Onward to the Sea!
Onward to the sea. The saintess had brought countless treasure maps stored in the All Gods Temple, belonging to pirates long past. We couldn't know how many still held their treasures, but they ranged from ancient kingdoms to treasure ships sunk in accidents while transporting their hauls. This ocean was so vast that it held monsters no one had ever seen, undiscovered rare minerals, and even other continents. Only the gods knew what lay out there, the saintess said. She even whispered tales of other gods worshipped by people on those lands, with their own All Gods Temples—and perhaps even a Maou.
We could sail around the Maou's occupied territories, skirt the Trust Union to reach imperial ports, or head to the ports of the Holy Eagle Kingdom. Though they were hostile to one another, merchants traded goods through neutral kingdoms, and there were plenty of island nations utterly disconnected from the continent. Among them was a Pirate Kingdom founded by pirates, a testament to how vast this world truly was.
The ships came in every variety imaginable—not just ordinary vessels, but some pulled by sea monsters. The pirate ships owned by the All Gods Temple suddenly felt downright modest. The ship we'd take was a brigantine with two masts: a square sail on the foremast and a gaff sail on the mainmast. And it even had a proper engine mounted—a hybrid ship.
Riko knew how to handle a ship but shrugged that she had no clue about engines. The thing was needlessly grand and oversized, which already gave me a headache from the start.
"Don't worry, Hero. We won't make you the captain," she said.
The All Gods Temple had fought off pirate invasions for ages, claiming their treasures and ships in the process. That drew more pirates gunning for them in turn... but the temple hunted those raiders down with bounties, building their own naval force of sorts. They'd handed this ship to their most skilled captain, and as the hero Radamu, I'd tag along as a sort of overseer to make sure they did their job right. We weren't revealing my hero status—they'd just think we were an adventurer party hired by the temple, the saintess explained.
"The voyage will be long. Best to split up those who won't come along."
The saintess herself wasn't joining. Someone had to guard the temple, and her overwhelming strength would only hinder my growth. Still, over the few days preparing the ship, she'd taught us basic seamanship. I wouldn't need to push my specs to the limit—I could handle the basics like a single holy knight now. It was far short of hero level, but I was content with building a solid foundation.
"Then let's split the party here. Boarding everyone would just be a waste anyway."
We had our party base to maintain, so splitting up made sense. No telling how long we'd be at sea, so per the saintess's advice, we decided to send some back to the Trust Union. I pulled two Skill Transfer Tickets from my pocket.
Those who knew what they were tilted their heads in confusion, but I said, "No point in me hoarding them if I can't use 'em."
We all needed to grow stronger to overcome the trials ahead. My party members understood—and looked subtly thrilled, touched by the gesture. Who knew when we'd reunite, but we promised to return stronger, without dragging each other down. I called Larirure first.
"Larirure, I'll give you the skills you need. Honestly, I think you're the real party leader."
"What good's a dwarf on a ship besides repairs? I don't suit the sea anyway, so don't feel bad about it."
I transferred [Mining and Crafting] to her. She marveled that it was a constellation-granted hero skill, then lit up reading its description. "Guess I'll mine till you get back!" She was thrilled at the prospect. If crafting alone raised the grade, she could shift to blacksmithing over combat, even handle childcare. She was genuinely overjoyed.
"Leona."
"Yes, Radamu."
"Don't push yourself. You don't have to obsess over getting stronger. Do what you want, okay?"
"...Yes."
To her, I gave [Lion's Roar Battle Fist], usable only by her upper Feridae kin. She jolted in shock—she knew the skill—glancing between it and me, fighting back tears that welled up anyway. She bowed deeply, murmuring thanks, then scampered to bury her face in Larirure's chest.
...She'd said her father never passed on a skill. Was this it? I couldn't imagine her feelings. Born without it, despite her race, had she wondered as a child if it'd changed her lot in life? Yet without that, fate wouldn't have brought her to me. Strange, how destiny worked.
"Po'runga, take care of Leona and Larirure for me."
"Ugh, I wanna come too... But yeah, someone gotta teach 'em. Come back a hot stud, yeah? Big sis is waiting~"
As I entrusted the two to her with a farewell, she grinned "No choice then!" and yanked me into a bear hug, planting a kiss on my cheek. "Next time, more than that!" Her tail wagged—until Larirure kicked her shin, toppling her. The two started bickering—"I went first!"—as Leona, ticket for the Trust Union ship in hand, bowed deeply.
