"Vine King Rafi, you're the last one, please take a seat next to me."
As soon as Rafi arrived, a male wizard apprentice, dressed in a loose robe resembling those worn by wizards, eagerly gestured for him to sit beside him, pointing to an empty spot. With a handsome face and deep, soulful eyes, his warm smile could almost melt the heart of the young woman seated next to him.
At first glance, this male apprentice, like Rafi, was undeniably eye-catching.
However, Rafi paid him no attention. Casually sitting elsewhere, his exquisite face seemed permanently etched with a layer of frost. He cast a cold glance at the overly eager apprentice and spoke icily, "Are we familiar with each other?"
"Y-you..." The apprentice faltered, his once gentle smile vanishing, replaced by a cold sneer. "Just as the rumors say, an angel's face with a foul mouth."
"You're asking for death!" Rafi nearly erupted, but Green quickly intervened. Twirling a sharp dagger in his hand, Green shot a malevolent glance at the apprentice, mocking, "This must be Fireball King Bronn, right? Hmph, those of us who've survived aboard this ship aren't fools. So cut out your fake smiles; they insult our intelligence. You think we're as gullible as the poor souls cast into the sea?"
"How we think is none of your concern..." Bronn sneered, turning his head away to say no more, adopting an air of indifference.
Yorkris, revealing his solid chest and flashing a grin, also scoffed, "Exactly, no need for these pretenses."
"Haha, I've heard that Vine King Rafi has two formidable subordinates. This one must be the renowned warrior, Yorkris, and I presume this must be the fierce Green?" A suave male wizard apprentice chuckled, addressing Green and his companions.
Dressed in a most refined aristocratic manner, the apprentice wore a luxurious suit, a ceremonial hat, and glittering jewels. His left hand boasted two exquisite gemstone rings, one blue, one purple, each more valuable than most could imagine. Even Green, raised in poverty, could recognize their immense worth.
This was none other than Saint Sword King Armand, known among the apprentices for his formidable skill with a golden-energy infused magic sword.
In the past month, Green had earned a reputation aboard the ship, both due to his proximity to Vine King Rafi and his own ruthlessness—having already slit the throats of six would-be attackers with his dagger.
Offering a polite nod to Saint Sword King, Green showed no intention of growing closer. On this ship, strength mattered, not friendship, as the latter was useless.
"Saint Sword King, perhaps you could enlighten us on why we've been summoned?" A soft, yet rasping voice cut through the air—Puppet King, despite her youthful appearance, was one of the cruelest among them. Green had once witnessed her mercilessly orchestrating the death of an entire team of apprentices with a terrifying white puppet.
The final King said nothing, his face grim, his empty sleeve a stark reminder of the arm he had lost during a sea monster attack. Known as the Master of Control, his magic was unique—likely influencing others' actions through mental illusions, without relying on a magical artifact. According to Rafi's speculations, he was the only one among the Kings not dependent on a magic tool to perform his craft.
The five Kings—Vine King, Fireball King, Saint Sword King, Puppet King, and Master of Control—were the most powerful individuals on the ship, second only to the highest authorities.
The deck fell silent. After a long pause, Saint Sword King Armand surveyed the group before suddenly bursting into a laughter so abrupt it made everyone uncomfortable.
"Fellow Kings, while we're all known as 'Kings,' we all know the extent of our true power, don't we? Aside from the Master of Control, we rely on magical artifacts to perform our so-called 'spells.' To those unaware, we may seem unstoppable, but to true apprentices..." Saint Sword King scoffed, shaking his head.
"Saint Sword King, we know this already. Just tell us why you've gathered us here," Puppet King interrupted, clearly impatient.
"Why? Ha, simple. For our future!" Armand's gaze swept the room coldly. "It's not just about the time spent on this ship, but also what awaits us at the Magic Academy. Given the situation here, it's clear that Black Sotar Wizard Academy isn't a place of kindness, and when we arrive, we might end up like those cast into the sea before us."
A collective gasp spread across the group. Even Green was momentarily stunned—Saint Sword King had a vision, revealing the grim reality.
Indeed, they would soon be attending that dark academy, and who knew if it would be even more brutal than their current circumstances.
"So, I propose we form a new alliance with all surviving apprentices aboard the ship, one that will stand together at the Academy, united in both adversity and success," Armand declared. His words stirred the hearts of all present.
Rafi furrowed his brows. "The proposal is good, but how would we form such an alliance? We've been killing each other here—how can we trust anyone but our closest allies?"
Rafi's question echoed the doubts of everyone, and all eyes turned to Saint Sword King.
Armand gave Rafi an approving look. He had kept an eye on her for some time. Though rumors painted her as a beautiful fool, Armand saw things differently. She was arrogant, yes, but no fool, and she got along well with her two subordinates—Green and Yorkris.
"True, there are many internal contradictions in this alliance, but we all understand that this isn't a flaw of the alliance itself—it's the will of the Nameless Masked Wizard," Armand said, glancing toward the distant tent of the faceless wizard before correcting himself. "I mean, the will of the great Nameless Masked Wizard. So, there are prerequisites for forming our alliance."
The Master of Control suddenly let out a cold laugh. "If we're still going to be killing each other within the alliance, what's the point of joining?"
Saint Sword King fixed him with a sharp stare, speaking clearly, "At least we can begin by killing those outside the alliance!"
The Master of Control was taken aback, his disbelief evident. "You mean..."
"Yes, those seventeen sailors. By eliminating them, we ensure that at least seventeen fewer of us will die, giving us three and a half days of safety. Does that sound fair enough, both as a display of power and a means of persuasion?" Saint Sword King paused, then added, "And those of you here will be the founding members. As for the future, naturally, those with strength will rise to the top."
"If we can really defeat those sailors, then it's worth it. But if we lose, this alliance will just be a farce. Still, I'm in favor!"
"Good, I agree!"
"I support it!"
"Count me in..."
The next day, the Nameless Masked Wizard, as usual, counted the number of apprentices, confirming the loss of five more, before offering his usual harsh words of encouragement. Then he entered his tent, while Sorlam, Yuli, Bibiliana, and the ship's captain said nothing further before leaving.
The once crowded deck had grown eerily quiet. Everyone had distanced themselves from others, cold eyes fixed on any potential threats, weapons flexibly adjusted in hand to show their strength.
Those still alive aboard the ship, no matter how fragile they appeared, all had extraordinary abilities; otherwise, they would have been cast into the sea long ago.
The apprentices now aboard were the true elite, forged through trials and survival.
As was customary, various groups of apprentices tested each other. As they became more seasoned and cunning, it had become a grueling task to see five people die in a single day—often, it took hours to see any unfortunate soul thrown overboard.
No one wanted to die. So, everyone fought fiercely to protect themselves while seizing opportunities to kill others. And the best targets were those without power, for the five Kings' groups were untouchable—this was an unspoken rule.
"Everyone, listen up..." Saint Sword King suddenly stood among the tense apprentices, raising his voice, immediately drawing the attention of all present. The other four Kings also stepped forward, surveying the crowd.
The five Kings, together, instantly commanded the highest level of attention. Every apprentice turned to look at them.
"Today, I announce the formation of the Blood Sail Alliance, supported and organized by all five Kings! The alliance will operate on the merit-based system—those with strength will rise to the top. We will stand united, and unite against the world! Furthermore, only the apprentices aboard this ship will be accepted as initial members. To join later, one must have a recommendation from an existing member."
Moments later, the "Blood Sail Alliance" was known to all the apprentices aboard the ship.