Bald Fury and Pirate Reckoning
Thematos shouted in rage.
"Your ancestors must've had a bald one among them! Your descendants will surely produce a bald one too! Whether giant or human, balding is an inescapable fate—how can you mock so cruelly! Urk!"
There was a hint of wetness in his voice, and I couldn't help but soften a bit.
"Take down that big sea bastard. I'll let go of the ring."
"Got it."
Thematos was surprisingly compliant. Even with the Tightening Ring on, he'd been rebellious about everything, but a threat to his remaining hair made him submit. It must be like his last leaf, precious to him.
"You fish bastard! Die!"
Didn't they say getting slapped in Jongno and glaring at the Han River? Thematos vented his fury on the giant sea humanoid, who became the pitiful target. Sure, it was a powerful being, but it was no match for Thematos, whose bloodline traced back to the mythic age.
Thematos, in his rage, was turning the thing into minced fish cake.
Thud!Boom!Thud!
While Thematos claimed victory, I jumped down from his body and went to help Atalante. She was holding her own but clearly starting to get pushed back. Still young, her skills incomplete, and recently fallen from Artemis's favor, unable to draw on divine power—she'd done well to fight this far.
Twang!
I lightly leaped and fired an arrow swiftly. It lacked power but was enough to annoy the foe. The pufferfish-like sea humanoid hesitated, pulling back its weapon as it tried to attack Atalante.
The thing wielded a massive blade that could cleave a cow's neck in one strike. The edge didn't look sharp, but a simple downward swing would still pack a punch.
But that only worked on others.
"Why's a pufferfish punk showing off out of water!"
I bellowed and strode forward boldly. The pufferfish humanoid looked flustered. No wonder—it saw me walking up defenseless.
Whoosh!
It swung the huge blade vertically with savage force. A strike from a sea humanoid several times stronger than a human—it had the momentum to split anything in half at once.
But I headered it away like a soccer ball, deflecting it to the left.
Splat!
A dull thud echoed as some of my hair got sliced off and scattered, but my head was perfectly fine. It was truly admirable defense. Even I was impressed inwardly—what must the attacker feel?
Deflecting a blade meant to burst a watermelon like a head? No wonder it was speechless. The pufferfish humanoid made weird noises, its gills flapping blankly.
But soon it slashed diagonally in a frenzy again.
Clang!
This time, I caught the falling blade with my left hand. Gripping hard—crack!—part of the blade shattered.
"Simple."
After dealing with insane monsters lately, this sea humanoid felt manageable. I charged, knocked it down, grabbed both arms, and stomped its face repeatedly with my foot.
Thud!Thud!Thud!
Its face exploded into a mess. Not stopping there, I ripped off its arms.
Snap!Squelch!
A tendon-snapping sound rang out as the arms tore free.
"Kieeeek!"
The pufferfish humanoid thrashed to rise, but I knocked it down again. Now I went for the head.
But then a thought struck me.
Secret Book. Can you consume these guys as offerings?
Possible. But you won't get any big secrets. They're strong among sea humanoids, but small fry compared to Thematos.
Look, the Secret Book gestured sideways.
I turned to see cannibal giant Thematos roaring victoriously like a gorilla over the giant sea humanoid.
I yelled quickly.
"Don't kill it! And don't eat it!"
"I won't eat it! You bastard!"
Then a bowstring twanged—Atalante had shot an arrow into the head of the flying fish-like sea humanoid she'd been fighting. Even without Artemis's power, her exceptional archery had clinched the win.
But killing it would be a problem.
"Is it dead?"
Atalante shook her head.
"Still breathing. Sea humanoids are amazing. Pierced through the forehead and still alive."
Good. Dead sacrifices lost value for human offerings. To prevent it dying, I quickly had the Secret Book swallow it.
Thus, the battle with the three sea leaders ended without much trouble.
But the pirate village was still chaos.
"Trouble's brewing."
Humans and sea humanoids clashed everywhere, turning it into a mess. Initially one-sided slaughter by the sea humanoids, but after sending Aitos, things changed. He was more capable than expected, rallying the pirates into a fierce standoff.
"Atalante. Let's help the pirates."
"Save those scum?"
"Better than the village falling to sea humanoids. Scum or not, they're human."
* * *
With Atalante and me joining, the sea humanoids were quickly mopped up. Most down, some fled to the sea.
Victory, but no joy. Pirates stared blankly—their lives had crumbled.
"No way…."
One pirate collapsed in a daze.
But no mercy for pirates. They were villains, fact.
I freed all captured slaves first, then gathered pirates in the open square. Countless eyes stared fearfully—they'd seen me smash sea humanoids.
Pirate instinct: submit to the strong. Plus, with spine-chilling cannibal giant Thematos beside me, rebellion was impossible.
"Listen up."
Tension as I spoke—what would I say?
"I can't forgive you."
