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Editor’s note: a bit of brute strength, eh?
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"Suna, we need to climb up the mast if we want any chance of survival!" Yang Yi decided resolutely.
He had observed the movements of the demon sharks and noticed they could only jump onto the deck and had only hind limbs. This meant they lacked the ability to climb. As long as they could get to the mast, they would have a fighting chance!
Without hesitation, Yang Yi held a flintlock pistol in his left hand and a sea serpent dagger in his right, ready for both long-range and close combat. However, Suna didn't have a suitable weapon. Using a small dagger against a shark was too dangerous.
"I've got a sabre in my room. Grab it when we pass by; it'll be perfect for you," Yang Yi suggested.
Suna nodded, her hair wildly tossed by the fierce wind. There was no fear on her face; instead, there was a hint of excitement as she occasionally glanced at the demon sharks.
"I want a complete shark, especially the eyes – they must be intact!" Suna suddenly declared.
"Let's survive first!" Yang Yi responded.
The two immediately set off, running towards the starboard side of the ship. The sharks were all gathered on the port side, making the starboard side relatively safer. They kept low, advancing quickly against the strong wind.
The captain's cabin on the starboard side had no door, but Yang Yi could create an entrance with his flintlock pistol, which should be ready to fire after cooling down. Yang Yi fired a shot, blasting a large hole just big enough to reach inside and grab what they needed. He found a pirate cutlass and over twenty simple wooden arrows, all coated with poison.
He handed the cutlass and arrows to Suna, and they quickly made their way to the courtyard. Located between the captain's cabin and the ship's hold, it was sheltered from the wind, providing a calmer environment that was less likely to disrupt their aim.
As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, a demon shark lunged at them from the shadows. Had Yang Yi not noticed it in time, he would have been knocked to the ground. He pulled out the sea serpent dagger, ready to attack, but an arrow suddenly flew past him, striking the shark right in its eye. The shark, clearly vulnerable at this point, thrashed around in agony, losing its combat effectiveness.
Yang Yi glanced back at Suna. "Your archery is that good?"
They continued running toward the mast. By now, seven or eight demon sharks had gathered on the deck. They were all on the port side, and as soon as they spotted the two, they leaped toward them like frogs.
Suna showcased her skills, pulling back the bowstring and releasing arrows with precision, hitting each shark in the eye. Even if the large, glowing eyes of the sharks made them easy targets, her accuracy was nonetheless impressive.
"What did you do before this?" Yang Yi asked, swallowing nervously.
"I studied medicine. But in high school, I was a provincial archery champion, good enough for the national team."
"You should've mentioned that earlier!" Yang Yi said, exasperated. "Why didn't you use the bow when we were fighting the sea monsters before?"
"I was ambushed, and the bow fell into the sea."
"Uh..."
Had he known Suna was that skilled, he would have prepared more arrows, and they wouldn't have to worry about these jumping sharks. But now, with limited arrows, they couldn't afford to stay and fight.
Some of the demon sharks even moved to the starboard side, preparing to attack from both sides. More and more sharks jumped onto the deck.
Luckily, they had already reached the mast. With the sharks still at a distance, they needed to climb up quickly!
"You go first! Once you're up, cover me with your bow!" Yang Yi pressed his back against the mast, keeping a close eye on the approaching sharks. This was the most logical plan: if Yang Yi climbed first, he'd only have the flintlock, which, while powerful, was no match for the bow in this situation.
Understanding Yang Yi's plan, Suna didn't waste time. She stuffed the bow and arrows into her bag and began climbing. Yang Yi stood ready, holding his dagger and pistol in a fighting stance.
The sharks on the port side arrived first, leaping toward Yang Yi. He had observed their behaviour for some time and noticed they only jumped forwards. Before leaping, they would lock onto their target, aiming their heads in that direction.
Using this knowledge, Yang Yi dodged the sharks' attacks by sidestepping at the last moment. As a shark flew past him, he thrust his dagger into its gills, slicing it open. The shark's momentum caused it to crash to the ground, spilling its guts, clearly dying.
"Not bad!" Yang Yi thought as he dodged another shark's attack and repeated the manoeuvre, stabbing it in the gills.
He managed to kill three sharks that way. However, Yang Yi was not an experienced warrior. Not long before, he had been bedridden, unable even to stand. His makeshift swordsmanship was a result of his keen observation and calm demeanour, but it wasn't foolproof.
As such, on his fourth attempt, he made a mistake. He wasn't quick enough to dodge and was bitten on the right shoulder by a shark. The searing pain nearly made him faint. Fortunately, Yang Yi's will was as strong as steel, and he immediately pressed the flintlock against the shark's flat head. "This shot better not misfire!" he thought as he pulled the trigger.
Click!
The pistol misfired at the critical moment.
"Damn it!" Yang Yi cursed but quickly adapted.
He released the dagger from his right hand, switching it to his left, and aimed for the shark. Just then, an arrow whizzed past his head, piercing the shark's eye. The shark let out a pained roar, loosening its grip, allowing Yang Yi to escape, though his right arm was now a bloody mess.
"Hurry up!" Suna urged from above.
She was perched on a crossbeam about five metres off the ground, safe from the sharks' reach. She continued to unleash a barrage of arrows, covering Yang Yi as he climbed the mast.
"I don't have many arrows left, so you'd better hurry!" Suna warned.
Yang Yi holstered the flintlock, gritting his teeth against the pain, and began to climb. The sharks were held at bay by Suna's arrows, giving him some respite, yet he was climbing slowly. His legs strained, his left arm and face pressed against the mast, as he fought to ascend.
"Hurry up! I only have three arrows left!" Suna's warning came as grim news.
The last three arrows were soon spent. Suna clung tightly to the mast, trying to reach down to help Yang Yi, but the distance was too great. Just then, a shark lunged at Yang Yi, sinking its teeth into his calf. The sound of teeth grinding against bone was chilling.
"Yang Yi!" Suna cried out.
Yang Yi's body convulsed, his muscles trembling violently from the excruciating pain. He felt nauseous, but he couldn't let go; he knew that if he did, he would fall to his death. The shark clung to his leg, tearing at his flesh with its sharp teeth. Yang Yi's vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes.
He glanced down at the shark, seeing its two enormous, blood-red eyes. It seemed to be smiling...mocking Yang Yi's desperate struggle as if to say that no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't escape death.
"Not a chance..." An inexplicable rage erupted within Yang Yi, burning hotly in his chest. At that moment, a message flashed across his vision.
【Condition met, Near-death 3/3, you have unlocked the talent—Refuse to Die!】
【Refuse to Die: Triggers when health falls below 10 or when a lethal blow is received. Health will not drop below 1, refusing death for 5 minutes. During this time, all attributes except Spirit are +2, Spirit is -2, and Sanity -50. Afterwards, enter a 24-hour weakened state where all attributes except Spirit are -2 (Refuse to Die does not activate during this period).
PS: Refuse to Die can break the limits of mortal attributes.】
【Your Sanity has dropped below 50, entering a state of madness. You are immune to most negative mental statuses, Strength +2, Agility +1, Constitution +1, Spirit -2, ignoring pain, fatigue, and fearlessness until Sanity recovers.】
With these dual enhancements, Yang Yi's strength surged to an astonishing 8 points, while his spirit dropped to 4 points. His eyes turned bloodshot, veins bulging, and despite his previous injuries, his right arm somehow regained its strength, gripping the mast tightly. Simultaneously, he reached down with his left hand, grabbing the shark's eye, and with a simple squeeze, crushed it, sending fluids splattering everywhere.