Chapter 20

Midnight has passed.

Above the vast sea, the Eternal Gale continues its voyage.

Following the system's instructions, Carnes heads towards the nearest island to meet his crew.

Unfortunately, their initial position in the sea is slightly off, and there are no nearby islands in the surrounding area.

Carnes can only lead the team to continue sailing, without stopping.

Nevertheless, the ship continues its journey for the whole day until the next day's dawn is about to break when they finally spot an island in the distance.

"I see it! I see it! I see an island!"

A crew member on duty at the lookout post on the mast points towards a small island in the distance.

With his loud shout, the crew members on duty below, also revitalized.

"An island? Where? Where is it?"

"To the northwest, left helm!" the lookout crew member indicates the direction.

With the direction given, another crew member immediately arrives at the helm, taking the wheel while calling out in a deep voice.

"Left helm!"

On the lookout post, the crew member sets down the telescope, leaps down, and lands steadily.

"Thud!"

With a sound of footsteps, the crew member maintains a stable posture, smiling.

"I'll inform the captain."

However, before the crew member could finish speaking, Demiurge appears by his side, his voice cold as he speaks.

"No need. The captain is resting. We've arrived at the island; go and inform him."

Although taken aback by Demiurge's sudden appearance, the crew member has no objections to his words.

After all, the captain's rest time is crucial, and he didn't explicitly state the need for immediate notification upon discovering the island.

Therefore, there's not much difference between reporting after the ship reaches the island.

"Understood!" After acknowledging with a response, the crew member returns to his post.

...

...

On the other side.

On the small island.

Atop a lighthouse by the seaside.

There stands a middle-aged man with graying temples, approximately in his forties or fifties.

He wears a stern expression as he holds a telescope, observing the approaching ship in the distance.

Despite his age, the middle-aged man's physique remains robust, and even his eyesight is excellent.

With the aid of the telescope, he can see clearly.

It's a silver-white ship!

Even in the darkness, its presence cannot be concealed, as lights flicker on the ship.

And flying high on the mast is a flag adorned with a skull symbol.

This undoubtedly proclaims their identity to the world.

It declares their status as pirates!

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a violent slamming sound echoes as the door is forcefully pushed open.

The middle-aged man instinctively turns his head to look.

He sees a young man in his prime, panting heavily, standing at the doorway with a grim expression on his face.

"Di... disaster! Nison! A ship is approaching the island! It's... it's pirates! A pirate ship!"

Nison's face darkens.

"I know..."

He turns his head towards the direction of the sea for a moment, then looks back at the person reporting to him.

"Inform the other militia members, arm themselves, and prepare for battle!"

"The peace of this island can only be protected by our own hands!"

Upon hearing Nison's words, the man reporting to him also becomes serious.

In the next second, he looks resolutely at Nison and responds.

"I will go and inform them right away!"

With that, the man is about to turn and leave.

But Nison suddenly calls out to stop him.

"Wait."

"What's the matter?" The man turns back, confused.

However, Nison hesitates for a moment.

After a brief pause, he slowly speaks, "Inform Noruko as well. These pirates are a formidable force, and relying solely on the militia we've organized may not be enough."

"If Noruko is willing to provide some assistance, it will be more advantageous for both him and us."

The man nods solemnly and says, "I understand. I'll take care of it."

After finishing his words, the man quickly leaves the place.

Nison, watching the man depart, turns and walks into a room.

He unseals a long sword covered in dust inside and carefully wipes it clean.

"Perhaps, this will be our final battle!"

"Even if I die, I won't let them set foot on this island!"

On the other side.

Onboard the Eternal Gale.

As time passes, the sky begins to lighten.

The ship draws closer to the island.

Carnes, receiving the crew members' notification, arrives on the deck.

In the distance, Carnes sees scattered lights on the island.

"What time is it now?"

"Around the third hour of the morning." A junior crew member blurts out the answer.

"The third hour... between 5 and 7 in the morning?" Carnes ponders and gazes once again at the sparse lights on the island.

"These people sure wake up early!" a middle-ranking crew member teases while leaning on the railing.

Carnes looks up, sighs softly, and says, "Dawn is approaching. Prepare to anchor!"

"Understood!" The crew members respond with smiles and start preparing the ship for docking.

Before long, the ship is securely anchored.

Some crew members disembark first to assess the surroundings.

Meanwhile, Carnes stands on the deck, contemplating his attributes panel with a hint of confusion.

He has arrived on the island, but why haven't his crew members appeared yet?

Lost in thought, Carnes surveys the situation on the island.

It is at this moment that he notices a group of people approaching in their direction.

"Buzz~"

Torchlights are lit in the distance on the island.

Illuminated by the flickering flames, Carnes sees a group of individuals armed with various weapons.

Just by observing their mismatched weaponry, Carnes can conclude that they are definitely not his crew members.

At the same time, Demiurge and the other crew members also notice the unexpected guests.

"Oh? With this lineup, are they here to welcome us?" a senior crew member jokes with interest.

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