It was approaching noon. Alka and Hammer stood on the deck, leaning on the ship's railing and gazing at their destination, which was barely visible on the horizon.
"There lies Meister Island, the most beautiful member island of the Blood Gold Alliance," Hammer said, still leaning against the railing as he looked into the distance.
Many ships were already coming and going around them. Just then, footsteps sounded from the deck behind them, and the two turned to look.
A somewhat scrawny old man emerged from below deck. He had messy, white hair and a pair of goggles perched on his forehead. He was dressed in work clothes and trousers filled with pockets, from which various tools hung. As he came up, he shielded his eyes with his hand. "This sunlight is so blinding! Danny? Elon? How long until we arrive?"
Hearing his shouting, Hammer shook his head wearily. "Mr. Bobby, those two are still on vacation on the island."
"Youngsters these days! All they know is taking vacations instead of working hard. Hammer, come over and give me a back rub. My back's about to break."
Hearing this, Hammer sighed helplessly but still walked over, reached out, and began to gently tap Bobby's back. Only then did Bobby stretch lazily and look at Alka, who was standing in front of him. "Who are you? A castaway?"
Hammer applied a bit more force as he tapped Bobby's back. "He's the new apprentice member, the one the Captain went to pick up."
Upon hearing this, Bobby nodded in understanding.
Alka introduced himself, "Hello, my name is Alka Ragu."
"Bobby, Bobby Kinder," the old man replied. "I'm the ship's craftsman, more or less. I can also appraise any Magic Items you might not recognize. If you have questions about forging and crafting in the future, come find me. It would be even better if you're interested in this field."
Alka's eyes lit up at this. As a Magician, I definitely need to find ways to create and improve various Magic Items on my own. It seems I'll have to cultivate a good relationship with this old man.
With this thought, Alka suddenly reached to his thigh, drew out the Locking Device, and handed it to Bobby. "This is a gun I acquired some time ago, but I haven't used it yet, so I don't know its abilities."
Bobby took it and inspected it carefully, then tilted his head at Alka with a curious expression. "This looks like Alando Ture's work. A single-hand grip shotgun. The slider at the back can switch between condensed and spread modes."
As he spoke, a faint, white, circular Spell appeared on one of his fingers, which he then touched to the firearm. He nodded. "When you have Magic Power in the future, you can infuse it when you fire. This can imbue the bullets with the power of Holy Flame. In fact, just infusing Magic Power like that will also enhance the bullet's general power and penetration."
After the appraisal, he handed the gun back to Alka. Alka took the gun, and the crystal block he had taken from the secret chamber appeared in his hand again.
Bobby glanced at it. "That's a type of crystal ore rich in Magic Power, generally used to make some Magic Items. Not particularly important."
Hearing this, Alka immediately asked, "Can this be used to power this gun, or other Magic Items that require Magic Power?"
"Not this gun. For others, it depends on the specific item."
Just then, a card appeared in Alka's hand.
Bobby took the card and examined it. "This kind of Spell-carrying consumable can be activated. You just need to slide the crystal forcefully across its surface." He then looked at the crystal. "However, if you use this crystal like that, it's a one-time use. It's a consumable, and you can't control it. Once the energy of the Crystal Stone is used, it will continuously dissipate. It will probably activate in about three seconds."
After Bobby answered his questions, Alka nodded. "Thank you."
Bobby waved dismissively, then turned to Hammer. "Which island are we headed to?"
Hammer sighed. "Meister Island."
"I don't like that island," Bobby grumbled. "I'm going back to my room to rest. Tell Andre I'll stay and guard the ship this time." With that, he headed directly towards the sterncastle.
Watching Bobby leave, Hammer could only shrug. "The old man doesn't like noisy environments; he prefers the quiet atmosphere on the ship."
As their ship was about to enter the harbor, Andre emerged from below. After Hammer relayed Bobby's message, Uncle Matt also came up on deck. Matt had changed into his usual attire, no longer wearing a chef's apron and uniform.
The ship slowly sailed into the port. The sails retracted automatically, and as the capstan turned, the anchor dropped into the sea, securing them.
"Isn't Liboka disembarking?" Alka asked as he followed Hammer off the ship.
"You'll rarely see her anywhere outside the library," Hammer replied.
After disembarking, Alka surveyed the island. The harbor was meticulously constructed, and the ships moored at the berths were mostly large and exquisitely built. Besides dockworkers, many people were either disembarking from or preparing to board ships. Judging by their attire, most of them were either wealthy or noble, and nearly all were accompanied by female companions and family. This must be a tourist island, Alka thought.
A salty sea breeze, carrying a hint of fresh fragrance, wafted over them. Beyond the harbor lay a small town. Despite its size, the town bustled with carriages of all kinds, and a wide carriageway extended from it, leading into the island's interior.
Andre led Alka, Hammer, and Matt to an inn within the town. A drowsy-looking woman at the counter brightened immediately upon seeing Andre. "Sir, you've arrived!"
Andre ignored her, turning instead to Hammer and Matt. "Danny and the others are resting at this inn. Meet up with them, restock your supplies, and then you're free to do as you please until we return."
Hammer and Matt nodded, unsurprised. "No problem, Captain. We hope you return with a bountiful haul!" Hammer said.
Andre smiled at Hammer's words, then patted Alka on the shoulder and headed out. Alka immediately followed.
Hammer's voice called out from behind them, "Good luck on your first mission, Alka! I hope to see you become a core member soon!"
Alka turned to see Hammer waving and waved back before getting into a carriage with Andre.
Once they were seated in the carriage, Andre looked at Alka. "This is your first treasure hunt. You don't need to do much—just stick with us, watch, listen, and learn. If you have any ideas, feel free to share them."
Alka nodded. "Understood, Captain."
Andre had already told me when we were approaching the island that we were coming here for a treasure hunt. Most of the core members were already on the island; he had just made a detour to pick me up. So, I'm prepared.
Just then, Andre took a palm-sized metal disc from his pocket and handed it to Alka. "This is a Protective Round Shield. It activates automatically and can block an attack without needing Magic Power. Keep it with you for safety."
Alka took the disc. A shield-like emblem was engraved on its surface. Otherwise, it was an ordinary, gray iron disc.
"It's a consumable item and can only block one attack, so be mindful," Andre added.
Alka nodded.