With pirates approaching, Cain's fleet redirected itself, and the additional ships formed a protective circle around the Red Titan.
The three pirate ships were slightly larger than their own, but they appeared worn and aged. Nevertheless, engaging them before venturing into deeper waters spelled trouble.
"Steer away! Let them chase us!" Dolion took charge in Cain's absence, as Cain was below deck, and Connie was still asleep.
Marko, at the helm, heeded Dolion's advice; it made sense. Engaging in a fight so early would only tire them out and not be worth the trouble.
"The pirates should give up as we go deeper. You up in the crow's nest, keep a vigilant watch!"
"Aye aye, Mr. Dolion!" Jaxith saluted before grabbing a pair of binoculars.
Amidst the commotion, Cain had reappeared, footsteps coming from below deck.
"Dolion, what's happening?"
"Pirates, sir. Three ships. They're behind us now and should give up when they realize we're heading into Deep Ones territory."
A large door swung open, revealing an angry, four-armed giantess.
"Why all this shouting? Don't you know that ladies need their beauty rest!"
Dolion explained the situation again, and Connie tiptoed to the side so she could peer behind the sails.
"Seems so. They're distant though, so why all the shouting? Slow down, and we can defeat them and continue on."
Marko quickly explained to his captain why that approach would cause more harm than good, receiving the expected response from their captain.
"That's foolish. We can easily overpower and plunder them for their goods. Why are we running?"
Cain had to intercede. "Connie, just trust us. Go back and rest; we'll let you know if anything happens."
"Fine, but only because I would do anything for my savior."
Connie attempted a cute expression, but her facial muscles contorted, resulting in a more monstrous look. Cain chuckled, and everyone resumed their tasks. They all needed to be fully rested for the impending encounter with the creatures dwelling in the depths.
...
Days passed, and fewer islands dotted the horizon and occasional sea stacks punctuated the view.
Cain was sipping something while gazing upward, shouting to Jaxith.
"Kid! Are they still tailing us?"
"Yes, sir! They're still pursuing us, and I don't think they're planning to stop."
Cain could hear Marko grumble, "Damn it, we'll be entering Deep One territory soon! The rock formations and pillars are already becoming frequent!"
Dolion stood alongside them. From the first sighting days ago, he felt the ominous threat lingering. The pirates pursued them with unnatural persistence, never losing sight of their stern.
"Even so, at this pace, they won't catch up. We might get lucky, and the creatures might attack them, or we'll be the ones fighting the deep ones. Either way, we'll end up where we need to be."
With the three ships tailing them, the crews on every ship had become despondent. Many were getting to the point of just wishing to slow down and fight them before heading into unknown territory. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long.
From one of their ships, a man began shouting at the top of his lungs, and soon Jaxith joined in.
"T-They're somehow getting closer!"
"They're closing in, damn it!" Dolion rushed to the side to peer over. In the distance, he saw three ships accelerating, and on closer inspection, a massive wave trailed behind them, propelling them forward.
"It's a hydromancer! The raiders are from the King's Realm!"
"What in the world is that?"
"It's the territory adjacent to the Republic, where we're from. The ruler there, known as the Occult King, wields mysterious magic. He governs a magical Kingdom called Kiok, and these pirates must be from there! They're using a giant wave to push themselves toward us!"
By the time the crew prepared for the collision, it was already upon them. Three large ships rammed into one of the Trading Company's frigates, tearing it apart as marauding raiders leaped aboard and launched their attack.
The only galleon in their fleet was the Red Titan, but most of its space was occupied by their captain. The odds were now fairly even; one ship was already sinking, while the others maneuvered to fire their cannons.
Multiple waves surged, pushing the other ships away. Then, a substantial mass of water rose from the sea, crashing down onto the sinking ship, dragging it into the depths.
The Red Titan was defenseless as enemy ships closed in from behind, with no other vessels able to approach.
A figure appeared to fall from one of the marauder ships, only to be caught by the water. It surged into a column and gradually drew near Connie's ship.
The figure then greeted the people he was attacking "Greetings, I am Garret Ivette, Captain of the Skewer Pirates. Surrender your valuables, and we'll allow you to leave; it's that simple."
Cain observed the smug pirate as Dolion announced their identity.
"Garrett Ivette, wanted by the Kingdom of Kiok for robbery, privateering, assault, and more. He's a hydromancer trained by a madman who used blood to forge a new branch of hydromancy."
From behind them, a large door swung open, revealing a laughing Huogg clutching their stomach.
"Garrett Ivette! HAHAHA, his last name sounds like a girl's! Skewer Pirates, are you a floating kebab grill? Hahaha!"
The water column grew agitated as the smug man's expression turned sour. His lips twitched as he shot a scornful look at Connie. However, his lips soon curled into a grin.
"Says the hideous beast, why aren't you on a slave ship yet, you Huogg bitch!"
