novelraw Chapter 63 : The Resolve Is Set
Chapter 63 : The Resolve Is Set
Chapter 63: The Resolve Is Set
The rough troop deployment Robin had heard from the Admiral was as follows. Forty men on the pirate ship. Seventy on the merchant ship.
There were around twenty crossbowmen, but it was unknown whether they were currently on the pirate ship or the merchant ship.
‘One hundred and ten… A frontal clash isn’t the answer.’
Robin calmly rolled his eyes.
Imelda, the old man, Serena, the Admiral.
First of all, Imelda was currently the most reliable swordsman.
If there was one concern, it was her soft-hearted disposition and lack of experience with killing.
Her swordsmanship was outstanding, so protecting herself posed no problem.
‘Will the young lady really be able to keep up with my plan.’
Setting aside his worries, his gaze shifted to the old man.
They had traveled together for several days, yet he was a former knight whose true identity remained unknown.
He could use aura, and on top of that wielded power on par with Calimacos.
His mind wavered in and out, but when he was lucid, the old man possessed the greatest combat power among them.
‘If only his mind were always clear like now.’
The old man’s eyes and ears were open toward Robin, but there was no knowing when they might close.
That unpredictability was a problem, but more decisively, the old man had no intention of helping.
It was as if he found it amusing to simply watch how Robin would act.
Letting out a shallow breath, Robin looked at Serena.
“But even pirates have to feed their prisoners, don’t they? I’m starting to get hungry.”
A spirit mage who could not use spirits.
Under normal circumstances, she would have been helpful in combat and in many other ways, but right now she was merely a pretty young girl.
She lacked wariness toward people and felt poorly socialized.
Perhaps it was because she had spent so much time wandering alone.
‘Sorry, but to be blunt, you’re the most useless one here.’
Because Robin also bore responsibility for Serena recovering her Ether, he erased those thoughts.
Lastly, the Admiral.
He was currently the most versatile asset.
From what he had heard, the man could handle swords, spears, daggers, and halberds—a wide range of weapons.
On top of that, the fact that he could also use bows and crossbows appealed to him.
However, he had been severely beaten and his physical condition was poor.
“Roy, it’s close to impossible for just us to wipe out all the pirates.”
“Just us? We’ve got plenty of comrades here who’ll share life and death with us.”
Robin spread his hand toward the trembling passengers.
They, too, were listening closely to Robin’s voice.
The mere fact that their hands and feet were free was practically proof of power.
Since the old man had hidden the sight of him releasing aura, the people were even more curious about what kind of person Robin was.
Facing the passengers, Robin began to speak.
“Is there anyone here who wants to live.”
His voice held no rise or fall, but the firmness carried within it drilled into the passengers’ ears.
Those who had been captured in helplessness began to speak up one by one.
“Who in this world wants to die?”
“Hey, there is a way out of here, right?”
“How on earth did you undo the ropes? Can’t you undo mine too?”
“Sounds like you’ve got a plan. If you save me, then…….”
All eyes gathered on Robin.
With unwavering eyes, Robin swept his gaze over the passengers.
Imelda had seen this side of Robin before.
When he had confronted the man who claimed he would strip off the dye at the Bellaruka Inn.
It was the same expression as then.
“Don’t worry. Everyone can live.”
“R, really? Tell us, then—what’s the way!”
“It’s simple. Make as much noise as possible and draw their attention. If you do just that, I’ll take care of the rest.”
“What kind of plan is that supposed to be……!”
Robin extended his hand to Imelda.
Taking the dagger from her, he approached the nearest passenger.
Slice.
He cut through the rope binding the man in a single stroke, and the startled passenger fell flat on his backside.
“Th, thank you…….”
“You’re asking what the plan is?”
The passenger nodded while checking his hands to see if they had been grazed by the dagger.
Robin spoke as he twirled the dagger around.
“I’ll take care of it neatly, cleanly, and with good sense.”
“What……?”
“I’m going to kill the pirates.”
Twelve hours had passed since they were dragged onto the pirate ship.
