Chapter 780: The Way of Arrival

Lu Mi had already gone through all the data Franca collected, and could roughly guess why she'd made this choice:

Haer. Kangsitanding, the so-called "Deep Sea Admiral" with sea monster blood, frequently resupplied at a island named "Barnamo" in the western Mist Sea, and a few days ago, someone spotted his flagship, the "Nuiens," surfacing on a route to Barnamo, allowing the crew to breathe fresh air and enjoy precious freedom.

Based on distance, speed, actual route conditions, and the Mist Sea's weather, the "Nuiens" would likely reach Barnamo in another two to three days.

Among all pirate generals, this was the only one whose movements could be predicted recently!

"We could try it," Lu Mi replied indifferently to Franca's suggestion.

As a "Hunter" who had actively participated in and contributed to a semi-god-level battle, he felt choosing any pirate general made no essential difference—so long as he could find one.

Franca glanced at Lu Mi, unceremoniously muttering:

"I think your mindset is off. Don't underestimate the top performers in Sequence 5. You're not a semi-god yet, your body is still fragile. If you dismiss the 'Deep Sea Admiral,' you might suffer serious consequences. In my homeland, there's a saying: Strategically, you may despise your enemy; tactically, you must respect him."

"I know. Auror often reminded me the same way—not to underestimate villagers' intelligence, assuming my pranks would always succeed without trouble. After being chased and beaten by villagers a few times, I deeply understood that saying," Lu Mi said seriously, without anger. "Your homeland also has another saying: Weakness and ignorance aren't obstacles to survival—arrogance is."

"Stop!" Franca grumbled. "Just get it. Don't turn this into a quote exchange."

Seeing they'd settled on their target, Jianna spoke up:

"The question now is: how do we get to Barnamo Island?"

Barnamo lies in the northwest Mist Sea. It was once a colony of the Fursak Empire, but as Fursak's power waned and its native inhabitants fiercely resisted, it eventually gained independence.

This was also because Barnamo Island itself lacked valuable resources, existing merely as a forward base for exploring the Mist Sea's edge—abandoning it wasn't a loss.

After independence, Barnamo gradually became a pirate port, offering pirates trading grounds and sufficient supplies.

Jianna's point was clear: even with smooth routes and favorable weather, traveling from Trier to Barnamo Island would take two to three weeks; any minor setback—detours or delays—could stretch it to a month, by which time the "Deep Sea Admiral" would have long left Barnamo. Finding a pirate general in the vast ocean was nearly impossible unless fate intervened.

Under current circumstances, only "Teleportation" could guarantee the team's timely arrival at Barnamo Island to wait for the "Deep Sea Admiral" Haer. Kangsitanding. But the problem was, neither Lu Mi nor Franca possessed Barnamo Island's Spirit World coordinates; attempting such a long-distance "Teleportation" would inevitably lead to getting lost in the Spirit World.

Lu Mi pondered for a few seconds, then asked Franca:

"Is there a way to contact anyone on Barnamo Island?"

"Probably. Barnamo has a telegraph office," Franca replied thoughtfully. "We can find adventurers who've been to Barnamo and have them send a telegraph to someone there."

Lu Mi smiled:

"Good.

"If everything goes smoothly, we'll arrive at Barnamo Island tonight."

…………

On Barnamo Island, shrouded in perpetual mist and gloomy weather.

Inside its only port, Mason passed through crowds of pirates carrying a pile of items, turning into an abandoned warehouse.

This place had been destroyed in a pirate purge and never repaired, becoming a no-man's-land.

Mason was an adventurer who despised the crude, cruel pirates but couldn't leave Barnamo Island, for this pirate port teemed with opportunities.

Even if he didn't hunt lone, bounty-targeted pirates, he could patiently wait after pirate feuds ended and scavenge the losers' remaining belongings.

This was how he became an extraordinary being—currently a Sequence 8 "Martial Artist."

Today, Mason took on a task supposedly very simple but offering a 1000 Faelkin bounty, choosing a secluded spot to complete it.

He swiftly cleared the broken wooden crates, stacking them into an altar.

Then, following the task's instructions, he arranged candles, incense, and essential oils upon it.

After completing the preliminary preparations, Mason pulled out the neatly folded task description and read its subsequent content:

"The most difficult part of this task requires specific knowledge: basic Ancient Hymnos and proficient Hymnos."

"If you do not meet these conditions, do not accept this commission..."

