After going into the sea, I met the witch.

These robust, normally ferocious creatures were now cowering in fear, trembling under the rain, their eyes filled with terror, like pitiful lambs.

And the direction they were kneeling was right behind him...

Tell me your name?

A light, melodious voice came from behind Ryan.

You can tell that the owner of the voice tried very hard to produce a serious, deep, and authoritative voice, but unfortunately, her voice was too crisp and her tone too soft, so even though she tried very hard, it still gave people a somewhat immature feeling.

Ryan turned his head and saw the owner of the voice, his eyes immediately filled with amazement.

She wore a large, fluffy, soft white hat, the protruding top of which seemed to be tilting backward under the weight, while a pretty light blue ruffle separated the top from the brim, making it look exactly like a witch's hat.

Beneath the brim of the hat was a face so exquisite it resembled that of a porcelain doll.

She looked to be only eighteen or nineteen years old, with incredibly smooth skin, like solidified jade, her dazzlingly white complexion a stark contrast to the rough, dark skin of the pirates around her.

The girl wore a white dress with wide sleeves and a dark blue collar. The interplay of white and blue, along with the tassel-like patterns under her deep, icy blue eyes, created a strong sense of mystery.

The figure standing next to the ice-blue girl was equally eye-catching.

She wore a light chainmail suit, with a lithe and explosive physique like a female leopard. Her style was completely different from that of the ice-blue girl. She stood there like a solitary and aloof knight standing beside a queen. Although her body was not large, she gave people a feeling of indestructibility. Before she fell, no one could possibly step within three steps of the person she was protecting.

Ryan took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Are you the captain of this ship? Thank you very much for your help."

"My name is Ryan Soros."

This was something he made up on the spot; the name wasn't changed, only the surname was altered. According to the original owner's remaining memories, the phenomenon of duplicate names was very serious in the Kingdom of Augustus, and there were quite a few people named "Lyan".

As Ryan spoke, he first spun his right hand 360 degrees, while simultaneously stepping his right toes toward his left foot. After his right hand spun around once more, he leaned forward at a 30 to 40 degree angle and gracefully bowed.

This is an instinct inherited from this body, deeply ingrained in its very bones from performing the same movements so many times.

“Ryan Soros?” The ice-blue girl wearing a fluffy witch’s hat frowned slightly. “You’re not a pirate, but you have calluses on your hands from years of wielding a sword… There is no noble surname ‘Soros’ in the kingdom.”

"..." Ryan's heart sank.

The fact that the other party knew the surname of the kingdom was beyond his expectations.

It's not surprising that the other party could tell at a glance that he wasn't a pirate.

How could pirates, who were constantly exposed to the wind and sun, have such clean and smooth skin as him?

Feeling the increasingly cold gaze from the female knight beside the ice-blue girl, Ryan shook his head and said bitterly, "I'm sorry, I did lie."

"Because I don't even know my own name anymore."

"When I woke up, I had lost all my memories of the past, and the name Leo Soros was one that I gave myself after I woke up."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, the ice-blue girl glanced at him noncommittally. Just as Ryan was getting nervous, she heard this sentence:

"Forget it, since we're at sea, there's no point in arguing about these things. Tell me, what are your skills?"

"There is no need for useless people on board."

Hearing this, Ryan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "I know... a little bit of swordsmanship, and I have some knowledge about navigation and strange objects."

The three things he mentioned are skills that are clearly marked as "beginner" on the panel.

"Knowledge of navigation..." Upon hearing the key words, the ice-blue girl's eyes lit up slightly: "So, can you be a navigator?"

The navigator is a key figure on every large ship, responsible for navigation. Therefore, they need extensive nautical knowledge to determine the ship's position and course. Simultaneously, the navigator must monitor weather conditions and predict ocean currents and wind direction to provide the captain with accurate navigational advice.

Every ship on a long voyage needs an experienced navigator.

In fact, some captains are seasoned navigators, but clearly, the ice-blue girl in front of them does not fit that description.

“Navigator?” Ryan paused for a moment upon hearing the title, but then nodded. “I’m quite unfamiliar with this area, but I’m fairly confident when it comes to judging the weather, currents, and wind direction.”

“That’s enough.” The ice-blue girl nodded in satisfaction. “In that case, Mr. Ryan, the Black Rose welcomes you to join us.”

“My name is Freyne, you can call me ‘Captain’.”

"As for Cecilia, she is my bodyguard."

The knight girl beside him nodded slightly with a cool expression.

“I am honored.” Ryan felt a slight sense of relief and bowed again, knowing that he was safe for the time being. Looking at the row of pirates kneeling behind him, he asked curiously, “Captain, what’s going on with them?”

"Them," Freyne said indifferently, "just a bunch of wicked villains who deserve to die. I'm considering how to deal with them."

"Mr. Ryan, do you have any insightful suggestions?"

"I dare not accept such praise," Ryan quickly shook his head. "I will follow your instructions, Captain."

Frey smiled slightly: "Then let them serve as sailors on the ship for now. After all, a ship can't sail far with just two or three people."

After speaking, she raised her right hand, and mysterious, deep blue energy emanated from her fair palm.

Chapter 6 Scholars and Soldiers

The deep blue energy flowed onto the ground like liquid, then dispersed, precisely reaching each pirate beneath them, climbing onto their bodies, and finally, in the pirates' trembling and fearful gazes, a pale blue crescent moon mark appeared between their brows.

"Anyone who dares to run away or resist will die a violent death under my curse."

Freyne spoke in a clear, crisp voice, uttering words that were utterly cold.

