Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

Alka and Chadite sat by the fire.

Pororo, with its sharp fingertips, was dissecting the Black Water Fish it had just caught. Its fingertips were like blades, slicing smoothly, an almost artistic operation.

Just why would fish people have claws as sharp as a tiger's? Could they be fish spines? Alka thought, somewhat impolitely.

Just then, Lucilia's voice emerged. "You can collect the skin of this fish. If my guess is correct, it might be useful for learning Spiritual Protection."

Upon hearing this, Alka unhesitatingly stepped forward and picked up the fish skin Pororo had peeled off.

"Why are you taking this? It's inedible—not only does it taste awful, but it's also somewhat toxic," Pororo reminded him while cutting the fish in his hand.

Alka didn't hide anything and said directly, "This fish skin might be a type of Spell Material. I'm planning to test my judgment."

Hearing this, Pororo nodded and, without further concern, focused on cutting the fish meat in his hand. He was more interested in the fish meat than whether the fish skin was a Spell Material. Strange Spell Materials were numerous, so it wasn't particularly unusual. This was especially true here in the Realm of Pitch Darkness, which was saturated with Dark Elements, particularly within its seawater. Since this fish's meat lacked Dark Elements, it wouldn't be surprising if its skin possessed other abilities; Pororo simply hadn't investigated it deeply.

After finishing the fish meat and collecting the fish skin, the three advanced towards the center of the island. The island's paths were very flat, perhaps to facilitate moving ships out from the shipyards built further inland. There were almost no steep inclines or declines, and one could see far into the distance.

The three arrived at the island's center, where the ruins of a small town lay.

They reached the location marked on the map. Beneath their feet lay a completely collapsed ruin. Surrounding remnants indicated it had originally been a large structure, possibly a villa or something similar.

Chadite crouched down, pressing a hand on the rubble, and a faint silver ripple spread downwards from her touch. A moment later, Chadite turned her head and nodded at Alka. "There's indeed a large cavern below."

Upon hearing this, Alka patted the Magic Mirror on his chest, seeking Lucilia's help.

Lucilia emerged directly from Alka's chest.

The sudden appearance startled Chadite, who was crouching in front of Alka, causing her to stumble and fall backward onto the ground. She reacted immediately, her face turning slightly red.

"Ahem." Clearing her throat, she stood up calmly.

"What happened to you? Females are just so fragile," Pororo remarked from the side, unable to resist commenting. "She even managed to fall while squatting," he added.

Seeing that her entrance had startled Chadite, Lucilia couldn't help but chuckle. She curtsied lightly and said, "My apologies for startling you."

Ever since Lucilia and Chadite had met, Lucilia had allowed Chadite to see her. But apparently, Chadite hadn't gotten used to it. A head suddenly materializing from Alka's chest wasn't something anyone could get used to instantly. It was already a testament to Chadite's bravery that she hadn't screamed or cried out.

Hearing Lucilia's apology, she quickly replied, "It's okay."

"What's okay? What are you talking about?" Pororo couldn't help but interject, then patted Alka. Facing Alka, Pororo pointed to his own head, then gestured towards Chadite. The meaning was clear. Is there something a little off with her? he wondered.

"When others are present, you don't need to respond to me; they can't see me," Lucilia told Chadite.

Hearing this, Chadite wanted to nod but immediately restrained herself.

It seems Chadite will need a bit more time to get used to Lucilia, Alka mused. Fortunately, Chadite was already adapting.

Then Lucilia turned to Alka with a smile and said, "I'll head down now."

Alka gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Lucilia, seemingly sitting on air, slowly descended into the ruins below.

Chadite watched intently, observing the beautiful spirit girl sink into the earth.

Alka and Chadite stood there, waiting.

"So, what are you two standing here for? Aren't we looking for ships?" Pororo was baffled. These two seem to have lost focus since we got here, he thought. "Have they been affected by the darkness here?" Pororo wondered. He considered this the most likely issue.

Hearing Pororo's words, Alka remembered the merman was with them. He couldn't help but turn to the towering Pororo. "Do you know Stealth? You're so conspicuous, yet you're right beside us, and I sometimes completely overlook you. Why is that?"

Alka felt his senses hadn't deceived him; he had genuinely failed to notice Pororo for a moment. That was why he and Chadite, who could see Lucilia, had waited openly without trying to be discreet. With outsiders present, he normally wouldn't make such an error; he'd grown accustomed to being more careful on the Sea Fist.

Hearing Alka's words, Pororo visibly puffed up, a smug expression on his face. He grinned, revealing his sharp, shiny teeth. "Haha! I am a Warrior of the Great Ocean, a Hunter of the Deep Sea! Stealthy movement is, of course, my forte!"

