Waters of the Blind Sea crashed against the harbor's planked roads, with hundreds of ships docked along the bustling city.
Humble-looking buildings were scattered around the fish market and at the ends of the city's narrow, planked streets.
Strangely enough, this city's roads weren't made out of cobblestone or dirt but from planks, as if the city were one big dock.
It almost felt like a big tidal wave ca through; the whole city would float away.
Wherever one was in these streets, they would be able to sll the roasted fish and sea salt in the air.
It was the fishern's paradise.
The rcenaries of the city wore open-front leather vests with loose, billowy shirts underneath and wide-brimd hats to protect them from the harsh sun.
They also wore high-waisted trousers, usually tucked into boots, and a few wore tricorn hats that made them look like proper pirates.
Pirateing was a common practice in these waters. It was not only done by rcenaries, but also by Originals, and it was, of course, illegal.
This city was Driftwood, the port city.
Currently, loud and rowdy laughter ca from an open-door tavern down by the docks.
Its sign that was hanging by the door had the sigil of a skull with an upside-down mustache and crossed swords.
A brown-haired young man left the tavern with the other lens of his glasses cracked and one lens missing altogether.
His nose was bleeding as well, as if he had gotten punched in the face, which resulted in his glasses breaking.
He was clutching a rcenary card with a trembling hand.
***
[Na: Seth Hardrock]
[Level: 1]
[Affiliation: None]
[Recruit: D]
[Rank: rcenaryman]
***
"Another rejection..." Seth sniffled and wiped the blood from his nose.
He had gone through every rcenary guild in the city and was rejected by them all. Eventually, he beca desperate and even went to visit the pirate crews.
They rejected him as well, but it didn't end with that. They beat him up for fun.
Usually, Tier 4 guilds wanted more mbers and were less picky about who they let in.
It usually didn't matter whether one was a D-ranked recruit, but in Seth's case, he was rejected nonetheless.
It was because he didn't look like he could hold his own weight with his scrawny, nerdy appearance.
Seth pocketed his rcenary card, kicked a rock at the wall of the tavern, and then walked away down the planked road.
The sound of waves turned louder as he arrived at the dock.
During his ti in Driftwood, he got a job by the dock as a helper for unloading cargo from ships.
'Maybe I should just beco a fisherman or treasure hunter.' Seth thought with a sigh. 'The chance of making proper money with either of them is small...'
He soon arrived at the small hut by the docks.
The small hut acted as a stall, with the front being open to the sea and the counter displaying various fishing and diving equipnt.
Inside, a gray-haired old man with a broad back was cutting down fish and preparing them for sale.
"I am back." Seth said and took a seat by the counter, watching the old man work.
"No success, huh?" Grayman looked away from the fish to stare at the bruised young man. "What happened to you?"
"I... went to visit Sad Mustache Pirates." Seth said, rubbing his sore cheek.
"You did what?" Grayman frowned. "Are you crazy?"
He slamd his long knife through the fish and left the knife there as he turned to face the young man.
"They were my last resort." Seth took out his notebook, and there were six pages that were full of nas and crossed out.
At the end of the sixth page, there was the na "Sad Mustache Pirates" written down, but then Seth crossed them out as well.
"I have now asked every rcenary guild and pirate crew in the city." Seth sighed. "They all refused ..."
"What do you plan to do now?" Grayman asked, looking sympathetic to the young man's bad luck.
"I don't know..." Seth turned his head to look at all the ships docked by. "Maybe beco a sailor?"
"About sailing, do you see those ships?" Grayman nudged his chin to the ends of the docks.
There, many three-sailed ships were anchored in the harbor, each with a unique sigil at the front of their ship's helm.
"Hmm?" Seth shook his head. "Just so rcenary ships?"
"Those ships are going to Kuro Island." Grayman.
"That Kuro Island?" Seth looked interested. "I heard it's full of treasure and danger."
"The Gathering is upon us." Grayman said. "It's where the strongest of the New World gather."
"The strongest..." Seth bit on his nail, his gaze lingering in the direction of those ships.
"Grayman!" A shout interrupted them as a long-bearded man ca with a bag full of fishes. "I got you so!"
"Put them on the counter, Rim!" Grayman gestured. "We were just talking about the
Gathering."
"Ah, the Gathering." Rim laughed, and as he sat down beside Seth, a couple of his friends ca over to join the conversation.
"We saw a fleet of ships not long ago!" One of them said with a laugh. "Hey, Seth, how's the job seeking going?"
"Not good." Seth leaned against his fist. "Can I join your guy's ship and beco a sailor?"
"Being a sailor is not as glamorous as you think." One of them said with a laugh. "You're rcenary with the system. As a sailor, you cannot take full advantage of the system, as we almost never encounter Chaosbeings, unless we sail to the Black Sea, which we never do."
"A fleet?" Grayman asked.
"Yeah, a fleet of fifty ships." Rim said with a smirk. "It was the Imperial Order. They're in control of Kuro Island, so I assu they went there early to prepare for the Gathering."
"Hey, look." Grayman looked towards the waters.
As they all turned around, they saw a single ship sailing away with three crimson sails unfurled. The sails had a sigil of crimson-furred dog.
"Crimson Hound rcenaries..." Rim whispered with a voice of respect. "The resurrected
giants."
"The resurrected giants?" Seth asked. "What's so special about them. They have only one ship, so it doesn't seem like they have enough ships or people to have a fleet."
"Ah, you don't know?" Rim looked surprised. "You ca from 'that' tutorial group, didn't
you?"
"What do you an?" Seth asked.
"There were only three guilds with S-rankers in their midst-Dying Star, Death, and Imperial
Order. Now, there's a fourth, and that's Crimson Hounds.
"They acquired the newest S-ranker, Adam Palestar." "Adam..." Seth's voice turned painful with a hint of hate. "He joined that... guild?"
"Yeah." Grayman nodded. "I doubt he is going to the Gathering, but all eyes of the rcenary world are going to be on them now.
"With S-ranker as their future guild leader, there's no doubt they'll be a force to be reckoned
with."
'Everyone talks about him. Adam that, Adam this... I have not forgotten what you did to . I will have my revenge, no matter how long it takes.'
Seth gritted his teeth, but he was helpless as his rival was just becoming stronger with each passing day while he was still stuck at the start line.
'I can't give up...' he thought determinedly and suddenly stood up.
"Seth?" Grayman frowned.
The others looked at him with equally quizzical expressions.
"I am sorry..." Seth whispered and then started running, wind rushing through his hair.
"Seth, where are you going?!"
Their shouts were drowned out by the whistling of the wind.
Seth looked straight at one of the black-sailed ships with its black flag waving in the breeze.
'I'll show you...'
Without further ado, he ran up the gangplank onto the ship.
Grayman and others watched in shock as this ship was already ready to leave the harbor with
all of its rcenaries inside.
Before they could utter another word, the ship's anchor was lifted and the sails unfurled,
carrying it out to sea with Seth hidden inside.
"What's that fool doing..." Grayman ran to the edge of the docks, watching as the black-sailed ship sailed away. "That's a pirate ship, you fool!"
"That is a pirate ship." Rim walked over to him with an ugly expression. "Belongs to the Mad Pirate Aemon. He's strong enough to participate in the Gathering!"
"So, that's where the ship is going?" Grayman asked. "To the Gathering?"
"Yes..." Rim nodded, a sense of dread creeping over him. "If Seth is discovered, they'll crucify him. Aemon is known for his ruthless treatnt of prisoners and crewmates alike..."
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