Pirate: Crew of Desire and Bonds

It was Scarlet.

She stood slightly apart from the main group, wearing fitted black leather armor that accentuated her dangerous curves.

Her long hair was tied back in a practical ponytail, and her beautiful face wore a serious, focused expression.

Even from this distance, Jake could feel the sharp, calculating aura radiating from her.

She was no longer playing the role of a seductive prostitute.

This was the real Scarlet... cold, professional, and dangerous.

One of the men approached her and bowed.

”Lady Scarlet, there are clear signs of a battle here. We found stained blood, broken trees, and drag marks. It seems like an amateur attempted to clean up the scene not long ago... but we can’t find any bodies.”

Hearing this, Jake cursed inwardly.

’No shit, sherlock. I’m not a professional crime scene cleaner.’

He hadn’t expected them to arrive this quickly.

He pressed himself tighter against the cracked wall, pulling Grace closer.

His hand instinctively covered her mouth gently, signaling her to stay completely silent.

Grace nodded quickly, her golden eyes wide with tension as she leaned into him, her body tense but obedient.

Just as Jake was about to try sneaking away with her, Scarlet slowly stood up, brushing dirt from her leather gloves.

Her sharp gaze swept across the area like a hawk.

”Amateur cleanup... but effective enough,” she murmured coldly.

Then she ordered, ”Check the area. Whoever is responsible for this shouldn’t be too far.”

””Yes!””

The armed men immediately spread out, beginning a more thorough search of the surrounding bushes and ground.

Jake’s heart pounded.

They were too close.

If they stayed any longer, they would be discovered.

He glanced at Grace.

And she looked back at him, fear mixed with determination in her golden eyes.

She mouthed silently: What do we do?

Jake thought quickly.

Fighting in his current condition was suicide.

And running blindly might lead them straight into more enemies.

The best option was to retreat back into the shelter and seal it tightly... but if Scarlet’s group found the entrance, they would lose their safehouse forever.

Jake gritted his teeth, his mind racing as Scarlet’s men spread out, their footsteps growing dangerously close.

There was no time to hesitate.

’If I want any chance of protecting Grace and surviving this... I need more power... now.’

With a fierce expression, he immediately opened his status and focused on upgrading his base class.

[Ding!]

[Warrior (Common) has been successfully upgraded!]

[-500 Upgrade Points]

[-100 Gold Coins]

[Ding!]

[Class evolution requirement met!]

[Please choose from the following Rare Classes:]

Jake’s eyes widened as he read through the list.

But before he could examine the options properly—

”Over here! There a fresh drag marks leading this way!”

One of the men shouted, pointing toward the hidden path leading to the coast.

...and directly toward where Jake and Grace were hiding.

_

_

_

Scarlet stood in silence, her sharp eyes scanning the surrounding forest.

The faint glow of the setting sun cast long shadows between the trees.

’It is as Lord Victor expected... there was definitely a battle here.’

Currently, battles were raging everywhere inside Nasha Town between Viscount Victor’s and Baron Elden Von’s forces, but this one felt different.

She had been personally ordered by Victor to investigate the source of that golden pillar of light.

It had taken them quite some time to arrive as Baron forces had intercepted them on the way, forcing a clash.

Victor had told her the golden light was similar to the one used by that legendary figure.

He had personally witnessed it when he was younger during the expedition against the Deep Aberrations.

He would never forget the sight of that golden light sweeping away the darkness and giving hope to the mainland kingdom.

But...

”...But it’s impossible for Sir Lightborn to be here...” she murmured.

Even she knew the legendary Dawn Knight was currently stationed at the Final Fortress on the frontline.

His presence was needed there to ensure everyone behind the lines could live in peace.

So who could have produced such a light?

’Maybe it was just someone with a similar ability?’

There were many classes and strange skills in the world.

Some could appear similar but function completely differently.

But if Viscount Victor was so certain it was related to the Lightborn family, then it could only mean...

”...One of his descendants is here?”

Scarlet murmured, slightly shocked.

A descendant of the Hero was no ordinary person as their status was on the level of the royal family.

Just as she was lost in thought, one of the men shouted from not too far away.

”Over here! There a fresh drag marks leading this way!”

Hearing the shout,

Scarlet turned sharply, and was about to go personally investigate—

”Heh, I didn’t think I’d catch one of Victor’s royal dogs sniffing around here.”

A cold sneer rang out from behind Scarlet’s group.

Scarlet whirled around, her hand instinctively moving toward the dagger at her waist.

A new group of armed men, roughly thirty strong emerged from the treeline, wearing the insignia of Baron Elden Von’s forces.

At their head was an old bald man with a hunched posture, leaning on a simple wooden stick.

Despite his frail appearance, an incredibly sharp and oppressive aura radiated from him.

Scarlet frowned as she recognized the old man.

...The Silver Edge Hector, one of Baron Elden Von’s most trusted and dangerous retainers.

Hector smiled coldly, his eyes gleaming with killing intent as he stared at Scarlet.

”How lucky of me.”

Scarlet’s expression turned icy.

She straightened up, her ponytail swaying as she faced the old man without fear.

”Hector... The Baron’s mad dog himself,” she replied calmly, though her hand never left her weapon.

”I didn’t expect the old fool would send his strongest attack dog out here. Shouldn’t you be busy trying to put out the fires your master started?”

Hector let out a low, raspy chuckle as the air around him grew heavier.

”Bold words for a whore playing at being a soldier,” he sneered.

”The Viscount really sends his bed warmer to do his dirty work now? How low has he fallen...”