"Envoy Ajigikro, have you captured them?"
At that moment, in some corner of the tropical jungle, numerous elite native warriors had formed a heavily fortified defensive line, and in the very center stood several crude tents.
Following native custom, these tents were adorned with brilliantly colored feather decorations on their surfaces, and even symbols daubed in fresh blood.
One native who was clearly a chieftain wore a massive golden crown atop his head, yet his body was extremely gaunt and hunched — nothing but skin and bones. The contrast gave him a strangely discordant appearance. At this moment he was looking at another white-browed native beside him.
This native named Ajigikro had evidently weathered many long years as well; his eyes held a gleam of wisdom, and he stood half a head taller than the chieftain, betraying a background of far better nourishment.
"They are incredibly powerful heretics! The elite [Jungle Hunters] and [Amazon Warriors] I brought couldn't even withstand a single sword stroke from that humanoid monster! To drive them into that location, I've already lost twenty-seven of my finest warriors..."
Ajigikro was clearly no subordinate of the chieftain — his tone carried the unmistakable air of someone speaking as an equal.
"Furthermore... I only came here this time to collect tribute on behalf of the Empire. I have no intention of involving myself in matters like this!"
Seeing the envoy's barely concealed signs of anger, the native chieftain grew visibly unsettled. "But... with those heretics and outsiders present, my island has become increasingly unsafe. Even the territory where my people live has been greatly compressed. If not for your arrival, I might have chosen to abandon this place and find some land where those blue-eyed heretics can't be seen..."
"Fine, fine..." Seeing that his complaints and grumbling had failed to move Ajigikro and had in fact made the envoy's irritation even more obvious, the chieftain immediately waved both hands in surrender, a pained expression crossing his face.
"As thanks for your help! My friend! This time I can personally offer you certain things — they are..."
After hearing a great many promises, Ajigikro's brow finally relaxed.
For the native empire that dwelled on the continent, these outlying islands were hardly worth mentioning. But this place was different!
The island's specialty could only be obtained through this native chieftain, and within the native empire it was something of tremendous value.
Otherwise, Ajigikro would never have troubled himself to help the chieftain resist foreign invaders — he'd have to be out of his mind.
"Perhaps... I should find an opportunity to beat out of him the method by which they obtain those tributes..."
Ajigikro gazed at the chieftain, the gleam in his eyes carrying a cold, sinister edge, like a venomous serpent lurking in the shadows.
And that look — even the briefest glance of it — was enough to set the chieftain squirming. "Regarding these resisters... what does the envoy have to say?"
"They?" Ajigikro's face stiffened for a moment, then twisted into a mask of towering rage. "Anyone who dares kill so many of my fine young men never meets a good end. I'll strip their scalps off, grind their bones into instruments, and hang them forever above my doorframe..."
"But… they are powerful individuals who have grasped the forces of dark magic, after all. A direct assault would cost us casualties, and the terrain also limits our options… So I think we should postpone the attack. How does tomorrow night sound to you?"
A shrewd gleam flickered in Ajigikro's eyes.
"Tomorrow… night? You mean—?" At this, the chieftain's eyes lit up with sudden brilliance.
"That's right! As long as 'that' is in play, no matter how many of those heretics show up, they'll all fall into eternal death…"
The thought of it put the chieftain in excellent spirits, and he immediately clapped his hands.
The tent flap was drawn aside silently, and a procession of young women entered like butterflies, each balancing a platter of colorful fruits atop her head.
Their eyes were like black pearls, their thin lips carrying a playful charm, and every inch of their bodies brimmed with the vibrant energy that belonged solely to youth.
The handmaidens set the platters down with respectful bows. Inside were rare tropical fruits of every variety, and the platters themselves radiated a deep, alluring golden gleam — they were forged from solid gold.
"Envoy, since there's still plenty of time before tomorrow, why not enjoy a performance from our side?"
The chieftain smiled and clapped again. A troupe of musicians immediately struck up an elegant melody. The young women swayed and danced to the music, their fiery movements imbued with a singular aesthetic beauty. In an instant, the entire tent was suffused with a wave of intoxicating, sultry warmth.
Ajigikro, meanwhile, was fixedly watching the most beautiful of the dancers, his right hand idly peeling a grape, his eyes glazed with a look of infatuation.
