Setting Sail as Pirates

Old Jack's heart stirred when he saw the Crimson Ring in Yang Mu's hand. He'd drifted at sea for half his life and had once obtained something similar, so he knew full well how powerful it was.

But after hesitating for a while, he ultimately shook his head.

"I'm already old. If I were twenty years younger, I'd sail with you even without this ring. But now, it wouldn't be long before I became a burden to you aboard the ship."

"As long as you still have ambition, as long as your heart hasn't grown old, the aging of your body means nothing. Kakun, the King of the Western Sea, is already one hundred and twenty years old—does he look like he's about to grow old? The sea holds countless secret treasures. There are plenty that can keep you in your current state."

"This is my final invitation. If you refuse, I'll have no choice but to find someone else."

Old Jack's eyes flickered as he stared at the Crimson Ring. He was a pirate—a pirate of freedom and madness. If the mysterious item in his possession hadn't been damaged, leaving him without anything to rely on, how could he possibly have holed up in this tiny tavern?

His talk of being old was nothing but an excuse. He was merely haggling. Yang Mu had also made his final offer: if they found something that could extend one's lifespan, Old Jack would have priority.

"Then, my respected Captain, do we set sail tomorrow night?"

Old Jack took the Crimson Ring from Yang Mu and slipped it directly onto his ring finger. Crimson light shone over him, and the hearty air of a tavern owner vanished from his face.

What remained was only a pirate's madness and cruelty.

"Of course, my dear first mate. But first, we need to choose the lads willing to come with us and buy enough supplies."

Yang Mu smiled as well. The first test subject was secured.

The other pirates watching could only sigh regretfully. As for making a move? It wasn't that no one had considered it, but after comparing their own strength to that of Crimson Parker in his heyday, they gave up.

It wasn't as though no one was stronger than Crimson Parker. But Yang Mu wasn't alone now—Old Jack had also obtained the Crimson Ring.

Old Jack looked fat, but once he threw off his clothes, one would discover a beast-like body beneath them, covered in blade scars and bullet wounds.

Old Jack had never grown old.

Old Jack disposed of his existing assets as quickly as possible, then began recruiting sailors for their crew.

Yang Mu, meanwhile, purchased all kinds of necessities for going to sea according to the list Old Jack provided.

By the following night, when a two-masted sailing ship left the dockyard, Old Jack and Yang Mu were already waiting with twenty young pirates.

Once the ship had steadied and the gangplank was lowered, the sailors immediately began carrying the purchased supplies aboard, their faces brimming with excitement.

"So, Captain, are we merchantmen, bounty hunters, or pirates?"

Watching the excited lads carry supplies, Old Jack seemed to see his younger self, and he too asked Yang Mu what kind of ship they were.

"Pirates, of course. This is Pirate Island—what merchant ships are there?"

"Come on, let's board."

Yang Mu's expression and tone remained as calm as ever, as though everything was under his control.

That gave Old Jack tremendous confidence. A mysterious, powerful captain who was always confident was precisely the kind of captain pirates needed most.

As moonlight rose, a pirate flag slowly climbed the mast. Upon it was a burning skull, two diamond scepters behind it, and a mage's hat atop its head.

A ship named the Undead set sail, and before long, its name would surely thunder across these waters.

As first mate, once all preparations were complete, Old Jack commanded the sailors to raise the sails and shouted,

"Set sail!"

"Whoo! Woo-oo..."

The sailors aboard let out the calls unique to pirates, raised the anchor, turned the helm, and sailed toward the mysterious sea.

In the captain's cabin, Yang Mu smiled. It reminded him of the first time he raised his floating island after advancing to a fourth-level mage. Back then, he had been just as excited.

Smiling, Yang Mu took out the materials he'd bought from the Seaside Hut and used them to carve a massive magic formation into the floor of the captain's cabin.

Once completed, the magic formation gradually sank into the ship's hull. Yang Mu would be living at sea for a long time, so naturally, he had to make some modifications to his ship.

For example, turning it into a living ship capable of growth.

New Moon Calendar, July 8th, Year 450.

It was a bright and sunny afternoon. There wasn't even a breeze over the calm sea, yet upon a certain current, two ships collided.

A pirate ship flying a flag bearing a mermaid skull had rammed its prow deep into the belly of an Englundi Empire merchant ship. Dozens of pirates wielding curved blades boarded the merchant vessel from its bow.

"Lads, move! Throw every man into the sea to feed the sharks! Take all the cargo and women! Once we're done with this haul, we'll head back! The women, rum, and gambling houses of Shipwreck Island are waiting for you!"

Mier Abel, captain of the Mermaid, stood on the merchant ship's rail with a curved blade raised, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Hearing his cries, the pirates fighting the merchant ship's guards became even more excited, swinging their curved blades with greater vigor.

Just as they hacked down men one after another and threw them into the sea, dragged the female slaves being transported out of the cabins, and laughed as they pawed at them—

A patch of black fog suddenly appeared in the distance and rushed toward them at incredible speed.

"Captain, look over there! What is that?"

A pirate carrying cargo noticed the approaching black fog and shouted at Abel.

Abel, who had been selecting female slaves, immediately stepped out of the cabin upon hearing the shout and looked into the distance.

As he arrived, the distant black fog abruptly dispersed, revealing a massive black three-masted sailing ship.

"That's the Undead?"

"Th-that ghost ship? Captain, Captain! What do we do?"

All the pirates who saw the Undead panicked. Yang Mu had been at sea for three months already. During those three months, he had destroyed eleven pirate ships and killed hundreds of pirates.

He had plundered thirteen merchant ships from various nations, gaining a huge amount of Gold Shield. Then he bought many materials at the Seaside Hut and completed the Undead's initial modifications.

The Undead could now sail as fast as a steamship. Even without wind, it could maintain full speed, and it could devour other vessels to reinforce its structure and increase its size.

It could also release black mist, shrouding everything within a one-mile radius.

Because Yang Mu had no intention of recruiting more crewmen, there were many walking corpses and skeletal warriors aboard, and it had gradually become the ghost ship spoken of by other pirates.

When the Undead drew near and the pirates saw the skeletons and walking corpses poised for battle along its rails, the Mermaid's pirates' legs began to tremble.