Chapter 1312 Last Gamble
Each member of their crew was at least of Deme-rank, making them the strongest in the Lesser Blood Ocean. The four generals, Spades included, were of Astra-rank. Deluge himself was as strong as an empyrean in fighting powers and mana, but his abilities were far beyond that. This lineup made them stronger than most guilds in the world, a force to be reckoned with.
At the current moment, Spades watched that same force being torn apart, shredded to pieces in the face of a single man. To be fair, the man was no man, and the crew had lost their abilities. But it was a shocking sight to see Clubs being torn apart with bare hands, and for Hearts to be flicked off like an annoying bug.
Spades understood one thing about their predicament that others might have missed. It was the same mindset that had kept him alive throughout the years: the goal is to survive, not to win. Those who always survive will become the last defeated. Others will die, and those who survive will live to tell the tale, albeit a little twisted.
As his lord regenerated his torn body, Spades had to wonder if his crew would survive the current calamity. It was just a few short hours ago that Spades felt he was bored out of this world, making him wish to relive that boredom. But everything was going wrong at the moment, and he couldn't stop it. Not alone, at least.
"Lord Eros!" shouted Spades, hoping to bring the lord back to his senses. Deluge shook as his head kept regenerating, looking around in a frenzy with the terror of a man who returned from the dead. As his eyes landed on the human meatball of his crew, his entire body shook.
"Eragon…!" muttered his lord with confusion. Spades tried to pull him away from the fight, but his lord struggled, as if in a trance. "You wish to kill me again, Eragon?! I will not die like before! I will be the last to stand!"
"Please snap out of it, my lord!" shouted Spades as he threw him over the railings. Eros slammed to the hardwood as his head finished regenerating. His once spotless body was now covered in blood and gore. Deluge stared at Spades for a few seconds as he regained his composure enough to stand on his own. "We need to escape, my lord."
"And leave my crew?"
"Everyone is sacrificing their lives to buy us time," said Spades with panic. "If we stand idle as he tears through them, we won't survive against him. Our efforts would have all been for nothing!"
Spades really wished to take his lord and leave this instant, but he knew that his ability couldn't work at the moment. If it did, he would have created a portal and left without a second thought. His lord's safety was the top priority.
Eros looked at his men being defeated as if they were falling dominos. Each of them failed to even stop Arthur Netherborne for a single second, making him feel pathetic. He built this crew, strengthened them, only for them to become nothing but cannon fodder.
"Go into the mansion and bring me the shard on my desk," said Eros as his hand wiped away what remained of his previous head. "It is our only chance to escape this place."
Spades nodded and hurried into the mansion. He had visited before, so he knew what shard his master referred to. It was an invitation from someone who visited the Lust Pirates before. At that time, they wished to work with Deluge, but the latter refused. It seems that now was the time to use what they left behind.
The shard was atop the nightstand, and Spades snatched it in an instant. The moment he touched the shard, he found his powers beginning to return. His hands swayed as he created a portal in an instant, teleporting himself back to the deck.
The situation had not improved, but the opposite. The Suits had been defeated, either killed, disabled, or unconscious on the ground. Spades found Lord Eros coming face to face with Arthur Netherborne. Black lightning crackled around their enemy, threatening to destroy the world.
"Is this about the woman who fought against me in Sourna?" asked Eros with his aura unleashed, his life essence burning to grant him the stats necessary to survive. "Are you incapable of coherent thoughts?"
Spades could see that his master was stalling for time, and it was more than enough. However, in the next instant, Arthur Netherborne attacked again. This time, his master was more prepared, being able to defend himself against the onslaught.
Eros fought back, dodged, and blocked. However, nothing worked against the King of Wrath as he deflected each attack, chased after Eros, and penetrated the toughest defenses. Spades realized that the only way for them to survive was to use his ability.
Half of their ship had already sunk, carrying most of the small fry pirates that the Suits commanded. As for the half that the mansion was atop, it stayed afloat thanks to the mansion itself becoming an opposing force. Their fight was, however, brutal to say the least.
Eros lost his limbs one after the other, regenerating them as fast as he could before trying to fend off Arthur Netherborne. Spades tried to intervene, but even the aftermath was enough to push him back. Arthur himself was relentless in his attacks, giving no chance for Deluge to take a break.
"Spades!" called Eros to him mid-battle, and he rushed forward without thinking. Even if the aftermath or Arthur killed him, he would deliver the shard to his master. Once he sensed his approach, Arthur diverted some of his attacks toward Spades.
The attacks were not something that he could even dream of blocking or dodging. However, his master rushed to protect him, knowing that Spades was his only hope to escape. In response, Spades created a giant portal as far away as possible. It was their last gamble to escape this madman.