The enemy ship came closer. The bald captain sneered, his scarred face twisting with amusement.
"Men, take care of them. Don't damage the ship too much—I want it intact." His voice was laced with arrogance.
Raiden stood at the edge of their vessel, eyes narrowing. Astrid moved closer, but he shot her a sharp glance. "Go below deck. Things are about to get ugly."
She hesitated but saw the seriousness in his gaze. Reluctantly, she stepped back as Ash cracked his knuckles, stepping forward with a smirk. "Guess I'll warm up first."
The enemy crew surged forward, weapons drawn. Ash met them head-on, dodging a blade and planting a heavy fist into the gut of the first pirate. The man crumpled instantly. Another pirate swung a club, but Ash ducked and countered with a brutal knee to the face. The battle quickly turned chaotic, but Ash handled himself with ease, weaving between attacks and knocking out enemies with raw strength and instinct.
Meanwhile, the bald captain observed Raiden, unimpressed. "You look weak. You're not even trying to fight."
Raiden tilted his head. "Because you're not worth my time."
The captain scowled and activated his ability—a thin layer of hardened skin coated his arms. "Iron Hide," he declared proudly. "Nothing can break through it."
Raiden vanished. In an instant, the captain's instincts screamed danger, but before he could react, Raiden appeared above him, leg raised. Electricity crackled violently around his foot.
The kick came down like a bolt of lightning. The captain barely rolled away as Raiden's attack connected with the enemy ship, splitting the deck in half. Wood exploded, sending debris flying.
"Tch—too close!" The captain wiped sweat from his brow, but the moment he blinked, Raiden was already in front of him, his hand pressing against his face.
With a sharp crack, Raiden slammed the captain's head into the ship's floorboards, splintering them on impact. The ship groaned from the force. Raiden stood up, turning away as if the fight was already over.
The captain coughed, his face bloodied but his pride still intact. "I guess it's time to get serious," he growled. He activated his power fully, his skin gleaming like polished steel.
He lunged at Raiden.
Raiden sidestepped effortlessly. "You really don't learn, do you?" He raised a single finger, a thin bolt of lightning sparking to life at its tip. The electricity struck the captain in an instant.
A deafening scream tore through the air as the captain convulsed, electricity burning through his body. His steel-like skin did nothing to stop the relentless surge of power. His men, witnessing their leader writhing in agony, froze in place, terror gripping them.
Raiden walked toward the captain's twitching body and grabbed him by the head. More lightning coursed through him, frying his nerves, his screams turning hoarse.
Ash, who had just knocked out another pirate, paused to watch. The remaining enemies, seeing their leader's brutal defeat, dropped their weapons and leaped into the sea, desperate to escape.
Astrid, who had cautiously stepped back onto the deck, watched in shock. "Isn't this too much?"
Raiden turned to her, eyes still cold, his voice low and final. "They deserved it. This wasn't even a fight. It was an execution."
He let the captain's unconscious body fall limply onto the ruined deck of his own ship. The battle was over before it had even begun.