Navigator: I Have a Legendary Exploration Log

Finn slumped down with a sigh of relief, letting the sailor roughly hoist him onto his shoulder.

Eddie and Rumlow took turns providing cover, their phlogiston flames weaving a moving net of fire through the narrow passage, repelling the ever-emerging thorns.

They could no longer tell which way they came from.

The rock face was covered with dark red roots that pulsated like blood vessels, transporting some kind of liquid upwards.

The air became thick and sticky, and the cloying, putrid smell was almost suffocating.

Chalice walked at the very front.

The cutter is held in his left hand, while his right hand holds a revolver.

His sense of smell was fully engaged, locking onto the core of the fragrance in the intricate labyrinth of scents.

Fifty meters ahead.

No, thirty meters.

Closer... even closer!

As the incandescent pillars of fire burned the thorns blocking the way into thin, dry "threads," Chalice casually cleaved the intertwined black web of threads apart.

Everyone's eyes widened at the same time.

This is a huge depression!

It is over two meters deep and wide enough to accommodate a medium-sized sailboat.

And in the center of this depression.

A monster that cannot be described as a "tree" is slowly wriggling.

Its main stem has lost the fibrous feel of a plant.

Countless thick roots intertwine and merge to form dark red "tendons," their surfaces covered with muscle-like textures, contracting and relaxing in a certain rhythm.

Dozens of main branches branch off from the trunk.

Each branch was as thick as a bucket, and thousands of fine thorns spread from its trunk, filling most of the depression like whiskers.

Near the main trunk, a dozen or so round fruits, as red as blood and with a waxy sheen, swayed slightly with the pulsation of the trunk.

This is the trunk of the Bloodthorn Tree.

There are no leaves, no flowers, only roots responsible for extracting nutrients and thorns dedicated to killing and hunting.

now.

The monster seemed to have sensed the intruders, and all its thorns turned at the same time, pointing in the direction of Chalice and the others.

"Oh My God……"

"A sailor murmured."

Chalice's gaze, however, went beyond the terrifying trunk.

It landed on the outer edge of the depression.

Dozens of skeletons were piled up there.

There were humans and large fish.

Scattered among the skeletons were tattered clothes, broken weapons and tools, and even half a boat oar.

This is the result of the bloodthorn tree's years of hunting and accumulating prey.

If Charys fails, it will also mean the future for people like them...

"captain……"

Eddie's voice trembled, "Phnom... there's only a little bit left."

Chalice took a deep breath.

Sweet aroma, putrid stench, bloody stench...

All the scents intertwined in his olfactory world, forming a clear web.

He saw it.

Challis "saw" the pulsating rhythm of the Bloodthorn Tree's trunk, the density of the thorns, and the veins through which nutrients flowed between the fruits and the trunk.

Suddenly, Chalice spoke up, "Put him down."

"what?"

"lay down."

The sailor hesitated as he leaned Finn against the rock wall.

Finn barely managed to support his body on one leg, still clutching the Bloodthorn Fruit tightly in his hand.

"Captain Fane."

Chalice turned around and looked at him calmly. "You just said that the Bloodthorn Tree moves toward blood."

"Yes...yes..."

"So..."

Chalice pointed to Finn's still bleeding severed leg.

"You are the best bait right now."

Finn's face turned deathly pale instantly.

"No...wait!"

He cried out in terror, "Captain Cherries! I can tell you more! I'll give you the fruit right now..."

only……

Although Finn looked panicked and spoke with fear, Cheryl didn't see much fear in his eyes.

Naïve and innocent people can't survive in this world.

Especially the captains who survived at sea.

Chalice was already wary of the captain who had arrived earlier than him.

Previously, Finn was even forced to expose his practice of using the crew's blood to attract Thorn.

Chalice had already figured out how to deal with him...

So, at the moment when both sides broke off relations.

As Finn pleaded, he suddenly shrank back and charged at Cherries with terrifying speed that was almost impossible to see!

Despite losing half a leg, he is a true warrior!

Although the awakened first-tier extraordinary ability is just a common one called [Charge]!

But at such a close distance...

Half a leg would be enough for Finn to shove the blade into the neck of this arrogant brat and then brutally rip apart his arteries and trachea!

Let's finish off this captain, who is also an extraordinary being, cleanly and efficiently!

Unexpectedly, even faster than the charge was Cherries' gun.

He was indeed only two or three meters away from Finn.

Within seven steps.

But since he deliberately provoked the situation, how could we not be on guard?

It doesn't matter how Finn reacts, whether he begs for forgiveness and repents or fights to the death.

Because Cherries is not bound by morality.

Gunfire erupts!

The explosive bullet from Master Thor didn't hit the thorns surrounding them; instead, it shot towards Finn.

In the soldier's eyes, the dazzling gunfire rapidly magnified, obscuring his entire field of vision.

"Damn it..."

He didn't even have time to think about cursing.

The explosive bullet had shattered his skull and half of his chest!

boom--

The deafening sound of gunfire rang out belatedly.

Along with it bloomed a cluster of blood flowers.

Charys stepped aside, making way for Finn's powerless, headless corpse.

The sailors were so startled by the sudden turn of events that they took a half-step back.

Only Rumlow looked surprised but remained calm, unfazed by the captain's sudden move.

"Don't stand there, don't let those things get close."

"Okay... okay!"

Eddie quickly shooed away the thorns that were surrounding him.

Chalice then bent down and smoothly sliced ​​off Finn's hand holding the knife with a folding knife.

There wasn't enough time to pick up the short blade, which was most likely also a strange object.

Because the flames burning on the short blade had not yet been extinguished.

Only items crafted with extraordinary properties qualify as "rare objects".

Each of these strange objects possesses its own magical effects and associated dangers and taboos.

If you covet something unusual and rashly touch it, you may trigger a hidden taboo.

Even if it's murder and robbery, it's best to have it appraised before using it.

The current situation is not good.

Chalice knew what was important.

"Eddie, Rumlow."

He said in a deep voice, "Wait for my signal, then concentrate the flames to burn the top of the main trunk."

"Captain, then you..."

"I'm going to pick some fruit."

Chalice unbuttoned the cuffs of his trench coat, stretched his neck, and said, "Since it likes blood... I'll give it some blood to taste."

Done.

He kicked Finn's corpse in the groin, the precise force sending the body arcing through the air and landing far away from the others.

The entire hollow thorny area froze at the same time.

Then it surged wildly!

The thorns, like a swarm of sharks attracted by the smell of blood, surged toward the corpse!

The main trunk even began to slowly turn, its muscle-textured surface contracting violently, as if trembling with excitement!

"Now!"

"Chilis roared."

Eddie and Rumlow simultaneously raised their phlogiston injectors, and two blazing white jets of fire shot towards the top of the trunk!

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

An indescribable shriek erupted from within the main trunk!

Chalice moved.

He leaped down the depression like a cheetah, the folding knife flashing silver light in his palm.

At the same time.

An unopened can of phlogiston fuel also appeared in Cherris's other hand.

If you don't enter a tiger's den, you can't get a tiger's son!

The Bloodthorn Fruit from Finn has vanished without a trace, but Charys hasn't forgotten why he took on this investigation mission in the first place...

Fortune favors the bold...

The bloodthorn fruit is right in front of me.

Fight!