Chapter 1: The Young Captain
Book 2: Redemption of Righteousness
An alchemical ship swiftly sped across the depths of the ocean floor like a shot arrow.
It was the Deep Sea Montser Fish.
“Faster, faster, faster!” The goblin, Triple Blade, shouted from the cabin.
“Can this thing go any faster?” Bai Ya fretfully worried.
The Deep Sea Monster Fish was being driven jointly by Cang Xu and Zi Di.
Zi Di’s body had already been frozen, now she was a ghostly spirit that floated in the ship.
The necromancer, Cang Xu, clutched his aged hands around a crystal ball, using his entire spirit to control the Deep Sea Monster Fish.
They had just escaped Mystifying Monster Island, an island on the verge of exploding!
No one knew how strong the explosion would be, and every survivor that had crowded into the cabin was fraught with anxiety, all of them wanted to put as much distance between them and the island.
In this moment between life and death, Cang Xu still remained tranquil. Even his voice retained his usual calmness. When confronted by everyone behind him, he slowly shook his head, “The Deep Sea Monster Fish is already as fast as it can.”
The ghostly Zi Di suddenly spoke up, “Found it.”
Her voice sounded somewhat strange.
This was because she no longer had vocal cords. Ghostly voices were raspy and torturously ear-piercing to those who heard them, it was quite unpleasant to listen to.
Zi Di had been a magician when she was alive, and thus could use a magic spell to alter her ghostly tones to sound more like how she did in life.
An image appeared before everyone present as she spoke.
The image displayed an undisturbed Mystifying Monster Island.
The lush jungles that covered Mystifying Monster Island were slowly getting smaller in the image, illustrating how quickly the Deep Sea Monster Fish was getting from it.
To its credit, the Deep Sea Monster Fish was far faster than most ships on the sea. The previous ship they rode on, the Hog’s Kiss, could not even compare to it.
In the steering cabin, everyone was entranced by the image.
Regardless of whether it was the powerful monstrous youth or the unyielding half beastman Zong Ge, all of them watched on with wrinkled brows.
The others were even more terrified, and some like Bai Ya, turned even paler.
Due to how many people there were, the big guy with the giant bloodline had to stand in the hallway outside, gazing inward as he held the door open.
——
However, his gaze did not focus on the magic projection on the wall, instead he was constantly flickering back to look at his “father”, the monstrous youngster.
Many people were already dripping with cold sweat.
The pressure in everyone’s heart was greatly increasing by the second. All knew the grim reaper’s sickle was hanging above their heads, and that when it fell, the fate of their lives would be decided.
The Deep Sea Monster Fish was roughly 5000 meters from Mystifying Monster Island when the time of judgement finally arrived.
Boom!!
With a world-shaking and deafening rumble, a terrible explosion suddenly occurred.
At the same time, the magic image on the wall abruptly went white, its intense light dazzled the eyes with its radiance.
A moment before, Mystifying Monster Island had been perfectly fine, the next, it completely vanished.
Everyone couldn’t help but narrow their eyes.
Then, the force of the explosion hit them.
On the seafloor, the Deep Sea Monster Fish’s hull found it hard to withstand the battering of the blast wave, and was carried along with it.
The fish-like hull also began to turn and roll violently.
Everyone in the steering cabin was caught off guard and they were thrown against the walls, ceiling, and floor, one after the other, as the hull rolled about. Even the monstrous youngster, Zong Ge, and Triple Blade could barely keep themselves steady as they were bounced about.
The giant was a bit lucky, because of his large stature, he didn’t move too much in the hallway.
The one who had it the easiest was Zi Di.
The girl ghost was barely affected, and still remained floating where she was as the Deep Sea Monster Fish was tossed about.
While everyone had their hands full with everything going on, the girl remained gazing at the magic image.
She saw a faint smear of red and brown in the vast whiteness.
Soon after, the white light from the explosion quickly dissipated , allowing her to clearly see the red magma and brown rocks splattering into the sky.
There was still thick smoke billowing to the sky, and above the shattered Mystifying Monster Island, a large mushroom shaped cloud rose.
Around the mushroom cloud, a gape in the ocean was formed by the blast.
In the wake of the shockwave, the ocean rebounded against it, creating immense waves in nearly an instant.
However, a moment later, a frightening magical aura appeared.
War Merchant’s dead man switch activated, the legendary level spell – Spatial Banishment!
The magic radiated like a small sun, and covered a radius of several hundred meters, nearly suffocating those watching.
