Chapter 303: Black Pearl!

Old Jack was stunned!

The crew was stunned!

The knights were stunned as well.

They had indeed picked up countless unclaimed items while following their lord.

For example, they had found abandoned stranded merchant ships, newly forged unclaimed armor from underground, and gold coins floating in rivers.

But this three-masted sailing ship ahead was also unmanned—what had happened to this world?

This was a three-masted sailing ship, a national treasure, possessed only by dukes and the royal family.

Even if a god appeared before them now, they wouldn't be more surprised.

Soon, the fleet drew close to the three-masted ship.

When the distance narrowed to just dozens of meters, everyone had to look up to see the vessel.

Only then did the sheer size of the three-masted ship become truly apparent.

Its length was at least ninety meters, its width at least twelve meters.

The main mast stood sixty-five meters tall.

This was unquestionably a sea behemoth.

"My lord, it really seems Wuren ！"

At such close range, not a single soul could be seen aboard the three-masted warship.

Instantly, both Old Jack and the knights wore expressions of unprecedented delight.

If the three-masted warship was truly unmanned, it meant it was unclaimed.

And if unclaimed items were found by them, then the Stormhold would now possess a three-masted warship—something only dukes and royalty could own!

"My lord, this three-masted warship seems strange!"

"What's strange about it, Old Jack?"

"My lord, I've seen three-masted warships at the Hernade family's port!"

"But Hernade's warships never had so many portholes as this one!"

"Are you certain?"

Gervas also noticed these windows!

But since he had never seen a three-masted sailing warship in this world, he had not raised any objections earlier.

Now that Old Jack had voiced concern, it meant this warship was indeed unusual.

And the intelligence reports had indeed described it as a peculiar three-masted sailing ship.

"My lord, I'm certain—this ship has two rows of portholes, while Hernade's ships have only one row, and even that row has half as many windows as this one!"

"Moreover, this warship even has portholes along the deck railings—what possible use could that be?" Jack affirmed.

"No, the use is immense!" Gervas's expression grew complex.

First, he knew exactly what these portholes were for—they were gun ports.

In his past life's Age of Exploration, European warships had this exact design.

But the problem was—didn't this world have no cannons?

Hadn't his own cannon this morning been the world's first?

After all, even the system had confirmed it.

"Let's board and take a look!"

With too many theories swirling in his mind, Gervas could only investigate the ship himself.

Soon, Gervas led Old Jack and the knights aboard the warship.

Though the deck was coated in grime, the wood was brand new.

All sails were lowered, and upon inspection, they were intact.

Even the ropes were brand new.

"My lord, this is unbelievable—both the sails and ropes are perfectly new!"

"Even the deck and railings show no signs of wear—this three-masted warship looks as if it had just left the dock and been abandoned!"

Old Jack's eyes were filled with disbelief.

It was like someone had picked up the latest fruit phone—and even more unbelievable, the phone had never been registered with an ID!

"Go check the lower decks!"

The ship was new—Gervas had already learned this from the intelligence.

So it wasn't surprising.

What he now cared about was whether this three-masted sailing ship was truly a gunship.

Soon, Gervas and the others reached the ship's internal cabins.

After inspecting two lower decks, they discovered… this was indeed a gunship.

Of course, no cannons were visible inside the ship.

The portholes were empty, but Gervas could tell from the interior fittings that they had been designed to fire cannons.

Now, an unexpected discovery: the hull bore many unknown metal plates.

These plates were engraved with inscriptions, extending all the way to the stern.

Following these metal plates embedded in the hull's wooden planks, Gervas and the others reached a hidden chamber at the stern.

"A magic array? My lord, there's a magic array on a sea vessel?!"

Migen and the others stared in shock.

For within the chamber lay a compact, intricate magic array.

Though they didn't know its function, anything tied to magic was clearly of the highest caliber.

"Old John, have you seen this at the Hernade family's?"

"My lord, I've never entered a Hernade three-masted warship, and I've never heard of one having a magic array!"

"I've heard they station mages aboard for combat, though!"

Gervas nodded—he was now certain this three-masted warship likely did not originate from the Land of Glory.

He recalled legends speaking of another world beyond the ocean.

Gervas surmised this vessel had drifted here across the currents from that other world.

Of course, scientifically speaking, that "other world" was simply another continent.

But due to the ocean's vastness and danger, no one had ever reached it.

Moreover, the other side likely already possessed devices like magic cannons.

This explained why intelligence had confirmed his cannon as the world's first.

Yet this world possessed a cannon warship.

"Good—now I don't have to worry about some backstabber using a mighty warship to breach Stormhold's gates!"

Gervas then examined the magic array more closely and found a missing palm-sized peculiar "key."

Like a switch for a magic fan.

Without the switch, the magic array was useless—just decoration.

Even if the array were complete, Gervas likely couldn't afford to activate it.

For at each of the six corners along the array's edge were slots.

The slots were uniform in shape and unmistakably familiar—they were beast crystal slots.

Each slot was the size of a fist.

So the crystals required would be at least sixth-tier.

Six sixth-tier magic crystals would cost at least three to four thousand gold coins—Gervas simply couldn't afford it.

"Old Jack, can you sail this warship?"

"My lord! We can sail it, but we're not experienced!"

"That's fine—as long as you can sail it! Bring all the crew aboard!"

"Also, Lei Meng, go find Commander Laurent immediately and have him send two hundred soldiers to this three-masted sailing ship!"

"And transfer all cannons and five ballistae onto this ship as well!"

Gervas then reorganized his forces.

He ordered the two merchant ships, manned by minimal crews, to return immediately to Stormhold.

He himself would board this brand-new three-masted warship, accompanied by two single-masted warships, and continue north to aid Adams.

"My lord, shouldn't you name this massive three-masted warship right away?"

"Call it the Black Pearl."

Recalling the ship's origin, Gervas named it after a film from his past life.

"Yes, my lord!"

Old Jack responded eagerly, then turned to the sailors who had been waiting.

"By order of Lord Gervas—the Black Pearl, set sail!"