Captain – Chapter 515 – Found It

Yes, he was right.

After hearing the man’s conclusion, Caine looked at the pendant in his hand, thinking silently.

He did indeed want many things.

But those futures and visions, in the present when the journey had just begun, before the young woman achieved her goal, were nothing but wishful thinking—bubbles that would burst at the first touch.

Even something as mystical as the pendant couldn’t point him toward a path under such circumstances.

If that was the case, rather than indulging in fantasies, it would be better to do as Captain Enzo said—put aside these ethereal longings and first accompany her to complete this difficult journey.

The promises you once made, the companionship along the way, even taking the pocket watch in the dream and willingly becoming ensnared by the curse—weren’t all of these efforts made for this purpose?

Then… what harm was there in going a bit further? What did it matter to use up this opportunity?

What she wants most should also be what I want.

Staring directly into the deep eye sockets of the crystal skull, the First Mate seemed to sink into the depths of his own heart, hearing that gentle, dream-like whisper.

So, what did she want most?

To go to the Cursed Sea, rescue her father, and take revenge on the devil who manipulated her life.

As if his inner voice had been heard, Caine’s pupils contracted. He clearly saw a faint blue light flash silently through the crystal skull’s eyes, like the only star in the dark night, like a weak flame before it becomes a prairie fire.

No, these were all future matters, no different from his own visions.

To approach those islands at the journey’s end, they had to focus on the present. To enter the Cursed Sea, they needed that shield. And to find it…

They had to find the path leading to it.

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Whether that path’s end was heaven or hell.

As his thoughts neared their conclusion, the First Mate lowered his eyelids slightly, as if making a request to the object before him, silently whispering: So please… help me find that path.

Help me find my heart’s desire.

It might have been an illusion, but at a certain moment, everyone present seemed to hear an extremely faint explosive sound, like dry kindling being ignited without cause.

Only Roy and Enzo, the two who had once possessed the pendant, knew this was no illusion but the signal of the ghostly fire in the skull’s eye sockets being lit, responding to its master’s heart’s voice. Its appearance naturally meant…

The young man had found what he most desired.

Was it that path?

Caine was the first person to hear that soft sound.

His gaze never moved as he stared at the skull’s eye sockets, watching that ghostly light flash once and disappear, then like a spark, quietly emerge again, never to be extinguished. After that, flickering streams of light began to appear before his eyes.

That weak fluorescence, seeming as if it might extinguish at any moment, flowed from the skull’s eye sockets, constantly swaying, faintly pointing beyond the meeting room.

Pointing toward somewhere extremely distant beyond the horizon.

Just like when it had pointed toward the Victoria and the untraceable Devil’s Island.

As if hearing some kind of summons, Caine slowly rose, slightly raising the pendant in his hand, directing it toward the vague flow of the ghostly light. Sure enough, though the change was subtle, he could still perceive the light gradually brightening.

Becoming increasingly solid, like threads forming ribbons.

“Bang!”

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The meeting room door was suddenly pushed open.

Facing the growing sea wind and the pirates’ astonished gazes, a group of six people, led by the young man holding the pendant, quickly crossed the deck.

Standing at the bow of the Ghost Scythe, Caine moved the pendant until those thread-like streams of light completely solidified and stopped trembling. Only then did he turn slightly, look at the others waiting for the result, take a deep breath, and speak:

“Found it.”

Looking at the crystal skull in the young man’s hands, seeing those ghostly lights pointing northwest toward the depths of the Triangle, Enzo’s face once again wore that nonchalant smile. He turned around and loudly commanded the crew members who had gathered to look:

“Gentlemen, remove the gangplanks, drop the sails and raise the anchors! We’re preparing to depart!”

“As for our heading, we’ll go toward…”

Pausing, the man glanced at Roy, then announced to the pirates with a smile: “Oh, this time you don’t need to worry about the heading. Just follow Captain Roy.”

After a round of good-natured laughter, the Ghost Scythe’s crew immediately began preparing for departure.

The rope hooks connecting the three warships for stability were retracted, gangplanks were removed, black sails dropped and iron anchors raised—the Death Scythe of the Western Seas regained its freedom.

