Captain – Chapter 538 – When Rain Ceases and Moon Appears

“Captain, we’ve hauled it up.”

Accompanied by a dull thud and the first mate’s report, a wet section of chain was presented before Enzo.

Frowning slightly as he examined this strange object that kept drifting from the waterfall’s direction, the Night Curtain captain pondered for a moment before saying: “It looks like it was used to bind that monster.”

“Only… the old man never said that thing would be this large.”

Unlike Roy’s complete ignorance, before departing from Providence, Enzo had a night-long private discussion with the Great Captain.

Though in their hearts—or rather on the surface—the legendary figures all sufficiently revered that man, it didn’t mean he could command them at will.

At least, not like servants.

The premise of such assignments was inevitably filled with exchanges of interests, only usually no one could know the Great Captain’s promises—only the parties involved were clear.

And for cooperation, sufficiently complete information and intelligence even came before interests.

Therefore, through that private discussion, Enzo learned of the current status of the Mermaid and the Taranhof, learned of the enemies they would face and the dangers to watch for.

Even a corner of that storm in the far north, the deeper secrets of the devil’s lineage.

So regarding the hidden guest lurking in the depths of the Death Silence Triangle that Roy had mentioned, Enzo also had some understanding, though the Great Captain had only briefly mentioned it.

“Oh right, you need to watch out—there’s still a mangy cur from the old calendar hiding there.”

Just that one sentence, and he could basically determine that Captain Edward’s claw left here was not the Drowned Captain, but should be a fierce beast.

Like those ghosts and monsters in pirate biographies.

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Enzo had seen many such things, even personally killed quite a few. Even if it really was that ghost ship, he wouldn’t take it much to heart, so he hadn’t thought to discuss this matter in detail.

But now it seemed he had rarely misjudged.

Because of what?

Gazing at that massive broken chain, Enzo recalled the scenes all along the way, his brow furrowing ever tighter, as if he suddenly smelled the scent of conspiracy.

No one could always be right, not even the Night Curtain captain.

But the problem was, he was rarely wrong, and this journey’s affairs were not determined by him alone—behind every step was the Great Captain’s shadow.

That person could never make such a basic error.

Unless…

A certain speculation surfaced in his mind. Enzo’s gaze sharpened slightly, but afterward, he acted as if nothing had happened, relaxing his expression and saying in a completely unconcerned tone: “Alright, Wyatt, this thing is useless now. Throw it back.”

Hearing this, the butler-like first mate waved his hand, and the crew at his side immediately sprang into action, tossing that heavy burden back into the dark sea.

With battle approaching, no one had the mind to consider whether this metal chain had any value.

Everything gave way to speed.

“Captain, is there a problem?”

After dealing with the chain, Wyatt looked at Enzo, who had turned back to gaze at the waterfall, and asked in a deep voice.

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From his understanding of the captain, the brief change in expression was enough to judge many things.

The Night Curtain captain was someone who, even facing the legendary ghost ship that might be connected to eternity, would ram into it without batting an eye.

Those ghosts and beasts even less so.

Only matters related to Captain Gerard, or thorny problems that were nearly unsolvable, could make him show slight emotion. Therefore, Enzo’s earlier expression made this first mate’s heart sink inexplicably, prompting him to ask directly.

“Yes, it seems I’ve been played.”

On the side Wyatt couldn’t see, the Night Curtain captain was smiling faintly, looking down at the chains and crystal-like fragments floating past the Ghost Scythe, thinking that with mist dispersed and curtains raised, Roy and the other should have already reached their destination.

Either they had obtained Aegis, or they were trapped by the devil’s methods…

Or even dead.

Fate seemed to have woven a spider’s web, dancing gracefully in the hands of that devil who symbolized the old era’s glory, and they were all insects trapped in the web.

Now the net was falling and tightening, leaving only one final aspect.

That aspect came not from the old era, but from… the greatest being of the present world.

Lifting his eyes to gaze at the dark sea, calm as before a storm, Enzo waited quietly and patiently for that answer to be revealed.

Seeing the captain had no intention of explaining further, his “butler” also remained silent in accompaniment.

After an unknown time, the sound of wings approached, and Alfie landed lightly on the bow rail, looking up at Enzo and waiting obediently for him to issue orders.

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The raven’s arrival meant that the two warships traveling with the Ghost Scythe had completed battle preparations.

Ready to engage the enemy at any time.

Only aside from Richi, Vivian, and the very few power figures on the Mermaid, no one knew the reason for battle readiness—they didn’t even know who the enemy was.

The Night Curtain captain gripped the ship’s rail with both hands, standing beside that death god figurehead, his black cloak dancing in the sea wind, attracting the attention of everyone on deck.

As time passed, the three warships gradually approached the waterfall, even able to see that wondrous sight of water flowing slowly and entering the sea silently, but Enzo still said nothing, only his hands gradually tightening and the curve of his lips growing ever colder.

If it were an ordinary supernatural creature, it probably wouldn’t have such patience.

Or was that thing dealing with some… more important matters?

Brilliant as the Night Curtain captain was, he had no answer for this either. He only thought silently and freely, but unknowingly, he had already formed a judgment about his earlier question.

He only lacked the truth delivering itself to his door.

Not until cold raindrops no longer struck his face or soaked through his clothes did Enzo withdraw from his thoughts, then slightly raised his head to gaze thoughtfully at the vortex-like black mist in the sky, looking at that somewhat abrupt void.

That kind of place… should originally have had something.

But now it had disappeared.

If Roy were here and could hear Enzo’s thoughts, she would definitely say, oh, there was originally a blue moon there, only unfortunately it was fake.

The Night Curtain captain didn’t know these things.

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But he knew that whether the rain stopping or the disappearance of original things were abnormal phenomena, and this often meant that some great change was about to begin.

Like curtains opening and the lead actor taking the stage.

“Thump thump, thump thump…”

At some unknown point, a low but powerful muffled sound appeared inexplicably on the sea, like war drums coming from all directions, causing the pirates to look around in all directions.

That muffled sound became increasingly clear with time, as if something was rising from the seabed, declaring in the manner of a returnee its… ownership of the world.

Even more terrifying was that to that sound where vitality and destruction intertwined in extreme conflict, the world truly gave a response—though whether it was welcome or fear was unknown.

The sea’s calm was broken. Very close to the waterfall, ripples arose with that muffled sound, countless bubbles appeared and burst, like boiling water.

The black mist at the horizon dispersed somewhat, revealing the real, extremely cold and lonely moon.

Moonlight scattered on the “boiling” sea, enveloping the warships, revealing the waterfall’s magnificent true appearance, as if in an instant, the entire world had brightened.

But beneath that absolutely beautiful scene lay the deepest terror.

“What exactly is that sound?”

Countless pirates were murmuring, asking themselves, only Enzo gazed at where the “drum sound” came from, understanding arising in his magnificent purple pupils, and finally smiled with unclear emotion.

“Oh, it’s a heartbeat.”

Also the death knell demanding lives.