socalfunplaces Chapter 212 Starting with the Ultimate Move
Chapter 212 Starting with the Ultimate Move
Chapter 212 Starting with the Ultimate Move
The loyal dog drew its sword.
Dick had no idea that Lord Hubert would suddenly make such a move.
Upon seeing this, the pirates opposite all became tense.
Some panicked and quickly drew their weapons.
The situation deteriorated instantly, and a battle was imminent.
Even though Dick remained calm, he instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist.
Of course, he would not draw his sword without the orders of the loyal dog, or before the loyal dog was engaged in battle with the enemy, so as not to ruin the loyal dog's plans.
Dick thought that the man must have ulterior motives, and that his current recklessness must be just a facade.
But what exactly is Count Hubert's intention?
Dick couldn't have guessed that the adults never told everyone the complete plan.
It's as if everyone is a pawn in a loyal dog's game, only told the parts that need to be told.
The fact that Dick is currently unaware of the loyal dog's intentions indicates that he is not playing a role in the loyal dog's plan.
But he must remain focused so that he can provide immediate assistance when adults need it.
Dick suddenly realized that among the group of pirates in front of him, only one remained calm and composed.
He was a strong, muscular man with long hair tied into a loose braid that swayed gently in the wind.
He was wearing a long wolf fur coat, the hem of which was below his knees and unbuttoned, revealing his belt and a wooden handle stuck in it.
The other end of the wooden handle was covered by clothing, so Dick couldn't tell what weapon the person was using.
Dick concluded that this person must be the navigator.
The navigator narrowed his eyes slightly and asked in a calm tone:
"I thought Loyal Dog was an upright person. I only agreed to your request because you said you had something to say to me. You withdrew that iron arrow, and I also stopped attacking your old ship. But judging from your current actions, you have no intention of talking to me at all."
Upon hearing this, Count Hubert lowered his hands, the hilt of his sword resting gently on the deck of the ship.
"Your ship can't escape. You chose to agree to my demands because you know I'll catch up sooner or later."
"But before that, your ship will surely be sunk by me first," the navigator said. "The world at sea has long since entered a new era, and direct combat is an outdated tactic. I am the first pirate to use a giant crossbow."
"Back when I besieged you, you easily crippled several ships in my fleet, which I must admit surprised me. But I now also have giant crossbows, and clearly my weapons are more advanced than yours."
"Perhaps you're right, but in terms of numbers, you definitely don't have as many as I do," the navigator smiled. "If it's a volley..."
Your ship is doomed to lose.
"But you chose to let me board your ship, which means you can't guarantee absolute victory either."
"Nothing in this world is absolute, but pirates are inherently desperate men who live on the edge of a knife. Talking beforehand makes us think that fighting will be even more exciting. If we didn't want to hear what you have to say, the battle between our two ships would be fierce right now."
"If that's what you want to hear me say, then listen carefully!"
"I'm all ears"
As the navigator spoke, he performed a standard curtsy.
Dick was puzzled by this. After learning that Earl Peyton wanted to wipe out the Navigator, he had also investigated the Navigator in private.
He then learned that the navigator was not of ordinary blood either.
The navigator's father, Mattim, was also a pirate.
In an era when pirates still fought alone, Mattim had already become the overlord of the pirate world.
At that time, whether it was merchant ships or warships, or even other pirates, they all avoided Matim.
Where did the navigator, as Matim's son, learn etiquette?
Dick was curious about the navigator's past.
The loyal dog continued the previous topic: "Then, Navigator, surrender."
"You have plundered my ports, then fled in fear of punishment, and attacked ports, ships, and even the royal fleet, which is a desecration of the king."
"Despite the encirclement and suppression, they stubbornly resisted, sinking dozens of the kingdom's ships, which added to their punishment."
"According to the law, you should be sentenced to death, but if you lay down your weapons now and kneel before the flags of the Peyton and Sinclair families, I will consider it as a surrender and only sentence you to hanging, leaving you with a whole corpse."
Upon hearing these words, Dick took a deep breath.
