The seconds passed without me fully realizing it. Paul's body was no longer on the ship. Even the pain in my foot became insignificant compared to the void left in my mind by watching one of my first friends disappear into those dark waters. There was no epic moment, no farewell—only the sea closing over him, as if he had never existed.
—Kid! —Roberts shouted—. Don't rest on your laurels! This is bad. Very bad. My ship has taken thirty percent of the damage it can withstand. If it reaches fifty, the structure will collapse.
—What can we do? —I asked, almost on reflex.
—I don't know. You're the strategist.
He was right. But there was nothing I could do on my own. I extended Search V to check everyone's status: three tokens on the ship and…
The crab was no longer beneath us.
My heart skipped. Somehow, the monstrous creature had pulled away. Slowly—at a constant, terrifyingly precise speed—it was spiraling behind us. I tried to warn Roberts, but it was too late. The gigantic claw opened like a pair of colossal jaws. The crab's body, tiny in comparison, propelled itself with its own hydro-jet and struck the stern of the ship, tearing away a massive chunk of wood.
Luckily, it didn't rip off any sails or submerged sections, but it left half a cabin completely exposed. The structure began to wobble violently, creaking as if crying out in pain.
—There goes another twenty percent… damn it, kid.
—It's not my fault, you know!
—I know… —he replied through clenched teeth—. But we're screwed.
—Maybe not —said the third and last person on the ship.
It was that ignored sailor—the chubby one with the fake eyepatch and a nervous expression. He hadn't said much since we picked him up.
—Forget what I said.
—No. Not a chance —ignoring the sharp pain in my foot, I rushed him and grabbed his shoulders—. Talk.
—Well… I have a star…
—You? —Roberts exclaimed—. It's not the Marine Balance one, or some classic like Scurvy, right?
—No. It's personified. Legend rank.
Legend Stars. Those that evoked a situation, a milestone, an achievement from a player's life. But what achievement could a sailor like him possibly have? Someone who went down in history for nothing but his failures.
—"The Stars of the False Firmament"… —I said, almost forced—. Any ship you're on is doomed to sink.
—SON OF A BITCH! —Roberts roared, for the first time without elegance or mockery, only raw, visceral hatred—. HOW THE HELL DID YOU BOARD MY SHIP KNOWING THAT?!
—DON'T PLAY THE SAINT! —Shovell shot back, shaking off my grip, which was weakening from blood loss—. Do you think I'm an idiot? You both planned to kill me before this ship went down. I can smell the boy's bloodlust from miles away.
—THE ONLY THING YOU SMELL IS THE BLOOD THE KID IS LOSING, YOU MORON! —Roberts snapped, abandoning the helm to face Shovell directly.
—I… I did think about it —I said.
They both fell silent instantly. I opened my hands in front of me. They were shaking uncontrollably.
How did I have the resolve to kill Shovell just moments ago? Where did that resolve go?Of course… it went to the bottom of the sea with Paul.
My stomach burned, and I could almost swear it wasn't just from the wounds that continued to bleed weakly. My body felt unbearably heavy, and my vision blurred in waves.
—I want all of us to get out of this.
I opened my system. Axio offered me a plan, and if destiny was singular, then I had no other option. There was no other path.
I would buy Pause II.
The neural map displayed the spheres, all those beyond Null and Pause locked, with the second being the only one that could be upgraded. I chose without hesitation.
[Pause II activatedCost: 15kMobility time increased by 2 seconds.All allies can now move for a total of 4 seconds within the 10-second grace period.Additionally, the effect "Break" is applied when landing a critical hit on a target in a Paused state.Usage limited to once per round.]
"Break."
Something rose again from the depths. I expanded Search V. The sound wasn't like the crab's—it was animal, primal, like a mountain emerging from the abyss. Yes… I suspected it. I didn't know why, but I wasn't surprised.
—Shovell! —I shouted at the man, who jumped in shock—. Get me to the helm, now!
He hesitated for a few seconds. That hesitation vanished when, behind me, an imposing electric-blue bull appeared. One I hadn't seen since my very first day.
A Legend-rank Star combined with a Legacy-rank axe.
The electric bull.Paul's friend:
Babe.
And not just him. Almost perfectly aligned, like a cruel joke by fate itself, the crab surfaced again in front of the beast, slowly spreading its dreadful claws. I used every last trace of energy I had and threw myself at Shovell. He didn't hesitate. Even Roberts, confused as he was, chose to believe in me.
I didn't know if this would work. I didn't know if the ship would move—or freeze along with us. This was my final move. And when I took Roberts's hand, I knew.
It was all or nothing.
The bull's roar echoed even louder than the crab's. The creature fired its hydro-jet to propel itself toward the ship, claws fully spread. The shot pierced clean through the bull, which kept charging, its massive hooves reaching the ocean floor.
I grabbed the helm.
Search V expanded its perspective, and as if this were a videogame, I moved the ship in a single, unnatural motion—something worthy of a tank controller. The hull pivoted perfectly, facing both threats head-on.
—Kid… what are you doing?
—I'm the strategist, aren't I?
Roberts hesitated. Then he lowered his head and smiled, revealing his yellowed yet well-kept teeth.
—Then I'd better expand my NEX —he said, gripping the helm alongside me.
I shouted:
—Pause II!
Everything froze.
In a single, all-or-nothing moment.