Captain – Chapter 683 – Mist Clears, Snow Falls, the Devil Arrives

The newcomer was a brown-haired, blue-eyed young man with a standard noble’s face. From the lines composing his features, he should ordinarily be a gentle and amiable person.

But now, that refined face that didn’t resemble a pirate’s bore no emotion whatsoever.

Only pure indifference, vaguely rigid.

The Crown Prince naturally didn’t recognize this person.

But from the ancient Auran he spoke and the old-era clothing described in the dynasty’s most secret texts, he was undoubtedly someone from hundreds or nearly a thousand years ago.

Then considering the era and his guarding this place, the captain he mentioned wasn’t hard to guess—it should be that prince of different surname who visited the east hundreds of years ago.

Prince Deming, or rather Captain Edward.

If so, this well-dressed young man before him should be that person’s absolute devotee, one of the devil captain’s trusted inner circle recorded in the secret texts.

A worthy first-generation legend.

Of course, the Crown Prince could reach these conclusions not merely from appearance and clothing, but from the most compelling reason—this suddenly appearing person…

Was extremely powerful, having surely received the devil’s grace.

He was the gatekeeper of this place.

“Leave now, and I won’t kill you.”

Just as the Crown Prince silently contemplated and gathered power for battle, that person’s voice sounded again.

Still emotionless, yet containing no hint of deception.

Hearing this, after quietly waiting a while and confirming the other wasn’t using trickery, the Crown Prince frowned slightly as he studied him, not quite understanding the reason.

He had struggled desperately to kill his way here and was undoubtedly an enemy, not a guest. Yet why was this person so calm when saying these words, as if knowing nothing of previous events?

No, not as if—he truly didn’t know.

Looking at that person’s indifferent expression, though the Crown Prince had no proof, he still felt this was the truth. What puzzled him more was that though the other clearly seemed alive…

Reαd оn KαtRеαⅾіnɡСafе

There wasn’t a trace of life energy about him.

Not the absence of heartbeat or stopped blood flow, but his entire body occupied by decay and death energy. Though he possessed a powerful physique and strength, he had no emotions or consciousness whatsoever.

Just like the corpse puppets described in ancient forbidden books.

Only the control method was countless times more miraculous.

Undoubtedly the devil’s handiwork.

“My apologies.”

But despite facing this eerie scene and a legendary figure he might not be able to defeat, the Crown Prince showed no intention of retreating or explaining, because that skeletal giant statue was guarding him outside the island, and because he had never thought of giving up.

Even if the newcomer was extremely strong, not to mention others hidden in the mist and that great existence behind him who rivaled his father emperor, he still had to move forward.

After twelve years and countless brushes with death, he finally had the chance to approach the jade seal.

There was no reason not to try.

Almost the instant his words fell, the Crown Prince’s entire body tensed as he leaped forward. Silver radiance danced on his arm guards, and the pale golden tide that had dimmed surged forth again!

Even bearing heavy injuries and near exhaustion, even with the hidden ailment that had lurked in his body for over ten years rearing its head, he remained formidable at this moment, his form ethereal and hard to capture.

In a flash, a fist wreathed in lightning had already reached that pirate.

“Clang!”

Just as when he faced the skeletal giant statue and had prepared to raise both arms, that pirate didn’t wait for him to speak. The moment he showed intent to move, there was already a reaction, though the movement was slightly slow—only drawing a curved blade to block horizontally when the fist arrived.

So the dark armor covering the fist collided heavily with the cold-gleaming blade, producing a crisp ring and fierce winds that made both their robes flutter like flags.

In combat of this level, unless dealing with existences like giant dragons or evil spirits with iron-like bodies and vast life force, victory or defeat often decided in an instant.

The most minute cause could lead to failure.

Reaԁ оո ΚatRеαⅾіոɡСаfе

Therefore, mercilessly, facing the Crown Prince’s unreserved killing punch and the pale golden tide pushed to its peak even earlier, though the curved blade in the pirate’s hand was decent, it was ultimately just a mortal object—it twisted and then shattered.

So victory and defeat were instantly decided.

In the blade’s miserable cry-like cracking sound, that fist passed through the scattering metal fragments and struck mercilessly against that pirate’s chest.

With a muffled “thud,” blood fell like rain, scattering in starlike drops on the wooden floor.

