The Wizarding World's Forbidden Book Administrator

Chapter 85 The Navigator

The fishing float bobbed with the waves.

The same applies to small boats.

Henry lay lazily on the boat, his hands behind his head.

He stared blankly at the sky, his mind completely empty.

He only sat up abruptly when he heard a movement from the fishing rod under his legs.

He grabbed the fishing rod and pulled it back.

However, the other end of the fishing line immediately began to resist, and Henry felt a tremendous force pulling him underwater.

This is a big fish!

Henry, not to be outdone, braced his knees against the gunwale and strained his back.

Then, the entire ship was towed forward.

Henry held on tightly, and if the fish slowed down, he would pull back on its hook.

The prey had to exert its strength to swim underwater again, continuing to drag the boat forward at full speed.

Henry's plan was to simply go back and forth a few times to wear down the fish, and he would eventually win this protracted battle.

However, Henry underestimated the fish's endurance.

After a while, the prey's resistance did not weaken; on the contrary, Henry's muscles became sore.

"Pfft!" Henry gasped. "This is so troublesome!"

He seemed to be losing patience, so he focused his attention on his palm.

The fishing rod is activated by the power it is given, and its "paralyzing" properties are injected into the prey's body through the wound caused by the hook.

With the resistance from the other end gone, Henry chuckled smugly and quickly began to pull up the catch.

When he hauled the fish onto the boat, the whole boat rocked violently.

This is a longfin tuna, it's huge, almost five feet long!

Henry grinned. Ha, he had something to brag about tonight.

Just then, he noticed the commotion.

A long boat sailed toward him.

The smile on his face quickly faded, and he sat on the deck and began to untie the fishing line and hooks off the tuna.

As the ship drew nearer, someone on the longboat shouted:

"That's a really big fish."

Henry ignored him.

The other party continued:

"Captain Benson is back, and he seems to want to see you, sir."

"I understand," Henry nodded.

"Chief, I'll send men to pull your ship aboard."

“No need,” Henry said. “You can turn back; I can keep up.”

The man on the longboat seemed hesitant, but nodded nonetheless and then ordered the boat to turn around.

Henry simply turned to face the stern, and gently gripped the two protruding metal poles of the small boat.

It actually started moving forward on its own.

This is a thrust device, designed for him by Victor.

The main components include two hammers, several pipes, and a turbine fan.

The two iron hammers were labeled with the words "blazing" and "extremely frozen".

When activated simultaneously, they can agitate the water flow, causing the steel fan to rotate and thus propelling the small boat forward.

Henry simply needed to find a comfortable position, lie down on the boat, and hold the rudder.

They did not sail for long before returning to Spade Island in the Clown Islands.

The longship dropped anchor before him, and the pirate who had just relayed the information to Henry immediately jumped into the sea to help Henry pull the ship ashore.

As Henry stepped onto the beach, he immediately saw several people hurrying towards him in the distance.

The leader was dressed in an exquisite and gorgeous jazz suit, with a tricorn hat on his head and a necklace of various precious metals such as gold, silver, and aluminum around his neck.

He approached angrily, took a step forward, and kicked the pirate next to Henry, knocking him to the ground.

"Damn it! You bastard! How dare you make our leader row the boat back himself!"

Henry looked at the man lying on the ground, his face contorted with a wronged expression that looked like he was about to cry, and immediately spoke up to stop him:

"That's enough, Benson. I made him do it, so it's not his fault."

Benson walked up to Henry: "But, boss, how could you—"

“It was Victor who designed the boat for me,” Henry said. “I was afraid they would ruin it.”

"I understand, boss," Benson laughed, "but you were too careless to go fishing alone."

"Fishing isn't dangerous," Henry said, starting to walk towards the buildings ahead.

"But it depends on where it's located."

Benson followed behind Henry and said,

"The place where you often fish is close to the Corrupted Sea! The climate there is abnormal, and the creatures in the water are all apostles of the devil. Boss, I don't think you've forgotten how much trouble we suffered at the hands of those creatures when we first crossed the Sea of Despair."

"Things are different now. Even ordinary monsters can't easily harm me now, you should know that."

Henry gave Benson a wary look.

"Besides, it's still some distance from the corrupted sea."

