Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Chapter 104

The Drowned Admiral, Francis Barbarossa, stood motionless in place.

His current appearance evoked the image of a soaked rodent.

Francis, who in his beginnings was a simple privateer and currently served as the admiral of the most powerful squadron on the entire continent, never belonged to the aristocracy. He was a man of the sea devoid of a lineage, originating from the sailing islands of the Four Seas. Relying on an extraordinary personal magnetism, he increased his power, distinguishing himself strongly in the arts of piracy by raiding his rivals in the expanses of the ocean.

In a short period, Francis transformed into a celebrated outlaw who instilled fear in all the powers, an authentic nightmare of the waters.

At the moment the Empire began its unification campaigns, they granted the buccaneer Francis the surname Barbarossa, also conferring upon him the rank of admiral to place the entirety of the imperial armada under his tutelage. Along with this appointment, he was granted a letter of marque, which authorized him to legally plunder enemy vessels.

In his role as admiral, Barbarossa led the imperial naval forces toward the definitive triumph against the so-called invincible fleet of the vanished Kingdom of Britannia. That debacle meant the devastating impact that led to the ruin of that nation and, due to his merits, the former privateer Barbarossa was promoted to the condition of one of the three great dukes of the Empire, assuming control of the Four Seas.

Saxony, Lancaster, Barbarossa.

Even after the Empire managed to unify the continental territory, Barbarossa resisted abandoning his true passion. Acting in parallel as an imperial great duke and as a pirate outside the law, he continued with his looting. Having his fortress in an insular territory, not even the Empire itself possessed the courage to confront him in the domain of the marine surface. For such reasons, he was popularly known by the nickname of the Pirate Duke.

Some time later, the Pirate Duke Francis Barbarossa undertook an unexpected voyage at the command of five ships, venturing beyond the eastern confines of the continent.

His purpose was to contemplate the supposed “limit of the world” that the legends located on the other side of the ocean.

No one harbored the hope of seeing him alive again. The high spheres of the Empire took for granted that the Pirate Duke had perished, falling off the edge of the earth.

However, Francis Barbarossa managed to return from the voyage.

Of the five original vessels, four had gone down, with only the ship he captained in person remaining afloat.

He managed to find the eastern continental mass after crossing the sea of death and even went further, thus completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. His exploits were surrounded by countless myths, among them the story of how he made a pact with a marine demonic entity to receive the gift of immortality while his flotilla sank in the waters of the Devil’s Triangle.

And in those moments, Dale was coming face to face with the living myth.

The Drowned Admiral, Francis Barbarossa.

Just as the rumors indicated, he appeared perpetually soaked, resembling a rodent surprised by a downpour.

—How did you locate my heart?

The Drowned Admiral expressed himself using a deep tone loaded with oppression, transmitting the sensation that he could submerge into the deepest part of the ocean at any instant.

—Just as I pointed out to you previously, that corresponds to a secret of my trade.

The Master of the City, hidden behind the mask of the Smiling Man, replied exhibiting a mischievous gesture.

Simultaneously, the entire environment of the black market gave the impression of sinking.

Toward the unfathomable depths of the waters, in the gloom of the seabed.

That did not constitute a simple figure of speech. It was experienced in a way as real as if they were truly underwater, deprived of air.

—The realm of ideas…!?

However, it was unusual for the Drowned Admiral to possess any skill in the magical arts. Even less that he would use said space as a weapon. There were no certainties, but intuition dictated that it was something extremely different.

It did not correspond to the conventional magic that Dale mastered, but to a more extravagant and alien phenomenon.

—… I would have the capacity to drown them all in the abyss of the seabed.

The Drowned Admiral emitted his words from the depth, just as if he were holding a conversation on firm ground despite being submerged. Even though mystical arts were coupled with the force of ideas, such a feat was inconceivable.

With the saline fluid penetrating his throat, the simple act of maintaining consciousness represented an authentic feat.

Suddenly.

Zas!

The environment turned over and the oppression due to the lack of air vanished. All those present, including Dale, found themselves again on the marble tiles belonging to the black market.

—Gah, cough!

The liquid erupted expelled from his throat, leaving him completely soaked like a helpless rodent.

Not even the Master of the City himself, wearer of the Smiling Man mask, managed to free himself from that. The protection of his face moved, leaving exposed the identity he was hiding.

He lacked scars or traits of relevance. It was an individual of common features and difficult to remember.

The Drowned Admiral, with the lapels of his wet coat moving with the air current, held the Master of the City firmly by the neck area.

—Gah, ugh…!

The oppression of drowning resembled feeling how the liquid was introduced by force through his respiratory conduit.

—I will interrogate you one more time.

The Drowned Admiral continued.

—In what way did you find that box and in what place do you keep it hidden?

Under those circumstances, it was impossible to obtain a reply. After a few moments of pure coercion, the Drowned Admiral released him throwing him to one side, allowing the Master of the City to catch his breath again while sketching a cheerful grimace.

—Ha, ha! This turns out to be certainly… At these moments I find myself disconcerted regarding who really possesses the vital organ of the duke.

Adjusting his garments, he abandoned the protection of the Laughing Man on the surface of the floor behind his back.

—As I have already specified, the obsidian chest that guards the vital organ of the duke will be the object of transaction following strictly the protocols established by the black market.

Showing himself as an interpreter on a stage, with an indecipherable gesture on his face.

—And as soon as the deal is concluded, even if you decide to suffocate me, you will not obtain any clarification.

