Chapter 15: I, a Pirate, Demand Your Treasure!
Chapter 15: I, a Pirate, Demand Your Treasure!
A small wooden boat, accompanied by six rafts made from round logs, drifted on the vast ocean.
Standing or sitting on the rafts was a group of fierce-looking pirates.
On the small boat, there were four individuals.
Sarge sat cross-legged in the center of the boat, boredly staring at the calm sea.
Lily stood next to Sarge, occasionally glancing at the sky and then back to the endless ocean.
Ahead of them, Akin stood at the bow, poised in a battle-ready stance, scanning the horizon for any signs of ships.
At the rear, Paru tirelessly rowed the boat, his paddles creating a rhythmic splashing sound as he guided the raft and its trailing companions.
Without sails, their progress relied on the strength of the pirates on the rafts and Paru's relentless effort.
"The wind direction is normal, and the weather looks clear," Lily observed after a while. "There aren't any clouds, let alone cumulonimbus. We shouldn't have to worry about storms for now."
She continued, "Sarge, we can afford to take a break here for a bit."
Sarge nodded in agreement and turned to Akin, "Are you sure there are ships around here, Akin?"
The enthusiasm they had felt when they first set out to sea half a day ago had now faded into disappointment.
Akin was certain that ships passed through this area. Being close to the coastline and islands, vessels would naturally prefer these waters over the open ocean.
He had envisioned their first outing as Sarge's crew—his first time as a pirate—as a grand debut, a triumphant beginning to a glorious and adventurous life on the high seas. But now, they hadn't encountered a single ship.
How could there be no ships on such a fine day?
Akin turned to Sarge and bowed his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, Captain Sarge. I seem to have predicted wrong. We haven't come across any ships, and I've let you down."
"These things happen; it's not your fault. As long as you know the heading, we're good," Sarge waved off the concern nonchalantly.
He was a seasoned pirate, having sailed the East Blue for years and knew these waters well, unlike Lily, whose knowledge was mostly theoretical.
Finding a town would suffice.
"Captain Sarge," Akin said, his eyes gleaming with emotion. "You're not upset with me? You're truly a magnanimous man!"
This was so different from his experience with Creek, where mistakes were met with punishment.
Captain Sarge was indeed a bold and forgiving leader!
Lily, standing beside him, watched Akin's emotional reaction and pursed her lips, choosing to remain silent.
Sarge gave an awkward smile, "Keep up the spirit, I have high hopes for you."
He wasn't being generous; he was simply used to bad luck.
If anyone made a genuine mistake, he wouldn't hesitate to punish them.
And his dream of becoming a wealthy landlord wasn't something he took lightly.
"Paru, take a break if you're tired. Guys, we can rest for now; no need to worry about catching fish!" Sarge called out to the rafters.
The pirates on the rafts had been doing more than just rowing; they, too, had been trying their luck at fishing, as they hadn't eaten in over a day.
However, with Sarge's presence, they weren't going to catch anything.
Paru, who was already exhausted from rowing, was about to rest his hands when Lily suddenly spoke up, "Sarge, I think I see a ship."
"Where?!"
Sarge jumped to his feet, following the direction of Lily's finger. At the horizon, they could make out the faint silhouette of a mast and sails. As it drew closer, the outline of a ship became clearer.
A ship!
"Paru! Keep rowing!" Sarge shouted.
Paru's fatigue instantly turned to excitement, and he gripped the oar tightly, rowing with renewed vigor. The other pirates on the rafts did the same, their paddles cutting through the water as they sped towards the ship.
Their rowing speed was undoubtedly fast, and it didn't take long for them to close in on the vessel. As they drew nearer, they could make out the details of the ship.
It had a two-story deck, with a mast at the front, billowing sails catching the wind.
A standard sloop!
"Captain Sarge, let me be the first—"
"Moon Walk!"
Akin reached for his staff on his back, but before he could finish his sentence, Sarge leaped from the edge of their boat, stepping onto the air as if climbing an invisible staircase, and propelled himself towards the ship.
The sight left everyone stunned.
Captain Sarge was indeed flying!
Sarge's eyes lit up with excitement as he stepped on air, finally encountering a ship.
To prevent any mishaps, he used the Moon Walk technique to quickly close the distance.
He knew his luck all too well and wanted to ensure nothing stood in his way.
