Morning came soft and peaceful… for everyone except me.
I was still tied to a mast while the Phoenix Pirates acted like yesterday's chaos never happened. Paul and Rinnegan were fishing over the railing, Ayesha and Kami cooking whatever they caught, and Nezuka humming while polishing her blades—completely forgetting they had an alleged "bank-robber sky-fall weirdo" tied on deck.
"Hey," I called. "Water? Food? Freedom?"
Ayesha tossed me a tiny dry biscuit. "Eat slowly. We don't want you to choke."
Nezuka smirked. "I'd enjoy it if he did choke."
Paul grinned. "Tell another one of those ridiculous stories, Phoenix."
So I did… and they laughed like idiots, especially Kami.
They were so busy laughing at my jokes, teasing each other, and flipping fish on the grill that none of them noticed the change in the ocean.
The silence.
The unnatural stillness.
The shadow.
Until Nezuka looked up—too late.
Four colossal ships surrounded us, each twice the size of ours. Black sails. Steel hulls. Crests shaped like a roaring dragon.
A fleet.
A kingdom.
The Draken Pirates.
One of the Four Emperors of the West Sea.
Rinnegan whispered, "We… entered their territory."
Paul's jaw dropped. "When?!"
Nezuka snapped, "While listening to his stupid jokes! Don't blame me!"
Cannons aimed down at us from every angle. Hundreds of soldiers lined the decks of the surrounding ships. Their presence alone made the air heavier.
A single smaller ship pulled beside us.
A tall man stepped onto our deck—muscles like stone, scars like stories, coat fluttering in the wind.
Jack.
Second Fleet Commander of the Draken Pirates.
He glared down at all of us with eyes colder than death itself.
"You idiots entered Emperor Draken's hunting grounds," he said quietly. "You've got ten seconds to explain before we break your ship… and your bones."
Nobody spoke.
Even Paul Phoenix—500 million bounty—looked like a child facing a monster.
I sat tied to the mast.
Fantastic timing.
Jack stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. "Who's this? Prisoner? Tribute?"
Nezuka swallowed. "He's… nothing."
Paul whispered, "Be quiet…"
Jack grinned slowly, dangerously.
"This is going to be fun."
The Phoenix Pirates were hopelessly surrounded.
Outnumbered.
Outclassed.
Outpowered.
And I was still tied up.
We continue in the next chapter.