Chapter 4

[Kaienreki Calender, Year 1507]

The once beautiful green forest now lay in tatters, consumed by billowing smoke and raging fires. Ravok stood amidst the charred remains of his kin, his mind struggling to comprehend the horrifying reality unfolding before him. Clutching the broken sword tightly, he positioned himself in front of the remaining survivors, determined to protect them at all costs.

"Ravok..." a soft call reached his ears from behind.

"Please...run away," his mother pleaded, her voice filled with anguish, tears streaming down her face as she clung to the earth beneath her.

"Fufufufu, what a touching scene," the jeering voice of the pirate resonated from the front.

"Stay away!" Ravok warned, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and rage.

The air filled with the sound of multiple gunshots, each echoing the fall of another Thorn Tribe member to the ground, their lives extinguished mercilessly.

"Fufufu," a mischievous glimmer danced in the pirate's eyes as he glanced at the beautiful women on her knees.

"We aren't merciless, you see... I can spare you... but you have to leave that woman behind!" he declared, his smile laden with lecherous intent.

Anger surged within Ravok, igniting a fierce determination.

"Isn't our vice captain such a nice person?! Hehehehe," a grunt chimed in from the sidelines, his voice filled with twisted amusement.

The grunt leisurely strolled towards the young boy, a sinister smirk adorning his face. Standing beside Ravok, he put a hand on his head roughly before turning to his fellow pirates.

"He would make such a nice... Gah!" The grunt's words were abruptly silenced as a jagged piece of metal was thrust into his neck, piercing through his voice box.

Falling to his knees, he clutched desperately at his neck, blood gushing forth in an uncontainable torrent. His attempts to stem the flow proved futile, and his life faded away, leaving him choking on his own blood.

The hairs on the pirates' bodies stood on end, their leisurely stances turning rigid with shock and apprehension.

"You fucker!" a pirate bellowed, raising his sword in a fit of rage.

Ravok desperately tried to retrieve the lodged sword from the fallen grunt's neck, his heart pounding with desperation. Frustration boiled within him as his efforts proved fruitless. In a moment of desperation, he seized the lifeless form of the fallen pirate, using it as a macabre shield.

However, his undeveloped instincts failed to detect the presence of two other pirates stealthily approaching from behind.

The sickening sound of swords piercing flesh reverberated through the forest.

"....MOM!!!" Ravok's anguished scream pierced through the jungle, a cry filled with agony and despair.

Standing behind him was his mother, two swords protruding from her sides. She had sacrificed herself to protect her son.

"*Cough* Ravok... run... please..." she whispered, her voice weakening as the life drained from her eyes, leaving behind only an empty, haunting stare.

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The once vibrant and colorful main square, adorned with intricate tribal decorations, now lay in ruins. It was a grim tableau, drenched in the crimson hue of blood, a testament to the fierce battle that had taken place.

"The legend of the formidable warrior tribe was actually true..." the pirate captain muttered, his bear-like form bearing the marks of a brutal fight. Torn holes and missing patches of fur marred his once imposing appearance. A gaping wound in his abdomen leaked warm blood, his life force slowly ebbing away.

Facing him stood a tall and broad man, his broken left hand tightly clenched, the once golden gauntlet now stained with red. Destruction surrounded them, the aftermath of their relentless clash. A few remaining pirates dragged themselves away from the scene of carnage, but sadly, no surviving tribesmen could be seen.

Gasping for breath, Calder collapsed to one knee, his body betraying him. "Just surrender. I acknowledge your strength, and I am willing to spare you if you join my crew," the pirate offered, his own condition mirroring Calder's. The rapid loss of blood meant that even if he emerged victorious, immediate medical attention would be necessary to prevent his demise.

Calder spat blood onto the ground, his voice filled with defiance. "I would rather die than submit," he declared.

The pirate sighed, a tinge of pity in his voice. "You people are too prideful. If you had just handed over the fruit, your people wouldn't have had to die," he remarked.

"You would have spared us? Don't make me laugh! The moment you set foot on this land, you had no intention of showing mercy to anyone!" Calder roared, his voice resonating with anger.

"Xihihihihi! Aren't you a clever one!" the pirate jeered.

The massive bear-man hybrid body of the pirate surged forward at blinding speed, engaging Calder in a ferocious exchange of blows.

