Chapter 219: Prey in the Shadows

William could only clutch the stump of his severed right arm, blood continuing to pour between his fingers. His breathing was ragged, and his body trembled from the pain.

Yet his eyes remained fixed on Jooquin.

Hatred burned within them.

"I... will kill you..."

His voice was weak, but every word carried his resentment.

"I’ll make you suffer... I’ll make you regret everything you’ve done..."

Jooquin merely laughed.

"Hahaha! Still threatening me? Look at yourself, knight. You’re practically a corpse already. What exactly do you intend to do?"

William said nothing.

He knew it.

His body could no longer fight. Even standing had become difficult, and the loss of his right hand meant he could no longer wield his sword properly.

All he could do was accept his fate.

His gaze slowly shifted toward the battlefield.

One after another, his comrades were being cut down by the pirates. Some tried to resist, while others desperately attempted to protect their wounded companions. But the pirates showed no mercy.

Their laughter echoed through the battlefield as they slaughtered the knights.

William could only watch.

He had fought alongside these people for years. They had shared meals, endured dangerous missions, and protected one another through countless battles. Yet now, he could do nothing as they fell before his eyes.

’Why...?’

His grip on his wounded arm tightened.

He had been nothing more than an ordinary commoner with some talent for swordsmanship. It was thanks to the Marquis’s generosity that he had been given the opportunity to become a knight and rise to his current position.

He had believed that his efforts meant something.

That by serving the Marquis and protecting his people, he could repay the kindness he had received.

’But what was all of that worth now?’

’Was this really how everything would end?’

His gaze gradually lowered.

’I’m sorry...’

He thought of Luna.

’I’m sorry, Luna. I couldn’t protect you.’

He had promised to keep her safe, yet he had failed. He couldn’t even protect himself, let alone fulfill the duty he had sworn to uphold.

Jooquin watched William for a moment longer before losing interest.

"Hm. Looks like you’ve finally run out of things to say."

He turned away, no longer considering the wounded knight a threat.

"Enough! We’ve wasted too much time here. It’s time to hunt for treasure!"

"YES, CAPTAIN!"

The pirates responded enthusiastically, some of them still laughing as they stepped over the fallen knights.

Jooquin began looking around, expecting to see the strange hooded creature and Luna somewhere nearby.

However, he couldn’t find either of them.

His brows gradually furrowed.

’Where did that fellow go?’

He looked around the surrounding area once more before calling one of his subordinates.

"Hey! Where’s that hooded creature from earlier?"

The pirate looked around in confusion.

"Eh? I don’t know, Captain. We were busy dealing with the knights."

"What?"

Jooquin turned toward another group.

"You! Did any of you see him leave?"

"No, Captain!"

Another pirate shook his head.

"We didn’t notice anything. We were focused on killing these bastards."

Jooquin’s expression darkened.

’He disappeared without me noticing?’

His eyes narrowed as he recalled the strange creature’s behavior.

He had specifically warned him not to run away. Yet the bastard had apparently ignored him completely.

A vein bulged on Jooquin’s forehead.

"That damn creature..."

He clenched his curved sword.

’Does he think he can just walk away after ignoring me?’

Jooquin felt genuinely irritated.

It seemed that the hooded creature had underestimated him.

Jooquin stared in the direction where Gray had disappeared, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant.

"If that’s what you want, then so be it."

He gripped his curved sword and let out a cold laugh.

"I’ll hunt you down myself and turn you into a corpse just like the others!"

He then turned toward his crew.

"Pack everything up! We’re continuing the expedition!"

"Captain, are we really moving already?" one of the pirates asked hesitantly.

Several of them were visibly exhausted. Their clothes were torn, and their bodies were covered in wounds after their fierce battle against the knights.

Jooquin, however, showed no signs of fatigue.

’That was hardly a fight.’

His opponents had simply been too weak to make him exert himself. Even William, despite possessing Fifth Stage power, hadn’t been able to force him to use his full strength.

The other pirates exchanged glances but didn’t dare argue.

They began gathering their belongings and preparing to move. However, before leaving, they also started rummaging through the knights’ possessions.

"Look at this! What a fine sword!"

One pirate pulled a beautifully crafted blade from the equipment of a fallen knight, examining its edge with a greedy smile.

Another discovered a collection of magical accessories.

"Captain! Look what I found!"

He held up a ring with a small gemstone embedded in its surface. Nearby, another pirate was inspecting a pair of earrings that seemed to contain magical properties.

The pirates quickly began dividing the equipment and supplies among themselves. Anything valuable was taken, including weapons, armor, potions, and other useful artifacts.

Some even searched the knights’ bodies for hidden valuables.

Jooquin watched them for a moment before clicking his tongue.

"Don’t waste too much time! I want to find that creature as soon as possible."

"Understood, Captain!"

Once they had finished collecting what they could, the expedition finally began moving again.

Meanwhile, Gray had already returned to his hiding place.

After carefully checking the surroundings to ensure nobody had followed him, he entered the hollow area where he had left Cindy.

The Glacial Axolotl was still inside her water container, her eyes closed as golden energy faintly shimmered around her body. She remained completely still, continuing to absorb the Essence of Tartarus.

Gray turned toward Lily, then lowered Luna’s unconscious body beside her.

Lily tilted her small body, then looked down at the unfamiliar woman. Her detached wings fluttered slightly as she approached Luna, seemingly wondering who this person was and why Gray had brought her here.

"This woman is going to stay here for now."

Gray glanced at the unconscious mage.

"There are intruders on the island. They’ll probably come looking for us, so I’m going to lead them somewhere else and buy some time until Cindy finishes absorbing the potion."

Lily turned toward Gray.

Her little body bobbed anxiously, and her wings moved more rapidly. She seemed reluctant to let him leave alone.

Gray noticed her reaction.

"Don’t worry. I’ll be fine."

Lily remained still for a moment, as though trying to judge whether he was telling the truth.

Gray gave her a reassuring look.

"I won’t do anything reckless."

Although Lily couldn’t speak, she seemed to understand. She slowly nodded her little body.

"Good."

Gray pointed toward Luna.

"One more thing. Keep an eye on this black-haired woman. She’s our enemy, so don’t let her escape."

Lily turned toward Luna again.

Her small wings spread outward, and she positioned herself near the unconscious mage, as if declaring that she would keep watch.

Gray nodded in approval.

"Thanks. I’m counting on you."

With that, he turned and left the hiding place.

Once outside, his expression became more serious.

Gray began examining the surrounding terrain, considering possible routes and locations where he could manipulate the enemy’s movements.

Ideally, he would find a way to delay them until Cindy finished absorbing the Essence of Tartarus.

But if an opportunity presented itself...

’Perhaps I can take down that pirate captain as well.’

Gray’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He wasn’t particularly interested in fighting Jooquin, but if he could eliminate the biggest threat before the pirates reached his hiding place, that would make everything considerably easier.

For now, he needed a plan.