Chapter 196: Escape (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 196: Escape (1)
The pirates ran, never dreaming that Jin and his companions were secretly tailing them.
They came to a halt at a well.
Like most things on the deserted island, the well had long since dried up and lost its function. It seemed to be serving as a secret passage.
One by one, the pirates threw themselves into the well.
"Hmm."
The companions looked at each other and shrugged.
"Is there some secret space down there? Are they just planning to hide?"
"They were talking as if they could lose the entire Viment fleet. I doubt they're just hiding," Casimir replied.
"But they didn't seem like the brightest bunch," Alisa added. "They might really just be planning to stay hidden. They didn't even seem to know why the fleet was surrounding the island in the first place."
"That’s true."
As Casimir and Alisa spoke, the rest of the group nodded in agreement.
"We’ll follow them down. If it looks like a dead end, we’ll have to prepare to swim for it. Let’s just hope those fellows have a clever trick up their sleeves."
Jin and his companions approached the well. There was no trace of the pirates at the bottom; they had already vanished into another connected space.
As they jumped down in turn, they saw an iron hatch covering the floor.
It was a door of sorts. It had no handle and was shut tight, making it look impossible to open unless someone unlocked it from the inside.
Of course, that only applied to ordinary people.
Creeeak! Bang!
Jin crumpled the iron hatch with his bare hands and ripped it away.
"Whoa, you’ve gotten stronger, kid. Tearing through iron like it’s a sheet of paper," Murakan remarked casually.
Siris, however, couldn't help but be inwardly horrified as she touched the mangled metal.
Just as they were about to descend further into the passage—
Swish!
A single dagger flew toward them. It was coated in a 3-star level Aura, but Jin simply waved his hand as if swatting a fly, sending the dagger clattering to the floor.
Before the pirate who threw it could even shout—
Jin’s eyes flashed as he closed the distance. The pirate couldn't even manage a proper scream as Jin appeared right in front of him.
Grab! Jin seized the pirate by the collar. It was one of the men they had been following.
"Sorry for the scare, but we won't hurt you. Let’s go together. It seems you guys have a plan."
Flash!
No sooner had Jin finished speaking than the dark passage was suddenly flooded with light.
Other pirates, who had originally opened the hatch for their comrades, had lit their lanterns. Jin’s group couldn't help but be surprised by the sight before them.
Just how many are there?
It wasn't just one or two. At a glance, there were dozens, perhaps over a hundred. It was impressive that so many pirates were gathered in this passage beneath a well, though it wasn't particularly threatening.
Whether there were a hundred or a thousand, they posed little threat to Jin’s party.
The pirates holding the lanterns all had their weapons drawn, glaring at Jin and his companions.
"Damn it, who was the last one in? Looks like they were followed."
"It was Chicol and Belv. Those clumsy bastards."
"Fortunately, there are only a few of them. Captain, what should we do? I think it’s best to just kill them all now."
Chicol and Belv were the names of the pirates Jin’s group had followed. Jin and his companions smiled mockingly as the pirates spat out curses.
"Quiet!"
Someone within the pirate crowd shouted and stepped forward.
He was someone Jin knew well—the leader of this pirate crew. Pirate King Cosmos, the very man who had created this secret passage.
"You must be the captain."
Flinch!
As soon as Jin spoke, Cosmos’s eyes widened.
"Jin Gray...!?"
"What?"
"You’re that bastard, Jin Gray!"
"Who’s that? What are you talking about, pirate?"
Jin feigned ignorance, but Cosmos continued with conviction.
"Do you think I’d ever forget that voice? I’m still drowning in debt because of you! We meet at last, you son of a bitch!"
"Eh? Captain, what are you saying? That guy is the Jin Gray?"
"Jin Gray? Last year’s champion? The one who put our captain in debt?"
Jin shrugged as if he had no choice. Thanks to the blonde hair and makeup, he looked completely different from usual, but his voice was recognizable to someone who remembered it clearly.
"Fine, whatever. Since you know who I am, there’s no need for long explanations. Cosmos, you know the situation outside, right? The fleet of the Bellado Principality is everywhere. How do you plan to escape? Surely you didn't gather everyone here just to hide in this tunnel."
When Jin asked shamelessly, Cosmos trembled with rage.
"Whatever the plan is, do you really think I’d help you?"
"We don't exactly have a reason to hold a grudge, do we? Why so hostile?"
"Shut up! Because of you, our pirate crew is still handing over gold coins to that high-and-mighty friend of yours...!"
"My friend?"
"Veradin Zipple! That devil of a man!"
"Ah."
Jin remembered.
—Jin Gray! Go for it!
He recalled Veradin shouting as he bet 100,000 gold coins on Jin when he faced Paul Mick, who was really Dante Hairan. At the time, the odds for Jin’s victory were three to one.
Ever since Jin’s victory that day, Cosmos had spent his days handing over every bit of money he made to Veradin.
Debt was like a snowball, and Veradin was surprisingly ruthless when it came to money. Cosmos had already paid back the principal, but he was still paying off the even larger interest.
If it were anyone else, it might be different, but even a Pirate King wouldn't dream of stiffing Veradin Zipple.
