The air was electric as one by one, the recruits stepped forward to face their opponents. Each match was fierce, with some recruits holding their ground admirably, while others fell in seconds. Drake stood at the edge of the crowd, watching intently. Some of the crew members displayed their runic tattoo magic, an awe-inspiring sight that sent murmurs rippling through the onlookers.
The last recruit to step up barely lasted a minute against their opponent. The crew member's skill and runic power overwhelmed him, and he was sent sprawling to the ground. The crowd let out a collective gasp as the match ended.
"Next up!" Garrick called, his voice cutting through the tension.
Drake took a deep breath and stepped forward. Garrick's sharp eyes landed on him, and a grin spread across his face. "Well, if it isn't the spirited newbie," he said. "Tell me, Drake, who do you think you'll be fighting?"
Drake looked at Garrick with steady blue eyes. "I don't know, but I'm ready for whoever it is."
Garrick chuckled, tapping his chin thoughtfully. Before he could decide, a deep, hearty laugh erupted from the ship. All heads turned toward the deck, where Captain Kael Stormrider stood, his arms crossed and a wide grin on his face.
"Why not me?" the captain bellowed. "Let the pirate captain of this ship have a one-on-one with this rookie!"
The dock erupted with surprised gasps and whispers. The other recruits exchanged nervous glances, some shaking their heads in disbelief.
"No way! He's going to fight the captain?" one of them murmured.
"He'll get crushed," another said.
Garrick raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Interesting," he muttered, stepping back.
Selene Ravelle leaned over the railing of the ship, her crimson eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, well, rookie," she purred, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Looks like you're getting all the attention today." She winked at Drake, her flirtatious smile drawing a groan from a nearby crew member. "Don't disappoint me, now."
Drake glanced up at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. He turned back to the captain, his expression shifting to one of determination. "Fine by me," he said confidently.
In his mind, Drake analyzed what he'd seen of the captain's runic tattoo power. The glowing sigil on the captain's arm radiated strength, and Drake's thoughts raced as he recalled its name. "Rune of the Stormbreaker," he thought, a shiver of excitement running through him.
Captain Kael jumped down from the deck, landing on the dock with a solid thud. He rolled his shoulders and stretched, his grin never faltering. "It's been a while since I fought with a promising newbie," he said, his tone carrying equal parts amusement and respect.
Drake mirrored his grin, drawing his sword and slipping into a fighting stance. "Well, I'm glad I'm the one you're fighting. Let's do this, Captain!"
Kael chuckled, taking his own stance. "Show me what you've got, rookie."
Drake studied the captain, his mind racing to find an opening. But no matter how hard he searched, he saw none. "No openings... so I guess I have to charge in instead," he thought. Tightening his grip on his sword, he charged forward and leapt into the air. "Combo Sword Skill: Wind Slash!" he shouted, slashing toward the captain with a burst of energy.Kael deflected the strike with his sword, the clash of steel echoing across the dock. "Nice try, my boy," the captain said, his tone light but approving.
Drake landed, his determined eyes locking onto Kael as a smirk tugged at his lips. "At least I tried. You, Captain, are a monster."
Kael let out a hearty laugh. "Well, my boy, yes you did. And maybe I am a monster."
His eyes glowed as he activated his runic tattoo power. "Skill: Stone Manipulation," Kael declared. Stones from seemingly nowhere began hovering around him, orbiting like small planets. Kael's smile widened.
Drake's eyes widened. "What the... his runic tattoo power. Where is his pattern? I can't see it."
Kael grinned. "Go!" he commanded, sending the stones flying toward Drake.
Drake moved swiftly, dodging some of the projectiles and slicing others with his sword. But one stone struck him square in the chest, sending him skidding backward across the dock. Groaning, Drake stabbed his sword into the ground to stop himself.
"Skill: Fireball x30!" Drake shouted, unleashing a barrage of flaming projectiles toward the captain. The fiery orbs roared through the air, but Kael raised a shield of stone that deflected the attack with ease.
The crowd erupted with commentary, their voices mixing into a cacophony of surprise and admiration.
"Did you see that?!" one recruit exclaimed.
"He's still standing after that hit!" another marveled.
