The siren had survived countless battles, from petty skirmishes to deadly wars.

Once you joined the pirate life, dignity became a luxury far outweighed by survival. But this human? He wasn’t even trying to escape—he was heading for the maintenance room, a place occupied by little more than hired craftsmen. What could he possibly hope to find there?

Well, no matter.

The siren assured himself, silently affirming his decision.

Still, compliance was far from blind submission. While his head hung low in a show of deference, his instincts screamed that mere obedience wouldn’t ensure his survival. Any competent captor would extract information first—then eliminate the witness.

What kind of power could leave a scene this gruesome?

Holding back the overwhelming stench of blood, the siren’s sharp eyes studied the carnage around him. Shattered bones, torn flesh, and mutilated remains all pointed to one grim conclusion:

A beast—a massive, feral monstrosity—was responsible.

There were only two plausible explanations: either this human could transform into such a creature, or he could summon it.

This realization sent a cold chill racing down the siren’s spine. Careful not to draw attention, he lifted his head just enough to sneak a glance at the human through the bars. If the man so much as made a move to cast a spell, the siren would strike without hesitation.

But what he saw froze him.

The human, who had sat so casually moments earlier, now clutched his head in visible agony.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Is he… transforming?

Yes. It had to be. Only a beast of unimaginable power could create such devastation. Now was not the time to grovel.

Moving with practiced speed, the siren grabbed his trident and rose to his full height. He glanced toward the human, who was already looking back at him.

No time to think.

With a swift spin, the siren’s trident sent a heavy padlock flying toward the human.

Clang!

The lock soared through the air, tracing a sharp arc as it hurtled toward its target.

It would hit.

The siren didn’t wait to see the result. He turned and sprinted without hesitation, using every ounce of his strength to put distance between himself and the potential threat.

Damn it, damn it, damn it! I just wanted some easy gold! Now I’m running for my life!

As he ran, regret gnawed at his mind. Leaving behind his treasures felt like tearing a piece of his soul. Torn between his survival instincts and his greed, he couldn’t resist glancing over his shoulder one last time.

What he saw was both a relief and a shock.

The lock had struck the human squarely on the back, sending him sprawling to the floor in an awkward tumble.

For a brief moment, triumph surged through the siren’s veins.

Ha! Got him! That should slow him down long enough for me to—

But then he noticed something strange.

If this human were truly as powerful as he appeared, shouldn’t he have deflected the attack with ease and retaliated by now?

And that wasn’t all.

Something about the nearby cargo hold tugged at his memory.

Wait… wasn’t one of those cages unusually large?

A chilling realization struck him like a tidal wave. On the day they had intercepted the merchant ship, he and the crew had spent hours speculating about the long-bearded beast locked in that very cage.

Could it be?

Was this human using the beast’s presence to bluff?

The thought hit him like a thunderclap. If the human really had been lying, then the true value of this situation—and the man—was far greater than he had imagined.

Abandoning his retreat, the siren spun back around. His gaze met the human’s.

Their eyes locked, and in that fleeting moment, both understood the other’s realization.

Shit. He knows.

The human moved first, scrambling to his feet and bolting for the cargo hold.

"You bastard!" the siren roared, fury and humiliation twisting his voice.

Brandishing his trident, he charged after the fleeing man, his mind boiling with rage.

No one tricks me and lives to tell the tale!