Karl stood head and shoulders above ordinary men, his massive frame ruling over the Merfolk Pirates as they dominated their stretch of sea.

Merfolk Pirates? Not true fish-people from ocean depths. Mostly humans, surviving by plundering passing ships. Navies had tried to wipe them out before. But after a few defeats—thanks to their mastery of these waters—the world simply accepted their existence. Not because navies were weak.

Most nations occasionally cleared pirates near harbors. But the Merfolk Pirates’ hideout, Three-Stone Island—a cluster of three giant reefs—held no strategic value. Crushing them yielded no resources. Sending dozens of warships? Sacrificing trained sailors? The cost of training, pensions, time wasted… Time better spent at balls and banquets. And once the navy left, new pirates would just take over. Nobles calculated it wasn’t worth the trouble—as long as the pirates left harbor towns alone.

Karl knew this. He stayed low-key. Only raided open waters. Avoided navy patrols near ports. Steered clear of noble-owned fishing villages. (Though he’d hit a few unclaimed ones—after checking their lack of powerful backers.)

Caution was a pirate’s lifeline. No matter how famous you were, one slip could make you a naval admiral’s trophy—your head mounted on a harbor post.

"Winter, what are you doing? Hm? What’s this…"

Karl heaved himself up from his chair. This cave belonged only to him and his favorite woman, Winter. As captain, he claimed all the crew’s spoils—gold, ships, weapons, women. A calculated reward to keep his men dreaming.

*Look how far piracy can take you.*

People lied to themselves. Endured hardship while chasing impossible fantasies.

Karl saw Winter in a sheer gauze robe, holding rope and candles…

"Heh heh heh… Little Karl, remember that baron we plundered last time?"

"Hm? Yes…"

"I found something fascinating in his private journal… You might enjoy it. Quite… novel."

"Oh? And will *you* enjoy it, my treasure? I read it too… Heh… Honestly, that baron had… remarkable talents in certain areas."

"I don’t know. But I’ve thought about trying… Monotony is so tiresome~ Heh heh heh…"

"Haha… So what should I do, my love?"

Winter pressed the rope into Karl’s hand with a sly smile. He understood. Chuckling, he took it—and seized her wrist.

"Will you tie me up, sweetheart…?"

Desire surged hot in Karl’s chest. That journal described methods to unlock shocking pleasure for men and women alike. Life was harsh. If you didn’t seize joy now, regret would come too late when death struck. What did pirates truly seek? No single answer. For Karl? Gold. Power. The thrill of lawlessness. And twisting women into new shapes—chasing physical and mental satisfaction. Fulfilling desire *was* the answer.

His body already straining, Karl panted…

***BOOM!***

He hurled the rope away with a snarl.

"Get dressed, darling. We have guests."

"Tch… Worst timing! Hmph!"

Karl’s face darkened. To be interrupted *now*—forced to taste agony, trapped between life and death.

"Captain! We’re under attack!"

"I’m not blind, you fool! Rally the men! Grab weapons and fight back! Damn it! How many enemies? Why are all our ships burning? A full naval assault?!"

Scarface wiped sweat as he approached Karl.

"Captain… It’s other pirates. They’ve got a sorcerer… Their vanguard’s cursed skeletal crew."

"What?! Skeletons? Are you all idiots?! Use torches! Douse them in fire oil! Swords won’t touch undead bones!"

"Aye!"

Surviving pirates scrambled for fire-oil barrels and torches.

Karl frowned at the advancing army of skeletons and corpses shambling up the shore. These weren’t ordinary cursed sailors. A chilling aura clung to them—thick, suffocating malice that fogged the air ahead. *How much hatred must fester to birth such horrors?* He’d never seen their like. Had he known this place attracted such evil, he’d never have built his den here.

"Listen up! Roll the barrels down the slope! Archers—light your arrows! We hold until dawn! Sunlight will scatter them!"

Pirates obeyed. Fire-oil barrels tumbled down the hillside. The sharp reek filled the air. A burly pirate drew his bow, launching a flaming arrow in a bright arc. It struck the oil—***WHOOSH!***—engulfing the slope in fire. More barrels followed. Skeletons crumpled in the flames; others halted at the edge of the inferno.

"Good! Keep it up! Cannons! Bring them here! Aim for the rear ranks—blow them to bone dust!"

Pirates cheered, hope igniting their ferocity. A dozen men hauled a cannon uphill, loaded it, and fired. ***BOOM!*** The shot tore through skeletons, scattering bones in its wake.

"Ha! Curses? I’ll erase you!"

"Captain’s brilliant! We’ve got this!"

"Hooray! Crush them!"

"Hnnngh… hnnngh… hnnngh… Seeing you so spirited delights me… mortals…"

A bone-chilling voice drifted from the sky. Three figures descended slowly on intricate flying rigs.

The speaker stood center—a man in a scarlet captain’s coat, lavishly embroidered but impractical. A mountain-shaped hat crowned his head, adorned with unnaturally gleaming bird feathers (magic-infused). He landed. A skull mask covered his face… No. *That was his face.* Hollow eye sockets held black light, pierced by red pinpricks like pupils. At his hip hung a black curved blade, darker than midnight itself—radiating evil that raised goosebumps on every onlooker. A finely crafted flintlock pistol gleamed at his other side.

*This one’s dangerous.* Karl’s first thought about Pipe Captain was pure instinct.

