Chapter 30

Under the cover of the northeast wind, as soon as the sky lightened the next day, the crew shouted and clamored as they used a fishing net to haul up…

A fish bone still glistening with oil.

Under the collective gaze of the entire crew, Caesar pinched the tail of the fish bone with two fingers, lifting it up and examining it carefully. Amidst Miguel’s incessant muttering of “If you dare lick it, I’ll never forgive you,” the man snorted coldly, tossed the fish bone back into the sea, and turned to walk up to the highest deck—

“We’ve caught up. Unfurl the topgallant sails, full speed ahead.”

“Aye, Captain!—Unfurl the topgallant sails! Full speed ahead!”

“Gunners, ready!”

“Long live the Wind Fury!”

In the morning sunlight, the most massive and perfected modified ship in the Mediterranean Sea lowered the German flag, and in its place rose a black flag with a white wolf’s head. The Wind Fury had finally shed its disguise! On the mast, a massive white hourglass swayed gently with the motion of the ship, and the flag of the Black Waves fluttered in the wind!

…

Meanwhile, on another ship.

“Captain! The wind is still from the northeast! The navigator says we’ll be caught by Caesar’s fleet within half an hour if this continues!”

The sound of hurried footsteps was unusually loud on the quiet morning deck. A burly figure stumbled into the captain’s cabin, where the first thing that caught the eye was an overly luxurious bed. Under the soft down quilt, a large lump was prominently raised.

“Ahhh, Captain—”

“Huh? Oh…”

A sleepy voice emerged from under the quilt, and as it spoke, the lump shifted. A strand of wine-red hair slipped out from under the covers. Suddenly, the slow movement of the quilt halted abruptly! The next second, the young man with a messy bird’s nest of hair threw off the quilt with a mighty heave. His handsome face still bore the imprint of the ring he’d been wearing while sleeping. Leoza puffed out his cheeks, his face turning into a pout: “So annoying! Edward! I finally got to sleep in!”

…Captain, you sleep in every day. Faced with his captain’s childish accusation, the first mate, Edward, thought with a tearful expression. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Edward felt cold sweat running down his spine: “Captain, those merchants are demanding that you come up with a solution. They say they’ve paid, and now Caesar’s ship is about to catch up—”

“Who cares about them!” The red-haired boy widened his eyes. “Just because they paid, does that make them special?”

Edward: “…But we did take their money=_=.”

“Ahhh, so annoying!” Irritated, Leoza rolled out of the soft bed. “I didn’t want the wind to change either, it’s so annoying! Edward, our fleet has a shallow draft, right?”

Edward wiped his sweat again: “Yes, yes.”

“Then head for the reefs! We’re not in the middle of the sea now!” Impatiently throwing a handkerchief to the first mate, Leoza said with a look of irritation, “Waking me up for something so trivial… next time… I’ll kill you.”

“Yes, I’m sorry! Captain!” The burly adult stiffened, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his forehead.

It was the height of summer in July, but in the cool captain’s cabin, Edward felt as if he were in an ice cellar—the boy’s voice still carried a childish innocence, but a single glance at his beautiful face revealed the bone-chilling cold in those golden eyes.

After a brief silence, Leoza retracted his terrifying gaze, puffed out his cheeks again, and kicked the first mate as he shouted petulantly: “Hurry up! Or we’ll be chased and beaten by Caesar!”

“Yes! Aye, Captain!”

…

Twenty minutes later, through the small telescope lens, the ship carrying countless gold and cannons finally came into view.

“They’re heading for the reefs, trying to use their shallow draft to shake us off—ah, that damn midget really knows you well, Caesar. He’s clearly trying to avoid a boarding battle.” On the main fleet, Rick held the telescope, carefully observing the movements of the dozen or so ships several hundred meters away.

Beside him stood the expressionless Black Sea Wolf, his amber eyes slightly narrowed, fingers lightly tapping on the ship’s railing: “How far until we’re within cannon range?”

Rick: “About seven yards.”

Caesar: “Keep advancing.”

“Huh?” Rick lowered the telescope, glancing at the man beside him in surprise. After confirming that he wasn’t joking, he shrugged helplessly: “Alright—Bellick, pass the order. Keep advancing. Once we’re within range, raise the main mast and prepare to fire.”

“Tell them to extend the oars.” Caesar’s voice was calm. “No one in this world has been born who can make me, Caesar, run aground.”

Rick was stunned for a moment, then laughed lazily.

“When facing enemies, I find your smug, arrogant attitude quite pleasing. Kudos, Captain.”

“Shut up, trash.”

On the once tranquil Mediterranean Sea, a storm of bloodshed was destined to erupt today!

Both fleets opened their gun ports simultaneously. Amid the shouts of the crew, dozens of pitch-black, polished cannons extended from the ports, all aiming at the opposing ships. Once everything was ready, the sea fell into an uneasy and nerve-wracking standoff!

On the Wind Fury, the captain himself took the helm, his hand resting lightly on the wheel. Caesar glanced up at the hourglass hanging on the mast for the third time, his patience wearing thin. Under the expectant gazes of the crew, the captain frowned, finally remembering that there was still a certain someone alive. His eyes scanned the surroundings: “Where’s Miguel?”

Miguel: “Here!”

“Here what, you idiot.” Disdainfully glancing at the excited black-haired young man, “Go shake that hourglass, it’s too slow!”

Miguel: “Shaking it won’t help, otherwise Jack would’ve been on board by now—by the way, where’s Jack?”

Caesar: “…How should I know? Ask Rick.”

Rick: “Ask me? Are you kidding, boss? I thought you’d already had someone pull him up!”

Caesar: “You’re the one who sent him down to drag it, so you’re responsible for pulling him up.”

“So he’s still in the bilge? You two heartless beasts!” Shouting in outrage, the new navigator didn’t hesitate to verbally attack the ship’s top two leaders. Before anyone could react, he suddenly pulled out the dagger from his waist, clenched it between his teeth, and under the admiring gazes of the crew, leaped into the sea without hesitation—

Caesar raised an eyebrow, about to say something, when suddenly, the sound of cannon fire erupted in the distance. With the loud boom, a massive spray of water exploded not far from the Wind Fury!

Leoza’s fleet had fired first!

The audacity of the enemy provoked a wave of curses from the Wind Fury’s crew!

“Daring to fire first? Bold move.” The man sneered. “Cannons ready, fire to kill!”

Rick: “But Captain, I’m almost embarrassed to say it, the hourglass hasn’t run out yet—”

Bang—

Crack—

Two sharp, crisp sounds rang out. On the mast, the massive white hourglass shattered, its soft white sand scattering everywhere, covering the crew standing below the mast.

Under the dumbfounded gazes of everyone, the captain expressionlessly kicked the gun back into his holster: “Now, it’s run out.”

Everyone: “…”

Rick: “…Fire.”

“Fire—fire!”

“Prepare to fire!!!”

“Aim for their side! Hit their gun emplacements!”

“Fire! Damn Leoza! Wash your neck and wait for death!”

As the ships drew closer, both fleets finally entered each other’s cannon range!

Cannon fire erupted intermittently, with missed shots exploding in the surrounding waters!

Amid the chaos, several small boats were lowered from the larger ships on both sides. Dozens of desperate sailors scrambled onto these small boats—as the ships drew closer, the boarding battle Leoza had tried so hard to avoid seemed inevitable! Whoever could use these small boats to approach the enemy ship and infiltrate it first would gain a significant advantage!

In the turbulent waves, no one noticed a black-haired young man emerging from the water. Clutching a finely crafted dagger in his teeth, he looked around. The cannon that exploded about five meters away made his pupils shrink, but after only a few seconds of hesitation, he plunged back into the water, swiftly and agilely cutting through the waves like a fish, heading toward his target—

On the side of the Wind Fury, the former sniper, Jack, hung limply, tied up and barely alive.

“Damn, poor guy, born at the wrong time.” Miguel muttered as he swam over, taking the dagger from his mouth. He first checked Jack’s breathing to make sure he was still alive. The faint, almost imperceptible breath was enough to satisfy Miguel. “…If I hadn’t remembered you, you might’ve drowned here…”

Gasping for air, Miguel grabbed the coarse netting hanging from the ship’s side with one hand while using the dagger to cut the rough rope binding Jack. The sharp Ghost Slayer made quick work of the coarse material. Soon, Jack, free from his restraints and support, fell like a heavy stone into the sea—

Miguel let out a yelp and dived back into the water, hoisting the unconscious, dead-weight adult man to the surface. Spitting out a mouthful of bitter, salty seawater, he forced a wry smile. “…No need to thank me. Call me Red Scarf.” The young man treaded water, supporting the heavy, unresponsive man as he brought him back to the ship’s side—

With everything in chaos, there was no way to bring Jack back on board now. Miguel waited, hoping for one of the Wind Fury’s assault boats to come down so he could place Jack on it—

However, in his intense focus, the black-haired young man failed to notice a small boat approaching silently behind him, hidden by the morning mist and the deafening roar of cannon fire—

And then.

A coarse fishing net descended over his head—

Miguel: “Huh?”

“—Captain! We’ve caught one! Alive! Looks like he was trying to escape!”

…

Miguel: “…What the fuck?! Again?!!!”