Captain – Chapter 610 – “Blocking the Path”

In less than ten minutes, the fortress had completed its battle preparations.

Hawks and falcons took flight from the rooftop, carrying urgent messages toward Providence to notify those captains who had been disturbed just once over ten days ago.

Watching the hawks fly away, the important figures atop the fortress turned their gaze back to the sea surface.

“Damn it all, I’ve never seen a warship of that scale in my entire life. How many people would it take to operate something like that? Don’t they need to eat and drink?”

Looking at that massive armored vessel that could be seen clearly even without a telescope, a pirate leader cursed in a deep voice, also voicing the thoughts of everyone beside him.

At least two thousand people.

Standing atop the fortress and commanding thousands, these pirates were all extremely veteran captains or power figures highly respected on ships and islands. Being intimately familiar with warships and navigation, they quickly reached this conclusion.

But what followed was even greater bewilderment.

Because this simply defied common sense.

Who in the world would be foolish enough to design and build a massive vessel requiring two thousand people to operate?

Setting aside food and water, what kind of wind force and ocean currents would be needed to propel a ship of this scale? Without encountering storms, its forward speed would probably be comparable to a snail’s.

After all, even the Auran Empire’s currently active colossal warships that exceeded normal regulations would require no more than fifteen hundred crew members.

And that was already the limit achievable after considering firepower, sailing speed, supplies, and other factors comprehensively.

But… that massive ship that moved across the turbulent sea as if on level ground, with speed far exceeding ordinary three-masted warships, completely overturned this concept.

It made these important figures who had seen countless storms feel much heavier at heart.

Rеаd οո KαtRеaⅾіոgСafе

“An Imperial ship?”

After a brief silence, another person broke the quiet.

In the view of these extremely experienced pirates, if there really was any force capable of building a warship of such scale and miraculously endowing it with extraordinary power, it could only be Auran.

Of course, not the present-day Empire, but the one from its golden age several hundred years ago.

Terrifying weapons like the Tyrant and the Pilgrimage, most of the structural designs of modern Auran warships, and even the Imperial fleet’s configuration all originated from that era.

“No, it shouldn’t be. If the Empire were attacking, it wouldn’t be possible for just one capital ship to come.”

Someone quickly denied this, feeling that if Auran came, it would necessarily be with a fleet, or even all fleets beyond their defensive forces, just like that time decades ago.

Although this was logical, the person’s tone remained uncertain when saying this.

After all, that massive ship itself had already transcended the rules.

“No need to guess—it’s a pirate ship.”

The old pirate standing at the front, with graying hair and beard, slowly lowered his telescope, his tone quite complex.

Although the daylight was dim and the rain curtain thick, and despite the great distance making it impossible to see the massive ship’s deck clearly even through the telescope, the old pirate had at least seen…

That black flag flying in the storm.

That was the symbol of pirates.

Rеαⅾ оո КatRеaⅾіnɡСafe

Of course, many merchant ships and warships had previously disguised themselves as pirate vessels to avoid plundering or launch surprise attacks, but presumably no one would be foolish enough to think they could charge straight into the pirate holy land with just this “shell.”

But after confirming this fact, the old pirate didn’t relax. The worry between his brows became even heavier because of that completely unfamiliar massive ship.

And because of those tragic old events hidden in history.

Wherever there were people in the world, there would be conflicts, even wars—just like the rebellion that had divided ancient and modern Auran Empire, and the internal power struggles the Federation had experienced.

The islands would be no exception.

Situations where outsider pirates forming their own faction wanted to seize control of the islands had occurred before, though they had all failed in the end.

But this didn’t mean those were merely small skirmishes confined to a corner.

Those were real wars. Those who dared challenge the islands’ orthodoxy and compete for the Pirate Code were all either notorious or brilliantly illustrious great figures.

Several among them had truly come very close to that position.

And those events—whether historical or personally witnessed—were the source of the old pirate’s unease.

That massive ship was actually a pirate vessel?

Hearing the old pirate’s judgment, everyone was shocked into silence, exchanging glances with barely suppressed emotions. But soon, they too fell into deep worry like him.

“Gentlemen, that ship is slowing down!”

Before the important figures could recover from their previous shock, a sharp warning tinged with panic suddenly came from the tall watchtower nearby.

Rеαⅾ οո КаtRеаdіոɡCαfе

Hearing this, everyone hurriedly turned their gaze back to the sea surface.

Then they discovered with heavy hearts that the ship was indeed slowing down, but in the process, it was gradually turning, pointing its broadside toward the strait’s exit.

As if it had prepared to blast every ship emerging from within into fragments.

The old pirate stepped forward, one hand supporting himself against the low wall, the other raising his telescope to look into the distance. Only after a long while did he lower it again, saying with a bitter smile: “This isn’t a good omen.”

After completing its turn, the massive ship had come to a complete stop, just lying across the distance like that. Although its possible cannon range was far from covering the strait mouth, let alone blocking ships from entering and exiting, that posture had already made everything clear.

It wasn’t part of the islands’ faction—no, it should be said it bore no friendly intentions at least.

Recalling the ship that had brazenly broken through the checkpoint ten-some days ago and directly faced Providence’s guard fleet, and that young man he had glimpsed through his telescope who was rumored to have died under Captain Roy’s blade, the old pirate couldn’t help but change his thinking.

Perhaps… it was another enraged legend?

Thinking silently, compared to external forces, the old pirate was more inclined toward this speculation. He put away his telescope, sighed as he turned around, and said with some fatigue: “Regardless of who’s come, go arrange an inspection… or negotiation.”

“I hope the outcome won’t be too terrible.”

The assembled power figures nodded silently. No matter what, internal problems were somewhat easier to handle than external chaos.

Following the old pirate’s wishes, before long, a two-masted sailing ship that had removed all armaments to show friendliness carried dozens of pirates away from the harbor.

Heading toward the massive ship that stood silent as a mountain in the wind and rain.

Since they couldn’t determine the massive ship owner’s identity or intentions, sending a harmless “white rabbit” was better than a potentially suspicion-arousing “wolf.”

Rеαd οո КаtRеаdіnɡСafe

After all, whether “white rabbit” or “wolf,” there was no difference when facing that giant beast.

Either return safely or be torn to pieces.

Having barely weathered the wind, rain, and large waves, the two-masted sailing ship reached the front side of the massive ship’s broadside, furled its sails, dropped anchor to secure itself as much as possible, and then a pirate with some fame in the islands used a swinging rope to leap onto the massive ship’s hull.

He began climbing upward through the torrential rain. Even though several cannon ports nearby were inexplicably unclosed, he had no intention of changing routes, not even glancing sideways.

After all, he carried the islands’ will to show goodwill, so naturally he couldn’t take crooked paths.

Finally, the panting pirate climbed over the deck and grasped the middle section of the ship’s rail. Just as he was about to use his last strength to climb up and over the railing, a hand reached down from above and firmly grasped his wrist.

It seemed to be offering him assistance.

“Thank… thank you…”

Feeling the pulling force lifting him upward, the pirate looked up while panting, having just finished his thanks and preparing what he hoped would be a harmless smile, when he suddenly froze.

Then he began trembling uncontrollably, his breathing and heartbeat becoming alarmingly rapid.

Because what was firmly gripping his wrist…

Was a skeletal claw!

Translator Note

Roy is just trolling him at this point