Chapter 536: Local Faith
What? Hunt Admiral of Blood? Danitz almost raised his right
hand to his ear.
His first reaction was that he had misheard.
However, Gehrman Sparrow's smile with hidden madness and the slight
movement of his captain's eyebrows---an abnormality of hers---reminded
him that what was said had really happened!
*This... This madman Gehrman Sparrow really is daring! This is one of
the seven Pirate Admirals. They aren't people that a character like
Steel Maveti can be compared with!* Danitz's pupils shrank, his
heart on the brink of roaring.
*Putting aside the fact that Admiral of Blood Senor's own might, just
the pirates underneath him are intimidating enough. His first mate,
third mate, and the captains of each ship are all capable of
independently leading a large pirate crew!*
*There are still many of the crew which Steel Maveti had brought to
Bayam with him in the Blood pirate crew!*
*When Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos died silently like a wild dog in
Backlund, it was mainly because he wasn't with his pirate crew. However,
Admiral of Blood Senor is different. He seldom leaves his flagship and
rarely leaves the company of his men.*
*Even if the focus is placed back on Senor's strength, it would still be
extremely terrifying. He's mysterious, bizarre, and is one of the few
powerhouses at the sea who is second only to the Four Kings. Even
Captain might not dare to claim to be his superior... A madman's guts
really does exceed my imagination. No, he doesn't know the meaning of
fear at all! The death and replacement of a pirate admiral will
definitely be a great shock to the Five Seas!* One thought after
another flashed through Danitz's mind, but in the end, he strangely
calmed down.
It was because he recalled that Gehrman Sparrow was a powerhouse at the
level of the seven admirals, and there might be a hidden, terrifying
organization backing him.
Edwina said after a few seconds of silence, "Do you know of the Rose
School of Thought?"
*Not only do I know them, I've also killed their people and taken their
mystical items... Wait a minute, why do I have to describe myself as a
bad guy...* Klein converged his smile and said in an unperturbed
manner, "I've hunted their members."
Edwina fell silent again. Next to her, Danitz once again had various
thoughts: *"What are they talking about? What's the Rose School of
Thought? Where am I? Whose dream is this?"*
After a short moment of silence, Edwina said, "After the huge battle
with Vice Admiral Dusk's pirate crew, Senor's crew vanished. At present,
no one knows where they are. One will have to wait patiently."
Is this an agreement? Klein once again revealed a smile.
"I do not lack patience.
"How can I contact you?"
Edwina turned her head to look at Danitz.
"He knows how."
*Me? Soulfall Ritual? Wait a minute, Captain, you mean I have to follow
this madman, Gehrman Sparrow, during this period of time? No! Who knows
when this fellow will go crazy!* With a start, Danitz quickly
opened his mouth and said, "Captain, I've already left the Golden Dream
for too long. I've missed too many lessons! I can't wait to return!"
He tried his hardest to show his sincerity in his eyes, filling them
with the desire for knowledge.
"I believe we can switch to someone else, like Iron Skin and Barrel..."
Before he finished his sentence, Edwina suddenly raised her right hand
and pressed it against her ear.
She looked slightly to the side and said without expression, "What did
you say?
"I couldn't hear it.
"Roselle's Dream Spell is reaching its limits..."
The pirate admiral's skirt fluttered slightly as she took a step back
before her figure quickly turned faint, reducing into points of
fragmented light.
The rest of Danitz's words were left stuck in his throat. He stretched
out his right hand in an attempt to grasp something, but he ended up
weakly drooping down.
*Roselle's Dream Spell? The Emperor's presence in the field of mysticism
is also quite formidable... The full name of the Vice Admiral Iceberg is
Edwina Edwards... Edwards. Isn't this the surname of one of the
emperor's Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? A descendant? However, from
the tone of Vice Admiral Iceberg, she isn't familiar with the eldest
daughter of the emperor, Bernadette. They might not even know each
other...* Klein looked at Danitz, whose expression had
completely collapsed, and let out a soft laugh.
"Perhaps one day I will call you Mr. 10,000 Pounds."
"..."
Danitz straightened his back in fright, then he saw Gehrman Sparrow's
figure disappear from his dream.
*If I were only Sequence 7 and had a bounty of seven or eight thousand
pounds, then I would be targeted everywhere I go...* Danitz
stood rooted in his dream, his head hurting the more he thought about
it.
In the evening, Danitz looked at Gehrman Sparrow, who was dressed as a
native.
"Today, we'll be visiting the local faction. We might be able to find
some good things there. Heh heh, they have a great need for Beyonder
ingredients, food, and weapons."
At this point, Danitz looked Gehrman Sparrow up and down. It was rare
for him to find something that he was better than him at. He said with a
smile, "Their area is filled with local people. There aren't even many
people with mixed blood. If there's even the slightest signs of an
abnormality in their clothing, you will be discovered.
