LIGHTNOVELONLINE chapter 55
55 – Third Floor, Navy Formation.
What is the most important thing in the lawless zone?
It’s notoriety.
Unless you’re an overwhelming powerhouse, danger can come at any time.
In such times, having notoriety is convenient.
You can subdue opponents with just a look.
‘That’s why when you do bad things, you shout it all over the village.’
I’m that dangerous.
I want others to recognize it, so I announce it everywhere.
The important thing in building notoriety is to manage it well so it doesn’t get tarnished.
If people start thinking, ‘I thought he was strong, but he’s not,’ the notoriety built up so far becomes meaningless, and enemies with grudges will appear in droves.
From that perspective, the White Skull Pirates managed their notoriety quite well.
Players who stayed on the third floor for more than a year would flee at the mere mention of the White Skull Pirates.
But then, something happened.
The 16th squad was almost annihilated.
News spread, causing an uproar within.
The leadership foamed at the mouth and shouted.
“Did you come back after being humiliated? You idiots?”
“Th-they were incredible. Captain Miles did his best, but he was defeated…”
The remnants of the 16th squad chattered fervently.
They minimized their own faults and exaggerated the enemy’s strength.
To the pirate gang’s officers, it sounded like excuses.
How many times have they heard lies from failures trying to save their own skins?
“You piece of shit. Is that an excuse? Do you want to die?!”
The survivors of the 16th squad, who received the officer’s glare, hung their heads low and avoided eye contact.
After a brief moment of cursing at the 16th squad’s losers.
“Those b*stards dared to challenge the White Skull Pirate Gang on the third floor?”
They couldn’t just let it slide since it tarnished the pirate gang’s name.
They had to get revenge somehow.
They had to show what happens to those who oppose the White Skull Pirate Gang.
No matter the cost.
‘Miles, I knew this would happen.’
Scone, the captain of the 17th squad, inwardly sneered at Miles’ demise.
Relying too much on a single cannon shot, he thought, serves him right.
‘With this atmosphere, it looks like I’ll be the one to go out…’
Feeling relieved by Miles’ death was secondary.
The important issue for the White Skull Pirate Gang started now.
“Go and kill them immediately.”
“……”
“Those b*stards who destroyed the 16th squad. I don’t care where they’re from, finish them off for sure!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Scone! You lead the 17th squad and follow them.”
The captain of the 10th squad called out to Scone.
Grrrrr-.
Scone nodded as if he expected it.
No need for long words.
The 17th squadron launched.
* * *
The 17th squadron and the survivors of the 16th squadron arrived at Island 2-1,004.
They fired shells towards the island’s coast.
It was as if they were announcing to the entire island that the Skull Pirates had arrived.
“Those are the ones.”
Boom-!
What greeted the Skull Pirates was Miles’ skill, the cannon fire.
The sound of cannons was heard from the direction of the island, and the cannonball hit the 16th squadron’s ship.
Crash-!
It’s okay.
‘As long as it doesn’t sink, we can repair it again.’
When the ship’s durability is completely worn out, it is forcibly half-destroyed by the Soul System.
Because of the skill’s characteristics, Miles was recognized by other captains.
‘The Midworlders banded together and ostracized me, a Lunacolian.’
Scone always emphasized the necessity of melee combat, but no one listened.
The contemptuous gaze towards the half-human, half-beast followed him.
‘This time, I’ll prove it.’
Cannon fire?
I heard the cooldown is one minute.
If I kill him in the meantime, it’s over.
“Land on the island and kill him directly.”
He made a plan and advanced the ship.
At that moment, a scream was heard.
“S-Sinking!”
“…Hmm?”
The 16th squadron’s ship, hit by the cannon fire, tilted at a terrifying angle.
Judging by the creaking sound, it seemed completely shattered.
The members of the 16th squadron jumped into the sea.
They began to struggle to survive.
Scone felt a sense of doubt.
‘Why?’
Most of the ships belonging to the double-digit fleet of the Skull Pirates are C-rank.
The 10th squadron’s flagship is B-rank, but the majority are C-rank.
The 16th and 17th squadrons are entirely composed of C-rank ships.
‘Their durability should be at least 300, right?’
The durability of a vehicle is treated differently from its life force.
It can’t be destroyed by a single cannonball.
But then, something unbelievable happened.
The members of the 17th squadron, including Scone, were astonished.
‘…Isn’t this Miles’ cannonball firing skill?’
If so, it wasn’t strange that the damage was applied differently.
‘He’s not an ordinary guy.’
How confident in his skills must he be to fire a cannon at the sight of the Skull Pirates’ flag?
“Hand it over.”
Scone confirmed the figures standing on the island’s shore through his telescope.
‘Three?’
Just three.
‘Humans?’
From which dimension are these humans?
‘Two psychics, one martial artist.’
Blink.
In that moment, two of them disappeared.
Only the silver-haired woman remained standing on the beach.
“Captain! Look up!”
At his subordinate’s shout, Scone took his eyes off the telescope and looked up.
The martial artist, surrounded by light, landed lightly on the ship.
