Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 366 Freud - A Glimpse of the Sailfish

The day after the Iron Islands fleet docked at Sunspear City, the port welcomed another weary fleet.

The lead ship was not large, but it exuded a resilience forged over the years in storms and wars. The flag flying on its mast was not that of any known noble or city-state, but a simple, dark blue flag that symbolized freedom.

Stepping aboard the ship was Edwin Ramirez, the former leader of the Stone Steps Pirate Alliance. His bronze skin bore the marks of sea winds and the passage of time. The ornate accessories that once symbolized the alliance's power had been removed, replaced by a simple, practical leather armor, with a weathered longsword at his waist. His eyes were sharper and more composed than ever before, reflecting the ease and freedom that came with being freed from burdens.

Euron personally greeted him at the dock. The two old friends met, and without much small talk, they simply embraced tightly, patted each other on the back, and everything was understood without words.

"Welcome back, brother." Euron's voice carried a rare sincerity, unadulterated. He had never forgotten that in the early days when his power was not yet secure, it was Edwin and his pirates who provided him with crucial support during the chaotic situation on the Steppes, true partners who had shared bloodshed together.

"Being free is still the most comfortable, Euron." Edwin grinned, revealing teeth slightly stained yellow by smoke and saltpeter. "The leader's chair on the Stone Steps Isles is a pain in the ass."

The two walked side by side toward the council chamber by the harbor. Euron unfolded the nautical chart and pointed to the southern part of the Narrow Sea, to the archipelago of dozens of islands of varying sizes, shaped like a winding serpent.

"I know you were born on the Lizard Islands," Euron said, looking intently at Edwin. "No one knows the reefs and rocks there, the undercurrents, better than you."

Edwin's gaze fell on the familiar outline of the islands on the nautical chart, a complex light flashing in his eyes—the look of a wanderer longing for home. He nodded, his voice low and certain: "With my eyes closed, my ships can find every safe passage and know every hidden bay where we can land."

"Very good. The Lizard Islands need a king, and you are the only choice." Euron pressed his fingertips heavily on the center of the Lizard Islands, his tone resolute. "I will lead the main fleet, and you, my brother, will be my guide and my blade. Together we will conquer the Lizard Islands."

Three days pass in the blink of an eye, like sand slipping through your fingers.

During this brief, almost luxurious stay, Euron Greyjoy laid down his armor as commander of the expedition. He was no longer seen on the decks of warships or in the secret chambers of planning, but spent more time in the exotic corners of Sunspear, with his family.

Euron held Alexander, who was just a month old, and strolled side by side with Asara under the veranda of the flowing garden. He let the cool water vapor brush against his face, listened to the baby in his arms babbling, and watched Asara's dark hair flow in the morning light.

When the afternoon sun was warm, Euron would hold Rhaenys and little Caesar's hands, and under Ilya's gentle gaze, they would step onto the sun-scorched beach. The waves washed over the golden sand again and again, and at the children's request, he would kneel down and help them collect the strange seashells and pebbles smoothed and rounded by the waves. Little Caesar's excited squeals and Rhaenys's silvery laughter, mingled with the cries of seagulls and the rhythm of the tides, created this rare moment of tranquility.

They also wandered through the bustling markets of Sunspear, filled with spices, fruits, and the clamor of voices, Euron protecting Ashara and Ellie—

Beside her, she watched them select Dorne's specialty silks and painted pottery with great interest, occasionally whispering about some exquisite little item, their faces bearing relaxed smiles.

As the sun sets, they dine together on the seaside terrace, watching the massive sun wheel sink into the Dornish Sea, painting the sky and sea a fiery, magnificent purple. Children play nearby, Ashara and Elia whisper among themselves, while Euron sits quietly, his gaze sweeping over the almost unreal, heartwarming scene before him, as if trying to etch every moment into the depths of his memory.

These two short days were devoid of battle cries and the hardships of seafaring; they were simply the most ordinary yet precious moments belonging to the husband, father, and family.

The setting sun bathed the harbor of Sunspear City in a magnificent crimson-gold hue, and the expeditionary fleet was fully prepared to set sail at dawn the following day. In these final moments before departure, a longship, dusty and weathered, carrying the distinctive salty and gunpowder-scented scent of the Stone Steps Islands' waters, entered the harbor.

Standing at the bow was Freud Greyjoy-Balf's son, a young sea monster who had served alongside his father on the front lines of conflict for many years. He nimbly leaped off the ship, followed by over a hundred elite men, their eyes gleaming with the fierce aura honed by the Stone Steps Archipelago.

Euron's eyes widened in surprise when he saw this unexpected figure. He didn't recall issuing any orders to transfer people to the Stone Steps Islands.

