Episode 227

“Captain Kidd’s ship… Are you talking about the Pirate King’s treasure?”

Peter Pan nodded, gazing at the ship with wide eyes.

“Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually seeing Captain Kidd’s ship!”

Muttering to herself, she suddenly dashed towards the ship. With a swift motion, she summoned a stream of water and leaped onto the deck.

Watching her, Zeke clicked his tongue inwardly. ‘Reckless. There could be curses or defensive spells on that ship.’

If there were any curses, Peter Pan would take the brunt of it, so it didn’t really matter to him. Moments later, Peter Pan’s voice echoed from inside the ship.

“Whoa! What is this? The treasure is incredible!”

Zeke chuckled at her slip into dialect, then scanned the surroundings, thinking there must be a way to connect the ship to the outside.

‘That ship can’t be accessed through a well like the Deep Sea Tribe.’

Soon, Zeke discovered a lava cave that seemed to lead outside. However, the path was blocked by rocks.

‘Can I open that with the system?’

Zeke attempted to access the administrator system.

[Would you like to open the exit of the Deep Sea Tribe’s tomb?]

As he expected, it was possible to open the rock door. It seemed the descendants of the Sea God used this passage to interact with humans and move their ships.

‘Wait, does that mean Captain Kidd was also a descendant of the Sea God?’

If Captain Kidd wasn’t a descendant, he wouldn’t have known about the island or the tomb of the Deep Sea Tribe. Zeke realized why the legend of becoming the Pirate King by finding Captain Kidd’s treasure had emerged.

Only the descendants of the Sea God could enter this place. Captain Kidd intended for his descendants to find this place and claim the treasures and heritage of the Deep Sea Tribe, but it seemed the story had been distorted over time.

‘In truth, Peter Pan is the rightful heir to this legacy.’

Yet, strangely, the quest completion message hadn’t appeared for Zeke.

‘The mission was to find the forgotten island of the Sea God. Haven’t I completed it by finding this island?’

It was odd, as this had never happened before. Just then, Peter Pan shouted from the ship.

“Hey, Draker! I’m in such a good mood, I’ll let you have a chance to sail this ship! Come on up!”

Offering a chance to sail the ship to someone she disliked showed just how pleased she was.

‘But why does she think that ship is hers?’

Shaking his head, Zeke gently carried the unconscious Carly and leaped onto the ship.

Thud!

Standing on the deck, Zeke surveyed the Triangle. Despite being abandoned for so long, the deck was as pristine as if it were new.

Peter Pan stood proudly on the deck, as if it were her own ship, and declared to Zeke, “This is it! The unbreakable ship of the Pirate King, Captain Kidd! The Triangle!”

“An unbreakable ship?”

“Yes! The Pirate King’s ship was famous for being indestructible! Haven’t you heard?”

Zeke shrugged and shook his head.

Peter Pan clicked her tongue and said, “Tsk, tsk, you landlubbers. Listen up! Captain Kidd was the first to chart a course through the terrifying Sea of Death to the Eastern Empire! He was a legendary pirate and explorer!”

Peter Pan began recounting Captain Kidd’s legendary tales. Zeke half-listened as he explored the ship, but one phrase caught his attention.

“Captain Kidd even sailed this ship to the Dark Sea…”

Zeke turned to Peter Pan. “What did you just say?”

Startled by Zeke’s sudden serious demeanor, Peter Pan hesitated. “W-what?”

“Did you say Captain Kidd went to the Dark Sea?”

Peter Pan nodded. “Y-yeah… Captain Kidd sailed to the Dark Sea. Regular ships would break apart, but the Triangle is indestructible, so it could make the journey.”

“What did Captain Kidd do in the Dark Sea?”

Peter Pan tilted her head. “Hmm… I only heard he went there. I don’t know what he did.”

Zeke recalled that Terracan Draker had intended to go beyond the Dark Sea to resurrect the dead Bahamut. If Captain Kidd had been to the Dark Sea, he might have found traces of Terracan Draker’s journey.

‘Captain Kidd… I should look into the records.’

Gathering his thoughts, Zeke asked Peter Pan, “Peter Pan, can you sail this ship?”

Peter Pan looked flustered. “How can I sail such a big ship alone? You need rowers or wind. I don’t know if wind alone would be enough for this size…”

“Hmm.”

Zeke suspected this ship might also be an ancient artifact. He headed towards the helm, leaving Peter Pan behind.

The helm was unlike any typical ship, as Zeke had anticipated. It resembled the structure he had seen on the Ark, albeit on a smaller scale, with colorful crystals embedded in the control panel.

Peter Pan, carrying Carly, joined him at the helm and gaped at the sight. “W-what is this? Why does the helm look like this?”

Zeke grasped the wheel, just as he had on the Ark, and infused it with mana.

[Advanced Administrator Code Confirmed]

[Temporary Administrator Privileges Granted for the Vessel]

[Activating the Vessel.]

Vroooom!

As Zeke had guessed, the ship began to vibrate and slowly move.

“W-whoa! The ship is moving!”

With no one rowing and no wind, the ship moving on its own left Peter Pan astonished.

Then, a holographic display emerged from the crystal in the center of the control panel, showing the ship’s surroundings and a map of its course, much like the latest holographic projectors of the Delphoa Mage Corps.

“W-what is all this?”

Having lived her entire life on an island, Peter Pan had never encountered such advanced magical devices, let alone a system far superior. She was understandably shocked.

In contrast, Zeke, familiar with such control systems through the administrator system, quickly adapted.

‘This controls the direction, and this adjusts the speed.’

He turned the wheel, set the course by watching the display, and adjusted the speed by rotating the crystal.

