We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 192 [The Book of Shadows], The Price of Becoming a King
Upon seeing Shane approach, the pirate prisoner's eyes immediately revealed deep fear.

He knew very well that the other party was the god of death who had just killed his companions one by one in the black mist!
It was this man who, fighting two against one, killed his own captain!
Pirates' reverence for the strong is ingrained in their very bones!

But the prisoner still tried to remain calm and said, "Captain John, you really are a man of few words."

"This time, we chose the wrong target, and we have no one to blame but ourselves."

Xia En remained calm and said, "You haven't answered my question yet."

"Who wants to kill me?"

The prisoner seemed to have come to terms with his situation and honestly and earnestly said, "I don't know."

He gave a wry smile: "How would small fry like us know who's behind this?"

"I'm afraid only Captain Geese and Captain Bond know, but..."

The prisoner glanced at the corpses of the two captains not far away, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Dead people cannot speak.

Upon hearing this, Xia En believed most of it.

Such a major event as the attack on the apostles of the pirate principality was known to only a few people; the other pirates were merely tools for carrying out the mission.

But Shane still had some doubts about the prisoner.

The doubt isn't about his words, but about him as a person!
It was no coincidence that Shane found this one among so many prisoners.

In his perception, this prisoner was hiding some of his strength, and even during the battle in the black mist, the man held back and did not make a move.

The subsequent surrender was even more swift and decisive, without any hesitation or delay.

Xia En considered two possibilities.

Or perhaps this prisoner is a trump card prepared by the mastermind behind the scenes.

Or perhaps he is one of the secret guides who participated in the ascension ceremony!

Xia En had only just realized that although he was one of the twelve apostles, it did not mean that all the trial participants were the same.

They could be apostles, ordinary pirates, menial laborers, or even members of other factions participating in the pirate conference.

Their trial missions may not be the same as Xia En's.

Perhaps someone's mission is actually to kill that pirate king!

Thinking of this, Xia En's lips twitched, and he secretly complained.

"Why does this feel like playing Werewolf?"

On one hand, they need to conceal their identity and mission, and on the other hand, they need to seize upon the mistakes of other trial participants.

Isn't that just Werewolf?
Just as Xia En was pondering, the prisoner continued.

"Those who dare to lay a hand on you, Captain John, are just a few families, and perhaps... even two or three of the apostles."

Xia En's heart stirred slightly.

He actually knew who the prisoners were referring to when they said "those families".

First, we need to start with the current structure of the [Pirate Principality].

Although Pirate King Augustine defeated all the pirates on the high seas, managing a "duchy" requires more than just force.

Augustine alone could not manage such a large area of ​​sea.

Therefore, after establishing the Pirate Principality, Augustine divided the sea into five districts.

He himself was in charge of the most prosperous and bustling central sea area, while the other four sea areas were governed by local pirates.

The leaders of each district were also notorious pirates.

They are grouped with Augustine as the "Five Kings of the Ocean," or sometimes referred to as "One Emperor and Four Sovereigns."

Of course, in terms of strength and prestige, those four great pirates were far inferior to Augustine.

But now, isn't Augustine seriously injured?

Even the fleet that was taken out was mostly damaged.

How could these powerful and ambitious pirates not want to test the waters?
As for the other apostles mentioned by the prisoners, it wasn't entirely alarmist.

From John's remaining memories, Shane learned that he did not get along well with several of the apostles.

Perhaps First Mate Philip, and the failure of the last mission, were all their doing.

But Xia En had a feeling that the other apostles wouldn't be bold enough to directly attack him.

"Sigh, it's really complicated and confusing..."

Xia En sighed, feeling somewhat exhausted.

He was never really good at these kinds of schemes and plots; just thinking about them gave him a headache.

He still prefers to crush everything with absolute violence.

Simple, brutal, and direct!
"Why don't we just flip the table!"

Xia En's idea is just a thought for now.

Even if the strength of the entire advancement ritual is suppressed, there will definitely be fourth- or even fifth-tier powerhouses in the [Pirate Kingdom].

With his current strength, he is not qualified to overturn the table.

Soon, Xia En cleared his mind of distractions, looked at the prisoners in front of him, and spoke directly.

"Give me a reason not to kill you."

Upon hearing this, the unassuming prisoner's expression suddenly changed.

He realized that Xia En was truly intent on killing him.

The prisoner was puzzled, wondering where he had given himself away when he had disguised himself so well.
Seeing that Xia En's eyes were getting colder and colder, the prisoner did not dare to hesitate and quickly spoke.

"Cooperation! We can cooperate!"

Xia En said calmly, "What good would it do for me to cooperate with you?"

"People like us, if we share the same goal, why can't we cooperate?"

"Many predecessors have had similar experiences in the past, and there's nothing shameful about it."

The prisoner's words were strange and incoherent, leaving the other pirates completely bewildered.

Xia En immediately understood.

This is a tacit admission of his identity, and it also shows that cooperation among secret travelers is actually quite common.

However, this alone is not enough to gain Shane's trust.

Xia En continued, "So, what about your sincerity?"

The prisoner smiled bitterly and said, "I can tell you... my name is Gray Cloud."

"This is my real name."

Real name?

Xia En seemed to be deep in thought.

This real name clearly refers to the prisoner's real name.

In the optional tasks, the description of the role is... to avoid being recognized and exposed by other trial participants.

Xia En had previously thought the key was "to see through" the deception, but now he realized it was actually about "exposing" it!

In other words, the standard for failure is not that the test taker fails to perform the role, but that they are questioned and exposed.

Knowing someone's real name is like having leverage over them, allowing you to expose their true identity at any time.

But after a second thought, Shane said, "Not enough."

The role-playing task is optional, and there is no indication of the punishment for failure. What if the prisoner is willing to risk his own failure to drag him down with him?

Gray Cloud was sweating profusely with anxiety, and could only say, "I'll swear an oath to the [Secret Sea], okay?"

“Here, swearing an oath to the [Secret Sea] has a real effect.”

Xia En grinned: "Okay."

After Gray Cloud swore that he would not do anything detrimental to Captain John during this ceremony, Shane led him to the captain's cabin.

After closing the door, Shane asked, "Tell me, what are your mission and abilities?"

Gray Cloud honestly replied, "My essential task is to ensure Augustine's survival during the ritual." "As for my abilities... I can only say that I am a member of the [Scholar] Path."

Xia En seemed to be deep in thought. He suddenly realized that he had misunderstood something again.

The advancement ceremony for breaking through to the third tier is only for those who have taken the [Captain's] secret path.

Once you reach the fourth level or above, everyone from the secret paths barges in, creating a chaotic mess!
"This promotion ceremony is really complicated!"

Xia En took a deep breath and looked at the gray cloud in front of him, thinking to himself, "The title 'Scholar' means that he is a spellcaster."

"However, I have never heard of the name 'Grey Cloud' in the Seven Seas."

Thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. Given the vastness of the Seven Seas, Shane has only explored a small corner so far, so it's perfectly normal for him to encounter unknown travelers.

After exchanging a few more words and information with Gray Cloud, they chatted casually for a while.

Shane instructed First Mate Carney to continue towards the Pirate Kingdom, while he returned to his room to take stock of the spoils of the battle.

Each of the two captains possessed a spatial ring.

Xia En had already learned from Gray Cloud that some of the items and money obtained from the advancement ritual could be taken out of the ritual.

Moreover, the higher the final evaluation, the more you can take with you.

This really made Xia En somewhat tempted.

But from this we can also infer that—

Gray Cloud's origins are not simple. He is definitely not a wild hermit like Xia En. He must have had his own teacher or guide to know the rules of the advancement ritual in advance.

Xia En opened his spatial ring to take a look, his gaze sweeping over the gold and silver jewelry and various rare items.

Can't read more.

After seeing it, he would realize that he couldn't take all of the treasure with him.

It would break my heart.

Shaen's main search target is still things that may contain records of secret arts and mysterious techniques.

Surely the knowledge and skills learned in the promotion ceremony can be brought back to reality?
Despite the fact that the two captains only displayed the strength of the third rank, in real history, they were at least sixth-rank powerhouses.

How could the secret techniques they left behind not be good things?
Soon, Xia En actually found several ancient books that seemed extraordinary.

One of the books had a dark cover and no name on its spine.

Xia En reached out and touched the cover, and felt a warm, delicate touch, as if he were touching a person's skin.

Moreover, as the book was taken out, the entire room suddenly went dark.

It was as if... all the light around us had been absorbed by this ancient book.

The Book of Shadows

[Quality: Epic]

[Type: props]

[Description: A book containing the secret techniques of the Shadow Clan. With diligent study, one can comprehend these techniques.]

The Shadow Clan is a rare race from ancient times, living their entire lives in the shadows, and possessing unparalleled assassination skills.

[Now extinct.]

Walk in the shadows, serve the light; nothingness is permitted, all is said.

"Good stuff!"

Xia En's lips curled up slightly: "As expected of a special instance like the Advancement Ritual."

Clearly, this "Book of Shadows" is the most treasured possession of "Shadow Blade" Bond.

He was able to attack Shaen in the black mist earlier because of the secret techniques in this book.

This discovery validated Shane's earlier conjecture.

This promotion ceremony is a treasure trove!

……

……

The next day, in the evening.

As Shane stepped out of the captain's cabin, he couldn't help but stretch.

His eyes showed some fatigue, but his aura had subtly changed.

If you look closely at Shane's body, you'll notice that he has become "darker," as if the light has been absorbed by something.

Perhaps it was because he had learned the Shadow Sword Technique before, or perhaps it was because he was used to controlling the projected body.

This book, "The Book of Shadows," is a very good match for Shane.

In just one afternoon, Shane benefited greatly and even unlocked a new skill.

Shadow Walking

As the name suggests, it allows you to temporarily move through the shadows, somewhat like a mage's Arcane Leap.

Although Shane is not an assassin, this practical little skill can often achieve surprising and decisive results in battle.

At that moment, Xia En caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye.

The setting sun hung on the horizon, and the fine waves on the sea shimmered with a golden glow.

Not far away, a unique sea city is gradually enlarging and approaching.

This city is truly special.

Below it was not land or islands, but rows and rows of dilapidated ships!

Among them were pirate ships, fishing boats, and naval-like vessels, varying in size and appearance.

The haphazardly arranged wood and metal, seemingly loose yet actually sturdy, mingled together, taking on a faint blood-red hue under the setting sun.

In Xia En's eyes, this was a city built from the bones of countless ships!

It can be said that every one of those wrecked ships has its own story.

Right now, they are just a foundation of this city.

"Isn't it spectacular?"

Before anyone knew it, Gray Cloud also came out of his room and walked to Xia En's side, sighing.

"This is Augustine's [Pirate Duchy]."

“These ships were all shot down by Augustine one by one, and the Pirate Duchy grew stronger with each of his conquests.”

"Behind this lies countless battles and sacrifices."

"but……"

Gray Cloud gazed in the direction of the sea city, a strange glint in his eyes.

"If you want to ascend the throne, how can you not tread on countless corpses?"

"Or rather, aren't the remains of these ships Augustine's throne?"

Xia En was slightly taken aback.

For some reason, he remembered the Lord of Cinder that he had seen in his illusions.

Beneath the other person, there also appeared to be a throne made of piled bones?

"Is this the price of becoming king?"

Xia En fell into thought.

At the same time, the distance between the [Serpent] and the [Pirate Kingdom] is constantly decreasing.

As they approached, the emotions emanating from the [Sky Serpent] became noticeably more fearful and uneasy.

This "Tomb of Ten Thousand Ships" exerts a powerful sense of oppression on the soul of any ship.

Soon, the [Sky Serpent] docked at the port of the [Pirate Kingdom].

An elderly man with one eye greeted us on the shore with a gentle smile.

"Young Master John, welcome home."

(End of this chapter)