Chapter 141 - Pangaea (7)
Only now did I co to understand.
Why the pirates in Pangaea were so notorious.
They weren't just thugs who used the strength of their weapons to target passenger ships or rchant vessels.
‘Their swordsmanship is quite impressive.’
This completely shattered the image I previously had of pirates.
Their swordsmanship was not far behind that of a rcenary company, and with the pirates holding a nurical advantage, it was only natural that our side was being pushed back.
The leader fighting Ramas was particularly surprising.
At a glance, his swordsmanship was on par with Ramas’s.
Moreover, the Dukerein Pirates who attacked us today had only co with a single ship; they hadn't even brought their full force.
‘Just what are the pirates of this world….’
Once again, I was reminded of how diverse the world was.
It was like the shock I received when I first ca to Earth.
My plan was to quickly turn the tide of the battle and then board the pirate ship on the other side.
The leader of the pirate crew would surely be over there.
Swaaaak!
Swaaaaak!!
I swiftly cut down the pirates.
With each splash of blood on the Holy Sword, the balance slowly tilted in our favor.
Once I evened out the nurical disadvantage, I planned to leave the rest to the rcenary company.
Individually, their swordsmanship wouldn't fall behind.
‘That Ramas fellow over there is a bit of a gray area, though.’
The fight between the two of them didn't seem like it would end anyti soon.
Right now, the pirate leader was slightly pressing the attack.
He forcefully brought down his scimitar-like sword, and Ramas hastily raised his own to block.
Kwakang!!
Sparks flew as sword t sword.
And once more.
Kwakang!!
Ramas struggled against the force, gritting his teeth.
But I wasn't too worried.
That guy seed like the type to survive until the very end, driven by his singular loyalty to the Count.
I considered helping Ramas but turned in another direction instead.
The ones who needed help more urgently were the grunts struggling with their nurical disadvantage.
Swaaaak!!!
Swaaaaaak!!
Blood poured onto the deck where the Holy Sword had flashed.
Once the first blood was shed, the pirates rushed at like moths to a fla.
It was actually for the better.
I didn't have to move.
Like a demon starved for blood, I cut and cut again.
“Wipe out the pirates!!”
And from sowhere, a rough voice echoed.
It was Ramas's short cry.
It was a shout of encouragent to himself as he struggled.
“Waaaaaaah!!”
But this ti, the cry perfectly coincided with the turning tide of the battle, boosting the morale of the rcenary company.
The atmosphere shifted rapidly, and soon, I was not the only one cutting down pirates.
The rcenaries had begun to pull their own weight.
And the number of pirates was visibly decreasing.
This change in the current seed to have been detected on the pirate ship as well.
Two pirates ca up on deck to cut the ladder connecting the two ships.
I imdiately sent a signal to Yoon Joo-hee, who had been lying in wait.
She gave a short nod and imdiately carried out the order.
Swaaaak!
The head of a pirate, whose neck was sliced by her sword, fell into the sea below.
Without hesitation, I ran towards the pirate ship.
Yoon Joo-hee lunged, extending her sword toward the remaining pirate.
Chaeng!
But the man hastily blocked Yoon Joo-hee’s sword and barely managed to place his hand on the ladder’s locking pin.
If he pushed the pin, the connection between the two ships would be severed.
Fortunately, the dagger I threw was a little faster.
“Aaargh!”
A dagger was embedded in the back of his hand, and Yoon Joo-hee imdiately cut his throat.
I quickly crossed the ladder and boarded the pirate ship.
“Good work.”
“Thank goodness, Unit Leader!”
Then I imdiately had to readjust my grip on Bastian.
The remaining n on the pirate ship had all co up on deck.
I quickly scanned the area.
I needed to figure out who the leader was.
With Mana Eyes, it wasn't too difficult.
One man’s mana stood out particularly.
‘He’s quite strong.’
He was clearly a higher rank than the one fighting Ramas.
There was no way Count Berwood would have set up this whole affair just to take down one pirate ship.
And since it was unlikely he was after the pirates’ treasure, the conclusion was that I should capture this man and bring him before the Count.
The pirates drew their swords and slowly began to surround us.
“To co with only two people, you two must have so nerve!”
For saying such a line, this man was clearly fated to die first.
***
The atmosphere imdiately after the battle ended was very chaotic.
The crew moved busily to salvage the captured pirate ship, soone cleared the bodies, and soone else was making temporary repairs to the ssed-up deck.
The rcenary company was taking ti to mourn their fallen mbers.
It was impressive to see Count Berwood participating with them, observing a mont of silence.
It was proof that this was not rely a business contract.
The pirates captured from the ship were bound and kneeling.
