Chapter 38: Eve Neido (4)
Name: Peta Lusius
Class: Southern High Priest of the Archdeity Church
Level: 48
Stats
Strength: 132
Agility: 111
Intelligence: 158
Luck: 112
I fell into thought as I once again compared my stats with Eve's. Could I even win this? Since we were facing each other across the waves, a surprise attack from my side was impossible. On top of that, the Hero was tied up tight next to Eve, so there was a high chance she'd be in danger if I attacked carelessly.
"Right... well, anyway, let's say you're that High Priest. If you're a High Priest, you'll be a little more honest than the other bastards, right? Right?" "That is correct. I have received the undeserved position of Southern High Priest, and I am striving to live a life not shameful of it."
"Right. Then let me ask you just one thing. She says she has a lover, so who is that?"
The Hero turned her head with a blush. The sailors who had been on the boat with me were also staring at me with bewildered expressions, as if Eve's gentle attitude was unfamiliar. I also had no idea why Eve was asking such a thing. Was this bitch really into Lesbian NTR?
"The Princess of Ahildern. Erina of Ahildern."
"A princess? Are you sure? A princess? Ha, fuck, so she was an important figure."
Eve stroked the Hero's head and grinned. I could see the Hero whispering something to Eve in a small voice. Eve shook her head after hearing her and spoke.
"No. My mind has changed after hearing that story. If I don't let you go, the princess will come to rescue you, won't she? A person has to try fucking a princess at least once in their life, don't you think? Have you done the bandaji with that princess?"
The atmosphere was turning strange. Eve drew her sword and began to size up the number of my crew members. I also gripped my mace and looked at Eve. I had planned to just take the Hero and go back if Eve would just release her peacefully, but this bitch seemed to have no intention of doing so.
Her mouth gaped open in a belligerent smile. Her teeth were so sharply filed that each one looked like a fang. The Hero was struggling to break free from Eve's grasp. Eve pressed the Hero's head down with her hand, pinning it to the deck. Then, pointing her sword at the sailors on my boat, she said.
"You don't need this many sailors to go back, do you? You, you said you were acquainted with that princess who is our AA's lover, right? I'll let just you and one crew member live. You choose which sailor survives."
She openly declared that she would kill all the crew members. The sailors on my boat looked at each other with panicked faces, then back at me. I shook my head. I wouldn't have even come if I had to return in such a disgraceful way.
"You're speaking nonsense. You want me to just go back after coming all this way?"
"Fuck, I haven't touched her yet, so just go back, you pretty-boy priest bastard."
After long deliberation, I had no choice but to reach a conclusion. I had to smash this bitch Eve's head in right here and now and save the Hero. If I went back as this bitch said, the Hero would be fucked by Eve, and Erina would be NTR'd too. I couldn't stand by and watch that happen.
One of the crew members on Eve's ship spoke to her.
"C-Captain. Still, that person is the High Priest of the Archdeity Church, if you provoke him too much...."
Eve's eyes widened as she stared at the crew member who had spoken to her. Her pupils rapidly contracted as she glared at the sailor. She threw the Hero to the floor. The other crew members took the Hero to a corner of the deck.
It was only now that I noticed, but all of Eve's crew members were women. Women of some beauty, following Eve with tired faces as if they had been worn down by the rough work of the sea. The crew member who had met Eve's gaze began to back away slowly, her words trailing off.
"What did you say?"
"No, I mean... if people from the Archdeity Church come... so... even for you, Captain...."
"Do you fucking look down on me?"
"N-No... C-Captain... save... please save me.... Please...."
"I asked if you fucking look down on me! How fucking worthless must you think I am to say something like this?"
Eve started to grab her crew member by the collar and shake her. A sailor on our boat whispered to me.
"Shouldn't we pull the ship back, even now?"
"No. We fight. Prepare for battle."
Even at a glance, all the other crew members besides Eve were just a bunch of pushovers. If I could just rescue the Hero and shower her with buffs, then no matter how much of a Mermaid's Blessing the bitch had, I could turn her into mermaid sashimi or mermaid ribs.
"Kyaaaaah!"
A scream echoed from Eve's pirate ship. The crew member who had just advised Eve was staring at her with a pale expression, clutching her stomach. Blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth, and Eve's blade had pierced through her stomach. Eve, gripping the sharp curved sword tightly, was glaring at the crew member, grinding her teeth.
"Gaaahk... ghk....."
As Eve pulled out her sword, the crew member vomited blood and fell into the sea. My crew members, intimidated by the sudden turn of events, began to back away slowly. It seemed they intended to flee, ignoring my command to fight. Eve wiped her sword, then, seeing my boat turning its bow, she shouted.
