The full moon rises from the sea. In its soft light, the whole world was crystal clear, and the view was almost clearer than in the dazzling sunlight of the day. The lookout, hiding behind the reef, yawned and grunted, looking longingly back at the dim lights that were gradually lighting in the distance. There was no danger in such a night, and he felt that he could have sneaked back in and enjoyed some soft embrace, rather than cowering here and listening to the angry wind howl in his ears for the middle of the night.

But he eventually gave up on the idea - Nine Toes wouldn't tolerate a mistake, and the dice he had just dropped told him to be careful.

Behind him, under the uplifted hills of hopelessness, across the waters that had begun to ebb and the rocks, another man was deciding his course in the same way.

Bertram put away the dice and looked left and right.

The pirates have been hiding here for at least a few years. The shallow bay under the Hill of Hopelessness had been transformed into livelier than the most prosperous dock in the city of Neo, with haphazardly erected wooden sheds stretching from the shore to the reef, like seaweed and shellfish clinging to the reef. The ships with their black sails lowered anchored in the small bay, and the half-drunk sailors hooked their shoulders, sang songs or scuffled with each other, and in the chaos and noise, there was an inexplicable sense of peace and cordial—like every port they plundered.

They are unscrupulous, for the wind and the reef will obscure the sound and light. No ships will approach here, and no mages or priests will be able to teleport here...... It's a rare hiding place.

Bertram wasn't worried about anyone recognizing him—his greasy beard covered most of his face, the dirt and sunburn marks of his face that hadn't been washed for a long time covered the other half, and no one would look at him as he walked like all sailors who had been at sea too long, with his legs spread and his half-drunken crab staggering down the plank path.

Who would have thought he would be here at this time?

The two ships that followed Strey to hunt dragons did not return - their defeat was unacceptable if they did not bring back some other harvest. Terry gave them enough temptation to make sure they would make a few more laps at sea, and here, the unwarned pirates wouldn't be much wary.

The man, who was already known as the captain, triumphantly pulled out his pipe, did not light it, but held it diagonally to his lips towards what appeared to be a newly opened tavern.

Bertram wandered into the tavern and didn't take much to get the news he wanted. Debe Strey, the proud and conceited mage, is known to the pirates as an outsider who is feared and mocked. Bertram even made a bet on the mage to see if he would succeed in bringing the dragon back.

He bet on the "can't" side, even if he knew the facts. But if you win and you can't get your money back, isn't it more painful than losing those two silver coins!

In contrast, Stray's operation to bring back River Singhal was apparently carried out in secret - no one knew that he had brought back a wealthy merchant of great value, and no one talked about the ransom of the ten boatloads of gold coins and precious stones.

The mage claimed that he didn't know exactly where the man he had captured was locked up in the Gate of the Wind, and with what Bertram knew about Ninetoes, that should be the truth. But there aren't many places in the entire Fury Gate where hostages can be held.

It is not difficult to get information on where there has been an increase in manpower and where there have been unusual transfers. Bertram counted the time and quickly set his goal.

.

The noise is gradually left behind, and the road that stretches upwards can hardly be called a "road". The narrow gap between the reefs is only for one person to communicate, and the slightest carelessness can cause blood marks on the body from the sharp edges.

It is impossible for a drunken pirate to walk freely in such a place. After several blows to the left and right, Bertram leaned against the reef and exhaled, falling crookedly.

It wasn't long before someone came over and kicked him twice. He opened his mouth to curse, his voice was indistinct, he couldn't get up after climbing a few times, but slid down the slope for a while, and then got stuck in the reef, and after a few struggles he stopped moving, and snored high and low.

"Leave him alone. ”

Not far away, someone spoke.

Bertram lay down for a long time, snoring so much that his throat hurt. As the night wore on, the noise of the bay had subsided, and in the distance, higher to his left, a shrill whistle sounded.

Bertram pressed his ears to the ground, listening for footsteps near and far. At a moment, he quietly got up and crouched through the reef.

He was fast, almost running on all fours. Gischel would laugh at the gesture of being like a dog, but Bertram didn't care—what a loyal and lovable companion a dog was!

Not all of the guards were drawn away by the movement on the other side. Bertram encountered the enemy near the top of the hill, and when the scimitar was slashed at the head, the sword was firmly held by the long sword, and the blade of the sword was slightly sideways, stabbing upwards along the scimitar, accurately piercing the opponent's chest, and the short knife in his left hand went out and sank into the opponent's throat, cutting off a scream that could not be spoken.

Bertram turned sideways to avoid the gushing blood, caught the body that had fallen from the reef, shoved it aside, and continued on.

The other enemy was already a corpse when it fell in front of him, a long arrow sinking deep into his left eye. Bertram jumped over the corpse, proud of his companion - such archery skills are not much worse than those of elves, right?

On the top of the hill there are several stone huts, solid and regular, surrounded by a high stone wall, like a small castle. This was Ninetoe's abode—when he wasn't on the keelboat. It resembles a real castle, with well-guarded dungeons, but because the reef is so hard, the so-called "dungeons" are really just small rooms with iron bars.

Luckily, Nine Toes isn't here...... In fact, if Nine Toes had been there, Bertram wouldn't have ventured in.

As he rushed to the door, he threw out a small glass bottle and smashed it against the heavy wooden door, and the green smoke spread instantly, and at the sharp whistle, he paused for a moment, covered his mouth and nose, and slammed into it.

The corroded wooden door was easily smashed open. Bertram swung his sword to block a few arrows, and ran to the cell on the right, silently praying to the god of water.

His time was running out. If he gets his target wrong, he'll have to think about summoning help...... Or how to get out of it all over.