"The boundaries of evil forces are becoming increasingly unpredictable," Benson said. "Boss, you should know that better than I do."

Yes, I know better, Henry thought, I know just as well the magnitude of my sins.

By this time, they had arrived at the door of a wooden house.

Benson stepped forward and opened the door for Henry.

Henry entered, and there were fifty or sixty people gathered inside.

They immediately stood up and greeted Henry.

Henry nodded slightly and led Benson upstairs.

Upon entering a room, Henry sat down directly.

Benson poured Henry a glass of red wine, then found another glass, sat down, and poured himself a glass of wine.

Henry gripped the rim of his glass, Benson rose to clink glasses, and the two of them simultaneously took a large gulp of wine, moistening their dry mouths and throats.

After a pause, Henry took another sip, turned to Benson, and asked:

"Hmm, long time no see, Benson, at least six months?"

"Ten months, boss," Benson said with a laugh. "I've been counting down the days."

"So, why are you in such a hurry to see me? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"yes,"

Benson nodded, his expression gradually becoming serious.

"On this voyage, I traveled through the Weeping Gorge, the Flameheart Sea, and the Windless Sea, and also met with the other six pirate leaders."

"What did they say?"

"Without exception, they want to expand their influence in the Sea of Despair."

Henry shrugged. "They can come whenever they want. The ocean has no owner."

“But the islands do,” Benson said. “There are now five sea routes to the New World. Two of them were opened by you, while the other three are in the hands of the righteous people.”

"So they have a lot of choices, don't they?"

"Warships have zero tolerance for pirate ships, and the remaining two routes converge at the Clown Islands."

Benson dipped his finger in the liquor and drew lines on the small table between the two of them.

"The Sea of Despair is so despairing not only because it is full of corrupt waters, but also because the route is so long that nine out of ten ships would be sunk to the bottom of the sea if they tried to sail the entire route in one go, so it is necessary to rest halfway."

The Clown Islands provided an excellent respite for the pirates.

"They want to borrow the archipelago?"

"That's right," Benson nodded.

Henry chuckled. "Of course, you can just pay the entrance fee like other pirates."

"They think it's too expensive," Benson said. "The cost of landing on the island can be as much as half the revenue of a pirate ship, and the Clown Islands are thousands of miles to the east and west with no other footholds."

Those greedy fellows had no other choice, but were unwilling to spend more gold, which is why they demanded negotiations:

"What are their specific requirements?"

"Free," Benson said, "at most, we can tolerate 20% of our price."

"Tolerate?" Henry couldn't help but laugh. "And do you think I can tolerate it?"

“I naturally refused,” Benson said, “but they said that if that were the case, the pirate leaders would be meeting soon.”

If Henry can't even tell that this is a threat, he'll be making a presumptuous claim that the six pirate leaders will unite to seize shipping lanes.

Henry lowered his head and began to ponder.

The room became unusually quiet, with only a dull murmur rising from the floor.

Benson suddenly asked, "Boss, what do we do?"

Upon hearing this, Henry raised one eye to look at Benson.

He picked up his wine glass, leaned back in his chair, and took a sip.

"Benson, one of the islands belongs to you, and you are now a pirate leader on equal footing with me. You also have the power to make decisions."

Upon hearing this, Benson stood up in response, accidentally knocking over a wine glass with his knee.

But he clearly didn't care about any of that; he knelt down before Henry, placed his hands on the ground, and bowed his head deeply.

"Boss! Please don't say such things again! I owe my current position entirely to you! My loyalty to you is as clear as the ocean! No matter how successful I am outside, I will always be your subordinate!"

Henry reached out, grabbed Benson's arm, and helped him up.

"I didn't mean to blame you, I was just asking for your opinion."

Benson sat down, then righted the tipped-over glass; his hands trembled violently.

"I... I have no objection, boss. Whatever you want to do, I'll follow your lead."

Henry picked up the flask, filled Benson's glass with wine, and gestured for a toast.

"Bang!"

"Gurgle, gurgle!"

Henry leaned back, thought for a moment, and then said:

"They are simply envious of our interests. Those pirates near the Old World have not been having a good time in recent years, so they plan to try to squeeze us and see how tough we really are."

