Chapter 333
Chapter 333
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 333
Chapter Title: Compass of Desire (4)
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[You have entered the Land of Grudges.]
“Huh?”
A notification that he had entered the Land of Grudges. But even looking down, it was impossible to tell if it was still sea or land.
“Go down…… Whoa!”
Whoosh.
As Kai cheerfully folded his wings, the ground rushed up in an instant. Visibility was so poor he nearly crashed into the land. The visibility reduction from the fog of grudges was terrifying.
“Kai, return.”
Kyuu!
[You have been exposed to the Fog of Grudges.]
[The effect of the title Unyielding Will negates all influence.]
The moment Kai was unsummoned, the fog of grudges pounced on Rokan as if it had been waiting. It carried mental attack properties, but the title Unyielding Will activated to block it.
‘Mental attacks on those blinded by desire? Perfect fit.’
But for Rokan, who could pierce even the fog, it wasn’t a major obstacle.
His visibility was reduced too, but he could still detect anything appearing from quite a distance.
Especially something as huge as a ship.
“Huh?”
[Black Pearl]
Then, Rokan spotted what he’d been seeking. The Black Pearl, flagship of the Black Pearl Pirates. It was already anchored in the Land of Grudges.
“Already here, huh.”
He hurried over, but most of the pirate crew had already disembarked. Only a few remained to guard the ship.
“Who goes there!”
They spotted Rokan approaching, but they had no way to stop him.
They were merely level 390s, after all.
“Gale Incarnation!”
That was more than enough with just Gale Incarnation.
Without even needing Blood Awakening, Rokan slaughtered them with Gale Incarnation alone.
What was amusing was that the moment they saw Rokan transform into his giant god form, they all leaped from the ship.
Even on the ship, without the benefit of sea terrain effects, fighting there would only damage the vessel, so it was a rational choice—but it ultimately just handed the intact ship to Rokan.
[You have captured the pirate ship Black Pearl.]
[Please decide the disposition of the Black Pearl. Keep / Move to Ship Window]
[Current ship capacity: 1 / 2]
“Move to Ship Window.”
After killing the waiting pirates and taking the helm of the Black Pearl, a system window appeared.
It asked whether to keep the captured ship or move it to the ship window.
The choice was obvious: move to ship window.
Keeping it would leave the ship there, but Rokan was alone and couldn’t operate it right now. Once chosen, he couldn’t store it later either.
Moving it to the ship window turned the ship into an item. Normally for salvaging sunken wrecks from battle, but for Rokan, it meant getting a free, pristine ship.
“Nice.”
Securing the top-tier pirate ship was great, but Rokan valued more having cut off the Black Pearl Pirates’ escape route.
Without a Sea Prince’s Cape like his, escaping this island without a ship was nearly impossible.
Plus, en route he’d glimpsed the seas of grudges teeming with massive sea monsters.
Even Rokan would find it burdensome without the Sea Prince’s Cape.
“Track.”
With the Black Pearl in hand, Rokan immediately activated a thief-class skill.
One of the few other-job skills he’d picked up after reaching Grand Master.
Using it on the few footprints radiating from the Black Pearl’s position made blinking footprints appear on the ground.
Following them would lead to the Black Pearl Pirates.
“Nightmare.”
With a way to pursue them secured, Rokan summoned Nightmare next.
Summoning a unicorn here, thick with grudge energy, would be like shouting his location.
But Nightmare left no tracks, allowing the fastest, stealthiest pursuit.
“Full Sprint, Mounted Charge……”
Followed by movement skills.
Some stacked, others used separately, but combining multiple classes’ mobility skills was merit enough.
The minor issue was high mana cost from diverse, non-main-job skills—but with his expanded mana pool, it was no burden for Rokan.
The real issue was pacing to match the Black Pearl Pirates’ distance, syncing with Gale Incarnation’s cooldown and aftereffects.
But that too was mitigated since reaching Grand Master drastically shortened times.
Not just enhanced existing skills—Rokan had recombined Gale Incarnation.
Mixing skills with cooldown reduction, aftereffect reduction, and extra strengthening.
Thus, blending High Master and even Grand Master skills boosted power while slashing penalties.
Near invincible, really.
“Fast, too.”
