I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 250 A Thousand Sails Race
"report!"

“There is a damaged medium-sized fishing boat ahead, and it has raised a white flag.”

Sailing in the waters near the Garo Islands, on a light destroyer, the commander picked up his binoculars after hearing a report from his subordinates.

Modern naval warfare emphasizes 'ultra-long-range strikes,' with missiles annihilating the enemy thousands of miles away: telescopes are almost obsolete.

However, after the resurgence of the superhumans, their ultra-low-altitude flight, high-speed movement, and non-mechanical nature rendered satellites, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, and radar ineffective. Since they were all 'blind,' the strategy of 'annihilating the enemy beyond visual range' was no longer viable.

Low-altitude drones, on the other hand, are favored by all parties, with orders pouring in like snowflakes.

"Deploy reconnaissance drones."

Upon discovering the damaged fishing boat flying a white flag, several drones were immediately launched from the French destroyer.

Buzzing buzzing buzzing

Several drones flew over and circled the boat, taking in the entire modified fishing vessel.

“There are traces of a suicide drone strike on the damaged hull.”

"There were several armed men on the deck, who appeared demoralized."

"They are waving at us."

As the drone pilot relayed the information about the modified fishing boat, the destroyer commander lowered his binoculars.

"Pull the boat over!"

As one 'lucky' after another finds the extraordinary pearl and becomes an extraordinary being, ships of all sizes from all over the world are rushing to this sea area.

Never underestimate human desires. In peacetime, there are still a large number of extreme sports enthusiasts and financial criminals who disregard the risk of life imprisonment; in this extraordinary era, there are even more ambitious individuals who, either representing the government or acting privately, venture into this sea.

die?

For those who have achieved great success, it is naturally a great terror.

But for ambitious individuals in their early stages, it's merely a diversion from the wine of adventure.

It may be the intoxicating sweetness of success, or the despairing bitterness of failure. Better to strive for a moment than live a wasted hundred years!
The fishing boat in front of us is clearly a loser.

As the destroyer approached the fishing boat, the stark difference in size between the two became increasingly apparent.

It was like a burly man standing next to a kitten at his feet—the disparity was so great that the soldiers on the destroyer couldn't muster any enthusiasm.

Not only were they disparate in size, but their weaponry was also vastly different: compared to a fully armed warship, this fishing boat was practically naked.

"Dispatch SA-330 and board the fishing boat."

At the commander's command, the 'Puma' attack helicopters parked on the aft deck of the destroyer took off and flew toward the fishing boats next to it.

swipe, swipe, swipe

Sixteen fully armed soldiers slid down the rope and landed on the fishing boat.

"Who are you?"

"gentlemen,"

Facing the gun barrels of these French soldiers, the middle-aged man who came forward raised his hands.

"We are just a group of fishermen."

"Shit!"

Thump,

The leading soldier swung his rifle butt at the middle-aged man, instantly leaving his face covered in blood.

"I'm asking one last time,"

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

The dangers of this sea area had long since worn down everyone's 'patience'; moreover, many of these French soldiers were from the Foreign Legion.

It has absolutely nothing to do with any 'civilized army'; rather, an organization like the military, whose purpose is 'killing,' has absolutely nothing to do with 'civilization.'

"Alright, alright, sir!"

Ignoring the blood streaming down his face, the middle-aged man, with his hands raised, spoke helplessly.

"We were attacked by a 'monster'."

"That monster is—"

Da da da da,

Before the middle-aged man could finish speaking, a burst of gunfire suddenly erupted from the destroyer not far away.

? !
The sudden change behind us
This caused the French soldiers who boarded the fishing boat to turn their heads away.

On their destroyer, a tall figure appeared out of nowhere and began to wreak havoc!
The man was estimated to be over two meters tall, with a burly physique that seemed inhuman. His skin was covered in a hard, fish-scale-like substance. Yet, he was incredibly agile, leaping three to five meters in a single bound. His strength was terrifying; with a casual wave of his hand, a fully armed soldier was sent flying with a scream.

The soldiers on guard on deck were caught off guard and soon had no choice but to hide.

Ignoring the remaining soldiers, the strange man rushed into the driver's cab, and soon screams and crashing sounds came with the sea breeze.

"Attack!"

"Our ship has been attacked by supernatural forces!"

"Back up, back up—"

Amidst the roars coming through their headsets, 16 fully armed French soldiers, without a second thought, charged toward the armed transport plane hovering above the fishing boat.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang! !
However, bullets whistled from behind.
Without hesitation, he burrowed into the areas not covered by the bulletproof vests and shot the soldiers to the ground.

彭、

The fishing boat's door was kicked open.

Two sailors carrying 'Stinger' appeared at the door and pulled the trigger without hesitation!

