Rumors of the Throat Cutter

Port Tyler, Shark Tavern.

This coastal transit area has many taverns, but these taverns vary in quality, with many operating in Gray Zone, avoided even by locals. The Shark Tavern is one such example. Located in a somewhat secluded area, it bears a Tiger Shark sign at the entrance, easily missed by those unfamiliar with the area. It's a very special tavern; ordinary people rarely come here, as it caters primarily to pirates, bandits, and outlaws.

Upon entering the tavern, you'll find it surprisingly luxuriously decorated.

It was almost comparable to a high-end restaurant, and the waitresses serving them were all young and beautiful. Every now and then, you could hear the screams of the pirates as they tried to grope them, followed by a burst of laughter. There were prostitutes, strong liquor, intelligence, and Underground Black Fist. At certain times each month, there would be underground boxing matches here. The process had almost no rules, and the match was not considered over until one of the fighters died. Occasionally, there would even be matches involving weapons.

Opening betting is one of the tavern's sources of revenue.

Near the entrance, a few pirates sat drinking. One of them, with a pointed face, even reached out and touched a barmaid's buttocks as she walked by.

The barmaid turned around, glared at him, then curled her lip and said, "Three Gold Daler. If you can afford it, we'll go to the back."

So expensive.

The weasel-faced pirate immediately looked embarrassed, wanting to curse, "So what if you're gilded?" but then glanced fearfully at the bar. Bars like this were well-established; pirates like them, unqualified, would be wiped out in a heartbeat. His companions couldn't help but laugh, making the weasel-faced pirate blush with anger. One of them waved his hand and said, "Skinny Monkey's just itching for a touch. But don't touch anything here. Last time, some guy was so audacious he tried to touch the proprietress's butt. His hand got chopped off."

The pretty barmaid pursed her lips and seemed to mouth something, roughly meaning, 'You poor bastard, don't touch me if you don't have money.'

"Cough cough!"

The weasel-faced pirate coughed, angry but lacking the courage to cause trouble here, and changed the subject, saying, "By the way! Have you heard? The Narwhal has been killed! Even Serpent Island has been taken."

The words silenced the people nearby. Then someone exclaimed in astonishment, "The Narwhal is dead? Who killed him? No one in this area could take his Serpent Island, could they? Did he foolishly provoke the Pirate King?"

Pirates of all ranks had to pay tribute to the Pirate King.

The Three Great Pirate Kings each carved out an island and divided the waters near the South Coast, requiring those within their territories to pay tribute. The Narwhal wouldn't be foolish enough to provoke Pirate King, and the Pirate King wouldn't bother with such a minor character. However, besides the Pirate King, they couldn't think of anyone who could eliminate the Narwhal; after all, he was a shrewd and resourceful individual with some prestige among the pirates. Few could eliminate him quietly.

"I heard it was wiped out by a woman!"

Seeing everyone else listening intently, the Skinny Monkey kept them in suspense until the person next to him impatiently ordered him a drink. Then he grinned and said, "I heard she's the daughter of Killer Whale. That old devil was infamous back in the day. Who knew his daughter would be so extraordinary? They say she's a top-tier beauty!... Hehe!..."

"No, that's not right." One of the pirates, a man with a scar on his cheek, slammed his fist on the table and said in a deep voice, "I've seen Killer Whale's daughter, a woman with fiery red hair. She's beautiful, yes. But her skills are only about the same as Narwhal's. She doesn't have as many men as Narwhal, and she doesn't have as many cannons as Narwhal. How could she possibly take down Narwhal and even capture Serpent Island?"

"Besides, the Narwhal also keeps a formidable creature, one that can capsize that woman's boat in the sea."

This guy is clearly well-informed.

Skinny Monkey was clearly embarrassed. Seeing everyone else nodding in agreement, he couldn't help but shout, "Of course it's not just this woman. There's a very mysterious figure behind her! That figure is the key to taking down the Narwhal. It's said that he single-handedly killed the Narwhal and his men, and then conquered Serpent Island that very day."

Your Mightiness?

Upon hearing this title, the others were momentarily shocked.

This title isn't used casually among pirates; at most, they'd call someone "Captain." Those Legendary Professional in strength.

Would someone like that bother with pirates?

Is he planning to vie for the Pirate King's throne? Legendary Professional are big shots everywhere!

"Hey-hey."

The Skinny Monkey seemed pleased with the others' expressions and whispered, "I heard that Killer Whale's daughter has started recruiting, seemingly planning to unify the surrounding waters in one fell swoop. Anyone who joins gets ten Gold Daler' worth of pay. Many small pirate groups nearby are already on edge. I heard Old Sea Dog and Swordfish have gone to Serpent Island to curry favor, fearing they'll be wiped out in one fell swoop. I heard that gentleman is quite formidable, ruthless, and kills without hesitation; he tamed all those unruly fellows in a single day."

"The Narwhal's former henchmen are all behaving themselves now."

The tavern was deathly silent.

Even the proprietress at the bar listened quietly. One of the burly men seemed somewhat incredulous, saying in a deep voice, "You've been talking for so long, but who exactly is this gentleman? What's his name? If he intends to interfere in the nearby waters, he can't have left without revealing his name, can he? Does he plan to put the Killer Whale's daughter on the table? That won't intimidate the pirate leaders!"

The Skinny Monkey's eyes flickered, his expression somewhat strange, and he said in a low voice, "No one knows who that gentleman is, but he seems to prefer being called— the Throat Cutter!"

Throat Cutter!?

A collective gasp filled the tavern.

Even the proprietress wiping the counter trembled slightly before gradually regaining her composure. The others were clearly terrified; some even paled slightly, indicating they were more familiar with the name. The Port Tyler had been rife with death and injury, a bloody battleground for power, all stemming from this legendary Throat Cutter. Furthermore, his identity was linked to the Temple of the Sea and the Ghost Ship. These two factors combined represented both immense power and the terror of death.

The Skinny Monkey seemed to have not expected this outcome either.

He might have been at sea for a while and hadn't returned, so he didn't expect the tavern to become so deathly silent after he uttered the term "Throat Cutter."

But a strange smile still appeared on his lips, and he was gently toying with a Gold Daler between his fingers.

Arendelle, the Land of Ice and Snow.

Inside this magnificent Palace, the Princess sat high on her Throne like a Queen. Her long silver hair was styled into an elegant updo, and she wore a light blue Crystal dress. She silently watched the woman beneath the Throne, who was shrouded in a cloak. Around this mysterious woman, wisps of thin ice spread from her feet, but only remained within a three-meter radius.

The Princess gently shook her head, then slowly said, "I didn't expect Your Excellency to come here."

"However, I must decline your proposal, though it is very tempting. I must stay and protect Arendelle. I sense an unprecedented catastrophe is about to befall us, and besides, your proposal is truly difficult to fulfill. He is the creator of that world; even if you and I join forces, we cannot defeat Him!"

Under the Throne.

The woman, completely shrouded in a cloak, slowly spoke, "Your Her Majesty the Queen, do you truly have no desire to escape our current predicament? Our enemy is not as powerful as we believe. If we join forces, victory is not impossible."

The Princess still seemed hesitant, and said softly, "But after all, He is the creator of that world. That world is His kingdom, and our chances of victory are too slim."

The mysterious woman chuckled softly. Then she asked, "The Creator?"

She gently raised her palm; her skin seemed to have eerie scales. With a slight turn of her hand, the moisture in the surrounding air began to gather, then transformed into a pool of clear water that floated in mid-air.

"Your Her Majesty the Queen, have I created water?"

The Princess remained silent, seemingly puzzled.

The mysterious woman moved her fingers again, and the clear water in front of her turned into ice, and soon a huge block of ice appeared.

"Your Her Majesty the Queen, have I created ice?"

The Princess remained silent, but her expression seemed to shift slightly.

The mysterious woman snapped her fingers, and the ice before her rapidly transformed, constructing at an astonishing speed and gradually separating and reforming. Soon, a five-foot-wide model of a city made of ice appeared, with all the buildings and sculptures inside being exceptionally realistic and exquisite. The skill with which Spell Control was so astonishing that Princess couldn't help but show surprise.

Of course, it was just surprise.

She had always believed that only she could control ice and snow to such a degree.

"Your Her Majesty the Queen, have I created a city?"

The mysterious woman continued to ask questions, but the Princess remained silent.

She raised her hand, and a strange light appeared. Humans actually appeared on the ice city model, but they were made of Ice Golem. They were very small and moved around on the ice city model as if they were ordinary city residents.

Only then did the Princess show a hint of shock on her face.

The opponent is very strong.

He seems to be only slightly inferior to her!

The mysterious woman seemed a little tired. She breathed lightly, then gently waved her hand. The icy city vanished, as did the figures on it. The ice turned into a pool of clear water, which gradually dissolved into free-floating elements in the air.

She sighed and said, "Your Her Majesty the Queen, creation is not necessarily something that comes from nothing; it may simply be a change in its form. Elements become water, water becomes ice, ice transforms into cities, and life emerges in those cities. The essence remains the same; we have merely changed the form of energy."

"The Creator isn't as powerful as you think, and besides, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Do you want things to stay like this forever?"

"They are neither human nor god, and they cannot even fully control their own power!"

The mysterious woman bowed slightly in respect, then slowly said, "Queen Majesty, I hope you will consider my proposal. I will stay in Arendelle for three days. If you are willing to cooperate with me, I will await your arrival at any time."

She turned and slowly walked away.

The Princess watched her figure disappear until the mysterious woman was completely gone. Only then did she gently remove her gloves and snap her fingers. A wisp of water vapor transformed into a pool of clear water, in which ice gradually emerged. The structure of the ice changed, transforming into a city model about ten feet tall, the most striking feature of which was an incomparably magnificent Imperial Palace. Increasingly exquisite buildings appeared from the ice, and figures made of ice emerged one after another. Thousands upon thousands of figures moved within this tiny city, and on the throne within the Imperial Palace, a Queen seemed to sit high above.

This is Arendelle!

Arendelle, exactly like the Real World, made the Princess fall into deep thought.

She waved her hand gently.

The city, entirely made of ice, vanished in the wind as if it had never existed.

(P. S.: I wonder if the Princess's strength will scare you all to death... lol...) (To be continued~^~)