Chapter Summaries

Charles bought a ship, named it the Black Pearl, and established the Undertow Pirate Crew, recruiting and training a crew near Ship Island. Gus investigated the new crew and planned to attack once they began a long voyage.

• Gus left the Black Pearl and ordered his men to investigate Charles's group, intending to seize the ship if they seemed weak.
• Charles confirmed that Quake recognized Gus of the Garrote Pirate Crew, then assigned Quake, Dalle, and Bruce their roles aboard the ship.
• Charles named the ship the Black Pearl and founded the Undertow Pirate Crew.
• Charles recruited twenty-five pirates, bringing the crew to twenty-nine, and had them practice sailing around Ship Island.
• Gus learned that Charles's crew had recruited mostly inexperienced men and ordered his pirates to watch for a long voyage before attacking.

Charles took the Black Pearl out to sea to train his new crew by hunting aquatic Magic Beasts, while also using the voyage to draw out people who might target his ship. After baiting the water, he waited in the captain’s cabin as the first Magic Beast approached.

• Charles arranged two months of supplies and told Quake that they would hunt Magic Beasts to train the crew.
• Charles warned Bruce that the voyage was also meant to fish for people, since the crew’s information security was poor and their ship stood out.
• The Black Pearl sailed beyond the Bloodsail Raiders’ patrol waters and Quake ordered the sailors to throw fermented animal offal into the sea as bait.
• Small fish and then large fish gathered around the bait, while Charles watched from the deck and told Dalle to call him when a Magic Beast appeared.
• Charles considered promoting some pirates into Tide Priests or preparing Blood Ring Knights as he planned for future conquest.
• Dalle called out that a Magic Beast had arrived.

Charles’s crew hunted low-value Spiny Jellyfish until three adult Shadow Sailfish arrived and began attacking them. After Quake warned that the swift beasts would be difficult to catch, Charles used Soul Strike to intervene.

• Charles identified the Magic Beasts attracted to the bait as Spiny Jellyfish and ordered the crew to hunt them.
• Quake led apprentice Tide Warriors underwater to isolate and kill several first-rank Spiny Jellyfish.
• Charles sensed three adult Shadow Sailfish approaching and ordered Quake, Dalle, and the others back aboard the Black Pearl.
• The Shadow Sailfish attacked the Spiny Jellyfish, and Quake told Charles that the crew could not stop all three from escaping.
• Charles cast the first-circle sorcery Soul Strike at the Shadow Sailfish.

Charles used Soul Strike to help Quake and Dalle kill three Shadow Sailfish, then collected their valuable materials and shared the meat with the crew. The haul included two magic cores that could help Charles gain two Tide Warriors.

• Charles killed one Shadow Sailfish with two Soul Strikes and ordered Quake, Dalle, and the pirates to retrieve it.
• Quake dodged a magic-core-powered water attack, then used Charles's Soul Strike to harpoon one Shadow Sailfish through the head.
• Charles struck the remaining Shadow Sailfish with Soul Strike, allowing Dalle to harpoon it and finish the fight.
• The crew hauled all three Shadow Sailfish onto the ship, where Charles found two magic cores and the pirates praised the scales and spines.
• Charles collected the cores and blood, ordered the Shadow Sailfish processed, and gave everyone a share of the meat.

Charles extracted essence from two Shadow Sailfish and offered to advance two pirates into Tide Warriors, then continued hunting Magic Beasts with his crew. The Garrote Pirate Crew approached with three ships, and Charles ordered the Black Pearl to sail away.

• Charles condensed the Shadow Sailfish essence and promised to choose two pirates to become Tide Warriors.
• Charles and his crew caught and killed several more Magic Beasts with magic cores over the next few days.
• A lookout spotted three ships approaching the Black Pearl, and Charles identified them as pirate ships.
• Charles asked Quake about their flag, and Quake recognized it as belonging to the Garrote Pirate Crew led by Gus and the others.
• Charles ordered the pirates to discard unnecessary items, raise the sails, and flee.

The Garrote Pirate Crew sent its fast ship after the fleeing Black Pearl, while Charles watched his crew prepare for pursuit and identified a spy aboard. The spy seized his chance to sabotage the sails, leaving the chapter as he drew his blade beside the mast.

