The Old Captain Miscalculated, The Storm Is Approaching!
The red-nosed captain's rosacea twitched violently. He couldn't help muttering under his breath,
"Could this kid be cheating? Didn't he say they were in groups?"
Hundreds of flying fish descended from the sky.
Plop~ Plop~
Like dumplings falling into soup, they somehow missed smashing into the deck.
Hayden Maxey glared at the smiling Roy.
"Are you blind or playing me?"
"Pack up all the fish!" Roy declared cheerfully. "I've got plenty of money!"
"Captain, our reserves might not be enough…" Gus whispered carefully into Hayden Maxey's ear.
Hayden Maxey turned and glared at him.
"Did I ask for your opinion?"
"On my ship, everyone obeys my orders—no exceptions!"
"Otherwise… toss them overboard and feed them to the fish!"
Everyone shuddered, recalling the fate of the man with the nose ring—even though Hayden Maxey hadn't thrown him off in the end.
"Hmph." The captain left the deck with his hands behind his back after delivering the threat.
"Wow~ Uncle, teach me! How did you catch so many fish at once?" Gon rushed over to Roy's side, eyes sparkling, practically drooling with envy.
"Well~ as long as you've got hands, it's easy," Roy said casually, blinking and making a few vague gestures. "You just do this… then this… and finally that. Simple."
"Huh?" Gon blinked, confused. "What does that even mean?"
"This idiot!" Leorio facepalmed and dragged Gon away.
"Eh? Why are you pulling me? I haven't figured it out yet!"
"Shut up, you don't even realize you're being trolled!"
"Eh?"
Gon's voice faded into the distance…
Roy "watched" them go, then took out his wine gourd, took a sip of fruit wine, and casually glanced toward the blond boy.
Kurapika met Roy's blind gaze. His eyelashes fluttered for a moment—then he closed his eyes.
The Kurta Clan… Beauty is original sin. Red eyes will always be coveted.
Even if the Phantom Troupe didn't exist, there'd still be a Phantom Duck or Phantom Dog.
The world would find some other excuse.
Because… they were weak.
And so, he had once vowed:
"Only strength is the foundation of one's existence."
Roy took another sip of wine. The mellow flavor lingered in his mouth. He smacked his lips, then stopped looking at Kurapika and turned to lean against the ship's railing, fishing again.
After a few days of fishing, he had gathered enough experience points—ten extra to spare.
He was ready to continue unlocking the card template.
At this final stretch, Roy naturally wouldn't drop the ball.
"Caw~ Caw~"
Seagulls circled overhead, crying out now and then.
The voyage to Dolly Island hadn't been smooth sailing. As the waves rolled in, the ship rocked up and down—sometimes swaying sharply side to side.
More and more people got seasick or simply collapsed, and were carried to the cabins to recover. The situation worsened by the day.
Eventually, only four people remained standing on the deck: Roy, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio.
"Looks like this year might be a bumper harvest," Hayden Maxey murmured. His gaze lingered on Roy a few seconds longer than the others. Something about it gnawed at him.
This damn blind guy…
He's like a flying fish reaper! He's caught them for three or four days straight and hasn't even glanced at another kind of fish…
Why did it have to be me who made that stupid bet?!
Ohhh, why did I run my mouth?!
The red-nosed captain groaned inwardly, wishing he could slap himself.
Luckily, it seemed his worries might soon be over.
Dark clouds rolled in across the sky, blotting out the sun and casting everything into eerie gloom.
BOOM~!
A few bolts of lightning crackled through the sky. Purple light danced eerily along the mast.
Gon, who was fishing beside Roy, twitched his nose. Something felt… off.
He looked up—and was stunned.
"It's the Fire of Santo Airu," Hayden Maxey said as he walked over, pipe in his mouth, his face unusually solemn.
"A luminous phenomenon caused by static electrons in the air or from a charged rain cloud influencing electrons on the mainmast."
Kurapika stood up abruptly, unable to remain still. He squeezed into the group and stared at the glowing mast. Then he offered his own explanation:
"It's said to be an omen of a coming storm."
He left out the second half of the explanation—not because he forgot, but because he wasn't fully sure himself.
"Wow, what a detailed explanation. Thanks," Leorio said sarcastically, pulling on his sunglasses and making a face.
Kurapika frowned but didn't reply.
Sensing Hayden Maxey's quiet dread, he added another line:
"There's also an ancient legend. Anyone who sees the Fire of Santo Airu… will become a homeless wanderer."
The red-nosed captain took a deep breath.
"The storm is coming."
Storm?!
Leorio grinned.
"Isn't that exciting?"