"I'm sorry, Captain. ”

Irontooth's muffled voice was no longer the careless banter of its past, but was as low as some kind of desperate murmur: "You shouldn't have come here." ”

Bertram licked his chapped lips and didn't look at Captain Grufeld—the look on their faces was probably the same.

The mouth is dry and bitter. He had told the captain what might happen and he was ready for everything...... But that doesn't mean that when the "welcome" turns into a "surroundment" as he expected, he is able to calm down and take it in stride when faced with the gloomy faces and clenched weapons of his former companions.

His heart sank like an old rag soaked in bitter water, crumpled into a ball and fell down heavily, all the way to his stomach.

"I'm here to pick up my crew...... Just like you would do for us. ”

Captain Grufeld's voice remained calm, but Bertram could hear the frustration.

Iron Tooth Boleyn shook his head, and there was no light in his one-eyed eyes.

"No, I wouldn't do that. He said, "If I had known that you had fallen into the hands of the Nine Toes, I would have only prayed to the gods that you would die fast enough, and I would not hesitate to climb over the mountains, away from the ocean, and hide in a place where I would never see the black sails in my life, and if I was lucky, I would probably die drunk in my own bed—no, captain, I would not go to you, and I would not be stupid enough to take back this damned ship from the hands of the black sails." ”

“...... But she's our girl!" the stone cried out in disbelief, as if Iron Fang's claim to drop him didn't hurt him as much as he did when he spoke of the Unicorn in such a disgusted, cursed tone.

“...... If you're worried about revenge from the nine toes. We've beaten him. Bertram began. He tried to make his tone more convincing, but it didn't work very well.

"Defeated?" Iron Tooth grinned, smiling more ugly than crying. "So, did you kill him?"

Bertram kept his mouth shut—it was foolish to tell a lie that would soon be exposed.

"But we've beaten him once, and we can beat him a second time – together. Someday we can kill him...... What the hell are you afraid of, Iron Tooth?" asked Jancy, sad and puzzled, "I haven't seen Ninetoe, but he's just a man who can die. Isn't it?"

"It doesn't matter if he's a person or a demon. Boleyn shook his head slowly, his expression becoming more and more desperate. "It doesn't even matter if he's dead or alive...... We're done, Captain, we're hopeless. You see. We're going to stay here for a while. We could have fled into the forest and run far away...... But we didn't. If you don't come here, we'll just go back to Black Sails, because we have nowhere else to go. The shadow is behind us - our own shadow, which can swallow us up at any time, and we cannot get rid of it at all, and we are safe only if we stay in the place of the shadow, under the deeper shadow...... Only then can we find peace. ”

“...... What the hell did that guy do to make you so desperate. Grufeld frowned. "Did he put some curse on you?"

Iron Tooth glared at him, the despair in his eyes turning into burning rage.

"You don't have to know, do you?" his voice froze. "Don't you wonder why we have only so few people left?—they're dead, they're all dead, your friends, our friends...... The lucky die in the fire, in the sea, under the enemy's blade, and the unlucky ......"

He held up a hand, his clenched fist wrapped in a dirty cloth band, oozing dark blood.

"When you raise your fist and use whatever weapon you can find, you smash the heads of your friends who were drinking and gambling with you the day before just to keep yourself alive......" The corners of his mouth twisted into a desperate and crazy smile, "You'll suddenly feel relieved...... Because there's nothing you can't do anymore. ”

Bertram shuddered unconsciously.

The blood seemed to freeze - the cold winter of the north had never made him feel such a bitter chill. He had heard such legends...... In fact, they've all heard it, but none of them want to believe it's true.

There was a dead silence on the beach, and the air and sound seemed to freeze...... Until the Unicorn anchored behind them, a horn was heard in the distance.

Bangbu's conch, one long and one short, is a signal for distress.

The corners of Bertram's eyes twitched.

He deliberately let the ship stop at a distance from the sea rather than let the Iron Teeth go straight to the ship, but it was clear that the pirates had expected him to be wary.

He wished he could believe that Iron Tooth's struggle was somewhat true...... But he also succeeded in stalling for time. He should have thought that Iron Tooth was not usually a person who talked so much.

"Sorry, we took the boat. Iron Fang lowered his fist and looked blank, "If you get out of the way, maybe we won't have to kill you all." All Nine Toes wants is the boat...... And you, Bertram, and Adora hates you—women can't be offended, can they?"

“...... IMHO, Iron Tooth. Bertram reluctantly spoke, "You're just sailors, and I'm a warrior...... You are no match for me. ”

Iron Fang looked at him for a moment before smiling sarcastically.

"That's right. He said, "But you won't kill me - you won't do it." You're a good man, sir...... It's a pity that good people don't live long these days. ”

Bertram opened his mouth, shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying nothing more.

He gripped the hilt of his sword. The snatched weapon was so strange that it didn't listen to the call, and it was a little awkward to hold it...... For a moment he almost wanted to give up—giving up was always the easier option, but he couldn't afford to give up either.

The sound of a weapon unsheathed has never been so harsh. He struck a pose in silence, calculating his chances of winning if he couldn't make a heavy hand. These men were indeed only sailors, but they were also trained sailors by Kanafin, and they were several times more numerous...... Not to mention the possibility that there are pirates lurking around.

Once the battle began, he couldn't afford to hesitate so much.

"Wait!"

Jessy rushed over and grabbed his wrist, instantly crushing the little determination he had gathered so hard.

"You'd better lay down your arms. The young Brie looked sincere, "You are no match for him. ”

If it weren't for the bad mood, Bertram almost wanted to laugh.

“...... Go away, Jancy. Irontooth frowned impatiently, "I like you, but can you stop being so stupid?"

"Really. Jancyy looked up to the sky, "You're no match for him. ”

It dawned on Bertram that it wasn't him.

A gust of wind swept by, and shadows fell from the sky with a roar. Bertram flinched, and the ecstasy welling up from his heart overpowered the fear.

Who the hell said that dragons are evil creatures?

(To be continued.) )