"Freud?" Euron stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over his cousin's young face, etched with the marks of battle, and asked, "What brings you here?"

Freud grinned, a smile that was both wild and affectionate, bearing a striking resemblance to his father, Balf.

"Of course I'm coming, Brother Euron." Freud's tone was matter-of-fact. "After all, it's where my sister Tessaya is going, and she'll be living there for a long time. Besides, even if the Summer Islands are conquered, that unfamiliar land needs trusted people to help stabilize the situation and clean up the remnants, doesn't it?"

He mentioned Tessia Greyjoy, cleverly blending family ties with military necessity.

Euron immediately understood this implication and realized that this was likely an arrangement by his cautious uncle Balf, both as support for the expedition and as a deeper strategic move to establish Greyjoy's roots in the lands to be conquered. He nodded slightly and smiled faintly, "Yes, your father has thought things through. In a foreign land, your sister certainly needs trusted confidants."

He patted Floyd on the shoulder and didn't ask any more questions.

"Alright," Euron turned around, looking at the massive fleet that was about to become his, his voice steady and powerful, "They're here."

Get ready, we'll leave together first thing tomorrow morning.

Floyd's smile widened, and he waved to his men behind him. The group quickly and orderly merged into the busy port workers' ranks, like a stream flowing into the sea.

Euron looked at Freud, then suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "So you're the only one here? Did 'Thousand Eyes' come with you?"

Freud shook his head and said, "No. It must stay with Father. The Stone Steps Islands are a mixed bag; it needs to stay there to keep the scoundrels in check."

Upon hearing this, Youlun nodded approvingly.

"Yes, that's only right." Euron walked slowly to the edge of the dock, his gaze falling on the unfathomable water below, and smiled. "I've said it before, every true Greyjoy will eventually have a Sea King to protect him. You are no exception."

After saying that, he bent down and, without using any force, simply patted his palm lightly on the rippling sea.

The next moment, the sea outside the harbor rose silently, and a huge, elongated black shadow broke through the water.

Its body is incredibly long, with smooth lines and explosive power. The most striking feature is its snout—not ordinary flesh and blood, but an exaggeratedly long, pale bone blade with edges that gleam with a cold light, like a deadly lance tailor-made for the ocean.

【Glimpses of the Sailfish】

It floated silently in the shallow water, its massive body barely feeling the resistance of the current, sunlight reflecting off its wet, deep blue surface with a metallic sheen. Even more strangely, its outline would occasionally blur for a moment, as if it could briefly merge into the water and penetrate the barriers of matter.

Euron, seeing Freud's eyes widen in shock, smiled. "I keep my word. From now on, it's yours." His tone then carried a hint of caution, "Handle it carefully, Freud. Its speed is beyond your imagination, and its 'ethereal' ability is even more unpredictable. You'll need to put in a lot of effort to truly ride alongside it."

Young Greyjoy took a deep breath, his eyes burning with a mixture of ecstasy and a thirst for challenge. He stared intently at the ocean predator that seemed born for speed and nodded vigorously.

Freud's eyes gleamed with barely suppressed excitement. He took a deep breath of the salty sea air, leaped, and landed steadily on the smooth, broad back of the Shadow Sailfish.

Almost the instant he landed—before he could even blink—the scenery around him suddenly distorted and stretched! The shrill sound of the air being torn apart filled his ears, and the port, the fleet, Sunspear City—everything in his field of vision receded and shrank wildly, turning into blurry blocks of color.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself hundreds of meters away in the open sea. The terrifying acceleration and the resulting inertia flung him mercilessly off the back of the Shadow Sailfish like a stone thrown by a catapult.

"Thump—"

—"

After a long while, Freud suddenly popped his head out of the churning waves, coughing violently and spitting out the seawater he had swallowed. Far from being angry, he burst into a hearty laugh, the sound echoing across the empty sea.

The massive body of the Shadow Sailfish swam silently to his side like a ghost, lowering its signature...

The long, bony snout gleamed with a cold light, and in the eyes of that ancient sea king, a clear curiosity and—a hint of mockery—was revealed, as if wondering why this new companion was so "vulnerable."

Freud wiped the water droplets from his face, reached out and patted the hard skin of the Shadow Sailfish, his face beaming with a desire for conquest and pure joy.

"Wow, that's fast! Absolutely incredible speed!" he exclaimed, then decided on a name: "From today onwards, you'll be called Shadow!" A fitting name indeed!

His gaze was fixed intently on this embodiment of speed, his fighting spirit soaring even higher: "Come on, Shadow! Let's try again!"

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