With one swift jump. Michael landed on the wooden edge before the ship's rudder. He balanced himself like a professional rope walker. The very next moment, Gibson saw another figure landing on the edge just beside the young man. The girl's black hair beautifully fluttered in the wind while the flashes of lightning revealed her perfect hourglass structure to every single one of them. The girl made the pirates even more terrified because the pirates think that if a girl comes on board a ship, it's bad luck for all of them.
They were still in shock when Gibson saw the young man started talking,
"You may address me Lord Lucifer and her as Dark Queen"
The name Dark Queen somewhat felt weird yet the reason Michael chose the name was that it would be more suitable and badass in the future when he actually has an army of soldiers under his command. Besides after he marries her, she would become his official queen, the Dark Queen.
"I know it'll be hard but anyone who intercepts my speech will die like your Captain Bull," Michael said after sending another bolt of lightning near Bull's bleeding headless corpse.
"You've all seen a glimpse of what I can do to anyone who stands against me. Now I'll tell you what I can do to those who stand behind me" Gibson's hangover disappeared after he saw what happened to Bull and now giving his full focus to the young man.
"I can make you rich and powerful like you've never even imagined" Michael flicked his wrist as the chest he stole from Lars appeared on the deck below him. The light radiated from the goodies inside the chest brightened up the faces of the pirates.
"This is just a glimpse. I also know what you desperately need now is not pillage but a way to break the curse" What he just said got the interest of the pirates more than the shining chest did.
"As long as you agree to serve me, you won't be bothered by the curse" Michael reached his hand out at the pirates as a hot wave of air brushed past them.
"I can feel the hot air" Gibson mumbled, feeling a sensation after more than a decade. Not only Gibson, but every single pirate was also dumbstruck by the sensation of feeling hot air on their faces.
Just by looking at their faces, Gaya could tell they want this feeling to last forever. Gibson never thought a simple thing such as hot air on his face would make him this happy.
"This is better than booze," Gibson said to himself. It took everything in him not to speak anything aloud. He was very positive that uttering any word would get him killed.
While Gibson was in a daze, he noticed Shorty, the 4ft pirate slowly raising his hand.
"Go ahead" Gaya really didn't want to laugh at Shorty but it took so much control not to laugh.
"Can we go to the mainland or step on any land for that matter?"
"Yes, you can but all of these can happen only if you serve me loyally. I don't have any place for disloyal crew on my ship" Gibson saw a couple of pirates grin, he could tell that they already decided to join this young man's crew. If it was for their Captain before Bull, they would have hesitated to jump the crew or even fought the young man for attacking their captain because he had won all their loyalty including Gibson's.
Since that Captain was long dead and the young man was claiming that he could break the curse, there was nothing to hesitate about. Plus, the 3 million worth of gold, diamonds, and gemstones didn't hurt.
"Now speak your mind," Michael said, folding his hands against his chest.
The pirates stared at Michael for a few seconds, their eyes were full of fear towards Michael. Yet, Shorty stepped forward mustering his courage,
"If you join your crew, what's our share in pillages?" Both Michael and Gaya were surprised by the pirate's question. They were expecting questions related to the curse yet the short one asked about their share.
"What's your share under your late Captain Bull?"
"Before the curse, we would share in eighty twenty ratios. Eighty for Captain, twenty for us"
"You'll get double under my command"
"I'm in '' the short pirate didn't even take a second after hearing Michael's last statement. He just awkwardly knelt down on two knees pledging his loyalty.
"System" Michael willed the system to partially break the curse in his mind. The next moment, Gibson saw a bright light beam coming out of the young man's hand. The light beam reached Shorty as his face began to show a cocktail of emotions.
Soon, tears began to roll out of his eyes,
"I can feel again, the air, the smell of the sea"
"Step aside Shorty" Gaya waved her hand as Shorty was moved aside by a gust of wind.
"You have ten seconds to decide your next move" Michael's voice was cold rather than calm. In a short time, the pirates would be the ones getting the most out of this deal. Therefore, if they hesitated even after he explained everything he could do for them, he would kill every single one of them except Shorty.
"Yeah, fuck it" Gibson limped towards the young man. His old instincts told him that following the young man would be the best choice he could make in his life.
Gibson saw a slight smile energy on the young man's face when he stepped forward.
"Cap'n!"
"Lord Lucifer!"
Following Gibson, every single pirate on the deck awkwardly bent their knees, pledging their loyalty to Michael. As before, the light beam shot out from his hand but this time, it enveloped all the pirates in a bubble before vanishing from the sight.
When the bubble disappeared, the pirates began to cry like little children. They were slapping themselves, pinching themselves as well as tasting the saltwater on the deck.
It was acceptable in Michael's eyes. After all, they never felt sensations like this in years. He gave them the time to enjoy the moment. Tinkering with the curse did come with a cost as they lost the Silent Reaper's ability to terrify the hostile crews. According to the system, that was a by-product of the curse and by removing the curse partially, Michael also removed that ability. He knew it was a necessary sacrifice to earn their loyalty so it was worth the trade.
"Now I have to deal with you guys' ' Michael turned his gaze towards LArs and his crew members who were standing still in fear and shock. Some of them even peed in their pants imagining what might happen to them.
"Let...let...us...go '' Lars stuttered in fear. With the ability to cast spells inside the void line, Lars knew these two would be a god and goddess in the Southern Continent.No matter how powerful the spartan army was, Lars knew a couple of spells could easily decimate them.
"Let you go? Hahaha," Michael chuckled. The pirates stood up with newfound loyalty towards Michael.
"You fucker wanted to sell us" Gaya's voice was cold.
"Tell us who your contact was and i'll kill you quickly" Lars's mouth kept opening and closing. To be honest, he only talked with the buyer through the communication stone. The two who came riding an eagle were just the subordinates of the buyer. They never told Lars their names or where they were from.
"You dont know" Michael could tell that Lars had no idea about the two toga-wearing Southerners by looking at his eyes. Michael disappointedly shook his head before nodding at Gaya.
"Poison grasp" She uttered the words pointing her finger at Lars and his men as a green mist began to form out from thin air. The green mist soon transformed into itself a giant hand. The giant hand then swooped the group from the floor.
"Wow"
"What is this?"
"How can they cast spells?"
"New captain and his girlfriend is awesome"
"Oh my god"
Including Gibson, every single pirate was in awe. They were speechless as Lars and his men struggled against the hold of the green giant mist hand.
Gaya pointed her fingers at the sky as the green hand ascended from the floor with the men.
"Inferno" she fired a spark of fire at the green mist.
"No!"
Lars and his men screamed. The poison already seeped into their bodies, making them cough out blood. When the fire spark hit the green mist, it instantly caught fire. Soon the green mist exploded, lighting up the night stormy sky.
Their blood rained down on the pirates making the scene horrifying. She demonstrated what she could do to inflict fear in the hearts of the pirates.
Michael just stared at the sky where the group exploded. He knew with cultivation power he could do anything in the Southern Continent but rather using his 3hr power to attack the kingdoms, he wanted to forge alliances with the senates. Controlling the Senate from the shadows seemed to be the best way to go.
*************************
I had a fever when I wrote this chapter so please forgive me if you see any typos or errors. I barely got myself up to write. There might not be a chapter release tomorrow as my doctor said to take a day off.