Chapter 382 - 172: So-called Eternal Life
CLICK.
CLICK.
Wei’en leaned against the lookout post with his back to the red moon, gazing up at a night sky veiled by its crimson glow. He toyed with a golden pocket watch in his hand.
Judgment Knight Huberto Watson... another Extraordinary whose strength approached the legendary tier, just like Director Ales...
The scene of his battle with Ales replayed over and over in his mind.
Although Director Ales’s strength was near-legendary at the time, thinking back on it now, he had only just absorbed the Calamity Origin Power and hadn’t yet achieved a level of mastery to match it.
Of one thing, Wei’en was certain—Ales’s attacks using the Calamity Origin did not inflict a bad luck effect like Tina’s.
That was why, despite his own lack of magical skills and accumulated knowledge, he had been able to crush his opponent with absolute power.
If Ales had had some time to familiarize himself with the Calamity Origin’s power, to develop or learn some skills, the outcome of that battle might have been very different...
But this Judgment Knight, Huberto, was different from Director Ales.
He had risen from an ordinary Holy Professional, step by step, to his current level of strength. His combat experience had to be beyond imagination, not to mention that someone of his status was bound to have mastered some of the Dawn Church’s unique abilities.
His terrifying power was evident from the dazzling divine radiance he had just displayed.
"Terrifying..."
Of course, it wasn’t as if Wei’en was completely powerless to resist.
Between the Demon Clown, the newly acquired Forbidden Item 2-77, Karel’s Whisper, and his newly mastered magical abilities, he at least had a fighting chance.
’If Tina...’
Thinking of the white-haired girl, Wei’en snapped his pocket watch shut with a CLICK, dismissing the idea.
Compared to the Forbidden Item, Tina losing control was far more unpredictable. It would also attract the gaze of that malevolent phantom—Tina Lilith Leonard.
If anything went wrong, then he—no, everyone on the Ronan—would probably have no choice but to wait for death.
With that thought, Wei’en lit a new Dawn Candle and closed his eyes to rest.
Just before his consciousness drifted off, his last thought almost made him laugh.
’Heh. Being hunted by a Holy Professional of the Dawn, yet having to rely on the light of Dawn to drive away the red moon’s corruption... How ironic!’
Meanwhile, in the ship’s hold, Clelia watched the Guards practicing the Secret Techniques of the Eternal Life Association, but her thoughts had already flown to the deck, to Wei’en.
’It’s just as Menor said,’ she thought. ’Someone like Wei’en, who has ability, talent, and luck, makes their own judgments about everything and never trusts others easily.’
’If it weren’t for that incident, he never would have chosen to side with the Eternal Life Association...’
’So let’s see how you get through this one, Wei’en~’
...
...
The next morning, the red moon faded from sight.
The sun rose slowly above the southeastern horizon, making the ocean glitter brilliantly.
Some deep-sea fish, after a night of hiding and frustration, leaped from the surface, gulping down the fresh air and basking in the sunlight.
Aboard the Ronan, Ronan emerged from the cockpit full of energy. Seemingly oblivious to what had happened on deck the previous night, he was shouting orders as boisterously as ever.
"Velen, let down the sails!"
"Boatswain, do a headcount! See if any unlucky bastards need to be tossed into the deep sea to feed the fish."
"Nathaniel, go prepare some food! Don’t keep the First Officer and the others waiting!"
"Understood, Second Officer..."
Hearing the commotion from the deck, Wei’en opened his eyes and looked around.
Bleary-eyed pirates crawled out from the cabins, repeating the same tasks they did day after day.
Taking a headcount, clearing away the companions who had been dragged into their dreams and died tragically, washing the deck...
When there were no ships to plunder, their life at sea was much like that of sailors on any ordinary merchant vessel—everyone had their duties, their work coming in bursts of activity and lulls.
Wei’en scanned his surroundings. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he opened his panel and took a look.
[Congratulations, you have safely survived another day. Evaluation: A sturdy chick. You’ve lived to see another day. Be grateful. Reward: Survival Points +3.]
He didn’t dwell on the difference between "weak chick" and "chick," calmly scrolling through the other notifications.
The night of sailing, the Place for Containing Killing Intent, the red moon’s corruption, and the killing intent lock-on from the aberrations hiding in the deep sea had brought him a total of fifteen attribute points and 2,300 survival points.
Adding in the Meditation from Ghost and the others... that was a total of eighteen attribute points and over two thousand survival points.
After silently calculating the total, Wei’en nodded slightly. He was more or less satisfied with this haul.
At his original pace, it would have taken thirty years to reach the legendary tier in his base attributes. Now, that time was shortened to six years, a fivefold increase in the speed of his power growth.
However, if he wanted to defeat the Judgment Knight, he would have to grow even faster.
Then, after using an Illusion Technique to take on Marco’s appearance, he stood up and waved down to Ronan. "Second Officer."
"Captain?"
The man with the triangular eyes finally noticed him on the lookout post. After shouting "Morning, Captain!" in unison with the surrounding pirates, he quickly scrambled up to the platform.
"Captain, what are your orders?"
After spending the last two days with him, he’d discovered that this Red-haired Captain was actually quite easy to get along with. As long as you honestly followed his orders, you wouldn’t even get a scolding.
Compared to what he’d gone through while serving as a boatswain on other ships, this man was, without a doubt, an excellent captain.