I’m a Bastard But You’re Worse!

The Lion King pirates sent on land to siege the Brutos governors palace had been annihilated by the mercenary guilds ambush.

On the other hand, the main forces ship, moored at the port, had turned into a bloodbath: the captain, Bartolo Blutleid, also known as Cristina, had been slayed too.

The winner of the battle was clear: there was no escape anymore.

Starting from the ships closer to the stage of the massacre, shock and confusion gradually spread to the 200 vessels-strong pirate fleet.

Heywhat are we supposed to do now?

Standing on a large ship not too far from Cristinas, a pirate whispered, dumbfounded.

He had witnessed the slaughter perpetrated on the fellow pirate ship and had utterly lost any will to fight.

Facing a man who had mowed down 100 pirates, with a single sword in hand, was sheer insanity.

Hell if I knowshouldnt we get out of here?

I was thinking the same.

The loss of Cristina, the fleet commander, made Brutos capture impossible. There was no reason to fight anymore.

The pirates could not be faulted for thinking that escape was their best available option.

The two intimidated pirates, however, were promptly struck by their superiors iron fists.

Ouch!?!

Quit spewing bullshit! You damn maggots!

B-But captain!!

The captain in charge of the ship had indeed come down to set the two straight.

He glared at Cristinas ship and snorted spitefully.

Just you try going back after this mess. The boss will have our heads on a platter.

T-Thats

The pirates pictured the Lion King pirate crews supreme commander, who was also the king of the Lion Kingdom, and turned pale as sheets.

Strength and fear ruled the pirates hierarchy: being seen as weak was a death sentence.

After suffering such a defeat, the Lion King pirates would be ridiculed throughout the seas for at least 10 years.

Especially because the fleet commander, Cristina, had been killed. It was highly likely that the other pirates would be forced to take responsibility in her place.

If we dont at least bring that mans head back with us, well all become shark feedwe cant run away now!

B-Buthow can we kill a monster like that!?

The pirate subordinates were visibly trembling.

They would hate to be fed to the sharks, naturally, but facing that demon-like swordsman was just as terrifying.

You idiots! We dont need to fight him directly. We can just blow him up from here!

The captain grinned to his fidgeting crew and slapped the Overthrower cannon equipped on his ship.

They could blast a cannonball on the enemy ship and sink it from a safe distance: even the strongest swordsman could not stand against such an offensive. There was no need to fight fair and square.

B-But that ship is one of ours! We cant just destroy it!

Were not getting out of this any other way! Its better than being captured, fool!

The captain shouted down his frightened subordinate and set up the gunpowder for the shot.

Signal the surrounding ships! Were going to blow up that bastard!!

A-Aye!!

The subordinates hurriedly acted on the captains orders.

They waved the signals to the other ships with flags and prepared gunpowder and cannonballs, then flaming arrows and other explosives too, to sink the ship that had been stolen from them.

The captain confirmed the enemys presence on the ship with his binoculars: he saw a young boy wiping the swordsmans bloody face.

It was the boy who had delivered a message to the pirates at the port.

Thinking about it now, that boy had probably been sent to locate the ship Cristina was on and assassinate her.

look at you, fucking taking it easy, huh? Its gonna cost yer life!!

The captain gnashed his teeth and growled.

Captain, all ready here!!

Good, then lets!?

The captain was about to send the signal to attack, but froze in his tracks.

Because, through the binoculars, his eyes had met with the swordsmans.

, ?

The swordsman was looking in his direction. He grinned, shrugged, moved his lips.

The captain could certainly not read lips, but nonetheless understood that he was being insulted.

Shootem dead! Blow that man up!!!

A-Aye!!!

The captain was bright red, fuming.

The pirates jolted at his sudden screamed orders, then proceeded to light the Overthrower fuse on fire.

But then, mere seconds before they could

Hm?

!

Beyond the binoculars, the swordsman raised his hands next to his ears and pointed upwards. The captain unconsciously moved away from the lens and looked up.

Eh?

Several seagulls were perched on the mast. It was not an unusual sight for seasoned seafarers, but the captain felt there was something off this time.

He squinted his eyes and noticed that one of the seagulls had something in its beak.

The birds cried louder, and the thing dropped; they then spread their wings and flew away.

Hey!! How the hell!?

As soon as the captain realized what the thing was, a chilling fear possessed him.

He desperately stretched his right arm, but there was no way he could reach.

Hey!! You lot!! Catch that!!

Huh? Whats gotten into you, capn?

The captain shouted hysterically, but the subordinates looked at him perplexed. They hadnt noticed the thing yet.

The thing was a piece of rope, about 10 cm long. Incidentally, one of its ends was burning red.

A piece of rope that had been dropped exactly over a crate filled with gunpowder. And the moment it landed

BOOOOOOOM!!!

An enormous column of black smoke rose to the blue sky, as the pirate ship was engulfed in violent flames.