The Plan Moves Up

"No."

Captain Ironhook said without hesitation, "He hunted down the Blood Shark all by himself. That was a pirate ship with thirty or forty men aboard, including Quinte."

"We may have quite a few men here, and everyone on the Great Tooth who can put up a fight is present, but don't forget, we're only about as strong as Quinte."

"In fact, Quinte was even better at fighting than I am..."

"If he could hunt down Quinte, he can hunt us down too."

Captain Ironhook stood up. "Besides, we don't have time to chat here. With that Hunter on the island, he might find us. He may have already tracked you here. We need to leave immediately."

"That's impossible. I only watched him from a distance for a while, and I was careful enough afterward. I guarantee nobody followed me."

Captain Ironhook sneered. "Your guarantee means nothing against an exceptional Hunter. Get out of here."

The pirates standing by the window, sitting on the sofa, and playing cards hurriedly rose. Without bothering to gather their things, they headed straight for the front door. The horse-faced pirate guarding it had barely opened the door when a fireball hurtled in from outside and struck his chest. A surging crimson blaze engulfed him.

"Damn it, he's already here!" Captain Ironhook shouted. He grabbed two men and shoved them toward the front door. "Keep him busy!"

He rushed toward the building's back door with the other two men.

A figure suddenly charged through the front entrance. The two pirates shouted and fired at it. Every bullet sank into the figure, but none slowed it down. It radiated heat and red light—it was a humanoid formed entirely from flames.

The flaming figure lunged straight at one pirate and embraced him tightly. The searing flames made