Less than a day after setting sail, they had already suffered two consecutive shipwrecks. Ye Chui’s ocean voyage seemed cursed, yet their luck held firm.
The first time they sank, the Sea Dragon Pirates happened to be nearby. This time, as Ye Chui and the others floundered in the waves, he spotted a merchant ship approaching from afar. He immediately summoned his flying magical mount but first used water magic to propel everyone towards the oncoming vessel.
Thanks to their previous sinking, the group now had experience. They swallowed far less seawater this round…
The merchant ship had clearly seen the sudden demise of the Ten-Thousand-League Ocean Conqueror. Being decent folk, they hurried to the rescue. When the ships drew close, Ye Chui’s water magic lifted everyone onto the deck, where they collapsed in heaps, gasping for air and spitting out seawater.
Leaning against the rail, Ye Chui scanned the deck warily for any threat, but when his eyes landed on one person in the crowd, surprise lit his face.
That person looked even more astonished.
“President Ye Chui!? And Miss Debbie, Mr Green… How can it be you!?” Bart, eldest son of the Hanamura Magic Guild master, stepped forward in shock.
“President Ye Chui, why are you all in the sea?” A black-robed figure pushed through the crowd, exclaiming in a very familiar voice. Though cloaked, it was unmistakably Evans, the second son of Hanamura, now the remodelled Genji. He probably wore the robe to hide his unusual body.
“Why are you two here?” Ye Chui asked, puzzled. He noted that although this was a merchant ship, most people aboard were either mages or swordsmen. Their attire was neither Star Empire style nor the Tidal Empire-influenced Hanamura design, but pale blue robes with delicate belts, similar to envoys from the Morning Wind Empire.
Looking up, Ye Chui saw two flags flying atop the ship: one bearing the cherry blossom of the Hanamura Guild, the other a three-headed serpent.
“President Ye Chui, we learned something had happened in the Tidal Empire. Father was deeply worried about our ancestral homeland, so he sent us brothers to investigate. Originally we hoped to travel with you, but when we came looking, you had already left,” Bart explained. Ye Chui’s mission from the Star Empire royal family to the Tidal Empire was classified, but as the empire’s second strongest guild, Hanamura naturally knew some details.
“So that’s how it is. What a coincidence,” Debbie said, helping Ye Chui to his feet and adjusting her eyepatch.
Evans introduced the others. “These are members of the Three-Headed Serpent Mercenary Regiment, a five-star mercenary group from the Morning Wind Empire. We have long-standing business ties with Hanamura. This time we plan to use their strength to infiltrate the Tidal Empire.” He pointed to a rugged man in full armour clutching a battleaxe. “This is the regiment leader, Mr Zack. A remarkable axe warrior.”
Ye Chui turned to Zack and offered a polite smile.
Zack, however, remained cold, his eyes tinged with faint arrogance and mockery. He addressed Bart. “Mr Bart, are these people Star Empire royalty? Why are they here? You Hanamura folk are treating them with such courtesy. Their status must be extraordinary.”
Bart hurriedly clarified, “Captain Zack, I told you earlier about the current number-one guild in the Star Empire, the Famous Random Magic Guild.” He gestured towards the drenched group. “These are its members. This is the guild master, the Omni Magician, Ye Chui!”
The introduction made Zack and his mercenaries jolt in shock, staring incredulously at Ye Chui’s party.
Ye Chui quickly straightened up, struck a pose, and let seawater drip off him while wearing a calm, breezy expression. Yes, the legendary top magic guild is us!
“…”
Zack looked as though something were stuck in his throat. After a long pause he said to Bart, “The guild that supposedly killed Eliza and openly defied the Church… is them?”
“Hey, what’s with that tone? Think we don’t measure up?” Green demanded unhappily.
“No… it’s just your appearance…” Zack forced an awkward smile, unsure what to say. Finally he managed, “Why were you floating in the sea?”
“Don’t ask. Our ship fell apart again,” Debbie sighed, shaking her head.
Everyone: “…Again?”
“Meeting you here really is fate,” Ye Chui said with a laugh, his eyes gleaming as he looked Bart up and down.
Bart felt a chill and quickly changed the subject with forced laughter. “President Ye Chui, you’ve been in the water for ages. You should change into dry clothes. Come to my cabin.”
“Excellent idea.” Ye Chui’s group followed Bart to his cabin.
On deck, Zack’s expression remained dark and uncertain, as if he could not believe the Omni Magician was this young man. Their entrance had been… far too unique.
“Boss, Ye Chui and his guild have caused quite a stir lately. The Church would pay a fortune for their heads…” one of Zack’s men whispered.
