Spark emerged on the deck of the pirate flagship. The two spatial bags were on his hand. Full of his acquired loots.
He could not put them on his Spatial Belt. An empty spatial container could be placed in another spatial container. But it wouldn't work if the spatial container is filled even if only with one single coin.
Spark strode onto the ship's main deck. surveying the chaos he had wrought. Dead pirates littered the splintered wood. The air still reeked of blood from his earlier power display.
The Sky Grimoire hovered above one of the pirate ship. A dark silhouette against the afternoon sky.
He extended his will. Feeling the familiar surge of energy. Tendons in his back strained. Then ripped. As two massive, leathery wings burst forth from his shoulder blades. They were black as night with a faint, draconic sheen.
They were the manifestation of a crestmagic spell, [Dragon Wings]. Raw power given form. With a single, powerful beat, he launched himself into the air. Leaving the ruined pirate ship behind.
As he ascended towards the Sky Grimoire, his dark-grey eyes scanned the turbulent sea below. His women had been efficient.
One of the remaining pirate ships, hulking and scarred, was already listing badly. Its sails were shredded. Smoke billowing from its deck. Sky Grimoire's continuous bombardment had done its job.
But the third ship was slightly smaller and faster. It was already changing direction. Trying to leave the battle zone.
"Running, are we?" Spark muttered. He dropped the two bags of loots onto the Sky Grimoire's deck. And launched himself again sharply to the air. a predatory grin stretching his lips. "Not on my watch."
His powerful wings beat the air. Propelling him across the vast expanse of ocean at incredible speed.
The escaping pirate ship was oblivious to the monstrous aerial pursuit. It frantically tried to put more distance between itself and the Sky Grimoire. It was a futile effort. Spark closed the gap with alarming speed.
Meanwhile, Spark's human form had transformed again. Muscles bulging. Skin thickening. Thick scales and black fur taking form. Horns. Tail. Mane... The Draconic Werelion transformation completed... on air.
He descended like a stone. Tearing through the wind.
Pirates on the deck of the fleeing ship heard the rush of air They looked up just as Spark slammed down amidst them.
The impact shook the vessel. Splinters flew.
"Your journey ends here." the Werelion growled as his draconic wings were retracted.
He charged. The pirates raised their cutlasses and crude firearms. They were truly a mix of hardened thugs and desperate conscripts. But, it made no difference.
Spark was a whirlwind of claws, fangs, and sheer, untamed power. He tore through their ranks. A monstrous force of nature.
A pirate tried to stab him with a rusty blade. Spark simply caught the arm. Twisting until bone snapped. Then he hurled the man overboard.
Another fired a pistol. The bullet flattened uselessly against his draconic hide. Spark ripped the gun from the man's grasp. And crushed it in his fist. Before delivering a devastating blow. One that sent the pirate sprawling with broken chest. Lifeless.
Screams mingled with the roar of the ocean and distant sound of explosion.
Spark moved with brutal efficiency. A primal engine of destruction. Bodies flew. Blood sprayed. And the deck became a slaughter house.
He worked his way towards the stern. Where the ship's captain, a stocky man with a crude trident, was attempting to rally his remaining crew.
"You monster! You'll pay for this!" The captain roared.
His form beginning to distort. Scales erupted across his skin. His limbs lengthened. And his head morphed into something grotesque—a half barracuda fish-man. All sharp teeth and vacant, predatory eyes. A Fortified Framepath Warrior. Tier-3.
Spark merely snorted. A plume of smoke escaping his nostrils. "Pathetic."
The fish-man captain lunged. Trident extended. Spark met the attack head-on. He didn't bother dodging. The trident's prongs scraped against his thick hide. Leaving only shallow gouges.
With his massive clawed hand, Spark swatted the weapon aside. Then slammed his other claw into the fish-man's chest. The impact was bone-shattering. A sickening crunch that echoed across the deck.
The captain gasped. Blood gushing from his mouth. Spark's clawed hands closed around his head. With a single, powerful twist, the fish-man's neck snapped. His body went limp. Collapsing to the deck.
The remaining few pirates, witnessing their captain's brutal demise, jumped overboard. Choosing to risk their lives on the sea rather than facing the monstrous creatures. Spark didn't waste energy on them.
His mission was to loot. He made his way to the captain's quarter. Kicking open the door. The room was sparsely furnished. He quickly scanned for anything of value.
There were no hidden compartments. No elaborate maps. No ancient artifacts. Just a strongbox. Crudely secured to the floor. Spark ripped it open with ease.
Inside, neat stacks of gold coins gleamed. Significant, certainly. But nothing compared to the prize he had found on the flagship.
