Infinitum Crystals - Conquest of Virtue [4]

Chapter 5.13 - Yumiko - Cutthroat Sea

Five days have passed since White and Blanc left The Spectrum Kingdom for The Violet Empire. It was night time and everybody was below deck enjoying their meal. The rumors about the crew trying to sabotage the captain continues to make the captain of the cargo ship grew more anxious. It will take another five days before they will arrive to Violet Empire. White decided that it was time for him to investigate after discussing it with Blanc.

"The sooner we settle this rumor, the more assured our safety will be." White told her.

Blanc finished drinking down a beer and said, "Here's a question, White. How many do you think are they?"

"You mean the 'pirates'?"

She nodded.

White theorized, "I'm not really sure. All I know is that the captain hasn't paid all of the crew yet this month."

"That's another problem, huh...Looks like the captain brought this upon himself." Blanc crossed her arms as she looked outside of the window.

White stood and told her, "In any case, I'll check the deck while you go and ask around down here."

"Sure thing." Blanc gave an OK hand gesture as White leave the quarter.

Once he got on to top deck, he notice that it was empty. Nobody was there except for two folks who seems to be talking with each other from afar. White figured that they looked suspicious and decided to listen in to their conversation.

"You see what Roach has been up to these day?" One crewman said to the other.

The other replied, "Isn't he the one who cleans up our dishes everyday?"

"Yeah that one. He's been throwing out leftovers to the sea and not saving it. What idiot would throw away leftover food especially when you're on a sea. He even threw the empty beer barrel to the sea as its much easier to dispose it."

White then whispered to himself, "Beer barrel, huh."

White walked back to below deck but then he saw the captain was also enjoying the view.

"I thought I told you to stay below deck. I hope you found some good news for me."

White told him, "I'm still on it. Putting that aside, I heard you've been neglecting your crews payment. What's up with that?"

"That's non of your business, young man. You won't understand what's going on."

White then squinted his eyes and warned the captain, "You brought this upon yourself, captain."

White then went back below deck and met up with Blanc.

"So?"

Blanc briefed him, "The cook said that there's been uneasiness among the crew. Especially the payment issue. This could be more than a single person."

"Anything else?"

"Nothing good except for news from the land of course."

"What do you mean?" He crossed his arms.

"The cook heard that Spectrum was attacked just after we left port. I'm not sure who dares attack such a huge kingdom but they are brave alright."

"Brave? Sounds idiotic to me." White chuckled, "What do they think they are, goblins?"

Blanc laughed, "Beats me, as long as we're safe from the attack."

"Yeah about that..."

White then leaves her and headed to the supply quarter. There were tons of barrel there but he was able to find a suspicious looking barrel. It had an X symbol drawn with a chalk on it. White then noticed that there was an open window. He looked outside of it and saw that barrels lined up like a trail.

White nodded and reported to the captain. White believed that it isn't going to be just the crew revolting, but another ship will come and attack them. As trouble seems to be looming nearby, the captain began to panic and hid inside his cabin.

Seven days after leaving Spectrum Kingdom's port, White's feathered friend had warned White about the approaching enemy. Luckily for them, a storm is coming. White went to the helm and asked the driver.

"Go through the storm. It's the only way we can run away from our chaser."

"But..."

"But what?" questioned White.

"The storm could us as well! And where is the captain?!"

Then suddenly a knife was on his throat. It was Blanc's knife, "Just do as he says. We'll make it."

White appreciate her help as they sailed into the storm. Before we know it a thunder had struck the chasers as their ship falls to the deep sea. While there's a happy ending for that, the ship itself had a failure on their sails.

"Damn it!" White used his time stopping ability and jumped down the deck and made his way to the middle mast.

Blanc noticed what White was planning to do and decided to go to the other mast. They both climbed up the mast and cut down the rope that was keeping the backup sails. Then they returned to the deck and secured the ropes. Once that was over, the captain can be seen coming out from his cabin.

"It's dangerous over here, you two! Get down and let the professional handle it! And thank you two. We'll handle the rest now!"

White and Blanc then headed down the deck.

"Something doesn't make sense..." said White as the top deck door was closed off.

"You mean the perpetrator, right?"

"Yeah, if it's only one guy. How is he able to afford another ship to chase us."

Then suddenly, "That's because I'm a mercenary."

You...you must be Roach." assumed White.

"That's just what the crew call me." He takes off his mouth mask and said, "I am Shiro. Hariken Shiro. Please to meet you."

"Shiro...? What the hell?" White was surprised to find another friend from the real world.

Although that's the case in White's head. The current situation was that Shiro was his enemy at the time. What will be their next move, however?

TO BE CONTINUED