Episode 219
Zeke spotted the ominous figures clad in black armor lurking behind the hunting dogs. These were demons, and their movements seemed far more stable than before, suggesting the experiments had yielded some success.
One of the hunting dogs approached Bastian.
“Hey, pirate scum. Come here.”
Bastian spat out the lizard he was chewing on, clearly unfazed by the insult. As the other pirates around him began to rise, he raised a hand to stop them and slowly approached the hunting dog.
“What do you want?”
The hunting dog tossed something at Bastian—a sealed wooden cylinder.
With a sneer, the hunting dog taunted, “Filthy pirate. Do as it says, and maybe you’ll get a chance to grovel at the Empire’s feet.”
The other hunting dogs laughed mockingly. Bastian bent down, picked up the cylinder, and opened it in a practiced motion, revealing a piece of paper covered in code. He quickly read it and swallowed it whole.
“Stinking pirate. You might catch southern fleas if you’re unlucky,” the hunting dog jeered, prompting more laughter from his companions.
Bastian scratched his head, turned, and flung the empty cylinder back at the hunting dog, who instinctively caught it.
That’s when it happened.
Hiss!
A colorful venomous snake shot out from the cylinder.
“Damn it!”
The hunting dog recoiled, swatting the snake away. The snake, agitated, raised its head menacingly.
Bastian swiftly drew his long, sharp sword and skewered the snake’s head.
Screech!
The snake went limp, and Bastian picked it up, waving it at the hunting dogs.
“Oops, how did that get in there? I was saving it for a snack. Did it scare you?”
He shrugged nonchalantly, glancing at the other hunting dogs with a mischievous grin.
“Anything else you want to say?”
The hunting dogs glared at Bastian, grinding their teeth, but decided it wasn’t worth prolonging the exchange. They spat on the ground and turned away.
Bastian watched them go, a smirk playing on his lips. Then, in a rough southern dialect, he addressed his crew.
“Central continent snobs. They must have a death wish.”
His words sent the other pirates into fits of laughter. Most of them were part of the Pavela Cartel.
Zeke watched Bastian handle the vicious hunting dogs with a mix of admiration and disbelief.
“Same temper, past life or present,” he thought.
In the southern continent, Don Juan was infamous for his foul temper, but Bastian was no less notorious for his irascibility and impatience. Unlike Don Juan, who led the cartel with strategy and management, Bastian was renowned for his combat prowess. Though he hid his identity, he was a feared pirate from the southern seas and a notorious outlaw.
“Even tougher than the Blue Knight,” Zeke mused.
In his past life, Bastian was one of the cartel bosses Zeke had failed to assassinate.
As Zeke reminisced, Bastian led his men deeper into the forest. Whoever was orchestrating this, it was clear Bastian was working in tandem with the hunting dogs.
“Did Abel order this? That cautious guy wouldn’t come here himself…”
Zeke trailed Bastian’s group from a distance, using ghost soldiers to scout ahead.
Suddenly, Bastian’s group halted, as if they’d found something.
“There it is. Get ready,” Bastian ordered, and the pirates drew their weapons.
Zeke sent his ghost soldiers ahead to investigate. They revealed the encampment of the Silver Knights, the target of Bastian’s attack.
“Is Sister Kali there?” Zeke wondered.
Bastian and his pirates poised themselves, waiting for the right moment. The knights were exhausted, many of them injured.
At Bastian’s signal, the pirates stealthily descended.
“In this state, even the Silver Knights will struggle,” Zeke thought.
Pirates and cartel members thrived in chaotic skirmishes and close combat. Zeke sprinted towards the encampment.
Just then, Bastian hurled a magic bomb at the camp.
Boom!
The explosion echoed through the forest, startling the Silver Knights into action.
“Enemy attack! Scatter!” one of the knights shouted.
Each knight was a formidable warrior, capable of taking on a hundred foes. They decided it was better to fight independently than in a disorganized group.
But in this situation, that decision was a mistake.
“Without support, they’re at a disadvantage,” Zeke realized.
His concerns were soon validated.
Rustle—
The magic bomb’s noise attracted giant spiders.
Chitter!
The knights, though startled, readied their swords.
“Hah!”
True to their reputation, the Silver Knights fought valiantly, piercing through the spiders’ tough armor and severing their legs to hinder their movement.
But on the battlefield, swordsmanship alone doesn’t determine victory.
While the knights battled the spiders, the hidden pirates launched a surprise attack from behind.
Whoosh!
Axes flew towards the knights’ backs.
Thud!
The knights, anticipating the attack, turned to deflect the axes, but the spiders seized the opportunity to ensnare them with webs.
These spiders, having faced the knights before, had learned to adapt their tactics.
