"I don’t need to ponder, man. There are two things I’ll never become."
He shoved two fingers into the captain’s face before lowering them with his words.
"A hero and even less a ruler. Nothing will change my mind."
His face turned somber as he remembered Prometheus’ story.
Heroes could come in all forms and types, even as monsters yet shared the same flaw: the other’s safety and well-being burdened them—something he didn’t want to feel.
’Sure, I helped the dwarves and other earthlings. But only because I could. Saving them didn’t cost me anything but a bit of effort I planned to make in the first place. Yet, he wants me to become something worse than a hero!’
He gritted his teeth at the repulsing idea.
He would not only have to burden himself with citizens but work daily to offer them good lives! Even heroes only acted when danger threatened them.
He shook his head, a steely glint flashing in his eyes.
"You’re still young. Let the idea simmer in your mind for a decade or two. You’ll understand then that sometimes we have to work for things bigger than us. Not because we want to."
Admiral Reaper’s voice turned icy as his eyes narrowed.
"To prevent them from happening to others."
He scoffed, noticing an approaching shadow on the horizon as he bit his lips in frustration.
"You soured my mood. Sell everything and meet me in the Galleon’s Galley. If I’m not around, leave the money to someone named Sam. I’ll warn him."
Without waiting for an answer and unwilling to continue on the sudden serious subject, he channelled his mana through his clenched fists. Flowing wind encased his frame, roaring in his ears as he blurred like a furious gale away from the ship.
’Why did he bring serious talk when I only wanted to relax? Shit!’
He grumbled on the way, the shadows becoming clearer in his eyes until a dreamlike bay far from what anyone would have expected from a pirate’s dwelling entered his vision.
A towering fort nestled between a mountain pointed its menacing magical cannons toward the sea, ready to obliterate any threats.
Even if it was his second time seeing it, he still failed to understand how they could possess such incredible defenses.
He plunged into the sea and swam the few kilometers left before they could detect him, remembering Flintwaters’ warning.
’They’ll fire at any aerial threats ten kilometers around the bay. Seriously, who’s providing them with cutting-edge technological armaments?’
Despite Julius’ questions last time, he hadn’t learned anything because... no one knew. The fort was off-limits to any human beings. They only knew pirates could rest in the city below so long as they didn’t cause chaos.
’Killing is still allowed, though.’
He chuckled as he propelled himself out of the water, landing on one of the many mooring bridges.
He sighed, ignoring the many pirates’ surprised gazes. Instead, he took his surroundings in.
The beach’s pale sand and azure water relaxed his agitated nerves while the tropical forest surrounding the city created a verdant exotic vista he took a moment to enjoy.
However, the thing of note was the city itself.
’I don’t know who designed it, but he knew what he was doing.’
He whistled at the old stone buildings wafting airs of history and the intricate network of streets and alleyways.
’What did he say again? This city has no dead end. No matter where you want to go, there is always a path... if you don’t meet criminals after your money, that is.’
He chuckled, taking determined steps towards the Galleon’s Galley, the pub they had used with Flintwaters last time, and their rendezvous point if he ever needed him in the future.
On his way, the smell of liquor replaced the oxygen in the air, permeating the places every corner as he saw several drunk hoodlums break each other’s noses or swindlers gesturing for him to approach. Criminals littered the place, eying his clothes with envy yet reluctant to act after he threw them intimidating death glares.
Not minding them, he strolled the streets until a sensual voice entered his ears.
"Hey, handsome! Want to have some fun?"
He turned, his eyes landing on a woman’s appealing clothing and her two natural weapons proudly protruding for everyone to see. Pupils constricting and dread tightening around his neck, he dashed away.
’I forgot there are some weirdos here! They even tried with Julius last year.’
He spat his disgust at these women on the ground. Seeking pleasure wasn’t a sin in itself. But with teenagers?
’Get someone your age!’
He gritted his teeth, stopping before a shady door hidden behind a staircase a minute later.
Confidence filling his movements, he knocked on the reinforced door and waited.
A man swiped a compartment on the door, gazing at him warily.
"Your grandpa. I came to deliver you a birthday gift and a blessing from the Tide Caller."
He smirked at the man, raising his thumb.
"We changed the password two months ago. Give me the new one, or fuck off. We don’t welcome kids here."
His smirk froze on his face, and his eyes narrowed into fiery slits.
"I’m Flintwaters friend and I know Sam. You have three seconds to open the door and apologise."
"Sure! And I know Princess Elisabeth. You know what? I’m even her secret lover. Hahaha! Fuck off before I open the door to trash you to the ground. It’ll teach you not to take real pirates for fools."
He exhaled sharply, the insolent words seeping into his mind like a cloud of stinging needles.
When did someone ever talk to him like that? And why would he accept it?
His leg rose from the ground before the man’s amused eyes before...
The door burst backwards, splinters flying everywhere, and collided with the mocking man.
The noise of cracking wood echoed as he stepped into the pub. Uncaring about the drinking pirates’ stunned gazes, he wrapped his fingers around the bulky man’s neck and raised his body as if it didn’t weigh more than a feather.
"Trash me to the ground and fuck off it was?"
The noise of cracking teeth sent a shiver down the onlookers’ spines as blood flew from the man’s face. Their eyes enlarged next as they saw his jaw drop, the bones shattered into dust by the kid’s slap.