Capítulo 113: Power
Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Seconds after swallowing the pill, Jaden felt a searing sensation rapidly spreading from his abdomen throughout his body.
"This feeling! This feeling..."
An inexplicable surge of immense confidence filled his mind, making him feel like he could take on ten men at once, no, even more.
Jaden clenched his right hand slightly, and veins bulged prominently on his right arm, muscles swelling to an exaggerated degree.
Suddenly, he felt hot and restless all over.
"Ah!" The pirate leader exclaimed, throwing a punch at the table in front of him.
Jaden's fist struck the table corner, and the thick oak table shattered into pieces like cheese, tabletop and legs alike.
With the residual force, the table, missing a leg, crashed to the ground with a loud clang.
The pirate leader stared at the table in disbelief. If this were any other time, it would have been his bones that were shattered.
Besides the sensation of contact with a hard object, his palm only felt a fleeting pain from hitting the table. Jaden raised his hand and examined it, finding no injury or swelling—everything was normal.
After a slight surprise, a wave of desire surged within him: he wanted to kill, to unleash his power.
Noticing Jaden's transformation, Bennett muttered to himself, "Hmm, I should reduce the dosage a bit. Didn't expect his constitution to be so sensitive."
Now the pirate captain before him looked truly ferocious, his stature suddenly transforming from wiry to muscular, his facial muscles contorting as if afflicted with madness.
Yet Bennett calmly extended a hand, palm facing the increasingly aggressive Jaden, and began murmuring words that were incomprehensible.
As Bennett uttered these inexplicable words, Jaden's frenzy gradually subsided, his expression returning to normal.
"Sorry, I didn't control the dosage properly," Bennett shrugged, showing no hint of remorse on his face.
"Master, the feeling just now was incredible."
Jaden remained in a dazed state, staring at his own hands, still unable to believe everything that had just happened was real.
"I felt an unprecedented strength within me. Is this an illusion? No, it's real."
The broken table lying on the ground reminded him that everything that had just occurred was indeed real.
Bennett smiled, patting his shoulder. "Your strength hasn't dissipated yet; you can try again."
"That's enough, Master Bennett. I believe in your ability to pay the reward."
If his pirates could all use this pill, as long as they controlled the dosage as the wizard suggested, cleaning up these petty pirate crews in the Northwest Gulf would be a breeze.
Although he had nearly gone mad just moments ago, it was this self-proclaimed wizard who restored his normal consciousness. Facing such danger yet remaining so composed, this wizard would only become more powerful than he currently was.
Feeling the power still surging continuously within him, Jaden asked Bennett, "How long can this state last?"
"The duration of the drug's effect varies from person to person, but generally, maintaining it for three to four hours should not be a problem."
"How many of these pills can you provide us?"
"Before you unify the pirate groups, fifty pills per week. After that, it depends on your performance, but by then, you might not need them anymore."
"No, Master, I believe I will continue to need them."
Becoming the second Edward was just the beginning. Through these miraculous pills, Jaden saw even greater possibilities.
The wizard had already mentioned inciting turmoil, splitting the Aldor Kingdom. There was no reason why he couldn't have a stake on land as well.
Bennett's smile vanished suddenly, causing a chill to run down Jaden's spine. He heard Bennett ask, "From your tone, have you already decided to cooperate with us?"
Jaden nodded repeatedly. "It's an honor to work with you and the Secret Arcane Order. But why did you choose me?"
"It's not just you I've chosen; there are others too. I'll tell you when the time comes. As for why I chose you..."
Bennett's expression turned slightly cold, his tone ominous. "I've assessed many candidates in different ways, and you are the least foolish among them—understanding restraint, knowing when to advance and retreat. People like you are rare in this Northwestern land."
Hearing this, Jaden, usually confident in his intellect, didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Did what I said today lead you to this conclusion?"
Shaking his head, Bennett replied, "It's not just today; I've been observing you for a long time."
Cold sweat broke out on the pirate leader's back. "How long has this wizard been lurking around me? I haven't noticed a thing."
Seeing his apprehension, Bennett felt very satisfied. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
Unlike dealing with lords like Maltz Kent, who were still nominally bound by kings and upper lords, pirates were inherently opposed to the Aldor Kingdom. Inciting Jaden to oppose the kingdom didn't require the elaborate schemes used against Maltz Kent.
Moreover, Bennett quite liked this pirate leader. As he had just said, Jaden was "the least foolish one." If he used someone less competent, it could cause trouble for himself, and the Secret Arcane Order was not eager to expose itself to the public eye.
For someone he favored, Bennett was happy to recruit in a relatively "gentle" manner, just as he was doing now—no need for the methods used against Maltz Kent.
Well... except for that poor fellow nicknamed "Swordfish."
Despite Jaden's current lack of power, this was also good. The weaker Jaden's initial strength, the more reliant he would be on them.
Bennett decided to fan the flames a bit more. "Leader Jaden, would you like to know where Edward, the former top pirate of the Northwest Bay, has gone?"
"Lord Edward? Where has he gone?"
Jaden was indeed puzzled. Early this year, the former commander of the Northwest Bay had disappeared with his flagship fleet, sparking a series of disturbances in the region.
"I won't hide it from you. Edward is now with us, playing an important role elsewhere."
The pirate leader widened his eyes. "Even Lord Edward... is cooperating with you?"
Bennett nodded. "Yes, and because of us, his power is stronger than before."
Jaden fell silent, lowering his head in thought. After a while, he suddenly looked up at Bennett and said, "Master Wizard, let's discuss the specifics of our cooperation."
(End of the Chapter)
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder