Chapter 17 - A Minor Distraction
Captain Bluto was a towering figure, his massive frame covered in layers of fat that jiggled with every step he took. He wore a flamboyant red coat adorned with gaudy gold trimmings, the fabric straining at the seams.
His face was round and ruddy, with a bulbous nose and dark, beady eyes that sparkled with a dangerous mix of greed and cunning. A thick, bushy mustache curled over his upper lip, and his jowls shook as he laughed heartily, sending echoes across the deck.
Bluto's presence commanded both fear and respect among his crew, a ragtag bunch of scoundrels and yes-men.
The air was thick with the rather disgusting smell of rum and sweat as the pirates partied, their rowdy laughter and drunken singing filling the quiet sea. Barrels of ale were rolled out, and the men helped themselves liberally, causing a ruckus and mayhem.
Bluto, perched on a makeshift throne of crates, watched his men with a jolly demeanor. He joined in their laughter, a deep, rolling sound that belied his ruthless nature.
Despite his jovial appearance, there was an underlying menace in his eyes, a reminder to his crew that their captain's good humor could turn deadly in an instant.
"Drink up, lads!" Bluto bellowed, raising his tankard high. "Celebrate our latest haul! Tomorrow, we set sail for more riches!"
"Aye, Cap'n!" the crew roared back, their voices a chaotic symphony of loyalty and drunken fervor.
The men swayed as they sang, sloshing their drinks and stamping their feet in time to the beat. The deck vibrated with their energy, a testament to their unyielding spirit and the iron grip Bluto held over them.
"Cap'n Bluto, the mightiest pirate on these seas!" one of the pirates, a scrawny man with a missing tooth, shouted, raising his mug in a toast.
Bluto chuckled, his belly shaking. "Driririri! You lot flatter me."
The crew cheered louder, their admiration for Bluto mingling with the haze of alcohol and the thrill of their life. For now, the day was theirs, a wild, untamed celebration under the watchful eye of their captain.
Yet, beneath the facade of a jovial, commanding leader, Bluto harbored a dark secret. He was a veteran pirate of the East Blue, but not a strong one by any measure. His true talent lay in his ability to con and deceive. He had built his reputation on bluster and bravado, creating an image of a fearsome pirate that belied his actual cowardice.
Bluto was a master of manipulation, using his imposing size and booming voice to intimidate and control his crew. He spun tales of grand battles and impossible feats, all while avoiding real confrontation whenever possible. His crew, convinced by his confident demeanor and larger-than-life stories, believed him to be a powerful leader.
In reality, Bluto was a paranoid wreck, constantly worried that his own men might discover the truth and turn against him.
Every laugh, every cheer from his crew was a double-edged sword, feeding his ego while simultaneously stoking his fear. He kept a close watch on his men, always wary of whispers and side glances, convinced that betrayal was just around the corner.
As the day wore on and the crew's revelry continued, Bluto's eyes darted around the deck, taking in every detail. He saw Jenkins, his first mate, leaning in close to another pirate, their heads bent in conversation. Bluto's heart skipped a beat, his paranoia flaring.
"What are you two whispering about?" Bluto barked, his jovial tone suddenly edged with suspicion.
Jenkins looked up, startled. "Nothin', Cap'n! Just talkin' 'bout the next raid, that's all."
Bluto forced a grin, his mustache twitching. "Good, good."
Bluto settled back into his throne, his mind racing. He knew he had to maintain his image, to keep the charade going. His power and his life depended on it.
.
.
.
Amidst the chaos of the party, a sharp-eyed pirate named Barnaby, with a weathered face and a missing tooth, suddenly pointed towards the horizon, his expression one of surprise mixed with greed. "Captain! Look yonder! A ship, gleaming like it's made of gold! Ain't seen nothin' like it in these waters!"
The men halted as Bluto, intrigued, waddled to the side of his ship, peering through a large brass telescope that Jenkins handed him. His brows furrowed beneath his hat, which was adorned with a faded red feather, as he squinted at the distant vessel.
"By the seas, Barnaby's right," Bluto muttered, lowering the telescope. "There is no way that's a pirate ship. Looks like a merchant ship of some sorts. And they look rich too."
