A flying warship had 3 sets of engines for flying and 2 sets of normal engines. Because of the magic, the engines weighted as much as a big cannon, making possible for one big war-ship to have around 12 engines from which: 2 only for sailing, 4 for flying and sailing and the rest only for flying, having a total of 10 engines for flying. However, there was one room where the engines were interconnected, having the alimentation room connected to every engine. This alimentation room was covered with thick black-iron walls, enchanted with weight-reducing spells and during upgrading. It was close to impenetrable so the only way to completely destroy a ship in one shot was to penetrate through the ship and reach the cordons that connected the alimentation room with the rest of the engines. And a place where most of the cordons were placed together was in the lower levels of the ship, inside the Engine-Room where more than 6 of the total of the engines were interconnected with such cordons through which, the pure energy from the energy stones circulated.
For the flying engines;
One set for rising the ship placed right under the ship.
One set for rising and redirecting the ship mid-flight, placed inside the ship.
And outer engines which were placed two in front and two behind, specially made for keeping the ship in the air. If one or two engines were damaged, no big problems would befall the crew. But the bellow engines were already damaged, if the outer engines were to be destroyed, then the ship would crash and Haidao would win for destroying the enemy’s ship.
The two normal engines were placed in the same room with the rising ones from the back, is also the room with the most engines.
“Wait. What’s with this chain?” → Haidao
Haidao just became aware of the chain stuck right in the middle of their deck, continuing to go down, stuck somewhere inside his ship.
W-wait… Lower in, there must be…!
“You! Cut this chain! Fast!” → Haidao
Just as the assassin fairy wished to cut the chain, lightning struck Bururiba’s ship with thundering power, making Cy freeze from the loud thunder.
Finally, eh? → Haidao
Haidao saw how the lightning evaded the metallic engines and struck right in the middle of the ship. Because his viewpoint was from below, he couldn’t tell what was struck or if the lighting actually even destroyed something.
-BOOM!-
However, he was able to see lightning going through the chain, right inside his ship. A huge light flashed from bellow and a loud boom followed right after. The entire ship shook violently and smoke was evading through any kind of orifice it could find. Even though the rain was pouring, the smoke didn’t seem to lessen.
“S***! Fast! Get down and repair whatever was destroyed! Everyone else! Focus on destroying the outer-engine-”→ Haidao
Not even able to finish talking and his once levitating-ship crashed on top of the water, the engines completely turned down. Water furiously invaded his ship while it was slowly succumbing into the strong waves.
Suddenly, another bombardment was launched from Bururiba’s ship and made the ship sink even faster.
“RAAAGH!”
Haidao shouted in rage and summoned dozens of energy orbs, shooting them at the cannon-balls that targeted his ship and destroyed them mid-air.
I don’t need some half-assed weapons to bring that ship down!
Haidao became furious. He flew outside his barrier toward Bururiba’s ship and prepared for an attack when;
“Argh!”
A bullet struck his left shoulder, making him bleed.
“You!”
He looked at the top of the ship and saw Bururiba aiming his gun at him with a wide smile on.
“You finally left your nest!? I was thinking when will you do this mistake!” → Bururiba
As he was too far before, he was 100% sure he would miss his target, especially in all the commotion and with the low visibility from the downpour. Bururiba’s main target wasn’t Haidao’s ship, but Haidao himself. He wanted to make him reach a point where he’ll leave his ship and try to destroy his ship by playing the easy target.
It was so risky that I’m still sweating. Good thing that the storm forecasting was true, else I would’ve become the one with a sinking ship now. → Bururiba
The harpoon was aimed at the middle-most point of the engines. From the first barrage, Bururiba struck down the outer engines from Haidao’s ship with his gun, not letting them notice. Now with that lightning harpoon, he was able to destroy four inner flying engines and two sailing ones, rending the flying ability of a warship unusable.
“Were you the one who aimed the harpoon?! I’ll be sure to promote you to two ranks higher!” → Bururiba
Bururiba said to the dragoon from before.
“Thanks, captain!”
The dragoon was happy beyond words. He never expected for him to get two rises only for shooting a harpoon at a targeted place.
“Bastard! Isn’t it too soon to celebrate?! Fire the cannons!” → Haidao
The ship, even sinking shoot out another barrage of iron-balls, striking at the outer engines.
