Writer's Note: Hello! Had a cold and could not finish it yesterday. Lance tames two sea wolves and their former master is livid. Lingqi fears the pirates have more up their sleeves as they even used eight sea wolves, worth hundreds to thousands of gold demon coins, to slow the commercial ship down. Also wrote prologue for new story. Once I write a few chapters, I'll decide to post it then. Enjoy.

Some ship terms. Port= left. Starboard= right. Hull= body of the ship. Stern= rear of the ship. Bow= front of the ship.

Chapter 31: Hard to Starboard

"We're currently heading to the nearest island to acquire reinforcements. The pirates should be upon us by the time we are in sight of land. I need all passengers to be prepared to fight for their lives. The pirates will definitely focus the fire of their mana cannons on any life boat," the new captain told the passengers.

"Are you crazy? The closest islands are part of the Mad Demon Chain, a chain of islands under constant assault by demons and demonic magical beasts. Magical beasts aren't the only dangers anymore," a learned merchant cried.

"Certain death trails behind us. If they used sea wolves, they must have mana cannons of the caliber to use Elemental Adept magical beast cores. They'll destroy the ship and pick us off as we swim. That is the result of not heading for the islands," the captain said with a strong voice. "Pirate attacks are common. We can only curse our luck that a pirate fleet chased us after we survived."

"Demons? They exist in this age?" Lance said, the only memories of demons from his hereditary memories of ancestors from time immemorial.

"The only continent they don't exist in is the Pangu Continent. A hundred years after your failed ascension, the demons hiding in Pangu surfaced. They found the Right Heart of Darkness and one demon rose to become the first Earth Mortal of Pangu since a few decades before your attempted ascension," Lingqi said. "Of course, that is according to legend."

"That doesn't make sense. Why didn't they come out before?" Lance frowned.

"You devoured every living creature at the Earth Mortal and Sky Mortal Stage in Pangu. It was how magical beasts cultivated quickly and you were the supreme expert. Not only in Pangu, the world lived with the fear that you would leave Pangu and rule the world. That was why you were called the World Serpent," Lingqi answered. "Furthermore, your existence forced the continent to be unable to trade with other nations and continents. Progression of civilization and cultivation stagnated because of you."

"I did all that? Wow. I never knew," Lance laughed as he and the others watched the passengers and sailors scramble to prepare themselves. "You know a lot about me. Why?"

"Ever since your rise to power, before you vanished, snakes ran rampant around the world. Your previous life was known as the Serpent Age. People made temples. You were both a god and devil. In the Sky Mortal Stage, magical beasts gained human form and the few Sky Mortal Snakes spread your name as they unleashed their rage and anger at the world," Lingqi answered.

"We could become human?" Lance gasped.

"No. It is merely a shape-shifting ability. Body and soul, you are still a magical beast. After you vanished, snakes were hunted to near extinction and the world gradually forgot you and the snakes became as low as they had been prior to your rise. When people learned of the Day of the Eye and the Snake, people began to remember the legends of the World Serpent and the Fragments of Darkness. Who knew a Vessel of Darkness and the reincarnated World Serpent would be my salvation and not my damnation? It's kind of funny and unbelievable," Lingqi said.

"How many Vessels of Darkness are there?" Mei asked. "Is that demon still alive?"

"That demon is the new undisputed supreme expert, obtaining both the Left and Right Heart of Darkness. A third of the world is lost to demons and demonic magical beasts. It is at the middle Sky Mortal Stage and the existence of five humans at the initial Sky Mortal Stage are the only reason it hasn't ruled the world," Lingqi said. "Besides you, there is only the demon known as Mohaga the Moon Slayer. It is said that Mohaga absorbs the power of the moon and is invincible during the night."

"That little gnat was a demon? It was a magical beast before. So that weird taste of flesh meant it was a demonic magical beast?" Lance muttered, no one hearing him as a sailor cried and pointed at two directions.

"Land ho!....Oh god. They're so fast! The pirates will be in firing range in ten breaths!" the sailor cried with despair.

"Everybody get down! Aim all mana cannons at the stern of the ship to the bows of the two pirate ships!" the captain cried.

"We need to move to the bow. It is the furthest from the stern, the back of the ship," Lingqi said.

"Why? It's just mana cannons. What's the harm?" Lance asked as three loud explosions occurred behind him.

"A collective force of mana cannons can combine together to even eradicate people of your cultivation," Lingqi stressed.

