“We must find a way to delay the pirate ships at the dock for a while, so the others can seize the fuel factory,” Charles stated firmly.

  “That’s easy!” Kode, visibly excited, snatched the pen from Charles and drew several arrows on the map. “Just send three ships to attack the Crab Claw head-on. The goal is to draw their attention; we only need to buy them ten more minutes.”

  “But how will those three ships get back?” Charles questioned.

  “Why do they need to come back?” Kode’s statement instantly froze the atmosphere in the cabin.

  The burly man who had previously argued with Charles stood up, agitated. “I absolutely disagree with this plan! My brothers will not go to their deaths!”

  Kode looked at him with a hint of disdain. “Don’t worry; I wouldn’t want your men. I’m afraid they’d run away halfway. Comrades, the time has come to sacrifice for the God of Light!”

  As soon as Kode finished speaking, three captains from the Church of Light, adorned with white triangular hats, stood up in unison, their expressions solemn and fearless in the face of impending death.

  With a look of satisfaction, Kode walked up to them and patted their shoulders affectionately. “Rest assured, you are the pioneers seeking the land of light, the most devout followers of the God of Light. Once I reach the divine realm, I will pray to the God of Light to guide your souls to the afterlife!”

  “All for the God of Light!!”

  “All for the God of Light!!”

  “All for the God of Light!!”

  The three men, with unwavering expressions, brought their hands together on their foreheads, forming the white triangle.

  The other captains exchanged strange looks; even though they were accustomed to death, witnessing three entire ships willingly head to their demise felt unsettling.

  Charles quickly recalled the distribution of forces at the dock and shook his head. “Three ships are still not enough; they won’t last long. They’ll be sunk by cannon fire as soon as they enter.”

  Kode smiled confidently. “Don’t worry; the Church of Light has resources beyond your imagination. If I say they can do it, they will!”

  As he spoke, Kode pulled a key from his sleeve and handed it to the captain of the Church of Light. “Go retrieve the supplies from the third cargo hold of the Divine Domain. You know what to do.”

  Watching the three captains leave in unison, Charles turned his attention to the other exploration ship captains. “Everyone, I know you’ve been holding back your strongest abilities, but this is a critical moment. Let’s see all your might! If we succeed, the rewards will exceed your wildest expectations!”

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  The turbines of all the exploration ships roared to life, black smoke billowing from their exhausts. The crew members were informed of the imminent danger, their faces tense but not panicked; they were seasoned veterans who had emerged from the blood-soaked battles of the island.

  Charles glanced to his left and saw Kode conducting some sort of ceremony for the devoted followers of the God of Light. He wouldn’t interfere; the island was crawling with pirates, and only by sacrificing some could they hope to find a way out.

  Watching the fervent expressions of the followers, Charles understood that, at least for this moment, they were willing to die for the elusive God of Light.

  Just then, he noticed Linda and another follower of the God of Light who had escaped with him. The image of Sarin’s dying face flashed through his mind, causing Charles to frown. He activated the grappling hook and swung over to their ship.

  “Kode, I need these two,” Charles said, pointing at them.

  Kode raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Why?”

  “My ship is short two people, and these two fit the bill perfectly,” Charles replied, fabricating an absurd excuse.

  After glancing at Linda and the other follower, Kode smirked. “Sister Linda, Alarg, your mission has been canceled. Report to Captain Charles’s ship.”

  Linda, however, appeared ungrateful for Charles’s kindness; her face flushed, and her breathing quickened.

  “Sister Linda, follow my orders,” Kode reiterated firmly.

  After Kode’s command, Linda shot Charles a cold glare before turning to head below deck.

  Charles didn’t care whether she was grateful; he simply wanted to repay Sarin’s debt.

  Feeling somewhat selfish, he realized that while he didn’t care about the deaths of strangers, the loss of someone he knew stirred his conscience.

  Once everything was ready, Charles took the helm. Spotting the lighthouse beam in the sky, he took a deep breath and sounded the horn of the Narwhal. “Woo-woo~~”

  Seventeen ships surged forward, their crews filled with excitement, heading toward Waterfall Island.

  They were not far from their destination, and soon Charles saw the hazy lights of the island.

  At that moment, three ships from the Church of Light broke away from the fleet, charging toward the dock without hesitation.

  In the distance, Charles noticed that the followers on those ships seemed to have consumed something.

  Quickly adjusting the helm, he directed the other exploration ships toward the fuel point.

  Before long, the Narwhal, with Charles at the helm, returned to the coastline they had fled from.

  Thirteen ships slowed down, except for one captain standing on the deck in a sharp black military uniform, sword pointed toward the distant fuel factory, commanding his ship to charge ashore.

  “Captain! Isn’t he going to run aground like that?” Deep asked worriedly.

  “Just do your job; these guys have managed to survive this long for a reason,” Charles replied.

  “Bang!” The ship collided with the rocks, producing a dull thud, but the grounding Deep feared didn’t occur.

  Underneath the ship, barnacle-covered tracks spun rapidly, propelling the vessel directly onto the shore.

  “My God, this ship can drive on land too?!” Deep exclaimed in astonishment.

  The show of force was clearly visible to the pirates.

  In the distance, alarm bells rang from the fuel point, and personnel began to mobilize for defense.

  Black floating monsters emerged from the buildings. Charles smeared blood on his bat mirror and leaped from the deck. “Let’s go!!”

  The deck cannons of the amphibious ships fired directly at the steel gate.

  With a deafening roar, the gate—and the pirates behind it—vanished without a trace.