The ship turned and headed towards the lava cave.

“Is this magic?”

Even though Peter Pan had inherited ancient spirit magic, seeing a massive ship move on its own left her bewildered.

As the ship approached the lava cave, Peter Pan panicked.

“W-what! Hey, hey! We’re going to crash!”

In her urgency, her dialect slipped out again. Zeke used the system to open the exit.

Rumble!

The rock door opened, creating a path for the ship to glide out smoothly. Only then did Peter Pan breathe a sigh of relief.

“Whew. I thought we were done for. What is this?”

Watching her, Zeke asked, “You seem more comfortable speaking in dialect. Why do you insist on using the standard language?”

Peter Pan’s face flushed at Zeke’s comment. “W-when did I speak in dialect? I don’t use dialect!”

Zeke chuckled inwardly at her reaction. ‘Seems like she’s self-conscious about her dialect.’

Leaving the flustered Peter Pan behind, Zeke steered the ship towards the front of the island. He planned to gather his companions and leave the island after reaching the ship of the Reinhardt Trading Company.

‘I want to wipe out those imperial scum, but getting Carly safely back to the territory is the priority.’

The Triangle sailed smoothly, unaffected by the waves, maintaining a steady and swift pace. It was so stable that it hardly felt like they were on a ship.

Satisfied with the smooth sailing, Zeke asked Peter Pan, “Do you know where the other merfolk are being held?”

Peter Pan’s expression darkened at his question. “They were captured on a warship behind the island to keep me in check. Damn those imperial bastards.”

As Peter Pan grew agitated, the waterbed supporting Carly turned red and bubbled. Zeke calmed her down. “Take Carly to the inner cabin. Let’s think about how to rescue the merfolk together.”

Peter Pan looked slightly surprised by Zeke’s words. “You’ll really help rescue the villagers?”

“Didn’t I promise?”

In truth, Peter Pan hadn’t trusted Zeke, a human. The humans she had encountered treated promises as lightly as seaweed floating on the ocean.

So, Zeke’s words touched her more than she expected.

Zeke, observing her reaction, shook his head. ‘Reacting like that to a simple agreement… I hope she doesn’t get scammed.’

Despite her tough exterior, Peter Pan was as naive as the young merfolk.

While Peter Pan took Carly to the cabin, Zeke explored the ship’s functions. Just then, a warning message appeared on the screen.

[Twenty armed ships are approaching from the side.]

Zeke brought up the display to confirm.

“What the…?”

To his surprise, the ships bore pirate flags with Captain Hook’s emblem.

The approaching ships of Hook’s fleet halted at regular intervals, turning sideways to open their ports and aim their magic cannons.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

From ten ships, the cannons fired, sending massive iron balls hurtling toward the Triangle.

Crash!

The iron balls struck the side of the ship, causing it to shudder violently.

“What the—what’s going on?”

Peter Pan, startled, rushed up to the bridge.

Zeke pointed at the screen. “It’s Hook’s pirate crew.”

Upon confirming the pirate flag of Captain Hook, Peter Pan gritted his teeth. “That rotten scoundrel! I’ll sink those bastards today and feed them to the fish!”

Just as Peter Pan was about to storm outside, another cannonball came flying toward the ship.

Boom!

Though the ship was unsinkable, the impact couldn’t be entirely absorbed. Peter Pan, thrown to the deck, clenched his jaw. “That crazy pirate!”

At that moment, Hook’s pirate ship rapidly approached the Triangle, throwing grappling hooks toward it.

Whoosh!

Before they could react, pirates swung aboard on ropes.

“Ha ha ha! The Pirate King’s treasure is mine!”

Peter Pan quickly summoned spirits to unleash water cannons at the invading pirates.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

The massive water cannons knocked many pirates into the sea, but a few managed to dodge and leap onto the deck.

“Yaaaargh!”

The pirates let out eerie cries, brandishing their swords at Peter Pan. He gathered streams of water, forming them into a sea serpent.

“Get them all!”

The sea serpent lunged at the pirates, absorbing seawater to grow larger, wrapping around both the pirates and the nearby pirate ship.

Roar!

As Peter Pan controlled the serpent to wreak havoc on the pirate ship, more of Hook’s ships surrounded the Triangle. Seeing the encircling ships, Peter Pan gritted his teeth. “Damn it…”

The largest of the pirate ships blocked the Triangle’s path. From it, someone leaped onto the deck with a thud.

Thud!

A man with a hook-shaped beard—Captain Hook, one of the great pirates of the southern seas. He looked at Peter Pan, stroking his beard with a sly grin. “Peter Pan. You look even more pathetic today. Where are your smelly mermen friends? All alone, are you?”

Peter Pan glared at Hook, shouting, “You pirate scum! I’ll sink you all today and feed you to the fish!”

Hook chuckled, drawing his sword. “If you think you can, go ahead. Though I doubt your pathetic skills will be enough.”

As Peter Pan and Hook faced off, a thunderous noise erupted.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

One of the pirate ships blocking the Triangle sank with a deafening roar. Captain Hook looked on in disbelief. “What the—what just happened?”

Thud!

Zeke jumped onto the deck, wielding Bahamut. He looked at Hook and said, “Long time no see, Captain Hook.”

Recognizing Zeke, Hook was taken aback. “The cheeky little brother from back then?”

Zeke aimed Bahamut at him. “No whiskey for you today, so get lost. Otherwise…”

Zeke’s sword flashed.

Boom!

Another ship beside them sank with a thunderous crash. Both Hook and Peter Pan stood with their mouths agape.

Zeke pointed his sword at Hook again. “You won’t make it out alive.”