The Last Adventurer -
Chapter 43
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Prøks]
Chapter 43: The Nautilus (2)
3.
There were two ways to travel from Victoria Island to other continents.
One was to take an airship, and the other was to take a ship.
Naturally, most people traveled by ship, and as a result, the port city of Lis became the center of Victoria Island.
“You can’t go on any adventure without going through Lis.”
Those who wanted to come to Victoria Island and those who wanted to leave gathered in the port city of Lis.
However, not everyone gathered there.
“Except for the pirates of the Nautilus.”
The Nautilus was an exception.
“Why?”
It was obvious, actually.
“They’re pirates, aren’t they?”
Even though Captain Kyrin had banned looting and crime since she became captain of the Nautilus, the notoriety that the Nautilus had accumulated over the years could not be erased in one fell swoop.
In addition, the very nature of the Nautilus was to roam the vast ocean freely.
It was impossible for its nature to be compatible with the atmosphere of the port city of Lis, which thrived on trade.
They were like water and oil.
“Good heavens!”
But the biggest reason was this.
“Is that really a ship? It looks like an island, no matter how I look at it.”
The Nautilus was so large compared to a small city, it was incredibly huge.
So, those who saw the Nautilus for the first time couldn’t help but be amazed at its size.
The next thing they were surprised by was after setting foot on the Nautilus.
“Items for sale! From 1 circle to 3 circle!”
“All kinds of monster parts for sale!”
“Selling potions in bulk!”
In fact, the place was like a city, where all kinds of items were being traded in real time.
This was a sight rarely seen in Lis, where all transactions were practically done by those in their late teens.
“Guns for sale! All kinds of muskets available!”
The most impressive of these were the guns.
In Maple World, guns were not that rare of an item.
However, they were surprisingly hard to find.
This was due to two reasons.
“I guess it’s because it’s a pirate stronghold, so there are a lot of guns.”
Firstly, there were not many people who used guns as weapons.
In the first place, the occupation of a pirate was a term used to classify those who could use gun or cannon items.
Just like how those who use magic skill items are classified as mages, and those who use warrior skill items are classified as warriors.
Another reason was that gun control was very strict.
“It wouldn’t be surprising if a couple of people died if you messed up.”
And that’s understandable.
Unlike swords, polearms, bows, or magic, which require a high level of practice, guns could be handled to some extent with just a little practice.
And they were incredibly powerful.
Of course, they weren’t the ultimate weapon. For one thing, the cooldown time needed to fire each shot was longer than any other weapon.
Also, there was a big difference between hitting something and hitting it properly.
In fact, the stories of pirates who died in the Mystic Gate raid just because they believed in the power of guns were not even worth telling.
Even so, it was a clear fact that guns were more dangerous weapons than any other weapon when it came to accidents.
So, in Lis, if you were caught carrying a gun, you would be reported and stopped, and people usually kept them hidden away.
Anyway, for El Paume, who had only been active in Lis until then, it was a new world in many ways.
“It’s different in many ways.”
“That’s really it.”
“Yes?”
“The real deal of the Nautilus is that bounty board.”
However, what truly made the Nautilus special was none other than its bounty board.
A massive board stretching 100 meters long, more like a fortress wall than a board, its vast expanse was filled with bounty pages.
This was why adventurers gathered on the Nautilus.
“They give you a bounty just for clearing it, they’re really generous.”
The fact that you could go on a Mystic Gate adventure whenever you wanted, as long as you were willing.
This was a different world for the adventurers of Lis, who had to contract with the upper echelons and clear only the Mystic Gates they owned.
“That’s how dangerous it is.”
Of course, it wasn’t all good.
“Most of them aren’t even properly managed. Trolling happens a lot too.”
Just as Kiri had said, the bounty gates that could be found on the Nautilus were like ticking time bombs.
This was why the 10-plus teenagers of Lis were in charge of Mystic Gate management in the first place.
“But the survival rate is surprisingly similar.”
“What?”
“There’s not much difference between the survival rate of Lis’s adventurers and the survival rate of Nautilus’s adventurers.”
The interesting thing was that the adventurers of the Nautilus didn’t just blindly face death.
“What are you talking about? They’re all full of bombs!”
“If the risk is high, you just need to manage it. The adventurers of the Nautilus have their own set of rules.”
“Rules?”
