Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Hang our flag!”
Following Fang Yuan’s command, a black pirate flag with a white skull was gradually hoisted on Mockingbird.
There was immediately an uproar on the ship across from them. Shortly after, that ship’s crew was roaring in rage.
After momentary astonishment, the Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team immediately prepared for battle when they saw their former old friend turn hostile.
“Captain?” Bill moved slightly nearer to Fang Yuan. “Why not send a friendly signal so that we can get closer before attacking them by surprise? They don’t know that our ship has just undergone a drastic change!”
“As far as pirates are concerned, the little friendship from before is inferior to even the feathers of a seagull. Not to mention, they just raked in a great fortune… If we had approached, they’d certainly attack!” Fang Yuan shook his head, and his expression instantly became arrogant. “Moreover… with my blessings, if you still aren’t able to easily defeat them and obtain victory, then what do I need you guys for?”
His icy cold words immediately caused Bill to shiver. He knew that everything this captain said was the truth!
Kaboom!
At this point, the other pirate ship opened fire.
Multiple cannonballs landed in the sea around Mockingbird, causing huge splashes of seawater.
“Go closer!” Fang Yuan bellowed and raised the officer’s sword in his hand. “Where are our gunners? Counterattack! Counterattack!”
Unfortunately, he had killed too many of the former crew members. Even if they had barely managed to gather sufficient manpower, their cannon fire was sparse, and the accuracy was so low, it made people want to cry.
Bang!
Right at this moment, a cannonball accurately hit Mockingbird’s deck, blasting a huge hole surrounded by flesh and blood.
“Get lost!”
Fang Yuan stepped forward, kicked the helmsman away, and steered the ship personally.
He was clear that if the two ships continued bombarding each other with cannons, his Mockingbird would certainly end up shattering into pieces.
Their only hope was to fight a boarding battle with them.
Under his control, Mockingbird was as agile as a fish, navigating through the net of cannon fire and getting progressively closer.
“Everyone… attack!” Fang Yuan shouted.
During this time, numerous cannonballs had violently landed on Mockingbird, causing it to become full of holes.
But at this moment, Mockingbird had already completed its mission.
Bang!
Amid the astonished cries from across, the ship’s ram firmly slammed into the center of the opposing ship, almost causing it to break into two.
“Hehe!”
Butcher laughed wildly and jumped from the ship’s bow onto the other pirate ship. With a sweep of his huge cutlass, the few pirates that came to encircle him were overwhelmed with shock and severed at the waist.
“Ahh…”
“Help!”
Miserable shrieks were heard one after another.
This situation was similar to the extremely inhumane waist chop from ancient times. Some of the pirates were still able to survive for a short while even after their bodies had been severed in half. They were crawling on the floor, trying hard to join their bodies back together.
Even for pirates who had killed countless times, their limbs turned icy cold and their skin crawled after seeing such a cruel scene.
“Kill!”
Whereas for the pirates on Mockingbird, it boosted their morale after seeing this. They followed behind Butcher and went on a killing spree.
Clang! Clang!
After a few loud clashes, the pirates of the Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team were stunned to see that the weapons in their hands were broken. Afterward, they were easily killed during this momentarily astonishment.
“Haha… This is the kind of battle that I wanted!”
Butcher sliced one of the pirate leaders into two and laughed heartily.
Although their numbers were less than the other party, they were dominating in all aspects of strength due to the captain’s blessings.
By now, the battle had already begun to become one-sided.
“Roar! Roar!”
Suddenly, a tiger’s roar was heard.
A dark shadow lunged out like a ferocious tiger and grabbed a pirate. Tearing with its hands, the pirate was ripped in half and overflowing with fresh blood.
“Fred must have gone mad to dare attack me. However, looking at you guys… could he have obtained some secret treasure, or perhaps something drastic happened on Mockingbird?”
The black shadow stopped, and the figure of a pirate ship captain appeared.
He was a burly man with bronze skin, clad in a black-spotted animal skin robe. He had tied his hair into over a dozen braids that were all different in appearance.
“Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team Captain—Tiger?!”
However, when Butcher saw him, his expression was fearful and grave.
“It seems that… something really happened on Mockingbird… But it doesn’t matter. Since you’ve chosen to declare war on me, then be prepared to pay the price!”
Tiger assumed a position resembling a ferocious tiger pouncing on its prey.
The weapons he used were very bizarre. They were ten sharp metal finger cots that made his hands seem as though they had transformed into the sharp claws of a ferocious beast.
Ferocious Tiger—Tiger!
He was the strongest man on the Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team, and he had even ripped apart a navy battalion. It was also rumored that he was a mysterious Extraordinary.
“I have long wanted to fight against you!” Butcher had a zealous look on his face. “Apart from Captain, no one can be stronger than me!”
Poof!
He swung his huge cutlass, and it was as if a tornado had formed on the ground.
Sizzle!
A black shadow flashed by in midair and discharged a flurry of sparks.
Two silhouettes fought at lightning speed, and then they stood firmly in place.
“Your skills aren’t bad, but unfortunately you’re too slow!”
Tiger licked the traces of blood on his metal claws.
“Damn it!”
Butcher looked at the wounds on his own body, and his face turned gloomy.
Such a small injury was certainly not capable of causing him to lose his fighting strength, but the difference between them was obvious. If he continued fighting, it would definitely not end well for him.
“Move aside…”
At this moment, a cold voice was heard.
Butcher’s body tensed up, and he subconsciously stepped aside.
“You’re… the new pirate ship captain? It seems that Fred, that useless piece of trash, has already been fed to the sharks…”
Tiger’s expression was unprecedentedly grave while gazing at Fang Yuan.
His beast-like instincts told him that the reason why these pirates had undergone such a drastic transformation was entirely due to this man in front of him.
Dangerous! Very dangerous!
A shiver immediately spread across his entire body.
“Captain of the Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team, right? I’ll give you a chance. Fall on your knees and pledge allegiance to me! I will then spare you…” Fang Yuan said in a deep voice.
“Spare me… kid!”
Tiger’s expression became sinister in an instant. He exposed his fangs and suddenly pounced, as though he had really transformed into a huge tiger.
“Rise!”
Fang Yuan bent his fingers.
Splash!
Pieces of the deck’s wooden planks floated into the air, blocking the black shadow’s path.
“Roar! Roar!”
Tiger repeatedly brandished his sharp claws, ripping apart the wooden planks and dashing toward Fang Yuan.
Poof!
Soon after, he plunged right into a gigantic ball of water.
A three-meter-wide ball of water was floating in front of Fang Yuan. Inside it, the captain was constantly struggling, seeming like he was drowning.
Witnessing this, the Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team instantly lost their will to fight. Some of them even directly raised both hands in surrender.
“Sorcerer!”
“Boss is definitely a sorcerer!”
Seeing this, the pirates of Mockingbird, especially Bill, had once again reaffirmed the guess in their hearts.
“Useless chap. I thought… you could’ve brought me more delight!”
It could be seen from Fang Yuan’s expression that he had lost interest. He snapped his fingers.
The ball of water slowly floated up. Trapped within, Tiger was like a small bug inside a piece of amber.
“Fire!” Fang Yuan once again said another word. In an instant, there was a ball of flames burning inside the water, and Tiger was turned into ashes.
Splash!
The ball of water exploded, raining down as droplets.
“Surrender if you don’t want to become like him!”
Fang Yuan swept his eyes over everyone.
The Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team was already in a lost cause, and its pirates immediately chose to surrender.
Numerous pirates threw down their weapons and raised their hands.
“Bill, all the captives are now under your watch. Butcher, head over to take control of the merchant ship!” Fang Yuan swiftly issued his commands.
At the same time, a wrought iron ring landed in his hand.
This was the only thing the former Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team captain had left behind after the ball of water was burned.
The reason it had caught Fang Yuan’s eye was naturally due to the mysterious powers encircling it.
[Ferocious Tiger Ring]
[Ingredients: Wrought Iron, Beast Blood, Ferocious Beast Spirit]
[Description: This ring utilizes the power of black magic to seal the spirit of a ferocious tiger. The ferocious tiger spirit can be summoned for spiritual possession once per day to obtain enhancements in speed and strength.]
[Status: In good condition.]
…
“This little item is pretty good. In all likelihood, it was thanks to this that Tiger was rumored to be an Extraordinary…”
Fang Yuan played around with the ring in his hand.
In terms of enhancements, this extraordinary object could simply not be compared with the powers that he had borrowed from the main body. It would be a total waste if this object was kept on him.
However, if he gave it to a subordinate, he could immediately produce another Tiger.
Almost without any consideration, he already had a suitable candidate in mind.
Sporadic shouts of killing could be heard. It was not long before Butcher sent news of settling the merchant ship.
After all, the main forces of the Ferocious Tiger Pirate Team were here, and they were either annihilated or held captive. The remaining members on the merchant ship were only there to maintain the ship’s basic operations and watch over the captives. Thus, they simply did not have the ability to resist.
“Captain?”
With the evening sun gradually disappearing below the horizon, Fang Yuan was drinking rum while listening to the reports from his two subordinates.
“… We’ve taken thirty-seven pirates as captives. At the same time, the Ferocious Tiger ship has become our spoils of war, and just Tiger himself had contributed over a thousand gold coins!” Bill said respectfully.
“This merchant ship is from the Rose Business Council. The goods it was carrying were spices and silk, which are both very popular on the market. Their estimated value is around two to three thousand gold coins. Of course, this is the price given at a pirate port. Those black-hearted merchants always like to drive prices down.” Butcher mumbled resentfully, but soon after, he exposed a smile that all men could intuitively understand. “Also… Captain, I found some interesting captives on the merchant ship. There’s a beautiful noble lady on it!”
For pirates, it was only right that the captain was the first to take their share and pick all the best stuff.