Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: The Poka Tribe
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“Move it! You filthy beasts!”
“Hurry up!”
Four pirates armed with their signature curved swords and carrying torches dragged a group of people bound tightly with ropes out of the cave.
‘Those are…….’
Eugene was quite surprised.
The captives being dragged along weren’t human. Covered head to toe in glossy dark brown fur, they closely resembled the seals he’d seen once or twice while traveling between Maren and Mopern.
‘Beastkin?’
The seal beastkin had longer, plumper torsos than humans, but their flipper-like limbs were extremely short. Even when prodded by the pirates gripping their ropes, they couldn’t move quickly.
“Damn it, let’s offer them up quick and get out of here.”
“B-but will the Sea Demon really accept our tribute?”
“Of course he will.”
Though it was a language he’d never heard before, Eugene could understand the pirates’ conversation. It was thanks to the ‘Language Interpretation’ ability he’d gained after consuming the red mana stone from killing Drake.
“He loves rare stuff, right? And with ten sacrifices, he’s sure to be satis—Gah!?”
The pirates, chattering in fearful voices, froze in place.
They had finally spotted the sea monster’s corpse sprawled dead on the beach.
“The Sea Demon’s dead!”
“W-what do we do? We’re screwed!”
“I don’t know, damn it!”
At that moment, Eugene, who had been watching them while blending into the landscape and the surface of his Black Scale Mail, slowly stood and approached.
As he moved, the Black Scale Mail’s surface continuously shifted to match the changing surroundings. Thanks to this, the pirates didn’t notice him drawing closer bit by bit.
It was the camouflage ability he’d gained from consuming the red mana stone of the Cave Giant Spider Lord.
Of course, a close inspection would reveal something off, but the panicked pirates were too busy panicking among themselves.
The beastkin, however, seemed to sense something different.
“Kyuu……?”
The youngest-looking seal beastkin blinked its large black eyes and stared in Eugene’s direction.
“You damn animal, what the hell are you doing!”
The moment one pirate raised his club to strike the beastkin.
Shing!
Eugene’s claws extended in an instant, slicing the pirate’s throat.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from the half-severed neck as the pirate collapsed, and Eugene swung his claws without hesitation.
Swoosh! Thud!
“Gurk!”
“Gaaah!”
Pirates with throats pierced or massive holes in their left chests fell one after another.
“Eek! What is that! What the hell!?”
The last remaining pirate flailed his torch and curved sword with both arms, stumbling backward.
Ssshh!
Black ink spread through the air like a stain, soon revealing Eugene’s full form clad head to toe in Black Scale Mail.
“Huh!”
His body, face, and hair all shrouded in darkness, but with blood-red fiendish aura pouring from his eyes—the pirate sucked in a breath at the sight.
His instincts screamed to flee, but he couldn’t move.
The fiendish aura leaking like threads from the Origin Vampire’s eyes had bound the pirate’s body and soul.
Step by step.
Eugene approached and spoke in a low voice.
“Tell me everything you know…….”
Since it wasn’t Brantia, the pirate couldn’t understand Eugene’s words.
But it was a command imposed by seizing the will of a thoroughly subdued foe.
In the end, the pirate began spilling everything, starting with his own name.
* * *
Slice!
The headless pirate crumpled like a bundle of straw.
Eugene shook the blood from his claws and turned.
“Kyuu, kyuuu!”
“Kyu, kyuu!”
Now freed from the fiendish aura’s pressure, the seal beastkin thrashed in terror.
But with their short legs and bound limbs, they couldn’t flee and merely toppled over.
“Hmm.”
Eugene approached the seal beastkin and looked down at them with intrigued eyes.
“Kyuooo…….”
Instinctively recognizing Eugene—who had clearly slain even the monster that had ruled these seas for years—as an ‘absolute predator’ beyond comparison to mere pirates, the seal beastkin flattened themselves on the ground and gazed up at him.
No thought of resistance even crossed their minds.
The sight of their large black eyes brimming with tears was utterly pitiable.
“Master, these sea puppies look kinda pitiful. They were just living peacefully here and got caught to be monster chow.”
“The world’s survival of the fittest anyway. They should’ve fought back. Pitiful, sure, but incompetent. Even without the pirates, the monster would’ve eaten them.”
“Hng. True, but still.”
“They’ll have some use, at least.”
“Use? How?”
“Got something in mind.”
Eugene slashed Wolfslaughter a few times. The ropes binding the seal beastkin fell away in pieces.
“Kyu, kyuu!?”
To the startled seal beastkin, Eugene pointed his blade and said.
“Hey, Pokas. Lead the way. Back the way you came.”
Though they couldn’t understand his words, the Poka tribe beastkin grasped his intent. They exchanged quick glances and waddled ahead.
Glancing back repeatedly at Eugene with bowed heads, they seemed both deeply fearful and grateful.
“You can really use these sea puppies? They look super dumb.”
“They’re just timid and a bit slower than humans.”
Smarter than goblins or kobolds, but cowardly—perfect for exploitation. That’s why pirates had used the Poka as slaves, offering them periodically to the sea monster.
“Kyu-kyu.”
“Kyuu kyuu.”
Slow due to their short legs, the Poka still diligently wiggled their brown rumps back toward the cave entrance they’d emerged from.
