The moment realization struck Zachary—
Vascal moved.
Without warning, the large man lunged forward, his fist tightly clenched as he swung directly toward Zachary's face.
The attack came while Zachary was still distracted by his own thoughts.
Still trying to piece everything together.
The hunters.
This world.
The attack from Vascal was too sudden, and too unclear.
THUD!
Vascal's fist stopped midair.
Not because he stopped himself—
But because Zachary had caught it barehanded.
His fingers wrapped tightly around Vascal's fist without even trembling. The impact alone caused the wooden deck beneath them to creak softly.
Vascal's eyes widened slightly.
Then—
A grin slowly spread across his face.
Zachary blinked a few times before finally snapping out of his thoughts.
"…What are you doing?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"Heheh…"
Vascal lowered his head slightly before laughing loudly.
"Hahahahaha!"
Zachary gripped Vascal's fist tightly, the slowly let go.
Vascal rolled his shoulder once before turning toward the ship's helm.
"Hard to starboard!" he shouted.
The wheel turned sharply.
The ship tilted across the raging ocean as waves slammed violently against its sides, spraying seawater across the deck.
Zachary steadied himself with one hand against the railing, his eyes slowly narrowing.
The similar power systems to the outside world confused Zachary, but the interpretation of it was wrong, he thought, as his knowledge of this world was vastly limited.
Then, he looked back toward Vascal.
"So…" Zachary said carefully, "what exactly is that place?"
Vascal walked across the deck and sat on top of a nearby barrel, resting his arm over his knee.
"Well…" he muttered slowly.
"I still don't fully trust ya."
The grin on his face faded slightly.
"But your strength tells me enough."
The ocean wind blew past them as the ship continued cutting through the endless sea.
For a few seconds—
Only the sounds of waves and creaking wood remained.
Then Vascal finally spoke.
"That place…"
"The homeland of me and my crew…"
"…is called the Olnanopalco."
Silence followed.
Zachary stared at him blankly, trying to process the strange name.
"…Is that another language?" he asked slowly.
Vascal looked confused for a moment.
"Another language?" he repeated.
Then realization hit him.
"Ohhh…"
He suddenly laughed, slapping his knee once.
"Hahahaha! The name sounds weird, don't it?"
"What does it even mean?" Zachary asked.
Vascal shrugged casually..
"No idea."
"…What?"
Zachary stared at him in disbelief.
"You don't know?"
"Nope," Vascal answered immediately. "Nobody really does."
Zachary frowned slightly.
"Then who named it?"
Vascal leaned back slightly, his gaze drifting toward the endless ocean ahead.
"That's the thing," he muttered.
"Nobody knows."
"The name's older than every record we got."
"Even Chief Nina doesn't know where it came from."
"The origin of the name's still a mystery to all of us."
"…Chief?"
Zachary blinked slowly.
"Nina— what?"
Now he just looked completely lost.