Arrival at White Sand Island

The Great White Shark set sail from Blue Bay Island, searching for prey within the Tudor Strait.

Unlike in the past, a cross flag symbolizing the Tudor Dynasty now flew beneath the Great White Shark's own banner.

Arthur had received a commission from the Tudor Dynasty, allowing their pirate ship to appear openly before the navy.

Otherwise, the cannons of naval warships would have ruthlessly punched holes through the pirate ship's wooden hull.

The atmosphere on deck was quite cheerful.

Kaia had recruited a new batch of sailors from Blue Bay Island, bringing the number of pirates on the Great White Shark to 27.

Among pirate ships in the coastal waters, this was a massive number.

Arthur stood by the railing, holding a pewter mug filled with homemade "Grog."

Fresh water, rum, and lime juice, mixed together with a bit of white sugar—the peculiar flavor gave him a slight buzz.

Kaia savored the Grog, a look of bliss on his face.

"Captain, the deliciousness of this Grog is truly rare. It's hard to imagine how happy the pirates and sailors on long-voyage ships must be."

Lime juice combined with rum and fresh water could effectively prevent the fresh water from spoiling, while the acidity of the lime and the sweetness of the sugar added quite a bit of flavor.

However!

A small pot of cane sugar had cost Arthur 1 silver coin just to make a single barrel of Grog for a taste.

"Kaia, this is the result of me adding a pot of cane sugar; the taste without sugar is much worse."

"Tsk tsk, cane sugar is too expensive!"

Kaia drained the mug in one gulp and smacked his lips at the lingering aftertaste. "Captain, we're coming to the Tudor Strait to plunder? Won't the risk be too high!"

The Tudor Royal Navy's vital base—Pumao Port.

The legendary pirate Earl Drake had once intercepted the Xiya Empire's Invincible Fleet at Pumao Port and achieved final victory.

The Tudor Dynasty had gained maritime hegemony!

The navy there represented the pinnacle of the Tudor Dynasty, located to the southwest of the Tudor Dynasty and the northwest of the Tudor Strait.

Therefore, plundering merchant ships in the Tudor Strait was not a wise choice.

"Who said we came to plunder merchant ships?" Arthur tapped the ship's side, gazing at the distant horizon.

"Ever since we left Blue Bay Island, I've had an ominous premonition that the Great White Shark might have been targeted by someone."

Kaia looked incredulous. "Who would dare target our Great White Shark?!"

"We are great pirates who have just been commissioned and are capable of dominating the coastal waters.

With an extraordinary captain at the helm, it would take at least two pirate ships of the same size to contend with us!"

Arthur shook his head slightly and tossed the mug aside. "Go tell the sailors to change course up ahead.

We will circle around Blue Bay Island and Rhine Island, and if necessary, head to Rhine Island to seek help."

"Yes!"

Returning from the deck to the captain's cabin, Arthur instructed the parrot Gro to keep a constant watch on the surrounding seas.

If he sensed the Black Devil's dream, he was to tell him immediately.

He entered his dream, pushed open the pure white door, and arrived at the Secret Sect Long Table to glance at the [Sequence 9 Potion] currently being analyzed.

In another 37 hours, the formula for the potion would be deduced.

Arthur cast his consciousness into [Explore], his gaze landing on [White Sand Island] within the pitch-black sea.

His spirit remained fixed on White Sand Island, observing every blade of grass and tree on the island.

This game-like perspective gave him a peculiar sensation, a sense of déjà vu as if he were playing a game.

Suddenly!

A suction force emerged from White Sand Island. Arthur's spiritual power poured into it, and when he opened his eyes again, a large rock appeared before him.

[He has descended upon White Sand Island.]

The Whisper of the Moth echoed in Arthur's ears as he crawled on the beach, observing the surrounding environment.

Looking down, he saw he had turned into a "caterpillar," his body covered in fine, velvety thorns.

Arthur realized in his heart that he had descended upon White Sand Island in the form of a "Moth larva."

A very peculiar way to explore; he wondered if it was unique to the Tarot cards, or if he could explore all illuminated areas this way?

He looked around, trying to find the Twin Coconuts of White Sand Island.

If he could obtain the Twin Coconuts in this way, he wouldn't need to make a special trip in the future.

The danger of the Mist Sea lay not in the islands themselves, but in losing one's way during the voyage.

Arthur turned in a circle, but he did not see any tall coconut trees.

Strange, there are no coconut trees on this beach; it seems they must be on the other side.

"Caw!"

A crisp cry rang out along the coast. Arthur turned his head to look at the sea, where a giant Gray Flat-Beak Duck was floating on the surface.

Its scarlet gaze locked onto Arthur's frail body, and it let out an excited roar!

"Quack!"

"Damn duck!"

Arthur struggled to wiggle, crawling toward the depths of the island in search of suitable cover.

The Gray Flat-Beak Duck stepped onto the beach, spreading its large wings to maintain balance, and waddled toward Arthur like a pirate who had just spotted a chest of gold coins.

He suddenly saw a pile of boulders blocking the path ahead.

Without a second thought, he squeezed into a gap in the rock pile and burrowed downward, burying his body beneath the sand and silt.

Thump, thump, thump. An earthquake-like roar reached his ears, and the sand around Arthur began to tremble.

The Gray Flat-Beak Duck's webbed feet scraped at the mud and pebbles, quickly finding a worm among the debris, which it slurped up with its flat beak.

A suction force descended from above. Arthur tried to grab onto something, but lacking hands, he couldn't hold onto anything at all.

He could only be sucked into the flat beak and ground into fragments.

His shattered consciousness returned to the Secret Sect Long Table. Arthur tapped the tabletop, his head feeling somewhat dizzy and heavy.

So, living creatures still exist on White Sand Island?

It seems that for the next spiritual descent, I cannot linger in one spot for too long; I must find a hiding place first.

Suddenly, movement in the captain's quarters surfaced in his consciousness. Kaia was knocking on the door, as if something had happened.

Withdrawing from the Secret Sect Long Table, Arthur rose from his bed and opened the door with a dark expression.

"Kaia, you have disturbed this captain's good dream!"

"Give me an explanation!"

As he pulled out a flintlock pistol to toy with, Arthur's expression made Kaia shudder!

Kaia hurriedly pointed toward a vessel in the distance: "Captain! A ship is catching up to us!"

Arthur stepped out of the captain's quarters, pulled the door shut behind him, and gazed at the distant ship.

A fast vessel was trailing behind them, and judging by its speed, it would soon overtake the Great White Shark.

"Raise the sails and make a circle back toward Blue Bay Island!"

"Fire two cannon shots to intimidate those behind us."

"Yes, Captain!"

Kaia immediately roared: "Full speed ahead, circle back to Blue Bay Island!"

"Thorn, fire two cannon shots! Show those pursuers behind us what we're made of!"

The roar of two cannon shots struck the calm sea, kicking up massive waves.

The black-robed figure on the fast vessel looked at the two shells and sneered: "Do they think these two blanks can scare me off?"

"I am an old sea dog who has roamed these waters!"

He turned his head to look at the Sailors behind him and said in a deep voice: "Do not pursue too closely. Our goal is to drive them back to Blue Bay Island."

The captain of the Great White Shark had killed a Sequence 9 Swordsman of the Darkness Path controlled by a Moon Bone.

As a member of the Black Devil Order, caution was a necessary quality.

Arthur stopped worrying about the pursuers behind him, returned to his bed, opened [Explore], and let his consciousness enter White Sand Island once more.

He initiated the second round of descent.

[He has descended upon White Sand Island once again!]