We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 181: Job Compatibility 75%, [Norwich Treasure Trove]

Although the people on the White Dove were unwilling, since Julian had said so, they had no choice but to give up and silently withdraw from the Magnetic Thunder Sea.

Of course, the White Dove may not have given up its pursuit of the Thunder.

However, it will not intervene again in the presence of the Black Swan.

Not far away, watching the receding [White Dove], Captain Lan of the [Heron] quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

She glanced at the [Thunder] and thought to herself.

"Next time we meet, I will defeat you fair and square!"

……

……

Black Swan

Shane was neither aware of nor concerned with the thoughts of the other people in this area.

At this moment, he stood on the bow deck, his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling slowly.

If it weren't for the dark clouds overhead and the thunderous roar and surging waves on the surrounding sea, one would probably think he was taking a nap in the warm afternoon sun!

Rumble!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket crashed down from the pitch-black clouds, striking the half-metal, half-wood Black Swan.

A crackling burst of electricity immediately erupted, transforming into streaks of lightning that roamed the deck, mast, and hull.

Just as the ship's components were about to be charred black by the raging lightning, Shane suddenly let out a cold snort.

Stab la la——

One second the Razer was menacing and ready to wreak havoc, the next second it seemed to have been greatly frightened, restrained its power, and obediently crawled down.

Soon, an attraction emanated from Shane and the hull of the Black Swan, gradually absorbing the docile Thunder Serpents.

Seventy percent of them entered Xia En's body.

Another 30% was absorbed by the magic runes on the Black Swan.

Both of their auras were becoming increasingly profound, as deep as an abyss and as majestic as a mountain, carrying the majesty of thunder.

Immediately afterwards, Shane opened his eyes.

A flash of blue-purple lightning illuminated his eyes, brightening the entire ship.

Then, the lightning gradually twisted and changed, eventually turning into a strange character that disappeared into Shane's eyes.

[Overall Qualifications: 3.05 → 3.17!]

[Black Swan: "Mysterious" +2!]

[Current "Storm Power": No Attribute (2), Extreme Cold (0), Ember (1), Magnetic Lightning (1)!]

[Career fit: 75%!]

"This time, it only increased by 0.12?"

Looking at the information that appeared on the panel, Xia En seemed to be deep in thought.

"It seems that the enhancement effect of the Storm Power will decrease as the number of raids increases."

Xia En was somewhat disappointed, but not surprised.

On his way to the [Magnetic Thunder Sea], he also encountered two ordinary storms, which together increased his overall stats by only 0.05!

"However, only one special storm remains before the compatibility reaches 100%, which can be considered as taking another step towards the fourth tier."

Thinking of this, Xia En's expression became somewhat strange.

These special storms aren't something you can just find whenever you want.

After plundering the [Magnetic Lightning Storm], he really didn't know where to go to find the last special storm.

Another thing worth mentioning is...

After this plundering storm, mysterious characters representing [Magnetic Lightning] condensed in Shane's eyes, giving him a certain degree of control over lightning.

This made Xia En realize something.

Whether it's magic runes or characters, they are essentially extensions of writing. Mastering them allows you to master the corresponding secret power.

The reason why such characters did not appear when plundering [Extreme Cold Storm] and [Ember Storm] is probably because his understanding of these two secret powers is not thorough enough.

Moreover, the [Magnetic Lightning Storm] is relatively simpler and more direct.

Just as Xia En was about to delve deeper into the subject...

On the deck, a semi-transparent figure gradually emerged, secretly watching him.

"Vivian?"

Xia En looked curiously toward the corner.

"...Woo!"

"No, it wasn't me!"

Miss Ghost was startled and hurriedly waved her hands, her figure fading rapidly as if trying to hide.

Since Shane was absorbing the power of the [Magnetic Thunderstorm] and was worried that it would affect the other crew members, he did the same thing and sent them to take shelter on the [Diamond Star].

However, Vivian's crystal coffin is on the Black Swan, so she can't leave even if she wants to.

Actually, Vivian was also hiding in the cabin when they raided the [Ember Storm] last time, but she just didn't show herself.

Moreover, Vivian's attitude has become somewhat strange ever since Shane returned from the Elf Temple.

She rarely appeared in front of Xia En anymore, as if she had truly become a ghost, her presence greatly diminished.