"A super cannon. You're talking about a super cannon. Seriously? Maybe the spirit energy within the cores could somehow harmonize, but that doesn't mean--" Lance began as another blasted against the stern. "I suppose I should makeup a backup plan."

"Backup plan? Aren't you going to defend the ship?" Mei asked and gestured to the sailors and passengers. "What about all these people? They need us."

"We need to survive. What? Do you expect to become a supreme expert and solve everyone's dispute? There are too many fights all over the globe. Do you expect to solve them all? Do you expect to save everyone? Face the truth, Mei. No matter how much you want me to change, the world won't. This is the world of immortals. Your little fantasy has made you conceited and blind," Lance said.

"We'll talk about this later. Right now, we have other priorities," Mei said and sighed before looking at the three others. "Look, I get it. I just thought that by changing Yang into Lance, I might be able to change myself and redeem myself for the past. There has to be something you can do."

"The ship is doomed. Our only chance is to fire back with our own mana cannons. I don't know what will happen when the opposing energies clash in different directions. There will be an explosion for sure. What kind, well, you make the call. I don't care about these people," Lance shrugged and Lingqi and the panther looked at Mei.

"If that's our only hope to save them," Mei sighed, feeling as if a burden was lifted from her shoulders. She seemed different now, slightly more powerful. Her spirit energy seemed to naturally gather around her.

"She seems to have made a breakthrough of sorts," Lingqi whispered to Lance. "It's similar to your own transformation, but less drastic."

"Hmph. She's nothing like me. I can still kill her without much effort. Just move the mana cannons to the starboard side. They must aim to flank us. It is obvious that they are aiming for the mast, but can only hit the stern of the ship. Tell the captain to focus all mana cannons on the right side and prepare to go overboard. We'll lose the ship anyway, but we can take one down with us and make our chances to escape a little bit higher," Lance ordered, Lingqi nodding as she ran to tell the captain. "Panther, go with her in case the captain needs some encouragement to follow my orders."

"Yes master," the panther purred and sped off after Lingqi.

"I want all mana cannons focused on the star board side now! Any sailor or fighter not on a mana cannon better arm themselves with one of the pirates' rifles. I want all civilians not fighting prepare to ride the lifeboats and escape. We'll position our starboard side at the pirate ships while our port side faces the island. The ship will act as a shield as the lifeboats break for land. We live or die today, ladies and gentlemen. Get moving and prepare to abandon ship or abandon life and hope," the captain ordered and the sailors rushed to position the mana cannons on the right side of the ship.

"Take the one at dawn. The one at sunset is more dangerous. You won't get attacked by pirates during the day. They don't got the balls. Fucking whore. When I get home I swear I'm knocking the teeth out of that woman," a merchant cursed, Lance mildly amused.

"You wife?" Lance asked.

"My shrink. Trying to get back on my feet after the drugs," the merchant said. "My wife said I had an anger problem. Said she'd leave me if I didn't know how to stay calm."

"You help the passengers get on the lifeboats in a calm manner, you'll be on the first one out," Lance said, the merchant's eyes twinkling and the two shared a laugh.

"Nice work," Mei noted as all the mana cannons were positioned on the starboard side.

"Don't get too excited. Merchants are those who prioritize their lives. If their life is at stake, nothing would stop them to get away with their valuables. You just have to know which people to direct and which ones you shouldn't. Observation before decision. That is how you win," Lance smiled evilly and stared at the two pirate ships as the captain's cabin was finally blown apart.

"They're moving apart. They aim to flank us!" the sailor atop the mast reported. "They got oars out."

"That's a relief," Lingqi said, Lance turning to her.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"If they got oars out, that means they are prioritizing speed. With the recoils of the mana cannons, the sailors below would have difficulty moving the ship. They won't be firing at us," Lingqi said.

"Good. If they got oars, I got bones. I'll be at the bottom of the boat. Don't worry about me. You guys just prepare for the assault on the starboard side and keep watch on the other ship. As we make hard to starboard, the other ship will be at our stern. Stay near the bow during the assault," Lance said, rushing downstairs.

"What does he mean by bones? The bone fish?" Lingqi asked Mei.

"I try not to think about it. Asking only makes you dread it more," Mei said, moving to the front of the ship.

"They're going to blow up the ship. They'll blow up the ship. I got bones. I got bones," Lance muttered as he took out the Necromonicon. "This is gonna be fun. Oh so much fun. Come out little wolf. It's time to begin the fireworks."

