CHAPTER 7: NEW CHALLENGES

"Fire at will!" Thomas ordered as loud bangs erupted from their ship and is going towards the enemies.

Whistling cannon balls are raining upon their enemies which are pirates too. Since Thomas became a big shot so suddenly, other pirate groups are now making their move to annihilate him so that they would get famous by slaying the son of The Terror. It has been a week, and they are now closing in the kingdom of Miliq. The pirates who came there in that town who didn't have any luck to plunder it are now coming back and coincidentally encountered the Jack Pirates. The Jack Pirates launched a barrage of cannon balls at them, but the pirate groups were unfazed, they still charged at the rookies' ship. Until they are now next to the ship of the Jack Pirates,

"Prepare for battle!" Thomas ordered.

As his crew and him then went back-to-back and is now watching as rival pirates came down their ships and were zipping down the ropes they attached to Ace. The fight erupted, 3 captains are now dueling at the right part of the main deck, while William and Jeff were just manhandling the underlings and is either killing or throwing them off the ship and in the sea. The battle only took 10 minutes to finish. The victor was the Jack Pirates. They defeated their enemies just like that. The two captains who have 1 million bounty each are knowing begging for their lives while kneeling and kissing the floor in front of Thomas.

"Guys! Loot their ship! Plunder everything you see, from food, treasure, weapons, just anything you see. Set fire on their ships before they leave! Go!" Thomas ordered.

The two captains begged to not have their ships be burned down since that is the fruit of their piracy. Which is the exact reason on why Thomas wants to burn it down. After a few minutes, the Jack pirates came down the ships of the enemies as smoke is now coming out from the inside the ships. The Jack pirates were now carrying tons of loot, William said that at the left pirate ship, he has hauled 500,000 pendz in the captain's cabin. While at the left pirate ship, Jeff looted 1,000,000 pendz in the captain's cabin also. The jewelry and other treasure are not included. The others hauled more supplies of food, weapons, cannon balls and then bullets for their guns. But they left some since they used the gun powder to burn the ships down.

"Now, get the hell off our ship and put the fire out in your ships!" Thomas screamed.

The two captains scrambled as they were like ants, they were desperately climbing the ropes they used to get on Ace. The Jack Pirates cuts the lines of ropes as they then set sailed with the loot they have. They plunder what is already plundered. They would do no harm to normal people, but destroy their pirate rivals.

***

The Jack Pirates have now docked at the western end of the kingdom where they can dock safely without worrying that the navy would catch them. The furl their sails and secured their ship since it can be looted if they are careless. And when the people of the small village in this part sees the pirate flag, they began to panic. When the pirates came down from their ship and started walking down the village, they were observing the village's surroundings. It was worn out, bullet holes on houses can be seen clearly. This just means that maybe the pirates they encountered earlier looted their village, some might have died. And then, all of a sudden, a boy, running around suddenly bumped into Thomas' left leg. The kid landed on his butt and then looked up, he then cried. Thomas then crouched down, but because of the kid's fear, he could not get up and run. Thomas was then taking something out from his pocket, when the mother of the kid ran towards her son,

"Please! Kill me instead of my son!" cried out the mother.

But she was too late. Thomas have taken the thing he was getting from his pocket. He then gave that thing, which was actually a piece of candy. The crying mother was relieved, the kid accepted the sweet candy and then indulged into the sweetness of it. The kid stood up, Thomas smiled, and they then went to have a high five. The kid then ran to his mother and waved at Thomas,

"Thank you for sparing my son's life, sir, thank you." The mother sobbed as she hugged her son.

And for some reason, Thomas felt jealous. He never met his mother, so he does not know what kind of warmth a mother's hug is.

"Don't worry! You can all come out! We mean no harm! We are just passing by and to ask some questions!" Thomas announced.

Even though they have doubts and is hesitating, the villagers slowly come out from hiding and is now standing in front of Thomas. Their clothes were tattered and has a lot of patches, the children looked thin, so does the other villagers.

"What exactly happened here?" Thomas asked.

"Pirate attack looted our village which has nothing but a small amount of pendz, our food, and then ripped all our clothing and killed 15 of us. That is what happened." Says an old man who paved his way to reach Thomas.

