Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 409 Wolf Kiss Closure
Dead silence.

As if a collective silence had been pressed, an eerie stillness descended upon the deck of the "Flying Fish Oil Barrel" pirate ship.

The only sounds in the air were the howling sea breeze, the frantic, fearful breathing, the gurgling of blood gushing from wounds, and the agonizing screams of a one-armed wanderer.

In less than five seconds, even the most pessimistic crew members on the entire ship had never imagined this outcome.

In their view, this should have been an ordinary, commonplace robbery.

Kill all the creatures still breathing on the opposing ship, loot and plunder, and bring all the valuables back to your ship. If the ship is in good condition, you might even be able to tow it to the black market and make another fortune.

Isn't this what adventurers on the high seas are like?

Otherwise, how could the meager reward for the mission be enough to feed so many adventurers on the ship?

They need to earn some extra money along the way.

Perhaps at first they felt guilty for the innocent blood on their hands, but as the blood-stained gold coins fell into their pockets one by one, their conscience gradually became numb under the influence of alcohol, and finally dissolved into the depths of the rippling sea.

Having sailed at sea for many years, it's fair to say that every sailor on a pirate ship, through constant exposure and observation, was prepared to die at sea.

Everyone has fantasized more than once about what their future self would be like.

Perhaps one day they will suddenly realize the truth, start saving money, and then retire smoothly and enjoy their old age in peace; or perhaps one night they will be dragged into the water by a monster and silently perish at sea; or perhaps one day they will be pierced through the heart by the enemy in a boarding action and bravely sacrifice themselves for the fleet.
They could even discuss their deaths without any psychological burden at the dinner table, and mock those crew members who showed hesitation, in order to demonstrate their bravery and fearlessness.

But at this moment, the shadow of death descends with the bloodshed.

Facing the Grim Reaper's scythe raised high above their heads, about to fall.

Their demeanor was far less composed than one might have imagined.

Fear is spreading among the people.

It all happened so fast.

In less than five seconds.

The core of the pirate ship consists of eight professionals, including the captain.

Those "big shots" who possess extraordinary power that ordinary people do not have, surrounded and fawned by sailors, and who command the winds and rains at sea.

At this moment, they were like live fish on a chopping board, helplessly held down and slaughtered.

Some careless sailors even returned to the deck just before the pirate ship approached because they had forgotten their weapons in the cabin. When they returned to the deck, there were already four decapitated corpses on the ground.

The culprit behind all of this was that profound figure in the center of the deck, like a nightmare, with a twisted wolf beast behind him, and holding a black and gray straight sword.

Under the impact of [Night Mother's Gaze], the already fragile and shaky psychological defenses completely collapsed at this moment, and fear surged into the heart like a tide, swallowing up the last bit of reason.

"Hoh...Aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

A piercing scream, like the crowing of a rooster, suddenly rang out from the crowd.

A burly man with a thick beard and a wide-open collar revealing his strong muscles was now acting like a cowardly goblin who had witnessed something horrific. He threw down his weapon and fled toward the edge of the deck with a shrill scream that was hard to believe came from this big, burly man.

His scream was like a spark igniting an explosive, causing the crew members, who had been stunned by the killing and bloodshed, to suddenly explode in panic, scattering in all directions like cockroaches.

No matter how much the two remaining professionals scolded and tried to stop them, it was to no avail.

His cold, sharp gaze swept across the chaotic crowd, lingering briefly on the two remaining adventurers who still retained their fighting strength.

Xia Nan slowly exhaled.

The howling of wolves rang in my ears once again.

Next comes the harvest.

……

They stared at each other from afar, witnessing firsthand how the grass snail, whom they had invested heavily in nurturing as the future of the team, had its head chopped off right before their eyes.

The fighting spirit and excitement that filled "Oilhand" Bourne's heart were instantly replaced by rage and resentment, perhaps with a touch of belated sadness.
Five seconds is more than enough time for Qichong to rush back onto the deck and hold Xia Nan back, in order to prevent further casualties.

But he had barely taken a step when a sharp whooshing sound came from behind him, forcing him to turn around.

"Sizzle! Bang!"

The scimitar, still gleaming, swung violently through the air, causing the arrow that should have pierced straight through his heart to suddenly deflect, leaving a small wound on his side before falling into the sea.

His gloomy gaze swept far into the direction from which the arrows had come.

