Naval battles weren’t exactly something Orion had spent much time studying. Sure, in his youth, he’d read some old-timey novels about pirates in the Caribbean, but that wasn’t nearly enough to call himself an expert.
So he did the smart thing and followed his mother’s lead. She had traveled around Cyril for years before returning to the Sanctum, and probably knew enough about how to handle this situation not to need his input.
“We’re not going to be able to avoid them for much longer,” Aconite grumbled, tightening his grip on his harpoon.
The old man looked seconds away from jumping off the deck and bringing the fight to the pirates, but he, too, seemed to know better.
“Should I attack now?” Asteria asked, bringing his attention to her. “I have several long-range spells I can use to damage their ships. We might be too far from the shore to make a run for it, but being in the middle of the Belt means they will all probably die if I attack now.”
She seemed ready to do it. Orion had only killed once before, but it was an out-of-control thrall, and he didn’t feel all that upset about it.
The thought of killing at least a hundred men without hesitation sent a chill down his spine.
Aconite briefly considered her proposal before shaking his head. “That’s not how things are done here. It might sound strange to you landlubbers, but naval combat is a codified system for a reason. We have to face them directly, because the moment anyone starts sinking ships, the real monsters show up.”
Before Orion could ask for clarification, Ophelia took a sharp breath. “That’s the same here?”
Eyeing her in a new light, the Captain grunted in assent. “From the northeastern coast, are ye lass? Yes, though the Belt is more civilized than most waterways, that doesn’t mean it is free of danger. Many things live far under our feet, uncaring about our squabbles, but the moment ships start sinking, they start to get mad. And they won’t care who attacked who when they start killing.”
With that, the man turned away, spitting into the water. “Whether you call them spirits, demons, or something else, I don’t care. What matters is that we have to face the pirates directly. Unless you have a way of killing them from afar without destroying the ships, that is.”
Asteria shook her head, appearing pensive as she watched the approaching pirates. “Nothing I can set up in so little time. If I had more of my pantry along, I might have been able to prepare more Last Breath, but I used it all during our escape.”
Aconite didn’t seem that broken up about it, just nodding in acknowledgment. “I guess we’ll stick with the old way. MEN! Prepare to be boarded!”
She did have to use a lot to get us out of there. And with the more destructive options limited, I guess we have no choice but to face the music.
He wasn’t exactly thrilled by this development. In fact, Orion would have preferred they take the long way by land if he’d known that traveling by ship would have left them so trapped, but that was in the past.
“What do you want me to do?” He asked, breathing in deeply as he started to consider his options. “I could do some long-range sniping. My aim needs some work, but I can probably hit a few as they rush to board us.”
“I don’t want you to interfere,” Asteria said, stopping him in his tracks. “I will take care of this. Ophelia, stay behind us. Orion, focus on defending, and only attack if you feel like you are in danger. I will handle the pirates, and if necessary, get us out of here by blinking.”
Ophelia’s already pale face turned as white as a ghost at the thought of the immediate transfer.
It might be safer to just get out of here, but that would probably doom the crew. Mom said someone strong is hiding among their ranks, and I doubt they’d show mercy to men who helped us. Not to mention, if they find us here, they'll keep chasing us, and next time, things might get even worse.
Orion doubted it had been through divination spells, since Asteria had installed protections against them, but that wasn’t the only way they could have been spotted.
A high-level ranger could have been watching them for quite some time, just as a druid might have had their familiars tail them.
“We’re not going to blink, are we?” Ophelia asked nervously, and Orion had to hold back a laugh. She’s more worried about that than the pirates.
Stolen story; please report.
Shaking his head, he replied, “I doubt it. Mom is more than strong enough to handle a few pirates, and I’m no slouch either.”
He was actively ignoring and compartmentalizing the fact that he might have to kill other men. Monsters like the wolves hadn’t been much of a problem, especially since he had been distracted by the clever use of the Torchlight and their strange half-physical bodies, but here, he had nothing of the sort to ease the tension.
Orion was about to kill other humans, and if he hesitated, they would kill him. His mother clearly wanted to protect his innocence, but from the slight frown on her lips, he knew she was aware that wasn’t likely to happen.
Whatever he might have said about Earth, he’d never been in this situation there. Thirteen years old and already forced to fight for my life multiple times. And now, about to become a murderer.
It was self-defense. If it had been up to him, they would have never had to fight again. He just wanted to live in peace and do his research without being bothered.
None of it mattered. The pirates wouldn’t care about his morals and desires. They wanted the Snow Flower, and if Asteria’s hunch about something else hiding among them was right, probably more than that.
Finally, the ships drew close enough for him to see the people who had decided to threaten his life.
To his surprise, they were not as dirty and unkempt as he had expected. The refugees outside Silverpeak were better off than their counterparts on Earth, but that was thanks to the city’s efforts.
How are these pirates all so well-groomed and clean?