Fortunately, there had been no executions of prisoners during that time.
The hour had passed midnight, time to seek sleep.
Many of the passengers were asleep as well.
Imelda cautiously opened her mouth.
“Roy, it’s the time you mentioned.”
“Are you ready?”
“Yes. I can’t just be a burden to you anymore. As a friend, as a swordsman, it’s time to do my part.”
Imelda’s voice, having reached a momentous decision, was filled with resolve.
Serena, fighting off drowsiness, pointed at a passenger.
“When you give the signal, that uncle and I just put out the lights, right?”
“Yes. Please.”
“That much is nothing.”
The passenger whose hands Robin had freed nodded with mixed emotions.
The hands of everyone else besides that passenger were still bound.
Robin did not free all the passengers.
‘It’s better to reduce uncontrollable variables.’
It wasn’t that he failed to notice the passengers’ dissatisfaction, but no one stepped forward directly.
If Robin’s plan ended in failure, it was obvious that those who had been freed would be executed first.
Even in the worst case, they wanted to cling to life.
“If everyone just does exactly as I said, there won’t be any problems.”
There were only a few passengers still awake, but they all answered that they understood.
‘It’s nerve-wracking when it comes time to actually do it.’
Robin led the old man beneath the door leading to the deck.
Imelda and the Admiral followed behind.
Pressing an ear to check if anyone was outside, he heard an unfamiliar sound.
Clink.
Just before they began to move in earnest.
There came the sound of a lock being undone.
“Fall back.”
Robin scooped up the old man and hid himself in the darkness.
Imelda and the Admiral also moved positions.
Serena and the passenger whose hands were free pretended to sleep.
Creeeak.
The door opened, and a pirate threw a woman inside.
Her lifeless eyes, her clothes torn and tattered in places.
Her disheveled hair and beggar-like appearance.
The dark red bloodstains clinging all over her body hinted at what had happened.
“If you’d cooperated quietly, it wouldn’t have come to this, tch.”
At the words that he would call for her again, the woman flinched.
Her face had gone deathly pale as she trembled.
Before the door could close, Robin leapt from his spot and sprang outside in a single bound.
Caught off guard by his sudden appearance, the pirate couldn’t even let out a cry before collapsing unconscious with a dull thud.
Dragging the pirate down, Robin checked to see if he had any usable items.
“Roy, don’t tell me this guy…….”
“Let’s proceed quickly.”
Imelda glared at the pirate with a look of contempt.
Robin grasped the sword the pirate had been wearing.
It was unfortunate for the woman, but for Robin, luck had been on his side.
The pirate had come on his own, reducing their numbers by one right from the start.
Aside from the sword, there were no other usable weapons.
“For now, I’ll use this sword.”
No one objected.
The person standing at the front was the most at risk, and Robin’s plan was, in truth, to face that many pirates alone.
The Admiral had opposed it several times, saying it was dangerous, but there was no other viable option.
If they did not take risks, they could do nothing.
Without making a sound, Robin merely poked his head out and checked who was on the deck.
‘Five people visible right now. Are the rest sleeping.’
Two on the right, three on the left.
No pirates were visible at the bow or the stern.
Fortunately, no one had yet noticed their situation.
The moment they stepped outside, Robin, Imelda, and the Admiral moved to the left.
Robin held a sword, Imelda held a dagger, but the Admiral was barehanded.
With three meters left between them and the pirates, Robin raised his left hand.
3, 2, 1.
‘Now.’
The three of them dashed out at the same time.
Robin took a pirate’s head in a single stroke, and Imelda stabbed another’s neck with her dagger.
The Admiral applied a rear naked choke so the pirate could not scream.
Thunk.
When the sword that had pierced straight through the heart was pulled out, blood gushed forth.
The Admiral was seasoned.
Even in this situation, he propped the pirate’s body toward the sea to avoid leaving bloodstains.
Without a moment’s rest, Robin and Imelda moved to the opposite right side.
Thud.
Two pirates died in an instant.
“…….”