As if entering his own home.
“I’ll be going now.”
His lower body shimmered with golden light, while his upper body retained a human form.
‘Half-human, half-beast? No, half-human, half-madman?’
The man’s voice interrupted Skon’s question.
“Is the captain on this ship?”
“…Are you the worm that challenged the White Skull Pirates?”
“Challenge?”
The man tilted his head.
His dirt-stained face showed a hint of injustice.
“No, I didn’t do anything.”
“…When did you come to this island?”
“Around ten days ago?”
“Ten days ago….”
That’s the same time the 16th squad was destroyed.
“I didn’t challenge anyone. Some strangers started firing cannons at me like you guys, so I killed them all because it pissed me off.”
“…….”
At the man’s words, Skon burst into anger.
“How dare you play word games with the White Skull Pirates?”
Shing-!
The members of the 17th squad drew their swords.
They thought they had a good chance against one man.
“I don’t know how strong you are, but you won’t die easily.”
“Hehehe.”
The man chuckled.
“I really like you guys. You never change, always the same. I love it.”
With that, the man launched a cannonball at another ship.
Boom-!
The ship sank.
One cannonball, one ship.
Is that possible?
It’s not possible.
But this is not the time to question it.
Scone shouted.
“Kill!”
When facing a strong opponent, the most important thing is to use control skills appropriately.
Group players are often accustomed to coordinating these moves.
[Chain Lightning]
[Ice Hand]
[Weakness]
[Energy Drain]
Familiar spells and curses rained down on the mid-level being.
Since it was aimed at one person, its power slightly increased compared to when targeting multiple people.
Boom-!
The movement should slow down.
“…What? Why is it still fine?”
‘Electric Shock’, ‘Frostbite’, ‘Slow’, etc.
Although these are relatively mild status effects, they cannot be ignored.
The soul system is fair to everyone.
Unless the skill completely misses due to agility correction, it cannot be avoided.
Slash-!
“Ugh…!”
However, the opponent moved as if nothing had happened and swung a dagger.
The speed was beyond imagination.
‘Even my senses can’t keep up?!’
Half-human, half-beast Lunacolys.
One of the nine races of the Wild Kingdom.
He prides himself on being the strongest in physical abilities among the nine.
And yet, his athleticism is outpaced?
“Is he a master?!”
Among the martial artists, there are humans who are exceptionally talented in martial arts.
They transcend the ‘wall’ and advance to a higher level.
The gap between them is so large that it is difficult to distinguish their levels.
To the eyes of ordinary people, whether it was the pinnacle or the super pinnacle, it looked like a superhuman.
“Do I look like I’m on the same level as those mediocre friends at the pinnacle?”
“……”
By the man’s standards, Scone was also an ordinary person.
“To disregard the iron head of the Jeomchang faction.”
Oryuin smirked.
Activating his survival instincts, he flew.
At this moment, he could rampage to his heart’s content.
“You deserve to die.”
In the slowed-down world, Oryuin wildly stabbed with his golden dagger.
‘This ship must never be touched.’
He deliberately boarded the ship that looked the best.
He had to somehow preserve it intact and take it.
[Absorbing the soul of Scone Fer (Lunacolice).]
[Strength increases by 0.01.]
As a bonus, his stats also increased.
* * *
“Chief. So you’re saying that Mr. Oryuin is an Earthling?”
Hikari asked after safely bringing Oryuin back.
Yuki nodded in response.
“Does that make sense? How can an Earthling be like that?”
“Exactly.”
They spent a week together on Island No. 2.
He vaguely felt that Oryuin was definitely not a martial artist.
But actually confirming his martial prowess was even more absurd.
“Well. Just like we have weak superhumans and strong superhumans in our country, there must be special beings on Earth too.”
“For that, the administrators’ hostility was beyond imagination.”
“It’s not because he’s weak, but for another reason.”
If Earthlings were only weak?
They wouldn’t be hated this much.
“By causing anxiety in a group that barely holds together due to weakness. Small complaints pile up and eventually manifest as exclusion of Earthlings.”
The Tower of Struggle.
Because of the Soul System, even the strong had limits.
Surprisingly, cooperation is important.
But Earthlings?
It’s a bit unsettling to entrust them with your back.
Not all Earthlings are like that.
I know.
But still.
When it comes to forming a team, people naturally want to exclude Earthlings.
“Aren’t you worried? According to the boss, you never know when or where you might get stabbed.”
“That’s true.”
“How about stabbing first?”
Hikari said with a bright smile.
When Yuki glared fiercely, Hikari retracted her words.
“Just kidding.”
“Don’t joke about things like that.”
Yuki was extremely wary of killing.
It was due to the trauma of not being able to control her powers and causing her mother’s death.
“Don’t worry. I’m the first sword of the Special Combat Unit, following only the boss’s orders.”
Knowing that past, Hikari had decided to willingly become Yuki’s sword.
“But don’t trust me too much.”
“There you go again.”
“You never know. That man might turn on you.”
Even parents abandon their children.
Hikari swallowed the words she wanted to say.
A smile never left her face.