Garrick crossed his arms, a rare smile on his face. "Impressive. The kid's got guts."
Selene's crimson eyes sparkled with amusement as she leaned further over the railing. "Not bad, rookie," she purred, her voice carrying a flirtatious edge. "Keep this up, and I might just start cheering for you."
As the fight continued, Garrick glanced at Selene. "You really enjoy teasing these recruits, don't you?"
Selene chuckled, her eyes never leaving the fight. "It's entertaining, Garrick. Besides, this one has spirit. You can't deny he's holding his own better than most."
Garrick nodded, his gaze shifting back to Drake. "I'll admit, he's better than I expected. Most kids would've been flattened by now."
Selene smirked, brushing a strand of her black hair behind her ear. "He's determined, and determination can take you far. But Kael isn't going to make this easy for him."
Garrick snorted. "Kael doesn't make anything easy. That's why he's the captain."
Selene's voice softened, her tone carrying a hint of intrigue. "What do you think his chances are?"
Garrick hesitated, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "If he keeps his wits about him, he might surprise even Kael. But if he gets reckless…"
"He'll be eating dirt," Selene finished with a grin. "Let's see if he can keep that fire burning."
Kael chuckled as he lowered his shield. "You're better than I thought, kid," he said, his tone genuinely impressed.
Drake grinned, his determined expression unwavering. "Yeah, thanks. But I'm not done yet!"
Kael's grin widened. "Neither am I. I can keep going as well."
The tension between them mounted as they prepared for the next exchange, the crowd holding their breath in anticipation.
Drake brought out his dagger, his grip tightening around its hilt as he dashed toward the captain with incredible speed. His movements were fluid and precise, his determination evident in every step. As he leapt into the air, he shouted, "Three Combo Sword-Dagger Wind Slash Skill!" The combination attack was a flurry of sharp, controlled slashes, wind energy trailing behind his weapons. Drake brought his sword and dagger down toward the captain with all his might.
Kael raised his sword just in time, deflecting the dual strike with immense force. The impact created a powerful air shockwave that rippled across the dock, causing the crowd to shield their faces from the gust. Kael's smile widened, his eyes glinting with excitement.
"My turn, rookie," Kael said, his tone brimming with anticipation.
Drake smiled awkwardly, his blue eyes flickering with nervous energy. "Oh, shit," he muttered under his breath.
Kael's runic tattoo glowed brighter as he declared, "Skill: Earth Shattering Strike!" He brought his sword down with incredible force, the ground beneath him cracking as an unstoppable wave of energy surged toward Drake.
"Skill: Barrier Creation x40!" Drake yelled, summoning layer upon layer of shimmering barriers around him. The translucent shields stacked up like a fortress, glowing with a faint blue hue. But Kael's strike was relentless, shattering through each barrier with deafening force. One by one, the barriers crumbled until the final blow sent Drake flying into the air.
Drake's body arched high before he plunged into the water with a resounding splash. The ocean swallowed him whole, and he began to sink, his limbs motionless as he floated downward into the depths.
The crowd erupted into murmurs and shouts, their opinions split between awe and concern.
"Did you see that? The captain just obliterated him!" one recruit exclaimed.
"That rookie put up a fight, though. I'll give him that," another said, shaking his head in disbelief.
The crew members on the dock exchanged their own thoughts, some impressed and others shaking their heads knowingly.
"The kid's got guts, but he's way out of his league," one crew member said.
"It's not every day you see someone push the captain like that," another added, stroking his chin.
Garrick crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Well, I guess the rookie's done," he said, his voice carrying a hint of finality.
Selene leaned over the railing of the ship, her crimson eyes fixed on the rippling water. A playful smirk tugged at her lips. "He's full of surprises. But sinking to the bottom of the ocean isn't exactly a victory," she said, her tone teasing yet laced with intrigue.
Kael lowered his sword, his glowing runic tattoo dimming. His grin remained as he spoke, his voice carrying across the dock. "The kid's better than I thought. He's got spirit and skill, but he's still got a long way to go."
Meanwhile, under the water, Drake's body floated downward, his weapons slipping from his hands. The light above grew dimmer as he sank deeper into the ocean's embrace, his form still and motionless.
To Be Continued...