Chapter 118: Pirates

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Pirates

「Two months later.」

South of Blue Whale Town, on the boundless expanse of the sea.

The sea wind howled and waves rolled. Seabirds circled in the sky, and fish occasionally leaped from the water’s surface.

A ship, its hull lined with massive, barbed iron spikes, sailed slowly across the sea, parting the water and leaving a trail of ripples in its wake.

Half a month had passed since Vili arrived in Blue Whale Town with one hundred and twenty Guards. During that time, Vili saw this world’s ocean for the first time. Just like in his past life, it was vast and boundless, an expanse seemingly wide enough to contain everything.

As the reinforcements requested by Baron Enton, Vili responsibly fulfilled his duties. In just half a month, he had already intercepted Pirates on the open sea multiple times as they attempted to raid Blue Whale Town.

Just as Jarvis had said, a harsh winter’s food shortage had driven the Pirates into a state of near-frenzied greed. They even fought without fear of death, showing Vili yet again the most desperate side of humanity when faced with the need to survive.

However, Vili never went easy on these Pirates.

Their goal was to burn, kill, and plunder; cutting them down brought no psychological burden. If the legendary Hanged Man were here, he would surely have inflicted an even harsher punishment.

Aboard the ship sailing across the sea, Vili stood on deck, gazing at the distant seascape.

As always, he wore Light Armor with a Swift Sword at his waist, cutting a tall and handsome figure.

"Captain, when are we heading back?"

Dane, also clad in Light Armor, walked up to Vili.

Dane and Sandoor were Vili’s most trusted subordinates, and both could be counted on to play a crucial role when needed.

For this mission to Blue Whale Town, Sandoor was handling Vili’s administrative affairs back home, while Dane had personally accompanied Vili to help him manage the one hundred and twenty Guards.

"Another half an hour. If we don’t spot any enemies by then, we’ll head back."

Vili replied.

Ever since arriving in Blue Whale Town, Vili had patrolled the sea for two to three hours every day during the daytime.

"Understood."

Dane nodded.

On this ship, only Vili and Dane were from Diamond Town. The other twenty or so crewmen were all Guards under Baron Enton of Blue Whale Town.

This was because the Guards from Diamond Town had discovered, after a few attempts, that they couldn’t maintain their combat effectiveness at sea. The reason was simple: seasickness.

People who haven’t lived by the sea since childhood typically experience intense discomfort on their first sea voyage. Mild cases result in nausea and dizziness, while severe ones can lead to physiological reactions like vomiting and watery eyes.

The reason Vili and Dane were unaffected was that their Constitution was exceptionally high.

"Hmm?"

A hint of alarm flickered in Vili’s eyes as he stared into the distance. He turned to Dane and ordered, "There’s an unidentified vessel approaching from the southwest. Prepare for battle."

Dane couldn’t see that far, but he reacted instantly to Vili’s command. He turned and roared to the crew, "Unidentified vessel approaching! Prepare for battle!"

Upon receiving Dane’s order, the Nautical Guards of Blue Whale Town acted without a moment’s hesitation. They immediately straightened their armor, gripped their Triangular Forks, and readied themselves.

When they were assigned to Vili’s command, they had been warned to obey his orders without question. Thus, there was no slacking under his direction.

’It’s a Pirate ship, no doubt about it...’

As the vessel sped closer, Vili confirmed that the unidentified ship did, in fact, belong to Pirates.

Although it wasn’t flying a pirate flag, the ship was weather-beaten and covered in barbs, with a thick, sharp iron spike mounted on its bow. These details alone were enough to confirm their identity.

"They’re here!"

As the Pirate ship drew closer, Dane could finally make out its features.

Several men in tattered clothes with matted hair stood at the bow, clutching fishing spears and clubs with blades lashed to them. Their eyes glinted with greed and ferocity. They were either marauders or descendants of fugitives who had survived in harsh environments; having endured all manner of hardship and competition, they didn’t have a shred of mercy left in their hearts.

This Pirate vessel was a typical small-scale raiding party, the kind that only preyed on relatively weak coastal territories.

Their methods were brutally simple. After making landfall, the Pirates would storm coastal villages or hamlets, slaughtering anyone who resisted. They would then load grain and small livestock onto their ship as quickly as possible before the Guards could arrive. Some even abducted women and children, using them to propagate their ranks or as cannon fodder.

"Wait! Stop! Turn around, now! Hurry!"

The bald man at the bow of the Pirate ship, who had the air of a leader, suddenly shouted.

His eyesight was nowhere near as sharp as Vili’s; the bald man had only just noticed an armed vessel rapidly closing in on them.

"Faster!"

A cold sweat broke out on the bald man’s skin as he urged the panicked helmsman on.

Patrolling Guards were their most hated enemy. Those guys were well-equipped, fought like professionals, and never showed any mercy to Pirates like them.

If they were caught, it was a one-way trip to the grave.

They lived a dangerous life, but no one wanted to die.

"Pick up the pace!"

Dane commanded loudly.

He could see the Pirate ship was trying to flee.

These scum had to be completely wiped out. Otherwise, they would just find another opportunity to try raiding again.

The armed vessel accelerated again, closing the distance to the Pirate ship.

They were professional Guards, while these Pirates were little more than a disorganized mob. Their equipment wasn’t even in the same league.

"They’re catching up..."

Beads of sweat dotted the bald man’s forehead. His nervousness was infectious, and the other twenty-odd Pirates on board began to panic as well.

"Stop trying to run! Everyone, grab your weapons and prepare to fight back!"

The bald man gave the command.

He knew that if they were caught while fleeing, their fear would allow the enemy to overwhelm them in a single push.

’Better to rally the men and prepare them for a desperate fight.’

’If we can injure them enough to make them give up the chase, that would be best. Even if we can’t, I might get a chance to jump overboard in the chaos. With any luck, I might just survive.’