With her long, light silver hair fluttering in the wind, the half-elf ranger named "Leda" remained in the posture of drawing her bow, and the bowstring could be vaguely seen vibrating violently due to the recoil.

At the same time, his right hand skillfully glided across the quiver behind him, and his fingers once again picked up a wooden arrow.

The battle has begun.

They were surprised by the radical actions of the young, black-haired adventurer on the same ship, and also by the exaggerated effects he created.

No matter how cautious the "Silver Claw Osprey" squad is, they are still a professional team with rich adventure experience. They know that at this moment, whether out of their role as accompanying guards or for their own safety, they should not stand idly by.

Squad leader Nick simply made a gesture, and the three of them immediately began their operation with perfect coordination.

The target was naturally the pirate captain with a fierce face who had already rushed onto the diving board.

"Roar!!!"

The orc Boneka's body swelled up, like a mad beast, and he charged toward Bourne, wielding a thick, massive double-bladed battle axe.

The orc's movements can be described as lacking in skill, relying entirely on the explosive power generated by his brute strength.

Normally, facing such a crude and straightforward enemy, Bourne would have a hundred ways to end the fight within five rounds.

But at that moment, he was preoccupied with his teammates and had no time to argue with them.

hum-

Azure light condensed once more at the edge of the blade, and with a swing, a "Leaping Slash" was unleashed towards Bone Card, attempting to force the opponent back with an attack.

Unexpectedly, the orc showed no intention of dodging or retreating in the face of the sharp blade flying towards him.

He raised the giant axe in his hand to protect his chest. The tribal totem patterns on the axe blade shimmered and formed a light red, semi-transparent shield on the surface.

[Beast Pattern Protection]!
The inherited combat techniques from the orc tribe, even though they hadn't been mastered yet, granted Bone Card considerable defensive capabilities at this moment.

Faced with the oncoming emerald green blade of light, the shield was shattered in an instant, absorbing most of the damage.

The remaining force landed on the axe blade, leaving visible slash marks. The impact caused the orc to pause only slightly before he immediately resumed his original speed.

"Damn mixed-race bastard!"

Bourne cursed under his breath. Before he could think any further, he flicked his wrist and slashed the scimitar down to his side.

"Ding!"

A sharp metallic clang suddenly filled the air.

Nick, the leader of the "Silver Claw Osprey" squad, had two short swords drawn from his waist and was now crossing them to parry the curved blade coming from above.

His arms trembled violently from exerting too much force, his angular face was tense, and his pupils contracted slightly as he focused intently.

The enemy discovered the surprise attack from the side, but the middle-aged man, who was experienced in combat, remained calm. Even though his physical abilities were far inferior to his opponent due to the difference in their professional levels, he still managed to hold on and keep the enemy in place.

On the other side, accompanied by heavy, muffled footsteps, the orc charged forward, wielding his giant axe.

The situation on the field had completely reversed at this moment.

Almost exceeding everyone's expectations, Xia Nan's sudden display of power turned the pirates, who were originally on the offensive, into an extremely passive position. Meanwhile, the Black Gull's morale soared, with some sailors even taking the initiative to set up a gangplank under Captain Gregory's command, attempting to help the lone Xia Nan on the other side.

Behind them, screams of agony from crew members and teammates echoed along with the screech of flesh being torn apart.

This made Bourne extremely agitated.

With a sudden burst of strength, he used his superior power to push Nick backward.

At the same time, he suddenly raised his right leg, shifted his weight backward, and kicked the opponent hard in the chest.

Using the momentum, he retreated sharply, breaking free from his opponent's control while dodging a powerful slash from the orc beside him.

Taking advantage of this hard-won respite from the siege, he quickly turned around and looked toward the deck of his pirate ship.

Then, he witnessed once again the dwarf wanderer in the group lying on the ground, his head being chopped off with a sword.

And around his body, there were three headless corpses, including a grass snail.

My blood is boiling!

"Damn it!"

Saliva clung between his teeth, his eyes were bloodshot and dark red, and Bourne roared, the rage burning in his heart seemingly igniting his entire body.

Finding suitable adventurer teammates, especially long-term and consistent ones, is never an easy task in the Southern Islands.

On the vast ocean, isolated from the outside world, people spend close time together in the enclosed space of a ship's cabin, facing the risks and riches that may be encountered during their adventure.

Teammates need genuine trust to feel comfortable entrusting their backs to each other.

