Pirates

Boom… Boom…

I awoke to the sound of cannons firing nearby.

Rolling out of bed, I glanced around other sailors who were also startled awake by the sudden commotion.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I felt a slight irritation rise within me.

It has only been a day since we set sail from the land, what could possibly be happening so-

"We are under attack! Pirates in the west!"

Suddenly, the voice of Captain Marlowe boomed through the ship, managing to cut through my groggy thoughts.

Ah, so that's what.

In an instant, I was wide awake and scrambling to grab my sword propped against the wall.

As soon as the hilt of the weapon rested in my palm, I ascended to the upper deck, following the rest of the crew.

Boom…

I was just in time to witness one of the cannon balls slam into the side of our ship, creating a sizable hole and launching splinters of wood across the deck.

Following the trail of the projectile, my eyes landed on a large vessel bearing a black flag and armed with numerous cannon embrasures along its sides.

"Damn it…"

Curses spewed from my mouth as I realized that our ship was outgunned by the pirates.

However, I did not have long to dwell on our unfortunate circumstances as another fleet of cannonballs came hurtling towards us.

"Take cover!"

Even without the captain's command, I immediately ducked down, narrowly avoiding a shard of wood that had been sent flying in my direction.

Looking at the state of the upper deck, I knew that If this keeps going… our ship will sink.

Things were looking quite grim…

Throwing a glance at the distant pirate vessel, I noticed that it was getting closer and closer with each second.

Soon, I could even make out the faces of the scoundrels running around the deck, preparing to board our ship.

I observed their malicious grins with a cold gaze.

I also couldn't help but quickly take a peek at my current Attributes.

Attributes:

Strength: 1

Agility: 2

Perception: 2

Endurance: 1

Aura: 1

My lips pressed into a thin line.

'It's terrible.'

Clicking my tongue, I brushed my silver hair out of my eyes.

These attributes were more suited for a child rather than an 18 year old, admitted to one of the most prestigious academies in this world.

"Brace for impact!"

While I was lost in thoughts, the pirate ship managed to catch up to us and its hull was just about to smash against the side of our vessel.

Thud…

The impact was jarring. I barely managed to keep myself on my feet as the two ships collided.

Before anyone could even regain their composure, the pirates swarmed our deck, brandishing their swords and daggers as they began to clash with our crew.

I also, somehow, found myself paired with a scoundrel who was eyeing me menacingly, his cutlass gleaming in the sunlight.

"You are goin-"

『 Vanish 』

He didn't even have the chance to finish his sentence as I appeared behind him and plunged my sword into his throat.

I wasn't planning to play these silly games with the pirates.

They came here to kill and I will take them up on that deal.

'Less talk, more action.'

Kicking the deceased bastard into the sea, I watched as his body disappeared into the churning waves and refocused on the system notification that had appeared as soon as my sword pierced his throat.

⌜Devourer⌝

❖ You've killed a Lv. 5 Pirate…

» +1 Strength

Suddenly, I felt a strange warmth filling my body. Clenching my fist, I could tell the slight difference in my physical prowess.

The Ring of Blood was certainly doing its work.

Slowly, my eyes moved from the interface to the pirate nearby who was engaged in a fierce duel with one of the sailors.

『 Vanish 』

The rogue didn't even notice me appear behind him as I swiftly brought my blade down, ending his life as well.

⌜Devourer⌝

❖ You've killed a Lv. 5 Pirate…

» +1 Agility

The sailor gasped in surprise, watching as the body fell to the ground. His mouth opened in disbelief, but I was already moving towards my next pre- Ahem… I mean pirate.

⌜Devourer⌝

❖ You've killed a Lv. 5 Pirate…

» +1 Endurance

The bastard also met a swift end at my sword, his lifeless form tumbling overboard.

Until now, everything went relatively smoothly, however, some pirates had already noticed my prowess and began to turn their attention towards me, realizing that I posed a significant threat.

Now that they were aware of my presence there was no more teleporting behind them and finishing them off with one blow.

There were also no more easy attributes for me to reap.

