Wizard: I Add Points and Hunt Monsters

He even found the name of the Caster City State on it, just over a thousand kilometers from his current position. And their distance to the Southern Continent...

"Damn it, I knew that woman Clelia was unreliable. She sailed west this whole time?"

Wei’en noticed his current position was due west of their departure point from yesterday. "I’m never letting her in here again!"

’It’s a good thing I found a reliable ship today. If I’d let that woman keep bungling things, who knows what year it’d be before we even reached the edge of the Southern Continent...’

"Captain?"

Just then, Ronan poked his head in. He had already changed out of his captain’s attire, and he carefully observed Wei’en’s expression. "The room is ready. Would you like to go and have a look?"

"No need. I trust you wouldn’t dare to slack off,"

Wei’en pointed at the sea chart in front of him and asked, "How long would it take to get to the Southern Continent?"

"The Southern Continent?" Ronan’s smile froze. "Sir, you’re going to the Southern Continent?"

"Is that a problem?"

"N-no, not at all,"

Ronan’s heart sank. ’This is the complete opposite direction from where I wanted to go.’

’But I can only think these things to myself. I can’t let any of it show. Since I’ve already surrendered, it’s best to just be obedient.’

"At this ship’s speed, factoring in resupply stops and potential detours, it would take at least a year to get from the Eastern Continent to the Southern Continent."

"That long?"

Wei’en frowned. ’No wonder the Ceres Clan’s voyages always took three years before they could return.’

"And that’s if everything goes smoothly. If we run into extreme weather, or if our luck is bad and we come across one of those Deep Sea Monsters..."

Ronan didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear—if they encountered such dangers, the length of the journey would be the least of their worries. Their very survival would be in question.

"What’s this ship’s current heading?"

"Well, I was originally headed for the Northern Continent," Ronan hesitated before saying through gritted teeth, "I heard there’s an island there that’s unaffected by the red moon..."

"Oh? You’ve heard that rumor?"

Wei’en was a little surprised. This was the third time he had heard someone mention this.

He had heard it the first two times from Flanta, and he’d originally wanted to meet the Extraordinary who had spread the news at the Nightmare Realm gathering.

But that person hadn’t shown up at the last gathering.

"Sir, you know about it too?" Ronan was stunned for a moment, then a hopeful look appeared on his face. "In that case, would you like to check it out first? I hear a lot of seafarers have already headed there."

"No," Wei’en shook his head. "Change course to the south. We’re going to the Southern Continent!"

’Whether that place is real or not, I’m not interested.’

’Instead of hiding in some seemingly perfect utopia, I’d rather explore the secrets of this world and try to find a way to solve the red moon’s corruption.’

"Oh." Ronan’s face fell. He nodded and said, "You’re the captain. I’ll follow all your orders."

With that, he sat down in the red leather chair and began manipulating the levers in front of him, controlling the mechanical gears within the ship’s hull and the steam core at its base.

RUMBLE...

As the two smokestacks on the deck spewed thick white smoke, the ship turned its bow and began to slowly accelerate.

"Captain, the heading is set. Which route would you like to take?"

"Route?" Wei’en paused. "What’s the difference?"

Seeing his confused expression, Ronan blinked his triangular eyes and asked cautiously, "This isn’t your first time at sea, is it?"

Wei’en nodded, admitting it without a hint of shame. "This is my first time at sea."

’Otherwise, why would I have hijacked your ship and held you captive?’

"Er," Ronan’s expression stiffened. He suddenly felt that jumping overboard right now might be the easiest way to die.

"Is there a problem?"

"Um, Captain, is it possible that... maybe... you could not interfere with the ship’s navigation on a day-to-day basis?"

’Not interfere with the navigation?’

Wei’en understood. He looked at him with a ghost of a smile. "Are you worried I’ll give reckless orders and put you all in danger?"

"Well, I..."

"I agree to that. My only goal is to reach the Southern Continent. As long as you don’t deviate from that course, I won’t meddle in the navigation."

"Really?" A smile spread across Ronan’s face, and he quickly added a compliment, "Sir, I was just afraid of you overworking yourself. Please, let me handle the hard parts."

"Enough with the chatter," Wei’en shot him a glare. "Tell me about the routes."

"The routes..." Ronan’s smile faded a little. After a moment of thought, he pointed to the sea chart. "Sir, look. There are roughly three routes to the Southern Continent."

"Here, here, and this one, which is the farthest..."

"Wait, why not take the shortest one?"

Wei’en looked at the routes he had traced. Each one was a long detour, with the farthest one stretching nearly to the Western Continent.

"It’s like this: these three routes are controlled by different people. The two closest ones are controlled by the Black Pearl. You’ve heard of the Sea Emperor, Captain Isabella, haven’t you?"

"Mhm."

’Controlling the routes...’

Hearing this, Wei’en understood. "Do you have to pay a toll?"

"It’s more than just money," Ronan said with a bitter look. "Ships like mine, which aren’t part of the Black Pearl’s fleet, have to hand over other precious items as well."

"Precious items?"

"Era Relics, ancient treasures, or the bones of Deep Sea Monsters, things like that."

Wei’en frowned. "Those are required?"

’No wonder the Black Pearl is so powerful. By establishing a rule like this, they can use the treasures they acquire to strengthen themselves even further.’

"Absolutely!"

"What about the last route?"

"That’s the route controlled by the Western Continent’s ship, the Alanjia,"

Ronan said thoughtfully, "But I wouldn’t recommend that one. The crews of the Black Pearl and the Alanjia often fight there. If we get caught in the middle..."

"Then why even ask me to choose? It sounds like we have to face the Black Pearl no matter what."

Wei’en shot him an irritated glare, then pointed to the shortest possible path on the chart. "Why can’t we just go in a straight line? Like here, along the coastline?"

"Well..."

Now Ronan was certain this was Wei’en’s first time at sea. "That area is a maritime taboo. Even the Black Pearl has to go around it."

"A maritime taboo?"

"Mhm. There are terrifying Deep Sea Monsters, a perpetual sea fog that never lifts, and all sorts of other strange phenomena..."

"Is that so?"

Wei’en gazed at the chart, lost in thought. ’It seems my only choice is to take a route controlled by the Black Pearl.’

’The Black Pearl... the Sea Emperor, Isabella... Black Jack, and that female leader, Vasquez...’

’This could be interesting!’

P.S. A huge thank you to the generous patron for the donation! Thanks a million!

Also, there will be an extra Chapter tonight!