“I almost forgot.
The last time Captain Caron led us on a mission, he defeated an entire pirate crew by himself!”
“He took down more than a hundred pirates alone and captured a notorious pirate with a bounty of twenty million Berries.”
“With Captain Caron’s strength, one Sea King shouldn’t be a problem.
Just as he said, Sea Kings only look terrifying because of their size.
It can’t possibly be his match.”
“This isn’t even the first Sea King Captain Caron has killed.
He’ll handle this one too.”
The fear that had spread across the warship faded the moment Caron drew his katana.
The Marines relaxed, watching him with the confidence of spectators waiting for a show.
Even with a large Sea King bearing down on them, they no longer seemed afraid.
Their trust in Captain Caron’s strength was obvious.
After all, he was the commanding officer of an entire Marine branch.
His position had not been handed to him for nothing.
“I hope certain people remember this lesson well.”
Caron stood with his sword in hand, facing the approaching Sea King.
“In the end, strength is what matters on these seas.”
“The strong survive, and the weak are swallowed whole.
No matter how impressive your family or connections may be, they will not protect you forever if you lack the strength to defend yourself.”
“Some people are born with every advantage imaginable.
With even a little effort, they could reach heights ordinary people could never dream of.”
“Yet they choose to waste it all.”
“What a shame.”
Every Marine on deck immediately turned toward the same person.
Leon was still reclining in his lounge chair not far away.
No one needed to ask who Caron was talking about.
Perhaps the captain did not truly mean any harm.
He was simply frustrated.
Leon was the nephew of a Marine Admiral.
He had access to resources and opportunities most people would never see, yet he showed no desire to improve himself.
“In dangerous waters like these, anyone without enough strength can only pray when disaster strikes.”
“That is all the weak can do.”
“If I were not here today, this Sea King would likely sink the ship and drag every last one of you to the bottom.”
“Remember this moment.”
“Use it as motivation to spend every spare hour training and becoming stronger.”
“If you ignore my advice, then one day you will face a crisis just like this again.”
“And next time, I may not be there to save you.”
Caron cast a pointed glance at Leon before turning away.
He tightened his grip on the katana.
A faint but sharp pressure began to gather around him as he stared at the rapidly approaching Sea King.
As a Marine captain, Caron was no weakling.
He had learned several techniques from the Six Powers, and his swordsmanship was particularly impressive.
Even among Marine captains, his overall strength was respectable.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the Sea King drew within ten meters of the warship.
A savage pressure rolled off its massive body.
The stench of blood filled the air, so thick and foul that several Marines nearly retched.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Even though they had spoken confidently moments earlier, neither Caron nor the Marines truly dared underestimate such an enormous creature.
“Captain Caron is making his move.”
Every eye turned toward him.
Caron raised his katana and slashed at the approaching Sea King.
“One-Sword Style: Iai!”
His gaze sharpened.
In a single instant, he poured everything he had learned into the strike.
A fierce flying slash burst from the blade and tore through the air toward the Sea King less than ten meters away.
Whoosh!
The slash split the air with a piercing shriek, the sound loud enough to make everyone’s ears ring.
The force trailing behind it carved across the surface of the sea, kicking up waves and sending spray into the air.
The brilliant slash struck the Sea King directly in the head.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out like thunder.
Violent force erupted against the creature’s skull, threatening to split its head apart in a single blow.
“Thank you for delivering yourself as tonight’s dinner.”
Seeing the slash connect cleanly, Caron smiled with quiet confidence.
Certain that the fight was over, he slowly returned the katana to its sheath.
“He did it!”
“Captain Caron really is incredible!”
“A mere Sea King never stood a chance!”
The Marines erupted into cheers.
Then an uncertain voice cut through the celebration.
“Something’s wrong.”
“That Sea King isn’t dead!”
The joyous atmosphere vanished instantly.
“What?!”
Caron’s expression changed.
He spun around and stared at the Sea King beneath the water.
The zebra-striped creature had taken the slash directly to the head.
Yet it had not died.
There was not even a visible wound where the attack had landed.
No cracks.
No blood.
Its skin had not been cut at all.
The strike had failed to penetrate its defenses.
The Sea King remained unharmed.
Caron, on the other hand, looked as though something inside him had just shattered.
“Not even a scratch?”
His eyes widened in disbelief.
His strongest slash had failed to break the creature’s skin.
For a moment, Caron could not process what he was seeing.
The cheering Marines quickly realized the same thing.
Their excitement disappeared, replaced by pale faces and growing terror.
“Captain Caron’s full-strength attack didn’t injure it at all?”
“That can’t be real.”
“Even the captain can’t stop it?”
“Does that mean we’re all going to die here?”
Only moments ago, they had been cheering with complete confidence.
Now every Marine looked as though all hope had left them.
Their bodies stiffened, cold sweat ran down their backs, and fear drained the color from their faces.
“It’s attacking again!”
“Captain Caron’s strike made it even angrier!”
“It’s moving several times faster than before!”
“We’re finished!”
Panicked screams spread across the ship.
The entire warship descended into chaos.
The Sea King had already been less than ten meters away.
Now, driven into a rage, it closed the remaining distance almost instantly.
Only two or three meters separated it from the hull.
With one sweep of its tail, it could overturn the entire warship and send every Marine tumbling into the sea like helpless prey.
Was this really how Caron’s life would end?
A Marine captain, devoured by a Sea King and reduced to nothing more than food?
The thought filled him with terror.
At such close range, the creature’s enormous jaws and protruding fangs seemed large enough to swallow several men at once.
Its huge eyes burned with savage fury.
Caron trembled.
His face turned pale, and the hand gripping his katana began to shake.
A line of cold sweat ran down his forehead.
Despair settled over the entire warship.
Even Caron had run out of options.
“Honestly…”
A quiet sigh sounded amid the panic.
No one heard it.
Even if they had, no one would have paid attention.
Not far away, Leon had finally risen from his lounge chair.
Still wearing his sunglasses, he walked toward the bow.
When he reached Caron, he casually grabbed the captain with one hand and pulled him aside.
Caron’s rigid body stumbled from the sudden movement, and he nearly fell to the deck.
Without sparing him another glance, Leon continued forward.
Step by step, he reached the very front of the warship.