Clearly, this was a meticulously planned ambush.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After the brief ambush, everyone on board the destroyer was herded onto the deck to face armed sailors and the very people who had led to their defeat.

"Gentlemen, you now have two paths to choose from—"

The burly man, standing 2.5 meters tall with a waist circumference of 2.5 meters, looked down at the prisoners like a small giant.

"First, jump from here."

With a raised hand pointing to the ship's side, the little giant's mouth opened and closed...

If the whiskers on your chin look like tentacles, then they're wriggling tentacles!
"Second, join us."

叮、

After he finished speaking, a dagger was thrown at the feet of the prisoners.

"But before that, kill a wounded soldier: simple, right?"

There was a group of seriously wounded people nearby who were half-dead but had not yet breathed their last.

???

What kind of rules are these during the Age of Exploration, for joining a pirate crew?

The prisoners, covered in bruises and blood, looked at each other; no one made a move until the man, who was like a small giant, impatiently raised his hand and pointed.

"You, pick up the dagger."

The soldier who was designated shuddered and shakily picked up the dagger from the ground.

His expression changed several times, and finally, he gritted his teeth and stomped his foot:

"I'll fight you to the death!"

Bang!
The soldier who charged at the little giant with a dagger was sent flying backward.

It crashed heavily onto the destroyer's gun turret, its twisted body sliding down, motionless.

"Next,"

The little giant slapped the soldier away and then pointed at another prisoner.

"Sorry,"

The trembling prisoner picked up the dagger and walked toward a wounded soldier.

It stabbed down hard—

"Hahahaha~~~"

“Very good, from now on you will be my crew, Marshall’s crew.”

With his fan-like five fingers, the little giant patted the shoulders of more than a dozen soldiers whose faces were ashen, laughing wildly as he 'comforted' them.

"Follow me, and you will see a higher view!"

"Money, women, power, killing. Even supernatural powers can be obtained."

"Or is it that those politicians you used to serve will give you the opportunity to eat the 'extraordinary pearl'?"

Faced with the promise from the little giant before him, the soldiers—no, they should now be called 'rebels'—whose hands were stained with the blood of their comrades, blinked slightly. There was no turning back: nearby, a middle-aged man with bandages wrapped around his head held a camera, recording the scene of their killing of their comrades.

Thus, they have no choice but to follow this enemy/captain down a dark path.

Or find an opportunity to take revenge.
“Little ones,”

"Get the boat moving."

"Let's go find our next prey—"

Under the command of the towering captain, a 'fleet' consisting of a destroyer and a fishing boat began sailing again, heading towards the nearest island.

"Captain, although our plan has succeeded, how do we solve the supply problem for the two ships?"

The fishing boat pretended to surrender to attract attention, while the captain sneaked in from the sea to launch a surprise attack.

Relying on their extraordinary strength and formidable individual combat capabilities, they audaciously captured a light destroyer; however, the more modern a warship is, the more logistical support it requires. Once fuel and ammunition are exhausted, it becomes an iron coffin.

"If there are no supplies, then rob them!"

After consuming the 'Extraordinary Pearl,' Marshall, who transformed into a two-meter-tall man with an octopus-like beard, waved his hand domineeringly.

"Ships, soldiers, ammunition, food—this sea has it all!"

The words themselves conveyed a sense of bloodshed and cruelty.

It was as if time and space had reversed.

We've returned to the Caribbean during the Age of Exploration.

"But if we continue like this, we'll be wanted by major powers sooner or later."

The middle-aged first mate, his head wrapped in bandages, helplessly reminded his captain:

"We have no chance of winning against the fleets of major powers."

After all, they were just an untrained armed force. In front of a regular navy, they couldn't even see the enemy and were about to be eaten by fish at the bottom of the sea.

"I know we're racing against time! Before we're surrounded, we'll seize more 'Extraordinary Pearls' and form an 'Extraordinary Pirate Crew'! By then—"

They would no longer fear the encirclement and suppression by the nation's warships.

By consuming the Sea Kingdom's 'Extraordinary Pearl,' one automatically gains the properties of underwater breathing and scaly skin; one can simply dive into the ocean, leaving modern warships helpless. Then, one can find an opportunity to climb aboard the warship and engage in close combat.

“Bakis, let’s make a bet.”

"Let's bet on whether my 'Extraordinary Pirate Crew' will be established first, or be surrounded and wiped out by the fleet first!"

“You’ve always been very lucky, Captain.”

The middle-aged man named 'Bakis' shrugged.

"I'm just a first mate; my job is to follow orders. As for thinking and making decisions—"

That's the captain's business.

"Hahaha~~"

The tall, extraordinary Captain Marshall patted his first mate on the shoulder.

My first mate isn't particularly strong or intelligent; but he's loyal, and that's enough.