"I think so too," Benson nodded repeatedly.

Henry suddenly sat up straight and looked at Benson:

Did they say when the gathering would be?

Benson shook his head: "Only Raymond and Riley mentioned it. When I asked the other leaders, none of them denied it."

"Hey!" Henry laughed. "That's more like it!"

"Um?"

"Raymond and Riley were the first to form a pirate fleet. They were the first to master the fleet's operation and negotiation strategies. If those illiterate people were planning some kind of trouble, I would find it strange if it wasn't led by these two."

Henry grinned and stood up.

"I bet they hadn't even finalized the gathering before you arrived at the Burning Heart Islands!"

"Is this all baseless? Are you trying to fool me?"

Henry shook his head: "It might not have been before, but it definitely is now! And the negotiation location should be on the Burning Heart Islands!"

"Well, boss—"

"—If they want to have a meeting, then let them have one!"

"However, if we don't agree to their demands, we might have to fight the six major fleets head-on!"

"Ha ha!" Henry laughed. "You're wrong, Benson. I didn't say it was a meeting of pirate captains—."

Benson's eyes widened:

"Boss, you mean—..."

"That's right! Benson, this will be the first meeting of all eight pirate captains!"

Henry stood up and patted Benson on the shoulder.

"Chief Benson, shall we come with you?"

Benson stood up and gently took Henry's hand:

"I'll go through fire and water, boss, but—please don't add that word—"

That evening, hundreds of pirates held a bonfire feast on the beach.

As the pirates were drinking merrily, Benson, who was standing next to Henry, suddenly stood up.

He tapped the iron pot with a wooden stick to signal everyone to quiet down.

Then, holding his wine glass, he began to walk around in front of everyone:

"The sea nourishes all sea creatures, but it can also devour them all at any moment. Yet we are able to gather here, with fine wine and delicious food, surrounded by beautiful women. We are already the victors who have conquered the ocean. Shrimp, cheer for our victory!"

"Long live the pirates!"

"Long live plunder!"

"Talkative Benson!"

The atmosphere at the party instantly erupted into a deafening roar.

At that moment, Benson raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet again.

He continued:

"You may see the talkative Benson as the embodiment of glory, but before my master, my brilliance will be dimmed in an instant!"

"He led me to defeat the legends, led me to escape the encirclement of a fleet of more than a hundred longships, and led me to discover sea routes and reach the New World. He brought about the Age of Exploration!"

"Pirates, my foot soldiers, it is our honor to serve him, and he is the giant who leads all pirates forward, the navigator! Henry!"

"Henry!"

"The Navigator!"

"Henry the Navigator!"

In an instant, the cheers for Henry drowned out the sparks, the crashing waves, and all other sounds.

Henry and his nickname seem to have become the world's eternal and unique legend.

All the shouters were fired up and full of passion.

Henry, however, looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with melancholy.

He was once called "Berserker Henry" and "Eagle Henry," while he himself called himself "Liar Henry" and "Devil Henry"!

Now he is left with only one title: "Henry the Navigator".

As he led the Black Goat to the New World, his title of "Navigator" quickly spread across the continents.

If we were to name the most famous pirate of our time, it would undoubtedly be "The Navigator".

However, Henry never felt the slightest pride in this title.

They even considered it a major mistake he made.

What have I done? Henry deeply regrets, invader? Slave trader?

His fleet transported countless green-eyed people across the ocean to be sold as slaves.

Ha, pirates do inhuman things anyway, so maybe there's no need for them to feel guilty.

But Henry discovered something.

He heard in his ears that disasters were frequently occurring on various continents, and that evil was stirring.

Evil witches, monsters, natural disasters, esoteric religions —

All of this only began to appear after he brought the first green-eyed person to the other side of the ocean!

Although he couldn't pinpoint the exact connection, he was certain that his intuition was absolutely correct!

He is the source of all the disaster, the instigator of everything!

He is a sinner!

The louder the cheers for the "navigator" were, the more tormented and depressed he felt.

He instinctively put his hand in his pocket.

A touch of coldness soothed his emotions.

Those were two gold coins.

A face appeared in his mind, and a smile appeared on his face.

This is his unique kind of alcohol, which allows him to numb himself and temporarily forget his inner turmoil.

