Chapter 163
Chapter 163
The air grew heavy with the wrath of Sovereign, as if the very atmosphere bore the weight of her fury. The once howling winds ceased as if in a lie, and the blazing sun was obscured by sudden storm clouds.
“…”
“…”
Below, the pirates who had been committing slaughter stood frozen, and the navy men sat down, all eyes fixed on one point.
Drip. Drip-drop.
A cold rain began to fall.
What started as a few drops soon turned into a downpour, drenching the island.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Amidst the rain, a brutal beating was underway at the center of the island.
With every stomp, Drakan’s body convulsed, unable to withstand the force crashing down upon him.
Admiral Leang’s eyes trembled at the sight.
The life-and-death struggle he had with Ivan had long since ceased.
The moment that monstrous woman overcame the sea fog, any semblance of advantage had already vanished.
Ivan and Yan could not dare to intervene in the spectacle unfolding before them.
How could they?
Even the mountains and trees held their breath, watching the Pirate Empress’s rage unfold.
Thump! Thump!
Drakan, unable to bear the pain, barely managed to plead for mercy.
“…Captain. My, my mistake. Please, spare my life.”
But even Drakan’s begging did not sway the Pirate Empress, who emotionlessly continued to pulverize his bones and muscles.
Blood splattered on her face and the hem of her clothes, and the soles of her shoes were torn away, but she seemed utterly indifferent.
Thud! Thud!
Yan stepped back and whispered to Ivan.
“Is it really okay to just stand by?”
Ivan let out a low hum.
“If you try to stop her now, you’ll get beaten just enough not to die. Better to leave her be until she cools off.”
He shivered, perhaps recalling a similar experience from the past.
“What does it matter? He’s dying for his deeds anyway. You’re not thinking of stopping her, are you?”
Yan shook his head.
‘There’s no value in crossing the Pirate Empress.’
Yan decided to leave them be and simply watched the scene unfold.
The Pirate Empress, true to her word, meticulously avoided areas that could quickly end Drakan’s life.
Yet, she seemed to know precisely where to inflict the most pain.
Despite targeting non-lethal spots, Drakan’s screams were chilling.
Finally, the Pirate Empress turned Drakan into a pulp and drew her curved blade from her waist.
“Sa, save me…”
Drakan crawled, clutching at the hem of her garment, but…
Slice!
The Pirate Empress mercilessly slit his throat. Drakan’s severed head rolled to the feet of Admiral Leang.
“Ah, agh!”
Only then did Admiral Leang come to his senses, collapsing to the ground, trying to push himself away with his legs—a pitiful sight for a noble of the Southern Duchy.
Squelch, squelch.
The Pirate Empress walked through the mud-soaked ground towards him.
She twisted her lips into a smirk, locking eyes with Admiral Leang.
“You’ve been too pampered, haven’t you? To think you’d dare to commit such a cute act with my subordinate.”
“…If you kill me, His Excellency the Sun Duke will march. If that happens, the pirate fleet you cherish so much will all die!”
It was a plausible threat.
Despite his many corruptions, he was one of the dukes of the Southern Duchy; the Sun Duke wouldn’t let it slide.
But.
“So what? Do you really think Juda Caballan would move for someone like you?”
To the Pirate Empress’s knowledge, the Sun Duke was not one to prioritize his pride.
If he were the type to be moved by such things, they would have clashed head-on long ago.
‘Unless I directly harm his territory or merchant ships, he won’t care.’
She did want to fight him, though.
Anyway.
“You and the leader of the revolution both have the guilt of enticing Drakan, so you’ll die even more painfully.”
With those words, the Pirate Empress began the same trampling on Admiral Leang that she had done to Drakan.
Even as a third-tier superhuman, he couldn’t escape the Pirate Empress’s feet.
“Arghhh!”
After three hours of relentless beating.
Admiral Leang’s screams were heard no more.
* * *
The Pirate Empress Ascends
Aboard Ivan’s pirate ship, the Pirate Empress stepped with an air of command.
“Please wear this, my lady. The chill is biting,” Ivan offered, draping a coat over her shoulders from behind.
She donned the coat with a nod, then turned to Ivan with a sudden thought. “Let the surviving navy men go. It’s not their fault, and there’s no need for needless deaths.”
“…My lady?” Ivan’s face hardened, disbelief etching his features.
“I know what you’re thinking, but what fault lies with the underlings? They’re just trying to make a living.”
The Empress’s magnanimity was as vast as the seas, leaving Ivan rigid with conflict.
“I may usually hang on your every word, but I cannot condone this. How can we spare those who sought your life?”
“Their fate is mine to decide, for they sought my life,” she declared, locking eyes with Ivan.
“Release them. And inform the other captains.”
With a clenched fist, Ivan stormed out, carrying out her repeated command.