Well, the man was not wrong, getting to that conclusion. Raiden's ship was brand new and had yet to engage in any form of battle. And given that they didn't have any Jolly Roger, it confirmed his assumption even more.
"Jenkins, ready the crew," Bluto commanded, his voice betraying none of the unease that gnawed at his gut, for some reason. He chalked it up to his naturally paranoid personality. "We're setting course for that ship. Today, we feast like kings!" Bluto said as he forced a grin.
With a chorus of cheers and renewed vigor, the crew scrambled to their stations, fueled by the promise of wealth and adventure. Bluto remained on deck, a calculating gleam in his eye as he watched his crew prepare for the approaching vessel.
While the men were busy with the preparation, Jenkins approached Captain Bluto with a note of caution, his scarred face etched with concern.
"Cap'n," he began, his voice low and measured amidst the boisterous preparations, "that ship looks too fancy. Rich folks, maybe. Should we really be messin' with 'em? What if they got security onboard?"
Bluto waved a dismissive hand, his jowls quivering with confidence. "Bah, Jenkins, ye worry too much! We've faced worse odds and come out richer for it. If they got security, we'll handle 'em like we always do. We got 40 men on board. That ship's our ticket to fame and fortune, mark my words."
Jenkins nodded reluctantly, knowing better than to press further when Bluto's mind was set. He turned back to his duties, silently hoping their gamble wouldn't end in disaster.
With the crew fully mobilized and the ship racing towards its glittering target, Jenkins couldn't shake the unease gnawing at his gut. He stole glances at the distant ship, its opulent silhouette growing larger with each passing moment.
The men roared loudly in excitement, wanting to plunder the ship and hopefully find some women onboard.
Unfortunately for them, fate had other plans.
*Chirp*
*Thud*
As Bluto's ship picked up speed, one of the pirates who had been fervently shouting moments ago suddenly crumpled to the deck, a lifeless figure with a sword lodged in his chest. The man didn't even get a chance to react. All he saw in his last moments, were cold blue eyes, staring at him as if he was an ant.
"Geez, I'll need some time to get used to this speed." Raiden muttered with a sigh.
What followed Raiden's arrival, was a stunned silence. Jenkins stared at the fallen men with wide eyes. He knew it. He had that gut feeling that something was wrong.
As for the remaining pirates aboard Bluto's ship, they too exchanged wide-eyed glances, their minds struggling to process the abrupt turn of events. Out of all the outcomes that could've happened in the next ten minutes, this was the last thing anyone could've expected.
"Wh-what just happened?" one pirate stammered, clutching his sword tightly as if it were his only lifeline.
"I didn't even see him move!" another exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Captain Bluto, his face a mask of fury and disbelief, shook off his initial shock and bellowed, "Don't just stand there, you dogs! Attack! Take him down!" His command, tinged with desperation, was meant to rally his crew back to action, to reclaim their lost momentum.
Raiden twirled his sword with a smirk, taunting them to attack. He gripped his sword, the blade crackling with restrained lightning. It was one of the skills he could use instinctively.
"Listen, dude. I don't want to waste too much time here..." Raiden said, scratching the back of his head.
Before the others could even react another one of them fell down. "...so let's end this quickly, okay?" He whispered quietly into the ear of the pirates, who soon fell down, dead.
All hell broke loose after that. Raiden darted into the fray, his movements a blur of calculated strikes and precise maneuvers. His lightning-imbued sword became a beacon of destruction at that moment with each swing sending arcs of electricity through the air, leaving blood and convulsing bodies in its retreat.
Pirates rushed at him, their swords raised in shaky defiance, only to falter under the onslaught of Raiden's relentless assault.
One pirate lunged forward with a roar, aiming for a clumsy strike at Raiden's flank. With a swift sidestep, Raiden evaded the blow and flicked his wrist cutting his arm off. He quickly kicked the man away, towards one of the other pirates and closed the distance between them, impaling them both with his scorching hot sword.
Another group of pirates, emboldened by Bluto's commands, attempted to surround Raiden, their shouts of bravado drowned out by the crackling of lightning and the clash of steel. Raiden spun on his heel, his movements fluid and controlled, parrying strikes with effortless ease before delivering brutal counterattacks.