But occasionally, he would think about it.

If Natalie asked him to explore the "justice" of pirates, why did she leave him a letter that led him into the abyss of evil?

If Natalie hadn't told him why the Lord, the Sea God, and the stars were unwilling to speak for him?

The cheers gradually subsided, and the party returned to its original chaotic and noisy state, which ironically brought Henry a greater sense of peace.

Benson toasted Henry, and the two clinked glasses.

Drink, laugh, eat, laugh, fuck, laugh —

At pirate banquets, it's nothing more than a cycle and continuation of these same things.

Henry just wanted it to end soon.

Suddenly, someone came up in front of him and Benson.

"My lords, a slave attempted to escape, but had nowhere to go on the island. We captured him and brought him back. What should we do with him?"

As he spoke, he pushed a slave in front of the two men.

Benson frowned and said, "You dare to use something like this to cause trouble? Whipping them in front of the other slaves, and if they don't submit, skinning them and bleeding them dry to create fear."

"yes-"

The man bowed, preparing to take the slave away.

The moment the slave's arm was grabbed, he immediately began to struggle and resist, flailing his limbs wildly and shouting in a language the pirates couldn't understand.

Henry accidentally made eye contact with him; those dark green eyes seemed to see right into his soul, making him tremble.

Only then did he realize that it was a girl, about ten years old.

"etc.-

Henry was startled when he heard the sound he made.

He didn't know why he said that.

The pirate asked, "Chief, what's wrong?"

Henry was stumped by the question.

He looked at the girl.

The girl stopped yelling, but seemed to realize that Henry was the boss of everyone, so she stared intently into Henry's eyes and glared at him angrily.

For some reason, Henry always avoided those eyes and dared not meet their gaze.

Could it be that green eyes truly possess evil power?

At that moment, his fingertips felt the coldness of the gold coin again.

He took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and looked into that eye.

Ah—I see.

Aside from the different color, there's nothing different; it's still a human eye.

This is just a ten-year-old human child.

Henry downed the wine in his glass in one gulp and gave the order:

"Tie her up and take her to my room."

Surprisingly, Benson reacted the most strongly, standing up abruptly:

"Boss, no way!"

Why?

"I know you haven't been with a woman for almost ten years, and I understand you're extremely horny, but—"

Benson hesitated for a moment, swallowed hard, and then continued.

"But not the green-eyed people! Have you heard, boss? They're children of evil, carrying an ominous aura. If you get too close to them—"

Henry exhaled through his nose and looked at Benson:

"I didn't have that thought, I just—wanted to ask her some questions." Henry returned to the room, where the green-eyed girl was already tied to the corner of his bed.

She tried to break free, but then she seemed to see Henry return, and she stopped moving, staring intently at him. Henry closed the door, sat down in the chair next to the table, bit off the cork of the wine bottle, and blew a big gulp into the bottle.

He then looked at the girl again.

Henry remembered that Natalie was also ten years old when he first met her.

Of course, he had not confirmed the girl's age.

Just seeing her brings back memories of Natalie.

Therefore, a rare gentle smile appeared on his face.

Henry gripped the bottleneck and walked toward the green-eyed man.

The girl immediately stuck her head out, trying to bite him.

"Oh my gosh—" Henry laughed and took two steps back.

Then he sat cross-legged in a spot just out of the girl's reach.

He put the bottle aside and looked at the girl.

After a long while, he said:

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't intend to bring you disaster in the first place?"

Seemingly unable to understand Henry's words, the girl began to roar at something.

Henry didn't seem to care and continued:

"What I never imagined was that I would also bring disaster to the other side of the world—"

As he was speaking, he was interrupted—by spitting out a mouthful of saliva. Henry closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, raising an eyebrow, wiping the saliva away with his sleeve, and staring at the girl:

"What's your name?"

The girl began to speak again, saying things that Henry couldn't understand at all.

Henry carefully recalled the few words he knew that the green-eyed people used, and what each word meant.

He tentatively asked, "The character '命' (fate)?"

Upon hearing this, the girl quieted down, but still glared at Henry.

Henry thought for a moment longer: "A name?"

Confusion crossed the girl's face, but Henry knew that she had pronounced it correctly this time.