Approaching the Admiral, Robin confirmed that the pirate spurting blood was dead.
He looked around, but there was no one else.
When he glanced at Imelda, her hand was trembling slightly.
It was her first kill.
“Melida.”
“I’m fine.”
The Admiral looked at Imelda with a bitter expression.
He, too, remembered that unpleasant sensation.
Robin wanted to steady Imelda, but there was no time.
The first objective was to take control of the pirate ship.
The structure of the ship, which he had not been able to observe carefully amid the confusion, came into view.
There was space at both the bow and the stern where people could stand.
The space at the stern was especially wide.
‘Most of the pirates are at the back of the ship.’
While Robin confirmed that the plan was proceeding without a hitch, the Admiral rummaged through the corpses’ belongings.
After searching for a while, the Admiral found matches.
‘Good. It’s a sloppy plan, but it’s lining up well enough.’
When the Admiral tossed the matches into the cabin, Serena caught them.
He untied the swords the pirates had been wearing one by one and handed one sword to Imelda.
“They’re weapons the bastards were using. Miss Melida, you should take one too.”
“Thank you.”
Now the three of them had swords.
Robin took one more, and put the remaining two into the cabin for the old man to take.
‘No matter how out of his mind the elder is, it’s better for him to have a sword.’
He considered giving one to Serena, but decided to load them onto the old man instead.
A spirit mage would not be able to handle a sword properly anyway.
The three headed toward the bow.
The pirates who should have been keeping watch or guarding the ship were snoring as they slept.
‘Three. Perfect.’
Robin spoke to the Admiral with his body language.
Do not kill one of them.
The Admiral understood at once and nodded.
‘The young lady is… forcing herself to endure.’
Imelda tried not to show it, but Robin did not miss even the smallest change.
Regrettably, there was nothing Robin could do for her.
Like a vow to grow stronger, all he could do was wait for her to overcome it on her own.
Robin raised his hand and counted, and Robin and Imelda killed one pirate each.
The remaining pirate, whose mouth had been covered, resisted the Admiral’s grip, but quieted down when a blade was pressed against him.
With the sword held to the pirate’s neck, Robin spoke.
“There’s something you’re going to do for me.”
“…Speak.”
“Soon, there’ll be a commotion on the ship. The inside will go up in flames. Tell the pirates that loudly. Make it so as many people as possible go inside.”
The pirate stared at Robin with disbelieving eyes.
Robin’s sword bit slightly into the pirate’s neck.
The skin split, and droplets of blood formed one by one.
“Tell them that if everyone doesn’t put out the fire together, the ship will sink. Understand?”
“…I understand.”
After Robin finished giving his instructions, the Admiral thoroughly questioned the pirate for information that might be helpful.
The Admiral was skilled at interrogation.
To the point that one might suspect he had similar experience before.
Thanks to that, they obtained useful information.
‘Things might actually go smoothly. It’s troublesome that all the crossbowmen are on the merchant ship, though.’
About thirty people were in the cabins at the stern.
Just how many could they reduce.
“Roy, are we proceeding with the plan as is?”
“Yes. Serena will start the fire.”
Robin snapped his fingers with a sharp sound.
There was no change.
At least, none visible from the deck.
“Then begin.”
Robin jabbed the pirate’s side with the scabbard.
After glancing around cautiously, the pirate squeezed his eyes shut as if he didn’t know any better and shouted.
“Fire! Fire!”
From the cabins at the stern, pirates came out one by one.
They looked disheveled, as if they had just woken up.
The Admiral and Imelda hid themselves behind the mast, while Robin remained at the bow, holding a blade to the pirate’s neck.
With it being a dark night and the distance from one end of the ship to the other, the pirates could not see Robin.
Whoosh.
Black smoke poured out from the cabin where the passengers were being held.
The pirates, seemingly jolted fully awake, rushed out carrying buckets and thick cloths.
“What are you all doing! There’s a fire! Hurry up and get out here!”
Watching the pirates run about in confusion, Robin lifted the corner of his mouth in satisfaction.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
So well that it almost made him uneasy.