The pirate of unknown life or death flew into the mist with no further sound.

The Crown Prince withdrew his trembling hand, looking at the silver radiance that no longer held its former might, feeling the knife-like pain throughout his body, knowing he was near his limit.

He could collapse powerlessly at any moment and never wake again.

That fierce punch had seemed imposing but was actually the swan song of a spent arrow.

But who knew how many figures like that pirate remained on this ship?

But… he still had to move forward.

At least he wouldn’t regret it.

With this thought, the Crown Prince lowered his hand, his gaze toward the front showing hidden weariness.

What he didn’t notice was that besides that pirate, the blade fragments he had shattered and the pieces scattered on the ground had all been swallowed by the heavy mist at some unknown time.

Not leaving the slightest trace.

This world… had undergone some indescribable change without his awareness.

And the next moment, the Crown Prince witnessed that change.

“Tap.”

When he took another step forward just as when he first entered this place, the ghostly mist ahead swirled rapidly, becoming a vortex, becoming a door, and that young man defeated by him…

Reаⅾ οո KαtRеaⅾіոɡCafе

Appeared again.

His clothing and expression were identical to before, even the broken curved blade was intact in his hand. The greatest difference was that the Crown Prince no longer heard that persuasion.

Instead came a coldly indifferent statement.

“You will regret this.”

As the words first fell, the pirate violently attacked. The snow-bright curved blade carried tremendous force and arrived swiftly. When that person was prepared and took the initiative to strike, he was truly frighteningly fast.

The Crown Prince only had time to cross his arms in defense before the blade tip stabbed directly into his arm guards.

Sparks flew as the dark arm armor shook violently.

Not vibration from the collision, but because those arms could barely hold out any longer.

So the Crown Prince retreated several steps.

And just these few steps caused the ghostly mist behind him, originally dense enough to seem like a curtain across the sky, to suddenly thin greatly. A dim ghostly light shone through.

The symphony of shrieks and death bells from the present world faintly reached his ears, and that mountain-like giant shadow guarding the “delicious meal” had already shown its outline.

The intense crisis and oppressive feeling quickly made the Crown Prince realize he could retreat no further. Otherwise, returning to that bone sea and facing the giant statue, he would have only death awaiting.

Unfortunately, the choice wasn’t in his hands.

These few retreating steps couldn’t possibly dissipate the force contained in the pirate’s blade.

Even if the arm armor could resist its sharpness, before that tremendous force, whether he retreated or not, he had to retreat.

Moreover, retreat or not, it was still defeat.

Still death.

Either pierced through the heart by a sharp blade or crushed by a giant anchor—ultimately only one outcome of being swallowed by chaos, with just slight differences in process but no other distinction.

Rеαⅾ оո ΚаtRеаԁіոɡСаfе

It seemed this was the end.

Thinking this, the weariness in the Crown Prince’s eyes grew thicker, his body seeming enveloped by wind and snow, leaving only cold and drowsiness, as if he had truly sunk to the very bottom of the abyss.

Even death became a desire.

“Tap.”

Accompanied by a light sound, under the curved blade’s pressure, he ultimately took that step back. So the pirate and blade vanished, and he returned to the blue-green ghostly light.

Though still on the island’s shore, presumably this time that giant statue wouldn’t just watch.

So the Crown Prince didn’t even intend to turn around.

He raised his face slightly, looking at the mist above and ahead, looking at the ghostly light that made the mist even more eerie. A self-mocking curve appeared at the corner of his lips as he quietly awaited fate’s judgment.

But he didn’t wait for wind, nor did he wait for the giant anchor to fall.

Instead, he waited for a crystal-clear snowflake that flew down and melted on the tip of his nose.

Only then did he realize with shock that the earlier cold wasn’t a near-death hallucination, but these small things falling on his body and taking away some warmth.

The heavy mist had actually dispersed, and he had returned to the present world—that’s why he could see this snowy scene under the light.

Then… you should naturally have arrived as well.

Just as the Crown Prince’s thought fell, the miserable howls from all directions, the dragon’s roar outside the warship, and even the “holy” death bell of unknown origin all vanished in an instant.

Only tranquility remained, true tranquility.

Because the devil had come.

Translator Note

CAPTAIN ROYYYYYYY