—… Do you intend to threaten me?

—I am only performing the duties that correspond to me in my role as mediator of the auction.

The regent of the city stretched his limb in the direction of Dale and added.

—Just as I have just declared, the starting offer for the auction process is equivalent to a black chip.

Dale did not figure as the only contender in this bidding process.

Ray Eurys and Mikhail Lancaster were also present. However, the individual who emerged triumphant in the Fight Club over them was the Black Prince of Saxony, which gave Dale the prerogative to acquire any of the black market goods immediately.

And the starting value was reduced to a single piece of exchange.

—Is it your desire to assert the right you obtained as the winner of the Fight Club?

—……

After a lapse of stillness, Dale looked askance. The Drowned Admiral, who radiated a truly imposing energy, watched him with marked fury.

—I will make use of the winner’s right.

Dale stated.

The starting offer is equivalent to a black chip.

—Ah, a truly magnificent resolution.

The regent of the city sketched a smile, showing himself visibly satisfied.

—Therefore, in exchange for one piece, the vital organ of the duke will pass into the hands of Prince Dale…

—No.

At that precise instant, Dale cut off the words of the regent of the city. He pulled out a heavy sack that he kept under the folds of his dark clothing.

He established the value of the article he intended to acquire at that very moment.

—Eight hundred thirty-nine.

—Ah.

For the heart of the drowned admiral, whose initial value was a single piece, Dale decided to put his entire resources into play. The regent of the city held his breath showing great fascination.

Between Dale, the regent of the city, and the drowned admiral, the hostility became extremely dense, to the limit of breaking at any second.

Ray Eurys, Mikhail Lancaster, along with the executors belonging to the Court of Shadows, became simple secondary spectators on that stage.

—Daring infant.

The Drowned Admiral reacted to the statements issued by Dale.

—Do you presume that you possess the capacity to acquire my vital organ through such a ruse?

Each of his expressions carried the strength necessary to bury anyone in the depths of the waters.

—Certainly, His Excellency the Drowned Admiral understands the situation to perfection.

Despite that, Dale did not shrink in a simple way before the oppression exercised by the rival.

—There is no soul on this earth that dismisses a negotiation that grants it dominion over the existence of an individual of great power.

—And do you really suppose that you will come out unscathed from this, infant?

—Are you out of danger, Excellency?

Dale inquired showing total serenity.

—As long as you place a single phalanx on that chest…

The Drowned Admiral declared.

—I assure you that not even the most insignificant being in the confines of this city will manage to survive.

Accompanying his words with the warning of submerging under the water the entirety of the inhabitants of the region.

Just as his statements indicated, the invincible armada commanded by the Drowned Admiral kept the waterways of the Guild City blocked and, by these heights, his combatants would already have touched firm ground to surround the settlement.

—You still have not provided a reply to my question.

Despite the warning, Dale continued without showing any perturbation.

—I am asking you about whether you, Excellency, are out of danger.

—… Do you intend to threaten me, infant?

The Drowned Admiral inquired.

At least it was evident that this individual did not share the cowardice of Cardinal Nikolai, who trembled at the risk of losing his life.

He started his path being a common pirate, transforming over time into the sovereign of the maritime routes at the head of an armada of buccaneers, defeating the unbeatable fleet of the Kingdom of Britannia in his condition as imperial admiral, and culminating the initial voyage around the terrestrial globe after sealing a deal with a demonic entity of the sea.

A character of such magnitude would never show weakness before the possibility of his own death.

—The duke would choose to detach himself from his existence before bowing to coercions of such a nature, wouldn’t he?

—In that case, you must be clear that you will share that destiny along with him.

—My purpose here is not to put the existence of the duke at risk —replied Dale maintaining the calm.

—Is it that you have not yet managed to understand it?

—Understand what matter?

—The duke certainly had to guard the chest in a recondite site inaccessible to anyone, in the deepest part of the bodies of water.

Dale added: —However, at this instant it is here, being an object of bidding by this individual —he pointed with his finger in the direction of the regent. —I am completely unaware of the method he used to find its whereabouts.

—……

—However, there is a certainty that I can manifest.

—And what would that certainty be?

—Regardless of the corner of the globe where you decide to hide it, this individual will manage to find it, and the duke will never find peace.

—You are correct —corroborated the duke with a hostile tone. —I will never allow that vital organ to escape my range of vision again.

—Oh, rest assured that nothing would please me more than returning the vital organ to your hands and retiring without generating disturbances.

—Under that premise, grant it to me.

Dale answered showing a disinterested attitude, as if the conflict were not with him. —However, by proceeding in that way, the entirety of the souls gathered in this site will end up converted into submerged specters.

—There exists the possibility that I decide to conserve your life.

—No —Dale expressed his refusal moving his head, employing an extremely cold voice. —Given that I possess the knowledge of this mystery, the duke would never allow me to continue breathing.

His words denoted an absolute conviction, devoid of hesitations. —And it does not enter into my plans to perish without presenting a battle.

For a brief instant, a flash of curiosity was reflected in the features of the duke.

—Therefore, I have an alternative to propose.

—Proceed to expose it.

—The immensity of the seabed was incapable of safeguarding the vital organ of the duke.

—……

—However, I possess the knowledge of an ideal site to safeguard both the vital organ of the duke and my own existence.

—And what place possesses such characteristics? —inquired the duke.

Dale answered: —The Saxon Abyss.

Chapter 104