Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 223
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Vito's death would change vast swaths of Pandea.
In fact, the messages popping up before Kang Seol's eyes proved it.
[The enchanting Vito, who dominated the Alfrina Strait, has died.]
[The hidden labyrinth 'Vito's Nest' has opened.]
[The hidden labyrinth 'Undersea Ruins' has opened.]
[Snowman has achieved a monumental feat, ushering in transformation.]
[Great and small changes ripple through the Eternal World.]
[The ice floes of the Alfrina Strait begin to melt.]
[News of Vito's death spreads, reducing shipping volume on the Trity Canal, the waterway closest to the Alfrina Strait.]
[Rumors among sailors spread like wildfire, sparking calls to reclaim the old routes through the Alfrina Strait.]
[Faction: Influence of the Southern Shipping Guild increases.]
[All players can now select the adventure 'Legend of the Alfrina Strait' from their base.]
[All players can now select the adventure 'Salvage of the Treasure Fleet' from their base.]
[You gain Adventurer Points.]
[The Alfrina Strait has been liberated from Vito.]
[You acquire additional rewards.]
[News of this reaches all nations and small towns with developed shipping.]
[Adventurers challenging other sea monsters, known as nightmares of the ocean, increase.]
...
Yet the very one who reaped these benefits, Kang Seol, couldn't read the messages.
Gleaming blue souls raced toward the Man o' the Sea in a single bound.
"She's dead! She's really dead!"
"We're free! We can return to the sea!"
"Uahaha! Party time! It's a party!"
"I can't even look at it anymore—rip that snake head off the bow!"
"Wait! We gotta salvage the meat first!"
"What? Yeah, good point!"
Splash...
Splash...
Someone carried Kang Seol aboard the Man o' the Sea. A man Bitan was seeing for the first time.
No, more precisely, a man he was seeing in this form for the first time.
A man with half his face melted by burns.
It was Santos.
Bitan might have felt a stranger to this unfamiliar version of Santos.
【Captain!】
"Bitan!"
Santos set Kang Seol down and embraced Bitan.
【I saved you! Captain!】
"Uahaha! You really did. You really saved me, Bitan!"
【Is Bitan a great sea urchin now?】
"You bet! No, greater than a great sea urchin!"
【Really? Greater than a great sea urchin?】
"Yeah, because you're Bitan."
Bitan shyly pushed Santos away.
【B-Bitan just protected the weak one.】
"Huh?"
【You said it, Captain. We have to protect the weak. Bitan is strong, so I had no choice.】
"Haha... Guess I really can't say anything carelessly."
The pirates were already prepping the celebration.
"Santos! Booze! Where'd you hide the booze?"
"Check the usual spot—it should be there! I tossed the rotten barrels!"
"Keuhehe... Our bodies are rotten anyway—what's a little rotten booze? If we run out, we'll have to drink piss!"
"Damn! Should've thought of that! See, Sirva, you should've been captain instead of me!"
"What? Hell no! I wouldn't captain a ship full of idiots even if you gave me treasure!"
"Now that I think about it, that's why I became captain—you lot dumped it on me!"
"Took you this long to figure it out? Still as dumb as ever! Hahaha!"
"Puhaha!"
A pirate ship adrift alone in the forsaken Alfrina Strait. Finite freedom savored atop the infinite sea.
"Waaaaaah—!"
"How long's it been since I had a drink!"
"Keuhehe... This is the day I've waited for!"
"Hey, Sonnyo! Play us a tune!"
"Hold on, Santos! Where's my violin?"
"Probably in the cabin. Look good."
"If it's moldy from the damp, I'm tossing it overboard!"
"Hahaha!"
Moments later, Sonnyo appeared with his violin.
"Ahem... Been a while, so I might mess up, but clean your ears and listen close."
"Ready!"
A breathtaking melody began to echo across the Man o' the Sea. More heartrending than the siren's mystical song.