"Name?" Henry patted his chest. "Henry, Henry, name?" Henry then pointed to the girl.

"Guga Balada".

"ha?"

"Tuscarola".

"Tuscarola?" Henry repeated.

The girl nodded.

Henry smiled. "Tuscarola!"

The girl raised an eyebrow, seemingly not understanding Henry's intentions.

Even Henry himself didn't know what he was doing.

He picked up the bottle and handed it to him:

"Would you like some?"

The girl turned her head away.

"This is cider, it's very sweet!"

But she still refused to cooperate.

Seeing this, Henry demonstrated by taking a sip himself and deliberately smacking his tongue.

Sure enough, the girl swallowed subconsciously.

Henry held out the bottle again, and although the girl was still somewhat wary, she eventually opened her mouth.

The moment the drink entered the girl's mouth, Henry saw that although her face was still dull and lifeless, her eyes seemed to have acquired a color other than dark green.

Henry smiled; it seemed like many years had passed since he had felt so happy.

Even if he is adored and walks on gold—

"Ahem!"

The girl choked, apparently because she drank too quickly.

Henry took a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her mouth clean.

He noticed that the girl was no longer as wary as before.

Henry understood that the girl was hungry.

So he went outside and brought in some bread and mutton.

Henry tore the bread and meat into pieces and fed them to her little by little.

She was cautious at first, but she ate faster and faster, and even smacked her lips.

Henry quickly poured her a sip of wine so that she could swallow her food.

After she caught her breath for a moment, Henry picked up the food again and put it in her mouth.

But this time, she didn't open her mouth.

What's wrong?

The girl looked up at Henry, but Henry couldn't discern the emotion in her eyes.

But the next moment, the girl burst into tears.

She tilted her head back, her eyelids covering her green eyes, but tears, like everyone else's, streamed down her face.

Her mouth was wide open, and a loud cry burst from her throat.

That was practically a scream, a roar—.·

It is also a condemnation and questioning of Henry.

If one day I were to see Natalie again—Henry suddenly wondered, how should I tell her about the crimes I've committed over the years?

Henry let the girl cry until her sobs gradually subsided, at which point he wiped away the remaining tears for her.

After that, he fed the girl all the bread and mutton with cider.

"Are you tired?" Henry asked in Mandarin.

But the girl clearly didn't understand; she just stared at Henry.

Henry said no more, got up, untied the ropes binding the girl, pushed her onto the bed, and covered her with a blanket.

Then he pulled out the axe, faced the bed, sat sideways on the chair, rested his other elbow on the table, and propped his head up with his fist.

The girl didn't make a fuss, so Henry didn't need to do anything.

The girl slowly fell asleep, and Henry heard her even and peaceful breathing.

Henry also felt a sense of peace.

Or rather, redemption.

But he dared not sleep.

This continued until dawn, when the girl woke up and sat up.

Henry then had food brought in for the girl to eat by herself.

After finishing his meal, Henry picked up the rope and walked behind the girl.

Just as they were about to tie her up, the girl struggled and escaped.

But he was instantly subdued by Henry and pinned to the ground.

Henry tied the girl up again.

Afterwards, he ordered his men to put the girl back in with the slaves.

Before leaving, the girl glared at Henry with hatred.

Henry was tired and went to bed.

The following day, he summoned Benson to discuss the matter.

"How many ships do we have now?" he asked.

Benson said, "No need for 'separation,' sir. What's mine is yours. There are fifty-three in total."

"Then we'll take thirty ships. If the other side is just pirates, that should be enough."

"But what if we all leave, and a fleet attacks the islands?"

"Twenty-three ships for a defensive battle is no problem," Henry said. "Besides, Victor is in the archipelago, and with his prestige, he can command twenty-three ships."

"When are we leaving?"

"The sooner the better. Prepare all day today, tomorrow morning!"

"Yes," Benson nodded. "We can sell the newest slave along the way, boss. What do you think?"

Henry paused for a moment, then nodded and added:

"My boat can be decorated too."

Benson shook his head: "No need, boss. Thirty boats are enough."

"Just one," Henry said, "and send that green-eyed girl from last time to my ship."

The next morning, as the sun rose in the east, the clown's face shone brightly.

