The sea had returned to its tranquil state, swallowing all traces of the earlier explosion. Waves rolled one after another, calm and unbothered. Unless someone had witnessed it firsthand, they would never believe that a pirate ship had just been obliterated and sunk beneath these waters.
The three of them were visibly pleased—this was technically the first time they had completely destroyed a pirate vessel, even if it had been done with a bit of trickery.
"I wonder if Weiss will believe us when he comes back," Karina said with a playful squint, smiling.
"No idea. For all we know, he's still wandering around some deep-sea trench. It's only been ten minutes; he probably hasn't even found his target yet," Kadun replied, gazing out at the ocean with a thoughtful expression—an unexpectedly captivating look on him.
"You really shouldn't make that face," Jack muttered with clear disapproval. "You just look like a creep trying too hard to act deep."
"What did you say, you repressed freak?!"
"I said you, obviously. What, got a problem with that, chicken legs?"
As the bickering escalated, Karina sighed and smacked her forehead. She turned around, intending to head back to the cabin and prep the remaining food supplies. But the moment she turned, she froze stiffly in place.
"Guys... stop arguing for a second," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I... think we're in big trouble."
She reached behind her instinctively to grab the others, but her hands were weak, almost limp. She couldn't bring herself to move.
The two arguing men turned to look—and saw two strangers standing silently on the deck.
...
...
The newcomers stood right by the cabin entrance. One of them held a massive blade, his shoulder bleeding as he bandaged the wound. The other was completely drenched, shirtless, with a terrifyingly large spiked mace resting easily in his hand.
They were staring directly at the trio. Their faces were calm, but their eyes blazed with such searing hatred that even from afar, the heat could be felt—as though their gaze alone could burn them to ashes.
Karina darted behind the others and quickly turned the ship's two cannons to face the intruders—her only remaining weapons.
Jack, without hesitation, raised his rifle. His Observation Haki instantly swept over the entire Chris.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots rang out as smoke trailed from the barrel. Bullets screamed through the air, spiraling forward at incredible speed, sending shockwaves rippling behind them.
Clang! Clang!
Doran casually lifted his spiked mace. The bullets, as if drawn by some strange force, collided with it midair, showering sparks in every direction before falling harmlessly to the deck with a soft clatter.
"So it was you little brats... who blew up my ship?" Doran growled. A murderous aura surged from his body, thick and suffocating, pressing down on the trio like a mountain.
"Shit," Jack muttered under his breath.
He was the closest, and bore the full brunt of Doran's bloodlust. His thoughts slowed to a crawl, his mind sinking into a mire. His body trembled violently, completely locked up under the pressure.
Only now did Jack understand why fighting pirates had seemed so easy up to this point. Sure, it helped that they'd mostly been dealing with rookies fresh from the Blue Seas. But the biggest reason... was Weiss. He always took care of the strong ones first. They'd never truly felt the raw terror of facing a predator head-on.
Both Jack and Kadun bent their knees and clenched their fists, trying to muster every ounce of strength just to stay standing.
It wasn't that Jack was weak—but the difference in level was overwhelming. He was a marksman who fought from range. Doran? A monster who brawled up close on the open seas.
It was like a sniper getting rushed by a tank. What could you possibly do?
Just then, a cannon barrel slid between the two men. Karina was behind them, not affected by the same oppressive pressure. It was the only chance she had.
Doran's eyes flared even hotter when he saw the cannon.
So this was the thing that had destroyed years of his seafaring gains.
He raised his mace, preparing to finish the trio off in one brutal swing—
But then another voice interrupted him.
"Captain, you shouldn't waste your time on these little runts. Allow me," said the man beside him—Lute. Blood still dripped from his shoulder, but his expression was disturbingly calm. His blood-red eyes gleamed with violence as he stepped forward, looking at the trio like prey.
Doran's killing intent paused. He glanced at Lute and gave a small nod.
"Don't kill them too quickly," Doran said. "And try not to damage my ship."
"My pleasure, Captain," Lute replied with a twisted smile. "I'll make sure they wish they were dead."
He tightened the bandages on his wound, then spun his broadsword in a full circle. The weapon whirled like a windmill, generating a powerful gust that scattered the newspaper Weiss had left on the table.
"Karina! Fire!" Kadun shouted, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. He hated how weak he was—he'd gotten cocky after defeating a few low-level pirates, but now that he stood in front of a real monster, he couldn't even withstand the man's aura.
Whoosh!
The cannon fired with a screech of tearing air. The shell screamed past the two men, flying straight toward Lute with devastating force.
But he didn't stop. He didn't even flinch. He kept walking, like the cannonball didn't exist. His eyes were locked on the three of them—especially Jack and Kadun.
Boom!
That wasn't the cannonball exploding. That was Lute's foot smashing upward into the shell, launching it into the sky. It detonated midair, black smoke bursting into the clouds. He remained untouched.
"No way... At this range?" Kadun's voice cracked. "That cannon was right in front of him—how did he deflect it so easily?"
"What kind of speed and reflexes does this guy have?" Jack muttered, wide-eyed. As a sharpshooter, he knew exactly how fast that shell had been moving. The realization sent a chill through his soul.
"So this is all you've got?" Lute mocked. The moment the words left his mouth, his figure vanished.
"Shit—!" Jack's instincts screamed. He shoved Karina to the side just in time—
Lute reappeared before him, a shadow of death.
Slash!
The sound of steel slicing flesh rang out. Jack and Kadun could feel the blade pass through them. It wasn't even a heavy blow—it was fast, cold, precise. The agony came half a second later.
Splurt!
Blood exploded from their chests, spraying onto Lute's face. He stuck out his tongue and licked it.
"Still warm. Delicious," he whispered, voice unhinged. His pupils had shrunk to pinpricks, the whites of his eyes bulging with madness.
"But this isn't enough. You ruined my ship. Do you really think this is all the pain you'll suffer?"
He raised his blade again, ready to carve into them.
"No!!" Karina screamed, her voice raw with panic. In that moment, she desperately wished for Weiss to appear.
Regret overwhelmed her.
For the first time, Karina truly hated how weak she was. Her friends were being torn apart before her eyes, and she could do nothing to stop it.
And as she screamed, Lute's blade carved again, slashing Jack and Kadun with fresh wounds, drawing yet more blood.
---
Currently at chapter 480 on Ko-Fi
https:// ko-fi.com/sami27