We left the ruined cathedral behind and moved swiftly toward the hidden cove at the north of the island, where Isaac's captain was scheduled to arrive. As we navigated down the jagged cliffs, the storm finally began to clear, but the island behind us was still completely consumed by chaos, screams, and flames.
When we finally reached the secluded beach, we immediately stopped in our tracks. A massive, heavily armed galleon with black sails was already anchored in the cove.
"Wait, that's not my captain's ship," Isaac whispered, instantly ducking behind a large boulder.
"Then whose is it?" Arthur asked, his draconic eyes narrowing in the dark.
Suddenly, a massive man vaulted over the railing of the ship and landed directly on the beach, the sheer weight of his impact creating a small crater in the wet sand. He was towering, draped in heavy golden armor, and casually wielded a giant, rusted ship's anchor as a weapon.
"Well, well, well. Look what the storm washed up," he sneered with a booming, arrogant voice. "I am one of the Seven Pirate Kings! The King of Plunder!"
"Shit... a Pirate King is here?!" Isaac started trembling uncontrollably. "The captain we interrogated said they were all out in the Vast Sea!"
"It seems this one returned early to check on his territory," Sera analyzed calmly, not looking bothered in the slightest.
The Pirate King released his aura. It was incredibly heavy, toxic, and suffocating. He was easily Tier 5.
"Hand over all your loot and artifacts, and I might just kill you painlessly!" he laughed loudly, prompting a chorus of cheers from his crew on the deck of the ship.
But as his heavy Ether washed over us, something clicked inside my Cenotaph. It wasn't fear. It was sheer, unadulterated disgust. My Pride was genuinely offended that this man dared to stand in my presence.
Kallisto, what is this Ether signature? I asked internally.
[Notice: The target is walking a Sub-Pathway derived directly from the Primordial Sin of Greed.] [Pathway: The Plunderer.]
Oh? A Sub-Pathway of a Sin? A slow, cold smile formed on my face.
"Arthur, Sera. Stand down," I said, stepping forward out of the shadows.
"Luci, wait! He's a Pirate King, and your Ether reserves are completely drained!" Arthur warned me, stepping up to physically block my path.
"I said, stand down," I repeated. My voice didn't rise, but it dropped into an icy, aristocratic tone that carried an undeniable, unnatural weight. Arthur paused, stepping aside in sheer surprise.
I didn't draw Bad News. I didn't activate Event Horizon or tap into my Unique Skill. With my face entirely exposed and bare, showing no fear or hesitation, I just walked casually toward the towering Pirate King, my new Abyss Cloak fluttering darkly in the ocean breeze.
"Ho? A scrawny little boy wants to challenge me?" The Pirate King laughed menacingly. He unleashed the full, crushing weight of his aura, trying to break my mind and force me to submit.
But the pressure didn't even touch me.
[Notice: As the host of the Sin of Pride, you stand at the absolute apex of the Seven Deadly Sins. Sub-Pathways of the Sins are conceptually inferior to you. They have no choice but to bow before their sovereign.]
I didn't use any magic. I simply reached deep into the core of my soul and unleashed the raw, unfiltered conceptual weight of my true identity.
"Kneel," I commanded.
It wasn't a request. It was an absolute cosmic law.
The moment the word left my lips, the Pirate King's golden aura shattered like cheap glass. His arrogant smile vanished in an instant, replaced by sheer, primal terror. His very soul and his Sub-Pathway were screaming at him, recognizing that he was standing in front of the top of the food chain.
"W-what... what are you?!" he choked out, tears of biological fear welling in his eyes.
His knees buckled violently. The massive, invincible Pirate King slammed into the wet sand, dropping his giant anchor. His golden armor clattered against the rocks as he collapsed entirely, pressing his forehead deep into the dirt at my boots. His giant frame trembled uncontrollably, paralyzed by the overwhelming presence of my Pride.
Behind him, his entire pirate crew fell dead silent. Dozens of cutthroats stared in absolute, mind-breaking horror as their ruthless ruler groveled before a teenager who hadn't even lifted a finger.
"I didn't give you permission to speak," I said coldly, looking down at him with absolute disdain. "Keep your head in the dirt where it belongs."
I casually stepped past the trembling Pirate King and glanced back at Isaac, whose jaw had literally dropped to the floor. Even Arthur looked completely dumbfounded. Sera, however, just offered a mild, amused smile.
"You were saying something about waiting for a ship, Isaac?" I asked smoothly, gesturing to the massive galleon. "I think we just found a very comfortable place to rest while we wait."