Eugene followed at a distance.
As a Night Clan member, darkness posed no obstacle to him, but remarkably, the torchless Poka navigated the dark, twisting cave paths flawlessly.
They kept turning their round heads back, worried he might lag—timid, but a kind-hearted race, it seemed.
After trudging slowly for a while, Eugene suddenly strode ahead of the Poka.
The wind now came from only one direction.
Meaning that side was the cave exit. No need to follow the sluggish Poka anymore.
“Kyu?”
“I’ll take the lead.”
Eugene tapped his chest as he spoke, and the Poka bowed their heads and trailed behind.
“Master, light ahead! But it’s super noisy outside!”
At Mirian’s report from scouting ahead, Eugene drew Wolfslaughter.
With their comrades overdue, the pirates might be preparing something.
Uwaa… Aaaah……
Kwaaa……
‘Screams? And the smell of blood?’
Sensing something amiss, Eugene raised Wolfslaughter and charged out of the cave.
“Huh?”
“Kie?”
Eugene and Mirian’s eyes widened simultaneously.
Something amiss was indeed happening.
On the wide gravel beach before the cave, two fully armored knights were mercilessly carving through naked pirates.
* * *
“Kyaaak!”
“Guhk!”
Even in leather armor aboard their ships, they’d stood no chance—against true knights in plate mail with full weaponry, the pirates were mere moving wooden dummies.
In under ten minutes, over seventy percent of the hundred-plus pirates lay dead.
“R-run!”
“Flee!”
Sickened by the knights who severed necks without mercy even from those begging surrender, the pirates fled up the hills or into the sea.
But sharks swarmed the waters, and atop the hills waited Partek’s team and the sailors led by the two squires.
In the end, all but a few pirates met their deaths.
“Master!”
Galpredic spotted Eugene emerging from the cave and ran over, unable to hide his joy.
“What happened!? Why’s Master coming from there?”
“Well, about that.”
Eugene concisely explained from slaying the sea monster to rescuing the beastkin.
Meanwhile, the Poka cautiously emerged from the cave, and Lancelot, who had hurried to Eugene’s side, glanced at them and said.
“The Poka of this region were said to have gone extinct after pirates overran the archipelago. Quite the surprise.”
“Huh? Those things? Poka?”
Galpredic frowned at the Poka waddling over slowly while eyeing Eugene and the knights.
“An extremely timid and docile race. They hide in the water if any other species approaches their habitat, so they’re not well-known.”
“Then why’d the pirates catch them? As slaves?”
“Who knows. I’m not sure about that part.”
Lancelot shrugged, and Eugene answered.
“Probably because of that sea monster. Better to be pirate slaves than get eaten by it in the sea.”
“Ahh.”
“Hm. That makes sense. Back when the Rodrick family ruled the archipelago, humans didn’t bother the Poka much. They might’ve seen it as preferable to the sea monster.”
“The pirate I interrogated didn’t know much about Rodrick. Must’ve been decent folk?”
The low-ranking pirate Eugene had questioned in the sea monster’s lair knew little of importance.
Lancelot grinned and said.
“Yes. Their reputation was good. Famous as generous, merciful lords. But they weren’t human.”
“What?”
“Didn’t I mention? Brantia is very open to other races, with no shortage of non-human lords.”
“Then…….”
“Indeed. House Rodrick were orcs.”
* * *
Eugene and the two knights led the forces in wiping out the pirate dens.
One peculiarity: as an island once used to imprison Brantia’s worst criminals, the pirates weren’t all human.
There were orcs, dwarves, even elves.
But poorly armed and slothful pirates couldn’t match true knights honed by relentless real combat.
“Hey. Technically fellow elves—okay to just kill ’em?”
Galpredic, drenched in blood, asked Lancelot as he yanked his longsword from an elf pirate’s chest.
“Amusing notion. Humans kill humans; why not elves each other?”
“Kek! Sir Lancelot, you’re damn likable.”
“Not saying it to please you, but thanks anyway. Oh, you’re not into men, are you?”
“I don’t even like shaking hands with guys.”
“Good to hear.”
Lancelot chuckled and addressed Eugene, returning with a horde of sailors.
“All taken care of, Sir Eugene?”
“A few fled into the mountains. Handle them at night.”
The pirates didn’t know Eugene and Galpredic were Night Clan vampires.
By night’s end, Rodrick Island’s pirates would all cross the River of Death.
“Lancelot, take Partek’s team and the sailors to rescue the Poka tribe. Oh, take these too.”
The Poka Eugene had saved approached, bowing obsequiously at his gesture.
“And you, Sir Eugene?”
“The guy I interrogated let slip something interesting.”
He knew little vital info, but not nothing. Recalling the pirate’s words, Eugene smiled coldly.
“Seems the Rodrick heirs are locked up somewhere in that fortress.”
“Oh. Then maybe?”
Eugene nodded at Lancelot’s expectant gaze.
“We’ll rescue them first.”
“As expected! You truly embody knightly honor…….”
“Then offer them a place under me instead of ransom. If they refuse, oh well.”
“...Remarkably merciful yet pragmatic. A true expedition leader’s call.”
Lancelot was impressed by Eugene’s perfectly commander-like decision.
(To be continued)