• Gus ordered the Garrote Pirate Crew's single-masted ship to chase the Black Pearl and sent extra men aboard it.
• The Garrote Pirate Crew's third mate rallied his fifty men and expected to defeat the Black Pearl, unaware that Charles was a Tide Priest.
• Charles's crew threw cargo overboard and worked to keep the Black Pearl fast as Quake and Dalle inspected the ship.
• Charles noticed that a nervous pirate was the spy who had leaked information to the Garrote Pirate Crew and planned to cut the sail ropes.
• When Quake and Dalle were away from the mast, the spy drew his curved blade to sabotage the sails.

Charles killed a traitor aboard the Black Pearl and slowed the ship to lure the Garrote Pirate Crew’s pursuing sloop into a fight. As both crews prepared to board, Charles rallied his men with rewards and promised to help survivors advance into Tide Warriors.

• Charles shot a pirate who tried to cut a sail rope, then ordered the traitor’s body thrown overboard.
• Third Brother spotted the corpse from the Garrote Pirate Crew’s sloop and ordered his crew to catch up with the Black Pearl.
• Charles told Quake to keep the pursuing sloop close, then sailed until the other Garrote ships fell far behind.
• Charles ordered his crew to prepare for battle, promised survivors magic cores to advance, and rallied them with gold shells and liquor.
• Third Brother urged his elite pirates to board the Black Pearl and capture it intact so the Garrote Pirate Crew could sell it.

Charles summoned Abyssal Kuo-toa to reinforce the Undertow Pirate Crew as the Garrote Pirate Crew boarded the Black Pearl. The battle began with Charles and the Kuo-toa striking back, while pirates from both sides fought across the ships.

• Charles summoned four Tier 1 Kuo-toa and twenty apprentice-level Kuo-toa, then ordered Dalle to let them aboard the Black Pearl.
• Charles told the pirates that the Kuo-toa would charge first, and Quake led the crew as the two sloops drew together.
• The Garrote Pirate Crew threw grappling hooks and swung aboard the Black Pearl, beginning the boarding battle.
• Charles killed a Tide Warrior with Kinetic Cone, and the Abyssal Kuo-toa charged into the fight.
• The Garrote Pirate Crew's third-in-command killed an apprentice-level Kuo-toa, while Charles made an enemy pirate jump overboard and blasted the heads of pirates on the opposing sloop with Bone Needle Bee.

Charles and the Undertow Pirate Crew fought back against the Garrote Pirate Crew after Charles’s summoned Mermen shifted the battle in their favor. The Garrote pirates’ retreat failed, and the chapter ended with their crew almost entirely killed or captured.

• Charles let his crew fight while he killed pirates who charged him, including two Tide Warriors.
• Charles joined the battle, and his Mermen and the Undertow pirates overwhelmed the Garrote Pirate Crew.
• The Garrote third-in-command ordered a retreat, but Charles’s forces pursued the fleeing pirates across the ships and into the sea.
• The battle ended with all but seven or eight Garrote pirates dead; those survivors surrendered.

Charles captured a Garrote Pirate Crew sloop and ordered its surrendered pirates to kill their wounded Tide Warrior so he could spare them and use them as slaves. After dividing the survivors between the two ships, the crew sailed on to evade pursuing pirates, while Charles searched the captured vessel and found little of value.

• Charles asked Quake how to handle the surrendered pirates and ordered them to kill the Tide Warrior, confiscate their weapons, and prepare both ships to sail.
• Quake forced the surrendered pirates to hack the wounded Tide Warrior to death, then declared them slaves aboard the ship.
• The pirates were split between the Black Pearl and the captured sloop, and Charles drew the souls from the dead before ordering the bodies thrown overboard.
• The two ships raised their sails and continued onward because Garrote Pirate Crew ships were still pursuing them.
• Charles inspected the captured sloop and found scant supplies, a disorganized logbook, and only a few Water Magic Stones.

Charles returned toward Bloodsail Raider Ship Island after defeating the Garrote Pirate Crew’s third brother, and began helping his pirates advance into Tide Warriors. The Garrote crew concluded that Third Brother had been killed and headed back to the island to intercept Charles, while Charles’s first assisted promotion succeeded aboard ship.

