He lowered his head and looked at his palm.
A faint, barely visible light still flowed around his fingertips. "Sword Saint..."
He quietly repeated the words people had shouted in the arena earlier.
Then he smiled, lifted his foot, and continued forward.
Waves crashed against the reefs, splashing up white foam.
The docks were packed with people.
A sharp-eyed fisherman pointed at the sea and shouted, "They're here! They're here!"
In the distance, three large ships flying blood-red skull flags broke through the waves. At the bow stood a burly red-haired man, bare-chested, with a roaring lion tattooed across his chest. "The Red-Haired Pirates!"
"Run!"
The docks descended into chaos. Vendors abandoned their stalls and fled, while women scooped up their children and hid in the alleyways.
In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, the entire dock was empty.
The red-haired man jumped off the ship, his boots creaking against the planks. He swept his gaze around and grinned. "That's it? I thought Divine Wind City had more backbone than this."
The pirates behind him burst into wild laughter.
Some kicked over fish baskets by the roadside, some slashed through the ropes tied to the masts, and others kicked open the doors of a tavern. "Take it all! Don't leave a single valuable thing behind!"
"This jar of wine is good. Save it for the captain!"
The tavern owner crouched behind the counter, trembling like a leaf.
The red-haired man strode over, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up. "Where's your city lord? Tell him to come see me."
The owner stammered, "The... the city lord went to the royal capital..."
"Not here?" The red-haired man frowned, casually tossed the owner aside, and said, "Then smash this whole street first. I'll wait for