“Tian!” → Bururiba
Bururiba shouted anxiously.
“Here!”
Tian and Kavala stood beside an outer engine each, guarding it with their lives.
“Ha!” → Kavala
Kavala created blue fire-spears which struck right at the cannon-balls, destroying them mid-air.
“Like hell, I’ll let you get past me!”
“Grrr! Then I’ll simply do this!” → Haidao
Haidao grabbed the chain and pulled hard. He tried to bring the ship down together with his, unable to accept a defeat.
“!!!”
Bururiba knew what he wished to do but things were like that. The chain was only locked to the cannon that shot the harpoon now, not chained on the ship. He looked towards it and saw more than 20 of his crewmen standing in front of the cannon, preparing to load another row of huge cannon-balls. Seeing his crew in imminent danger, Bururiba shot out in desperation. Most of them were weaker than Tyson, so if Haidao used his full power to pull on the chain, no one would be able to stop him.
“Everyone! Get away from there!” → Bururiba
Bururiba rushed toward them but he was too late. Everyone that was in the way of the cannon was either ran-over by the cannon, struck unconscious or simply dragged off the ship together with the cannon, falling inside the water or on Haidao’s ship.
“…Huh?” → Shen
Shen looked dazed at that moment. His heart tightened while a bad feeling overwhelmed him.
Those people… are done for… → Shen
From Bururiba’s crew, everyone froze. The ones who fell weren’t just crew-mates or work colleagues, but brothers in arms and friends as they shared good and hard times alike. Seeing their own brothers fall like dolls in the raging waters or atop the enemy’s ship, their hair stood on ends, using the most of their willpower to not do something foolish as rushing after them.
“This works too~.” → Haidao
Haidao felt delightful after seeing Bururiba’s and everyone else’s agonizing faces. Even though he wished to destroy his ship together with his, the fact that he was able to make Bururiba feel despair was good enough for him.
“Search for survivors and kill them by beheading!” → Haidao
He shouted at his crew which was already preparing their swords for a massacre.
“Aargh!”
“N-no!”
“Captain!”
“Sir! Please help!”
“…”
The fallen ones had no time to even get up and swords fell like a curtain over their lives, ending the path of another soul on this world. Everyone looked with blood-shot eyes and clenched teeth at such a merciless view. Even Tian had a dark face on while his grip on the wooden fence clenched and made the wood snap and crack.
All kinds of agonizing shouts were heard. The dragoon that just got promoted was also one from the fallen people.
“Captain… I’m sorry.”
-Slash!-
Right after he finished his words, his head was sent flying with blood splattering on the deck.
“NO! Let me go! They are my people! Their lives are my responsibility! I can’t let them die! LET GO!” → Bururiba
Bururiba was shaking with rage, sorrow, and sadness. His eyes were red and tears flowed like a river. Kavala grabbed him and tried to restrain him. After that, the other members came to keep Bururiba on the check, their cheeks stained with rain-water and sour tears.
“Puha! Argh! What’s up with you weak bastards?! Since when have we turned into little fishes?!” → Nicolas
From inside the raging waves, Nicolas appeared and with his blade, in his teeth, he swam toward the enemy’s ship.
“Lad! Stay strong!” → Nicolas
He got a companion that was hard-pressed to swim in the raging waters and placed him on a wooden table.
“L-Left-Hand Nicolas!”
“Get your weapon out and fight! I won’t permit it, to die like a beggar! Get up and fight!” → Nicolas
“Y-yes, sir!”
Nicolas and a young human reached the decks and started fighting the ones who were beheading their friends.
“Enemies on-board! Fight back!” → Nicolas
“To our backs! Get ‘em!”
Nicolas and the young human fought together outnumbered while they tried to free their crew-mates.
“Gah!”
While fighting two men at once, the young man got stabbed through the ribs and collapsed on one knee.
“Get up lad! We take one of ‘em saving boats and we’re outta here!”
“A-Aye!”
The young man got back up and fought back while trying to get more on the offensive. Both had to fight two against one while the rest of the enemy men were hunting the rest of the crew.
