[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 96
'Peter Pan.'
The captain of the Neverland and the Pirate King in Zeke's previous life.
Hook gritted his teeth and said,
"Just you wait, little brother. I'll find Kidd's Treasure Island before that arrogant merman and become the Pirate King. Captain Hook! Doesn't that have a damn good ring to it?"
Zeke gave a suitable response to Captain Hook's words and thought about Peter Pan.
'The Pirate King appears two years from now. That's also around the time when Sister Cali goes to subjugate the Pirate King.'
In this life, he had to protect Cali Draker no matter what.
Only then could he maintain a force within the Draker clan to stop Abel.
Just then, Hook, slightly drunk, smiled and took something out.
"Little brother, take a look at this. This is proof that I, Hook, will claim Captain Kidd's treasure before that Peter Pan bastard and become the Pirate King."
What Hook took out was a piece of old parchment.
He unfolded the parchment.
"This is the map to Captain Kidd's Treasure Island."
Zeke, quite curious, looked at the parchment Hook had unfolded.
However, most of the contents were erased, and it was written in characters he had never seen before, so he couldn't even tell what it represented.
'It must be written in code because it's a treasure map.'
Since even Zeke couldn't understand it, Hook must have shown it to him confidently.
But then, absurdly, the system activated on its own.
[Ancient nautical chart detected.]
[Scanning and analyzing the nautical chart.]
[Analyzing and supplementing the erased parts of the nautical chart and re-editing it. Marking the location on the map.]
'Huh?'
Unexpectedly, the system analyzed the nautical chart as soon as it saw it.
Captain Hook, unaware of this, continued to chatter excitedly.
"No one can read this nautical chart right now. I know it's somewhere in the Sea of Death, but I still don't know the exact location. That's why I'm searching all over this area."
While Captain Hook was chattering, the system finished analyzing the nautical chart.
And on the map that appeared before Zeke's eyes, it showed the exact coordinates of Treasure Island.
'...Once again, I realize that the system's capabilities are limitless.'
Zeke had inadvertently obtained the opportunity to become the Pirate King.
Just then, a quest window popped up.
―Achievement Quest (Advanced Mission)―
[Find the Forgotten Sea God's Island. (No time limit)]
[Quest Mission Reward: Title Sea God's Blessing / Sea God's Treasure]
'Sea God's Island?'
It wasn't a nautical chart pointing to Captain Kidd's Treasure Island, but to an ancient ruin.
Considering the mission rewards were the Sea God's Blessing and the Sea God's Treasure, it seemed that the legend of becoming the Pirate King by finding this island wasn't entirely false.
'If Peter Pan found this island and gained the power of the Sea God, I can somewhat understand why Sister Cali was defeated.'
Judging from the system's activation, it seemed impossible to find the way to this island through ordinary means.
Zeke closed the quest window and responded to Hook's words while thinking about the Sea God's Island.
'I need to obtain the power of the Sea God before Peter Pan takes over this island.'
Zeke thought that it would be difficult to take Karus to the island, so he would have to take Karus to safety first and then come back.
Captain Hook only returned to his ship after finishing the entire box of whiskey that the smugglers had hidden.
For Zeke, who learned about the Sea God's Island, it was a meeting without any losses.
***
The next day, Zeke and his party loaded up the supplies and set sail again towards the Southern Continent.
True to its name, the Sea of Death was rough, with many reefs.
Fortunately, the smuggler captain was quite skilled and navigated through the Sea of Death without any problems.
They encountered pirate ships a few times, but nothing happened as Zeke and Boris went over and quietly persuaded them to leave.
After a week, Zeke and his party finally arrived in the Southern Continent. However, just before docking at the harbor, the captain asked if they could dock the ship somewhere else.
"My lord, do you really have to dock the ship directly at Golpa Harbor? Smugglers like us will be killed as soon as we enter Golpa."
Zeke reassured the captain.
"Don't worry, I'll guarantee your safety."
With Zeke's persuasion, the smuggling ship reached Golpa Harbor.
However, Golpa Harbor was in a state of commotion.
Rough-looking men were spread all over the harbor.
Seeing this, the smugglers were terrified.
"M-my lord, it's the McCain Cartel."
Although Don Juan was dead, the McCain Cartel still boasted strong organization, despite its reduced size.
Without answering, Zeke, wearing his Wootz steel helmet, jumped off the smuggling ship.
The cartel members, seeing Zeke, assumed a defensive stance.
That was when it happened.
"Boss!"
Simon and his subordinates were seen running from afar.
The cartel members were surprised to see Simon, put away their weapons, stood at attention, and lined up.
Simon knelt before Zeke.
"Welcome, Boss. We've been waiting for you."
The smugglers gaped at the sight.
Simon Zapatero, the new boss of the McCain Cartel and the guardian of the Cusco royalty, who controlled the northern region of the Southern Continent, was kneeling before Zeke.
At the same time, the other cartel members also knelt towards Zeke.
Zeke approached Simon.
"It's been a while, Simon. How have you been?"
"Thanks to you, Boss. Did you have any trouble coming here?"
"It was a decent voyage. I'm indebted to the captain and crew, so please reward them."
"I'll compensate them sufficiently in the name of Simon Zapatero."
Meanwhile, Boris and Karus, with their faces covered, disembarked from the ship and immediately boarded the carriage Simon had prepared.
Zeke also boarded the carriage, and only after Simon got on did Zeke take off his helmet and say, "Can we move to the portal immediately?"
Simon shook his head.
"Boss, I'm sorry to say, but the portal in Tahuani is currently unavailable."
"What do you mean the portal is unavailable?"
"The terminal is crawling with Imperial soldiers."
Zeke was surprised by Simon's words.
"The Imperials have come all the way here?"
"I think they anticipated that you would come to the south, Boss."
