Putting away the diary entries, Lex wasn't in a hurry to read them now, so as not to expose the fact that he recognized these 'symbols'. Green, who was nearby, ordered a beer, took a sip, and then spoke.
"What were you saying just now?"
Lex put away his notes and smiled, "I said, next, I will embark on my own adventure, chasing legends on the Sea, whether they are real or fake."
"If that's the case, then you should go to Skye Island," Green said casually. "In the 'Devil's Throat' cave on that Sea Island, there's a sailing ship called the 'Shining Black Star'. It has been in that cave, which no ship could possibly enter, for over a hundred years."
"There are many legends about it, most of which are related to the 'Bride on the Ship'. The most widely circulated story is that the 'black star' was originally meant to take a bride to Loen Kingdom for a wedding."
"That wedding ship was laden with treasures, but when it passed through the waters near Skye Island, it was attacked by pirates."
Green finished his beer and said in a mysterious tone, "Although the 'black star' resisted fiercely, it was ultimately no match for the pirates. The pirates stormed the deck, but when they rushed into the Captain's Cabin, they found the bride had committed suicide on the bed."
"It turned out the bride knew she would be defiled by pirates, and unwilling to accept this fate, she chose an extreme path. At this point, something terrifying happened: the bride's body turned into black wood. She became a wooden sculpture, forever preserving her beauty."
"She and the ship's hull were forever connected. The pirates tried many methods—burning, cutting with knives, shooting—but could not destroy it. Unsuccessful, the pirates eventually gave up, plundered the treasures on the ship, and even took the 'black star' away, intending to sell it off for another fortune."
"But on the night three days later, many pirates saw the bride appear on the ship. She appeared in the Captain's Cabin, in the hold, and on the deck. Moreover, the pirates who saw her, the next day, their bodies, their internal organs, their bones all turned into wood. Black, shining like gemstones."
"So the pirates abandoned the ship, and the 'Shining Black Star' drifted on the Sea like that. But one day, fishermen from Skye Island heard sad singing coming from the 'Devil's Throat' cave. They bravely entered the cave and found the ship inside." (Note 1)
Lex spread his hands and asked, "Why do you say that 'Devil's Throat' is inaccessible to any ship?"
"Because the entrance to that cave can only accommodate a sampan, but only the entrance. The middle section not only narrows but is also full of reefs. Although the space deep inside is large enough to accommodate a sailing ship like the 'black star', the entrance and the cave itself restrict the entry of such large vessels."
Green tapped the counter, "Give me a potato bread."
"And give him a roasted meat, put it on my tab," Lex added, while his mind began to make connections.
If the 'black star' was just an ordinary ship, it certainly couldn't enter the cave Green described. But if it was a sealed artifact, like the 'Cursed Ship Celeste', a type of ghost ship, then it would be hard to say.
Coupled with the fact that Skye Island was one of the islands designated for investigation by Osweld, Lex immediately decided where his next stop would be.
Thump, thump, thump.
Footsteps approached, then a voice sounded behind Lex: "Mr. Rayleigh, do you have time now? Bishop Miller would like to see you."
Lex turned around and saw the sturdy Storm Priest who had come to find him last night.
Miller wanted to see him?
Lex was a little surprised and jumped down, "I've just finished dinner."
"Then please follow me."
Arriving at the small chapel in Damir Port again, Lex saw Miller sitting on a front bench. He heard the sound, turned his head, and a smile appeared in his light brown eyes.
"Please come this way, Mr. Rayleigh."
The Bishop greeted him warmly.
Lex walked over and sat beside him, taking the initiative to say, "Good evening, Your Excellency Miller."
"Good evening."
Bishop Miller took out a black box with a Storm symbol on it and handed it to Lex, "This is for you."
Lex opened it curiously and found that it was lined with black velvet, on which lay a silver-white lightning Holy Emblem.
"This is?"
He looked up at the Bishop.
Bishop Miller smiled, "A small gift, to thank Mr. Rayleigh for his assistance last night. We treat every enemy as fiercely as a storm, but that doesn't mean we don't cherish friends, especially friends like Mr. Rayleigh who have assisted us."
"In the future, if Mr. Rayleigh encounters any difficulties, he can present this Holy Emblem to any Storm Church on the Sea for help, and we will provide assistance within our capabilities."
"Of course, if Mr. Rayleigh has any information about pirates, any information at all, he can also report it to our Church, and we will pay a reward or exchange information of equal value."
"I see."
Lex closed the lid and put away the Holy Emblem, "I am very happy to cooperate with the Storm Church, Storm Above."
Miller smiled and nodded, then added, "By the way, I just heard some rumors related to you. Mr. Rayleigh, it seems you've just finished an adventure and gained a lot from it?"
"Don't misunderstand, I just want to remind you that rumors about you have spread in several nearby ports and Sea Islands. Some people with ulterior motives have already started inquiring about you, so you need to be careful."
"However, what you truly need to be careful of are the 'Hunter Killers'."
"Hunter Killers?" Lex had never heard of such a term. As for the rumors about himself, most of them were probably spread by the Captain.
Bishop Miller nodded solemnly, "If there are hunters who hunt pirates, then of course there will be villains who hunt hunters. That's right, they are the 'Hunter Killers'."
"These people are lone wolves who act independently, sometimes temporarily teaming up to hunt the same target. And, from our intelligence, a portion of the Hunter Killers, at least a very large portion, are connected to the King of Immortality."
Lex's breath suddenly hitched, "The King of Immortality Agalito?"
"That's right."
"There are rumors that some of the Hunter Killers are Agalito's informants scattered across the Great Sea. They share intelligence and specifically target famous hunters."
Bishop Miller said sincerely, "Therefore, when you are on an adventure, please be very careful, and it's best to keep a low profile."