“T-they’re still alive! NICOLAS! He’s down there! Bastards! We need to go, now!” → Bururiba
Bururiba shouted out then he got out from them all. Right when he wanted to jump atop the sinking ship, Haidao appeared in front of him with a twisted smile.
“You sick bastard! Get the hell away!” → Bururiba
Bururiba pointed the gun at Haidao and shot while rushing toward the edge of the ship.
“Oh my~” → Haidao
Haidao dodged with easy the poorly-aimed bullet and pointed with his finger at Bururiba.
“So you do it something like this?” → Haidao
Then he changed his target to Nicolas and a thin red beam of energy shot out, penetrating Nicolas’ chest.
“…Huh?” → Haidao
Bururiba froze then he looked at Nicolas who was dumbfoundedly looking at his own chest that had a bloody hole through it. The beam accurately penetrated the heart, the only reason why Nicolas was still conscious was that of his fighting spirit. He then fell atop the deck looking upwards, at the flying ship and at his captain who was staring back with a frozen expression.
I’m sorry captain… And thank you… → Nicolas
Nicolas’ shine in his eyes dimmed then he breathed out his last, turning completely limp. On the other hand, the young man was still fighting and just cut the neck of one of the enemy crew members.
“Ah! Sir Nicolas! I did it! I took one down-… S-Sir?”
With an exalted smile on his face, the young man looked back and saw his superior on the ground, on a pool of blood that was slowly washed away by the strong rain. Despair washed over the young man and a thick killing intent struck his back.
“Pff!”
He then looked with a frozen expression at the sword which penetrated his chest from the back, spitting out blood. His mind clouded while a sinister voice resounded beside his ear;
“You killed my best friend… For that, I will take your head!”
“I’m sorry…“
The young man whispered while tears fell down his cheeks, then the Tiger-man from behind retracted his sword and slashed his head with a swing, the last image being the devastated face of Bururiba who was staring at him with wide open bloodshot eyes.
“…”
The others had no change to help in the first place. Haidao awaited for the others to get away from the ship so he could hunt them one by one, only to make Bururiba more desperate, while Tian and Bururiba had to remain on the ship to defend it. Even though they outnumbered Haidao when it came to Saint power, he was the one who had the fallen crew in his hands. And his choice was that to kill them immediately. All the others could do was to watch helplessly as their friends and brothers were killed on the spot.
My God… → Shen
Shen looked with a somber look at this view.
If by staying I am bringing salvation and hope on some people, but I only bring death and trauma upon the others, then what is the true answer to my actions? → Shen
Shen’s eyes were filled with sadness and confusion. He never expected that by letting himself to be kept captive, casualties on his part will appear.
Have I overestimated my comrades? Did my wish on saving the captive slaves to run from this cursed peninsula, brought forth only more death? Where did it go wrong? Or is simply my wish to keep my promise a mistake? Should’ve I have simply killed them all then freed the slaves? Or just ignored their inner cries and just escaped on my own? → Shen
Shen became more and more conflicted. His heart was hurting even more than anyone else’s, even more than Bururiba’s. He knew that all of this could’ve been evaded if he simply killed the demon when he appeared in front of him the first time and then run away together with Aria.
In the end, all my actions brought forth only death and despair. → Shen
[SHEN!] → SylviaA loud ethereal shout came from right in front of him.
“…Sylvia…?” → Shen
Shen’s eyes were clouded, his mind and heart were slowly engulfed in darkness while rising his head, looking at the beautiful ethereal girl in front of him.
“Huh? To whom are you talking now?!”
The pirate king roared at Shen.
“…”
Shen ignored the pirate-king and asked.
“What happened… Sylvia?” → Shen
Shen made a sad smile, not able to look in her eyes.
To whom is he talking? → Sylvia
Sofia looked confused at Shen who with spiritless eyes stared in space.
Has he turned crazy after not eating and drinking for 5 days and started to talk to himself? Anyone would do so, there’s no big surprise.
Sofia and the pirate-king misunderstood Shen’s conversation with Sylvia as him turning crazy, ignoring him afterward.
[Shen! Please don’t fall into despair!] → SylviaSylvia talked with an anxious tone. She felt his heart turning gloomy and became more desperate in trying to keep his spirit high because of the anti-magic metal around him, she couldn’t talk through telepathy, send heart-waves or send him vital energy. She could only separate from her body as a spirit and appear in front of him, talking through air-vibrations right beside his ears.
