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At noon, Gavin arrived on time for dinner. During his conversation with Frank, Captain Hassan, and others, he learned the specific details of the upcoming voyage.
Frank, due to a recent agreement with Governor Lys, had to deliver goods to Lys within three months. If he failed, the property he had established in Lys would be seized, resulting in his financial ruin. It was only out of necessity that he had embarked on this voyage.
According to Captain Hassan's advice, after crossing the Summer Sea, they would try to navigate around the Dorne's Broken Arm to avoid the area currently in conflict. The ship would then sail south directly toward its destination, without stopping for fresh water on any islands of the Stepstones.
As a result, the ship had stocked three times the usual amount of water and food for the journey, but this meant they would be venturing into unfamiliar, storm-prone seas, far from the well-known routes.
That night, Gavin lay in the shaking cabin, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the hull of the ship and the creaking of the wood.
His thoughts drifted in the darkness, contemplating the dangers that might arise on this journey. His enhanced strength, was his greatest asset. As long as he was powerful enough, he would have the confidence and ability to face any challenge.
He opened his panel and allocated the 3 energy points he had received from the Heartsbane Sword, upgrading both his Archery and Flame Blade skills to Master level.
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Host: Gavin Belleris
Age: 15
Bloodline: Bloodfire Dragonborn (33% Developed): Bloodline of the Dragonlords of Valyria, able to control dragons and fire, in the early stages of awakening.
Dominion: 1/33 (Your subordinates can be improved through the panel)
1. Intermediate-level Blood Dragon Guard (Blood-cursed puppets created from the Dragonborn blood, can undergo two evolutions)Skills: Fire Control: Master, Swordsmanship: Master, Flame Blade: Master Archery: Master, Spear: Master
Energy Points: 0 (Automatically absorbed magic from the surrounding or by actively gathering it)
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As he watched his energy points once again reach zero, Gavin became more eager for dragon bones.
He planned to see if he could purchase some upon reaching Lys or, wait until his strength grew and venture directly into the Belleris Dragon's Lair. Surely, there would be no shortage of dragon bones there.
The following days passed calmly as Golden Fleece, where Gavin was, sailed peacefully across the Summer Sea. The vast ocean stretched out like a giant piece of blue velvet, rippling gently in the breeze.
The sky was as blue as sapphire, and the white clouds floated like cotton in the air. The sunlight glittered on the water's surface, sparkling brightly.
Flocks of seagulls circled around the ship, their calls sharp and clear, adding life to the tranquil sea. However, as the ship gradually moved farther from the mainland, the seagulls began to disappear, leaving only the occasional fish that jumped out from the water.
Their scales glittered with colorful light in the sun. Gavin even found a fishing rod and sat leisurely by the ship's side, fishing and savoring the rare moment of tranquility.
One day, while still fishing by the ship's side, Gavin suddenly noticed three vague dark shadows appearing on the horizon.
At first, he was filled with confusion as he stared intently at the dark shadows drawing closer, becoming clearer and gradually revealing their true form—three black longships, charging toward the Golden Fleece with a menacing speed.
At that moment, a sailor stationed in the lookout tower, his face filled with terror, rang the warning bell.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The rapid sound of the bell shattered the calm aboard the ship, and immediately, chaos broke out on the entire merchant vessel. The sailors ran in panic, shouting as the tools in their hands were discarded carelessly, with the sounds of clashing filling the air.
Captain Hassan stormed out of his cabin, his face dark with anger. Shouting hoarsely, he commanded, "Don't panic! Get ready for battle!"
At the captain's orders, the crew rushed to arm themselves, flustered and disorganized. Some couldn't find their swords in the haste, others grabbed fish spears by mistake, and the scene descended into utter chaos.
Frank, pale-faced, came up onto the deck, standing closely beside the captain. As he watched the approaching dark shadows, his lips trembled, and he kept praying, "Please, don't let them be pirates. Please, don't let them be pirates."
At this point, Gavin also hurried over, first glancing at the trembling Frank, then turning to Captain Hassan, who appeared relatively calm. He asked, "If they are indeed pirates, can we change course to avoid them? After all, they're still quite far away."
The captain furrowed his brow, his eyes fixed on the approaching shadows. He spoke in a deep voice, "It's too late. The wind is against us. Changing course will only make us more vulnerable. Besides, our ship is slow, while their longships are fast. We can't out run them."
Gavin's expression grew serious. "Then we have no choice but to fight. We're not without a chance of winning."
Frank, listening to their conversation, trembled even more, his voice filled with sobbing, "What do we do? My cargo, my family…"
Gavin patted Frank's shoulder and reassured him, "Don't worry. If it comes to a fight, we won't necessarily lose."
Gavin quickly returned to his cabin, and with the help of the Blood Dragon Guard, he donned his leather armor, readied his weapons, and tightly gripped his longbow, ready to face the coming battle.
But the reality of the sea battle was far different from what Gavin had imagined. As the three ships drew closer, Gavin could finally see the menacing crossbows mounted on their Bows and the terrifying faces of the pirates aboard.
The sea breeze howled, causing the flags to snap loudly, and Gavin's heart tightened with the mounting tension.
The enemy ships continued to approach at high speed, surrounding the Golden Fleece, but they did not yet make an attempt to board.
After conversing with Captain Hassan, Gavin learned that the pirate flag represented the infamous pirate lord, Black Shark, "Erl," who had risen to power recently.
It was unclear whether he was personally leading the attack or if it was one of his subordinates.
Gavin gripped his longbow tightly, silently calculating the range. Suddenly, one of the pirate longships maneuvering around the rear and fired a crossbow bolt with a rope attached, striking the right side of the Golden Fleece.
Almost immediately, another pirate ship launched a similar crossbow bolt into the left side of the ship.
After the two shots, the pirate ships remained still. However, the pirates aboard continued signaling with flags from the lookout tower, the flags fluttering in the wind like the sinister grin of a demon.
Gavin's gaze grew sharper, and he muttered under his breath, "Damn it, the range of the fire arrows isn't enough. A regular bow could reach them, but shooting against crossbows is suicide. The force of those bolts might be too much for even the Blood Dragon Guards to withstand."
Gavin kept his eyes locked on the shifting flags, not understanding their meaning but looking toward Captain Hassan, whose expression was serious and brows furrowed.
Frank, meanwhile, paced anxiously nearby, repeatedly muttering, "What do we do? It's over… It's over for us."
The sea breeze grew fiercer, causing the clothes of everyone aboard to flap wildly. At that moment, the Golden Fleece seemed to be gripped tightly by invisible claws, held fast in an unyielding grasp.
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[Chapter End's]
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