In the twinkle of an eye, the magic was completed, creating a black hole above the sinking Mystifying Monster Island.
The black hole began to grow, and after a few short breaths, expanded to a diameter of nine meters.
The black hole exuded a strong gravitational force.
First was the smoke in the sky, then the splashing magma, then the rocks.
Even the rushing sea waves were sucked in.
A tsunami had no time to form, as the black hole sucked in everything around it.
Countless oceanic creatures along with the seawater were crushed into the black hole.
This horrific scene caused every survivor’s expression to change.
The Deep Sea Monster Fish had steadied itself finally, and fled with all haste once again.
The spatial banishment spell’s terrifying gravitational force was also affecting the alchemical ship.
It suddenly dropped their speed by two thirds!
If they were sucked in, they would most certainly die.
The Deep Sea Monster Fish and everyone inside seemed tiny in comparison to the vastness of the spell’s power.
The alchemy ship’s magic power reservoir was being violently consumed and many minute cracks started to form in the hull.
In the end, the Deep Sea Monster Fish performed outstandingly.
After a minute of suffering, the black hole’s beastly appetite seemed to be satisfied and began to gradually shrink. The diameter shrunk from nine meters to eight, six, and four, until it finally disappeared.
The spatial banishment spell’s gravity also gradually weakened.
Until that too finally diminished into nothing.
The Deep Sea Monster Fish had escaped, more scared than hurt.
In the tranquil seabed, it gradually began to slow. Cang Xu had done so to save on magic power.
But the ocean behind them was not so calm.
The spatial banishment spell had swallowed vast amounts of seawater, causing the water around the hole to surge into replenish it.
Likewise, the survivors were also extremely tense.
The grim reaper’s sickle had fallen, but everyone had escaped it. After realizing that, everyone in the steering cabin erupted with joy.
“We’re alive?”
“Yes, we’re alive!”
“We did it, we finally did it.”
Many people hugged each other with tears of joy.
It had been an unprecedented trial. So many things had happened since the shipwreck.
To survive, everyone had to brave Mystifying Monster Island’s frightful environment, they had to skirt the edge of death to withstand the artificial magic beasts, and had agonized over food, water, and exhaustion. Finally, they suffered unending hardships in Mystifying Monster Island’s underground alchemy factory.
The greatest internal threat was Father Jia Sha. In his pursuit of personal gain, he chose to teleport the divine artifacts and abandon everyone else.
It hadn’t been easy.
It was simply a miracle anyone was still alive!
In between the cheers and sobbing, Zi Di and the monstrous youngster looked at each other with mixed feelings.
There was happiness, tranquility, intimacy, and there was also forgiveness and understanding.
To reach this place, they had to cross innumerable challenges and pay too high a price many times.
One could say the two had changed beyond recognition.
Although their relationship began to deceit, after surviving Mystifying Monster Island they had grown to have true affection for each other.
The harsh challenges and tests made the emotions they felt now even more precious.
“……”
“Zi Di…” The monstrous youth was about to speak when he suddenly heard the sound of weeping.
He turned his head and saw the big guy clinging to the cabin door, tears streaming in his eyes as he looked at the magic image.
The Mystifying Monster Island in the magic image had already vanished completely, as if had never existed.
“……”
“Father…” The big guy wept as snot streamed from his nose. It was obvious that he was thinking of the old boatwright.
The old boatwright had raised the big guy, despite not having any blood relation with each other. The old boatwright had died protecting the big guy.
When faced with death, the big guy had been entrusted to the monstrous youngster.
When the monstrous young man saw the big guy like this, his heart immediately softened, and he came to the door to gently stroke the big guy’s head and softly comfort him.
With high spirits, everyone began to converse with each other,
“I can’t believe it, I’m actually still alive.”
“Hahaha, to be honest, I wanted to give up many times on that island, and during many critical moments, I wanted to just die."
“The dragon hasn’t appeared, it must have been sucked into that dreadful black hole,”
The discussion reached the topic of the Flame Dragon King.
It happened while the monstrous youth was comforting the big guy, his face didn’t change, however his heart tensed slightly.
He had used the new Bloodcore to kill the Flame Dragon King.
But it was a secret, one he could never admit.
Because it was related to the Bloodcore.
The Bloodcore was too important, and currently, only the young man knew about it. If knowledge of it was spread, there would be inconceivable consequences.
The young man sighed when he thought of the Flame Dragon King.
If he had succeeded in his negotiation, the youngster’s and everybody else’s situation would have been leagues better.
