Chapter 262
Chapter 262
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 262
Chapter Title: Clash of the Pirate King
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BOOOOM!
Was this how the continental creation myths described it? The immense impact split the sea in two, sending a massive column of water surging into the sky.
It was the spectacle created by Pirate King Ballak's greatsword.
The soaring water column obscured his vision. Piercing through the watery barrier that blinded him, a golden gauntlet shot toward Ballak.
The hand not gripping his greatsword blocked the gauntlet outright.
THUD!
Fist against fist. Even though it was flesh against flesh, the sound rang out like a golden bell being struck, echoing in all directions.
Jerome, his fist caught, didn't panic. He spun his body instead, kicking Ballak squarely in the gut.
KABOOM!
Ballak's body sank beneath the waves like it had been hit by a cannonball.
SPLASH!
But Ballak rocketed back up even faster than he'd sunk, swinging his greatsword upward at Jerome.
Seeing the brutal force behind that blade—the same one that had crushed his abdomen like a cookie—Jerome instinctively knew.
'Blocking it head-on would be dangerous!'
No matter that it was made of true gold and orichalcum.
Clashing directly with the energy in that greatsword was too risky.
CRUNCH!
He grabbed the flat of the blade with both hands and deflected it sideways.
As the greatsword's trajectory shifted, a voice of admiration escaped Ballak's lips.
"Hahaha! You caught it barehanded?! Impressive, truly impressive!"
Though broader than most weapons, it was still wielded by him—someone unbound by concerns of weight or size. The speed of his greatsword rivaled any swift blade.
Yet Jerome had seized the blade in that split-second opening and deflected it perfectly.
If he'd been even a fraction slower or faster, his torso or arm would've been cleaved in two.
But taking such a risk demanded a reward.
He yanked the deflected blade, exposing Ballak's midsection wide open, and hammered it with Iron Mountain's technique.
Or rather, he tried to.
THWACK!
"?!"
Just as Jerome had deflected Ballak's sword moments ago, Ballak softly redirected Jerome's shoulder with his free hand.
Jerome's crown suddenly positioned itself below Ballak's body.
Stars exploded in his vision as Ballak's brown-haired head slammed straight down onto Jerome's skull.
KABOOOOOM!
"!"
SPLASH!
Excruciating pain shot through his crown as his body sank beneath the surface.
But there was no time to hurt. Ballak's follow-up barrage came right at him in the water.
KABOOM! Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
"Hahaha! This is fun! My heart's pounding like it hasn't in ages—won't quit racing!"
Ballak dashed across the surface, chaining attacks without pause.
The fierce brawl on the seawater had reached a brief stalemate once Ballak dodged Jerome's vortex and created some distance.
"Hmm... Who knew. You're far too calm, kid. Not worried about your comrades?"
Ballak tilted his head at Jerome, who showed no impatience despite the prolonged fight, unlike what his youth suggested.
No matter that there was a woman of similar caliber among them, each member's combat power clearly favored the pirates overwhelmingly.
The edge elders held over the young came from life's hard-earned experience.
No matter how talented the youth, watching those they cherished die wasn't something greenhorns that age could shrug off lightly.
Yet Jerome's face held only the light excitement of battle's outset.
"...I'm used to it."
In his past life, comrades who fell resisting the Holy Empire's oppression—he'd sent them off without rest.
Expecting no sacrifices to gain something was greed. Accidents could happen anytime, anywhere.
He just tried to minimize them as much as possible.
"Besides, isn't it presumptuous to assume we'd lose without Rampart's help?"
What basis did they have to think the pirates would win outright without him?
"If anyone's getting hasty, it's you, not me."
They'd gained plenty of experience fighting alongside him, after all. They had real grit. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ooooooh!
Sinister black energy oozed out.
"S-Saladin?"
Faye, behind Saladin, couldn't hide her bewilderment.
After popping that pitch-black pill into his mouth, the aura emanating from Saladin had completely changed.
