The boulder plunged toward the sea with a deafening roar and slammed into the water. The instant it struck, Ye Chen spread his arms and stood steadily on the sea surface. Hope was nowhere to be seen. Only after a long while, when the towering waves had finally settled, did he float back up, clutching his swollen belly.
Ye Chen gave him a cold look, crossed the water in a few bounds, and dragged him ashore like a dead dog.
He tossed Hope onto the ground. Hope had swallowed so much seawater that he had already passed out.
Hope had lost the fight, so there was no reason to keep going. Bruce and the others had no choice but to stop.
Ye Chen did not finish them off.
When Hope woke, Ye Chen let him go.
Hope could hardly believe it. "You're not going to kill me?"
"Heh. You gave yourselves a pretty pretentious name. As it happens, that name saved you."
The Dream-Chasing Pirates were capable fighters. Killing them all would have been a shame.
Hope nodded and waved to Bruce. "Release everyone we captured. It's time for us to leave."
Ye Chen smiled. "I was about to tell you the same thing. You're pirates. You should be out at sea, chasing your next adventure. What's the point of hiding here? I hope we meet again on the waves someday."
"Hmph. Next time, I'll give you a real surprise."
Hope straightened his back, plainly unwilling to admit defeat.
Ye Chen shrugged. "I hope so. If you haven't grown stronger, I'll be disappointed. This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. No one pities the weak."
Bruce released every puppet under his control. Hope gathered his companions, and they hurried off Mist Island without lingering.
Coo,