Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

He finished speaking, stretched out both hands, and bent his waist lower in a slight bow, indicating that Pororo should go first.

Alas, even in the Endless Sea, they still haven’t changed their foolish manner, Pororo muttered to himself helplessly.

”They are my companions; move aside.”

Once these words were spoken, the three Fishermen immediately froze. An expression of clear astonishment was visible on their faces, which were strikingly different from human faces.

They nodded quickly, submerged completely into the water, and swiftly departed.

After sending away these little Fishermen who had wanted to steal, Pororo turned back helplessly.

Lucilia dropped from the branch and landed on Pororo’s shoulder.

”Are they... really your kinsmen?”

After all, the behavior of the three Fishermen had left Lucilia completely stunned.

It was so obvious, yet they had still considered asking Pororo to join them in their thievery.

Although they communicated in the unique language of the Fishermen, Lucilia understood it completely.

Pororo nodded helplessly. ”Despite my reluctance, I suppose they count. A bunch of them can’t even speak the Fisherman language properly.”

As he spoke, he sighed to himself.

After walking a few steps, they returned to where Alka’s group was.

”How did it go? Is it resolved?” Alka asked.

”I sent them away. They were just a bunch of little thieves wanting to steal some food,” Pororo replied.

”Since they’re your kinsmen, why don’t you invite them over to get acquainted?” Jason asked curiously from the side.

Upon hearing this, Pororo turned around, looking at him with a strange gaze.

”Would you invite a human who wanted to steal from you?”

”Uh... alright then.”

Since everyone was awake, no one was in the mood to go back to sleep. Judging by the time, they had slept enough. They decided to rest until daylight before continuing their activities.

”So, what kind of Fishermen were those just now?” Jason asked.

Lucilia replied, ”They were Reef Fishermen.”

”Reef Fishermen?” Jason was somewhat puzzled.

He hadn’t heard of any type of fish called ’reef.’

The naming convention for the branches of the Fisherman race is simple and direct.

For instance, those resembling sharks are Shark Fishermen, though there are many kinds of sharks.

Of course, not every kind has a corresponding Fisherman type.

Octopus Fishermen, Tiger Fish Fishermen, Swordfish Fishermen.

Just from the names, one could roughly figure out what these Fishermen look like.

”Reef Fishermen are so named because they typically reside near reefs along the shore. No particular fish resembles them. They are thin and small, considered the lowest class among Fishermen. Additionally, they generally seem to be of low intelligence.”

Lucilia shared the information she knew, which was consolidated from what she had read in books.

Having seen them in reality today, she found they weren’t much different from the descriptions in the books.

Pororo nodded. ”That’s right. They are basically the most numerous group among Fishermen. Apart from their color, they mostly look the same. Their brains don’t really work well; they’re probably somewhere between beasts and Intelligent Life.”

”There are no reefs here, though,” Jason noted.

Pororo replied, ”They don’t necessarily have to live in places with reefs. Although it’s damp and chilly here, it’s quite suitable for Fishermen. With so many trees, the waters here should be rich with small fish, enough to sustain a small tribe.”

The group chatted idly until dawn broke.

「」

After packing up, they continued their journey.

By this point, Simon had dismantled the rear propeller. Its large size made maneuvering difficult in such dense woodlands.

Even the Swallow Ship, with its slender build, had to find wide clearings to navigate through such terrain.

The sails had long since been stowed, and the masts folded down.

While navigating the Swallow Ship, even though these trees had relatively thin trunks, they still obstructed the path somewhat.

After maneuvering for some time, they were finally about to emerge from the dense woods.

Even in the daytime, this place remained very dim.

Only stray beams of light filtered through the gaps in the dense canopy.

Pororo swam beside the Swallow Ship. Noticing the cautious glances cast in their direction from nearby, he shook his head helplessly.

”They can’t possibly think they’re well hidden, can they?” Jason couldn’t help but ask.

Pororo replied, holding his forehead, looking utterly helpless, ”You don’t need to wonder; that’s exactly the case. Sigh, let’s just get out of here quickly.”

A short distance away, two Fishermen peeked out from behind a tree stump, apparently believing themselves well hidden as they warily watched Alka and his group depart.

As for their camouflage, although the Fishermen had some green spots on their bodies, the large tree they leaned against was brown. To top it off, they were holding green leaves over their heads.

They hadn’t considered at all that the large leaves, moving about, made them even more conspicuous.

The Swallow Ship finally exited the verdant area.

”This way. The guidance is pointing this way,” Alka said, having sensed the indicated direction.

Chadite sat on the ship, continuously emitting silver ripples to survey the surroundings.

In such unfamiliar territory, whether they intended to chart a map or not, scouting the area was always prudent.

They hadn’t sailed far when a strong stench of decay wafted over.

The stench, carried on the breeze, assaulted their nostrils. In the distance, a corpse slowly floated towards them.

Judging by its condition, the corpse had been dead for a long time. The putrid smell made everyone frown and hold their breath.

Julia and Matilda, in particular, leaped from the water onto the ship with utmost speed.