He knew that even the weakest coward, upon learning that he was doomed to die, would fight to the death.
Besides, the person in front of them was the most notorious pirate leader of the day, so there was absolutely no way they would surrender without a fight!
The loyal dog's words not only failed to have any effect, but instead fueled the conflict and hatred between them.
Sure enough, after a moment of silence, the navigator burst into laughter:
"Hahaha! Surrender? Loyal dog, you went to all that trouble to talk to me, even bringing only one lackey to board my ship alone, just to spout this kind of arrogant nonsense to my face?"
"So, you're not willing to surrender to me?"
The navigator seemed unimpressed by the question, simply letting out a soft chuckle.
"I understand your answer."
The loyal dog sighed and shook its head.
"What a pity, Navigator, this might be the best ending for you."
"My ending will be written by myself."
"But you also have a responsibility to your crew. By refusing me, you are also pushing those who risk their lives for you to hell."
"The underwater palace of the sea god welcomes the brave who die in battle, but rejects the cowards. Dying on the battlefield is the pirate's desired end rather than dying in humiliation."
No wonder pirates were ruthless killers and hated by the world; they knew from the beginning that if they failed, they would only face death.
Pirates risked their lives to plunder, which is why they were fearless.
"But if you surrender, I can guarantee their safety," the loyal dog said. "Navigator, I only want your life."
"Trying to undermine morale?" the navigator immediately exposed. "But you underestimate me. My methods of ruling shrimp are not terrifying."
Even Dick could see that the loyal dog was trying to sow discord among the pirates.
Such inferior tactics are naturally ineffective against the navigator.
The leader's words just now were by no means empty boasting.
The pirates beside him, though looking tense, never wavered.
It was as if they were extremely loyal to their leader.
If it weren't for the reign of terror, Dick couldn't help but wonder what it was about the navigator that made those pirates so devoted to him.
What kind of person is a navigator?
He did not have a fierce or menacing face, his speech was quite proper, his demeanor was neither humble nor arrogant, and his emotions were equally stable.
"I didn't mean that—but since that's the case, how about we make a promise?"
An agreement?
Dick was puzzled by Hubert's meaning when the navigator asked:
"What do you mean?"
Earl Hubert said:
"Since my only target is you, there's no need to drag everyone else into our conflict. Although I hate pirates and don't mind punishing evil, I'm not one of them."
"And one of my ships and yours will surely sink, and the casualties will be heavy. Pirates are no loss, but my warriors are all good lads, and they have mothers, wives, and daughters waiting for them to come home."
"Then let's make a pact so that the deaths are limited to just the two of us."
The navigator frowned upon hearing this: "You mean a battle between the two of us?"
"That's right," the loyal dog nodded.
The navigator chuckled: "Ha! There are practically no better ships in the world than mine, while yours is nothing but an old, sick dog. And you want me to abandon my advantages and challenge your area of expertise?"
"I don't think I've gained the upper hand, but since you're afraid, how about we duel on your ship?"
"Don't confuse foolishness with courage, loyal dog," the navigator said coldly. "And the fact that you've made such a request means you're confident in your abilities, doesn't it?"
"I suppose I can also be considered a samurai, and every samurai must have self-confidence."
"Hmph! Arrogance and self-confidence are tantamount to self-destruction."
Whether it's arrogance or not, you need to verify it for yourself.
After the loyal dog finished speaking, the navigator fell into a long silence.
When the navigator spoke again, he asked:
"What kind of agreement do you want to make?"
"It's very simple. You and I will duel. The loser will naturally pay with his life. However, the rest must be spared."
"You mean, if I win, I have to spare your ship and all its passengers?"
"That's right, and assuming I win, I will let your ship leave."
Upon hearing this, the navigator narrowed his eyes, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
From that expression, Dick seemed to read the specific meaning: You think the pirate captain would care about the safety of his men?
However, the leader did not say these words, but instead said:
"The rules are written by the victors. Of course, I don't care whether you abide by the agreement or not. I'm just curious, since you're negotiating with pirates, are you expecting me to keep my word?"
