CHAPTER 10: [10] THREE FOR ONE

The world slowed to a crawl as Pierre’s bag of coins connected with the leader’s jaw. Blood and teeth sprayed in a crimson arc, the man’s eyes rolling back as he crumpled to the deck. The other two pirates froze, disbelief locking their faces into stupid masks.

Pierre didn’t wait for them to recover.

He lunged at the ferret-faced pirate, driving his palm upward into the man’s throat. Cartilage gave way with a sickening crunch. The pirate’s eyes bulged, hands flying to his crushed windpipe as he dropped to his knees, making wet choking sounds.

Sorry, but I don’t have time to play fair.

A shadow fell across the deck. The tree-trunk pirate had recovered, bellowing as he charged forward with a wooden club raised high. Pierre pivoted, barely avoiding the downward swing that splintered the planks where he’d stood a moment before.

From the corner of his eye, Pierre caught Raven’s calculating stare. Her gaze darted between him and the scattered gold coins gleaming in the moonlight. He saw the moment she made her decision—her lips pressed into a thin line as she bent to scoop up the nearest handful of coins and put them in the bag.

Really? After I just saved your ass?

Pierre would have been angrier if he didn’t know why she needed the money. Still, watching her stuff coins into her pockets while he fought for his life stung more than he’d expected.

I am definitely going to get her back for this later.

The massive pirate swung his club in a wild horizontal arc. Pierre ducked under it, feeling the wind of its passage ruffle his hair.

"Damn, you’re about as quick as a three-legged turtle," Pierre taunted, dancing backward.

The pirate’s face contorted with rage. "I’ll crush your skull, pretty boy!"

He charged again, club raised high. His attacks grew wilder, less controlled with each miss. Pierre weaved between the blows, making exaggerated yawning motions.

"Are you even trying to hit me?"

The pirate roared, his face turning an alarming shade of purple. He swung the club in a vicious overhead strike that would have split Pierre in two—if it had connected.

Instead, Pierre sidestepped at the last second. As the club embedded itself in the deck, he struck. His open palm slammed into the pirate’s wrist, sending a shock of pain up the man’s arm.

Before the pirate could recover, Pierre stepped inside his guard. He hooked his foot behind the man’s ankle while simultaneously driving the heel of his palm into the pirate’s chin. The combination sent the much larger man crashing to the deck with bone-jarring force.

"All that muscle," Pierre said, nudging the groaning pirate with his boot. "And you still don’t know how to swing. What a waste."

He turned to find Raven frozen at the railing, her escape boat half-lowered, arms laden with gold. Her blue eyes were wide, lips parted in shock.

Pierre pointed directly at her. "Stay."

Raven’s expression cycled through surprise, outrage, and finally, cautious respect.

Three pirates lay groaning on the deck around him. They were hardly elite fighters—just basic thugs with more muscle than skill.

I shouldn’t feel this proud about beating up cannon fodder, but...

His gaze drifted to the downed men, a slow smile spreading across his face.

What a perfect opportunity to test Essence Drain.

Pierre approached the leader first, crouching beside the semi-conscious man. He placed his palm against the pirate’s sweaty forehead, focusing on the new sense that had awakened when he consumed the Resonance Seed.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked.

"Just checking something."

He closed his eyes, reaching for the strange energy that now flowed through his body. He felt it respond, stretching out from his palm like invisible tendrils. They sank into the pirate’s skin, seeking something vital beneath.

A sudden heat flooded up Pierre’s arm, not like fire, but like siphoning hot liquid through a straw. It was an invasive, intimate feeling, and deeply satisfying.

[ESSENCE DRAIN ACTIVATED]

[DRAINING ESSENCE FROM TARGET: UNNAMED PIRATE]

[ESSENCE QUALITY: LOW]

[CONVERTING TO STAT POINTS...]

The text flashed across Pierre’s vision, confirming what he already felt. The pirate’s life force was flowing into him, converting into raw potential.

[GAINED: STRENGTH +15 (F-15)]

[GAINED: ENDURANCE +5 (C-405)]

[GAINED: DEXTERITY +10 (F-10)]

[GAINED: AGILITY +5 (F-5)]

[GAINED: SPIRIT +0 (F-0)]

The flow slowed to a trickle, then stopped. The pirate beneath Pierre’s hand had gone still, his breathing shallow but stable. He wasn’t dead—just hollowed out, drained of the energy that fueled his rage.

Pierre moved to the next pirate, repeating the process. The weasel-faced man yielded similar results, though with slightly higher dexterity gains. The tree-trunk pirate, as expected, provided a substantial boost to strength.

By the time Pierre finished with all three, his stats had improved significantly:

[STRENGTH: F-45]

[ENDURANCE: C-420]

[DEXTERITY: F-35]

[AGILITY: F-20]

[SPIRIT: F-0]

He stood, flexing his fingers. The difference was subtle but unmistakable. His body felt more responsive, more powerful. Not superhuman—not yet—but definitely improved.

Yeah, I can definitely get used to this...