"You idiot! Don't kill the vibe!"
"Someone toss that guy overboard!"
Thwack—!
"Ughhh...."
Sonnyo kicked into the sea.
Ppoo grabbed him by the leg with a tentacle and hauled him back aboard, where he grumbled and played on.
"That's why you sheet-music illiterates... You don't get romance!"
"Hey, Sonnyo! Everyone here knows you can't read music either!"
"Shut it! Got proof?"
"The song's different every damn time!"
"Music's about feel—plucking strings with soul!"
"Ppoo! Don't fish that guy out this time!"
"But why's Ppoo so huge?"
The Man o' the Sea, once sailing desolately over chill waters, was gone. The sea felt full with just them.
"The keel looks fine, but the bow's messed up. We'll fix it quick, Santos."
"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Pliber!"
"Got the next voyage to prep, right?"
"...Yeah. You always know my mind."
Santos chatted with the carpenter Pliber, then scanned the deck.
"Hey, check this guy out!"
"A sea urchin that drinks like a champ!"
"This little thing saved us? Bullshit!"
【Ehehe... Bitan is the strooongest....】
Santos laughed at Bitan, eyes half-lidded in drunken haze.
"Easy on the booze, folks! I don't know what happens if a sea urchin gets sloshed!"
"Right, right!"
Bitan danced drunk, eyes wide at the pirates' tricks.
Santos spoke up.
"Got a guest after so long—we gotta show it off."
"Oh! That! Ready!"
"This'll be fun."
Bitan glanced around, clueless to what Santos meant, when Santos clapped for attention.
Clap clap clap—!
"Alright, time for introductions! Ppoo!"
"Ppuuuu!"
Sonnyo struck up a hopeful melody on violin.
"A ship to conquer the seas~ Loyalty!"
"Ppoo!"
"Loyaltyyy!"
"Loyalty!"
The pirates joined the song.
"Friendship!"
"Ppoo—!"
"Friiieeends!"
"Even love!"
"Ppuu—!"
"Even looove!"
Sung solo before, together it felt wholly new.
"We're the great men o' the sea~ Alright! Time to introduce the Man o' the Sea's crew!"
"Ppuu!"
"Ahahaha!"
"Helmsman~ Bridon!"
"Here!"
"Deckhan~ Male!"
"Present!"
"Gunnery chief~ Jenin!"
"......"
"Where's Jenin?"
A brief silence.
Someone piped up.
"He's puking over there. Forced down some bad stuff, probably."
"Wahahahaha!"
The song rolled on.
No name called went unanswered.
"Carpenter~ Pliber!"
"All done—my turn to drink!"
"Ppoo!"
"Navigator~ Cherico!"
"Thought you'd skip me!"
"Ppuuu!"
Bitan clenched his tiny fists tight.
So this is the song.
A song this fun.
He watched the pirates with sparkling eyes.
"Finally... the great captain of the Man o' the Sea...."
Santos needed no words.
Every crewman drummed the deck.
Thud thud thud thud...
"It's me, Santos!"
"Cheers!"
"Waaaaaah—!"
Bitan was dreaming now.
Born from war's nightmare, he'd ravaged countless lives.
He'd thought such a life enjoyable at times. But never happy.
Right now, mingling with the Man o' the Sea's crew—this was the demon spirit Bitan's happiest moment.
Their touch endlessly infused him with unfamiliar powers.
Things like heart. Things like emotion.
The revelry raged on.
All through the night.
Bitan cracked his eyes open, bleary.
He'd dozed off drunk.
Dawn was breaking.
Eyes open, the crew was gone.
【...Captain?】
"Bitan."
Santos called from behind.
His burned face looked gruesome at first, but grew piratical with time.
"Wanna sit?"
【There? Why?】
"That's where the sun rises."
【Okay!】
They sat side by side, gazing at the horizon.
"Have fun?"
【Yeah! Best ever! The salt, the wind, everything!】
"Good."