• Charles rewarded his surviving pirates after their victory and prepared to help them advance into Tide Warriors.
• Gus waited at a rendezvous point for Third Brother’s cutter, then concluded that the crew had been killed and turned back toward Bloodsail Raider Ship Island to seek revenge.
• Charles returned toward the island with the captured cutter and planned to expand his forces rather than rely on summoned Mermen for every battle.
• Charles used the magic cores gathered during the voyage to begin inscribing a totem for an apprentice Tide Warrior.
• After more than half a day, the pirate’s aura grew stronger and his advancement to first-rank Tide Warrior succeeded.

Charles returned to Ship Island with two ships and had advanced six more Tide Warriors, bringing the Undertow Pirate Crew to nine. He prepared to recruit more men while hiding the crew’s strength and advancement method, and considered using slaves to build a loyal force as he planned to seize the Garrote Pirate Crew’s ships.

• Charles advanced the remaining six apprentice Tide Warriors to the first rank, increasing the Undertow Pirate Crew’s total to nine Tide Warriors.
• Charles and Quake returned to Ship Island with two ships and discussed the Garrote Pirate Crew’s reduced strength and the risk of a future clash.
• Charles ordered Dalle, Quake, and the other Tide Warriors to recruit men without revealing his ability to advance Tide Warriors or the crew’s numbers.
• Charles kept the Garrote Pirate Crew prisoners aboard to protect the secret and considered how the plane’s will might be influencing events.
• Charles wrote that recruiting pirates alone was unreliable and considered buying slaves, especially from merchant ships, to create a loyal elite force.

Charles visited Bloodsail Ship Island’s slave market to buy slaves for the Undertow Pirate Crew as pirates and personal guards. He examined a batch of trained apprentice Tide Warriors and prepared to choose among them.

• The Undertow Pirate Crew began recruiting, and Charles asked a port broker where to buy slaves for his ship.
• The broker took Charles to Bloodsail Ship Island’s slave market and showed him the sellers, including one that offered Tide Warriors.
• Charles said he wanted ordinary slaves for pirate and guard duties, not powerful Tide Warriors.
• A slave merchant brought Charles to a courtyard where sixteen trained apprentice Tide Warriors stood on display.
• Charles used his mental power to inspect the slaves for hidden injuries, then asked the merchant to make them raise their heads.

Charles bought twenty trained slaves to join the Undertow Pirate Crew and promised they could earn their freedom by repaying their purchase costs. As Charles left them under Bruce’s command, the Bone Anchor Pirate Crew arrived at port and began investigating the Claw Pirate Crew’s missing ship.

• Charles selected ten apprentice Tide Warrior slaves from one trader and bought ten more from another.
• Charles saw the Bone Anchor Pirate Crew arrive, recognized its leader Marcus as a second-tier Tide Warrior, and returned to the Black Pearl with the slaves.
• Marcus ordered Isabel to investigate what had happened to the Claw Pirate Crew and to question the crew using its ship if they were not the original owners.
• Charles told the twenty slaves they were now members of the Undertow Pirate Crew and could regain their freedom by repaying their purchase costs.
• Charles assigned Bruce to command the slaves, who clung to the chance of becoming free.

Charles expanded the Undertow Pirate Crew while the Garrote Pirate Crew returned and confronted him over the ships he had taken. After Gus threatened the new recruits, Charles let them decide whether to stay and ordered coordinated combat training for those who remained.

• Charles screened pirates recruited by Dalle and the others, assigned twenty slave sailors under Bruce, and planned to build the crew to around a hundred.
• Gus located the Undertow Pirate Crew's ships and docked the Garrote Pirate Crew's vessels nearby.
• Gus demanded that Charles return the ships, but Charles refused and offered to sell them back for the right price.
• Gus threatened to slaughter the Undertow Pirate Crew and urged the new recruits to leave before the ships sailed.
• The new recruits debated whether to stay, and Charles told Dalle there was no need to stop them from discussing the threat.
• Charles ordered Dalle and Quake to begin training the pirates to fight together, allowing anyone unwilling to train to leave.

Charles recruited Qiu Qi, a former merchant-ship guard trained in the Klenze Kingdom’s naval methods, to help train the Undertow Pirate Crew. After expanding the crew to around eighty and preparing for a fight with Gus’s Garrote Pirate Crew, Charles planned to sail out and lure Gus after them.