"...I’m sorry to hear that. No, actually, I’m not. If you want to make money from an underground martial arts tournament, you should be prepared for that kind of risk. If Paul Mick had won, you’d be sitting on a mountain of gold."
"Listen to the way this guy talks!"
"Captain, why hesitate? Just kill him! We don't have time. Let’s finish them and get out of here."
The pirates roared, their eyes bulging with anger.
However, Cosmos was busy running calculations in his head.
It’s obvious this guy is a scion of a great family, no less than Paul Mick, Jin Runcandel, or Veradin Zipple. Even if he were alone, his companions don't look ordinary either.
Cosmos still believed that Paul Mick was Jin Runcandel.
Murakan and Quicantel shared the same sentiment as the pirates.
"I wondered what the fuss was about, kid. Let’s just beat a few of them up, take the captain hostage, and get moving. Why are you standing there listening to them talk?"
"Agreed. We’re short on time, so let’s just crush them and ask. We need to know if there’s a way off this island or not."
As Murakan stepped forward, the pirates looked ready to pounce at any moment.
"Look, Cosmos. If that friend of mine starts throwing punches, all of you might actually die. So, I’ll make you an offer."
"Bullshit!"
"Just listen. Both you and I are gathered in this basement to escape the island amid this chaos, right? I don't know what method you’ve prepared, but if you get us out, I’ll clear all your debts."
"What?"
"Exactly what I said. I’ll wipe out your debt and even give you a handsome reward on top of it."
Shring!
The moment Cosmos drew his sword, Jin released his pressure. At the sheer force of his aura, the hundred or so pirates flinched and stepped back.
Simultaneously, Murakan rushed forward like a bolt of lightning, subdued Cosmos, and snapped his sword.
Jin looked down at him calmly and whispered in a voice too low for the other pirates to hear.
"I’m telling you this now in case you’re thinking of refusing or trying to haggle: my name isn't Jin Gray, it’s Jin Runcandel. And Paul Mick, who I fought in the finals, is Dante Hairan."
Cosmos was a man who grasped a situation quickly.
"...Ugh, so you weren't Paul Mick, you were Jin Runcandel?"
"That’s right. It couldn't have been a coincidence that Dante Hairan and I met at your arena. Or that Veradin Zipple was there watching."
Cosmos finally understood.
He understood why Veradin Zipple had saved 'Paul Mick' during the finals. Until now, he had only accepted it as the whim of those who lived in the heavens or some secret deal between them.
The other pirates fidgeted, watching their captain get subdued in a single second.
"I see now. It seems the fleet appeared because of you, not us. I have one more condition, Jin Runcandel."
"Speak."
"Swear that you will guarantee the safety of our pirate crew after we escape the island."
"Do you mean I should stop the Bellado Principality from pursuing you?"
"No! I mean you, your companions, and the Runcandel Guardian Knights must never hunt us down after you become a flagbearer. The Bellado Principality is no problem."
Cosmos didn't know it yet, but not only the Bellado Principality, but Viment, Zipple, and Kinzelo would also be hunting them.
Jin hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell Cosmos the truth. He decided it would be better to tell him after they had escaped with his help.
"I swear it. On my name and the honor of my family."
Cosmos had no choice anyway. Asking for an oath was merely a hollow request; the moment Jin’s group found the well, their fate had been sealed.
"Tch, I accept the offer. Follow me!"
As Cosmos stood up and shouted, his subordinates tilted their heads in confusion.
"Captain! It looks like you were threatened. Don't try to save face if it’s too much. What if those guys hit you just because they don't like your attitude? They don't look like people we can handle."
"I figured Jin Gray was a big shot, just like Paul Mick or Veradin Zipple. Well, we have plenty of room."
"Is he really going to clear the debt?"
The aggressive energy from moments ago was nowhere to be found. Since their leader had bowed, the subordinates had no choice but to follow suit.
"By the way, Cosmos. What exactly is the plan? Is it reliable?"
As Jin asked while following the pirates, Cosmos gave a meaningful smile. His attitude suggested that even if Jin was a Runcandel, he would be shocked by what he was about to see.
A short while later, they reached the end of the passage, which opened up to a cliff.
Below the cliff was a cavern, and in its center sat a massive sailing ship.
To put it simply, there was a ship in the middle of nowhere, deep underground. Furthermore, even more pirates than the ones who had come with them were busily moving about, preparing something.
"This is Order No. 7. We’re going to use this to escape."
"That’s a grand name. But how, exactly?"
"Just get on. It’ll happen soon enough."
There wasn't a single drop of water in the cavern to float Order No. 7. Moreover, how were they supposed to escape from a cavern enclosed on all sides?
While they were still trying to wrap their heads around it, the pirates began boarding the ship according to Cosmos’s orders. Jin and his companions were swept along by the momentum and boarded as well.
"Blow it!"
The moment Cosmos shouted, the cliff walls forming the cavern began to collapse. The pirates had detonated magic bombs they had planted in advance.
Roooooar!
Simultaneously, a massive torrent of water began pouring in from the destroyed cliff. To their surprise, as the cliff crumbled, the sea became visible just beyond it.
"Fly, Order No. 7!"
Caught in the deluge, Order No. 7 surged forward, riding the powerful wave out toward the open sea.