Captain – Chapter 72 – Colliding with Eternity

“Captain? Captain!”

Enzo stared silently at the magnificent warship that had suddenly appeared, as if lost in a trance. He seemed unconcerned even as the Ghost Scythe was about to crash into the massive vessel, until Roy’s panicked call finally reached his ears and snapped him out of his daze.

By then, the navigators who constantly monitored the ship’s surroundings had already spotted the Victoria looming ahead. Sharp warning bells echoed across every pirate ship, instantly waking slumbering sailors who rushed to the deck and returned to their posts with remarkable speed.

Accompanied by hurried footsteps, twelve pirate captains—all except those responsible for steering the other two ships—gathered on the Ghost Scythe’s bridge, silently awaiting Enzo’s decision.

“Roy, what are you doing here? Hurry back to your post!”

As the captains curiously observed the small sailor sitting nervously on the railing in front of the helm, an unexpectedly deep voice suddenly rang out from among the crowd.

A burly man with a thick red beard stepped forward from the group—the Captain Ilias whom Enzo had mentioned earlier.

Seeing his captain appear, Roy’s already pale face blanched further. He turned from the railing with the quickest of movements, jumped down, and walked toward the man with his head bowed, without saying a word.

But the boy hadn’t expected to be stopped by a strong hand pressing down on his head.

Enzo turned sideways, told Roy “stay put,” then directed his gaze toward the curious group of captains, smiling as he asked: “Take a good look—does he seem familiar?”

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Hearing this, the captains exchanged glances, then gathered around and began carefully examining the boy. They occasionally stroked his golden hair or pinched his cheeks to inspect his teeth, causing the little fellow to grimace in pain. Yet he dared not voice any protest, only casting a reproachful glance at the maliciously smiling Enzo.

“That hair color and eye color… why do they look so familiar?”

“The eyebrows too—thin and pale, as if he was cut from the same mold as that person.”

“Could he really be his offspring? But didn’t he always boast about having a daughter?”

“Who knows? Maybe this little one just hasn’t developed yet, so we can’t tell.”

The captains chatted back and forth, and imperceptibly began to feel a certain affection for the boy. Of course, some also eyed him with malicious intent, making Roy uncomfortable.

“I know I was wrong, Captain.”

Finally, the captains made way for the boy’s true master to come claim him. Seeing Ilias’s gloomy expression, Roy instinctively clutched at Enzo’s clothes, pleading with a bitter face.

Ilias darkly pulled the boy’s hand away from Enzo’s clothing, then lightly patted the back of his head, gesturing for him to stand before everyone: “Yes, this little one is indeed Captain Roy’s offspring.”

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The bridge fell silent for a moment.

But soon, the captains burst into laughter, roaring with amusement. Only the trembling boy standing amidst these important figures wore a bewildered expression, not understanding what was so funny.

His surname was Roy, and that dead man’s surname was naturally Roy as well—wasn’t that perfectly normal?

“He always said his precious daughter would never become a pirate, yet here she is, aboard Red Beard’s pirate ship!”

After a while, as the laughter subsided, a one-armed captain who had bad blood with Captain Roy let out a satisfied sigh and mockingly declared in a loud voice.

Roy finally couldn’t contain himself. Frowning, he retorted: “What daughter? I’m a man!”

Hearing the little one’s outburst, the one-armed captain smiled darkly, toying with the silver hook that had replaced his left hand, brushing against Enzo’s pitch-black coat: “How can you prove it? Would you like this captain to strip off your pants and show everyone?”

Roy retreated several steps, frightened by the menacing silver hook. His face turned as red as a ripe apple, yet he couldn’t find any words to counter the threat. He certainly couldn’t strip naked in front of all these adults to prove himself!

“Enough, Ronald. Captain Roy cut off your hand—if you have the guts, go find him for revenge. Don’t pick on a child.”

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Ilias pushed away the one-armed captain’s silver hook, rescuing his little sailor, then turned to Roy: “Since Captain Enzo asked you to stay, then stay. Don’t run around causing more trouble.”

“Yes…” the boy responded dejectedly. Only now did he realize that his captain’s protectiveness toward him wasn’t due to his diligence or obedience, but simply because of that man’s influence. This left him feeling quite bitter.

After admonishing the young sailor, Red Beard looked toward the massive warship now less than a hundred meters from the Ghost Scythe and asked gravely: “So, Captain Enzo, is that our target?”

At this, the previously jovial captains gradually fell silent. Even the disgruntled one-armed captain merely pursed his lips in displeasure without further bothering Roy.

Enzo remained silent for a moment. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the skull that emitted a pale blue light. Looking at the flickering glow in its eye sockets, he smiled with an indecipherable emotion: “No, Captain Ilias. I believe this time we’ll be returning empty-handed.”

“But isn’t the Victoria right ahead?” Ilias asked, puzzled.

“No, that’s just an illusion. The moonstone skull cannot pinpoint the exact location of the Eternal Ship.”

Enzo gazed at the increasingly close Victoria, feeling the eager and trusting eyes of the sailors gathered on the deck before the bridge. Suddenly, he broke into a carefree smile.

“Gentlemen, to your positions! Full sails! We’re going at full speed!”

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“Full sails! Full speed ahead!”

The sailors immediately sprang into action, and a chorus of resounding calls carried the captain’s orders to every corner of the ship.

“But, but, but… aren’t we going to crash?” Roy cried out in alarm.

“Yes, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Enzo’s gentle demeanor transformed as hints of madness and coldness gradually spread across his features. With one hand firmly gripping the helm, the image of the giant ship’s deck rapidly expanded in his deep purple eyes.

To the Ghost Scythe’s crew, their captain’s words were divine proclamations. Even if his orders led the ship straight into hell, they would follow them to the letter—such was the boundless charisma possessed by the legendary pirate known as the Night Curtain.

Throughout this process, on the Ghost Scythe’s bridge, except for Roy’s alarmed shrieks, all the captains maintained their silence to show their trust and respect for Enzo the Night Curtain.

So while the other two ships began lowering their sails to slow down and prepare to drop anchor, the Ghost Scythe in the lead hoisted all three sails. Driven by a suddenly rising fierce wind, it sailed into the shadow cast by the Victoria, charging straight toward it without hesitation!

As if trying to break through eternity itself.