Chapter 119: Return Voyage

Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Return Voyage

Spurred on by the bald man, the other Pirates gritted their teeth, their faces hardening with resolve.

’Even if we die, we have to take a few of them down with us.’ This thought ran through the mind of nearly every desperado.

’So they’ve given up on running away...’

A slight smile touched Vili’s lips. ’All the better.’

"Get the planks ready!"

Dane shouted as he saw the two ships drawing closer.

As the attacking party, the Guards would throw out specially made planks when the ships were close enough, using them to jump aboard the Pirates’ vessel. Both ends of the planks had curved hooks, which made the connection between the two ships more stable.

"Prepare for battle!"

Seeing they were within a suitable range, Dane commanded loudly.

The Guards on the ship all had grim expressions, their bodies brimming with fighting spirit. Right now, Blue Whale Town offered handsome rewards for killing Pirates—not just money, but promotions as well. For the Guards, such an incentive was hard to resist.

That was why, upon seeing the Pirates, the Guards’ first feeling was one of anticipation.

This rabble was only ruthless and cruel when facing unarmed civilians. Against a proper Guard Team, they were utterly fragile. In terms of both individual strength and equipment, they were no match for the Guards.

Upon receiving Dane’s command, the Guards officially began their charge.

Their combat proficiency was clearly a cut above their opponents. As soon as the planks were in place, Dane was the first to charge across.

He was the strongest among them, aside from Vili. By going first, he could bear the brunt of the fiercest counterattack.

"Die, you bastards!"

Dane swung his broad-bladed Cross Sword, sending sprays of blood flying.

Dane was now a Middle Level Knight’s Squire. As for these Pirates, besides the bald man whose strength was comparable to a Junior Knight’s Squire, the rest were just ordinary men with shoddy weapons.

At that moment, Dane was like a tiger among sheep, utterly unstoppable.

The Guards followed close behind him, their eyes gleaming. It was as if they weren’t facing infamous Pirates, but walking moneybags.

After just a few clashes, the morale of the Pirates, who had just been ready to fight to the death, completely collapsed.

The rabble began to break, and some had already started jumping into the sea to escape.

’Damn it!’

The bald man had been cowering in the crowd and directing the fight from the start. Now, seeing the tide was irreversible, he began to edge toward the side of the ship.

He spotted an opening and jumped straight into the sea.

’Hm?’

The Guards were completely overwhelming their opponents, so Vili hadn’t made a move. However, he had been keeping an eye on the bald man who looked like the leader. The moment he saw him abandon ship and flee, Vili reacted instantly.

He grabbed a nearby Triangular Fork and hurled it with all his might toward the spot where the bald man had hit the water.

The immense force of the throw caused the Triangular Fork to cut through the air with a WHOOSH. In the blink of an eye, it plunged beneath the waves, kicking up a plume of white spray.

A few breaths later, that patch of seawater began to turn red. The bald man’s body floated to the surface, a Triangular Fork having pierced straight through his chest.

"The chief is dead!"

A Pirate who was just about to jump into the water screamed in terror at the sight.

Immediately after, the few remaining Pirates who were still resisting gave up the fight and all prepared to jump overboard.

The Guards reacted swiftly. Seeing this, they struck fast, wounding or killing the Pirates before they could get into the water.

"Throw the Triangular Forks!"

Dane, seeing the situation on the ship was under control, continued to issue commands.

A few Pirates had already managed to jump into the sea. Now was the time to hunt them down. The goal was to kill as many as possible.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The moment the Pirates who had dived resurfaced for air, they were immediately run through by the Triangular Forks.

Only two or three of them managed to escape the range of the attack, swimming further away.

Seeing this, Dane gave the order to end the battle.

Those two or three who escaped were unlikely to survive on the vast, open sea anyway. There was no need to give chase.

"We killed fifteen Pirates this time, took three alive, and two got away. On our side, five men have minor injuries, but no one was killed."

Ten minutes later, Dane had tallied the results of the battle and reported to Vili.

The difference in combat effectiveness between the professional Guards and the Pirates was like night and day.

Vili nodded and instructed, "Take the three prisoners back and hand them over to the people of Blue Whale Town for judgment. As for the bodies, after you’ve taken proof of the kills for our battle merits, burn the rest along with their ship."

The Pirates’ ship was old and dilapidated; there was no value in sailing it back. However, to prevent other Pirates from salvaging it, they had to destroy it completely.

"Yes, sir."

Dane acknowledged the order and began directing the Guards to handle the final cleanup.

Vili felt no sympathy as he watched the burning Pirate ship and the deck covered in blood and bodies.

These men, whose pasts were already shady, could have chosen a different way of life after fleeing to the deserted islands overseas.

Their tools may have been crude and their fishing skills limited, but if they were willing to endure some hardship, the ocean would have provided enough for them to survive.

But their hearts had long been filled with sin and greed, making it difficult for them to return to an ordinary life. Combined with the influence of their new environment, they arrived overseas and still chose to live by plunder.

The consequences of good and evil are a matter of personal choice. Naturally, Vili felt no pity for these men.

"Let’s head back!"

After everything was taken care of, Vili gave the order to return.

Half an hour later, the ship arrived at the town’s wharf.

"Is that Lord Vili from Diamond Town?"

"That’s him. It looks like they wiped out another ship of Pirates on this trip. Those people tied up must be the prisoners."

"Thank the Lord Baron and Lord Vili for helping us live more peacefully."

"..."

Vili had just disembarked when he saw fishermen from the docked boats and some children who had been playing by the water gathering around his ship. All of them looked at him with admiration and gratitude, whispering words of thanks.

Vili smiled faintly.

Since arriving in Blue Whale Town, he had repelled many bands of Pirates. As a result, his reputation had spread widely throughout the town.

The residents of Blue Whale Town held a deep, heartfelt admiration for the Guards who protected their coastal town.

The Guards were protecting not only their lives but also their livelihoods.