CHAPTER 516: CHAPTER 469: EXPOSURE AND ON THE VERGE

Black Sea West Coast, close to the New Continent side.

A fleet of black sails formed by six pirate ships, flying the black Dragon-Head Banner, is riding the year-round prevailing northeast trade winds from north to south.

Chirp chirp chirp...

As they are already close to the continent, the seagulls, acting as marine guides, flock together accompanying the fleet.

As a migratory bird, autumn has arrived, and it’s time for them to head south for winter, perfectly timed to travel with this fleet.

"After being away for more than a year, finally back to the New Continent again, this place is still more suited for pirate life."

Jasmine Stella, dressed in fitted leather armor, stands on the forecastle, stretches her arms overhead, revealing her slender waist and long legs, her tall and athletic figure laid bare.

Turning her head, she sees the captain, dressed casually in a shirt and fitted pants, leaning on the railing with focused attention on a letter.

She curiously leans over, takes a look, and immediately reveals a face full of anticipation:

"Annie, has our brother sent another letter? Did he bring gifts this time?"

Behind the golden mask, a pair of emerald eyes glance at Jasmine’s slender waist adorned with a vermilion belt. She extends a slim yet powerful finger and lightly taps the girl’s fair forehead, no matter how she dodges, escape is futile:

"Shoo! He’s my brother.

Moreover, Jasmine, your little brain is always thinking of something. We’re already at the doorstep, what gifts are you expecting? A dress for a welcome party?"

"Alright, alright, I’ve never worn a dress in my life, ideally the party would be held in a beautiful castle!"

The girl leaps for joy, feeling the captain’s suggestion is splendid.

"Ha, you’re thinking too much. Aiven temporarily doesn’t have time to pick us up. When we crossed halfway through the Black Sea, he unexpectedly had a task and went to the Southern Continent.

Aiven has told us to head directly to Hatrafa Port, he has already arranged with the fleet command room, specifically someone to connect with us, and also help him solve a little trouble."

Anita mercilessly pours cold water over this fanciful thinker.

"So, that means the party... is gone?"

Jasmine’s small face immediately falls.

Riding the Tessaga Ocean Current back to the New Continent, they took two months to cross the Black Sea, with limited information, unaware of the ongoing war in the Southern Continent.

Aiven wouldn’t talk about such matters with her either.

Otherwise, whether there would be a mood to chat casually here is questionable.

Whoosh—

The fleet sails quickly through waves, passing the colonies of Atlant and Sak, entering the Tulip Territory.

Clang! Clang! Clang!...

At this moment, the alarm on the ship suddenly rings, followed by the lookout’s warning from the main mast:

"Report to the captain, spotted naval warships, two Tulip Level 5 Cruisers!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two tall figures, like agile female leopards, dart out from the cabin and leap to their side.

Also dressed in somewhat revealing leather armor, their curved swords already drawn at the waist.

One solemnly asks:

"Captain, ready for combat?"

These two Official Knight Level female pirates were Anita’s newly recruited subordinates in the Old Continent: Jeanne and Granny.

Though they were already quite famous, they both submitted under the battle skirt of Anita, this female Great Knight. Clearly, at this rate, Anita has a tendency to transform this crew into a female army.

Everyone fights harder than a tigress!

Previously.

Due to the habitual style of pirates, they had purposefully kept away from the coast to avoid trouble, unexpectedly, still encountering the Navy here.

Unbeknownst to them, from here diagonally pierced north, the destination is the Silver Island Chain, "Potosi."

One in front and one aft, the two naval warships bearing the Tulip flag approached from the pirate fleet’s right front, both roughly on a collision course. If neither changes direction, it’s highly probable the two cruisers would either pass before the fleet or meet head-on.

Such situations at sea are not much different from "combat prep."

However, before the "Golden Horn Deer" could respond, the two naval cruisers full rudder left to avoid them while generously signaling: "Salute, you take the lead!"

As numerous members of the pirate fleet stand bewildered, even seeing many sailors on the naval ships waving greetings as they pass by.

As the flagship "Golden Horn Deer" hoists signals to acknowledge them.

Jasmine lowers the signal flag, placing her hands over her chest, her face glowing:

"Ah, Annie, what prestige. This is the first time I’ve enjoyed this treatment from the Navy."

Next to her, Anita’s eyes sparkle, having been a pirate for seven or eight years, this is also her first time, a strong sense of pride already fills her chest.

The "Dragon Cavalry Pirate Gang" is essentially a legal privateer fleet, complete with Fleet Commander and Deputy Commander positions, and hanging on the "Golden Horn Deer" is the Fleet Deputy Commander Banner!

...

Southern Golden Sea.