He was leaning on a walking stick. It turns out that this man is the village elder of this village that is independent and is not part of Miliq. Some pirate group attacked them a week ago and stayed here and just left. According to the elder, that pirate group have a cat skull as their pirate flag. And that confirms it,

"About that, we have successfully defeated those pirates, and here is our proof." Thomas then took out a pirate flag from his pocket.

It was the same flag the elder have described. And upon hearing the news, they jumped as justice has been served.

"How much exactly was the money stolen from you guys?" Thomas asked.

"About 50,000 pendz, sir." Replied the elder.

Thomas looked at William, and William knew exactly what that was. William then asked 6 crew members to help him carry the crates. They arrived and brought back the money that has been stolen, the food and all. The elder tearfully thanked the kind pirates, as they were thankful that these types of pirates do exist.

"What can we do to repay you, kind pirate sir?" asked the elder.

"Well, there is one."

After saying their intentions on why they are here in this kingdom, the elder invited them over to his place to discuss it privately as it is meant to be discussed alone, even though the others know it. However, the elder just allowed Thomas to get in his small hut as they then sat at the middle of the hut around the table, the elder's back was facing the door, as Thomas sat at the opposite side, facing the elder and the door.

"Clues for the Captain Keaton, eh? That is the purpose of the pirates who attacked us, but since you treated us so kindly, I will give you the first clue." The elder said as he then took something from a bamboo cabinet.

At first, it looks like just a roll of old parchment, but when the elder gave it to Thomas and he opened it, the roll was actually a map of Miliq kingdom 300 years ago. Captain Keaton was a famous explorer turned pirate 300 years ago. He is infamous for his undefeated record in plundering islands, towns, kingdoms, and cities. One day, the captain came here, in Miliq to plant the clues leading to the treasure he left before he got executed. The treasure that even his crew does not know where it is. Some say this is just some sort of myth, but the elder beg to differ. The treasure is real. Just because it hasn't been found yet, doesn't mean it does not exist. Thomas have read about it in a certain book too that has the title of Infamous Pirates and their Legacies Book 1. Although considered as a myth, there are clues that signifies that it isn't. The only problem is that the ones hunting for that treasure gives up so easily that they are missing the chance of finally finding it. Thomas then looked at the map closely, as he then saw an x at the middle of the map. Under the x was these words,

"SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE."

Thomas does not whether to laugh or be confused. He then thinks that Captain Keaton must be some kind of a secret expert.

"Follow the map and get to that location. You will find the second and last clue on this whole island." Says the elder.

"But how the hell would we know this place? Clearly saying that it is in a significant structure is enough. And besides, the kingdom must have changed since this map is from 300 years ago, so it would be—"

"Treasure hunting is not easy, child. Don't rush it. Search for it, you are a pirate, aren't you? Then you can do it. Now, get on your way before the gates of the kingdoms closes. There are no guards, but still be vigilant. Thank you again for being kind to us." The elder then bowed.

The two stood up and left the hut. Thomas regrouped with his crew, as he then asked the villagers to guard their ship, the villagers gladly accepted the job as it is the least, they can do to their saviors. The Jack Pirates then went to kingdom to find the clue.

Meanwhile, at the main docks of Miliq, 5 navy ships are docked there. And among those 5 ships, there are only 2 officials, which were the two lieutenants the HQ have sent here to confirm that the Jack Pirates have really stopped here. A man with a neatly fixed black hair was then approached by one of his subordinates. The sailor saluted,

"Sir, we have confirmed pirate activities, just a few miles away from the western end of the island. 2 pirate ships, engulfed in flame. And because of that, these people surrendered." Reported the sailor.

As the arrested pirates was then brought in front of the fancy lieutenant, and it was the pirates whom the Jack Pirates have destroyed,

"Now, say what you must. Who attacked you?" the sailor asked.

"The J-Jack Pirates, sir." Stuttered the captain of the ship that bears the flag of a cat skull.

The handsome lieutenant grind as he then looked at a girl who has blonde hair and was sitting behind him,

"Angelique, we got them."