"Fuck! I gave you a condition and you're running away? Archdeity Church High Priest or not, I'll skin all of you alive!"
Shouting that, Eve threw her hat on the ground and dived into the sea. The suddenly captain-less ship fell into chaos, then began to move closer to our ship. I had no time to think.
"Hyaaat!"
I let out a war cry and jumped onto Eve's ship.
Boom!
Simultaneously, a spray of water that looked like an exploding bomb erupted from the bottom of the boat I had been on, and the boat split in two. The crew members were swept away by the waves that surged onto the ship's deck, all turning into water ghosts. Sporadic bursts of blood erupted from the deck, and I could tell that a one-sided massacre was happening over on that ship. Eve's crew members, though trembling, raised their weapons and blocked my path.
"S-Stop... Please.... I-If we can't stop you... we'll also....."
Clang!
I swung my mace at the head of the woman at the front who was trying to persuade me rationally. The woman, her head caved in, collapsed to the floor with a thud. Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed that most of them had become crew members under some kind of threat or coercion from Eve. But I had no time to listen to that and empathize now. It was actually easier to make it clear that blocking my way meant death.
The death of one person didn't break the crew members' fighting spirit. To rescue the Hero huddled in the corner, I killed the crew members in a single blow and pushed forward, ever forward. Unbefitting the cheerful hitting sound, the crew members spewed blood from their noses and died on the spot.
The boat I had been on was already in pieces. Corpses were floating around, spilling so much red blood it was reminiscent of a red tide. Eve, who had slumped down on a part of the deck that hadn't sunk yet, was wringing out her blood-soaked clothes.
She saw me board her ship and raised the corner of her mouth as if it was pathetic.
I pushed through the crew members and approached the Hero, who was tied up on the floor.
"Bless."
[Bless]
Increases the target's HP, attack power, defense, and speed.
As soon as I cast the buff magic on the Hero, she instantly broke the chains and took a deep breath. Once the Hero was free, the crew members scattered in all directions as if fleeing.
At the same time, Eve leaped out of the water, landed on the deck, and looked at the two of us. She swept back her seawater-drenched hair and spoke. Even though the Hero was free, she swung her sword idly in the air with a very leisurely attitude.
"You think you can win with two people?"
The Hero picked up a sword that had fallen on the floor. It was a curved sword commonly used by pirates. The Hero pointed her sword at Eve and spoke to me. It was a very small voice, so quiet that Eve couldn't hear.
"Priest. I have a good idea."
Before I could answer, the Hero continued, glancing at a small door on the deck.
"There's a mermaid being held downstairs on this ship. This pirate seems to care for that mermaid a lot, so if we take that mermaid hostage and negotiate, we might be able to get out of here."
"Can you hold out until then?"
"I can. That pirate seems to want... my body."
She made a sour expression, as if embarrassed by her own words.
I cast Bless on the Hero once more and turned my body towards the deck. No matter how strong Eve was, a Hero buffed by a High Priest would surely be able to hold out for a while. Eve looked at the Hero rushing towards her as if she were adorable and drew her sword.
I heard a conversation behind me.
"I don't give second chances to those who fuck with me."
"It'll be different this time. Fights aren't won with just strength."
"Fuck, you talk a good game. If I catch you this time, I'm cutting off both your arms. I don't like dealing with troublesome things."
As I opened the door on the deck, the smell of blood wafted up from inside the ship. I let out a retch, breathed in the outside air again, and then threw myself back into the ship. In the narrow hallway, crew members were hiding here and there, wary of the stranger.
I grabbed one of the female crew members by the collar and asked.
"I heard there's a mermaid here,"
"A-A mermaid? Ms. Mermaid is over there. P-Please, spare me....."
Leaving her who was begging so pathetically before me, I walked towards the deeper part of the ship. Eve's ship not only had the stench of blood, but the entire vessel was filled with a gloomy aura. There was a strange abundance of mermaid statues and mermaid paintings, and a map marking the mermaids' habitat was hanging in a room.
I looked at the map carefully, and thinking it might be useful, I decided to take it for now. The location on the map wasn't near the coast of Esta, but I figured I might have a reason to go there someday.
When I reached the end of the hallway, I heard a bizarre groaning sound from beyond a door. I opened the door, thrust my mace in, and shouted.
"Get on the floor before I shatter your fin!"
"Kghh... eueup... eup...."
And then, looking at the scene inside the room, I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh. Castrated corpses and blood-splattered walls. In the middle of it all was a clear water tank. Inside the water tank was a mermaid with a dildo stuck in her, moaning as she reached an orgasm.