[Please believe in yourself! Your reasons are noble! Shen!] → Sylvia“…Noble…? A noble dream can be the disguise of a tragic reality… The same is with reasons, intentions or promises… If the person is just another idiot, then all will turn to dust…” → Shen
Shen talked, and his eyes became sadder and sadder.
Seeing him like this Sylvia raised both hands and slapped his face lightly, holding his head in her palms. She tried to materialize her palms hard enough so she could shock Shen out of his depressed state. This made him startled and he looked at her with shock in his eyes, his face still held in her hands.
[Who is this little kitty and what have you done with my tiger?!] → SylviaSylvia told Shen what he once told her, making her a scared cat when he wished to see a mighty lioness.
[Shen! Some casualties were inevitable! If you tried to escape at that time, nothing would’ve changed! Bururiba wouldn’t have learned how to become a true captain, Theo would still be dependent of you, not trying to do something on his own! Ashura finally learned auto-control while right now, Aria finally can smile and shed tears like the other people when all this time she simply showed empty emotions! Shen, if you think your choices were a mistake, then all you can do is walk forward and compensate the lost lives with new ones! Before you got here, you already had something planned out, right? Then now is the time! Keep your promise! SHEN!] → SylviaSylvia shouted at Shen and every word struck him like heart-waves, making his eyes alive again.
[… This look is the best for you.] → SylviaSylvia said with a surprised look and a light blush. Shen’s eyes reflected resolution and firmness while a fire now was burning his spirit. His body exuded a mighty and strong aura, just like a mountain in spring, filled with dominance and vigor.
“Thanks, Sylvia. I’ll be sure to do so.” → Shen
Shen said with a calm but firm voice.
“See you on the decks.” → Shen
[Yeah. See you.] → SylviaSylvia smiled then disappeared just like the last time.
“!”
Something changed. → Sofia
Sofia felt a strong aura behind her and was shocked when she saw Shen’s domineering eyes. They were strong before but right now were as if he weren’t even tortured or starved in the first place.
What happened? → Sofia
-WHOOONNNGGG-
Before she could think anymore of Shen’s sudden change, a loud sound of a ship sinking resounded and a huge vortex inside the bay appeared, attracting her attention from him.
“The whirlpool! It’s damn huge! If they don’t evacuate fast, then they’ll be brought to the bottom of the bay!”
The pirates looked with shock at how the vortex was spinning the ship, as if it were some filth in the bathtub, sinking downward the sewerage.
“Ahaha~! That demon is done for! His ship is sinking!”
“Bururiba’s victor! Bah! Bloody rats! I lost all my money now!”
Some pirates rejoiced but most of them grieved, throwing their bottles of alcohol toward their ships and spitting at the sea.
“Bloody idiot!”
The angriest of them all was the pirate-king himself, cursing at Haidao for not being able to destroy a newbie like Bururiba.
“What yer doing, Haidao! Kill the idiot!”
-BAAM!-
A bullet missed the pirate king by 5 centimeters, hitting the chains around Shen’s right arm, setting that arm free.
“Eh?”
Both Shen and pirate king looked with big eyes at the broken chain, then at each other, then back at the angry Bururiba.
How did he shoot from so far away?! → Shen
“You better keep your mouth shut for once, idiot king!” → Bururiba
Bururiba was angered beyond words. His eyes red and what he wished the most was to kill everyone that stood in his way.
Robert died right after promotion. Cumaru wished to return to his family after this battle was over, little Tim said he finally confessed to little Ru, Nicolas was one of my best friends from the crew and died just after saving another member… that brat dying right after… Everyone had their story and it all ended in the middle because of these bastards. Because these fuckers only wish for more power! → Bururiba
“Such trash is unneeded in this world.” → Bururiba
His cold voice made the ones who tried to stop him shiver. Even though the killing intent wasn’t sent toward them, his crew felt pressured by the intimidating aura.
“I won’t let this end like this!” → Haidao
Haidao roared and shot right after the engines, trying to break them with a huge red energy ball.
“Bururiba! Die with your crew!” → Haidao
Haidao shot the energy ball toward the engine.
