"If it wasn't, it will be since The Northern Wardens just declared war on the Augus Empire by sinking one of their s.h.i.+ps," Ca.s.siel says.

The s.h.i.+ps come up next to The s...o...b..ll. Fenrir notices that they are not just being captained by some random players from their factions, but instead are captained by Blackstache and Ull.

"Your big s.h.i.+ps not fast enough to get out here in time?" Fenrir asks them. Looking the s.h.i.+ps over, they are both far smaller than their respective flags.h.i.+ps, but each one has a sleek and aerodynamic design. Their flags.h.i.+ps may be mighty and grand, but they look slow and bulky. The s.h.i.+ps that the leaders are currently onboard look built for speed.

"Mind if I come aboard, wolf?" Ull asks.

Fenrir doesn't want to let him come over as long as Nell is hiding below deck.

"We're comin' over," Blackstache says.

As much as Fenrir wants to reject them, he knows that he can't. Refusing them will turn into a game of back-and-forth until he's inevitably forced to let them onboard, and if he tries to make a run for it with The s...o...b..ll, he has no idea what's going to happen.

If worst comes to worst, he may be able to fight against Ull thanks to the boost from being near Nell, but he has no idea if Blackstache would help Ull nor does he know how strong Blackstache is.

There's always revealing who he is to Blackstache, but would Blackstache really betray a new alliance just because he used to play underneath Fenrir's command?

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He feels just how nervous Nell is. Her nervousness has been overwhelming ever since they first heard Ull's voice, and it kills Fenrir to do something that he knows might be bad for her, but it's his only choice.

Fenrir bites his lower lip before sighing and shrugging his shoulders. "If I knew we were getting guests then I would've gotten some snacks ready," he says.

The other s.h.i.+ps extend their gangplanks onto The s...o...b..ll to allow the two leaders to come over.

It comes as a surprise to Fenrir and the rest of the crew when he sees their s.h.i.+ps pull away afterward.

Ull and Blackstache look over the worn crew of The s...o...b..ll before looking at each other and nodding.

Blackstache, with his ma.s.sive mustache and an even larger grin, charges at Fenrir to wrap his arms around him and lift him up in a tight hug!

"Never thought I'd see you again! Rachel told me everything," Blackstache says, his false accent dropped to act more like the lovable doofus that Fenrir once commanded.

"Are – are you sure now is the right time for this?" Fenrir asks, looking at Ull.

"I turned my stream off, Divine Brigade leader," Ull says.

Fenrir cringes when he hears that Ull knows who he is. If there's anybody he doesn't want knowing who he is, it's the leader of a faction whom probably hates him and rules millions of players.

"You told him?" Fenrir asks Blackstache.

"My bad," Blackstache says.

Fenrir's serious composure is interrupted when Blackstache's mustache tickles his nose.

"Alright, alright, go say hi to the others," Fenrir tells him, patting the older man on the back.

"Right!" Blackstache drops Fenrir and looks at Bonekraka. "Viktor! It's been years! How's the lady doing?"

"Wife now," Bonekraka answers.

"d.a.m.n, I was hoping one of us would avoid that trap, but I guess we both caved. Spence," Blackstache looks at Oleander, "how've you been?"

Oleander clings to Corwin's arm and introduces his boyfriend.

While those four talk, the girls of the crew stand off to the side feeling like fifth, sixth, and seventh wheels.

Rock is the only girl actively partic.i.p.ating in the current events by growling at Ull and standing next to Fenrir.

Ull frowns when he looks down at her and sees one of her legs still broken off. "Sorry about that. I a.s.sure you that the man who did that to her has been punished. They know I don't tolerate cruelty towards animals, even if they are our enemies," Ull explains. "I also wish to apologize for the ear," he says, looking at Fenrir's left ear that is still halved.

"It's fine. I get to match with her now," Fenrir says. "I guess you didn't send those guys after me?"

