The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the ocean. The gentle waves rocked their ship, but the atmosphere was still and silent. It had been hours since they left Astrid's hometown, yet no one spoke after their last conversation about freedom.
Raiden leaned over the railing, staring into the vast blue, boredom clear on his face. Behind him, Ash was sprawled out, snoring lightly.
Astrid approached and sat beside Raiden. "Mind if I join you? Everywhere is just so... quiet. Again "
Raiden didn't reply at first, still lost in thought, but Astrid didn't seem to mind. She gazed into the water, watching the reflection of the sky. Then, she turned to Raiden and smiled.
"You know... you're kind of cute," she said.
Raiden blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? I've never heard anyone say that to me… except my mother and sister." He let out a small chuckle. "Thanks. That's... kinda nice to hear."
Astrid quickly looked away, her face slightly flushed. Raiden really is different, she thought. Strong, caring... I've never met anyone like him. She smiled to herself, watching the waves roll.
Then—
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed through the sea.
Raiden's eyes snapped toward the horizon just as a cannonball soared through the air, crashing into the water beside them. A massive splash drenched them all.
Ash shot up, rubbing his soaked face. "Wh-What's going on?!" he mumbled, still half-asleep.
Before anyone could answer, another cannonball came, landing even closer. The impact sent water spraying toward them, but this time, Raiden instinctively shielded Astrid with his body.
Ash wiped the water from his face, his eyes now wide awake. "Oi! Who the hell is shooting at us?!"
Raiden stood up, eyes narrowing at a massive ship approaching them. It was just as large as their own, but it carried an ominous presence.
As the ship came closer, a bald man with a scarred face stepped forward, grinning arrogantly. "Yo, insects! What the hell are you three doing blocking our way?"
Raiden crossed his arms. "Blocking your way? We're in the middle of the ocean. How the hell are we in your way?"
The man sneered. "Tch. Fine. I'll be blunt—we want your ship. So here's the deal. You swim, we take the boat, and maybe we won't kill you."
The pirates behind him burst into laughter.
Raiden narrowed his eyes. "You think we're just gonna hand over our ship?"
The bald captain's grin widened. "Oh, I don't care what you think. You're nothing but insects. The only one worth taking is that fine young lady over there." He licked his lips. "It's been a while since my men had some real fun. No women on our crew, y'see."
Astrid tensed, her fists clenching.
Ash gritted his teeth. "You bastard…! Why the hell would we ever hand her over to scum like you?!"
Raiden's expression darkened. "Do you even hear yourself?"
The bald captain let out a laugh. "Do you idiots even know who I am? I'm one of the Chosen."
Raiden and Ash exchanged confused looks. "Chosen?"
Astrid sighed. "Oh, right. You two left your lives without learning much about the world… I guess now's a good time to explain."
She took a deep breath.
"In this world, thanks to the meteorite, people are divided into classes based on their power. Here's how it works:
1. Celestials (Top Tier, Extremely Rare) – These are the most powerful beings, almost godlike. Only a handful exist. The Rikoru and some others fall into this category.
2. Ascendants (Rare, but Below Celestials) – These people are incredibly strong, often serving as lieutenants or generals.
3. Chosen (Common, but Powerful) – People granted moderate power by the meteorite. They aren't as strong as Celestials or Ascendants, but they're far stronger than ordinary humans. Many work for the ruling elite.
4. The Gifted (Very Common, Limited Power) – They have minor abilities, but they're weak in comparison.
5. The Ordinary (Most of the Population, No Powers) – They're just normal humans, often enslaved or used for labor. Some try to resist, but most live under oppression."
Astrid finished her explanation and glanced back at the bald captain. "So yeah… he's a Chosen. It means he has abilities that make him stronger than regular people."
The bald man cracked his knuckles. "Took ya long enough, girl. Now that you know who I am, why don't you just surrender?" He smirked. "Not like you can win. Even if you refuse, we'll just take the girl and kill you all anyway."
Raiden stepped forward. His voice was cold. "You're not laying a single finger on her."
Ash grinned, rolling his shoulders. "You really think you can just take what you want? Let's see how strong you really are."
The bald captain's face darkened. "Tch. I guess playtime's over."
He raised his hand, and in an instant, his entire crew drew their weapons.
Raiden smirked. "Yeah… let's get started."
To Be Continued...