Part 3
Haruto adjusted his stance, feeling the Raptor Eye ability sharpen his senses. Every movement of the enemy ship, the sway of the waves, the tilt of the cannons—each detail etched into his mind with unnerving clarity.
"Alright… let's see how useful this is," he muttered, raising Ao and Aka, his twin pistols.
The pirate cannons aligned for another volley, but Haruto had already traced their trajectories.
"Aka… Ao… showtime!"
BANG! BANG!
The shots rang out, elemental bullets flying with surgical precision toward the pirate cannons.
"What the—?!" One of the gunners barely had time to shout before the bullets struck the bases of the cannons.
BOOM!
Explosions rocked the pirate ship, sparks and shards of metal scattering into the air. One after another, the three cannons fell silent, belching thick plumes of black smoke.
The pirate crew panicked, stumbling back as their advantage was erased in seconds.
"They've neutralized us, captain! Our cannons are gone!"
The pirate captain, who just moments ago seemed in control, clenched his jaw and cursed under his breath.
"Damn it…" His eyes swept the deck—his men were falling fast, unable to withstand the adventurers and the merchant crew.
His confident grin vanished.
"Fall back! Drop everything—we're heading to the rendezvous!" he barked, turning on his heels.
But just as he took his first step—
"Huh?"
A hand landed on his shoulder, its grip unexpectedly firm.
"Oi, boy… where d'you think you're goin'?" a slurred, lazy voice drawled, sending a chill down his spine.
The captain whipped around, only to find himself staring into the face of Jack Penguin.
The so-called drunk still swayed on his feet, a goofy smile plastered on his face, the strong stench of rum hanging in the air.
"Well, well… the infamous Jack Penguin. How's your ship? Still sunk with the rest of your crew?" The captain scowled. "Out of my way. I don't have time for a drunk."
Jack staggered a step closer, his movements erratic and unsteady, as though he might collapse at any second.
"Oooh, how harsh…" he mumbled, feigning a pitiful frown. "You say you don't have time, but isn't time somethin' you decide? Or is it the rum that decides for you?"
The pirate captain raised his sword, irritation bubbling over.
"Out of my way, I said!"
In a flash, he slashed sideways, aiming for Jack's torso.
What happened next left everyone speechless.
Jack bent backward at an impossible angle, the blade missing him by mere millimeters—yet his expression never lost that dopey, relaxed look.
"Ooohhh…" he drawled, as if he hadn't even realized he'd just dodged a killing blow.
The pirate captain blinked, stunned—but before he could react, Jack swung a looping fist that cracked against his jaw.
"Ugh…!"
The hit sent him stumbling back. And the worst part? Jack didn't even look like he'd put any real strength behind it.
"What kind of technique is this?!" the captain growled, regaining his balance.
Jack grinned with half-closed eyes, still swaying side to side as though ready to topple over.
"Boy, this is my own style!" he declared proudly, spinning on one foot and unleashing a barrage of erratic strikes, weaving and dodging with unpredictable movements.
The pirate captain tried to strike back, but every swing cut only empty air. Jack bent, twisted, and flowed with the wind itself, his movements impossible to follow.
The pirate crew stared in disbelief, unsure if their captain was fighting a true master… or just a lunatic blessed with ridiculous luck.
From the deck of the merchant ship, Haruto lowered his pistols, frowning as he noticed the fire mages on the enemy vessel preparing to act.
"Simo, Eliza—don't let those mages lay a hand on Penguin."
Both nodded and shot forward with blinding speed.
"Ice Chamber!" Simmone cried, thrusting her hand out.
A freezing gale burst from her palm, enveloping one of the mages in solid ice. In seconds, he was frozen into a block, motionless and helpless.
The other mage recoiled in horror at his companion's fate. But before he could react, Eliza was already standing before him.
With a sly grin, she raised her hand to her face, revealing her lone visible eye, glowing with an intense crimson light.
"Ju, ju… pitiful mortal. Better start praying for your life… Fear!"
