Pirate: Crew of Desire and Bonds

”Ah, man... This is honestly getting painful to watch. You should stop... now.”

Hearing those words, Jake’s ragged breathing hitched.

With great difficulty, his bloody face struggled to turn toward the tall figure standing behind Julian.

The sun was directly overhead, making it hard to see the man’s face clearly, but that voice... he recognized it instantly.

With a weak, relieved smile, Jake murmured before losing consciousness,

”...Henry...”

The tall middle-aged man, Henry, stood casually, one hand still gripping Julian’s wrist like it was nothing.

He had a rugged build, messy dark hair and beard, and wore a loose pirate coat with his chest exposed, carrying an easygoing yet sharp aura that didn’t match the chaotic battlefield around them.

Henry smiled slightly as he saw Jake lose consciousness, a mix of exasperation in his expression.

’Damn, this bastard is growing so fast.’

He still remembered that Jake was like a weakling on his ship, getting pushed around by the crew, but in just a week or so, Jake seemed to have completely changed.

Julian’s eyes widened in shock and rage as he tried to pull his arm free, but Henry’s grip didn’t budge even an inch.

”Who the hell are you?!” Julian snarled, blue flames exploding around his body. ”Let go of me right now if you don’t want to die too!!”

Henry sighed, scratching the back of his head with his free hand.

”Kid... you’ve got some serious issues. Beating up a half-dead guy while torturing a girl? That’s just pathetic.”

With a casual flick of his wrist, Henry twisted Julian’s arm, forcing the noble down onto one knee.

The blue flames around Julian flickered wildly, struggling to burn Henry’s hand but failing to even singe him.

But then—

BOOOOM!

Julian’s body erupted in a violent explosion of blue flames.

He forcefully broke free from Henry’s grip and leaped backward a great distance, landing in a defensive stance, breathing heavily and remaining on high alert.

Meanwhile, Grace stared at the newcomer with wide, tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling.

”W-Who... are you...?”

Henry glanced toward her and gave a small, reassuring nod.

”Name’s Henry. Old friend of this reckless guy over here,” he said, jerking his head toward the unconscious Jake. ”Sorry I showed up abit late. Traffic was a nightmare.”

At that name, Julian finally regained some sense as he recognized Henry.

Not only was Henry pretty well known, but according to the report, Jake was indeed seen departing from Henry’s ship.

Just as Julian was deep in thought—

CRACK!

A huge, intimidating axe descended from the side and smashed the flaming chains holding Grace into pieces in a single powerful strike.

The moment she was freed, Grace didn’t even care about her burned and blistered skin.

She immediately rushed toward Jake’s fallen body with a desperate cry.

”Jake!!”

She dropped to her knees beside him, gently lifting his bloody head onto her lap, tears flowing nonstop as she checked his condition.

Henry glanced at the pair.

With a casual wave of his hand, the huge intimidating axe flew back through the air and landed perfectly in his grip.

He rested the massive weapon on his shoulder and let out a low sigh.

”Kid really pushed himself too far this time...” Henry muttered, his easygoing expression turning slightly serious as he looked at Jake’s battered state.

Then he reached into his coat, pulled out a small bottle filled with a glowing golden liquid, and tossed it gently toward Grace.

”Here, lass. Pour that on his wounds and make him drink the rest, he should heal up after a few hours.”

Grace caught the bottle with shaking hands.

She looked up at Henry with grateful, tear-filled eyes.

”Thank you...” she whispered hoarsely before immediately uncorking the bottle and carefully applying the healing liquid to Jake’s worst injuries.

Henry let out a hearty laugh.

”Haha, and when he wakes up, make sure to tell him he owes me big time. That shit is expensive!”

With that, Henry scratched his beard and turned his gaze toward the distance where Julian had retreated.

His easygoing expression sharpened slightly.

Julian had also regained some of his composure.

He straightened his torn noble clothes and fixed his necktie with deliberate calmness, before speaking in a cold voice.

”So... Henry, was it? Do you truly understand what you’re doing right now? Interfering in the affairs of the Solaris family... and offending a Great Noble House? Are you prepared for the consequences, pirate?”

Even though Henry was a powerful Class holder and his crew wasn’t weak, Julian believed a mere group of pirates was nothing compared to the true might of a Great Noble family.

After all, the surviving Great Noble Families had endured the Deep invasion for many centuries.

They had not only survived as they had fought back and reclaimed their power.

Their foundations, connections, and hidden strength were on an entirely different level.

Even the Great Island Lords would think twice before trying to offend any of them.

But to such a huge declaration, Henry just let out a hearty laugh.

”Hahaha! Kid, you really are something else.”

Henry wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling as if he had just heard the funniest joke in years.

”I have no clue what you’re even talking about. Offending a great noble house? What do you even mean? All I know is that I helped a former crew member of mine from getting his ass whooped by his girl’s crazy ex.”

Henry shrugged casually, his tone light and mocking.

”Sounds like a personal matter to me. Nothing to do with ’noble houses’ or whatever nonsense you’re spouting.”

Julian’s face turned purple with rage at being so blatantly dismissed. ”You—!”

But Henry didn’t let him finish.

He waved his hand dismissively and grinned mischievously.

”Oh, and what do you think the world will think if they know that the third young master of the Solaris family is bullying regular folk... and struggling so pathetically?”

Julian froze, his face turning pale as the implication hit him.

”No... You!!”

”Haha, that’s right.”

Henry then reached into his coat and pulled out a small, glowing recording crystal.

He held it up with a wide, cheeky grin.

”I just happened to be carrying this with me in case something interesting happened. Looks like today really paid off. I captured everything... from your little tantrum to you crying about how ’inferior’ you feel. Pretty juicy stuff, don’t you think?”

Julian’s expression twisted into pure shock and fury.

”You bastard...!”

Henry shrugged innocently, still twirling the crystal between his fingers.

”Now, here’s the deal, young master. You go home quietly, lick your wounds, and forget about these two.”

He shook the recording crystal lightly.

”...Or I might just accidentally leak this little masterpiece to the public. Imagine the headlines: ’Solaris Third Young Master Obsessively Beating a Commoner Over a Girl.’ That would be quite the scandal, wouldn’t it?”

The air grew tense as Julian stared at the crystal with bloodshot eyes, clearly realizing he was trapped.

’Damn it... Damn it all!!’

Julian’s mind was in chaos.

If that recording really got out, it wouldn’t just damage his personal image as it would smear the entire Solaris family’s reputation.

A Great Noble House known for pride and power, reduced to mockery because their third young master was seen throwing a jealous tantrum and getting beaten while bullying a ”commoner.”

Worse... the world would see Grace in her current state... injured, chained, crying over another man.

He couldn’t allow that.

The humiliation of losing her to a stray like Jake was already unbearable.

Letting the public witness it would be unthinkable... plus it would ruin all of his hard work in isolating Grace from the world.

His fists clenched so tightly that fresh blood dripped from his palms.

’This filthy pirate... using such underhanded tricks...!’