"Don't worry, you'll get a share of the extraordinary pearls."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Shenmu
Huge airships are anchored in the sea, serving as 'bases' for island nations and maritime nations.

"Kani-hime, I've always had a question."

Aside from going to school, Kasaiin Yura, who spends most of her time stationed on this 'aircraft carrier', stroked her chin like her master.

"I don't know if I can ask?"

"Go ahead and speak, Kani-hime is listening~~"

The little girl, sitting on the beach chair next to me, took a sip of her chilled juice.

"Isn't Mount Suzuka in eastern Mie Prefecture?"

"Why do you call yourselves the 'Sea Kingdom,' and why are you homeless?"

Mount Suzuka, the legendary stronghold of Ōtakemaru, is located in eastern Mie Prefecture, Japan. It is a famous tourist destination, renowned for its beautiful natural scenery and rich history and culture.

Although that mountain range is indeed near the sea, these 'sea kingdoms' seem to care about their 'homeland' in the slightest.

“That’s not the real Suzuka Mountain,”

Holding the answer from the Fruit Juice Crab Princess,
"The real Suzuka Mountain is here."

"Ah, I can't say for now. Anyway, when Suzuka returns, I guarantee you'll be very surprised."

"I see, that really makes me look forward to it—"

With her doubts resolved, Yura suddenly thought of another question:
"Given the lifespan of you demons and extraordinary beings, it wouldn't be decades or even centuries from now, would it?"

If that's the case, she won't be able to wait until then.

Human lifespan has a limit.

Even the legendary great Onmyoji, sorcerers, and samurai could not break through this limitation: unless they possessed divine blood or transformed themselves into other beings.

"No, no."

The adorable Crab Princess shook her head.
After spending time together, 'she' and Yura have become friends.

"At most a year and a half~~"

"When Suzuka Mountain returns, that will be the day the young master awakens."

As she spoke, the little girl-like Crab Princess clenched her fair fist and swung it.

"With the young master here, the mere Nine-Tailed Fox force is nothing to worry about!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Tokyo,

Chiyoda, the official residence of the Prime Minister.

The cabinet ministers of the island nation gathered together, and the rapidly changing extraordinary situation forced them to work overtime as a group.

"Our fleet, together with that of the Russian fleet, has blockaded the northern part of the Filipino waters,"

"The combined fleet, led by England and France, occupied the southern part of the sea."

"However, a large number of ships are pouring into this sea area from the east and west every moment: warships, armed fishing boats, and merchant ships from various countries."

As Director Zhu Ya spoke, a nautical chart centered on the non-protocolier appeared on the large screen in the conference room: countless red dots surged toward this sea area from the left and right, forming a dense ring: and this was only the number captured by satellites and reconnaissance aircraft.

There are also countless small boats, speedboats, and even submarines.

"According to our intelligence, more than ten people from other countries have already consumed the extraordinary pearls!"

These words caused the high-ranking officials present to furrow their brows and feel their hearts clench.

These pearls should have been 'theirs'!

"Not only that, even retired battleships have entered this sea area."

As symbols of "big ship and big gun doctrine," the "battleships" that once served as naval fortresses became scrap metal after World War II. Some were used for "target practice" to test the power of various weapons; some were dismantled and recycled; and some were used as amusement parks.

Another portion was left in remote ports, quietly turning into dust of history along with those ports that were abandoned along with them.

However, as the extraordinary disasters intensified, these once-mighty ships and cannons were unearthed and given a second life.

Admittedly, these giant ships are nothing more than clumsy sandbags in the face of modern warships.

However, their close-combat firepower is fierce enough!

It's perfect for fighting hand-to-hand combat with supernatural beings, since these battleships, which have been urgently repaired and are now sailing the seas again, were originally useless scrap metal.

"This is really true."

The newly appointed foreign minister looked quite emotional.
The 'giant warships and cannons' that were once the island nation's favorite have actually made a comeback.

It's truly heartbreaking.

"With the combined efforts of our side and the Sea Kingdom, the Nine-Tailed Fox forces have retreated to the Filipino Islands."

"However, we do not yet have the strength to invade the archipelago."

On the high seas, the Suzuka Mountain Sea Kingdom holds a geographical advantage; however, once on land, the strength of the Sea Kingdom will be greatly reduced.

"Moreover, the Sea Kingdom is not in a hurry to win a quick victory."

"The same applies to the Nine-Tailed Fox's forces."

Director Zhu Ya pushed up her non-prescription glasses.
The reason is simple: the Nine-Tailed Fox forces need time to revive the other 'tails,' and the Sea Kingdom is secretly seizing the time to awaken its 'young master.' Thus:
"We must also seize this precious opportunity to develop more extraordinary individuals!"

Exceptional pearls from the Libin Islands
Island nations also want to compete.

(End of this chapter)