"Not at all. If I wanted to attack you, I would be honorable about it and challenge you in front of everybody. Those men who cowardly chased you into alleys are not worthy of serving me and have also been punished."

"Can't say that I don't emphasize with that. You lead way more people than I ever did, and even I still had people misbehaving and acting behind my back."

The air between them is tense and silence lingers in the air.

Fenrir takes a deep breath. "Let's get to the point," he says.

"Let us."

"I'm not handing Nell over to you. If I have to fight you, I will."

The conversation on the other side of the deck goes silent to listen in.

"You wish to fight for a dead woman? I a.s.sure you that I have no interest in her corpse," Ull says.

"What?" Fenrir asks, blinking a couple of times and tilting his head like a confused dog.

"Am I mistaken? She was...o...b..ard The Steel Tiger, and going by the bodies floating in the water behind us, I am a.s.suming that all onboard that vessel died. I collect the living, not the dead."

Fenrir catches onto Ull's intentions as does Nell. That feeling of nervousness has been replaced by cautious grat.i.tude.

"Yeah, I was too slow. Alexander killed her before I could save her," Fenrir says, the smile on his face and tone of his voice sounding contradictory to his message.

"Just know that, should you happen to come across a similar girl someday, it would be wise to keep her hidden away from the public. Word would surely get back to me about a sighting of her, and then I would be pressed into taking action," Ull explains.

"By the way, how'd you know to come after us?"

"We had a few… informants that were more than eager to give us the information we needed after some persuasion. They got done telling us about this new information right as I discovered that my trophy was stolen from me. It turns out that Alexander and his crew were infiltrators working for the Augus Empire, and they were trying to prevent an alliance from forming between Blackstache and I. Instead, they cemented the alliance and have riled up my forces for an invasion of the empire. I doubt they will have any coastal territory left by the end of the month."

Ull's words send s.h.i.+vers down Fenrir's spine. It sounds like one epic war is going to happen, and Fenrir can't wait to hear how it plays out.

"I do not suppose you have any interest in serving me, wolf?" Ull asks. "A man with your experience – you would be more useful than most of my commanders. I am sure your friend there would be happy to take you on as well. Your a.s.sistance would be greatly appreciated in the upcoming battles regardless of which of us you serve."

"Sorry. I appreciate the offer, but I'm just playing this game for the fis.h.i.+ng," Fenrir answers.

"Is that why you commandeered the city's defenses to attack one of my s.h.i.+ps, released a serpent, have destroyed two s.h.i.+ps and killed all of their crews, and have threatened to attack me? I have also heard of some experiments involving fish at the scholars' office."

Fenrir isn't sure whether he's more surprised that Ull knows about them hijacking one of the city's coastal cannons or more ashamed that word of his fishy experiments with Thelmes have reached him. "What can I say? I keep on getting distracted."

"Ryouta! You've got yourself some fine girls here," Blackstache says, twirling his mustache while eyeing up Ca.s.siel and Serra. "This one looks a bit too young for you, though. I mean, I know you're one of those weebs, but I didn't think you were actually into little girls."

"Oi," Tabitha says, "one, I ain't one of the deviants in his harem. Two, my hammer doesn't discriminate between s.h.i.+ps, empire wimps, and old geezers with mustaches."

Serra and Ca.s.siel take the opportunity to go and stand near Fenrir. Rock stands between them and Blackstache now, growling at him whenever he starts checking them out.

Fenrir's eyes widen a bit when he hears giggling come from beneath the deck. Nell is supposed to be "dead," and dead people don't giggle.

He looks at Ull for his reaction.

Ull looks down at the floorboards. "Liz says she'll miss you, Neha—Nell," he says before looking back at Fenrir. "Do not let her fall into the hands of anybody whom would take advantage of her. There are many like me, and many far worse, that would kill to have her. She may be a living person, but her character is an in-game a.s.set worth more than some people make in years."

"I'll make sure she stays free. If I was willing to challenge you, I'll be willing to challenge anybody else," Fenrir answers.