Unfavorable Negotiations
"Fortunately, you're safe, Your Highness. Though I wasn't worried since you'd be with Zan. Even in old age, some things don't rust."
We'd successfully rendezvoused with the Empire's navy by boarding a makeshift ship Circe had conjured with magic on a nearby island after disembarking from the submarine. When we explained that the ship had been captured from pirates and the original one sunk in the battle with the Pirate King, Admiral Shark burst into laughter. "Quite the disaster, eh?"
"Can you mobilize all seven ships? We might even take down the Pirate King if things go south."
Prince Castella had anticipated the negotiations falling through. So before even starting talks, he'd rallied the full naval force to crush the Pirate King, claim his head as a merit, and show the entire court that he wasn't some outdated old dog past his prime. He revealed his ambitions plainly.
"This is your chance to solidify your authority in the Empire, Admiral. You'll get proper support from the navy too."
"And if the negotiations succeed?"
"Then... no choice but to let it go. Ahem, I know where some treasure sank, you see."
Playing that card, eh? The prince had his own calculations. Salvaging sunken treasure alone would be profitable. If we chose negotiation over clashing with the Empire's navy, recovering it might go smoothly. In truth, both our and the prince's plans hinged on a slim hope—or rather, the singular whim of the Pirate King himself. Without his permission, they were pipe dreams.
"Then we need to find the Pirate King."
"Indeed... that's the issue. Head to a nearby island, request support to summon him?"
"Regrettably, Empire ships get intercepted on approach."
"Damn it. Then what?"
We'd mapped out the plan, but now meeting the Pirate King was the snag. On deck stood just three: Zan de Radgerda, Mortis, and me—Radamu. For Circe's safety, I'd left Hyacinth with her; if they crossed paths, he'd lose control of his rage for sure. As before, she'd lost immortality from her deal with the evil god, but her frail body remained as delicate as it appeared. She could train and grow now, but she still needed protection. Plus, only Circe could pilot the Nautilus, so she was waiting at a distance, ready to pursue us.
In this precarious situation where we prayed for no fighting, as we debated how to locate the Pirate King and initiate talks, an ominous premonition flickered through my mind again. That familiar, inexplicable chill I'd felt countless times. Something important was slipping through our fingers...
......Admiral Shark was sailing to find the prince. But why had the sea chart shown only one Empire ship? Had we only spotted his? No—Circe had clearly marked it as an Empire vessel. Even the two warships from the Holy Eagle Kingdom had appeared on the chart. Even as a disgraced third prince stripped of succession rights, wasn't he still imperial blood?
......And why was Hornigold wandering alone? Our sudden ambush felt too coincidental. No, it had to be coincidence—I was 100% sure. But what was he doing out there in the first place? The nagging unease wouldn't fade.
Then, a chilling scene flashed in my mind. Back then, I'd been too frantic to notice. How did they know the treasure was in the captain's cabin? They hadn't searched—just gone straight in and retrieved it. How the hell did they know it was there?
The Empire's prince knew too, but he'd been with us constantly, caught up in the chaos. No... All those overlooked details amid the frenzy were piecing together like lies into something grim, spiraling toward the worst possible scenario. As always, my intuition whispered the truth.
Click— And in that instant, navy guns trained on us.
As the prince shouted in outrage, "What is this?!" the admiral yanked him from the group. Zan, sweating coldly with a dawning horror, scanned the stunned faces around us.
"...I thought you were just an old man scraping by with one ship due to lack of support... Guess not? Sniffing me out was coincidence?"
"Pure coincidence. Just passing by."
"Ironic... Hornigold claimed the same—ran into me by chance. Unless you two arranged this meeting?"
"Spot on, Zan. The Empire's rotten to the core, beyond saving. Its golden age is gone. Our wisest, strongest king dodders in senility. Endless exploitation torments the people; those of us swearing loyalty to the throne are mere consumables. No glory left. We're just old."
"......I get it. You finally got one over on me. Even a man as upright as you, warped by time."
"......Sad tale, isn't it? Don't move. Surrender quietly."
"Admiral Shark!! Why bow to a filthy Pirate King?! Better to die honorably...!"
Sailors rushed from both sides, seizing the prince as he reached for his cursed sword, binding and subduing him by force. He yelled, "How dare you lay hands on a prince!" but no one here obeyed him anymore. Guns still on Zan, the admiral gazed pityingly at the prince and stated the harsh reality. "Honorably? Honor means nothing now. The nation's abandoned us, Your Highness. And you too. Your brothers don't want you alive. The nobles see you as a fool spouting reckless nonsense—good for nothing or sabotage. To this rotten Empire, prince or admiral, we're both worthless lives."
"....So you're betraying the Empire?"
"If I join the Pirate King, even his underlings get a quiet island to live on. Sorry, Your Highness. The ships we could use... the Empire's already evacuating our sailors' families on them. Think how much intel I've handed over for this deal? For my men's safety—and yours—I'll swallow my pride and bow to the Pirate King."
