020: Sky Pirate

Arthur coughed and had a hard time breathing as he weaved his way through the black smoke and climbed up to the deck.

"Hui Ying!!! Where are you! Answer me!"

No reply, he tried to stay calm although he could feel that the ship altitude descended rapidly. Before long, he reached the top deck. It was already pitch black night outside.

Dozens of humongous-bug-riders flew above the ship while shooting their fire launcher onto the shield array on the middle of the deck.

It was Hui Ying's shield array, she tried her best to protect the passengers and the ship's crews. Ming and Yin were also there hugged to each other as the fear consumed their mind.

"Hui Ying!" Arthur shouted out loud with such a horried face.

"Master!"

The fox demoness expanded her shield array upon seeing him. Covering almost the whole ship just to protect her precious master.

Arthur shrugged some ashes on his shoulder and put out a flick of fire on his hair. "What is happening right now?"

"I am sorry, Master. I was careless and fell asleep when I awaits your return for several hours, I wasn't paying attention until the ship was already onslaughted by the sky pirates."

After he reviewed the situation, Arthur was already out of ideas as so many things happened one after another. A dozens of 2 Star Realm Warrior, flying in the sky with bunch of elephant sized beetles were indeed such a feast for him. But he need to take an account that he can't summon Xiaoqing on top of the deck to fight them.

However, he was checked out upon realizing that there was a time dilation inside his [Spiritual Domain]. Which was much faster relative to the outside.

'Several hours she said? Interesting, It would fetch me a great merits for my upcoming plan!' Arthur was lost inside his thoughts.

"Master… Master? Are you with me?" 

"Ah! I am sorry… Right, first thing first. Let's shot down these pests and restabilize the ship!"

Hui Ying smirked widely, his words was akin to an approval for herself to run amuck and let go all the pent up energy that she held for the whole time.

She retracted the shield array to focus her strength on offensive. Even though she concealed half of her full strength on her human form, but it was more than enough for her to let out her anger and vanquish those bugs riders pirates that were so relentless for the whole time.

"What the- No one mention that there is a Martial Master in this ship! Retreat! Retreat!" One of the pirate who wore a significantly differ armor piece commanded his subordinates.

But, they can not flee from her wrath what so ever.

"How you dare to obstruct my precious waiting time for my master! Prepare to die you lot!"

Within a brief moment, those buggers were mowed down by Hui Ying's. On her watch, they are no human but just bunch of small fry that need to be eradicated.

With her sharp claws, Hui Ying slit their throats amidst the air mercilessly… One by one.

Rain of blood soon showered the deck and put out the flame that engulfed the sails and air balloons.

Seeing that one and only chance, the captain of the ship issued chain of commands to his crews. "Hoist the sails and patch up the balloons if you don't wanna die! Quickly ya dimwits!"

The ships crews scurrying around here and there amidst the bloodied deck to do their jobs to restabilize the ship, prevent it from free falling from the sky.

Lastly, Hui Ying brought down a pirate that seems to be the Division's Captain of the pirates that onslaughted the ship. She shoved the pirate's head onto the floor, dragged him onto Arthur's face.

Arthur doesn't even have a time to showcase his newly obtained power as a 3 Star Realm Warrior. Who would've ever thought, the charming and endearing lady such Hui Ying able to become an incarnation of a demoness herself.

The whole passengers was dumbfounded and couldn't mutter a word.

'Fyuh! I'm glad that I wasn't get into her wrong side at the first time we met!'

"Master! I brought you one of the culprit."

"Eh! Good job Hui Ying. Right then… Let's hear what this guy's about to say. Answer me and you may live."

The pirate's jaws and face was wrecked as fuck as if he was hit by a bludgeon, he was having a hard time to speak. "Pl-se… spare m life! I weel tell ye evting!"

"Tsk! Once a pirates always a pirate. Shameless maggots! Who is your captain? Where the ship is docked? How many crews at his disposal, where is the treasure that you guys hoarded lately? Answer briefly and I shall free you from the pain."

The pirate doesn't even have any strength left to even talk. Alas, he softly whispered on Arthur's ear.

'The name is Xu Feng, the ship is docked at Whale's Tail Island, guarded by another hundred of crews, they are depositing the loots inside the cave by now.'

Arthur couldn't even more joyful upon hearing such information from the pirate. A brilliant bulb of ideas shone brightly above his head.

"Alright! Thank you so much! As your reward, I shall grant you a free trip to the hell!"

Arthur grabbed the pirate's leg and swung him as hard as he could, disposing the shameless pirate onto the endless Sea of Clouds.

"Wha- Aaaaaaa!!!!!!"

As the situation was under control, the ship was restabilized, although there were some damages, but the ship was fairly still sailworthy for the time being.

The chubby, long bearded captain thanked Hui Ying and Arthur non-stop while the three having a conversation inside the captain's quarter.

"Thank you so much! I would've never thought that there were two Martial Masters onboard my ship! If it wasn't for both of you, me and my ship was a goner for sure!"

Albeit his appearance as an incapable ship captain amidst the previous chaos, Arthur was aware that the captain was indeed a man of determination, he would willingly goes down with his ship if he really needs to.

"Enough with the courtesy captain Morgan. Once we landed on Thorz City, I might have pay a visit to this pirate of ours. Do you perhaps inclined about the Whale's Tail Island whereabout?"

"Master Arthur, I do aknowledge your skill as well as your lassy's abilities tending those pests. However, this Xu Feng guy is one of the sickest bastard. I recommend you to let the Holy Church's Knights tending this matters."

Arthur let out a long sigh and cursed inwardly, 'And let them have the treasury? Like hell I would trade this information for nothing. You idiot sack of meat!'

However, he did his best to maintain his looks as a humble young man. "Yes… that's why I want to know their hideout so I could give more contribution to the Holy Church, Captain!"

"Ah! I see… that's right! Well lemme fetch you with the map! Where is it again this time!" The captain shuffled his cupboards here and there to find a map of a certain area amidst the Sea of Clouds. "Ah! Here it is take a look!"

The island was not that far, it was a floating island, a home of aerial beast and monster alikes. With it's lush tropical forest carpeted the whole island, it make anyone who wish venture the island having a hard time to navigate the tens of thousands of square meters area. Not to mention the constant danger from the wildlife.

Unless, for those who knows the passage and every nook and crannies of the island such as the pirates.

"So… what do you want to do Master Arthur?" The captain asked.

"Like I mentioned before, I just want to know the island's whereabouts. Since I know where exactly the island is, I would like to see its splendor from above to get solid view of it's appearance so the Holy Church Knights wouldn't have a hard time to find it!"

"Alright. That's doable… However, I have to land my passangers safely on their destination first. After that, we can embark to our little adventure! Hehehe! It's been a while since I'm really pumped like this! Remind me of my younger days! Hahaha!"

"That's a deal then. Matter of fact, I still have some business in Northern Wilderness after we land at Thorz City which is we about to see at the dawn."

"Thank you, captain. We shall back to our quarter and having our well deserved rest of the day." Hui Ying says, she bowed so elegantly with her lady-like manner.

The two exited the captain's quarter. Albeit the eventful evening that happened, Arthur doesn't feels like to sleep after all the adrenaline rush they had.

Arthur decided to bask himself with the full moon's light at the bow of the ship with a bottle of rum on his hand. Reminiscing his past life and his current life that still the same. Full of blood and violence.

"So much for my little vengeance, eh?" Arthur sighed at the moon above him after he took a sip of the strong liquor.