Simple, firm.
Murmurs rose.
I raised a hand to silence them.
"Shut up. Anyone who opens their mouth again becomes cannibal giant chow."
Thematos grinned, wiping drool.
"You rat bastards. Just try flapping your lips. Heh heh! You'll be Sir Eater's snack. Don't be too scared—after a day, you'll pop out as shit lumps back into the world. How's that?"
Thematos bowed his head, scanning with huge eyes—pirates trembled like aspens. Some pissed themselves.
"I said it again. I can't forgive you. Because you stole others' money."
Some forgot fear, puzzled. Stealing was natural to them. Taking only money and sparing life was mercy.
But not to me.
"Money is precious. One of the world's most precious things. You thugs might not get it, but honest folk toil from dawn to dusk for it. Labor's grueling. Coworkers are annoying pricks you hate seeing. Bosses brown-nose superiors while squeezing underlings. Dump their work on you, pile on more like heavy stones. They don't care if you break.
My voice heated up. Pirates seemed more loathsome by the second.
"You wanna quit the dirty grind. But family to feed—you can't. Day ends, tomorrow's worries start. Honest folk live endless such days. Meaning they spend most of precious life doing others' work for money.
How pathetic. Paying life for money.
"Life's 80%, 90% gone for money. Conclusion's simple: money is life."
I pointed accusingly at the pirate scum.
"You stole a person's life. Endured, suffered, burned life for meager silver coins—you took them ruthlessly. You lot, boozing here, raping captives, brawling. Think: stealing money stole their lives too. You spent their life-earned coin on worthless self-pleasure.
How trashy. Each coin holds stories. Mom's meds, kid's tuition, wife's gift, dead child's funeral. Common lives are tight. No meaningless money. But shameless thieves ignore that, filling desires with brutal violence.
"Money's precious because it's one person's life. That's why I can't forgive you."
Terrified pirates begged, groveling.
"Have mercy!"
"We were wrong. We'll reform!"
"Milord! Spare us—we'll never pirate again."
I just laughed hollowly.
"Hahaha! Shut it! Don't toss 'reform' lightly—you're unqualified! Mercy? Did you show mercy when honest folk begged crying?"
Silence, like honey-mouthed mutes. Recalling their deeds.
"Anyone who showed mercy, step forward. I'll forgive specially."
None did. Sea's cruelest wouldn't.
I ordered Aitos.
"Aitos! You have work."
"Command me."
Guiding me here kept him alive so far. Knowing his precarious spot, he tried impressing.
"Build gallows. Lots."
Murmurs spread. Fierce-faced ones protested angrily.
"Gallows?!"
"Gonna kill us all?!"
"Hang us?!"
No answer—instead, called Thematos.
"Eat those who just spoke!"
"Love that order!"
Thematos grabbed the yellers, devouring alive. Snap! Tore in half lightly, licking spilling guts deliciously.
Screams everywhere. Many collapsed in shock.
"As you knew no forgiveness, I know none. Reap what you sow, thief bastards!"
No plan to wipe all hundreds. Worst by quality to gallows. Milder ones to slavery.
"Atalante."
"Yeah."
"Brand survivors' foreheads for slavery. With hot iron."
"Got it. Leave it to me."
Atalante risked life for good folk like a vigilante, merciless to evil. I nodded, satisfied with her resolve, then shouted to pirate captives.
"You freed honest folk! Ravaged, reduced to sea fodder!"
My cry—abused victims here hid grim faces. Many wept bitterly.
I armed them, had them surround pirates.
"Judging these pirates harshly befits you more than me. I need only 50 slaves. Pick 50 survivors. Rest to gallows, comfort innocents' souls slain screaming! No mercy whatsoever!"
Of course, hell for remaining 50 too. Pirates had no human rights.
"Spare us! Sob!"
"We were fools! Wah!"
"Please! Humans can't do this to humans!"
Now realizing their fate, pirates wailed.
No pity—these mocked weeping victims while swinging blades. Just handing revenge to qualified slaves.
An elder slave, natural leader, spoke for them.
"Great hero, we'll do as you wish! Saving us slaves and granting vengeance—may gods bless you!"
Pre-capture, big caravan manager. Comrades slain by blades, son guarding father to end chopped for shark bait. Imagine his blood-tears rage.
Slaves sorted pirates, debating life/death busily.
"Spare me. Truly sorry."
"Not my fault. Orders from above."
"You're good folk? Mercy, please?"
Pirates excused to end, no true remorse—just bending, tears to survive. That's what they were. Reform? Laughable.
"Once trash… forever trash."
Then a pirate screamed—rope round neck, dragged to gallows.
"Let go! Nooo!"
Killed many, hated own death, howling. But slaves grabbed, soon dangled swinging.
Nemesis, goddess of retribution, begins to gaze upon you.
You have caught her attention.