A sea wolf came out of his storage ring and howled. Lance also took out a mana cannon and bone began summoning bone snakes. The floor became heavily submerged in fog and the temperature in the room dropped to freezing. Lance took out a magical beast core of the Element Adept Stage and admired it before inserting it into the cannon.

"A lot of people will die today. Me, my girls, and my cat will live today. We gonna take a swim and gut some rats. We'll make a killing and make off with their stash," Lance sung and hummed as he began finishing his preparations.

On the deck, the sailor atop the mast slid down and said to the captain, "They are beginning to cross to us. It's time."

"Hard to starboard," the captain said.

"HARD TO STARBOARD. Put your backs into it. Haul in oars on our port side. Load the cannons and prepare to fire on my mark," the first mate cried, the sailors and passengers falling silent upon hearing the orders.

A few yards away, Gary stared at the merchant ship with disgust. His eyes widened as the commercial ship started to take a hard right. That meant they predicted their flanking attack!

"Haul in oars! Do not augment your bodies with spirit energy!" Gary cried, but his ship moved too fast and was too difficult to steer to starboard. Gary cursed as he saw Garret's ship attempt to take a hard right as well, only to have the bow of the commercial ship slam onto their port side.

"Fire! Aim at the mast and the hull! Sink that ship down with us!" the captain of the ship yelled.

"NO! We can't lose another ship! All hands fire at our starboard,: Gary screamed.

"We might hit our own allies, captain," his first mate said.

"But it won't sink! Just fire! We cannot lose another ship. Think of our loot on it!" Gary roared, the pirate paling and yelled at his men to fire at will. Gary and his pirates suddenly felt their ship quake as they heard an explosion below deck.

"What happened?" he screamed.

"We took damage to our hull! We're taking in water," a pirate shouted from below deck. "Wait, there's something coming towards us, in the water. Oh gods! It's a sea wolf! A sea wolf! Its body is covered in some bone armor! It's flanked by dozens of snakes made of bones!"

"Necromancer, but how did he gain control of a sea wolf?" Gary cursed as screams happened below deck.

"Gather at the hull and close that breach! Aim our rifles at the sea wolf and take it down!" his first mate cried.

"Belay that! Kill the master, kill the sea wolf. See that hole near the surface by the stern? Damn bastard blew a hole in their ship to damage our own! He knew the ship's doom and is attempting to prevent us from helping our mates on my brother's ship! Aim all mana cannons at their stern! Sink it down!" Gary roared.

"But the crew?" his first mate muttered but followed orders. After a few screams, several small bangs were heard below deck and Gary could see a sea wolf run back to the commercial ship as their mana cannons blasted the stern apart. He laughed as the ship tilted backwards and began to sink, amused as the sailors and some resistant passengers leaped onto his brother's ship.

"Hmm?" Gary frowned and his eyes widened as he saw lifeboats currently speeding toward the island. "They fucking got us! Their main goal was to abandon ship after all! Aim the mana cannons at them!"

"They're out of range captain," his first mate said as a bloodied pirate came on deck. "Should we go after them?"

"No! We help my brother and his crew. Then, we rain our mana cannons all over that beach. I will not have us dock on anyone of that accursed island chain," Gary said, superstitious as all pirates were.

"Captain!" the pirate wheezed. "The bone snakes, they seemed to carry weak magical cores and exploded by overloading their bodies with energy! The explosion damaged some of our mana cannons and some of our crew were killed. Captain, the explosions made several holes in the barrels of rum."

"The rum?" the captain and first mate gasped. Pirates cherished three things: rum, treasure, and freedom on the high seas. Rum took away their mental struggles for living as pirates. It was like gold to them.

"Plug those holes and save the rum! Take some of our crew and plank the holes in the hull! We can't help the others," Gary ordered through gritted teeth. If he helped his brother and his ship sank due to the length of time it took to save them, then his crew would mutiny and he'd be dead. They had their own loot and skins to worry about.

"I'll stay on the ship and help control the water from getting in. Take half of me crew and get on those lifeboats. Go to my brother's ship and kill that necromancer. The sea wolf returned to that blasted ship. Also, find the chest they stole," Gary ordered.

"Aye. I hear that. We'll get revenge for Garvin," the pirate nodded and half of the crew took their swords, axes, and rifles and started to load the lifeboats onto the water.