The Spade was surrounded by a group of ships, and Henry stood in front of the bridge.

Miko stood to his side and rear, while more crew members stood on the lower deck, awaiting his instructions.

"Set off!"

At a command, all thirty boats raised their sails simultaneously.

The two gold coins sailed at the forefront of the fleet.

This is his new ship.

The bow of the ship is inlaid with two huge round copper plates, like a pair of bright red suns in a clear sky, which is why some people call this ship the Double Sun.

But Henry never explained, because he would rather die than tell anyone the origin of the ship's name.

Upon entering the captain's cabin, Tuscarola was already strapped to a chair.

Henry sat down opposite her, and the two stared at each other for a long time.

Henry then spoke up: "Can you guarantee you won't act recklessly?"

She definitely didn't understand, but... it doesn't matter.

Henry stepped forward and untied the girl's ropes.

The girl looked at Henry with a puzzled expression, probably unsure of what he was up to.

Henry may have been confused when they last met, but this time, he has a goal.

Whenever Henry was in the room, he would untie the girl, allowing her to move freely within the room and eat and drink on her own.

In addition, Henry also tried to teach her some common words in the Royal Language. Although progress was slow, she was at least able to pronounce the most basic personal pronouns and nouns for common objects such as "sea" and "fish" with a less-than-perfect pronunciation.

But Henry's demands weren't high; he didn't intend to be Tuscarola's teacher himself anyway.

Two months later, they arrived at the location Henry had planned to go and ordered the slaves to be disposed of there.

Some ships lowered their pirate flags and sailed into the port.

This includes two gold coin numbers.

Henry took Tuscarola's hand and stepped off the ship.

At this point, although she was still unfriendly to Henry, she no longer had much of a rebellious attitude.

"Tuscarola," Henry called out.

The girl looked up at Henry.

"name?"

Henry pointed to himself and said in the Kingdom language.

Henry

Henry nodded, then took out a letter and handed it to her.

At that moment, he raised his hand and pointed in a direction.

Then, he began to speak while gesturing:

"Go to the seaside house, enter the letter to Henry."

Tuscarola clearly didn't hear him, tilting his head towards Henry.

Henry took a deep breath and then explained it three more times.

At this point, Tuscarola finally nodded hesitantly.

Henry smiled, then gave Tuscarola a shove:

"Let's go."

Tuscarola stood there blankly, staring at Henry, at a loss for what to do.

Henry stepped forward again, placed his hand on her shoulder, and pointed in a direction.

After Tuscarola nodded, he finally began to move.

But she only took a few steps before stopping and looking back at Henry.

Henry pointed in that direction, then at the letter, and then at himself:

"Go—to—Henry!"

Tuscarola nodded vigorously, then started running.

She disappeared into the crowd.

Will Tuscarola stop and turn back again?

Henry had no way of knowing.

He returned to the ship, the fleet reunited, and they set off eastward.

Near the coast.

Henry was on the port side, gazing into the distance.

Suddenly, he heard someone calling him.

"Boss!"

Turning around, I saw Benson.

"You should stay on your own Eagle."

"That bird can fly without me," Benson said with a smile. "I've finally managed to sail with you, and I want to talk to you."

"We've said enough, Benson," Henry said, looking ahead again.

"I don't mind having more," Benson said, sounding quite pleased. "Being with you reminds me of those thrilling battles we fought back then. Boss, every time I think back and look at how well I've done for myself now, I really appreciate that I followed the right person."

Henry glanced at Benson but said nothing, focusing intently on looking ahead.

Suddenly, he saw what he wanted to see and leaned forward as far as he could.

Benson was even worried that Henry would fall, so he reached out his hand.

He looked ahead curiously, then said in a puzzled tone:

"A library? How come there's a library built by the sea? That's strange—"

Henry just smiled and watched quietly.

"Boss, I heard books are really valuable, should we rob them?"

The next moment, Benson looked terrified and took several steps back.

Henry was staring at Benson with murderous intent; yes, this was the first time Henry had specifically shown such murderous intent towards Benson.

It's understandable that he would be afraid.

But this murderous intent was not unexpected.

Henry spoke slowly and deliberately in a voice that sounded like it came from hell: