After going into the sea, I met the witch.

Looking back now, it was after that that the [Nameless Ship Sculpture] was opened, or rather, was initially restored.

In other words, that mysterious power most likely originated from a strange object, and that object's power has been absorbed by the [Nameless Ship Carving], which explains the 1% repair rate.

With this thought in mind, Ryan felt a sudden sense of clarity.

"The owner of this strange object is the mastermind behind that conspiracy, the one who caused me to bear the 'bloody mark'!"

Ryan thought to himself.

Unfortunately, perhaps because the [Nameless Ship Sculpture] had not yet been restored at that time, he did not receive any relevant information and could not know the name of that unknown object, and therefore could not deduce the identity of the object's owner.

Is it a strange object that can forcibly control human behavior?

Ryan kept this in mind.

Putting aside the matter of the mastermind behind the scenes for the time being, Ryan looked at the [Ring of Black Corrosion] quietly resting in his palm and was caught in a dilemma.

Should we keep it and use it? Or would it be better to let the [Nameless Ship Sculpture] absorb this and improve its restoration?

Although the side effects of using the Ring of Black Corrosion are significant, causing the loss of one-fifth of one's blood and resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, and extreme weakness, its effects are truly powerful.

A full minute of "weakness, blood loss, blindness, and other negative states caused by the black mist" is enough to determine the outcome of a battle.

However, it remains to be seen how much the [Ring of Black Corrosion] would improve the [Nameless Ship Carving]'s repair efficiency if it were to absorb it.

If the "Pirate Potion" posed no threat and would allow him to take up the job, Ryan would certainly not hesitate to "sacrifice" this wondrous object on the spot.

The problem is that, given his current inability to take up a job, this strange item greatly enhances his combat power, and it is estimated that it will play a significant role in the subsequent battle against the "Dragon Crab".

The sheer size of the "Dragon-Headed Crab" was enough for Ryan to conclude that its defense was ridiculously high, and the [Ring of Black Corrosion] could just weaken the "Dragon-Headed Crab's" defense and strength.

After weighing the pros and cons, Ryan ultimately decided to keep the artifact for now.

"call……"

With a light breath, Ryan stood up, preparing to take a walk on the deck—after digesting his food for a while, he planned to return to practice his sword until midnight the next day, when he would enter the "Wandering Land."

Today's battle made him acutely aware of his own weakness.

Even disregarding professionals, just two or three enemies like the scimitar pirates would surely kill him.

This filled him with a sense of urgency.

This was especially true after learning about the hidden dangers of the "magic potion".

Pushing open the door, the sea breeze under the night sky greeted me, carrying a slight chill.

The Black Rose is currently sailing slowly at sea.

The sound of Ryan pushing open the door immediately attracted the attention of several pirates on duty on the deck. However, after glancing at him, they gave Ryan a fawning and respectful smile, and then immediately turned their heads away, not daring to look any longer.

Ryan noticed the change in the pirates' attitude but said nothing.

In the world of pirates, the strong rule; it is their way of survival.

I walked alone on the deck, against the direction of the sea breeze, with only the soft sound of waves lapping against my ears.

This unprecedented feeling brought peace to Ryan's heart.

Without realizing it, he had walked from the bow to the stern of the ship.

Upon reaching this point, he paused, a look of surprise on his face.

On the deck at the stern, a figure in deep blue leaned against the bulwark.

The soft moonlight shone on the girl, making her float like fireflies, creating a beautiful and dreamlike scene.

Beside the girl stood a female knight, the dancing moonlight casting a cool, ethereal glow on her silver chainmail.

"Mr. Ryan, how was your rest?"

A voice as clear as a mountain spring came from Freyne's mouth. She turned her head slightly, looked at the young man who had stopped, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you for your concern. I've rested enough." Ryan responded and walked forward, standing about 1.5 meters away from the two women on the bulwark.

After a few seconds of silence, Ryan spoke up: "Lady Freyne, to my shame, as the navigator of the Black Rose, I still don't know our destination."

"Without knowing the exact location, I cannot provide accurate course advice."

“…That was my oversight.” Freyne brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. “But for now, there is no definite waypoint. Our destination is the deepest part of the sea, the place where everything originated.”

"The deepest part of the ocean? The origin of everything?" Ryan was slightly taken aback.

“Yes, in the deepest part…” Frey opened her arms as if to embrace the entire sea: “Mr. Ryan, do you remember the golden tree I told you about?”

Chapter 24: Officially Taking Office!

"of course I remember."

Ryan nodded.

Under the moonlight, floating fluorescent light formed several interwoven pale blue halos in front of the girl, dazzling and magnificent: "The origin of the Golden Age lies in the birth of the Golden Tree and the [Golden Laws] that it wove and created."

"But do you know where the Golden Tree is?"