Shhrrk!
With a flick of his fingers, Saladin laid Mimi and Nene—puppets he cherished more than his life—gently atop the wreckage of the shattered ship.
"Faye, take these two and fall back, would you?"
"What? B-But..."
"Don't worry. The waterproofing's working fine."
Saladin grinned confidently, as if to say, 'Who do you think made them?'
"No, that's not it."
Who asked about waterproofing?!
What Faye wanted to ask was about the ominous energy pouring from Saladin's body in waves.
"...Fine. I'll leave that guy to you. I'll go help the other sirens."
Against his gut, Faye scooped up Mimi and Nene and vanished beneath the waves.
For some reason, Saladin looked a bit dangerous right now.
"......"
Saladin stared silently at the spot where Faye had disappeared, then turned, glaring at his foe.
"You okay without those toys?"
His veins bulging even more than before, Pardal grinned chillingly, scythe in hand.
"Toys, huh..."
Shrrrrk!
Saladin reeled in the threads he'd used for Mimi and Nene, flashing a wry smile.
"Fair enough. Direct combat's not really my style."
But right now, he couldn't afford to be picky about hot soup or cold.
"Brace yourself. No time left—I'm going all out."
He had to end it before the effects of the third item he'd melted into Martin's poison pill—the Explosive Venom Pill—wore off.
"Ha! As if you weren't going all out already—?!"
Pardal couldn't finish.
Shing!
Silver thread flew at his brow—he had to block it.
Shing!
Another silver thread. Dodging, Pardal drew his chain sickle.
Clink-clink-clink!
The chain lunged to ensnare Saladin.
'Idiot! I'll mince you to bits!'
From what he'd seen, the guy's style was pure puppeteer—sending dolls ahead.
Foolishly charging in after picking up some toy.
With the puppet obstacle gone, nothing could stop his chain now.
Clink!
The scythe hurtled toward Saladin's neck.
"Die!"
But things didn't go as Pardal expected.
The moment Saladin's left hand moved again—
Clang!
"?!"
The chain flying viciously at Saladin halted like a lie.
As if a stone had jammed perfectly between well-oiled gears.
Saladin had woven the thread from Nene into every link of Pardal's chain, tangling it tight.
Crunch!
"There. Your annoying weapon's useless now."
Saladin yanked his left hand.
"Ha! Think a few flimsy threads can stop my chain sickle?!"
Pardal sneered and pulled hard.
Impressive weaving, sure—but thread was thread.
Stuff for puppets would snap easy.
Clack!
"......?!"
It didn't break.
"How's that? Tougher than it looks, right? Heh, foreign goods are the best. Pricey stuff's got quality."
The silver threads Saladin used were from Philador Kingdom's aid supplies—specially requested by Jerome.
The ones he'd eyed in the royal treasury while picking formations and gauntlets, set aside for Saladin.
But what shocked Pardal more was—
'...This bastard. Where'd this strength come from?'
A puppeteer, not even a warrior, resisting his pull.
"Here I go."
Shlick!
Saladin wiped the black-tinged blood trickling from his mouth. No time left.
"Neither of us wants to drag this out, right?"
Tat-tat-tat!
With Pardal's chain sealed, Saladin closed the gap.
Of course, Pardal didn't stand idle.
Clack! Clack!
He assembled his tonfa in a flash and charged Saladin.
"A puppeteer without puppets is like a swordsman without a blade!"
Even with the scythe sealed, no way he'd lose up close.
Shrrk!
Then Saladin's right-hand threads stirred.
Whiiiish!
"Ha! Trying to mimic me?!"
Pardal swatted away the incoming silver threads and swung his tonfa at Saladin's head.
Using chains in real combat was expert-level.
Daring to try it against him.
"Arrogant to the end, puppeteer!"
This would finish it.
Once he cleaned up these monster freaks his fish brought, straight to healing.