Behind Abel Draker was the Siemens clan.
They weren't called the Siemens of Strategies for nothing.
Zeke fell into thought.
"We can't keep His Highness in the south. It's such an unstable place, we don't know what might happen..."
The Southern Continent was a place teeming with assassins and outlaws.
Zeke couldn't stay by Karus's side and protect him indefinitely. He could prepare to some extent, but it was impossible to stop all the assassins who would come at them with various methods.
He had to get to the Central Continent somehow and place Karus under Cali Draker's protection.
Simon carefully said, "Boss, there's one way."
"What is it? Tell me."
"We go through the border region, cross the desert, and head to the Holy Kingdom. The Empire's power doesn't reach the Holy Kingdom."
Zeke pondered Simon's words.
If they couldn't use the portal, they had no choice but to travel by land for now.
Once they entered the Holy Kingdom, there would be many ways to get to Midland, whether by land or sea.
Zeke looked at Simon and said,
"It seems that's the only way for now. But can we pass through the border region, which is a den of outlaws? The Imperial knights will be guarding that place too."
"Since it's a lawless zone, we might be able to find a way through. If we go up to the northern border region, there's a tunnel that connects to the desert. Because it's operated illegally, even if the Imperial army chases us, their speed will be hindered."
It was a method Simon could suggest because he used to be an outlaw.
Zeke thought for a moment and nodded.
"Okay, let's do as you say."
"Alright, Boss. Please rest from your journey at the hideout today, and we'll leave tomorrow."
***
The next day, Zeke and his party changed into Southern clothes, mounted their horses, and headed towards Tahuani.
Since Simon and his subordinates were escorting them, there was no trouble from small-fry.
The problem started from the border region above Tahuani.
This area, commonly called the lawless zone, was an extraterritorial region consisting of several towns built in the wasteland.
The reason this place became a lawless zone was because a huge black market city had formed.
Stolen goods, items related to crimes, and money that couldn't reach the Dorta Republic all flowed into this place, and all sorts of criminals tried to hide their identities, find jobs, or commit other crimes to make money.
Naturally, this place became a place where common sense and law didn't apply.
If Dorta was a city of glamorous pleasure, this place was a city of desire and pleasure built in the lowest depths.
Since it was such a dangerous place, after crossing the wasteland and entering the lawless zone, Simon warned Zeke and his party.
"We have to be very careful from here on. Consider everyone but our group an enemy."
Zeke nodded at Simon's words.
Karus was a little nervous, but he also seemed quite excited to go to the black market city in the lawless zone, which he had only heard rumors about.
Zeke and his party slowly walked towards a place where a fence was made of wire in the wasteland.
There was a checkpoint there, which was one of the entrances to the lawless zone.
Simon approached and showed something to the organization members guarding the checkpoint.
They whispered among themselves after seeing the card Simon presented, then went inside the checkpoint and contacted someone.
Soon, they came back out and handed the card back to Simon.
"Things are a bit dangerous these days, so take care of yourselves."
Simon received the card and entered the wire fence with his companions.
Walking straight down the road after entering, they saw a small village.
Simon said to Zeke,
"Boss, it's better to stay here today. We'll go to the black market city tomorrow, meet the tunnel broker, and move immediately."
Zeke nodded.
This was a village at the entrance to the lawless zone, so it was relatively less dangerous.
The moment they entered the black market city, they had to consider their lives at stake, so it wasn't bad to have some time to prepare.
Zeke and his party entered the lodging Simon had arranged and unpacked their luggage.
Zeke decided to share a room with Karus to protect him.
But as Zeke was unpacking, Karus approached him and showed him something.
"Zeke, look at this. What do you think?"
Karus, who had spent quite a long time with Zeke while escaping, now spoke comfortably to him.
Zeke also spoke comfortably to Karus.
"It's a drawing. Did you draw this, Karus?"
"I told you I'm an artist. When the drawing is finished, I'll add a poem that matches it. Then it'll be complete."
"A minstrel. Is that your dream, Karus?"
Karus put the drawing back in his bosom and said,
"If I were an ordinary prince, that would be the case. But with the situation like this, I don't know if I can become an ordinary minstrel. I'll probably spend my life on the run, or live as an exiled royal."
Zeke gave a wry smile at Karus's self-deprecating remark.
Just then, Karus asked Zeke,
"What about you, Zeke? Do you have a dream?"
Zeke was momentarily speechless at Karus's question.
He had told Arthur Draker that his goal was to become the strongest on the continent.
His goal was to become the strongest on the continent, take control of the Draker clan, and become the absolute ruler.
'A dream. Is that a dream?'
Zeke, who had died and returned to life, was putting all his effort into achieving what he couldn't achieve in the past.
He looked at Karus and said,
"To become the strongest on the continent. That's what I dreamed of."
Karus nodded at Zeke's words.
"The strongest on the continent. That certainly won't be easy to achieve."
But just then, Zeke's senses picked up a suspicious movement.
'What's this?'
He told Karus to be quiet and hide under the bed.
Karus did as Zeke said without arguing.
Zeke clung to the wall and used his Dragon Eye to observe the surroundings.
He sensed a suspicious movement from behind the building across the street.
'This isn't just the movement of ordinary outlaws. These are trained individuals.'
They could be assassins raised by the cartel, but he could tell they weren't approaching with good intentions.
Zeke knocked on the wall of the next room to send a signal.
Soon, Boris entered the room.
Zeke said to Boris,
"Boris, tell Simon to prepare to leave this place immediately."
"Okay, Boss."
After Boris left, Zeke quickly packed his things and was about to leave the room with Karus.
Just as he finished packing and was about to leave the room...
Whoosh!
An arrow flew in through the window.
"Duck!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the incoming arrow exploded.
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]