Chapter 15 - The Legend of an Old Citadel

"The Legend of Necrogear Citadel? Is that a history book?"

Adam asked curiously, judging by the title that this was some book containing the ancient history of an ancestral place or something similar. However, to his surprise, the pirate simply chuckled lightly and shook his head.

“Not at all, it's just an old tale. But it's here where I remember seeing something similar to what's written on your cursed page.”

That was odd, but he didn't dwell on it too much for the moment since they quickly opened the book and went straight to one of the middle pages, which had some small background drawings.

"Here they are. I knew I had seen a few symbols with the same shape. Look.”

Chrono said, pointing to the symbols on the page with a big smile, notoriously excited about the little discovery.

After scrutinizing it, he noticed that while there were no exact words, several symbols on the page were the same as some in the book's illustrations. At first glance, this didn't make sense considering the Necronomicon was an object foreign to this world... Wait, when did something happen to confirm that? The page had been obtained through the system's store and nowhere did it mention its origin. In fact, by its definition, it was nothing more than a copy. Could it be possible that this setting was actually the home of the original book?

“Mr. Chrono, I would like to ask you... Are you familiar with the term Cursed Energy?”

He asked, causing the pirate to pause thoughtfully for a moment before answering.

“Cursed Energy? I’m afraid not, but I do have my fair share of dealing with cursed tools.”

He what? That was incredible. Could there really be some connection? Adam couldn't help but ask more questions without stopping to think further.

“Hmm, what kind of cursed objects have you observed? Are they supernatural?”

"I don't know what you mean by supernatural, kid, but if you're talking about inexplicable phenomena, then you're mistaken. Every reaction has some sort of explanation, and cursed objects are no exception. The only difference with them is that they work when they shouldn't and have very harmful consequences for anyone involved with them, just like this page you have here."

The pirate said, making it clear that he didn't believe in the inexplicable, and that cursed objects were simply the name given to technology they didn't yet understand. However, he didn't stop there and continued a bit further.

"These objects aren't as rare as you might think, but they aren't very common either. The last one I remember seeing belonged to a member of the Arcanotinker Crew. He had a gauntlet that put him in a state where he couldn't feel fatigue or pain, but it fed on the wearer's own flesh. Eventually, the poor guy ended up losing his arm after using it for four days straight."

Interesting, but it didn't help much with what Adam was speculating. Perhaps there wasn't as much connection as he thought, but that didn't change the fact of the duplicate symbols on both papers. He would need to investigate further, and what better way to do that than by at least reading about the old tale of that ancient city?

“Mr. Chrono, would you mind lending me this book? I would like to read it and learn about the legend surrounding these symbols.”

The man hadn't even waited for Adam to finish speaking and was already searching for other things on his shelf.

“Yes, sure, now that I have a clue I just need some other tomes to do a cross-reference, and then compare the bla bla bla”

Without waiting for him to stop talking, the boy took the small book and quickly flipped through the pages as he was going off on a tangent. He saw that it was a hardcover with no more than about seventy pages, something that could be read in a very short time.

“Let’s see”

The story was told as if it were an ancient tale, and it talked of a place in the depths of the treacherous seas called the Necrogear Citadel, a mysterious haven where pioneering pirate scientists delved into forbidden arts. Harnessing the power of steel and thunder, and with the use of dark runes as conductors, they unlocked the ability to create an “Ocean Wisp”, which contained life force itself, to attach to an army of abominations that were the unholy combination of the dead and machines, free for them to control. These undead horrors became their weapons of terror, wielded mercilessly in battles to subjugate a lot of coastal settlements and even declare war on powerful empires on equal footing.

As their dark influence spread, a small band of courageous sea adventurers unearthed the Atomica Arcanum, a tome revealing the secrets of the greatest power in the world. Armed with this newfound knowledge, they confronted the Citadel acolytes and its horrid creations. During the final battle, they used the book’s devastating power to topple the citadel and scatter its dark legacy to the winds.

Though the Necrogear Citadel was wiped from the maps, its memory lingered as a cautionary tale. The dark arts that once animated the undead were forgotten over time, and the citadel itself became a legend whispered about in fearful tones to scare children at night.