The Empress sighed deeply, shaking her head. “This life of piracy… it’s not sustainable forever.”
Her gaze drifted to a corner of the room, lips curling into a smile. “Don’t you agree, young friend?”
There sat Yan, quietly observing her from a wooden chair.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Ivan’s not wrong, is he? If you spare those who sought your life, won’t more navy men dare to target you?”
“Perhaps, but there’s no honor in staining my hands with their blood.”
“Wouldn’t that deter the navy from daring to attack pirate ships?”
“Ha! If a true campaign were to unfold, it would only lead to more senseless deaths. I care not for those who have reached enlightenment, but for the others…”
“…That’s not very pirate-like of you.”
“Of course, it’s not. I was but a simple countrywoman who hadn’t wielded a sword until I was thirty.”
“Really?”
Yan’s eyes widened in disbelief. He knew the Pirate Empress to be in her mid-forties.
Had she truly ascended to a second-tier warrior in just over a decade?
‘The greatest martial talent on the continent isn’t the crown prince… it’s the Pirate Empress.’
Leaning back in her plush chair, she continued, “And the Sun Duke likely wishes for this as well.”
“The Sun Duke? Why…”
“The navy has never truly attempted to subdue us. They will probably turn a blind eye as long as we don’t harm civilians.”
“Isn’t it because you are too powerful for a simple subjugation?”
“Ha! If that were the case, we’d both avoid mutual destruction.”
“Still, with many navy men dead, things might change.”
“If my men, unbeknownst to their peril, were left unchecked, and now they rampage for revenge, then Juda is a fool. If I’ve spared the lives of five hundred men who sought mine, they should be grateful.”
Yan couldn’t help but smirk at the Pirate Empress’s casual disdain for the Sun Duke, feeling the weight of her authority.
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he asked, “But why did you come here, if not for the reason you mentioned?”
The Pirate Empress suddenly fell silent, a stark contrast to her previous candor.
“…”
Yan simply watched her, letting the silence stretch within the captain’s quarters.
Finally, she seemed ready to speak, exhaling deeply.
“They said they had brought my son here. Of course, it was a blatant lie.”
“Your son?”
Yan frowned slightly. For someone of the Pirate Empress’s stature, even if declared dead, family details should be recorded.
Yet, Yan had always believed her to be utterly alone.
‘Could it be that the former Admiral Leang failed to report?’
Only three knew of this: Admiral Leang, Drakan, and the leader. And in a past life, this trap had succeeded, so Leang should have reported it.
Musing, Yan let out a chuckle.
‘He was too embarrassed to report it, perhaps?’
It seemed the details of how the Pirate Empress was lured into the trap were left unreported.
After all, for a noble of the South, where chivalry and pride were paramount, using family as leverage would be more shameful.
“Why are you laughing?”
The Pirate Empress frowned at Yan’s chuckle, unable to fathom his thoughts, naturally assuming he was mocking her plight.
Yan shook his head, offering a plausible excuse.
“I was merely surprised that someone of your stature has yet to find them.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
The Pirate Empress pondered, stroking her chin thoughtfully.
Clap!
Yan clapped his hands, breaking the tension. A sly grin spread across his face.
He had thought of a way to entice the Pirate Empress.
“Shall we discuss business now?”
The Pirate Empress gestured for him to speak.
“As I’ve mentioned before, I’m quite close with key figures in the empire. If your son is within the empire, I can assure you we can find him.”
“…You’re that confident?”
“Absolutely.”
Yan was indeed confident.
Two agencies monitored and roamed the entire empire.
He had debts placed within the Special Task Force and the Public Security Bureau, so this request was trivial.
And with Bella’s help, the search would be even smoother.
‘I’ve been wondering how to settle the debt Director Diana owed me. This might be the perfect opportunity.’
With no known facts about the Pirate Empress’s kin, the request would proceed without uproar.
The Pirate Empress, impressed by Yan’s confidence, nodded in agreement.
“Alright, I’ll trust you. Now, what do you want in return?”
“Join the revolutionaries.”
“…?”
The Pirate Empress’s brow furrowed, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
She looked at Yan’s earnest expression and asked again, incredulous.
“Are you asking me to join the revolutionaries who sought my life?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then.”
The Pirate Empress chuckled dryly, her gaze settling heavily on Yan.
“Are you in your right mind?”
A chill ran down Yan’s spine, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
Even without invoking mana, the air felt like daggers aimed at him.
Truly, she was a person who had reached the pinnacle of the continent.
Yan steadied his breathing and calmed his heart.
“Yes, I am perfectly sane in my proposal.”
Now was the time to carefully draw the Pirate Empress into his fold, with every word weighed and measured.
Yan’s eyes sparkled with determination.
“Don’t you want revenge on the leader who orchestrated this?”