Got it, Alka thought. Though it's unclear when Pororo added 'Hunter of the Deep Sea' to his list of titles. But he effectively admitted that his 'Warrior of the Great Ocean' status likely granted him Stealth abilities. Still, isn't it a bit counterintuitive for a fishman who's so incredibly conspicuous just by standing there to have Stealth abilities?

Noticing Alka's stare, Pororo said disdainfully, "I can tell by your expression. You must think the blessing of concealment is unsuitable for someone of my physique, right? Many have thought so, but I've always disabused them of that notion with my strength."

"No need for a demonstration," Alka waved his hand. "If I can overlook someone of your size standing right next to me, even for an instant, I'm already convinced of your skill." Alka considered himself quite perceptive, so this indirectly proved the formidable Stealth of the shark-like fishman before him.

Upon hearing Alka's words, Pororo nodded with satisfaction.

While they were talking, Lucilia ascended from underground. She approached Alka and said, "There's indeed a large cavern below, and inside is a long, narrow ship. I saw an opening with a rope ladder descending from it."

Upon hearing Lucilia's words, Alka looked in the direction she indicated. It was about ten meters away, still within the expanse of ruins beneath their feet, just an area with fewer fallen stones.

Chadite walked over. Faint ripples spread from beneath her feet as she scanned the ground. She immediately nodded and said, "There really is a pit leading downwards here."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get to work!" Alka declared. Saying this, he crouched down and began clearing the rubble. Pororo and Chadite immediately joined the effort.

As all three possessed strength far exceeding that of ordinary people—Pororo being a powerful Two Spirals—it only took them a few minutes to move all the large stones covering the pit and clear the entrance.

Once the clearing was complete, a round metal lid, three meters in diameter, was revealed above the pit. Alka strained to move it. Due to age, perhaps rust, it took considerable effort to finally pry the lid open. This revealed a dark opening below, from which the faint sound of flowing water could be heard.

Using his Dark Vision, Alka peered down, but visibility was limited, and he couldn't see much.

"This rope ladder is too old; it might not be sturdy," Chadite commented, and with a tug, she snapped one of the ladder's ropes.

"Looks like we'll need to find some rope, or perhaps weave some vines together," Alka said, peering down into the pit. The pit was at least fourteen or fifteen meters deep. Even for a One Spiral Explorer, jumping from this height could lead to leg injuries, which wasn't worth the risk. Getting injured now would just slow us down, Alka thought.

"It's not that deep. What's all the dawdling for?" Pororo grumbled, peeking down. Then, before Alka or Chadite could react, Pororo grabbed them both and leaped directly into the pit.

A heavy THUD resounded from below.

Pororo landed steadily on the cavern floor, then set Alka and Chadite (whom he had been holding) down.

Alka adjusted his clothes, having almost forgotten that Pororo was a Two Spirals. Such a drop was nothing to him.

Using his Dark Vision, Alka peered into the cavern. The cavern was slightly damp, its floor and walls already overgrown with vines, moss, and other plants. However, it was still faintly discernible that this place had once been a workshop. Various unidentifiable tools and raw materials were scattered about, though most were now decayed and broken. Some workbenches and wooden tables were still visible.

But the most striking sight was the long ship moored in the center of the cavern. The edges of the entire ship glowed with a faint blue outline. The ship was braced on both sides with wooden supports. The vessel was approximately 13 meters long, its beam barely exceeding 3 meters. Its three tall, slender masts suggested it was rigged with square sails.

Alka examined the ship's construction; it was somewhat reminiscent of the fast sailboat designs from his former world. It looked like a clipper ship, albeit a scaled-down version.

Seeing this ship, Chadite hurried over and began to inspect it thoroughly. She was concerned it might be damaged, like the previous sailboat they had discovered. After a thorough check, she looked at Alka and smiled. "No problems! It's perfectly preserved, and it's definitely a Spell Ship!"

Upon hearing this, Alka also smiled. He stepped forward and reached out to touch the edge of the ship. The blue outline instantly vanished, signifying that Alka had acquired it.

"But how do we transport this ship out?" Chadite asked.

"It must be this way. This section looks like it was artificially sealed," Pororo said. He was at the far end of the cavern, rapping his knuckles against the stone wall there. This stone wall was clearly not a natural feature of the cavern; it had been constructed, its surface remarkably smooth and even.

Without waiting for Alka or the others to say anything, Pororo clenched his fist and struck the stone wall heavily.

With a resounding CRASH, the stone wall shattered, revealing the passage beyond. It was an extension of the cavern. As the wall crumbled, a faint breeze drifted in. This meant the cavern extended to the island's edge, allowing a ship to be moved directly out to sea. It seemed this exit had been part of the plan when the ship was constructed here. Even the ship's dimensions—its length, beam, and height—were perfectly tailored to this cavern.

Alka began to survey the cavern, noting another point of interest marked on his map was also in this area. Since we're already here, Alka thought, we might as well claim this treasure too.