Additionally, through the sentries’ communications and the ravens’ commanding calls, the Mermaid and Taranhof were immediately informed of all arrangements.

“Well then, everyone, we should depart.”

After giving orders, Enzo turned his gaze back, smiling: “Oh, look at me—I forgot to leave you a way back. But I think with your skills, you shouldn’t be stopped by such a short gap, right?”

The man seemed to be apologizing, but his expression showed not a trace of remorse. It looked more like a childish prank that had been planned in advance.

His meaning was clearly for everyone to return using swing ropes.

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Roy, Richi, and Vivian had already experienced countless boarding battles and were well-versed in this process, but Caine was different. Although he had used swing ropes before, he could count the times on one hand.

The most typical instance had been over half a year ago when boarding the Constantine, but that time, the distance between the two warships had been negligibly short.

This time, whether by chance or deliberate design, from the moment the order was given until the crew began executing it, the distance between the warships continued to expand without pause.

It wasn’t hard to guess who the man was targeting.

“How childish.”

Hearing the captain’s muttered complaints on his behalf, seeing Enzo’s malicious smile, the First Mate shook his head, put the pendant back into his inner pocket, then in front of everyone, leaped onto the rail, grabbed a swing rope, and nimbly jumped.

“Oh, when did he become so skilled at that?”

Watching that steadily landing figure, Roy blinked, quite puzzled, feeling that strange things were becoming more and more frequent lately, especially regarding him.

He could understand the Mourning Tongue, could cross blades with the Night Curtain captain, and even use swing ropes he’d barely touched with such familiarity. It felt like he had changed so much.

No, she should say he had improved so much, becoming increasingly similar to the person in the pocket watch photograph.

After the young man left, the captain and first mate of the Taranhof naturally didn’t linger either.

Looking at the increasingly distant Taranhof, about to exceed boarding distance, Richi, before following the Blood Craver’s steps toward the other side of the ship, turned back to glance at Enzo, his pale eyebrows slightly drooping, looking rather helpless.

“Forgive me for saying so, Captain Enzo, but this prank seems more like it’s targeting me.”

Finally, only Roy and her improper guide remained at the Ghost Scythe’s bow. As if receiving orders from the First Mate, the Mermaid began approaching, so there was no need to worry about having to swim back if she stayed too long.

Nodding to the man, the young woman was about to climb onto the rail and swing back to the Mermaid when she was stopped by a call. She had to turn around and look at the approaching figure.

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Enzo came to the captain’s side, gripping the rail with one hand while smiling and waving at the young man standing at the Mermaid’s side rail, whose expression couldn’t be clearly seen.

“Go ahead and do what you must, without reservations.”

Hearing the man’s gentle voice, Roy’s eyes flickered slightly, remembering that in the past when they were alone, he had used the same tone. But after understanding his cold side, being treated so specially again made her feel somewhat awkward.

“Whether what you mentioned lurking in the depths of the Triangle is the Drowned Captain or something more troublesome, I’ll hold it back for you until you return.”

“But if…”

Hearing this, the young woman frowned slightly, hesitating before asking: “What if you can’t hold it back?”

Hearing this, Enzo didn’t become displeased at being underestimated as she had imagined, nor did he boast carelessly as usual, saying such a thing was impossible. He simply smiled emotionlessly and patted her shoulder.

“Go back.”

Watching that figure turn and walk away, gradually becoming distant, with his pitch-black cloak dancing like a battle flag in the sea wind, Roy suddenly saw many images flash before her eyes—all the various efforts she had made in the past to chase after him.

The Night Curtain of the Western Seas still seemed as powerful as ever, never to fall.

But for some unknown reason, an unprecedented, lingering unease suddenly welled up in the captain’s heart, as if that figure before her eyes and in her memory was truly growing farther and farther away from her, until someday he could never return.

Only those near death could understand the true meaning of the Mourning Tongue.

As she turned to leave, she couldn’t help but recall what Vivian had said—that interpretation of the Mourning Tongue and those who could understand such writing.

Like a… judgment upon them.