Chapter 336 - 154: Where Did This Idiot Come From
Meanwhile, on the other side, aboard the *Storm Hunter*, a group of pirates in matching short tunics saw the crew of the *Ronan* take up their weapons. Excited, bloodthirsty expressions had just appeared on their faces when they watched the crew run back into their ship’s cabin...
"So are they going to fight back or not?"
"Looks like they’re not planning to fight."
"Well, that’s no fun..."
"How about we have one of them come out and duel you?"
A pirate in heavy chainmail, holding a cutlass, pursed his lips. "Nah, forget it. Aboard the *Ronan*, only the captain has any real skill. I could cut down any of the others in a single blow."
"Same old rules. If they resist, we kill them all. If they don’t, we kill half!"
Wei’en watched the *Storm Hunter* draw closer, sizing up the pirates on its deck. ’Never mind their actual strength,’ he thought. ’Just based on their bearing, they’re far stronger than the people on the *Ronan*.’
At the same time, he located the Captain Henrik that Ronan had spoken of—a stout man with a large belly. He wore a black tricorne hat, a red high-collared jacket, and a black, ship-shaped badge on his chest.
His looks... weren’t what you’d call ugly, just hard to look at.
His face was covered in a dozen or so scars, especially one by the corner of his mouth that ran halfway across his cheek. A single glance told you he was a battle-hardened veteran.
By comparison, Wei’en, wearing Marco’s face, held an overwhelming advantage in the looks department.
"So ugly!" Clelia also saw the captain on the other ship and pursed her lips. "Suddenly, I’m not interested in them anymore."
"Perfect. You stay here and keep watch." Seeing that the ships were less than five kilometers apart, Wei’en spoke this line and then, with a flash, he was gone.
"Nico, Ruke."
"Hey?!" Clelia started, then grew annoyed when she saw Wei’en had already appeared on the enemy’s ship.
’Not being interested doesn’t mean I don’t want to fight...’
"Hm?"
The pirates on the *Storm Hunter* reacted quickly. The instant Wei’en appeared, some charged him while others fired their flintlocks.
BANG, BANG BANG...
"In such a hurry?"
With a light tap of his feet, Wei’en dodged and reappeared in the crow’s nest of the *Storm Hunter*. He simultaneously activated his talent, Spiritual Conversion, raising his Origin Power to three hundred while keeping his Resilience and Spirit levels balanced.
"Damn it! You dare to come aboard the *Storm Hunter*? Get the hell down here!"
"Bastard, kill him!"
"..."
Captain Henrik sat enthroned atop the deckhouse on a chair made of hundreds of skulls. His hands caressed a fossilized skullcap on the armrest as his narrow eyes opened a fraction, coldly sizing up Wei’en.
Beside him, a pale-faced young man leaned against the railing, his upper body clad in armor and his lower half consisting of two mechanical legs. He stared sinisterly at Wei’en. "Who are you? One of the crew from the *Ronan*?"
Wei’en gave him an odd look. "Didn’t you see me come over from their ship?"
The pale-faced young man’s expression sank. "I don’t care who you are. Die!"
"Hassge First Officer, slaughter him!"
"He’s too arrogant!"
[You are the target of Hassge Cyrus’s killing intent. Evaluation: Trash. Reward: +6 Survival Points.]
[...]
[You are the target of Henrik Dimit’s killing intent. Evaluation: A person with... unique tastes. Reward: +20 Survival Points.]
Wei’en noted the system prompts. ’Henrik’s killing intent only gave me 20 survival points,’ he thought. ’Is that all a Director Level threat is worth?’
"Oh? I was just about to ask if we could avoid a fight... Are you sure you can’t just let us pass?"
"Let you go? You..."
"Hassge,"
Just then, Captain Henrik interrupted, "All of you, shut up!"
The words had barely left his mouth when all the shouting and clamor from the pirates on deck ceased. Not a single one made a sound.
"In five years, you’re the first person to see our ship and still dare to approach us of your own free will!"