Once recovered—
'I'll slaughter everything alive in Olivia.'
Not a single cur left behind.
With grim resolve, he swung the raised tonfa down on Saladin's head.
Or tried to.
Thud!
"......?!"
"Mimic? Come on, don't be so harsh."
The three threads Pardal had batted away were now tightly bound around the base of his scythe—his tonfa's end.
"You handle one chain."
Snap!
Saladin flicked his thumb and forefinger. The remaining two silver threads twisted together, stabbing toward Pardal's left chest.
"You filthy—!"
Pffft!
A tiny sound. A tiny wound. Barely noticeable.
But Saladin knew.
Where that thread pierced—Pardal's heart was already shattered inside.
Thud!
Pardal's eyes rolled back as he crumpled. Saladin gasped raggedly.
"I handle ten threads."
Who's mimicking who, punk.
Wobble!
Blood dripped from Saladin's mouth as he staggered.
'Damn, the Explosive Venom Pill's wrecked my insides.'
Passing out and sinking here could be fatal.
"Gotta... stay conscious..."
As the sea surface neared, the unconscious Saladin plunged in limply.
SPLASH!
How much time passed?
"Phaaa!"
Saladin surfaced, having lost consciousness.
Faye, worried, had returned and found him adrift.
"Good work, Saladin. Leave the rest to us."
After placing Saladin safely, Faye sent frequencies from underwater, directing the sea monsters more aggressively.
-Aaaah!
Without Pardal or Nolland, no pirates could withstand the sirens. ⚔ BATTLE UPDATE ⚔ Left Flank Secured. Buccaneer Pirates' Leader Bukryeong Pardal: KIA ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hup!"
Whoooosh! Whoooosh!
CRACK!
The tonfa, spinning viciously in his grip, smashed the wolf's skull.
Blood sprayed.
"GRRRAAAH!"
But the wolf lost no will to fight—instead, it slashed monstrous claws at the club-wielding man.
The sheer ferocity chilled the bones.
But he could block it.
Calmly using his remaining left tonfa, he could avoid injury...
Whiiiish!
An arrow flew at his brain. Infused with spirit energy, even a master like him couldn't ignore it undefended.
The arrow and claws timed perfectly. He knew what to prioritize.
Snap! Slash!
He snapped the threatening arrow—at the cost of the beast's claws raking his gut.
"Guh!"
Gadik Pirates' first mate, Avery, barely prevented organ damage and staggered back.
"You cowardly bastards!"
One-on-one, he could take them.
But they coordinated ruthlessly, hunting him like prey, tightening the noose.
Slowly, steadily. Draining his strength bit by bit.
"You filthy aberration! No warrior’s pride or honor!"
At Avery's cursing, Baukalrak and Ash exchanged glances, then chuckled in disbelief.
"Grrr, what nonsense. This is war, not a duel."
"Exactly. No need to die for honor and kill allies. Especially pirates preaching honor—passing dogs would laugh."
"You sons of—!"
Avery's impatience stemmed from one thing.
His captain, expected to help, was still fighting.
"Waiting for that side? Tough luck—we won't wait. Gotta finish quick and assist."
"Damn it...! To die in a place like this?!"
Avery seethed with injustice. He couldn't die like this.
He was Gadik Pirates' first mate, the strongest fleet. Glory and power awaited on the continent.
Clang!
His frantic tonfa swing caught between Baukalrak's claws.
"Your excitement made your moves sloppy. That sealed your fate."
"Eek!"
Avery yanked desperately for his tonfa. But Ash's arrow was faster.
Thwack!
"......!!"
His head snapped like lightning-struck, body convulsing before collapsing limply.
Thud!
"Grrr, strong human. How's over there?"
"Let's watch a bit longer."
Ignoring the fallen Avery, Baukalrak and Ash eyed another battlefield.
There, four men traded frenzied blows in a whirlwind of offense and defense.