Behind the skeleton’s right shoulder stood a woman. Voluptuous curves strained against a white shirt; a black coat hung open over the top three buttons. A wide-brimmed tricorn hat shadowed her face. The captain’s lieutenant, seemingly unarmed. But her eyes… Serpentine eyes. One glance felt like having your soul stripped bare. Several dazed pirates drooled, grinning as they stumbled toward her to bow—until comrades slapped them back to their senses.

"Don’t meet her gaze! She’s a Siren!" Scarface bellowed. He chugged from a small bottle, his neck and face flushing crimson as he panted.

"Surprising to find such knowledgeable humans… Tch. That pungent chili reek." Faglas sniffed, identifying Scarface’s drink as potent chili paste—a folk remedy for mental clarity. Only then did others truly notice Faglas. Compared to the other two, he seemed utterly ordinary. Impeccably tailored clothes. A gentle, aristocratic smile. His tall, straight posture was his only notable trait. Everyone mentally filed him under "mildly concerning."

"Ah! The commander of this undead horde arrives?"

Giant Karl masked his shock with forced calm. Joy flickered inside—he’d just been weighing a desperate plan: hold off the skeletons while he and Winter charged in to decapitate their leader. Now the fool delivered himself.

"Oh? You seem to be in charge… You’re Karl?"

"That’s right! I’m Karl! Never thought skeletons could talk… Today’s full of surprises!" Karl scoffed.

"Mm. Excellent… excellent… I mercifully offer you this: take your own life now. Spare yourself suffering."

"What?"

"Deaf as well as dumb? Our esteemed Captain said: *Die by your own hand!*"

"Hah? Uh… HAHAHAHA!"

Karl doubled over laughing. His pirates, confused but sensing absurdity, joined in.

"Must you reject kindness so foolishly…? Then perish in despair and terror."

"Hmph! Don’t underestimate us! *You’re* the fools! I was hunting your commander—you saved me the trouble!"

Slowly, Karl drew a golden pendant from his clothes. Shaped like a feather, it pulsed with a soft halo.

"Ugh?! Holy aura…"

"Right! You’d never guess—I was a Holy Warrior before turning pirate, bonehead!"

A cruel smirk twisted Karl’s lips. Sacred light erupted from his body, warm and blinding.

Pirates cheered, falling back. Light coalesced into armor plating Karl’s chest and back—a crystallized shield of pure energy.

*Heh! Think you’re invincible, you overconfident skeleton? If that bitch’s father hadn’t ruined me, I’d be a Templar Knight now—glorious future, bright as dawn. Instead, I’m stuck in this hellhole with idiots. Damn it all!*

Bitter memories of lost glory fueled his power. The light flared, pushing back the darkness.

*Let this unlucky bone-monster learn what true power beyond mortals feels like. Daring to challenge me? Challenge Captain Karl?!*

The Sacred Armor absolutely blocks physical attacks and also dispels evil while granting curse immunity. Combined with this sacred artifact necklace—stolen from that bitch, an ancient heirloom—it boosts my power massively. Trained as a knight and warrior since childhood, I possess an extraordinary physique. My strength is twelve times a mortal’s. Now, enhanced by the necklace, it exceeds thirty times. How could I possibly lose!?

"Nice to meet you. I’m Captain Pipe. I heard you’re considered very strong, so I came to test you. Please give it your all..."

"Hah! Hello, monster. I’m Karl. I am strong... Back in the Passionfruit Tree Kingdom, I was quite a figure... So die! Monster! Take this!"

A punch blazing with brilliant light—Karl seemed to become a shooting star. The fist whistled through the air straight at Pipe’s face. That Siren over there... Hmph! Not bad-looking... Haven’t played with a Siren beauty yet...

With filthy thoughts, Karl’s fist reached the skeletal captain’s face.

Thud... The fist was firmly caught in Pipe’s seemingly casual raised palm.

The awe-inspiring force, the thunderous punch tearing the air with a screech—it was caught like a joke.

"Hmm... Your strength seems only 20% of mine... This sacred energy is interesting. It can’t harm me, but it’s annoying."

As if tasting a dish, the skeletal captain released his hand and examined his palm. No damage.

"M-monster!"

Karl instantly broke down. He couldn’t believe his full-power strike was caught so easily. And those words made him sick—only 20% of the other’s strength? Karl, whose power exceeded thirty times a mortal’s, felt like vomiting.

"Hmm... Did you use your full strength? I want to know your strongest blow. Please, give it your all..."

"...!!!"

This must be an illusion?!

"Impossible! Impossible! Impossible! Liar! Impossible! Liar! Aah! Die! Die! This is a dream!"

Screaming like a madman, Karl unleashed lightning-fast punches. But the captain didn’t even shift stance, flicking fingers like swatting flies to deflect each explosive blow.

"Sigh... Sorry, are you tired? Did you just use full strength? To me, it felt no different... Power and speed were about the same."

"...! How...?"

"Well, that’s enough. This was boring."

Pipe threw a simple straight punch at Karl’s face. Karl saw the trajectory and instinctively crossed his arms to block.

Crunch! The punch snapped Karl’s arms and slammed into his chest... His back burst open, flipping inside out. Organs splattered everywhere. Karl’s hollowed corpse slid lightly to the ground. All pirates stood frozen. Karl, once mighty and feared across these seas, rarely matched even among pirates—the invincible leader was killed in one blow, like a joke.

"How boring. Faglas and Purames... handle these. Deal with resisters as you wish. Oh, and if Greenland and the Twin Stars want to join the fun, call them. Keep the chili-eating kid alive. Do as you please with the rest..."

Holding the necklace taken from Karl’s neck, Pipe turned and flew toward the Resurrection Goddess on the Freedom Wind.

"As you command... Captain..."