“Prepare a space to interrogate these n.”
“Yes!”
At the Count’s command, the rcenary company moved briskly.
In fact, the real work started now.
This was the purpose of the Count’s journey on this ship.
The Dukerein Pirates. The Count wanted to find out sothing from them.
‘What on earth could it be.’
But as I approached, the Count drew a line with a serious voice.
“You should go back and rest now. You must be very tired.”
“It doesn't seem like everything is finished yet.”
“You an the captured pirates. We’ll take care of these n ourselves.”
It ant my contract with him was now terminated.
He placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I know your contribution was great. I will reward you separately for that.”
“I won’t refuse.”
“Then, you may go.”
The other world, Pangaea. Here, I was a stranger, and I had no reason to be interested in the Count's affairs.
My sole purpose for coming here was to find clues about dragons.
But despite that, I couldn't help but be curious.
“If the interrogation doesn’t go as well as you hope, you can call for .”
“You?”
“I’m also an expert in this field.”
I left the possibility open.
It would be good if he really sought out, and if not, so be it.
***
The remaining ti to our destination, Sherman Port, was now about three hours.
The schedule had been delayed by the major incident with the pirates last night, but we were still scheduled to arrive within the day.
Perhaps because of the interrogation of the pirates, the Count and the Red Scorpion rcenary Company did not show themselves today either.
‘It seems our connection ends here.’
And my excessive nosiness ends here too. That was what I thought.
Knock, knock!
A knocking sound at the cabin door.
One of the grunts from the rcenary company had co to see .
“The Count wishes to see you urgently.”
“What for?”
“You will know when you follow .”
Following him, I arrived at a warehouse located on the lowest level of the ship.
The air was pungent, and with only a few old light bulbs lit, the atmosphere was grim.
I could hear the groans of the dying, and I could also see the terrible state of the bound pirates.
Their faces, battered and bruised, were swollen, and it was unlikely the rest of their bodies were in any better shape.
I could roughly guess what was going on.
“It seems things aren’t going smoothly.”
“These bastards just won't open their mouths.”
The Count’s eyes looked tired.
The rcenaries were the sa.
Even after the major battle last night, they had been up all night wrestling with the pirates.
“I think I know why you called for . What is it that I need to find out from these n?”
“Before that, make a promise.”
“Please, speak.”
“Whether you make these n talk or not, you will keep everything that happened with us on this ship a secret.”
“That’s not difficult.”
I raised the corner of my mouth slightly.
“Did you say you were an expert in this field as well?”
“Yes. I suppose so.”
“Then, by any ans necessary, make these bastards talk.”
And the Count’s next words were truly astonishing.
“What you need to find out is the location of the passage to a new world.”
“A new world?”
The Count nodded.
“An unknown place that exists sowhere in the vast sea. This is all I can tell you.”
“A new world, that's too abstract of an expression.”
That was my reply, but a very specific picture was drawn in my mind.
A passage to a new world.
Because such a place also existed on Earth.
‘Abyss.’
My head began to spin.
I hadn't heard anything from the pirates yet, but several possibilities ca to mind.
Was it the sa place as Earth's Abyss, or did Pangaea have its own different Abyss?
In any case, the fact that a portal that hadn't existed before had been discovered by pirates was a great surprise to as well.
“Then I’ll try to make them talk.”
“I’ll permit any thod as long as you don't kill them.”
“For the record, I don't use violence.”
The pirates were already beaten to a pulp.
Applying more violence here would change nothing.
I approached the bound pirates.
A few of them flinched just from walking toward them.
To think they kept their mouths shut with such weak ntal fortitude ant they really didn't know.
So there was no reason to interrogate all of them.
If not everyone knew, I just needed to check the leader among them.
“You.”
I pointed a finger at one of them.
He was the one I had taken the most care to capture alive last night.
This man, with the most prominent mana and eyes that were still alive, was the leader of this group.
“I don't know.”
“I haven't even asked yet, and you're already jumping the gun.”
“Because I really don't know. That's sothing only Captain Dukerein knows.”
“I heard it was discovered at sea. Surely Dukerein wasn't the only one on the ship, was he?”
Despite my question, the man shook his head.
“Just kill instead. I really don't know.”
“Whether you know or not is sothing I can find out.”
I lowered my posture with a sinister smile.
Then, I placed my hand on his dantian.
Making soone talk by beating them was too one-dinsional of a thod.
There were people in the world who could endure physical pain well, and it was highly likely this man was one of them.
So, I planned to inflict a pain far greater than re beating.
If he could endure even this, then I would have no other ans, but I had never seen anyone endure this before.
Sreureureu.
I began to slowly infuse power into the place where his mana was located.
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