Just as he had that thought, a massive splash erupted from the water not far from the ship, and a bovine-headed sea monster roared as it emerged, its body towering as high as the vessel. With a powerful thrust, it rammed into the ship!
The people on the ship were obviously caught off guard and scrambled for cover in a panic.
"Rasen Shuriken!"
Sarge's legs moved so fast they left afterimages as he unleashed a barrage of blue slashes that rained down on the Bovine-headed Sea Beast like a furious storm.
Shwish! Shwish! Shwish!
Just as the sea beast was about to ram its horns into the ship, mere moments away from collision, the onslaught of slashes from above cleaved its body in half. Blood sprayed everywhere, and the beast trembled as it fell back into the sea.
Sarge's face twisted in rage, "Trying to steal my ship? You must not know who you're dealing with!"
Finally encountering a ship, even if a meteor struck at this moment, he would dare to fight for it!
This was crucial for his pirate career!
If his bad luck continued, he'd have to resort to living like a savage!
Sarge descended from the sky, landing swiftly on the deck, and surveyed the people on board.
They were a group of civilians with no signs of armament.
However...
As he looked around, his brows furrowed. The ship was riddled with signs of repair—wooden planks nailed onto the hull and mast, and a gaping hole on the left side of the ship with charred marks.
The entire vessel seemed on the verge of falling apart.
This was a ship that had been raided before.
"Umm..."
One of the civilians approached, their voice trembling, "Thank you for saving us."
"Don't thank me yet."
Sarge drew his flintlock pistol from his waist, fired a shot into the air, and addressed the clueless civilians, "I, a pirate, demand your treasure!"
So what if the ship had been raided before? It was still a ship!
He was a pirate, and he didn't stand on such niceties. Today, he would finally start his pirate business!
...
"Is that all?"
Sarge eyed the items that had been brought up to the deck, raising an eyebrow.
Before him were some clothes and a barrel of freshwater, aside from that, nothing else.
"Captain, this is all they had." Paru replied honestly, and the other pirates dared not speak a word.
They hadn't witnessed how Sarge had defeated Creek, but they had seen him kill the sea beast, which was still floating on the surface, its massive wound a testament to Sarge's power.
With such a meager haul, no one dared to provoke the captain's anger.
"The ship, Captain."
The group of civilians huddled together, their faces pale, almost on the verge of tears. "Please spare our lives. We can't survive without water, even if you leave us with the ship."
While sailing the high seas, the lack of food was not as critical as the absence of water, which would surely lead to death.
Being killed by pirates or dying of thirst—either way, they were doomed.
"You've got some nerve thinking you can get away with this. The ship is mine now!"
Sarge snorted derisively, "Paru, take some men and butcher that sea beast!"
They had fresh meat readily available, and although the ship had been damaged, the kitchen was still intact, even boasting a refrigerator.
Paru and some of the pirates jumped onto the sea beast, using their swords to cut open its skin, and began to carve off chunks of meat.
Among the pirates, there were always those who could cook, and while their skills might not be refined, they could at least fry the meat. With some spices from the kitchen, even the simplest meal became a heavenly feast for those who had gone a day without food.
The pirates eagerly devoured the meat with their hands.
"Sarge, here's yours."
Lily had also helped in the kitchen, and she now offered a piece of fried meat on the bone to Sarge.
Sarge took a bite and felt like shedding tears.
Not because it was bad, but...
He had finally eaten cooked food!
Ever since arriving in the Oykot Kingdom, he hadn't tasted anything cooked!
The meat was delicious, a unique blend of beef and seafood flavors, and even with minimal seasoning, it was mouthwatering.
As the pirates indulged in their feast, the group of civilians watched on, their eyes glued to the meat, their mouths watering.
Gulp!
Sarge's ears twitched, and he turned to the civilians, who were eyeing the meat longingly. He sighed, "Come on, let's all eat together. How can we travel on an empty stomach?"
"Captain, you're not going to rob us?" Hope shone in the civilians' eyes.
"I will still take your valuables, but I'm not interested in taking from the poor. Let's eat first; I'm a pirate, not a murderer. I won't let people starve to death." Sarge explained.
The civilians eagerly joined in, grabbing the meat and devouring it.
Sarge finished one piece of meat and reached for another, asking, "Now, tell me, what do you do, and who robbed you?"
(End of Chapter)
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