“Hmm…”

The story was broadly outlined, and what made it much quicker to read was that many pages contained drawings representing parts of the tale, which were as interesting as the information itself. For an inhabitant of that world, it might not resonate as much, but in the part where it depicted how a mechanical undead was supposedly created, there was a familiar image. It showed the dark scientist with his arms raised in triumph while the lifeless body was electrocuted by a machine that had been struck by lightning.

“Could it be?”

Reanimating bodies using machinery and electricity was something that logically shouldn't be possible, but there existed a place where it was—or rather, a classic story about a monster created by a mad doctor from multiple bodies and strong electrical currents to bring it to life. Could there be a connection between both stories? Moreover, why were they called "stories" and not "worlds" by the so-called system itself? Adam felt he was very close to understanding something incredibly important. However, this was something to analyze more carefully later, as in the little over an hour he had spent reading, the pirate had piled several books on the table and had a defeated expression.

“It’s not here, I have nothing right now… Say, kid, there might be something in the Gearspire Stronghold library, do you think you can lend me the page to view it further?”

The man commented as his mechanical eyes retracted all the additional lenses he had been using, hoping the boy would comply with his request, even though he knew it wasn't very likely.

“I can’t do that Mr. Chrono, I’m sorry. Besides, having this object in the open would be extremely dangerous, However, I would love to accompany you and continue investigating this. After all, I want to learn more about this sheet of paper, and I'm excited by the idea of seeing that library. To be honest, I never would have thought a pirate base would have something like that.”

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Adam said, a hint of enthusiasm in his voice, although the pirate seemed amused by the ignorance of what he had just heard.

"What do you mean by that? Gearspire Stronghold is the second most important city in the free world. You can find everything there, including a headquarters for each of the seven great pirate guilds. In fact, it's one of those we're heading to... I'm surprised at how little you know; you must have lived isolated from everything your whole life, hahaha!"

“Oh, yeah… Sort of, haha.”

The student responded nervously, trying not to sound too suspicious to avoid having to give unnecessary explanations. Still, now that he knew what they would do once they arrived, he had to ask another question.

"How long will it take to reach the coast of the stronghold? I'd like to read a bit more before we disembark."

Chrono began to think calmly while putting away all the books and scrolls he had taken out, trying to give as accurate an estimate as possible.

"I'd say about two days. Don't worry, you have plenty of time to finish that Mechanomancy book, just make sure to put it back before we disembark. We're in Leviathan Hunters territory so it should be an easy voyage... Oh right, you wouldn't know. That’s the guild responsible for exploration and patrols underwater using submarines. Many of their units focus on exterminating sea monsters in the perimeters around major settlements.”

The man continued, slightly amused at having to explain these things for a change.

“You were very unlucky with that giant serpent; you were basically on the edge of the safe zone. Though, of course, if you had been inside, they would have likely blown you to bits with a torpedo, hahaha!"

Uncertain if it was reassuring or not, Adam simply decided not to dwell on what might or might not have happened. He proceeded to carefully store the page of the Necronomicon again, ensuring the pirate wasn't watching when he made it disappear and thanked him for his time, the book, and the information.

“Wait, read this as well, you will need it”

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More than a day and a half had passed since then, and it could be said that the group had integrated quite well with the crew in general. Kazue had been busy making friends with many of the pirates on board, engaging in games and friendly bets, winning some and losing others, which kept everyone in good spirits. Even Nikolai had joined in after seeing it was safe to do so.

Li, on the other hand, had spent his time in the tavern, where the group he was conversing with amid his drunkenness had significantly grown, exchanging all sorts of stories and anecdotes. Mr. Sebastian, meanwhile, had remained quiet during the first day, but it wasn't until the second day that he struck up a small friendship with a couple of short pirates who were trying to repair several mechanical weapons—tools that piqued his interest.

Finally, Adam was currently in the infirmary. He had gone there after leaving Chrono's office and had requested permission to sit and read by the bedside of the blonde man while he rested. Initially, it had been awkward and even uncomfortable, but Adam assured them it was also for practical reasons, as it was one of the quietest places on the ship. However, this didn't stop him from starting his stay by expressing gratitude for what Drake had done for everyone and ensuring he had enough food and water.

By the second day, Drake had managed to sit up despite his leg not being fully recovered, breaking the silence with a question that had been weighing on his mind.

