Preparations of the Rose School of Thought
Within the curtain, a nearly transparent figure stood before the altar.
This was an elderly man with a brownish complexion and deep wrinkles on his face, like layers of ravines. His white hair was sparse and dry, like trees in autumn. Judging from his appearance alone, he was already decaying beyond recognition, as if he had spent a long time in the world.
He gazed intently and humbly at the candlelight on the Altar of Flesh, motionless. Outside the curtain, "Admiral of Blood" Senor also sensed the heavy atmosphere and respectfully bowed his head in waiting.
"May the Mother Tree bestow its grace and heal Lord Suah's wounds..."
He thought to himself.
A week ago, Concealment tremor occurred within the Rose School of Thought. Soon, from the Star Highlands to the Hagati Grassland, from the Southern Continent to the Sonia Sea, all members of the sect were mobilized. They either held bloody sacrifices or carried out large-scale hunts for heretics, appearing intense and frenzied.
Although Cultist are known for their extreme behavior, it is very rare to see them so active now.
As a member of the organization's upper echelons, "Admiral of Blood" obtained some inside information. It is said that the sect's leader, "Abomination" Suah, was injured in some way. This Angel was already in poor condition and could hardly stay in reality for long. Now, after this shock, his condition has deteriorated further, and he is at risk of collapsing.
Everything the "Rose School of Thought" had done before was an attempt to cure their leader.
Unfortunately, the series of bloody sacrifices did not yield the desired results. This time, they tried a new approach, directly praying to their "Mother Tree" and seeking divine blessings and guidance.
"Call!"
As Senor pondered, he suddenly heard the flickering of the flame on the altar. The candle had somehow become stained with a complex array of colors, each one so vivid and eerie: the yellow of hunger, the black of Greed, the pink of Lust, the red of cruelty... each color seemed to reflect the deepest desires in the human heart.
"Sizzle..."
The altar, composed of Flesh, human heads, severed limbs, and internal organs, melted and writhed together like a living thing, coalescing and reconstructing itself.
Soon, they Distortion into a small tree made of Flesh, with an uneven surface and one fleshy growth after another.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A heavy, powerful throbbing sound emanated from the tree, echoing throughout the room. Senor's face instantly turned pale, revealing a look of agony; the sound tormented his soul through its Spirituality power. Fortunately, the sapling soon rotted into mud, scattering on the ground.
In the mud, a sticky ball of flesh remained, seemingly the product of that tree's growth.
It exuded an aura of extreme evil and terror, writhing incessantly as if it were alive.
"Mother Tree, great Mother Tree..."
The aged Shanks's face was filled with fanaticism as he chanted incessantly in a low voice. Veins bulged on his aged forehead, as if something invisible was forcibly being poured into his brain. "I hear it! I understand! This Ritual can help Lord Suah..."
"Praise the Mother Tree..."
Seeing this, Senor also knelt down without hesitation and prayed softly.
The candles went out, and the Ritual ended. The fleshy ball continued to writhe, emitting a faint red glow that cast long shadows of the two figures onto the wall. In this ominous atmosphere, only their prayers echoed continuously.
The next day, in the waters of the Rorsted Archipelago, in front of the port of Symeem Island.
"The port entry fee is a flat £5. Based on your ship's tonnage, there will be an additional £ soli management fee. Depending on the value of your cargo, there will also be an additional tax, plus dock fees, berth rental fees, pilotage fees... The total will be soli 45.15."
The dock supervisor fluently calculated the amount, wrote out the bill, and handed it to the cargo owner across the dock.
"Thank you for your trouble..."
The cargo owner smiled apologetically, taking the bill while handing a Bribery to the other party. Feeling the weight of the Bribery, the manager's expression immediately improved, and with a casual gesture, he arranged a berth for him that was easy to access.
The cargo owner quickly thanked the supervisor, then turned and scolded his crew, "What are you all standing around for? Get moving!"
But the usually obedient crew members ignored him, instead staring blankly into the distance.
"Didn't you hear me?!"
Seeing the crew's bewildered expressions, the cargo owner's anger flared, and he immediately raised his voice, "I said, move it now..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly froze, staring blankly into the distance like everyone else. It wasn't just the people on their ship who were in this state; the strange atmosphere spread rapidly, and the once bustling dock became as silent as a graveyard within a few breaths.
Everyone's eyes were drawn to the row of berths in the middle of the dock.
In this row of berths, a line of sailing Ships and a warship were moored. On each ship, a blood-stained skull and crossbones flag was flying high.
Pirate!
It's a pirate ship!
When did you arrive?
Wait, it seems like it was docked here before... Why didn't I notice anything was wrong?
The people on the dock were terrified, yet utterly bewildered. It was as if they had lost their minds; they had clearly seen the pirate ships enter the harbor and dock smoothly long ago, but they hadn't paid any attention until now.
"This flag... belongs to Blood Bishop!"
The dock supervisor's legs trembled; his Pride expression had vanished, replaced by a deep-seated fear. He seemed to be in a state of confusion, turning to run away, but his limbs wouldn't obey him, and he fell to the ground.
The others, facing the dark muzzle of the cannon on the sailboat, wisely chose to stay put.
"Crunch!"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the central warship was placed on the dock ramp, and ladders were laid out for disembarkation. Immediately afterwards, a group of people were herded onto the deck and disembarked via the ladders. These men had fierce faces, were dressed as sailors, and looked like pirates. However, they were all bound with ropes and appeared to be in a very disheveled state... seemingly a group of prisoners.
The leader was a female pirate with an androgynous style, accompanied by a blonde maid. Although she looked tired and weak, she was still very beautiful.
The people on the dock stared in disbelief.
"It's... it's Vice Admiral of Ailment!"
Many people recognized the infamous female pirate, and the dock erupted in excitement.
"Judging from this, the Blood Bishop's Fleet wiped out the entire 'Vice Admiral of Ailment'?!"
"It can't be wrong! Even the captain was captured alive, these pirates must all be her subordinates..."
"Tsk tsk... Such a beautiful woman, and they're willing to tie her up so tightly..."
People got excited, watching them being escorted ashore, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.
"Alright everyone, please make way for us."
Anderson gestured for people to move aside, then moved closer to Tracy, smiling at her. "You're really famous, aren't you? So many people know you."
Tracy remained silent, her face expressionless.