It had been a day and a half since Shu's prophecy, and they were under attack from the foreseen pirates.
Shu and Mary planned to fight, but they soon found out Alexander's plan.
Looking at the young man's schemes, Armageddon was rather impressed. Pulling one over one of the six monsters? And the captain, no less?! Armageddon could see right through Alexander's plan, and as far as he saw it, this was a commendable young man that Armageddon would stand behind through thick and thin.
"So why are we not fighting them?"
Shu asked. Gloomy-eyed, the young red-headed fox beastman asked his self-proclaimed rival. Shu likes fighting, and not fighting these pirates was quite the favor he was doing for Alexander.
"Trust me. The captain cares about his crewmates just enough for him to be unable to focus his power properly and perfectly enough for him to beg for my help."
The blue-eyed sly young man said pridefully.
"I think you are correct, though I'm unsure. Hector was the weakest among us. I am the youngest. Hella is the only female. George is the strongest. The captain was the oldest and second strongest. I'm unsure these pirates will be able to survive against him."
Armageddon interjected.
"What about the sixth one of you?"
Lǜ Zūn, who was following the conversation, asked.
"We don't talk about that scum."
Armageddon said. His red hair merged with his black eyes as they burned with hatred.
They could only wonder what could the sixth monster do that Armageddon of all people, who didn't care to mention Hector, the beastmen genocider, was unwilling to speak about him.
"How long do we need to wait?"
Shu was listening to the conversation as he grew impatient.
"Soon."
Alexander answered.
He was tracing the captain's movements with his eyes and could see the old man slowing down as he couldn't consistently focus on the entire battlefield, and of course, he couldn't! What moron would think he could?! The only reason he attempted such a dumb strategy was that he was trying to keep all his crewmates safe, and while there weren't many of them, only a select three could be noted as capable of fighting adequately.
"Son of George Adom! Will you please help us?!"
The captain called out to Shu.
Shu was ready to answer, but Alexander stepped forward.
"Only if you allow us to take Muriel with us later!"
Alexander answered the captain. Muriel is the most competent fighter from the captain's crew, not counting him, and Alexander was sure he could trust her.
"Only as long as she agrees to it."
The captain answered.
This was enough.
Lifted, the black-haired young man's hand was pointing at the pirates.
Facing them, not counting defeated pirates, there were two hundred enemies in total.
Thirty of them instantly died.
Alexander created swords in the bodies of fifty pirates. These swords stabbed them to death from the inside.
Even though instantly summoning fifty swords was incredibly draining for Alexander, only thirty died. This showed how capable their enemies were.
Even though there were only thirty pirates dead, Shu was annoyed. He was willing to let Alexander scheme his way to a win in the tournament, but killing right before him? Shu was not planning to let this slide.
He stepped forward, and Alexander shuddered under the pressure coming from his friend.
"How are you, Shu?"
Alexander couldn't show weakness. If Shu noticed his current state, Shu won't let him keep his plan going.
"I don't care how you do it. Don't kill."
Shu placed an ultimatum on Alexander's plan.
Some people would see this as a wrench in their wheels, but Alexander wasn't just anyone, and he knew that if he wanted, Shu would have stopped Alexander's plan right there and then, but no, all he did was tell him not to do one thing that Alexander didn't have to do for his plan.
"As you wish."
Alexander answered.
He created a blunt sword in his hand and dashed at his opponents. He wasn't fighting alone, and these thirty killed pirates were a great help to the captain.
"Shu, can you help me?"
Alexander asked.
"I thought you won't ask."
Shu said.
The two of them dashed at their foes.
Each one took down an unfathomable number of enemies. They made the old captain look in awe. He may be old, but he, one of the six monsters, couldn't imagine that back in the day, less than five years from the start of the tournament, there could be anyone this strong who wasn't a hundred years old already. With much more training, these youngsters might be able to defeat a god.
Alexander and Shu fought the pirates, defending the captain's crew.
Soon after the two youngsters joined the fight, the battle ended with the pirates fleeing. Unlike Shu's prediction, the leader of the pirates didn't show up. After taking a look at the future, Shu said that the pirates won't come back and their leader won't be showing up.
"Muriel, will you join us?"
Alexander asked. He could order her to do so, but he knew that this would make the relationship between them rather strained.
Alexander was busy helping the other crewmembers, so throughout the fight, Muriel hadn't seen him fight. But she could see the ashamed glances from her other crewmates, who, after angering Alexander, were saved by him. This, in turn, made her trust him more. She knew he could force her to come with him, but he didn't, and she also knew that he was strong and intelligent enough to be an eligible participant in the tournament.
"I will join you, but only if you don't ask anyone else in the group to join you."
Muriel said. Alexander knew she would ask for that and placed his hand forward.
"If this is your only request, then it's fine."
They both shook hands, and Alexander ripped their previous contract in front of her.
"Now, I'm certain I can trust you."
Before Muriel could question his decision, Alexander said.
The rest of the voyage was smooth sailing. They reached the new lands in the expected time. They walked to the city gates.
Both Shu and Mary took a sharp breath. As far as these two saw it, this is when everything starts.