A bone-chilling dread surged through the pirate's body. His breathing turned ragged, his legs buckled—and in an instant, he collapsed to his knees, paralyzed by an indescribable terror.
Eliza clicked her tongue in disdain, elegantly brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"Hmph… mortals are so fragile."
Meanwhile, the pirate captain stood frozen in disbelief. His crew was outnumbered, his men crushed, and he couldn't even land a single blow on Penguin.
His wounded pride twisted his expression with rage.
"Damn you, Penguin!" he spat, gripping his sword with fury. "Just wait until Blackbeard hears about this!"
Jack raised an eyebrow, his relaxed smile never faltering.
"Black… who?"
Before the captain could respond, Jack staggered aside in another erratic motion, effortlessly dodging the man's desperate final strike.
Then, with a sloppy yet perfectly timed spin, he raised a bottle of rum and smashed it over the captain's head.
"Here, courtesy of the house!"
CRACK!
The pirate captain collapsed to the deck, completely unconscious.
Silence fell.
Haruto dragged a hand down his face and sighed.
"…I don't know what's more absurd—the way he fights, or the fact that it actually worked."
"That's what they get!" Captain Russel declared, grinning with satisfaction as the entire merchant crew erupted in cheers and applause.
After the brief celebration, work resumed. The defeated pirates were tied up and thrown into the cells, while the enslaved demi-humans were freed one by one. Their expressions—once filled with despair—now shone with relief and wonder.
All the while, Jack Penguin lounged comfortably atop the pirate ship's wheel, raising an eyebrow as he watched Haruto. The boy was breaking Nulite shackles and collars with a single touch, the anti-magic restraints crumbling like paper.
Even with all his years at sea, Jack had never seen anything like it.
The drunken sailor let out an impressed whistle, then with his trademark stagger, threw an arm around Haruto in a sudden embrace.
"Boy, that's one peculiar ability you've got there…" Jack slurred, leaning all his weight on him.
Haruto stiffened instantly, the stench of rum hitting his nose like an alcoholic explosion.
"Sir… I'd really appreciate it if you didn't get so close," Haruto muttered with a grimace, trying to nudge him off without causing a scene.
But Jack ignored him completely, keeping him locked in a brotherly hug.
"Aw, don't be like that, kid. I was once a young man, full of spirit, just like you…"
Haruto tried to slip out of his grip, but Jack held firm, his eyes fixed with keen interest on Haruto's hand.
"But tell me something…" he murmured, his tone suddenly more serious. "I'm curious about what you just did."
He gestured toward the broken fragments of Nulite collars now lying uselessly on the floor, no more than scraps of inert metal.
"Nulite can't be shattered with magic." Jack narrowed his eyes, studying Haruto with uncharacteristic focus. "You… you're not from around here, are you?"
Haruto hesitated. Even if Jack was just a drunken sailor, he didn't fully trust him. Revealing too much could be dangerous.
When silence was all he got, Jack shrugged with easy indifference.
"Bah, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine… I was just curious." His carefree grin returned as he turned toward Russel.
"Captain Russel! Lend me three men to help sail this tub to Tempestira. Once I've dumped these sorry excuses for pirates and collected the bounty, we'll meet you there."
Russel crossed his arms and nodded firmly.
"Of course, Penguin. Follow along with that ship—I'll send you some sailors. We'll keep to the same route."
Jack's grin widened. With his trademark erratic swagger, he stretched lazily before tugging down the pirate flag from the captured vessel.
"Aye, captain. I doubt we'll run into anyone else along the way… or at least, no one foolish enough to attack us."
With that, he hoisted a new banner to the mast—white, emblazoned with the image of a penguin.
Haruto blinked, staring at the peculiar standard.
"…You seriously had a penguin flag ready for this?"
Jack shot him a wink, his smile sly.
"Always pays to be prepared, lad."
With the situation finally under control, the ships set sail once more. Haruto's group continued their course toward Astralith, while Jack Penguin carried the captured pirates off to Tempestira.