The chieftain chuckled inwardly at the sight. On his face, however, the sycophantic smile only grew wider…
……
While the natives feasted and danced,
The place had already become the stronghold of the Crimson Tiger. Every faction connected to the barbarians or the Church of Assassination had been torn up by the roots.
When the Crimson Tiger had first seized the port, they had carried out a sweeping purge. The devastating firepower had even collapsed half of the dock, and traces of blood still remained to this day.
But the pirates' vitality was like that of locusts — even after the crucible of war, scattered bands of pirates kept sprouting up like bamboo shoots after rain. The bars and dance halls along the waterfront never slept, steeped in an atmosphere of decadent excess.
All of this, in turn, lured even more sailors onto the pirate's path. Though most were cut down along the way, those lucky few who survived truly struck it rich overnight, becoming the stuff of new legends — tales that inspired one generation of pirates after another.
"Sir!"
Yet at that very moment, inside the central manor of the Pirate's Port, both Ronald and
Even though Leylin hadn't released his aura, the sheer oppressive pressure he exuded made the two men feel as if they were facing a dragon. This was especially true since Miss
Having witnessed Leylin's terror firsthand, they didn't even dare entertain the thought of escape. All they could do was fervently pray that Leylin would show some mercy this one time.
"I took a look around on my way here. The port's construction is quite impressive! Robin, you put your heart into it!"
Surprisingly, Leylin's first words weren't a reprimand. This unexpected praise immediately put Robin at ease. "Thank you, Young Master! I was just doing my best to handle things properly!"
"And as for you, Ronald!" Leylin then turned his gaze to the middle-aged pirate standing nearby.
This subordinate he had recruited years ago had been tempered by time. Now, he carried himself with an air of authority, and his strength had grown considerably. He truly was a talent Leylin had personally selected.
"My Lord!" Ronald immediately dropped to one knee. "I am responsible for the sea routes. No matter what, I bear a share of the blame for this incident. Please, Lord, punish me!"
From the founding of the Scarlet Tiger Pirate Group to the present, though not a long time had passed, it was long enough for cliques and factions to form.
Though everyone ultimately answered to Leylin and Isabel, there were still differences.
Compared to a direct commander like Robin, who hailed from the Guard Corps, Ronald had joined midway and inherently lacked a certain foundation of confidence. Of course, this might also have been caused by Leylin's overwhelming authority.
"Since the matter has already occurred, I have no intention of pursuing blame right now. Instead, we must rectify the mistake as quickly as possible..."
Leylin waved his hand dismissively. He had anticipated something like this might happen. So long as the people were still here, any other losses could be made good quickly. It was hardly significant.
"I've also reviewed the previous meeting records. You bear no responsibility for it! You need not worry about that..."
This was the crucial point. Otherwise, whether Ronald could walk out of this room today would have been highly uncertain.
"My Lord..." Ronald felt a surge of warmth in his chest, a feeling of being moved that left his chest tight, but no words came to him.
"Alright, who exactly are you trying to put on this display for?"
Leylin stopped Ronald's display and unrolled a massive nautical chart across the table. This was the most complete map the Scarlet Tiger Pirate Group had gathered to date, incorporating survey data from barbarians and other pirate groups as well. A single glance revealed the entire expanse of the outer sea of Danbresse. It was simply a priceless treasure.
"Come! Ronald, mark out Isabel's route from this time for me!"
Leylin picked up a pair of dividers, made a few measurements, and then handed a red marking pen to Ronald.
"As you command, My Lord!" Ronald took a deep breath, steadying the excitement in his heart. After recalling the details for a moment, he began to draw a winding red line across the chart.
"Since the native tribes of the outer seas have been largely purged, Lady Isabel's 'hunting' grounds have been spreading ever further into the deep ocean... We were still in contact during her earlier voyages, and everything was normal — until here!"
Ronald was very skilled with nautical charts and quickly pinpointed the approximate location.
"The Red Coral Sea? That's already awfully close to the outer frontier..."
Leylin stared at the map, at the spot Ronald had just marked.
The red marker was already at the southernmost edge of the chart, perilously close to the boundary of the outer seas — just a few more days of sailing and she would slip beyond the mapped range entirely.
"That cousin of mine... I warned her long ago not to push things too far..."
Leylin shook his head and sighed. "There are far too many native tribes in the south, and they're hopelessly tangled — there are even rumors of a native empire out there. Thinking she could annihilate them with nothing but a single pirate fleet... sigh..."