Chapter 17
The sudden duel initiated by the Pirate King drew growing excitement from the pirates gathered on the deck.
“Th-the captain is dueling?”
“Oho… It’s been a while since this happened.”
He wasn’t just the captain of their ship but the ruler of the seas, a man of absolute power.
Although he regularly led the charge in battle and swept away enemies, engaging in a duel like this was a rare occurrence.
Moreover, his opponents weren’t to be underestimated either.
Franklin, one of the top five strongest in the fleet, and Magellan, the former pirate hunter whose skill and reputation preceded him, now a low-ranking recruit.
Anticipation filled the pirates as they stepped back to give the combatants more space.
Among them were Elkana and Ambasha, whose dynamic felt like a senior begrudgingly guiding a junior, even though they had drastically different paths leading to the ship.
“This is getting interesting… Who do you think will win?” Ambasha asked.
“Hmm… If he doesn’t hold back, Your father will win for sure. But, who knows? With Franklin and Magellan’s combined strength, they might manage to graze his clothes,” Elkana replied.
“I don’t think they’ll even manage that. The difference in skill is just too vast, no matter how you slice it.”
“Well, that’s tough love. And he’s supposed to be your boyfriend,” Ambasha said with a faintly mischievous look.
Elkana, already knowing the nature of their relationship, tousled Ambasha’s hair with a playful smile.
“Exactly. That’s why I know him so well. I know every corner of his abilities, his weaknesses… even where to touch him to make him melt.”
She licked her lips teasingly as she spoke, but the subtleties of her meaning flew right over Ambasha’s head, leaving the girl tilting her head in confusion.
Although she was at the age where she was beginning to learn more about the world, certain things were still beyond her grasp.
Elkana chuckled to herself, thinking she’d have some fun teaching Ambasha later.
Clearing her throat, she shifted the subject back to the duel.
“Anyway, judging by Magellan’s fighting style and skill, it’s not happening. If there’s any variable, it’d be Franklin. I’ve seen her fight, but I’ve never seen her go all out.”
“Well, we’ll find out soon enough. Oh, how about we place a bet on it? The loser treats the winner to a meal in Bennessa.”
“Sure. Why not? I’ll bet on the two of them losing.”
“Then I’ll bet they’ll graze his clothes and get their wish granted.”
With a touch of excitement, Elkana focused on the unfolding duel, silently rooting for Magellan despite her words.
***
-Huuuuuung…
The Pirate King stood silently, gathering magic into his training sword.
Watching him, Franklin and Magellan felt a prickling sensation spread through their bodies.
Even though the duel had yet to begin, the sheer power radiating from him was palpable.
If this were a real battle, surrendering for the sake of survival would already be the only sane option.
But this was a duel.
There was no trace of the lethal intent he typically exuded in battle, and his stance was far more relaxed than usual.
The fact that he had taken up a sword—a weapon he rarely used, given his preference for fighting barehanded—was itself a sign of him holding back.
Viewing this as both a challenge and an invaluable experience, Magellan smirked and addressed Franklin beside him.
“I’ll take the left. You take the right.”
“Ah… Understood.”
They planned to maximize their numerical advantage.
If they executed it well, perhaps they could graze his clothes.
Channeling magic throughout their bodies, the two warriors braced themselves.
“This won’t last long… Better end it quickly,” Magellan thought.
As the thought crossed his mind, both of them leaped toward the Pirate King.
Their magic-infused weapons descended toward him in unison.
And then—
-Whoosh!
“!”
“Huh?”
The Pirate King swung his sword lightly.
The resulting magic burst released an intense shockwave that engulfed Magellan’s body.
“Urgh!”
It felt as though he had slammed into a wall.
If not for instinctively deploying a magic barrier in time, he would have taken a severe hit.
“Damn it…”
Rolling across the deck, Magellan managed to steady himself.
Though not gravely injured, the strike left him bleeding from the nose, his expression grim.
Meanwhile, Franklin, who had sensed the danger a moment earlier, successfully defended herself without taking significant damage.
“You should’ve at least blocked that properly,” she said.
“…Tch. It was just a slip-up!”
Generating shockwaves with magic-infused strikes wasn’t uncommon for advanced warriors.
However, the sheer power behind the Pirate King’s attack was overwhelming.
Even if Magellan had unleashed his full power, such a devastating result would have been impossible for him to achieve.
Worse still, the Pirate King’s casual demeanor suggested he hadn’t even exerted much effort.
Realizing they needed a change in strategy, Magellan stood back up.
“If this keeps up, we’ll have to focus on defense. The goal isn’t to defeat him, just to graze his clothes,” he thought.
Resolving himself, Magellan activated a reinforced magic barrier around his body.
—
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