Chapter 471: Fengyue Was Scared Away!
Ryuunosuke turned to Fengyue, exhaling softly.
His expression said it all: See? My crew really are that simple.
Fengyue didn't share the sentiment. "Mr. Jin," he began tightly, "I'd like to know… what exactly happened to my companion?"
He didn't care for Ryuunosuke's calm, almost innocent smile. Right now, all he wanted was to retrieve Jin and leave this terrifying ship behind.
The Dragon Hunter Pirates were far more dangerous than he had imagined.
Their captain's mind was sharp as a blade, his crew absurdly powerful—and yet every one of them behaved as if they were simpletons.
That contradiction alone sent chills down his spine.
Before Ryuunosuke could answer, a familiar voice shouted across the deck.
"Joracol Fengyue!?"
Fengyue froze. That voice—he knew it.
"Sevian!?" he turned, stunned.
The man standing at the far end of the deck looked exhausted but very much alive.
"You?!" Fengyue's eyes widened. "You're here too?"
Sevian sneered. "So it was you Evictors pulling the strings all along, huh? To think the Dragon Hunter Pirates were actually working with you—despicable!"
Fengyue blinked, caught completely off guard.
He finally pieced it together: Sevian had clearly been imprisoned on this ship. The Guardians must have mistaken the Dragon Hunter Pirates for the Evictors.
And Ryuunosuke hadn't killed him… he'd simply kept him.
No bindings, no chains—just free to walk around the ship as he pleased.
That was somehow even more unnerving.
"Captain Ryuunosuke," Fengyue said carefully, "what is the meaning of this? And… are you planning to release Jin or not?"
Ryuunosuke tilted his head. "Hm?"
But before he could respond, Sevian groaned. "Don't play dumb! I'm the ship's official punching bag now. Happy?"
He pointed accusingly at Fengyue. "If you old fossils hadn't been fighting over control of the seas, maybe I wouldn't be stuck here being used as target practice!"
Fengyue's face went pale.
Punching bag?
If Ryuunosuke had said it himself, Fengyue might've dismissed it as a taunt.
But Sevian's own words… they carried a grim, resigned truth.
Not only had the Dragon Hunter Pirates imprisoned him—they had broken him.
Fengyue suddenly felt his blood run cold.
If Jin remained trapped in that spear for three days, would he end up like this too?
What kind of monsters were these people?
"Mr. Fengyue," Ryuunosuke said suddenly, smiling. "Would you like to try it yourself?"
"…Excuse me?"
"Being a sandbag," Ryuunosuke said as if offering tea. "You can experience Sevian's new position firsthand."
Fengyue froze.
He pictured it—the endless fights, the exhaustion, the humiliation. The crew laughing as he rotated through match after match, no food, no rest, just pain.
A den of devils. That's what this ship was.
He forced a smile. "No need. I'll pass."
He stood abruptly. "But… could I at least ask you to have Mr. Jin released? Once he's safe, we'll leave and trouble you no further."
Ryuunosuke chuckled softly. "Ah, what a pity. I really thought you'd enjoy it. King, release our guest."
King, still hugging his pillow, looked up lazily. "Captain, that might be a problem. The Spear of Life has its own will, you know. I'm just its user. And right now, it's very interested in Mr. Jin's power. I'd say… three days minimum before it lets go."
He smiled faintly, but there was something dark behind his sleepy eyes. "Why don't you stay aboard until then, Mr. Fengyue?"
That smile alone nearly made Fengyue's knees buckle.
Every instinct screamed run.
"No need," he said quickly. "Let Jin remain here a few days longer. I… I'll take my leave."
He bowed stiffly, setting a small Den Den Mushi on the floor. "If you ever make a decision—contact me directly."
Then, before anyone could reply, he vanished in a burst of light.
---
Ryuunosuke watched him disappear, a faint smirk crossing his face.
Meliodas stepped forward. "Captain, wasn't that a bit much? Now we've managed to offend both the Guardians and the Evictors. They might unite against us."
Ryuunosuke shook his head. "They won't."
He turned his gaze toward the distant horizon. "If they attack together, they risk pushing us into one of their camps. Neither side wants that. They'll hesitate—and in that hesitation, they'll turn on each other."
"Besides," he added, "we were never part of their game to begin with."
Everything was proceeding exactly as he intended.
The Guardian and Evictor factions were now locked in silent paranoia—each unsure whether Ryuunosuke would side with their enemy.
They'd been planning for centuries.
But now, an unpredictable variable—a pirate outside their control—had entered the stage.
And Ryuunosuke fully intended to ruin their balance.
---
"King," Ryuunosuke said finally, "how long will it take to finish transforming that man?"
King scratched his head. "Hard to say. If he were a demon-class entity, three to five days tops. But he's… different. The process might be faster."
"That's fine," Ryuunosuke replied. "Continue as planned."
He glanced toward Sevian. "And you—good work earlier. From today on, you're officially the crew's punching bag. You'll have all the rights of a crewmate."
Then, with a faint smile, he vanished from sight.
---
Sevian stood frozen for a long moment.
"Crew… punching bag?"
Then it hit him. "Wait… does that mean I'm part of the crew now?"
His eyes shimmered faintly.
He had thought Ryuunosuke was just another manipulator like the Evictors. But maybe—just maybe—life aboard this ship wouldn't be so bad.
After all… he finally belonged somewhere.
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