HEO 76

At that moment, a wave dug under the hull and abruptly lifted the bow. The crest of the wave crashed down to the very center of the ship. At the same moment, the wave rushed out from beneath the stern. It was as if a giant’s hand had briefly supported the hull before snatching it away.

The stern plunged downward as if it were plummeting off a cliff. The recoil sent everyone on deck soaring into the air. Screams erupted from all sides. Immediately, the wave crashed beneath the stern again. The deck, which had briefly receded from under their feet, struck their boots. In that instant, Wolf grabbed the railing. The water wetting his lips tasted of salt.

Red Eagle flew over the warriors.

“The starboard side is steeper! Two more waves are coming! Grab the railing and stay low!”

Wolf exhaled. His breath shattered into white mist.

It was strange.

The heat inside his body did not subside. Even though he had been drenched in heavy rain, the inside of his chest was still hot.

He’d been in this state ever since his gaze met that madman’s. The man wouldn’t leave his retinas. His tall, lean physique, unmatched by his menacing brute strength. Above all, the color of his eyes that pierced straight at him. A color found somewhere between the cold winter sky and the snow-covered fields.

Why am I like this?

Because I want to fight him? Is this the warlike instinct typical of a Stoll? Do I want to test how long I can hold out against that monster?

There’s no doubt I have those desires. I want to grab him with my own hands and force him to face me. Close enough that our blades touch. I want to clash with him head-on. I want to pierce his flesh with a cold blade. I want to be drenched in the spurting blood. I want to fight to the bitter end, even if it’s with my bare hands. Until I can no longer tell whose labored breathing is escaping from whose mouth.

I guess this is just my competitive spirit. But…

This was the first time Wolf had ever felt such a fascination with someone. The phrase “I want to fight” was woefully insufficient to explain this excessive fervor. It deserved a different name.

“Wolf!”

Red Eagle flew toward Wolf.

“A huge wave’s coming from behind! Hold on tight to the railing!”

Right then, an impact struck the side of the hull. One warrior lost his grip on the railing and fell into the sea. Wolf barely managed to brace himself against the railing as his body was thrown toward the water. He spread his legs, stepped back with one foot, and held on as best he could. His pants were soaked through, clinging to his skin so tightly you could see through them.

“Wolf! Lower your center of gravity! It’s tilting toward where the guy just fell!”

Red Eagle flew right up close. Wolf gave a wry smile.

“Don’t be such a wimp. It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal! Keep an eye out for any planks that might float if the ship sinks! If you fall in, grab the biggest plank first…!”

“I’m not going to die.”

Wolf looked up at the sky. Lightning scattered white light through the black clouds. Even at that moment, those eyes came to mind.

I want to see him again.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁣⁣⁠⁠⁣⁠⁠⁠⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁠⁠⁣⁠⁣⁣ ⁣⁠⁣⁣⁠⁠⁠⁠⁣⁠⁣⁠⁠⁣⁠⁣⁠⁣⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠⁠⁣⁣⁣⁠2 .

The hallway was damp. The smell of pine resin and alcohol lingered in the air. The firelight cast the shadows of those walking down the hallway onto the walls, inflating them like killer whales.

Silver trudged along. Ahead of him, seven or eight senior pirates walked heavily with their backs hunched. If you were blind and could only hear those footsteps, you might be convinced they were slaves dragging massive temple pillars.

The band of pirates stopped in front of a wooden door at the end of the hallway. A light cough. Silence inside.

It was unlikely that a cough could pierce that thick wooden door and reach the room’s occupant’s ears, but the senior pirates seemed to interpret the silence inside as a positive sign. Without asking a second time, they opened the door. The rusty hinges screeched, creaked, and groaned. As if the sound were a question asking, “Are you ready?”, the seniors hunched their shoulders.

The room was littered with valuables. In one corner, high piles of fine furs. On the table, precious metals scattered like seeds sown in a spring vegetable patch. On the wall, a stuffed wolf’s head. In the farthest corner, a bed draped with long curtains. Next to it stood a side table littered with glasses and liquor bottles.

Clothes were strewn beneath the bed. The light from the brazier cast a red glow on the curtains. Thanks to this, the scene behind the curtains was revealed as clearly as a shadow puppet show. A man and a woman. One lay face down like a dog, howling pitifully. The other was thrusting violently, slapping the other’s buttocks. Neither of them seemed the least bit concerned about the muscle soreness that would come tomorrow morning.

