Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

William's search of the initial island proved fruitless, a waste of precious time in his pursuit of Luke. Undeterred, he and Luke's friend ventured towards the neighboring islands in their small boat. Luke had apparently frequented these islands, but even after a thorough search, they found no trace of him.

On one of the smaller islands, they encountered another fisherman in a simple wooden boat, casting his line into the tranquil waters.

"Here to fish as well?" the man greeted them with a friendly smile. "Didn't know my favorite fishing spot had become so popular."

William shook his head. "Perhaps another day," he replied. "Maybe we can fish together sometime."

He hadn't expected much from this encounter, but the fisherman's next words caught his attention, offering a potential lead.

"The best time to fish here is at night," the fisherman confided. "For some reason, the fish are plentiful then, and it's peaceful too."

"At night?" William pressed, intrigued.

"Yes, precisely," the fisherman confirmed. "Strange, isn't it?"

"And were you fishing here last night? Or the night before? Did you happen to see a large ship passing by?" William asked, a hint of urgency in his voice.

This could be a valuable lead in uncovering the whereabouts of Captain Hemlock's ship. William couldn't fathom how a vessel that size could navigate these waters undetected.

The fisherman's brow furrowed. "How do you know about this ship?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. "I did see one recently, but I thought I was the only one, and maybe I'm going a bit crazy..."

"Crazy why?" William questioned. "And I know about the ship because it's mine, and someone stole it."

"What?" the fisherman exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. "Are you serious? Well, I don't think you'll believe me, but I could have sworn I saw some kind of fish-men walking on the deck, like they were the sailors, you know? But I must have been really tired," he admitted sheepishly.

William, however, didn't think the man was crazy. His mind raced with questions.

'Fish-men? Why? They seemed friendly when we encountered them...' he pondered.

Still unsure if it was the same ship, William pressed the fisherman for more details, describing specific features of his vessel.

The fisherman, however, struggled to recall specifics, having only glimpsed the ship at night.

"Did you see a symbol, like a seagull?" William asked, hoping to jog his memory.

"Ah, yes, now I remember!" the fisherman exclaimed. "It did have that symbol. It must be your ship. And if you're wondering, I saw it heading in that direction." He pointed towards a specific point on the horizon.

This was a significant breakthrough for William. "Thank you so much for your help," he said gratefully. "I truly appreciate it."

William and Luke's friend returned to their small boat. "Let's go back and tell the others," William declared, his determination renewed.

"Understood," Luke's friend replied, steering the boat back towards the main island.

Upon reaching the harbor, William instructed Luke's friend to wait for him while he hurried into town to find Hemlock, Katia, and Seraphina. He needed to share his findings with them immediately.

He first located Hemlock, who was taking a less active role in the search due to his injuries.

"What happened? You're back already?" Hemlock asked, his brow creased with concern.

He feared the worst, assuming William's return meant something terrible had occurred. The recent string of misfortunes had made him pessimistic.

"I've discovered some things," William announced, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Some good news. Let's find Katia and Seraphina first."

"Right, right," Hemlock agreed, pushing himself up. "I'll help you look for them."

Though burning with curiosity, Hemlock refrained from questioning William further. It was best to gather everyone first.

"Do you know where they went?" William asked, eager to relay his findings.

"They're around town, searching for more information. Shouldn't be hard to find them."

Hemlock was right. William simply asked a few guards, quickly locating Katia and, shortly after, Seraphina. The two women were diligently trying to uncover more about Luke and his acquaintances.

"What happened? Is everything alright?" Katia asked, her brow furrowed with concern as she saw William and Hemlock approaching.

Like Hemlock, she also feared the worst. William reassured her and suggested they move to a more private location for their discussion. They chose Katia's office, a secure space accessible only to her and trusted guards.

William recounted his discoveries. "I went with Luke's friend to some islands he used to visit, hoping to find some clues," he began. "But I didn't find anything. No sign of Luke."

Hemlock, Seraphina, and Katia exchanged disappointed glances but remained silent. William had promised good news, and he wouldn't have summoned them just to deliver bad news.

"But then I met a fisherman on this island," William continued. "This fisherman goes there to fish at night, and he saw our ship passing by!" He paused, correcting himself. "I mean, your ship, Captain Hemlock."

"What? Really? And did he see Luke on board?" Hemlock asked, his interest piqued.

Their initial theory was that Luke, the person responsible for the ships, was the one who stole it, as both he and the vessel had vanished. He quickly became their prime suspect.

"He didn't see Luke," William explained, "but he said he saw fish-men sailing the ship. I think they must be the same ones we encountered before."

Hemlock slammed his fist on the table. "I knew we couldn't trust them!" he exclaimed. "I still don't understand why they let us go after you showed them your ring."

He glanced at the ring on William's finger, the one given to him by the Triton King of the merfolk.

"I think they tricked us," William said, frustration evident in his voice. "But now I also know the direction the ship sailed. We can go check it out if we can get a better boat. The small one Luke's friend has won't be suitable for that journey."

"I have a slightly better ship," Katia offered, "but it's not as large or sturdy as yours. If their destination is too far, we might run into trouble."

William's smile widened. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "Luke's friend mentioned that Luke was planning to visit an island in this region, and it seems to be in the same direction the fish-men took the ship. It must be the same place, and from what I gather, it should only take us a day at most to get there."

It was a calculated guess, but the coincidence was too strong to ignore. William firmly believed that the fish-men were headed to the same island Luke had intended to visit.

In fact, William suspected that Luke might be working with those fish-men, though the motive behind such an alliance remained a mystery.

"But I still don't understand why those fish-men took the ship," Hemlock grumbled, frustration evident in his voice. "They don't even need a ship to travel."

William nodded in agreement. "I think they took it just to spite us, not because they need it," he mused. "As for why they're doing this to us, well, I still have no idea."

Katia swiftly arranged for her ship, enlisting the help of several guards to load it with supplies for the impending voyage. Everyone worked with a sense of urgency, eager to utilize the remaining daylight for travel and catch up to Hemlock's stolen vessel.

"You'll be in charge until I return," Katia instructed one of her most trusted guards, a seasoned veteran who had served her faithfully for years.

The guard, though visibly nervous, beamed with pride at the responsibility bestowed upon him. "I'll keep everything in order while you're away, ma'am!" he declared, saluting with respect.

With that, Katia and the others departed. Her ship, though smaller than Hemlock's, was far superior to the tiny wooden boat belonging to Luke's friend.

Speaking of Luke's friend, he accompanied them, serving as their guide to the island Luke had spoken of so fondly.

As they sailed towards their destination, William pondered the curious connection between the fish-men and the merfolk. The fish-men had become amicable after William presented the ring bestowed upon him by the Triton King. Now, they were heading towards an island rumored to be frequented by mermaids.

Were the fish-men not as friendly with the merfolk as they had initially appeared? What was their true agenda? Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire

William's mind buzzed with unanswered questions, questions he hoped to resolve soon.

He gazed at the horizon, lost in thought, when Hemlock joined him, leaning against the railing. "It's strange sailing without my crew..." Hemlock sighed, his voice heavy with grief. "Damn it!" He pulled a flask of alcohol from his pocket and took a swig, the loss of his crew weighing heavily on his soul.

As night fell, they were forced to stop and rest. It was then, under the cloak of darkness, that something unexpected occurred, something that jolted William from his sleep.