Splat!
“Ugh!”
The sticky webs clung to the knights’ armor, immobilizing them.
Chitter!
The spiders wrapped the trapped knights in thicker webs, rendering them helpless.
The spiders carried off their cocooned prey, while the Silver Knights struggled against the dual assault of spiders and pirates.
“Retreat! We must withdraw!” came the command.
The Silver Knights retreated in unison, but the injured were left behind.
One knight shouted, “Go on! I’ll hold them off!”
He was willing to sacrifice himself for his comrades.
The other knights gritted their teeth, helping the wounded escape.
The last remaining knight summoned his aura, standing against the spiders and attackers.
“Haaah!”
His sword blazed with aura, cutting through both spiders and pirates in a single stroke.
Crack!
The aura blade shattered the bodies of spiders and pirates alike.
Panting, the knight struggled to stay upright.
Then Bastian emerged from the shadows.
“Ha, those Draker bastards. Tough as nails.”
He twirled his long, sharp sword.
The knight charged at Bastian with a battle cry.
“Chaah!”
But Bastian deftly sidestepped and thrust his sword into the knight.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
The knight staggered back, blood oozing from the wound.
Bastian whistled, approaching the injured knight.
“Finish him off, then let’s catch the ones who ran. We need to find out where Kali is.”
The pirates chuckled at Bastian’s words.
Then it happened.
Slice—
A pirate raised his axe to behead the immobilized knight, but his own head rolled to the ground instead.
“What the—?”
The pirates looked around in confusion.
No other knights were in sight.
Slice—
Another pirate’s head fell.
Bastian’s expression hardened.
He grabbed a nearby subordinate and shoved him forward.
“Whoa!”
Thud!
The subordinate’s head was severed as he stumbled forward.
“Damn it!”
Bastian rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a lethal strike.
Whoosh!
A cold sensation grazed his neck.
Bastian slowly stood up.
“An assassin, huh? I don’t know who you are, but you’re damn good.”
As he finished speaking, Zeke revealed himself in front of Bastian.
Using his stealth skills and the power of the Shadow’s Will, Zeke had remained undetected by the pirates. But Bastian had sensed his lethal intent. Zeke brandished Anexi’s dagger, ready for the confrontation.
He tossed a potion from his cloak to the wounded knight.
“Drink that and head back to your comrades.”
The knight, unaware of Zeke’s true identity, hesitated for a moment before downing the potion. It was of the highest quality, and his wounds began to heal rapidly. Without further delay, the knight sprang to his feet and dashed into the forest.
Bastian, witnessing this, shouted, “What are you doing? Catch that bastard!”
Just as Bastian’s men were about to give chase, ghostly soldiers appeared from behind, blocking their path.
Zeke turned to Bastian. “Bastian of the Pavela Cartel. Explain why you’re here, and I might grant you a more merciful death than Don Juan received.”
Bastian’s eyes widened in shock. “Don Juan! So it was you who killed that damned old pig!”
He glared at Zeke with newfound clarity. “I’ve been wondering who took down both McCain and the Pavela Cartel. And here you are.”
At Bastian’s signal, pirates began to close in on Zeke. Zeke warned him, “Don’t waste your time. If you spare mine, I’ll make your end less painful.”
Bastian smirked at Zeke. “I know you’re skilled. But a hitman shines brightest in the shadows. You should never have shown yourself to me.”
With that, Bastian pulled something from his cloak—a long, metallic rod aimed at Zeke. Zeke recognized it immediately.
“A magic gun… Did he get that from the Siemens?”
It was shorter than the magic gun owned by Aaron, the Night Killer.
Bastian grinned wickedly. “You can’t even imagine what this can do.”
Zeke sighed. “You really think that can kill me?”
“Of course. It’s faster than any magic or sword. With this, conquering the continent is no mere dream.”
As Bastian indulged in his delusions, Zeke took a step forward. Bastian fired the magic gun.
Bang!
The bullet struck the ground at Zeke’s feet. The gun’s cylindrical chamber spun, loading another round.
“A magic gun that can fire consecutively?”
In his past life, magic guns had become mere playthings for nobles because they took too long to reload. The heat generated from firing magic-infused bullets was so intense that without proper cooling, the barrel would warp, risking an explosion.
“Has Siemens succeeded in mass-producing magic guns? Then why weren’t they used in the wars of my past life?”
While Zeke pondered, Bastian aimed the gun with a sneer. “Just die already.”
Bang!
The bullet flew toward Zeke.
Thwack!
In an instant, Zeke drew the sword from his back and sliced the bullet clean in half.
“What? How…?”
Bastian realized he had gravely underestimated Zeke. “You’re not a hitman… A knight?”