Will didn't immediately ask any questions. Instead, he stepped forward, passing between the two young women, and spoke as he walked:
"Stay here. Don't move."
"I'll deal with the ones chasing you first, then I'll come back for answers."
The two girls snapped out of their daze upon hearing his words, hastily standing up with wary expressions as they looked at the tall and powerfully built figure before them.
Judging from what he said, it seemed like he was aware that someone was after them.
Yet, he hadn't attacked them.
That meant this terrifyingly strong man standing in front of them likely wasn't on the same side as their pursuers.
But their first impression of him had been far too intense.
So, while they didn't dare let down their guard completely, they also didn't dare turn and run.
After all, if he could appear in front of them out of nowhere, then catching them before they could escape would be just as easy.
In the end, the two exchanged a glance and, in silent agreement, chose to stay put and wait for an opportunity.
At that moment, Will suddenly halted, his gaze locking onto something ahead, as if he were waiting for something.
From the dense foliage not far in front of them, eight men suddenly burst forth, each one looking as vicious as a wild beast.
Seeing their unmistakable pirate attire, a satisfied glint flashed through Will's eyes.
"Now that's what I call pirates."
The group of cutthroat pirates, each wielding a different weapon, also noticed Will standing in front of the two girls the moment they emerged.
Their previously arrogant expressions shifted instantly.
Even at a glance, they could tell just from his towering build that this man wasn't someone to take lightly.
But years of pillaging and slaughtering on the high seas had honed their instincts, and they quickly steadied themselves.
Besides, their captain—a man feared for his terrifying strength—was on his way.
With that reassurance, the eight pirates felt a surge of confidence and raised their weapons, striding forward aggressively.
The tattooed pirate in the lead lifted his blade, pointing it at Will as he shouted menacingly:
"Who the hell are you?! Are you with these two women?!"
"You dare cross our boss, Torega?! Kid, I think you're—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Will—who had been standing there with his hands in his pockets—suddenly vanished.
The tattooed pirate found his vision suddenly engulfed by a massive shadow, blocking out all the sunlight.
Before he could even process what was happening, a searing pain exploded in his mind!
His eyes rolled back, and before he could utter another word, he was sent flying backward.
His airborne body crashed directly into four pirates behind him, knocking them off their feet.
The five men collapsed to the ground in a heap, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths, their eyes rolled back as they lay motionless.
Will slowly withdrew his right hand, his gaze as calm as ever as he looked down at the few remaining pirates, making no immediate move to pursue them.
The pirate closest to him—his face marred by a deep scar—turned pale at the sight before him.
A moment later, his scarred face twisted into a vicious snarl.
With a roar, he swung his massive blade in a horizontal arc, aiming straight for Will's waist.
Yet, before his attack could even come close, Will casually caught the blade between two fingers.
The scar-faced pirate's eyes widened in sheer disbelief, his expression twisted with shock.
Frantically, he gripped the hilt with both hands and tried to wrench the blade free—
It was as if those two fingers were forged from steel, holding the weapon in place like an unbreakable vice.
Will stared at the flustered pirate, his face devoid of emotion, before slowly tightening his fingers.
With a crisp snap, the blade split cleanly in two, its tip dropping to the ground and embedding itself in the dirt.
Thrown off balance, the scar-faced pirate staggered backward, barely managing to keep his footing.
But before he could even react—
Will took a single step forward, instantly closing the distance between them.
In the blink of an eye—
A streak of movement, too fast for the naked eye to follow, flashed between them.
A muffled shockwave erupted.
The scar-faced pirate's eyes bulged, veins bursting in his sclera. His body was lifted off the ground as if struck by an invisible force, his clothes shredding from the impact.
Unbearable, excruciating pain—!!
Agony flooded his mind, drowning out all other thoughts until only one remained: pure, unrelenting suffering.
His vision blurred, and as his consciousness faded, his body crumpled to the ground. He landed on his knees, his head slumping forward in eternal silence.
The two remaining pirates to Will's right recoiled in horror at the gruesome sight.
All courage drained from them.
With terrified screams, they spun on their heels and fled.
But before they could take more than a few steps, Will vanished once more—
Only to reappear right behind them.
Reaching out, he grabbed both men by the skull and—
With a sudden, forceful motion, he smashed their heads together.
The sickening sound of bone and teeth shattering echoed in the air.
Their eyes bulged, blood vessels rupturing, as thick streams of blood spewed from their mouths.
From the front, their faces looked as if they'd been crushed together in a hydraulic press.
"You lot... your purity is simply too low."
Releasing his grip with a hint of disappointment, Will let their limp bodies slump to the ground.
The two pirates landed in a grotesque heap, utterly motionless.
The two girls behind him gasped in unison.
Watching Will effortlessly—no, overwhelmingly—annihilate all eight pirates, their eyes widened in shock.
Hearing their exclamations, Will slowly turned back to face them.
The orange-haired girl was still in awe, but the purple-haired girl had already composed herself.
Seeing Will's overwhelming strength, she quickly realized that he might be their best chance at escaping pursuit.
Her eyes flickered with calculation, and in an instant, she made a decision.
Stepping forward, she adopted a soft, helpless tone, her voice laced with urgency as she spoke:
"Sir, we're truly grateful for your help."
"But you must be careful—these pirates were just underlings."
"The real threat is their captain, Torega. He's the one leading the hunt for us, and his strength is truly terrifying."
"You took out his men... he won't let you off so easily."
Will raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation.
"So what you're saying is... the guy chasing you is strong?"