"Your pantaloons and brown jacket are fine, but you can't wear a shirt
inside. A real native wears Taraba shirts; they're similar to Sea Soul
shirts, but they're either all blue or white. They don't wear caps,
headscarves, or anything.
"Also, people like you who look obviously Loenese will encounter very
serious discrimination and hostility there, just like a wolf that sneaks
into a flock of sheep. You can't hide your existence at all..."
Before he could finish, he saw Gehrman Sparrow tilt his head and look at
him. His deep facial features quickly turned soft. His fair skin was
instantly stained with the color of bronze. In just a snap, he had
become an undeniable native that didn't stand out in any way.
"..."
After a few seconds of silence, Danitz laughed dryly as if nothing had
happened. "Me too. I have to disguise myself."
Your disguise? Heh... Klein took off his cap and sat down.
"What local faction?"
It actually trades Beyonder ingredients, food, and weapons?
"Ahem, to put it simply, ahem--- The Resistance." Danitz suddenly wasn't
sure if Gehrman Sparrow had any connections with the Loen officials.
Klein was startled for a second.
"Resistance?"
Danitz smiled awkwardly and said, "People who clamor for independence
and for natives to administer their local affairs. Their encampment is
deep in the woods or at sea. They cooperate with many pirates and
adventurers. Of course, the ones backing them are mainly people from
Feysac and Intis. Often, there will be priests from the God of Combat
and the Eternal Blazing Sun secretly coming over."
Bayam isn't that calm after all... After leaving the kingdom
and coming to the sea, Klein finally understood what it meant by an
international situation. This wasn't something that could be compared to
reading about wars in East Balam from the papers.
He nodded slightly and didn't object to visiting the local faction.
After leaving the Wind of Azure Inn, Klein followed Danitz, whose face
was painted black. They went through the streets, heading all the way
southeast.
Leaving the confines of the City of Generosity, they entered a zone
filled with different architectural styles. The buildings here had
raised floors, propped up by wooden pilings. There were three- or
four-story buildings that had evolved from the Loen-styled terrace
houses.
The roads that split from each other were narrow and dirty, with many
stalls on either side. They sold all kinds of headgear, earrings, and
accessories made of stone. They were mostly bright red or multicolored.
"What a bunch of strange fellows. They especially like bright colors,
just like those venomous snakes in the forest," Danitz whispered.
*As someone from Intis, you aren't much better either. You advocate the
color of gold, and advocate a sense of luxury and exquisiteness, just
like a nouveau riche...* Klein lampooned.
They passed by a group of dark-skinned, skinny, and shriveled natives,
entering the alleys which had clothes drying over their heads. The scene
before their eyes suddenly opened up, revealing a small municipal
square.
On the square, a group of locals was gathered around the central pond.
Some were kneeling, some were prostrating, some were mumbling, and some
were singing softly. They had devout expressions, but they looked
numbed.
As soon as they realized that someone was approaching, they quickly got
up and ran into the surrounding alleys in a flurry.
All the windows on the second, third, and fourth floors of the
surrounding houses clanged shut, and the square grew quiet, but Klein's
spiritual perception told him that there were many people behind the
windows, around the alleys, in the dark corners, watching these
strangers who had suddenly arrived in their world.
Danitz lowered his head and said in a suppressed voice, "Don't worry,
this is their way of protecting themselves."
"Oh?" Klein expressed his doubts.
Danitz let out a chuckle.
"Before this place was completely colonized, the natives on the Rorsted
Archipelago always believed in Sea God Kalvetua. They believed that this
deity who appears in the form of a gigantic sea serpent would protect
all the islands here, preventing them from being devoured by earthquakes
or tsunamis.
"Now that this belief has been outlawed, the Church of the Lord of
Storms has been constantly fighting against the heretics. Even the
Church of Evernight and the Church of Steam and Machinery are unable to
expand their influence here, and there are only a few cathedrals.
"But in fact, how can the faith that has been in place for centuries, if
not a millennium, be so easily eradicated? There are still plenty of
believers of the Sea God in Bayam, Blue Mountain Island, and the Rorsted
Sea. Even if a bunch of people are captured every one to two months, a
situation in which they suffer all kinds of extreme punishment, it's
impossible to reverse this situation any time soon. The Resistance's
main pillar of support are the believers of the Sea God.
"In my opinion, it will take at least another hundred years before the
faith of the Sea God will be completely eradicated. Of course, that's
under the premise that there aren't any other disruptive elements."
Sea God Kalvetua... Its image is of a gigantic sea serpent...
As Klein listened thoughtfully, he followed Danitz into a four-story
house on the right. He went to the top floor via a narrow staircase.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Danitz knocked on the door to his left.
"Who is it?" someone asked in a low voice.
Danitz replied with a chuckle, "A friend who brings wine and barbecue."
"Where from?" the person inside asked a strange question.
Danitz stepped back.
"At sea."
Creak. The door slowly opened and Klein saw a naked arm.
The arm was tattooed with a blue, hideous sea serpent.