On a large ship with black sails but no pirate insignia, its size rivaling an ordinary Level 4 Battleship.

"Teacher, those damned Pirates from the Dragon Cavalry have all hidden away. They haven’t gone out to plunder these days, and we haven’t been able to catch their trail."

A young Wizard in a black robe approached a tall man with a bald head full of blue-black Ghost tattoos and admitted his failure in a low voice.

"Tarren, remember, whether in the Material World or the Spirit Realm, wherever one goes, traces remain.

Since they exist in the world, even if they block Spiritual information, there are always other connections.

No need to find the original, circling from the side is the same, bring him up!"

A moment later, a young man in an East Lenz Company uniform was brought onto the deck by a few expressionless people in black.

"Spare me, spare me, I’ll say everything!"

The Bald Wizard, however, had no interest in hearing his possibly false intelligence.

larv——

Within malicious and filthy Curses, a black Witchcraft Spiritual Light had already struck the young employee like lightning.

In his piercing screams.

A strange, eerie wind swept across the ship.

The young man’s eyes, ears, nose, mouth... even his pores gradually closed, then his limbs slowly shriveled while his torso gradually expanded, and finally, his skin slowly turned black and hardened, resembling an insect’s carapace.

Ka-ka...

Ten minutes later, a living person had turned into a cocoon standing on the ground.

Yet, the sound of his still beating heart indicated he was clearly still alive and would remain so for a long, long time!

[Curse Technique: Human Cocoon]: Sensory degradation, bone melting, limb shriveling, skin hardening, ultimately turning into a cocoon incapable of movement or sensing external information, forever immersed in darkness.

This terrifying Curse Technique, even notorious within the Curse School for its cruelty, fully illustrates what it means to be "unable to live, unable to die!"

The young Wizard nearby couldn’t help but shiver at the sight.

But the Bald Wizard seemed to treat it as a trivial matter, casually walking to the cocoon, extending a well-maintained, fair hand to place on its head.

The next moment, memories were already flowing in his mind, originating from the East Lenz employee’s soul.

Ignoring irrelevant information, after a few minutes, the Bald Wizard finally found what he wanted.

Northern Golden Sea, near Phaletis territory.

The Tasman Islands, composed of a myriad of islands, reefs, and sandbanks... gradually coming closer, until the memory ended in a thick, dense fog.

"Interesting, using Witchcraft to conceal the main base, huh? But it won’t be far."

"Tarren, notify Bradley’s subordinates, assemble the fleet, we’re setting off!"

"Yes, teacher!"

....

"Phew, fortunately, I was clever enough to at least save my own life."

Back on the "Storm Horn," Aiven, who had returned to human form, finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Returning to "Treasure Tree Bay" by nightfall, after dropping his family off at Gel’s room, Aiven fled citing military affairs as an excuse.

Then.

He witnessed this live, human tragedy from the perspective of the Seagulls.

"Face-off!"; "Shocking! A thousand-mile husband hunt turns into husband-slaying!"; "Thrilling, explosive family drama!"; "Wife chases husband with a knife, why do children remain indifferent on the side?"...

Finally.

As a Tier 3 Totem Warrior, Gel wasn’t killed by his physically weak wife, but he was battered and almost begged for mercy, inevitably facing a period of social death.

This family, swinging from sadness to anger, then to joy, eventually settled temporarily in a fortress guestroom.

Meanwhile, the front lines grew tense.

After a brief reunion, they had no choice but to part again.

Major General House Seric of the Tyrone Kingdom had already set out with the Quasi-Legendary Battleship "Five-Mast Peak" to support the front line. Although tasked with guarding "Treasure Tree Bay," with the protection of Alchemy Fire Cannons, the defense pressure was relatively less.

Meanwhile, Gel, who had advanced, also set out to the front lines with his "May Wind," experiencing his wife’s gentle side before departure, finally putting this affair behind them.

However, after this incident, the family was somewhat different.

The much-matured Elante volunteered to join the battle as a Royal Navy Academy cadet, boarding the "May Wind," which Gel did not refuse.

Aunt and Angie were also busy, joining the Wounded Soldier Camp to help care for the patients. Hearing that Brigadier General Galliot’s disciple and aunt had arrived, the doctors and wounded were exceedingly enthusiastic.

Compared to the start of the war.

Now the alliance had two additional Tier 3s: Aiven and Gel, along with the Quasi-Legendary "Storm Horn."

The alliance’s leadership, armed with this intelligence, was confident that with their current cards, they could hold out until reinforcements arrived in over ten days and prepare for the decisive battle.

On the other side.

The "Storm Horn" had once again headed south, voluntarily confronting the opponent assigned to them by the Supreme Commander: the Hilus Quasi-Legendary Battleship "Long-nosed Shark!"