"Captain, that was so cool."
"Hey, hey, hey! It's been hours. Can't you come up with a new word?"
"What, you think the Captain is weak?"
"You little brat, are you looking for a beating?"
"No, no! I was just talking."
The burly, fierce, and ugly Boatswain Velen cursed, "Get this deck cleaned, now! And make sure you scrub every last bit of that mutated freak's flesh out of the cracks for me!"
"Yes, Boss!"
Inside the cockpit, Ronan leaned back in his chair. One crude, heavy mechanical arm rested on the ship's wheel, while his other, intact hand gripped the control lever, steering the steamship through the raging winds and waves, doing his best to keep the vessel steady.
He heard the pirates' cheers from outside and curled his lip. 'You idiots don't know anything,' he thought. 'The Red-haired Captain's power is beyond terrifying.'
Especially Dakman Island... Dakman Island...
A flicker of confusion crossed Ronan's eyes as he recalled the terrifying behemoth that had made the entire Dakman Island disappear, and the monstrous waves and Storms...
How did he—how did the *Ronan*—survive? And how did they escape from there?
He only remembered that the Captain had saved them, but he couldn't recall any of the details.
"Dammit, I'm such an idiot. How could I forget the Captain's magnificent display? It must have been absolutely domineering and imperious—punching the terrifying behemoth, kicking away the Storm and waves..."
Ronan was vexed that he couldn't remember the Red-haired Captain's battle.
"What—What's that?!"
Just then, a cry of alarm came from the crow's nest. "Second Officer, sir! Aft! There's a ship!"
"Aft?"
Hearing the shout, Ronan pulled down a single-lensed telescope from its hook nearby, squinting one eye to look at the ship that had appeared behind them.
"Is—Is that...?!"
In the far distance behind the *Ronan*, a Five-Masted Sailing Ship was heading straight for them. Its hull was pure silver-white, adorned with ornate golden patterns.
But that wasn't what was important. What terrified Ronan was the insignia on its massive sail and its piercing figurehead—the emblem of a rising sun, glittering brilliantly under the sunlight.
"The Dawn Church!?"
The pirates on deck all rushed to the stern, staring in astonishment at the Five-Masted Sailing Ship bearing the mark of the Dawn Church. Only in a corner, a few sailors controlled by Clelia continued to stare blankly ahead.
In the hold of the steamship, shielded by a Rune Array, the members of Clelia's Queen's Guard unit were completely oblivious to what was happening outside.
Under Vian's leadership, they were still carrying out their various training exercises.
Only the blonde Extraordinary, Haisa, performed the ceremonial motions perfunctorily, a faint sense of unease creeping into her heart.
'What's going on? It feels like danger is approaching.'
"Damn it, it's a Dawn Church ship!"
"Looks like it's heading right for us?"
"Quick, quick! Prepare for battle!" Boatswain Velen cursed. "What rotten luck! We just survived the crisis on Dakman Island, and now we run into a Dawn Church ship. And it's a goddamn Five-Masted Sailing Ship, too..."
Among the pirates of the Cordo Sea, there was a saying: better to meet the Black Pearl than to cross the Dawn Church.
Usually, if you ran into the Black Pearl, you still had a chance to live. But if you encountered the Holy Professionals of the Dawn Church, the best you could hope for was to jump overboard and feed the fish.
In the eyes of those fanatics, all pirates were heretics, and they would never give you a chance to speak.
Ronan had no time for anything else. He roared at the panicking pirates on deck through the cockpit glass, "Hurry up! Roll out the cannons!"
"Yes, yes! The cannons! Ready your weapons!"
The remaining pirates quickly drew their weapons. The gunners ran into the cabins, entering the gun turrets hidden by the ship's portholes. They rapidly spun the control levers, turning the turrets into position.
Just as Ronan was thinking he needed to notify the Captain at once, the clear view of the deck and sea before him vanished, replaced by a vast expanse of white. Then, a solemn voice echoed in his ears.
"Holy. Judgment!"
'This is bad...'
As a dazzling light swept across the *Ronan*, the bodies of the pirates busy preparing for battle on deck froze in place.
Boatswain Velen felt the power and a bitter smile touched his lips. 'Captain Ronan, Boatswain Velen Alsara's journey ends here...'
Then, all the pirates exposed on the deck were engulfed by the white light. Their bodies vanished as if they had been erased.
Among them were Clelia's puppets...
PFFT!
「Meanwhile, in the theater.」
"Are you all right?" Wei'en asked, looking at Clelia, who suddenly had a large hole torn in her chest. He took out a Healing Potion and poured it onto her wound.
'Dammit, it's not working!'
'Goddammit, how many times has this happened? This woman Clelia has the worst luck!'
"I... I... Dawn!" Clelia's brow was furrowed, and beads of sweat soaked her long hair. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she grit her teeth. "It's... it's him. That terrifying... Judgment Knight from before!"
"I know!"
Wei'en stared at the wound in Clelia's chest. It looked as if it had been pierced by molten lava. The exposed flesh was being seared by a golden radiance at an alarming rate, giving off wisps of white smoke.
"Now tell me, how do I save you!"
"He... He wounded my Origin..."
Origin?
Origin—
"Adagua!"
Wei'en remembered the last time Clelia was injured. He had used Soul-Devouring Magic to devour the Origin Power contained within the wound. This time should be the same...
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