Frankly, calling them women was an exaggeration. Aside from the teen in the lead, the other two were clearly underage girls. The pirates were making merry whilst flaunting their recent catch, but the women on shore could only give looks of sympathy. There were few sharing in the thrill, though Leo did find one or two surprisingly.

As the gag was removed from one of the girls, she immediately broke into curses, much to the pleasure of pirates.

“I like when they resist, hahaha. Hear that, boys? She’s a noble lady of house Faliermo de whatever, and she will have our heads for this!”

Mockingly copying her voice, the pirate seemed entirely unbothered by the scion’s noble backing. He then drew closer and backhanded her brutally, sending the girl to the ground.

“This is my domain, slut, and your title doesn’t mean shit. From this day forward — I am your king, got it?”

Threateningly approaching the other girls as if to register his proclamation through violence, he just about to hit them when the girl lunged from the ground and fruitlessly tried to tackle him.

This display of bravery didn’t please the captain, though. He straight gave her a punch in the gut, sending her reeling back where she was soon caught by another young pirate.

“You seem to care a lot about these two? Aren’t they just your maids, though?”

Leonardo also seemed rather curious. Generally, nobles were as morally depraved as the worst books described them. They had an inherent superiority taught to them since birth, and it was very unlikely to see them speak up for a commoner. Putting their own life in danger to act seemed even more preposterous.

Even as he was curiously observing the show, Leonardo quickly counted the crew for a total of 26 pirates. Some were older and some were younger, with the one who caught the noble being barely 16 from the looks of his life signature. There were also roughly 13 women and children ashore. There were probably a few children in the huts still asleep.

‘Hmm. There’s too many. I’d best return tomorrow night and clean them up when they’re asleep.’

Grasping a stone and pulling himself up, Leonardo was just about to depart silently and come up with a plan when he heard this:

“Aren’t maids supposed to service, though? Why don’t I give them a go and rate them for you? See if they remain obedient to you or if they listen to me after tonight, haha. Come, bring some light so she can watch clear—”

The man’s words died in his throat, literally. Before he could finish his sentence, a ghastly figure donning a black cloak appeared behind him and tore off his throat. With a cold nonchalance unbefitting of murder, he deprived the captain of his sword and moved on.

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Disregarding the Karma build-up in his bones, Leonardo melded back in the shadows. His invisibility spell was already broken, so he could only make use of lingering shadows to approach his next victim.

The pirates already jumped to alertness before the captain’s corpse even stiffened to fall, but saw nothing but a flickering silhouette stealing one life after another. Dancing in their midst like a reaper, he mutilated them savagely.

Unlike the skills taught by nobles, his swordsmanship lacked any flair. It exposed its grace only through killing, efficiently leaving blossoming flowers of blood whenever he appeared.

By the time the pirates grouped up in a circle, five of them had already fallen. At last, Leonardo came into view, summoning a scream from the women.

“D-devil!” The sight of the Prometheus mask sent them into an uproar.

This in turn invited an involuntary chortle from Leo. He didn’t bother to conceal his immature voice even as he drew closer for the next kill.

“Might one not have been here earlier, they truly would think me a devil. Still, that doesn’t make you people saints.”

Despite their makeshift formation, it was full of flaws to Leo, and he easily slipped past a pair of swords. A few steps forward, and a few steps backward. Like the ebbing sea, he claimed a head with each return.

“Just accept death.”

Softly proclaiming their death sentence, he continued to circle around them like a predator. No matter what curses they hurled at him, he seemed indifferent about it, and took his time to exploit their weaknesses as soon as they appeared.

Combat quietly prolonged in this fashion, ultimately leading to a stalemate. The pirates huddled together, with Leo prowling on the outside as if surrounding them all by himself. Yet, as soon as one of them grew tense and tried to run off, Leonardo would capitalize on it and viciously tear into them. It’s only as their numbers dwindled that they realized their folly and moved as one.

Just as he was about to lunge in for another strike, the captain’s son interrupted him from afar.

“Stop! Stop or I’ll kill her!”

Glancing to the side, he indeed saw the boy holding a blade to the noble’s throat. The blade already grazed her neck slightly as the boy’s hands trembled.

Forced to comply, Leo stopped after taking another life. Giving the boy a deep glance through the mask, his eyes seemed to burn with even greater anger for an instant. He didn’t deign to respond however, and merely stared down the boy. He had originally shown mercy on account of his age, but that leniency seemed imprudent in retrospect.

As the boy’s hand quivered and was about to hurt the girl again, he finally sighed softly and laid down his blade, “Fine.”

With the blade clanging on the ground, the pirates let out a breath in unison and drew to surround the unarmed Leo. Further away, the captain’s son also relaxed his grip on the girl. Things seem to be drawing to a close, but neither of them seemed comforted enough to relax fully.

Yet, in spite of all their preparations, it came to naught. All along, they had no idea they were facing a mage. A very pissed off mage, ready to disregard all consequences.

Drawing his palms together, Leonardo hummed something softly, then suddenly pushed outwards with force. The torches around him dimmed for an instant as a thunderclap boomed in their midst. A massive kinetic impact burst in a circle around him, tossing everyone off their feet.

By the time they stood, Leo was already next to the girl. A teenage boy’s throat was pincered in his hand. No one saw him move, nor could they comprehend how he got there so quick.

Lifting the boy from the ground as if grasping a helpless duck, he stared into the depths of his soul. In those young eyes, he saw nothing but horror and remorse, even a willingness to make amends. Leo blinked mercilessly. In doing so, he snapped his neck — there would be no second chances.

“Shall we continue?”