The Strange Bansy
Chapter 61: The Strange Bansy
"Captain, wake up."
William woke up confused. He quickly realized it was night and that Anna had called him. He looked next to her and saw Arthur standing as well. He knew they wouldn't wake him up over something trivial.
"What's going on?" he asked, composing himself immediately. He'd already had a bad feeling when they arrived at Bansy Harbor.
"There are civilians who haven't returned yet. Something must have happened." Arthur, who had a strong sense of justice, seemed eager to help.
'Of course, there was no way for me to complete a trip without problems,' William thought. He didn't need to get dressed; it wasn't like he had pajamas—he slept in his street clothes. He didn't grab his hat but hurried to the door. As Nighthawk, it was his duty to minimize damage in situations like this.
"What's in Bansy is extremely dangerous, you understand that, right?" Anna spoke in her melodious voice just before he could leave, causing him to stop. "Even I'm not sure I can secure the island."
She looked at him with eyes that turned a strange, ethereal shade of violet. There was a small smile on her face, as if she was hiding something.
William felt a strange fire ignite inside him, recalling a sensation he had experienced a few hours ago, though this time it was more subdued and incomplete.
"There's no need to do that." He concentrated deeply on what he wanted to say. For some reason, he wanted this old monster to understand his intentions.
Although William was not a genius or anything similar, he had interacted with many high-sequence Beyonders and had begun to understand a bit of their ways of thinking. He noticed it with Adam, he noticed it with Ouroboros, and he also noticed it with Anna when they talked last time. They all seemed to distance themselves from the mundane, either unconsciously or at will. The only thing that made him doubt was that he did not receive that feeling from the True Creator, but it seemed reasonable if one considered the amount of time these people had been living apart from any kind of society, ruling the world from a distance.
Perhaps it was a necessary attitude to live as legendary and mythological beings, but at the same time, William did not want to lose himself.
"There is no need to save them all. I have also noticed that there is something strange on the island. However, I will try to bring back as many as I can. We will withdraw when I feel it is too dangerous."
William would prefer to save them all if possible, but he would prioritize his life and the lives of these two subordinates in the worst-case scenario. This ability to value some lives over others due to personal ties was, without a doubt, very human.
His words made Anna narrow her eyes and her smile widened.
"As expected, you are undoubtedly the one." She licked her lips.
This action made William question whether his eyes were working properly, and a shiver ran down his spine. At the same time, he felt that his potion was completely digested, though he didn't quite understand why. He coughed lightly to dissipate the strange atmosphere that had settled in the cabin.
"Anyway, we should move as soon as possible," he declared, opening the door.
"Wait for me, Your Holiness." Arthur, who seemed to come to his senses at that moment, hurried after William.
"Fufu, on top of everything, he's adorable," Anna laughed and quickly followed the two Nighthawks.
When they reached the port, they realized there was barely any light beyond the dim illumination provided by the crimson moon. The fog covered the place, obscuring their view beyond a few meters.
As William, Anna, and Arthur stepped into the thick fog, an eerie silence enveloped Bansy Harbor. The only sound was their cautious footsteps, muffled by the dense mist. William's grip tightened around Debris, his sword, feeling the familiar weight and surge of determination it brought.
"Stay close," he instructed, his voice barely more than a whisper.
They both nodded, Anna's eyes scanning the surroundings with an unnatural gleam, while Arthur followed, his posture tense but ready. They moved forward, guided by the faint glow of the crimson moon and the occasional flicker of lantern light struggling to pierce the fog.
Suddenly, a chilling gust of wind swirled around them, sending a shiver down William's spine. His instincts flared, and he raised Debris just as a black shadow lunged from the fog. The shadow was a severed head, grotesque and decayed, with moldy skin and sharpened teeth bared in a macabre grin.
Without hesitation, William moved at extreme speed, swinging Debris and striking the head with a powerful blow that sent it flying into the darkness. The impact was followed by a sickening crunch as it hit the ground.
"As expected of Your Holiness," Arthur nodded at William's quick reaction. He had barely been able to see the head when it was hit.
"Don't let your guard down." William held Debris in his right hand, ready to attack whatever tried to ambush them. "We will go to the Green Lemon Restaurant; most people went there to try the traditional delicacies of the island."
"There were also some who went to the Storm Cathedral to pray," Anna mentioned.
William shook his head. "As Nighthawks, it's best if we don't get too close to that place."
He looked at her, implying that he didn't think it was safe for someone like her to approach that place either.
They hurried to the restaurant without anything interrupting their path.
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I'm sorry for the delay, the truth is that I haven't finished exams yet, but I didn't want to leave you so much time without a chapter either. I plan to update next week as well if there are no unforeseen events, but after that there will be another break of maybe two weeks. Finally, after those two weeks I will be free.