The archer who had been drawing his bow and loosing arrows from the Pirate Ship earlier had, somehow, also made it aboard their vessel.
He aimed an arrow directly at Siegert.
Somehow, Alka, gripping his Sailor's Saber, immediately slashed out. Just as the arrow was about to strike Siegert, Alka's blade cleaved its shaft.
Siegert, meanwhile, had already ducked low, powerfully thrusting his Sailor's Saber into the enemy's stomach. He wrenched it out and rolled aside once more.
Dark red blood gushed from the wound in the enemy's stomach, along with a small piece of an unidentifiable organ.
Just then, Alka saw the enemy archer's arrow again; this time, it was aimed at him. Alka's earlier feat of slicing the arrow mid-flight had marked him as a priority threat in the archer's eyes.
He dodged the incoming arrow with a sharp, almost exaggerated bend on the unsteady deck. His flexibility was astounding.
A piece of someone's Broken Blade landed just over a meter away from him.
He swiftly straightened, then crouched, reaching out to grab it. He held the Broken Blade between his index and middle fingers, much like one would hold a playing card. Then, aiming at the archer who had just boarded and was now at the ship's edge, he threw it.
WHIZZ!
A cold glint flashed through the air.
The palm-sized tip of the Broken Blade pierced the archer's throat. The bow and arrow he had been drawing clattered to the deck. Clutching his neck, an expression of disbelief on his face, he knelt.
Was that really so accurate? Or just a coincidence? Alka stared at his hands, finding it hard to understand how he had thrown it so precisely. Although the knowledge from the Ring included Magic and combat techniques using Magic, he had, after all, never experienced real combat, only trained alone.
When he looked up, he saw Siegert staring at him in shock. Then, snapping back to his senses, Siegert gave him a thumbs-up.
"Awesome!"
The current situation didn't allow them to chat freely, so they continued fighting the enemy. With that taste of real combat, Alka was finally able to keep a clear head during the battle.
Before long, the Sailors on board had cleanly dispatched all the pirates who had climbed up.
Hawls stood holding his ancient Long Saber, fresh red blood still dripping from its blade.
"Jump over there! Where do you think you're running?"
As his voice fell, the Crossbow Cart, which had been set up at some point, once again fired a volley of Crossbow Arrows. This time, thick ropes were tied to them. Several Crossbow Arrows lodged firmly into the enemy ship, and one by one, the ropes pulled taut. This not only restricted the enemy vessel but also created a bridge for them.
Sailors began sliding down the ropes towards the enemy ship.
Siegert pulled Alka aside. "We're not official members of this crew; no need for us to go down there and try to claim glory."
"Do I look like I'm in any state to go down there?" As he spoke, Alka showed Siegert his hand, still gripping the Sailor's Saber; it was trembling slightly. Traces of blood still clung to the blade, and Alka's face was spattered with quite a bit as well. He was panting heavily, the sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Besides flinging the Broken Blade to kill an enemy Archer from a distance, Alka had also, under Siegert's cover, personally cut down a pirate with his Sailor's Saber. Though he didn't feel nauseated, a thrill coursed through him—whether from fear or exhilaration, he couldn't tell.
Siegert used his sleeve to wipe blood from near his eyes, his blood-smeared face breaking into a grin.
"No worries. This is just the first step to becoming a man."
"The first step to becoming a man is killing someone?"
"If you want to sail the great seas, then yes. The ocean is a dangerous place," he said, looking sternly at Alka.
Aunt Macy had wanted her son to bring Alka on a voyage precisely so he could experience the dangers and treachery of the sea. She wanted him to understand what the sea was truly like, and what real Treasure Hunters faced. This wasn't some child's make-believe treasure hunt; it was about seizing wealth amidst blood and steel, forcing him to confront reality.
Alka nodded and took a deep breath, trying hard to compose himself. The icy sensation flowing from the Ring helped him calm down faster.
"Don't worry, I won't be swayed that easily."
"Haha, good! My brother is a Treasure Hunter from now on!" Siegert said, clapping Alka on the shoulder.
「Soon enough.」
The Sailors who had slid over had already seized the enemy Pirate Ship. They tied up the surrendering pirates, took down the black sail, and hoisted a regular white one. Pirates usually kept two sets of flags; hardly any pirate would sail constantly under their true colors. That would be far too inconvenient.
Then, the two ships drew alongside each other, and some Sailors brought several bound pirates onto the merchant vessel.
Although the Pirate Ship had sustained numerous holes from Crossbow Arrows and Cannon fire during the recent battle, its hull, keel, and mast remained largely undamaged. The damage could be mended by the carpenters. Fortunately, both the merchant ship and the Pirate Ship carried timber for repairs.
The first mate approached and spoke to Hawls.
"These are the carpenter, ship's doctor, and cook from the Pirate Ship."
Hawls looked at the three pirates, who were being forced to kneel on the deck. Their vessel had resumed sailing by now, with several ropes tied from its stern to the Pirate Ship's bow, towing it behind them.
A Sailor inspected the necks, wrists, and ankles of these pirates, then shook his head at the captain. Only then did Hawls look at the captives and ask, "Join us as Sailors, or die. Make your choice!"
"I'll join! I'll join!"
"Don't kill me! I'll join too!"
"Me too..."
The three pirates agreed without hesitation. Hawls nodded, instructing the first mate to take them away to sign their articles.
At this point, Siegert explained to Alka beside him, "A carpenter is an indispensable skilled craftsman on any ship; they're highly valuable."
"The same goes for a cook. Even if his food isn't great, he at least knows how to deal with food that's about to spoil, which is an unavoidable problem on a ship."
"As for this pirate doctor... well, at least he knows something. Better than nothing."
Hearing this explanation, Alka nodded in understanding. Skilled personnel are indeed more valuable than ordinary folk, just as one would expect.
Alka looked at the captured ship trailing behind them, noting the many bound pirates still on its deck.
"So, how do they plan to deal with them?"
"I've heard these pirates have bounties on their heads. They can be exchanged for money, or if that fails, selling them off will also bring in some cash." Siegert added, "This ship is a big prize too. It looks decent; patch it up, and it could last for decades. It's definitely worth a lot."
Alka nodded with dawning comprehension. They're really squeezing every last bit of value out of them. For a moment, I couldn't tell who the real pirates were.
Just then, Hawls's voice rang out.
"Alright, alright! This is a great victory! Tonight, the galley will serve up some hearty fare! Everyone can have a little to drink, but don't let me catch anyone overdoing it, or there'll be trouble!"
"Alright, back to your posts! Those injured, get to the infirmary and get patched up! If you die, I'll have to pay out death benefits, you know!"
With the captain's orders given, the entire ship quickly buzzed back to activity. Many Sailors, under the boatswain's direction, began swabbing the bloodstains from the deck. The spoils of war had already been collected, and the bodies had all been dumped onto the captured Pirate Ship—even those could fetch a small bounty.
Their destination was not far now; they expected to arrive by dawn the next day.