Dolion brushed off the exchange and swiftly posed a question. "Why are you pursuing us, Garrett? We possess nothing valuable, and we're clearly headed into a perilous area."
"Can't say"
Cain quickly made a guess. "Dolion, other organizations must know about the fountain; this man must have been dispatched to stop us from competing with them"
"I've had the same thought, but none of us have weaponry from our country; we can't counter his magic."
A broad smile spread across Cain's face as he stepped forward. Passing Dolion, he offered a prideful remark. "Don't you wonder why I was hired?"
Cain closed his eyes, centering his focus inward. The glint of the pirates fighting in the distance sparked memories of another time, another life that wasn't his, stained by blood.
He had sought to escape those haunting memories, to start anew. Yet here he was again - violence swirling around him as inescapable as the tide. He now stood face-to-face with Garrett, who stared at him with confusion.
"Who are you? Some sacrificial lamb?"
"No... not at all. Before we commence, would you consider surrendering? I say this as someone who has committed sins; it's never too late to change into a better person"
"Are you some sort of preacher?"
Meanwhile, the other ships were engaged in combat in the distance. Cannonballs flew, ships splintered, and men were thrown overboard. The pirates were outnumbered but were strategically positioned and currently prevailing.
"Seems I have no choice."
Cain's form seemed to transform into mist, making his physical features challenging to discern. His misty figure rose and expanded toward the hydromancer.
"What's happening? Who are you?"
Cain's voice emanated from all directions and none at once. "I am merely a pilgrim seeking redemption"
Gusts of water sprang from the ocean's surface, converging toward Cain. The mist coiled and tightened around the water, preventing any contact.
"Are you even human?"
Garrett conjured water orbs, condensing them before launching them at Cain. One by one, the orbs exploded into intricately woven nets of water. Cain had no choice but to dissipate some of his mist, diluting it into the brine.
Reforming the mist, Garrett peered into the isolated water before him as he sidestepped the rest of the mist. Then, with a gleeful grin, he faced Cain.
"Found your weakness!"
"Are you certain?"
Steam emanated from the sphere in Garrett's hand, evaporating the crimson water back into vapor. The mist began to converge, and Cain's figure solidified. He stood holding two sinister-looking daggers.
Cain and Garrett circled each other like sharks, their weapons at the ready. Garrett feinted left then sliced right, his cutlass whistling past Cain's ear. Cain countered with a flurry of strikes, the blades clanging as Garrett parried each blow.
Garrett's cutlass gleamed like a fang as he slashed at Cain. Their weapons collided with a sound like thunder, sending sparks cascading through the air.
The two were locked in a deadly dance, neither able to gain the upper hand.
Cain's speed surged. Garrett recognized this and hastily drew his cutlass. Sparks flew as the three weapons clashed. Cain thrust his Yurombi forward, and Garrett countered, bracing against the force.
"You— you can't be human with this... strength!"
The pillar supporting Garrett crumbled and he fell.
Upon his descent, Cain's fist hammered Garrett's jaw in a brutal uppercut. The pirate captain reeled, blood and spittle spraying. He tried to raise a shield of water, but Cain bashed through it, pummeling his torso with blows. Garrett crumpled, gagging for air.
He plunged into the sea and Cain watched from above to see if his opponent lived.
Water bubbled and something was seen resurfacing, water embraced forming a rotating shield held strong on the surface of the water, seemingly waiting for Cain to attack.
It was at this moment that Dolion's voice carried to Cain's ears.
"The weakness of magic users lies in their artifacts. They need an item to activate their magic; look for jewelry or something significant on his person!"
"Ah, an artifact? So he requires an object to use magic; reminds me of something similar..."
The water shield ceased, revealing its empty interior. Behind Garrett, he rose again, drenched.
"I thought you'd attack, but it appears you received tips instead. I assumed you were just a monster relying on brute force; seeing your lack of finesse with those blades."
Cain was genuinely wounded by his words. He was thinking of the years he had spent mastering his evasive Yurombi technique. He compared himself to the entity that had inhabited his body for a century; to that being, he would also merely be a brute.
Memories of countless hours of training flooded his mind, but he realized that the other entity was gone, leaving these memories behind.
Wistful Shadow was a weapon technique rooted from the Duchy's ancient power system. While potent, allowing one to meld with shadows, it required the use of his runic Yurombi, which were now powerless.
Unlike Truth's Grace, powered by an augmenter body, that technique depended on physical implements.
In essence, Wistful Shadow had been refined but hollowed out, reliant on surprise assaults. Still, it was potent, and Cain recalled decades of honing this skill, refining it to streamline movements for greater power.
Now, it was even more hollowed, encompassing only rapid, efficient movements for swift kills. Yet this sufficed, it more than sufficed.
Recalling these memories, he ingrained the movements in his mind, smirking at his adversary.
"You're right, I'm a brute. But I'm a brute who hasn't even started."