As the chaos escalated, Raiden briefly considered invoking his Thunderbird form, but just a moment later, he decided otherwise. It would be pretty embarrassing using that on these guys.
Instead, Raiden focused on getting a few extra APs here. His sword flashed like a bolt of blue lightning, incapacitating his opponents one by one with a mix of disabling blows and calculated restraint.
The pirates, their ranks thinning with each passing moment, began to panic. Some attempted to flee, their fear overwhelming their loyalty to Captain Bluto. Others fought on, their movements growing increasingly erratic and desperate as Raiden continued to press his advantage.
While he kept the men engaged on this side, Ronan was busy wiping out the remaining men on the other end. His presence alone was pretty unsettling for these pirates, who had never seen a creature like that.
Captain Bluto, standing at a distance, grew increasingly scared and frustrated seeing his men fall one by one. Unable to bear the sight any longer, he pulled out his flintlock pistol and aimed it at Raiden with shaking hands.
"I'll end you myself! You little brat!" He roared, pulling the trigger.
For the first time in a long time, Raiden's skill, adaptive reflexes, kicked in. He sensed the danger a split second before the shot was fired and he moved instinctively. The bullet grazed his arm, leaving a shallow cut doing little real damage. Raiden's eyes widened, more in surprise than in pain. He flicked his wrist and slit the throat of the pirate he was previously engaged in combat with.
'That was close.' He thought, momentarily distracted by the realisation that is actually dodged the bullet.
Raiden absentmindedly dodged the sword strike and parried it. 'Adaptive Reflexes never worked like this. It never allowed me to anticipate an attack.' His eyes widened as he realised something, "Don't tell me...!"
"Oi! Raiden! Stop zoning out and...ah, fuck it!" Ronan cursed under his breath and decided to end these weaklings quickly. Raiden was thinking about something, and he had a bad habit of not thinking much about his surroundings when he was like this.
Ronan attacked Bluto and quickly disarmed him. He didn't want this weasel to fire any other cowardly shot. With a swift kick, he knocked the man out. He wanted to let Raiden decide what to do with this guy.
It didn't take the duo long to wipe out the rest of the small fry. Jenkins escaped on a small boat with a few men. Raiden didn't bother with following them. They were too weak to even bother retaliating.
Ronan looked at Raiden with a deadpan look. "Dude...how did these guys even manage to wound you."
"Tch. Shut up." Raiden spat out and sat down, staring at the fat man in front of him.
Ronan snorted and stared at Bluto too. "What should we do with him?" He said, nudging him with his foot.
"Throw him on board for now." Raiden said nonchalantly.
Ronan raised an eyebrow, impressed by Raiden's restraint. For the first time, he had seen Raiden not kill everything in sight. "You're letting him live?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
Raiden nodded, sheathing his sword with a sigh. "His bounty's worth more to us intact," he explained, gesturing for Ronan to redirect their course. "Let's head for Shells Town. We've got a bounty to claim."
Ronan nodded, grabbed Bluto by the scruff of his neck, and dragged the unconscious pirate captain toward Raiden's ship. He effortlessly hauled Bluto aboard, tossing him unceremoniously onto the deck.
Raiden stood near the ship's rail and made sure Ronan was some distance away. "Time to clean up," he muttered as he looked down at Bluto's ship.
Raiden grinned and took a few steps back as his body began to change. His skin shimmered with blue light, and his form elongated, wings sprouting from his back. In moments, he had transformed into the majestic bird, crackling with energy.
With a powerful flap of his wings, Raiden unleashed an immense surge of wind and lightning. The force of the blast hit Bluto's ship, splintering wood and tearing sails asunder. The vessel groaned under the assault before succumbing to the sheer power, breaking apart and sinking into the depths of the sea.
Ronan shielded his eyes from the debris, then turned to his friend, who had returned to his human form and landed back on his ship. "Nice job," he said, clapping Raiden on the shoulder. "Now, let's get this fat bastard's bounty."
Raiden nodded with a grin and turned to Ronan. "Yeah. Set sail."
_____
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
justadudewithapen
justadudewithapen Creation is hard, cheer me up! VOTE
for me!
— Novo capítulo em breve — Escreva uma avaliação
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder