Captain – Chapter 608 – Principles

The indifferent questioning fell, and the room was plunged into deathly silence.

Regarding the question of deserving or not deserving, aboard the Nightmare King, Talin had already debated this several times with that young man who had received the “gift” and was also a devil’s proxy.

Both had their own firmly believed answers, so those debates had no victor.

But this time was different.

Because the person in the throne held a different status, and because the other party had no intention of debating with him at all. Yes, this wasn’t an inquiry, but a clear and forceful…

Judgment.

The Great Captain’s words were the laws of the present world.

His throat rolled several times, making some “hoarse” sounds. The strange figure suddenly raised his head, looking toward the shadow in the throne, as if wanting to beg for something more, to question something.

The flickering, dim ghostly light in his eyes revealed deep sorrow.

But in the end, perhaps understanding that once the person before him had made up his mind, nothing could change the outcome anymore, the strange figure slowly lowered his head again.

That powerless gesture was like completely accepting fate.

But that was only in Victor’s eyes, who had walked around the wooden table to stand behind it, able to see only that dejected back.

In reality…

When his head hung as low as it could go, the ghostly fire in the strange figure’s pupils that had been dimming suddenly blazed with unimaginable intensity, like an awakening volcano.

The next moment, the great power hidden within this supernatural body began to surge violently. The mark burned into the back of Talin’s neck, symbolizing his identity as a devil’s follower, blazed as if about to ignite.

Reaⅾ оո ΚаtRеаⅾіոgСаfе

Suddenly, he possessed power nearly equal to a proxy.

A true divine proxy.

Of course, this came with a price.

From the moment he lowered his head, in this brief instant, this broken body was already on the verge of collapse. The ghostly light point in his left chest pulsed almost frantically, ready to “ignite” all the crystals in his body to exchange for power in this desperate gamble.

With a roar, the strange figure rose like lightning.

His speed was so incredible, so fast that Victor only saw a flash before his eyes and that “person” had completely changed posture, as if even time couldn’t keep up with him.

Only… the strange figure’s target wasn’t the person in the throne.

If time could be slowed down ten-fold, one could see him slowly turning around, and during this process, his skin and flesh were cracking inch by inch, turning to dust and flying away.

From beginning to end, he had never thought of resisting, never thought of trying to challenge that man.

He only wanted to find a way to survive under his watch.

He wanted to use this body’s last light and heat to break through that invisible barrier, allowing the pale blue light point that contained his “soul” to escape to safety.

Unfortunately, this was merely a delusion.

Moments later, when Victor came to his senses, the strange figure had completely turned around and even run several steps toward the open wooden window. With his current mobility, he needed only one leap to leave the wooden house and escape that man’s sight.

But even so, he was still too slow.

But then again, what could be faster than a gaze? Faster than the Great Captain’s gaze?

Rеαԁ oո КatRеadiոgСαfе

“Crack!”

A crisp snapping sound suddenly filled the wooden house. The monster-like powerful and swift Talin crashed forward heavily, smashing hard onto the old wooden floor.

At this point, everything slowed down again.

The strange figure’s movements, the speed of his body’s disintegration, and the pulsing frequency of that pale blue light point all became incredibly slow, far slower than ordinary mortals.

Except for one pale golden flame.

Looking at the light that came from behind him, illuminating half the wooden house and the shock in that young man’s eyes, the strange figure struggled to prop himself up and look back.

Then he saw a severed, separated ankle, and the golden flames rising from that crystal-like cross-section, spreading toward that severed limb and throughout his entire body.

This fire was identical to the one he had ignited when he had once used that curved blade to pierce this shell’s heart—gentle and tranquil, so tranquil it reached the realm of death.

That was the taste of death.

“No, no…”

This shell was the pinnacle of creation, existing solely for killing, indestructible and without pain sensation. But upon seeing that pale golden flame, Talin seemed to feel heart-piercing agony and began screaming with extreme shrillness.

He turned his head back, crawling toward the window just inches away, but before he could crawl far, that gentle fire had already covered his entire body and penetrated deep into the shell’s interior.

Then, it gently enveloped that light point.

Gradually, the strange figure’s movements became slower and slower, his voice became inaudible, the ghostly light in his pupils flickering between presence and absence as his remaining will drove him to reach out toward the window.

Like a moth drawn to flame.

Rеαd οո КаtReαdiոɡCafe

Victor stood not far away, silently watching this scene, watching the strange figure’s movements completely cease as if he had turned to stone, then being erased bit by bit by the flames.

Erasing his body, erasing his soul, erasing every trace he had left in the present world.

Without mercy, utterly cold.

Finally, there was no longer any trace of the strange figure in the room. He had vanished as if into thin air, not even leaving behind ashes.

Naturally, there was no pale blue light dust either.

“You shouldn’t have crossed the line, Talin.”

And the man sitting in the throne, who had made no movement or utterance since that questioning, finally spoke, his tone unusually somber.

“You shouldn’t have.”

What surprised Victor even more was that the man repeated it again, not knowing whether he was speaking to that familiar soul that had already disappeared, or merely trying to convince himself.

After a long while, the figure in the shadows slightly raised his head, looking at the young man. His voice had returned to normal, though one could still hear some fatigue: “You must also remember this point, Victor. Some things cannot be crossed. Before these principles…”

“Any emotions or interests must be abandoned.”

“This will be the most important lesson I give you… and the last lesson.”

Hearing this, the young man remained silent for a long time.

Since becoming the Great Captain’s proxy, except for rest, he had been serving the other party almost every moment, or learning to do various things under his patient gaze.

From handling daily affairs to managing political matters, from understanding the rules both open and hidden to being thoroughly familiar with the history in the Pirate Code and the secrets hidden in the shadows of history. But during this period, the man had never shown himself like this.

Rеаԁ οո KаtRеαdіոɡСаfe

So weary, like an ordinary old man.

“Yes, Great Captain.”

Finally, the young man lowered his head slightly, respectfully acknowledging the lesson, thinking this might be the price of sitting on the throne. From that moment on, you had to abandon many, many things.

“Bang!”

The time for contemplation wasn’t long. Soon, Victor’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening.

A slender figure slowly walked in, closing her umbrella and shutting the door while lazily muttering: “Ah, looks like it just finished. My timing skills aren’t too shabby.”

Following that slender figure with his gaze until she took her seat, the young man’s slightly twitching eye corner finally calmed. He asked irritably: “Aren’t you a bit too late? If I remember correctly, your crew members are still…”

“Stop right there.”

That person slightly raised her hand, interrupting Victor’s questioning, smiling as she said: “Those are all my subordinates. What’s the harm in making them wait a bit longer? Besides, there was never going to be a fight over there, and there’s no need for me to hold any meetings.”

“Don’t you agree, Great Captain? Also, don’t you think this is quite lonely?”

“People keep leaving, and now there’s only me left.”

That person sighed lightly, speaking as if considering his welfare: “In the future, you won’t have many laborers left.”

Seeing the Great Captain had no reaction, that person curled her lip with disinterest, leaning back against the wide chair back. After pondering for a moment, she made a suggestion without much hope: “How about…”

“Let those little ones come back? Hmm?”