”Calm down, we’re here,” Ning said and let go of her leg. Saphandra slowly drifted back to the ground and looked around before finally seeing the bright ship in the distance.

”That’s our ship?” she asked.

”Yes,” Ning said.

”So this is the abandoned ship we saw just how?” Saphandra asked as she looked around the massive boat that was surprisingly in a stable condition.

If left alone, it could probably go on for another few years with no problem.

”How did we get here?” she asked.

”What do you mean? I teleported us here,” Ning said.

”You can do that?” Saphandra was surprised.

”Of course,” Ning said. “Oh right, you haven’t seen me do that before.”𝑜𝑽𝑙xt.𝓒𝞸𝓜

”Yeah,” Saphandra looked back to check the distance between their two ships. “I’m surprised how far you can teleport. That was instantaneous too.”

”That’s nothing,” Ning said proudly. “I can go around the world with this skill. It’s honestly awesome.”

Saphandra’s eyes narrowed. “Only by yourself right? You can’t take anyone else along.”

”No, I can take anyone,” Ning said simply.

”But it has to have some downside if you take some other people with you right? It doesn’t just let you take just about anyone,” Saphandra asked.

”No, the skill is based on the distance of what is being transfered, not the weight, so whether I go alone, or take someone else, it requires the same amount of energy,” Ning said.

”Really?” Saphandra asked.

”Of course,” Ning said.

Just then, Saphandra’s face started to get red as Ning saw rage build up in her.

”What is g—”

”YOU COULD TELEPORT US ANYWHERE, AT ANYTIME AND YOU CHOSE TO LET US TAKE A SHIP RIDE?” Saphandra asked angrily. “HELL! YOU COULD’VE TAKEN US OUT OF THOSE VILLAGE AREA IN A SECOND AND YET WE HAD TO WALK AROUND FOR 3 DAYS!”

”Uhh… but this is a new planet we’re on. Don’t you want to go on an adventure? See the sceneries, visit different places,” Ning said.

”We could’ve just teleported there,” Saphandra said.

Ning shook his head. “Journey before destination, my friend. You will miss half the fun if you just skip around to places,” he said.

”Now come on, let’s go check this ship out.”

Saphandra harrumphed, but reluctantly followed him onto the ship.

Ning walked around on the deck that was shone bright in the moonlight and he could vaguely see the outline of stuff there.

”Well it does seem lifeless,” Saphandra said. “Although you might want to use some beasts to sense if its totally lifeless or not.”

”Beasts?” Ning thought to the snake that could sense the different life in the forest and wondered if he should summon it.

However, the snake was too large for that.

”We will be fine without any summon. Let’s just check it like normal people would,” Ning said.

”What do you think happened to the crew? Saphandra asked.

”I don’t know. Maybe they died and this is a haunted ship now?” Ning said. “Ooh, what if the spirit of the dead are going to come after us soon?”

He turned around to see the scared look on Saphandra’s face, but she didn’t have any. “Seriously? Am I supposed to get scared by spirits? Me?” she asked.

”Right,” Ning said and turned around to continue looking for any sign of life, even if it was just the bones of the people that died.

After walking through the top of the deck, Ning went underneath the deck and it was completely dark.

”Oh god this place stinks,” Saphandra said as she closed her nose. Ning thought he could handle, but he was forced to do the same.

”What is up with this place? It smells of nothing but alcohol,” she said.

”Maybe they were a group of people that liked to party a lot,” Ning said. “Careful, don’t step on that hole in the wood. It looks weak.”

”What hole? I can’t see anything,” Saphandra said.

”Wait, let me bring out some light,” Ning said brought out a bunch Spiritual Pearls that were full. He handed some over to Saph and they used it to see the path forward.

They walked along the hall underneath the deck and still there was no sign of fight. “What do you think happened here really? A party gone wrong? Maybe a summon killed them?” Saphandra asked.

”Well, I did overhear some people talking about humans mysteriously disappearing in the other part of the world. Maybe this was a victim to that?” Ning said.

”Are you serious?” Saphandra asked.

”Yeah. It’s quite a big news around most important places. I heard some quests in the circle that was about finding these people,” Ning said.

”Did you take any?” she asked.

”It was above my rank,” Ning said. “On that thought, I should upgrade my rank on the next location.”

”Why do you think those people disappeared?” she asked.

”I don’t know, I could… ” Ning trailed off as he noticed something on the wall.

”Weird,” he said. “That light cage is open.”

”Light cage?” Saphandra turned her pearl towards the wall and saw the metal cage, where the pearls were stored to shine light, was wide open.

”That one is open too,” Ning said. “And that one too.”

He quickly found all of the light cages were empty.

”Why would people who disappear need pearls?” Saphandra asked.

”Oh, I don’t think that’s the case anymore,” Ning said as she quietly looked around. He opened the doors around the room but there were no people there either.

”What do you mean?” she asked.

”Missing people, lightless vessel in the sea, headed straightly towards a ship in the night, what do you think I mean?” Ning asked.

”You mean…” Saphandra’s eyes narrowed as she looked around her as well.

”Yes,” Ning said. “I think these people are hiding somewhere on the boat, ready to loot the ship when the opportunity comes.”

Saphandra’s eyes glowed. “Pirates.”