"Just gold." He muttered. A hint of disdain in his voice. He swept the coins inside his Spatial Belt. Not a wasted trip. But he had hoped for more. The flask and the map from the first ship still stood as the true treasures of this engagement.
He moved to the cargo hold. There were boxes full of spices, sugar, tea leaves, and coffee beans. They were valuable. But, he didn't want to bother with collecting the cargo.
He could just inform the merchant they were chasing to return to collect the ship and its cargo. Probably asking some percentages of the profit later.
With the second pirate ship thoroughly looted and neutralized, Spark stepped back onto its blood-stained deck.
He glanced up at the Sky Grimoire. Still hovering above the third ship. But no longer bombarding it with bullets and grenades. The battle there seemed to be over too.
Spark re-activated his [Dragon Wings]. With another powerful beat of his wings, he launched himself skyward. Leaving the second ship to drift aimlessly on the waves.
He landed cleanly on the Sky Grimoire's main deck. His powerful wings were rippling as they retracted back into his body. Leaving no trace but the lingering aura.
Serenade approached him. Her long brown hair was perfectly in place despite the recent battle.
"Welcome back, Master." Serenade said. Her voice was calm and soothing. "The second ship is crippled. The pirates were neutralized. Lilith was still down there, supervising the ship. It yielded little of value in terms of material wealth." She gestured towards the third pirate ship.
"Any complications?" Spark asked. Sensing something was wrong.
Serenade's expression shifted. A flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. Before settling back into her usual composure. "Indeed. We found… prisoners." She paused. Then elaborated, "Six children and eight women."
Spark's eyes narrowed. Prisoners. That was a complication. His rule, his only bottom line, was 'never harming innocents'. These were clearly innocents caught in the pirates' net.
Kidnapped for ransom, perhaps. Or worse, for the insidious slave trade. He couldn't just leave them to drown. Nor could he simply release them into the open sea.
"Are they injured?" He asked.
"Some. Scared mostly. And some were obviously abused physically and sexually. They were locked in the cargo hold. Likely intended for sale or ransom."
Spark internally cursed. His sky-sloop, the Sky Grimoire, was a custom-built speed, stealth, and combat vessel. It was spacious for him and his women. And their gears.
But it was not designed for carrying fourteen non-combatants. Let alone women and children who would require care and reassurance. They had no extra cabins. No surplus provisions for such a large group.
And he certainly had no desire to play host to traumatized civilians for the remainder of their journey to Greengiant Island.
"Too many for us." He stated, his voice flat. "Our accommodations are not suitable for their long-term transport. And I have no intention of changing course to drop them off at the nearest port."
His gaze swept over the horizon. Then he saw it. A dark speck, moving slowly but steadily. The merchant ship. The very vessel chased by the pirates they targeted.
It was still making its way towards the distant horizon. Having survived its encounter with the pirates thanks to Spark's intervention.
"Wait here." Spark commanded. His eyes were fixed on the merchant ship. "I will negotiate with that merchant ship."
He activated his [Dragon Wings] once more. Two massive, leathery wings burst forth again from his shoulder blades. With a single, powerful beat, he launched himself into the air. To the direction of the merchant ship.
Within just a few moments, Spark had chased the ship. He swoop down and landed on its deck. Amidst the shocked looking faces of the sailors.
Spark spoke in low yet sonorous voice. "I am Baron Nighthawk of Avianest Kingdom. We are the ones who intervened on your behalf. Who is the captain here?"
A burly man, presumably the captain, moved forward. Looking apprehensive but also relieved. Now he knew that those sky-sloop belonged to a nobleman from his kingdom. And it was clear they were not hostile.
"What is it you require, Baron Nighthawk?" The captain's voice was a little shaky but he managed to hold himself.
Spark stepped forward. "We have retrieved prisoners from these pirate ships. Six children and eight women. They are non-combatants, rescued from potential slavery or ransom."
He paused for a while, and continued. "Our vessel lacks the space and provisions for their prolonged transport. You, however, possess both. You owe us for saving your hide. Now you need to save those prisoners."
His tone left no room for argument. It was a statement, not a request. He had saved them. Now they would need to perform a service. It was a fair exchange, in his mind. A debt being called in.
The merchant captain blanched slightly at the blunt demand. But a visible wave of relief washed over his face. He had expected a bribe. Or perhaps some form of tribute. This was a simple inconvenience. "Understood, Baron! We will take them! Where are they?"
"They are on the last pirate ship. The one closest to my vessel." Spark said. "For your additional benefit, you could take whatever you can from the three pirate ships. Even the ships themselves. We have neutralized the pirates and taken what we required."