"You're the first person I've encountered who could withstand my power in this form," he remarked.

Suddenly, a loud noise reverberated through the jungle, followed by a gut-wrenching scream.

"Xihihihi! My right-hand man must have finished his work!" the pirate exclaimed.

Caught off guard by the distraction, Calder lost his balance. Seizing the opportunity, the bear-man lunged forward. His sharp claws gleamed with a mysteries force as something enveloped them.

"Hak-!" Realization dawned on Calder, but his words remained unfinished as the paw struck him. His body crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater beneath him, while the bear-man's paw remained firmly on top.

Ribs shattered under the tremendous pressure, turning to powder. No scream escaped Calder's mouth as his lungs were crushed, rendering him breathless and motionless.

Lying there, on the threshold between life and death, Calder's barely flickering flame clung to existence. With his final reserves of energy, he mustered his remaining strength.

"Thorn D. Ravok!" His voice resounded like the decree of a supreme being, carrying across the island.

"The Top!" he proclaimed, his body succumbing to the embrace of eternal slumber as death claimed him.

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With his mother's lifeless body lying before him, Ravok felt the world spin around him. The haunting image replayed in his mind, each scene etching deeper into his consciousness.

"Thorn D. Ravok!" His father's resounding cry, echoing across the entire island, snapped him out of his trance.

"The top!"

His eyes dulled, his body refusing to consider the possibility of what might have befallen his father. Surrounded by blood, fire, and smoke, the chaotic scene played out in the background.

In the distance, the mighty mountain trembled, erupting with a massive release of smoke. Violent tremors shook the island as volcanic ash mingled with rocks and boulders, erupting from the mountain's summit.

"The top..." Ravok thought, his gaze fixated on the mountain peak.

Dark clouds shrouded the entire island, thunder crackled, and lava roiled. The winds howled fiercely.

The pirate captain struggled to his feet, his wounds now hastily bandaged.

"Wraith pirates!" he bellowed.

"Retreat to the ship! We're leaving!" he commanded, scooping up any injured crew members who were too weak to walk.

With urgency, he sprinted away, his sole focus on escaping the island.

Deep within the jungle, the vice captain and the other crew members heard the captain's orders. Instinctively, they ran towards the ship, their pirate instincts alerting them that something was amiss.

The vice captain cast a final glance at the sole survivor of the Thorn tribe, a lingering hint of remorse in his eyes.

"Cannonball!" he shouted as his arm elongated, propelling a medium-sized cannonball towards Ravok.

Without looking back, he sprinted away, leaving destruction in his wake.

A deafening explosion reverberated through the jungle as Ravok cried out in agony, his body seared by the blast. His left side was gone, consumed by fire. Tears of blood streamed down his face as he dragged himself forward, inching closer to the mountain.

"The top...the...top..." he repeated, his voice a whisper as he pushed through the pain.

Death loomed, patiently waiting to embrace him, to reunite him with his parents. Oh, how enticing the release from suffering would be. He yearned to be reunited with his mother, father, and uncle, to find solace among his tribe.

His body longed for the relief of pain, but his mind fixated on those two words: "the top."

Suddenly, a massive lightning bolt crackled across the sky, descending upon the peak of the mountain. The island convulsed as the mountain exploded, unleashing a torrent of scorching magma, volcanic ash, and colossal rocks that rained down upon the land.

As the molten magma cascaded down the mountain, a wave of searing destruction consuming everything in its path, Ravok found himself in its merciless path.

Gradually, the scorching heat closed in on him, the intensity palpable. He mustered the strength to shift his body slightly, his blood-stained eyes fixating on the impending doom before him.

Through the haze, the distorted image of blazing yellow lava dominated his vision. Yet, amidst the inferno, there was a peculiar sight. A red speck stood out, riding the crest of the molten wave, steadily approaching him.

His vision strained, gradually clearing, revealing a small, crimson fruit floating above the fiery currents. It drifted nearer, inching closer to Ravok's location.

Amidst the chaos, the island quivered beneath the weight of destiny. The fruit rolled along, defying the laws of nature, until it came to rest directly in front of Ravok. A sinister and malevolent aura emanated from its very presence, casting an ominous shadow over the scene.