Arthur's Trench Coat

After testing the Joint Combat Art, Arthur had suffered no aftereffects apart from physical exhaustion.

He could be certain that the Invisible Arts were harmless to him.

"Relying on Martial Arts alone is still too dangerous. A musket is better."

The combat value of the Joint Combat Art was far inferior to its intimidation value—it made him appear to be a Transcendent.

As for firearms, what mattered was catching the enemy off guard.

Researching the Invisible Arts had given Arthur a taste of its benefits. He felt it was highly valuable.

That night, after [Dream Entry], he had a terrifying nightmare. He fell into the sea and was torn apart by a pack of sharks.

[You have obtained a "Dread."]

Arthur's eyes lit up. He toyed with the firearm in his hand and muttered:

"Dread doesn't necessarily have to be used for Research. It can be implanted into a target, making them feel fear for an instant."

"If this state is combined with the Joint Combat Art, the control effect will be even better!"

The states produced whenever he entered a dream would disappear after ten minutes if left unused.

To preserve a state, he could place it in [Research].

Since he had no materials to conduct Research with, the "Dread" was preserved instead.

After having a simple breakfast on Blue Bay Island, Arthur bought two more firearms.

He loaded the new flintlock pistols with gunpowder and lead bullets, tested them, and confirmed that they worked properly.

He paid one gold coin and took the two new pistols with him.

He returned to the captain's cabin.

Parrot Gro stood guard outside the captain's cabin like a sentry. When he saw Arthur, he was just about to speak.

Hurried footsteps came from the distance.

Soon, someone knocked on the captain's cabin door.

Arthur covered the firearms with a leather coat and opened the door. Quartermaster Wick had arrived.

Frowning, he asked, "Captain, are we really going to attack the Jasmine? That is the family's property!"

Arthur's expression darkened. Wick had questioned him repeatedly to his face; he was taking himself far too seriously.

Then it occurred to him that Wick might not be Arena's man.

No, he definitely was not.

Arena did not have much influence within the Stuart Family, while Wick had always served aboard the Great White Shark Pirate Ship.

"After careful consideration, we will still attack the Jasmine—but only claim so publicly!"

"If you cannot understand the difference between words and actions, I suggest you wash your ears with seawater."

"Captain Arthur!"

"Quartermaster Wick!"

Arthur's gaze fell on Wick's eyes. He quietly invoked the power of the Moth and placed a hand on Wick's shoulder.

With a slight squeeze, Wick sucked in a painful breath.

"If the mission succeeds, I stand to gain far more than you do. Do not use your shallow perspective to speculate on the captain's intentions!"

"Bring me the firearms!"

Wick silently handed Arthur the two firearms he had purchased.

He had once believed that, in terms of swordsmanship and strength, he ranked first among the Great White Shark Pirates.

He had not expected Captain Arthur's strength to completely overpower him!

Arthur slammed the captain's cabin door shut. Listening to Wick's footsteps fade away, he looked at Parrot Gro.

"Add one more name. After the battle is over, send the quartermaster to his death."

"Oh! Esteemed Captain!"

"Your loyal navigator, Parrot Gro, shall obey your will."

Arthur lifted the leather coat and marked out four suitable positions with a small knife.

Two marks were at the waist, and two were on the legs.

He took out four flintlock firearms and a sewing kit, then carefully stitched the firearms into the lining of the trench coat.

Flintlock firearms were somewhat complicated to operate. After firing a bullet, the residue had to be cleared out manually.

Then gunpowder and a lead bullet had to be loaded before pulling the trigger to fire again.

The entire process took around thirty seconds. By the time the second bullet was loaded, a sword would have already pierced his heart.

Transcendents were different from ordinary pirates.

Ordinary pirates had no chance of dodging bullets unless they were hiding behind cover.

A Transcendent's physical abilities supported them in evading bullets, so concealment and surprise were necessary.

The four flintlock firearms were stitched in place with their muzzles facing inward.

Arthur put on the trench coat. The muzzles of the four firearms pointed behind him.

"The muzzle positions need to be exposed to ensure the bullets can fire smoothly."

He used his small knife to puncture the leather over the muzzles, scraping away layer after layer with the blade until he created firing ports for the firearms.

He tied linen thread to the triggers, sewing the other ends to the edges of the leather coat in a loose arrangement.

As long as he slipped a hand into the coat and gave a light tug, the linen thread would tighten, pull the trigger, and fire the firearm.

After making all four trigger lines, Arthur let out a soft breath.

His safety should be assured now.

After making a round of the deck, Arthur began rallying the pirates, emphasizing the Jasmine's wealth.

He spoke of the prosperous life that awaited them after the plunder, of how weak the other side's Sailors were, and how powerful the pirates were.

Arthur deliberately glanced at Marcus, his Believer of Light navigator.

His eyes were ringed with heavy dark circles. It was obvious that he had not rested well these past few days, and his spirit was utterly listless.

Parrot Gro's operation had already begun.

Jasmine.

Arena took a speedboat and swiftly caught up to the cargo ship. The moment she boarded, she immediately sensed the presence of a Transcendent.

"Miss Arena, may I ask why you have come to the Jasmine?"

"As the person in charge of the nearby seas, I was worried that something might happen to the Jasmine. I came to protect this stretch of the voyage."

"Do you have any objections?"

"No."

Although Dorian, the Stuart Transcendent aboard the Jasmine, was quite puzzled, he was not on guard.

With one more Transcendent aboard, their safety had one more layer of protection.

Having traveled from the New Continent to the Old Continent and experienced all manner of dangers on the Grand Route, Dorian would not let his guard down.

The closer they came to the end, the more fatal any accident would be.

A hundred nautical miles away, a small boat cut through the mist and sped across the waves.

A figure in a black cloak steered the boat through wind and waves. A compass floated before him.

The compass's base was the skull of some creature. Dark red liquid floated within it, along with a strand of black hair.

The hair constantly changed direction, firmly locking onto Arena's location in the distance.

"Ulala~ Night Stone, here I come!"

Mist Calendar 1601.

Wine Month 06, Friday.

Arthur stood before the calendar, wearing his stylish leather trench coat and resting both hands on a heavy broadsword.

"The traditional season of harvest and brewing. The fragrance of fine wine spreads from the continent to the sea."

"It is also hunting season. In October, when autumn leaves are red as blood, let us stir up a new pirate storm!"

He strode from the captain's cabin onto the deck and roared at all the pirates:

"Toward the Jasmine! Advance!"

"Advance!!!"

The pirates' roars echoed across the sea alongside the fierce wind.

Some of the Great White Shark Pirates began preparing to load the cannons under the guidance of the gunnery officer.

Others raised their pirate cutlasses, ready at any moment for a boarding battle!