【Hey... Captain.】
"Yeah?"
Bitan mumbled shyly.
【I... wanna live.】
"......"
【Bitan doesn't know much. Someone has to teach me. You've taught me lots.】
"...Me?"
【Yeah! Bitan learned booze ain't piss, and the strong protect the weak! And... uh? What else?】
"Bitan, lots to say?"
【Huh? Why?】
"Feels like I should go first."
Santos pointed to the sea.
"Bitan, see the sea?"
【Yeah! Lotsa water! Salty!】
"The sea... stare at it long enough, and it dumps stuff on you."
【Dumps? Bad guy! Wait, am I a bad guy? What does it dump?】
"Haha... Romance, dreams, sense of adventure."
From Bitan's angle, only Santos' twisted burn scars showed.
No telling his expression.
"It plants them willy-nilly."
Tap tap...
Santos drummed the deck.
"Everything started on this ship. The Man o' the Sea taught a lost noble named Santos how to be a fine pirate. Taught me humility and ignorance, savagery and nature."
Then Bitan realized.
Something off about Santos.
【San... tos?】
"This self shattered its old mold and set off for new stars."
Glare spread across the waves.
Dawn turned the black sea blue.
The fakes' time was ending.
"Yeah, this ship is my whole universe! And..."
【C-Captain!】
Santos turned to Bitan.
His body was fading.
【Wha... my body... body's weird, Captain!】
"My universe... I give it to you, Bitan. Mutiny success— you're captain of the Man o' the Sea now."
Pirates who'd left before Santos.
At dawn, fakes turn to dust; only the real remain in the world.
Only the living breathe.
Dawn is when the unwanted return to dust.
【Uwaaaaa... Don't go, don't go Santos! It's fun!】
Drip...
Something impossible flowed from the demon spirit's eyes, embodiment of malice.
Bitan pointed to his chest with tiny hands.
【Uwaaaaaaaa! Santos! H-Here hurts. Why? Tell me!】
"......"
【I'm weird! Water keeps coming from my eyes! Am I dying?】
"Haha! We're closest to water—drying up makes no sense, right? It's good, Bitan!"
【Really good? It huuurts so much...】
Santos' body began crumbling to dust.
Shhh...
"Thanks for putting the period on Santos' legend. Someday we meet again... tell me your legend then, Bitan."
【.......】
"Set sail, Bitan! Out into the world—find your reason to live."
Santos' face dissolved to dust with his smile. Voice lingered.
"Eternal... voyage's... beginning..."
Shhh...
The blue soul piled as dust.
"Ppuuu...."
Ppoo gazed pityingly at Bitan.
Bitan hung his head, still a while. Then...
Shhh...
【Huh...?】
Shhh...
Blue dust swirled into a vortex.
Dawn lit the motion.
Truly mystical, ecstatic sight.
Shhhh...
【San... tos?】
The soul flew straight to Kang Seol.
Shhh...
Blue energy seeped into Kang Seol's body.
His form briefly glowed blue.
Like a midday dream.
Bitan smiled at the sight, perking up.
【Ppoo!】
"Ppuu?"
【Get ready! It's time!】
Ppoo scratched his head with a tentacle, then caught on and bellowed.
"Ppuuuu!"
Bitan sang.
【A ship to conquer the seas~ Loyalty!】
"Ppoo!"
【Friendship!】
"Ppoo—!"
【Even love!】
"Ppuu—!"
Belted it out.
【We're the great men o' the sea~ Uh... what next? Anyway! Introductions!】
"Ppuu!"
【Deckhan Bitan!】
Bitan grew a mustache with his power. Solo two-man show.
【Bitan! Deck swabbed?】
【Not yet, sir!】
【Excellent! Navigator~ Bitatan!】
Now messy hair too.
【Where we headed?】
【No idea, sir!】
【Excellent!】
Bitan spawned new characters nonstop, mimicking the crew he'd seen at night. Capturing their traits perfectly.
