[The Beast's Debt: Upper Deck – Midnight]
The celebration had been legendary. Empty barrels of ale and bone-scraps from the "Welcome Meat" littered the deck. While Ato was sprawled out near the figurehead, snoring loud enough to shake the mast, the rest of the crew sat in a quiet circle under the moonlight.
Kojo: "Ahhh. I'm full. If I eat another bite, I'm going to turn into a sea-beast myself."
Suddenly, Faramis reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one, the orange glow illuminating his tired face.
Kojo: "When were you addicted with those? What is your age anyway?"
Faramis took a long drag, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Just a while ago. And I'm twenty years old."
Kojo: "What! You are old! No wonder you're so grumpy."
Faramis blew a cloud of smoke and pointed the pack toward the swordsman. "Want some?"
Kojo: "No thank you. You can have them. I need my lungs for Three-Sword Style."
Faramis: "Tch. Such childish behavior."
Kojo: "What did you say?!"
Faramis: "Nothing... Lemon? Want to look like an adult?"
Lemon: "No, i don't want those. They smell like burnt rubber."
Manjo reached out her hand, her expression calm. "Give me."
Kojo: "Whoa! You smoke too?!"
Manjo: "Just addicted a while ago. It helps with the stress of cooking for you bottomless pits."
She took the cigarette from Faramis, took a sharp drag, and handed it back. Faramis continued smoking, his long cyan hair fluttering beautifully in the night wind.
Faramis whispered: "The next island is gonna be a issue..."
Lemon: "What? Did you say something?"
Manjo: "Yea, i also heard."
Faramis shook his head, the smoke masking his expression. "Nah, nothing."
Kojo looked at Faramis with deep suspicion, but before he could press him, Poison walked up from the lower deck, looking refreshed.
Poison: "I see everyone is talking peacefully here."
Lemon: "Where were you? We almost started the second round without you."
Poison: "In the bathroom. I'm sorry for interrupting you guys, Lemon-san."
Lemon: "Nah, it's okay."
Faramis: "Want some of this?"
Poison: "No, i don't smoke."
Faramis: "Oh, ok then." He turned back to the sea, the silence returning as the crew drifted into a restless peace.
[Ato's Cabin: The Dreamer]
Manjo stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna go outside and I'm gonna take Ato inside. He'll freeze to death out here."
She hauled the heavy, snoring captain over her shoulder and dragged him to his bunk. As she laid him down and tucked him in, she leaned in and whispered softly.
Manjo: "Good dreams, my hero."
Suddenly, Ato's face scrunched up. He let out a mumbled groan.
Ato: "I want to eat melons...."
GRAB.
His hand shot out and locked onto Manjo's chest. Manjo stood frozen, her face turning a violent shade of red.
Manjo: "I think you like melons too much..."
She pried his hand off and stomped back outside to the deck, where the others were still watching the stars.
Manjo: "Oi guys! He freakingly loves melons! He is talking about melons in his dream!"
[Morning: The Ambush]
Morning happened. Ato woke up, but it wasn't the smell of breakfast that woke him—it was a strange, rhythmic chanting and the sound of heavy metal clashing. He rubbed his eyes and stepped outside, and his heart nearly stopped.
The Beast's Debt was boxed in. Twenty massive EDEN Warships were positioned in a perfect circle around them.
On the deck of his own ship, his entire crew—Kojo, Lemon, Faramis, Manjo, and Poison—were tied together with thick, anti-magic ropes. Standing over them were Twenty EDEN Captains (Level 4), their white coats billowing in the wind and their weapons drawn.
Captain 1: "Ato Dragonaid. You are surrounded. Resistance is a death sentence."
Ato looked at his tied-up friends. Kojo was struggling against the ropes, Lemon looked pale, and Manjo was glaring at the Captains with sparks of lightning still trying to flicker on her skin.
Ato's expression shifted. The "idiot" was gone. The Beast was waking up.
Ato: "Twenty Captains, huh? You guys brought a lot of trash just to catch one crew."
One of the Captains stepped forward, pointing a saber at Ato's throat. "You defeated the Vice-Commanders, but you are nothing against the full might of the EDEN Hierarchy. From the Soldiers to the General... we are absolute."
Ato cracked his neck, his muscles bulging as a white aura began to hiss off his skin.
Ato: "Absolute? I've never liked that word."