047. Lawless Men of the Eastern Sea 1
Bin opened his mouth with a bewildered expression.
"This is……?!"
In response to Bin's question, Irin replied in her soft, gentle voice.
"First, an apology for attacking you."
A seal depicting a blue bird inside a round circle. The Taia family seal, which boosted affinity with Taia family monsters and prevented them from attacking. Of course, it wasn't permanent. But for the time being, monsters like Zeke from the Taia family wouldn't launch preemptive strikes.
For the Taia family, this seal was as good as their finest reward.
"Then we'll be on our way."
Irin nodded simply and turned to head elsewhere when Bin spoke up.
"Don't trust the same blood."
His tone suggested he knew something. Irin froze for a moment.
"……!"
From her furrowed expression, it seemed something was weighing on her mind. And rightly so. Lately, her father and his twin—the lesser lord—had felt suspicious within the family.
Irin shook her head after hesitating and replied.
"The Taia family has come this far on trust and faith. Please don't worry about it."
Bin didn't show a hint of reaction to her attitude.
"Trust? The moment you get used to that word, disaster strikes."
"……."
Irin couldn't bring herself to respond to Bin's words.
A moment later, amid the uneasy atmosphere, Irin set off toward her destination.
Thud. Thud.
Bin's earlier words nagged at her, swirling in her mind.
"The same blood……."
After pondering deeply, Irin resumed walking. For her, it was a day when every step felt unusually heavy.
A few days later.
Bin was attempting Opening in the Blood Lake as usual.
With his feet submerged in the Blood Lake, he focused on Luminare, which emitted a white glow.
After hours of training, his hands trembled, and his body was drenched in sweat. But Bin wasn't one to give up.
I can do it. I can do it…….
His eyes unfocused, Bin gripped the greatsword tightly and gritted his teeth.
Ront watched with a stunned expression.
His mana must be depleted by now—he should be exhausted. What a stubborn bastard.
Ront clicked his tongue at the sight of Bin concentrating relentlessly for days on end without rest. In his long life, he'd seen countless people, but this was a first.
It wasn't just thanks to his superior Bascon physique. The boy was holding on through sheer willpower.
"It won't work just by pushing like that. Take a break and……."
Before Ront could finish, the Luminare in Bin's grip began to shimmer with silver light. Unlike before, the silver didn't fade immediately—it held steady for a while.
The experience from his real battle with the slime Zeke had paid off.
Ront was dumbfounded.
How……? Did the Blood Lake help him? It took this body years to reach that realm…….
It wasn't a full Opening yet, but he'd clearly reached the first condition: silver mana.
To the dazed Ront, Bin calmly said,
"Now let's go find Noni."
Ront tilted his head, stroking his chin beard. He didn't want to show Bin his surprise.
Ront cleared his throat and replied.
"Ahem. To find Noni, we'll need a ship. We have to head to the moving island."
At Ront's words laced with doubt, Bin murmured,
"A moving island? You don't mean the ancient giant turtle Zaratann, do you?"
Ront's brow furrowed instantly. He'd expected Bin to be clueless, so the reaction caught him off guard.
How does this kid know about that……?
Fearing his thoughts might show, Ront cleared his throat again and continued.
"Ahem…… As expected, you know of it. Noni—a dwarf and alchemist—is being oppressed there, along with countless women."
Bin tilted his head at Ront's words.
"Countless women?"
"Aye. The Super Nova Hobas has kidnapped them all and plays king there. We'll rescue the women and become heroes."
After speaking, Ront glanced at Bin's face. It looked so menacing.
"I jest too crudely…… Calm yourself, 'twas but a joke."
But Bin's icy expression had nothing to do with Ront's joke.
Super Nova Hobas…….
Bin's heart suddenly raced. How long had he waited for these bastards? In his previous life, they'd pierced his body with their weapons.
Finally, I'll meet them.
Bin flashed a ferocious smile. His eyes burned with the longing for revenge built over years.
Misreading the expression, Ront froze.
"I said 'twas a joke……!"
Unable to fathom Bin's inner thoughts, Ront muttered to himself.
One joke and he nearly kills me…… Watching this kid's mood…… Alas, such is my fate…….
Bin, having schooled his features, spoke up.
"Then let's head to the moving island. We have a ship ready."
* * *
The eastern sea of the Gana Continent. A massive rock loomed into view, shaped like an elephant dipping its trunk into the sea. The limestone formation known as Etrta, the Elephant Rock.
Bin had sneaked out of the castle to this place for the golden ship, the Gold Force.
But Bascon family sentries surrounded the Gold Force.