“Keep your voice down! Don’t let them hear!” Zack snapped, but a cold smile crept across his face.
The Three-Headed Serpent operated in the Morning Wind Empire and often took merchant escort jobs. They were very familiar with pirates. Zack had drunk with several pirate leaders. Normally the Serpent pulled small schemes, like leaking the routes of ships that hadn’t hired them to pirates for a cut of the profits.
This time he had never intended to help the Bart brothers honestly. He planned to sell them to the undead monks. Now Ye Chui’s entire group had boarded his ship.
The Famous Random guild master and members were worth far more than the brothers!
“Send a flying fish message to Red Beard. Tell him the Famous Random guild master is aboard our ship!” Zack ordered coldly under his breath.
…
Bart’s cabin was luxurious, with a separate living area, bedroom, and bathroom. Debbie, Lesha, and the other girls changed in the bedroom. Ye Chui, Green, and Stari changed outside. Bart brought wine to warm them after their soaking.
Ye Chui and Green, now dry, comfortably raised their glasses, showing no sign of recent shipwreck. For seasoned adventurers like them, a little sinking was merely drizzle.
Stari, however, looked dazed. He leaned by the window, shivering now and then. Memories of the wreck still frightened him. For people who lived on the sea, nothing was more terrifying than shipwreck. Once the ship went down, everything was over. Even a powerful water mage could not guarantee survival. His parents had died in a shipwreck, and the fear ran deep.
Seeing Stari like this, Ye Chui walked over with his wine and comforted him. “Relax. Statistically, after sinking twice in one day, there’s no chance of a third…”
As he spoke, Ye Chui noticed the flags planted on the merchant ship’s deck: Hanamura’s cherry blossom and the Three-Headed Serpent emblem. Flying these meant the ship was under the protection of both guild and mercenary group. Ordinary pirates would never dare touch it.
But now the entire Famous Random guild was aboard…
Shouldn’t they plant their own flag first?
…
“Why is it not working!?” On the black Watch Island, Red Beard roared in fury.
A dark altar had been erected on the island. Irabesha was bound to the stone tablet, blood dripping steadily from a cut on her arm. Below the altar lay a massive magic array meant to break the oath through bloodline power. The ritual had run for over an hour, yet none of the undead monks felt the curse lift.
“Red Beard, you must have got it wrong!” snarled a short, bald undead monk with a ring of hair around his head. He was the leader of the Black Sail fleet.
“This woman is useless!” added a gaunt female undead in ornate robes that only made her rotting face more horrific. She led the Watcher fleet.
“Impossible. I cannot be mistaken…” Red Beard growled, then suddenly realised something. He rushed to Irabesha, seized her collar, and demanded, “That pendant. Is it really yours?”
Pale and weak from blood loss, Irabesha managed a difficult smile, as if mocking them. “You… got the wrong person. The pendant isn’t mine… haha… Its owner died long ago. I just found it… haha…” Though frail, she still did everything she could to protect Stari.
Red Beard’s bloodshot eyes seemed to blaze. His face twitched uncontrollably.
At that moment an undead monk rushed up, trembling. “Captain… we just received a flying fish message from Three-Headed Serpent’s Zack. He says the Famous Random guild master and members are aboard his ship and has given us their coordinates. He hopes to sell them for a good price!”
“The top guild of the Star Empire? That Omni Magician? He’s here!?” Red Beard’s body shook. He suddenly recalled the young man from Pirate Bay last night, the bizarre combat style, the summoned black-gold flame dragon…
He had not known who it was then, but now it clicked. It was Ye Chui, whose name had even spread to these waters recently!
The Tidal Empire had allied with the Star Empire. With rebellion in the Tidal Empire, it was natural the Star Empire would send its top guild to help. That explained Ye Chui’s presence.
“The Church’s greatest thorn! Since he has come to these waters, he will not leave alive!” Red Beard remembered locking eyes with the youth last night. Deep down he feared that young man. Coldly he ordered, “Inform the Sea Angel. Give him the Three-Headed Serpent’s coordinates!”
“Captain, Zack of the Serpent has always been on good terms with us. If the Sea Angel attacks, with its terror, one gulp could swallow a whole ship. Zack would…” the Black Sail leader hesitated.
“Hmph. We are already walking corpses. If we cannot break this curse, our only hope is the Church. Helping them eliminate Ye Chui might ease our suffering.” Red Beard’s voice rasped. “Old friend Zack, you can perish with Ye Chui in the terrifying maw of the Sea Angel!”