“Don’t touch anything expensive.”
Abandon reckless adventures that are too risky.
That was how the adventurers of the Nautilus survived.
“Ah, so that’s why the 9.99 million meso one is taking a year?”
No one even dared to challenge Eagle Eye’s Tomb, a valuable Mystic Gate that anyone could see, because of that.
“Wait, a minute.”
That’s why.
“So then we’re…”
“Wowww!”
“He ripped off the 9.99 million meso bounty page!”
“What? He ripped that off?”
“There’s a challenger for Eagle Eye’s Tomb!”
El Paume, the moment he ripped off the 9.99 million meso bounty page, all the adventurers nearby started to go wild.
Amidst that frenzy, Dibo was the only one whose expression remained stiff.
‘Crazy!’
From what he heard, wasn’t it just a 9.99 million meso, a good money-making adventure?
“Ah, there’s one more rule.”
“Again?”
To Dibo, who seemed perplexed, Ralph revealed one more absolute rule that must be followed on the bounty board.
“Once you tear it off, you can never take it back.”
“Never?”
“Oh, there is one way.”
“Really?”
“This is a rule set by Captain Kyrin, so if you become the new captain instead of Captain Kyrin, you might be able to undo it.”
“Oh, really!”
Dibo scowled at Ralph’s absurd remark.
Of course, that was the end of it.
Dibo didn’t get angry or embarrassed by it.
“The boss will handle it.”
After all, if El Paume was determined to go on an adventure, no matter the circumstances, it was inevitable.
“Good luck with everything.”
And El Paume had always completed every adventure flawlessly.
‘I can even adventure to hell with the boss.’
He had faith in El Paume.
‘Yeah, let’s have a money party.’
And just as Dibo was making up his mind, that was the moment it happened.
“Who’s the punk who ripped off the 9.99 million meso page?”
A woman appeared with a clear voice.
“Golden Eye!”
The woman with golden eyes.
4.
“Golden Eye!”
The moment that name was mentioned, an eerie silence fell over the chaotic bounty board.
And it couldn’t be helped.
“Golden Eye? Kyrin’s disciple?”
Golden Eye Miner.
[TL/N: Name not final :)]
She was none other than one of Captain Kyrin’s disciples.
And being Captain Kyrin’s disciple on the Nautilus didn’t just mean being the captain’s disciple.
In the first place, to become Captain Kyrin’s disciple, one had to meet one absolute condition: they had to have exceptional talent.
Golden Eye Miner was no exception.
Golden Eye, her golden eyes had never missed a single target she had set her sights on.
Naturally, she had a title that matched her talent.
“Wasn’t she in the middle of a 200-man Mystic Gate adventure?”
She was currently on a 200-man Mystic Gate adventure, the most difficult Mystic Gate in the Orange rank.
So why was she here?
“You succeeded!”
Her title now included “Conqueror of the 200-man Mystic Gate.”
Miner, with her new title, shouted.
“You there! Hand over the bounty page!”
She was pointing directly at El Paume.
Her demand was unreasonable and a violation of the rules.
Once a bounty page was torn off the Nautilus’s bounty board, it couldn’t be returned, and no one could take it away.
At least, that was the rule on the Nautilus.
But who was their opponent?
She was a disciple of Captain Kyrin, the one who made the rules and regulations of the Nautilus.
That’s why Dibo rushed to El Paume’s side.
‘Oh no!’
Dibo knew that El Paume would never give in to Miner’s demands here.
What would happen then?
A clash was inevitable.
And when that clash happened, Dibo’s role was to protect El Paume.
That was why Dibo was by El Paume’s side.
“There are still spots available.”
‘Huh?’
That was the moment.
“There are 74 spots available for entry, and our party has four members. There are still plenty of spots left.”
At El Paume’s words, Miner’s beautiful golden eyes narrowed coldly.
‘Is this guy sane?….’
Was there any reason to pull out a gun against a rational person?
“It’s 100,000 meso per spot.”
However, the atmosphere changed the moment she heard the next words.
“What?”
“I mean what I said. There are 70 spots left, 100,000 meso per spot. I’ll give you a spot as long as you pay.”
At that moment, Miner’s golden eyes blazed with fire.
“You’re going to sell spots for money now?”
“I’m not forcing you to buy. It’s just that our party owns the rights to the Mystic Gate.”