She even refused to show her face during meals on several occasions.

This alone is enough to show that the situation is not simple.

But behind the scenes, Vivian would secretly steal glances at Shane, just like she did today.

This contradictory attitude left Xia En completely baffled.

In fact, Xia En also had some guesses in his heart.

Vivian's secret profession is [Witch of Annihilation], which is also inextricably linked to the destruction of the Elven race.

Perhaps she sensed the changes in Xia En after returning to the past, which is why her attitude became somewhat strange.

now think of it.

The fact that Vivian's crystal coffin and Lyra's Magic Notebook appeared together in the Ember Sanctuary may not be a coincidence.

At the moment, there are no other crew members on board.

Xia En simply walked up to Miss Ghost and asked her directly.

Why have you been avoiding me all this time?

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

Vivian was never very brave to begin with.

At this moment, Xia En still possessed the lightning power that was most effective against creatures like ghosts, which frightened her so much that her eyes reddened and tears streamed down her face.

Xia En was dumbfounded.

Ghosts, they can cry too?

Normal ghosts probably don't cry, but Vivian can even eat without any problems, which can't be explained by common sense.

However, Vivian's crying really put Xia En at a loss.

Whether in his past life or this one, he had little experience dealing with this situation.

"Vivian, please don't cry."

"I'm just asking a question, it won't hurt you."

"Wow...really?"

Vivian wiped away her tears and cautiously looked up to ask.

Xia En confidently declared, "Of course, I'm your captain!"

"But you have to tell me, what's been going on with you these past few days?"

Only after receiving Xia En's assurance did Vivian speak.

"More than half a month ago, I suddenly remembered some things."

"I feel like I've seen you... a long, long time ago, along with that big guy who was covered in fire."

Upon hearing this, Xia En's heart skipped a beat.

You've seen yourself and Yan Yan before!?

Could it be that Vivian was once a resident of Emerald Isle and a survivor of the Wrath of the Gods?
When asked about Emerald Isle, Vivian looked completely bewildered and couldn't recall any new memories.

Xia En looked at Vivian's face, but her face was still shrouded in an invisible veil, making it impossible to see her true appearance.

Simply put, Xia En could only tell that she was very pretty. But he had no idea why she was pretty or to what extent.

Only that feeling of déjà vu lingered.

Suddenly, a bold guess popped into Xia En's mind—

He and Vivian might have met in the future!

If the Elf Temple has a backup plan to temporarily return to the past, then Shaun may also be able to return to the past again in the future.

He and Vivian may have met briefly at that time.

Of course, this guess is rather far-fetched, and even Shane couldn't be sure.

Just as Xia En's thoughts were in turmoil.

Vivian warned, "Captain Shane, there are two pirate ships approaching!"

It was only then that Xia En belatedly came to his senses and looked out at the sea.

As the storm gradually subsides, the Siren and Thunder are slowly approaching the Black Swan.

That careful and slow demeanor seemed as if he was afraid of causing any misunderstanding.

"It's actually them!"

Xia En was somewhat surprised, but a smile appeared on his lips.

He had noticed other ships on the sea earlier, but he was so engrossed in the thrill of plundering the storm that he didn't observe them closely.

After all, the Black Swan is now larger than those two ships.

Among ships of the same size, the Black Swan has the strongest performance!

The two pirate ships that were once so feared no longer pose any threat to Xia En.

……

……

It didn't take long.

Shane then invited "Thunder Fang" Loren and "Night Princess" Elisa to the deck of the Black Swan.

Upon seeing the two who were already third-tier Secret Path practitioners, Xia En sighed.

"It's been a long time since we last met at Silvermoon Island."

He sighed with emotion, and Loren and Elisa were even more so.

When they first met, the Black Swan was just an unknown small boat, and Shane himself was only a first-tier Mystic.

Elisa also boarded the Black Swan and demonstrated her abilities, attempting to take Joey off the ship.

Now, looking at the completely renovated ship, Loren and Elisa both looked somewhat dazed.

From this ship, one can still vaguely see some traces of the past.

But whether it's the towering hull, the main cannon covered in magic patterns, or the flat and clean deck, everything is full of extraordinary charm.

And, most terrifyingly...

The moment the two stepped onto the deck, they simultaneously felt an unseen gaze upon them.

