When Nox had asked this question, there was a flicker of hesitation on Doran's face before it shifted into confusion.
"What the fuck is that?" Doran shouted back.
Nox simply smirked. He had already seen through the pirate leader—he was a very bad actor.
'He probably doesn't want to reveal... just like how I hid it at the start.' Nox deduced.
Either way, he had to fix the current situation. The last thing he wanted was for a neighboring kingdom to die on his shores and discourage others from doing business with him.
His eyes flicked from one pirate to the next, counting. Six of them, plus Doran, and at least four hostages in immediate danger. His mind raced through possible moves. He could likely take out two or three pirates swiftly before they reacted… but not all at once. The moment he struck, the others might panic and harm the captives. It was a risk he wasn't willing to take.
Seeing Nox remain hovering and silent, Doran seemed to gain confidence.
