' departure. He also successfully regained control of his own body.
But he looked anything but happy. In fact, his face was a picture of misery.
I only came here to deliver a message!
How did I end up being "vacationed" by mistake?
Danitz was on the verge of tears.
According to the Captain's orders, he could return to the Golden Dream as soon as Ash came to find him.
But what if Ash never comes? Am I stuck here for the rest of my life?!
What kind of situation is this?!
Danitz's heart swelled with indignation. Why on earth had he volunteered for this mission?
Ash's gaze swept past Danitz, as if piercing through the walls of the wooden cabin. "And you?" he asked coolly. "Do you have a message for me as well?"
"Huh?!"
Danitz's expression shifted. He instinctively glanced at the doorway.
What does he mean? Is someone else outside?!
Was he being followed?
Thud!
A figure pushed open the door and stepped inside. He spared Danitz a cursory glance, but the sight of him alone was enough to make Danitz's pupils shrink in shock.
The man was tall and imposing, with dark skin, a powerful build, and hair that curled into tight, marble-like coils.
From his physical features alone, Danitz immediately recognized him—
"Iron" Maiweti, a pirate with a bounty of 6,000 pounds.
More importantly, he was the second-in-command to Admiral Senior of Blood!
"Divine Envoy, the Captain sent me to deliver a message."
Maiweti shot Danitz a disdainful glance before turning his gaze to Ash, his expression instantly shifting to one of humility and reverence.
Maiweti spared Danitz another look, his eyes flashing with a warning.
"Hmph."
Danitz sneered and turned, walking out of the wooden cabin.
Lose the battle, not the morale! I can't let them see me lose my nerve!
Danitz strode out of the cabin, chest puffed out, and shut the door behind him.
But after just a few steps, his expression shifted abruptly. He spun around and sprinted toward the island.
To avoid raising the Admiral of Blood's suspicions, the Captain had stayed on the Golden Dream, keeping the Admiral occupied.
He had only sent Danitz ashore in secret.
After all, Danitz was just a Sequence 7 Boatswain—not very famous, not very conspicuous.
Ash, however, had met him before. With Ash's power to kill a demigod, there was no way he wouldn't recognize him.
The only real question was whether Ash would even attend the Pirate Assembly.
They had spread the word in advance, but that didn't guarantee his arrival.
What if he had already returned to Backlund?
Sending Danitz ashore was merely a precaution, ensuring that if Ash did come to the island, they would be there to meet him.
And now...
He had met Ash. His role as the "insurance policy" had served its purpose.
But who knew the Admiral of Blood would be so cunning as to send someone to tail him!
He had to report this to the Captain immediately!
"The God has issued a divine decree, requesting you to collect as many of the 22 Cards of Blasphemy as possible—especially the Moon Card."
A hint of fanaticism flickered in Maiweti's eyes, but he paused deliberately before continuing, "And the Mother Card."
"Why the hesitation?" Ash asked, his voice unreadable.
"Forgive my insolence, Divine Envoy," Maiweti hastily explained. "These were the Captain's exact words. It seems the divine oracle was transmitted in fragments, which is why I was unsure how to accurately convey its contents to you."
"Fragments?"
Ash's gaze sharpened as he looked at Maiweti.
He knew Maiweti served the Admiral of Blood, and the Admiral of Blood served the Rose School. The Rose School worshipped the so-called "Bound God."
Maiweti wouldn't dare falsify a divine oracle, no matter how much courage he mustered. But why was the oracle fragmented?
Could their god have memory loss just like me? Forgetting what it was saying halfway through?
Regardless of the reason, it didn't matter. Ash wasn't on good terms with this "Bound God," nor did he have any intention of following Its orders.
"I understand," Ash said coolly.
"Divine Envoy," 'Iron' Maiweti bowed his head respectfully, daring not to object. "I will remain on standby in Bayam. If you have need of me, you may send someone to find me there."
After speaking, Maiweti respectfully backed away and left the wooden cabin.
He soon vanished from sight.
As for Danitz?
He had left the moment he stepped out of the cabin, never intending to wait for the two to finish their conversation before returning.
After both men had departed, Ash also left the cabin.
Before leaving, he glanced at the dormant volcano located in the center of the island, then quickly withdrew his gaze and walked toward the pier.
On his way to the pier, he had already silently removed the Black Knight armor he was wearing.
Therefore, when he arrived at the pier, he appeared inconspicuous among the swarming pirates.
Under the cover of the crowd, he quietly returned to the Azure Avenger.
Creek!
The moment Ash returned to the ship, Alger, who was standing by the gunwale, spotted him. His expression seemed somewhat grave.
"I've just discovered something very strange," Alger said deeply upon seeing Yujin's return.
"What?" Ash looked at him with a hint of curiosity.
"The Pirate Assembly," Alger said, trying to be as concise and fast as possible. "This isn't the first time a Pirate Assembly has been held. They're held basically every so often. And while the locations are never exactly the same, they all share one common trait."
Alger's expression turned solemn. "Every single island that hosts a Pirate Assembly has a dormant volcano!"
"While this could just be a coincidence, I can't shake the feeling that there's a deeper secret at play—one we've yet to uncover. And that secret might be hidden within that dormant volcano."
Alger took a deep breath.
He was eighty percent certain that the location of the Pirate Assembly had been chosen deliberately.
For example, the location was only announced to nearby pirates one week in advance, ostensibly to prevent surprise attacks from the navies of various nations and the major churches.
But that excuse held no water.
If the navies and churches were truly determined, they could wipe out all the pirates at sea at any time.
Moreover, the location of this Pirate Assembly was exceptionally conspicuous—
It was situated in the northern part of the Lordstadt Islands, very close to the main bases of all the major powers!
Whether it was Damir Island, where the Kingdom of loen maintained a military base; Bayam, the capital of the Lordstadt Islands; Sonia Island of the Feysac Empire; or even Pasu Island, where the Church of Storms' sanctuary was located—the sailing distance from any of these places was no more than seven days!
If the pirates could reach this location, the navies certainly could too.
Yet, in reality, none of the navies had made any move.
The Church of Storms was no exception. They completely ignored this Pirate Assembly, which was practically being held on their doorstep.
This meant that the nations and major churches had likely reached an agreement with the pirates over something.
And that something was most likely related to the dormant volcano on the island!
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