Bin, in his black uniform, observed them from the forest.
Working late, huh.
They were Bascon men, but they wouldn't let him use the ship. If anything happened to Bin aboard, the blame would fall on them.
Bin picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it toward another bush.
Thwack.
The sentries reacted to the noise.
"Who's there?!"
"Something's over there."
As they converged on the sound, Bin concealed his presence and boarded the ship in a flash.
He swiftly drew his sword and slashed the rope tying the hull to the dock.
Swish—
The flustered sentries from the bushes noticed the ship moving too late and shouted in alarm.
"The ship, the ship!!"
"No……!!"
Despite their cries, the vessel cleaved through the waves and sailed onward.
* * *
The eastern sea of the Gana Continent.
A golden ship with grand sails unfurled cut through the blue waters. Waves parted on either side.
Splash. Splash.
It was the ship Bin had taken from Etrta.
A cool breeze tousled the hair on Bin's forehead at the bow.
Feels like the exhaustion's melting away.
His relentless training for Opening had worn him down. But gazing at the blue sea eased him.
Meanwhile, Ront, Mia, and the children—emerging from Codic's mouth—were thrilled. Most had never been on a ship before.
"How does something this big float on water?"
"Must be a mage's spell."
"Aha."
The kids imagined their own explanations for buoyancy and explored the ship.
The long mast in the center with its proud sail, connected by countless ropes. They couldn't grasp the mechanics, but it awed them. Common sense said objects sank in water.
Some kids spun around the mast.
"Heehee, fun!"
"Me too, me too."
Others peered over the railings at the sea. Hoping for fish? Worried the ship might sink? Thoughts swirled.
As the children frolicked, Ront gripped the tiller, which steered their course.
The kids stared at him in wonder, and Ront puffed up with pride.
Without this body, this voyage would've been impossible. Heh heh.
He'd designed ships with dwarf comrades in the past. Knowing the structure made steering easy.
Bin approached and asked,
"So how do we find the giant turtle Zaratann now?"
Ront replied leisurely.
"Not hard at all. Take a look over there."
His finger pointed to the sail. A tin can was tied there, containing a small brown lump—Ront's special bait made from ground bugs.
Beaming with satisfaction, Ront said,
"Turtle birds go mad for this! It'll lure them in, then we follow their direction."
Turtle birds. Symbionts of the giant turtle Zaratann, named for convenience. They inhabited the eastern Gana seas with keen senses of smell. Known to visit Zaratann periodically every few days. Ront exploited this habit.
Bin looked up at the can.
"Reliable."
"Heh heh, basics for me."
Ront shrugged, pleased by Bin's admiring gaze.
But his expression soon turned serious. He cautioned Bin.
"Whatever you do, don't touch Super Nova Hobas."
Bin couldn't reply.
"……."
He stayed silent. Ront frowned at his ominous look.
"If you insist on messing with Hobas, that's your call—but from then on, we're strangers. Best that way."
Ront explained carefully why.
"Super Novas are the Gana Imperial Guard. They protect the 'Gana folk'—the continent's supreme nobility."
Gana folk. The ruling elite of the Gana Continent. Highest status, treated like kings by vassals. Their word could mean life or death; their power was immense.
Ront continued.
"One of those Super Novas, Hobas, lives atop Zaratann."
Bin's brow narrowed.
Hobas. A lecher who treated women like objects. Infamous for kidnapping and trading them on Zaratann. Rumored to have gained Super Nova status by offering beauties to the Gana folk.
Ront emphasized again.
"Remember this: You meet Noni there. He removes weapon side effects, letting you wield top-grade weapons more easily."
"……."
"I'll help the kids and rescue Ria—Mia's sister. We do this quietly. Got it?"
"I'll judge based on the situation."
"No, still……!"
Bin and Ront locked eyes. Neither looked away, silence stretching…….
Then, shattering the quiet, a flock of birds cried out.
Caw! Caw!
A resounding chorus over the ship. The turtle birds Ront awaited.
Blue wings tinged gray. Black heads, white brows. A black band across the chest.
Caw! Caw! Caw……!
One appeared, then a swarm followed.
After their stare-down, Ront beamed childishly at the incoming flock.
"Here they are! Their noses never fail."
Seeing the flock, Bin's lips curved slightly.
Soon, Bin's group followed the turtle birds.
A moment later.
Several ships approached the Gold Force. Nearly ten vessels, each packed with about twenty men.
One man bared gold teeth and shouted at Bin's group.
"I've come to reclaim my ship."
His firm tone made Bin's group sharpen their gazes.
"……!"