Pirate: Crew of Desire and Bonds

There was something else that bothered him.

His skills...

There had been no warning at all.

[Instinct], which had saved his life more than once by giving him a sharp sense of danger, had remained completely silent.

Even [Aura Perception] had only reacted after the footsteps approached the door... and even then, it had been vague and delayed.

Whatever that thing was, it had managed to get close without triggering any of his passive alerts.

That fact alone made Jake’s expression grow heavier.

If it could approach them so quietly... then relying only on his current senses might not be enough in this place.

He glanced at the door once more before finally leaning back slightly.

”...This Dead Sea Line is more troublesome than I thought.”

For now, at least, the immediate danger had passed.

But the unease in his chest refused to completely disappear, so he decided to keep his guard up the entire night.

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The next morning, Jake and Grace got dressed quickly and left the room without wasting any time.

He needed to find Garrick and report everything that had happened the night before.

However, the moment he stepped out onto the deck, he realized something was already wrong.

There was a clear sense of unrest among the crew.

Several sailors were gathered in small groups, speaking in low, serious tones.

A few of them looked tense, while others kept glancing toward the rear with uneasy expressions.

Jake frowned and walked over to a nearby sailor.

”What happened?” he asked.

The sailor turned toward him and hesitated for a moment before answering in a lowered voice.

”...One of the adventurers went missing last night.”

Jake paused slightly.

”Missing?”

The sailor nodded, his expression grim.

”He was supposed to be on the night watch near the rear section. When the next shift came to take over, he was already gone. No signs of a struggle... no blood. He just vanished.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed as the memory of the empty space beneath the door and the fake Barbara’s voice flashed through his mind.

He didn’t reply right away.

Instead, he silently turned his gaze toward the deeper parts of the ship, a cold feeling settling in his chest.

...Because that rear section was right where his room was.

It seemed last night’s visitor hadn’t left empty-handed.

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Meanwhile,

Garrick pressed his fingers against his temple, a heavy headache already forming.

One missing adventurer was already troublesome enough.

But what made it worse was the complete lack of explanation.

He turned toward the four crew members who had been assigned to the same section last night and questioned them again, his voice low and firm.

”You’re telling me none of you saw anything?”

The four men looked uneasy.

One of them scratched the back of his head and answered carefully.

”Captain... we were all nearby. We never leave a section to just one person. But somehow... when the shift changed, he was already gone. It’s like he just disappeared into thin air.”

Garrick’s frown deepened.

That was exactly the problem.

He never allowed only one person to cover an area.

There had been five of them on duty.

And yet, not a single one could explain how an adult man had vanished without leaving any trace.

Just as the frustration in his chest was starting to rise again, he caught sight of a familiar figure rushing over from the lower deck.

Jake.

Seeing the young Elite Class holder approaching, Garrick’s expression eased slightly.

He even started to form a small smile, preparing to greet him—

But then Jake’s words made him pause completely.

”Sir Garrick! I think I might have a clue about that missing adventurer.”

Garrick’s eyes sharpened at once.

”...Ohh?”

He immediately straightened up, the headache temporarily forgotten as he fixed his full attention on Jake.

Jake didn’t waste time and spoke directly.

”Last night, after my shift ended, something came to our room.”

Garrick’s expression immediately grew serious.

”Something?”

Jake nodded.

”It knocked on the door and spoke with Barbara’s voice, asking us to open it. At first it sounded completely normal... but my instincts told me something was wrong. When I checked under the door, there were no legs....Nothing, just empty space. Despite the clear footsteps and the voice, there was no physical body standing there.”

Garrick’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Jake continued in a steady voice.

”And it didn’t force the door open. It just kept asking us to open it ourselves. After a while, when we didn’t respond, the footsteps left. And another thing... none of my danger-sensing skills gave any warning until it was already right outside the door.”

The surrounding sailors who overheard bits of the conversation fell silent.

Garrick remained quiet for a few seconds, his thick brows furrowed deeply as he processed the information.

”...No legs. Imitating a familiar voice. And it only leaves if you refuse to open the door...”

He muttered under his breath, then looked back at Jake with a heavier expression.

Jake met his gaze without flinching.

”I believe whatever visited us last night is the same thing that took him.”

Garrick exhaled slowly through his nose, the headache from earlier returning with full force.

This was no longer just a simple disappearance.

Something was actively hunting people on the ship.

Garrick remained silent for a long moment, his expression growing darker as he carefully replayed Jake’s words in his mind.

No legs.

A perfect imitation of a familiar voice.

A presence that only left after being refused.

And most importantly... the ability to approach without triggering any danger senses.

Finally, he let out a heavy breath and shook his head.

”...I’ve sailed through the Dead Sea Line more times than I can count,” Garrick said in a low, serious voice.

”I’ve dealt with sea beasts, storms that appear out of nowhere, and even the occasional ghost ship story told by drunk sailors.”

He looked straight at Jake.

”But I’ve never heard of a creature like this.”

The surrounding crew members exchanged uneasy glances.

Garrick’s sharp gaze swept over the nearby sailors who had been listening in.

”All of you, shut your mouths,” he ordered in a firm, low voice.

”Not a word of this spreads around the ship. The last thing we need is panic growing among the crew and passengers. Anyone who starts spreading rumors will answer to me directly.”

The sailors immediately straightened up and nodded, some of them swallowing hard before quickly dispersing.

Once the area was clear, Garrick turned toward Jake and Grace.

”You two, follow me.”

Jake raised an eyebrow slightly. ”Where are we going?”

”To find Barbara,” Garrick replied as he already started walking.

”She’s lived longer than most of us and has seen more strange things than she likes to admit. If anyone on this ship might have even a faint idea about what we’re dealing with... it’s her.”

Grace quietly stepped closer to Jake’s side, her expression serious.

Without further delay, the three of them headed deeper into the ship, leaving the tense atmosphere of the deck behind as they went to seek Barbara’s knowledge.

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