"....."
"Live on. You're too fine a man to rot in that Empire. Prince Castella."
"Heh... Sold intel too? Empire slave ships, treasure—all of it? Not that you couldn't protect us—you just let it happen, Shark! Hahaha!!"
"Not bad at all. Honestly, I was sick of that shit."
Zan laughed, praising his fine piracy, as Admiral Shark offered his last cigarette: "Smoke?" Navy pay was so meager even smokes were scarce; he called it his final mast and handed it over. Grumbling about another betrayal in her old age, Zan wryly accepted and lit it with a flame I sparked at my fingertip. "Thanks."
"...Right, neither you nor that guy liked being slaves."
"Talking about me?"
At the voice from thin air, all eyes snapped toward it. The calm sea surface—nothing there. Then the scenery warped, revealing a red warship camouflaged seamlessly with the ocean, sailing parallel to the Empire ship.
How long had it been there? As we reeled, Hornigold leaped lightly aboard.
"Zan, know how much the world's changed? Invisibility to magic jamming. Pirates gotta evolve technically too."
"Consistent talk. The one saying it hasn't aged a day."
"How'd I find you? Forgot what I've chased my whole life?"
He pointed at me—grinning. "The rest dead? That navigator kid too?" Casually asking, he tossed Zan a rum bottle from his belt, then pulled a cigarette from his pocket and placed it in the admiral's hand, standing right before us.
"Hey, Admiral. Don't give away your last mast to impress a lady. That's a man's pride."
"Didn't wanna see a lady's tears."
"Kyahaha! Zan? Hilarious! The Iron Empress shedding a tear?! So... ready for negotiations?"
The golden compass at his waist, etched with geometric patterns, pointed straight at the Sea Triton on my arm. "Epic Chronicle item—tracks a mana-locked target flawlessly," he boasted. From the moment we'd shown the Triton, he'd been shadowing us invisibly.
"...Hand over the Sea Triton, and we demand our party's safety."
"...Hey, hey, hey—where's that fire to kill me, sis?"
"...I won't let others die for my personal grudge—"
"Coward now, huh? So those deaths are trivial?"
Tsking and laughing, he sobered, exuding murderous intent. The suffocating pressure choked Prince Castella, who gasped without breathing.
"Talk's over. No business with a wench."
With that, Hornigold raised his military boot. Mortis instantly cast Divine Shield, erecting a massive barrier—but
BOOM! Ears bleeding from the blast. A disaster approaches alert as Mortis soared over the sea, bouncing off the surface and sinking. Unable to track it, my body instinctively pointed at Hornigold.
"Page 9! Time Stop!"
The world froze at my cry. The Memorize Spell Book blazed, halting time. I drew my shortsword and thrust at him—but it pierced empty air. Gripping it two-handed for his neck, the frozen world rippled around his crown.
"Fireball──!!!"
A massive constellation blaze erupted ahead. I unleashed a barrage of Fireballs. Exploding deck, spreading flames consuming sails and masts. Admiral Shark dragged Zan away in restraints; sailors scattered, guns aimed but holding fire, glancing about. Seven relentless Fireballs shattered the navy's ship, even smashing the Pirate King's magic barrier and igniting it.
From the roaring white flames, laughter pierced through.
Ears torn, vertigo from the disaster's shock or impact overwhelming. Staggering, I sheathed the shortsword, gripping the spirit sword and Sea Triton, scowling at the impossible.
"Whelp! Underestimate me! Some things don't burn—not to mere flames! Not evil gods' breath! Not nature's calamities! Kyahahaha─!!"
Emerging from the blaze, gold-haired man grinning jovially. Clothes aflame, scales glowing red-hot, yet painless, he roared.
"That's me!! Conqueror of Salacia Sea, Godslayer of the Invincible Fleet! Hornigold himself!!!!"
Shortsword away, spirit sword drawn in guard. Deck shattering, navy ship cracking under his kick, collapsing in two. Amid the tilting balance, like flat ground, he propelled forward. I cast Outer God Fear LV.2.
Divine pressure crushing his aura instantly. Yet his eyes held no hesitation.
"Fear death and be a pirate──!!!"
Stomping again, cratering the sea with a boom, waves burying it.
"Vitatus Strike!"
Spirit sword blocking the thrusting kick cracked and shattered. Staring in horror at fragments, Sea Triton shielded me—but the impact hurled me horizontally beyond the horizon.
"Kyahahaha!!!! Whelp─!!! I'll wait!! Come!! Take it!! If you want it!! Don't cower like a sunken iguana! Kyahahaha!!"
Skimming the surface like skipping stones, flung two kilometers, I barely halted crashing into an island. Even distant, his booming voice echoed skyward through my mangled ears.
Not once, but a second crushing defeat. In this pointless brawl, the saintess's words echoed: Against the truly strong, it won't work.
Strong—bone-deep...!