“Are you okay? I woke up in the early morning and saw you still reading, without having moved from your spot. Shouldn't you get some sleep too? I'll be fine, and that book isn't going anywhere”

Adam had been so absorbed in his reading that the question caught him by surprise. It was a valid concern, especially since, unlike the girl he had already spoken to about this, the rest of the crew knew nothing about his condition.

"You're right. I'm sorry for not sharing it earlier, but I have something to tell you, as well as the rest of the crew when I get the chance"

He replied, briefly closing the books and starting to explain exactly what he had shared during his time in the cell—from his current condition to his peculiar inability to sleep due to his presumed race change.

"I understand. That explains everything that happened during the ship attack and why you don't sleep. Well, who am I to judge? As far as I can tell, you haven't changed from who you were during the Ghost World story"

"How can you say that? We hardly know each other apart from the little we talked in that place, and my condition is an unknown variable."

Adam responded, surprised, to which the blond man simply chuckled before replying with a smile.

"I don't know, call it a gut feeling. Besides, I lost the right to criticize others for how they look or act a long time ago. I just don't want to see anyone helplessly suffer if I can do something to prevent it"

It was an interesting comment, and while it wasn't entirely possible to understand that kind of thinking, Adam could feel he meant it very seriously.

"You're certainly taking it better than Kazue did..."

“Hahaha, I can imagine, considering how she is. She reminds me a lot of... But hey! Tell me, what have you been reading so attentively for more than a day straight?”

Drake said somewhat hurriedly, choosing a new topic of conversation when he noticed it was getting too personal, something not lost on his companion. He noted again that both Adam and the girl he had spoken to in the cell seemed to be carrying issues, but now wasn't the time to discuss those things, so he decided to respond and respect their privacy.

“Well, now that you mention it, it's information that everyone should know by the time we reach our destination in a few hours.”

He said as he opened the second book given by the pirate archivist, ignoring the Mechanomancy tome because, well… It was irrelevant to mention that for the moment.

"It's called 'Glory to the Seven Guilds' and it broadly describes how the current pirate society is structured, although it should really be called the 'free society,' as it's a mix of all the small nations and unaffiliated groups outside the 'Allied Kingdoms'. Not all are formally united or respect each other, but they've managed to stay safe because seven major groups took the reins to oversee all the free territories. They don't have a direct leader except for the heads of each guild."

The boy explained, and without pausing more than to catch his breath, he continued with his narration.

“These seven guilds specialize in particular sectors and have their own areas of jurisdiction where their members are more abundant. However, important trade hubs like Gearspire Stronghold, where we're heading, have headquarters for all of them.”

“O-oh, I see…”

Although Drake seemed a bit overwhelmed about how things were being told to him, the bespectacled boy continued without hesitation.

"It is also important to recognize and understand these seven guilds and what they are dedicated to avoid misunderstandings, as they seem to be quite proud and competitive with each other. The first are called 'Steamcraze Tinkerers' and their symbol is a skull with a wrench. They are the mechanics in charge of all the machinery used among the free people, from trade transports and warehouses to ships and aircraft. Did you know there are flying machines in this old-looking world? It's incredible."

In each sentence, the boy seemed to get a little more excited.

“The second guild is the "Arcanotinker Crew", also known as the arcane mechanics, with a symbol of a skull and thunderbolt. They are practitioners of Mechanomancy and specialize in crafting artifacts powered by electric runes, especially weapons and something called "Sea Knights". The third guild is the "Brasscoin Brotherhood", symbolized by a skull and three coins. They oversee trade and mint the currency used in the Free Lands, the Iron Shillings. The fourth guild is the "Gearforged Raiders", with a symbol akin to traditional pirates. They operate as privateers, engaging in attacks, naval battles, and provisioning. The crew we're currently with belongs to this group, and it seems we're going to meet an important representative to join as recruits... Well, the fifth one is…”

“Okay, okay, I get it! You don't have to explain everything all at once; I can't keep up with so many terms. Don't you think it's better to call the rest so you can tell us this without having to repeat everything?”

Drake suddenly interrupted, overwhelmed by all the raw information Adam was giving him, suggesting that perhaps it would be best to share it only when the whole group was present.

“You're absolutely right, it's best to save time and address questions as a group to avoid repetition.”

Said and done, Adam stood up, firmly grasped the books, and left the infirmary.

“I’m so sorry, everyone…”

The blonde thought before sighing helplessly.