Indeed, he would have thought these were more like the adventurers he saw around Silverpeak if he hadn’t known better.
“Oy, Aconite, you old cur!” A loud voice boomed from the closest of the two ships. A man wearing a turquoise doublet and waving a shiny sword pointed at the Captain, sneering. “You better not put up a fight, or I’ll finally send you to join your wife. Or have you yet to bury her rotting ass?”
Loud laughter echoed through the river, and Orion suddenly realized that these men were completely at ease. To them, the outcome was already decided, and now it was just a matter of how irritating it would be to reach it.
The captain didn’t seem to find that funny, but he ignored the taunt, continuing to direct his men. “I want choke points! Don’t let anyone board without taking your pound of flesh!”
Evidently, that wasn’t the answer the pirate was seeking, because he suddenly lost his cheer, and his sword gained a dangerous blue glow.
[Meten the Blue - Lv 91] [Waveform Blade - C-Rank]
The men around him weren’t anything special, from fresh level twenty-five teenagers, probably on their first raid, to veterans over level seventy.
They were certainly enough to face the Blessed Lady’s crew, but nothing compared to the power Asteria could unleash.
There was a flash of light, and the man closest to Meten dropped, his head vaporized. Everyone stopped, stunned by the sudden turn of events, but Asteria didn’t waste any more time.
Another flash followed, and two men dropped, dead before they realized the danger they were in.
“ATTACK!” Meten shouted at the top of his lungs, and both ships sprinted, revealing that they hadn’t even begun to show off their true speed.
Within a minute, they were upon the Blessed Lady, and yet, that single minute had cost them dearly. A dozen more people were dead, sniped before they could take a single threatening step toward them.
The sailors around Orion seemed very heartened by that fact, and their roars of defiance sounded more like those of an attacking crew.
The moment the two pirate ships entered boarding range, a hail of arrows started raining down on the Blessed Lady, but none struck.
Orion didn’t let their surprise distract him as he focused on holding up the Light Shield.
The strain from doing so was far greater than during training. Asteria hadn’t gone easy on him, that was certain, but she hadn’t used even a fraction of her power. And while Orion was far above his peers, this was still an attack from an experienced pirate crew.
Still, by focusing entirely on defense, he managed to deflect the initial hail and give the sailors enough time to find their rhythm.
He smiled as he watched them roar with renewed passion while hacking at the foolish pirates who tried to board the Blessed Lady, but he had to quickly shrink the shield.
The strain had been significant, but it wasn’t the only reason. The second pirate ship hadn’t stood out so far, but that was apparently about to change.
A woman approached the Blessed Lady from that side, silently passing the defenders as if they couldn’t see her, and coming dangerously close to his position.
Asteria noticed and sent a flash of silver light her way, but the woman bent beneath it, avoiding what would have been certain death for anyone else.
[Unda - Lv 117] [Whispering Ghost - B-Rank]
Damn it.
Asteria, noticing the first real challenger appearing, abandoned her one-sided slaughter and turned her way, eyes blazing molten silver, and a snarl on her lips.
Orion pulled back, dragging Ophelia behind him, even as he focused on strengthening his Light Shield.
“Why go this far for some coin? Someone of your caliber should be able to find a much better life as part of a faction,” Asteria said, though Orion noticed a thin mist beginning to seep from her sleeves.
It couldn’t be the Last Breath, but that didn’t mean much, since a potioneer of her skill wasn’t limited to just one aerosolized poison.
“I don’t care about the fish,” Unda replied with a thin smile, slowing to take in Asteria. “I can tell you’re not just a pretty face, so let me flip your words. Why sacrifice your own life to protect a girl you don’t even know?”
Ophelia went as stiff as a board behind him, and Orion knew he wasn’t much better. He’d hoped they had lost the pursuers, but it seemed they were much more resilient than he’d given them credit for.
“Why wouldn’t I? She is an innocent girl and was traveling through the land of the Lunar Sanctum.”
Unda shook her head, as if disappointed. “Yes, the great factions. But we both know their rule isn't as solid as it appears. You witches wouldn’t have tolerated banditry for so long if you truly controlled all your lands. This is just another thing you should turn a blind eye to. You're good at that, aren’t you? I promise to make this quick, so you won’t have to hold your nose for long.”
Her tone was mocking, and she clearly didn’t expect Asteria to give up so easily.
“Very well, then. I will grant your wish,” Asteria said, surprising everyone who heard her.
Orion cocked his head, wondering if this was just another stalling tactic until she finished setting the board. Ophelia swayed, probably fearing the worst, while Unda took her in with a curious look.
“You don’t expect me to believe a witch of the Sanctum would bow to such a little threat, do you?”
“Of course not. And since you seem to know us so well, you must have come here with a death wish. That, I will grant you," Asteria replied.
enjoy the story and would like to read more, are available on my .
