A Run of Bad Luck

Misty Sea.

"Yelachich, things are not looking good! The fire element fluctuations were intense just now, and that loud noise seemed to indicate that someone was casting Forbidden Spell."

Judging from the direction the sound came from, the battlefield wasn't far from us. This is within the Alpha Kingdom's sphere of influence; those who attacked were likely enemies, not friends!

Bishop Josip said with deep concern.

It wasn't hard to hear his resentment towards the Alpha Kingdom from his tone. If the relationship between the two sides weren't so bad, they wouldn't have gone to the trouble of using their pirate identity as cover to sneak over here.

"Don't worry, judging from the commotion, the Forbidden Spell just now was quite powerful. I'm afraid even a Holy Domain expert wouldn't be able to unleash it."

Such a powerful figure is hard to find anywhere on the entire continent. If the Alpha Kingdom had such resources, it would have revealed them when the Beastfolk invaded.

They figured that if they gathered all the fire mages in the country together and used the power of Magic Array, they might be able to unleash Forbidden Spell of that level.

But we all know that Magic Array are never better the more people there are. If too many mages gather, how can the mage in charge of the main array have the mental strength to control them?

Perhaps some lich or Demons provoked a Holy Domain magical beast, sparking a great battle. However, it's truly rare to see a fire-type Holy Domain magical beast emerge from the sea!

Yelachich realized something was wrong as soon as he finished speaking. While the human powerhouses of the Alpha Kingdom might not be able to unleash Forbidden Spell independently, that didn't mean there weren't powerhouses of that level.

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously suspected Hudson. There was no way around it; as the fourth Dragon Knight of the continent, he was like a beacon in the darkness, leaving them nowhere to hide.

Unless a fire-type magical beast is completely insane, it won't seek thrills by venturing out to sea. The only exception is the Giant Dragon; the creator god has been too lenient with this species, allowing them to roam freely on land, sea, and air.

"The next mission looks fraught with danger. If the Dragon Knight get involved, we might not be able to escape unscathed."

This is ultimately someone else's home turf, and no one knows the waters around Poison Dragon Island better than those local bullies.

It's a pity the Alpha people are so hostile towards us; otherwise, with their cooperation, this operation would have been truly safe!

Bishop Josip sighed.

Their team might be able to handle a single Dragon Knight. But since the enemy has come knocking, there's no reason for them to come alone.

Since they are now known as pirates, even if the Alpha Kingdom wipes them all out as pirates, the Church can't really say anything.

"Let's finish the mission first! If someone hadn't brought out that beast's belongings from Poison Dragon Island, we wouldn't have known that guy died here."

Once we find the Holy Sword of Light and the Scepter of Glory, with the blessing of these divine artifacts, you and I will be able to unleash the power of the Holy Domain.

If we really run into Hudson, even if we can't beat the Giant Dragon, can't we beat this fragile knight?

Of course, it's best to avoid any unforeseen complications. After completing the task, observe for a few days before going out.

The Continental War situation in the North is so dire, and we're waiting for Hudson to take charge; he can't just stay here indefinitely.

"Yelachich said viciously."

Who could imagine that two of the three sacred artifacts symbolizing divine authority— the Sacred Crown, the Holy Sword of Light, and the Scepter of Glory —were lost abroad, and the one on the Holy Mountain was merely a counterfeit?

It involves a dark chapter in the Church's history, and everyone keeps quiet about it. Apart from the Church's top brass, all other people who knew about it were silenced.

The news can be suppressed, but the artifact must be retrieved. This treasure, personally bestowed by the Lord of Dawn, is more than just a divine artifact; it is a symbol of legitimacy.

The Church has been investigating the artifact relentlessly until now. They've gathered numerous clues along the way, but haven't found the artifact itself.

This operation, too, was a last resort. Whether the artifact is actually on Poison Dragon Island is anyone's guess.

But for the Church, even the slightest chance must be taken.

Otherwise, if the situation on the mainland changes one day and other countries discover that the magical artifacts they possess are counterfeit, it will inevitably cause great chaos.

The Barbarian Beard, who had overheard their conversation, was now deathly pale with fright. Normally, discussing such highly confidential information would at least require casting a magical barrier!

Given the limited space of a ship, the comings and goings of people are inevitable. The fact that they didn't even bother with the most basic discretion suggests only one explanation—they were certain they could keep the secret.

Is there anything in this world better at keeping secrets than the dead?

Perhaps not only death, but also the destruction of the soul will be completely eliminated, cutting off any possibility of leaking information.

Even though he had long suspected that the Church would silence him, the Barbarian Beard still looked worried when it was confirmed.

If it were another treasure or opportunity, he might seize the chance to obtain it and use it as capital to turn his life around.

The sacred artifact symbolizing the orthodoxy of the Church is such a hot potato that even if it were given to him, Barbarian Beard wouldn't dare touch it.

Even if someone is reduced to ashes after getting involved with this stuff, the Church will still find them. Even the protection of a powerful force won't help.

