Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 158: King of the sea

A tall man with neck-long black hair stood firmly at the bow of a ship, his hand gripping the bowsprit tightly as he looked out over the sea. His hair blew wildly in the strong wind, strands of it whipping across his stern face. The white sail above him, stretched taut by the gusts, billowed high and proud, propelling the ship forward. His dark eyes narrowed as he took in the horizon, then suddenly, his voice boomed across the deck.@@novelbin@@

"Row, you dogs!" he shouted, his words laced with impatience. His gaze flicked down to the rowers, slaves hunched over their oars below deck, their muscles straining as they heaved in unison, their skins peeling off from the salt and the continuing touch with the oars. The roar of twenty slaves, grunting and groaning under the weight of their task, filled the air, blending with the creak of the ship and the relentless crash of waves. The oars plunged into the water rhythmically, each stroke pushing the ship faster, their efforts adding speed to the wind-driven vessel.

The man's grip on the bowsprit tightened, his body bracing against the ship's motion as he sighted the sea.

The pirate ship was slender and long, a menacing vessel cutting swiftly through the waves. Measuring nearly two and a half meters tall and twenty meters wide, it moved with deadly grace. The hull was sleek, built for speed, its dark wood glistening in the sunlight, a predator chasing its prey.

Onboard, the deck was crowded with hardened men, their swords hanging from their belts, shields slung across their backs. Clad in chainmail and helmets, the men stood ready, their eyes locked on the horizon where their next prize sailed. The metallic jingle of their armor mixed with the creaking wood and the wind whipping the white sail.

Ahead of them, a merchant ship desperately tried to flee. It was a broad, sluggish vessel, not built for speed but for carrying goods. Its sails strained to catch the wind, but no matter how hard the crew worked, the pirate ship was closing in fast. The merchant's deck was frantic with movement as sailors scrambled, shouting orders, casting panicked glances over their shoulders at the pursuing pirate ship that bore down on them with terrifying speed.