His way of honoring the dead.
【And~ now! First mate....】
Bitan eyed Kang Seol.
【Yeah, you!】
He worked Kang Seol's mouth like ventriloquy.
【Waited long?】
"......"
【Tch... no fun.】
Kang Seol stayed unresponsive.
【Finally, Captain Bitan himself!】
"Ppuuuuuuu!"
Silence returned.
Bitan wept.
"Ppuuu...."
Ppoo patted Bitan's head.
【Not crying! Bitan doesn't know how to cry!】
"Ppuuu...."
【Well... Santos did teach me....】
Bitan gazed at Kang Seol, now host to Santos.
【Santos, you in there?】
"......"
【Good! Then set sail!】
"Ppuuuu!"
【But where to?】
"Ppuuu...."
【Anywhere! Land! To land! Go, baldy!】
"Ppuuuuu!"
Smack—! Smack—!
Ppoo tapped Bitan's head.
【Mutiny already!】
Smack—! Smack—!
【Forgiven this once!】
Smack—! Smack—!
【Baldy canceled....】
"Ppuuuu!"
* * *
Time passed.
Letting time slip aboard usually ended one of two ways.
Reach destination.
Or shipwreck.
Yes.
Bitan shipwrecked.
Stranded on some unknown shore.
【Ppoo! Your fault!】
"Ppuu!"
【Sorry! My bad! Never learned to drop anchor!】
"Ppuuuu!"
Wherever this was, Bitan knew it was land.
Time to part from the Man o' the Sea.
【Ppoo, we'll meet again, right?】
"Ppuuuu!"
Of course.
I'll wait forever, cool sea urchin.
【Heehee... See ya then! Get bigger! Bitan will too!】
Bitan waved stubby arms farewell.
Set down the two treasure chests and Kang Seol.
Shhh...
The Man o' the Sea left Bitan and Kang Seol behind, vanishing into the distant sea with Ppoo.
Bitan still didn't know where this was.
That sparked his curiosity.
【Just a peek! Quick look!】
Leaving Kang Seol, Bitan dashed up the hill alone.
A forest with a beach.
A stunningly beautiful one.
Swoosh...
Pink petals scattered on the wind.
The open view revealed mystical land.
Odd birds, beasts hunting reptile eggs.
Filled with new nature.
The forest dyed in varied hues.
Bitan stared, entranced, then noticed something else.
【What's that?】
Dark auras spotted amid the trees.
Bad vibes.
Didn't wanna go near.
【...Huh?】
Sudden dread sent Bitan bolting down the hill.
Thud thud thud...
Down the hill, Bitan.
【...Big trouble.】
Gone.
The two chests and the human.
【Sorryyy! Forgot! Where'd they go? Where?!】
The black aura seemed culprit.
Bitan wouldn't lose more—vowed to reclaim the human.
【...Huh?】
Footprints on the beach.
Not the culprits', probably.
Another human?
Then who...
Bitan quelled unease, followed the prints.
They led into the forest.
【Can't lose 'em! Gotta protect! Bitan protects!】
Prints faded.
Bitan fixated on the ground, full focus.
For a bit.
Bonk—!
【Ow!】
Bitan looked up at what he'd hit.
Not hard rock, not thick tree.
So what?
Shhh...
There stood a young man with golden eyes, gazing into the forest.
Bitan's jaw dropped unwittingly. Never dreamed of reunion like this.
【Uh....】
"Drifted east, huh."
【Uh uh....】
As the Ghost King foresaw, the man came east.
- Cross the waves, ride an old ship, come meet me in the east.
All that Bitan and the man would face lay in the Khan Empire, land of dragon blood, flowers, and fire.
"Bitan, come here."
【...Y-Yeah?】
The man extended a hand.
Bitan heard the words he'd longed for, in the man's voice.
"Waited long?"