If the Church is truly determined to kill a "pirate," no force will stand up for him. Even offering a pledge of allegiance won't help; he's not significant enough to make everyone turn against the Church.

Back on the ship, Hudson used the excuse of replenishing his Magic Power to hide in the cabin and study the ghost he had captured.

The casualties of the Dalton Family had nothing to do with him. If it weren't for Lord Hudson's efforts to turn the tide, the Dalton Family would have been severely weakened.

Losing this main fleet would inevitably affect their maritime trade, and without this most important source of income, it would not be surprising if they went from prosperity to decline.

If it weren't for the fact that it was during the Continental War, and the Hudson needed a good reputation to accumulate more political capital, they definitely wouldn't have escaped this wave.

"Ghost, sign the contract if you don't want to die!"

As he spoke, Hudson directly conjured a Soul Contract on the parchment. Dealing with a mere third-tier ghost wasn't worth the effort.

It was just an experiment after all. It would be best if the Soul Contract could control these ghosts, but it wouldn't matter if it couldn't.

"What are you standing there for, you idiots? I'm calling you! Hurry up and sign the contract!"

The miniature Maxim echoed the shout.

While following Lord Hudson meant not going hungry for three days straight, his status was certainly not high.

He's good at showing off in front of outsiders, but when he's at home, he gets bullied by the bear quite a bit.

He couldn't bring himself to complain, he was completely outmatched in a verbal battle, and he couldn't gain any advantage in a "friendly exchange." Maxim simply couldn't muster any backbone.

To change his bottom-ranking status, it's imperative to recruit more followers. These ghosts are perfect; they look easy to bully.

If they don't obey, he can kill them with one swipe of his claws. These guys would never dare to provoke Grandpa Long.

In fact, with Maxim's rapid increase in strength, the private sparring between the dragon and the bear has become increasingly rare recently.

The reason why the Earth Bear was able to suppress Maxim was not only because of its own powerful talent, but also because Beldens' cultivation level was higher.

The bloodline talent that propels Holy Domain is essentially just a process of accumulating power. As long as one absorbs more digestible energy, this process can be accelerated.

Beldens' growth was naturally rapid, but after his bloodline talent was fully digested, the subsequent comprehension of the rules was no longer just a matter of energy.

Seeing that Maxim's strength was rapidly catching up, and that his own strength had reached its limit, Beldens naturally did not want to continue "sparring".

The Giant Dragon's power is all-encompassing, while the Earth Bear is only good at one thing. Between a dragon and a bear of the same cultivation level, the bear can only gain an advantage in a direct confrontation on land; elsewhere, the bear is no match for the Giant Dragon.

If Maxim hadn't been inexperienced and hadn't always sparred with Beldens on the ground, he wouldn't have been so badly beaten.

It's hard to believe that Maxim, who once thought he could rise from the ashes and sing praises, is now developing a fear of bears and continues to drag others down with him.

"Undead Mage!"

"A knowledgeable ghost said in a panic."

The captured ghosts immediately began to tremble. Undead Mage were professionals at tormenting souls.

If I fall into the hands of others, the worst that can happen is death, but I can always be resurrected on the ship later.

Encountering Undead Mage is a different story; death is a distant dream. Fear awakens fragments of their memories from their past lives, and each ghost is utterly terrified.

"Since you know about Undead Mage, it seems you're not entirely stupid. Either you sign the contract willingly, or we'll discuss this again a hundred years after your souls are extracted and refined."

Hudson threatened with a half-smile.

The Undead Mage's identity must not be revealed, but if those who know are a group of ghosts, then it doesn't matter.

Even if they wanted to leak the information, there was nowhere to report them. As dark creatures hated by everyone, no one would listen to their nonsense.

"Sir, we..."

Before the ghost could finish speaking, the Soul Fire had already ignited, and in unbearable pain, the unlucky ghost decisively left its mark on the contract.

After the master-servant contract was established, Hudson, who had previously been clamoring for battle, instantly changed his tune. Not only did the scorching Soul Fire cease, but a surge of pure dark power also emerged, repairing the ghost's damaged soul.

The ghosts, who had been hesitant, quickly signed the contract. They all became their own ghosts, and the tense atmosphere in the room instantly disappeared.

Feeling the connection between the two, Hudson was certain that if he used the power of the contract to kill these ghosts at this moment, even the Ghost Ship would not be able to revive them.

"Alright, let's talk about the Ghost Ship! Don't tell me you know nothing about it."

Hudson asked with a chuckle.

The seemingly calm question was interpreted as utter terror by the ghosts. They hadn't forgotten the scene of their souls being scorched.

"Master, we don't know how the Ghost Ship came to be."

In my memory, we started out by following the captain, robbing merchants and travelers, and grew up from ordinary people to where we are now.

Before we met you, we didn't even know we were dead. Our daily routines were not much different from those of ordinary people.

Especially during our time on the ship, our memories seemed to be affected, and we deliberately forgot the passage of time.

"By the way, we can sense the location of Ghost Ship. If you're looking for them, we can lead the way."

Having learned his lesson, the ghost hurriedly replied.