"Now, everyone return to your positions and take control of the ships."

Despite their fear and apprehension, all the pirates who had been marked with the "Crescent Moon Curse" took their positions under Freyne's command. Some took the helm, while others pulled the ropes, and the massive three-masted sailing ship moved steadily forward in the stormy sea.

Ryan stood on the deck. He didn't operate like the pirates. After Captain Freyne pointed south as instructed, he followed Freyne and Cecilia into the cabin.

Ryan kept a two-meter distance from the two women as he walked, his eyes lowered.

The rain soaked his clothes completely, but the two women in front of him had a faint, invisible force that kept them dry and comfortable.

Recalling the warnings given by the gray panel when he saw Freyne and Cecilia earlier, Ryan still felt lingering fear.

[Frenem Augustus: 18 years old, 158 cm tall, current captain of the "Black Rose," a first-tier [Scholar], and also a newly awakened sea witch. —This person's strength far surpasses yours; you cannot defeat her. Please stay away as soon as possible.]

Cecilia Howard: 18 years old, 172 cm tall, personal bodyguard of the captain of the "Black Rose," also serving as first mate, Tier 1 [Soldier], skill: Thorn Rapier Technique (Master). —This person's strength far surpasses yours; you cannot defeat her. Please stay away as soon as possible.

The text following the dash, "This person's strength far surpasses yours; you cannot defeat them. Please stay away as soon as possible," was displayed in bright red. The fact that such a difficult opponent as the [Beach Cancer] had not yet appeared on the panel made Ryan realize that the gap in strength between himself and the two women was so vast that it could not be bridged by skill or combat experience.

The descriptions of the two women as "Tier 1 [Scholar]" and "Tier 1 [Soldier]" reminded Ryan of the [Path of the Dao] professions on the panel.

The two women's formidable strength was also the reason why he was extremely cautious and prudent after boarding the ship.

By now, Ryan had figured it out: the gray text prompts would only appear on people or things that possessed sentience.

The same was true for the beach crabs before, and it is also true for Freyne and Cecilia now.

Following the two women, the three soon arrived at the captain's cabin.

The rugged decor made Freya frown subconsciously. She stood next to the captain, using her deep blue energy to clean the chair before sitting down with satisfaction, while Cecilia stood silently behind her.

Frey crossed her hands over her lower abdomen, her movements elegant and composed, and looked up at Ryan standing in front of her.

The silent tension made Ryan's relaxed heart jump again.

It took Freyne a full minute to slowly speak:

“Mr. Ryan, Son of Blood, may I ask you the names of the nobles you have killed?”

“?!” Ryan’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat.

A surge of panic welled up inside him, giving him the urge to run away, but in the next instant, reason prevailed over fear.

Ryan knew very well that with his strength, there was no way he could escape from these two incredibly powerful girls.

After the initial panic subsided, he realized that if the two women really wanted to kill him or hand him over to the "Royal Navy" in exchange for a reward, there would be no need to bring it up now.

Therefore, their purpose in bringing this up at this moment is quite intriguing...

Ryan took a deep breath, did not refute, but said in a deep voice, "Captain, can you tell me how you figured it out?"

Upon hearing this, Frey smiled faintly: "Those marked by the [Golden Law] are no different from normal people in the eyes of ordinary people and even low-level professionals."

"But I am special."

“I can clearly see that there is a crimson color entwined on your spirit, and that is the manifestation of the ‘blood mark’.”

“Mr. Ryan, I’m glad you didn’t try to deny it. In fact, I’m not telling you this to coerce or for any other purpose. I’m just curious. In the Kingdom of Augustus today, what was it that made you do such a terrifying and horrifying act of murdering nobles?”

Ryan looked distressed. "Since you're interested, I'll tell you. Actually, there's nothing to hide."

"I was kidnapped and taken to a pirate ship whose flag was a blood-red shark."

"When I regained consciousness, I was holding a flintlock pistol in my hand, and the muzzle was pointed at the nobleman who had died by my hand."

"But in fact, shooting the nobleman was not my intention. In that instant, a force compelled me to pull the trigger."

"I have no idea who the nobleman I killed was."

"After that nobleman died, the pirate ship exploded horribly, and I was lucky enough to survive."

"After that, I met you all."

"That's how it happened. I was completely confused myself and ended up with this 'bloody mark' without even understanding what was going on."

By the end, Ryan's face was filled with bitterness.

He wasn't lying, but he concealed the fact that he survived the explosion.

“The blood-red shark flag must belong to the famous Blood Shark in the coastal waters,” Freyne pondered. “Its captain, One-Eyed Hobley, is a first-class pirate with a bounty of 1 pounds on his head from the Royal Navy.”

"interesting……"

Frey gave Ryan a deep look, but didn't press further. Instead, she changed the subject: "Mr. Ryan, as you can see, I have just taken over the Black Rose. I will need your guidance for the voyages to come."

"After the previous storm, you must be quite exhausted. Go and rest. It's the second mate's room; the conditions there are better. I'll have someone bring you food and clean clothes later."

“Thank you for your generosity.” Ryan bowed in thanks, then turned and left the room.

Only when Ryan's figure was completely hidden by the closed wooden door did Freyne lower her head and look at her fair and jade-like right palm.

Her eyes were filled with a faint blue light, her gaze penetrating the surface of the body to see into the depths, into the spiritual light that was intertwined with the color of blood.

"Child of Blood... huh..."

Chapter 7 Bloody Hunt

The cabin, which wasn't very spacious, was filled with a faint musty smell.