Cassian leaped out of the grass and slashed toward the third pirate.
"Qiang—" The two machetes collided violently, sparks flying as iron met iron, and neither side gained an advantage.
Aside from their ruthlessness, this group of pirates clearly lacked any real combat training. They were nothing more than mutineers and opportunists who relied on intimidation and numbers rather than skill.
Gordon, on the other hand, had made his living at sea. He had hauled ropes, climbed masts, and fought storms, and while he was no trained assassin, his movements were steadier and more instinctive. Both men were amateurs in true combat, and even in this brief clash, there was hesitation in their eyes. Each was thinking of retreat.
Anyone who appeared bloodthirsty and cruel only seemed so when holding power over others. When a blade was swung toward them, fear took over instantly. When resistance failed, such people would kneel and beg without hesitation.
Cassian 's momentum—killing one pirate first and crippling another—had already shattered the third man's courage. That fear weakened him during the exchange, making his strikes sloppy and defensive.
Harvey watched the scene unfold, staring at the savage youth who had appeared out of nowhere, killed one of his men, and maimed another. Rage surged through him, and he drew his blade, preparing to rush forward and cut Cassian down himself.
None of the three possessed real fighting skills, and the situation was extremely dangerous for Cassian . Seeing Harvey steadily closing the distance, he made a quick decision. He slashed the remaining pirate once more to force him back, then turned and ran toward the top of the cliff. He was not willing to lose his life just to save two people he had never met.
Harvey sneered and pulled a flintlock pistol from his belt. The weapon had already been loaded with powder and lead, the kind commonly used by pirates and privateers in this era. He raised it, aiming at Cassian 's retreating figure.
Boom!!
The explosion of gunpowder filled the air with smoke. The lead ball skimmed past Cassian 's side and slammed into the soil behind him, sending dirt flying.
"Tch, lucky bastard," Harvey spat.
He had no intention of chasing. The jungle was unpredictable, and he had already lost enough men. He wanted money, not a prolonged fight.
He turned to look at the pirate lying on the ground, blood pouring from the wound. Harvey shook his head in mock regret.
"I can't save you."
At sea, injuries like this meant death. There was no surgeon, no clean bandages, and no chance of reaching a port in time.
"Harvey, save me," the wounded pirate begged. "Take me back to the boat. With bandages, I can still live."
Harvey shook his head again. He was about to meet Red Beard to deliver the stolen ship and money. A crippled subordinate was useless. Someone who couldn't even stand was nothing but a burden.
"Goodbye, brother. Safe journey."
The pistol fired again. The lead ball pierced straight through the pirate's heart. Blood splashed onto Harvey's face, yet he did not even blink.
"Let's go," he said coldly. "Back to the ship. Bring the captain to me, and kill the first mate."
This place was no longer safe. An unknown savage had already killed two of his men. Although Harvey wanted nothing more than to skin that boy alive, now was not the time.
While reloading the pistol with practiced movements, he walked toward the bound first mate.
The captain's last hope was extinguished. He could only watch as the projectile fired from Harvey's muzzle struck the first mate's chest. Another pirate dragged the captain along the ground and headed toward the small boat waiting offshore.
They left Huaye Island that way.
The waters around Huaye Island were shallow. Large ships could not dock close, so they had to anchor farther out and rely on boats to ferry people back and forth.
Cassian , who had already retreated from the beach, did not leave the area. From his hidden vantage point, he watched the three-masted sailboat anchored in the distance. After estimating his remaining strength, he slipped into the sea from the opposite side, carefully avoiding Harvey's line of sight, and swam toward the ship with everything he had.
He snorkeled underwater as much as possible, surfacing only when his lungs were about to burst. Each time he rose, he took a quick breath, confirmed direction, and dove again.
By the time Harvey's boat was still some distance away from the main ship, Cassian had already reached the stern. He grabbed the trailing rope, clenched the machete between his teeth, and began climbing silently toward the deck.
Several sailors were tied beneath the main mast, arranged in a rough circle. Judging by their slack posture, they had likely been drugged and bound. There were only two pirates left on deck, lazily guarding them, clearly bored.
One pirate wandered closer without realizing the danger. Cassian immediately pressed himself lower against the hull.
When he raised his head again, he saw a pirate leaning against the railing. It was a perfect opportunity.
He hooked one foot around the rope, lunged upward, clamped a hand over the man's mouth, and drove the machete straight into his heart. The pirate never had time to react before his body went limp and slid silently into the sea.
The bound sailors stared wide-eyed as Cassian climbed onto the deck, blood dripping from the blade.
If their mouths had not been gagged, their screams would have exposed everything.
Because the mast blocked the view, the last pirate only heard the splash of something falling into the water. Confused, he walked around to investigate.
The cutlass at his waist remained untouched. He never sensed the danger.
As he stepped around the mast, a machete plunged into his abdomen.
The brutal injury stole all his strength. His scream died in his throat as he collapsed lifelessly onto the deck.
Fear filled the eyes of the bound sailors. The man before them killed without hesitation. Compared to him, even pirates seemed merciful.
Cassian ignored them. He had already heard Harvey's voice rising from below.
"Culin, raise the anchor! We're leaving!" Harvey shouted as he began climbing the rope ladder.
Cassian stood quietly near the railing, waiting.
When Harvey's head emerged above the deck, his eyes widened in horror. Cassian looked like a ghost, appearing where none of his men had seen him.
Staring at the blood-soaked machete, Harvey could only choke out one word.
"Don't—"
The blade flashed. Harvey's head separated from his body, the corpse slumping forward toward the sea.
Cassian caught the body instead. The musket on Harvey was rare and valuable. He dragged the corpse fully onto the deck and took it.
The final pirate, still in the small boat below, saw Harvey's severed head roll onto the deck. Terror seized him. He tried to row away.
A gunshot rang out. The bullet struck the boat's side, forcing him to freeze and raise his hands in surrender.
This was open water. There was nowhere to hide. At this distance, the hit rate was terrifyingly high. The missed shot was clearly a warning.
On the deck above, Cassian frowned. This early flintlock musket was difficult to use. Reloading was slow, and accuracy was unreliable.
He had aimed for the pirate's heart.
Instead, the shot struck the boat and killed the captain.