Riding Nightmare for a while, he still couldn’t spot the Black Pearl Pirates.
They hadn’t left the ship long ago, yet driven by greed, they’d moved incredibly swiftly.
‘Not their first time, maybe.’
Or they already knew the way.
They had the Compass of Desire, but who knew how long? Rokan considered that possibility.
Like now: assuming they’d noticed pursuit and set an ambush.
“Blink.”
“Gah!”
Thud.
At the end of a beach where the fog of grudges thickened unusually. They thought themselves well-hidden, but Rokan’s eyes pierced all creation.
He’d grasped ambushers’ positions and levels completely—hardly an ambush when he struck first.
“True Gale Slash!”
A gale whirlwind raged. A blade storm, no less.
Flesh-slicing, bone-shaving savage force swept everything: the ambushing Black Pearl Pirates and even the fog of grudges.
‘Hmm, affects mana too?’
While sweeping the ambush, Rokan calmly assessed.
He’d felt it capturing the ship: the fog interfered with mana flow.
Power weakened, attacks dulled like swinging underwater.
Opponents suffered too, so slaughtering them was easy.
“Track.”
After killing the three ambushers, he used Track again.
“Hmm.”
But now there were two trails. They’d split here.
Which was real?
Maybe both, or both decoys.
Key was the captain with the Compass of Desire.
What would he do? Why split with the compass?
Pondering briefly, Rokan realized he’d been foolish.
“Bell of Truth, use.”
He pulled out the Bell of Truth and posed a statement to himself.
“Following this trail will lead to the Black Pearl Pirates’ captain.”
[False]
They might’ve tricked it later, but this sorted the real trail. Rokan accelerated again, leaving the coast for inland.
“A forest this time.”
Deeper in, a dense forest of pine-like trees appeared.
Oddly, despite the shape, bark gleamed eerie dark purple—not ordinary trees.
“……?”
Rokan crossed it anyway. Contrary to worry, nothing happened inside.
“Kieeeek!”
“……!”
Then a horrific shriek made him whip around. A pirate—Black Pearl crew or not—bound by tree limbs as arms and legs, was being devoured.
“Gah.”
Looking closely, human faces protruded from the dark purple trees.
“So that’s it.”
Rokan grasped it instantly. As suspected, no ordinary forest.
Likely a grudge forest full of carnivorous plants.
Why was he fine? Glancing down provided the answer.
Nightmare didn’t touch the ground. They sensed prey via pressure or vibrations.
Thus, Rokan’s Nightmare was a free pass, letting him traverse the scream-filled forest unscathed.
“Damn, they went far.”
Exiting the forest, a towering mountain awaited—or rather, a cave leading into it.
Footprints headed there too.
“Almost caught up, but……”
Still no sight of them, yet Rokan relaxed. The footprints’ glow intensified.
Meaning they were close—expectation swelled for a soon encounter.
‘Not level 450s, I hope.’
Like the Black Cloud Pirates stalking them, they’d have Grand Master officers, but he wasn’t too tense.
Celestial and Demonic Armors’ reuse timers remained for both, but activating one was feasible.
Thus, below 450, none could match him.
Deeper in for a while longer. Finally, Rokan encountered the long-awaited Black Pearl Pirates.
“Hmm, doesn’t seem like a time for greetings?”
They were in the thick of battle.
Against another pirate crew? Yes and no. Pirates, but undead ones—long dead.
[Grudge Pirate][Lv 399]
Undead degradation dropped levels and tier, yet still dangerous.
Ant-nest swarms endlessly reviving via grudge power overwhelmed despite the pirates’ superiority.
Crack!
“These tough bastards!”
“Captain! Any ideas?”
“Damn it, think I’d be like this if I knew?!”
Barely holding with superior prowess, the Black Pearl Pirates grew strained. The presumed captain’s eyes met Rokan’s.
“Hey! Help us out here……!”
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Spotting Rokan, he waved like a joyful reunion.
Rokan thought the same for survival: aid them, crush these, or carve escape.
Without surrounding melee, it’d seem old pals—but Rokan smiled coldly at him.
Instead of aid, he gifted nightmares.
“Nightmare, Nightmare Incarnation.”
The foes they dreaded most materialized before them.