It was as if... the ship was watching them!

If the two of them show any unusual behavior, the ship seems poised to launch a fierce attack without Xia En even having to lift a finger.

Not only the ship, but also Shane's own changes greatly shocked Loren and Elisa.

Especially Elisa.

During that meeting, she was able to overpower Xia En with the aura of a second-tier Mystic, displaying a very exquisite spatial spell and gaining the upper hand by a wide margin.

But at this moment, Xia En was like a pitch-black abyss in her eyes, completely unfathomable.

Only a trace of thunderous power remained on his body.

Elisa even suspected that if they were to actually fight, she wouldn't be able to withstand even one of Shane's moves.

"It seems that all those rumors about the Black Swan were true..."

"But aren't we all third-tier Mystic Path practitioners?"

Elisa sighed inwardly, thinking, "How can the difference between people be so great?"

"Moreover, the speed at which he broke through was simply too fast, wasn't it?"

To be fair, Elisa and Loren have advanced very quickly, making them veritable geniuses among pirates.

Although they were somewhat tired, the sheer power of their auras was incomparable to that of Silvermoon Island.

But compared to Xia En, there was still a difference between a firefly and the bright moon.

Realizing this, the "Night Princess" had a rather complicated look in her eyes.

She had to admit that the little captain she once knew had grown to a point where she had to look up to him.

Elisa and Loren exchanged a glance, both able to see the shock in each other's eyes.

Loren finally understood why the infamous White Dove, which had a notorious reputation on the Seven Seas, had retreated without a fight.

"It has indeed been a long time."

Loren, with his thick skin, quickly regained his composure and said with a grin.

"I knew it! Captain Shane was incredibly lucky. How could he have died on the Chaotic Sin Islands?"

Upon hearing this, Xia En looked thoughtful.

That day, with Mr. Heller's help, he entered a vortex with teleportation capabilities, escaping the pursuit of the "Thousand Shapeshifter".

But the pirates watching, unaware of the truth, might have thought he was dead, which is why such news spread.

However, from a certain perspective, this can be considered a good thing.

The tree catches the wind.

The bounty for the Black Swan was already a whopping 3000 gold dragon coins. If it causes any more trouble, the bounty will likely skyrocket even higher.

By temporarily escaping the center of the storm, we can significantly reduce the number of people spying on us.

The existence of the [Thousand Shapeshifters] in particular gave Shane a rare feeling of unease, as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

Suppressing his thoughts, Xia En asked the two of them.

"Has anything major happened on the Seven Seas recently?"

This is asking for intelligence.

If it were ordinary pirates coming to gather intelligence, they would definitely have to pay a certain price to obtain the information.

However, Xia En had just saved two ships from the White Dove, and his own strength was unfathomable, so neither of them could harbor any strange thoughts.

Elisa frankly stated, "The most talked-about event in the Seven Seas recently has been the leak of a document numbered S3."

"This S3 document was originally the result of the Federation's secret deciphering of ancient books, but I don't know why it has been leaked."

"It records the location of a special treasure."

Xia En was also curious: "What treasure?"

Elisa's expression turned serious: "[Norwich Treasure]!"

"Novic..."

Shaun only uttered the name once before exclaiming in surprise, "The Pirate King, Augustin Novich!?"

Elisa nodded: "Exactly."

Shane's mood was quite strange.

Not long ago, he had met the legendary pirate king.

And now, news of the other party's treasure has appeared in the Seven Seas?
Elisa had no idea about Shane's dramatic experiences, and assumed that the news had also surprised him, so she continued.

"Unlike the [Treasure of the King of Cinder], which focuses more on inheritance, the [Norwich Treasure] contains the accumulation of his life's wealth, making him incredibly rich!"

"It is said that after his death, his twelve apostles tried everything they could, but failed to find the location of the Norwich Treasure."

"So after this news was released, the pirates at sea were in an uproar."

Elisa glanced at the purple-tinged sea in the distance and spoke frankly.

"Actually, I came to the [Magnetic Thunder Sea] partly to help this fool out of his predicament, and the other part was to explore this treasure."

Xia En immediately realized something: "You mean?"

"Rumor has it that part of the Norwich Treasure is buried on an island in the center of this Magnetic Thunder Sea!"

"Its name is... [Sand Island]!"

(End of this chapter)