For Curren Sarandon, the June night was so long that it seemed as if the dawn would never come.

The bad news was so bad that he wondered if he had fallen under some curse - first, of course, the dragon...... After being sneered at by Levi and returning to the beach with a stomach full of anger, the man who had gone to change the guard came to him and told him that the guard guarding the northern passage was gone. Immediately afterward, he learned that an elf had infiltrated the camp in search of Sercio, and before he could send anyone to see if the little blonde prince was still in Behring's room, he learned that his men had been engaged in a lively fight with the pirates.

Everything seemed to get out of control after the ice dragon appeared...... And he hated "losing control".

By the time he reached the junction of the reef and the sand, where the pirates had their territory and the Nighthawk camp, the battle was over.

Black Sail's archers were on the high ground on the reef, but Curran knew that it was the horn announcing the return of Ninetoe that really stopped the battle.

He bowed his head. The puddles of dark blood looked just as shocking in the moonlight, and he could only silence his anger - he was even more angry with his soldiers than at the pirates. The soldiers trained by Ferguson have always been calm and self-controlled, obeying orders, and even if they hate the Black Sail Pirates, they will not easily clash with them...... He couldn't help but suspect that they were deliberately trying to get along with him.

"They killed both of us. ”

Broly told him, his voice trembling slightly in anger: "They took advantage of our unpreparedness ......"

A sneer came from the pirates on the other side.

"We, and you, do we have to pretend to salute each other on the battlefield before we can beat you to the death?"

Frost separates the crowd. Squeezed out, with a mocking face: "We are pirates, you are mercenaries." What's wrong with striking first? You're two dead, and one of us is about to die -- what, you want justice? Oh, you're going to get it. ”

He hooked his finger at Curron, "Nine Toes wants to see you." ”

That was clearly not an invitation, but an order.

Curran clenched the hilt of his sword with a gloomy face, his knuckles turned white, but in the end he could only pretend to nod calmly.

"Please lead the way. He said.

He couldn't deal with these rude pirates...... More important. He can't offend Nine Toes.

The young pirate leader stood on the side of the ship with a railing, as if looking out at the silver moonlight in the bay, but his tall and stout back hardly showed any sense of leisure...... All Curran could feel was contempt.

He coughed needlessly. Greeted politely: "Long time no see...... Nine toes. ”

The young man turned around and glanced at him faintly, as if he hadn't realized his presence until now.

"Captain. He corrected nonchalantly.

Curren Qiang smiled and nodded: "Captain." ”

He remembered that Ferguson had always referred to the young man as "nine-toed...... And Nine Toes has never objected.

But...... Of course, he's not Ferguson. Even if it's because of him. Curron Sarandon. The Black Sail Pirates were able to have a safe harbor in this bay discovered and occupied by the Nighthawks without a single soldier.

He was indignant about this, but he didn't dare to show it in the slightest.

The Black Sails Pirates provided their unexpected help when Nighthawk was in trouble, though not without cost...... He felt that it was worth it, but Ferguson clearly did not like the deal with the pirates and had no intention of continuing it.

"They have no honor to speak of. He said.

And his refusal...... It can be regarded as one of the reasons that eventually led to his death.

Curran didn't want to be a second Ferguson. He envied...... Or jealous of the respect and trust that Ferguson has received, but if he loses his life. What is the meaning of "respect and trust"?

He carefully looked at the young man in front of him, "Nine-toed Walker", who was on his own. The young man who had killed the bloody tongue in just a few years and became the leader of the Black Sails had a dignified face, his short tan hair neatly groomed, and his blue eyes as deep as black in the moonlight...... But he did not shy away from exposing his crippled and ugly left ear. The contradiction that is too stark makes people feel strange and unsettling.

The pirate leader beckoned to him and turned to walk into the captain's quarters, and Curran could only leave the people he had brought with him on deck and follow him alone.

In the light of the fire, which shook from the hull, Curran saw at a glance the two horns nailed to the wall, almost as long as his height, like a pair of black, serrated scimitars, which still exuded a terrifying aura after the death of their master.

It was the horns of a grown black dragon.

He couldn't look away...... Even if he had just seen a living dragon. That beautiful silver-white ice dragon had a vigorous vitality, but it was far from being so cold and dangerous, and it didn't need a thunderous roar to make people fearful.

So the legend is true.

Legend has it that a few years ago, Nine Toes sailed north from the Summer Sea in the south with a team of less than ten men, and with almost no supplies or ports to rest on the way, he crossed the treacherous waters of the Wind and Teeth, and found a treasure belonging to a dead dragon on an island on the edge of the northern ice sea, and even brought back two dragon horns that were still sharp, which gave him the capital to overthrow the bloody tongue. Pirates may turn their noses up at heroes who can slay dragons, but they don't hesitate to follow those who can bring them wealth.

Curran suspects that it was around that time that Ferguson met Nine Toes, and even suspected that he played a role in Nine Toes' legendary adventures...... But Ferguson has been secretive about it and doesn't seem to be proud of it.

He involuntarily gripped the hilt of his sword again, realizing that he had been distracted for too long.

But Nine Toes didn't seem to be in a hurry, nor was he angry, just sat silently at one end of the long table, looking at him with heavy eyes.

"Nine-Toed Walker" is a moody guy, but for the most part, he looks a bit like Ferguson, with little talk and little smile on his face. It's just that the sinking lines at the corners of Ferguson's mouth show fortitude, but the nine toes only make people feel cold and dangerous.

At this moment, Curran couldn't tell what was more unsettling to him - whether it was the part of Nine Toes that resembled Ferguson, or the part where he didn't like Ferguson.

"This ......," Curran said, pointing to the dragon horn on the wall, half sincerely, half flatteringly, "it's amazing." ”

There was no expression on Ninetoe's face, not even blinking his eyes—he had probably heard enough of such "exclamations".

“...... I think there's a little bit of a misunderstanding between our people. Curran coughed awkwardly and said in a tactful tone: "Since we are partners who need to help each other......"

"We're not partners. Nine Toes interrupted him.

(To be continued.) )