"To expect criminals to possess morality and honor is undoubtedly naive and foolish, but—."
The count paused.
"This feud between us has dragged on for more than ten years. I don't want to wait any longer. I want to settle this old score tonight."
"But it's definitely not just me, Navigator. You must see me as an opponent as well, otherwise we wouldn't have this conversation."
"Only this time, you will definitely keep your promise, and so will I. This is not an agreement between a lord and a pirate, but an agreement between sworn enemies."
"Hahaha—" The navigator laughed incessantly, "Nemesis—that is indeed the best word to describe this twisted and ill-fated relationship between the two of us. Alright! Loyal dog, believe it or not, I promise you."
The loyal dog must be laughing under his helmet; his voice is so cheerful.
"I knew you'd say yes."
"And if I were to challenge you to a duel, you would surely agree."
"That's absolutely right!"
Listening to their conversation, Dick felt as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years, having a long and intimate chat.
Who would have thought that the two of them were mortal enemies who wanted to kill each other?
The navigator said, "The duel will take place on my deck. Any other requirements?"
"This is a fight between the two of us; no one else is allowed to interfere."
"No problem, I'll have my men wait in the cabin," the navigator readily agreed.
"But both sides must leave a witness," said the loyal dog, "to judge the outcome of this battle."
The navigator nodded: "The victor's posture and the loser's fall certainly need someone to witness them. Alright, I promise you!"
At this point, Dick finally understood why the loyal dog had brought Dick along if its initial goal was to have a one-on-one duel with the navigator.
The loyal dog said, "And the one behind me is the witness I sent out."
The navigator called out softly, "Benson!"
A short, thin man stepped forward from behind Henry.
However, this person was dressed quite extravagantly, and was covered in various jewelry.
This results in a cluttered and chaotic mix of elements, causing even the most beautiful clothing to lose its charm.
"He is my witness," the navigator said.
Earl Peyton nodded: "But the two of them cannot directly participate in the battle, nor can they move around freely on the deck; they can only stand in a fixed area."
"So, how is the area between the cockpit and the railing in terms of driving? It's not large, and the visibility is good."
"No problem," Lord Hubert nodded. "Then, those who summoned you, please leave."
Then, the navigator indeed gave the order.
Except for the pirate named Benson, everyone else left.
Dick hadn't expected things to go so smoothly; the navigator was being far too accommodating.
It was as if he couldn't have gotten it.
But Dick wasn't worried; he knew exactly how strong his master was.
The navigator may be the world's foremost navigator, but as a warrior, Dick doesn't consider him a match for the loyal dog.
Dick and Benson followed their instructions and went to the front railing of the cockpit.
The loyal dog and the navigator stand on the port and starboard fenders near the mainmast.
The navigator asked, "Shall we begin?"
The loyal dog said, "Your men haven't left yet."
"No one? There's still anyone there now."
The loyal dog gently raised its head, and Dick looked up and saw the lookout tower on the main comb.
Lookout!
"He won't make a move," the navigator assured.
"But it will distract me," the loyal dog said. "That's not fair to me."
Upon hearing this, the navigator, without further ado, used a megaphone to order the lookout to come down from the cabin.
The loyal dog nodded, and only then did the navigator draw his weapon.
Dick was able to see clearly that it was an axe.
"Let the witnesses announce the start of the duel," the loyal dog suggested.
The navigator nodded.
Upon hearing this, Dick and the pirates beside him discussed their starting slogan.
Subsequently, it was announced that:
"start·--"
In the blink of an eye, before Dick's words had even faded, the battle below had already begun.
The loyal dog acted immediately, its movements were extremely swift.
A cold blue slash appeared in Dick's eyes, and the loyal dog instantly dashed to the opposite side of the deck.
He was astonished that the loyal dog had started with martial arts!
But what shocked him even more was...
The navigator appeared unprepared for battle and failed to respond promptly to the loyal dog's attack.
The navigator's head was chopped off.