Unfortunately, it didn't hit the black‑sailed ship. The shells splashed down nearby, throwing up fountains of water.
He had to give that brazen lot a bloody lesson. Decision made.
Across the world, nobles had long imitated the practice, and many people went into the trade. One‑Eyed Wolf was one of them.
In fact, the slaver ship had spotted the Money long before the Money Pirates' lookout saw them. Slavers preferred not to clash with pirates, so they hadn't closed first. If the Money hadn't turned toward them, they'd have passed each other—each on his own road, not interfering.
But once the Money bore down on them, One‑Eyed Wolf couldn't pretend not to notice. He ordered his men to swing the bow around and meet the Money head‑on.
"Sink them—fire!"
At his shout, the slaver ship's cannons roared.
Boom—
Just as the Money's salvo had missed the black ship, the black ship's few shells also failed to hit the Money. After that exchange, both sides tacitly paused—cannonballs were expensive.
Under Lister's command, the pirates flung out a tangle of grappling hooks on hemp ropes and hauled the ships together, waiting for the order to charge.
"All hands—kill!"
Lister drew his katana and pointed at the black ship. "First Squad, with me!"
Johnson and Rocky each held a giant wrench in one hand and a round shield in the other. The pirates aboard the Money watched their two bosses lead by example. Bullets hammered their shields but didn't hurt them. The two traded a glance; in the instant the slavers' first volley paused, they whipped their round shields out. The twin shields slammed in from different angles, smashing gunmen off their feet and into a tangle.
One‑Eyed Wolf's face tightened. Such skill. Such battle experience.
"Kill!" Quick to react, One‑Eyed Wolf rushed them at once. The blade‑and‑axe men at his side charged in with him.
Johnson met One‑Eyed Wolf's strike head‑on. Aboard the Money, Lister watched coldly.
"No need for me to act," he said.
He wasn't worried about casualties among his men. This was the only kind of situation where they were useful. If they died here, it meant they weren't worth much. If they lived, it proved their greater value.
The battle raged on. From the flow of the fight, the Money Pirates were clearly a shade stronger than the black‑sailed crew. As more pirates swarmed onto the slaver ship, Rocky hurried back to team up with Johnson, the two of them facing One‑Eyed Wolf together, while the rest clashed with the traffickers. It wasn't a one‑sided slaughter.
One‑Eyed Wolf's face turned iron‑blue with rage—but the situation was against him, and when it's time to bend, you bend. Johnson heaved his giant wrench in a ferocious blow and knocked One‑Eyed Wolf back several steps. Rocky seized the opening and chopped a vicious stroke at One‑Eyed Wolf's neck. Startled, One‑Eyed Wolf threw up his forearm; the blade bit deep into it. At that moment Johnson followed up, bringing the wrench down hard on his skull. One‑Eyed Wolf's head cracked; he died on the spot.
Lister trod along the hemp ropes and stepped onto the black ship.
"Slavers—your leader is dead. Surrender and you will not be killed!"
"Surrender and you will not be killed!" the pirates echoed.
Hearing the cries, the traffickers lost the will to fight. One after another, they chose to surrender.