Without waiting for Ryan's reply, or rather, without expecting him to reply, Freyne said leisurely:

"He resides in the deepest part of the sea, his roots connect to the endless abyss, and his canopy obscures the sky."

"Legend has it that if you can reach the deepest part of the sea and meet the golden tree, you will be able to obtain the secret of 'ascending the steps to the gods'."

"Even if we don't reach the deepest part of the ocean, we can still obtain rare treasures and potion ingredients that are unavailable on land."

"My goal is to reach the deepest part of the ocean, so as long as our general route is southward, that will suffice."

"So that's how it is..." Ryan exclaimed.

At this moment, Freya suddenly changed the subject, her gaze falling on Ryan: "Mr. Ryan, speaking of which, you still have five days left on your 'Bloody Mark'."

“Yes.” Ryan nodded.

This thing had always been a thorn in his side, and there was even a countdown timer on the panel that was accurate to the second.

The bright red lettering was so glaring.

"We need to be extra careful in the time remaining, as there are far more people who want to capture the 'Child of Blood' than you can imagine."

"So, take a good rest today, and take the potion early tomorrow to take up your post. Although being at the first level is just the beginning of becoming a professional, you already have a certain amount of fighting power."

After leaving those words, Freya turned and left.

Cecilia followed silently behind her, without uttering a single word.

Ryan only looked away after the two women disappeared into the darkness.

"Taking a job..."

A faint bitterness appeared in his eyes.

It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Freyne about the "terror" contained in the potion path; it was just that whenever he had this thought, an extremely intense feeling of dread would arise in his heart, as if something extremely terrible would happen as soon as he spoke of it.

This inexplicable premonition made him afraid to speak out.

However, what Freya said did make sense.

The threat of the "bloody mark" was like a fishbone stuck in his throat; when danger actually struck, he was powerless to resist...

"call……"

Ryan let out a deep breath.

Everything will have to wait until tonight's "experiment" with the clone.

After talking with Freyne, Ryan lost interest in continuing his walk on the deck. He returned to his room, picked up his longsword, and began to practice diligently.

Skills like Storm Sword Technique can only be improved through continuous practice. Even though Ryan has already reached the "Mastery" level, he cannot afford to slack off in the slightest.

In a life-or-death battle, perhaps it is this tiny difference that determines life and death.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the sweat and toil.

As dusk deepened, the hands of the brass clock hanging on the wall slid toward the "0" position.

Ryan stopped what he was doing, sheathed his longsword, and once his breathing had calmed down, he couldn't wait to lie down on the wooden bed. He held the [Low-Tier Rare Item - Black Corrosion Ring] in his left hand and the "Pirate Potion" tightly in his right, then closed his eyes.

"Travel, start!"

……

As the feeling of weightlessness disappeared and the darkness receded, Ryan slowly opened his eyes.

What came into view was the familiar seawater and the huge vegetation.

A faint smile played on his lips. He had arrived at this place of travel without realizing it. Although there was going to be fighting, it was actually the time when Ryan felt most at ease.

The bright sunlight fell on him, but passed right through him and couldn't stay—while on the "raft," he hadn't truly entered the "land of travel," but was in a strange state between existence and non-existence.

The sun, high in the sky, was the exact opposite color to that of the golden continent where the main body was located.

Instead of leaving the "raft," Ryan lowered his head and looked at the [Black Corrosion Ring] and the "Pirate Potion" that had accompanied him into this place, his smile widening.

He made the right bet.

Those possessing spirituality can travel with him!

This is very important, as it means that if he acquires any powerful spiritual equipment or artifacts in the future, he can carry them with him to help him better explore the "places of travel".

Moreover, bringing items from your main body into the "Travel Zone" does not require any Spirit Points!

This delighted Ryan, whose wallet was "empty".

"call……"

Taking a deep breath to suppress his excitement, Ryan focused his gaze on the "pirate potion".

As the gaze focused, the gray text jumped out.

[Pirate Potion: The core potion for advancing to the first tier [Pirate]. Consuming it grants the "Path of the Pirate - First Tier" title. Prerequisites: Physical Fitness of 1.5 (Note: 1 is the average for an adult male), a certain weapon skill at "Mastery," and Navigation (Beginner). Forcibly consuming it without meeting these prerequisites will result in unpredictable and severe consequences.]

[After using this potion, during spiritual ascension and job selection, you will be targeted by an unknown entity. Upon advancing to the seventh rank, you will be assimilated. (You cannot be targeted in the "Wandering Lands," which are far away from the Golden Continent.)]

Looking at the prompt in front of him, Ryan checked the last sentence "Cannot be locked" three times. Finally, he couldn't contain his joy and burst into laughter.

"My guess was correct!"

"Taking potions within the traveled lands will have no side effects!"