“Oh, ah—! Honey! Ah— yes, right there…! Heh, heh-uh……! Whoaah, hwaaah, it feels so good I think I’m gonna pee myself……! Oh, oh my god!”

“Shut up, you mutt! Hah…! Damn it!”

“Huh, hheee…! My, my body’s splitting in two… Hiiit…! Hmm, mmm, aaaah, don’t stop, you beast…!”

The wicked voice suddenly took a deep breath. Immediately, it let out a magnificent sound that seemed to mimic a wolf’s howl. It was the kind of skill that would put it in last place if there were a moaning contest.

Ah, so that’s why the seniors just opened the door.

Silver was slightly impressed. Even if the door were as thin as paper, there was no way they could hear a cough in all this commotion. The seniors exchanged glances and shrugged, then shouted in unison.

“Charcoal Bear!”

The moans stopped abruptly. After a brief silence, a naked woman swung the curtain aside and walked out.

“What the hell, you bastards! Don’t interrupt me while I’m having fun!”

She wore a leather belt with a large wooden phallus hanging below her heaving breasts. The man on the bed, who was the one getting slapped, trembled all over.

Charcoal Bear stood crookedly and glanced at them.

“Just you? Where are my brothers?”

“Well… they’re both dead.”

One of the pirates spoke hesitantly. As soon as the words left his mouth, the man on the bed raised his head.

“Oh my god! So now you’re the captain? What am I supposed to do? I’m so excited I’m going to lose my mind!”

“Shut up, you idiot! They are dead, and you’re laughing?!”

Charcoal Bear scolded, but the corners of her mouth twitched. Just like her lover’s clumsy moans, Charcoal Bear’s acting skills were abysmal. Conscious of their gaze, Charcoal Bear quickly raised her wine glass to cover her mouth.

“My brothers are dead? Are you sure?”

Charcoal Bear asked as she glanced at the pirates. It was a look that said if they answered “I’m not sure,” she’d tear them to pieces on the spot.

“I’m sure of it. I didn’t even get their heads. I’m sorry……”

“They’re definitely dead? For sure? Absolutely?”

“Yes. For sure. Absolutely.”

“So they won’t be coming back? Really?”

“They absolutely won’t be coming back. They’re definitely dead. For real. Really.”

“I see. So they’re finally dead… That’s sad… Still, we were related by blood, I feel like crying… My brothers, I’m sure they fought bravely until the very end, am I right?”

“Oh, of course!”

The pirates shouted at the top of their lungs.

“They took down three–no, thirty of them all by themselves!”

“Later, his axes broke, so he split the enemies’ heads with his bare hands!”

“Even thunder from legend couldn’t have been that strong!”

Faced with this embarrassing barrage of flattery, Silver stifled a yawn. Charcoal Bear quickly wiped her eyes, though not a single tear had formed.

“My brothers are dead… both of them… so soon…”

“Honey, don’t cry. It’s making me sad too. Shh.”

Her lover wrapped his arms around Charcoal Bear’s waist from behind. Charcoal Bear set down her wine glass. She barely managed to suppress her laughter.

“My brothers’ final moments must be as dazzling as fireworks.”

Suddenly, Charcoal Bear spoke in a resolute tone.

“Put them on a burning ship and send them out to sea! Prepare it now!”

“Of course! So, are we going to burn the <Tooth King> and the <Blue Back> to ashes? Hah, I can’t wait…!”

One of the senior pirates wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. He must have been a pyromaniac before becoming a pirate. Charcoal Bear slapped the guy across the face.

“You idiot! Those are our <Shark Tooth Gang>’s flagship ships! Are you crazy, using our precious assets as coffins?”

“Then <Ratfish>…?”

“No way, you moron! That’s a reconnaissance ship! No ships of any kind!”

Charcoal Bear slapped his cheeks repeatedly with both hands.

“Bring the two scarecrows hanging at the top of the Bone Flute Tower. They’ll stand in for my brothers! We’ll use rafts as coffins! The funeral will be held on the beach in front of the breakwater, so hurry up and get ready! Hurry!”

The pirates scrambled out of the room. As soon as they stepped outside, the senior pirates dumped the work on Silver.

“Hey, rookie. You heard that, right? We’ll take care of the rafts, so you bring the scarecrows.”