Chapter 152: Beyond The Realm of Humans

Late Evening - Early Spring : Strait of Western Elynnor

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- Vasilias (Back several minutes) ~

*clink-clang-cl-clang-Shing*

There was a methodical and music-like rhythm of swords clashing that filled the air. All the pirates fought separately but it sounded as if they fought as one. 

-Its truly beautiful, but.. where did Emelia go?- I planned to watch her fight and help if she needed it but when I looked over the deck to watch, I didn't see her anywhere. -Did she go below deck or something?-

After looking over the deck a bit longer, I figured she was probably fine and turned back to watch Adrian and Lynns fights. -They're both quite something.. aren't they..-

Lynn's bladesmanship was absolutely beautiful to watch. Instead of looking like a martial art, it looked closer to a dance or a performance.

Adrian on the other hand simply fought like a monster. The people he was against, although quite strong, stood no chance.

"Aah.. AAAHHHHH!" A gut-wrenching scream rang out as Adrian grabbed a knight by the stomach.

His fingers cleanly punched through the armor and into the knight's abdomen, ripping and cutting apart his organs.

The other knights and pirates did not idle by either. They all charged at him together but it was simply useless. *Ding-Crunch*

The sound of a knight helmet ringing against the ground as his head went flying off echoed through the night.

-Its just a slaughter..-

Just as the fight started, it was already finished. Adrians crew had managed to take over both merchant ships with no casualties and only a couple minor injuries.

There was still one clear issue though. -Where is Emelia? Did she get captured on that third ship or something?- I glanced to my side and saw the smaller pirate ship moving through the darkness next to me.

People on its deck were bustling around but I didn't see anything that could signify they had a hostage. -She's probably just below deck..- The instant I turned and looked back over the ships though, I saw blood dripping onto the sails out the corner of my eye. -What the..-

Looking up towards the crowsnest, I saw a few brutally sliced open bodies lining the railing and a blood covered woman standing next to a young child in the middle. 

-What the hell happened?- It was clearly Emelia, but the more I thought back to her nervousness from earlier, the less sense it made.

Before I could properly think it through though, my thoughts were interrupted.

"Looking for me?!" A booming voice radiated from the ship in the darkness.

"Tch.." Something about his voice immediately annoyed me.

"NOOO!" Lynns scream rang out across the ship.

*B-B-B-B-B-B-BOOOM*

Before the noise from the explosions even reached my ears, I felt a barrage of cannon balls enter my aura.

Most were simply flying into the ship, but there were two not with the group, one aiming for me and one for Ilios. -YOU DARE!-

Whipping around, I shot the one going for Ilios with a steel marble, blowing it apart before vaporizing it with a thruster.

*CRACK-FWOOOOSH*

As the other cannonball approached my chest I pulled up my arms and braced myself to catch it.

As the cannonball entered my grip, I was thrown through the railing and across the deck.

*Cr-cr-cr-cr-cr-cr-Crunch*

As I came to a stop, I looked back up at the ship with palpable bloodlust. "To think you'd aim for Ilios.." The cannonball glowed red from the friction it made against my hand, but I didn't care.

Quickly getting into stance, I launched it back into the cannon it came from. 

*Crack*

The cannonball glowed red as it flew through the air before perfectly entering the barrel of the cannon. 

*Diiing-splat*

Ringing it like a bell, the entire cannon barrel was blown out of its mount and launched across the deck, plowing through the crewmember in its path like they weren't even there.

The fighting still happening on the merchant ships came to a screeching halt as they all heard the ring.

In the abrupt silence, the same pirate on the enemy ship yelled out again. "You seem quite strong, kid! How about we fight?"

-He's still smiling?- His greedy and arrogant smile pushed the wrong buttons on me. "Sure, but you won't even know how you die." I slowly reached back and grabbed onto my new great sword.

"A mere demihuman boy dares to be so confident?!" Seeing me reach for my weapon, he reached for his. "You seriously thi-"

The world paused as I used my thrusters to throw myself over the edge of the ship and onto the surface of the water.

The surrounding water turned to ice from the pressure of my feet as I used the surface tension to transfer all of my momentum into my sword.

The blade glowed white and radiated heat as it sliced through the atmosphere. -Try and survive this!-

*CRRRAAACKCKKKK-CRUUNNCHHH*

Amplifying the shockwave from the blade with wind magic, the air became a dull blade and smashed its way through the entire ship.

The shockwave was so strong, those that managed to survive the direct damage and shrapnel, were burnt beyond recognition and had their brains and organs turn to mush.

Before the ice below me thawed from the pressure returning to normal, I quickly froze it all, letting me stand on a makeshift iceberg.

*Crackle-Crunch*

The ice I made cracked and shattered from thermal shock caused by the superheated atmosphere around me.

"Hooh.." A smoke like fog left my mouth as I breathed out. -What a damn good sword..-

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- Lynn ~

"NOOO!" I screamed as I watched the cannon fuses shrink into the cannons.

*B-B-B-B-B-B-BOOOM*

*Cr-cr-cr-cr-cr-cr-Crunch*

The next thing I saw after the cannons fired was a bright flash and Vasilias appearing several meters across the deck.

I didn't know what to feel. -How did he get there..-

"To think you'd aim for Ilios.." Vasilias's distant and quiet voice echoed through the silence that filled the air.

I watched as Vasilias winded up as if to throw something when I saw a dimly glowing cannonball in his hand. -HE CAUGHT THAT?!-

*Crack*

My thoughts were interrupted as he threw the cannonball faster than I could catch a glimpse of.

*Diiiinnng*

A distant ring filled the night as a massive cannon was thrown across the deck of the enemy ship, plowing its way through an unlucky man in its way.

I couldn't help but wince seeing the man turn into a cloud of blood.

No one could do anything but stare, including Adrian until a voice shot out from the darkness. "You seem quite strong, kid! How about we fight?"

The voice sounded familiar. -It can't be..- Looking up to the ship's crows nest, I saw an, all too familiar, insignia.

A deep and visceral anger welled within me as I gripped my blades. -Im gonna kill that f*cker today..-

As I got ready to run over and jump on his ship, I was stopped by Adrian. "What.. why?" It wasn't until I looked up at him that I noticed his pale face.

"Just watch.. I have a grudge against him just like you, but this is an opportunity to see a level of strength beyond the realm of humans.." His voice was slightly fearful.

-What is he..- It was at that instant that I felt a sense of oppression unlike anything I had ever thought possible.

It was such a dense aura it made me want to vomit. Looking towards the source, I saw Vasilias standing there and slowly reaching back for his sword. "Sure, but you wont even know how you die." His voice carried a deadly confidence that struck a deep fear in me.

"A mere demihuman boy dares to be so confident?!" Although I heard that wrenched voice again, my anger and rage were instantly squashed. "You seriously thi-"

The next thing I knew, I saw Vasilias standing on an ice platform with a white, glowing sword.

*CRRRAAACKCKKKK-CRUUNNCHHH*

I couldn't hear anything, I simply felt a shock wave pass through my body and watched my vision blur.

*Thud* *Gasp*

I fell to the deck and gasped for breath as the shockwave blew the air out of my lungs and made my body feel weak.

I could only see the blurred wooden deck of the merchant ship and couldn't hear anything over a deafening ring in my ears.

There wasn't a chance for a coherent thought to come to my mind before I started to feel light headed and fell to the side.

I could vaguely make out what looked like others laying on the deck before my eyelids started feeling heavier. -What.. ha..ppened..-