"And?" Wei’en asked calmly. "Does that mean you can’t let us go?"
"The rules were established long ago. Once half the people on your ship are dead, you may leave."
"Can’t we negotiate?"
Hearing the word "negotiate," the pirates below glared at Wei’en, their eyes practically shooting flames. If not for their orders, they would have already showered him with spit.
"Negotiate?" Captain Henrik stared at Wei’en, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. It made the scars on his face writhe, making him look even more terrifying. "Of course. You die here, and I’ll make an exception and let the rest of them go."
"Me dying alone to save everyone else?" A slight smile touched Wei’en’s lips. "That sounds like a pretty good idea..."
Hassge First Officer couldn’t resist chiming in. "Even if you don’t agree, the half that dies will definitely include you..."
BOOM!
Before he could finish, Henrik punched him, sending him crashing clean through into the cabin below.
"I said, shut up—"
"My apologies, Captain." Hassge First Officer climbed out of the hole, clutching his shoulder and muttering his apology.
Wei’en raised an eyebrow. ’He really is a brutal pirate captain,’ he thought. ’No wonder Ronan looked so utterly terrified back then.’
"Hmph!" Henrik snorted, turning back to Wei’en. "We’ll be on the *Ronan* in less than a minute. Make your choice."
Wei’en shook his head. "I refuse."
’A pirate ship that has terrorized the Cordo Sea for decades. A captain who demands at least half the crew of every vessel be killed. A gang of utterly vicious pirates...’
’In that case... I’ll just have to kill them!’
"Then you..."
"Let me finish, Captain Henrik," Wei’en said, raising a hand to interrupt.
"Hm?"
"How about I give you a choice, as well?"
"A choice?" Henrik’s eyes, nearly swallowed by his fleshy face, suddenly flew wide. A chilling aura spread from him as his body became wreathed in ghostly blue flames. "You want to give *me* a choice?!"
"Don’t get angry just yet,"
Wei’en saw the flames on his body and said calmly, "I’ll give you two choices. One: let us pass, and I’ll only kill half of your men. And yes, that includes you, Captain."
"Or two: choose to resist, and I’ll wipe out everyone on this ship."
Silence.
An abnormal silence.
The entire ship was deathly still.
[You are the target of Henrik Dimit’s killing intent... Reward: +15 Survival Points.]
[...]
[You are the target of Seth Kristers’s killing intent... Reward: +1 Survival Point.]
"Kill half? Including me? KYAHA, KYAHAAHAHA..."
Henrik laughed, his rage boiling over. The skullcap in his hand instantly shattered, and cracks spiderwebbed across the throne beneath him.
Dark skulls rolled off the throne one after another, tumbling from the deckhouse roof and clattering onto the deck below.
His mad, murderous laughter was so powerful it made the entire ship vibrate, even stirring the calm sea into a frenzy of waves.
Beside them, the look Hassge First Officer gave Wei’en changed. He no longer saw a dead man, but an idiot...
’Originally, half the crew of the *Ronan* might have been spared. Now, it looks like they’ll all have to be wiped out.’
The pirates on the deck below stared at each other, unable to believe their ears.
’Did we hear that right?’
’Did someone really dare to threaten the *Storm Hunter*? Dare to give Captain Henrik an ultimatum like that?’
’What kind of idiot is this guy?!’
Meanwhile, on the *Ronan*, the slit-eyed captain heard Henrik’s laughter and couldn’t help but tremble. "F-First Officer, d-did the Red-haired Captain... did he make them angry?"
"You’ve got it backward."
Clelia watched Wei’en standing in the *Storm Hunter*’s crow’s nest, her gaze hazy. She couldn’t help but recall that night in the Caster City State.
She remembered it now. When he faced the Vasquez People, Wei’en had worn the exact same expression—not madness, not even a hint of anger. There was only calm, a calm so profound it was chilling.
"Right now... he’s the one who’s truly been provoked!"
PS: I still owe everyone 12 Chapters.