"Have a safe trip, Radamu!"
"Yeah."
"...Come back safe."
"No worries. It'll be fine."
I wasn't sailing it myself anyway. With those three seeing us off, only Hyacinth, Mortis, and Riko boarded with me. Hyacinth whined he wasn't used to ships either, but a man had to adapt to the sea. Riko had flown over oceans but never lived on one, already fretting about vegetarian meals.
"What, seaweed? Or protein straight from your body, Radamu~?"
"Out of the question. I'll grow a lemon tree or something."
"Still from your body."
After farewells, we faced our hybrid brigantine for the vast ocean. At the dock, busy crew loaded temple-supplied cargo onto the 60-man vessel. This was the official debut of temple-certified pirates(?). Better to build a pirate rep if we were cutting loose at sea anyway. Locals hated pirates, but allies? Fair game. What a prejudice-free world.
"No navy?"
"There was, but the kingdom fell."
I fell silent at the saintess's reply. Merchant traders crossing seas had basic armaments and adventurers aboard. Mages hurled spells; ballista harpoons flew by raw strength. Piracy was a high-stakes gig, maybe. Pirates weren't always villains—Captain Eagle dubbed all free sea-dwellers as such.
"Captain Eagle circled the seas, found treasures untold. When he quit piracy, he said:
"Search for it! In this vast ocean! Legends and treasures are real! I saw them with my own eyes!"
That birthed sea powers rivaling nations, the saintess explained. I'd figured as much with the Pirate Kingdom mentioned. The temple's goal: prioritize maps noting "divine relics" for recovery.
"That's the public line. Really, it's just treasure hunting."
Still, finding real ones would be nice. Warning us about scurvy and such for sea newbies, she introduced the captain.
"Ho, nicer than expected."
An old Daynos rose, puffing a pipe, grinning approval at our looks. Beside him, a woman in a battered bicorne—classic pirate captain hat—eye patch on her left, glove extended.
"Zan de Radgerda, captain of the hybrid ship Neptune, adventurer. First time at sea?"
"Pleased to meet you. Yeah—once before, but an evil god flipped it."
"Haha! Disaster voyage! And you're sailing again? Gutsy. A man's gotta have that for the sea!"
She slapped my back approvingly. Fin-ears marked her Daynos variant; her tail stump spoke of hard lives. Staring, I realized—she stubbed her smoke, praising the temple's adventurer hires, especially with a priestess. "Smooth sailing ahead!"
"But saintess. Hiring a retired fossil like me means you need a 'skilled captain,' right?"
"Yes. Allow me: this is the reincarnated hero of our era."
"To Maou lands?"
No fear—just ecstatic grin, brimming confidence. Top captain in temple waters, no bluff. Hero reveal? Just more fun. But the saintess shook her head.
"The temple's always planned relic hunts—no need till now. Anomalies orphan kids, swell the needy... Bluntly, treasure's the goal. For you, Hero, just experience."
"Hmmm, not bad. Cute hero lad. Want Maou's head later? Call me—I'll sail ya. Didn't expect this fun before dying. Long life pays off, hahaha!"
"...Still spry in old age, huh, bro?"
"All sea folk like that?"
Mortis knew her, apparently. The old Daynos bear-hugged her—"Sis, long time!" Mortis sighed, stroking her hair reminiscently. "Never thought I'd sail with Zan again." She'd look the younger... immortality's sorrow. Unable to age with old comrades—tragic.
"Right, let's board. Oh, 19? Got a pesky nephew same—greenhorn. He bugs ya, tell me! Shark bait! Hahaha!"
"...Please take care of us, Captain Zan de Radgerda."
"Heh! Polite kid—rare these days. Sis's friend, I'll watch ya!"
Cargo loaded, she slung her coat over her shoulder, smiling "Follow." Pure charisma... Hyacinth kept muttering "So cool!"
Skipping continent for outer seas—how to process? Gazing at Neptune, named for ancient sea god, I shrugged—pointless pondering—and boarded. Anchor up, sails unfurled, she eased from port into the Salacia Sea encircling the Chronicle Continent. Slowly, onward.