Unfortunately, apart from finding the location of the Ghost Ship, which was valuable, the rest of these messages were not of interest to Hudson.

The Ghost Ship's origins and weaknesses were not explained at all. They didn't even remember their identities in life.

As for the Ghost Ship's strength, there's no need to elaborate. Hudson, who fought it once, knows better than they do.

Knowing the location of the Ghost Ship, Hudson did not rush to take action.

Slave Contract are not a panacea. Although they can forcibly enslave ghosts, one's mental strength must be superior to theirs.

His mental strength is indeed good, but at most he can forcibly enslave a few ghosts of the same level. If there are more, he will face backlash.

It seems that controlling the ghosts and thus the Ghost Ship is no longer an option.

After a moment's hesitation, Hudson suddenly slapped his forehead. It was unrealistic to forcibly enslave the three Ghost Kings with his own mental power, but it would be a different story if it were Beldens and Maxim.

As Holy Domain expert, suppressing three ghosts weaker than himself is not a big problem at all.

They're all on our side, so it doesn't matter who controls the Ghost Ship. These forces can't be used in the open anyway; they can only be operated covertly.

Hudson believed he wasn't the first, nor the last, to target Ghost Ship. Those ancient, powerful factions all had their share of dirty work to do!

As he was lost in thought, the ship suddenly began to rock violently, and the first thing that came to Hudson's mind was "storm at sea".

At this time of year, it's not peak storm season, but anything unusual can happen on the vast ocean.

The patterns that humans have observed only apply most of the time. When faced with sudden extreme weather, they can only blame their bad luck.

As soon as he stepped off the ship, Hudson saw a sailor who had climbed the mast being thrown into the sea and was about to be swallowed by the water. In the end, he instructed Maxim to pull the man back.

However, those lucky enough to be spotted by Hudson were ultimately a minority. Most of the unfortunate souls met their end the moment they fell into the sea.

The skilled crew members reacted very quickly; soon someone leaped up and forcibly lowered the sails.

The ship's rolling intensity lessened slightly, but under the onslaught of wind and waves, it could still only drift with the current.

The once-thriving fleet was suddenly separated by the wind and waves. Two small warships, in particular, were capsized by the waves because they reacted too slowly.

Byron, the fleet commander, had a terribly grim face. It was a disastrous start; they hadn't even caught a glimpse of the enemy before suffering a series of blows.

First they were attacked by Ghost Ship, then they encountered a storm at sea. I don't even know how to describe their bad luck.

Watching himself being pushed forward by the wind and waves, Hudson could only shake his head inwardly. Faced with the immense power of nature, humanity is still too insignificant.

It's not impossible to use magic to forcibly control a ship, but doing so against the wind and waves would cause enormous damage to the hull, potentially even causing it to break into pieces.

These ships are essentially wooden sailing warships. Even with the addition of Magic Array, they still lack the ability to directly confront the wind and waves.

Hudson glanced at Viscount Cayou in front of him but said nothing. This guy wasn't helping to command the fleet; instead, he was just hanging around him—clearly a clever little devil.

If the storm continues to escalate and engulfs the entire fleet, sticking with Hudson would undoubtedly be the safest option.

No matter how severe the natural disaster, the Dragon Knight's survival rate is guaranteed. Even if they wander into the eye of the storm, the Giant Dragon can still escape unscathed.

"My Lord, the wind and waves are so strong right now that the fleet can only drift with the wind. It's possible that the fog in our Poison Dragon Sea will be blown away."

Should we evacuate, or continue searching for pirates?

"I'm trying to get on your good side," Kayo said, trying to sound friendly.

This topic isn't worth discussing much. Since we're already here, why leave empty-handed?

"With such a great opportunity, we should naturally go and see Poison Dragon Island. It's a legendary place, and not everyone has the chance to see it."

As for those pirates, I don't think their situation is much better than ours. Especially those merchant ships converted into warships that are neither fish nor fowl; their current predicament is only worse.

If we don't run into them, consider it their fate; if we do, then we'll just take care of them while we're at it.

Hudson said calmly.

Frankly speaking, he had genuinely developed an interest in Poison Dragon Island at this moment. With the fog no longer obscuring his vision, the greatest danger was gone.

The island's dangers could be mitigated by the Dalton Family's cannon fodder. As long as the entire fleet perished, Lord Hudson would be safe.

"Islands!"

"There's an island ahead!"

Hearing his men cheer, the Barbarian Beard was furious, but he had no choice but to cheer along.

There is only one island in this sea area Poison Dragon Island, and the island in front of them is clearly their destination.

He was carried directly to the final stop by the wind and waves. How could he possibly have any fun then?

"Pass down the order: have the fleet move closer to the island!"

The Barbarian Beard reluctantly gave the order.

The Church officials watched from the sidelines, cheering a few times, and no one suspected anything amiss. A deliberate refusal to dock would immediately arouse suspicion among the Church members.

Deep down, Barbarian Beard could only hope that the Dalton Family's fleet would arrive quickly. Otherwise, once the mission was complete, it would be the end for this pirate crew.