Chapter: Clash on the Black Tide
Am so sorry for the late upload guys, please bear with me I was occupied with my academics but I promise to meet my weekly upload of three chapters.
The waves were calm at first, and the ship sailed smoothly as Sabre kept close behind the mysterious man. The atmosphere on the deck was quiet, too quiet for a vessel filled with travellers heading toward the capital. Sabre felt something was off, but he kept silent and walked a few steps behind the man who had called him out earlier.
Then… everything changed.
A sudden boom exploded across the sea like thunder striking water. The ship tilted sharply, throwing several passengers to the floor. Screams burst out everywhere as the entire vessel shook violently.
"What was that?!"
Before anyone could understand what was happening, dark shadows surfaced from the mist ahead. Several smaller boats surrounded them, moving fast and steady.
Pirates.
Not normal ones—these were infamous. The flags they carried had a skull with a burning fang across it. Sabre had heard stories about them: the Black tides Pirates, a crew that wiped out military patrols and robbed noble fleets.
But there was someone more terrifying than the crew.
Their captain.
His name spread across coastal towns like a curse—Ravath Bluefin, a man said to have killed cultivators in higher realms than his own.
And he was standing at the bow of one of the pirate boats, grinning dangerously.
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The sky grew darker as the pirate ship closed in, its huge shadow falling across the waves like a beast ready to swallow its prey. The wind howled, and the crew members on Sabre's ship ran around in panic, shouting orders, grabbing weapons, tightening ropes—everyone knew what was coming.
The pirate flag flew proudly, showing a skull wrapped in spiraling waves. Every sailor who saw it froze in fear.
"Black Tide Pirates…" someone whispered. "We're dead."
The name alone was enough to crush hope. They were known as monsters of the sea, led by a single man—Ravath Bluefin, a water-element powerhouse who ruled the ocean like it belonged to him.
Sabre stood near the railing, staring at the approaching ship. His heart pounded, but not out of excitement—he could feel the danger. Heavy. Oppressive. Like a force pressing down from the sky.
Beside him, the old man—the elder in disguise—remained calm, watching the pirates with a cold stare.
When the pirate ship finally rammed close, hooks shot through the air, latching onto the deck. Pirates swung over like waves of beasts, shouting and laughing wildly.
"Kill the crew! Leave the old man alive!" one pirate shouted.
Sabre blinked.
They knew him?
The elder's eyes narrowed. "So that's how it is…"
Before Sabre could react, a massive splash echoed across the deck. A tall figure landed on the ship with such force the wood cracked under his feet.
He wore a dark blue coat, his muscles shining with faint moisture like he was carved out of the sea itself. His hair flowed like wet current, and his eyes were as sharp as a shark's.
Ravath Bluefin.
His presence alone made the entire ship tremble.
The pirate leader pointed at the elder.
"So you really dared travel alone, old dog… after killing two of my captains. Hand over your life."
The elder didn't flinch.
"Your captains deserved worse."
Electricity sparked at his fingertips.
Ravath grinned. "Good. I love when they struggle."
And then—
BOOM!
The elder moved first. A bolt of lightning shot out of his palm, screaming through the air like a thunder dragon. Ravath swung his arm, and a wall of water exploded upward from thin air, blocking the lightning with a loud hiss.
The clash produced steam that washed over the deck.
Pirates backed away. Crew members ran. Sabre held onto the railing, eyes wide.
Lightning and water collided again.
CRACK!
SHAA!
Bolts tore through the sky. Water blades sliced across the deck, cutting wood like butter. The sea churned violently under their battle, waves rising and falling in chaos.
The elder stepped forward, lightning crawling up his arms like living snakes.
"Stormbreaker Palm!"
A massive strike of lightning burst from his hand, forming a giant glowing palm print that shot toward Ravath. The pirate leader laughed and stomped his foot, summoning spiraling water around him.
"Sea Dragon Coil!"
The water twisted into a long serpent that lunged forward. The palm of lightning clashed with the water dragon mid-air.
BOOOOM!!
The explosion shook both ships, sending debris flying. Sabre had to duck as a wooden plank shot past his head.
Ravath cracked his knuckles, his aura swelling with raw ocean energy.
"Not bad," he said. "But that's your limit, isn't it?"
The elder didn't answer. He clenched his fist, and thunder rumbled above as storm clouds formed unnaturally fast.
Ravath's eyes widened. "…He's calling lightning from the sky?"
Sabre felt his skin prickle. The air became heavy. Sparks danced across the elder's cloak.
The elder raised his hand.
"Divine—"
A massive water fist slammed down from above, cutting him off. Ravath had created it instantly, using the seawater around them like an endless weapon.
The elder dodged to the side, but the fist exploded on impact, throwing him across the deck.
He hit the railing hard.
Sabre gasped.
Ravath didn't stop. "Did you think I'd let you finish a high-level spell?"
He pushed his palms out.
"Crushing Wave Prison!"
A swirling sphere of water formed around the elder, trapping him. The sphere tightened like a constricting cage, squeezing the air out.
The elder struggled, lightning flashing inside the water sphere—but every spark only got swallowed by the water.
Ravath laughed coldly. "Lightning against water? You old fool."
He walked forward slowly, each step heavy and confident.
Sabre clenched his fists. His heart raced. He wanted to do something, anything—but he knew he couldn't fight someone like this.
He could barely breathe under their pressure.
The water sphere tightened further. Cracks formed in the elder's disguise; his aura flared brighter.
Ravath noticed and smirked.
"Ahh… so your real strength is leaking out. Good. Show me more."
He raised his hand, forming a blade entirely made of flowing water.
"Let me finish this."
He swung.
At the last moment, lightning erupted from the sphere, tearing it apart with a thunderous boom. The elder stood in the center, drenched but alive, electricity exploding off him in all directions.
Ravath grinned widely.
"That's more like it!"
They clashed again.
Lightning tore through the air, splitting the clouds.
Water blades and whips attacked from all angles.
Thunder roared.
The ocean boiled where their attacks landed.
Pirates and crew members scattered, jumping between broken pieces of the deck to avoid being caught in the shockwaves.
Sabre's ears rang. The ship tilted dangerously as attacks ripped through it.
The elder raised both hands.
"Lightning Chain Barrage!"
Dozens of lightning beams shot out like arrows.
Ravath swung both arms.
"Tidal Wall!"
A towering wave rose up out of nowhere, blocking the attack, then crashing down toward the elder with overwhelming force.
The elder jumped, flipping over the wave, landing behind Ravath. Electricity crawled across his arm as he punched forward.
Ravath spun, his hand becoming liquid as water spiraled around it.
Their fists collided.
BOOOOOM—!!
A violent shockwave blasted across the deck, throwing Sabre back. He hit the ground, sliding into a broken crate.
He looked up, dizzy.
Steam rose everywhere.
Lightning flickered in the mist.
Water crashed around like angry serpents.
And the two figures kept clashing, faster and faster.
Every hit shook the ship.
Every movement sparked thunder and tore the sea open.
The sky above them looked split between storm clouds and raging waves.
Sabre felt like he was watching two natural disasters fighting each other.
The battle reached its highest point yet—
the elder roaring with lightning exploding around him,
Ravath laughing wildly with the sea rising at his command—
and then—
their final attacks began forming.
The elder pulled back both arms, lightning swirling around him like a storm vortex.
Ravath spread his hands wide, forming a massive water blade longer than the ship.
Both men glared at each other.
Both prepared to finish it.
Both unleashed their full power—