Chapter 201 - 189: Becoming a Pirate

[Hidden Profession available: Pirate]

[Requirements: 7 Power, 9 Agility, 4/4 Sea Survival Skills, 2/2 Short-Handled Weapon Skills, 5/5 large ships Plundered]

[Do you wish to accept this Profession?]

"Confirm."

[Profession accepted! Current Profession: Pirate]

[Attribute Bonus received: Power +2, Agility +3]

Golden text flashed across his vision.

As always, a warm current surged through Roland’s body without warning, spreading to his every limb.

However, because Roland’s base Power and Agility Attributes were already quite high, this infusion of Energy didn’t bring about a profound, transformative feeling.

But as the warm current rushed through his veins, he could clearly feel his nearly depleted stamina rapidly recovering.

After a long sigh of relief, Roland turned his gaze to the golden text that continued to appear before him.

[Trait acquired: Wave Treading]

[Wave Treading: When this Trait is activated, you can walk upon the vast surface of the sea or surging waves as if on solid ground. The sea breeze becomes your stairway, and the seafoam your path. The duration and stability depend on your Spiritual Attribute and the condition of the sea. Walking on a calm, mirror-like surface is far easier and can be sustained longer than on the raging waves of a storm.]

The text was displayed clearly, and Roland’s sharp gaze swept over every word.

When the full effect of "Wave Treading" registered, a glint flashed in his eyes, and his breath caught for a moment.

Walking on water.

The meaning behind those three words instantly unfolded in Roland’s mind.

The ocean would no longer be an absolute barrier.

This Trait would grant him extreme mobility in battles at sea.

Without needing to board a small boat or climb the side of a ship, he could directly and precisely assault an enemy vessel’s weakest point—its flank or stern—in any sea condition.

Most importantly...

Roland surveyed the boundless sea around him.

This Trait might just be his way out of being stranded in the middle of the ocean.

’But... with my current Spiritual Attribute, I don’t know how long I can walk on water. I’ll have to try it out once my Spiritual Power has fully recovered...’

As he was thinking, another line of golden text flashed.

[Trait acquired: Plundering]

’The hidden Profession [Pirate] actually has two Traits?’

Seeing the new text, Roland couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.

After all, even High Tier Professions like [Apprentice Knight] and [Enchanter] only granted a single Trait upon acceptance.

And while he was still surprised, the golden text slowly unfurled.

[Plundering: When you utterly defeat a hostile creature in battle, an invisible force will strip it of its most precious possession. This prize is guaranteed to manifest before you. It is the personal item most valued by the enemy’s soul or the one with the most outstanding value. This reward is the ultimate gift of the sea to a Pirate.]

Roland’s gaze was fixed on the text. His heart felt as if it had been seized by an invisible hand, and then it began to pound violently.

Guaranteed acquisition...

The most precious possession...

This wasn’t about ordinary loot distribution, nor was it about lucking out while searching a corpse.

This was "Stripping" at the level of Law!

What did this mean?

It meant he no longer had to search through pools of blood, worrying about missing a hidden treasure.

It meant that even the most cunning enemy couldn’t destroy or transfer their true lifeline before death.

It meant that every time he defeated a powerful foe, their most core, incalculably valuable prize would be presented before him without fail.

The only downside was...

’Is it limited to personal items? Still, even with that restriction, this is an incredibly powerful Trait.’

Thinking about how he lived in a fantasy land filled with Extraordinary Power, Roland nodded lightly.

In a world like this, the most precious treasures were often not tangible objects within arm’s reach.

Hidden contracts, branded Soul Fragments, or ancient, inherited Secret Techniques...

At this thought, Roland couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

’In that case, if I kill a powerful expert with Extraordinary Power, could I obtain the Secret Technique that allowed them to enter the Extraordinary Realm?’

He temporarily pushed this wild idea to the back of his mind as the golden text slowly faded, no longer appearing.

Feeling a bit of his stamina return, Roland let out a long breath and stood up from the deck.

’I wonder if Teresa and the others survived that Storm...’

After slowly shaking his head, he turned his gaze to the Pikachu hovering in mid-air, staring into the distance, and asked.

"Tress, do you know where we are?"

"I’m sorry, Mr. Roland..."

Tress shook her head lightly, though she didn’t seem too concerned.

For fairy-like creatures such as the Pikachu, adapting quickly to any environment was the reason they could thrive all over the continent.

"However, based on the direction of the waves from earlier, we’re probably north of the Wailing Gorge."

"North?"

Although he often heard rumors of other kingdoms from Galvis, Roland’s knowledge of the more distant continents wasn’t deep.

After a moment of deliberation, he decided to aim for a familiar direction.

’Which means... as long as I head west, I can return to the River Domain.’

With that in mind, he once again asked Tress to confirm what she knew about the Heartstealer.

When he learned that it was identical to the Heartstealer from the DND World of his past life’s memories, his brow furrowed deeply.

This meant the world he was in was not only inhabited by powerful beings with Extraordinary Power but also by the bizarre and unpredictable creatures from the DND universe.

The floating, fleshy bodies and deadly eye rays of beholders, the ancient and twisted shapeshifting and mind-control abilities of the Bottom-dwelling Demon Fish, and even those who could manipulate Space-Time...

The thought of these mysterious and deadly Demons sent a chill down Roland’s spine.

’It seems this world is far more dangerous than I anticipated.’

’During the fight with that Heartstealer, if it weren’t for the [Will of Steel] Extra Benefit, I probably would have been instantly overwhelmed by that invisible Spiritual Shock, just like Teresa and the others. I would have lost my ability to fight, and then...’

Sighing softly, Roland started scavenging the dilapidated Pirate Ship.

However, the storm’s rampage had left the cabins almost completely empty. Worse, he discovered several holes in the ship’s hull where water was leaking in.

If he didn’t act quickly, it wouldn’t be long before both he and the ship sank to the bottom of the sea.

Time was short. Roland stuffed his only findings—a few bags of sour-smelling ale and some cured meat—into his waist pouch. He then grabbed some tools he found nearby and began efficiently dismantling the relatively intact deck beneath his feet.

Drawing on his extensive blacksmithing experience, he had a simple but sturdy small boat built in just half a day.

THUD!

The small boat landed in the water with a muffled sound.

Under the cold moonlight, Roland leaped from the deck of the half-submerged Pirate Ship, landing steadily in the small boat.

After expertly determining his bearings, he began to row west, chatting with the Pikachu that circled around him.

Time blurred to the rhythm of the oars.

Day and night cycled past, and the horizon where the sea met the sky remained a monotonous blue.

Just as his sense of time had almost completely vanished, a dark silhouette finally pierced the distant horizon.

Land.

However, above that silhouette was not a clear sky, but a thick, unnatural, grayish-white fog.

Like a massive shroud, it silently covered the coastline.

Roland gazed at that deathly-still expanse of gray, his brow gradually tightening.