Bourne had worked hard for many years in the Southern Islands, paying countless prices to finally accumulate his wealth.

There were a total of seven professional team members.

In just a short time, most of them were lost, including a rare spellcaster on whom he had placed great hopes.

This drove the man, who was known as the "Oil Hand" among the islands, almost to madness.

He wished he could rush back to the deck right now and fight Xia Nan to the death.

But the next second, the whistling sound of arrows tearing through the air from ahead brought him back to reality.

The half-elf Leta, taking advantage of the gap between her teammates and the enemy, fired her second arrow.

Bourne's profession, the [Azure Blade Warrior], is a branch of the warrior class in the marine environment, with an advantage in naval combat.

His exceptionally high agility, far exceeding that of ordinary people, allows him to move with ease and maintain his balance on the swaying deck; at the same time, his profession's additional expertise in light weapons such as scimitars makes him adept at fighting in the confined space of a ship.

Under normal circumstances, even if faced with an attack from these three people at the same time, Bourne would not panic in the slightest.

His level 4 and the strength of the [Azure Blade Warrior] class allowed him to easily keep the group in place.

Meanwhile, his teammates will take advantage of the opportunity when the core defense force of the enemy ship is tied down to launch a fierce attack on the remaining enemy.

But right now, facing Xia Nan's merciless high-speed slaughter, it is Bourne himself who should be worried.

"Ho!"

It roared madly and cleaved the wooden arrows that came flying at it with a single stroke.

Below, the waves surged and crashed, and strange vapors suddenly appeared on his body.

The air grew increasingly humid, and wisps of pale white mist rose from his skin pores, enveloping his entire body.

The accompanying combat skill upon successfully becoming a 【Azure Blade Warrior】:

—“Body of Waves and Mist”.

It is a status-based combat skill with a cooldown period of up to fifteen days. The condition for its use is that the area of ​​the surrounding water must exceed 75%.

The effect is that it slightly increases his strength and agility for five minutes after activation, and his attacks are accompanied by special water ripple damage.

Having been honed to perfection, the extremely powerful effects and long cooldown make "Wave Body" Bourne's most deeply hidden trump card.

It would never be used in public unless one is in a life-or-death situation.

Even the squad members who had been by his side the longest didn't know about this secret combat skill of his.

With his anger raging, and the team he had painstakingly built on the verge of collapse, he could no longer care about anything else.

He used all his strength.

But just then...

"Omlong..."

A clear and melodious piano sound suddenly came from above.

The exquisite leather boots swayed gently in the air, and the feathers on the soft hat seemed to sway lightly along with the music.

The halfling Alton sat casually on the wooden ladder leading to the watchtower beside the mast.

The two daggers were still tightly tucked into his waistband, but a small lute had appeared in his bosom.

The sound of the zither rippled and echoed across the sea.

As if containing some invisible power, it suddenly invigorated all the teammates of the Black Gull faction, including Xia Nan on the other ship.

An inexplicable power surged from within him, making his strides and sword swings easier and more powerful, as if he had broken free from some invisible and heavy shackles.

This also boosted the morale of the Silver Claw Osprey squad, who were already suffering increasing wounds and were being pushed back by Bourne's attacks in his "Misty Body" state.

With the combined strength of the three, they managed to restrain Bourne, who had completely descended into madness, from his spot.

"Hey!"

The scimitar, gleaming with a vibrant green light, left sharp marks in the air.

Bourne's hair was disheveled, and the wounds on his arms, sides, and calves bled continuously with his movements, staining his clothes a dark red.

Sensing the life force gradually fading away with the blood, and the sudden revival of the three adventurers ahead under the influence of the music.

It made him momentarily dazed.

No one knows whether this seasoned adventurer, who has roamed the southern islands for many years, regrets not heeding the advice of his young teammate, whom he had brought from the primitive tribe, to retreat.

No one knew or cared what this disheveled middle-aged man was thinking as the situation on the field collapsed.

"Die, you bastard!"

He just roared wildly with red eyes, swinging his scimitar haphazardly, unleashing his fury upon the enemy in front of him.

The shouting stopped abruptly.

Shadows fell.

Accompanied by a long, cold, and high-pitched wolf howl, a dark and twisted phantom of a winter wolf appeared behind Bourne as if by teleportation.

Sizzle—

The wolf's kiss closed.

The man's head disappeared above his neck.

(End of this chapter)