• Charles questioned Qiu Qi about his background and learned that his father had been a Klenze Kingdom naval officer who taught him from childhood.
• Charles offered Qiu Qi early freedom if he trained the pirates in Klenze naval methods, then assigned him to assist Bruce.
• The Undertow Pirate Crew grew to around eighty members, while some recruits left during training and the captured Garrote pirates were kept as slaves.
• Charles learned that Gus’s crew had recruited twenty or thirty newcomers and now numbered around one hundred and eighty.
• Charles ordered Bruce to prepare the crew’s weapons, Dalle to buy a month’s supplies, and Quake to tell Gus that the Undertow Pirate Crew was departing.

Gus recruited the Cutlass Gang to help the Garrote Pirate Crew pursue and attack the Undertow Pirate Crew. The Cutlass Gang’s three ships set off after Charles’s ships, with Gus’s two ships following behind.

• Gus angrily confronted a pirate who delivered Quake’s message, then threw him into the sea.
• Gus learned that the Undertow Pirate Crew had sailed and ordered his deputy commander to prepare the Garrote Pirate Crew’s ships.
• Gus called on Kerry and the Cutlass Gang to help capture the Undertow Pirate Crew, describing Charles’s crew as inexperienced and wealthy.
• Gus and Kerry bargained over how to divide the spoils and reached an agreement.
• The Cutlass Gang’s three ships pursued the Undertow Pirate Crew, followed by the Garrote Pirate Crew’s two ships.

The Bone Anchor Pirate Crew investigated who had destroyed the Claw Pirate Crew and sold its ships, but the trail led only to a handful of surviving crew members. Marcus and Isabella concluded that finding the Tidal Priest behind the attack could reveal the whereabouts of the Demonbone Ship blueprint.

• The Bone Anchor Pirate Crew learned that Charles had sold the Claw Pirate Crew's ships and that Giles's body had been dumped at sea, leaving no direct clues.
• Isabella ordered the crew to find former members of the Claw Pirate Crew, while Marcus wondered whether the Demonbone Ship blueprint had been sold.
• Marcus ruled out Bloodsail Ship Island as the culprit, and the Bone Anchor Pirate Crew searched across the island for surviving Claw Pirate Crew members.
• The investigators found several pirates who had returned with Charles and narrowed the attackers to a Tide Warrior and a Tidal Priest.
• Isabella reasoned that the Tidal Priest had recognized the blueprint's value and ordered the search for him to be accelerated.

Charles led the Undertow Pirate Crew away from Bloodsail Ship Island, expecting the Garrote Pirate Crew to pursue them. When the Cutlass Gang joined the chase and worsening weather threatened to trap his ships, Charles ordered a turn toward the Cutlass Gang, whose leader chose to flee rather than fight.

• Charles prepared the Undertow Pirate Crew for a possible battle with the pursuing Garrote Pirate Crew and slowed the ships to lure them out.
• The lookout spotted three Cutlass Gang ships behind them, and Quake warned Charles that the gang might have allied with the Garrote Pirate Crew.
• Charles tested the pursuers by changing course, and the Cutlass Gang ships followed while the Garrote Pirate Crew's two ships trailed behind.
• As the wind strengthened and the Undertow ships struggled to escape, Charles ordered both ships to turn and attack the two Cutlass Gang ships ahead.
• Kerry laughed at the Undertow Pirate Crew's approach and ordered the Cutlass Gang ships to flee into the wind rather than fight.

Charles and the Undertow Pirate Crew attacked the Cutlass Gang, using Abyss Kuo-toa to bore holes in their ships and battle pirates underwater. As reinforcements remained far away, Charles ordered his crew to finish the fight, and Bruce boarded a ship and began slaughtering its crew in darkness.

• Charles summoned Abyss Kuo-toa, who pursued the Cutlass Gang's ships and bored into their hulls.
• Kerry ordered his pirates into the water to attack the Mermen while others prepared to fight the Undertow Pirate Crew.
• The underwater battle turned costly for both sides as Charles repeatedly summoned reinforcements and the Cutlass Gang's damaged ships slowed.
• The Undertow Pirate Crew's ships pulled alongside, while the Garrote Pirate Crew's reinforcements remained about half an hour away.
• Charles ordered his crew to finish the Cutlass Gang, and Bruce boarded a ship, cast a Darkness Spell, and began killing pirates on deck.