Fortunately, I learned some Ancient Hymnos and sufficient Hymnos from other adventurers... Mason had been relieved when accepting this task.

This wasn't because he was more studious than other adventurers, but because several items he'd acquired involved Hymnos; to understand their true value, he'd paid to study Hymnos from an adventurer who knew it.

After quickly reading the latter half of the task description, Mason assessed potential dangers and judged there should be no major risks.

He then laboriously formed a "Spirit Wall," lit the candle, dripped the incense, stepped back two paces, and whispered in Ancient Hymnos:

"I!"

This was one of the few Ancient Hymnos words he knew.

Then, Mason switched to Hymnos:

"I summon, in my name:

"The being wandering the upper realm, the penitent awakened from the flames of suffering, the sole messenger of Lu Mi. Li..."

No sooner had Mason finished than the candle flame surged, turning deep green bordering on black.

Within the firelight, a tall figure clad in a black clerical robe emerged.

Mason took one look and recoiled a step in terror.

The exposed parts of the figure appeared to have endured prolonged flame-burning—flesh and skin charred black, clinging tightly to bone, eye sockets hollow and dark, burning with deep flames, its surface dripping viscous, water-like strange black flames.

It resembled an undead creature!

Mason had seen similar things in Barnamo Port—some pirates excelled at communicating with corpses—but this "Penitent" filled him with instinctive dread, making him feel it was fundamentally different from ordinary zombies.

None of the pirate generals who'd visited Barnamo Port had ever given him this feeling!

Seeing the black-robed, dried corpse gaze at him, Mason forced himself to produce the letter.

His task was to deliver a letter to someone named Lu Mi. Li!

The dried corpse messenger, its surface dripping viscous black flame, took the letter and vanished into the deep green-black candlelight.

Everything within the abandoned warehouse swiftly returned to normal.

Mason finally raised his right hand, wiped away cold sweat, and muttered to himself:

"This doesn't seem simple..."

"I've heard other adventurers say some people were lured into performing special rituals, summoning demonic gods that destroyed themselves and their towns..."

"Could this be such a case? Will disaster strike Barnamo Port?"

"Is Lu Mi. Li the true name of a demonic god?"

"..."

Mason had previously seen only messengers summoned by rituals, unrelated to demonic gods, and since he himself was already a Sequence 8 extraordinary being, he'd dared attempt this. But the messenger just now had unsettled him.

As he muttered, Mason gathered the altar's items.

Suddenly, he froze, frowning:

"I think I've heard the name Lu Mi. Li before..."

He strained to recall, but gained nothing.

Just before leaving the abandoned warehouse, Mason glanced back at the altar made of broken crates and saw something stirring in the shadows.

Heart tightening, Mason pretended he saw nothing and hurried out of the warehouse.

…………

In Trier, Memorial District, inside the apartment rented by Franca and Jianna.

Lu Mi saw the "Penitent" Bai Yin emerge from the void and hand him a letter.

He didn't bother opening it—the letter contained only blank paper.

He directly addressed his messenger:

"Can you deliver a reply to the sender just now?"

"Yes," replied the "Penitent" Bai Yin in a low voice.

Lu Mi smiled, pointing at himself:

"I am the reply."

…………

In Barnamo Port, shrouded in thin mist, Lu Mi leaned against the outer wall of the abandoned warehouse, watching the sender—just moments ago—exit the warehouse with a look of fear, hurrying away.

He smiled, took out a golden straw hat from "The Traveler's Satchel," glanced at it, then put it back.

—The famous adventurer Louis Berry appearing here would draw unwanted suspicion and might cause the "Deep Sea Admiral" Haer. Kangsitanding to change his destination and avoid Barnamo Port.

Lu Mi straightened up, tightened his thick jacket, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked slowly through Barnamo Port's streets.

He planned to circle the area first before returning to pick up Franca and the others.

…………

In Trier, late night.

Angoulême arrived at the empty house agreed upon with "Sleeve Sword" to retrieve the next phase's emergency contact method.

Soon, he found the note, reading its contents:

"If urgent, summon my friend's messenger:

"The rabbit-shaped spirit wandering in illusion, the runner chasing knowledge, the sole messenger of the Holy Grail Seven."

"Holy Grail Seven"... the "Tarot Club"? "Sleeve Sword," your friend is yourself, isn't it? Angoulême muttered silently.

He thought he now understood why "Sleeve Sword" always had so many troubles.

(End of Chapter)