Miner’s golden eyes still burned brightly even at those words.
“Captain Kyrin, according to her rules…”
However, Miner’s eyes turned cold at the following words.
Mentioning Kyrin’s name, especially to her, meant that this was no longer a game.
From now on, it was a tense situation, where a fight could break out at any moment if either of them spoke out of line.
That was when it happened.
“Boss.”
Ralph, he hurriedly stepped in between the two.
“That’s not right…”
His sudden appearance was unexpected, but no one questioned it.
After all, someone had to step in and stop the fight.
In fact, the people around were amazed at the courage of the person who stepped in.
El Paume might not know it, but standing in front of Miner, who was furious at the moment, required a lot of courage.
‘He looks like he’s no ordinary person.’
‘If someone of that caliber is stepping in…’
Moreover, looking at Ralph’s intimidating appearance, everyone thought that if he approached rationally, the situation could be resolved.
“100,000 meso per person.”
Ralph showed everyone who thought that way.
“I think we should charge about 135,000 meso.”
The crowd wondered what kind of person Ralph was.
“If we divide 9.99 million meso by 74 people, we get 135,000 meso, so wouldn’t it be a bit strange to charge less than that?”
Ralph’s words were met with silence from the onlookers.
‘What?’
Their minds were frozen, unable to process the absurd statement.
It was Dibo who broke the silence.
“Ah, come on!”
Dibo, who was used to such ridiculous scenes, vented his frustration towards Ralph.
And with Dibo’s words, the frozen time started to move again, and the atmosphere began to flow once more.
“How’s that going to work?”
“Who are these guys? Where did they come from?”
Murmuring began to grow louder.
The situation was becoming chaotic.
“Is something going to blow up?”
At the same time, tension began to rise.
“Everyone, please be quiet.”
However, the situation that everyone was worried about didn’t explode.
“Huh?”
“Bandage?”
“It’s Murat!”
A man with copper-colored skin and both eyes covered in bandages.
“An executive!”
Murat, one of the executives of the Nautilus, had arrived.
His appearance immediately froze the atmosphere, as he was far beyond the level of the pirates and adventurers present.
Miner was the same.
In front of Murat, an executive of the Nautilus, even she could no longer blaze her golden eyes.
Gulp!
Instead, she couldn’t help but tense up.
There was only one exception.
El Paume, he was indifferent.
It wasn’t that he had a connection with Murat or anything like that.
‘I’ve never seen him before.’
He had heard the name a few times, but this was the first time he had seen his face.
But it didn’t matter.
The only people who could stir El Paume’s emotions were the heroes who saved Maple World or the Grand Master of the Signus Knights.
More importantly, El Paume knew.
“I’ve heard about it. You’re going to raid that kid, Eagle Eye’s tomb.”
“Yes.”
“You’re selling the remaining spots for the adventure for 100,000 meso each.”
“It’s 135,000 meso.”
“Are you here to do business?”
“Isn’t that the rule of the Nautilus?”
El Paume emphasized that his actions did not violate the Nautilus’s ironclad rules in any way.
“If you don’t like it, change the rules. I came from Lis. So, do it the Lis way. Commission me for the Eagle Eye’s Tomb adventure. Then I’ll comply with your way.”
He was saying that if they wanted to change the way things were done, they would have to pay a fair price.
At that, Murat looked at El Paume through his bandaged eyes.
He assessed him.
Murat, who had lost his sight, had a different kind of sense.
A sense that could tell whether someone was lying, bluffing, or tricking.
‘He’s an amazing guy.’
That sense was telling him that El Paume’s bravado was not an act but genuine.
What was even more amazing was El Paume’s breathing and heartbeat.
‘Not a hint of a tremor in this commotion.’
What kind of experiences could one have to maintain such composure?
A situation where their interests aligned.
At the same time, he was sure of it.
No matter what he did, it would be impossible to persuade El Paume.
Then there was only one option left.
“Miner, you’re right. Since he tore off the bounty page, the rights to the mission belong to him.”
By siding with El Paume, Murat acknowledged the validity of his claim based on the Nautilus’s rules.
“One thing is certain: I will not tolerate any fighting on the Nautilus.”
With Murat’s clear stance against violence, Miner looked at El Paume and conceded.
“Fine, I will pay you.”
“How many spots are you buying then?”
“All of them!”
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Prøks]
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