“Kavala!” → Tian
Tian shouted. He was too far to go and defend the engine while Kavala was closer but also weaker.
“Gh! I’m trying!” → Kavala
The little fairy tried to stop the energy-orb with his staff enveloped in darkness. He summoned a dark cold mist, trying to weaken the orb with it then stop it completely with an ice-wall.
“Gah!”
Even so, the orb was simply too powerful and at the contact with the wall it blew up and engulfed both the engine and Kavala. After a huge explosion, the fairy was sent flying and slowly fell toward the gigantic whirlpool.
“Kavala!”
Both Tian and Bururiba rushed forth, catching him.
“Bastard!” → Bururiba
Bururiba shot another bullet toward Haidao, this time with a better aim.
“Ugh!” → Haidao
Haidao dodged the bullet by a thread of hair then he suddenly became a shadowy silhouette, hiding just like Theo.
“Coward!” → Bururiba
Bururiba shouted but he left Haidao to escape for time being, turning back to help Kavala get up.
“I-I’m alright… How’s the… engine?” → Kavala
Kavala had burning marks all over the body but nothing grave, while his voice was weak and trembling.
“…It blew up.” → Bururiba
Bururiba said with a dark face.
The ship started to lower on the left, falling like a helicopter with no tail.
“Ahahaha~! Good job!”
The idiot king laughed with a dark smile, seeing the crashing warship falling to its demise.
“…”
Sofia evaded her eyes. She felt guilty and remorseful for having Bururiba go through such hardships and not being able to help him.
“So pitiful.”
Number 5 said with a smile.
“Right after winning, he has to die together with his crew.”
“Hah! Who told him to be so arrogant! Serves him right!”
Number 6 said with a sneer.
“Ah, poor Bururiba.”
Maybe I might be able to get his remains later.
Number 4 thought with a calm face.
“Hmph, idiot. Becoming so agitated only for some lackeys.”
Number 7 said with arrogance in her eyes.
“Oho~? He actually won against that Haidao on a battleship! Not bad~. Too bad he’ll die now, bahaha!”
Number 8 said with a laugh.
“Woah Woah! The fight was amazing! I wanna do that too!”
Number 9 said while hugging his tail.
“…”
Number 10 looked with indifferent eyes, not minding whatever happened.
“Eh?” → Bururiba
Bururiba felt that under his shirt, the fang started to vibrate. It got out from his shirt and flew toward a hand that appeared from inside a shadow from atop his deck. Haidao then reappeared, in his hand the respective fang tightly clenched.
“You won’t need this from now on.” → Haidao
He said with cold eyes then flew away toward the pirate king’s ship.
“Oy! You shitty captain! Where do you think you’re going when your ship is sinking?!” → Bururiba
Bururiba was agitated, trying to keep a hold of the ship.
“You better think about yourself now.” → Haidao
Haidao said with a mocking smile then flew away in a pillar of red light. Bururiba looked in front and frowned.
“S***! We’ll crash right inside the vortex!”
“Captain! Leave the ship! Now!” → Tyson
Tyson came on the decks and shouted at Bururiba. He was bloody, and one eye was bleeding, unknown if it could be saved or not.
“He’s right, Bururiba! We can’t stay here! Let’s take as many as we can and fly away!” → Kavala
Kavala said while grabbing his own left arm. It seems he was also injured with a deep cut from a sharp object that was sent flying from the exploded engine.
“…”
Tian couldn’t say anything. He knew better than anyone how much Bururiba loved his crew.
“LEAVE?! Are you all mad?!” → Bururiba
Bururiba roared.
“First of all I’m the captain of this ship and the captain never leaves the ship! Second, if my crew dies then what’s the worth of a captain?! The ones who can leave then do so! You’re with nothing indebted to me! The ones who are trapped here with me, this is my last command: May you live a fulfilling life next time!” → Bururiba
Bururiba’s eyes were filled with tears, meeting his end in such a place wasn’t what he wished, but at least his end will be a spectacular one.
At least I lived a fulfilled life… Shen, please take care of the rest of my crew… → Bururiba
[I refuse.] → ShenAn ethereal voice resounded inside his mind, making his eyes widen in shock.
