Magic Ritual

Magic rituals are a more complex, difficult-to-learn, and harder-to-control power than simple spellcasting.

But in the same way, the effects and power they can produce are far greater than magic in the general sense.

Many mages, throughout their entire lives, can only stop at the most basic and rudimentary magic rituals for summoning, binding, divination, and extraplanar detection.

But Zuo Si was different!

Ever since he obtained the [Creator] profession, he understood that he couldn't cast spells through incantations and gestures like other apprentices in the tower, so he put all his energy into learning the obscure and difficult magic rituals.

Because this was the only way he could cast spells, besides crafting magic items and using scrolls.

Some disruptive rune combinations even earned praise from the Archlich, Astar.

Compared to the caution and prudence of traditional spellcasters, Zuo Si was better at using his unique transmigrator's perspective to maximize the power of magic rituals from another angle.

Moreover, the magic rituals he improved usually didn't require hours, or even days or weeks, of preparation and repeated checks.

In less than half an hour, all preparations were completed around the beach where the pirates had lit a bonfire.

As the low chanting of spells began, the eyeball, soaked in preservative fluid and still containing its optic nerve, suddenly flew into the air in defiance of gravity, hovering motionlessly about thirty meters above the pirates' heads.

"It worked!"

Seeing the bone dust completely disappear beneath his feet, as well as the valuable black onyx gems that had turned into transparent grit, Zuo Si's eyes revealed a hint of pity for these pirates.

Because he knew that these vicious scoundrels would soon die in the most painful and desperate way.

After completing the magic ritual, Zuo Si immediately and carefully returned to his previous hiding spot to rendezvous with the soldiers and leopards he had summoned.

On the other side of the beach, the tired and hungry pirates had already begun to devour their food ravenously.

Especially a few of the giant ogres, who almost single-handedly ate an entire pot of sea stew rich in ricin.

However, "Bloodhand" Harlett did not eat the food brought by his subordinates. He merely drank the wine in his cup and occasionally nibbled on the grilled fish placed before him.

After about seven or eight minutes, he suddenly asked the hobgoblin beside him, "Are all our men back?"

"No! Twenty-five people are still missing." The latter quickly provided an exact number.

"Twenty-five people missing?"

Harlett frowned subconsciously, sensing that something was wrong.

In his opinion, chasing a mere four stray dogs who had escaped from a merchant ship should have cost him at most two or three subordinates.

The hobgoblin quickly nodded, "That's right! Most of them are humans and a small number of half-orcs. My subordinates Born and Mark are also missing. It's clear that either there are dangerous creatures on this island, or that merchant had some powerful magic items. But don't worry, I've already sent two teams to investigate, and I'm sure we'll have results soon."

"Very good! You haven't disappointed me. After this business is concluded, I will step back from the front lines and let you inherit the title of Bloodhand to continue to roam these seas."

Harlett's face showed satisfaction, and he gave his subordinate, who had followed him for many years, a tempting promise.

"Thank you for your generosity and trust! Please rest assured, even if I inherit the title of Bloodhand, I will still regard you as my eternal captain and offer my loyalty." The hobgoblin knelt on one knee, trembling with excitement.

He had been waiting for this moment for three full years.

Many pirates who made a living in the Moonshae Isles couldn't even survive three years.

Although the hobgoblin couldn't understand why the inscrutable "Bloodhand" captain would abandon the reputation he had built and choose to retire, it didn't stop him from envisioning expanding his crew after inheriting the "Bloodhand" title, forming a massive fleet capable of raiding the entire Western Coast of Faerun.

Perhaps even becoming the acknowledged overlord of all pirates in this region – the Pirate King!

Harlett noticed the ambition radiating from his subordinate's eyes and curled his lips into a playful, teasing smile.

It was as if he were mocking the other's overconfidence, or perhaps anticipating something.

However, this expression lasted for less than a second or two before disappearing.

After the pirates had filled their bellies ravenously, they soon gathered to drink, brawl, wrestle, and gamble, exchanging insults and curses.

For them, who lived a monotonous life at sea, these were their only forms of entertainment.

Especially the bare-handed brawls and wrestling, which could maximally stimulate the violent tendencies within these evil-aligned individuals, allowing them to experience unparalleled joy.

Moreover, typically, the parties involved in a brawl wouldn't fight to the death.

At most, they would break a few bones or beat each other until their faces were bloody and they lost consciousness.

Since ricin is a slow-acting poison, combined with the sensory stimulation from alcohol and brawling, no one in the camp showed any signs of discomfort for three and a half hours.

Of course, this excluded the half-orc cook who had personally sprinkled the ricin crystals into the soup pot.

The poor wretch was now slumped over the supply pile, coughing up blood and vomiting, while also uncontrollably expelling diarrhea like a spray gun. His throat burned with pain, as if scorched by fire.

His urine had also changed from its normal white or yellow to a terrifying dark red.

The intense pain spreading from his stomach throughout his body left him too weak to even call for help. He could only break out in a cold sweat.

It was obvious that the large handful of high-purity ricin he had ingested earlier had taken effect, causing him to succumb to the poison earlier than others, with many vital organs rapidly failing.

Without medical attention, he would likely die soon.

But unfortunately, all the pirates' attention was captivated by the spectacular fight unfolding, and no one noticed the half-orc cook's condition.

Just as his vision went black and he lost consciousness, a flurry of footsteps suddenly echoed from the dark jungle in the distance.

Following closely behind, a group consisting of eight hobgoblins and two ogres, escorting four human captives bound together by ropes, appeared within everyone's line of sight.

The four human captives were none other than Captain Bas, the First Mate, the Boatswain, and Bernard, who had abandoned their merchant ship and crew to sneak ashore in a small boat and hide.

The Hobgoblin leading the group walked proudly at the front, grinning to reveal a mouth full of yellow teeth. "Captain! Look what I brought you!"

Harlett burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Well done! You'll get your reward, I promise. Now, tell me where you found these fellows."

"Heh heh! It was quite a coincidence! These four had been hiding and scurrying around all day, and they were tired, hungry, and thirsty. They wanted to sneak to the lake to get some water under the cover of darkness and maybe grab a few bird eggs to eat. That's when we found and caught them."

As the leading Hobgoblin spoke, he yanked hard on the rope, causing the four weakened captives to all fall to their knees before their own captain.

The Boatswain, who had clearly put up a fierce struggle during his capture, had both arms hanging limply.

It looked like his arms were either dislocated or had their bones broken.

After all, the pursuit party included two incredibly strong Ogres, and ordinary humans were no match for them.

In contrast, Bernard, the heir to the merchant guild and of immense value, had not suffered any injuries.

However, upon seeing the infamous Captain "Bloodhand" with his own eyes, he began to tremble uncontrollably, his eyes filled with despair.

If it were ordinary pirates, captives might still have a chance to return home safely by paying a ransom.

But Harlett was clearly no ordinary pirate, and he certainly wouldn't be interested in such a paltry ransom