The cry of Pause froze everything around us.
The ten seconds, marked by a massive red 10, began to tick down slowly. Roberts looked visibly shaken, gripping the helm with near-desperate strength, while Shovell clung to both of us as if his life depended on it—because it probably did.
Before us, the Crab of Cancer had spread its gigantic claw, as wide as the ship itself. Behind it, even more terrifying and imposing, the great electric-blue bull continued its advance. Despite bleeding profusely from the impact of the frozen water jet, it kept charging toward us, showing no sign of stopping.
I was betting everything on the state called Break.
I didn't explain it to anyone. During those ten seconds, even though I could have spoken to Roberts, there was nothing left to say. He trusted me. He trusted that this would work.
And the moment that 7 turned into a 4, everything would explode.
I prayed like never before. I needed Break to be exactly what I imagined—a moment of absolute fragility, a window of total vulnerability, like in so many games. The ship was our last lifeline, and I didn't need to be Roberts to know that the Royal Fortune had already lost its second word. All that remained was to hope it would be… fortunate enough to endure one final impact.
5…
Ready or not, this was it.
—I entrust you with my entire NEX, boy.
Those were Roberts's last words before letting go of the helm.
The 4 appeared, painted in a fluorescent green. The ship lit up with a deep crimson glow. This was the true power of Captain Bartholomew Roberts.
His Legacy.
—Royal Fortune! —the captain shouted.
Against all expectations, the ship began to move.
Not just forward—it was as if it had awakened. As if it were part of us. It accelerated violently, as though an invisible engine had launched it at maximum power. Cancer's propulsion stream was left utterly humiliated by the speed we reached.
I didn't know how many knots we were making.
I didn't care.
I could think of only one thing:
Please… collide with them before the four seconds end.
3…
We were close. The claw filled our entire field of vision. The stench of mammal and mollusk saturated the air, overpowering even the smell of salt.
2…
The hull slammed into the claw.
The massive pincer shattered without offering the slightest resistance, exploding into hundreds of thousands of fragments. I couldn't hide my shock.
How powerful is Break…?
I didn't know.
I didn't have time to think.
The Crab of Cancer couldn't even react.
1…
The crab's body itself disintegrated. The incarnation that had given us so many headaches finally fell. The victory board hadn't even finished materializing when we collided with the second body.
0…
The bull shattered.
Time resumed, and accompanied by a horrifying roar of pain, half of the creature dispersed as if it were made of broken pixels. There was no blood. It was as though a three-dimensional model was unraveling before our eyes, losing texture and form. Its eyes burned with rage as it crashed onto the already-ruined ship.
The beast would fulfill one last purpose.
And so, the Royal Fortune could take no more. It broke apart into hundreds of wooden fragments, mixing with Babe's corpse.
The three of us were thrown into the sea almost instantly. Losing all balance, I could only open my eyes in shock and panic.
I saw it.
Out of the corner of my eye.
Paul.
Standing atop Babe's collapsing head.
He raised his hand with absolute determination. Even if I had the strength, even if I had the slightest foothold—even while Search V screamed dozens of evasive trajectories into my ears…
I couldn't move.
His polished silver axe, shaped like a bull, spun at full speed. It was inevitable. Paul's revenge would, in the end, have a result.
Luckily—if that word still applied—I now had 140k, thanks to Cancer's defeat.
I wouldn't die.
It'll be a shame to start over… but at least I can keep going.
I closed my eyes, waiting for the blow.
I heard it.
A cut.
Something flying through the air.
And… I felt nothing.
The water forced me back to awareness. Though I thought the ship would sink completely, the helm still floated—alone—amid the chaos. In front of me, Roberts clutched his shoulder tightly, beneath it nothing but a bloody stump.
And before me, kneeling in agony, was Shovell.
—Why…? —I asked.
—You shut my mouth… kid…
Roberts muttered, in pain, without looking at me, his gaze fixed on the remains of his ship—and something else.
—I was never meant to be a captain… —Shovell said, letting his face fall against the floating wood—. I was always better at secondary roles.
Before I could reach him, his body broke apart into particles.
Shovell had been removed.
Paul's axe remained there, embedded in the wood.
Tears—of relief, or perhaps rage—began to stream down my face as I looked up and saw him. There, walking across the wreckage of the ship, was the one Roberts still stared down defiantly.
Our final enemy.
Advancing as if he felt neither pain nor exhaustion.
What envy.
My body burned. My vision nearly went dark. My wounds were severe. I felt numb, heavy, and I knew I could die at any moment.
But…
I don't want to lose.
—I DON'T WANT TO LOSE!
My shout startled Roberts. Even Paul stopped, standing there before us, unsure how to react as he saw me grasp his axe with cold, trembling hands.
The first time I held it, it had felt impossibly heavy.
Now…
It felt so light it was almost unnatural.
Maybe I emptied my mind.
Maybe something took hold of me.
Or maybe I simply did what Paul had been screaming for me to do all along.
—Thank you…
Those were the last words that escaped my friend.
This time, his body didn't even fall. The axe remained lodged in his chest. His reddish beard, streaked with blood and its natural color, formed that same smile that had always made me feel at ease.
It was the last time I would see him.
His body didn't dissolve into particles. It simply faded away, losing color—like an image slowly erased.
Roberts said nothing.
He just waited.
The pain in his arm vanished.
So did mine.
At least the physical pain.
My hands were still trembling, still gripping the axe, even as the message marking the end of the battle appeared. Even as I received the second 40k. Even as my body broke into particles and reformed, completely restored, in front of the connector.
And even as, before everyone's eyes, the words appeared:
[Eliminated: Paul Bunyan]