In the seas not far from the Von Slav City State on the southern West Coast of the Eastern Continent, an ordinary two-masted sailboat rode the sea breeze, sailing slowly southward.
In a corner of the worn-out deck, three terrified sailors in sailor uniforms were gagged with socks and tied to the ship's rail. The expert knots made it impossible for them to break free, no matter how much they struggled.
Directly in front of them stood a young man in a gray formal suit. He had short, salt-and-pepper hair, and his handsome face bore no trace of age. His golden eyes glimmered brightly under the light of the red moon.
"Hey, hey, hey, is it really that hard for you to tell me where the nearest Black Pearl crew outpost is?" The young man's handsome face was etched with exasperation. "If you don't answer my question soon, my only option will be to throw you all into the sea to feed the fish."
"Mmmph, mmmph..."
The three sailors struggled even more fiercely, letting out anxious, muffled cries.
"Still not going to talk? You're just common pirates flying the Black Pearl's flag, you usually just provide them with a bit of intel. Surely it's not worth dying for, is it?"
The gray-haired young man took out a handful of gold pounds and tossed them in his hand. The glittering coins tumbled in mid-air before landing securely back in his palm.
"Or what? Are my gold pounds not real gold?"
"Mmmph! Mmmph mmmph?!"
The three pirates looked at him as if he were a lunatic, their muffled cries growing more frantic.
'The crazier they are, the more dangerous they are. Fucking hell, he asks questions but keeps our mouths gagged... If you want to kill us, just get on with it, you bastard!'
"What?"
The gray-haired young man lost his patience. After putting away the gold pounds, the smile vanished from his face. "This is the first time I've ever met anyone who dared to refuse me three times! Die..."
Just then, a voice from the cabin behind him cut him off.
"Stop playing around, Kleia. Have their helmsman come over. We still need him at the helm tonight."
"Understood, Captain Menor. I'll send him over right away."
A smile returned to the gray-haired young man's face. He jogged over and pulled out the socks gagging the pirates, one by one. Seemingly unbothered by their foul, salty stench, he haphazardly balled them up and tossed them overboard.
"So sorry, my apologies. I was just having a little fun with you all. Now, tell me, which of you is the esteemed helmsman?"
Having just been pulled back from the brink of death, the pirates didn't dare show the slightest dissatisfaction. The older one in the middle quickly spoke up, "Sir, that would be me. I'm the helmsman of this ship, the 'La Tifa'."
"I knew it was you!"
The gray-haired young man, Kleia, untied him and enthusiastically brushed the dust and seawater from his clothes. "From the moment I came aboard, I could tell you were no ordinary pirate! A helmsman in the Cordo Sea Region... why, that's even rarer than a Director Level Extraordinary."
"Quickly now, don't waste Elder Menor's time. Get in there and take the helm."
"Yes, yes, I'm going right now."
The older pirate dared not hesitate. He strode into the cabin, but before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he saw the figure sitting beside the ship's wheel—a person in a long gray robe, their drawn-up hood revealing only a firm jawline.
"S-Sorry. Please, let me take over."
As he spoke, he hurried to the ship's wheel. With his back to the figure, he nervously took control, guiding the ship to continue its southward journey on the sea breeze.
'For some reason, this calm, hooded figure, who had been silent ever since coming aboard, was even more terrifying than the lunatic outside.'
"Mm."
Menor acknowledged him with a quiet hum, his silver-gray eyes fixed on a bleeding ear he held in his hand, as if he were listening to something.
"...This is the *Frode*. We've discovered an exceptionally large storm region four hundred kilometers south of Leomande Island. All nearby vessels are advised to change course. I repeat..."
"Atiyaga, respond if you copy. What's your situation over there?"
"Almost... dead..."
Menor frowned. This wasn't what he wanted to hear.
He focused a layer of Spiritual Power into his fingertip, then jabbed the edge of the ear's cartilage, slicing open a gash and causing it to bleed more profusely.
A grunt of pain echoed from the ear, and strange whispers began to circle the wheelhouse.
Immediately after, several voices, clearer than before, began to issue from the ear. Not only did their speech accelerate, but the rate at which the voices switched also sped up, as if the ear was responding to Menor by searching for what he wanted to hear.
"...spotted a Stormy Sea Region, located right near the former site of Dakman Island..."
"..."
"...D-Damn it, we've spotted a three-masted sailboat flying the flag of the *Alanjia*! The one in charge is... it's the goddamn 'Giant Beast Gunner,' Eggerlu Pazzini!!"
"This is Jack Kim Adros! Report the position of the 'Giant Beast Gunner,' Eggerlu Pazzini!"
Hm?
'Found it!'
Menor squeezed the ear, signaling it to stop switching to other voices.
"In the Northern Sea Region! A six-day sail from Avad Island! Dammit, he... they've spotted us! They're sailing right for us!"
"Keep talking! Tell me everything you see!"
"...Besides the 'Giant Beast Gunner,' there are four strange figures in tattered black robes on the ship. I don't see any other crew. No, wait... there's also a black carriage on their deck. The carriage has some kind of metal spikes hanging on it..."
"Jack First Officer! Get over here! They... those strange figures... under their robes, it's all bandages! And in the carriage, there's a terrifying, terrifying person... his power... *sob*... Dorris and Sessi are dead, and I... You goddamn bastards! Open fire!"