The Power of Silence

Marshall D. Teach's expression changed. "Row!" he barked.

He had the uneasy feeling that a strange gaze was watching everything they did.

Everyone on the wooden raft rowed with all their might.

Only after a very long time did the feeling fade. Sweat soaked Teach's forehead and cheeks.

"How terrifying is that bastard?"

He muttered the words, a cold glint in his eyes.

He glanced at the bandages on his body and felt the sharp pain beneath them. Then his mouth twisted into a cruel grin.

"Next time we meet, I won't let you get away!"

"Xia Le!"

He wasn't strong enough yet. Neither his crew nor his own power was ready. But if he followed his plan step by step, he would grow stronger.

When that time came, he would repay that man several times over for the pain he had suffered today.

They drifted across the sea for days beyond counting before they finally spotted an island.

"Let's stop there and regroup. We need a rest!"

A smile spread across Teach's face.

Van Augur and the others nodded, murderous intent flashing in their eyes.

They could already see the town ahead and the people walking its streets.

They should be able to recover everything they had lost in the recent battle there.

Xia Le watched Blackbeard's crew until they escaped the range of his Mantra.

He did not pursue them. The storm was fierce, the currents violent, and the weather unfavorable. Besides, he had a rough measure of Blackbeard's strength now, and his crew could undoubtedly help throw the world into chaos.

He withdrew his gaze and turned. A pair of wings suddenly spread from his back, shaped like fins but covered in black feathers.

The wings gave a gentle beat, and the space beside him seemed