'Curses…'

Looking across the dock, I observed the battle and quickly joined a group of sailors who were struggling against a particularly skilled pirate wielding a mace.

His weapon swung in wide arcs, keeping the sailors at bay with its sheer force. The moment I joined the fray, his eyes locked onto mine, a predatory grin spreading across his scarred face.

I approached with caution, analyzing his movements. His swings were powerful but slow, and if I timed it right, I could use my agility to my advantage.

The sailors around me seemed hesitant, their morale wavering under the relentless assault.

"Keep him occupied!"

I shouted, hoping to coordinate with them.

Two sailors lunged forward, their swords clashing against the pirate's mace. He easily deflected their attacks, laughing mockingly. His mace came crashing down, shattering the blade of one sailor and sending him sprawling to the deck.

However, that was when I saw my opportunity.

『Vanish』

Reappearing behind the pirate, I aimed for a precise strike to his unprotected back. But he was quick.

As if sensing my presence, he spun around, his mace intercepting my sword mid-thrust. The force of the block reverberated through my arm, nearly disarming me.

I gritted my teeth, regaining my stance.

The pirate chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"You've got spirit, boy. Let's see how long that lasts!"

He swung his mace horizontally, and I ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as it passed over my head.

Using my agility, I rolled to the side, coming up behind him once more. This time, I aimed for his legs, hoping to destabilize him.

My sword connected with his calf, and he let out a roar of pain.

"Now!"

I yelled to the sailors, who seized the moment to press their attack.

The pirate staggered but didn't fall.

He lashed out with his mace, catching one sailor in the ribs and sending him flying into the mast. Blood and sweat poured down his face, but his resolve only seemed to harden.

He turned his attention back to me, his eyes narrowing with fury.

"You're dead meat…"

He snarled, charging forward.

I braced myself, knowing I couldn't match his strength head-on.

Instead, I focused on evasion, dodging his wild swings and looking for an opening. The pirate's attacks became more frantic, his frustration evident as he failed to land a blow.

His movements grew sloppier, and I could see he was tiring.

'His endurance must be poor.'

Taking a deep breath, I decided to go on the offensive.

I feinted to the left, then darted to the right, aiming a slash at his side. The pirate tried to block, but his movements were sluggish.

My sword cut through his leather armor, drawing a deep gash along his ribs. He howled in pain, his grip on the mace faltering.

Before he could recover, I pressed my advantage, landing blow after blow. Each strike weakened him further, his defenses crumbling. The sailors rallied, joining the assault with renewed vigor.

The pirate was surrounded, his fate sealed.

With a final, desperate swing, the pirate tried to take me down with him.

I sidestepped, his mace crashing to the deck harmlessly. Summoning all my strength, I drove my sword into his chest, the blade piercing his heart.

The pirate's eyes widened in shock, then glazed over as he fell to his knees.

⌜Devourer⌝

❖ You've killed a Lv. 10 Pirate…

» +2 Strength

» +2 Agility

I felt the familiar warmth spread through my body, my attributes increasing significantly.

The pirate's lifeless body toppled over, the battle-weary sailors letting out a collective sigh of relief.

'This is tough…'

I also didn't shy away from a little rest.

Although I had fought less than these guys, the exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on me as well.

This was one of my first battles, where I had to fight against so many intelligent beings at the time. Even in the tutorial, I assassinated my assailants strictly one by one so this was a significant increase in difficulty.

Especially, since I repeatedly used my『Vanish』ability, which although doesn't cost me any mana… does drain me mentally.

Every time before I teleport, I have to calculate the precise angle, the position and even the potential movements of my targets so I wouldn't end up reappearing in an unwanted location or in an uncomfortable position, unable to immediately strike down my foe.

This was also a surprise for me, but that was to be expected. There were bound to be limits to this ability.

While in Realm of Legends, I could abuse this skill without consequences, in this real-world situation the strain of my mental acuity was a significant factor to consider when using the skill for prolonged periods of time.

'There's nothing free in this world…'

Shaking my head, I glanced around the dock.

My rest time was over, it was time to continue the battle.