Unfortunately, the Flame Dragon King with its legendary level strength did not consider the youngster and the survivors as equals. It had been overbearing and wanted to swallow all of the merits and divine artifacts for itself.
Without any other choice, the young man could only use the Bloodcore, and by a fluke, it eradicated the weakened Flame Dragon King and absorbed the dragon into itself.
He had been compelled by circumstance.
At this time, the youngster began to hear everyone’s discussions again.
“Did the Flame Dragon King survive?
“Ah, He was a legendary level dragon, could he still be alive even after being banished to a different space?”
“I don’t think so, the Flame Dragon King had been in a terrible state, beaten and sealed by War Merchant. War Merchant was a legendary level magician, and that spatial banishment was a most meticulously created defensive spell. That magic’s might had been terrifying! I feel the Flame Dragon King has met his end.”
“That’s right, if he was able too, he’d have already escaped. He must surely be dead after being banished by the black hole.
“It would be for the best if he died. He vanished along with Mystifying Monster Island, we had nothing to do with it!
“Do you really think so? Actually, couldn’t we have freed him? But we didn’t, as such, we are still somewhat responsible for his fate.”
“Hmph, he despised us and wanted to take everything for himself. Without those things, how could we atone for our crimes against the empire? He didn’t have a drop of sincerity and had no intentions of signing a contract with us.”
“But if that is the case, we not only murdered Father Jia Sha, but also the Flame Dragon King.
When that was said, everyone began to sink into silence.
The joy of successfully escaping gradually dripped from everyone’s face, now replaced by concern for their current situation and the immutable future that was approaching.
Upon seeing the ship quieting, Cang Xu suddenly spoke up, “Everyone, we still need to leave this place first.”
“Although Mystifying Monster Island was in a remote place rarely tread by others, if the immense fluctuation of magic power draws the attention of who knows who, it’ll be bad.”
“As for where we should go, I ask that you, Lord Captain, decide that.”
Cang Xu eyed the monstrous youngster, it was obviously who he was referring to as Lord “Captain”.
The young man was stunned, then humbly shook his head, and forced out a smile, “I am no captain, in fact, you all know I am also no templar knight.”
But Cang Xu had foreseen the monstrous youngster’s reaction and immediately retorted, “The only person I can acknowledge as captain of this alchemy ship is you, your Lordship.”
“That’s right.” Said Lan Zao.
“No, to be more precise, everyone acknowledges you as our Lord.” Bai Ya followed up.
Everyone looked at each other, none had any objections.
They looked at the young man, and their eyes revealed their approval, respect, and adoration.
“……”
“But am only a beast…” The monstrous youngster bowed his head.
No, no one believes that. You lead us, we know you as our leader. You are a true knight!” The ghostly Zi Di floated to the young man’s side, her voice soft.
“You must concede that you are our most important person. Without you, we wouldn’t have escaped Mystifying Monster Island.” Zong Ge calmly stated with folded arms.
The half beastman had once challenged the young man for the position of leader, but now, he also approved of the young man.
He then said, “Of course, if you don’t want to be our leader or mess up later, I won’t be so aloof.”
Zong Ge was an unyielding man, he liked to direct everything.
The youngster nodded, and gave no further excuses, instead, he gazed at everyone with eyes filled with hope and encouragement.
Only ten of them had survived.
“To escape that place, everyone was needed, not a single one of you are indispensable.”
“Without Zi Di, we would have been poisoned to death by the mutton.”
“Without the big guy, we couldn’t have sailed our ship to the heart of Mystifying monster Island.”
“Without Zong Ge or Cang Xu, we wouldn’t have defeated Jia Sha.”
“Everyone else, your cumulative contributions during our arduous struggles have built the foundation we will forge ahead on.”
“Now then, we have escaped, the greatest challenge is already behind us.”
Our next step is to sincerely work together to communicate with the empire’s higher ups and pay for the atonement of our sins.
“We cannot make any mistakes.”
“Jia Sha abandoned us for his own personal gain.”
“To survive, we were forced to strike back.”
“I believe we can communicate with the empire’s higher ups.”
“We indirectly destroyed Mystifying Monster Island, a meritorious service to the empire. We acted righteously.
“I believe in the allure of divine artifacts.”
“With them, I believe our righteous redemption will surely succeed!”
Like before, his speech touched the people’s hearts.
“Huzzah!” At that moment, everyone cheered.
The young man’s unwavering conviction and hope placated the survivor’s anxiety and bewilderment.
He was their fluttering flag that showed everyone the way forward.