Chapter 56: The Underworld God That Pacifies Souls
“Turn the helm. We’ll find a place to properly bury them all after landing on the island.”
As the water vapor dissipated, Aoxi looked at the corpses on the ship and spoke again, but her tone carried an undisguisable sadness.
Seeing Aoxi’s dejected appearance, the pirates suppressed their inner fear and came forward one after another to comfort her.
“Big Sister Aoxi, you don’t need to blame yourself. We didn’t expect the enemy to be so despicable.”
A big-bellied pirate who was often active in the canteen comforted her.
“Your willingness to avenge them already makes you a qualified boss.”
“That’s right, there’s no war without deaths. We’re all used to it.”
“These guys getting a proper burial spot is already pretty good. Before, we just threw them directly into the sea.”
……
“I know, I know. Thank you all.”
Aoxi looked at the pirates surrounding her to comfort her, mustered her spirits, and gave a smile, her voice also regaining a bit of energy.
“This…”
The pirates around were made a bit shy by her smile. Although Aoxi was still young, the charm of her god-level features was absolutely not to be underestimated.
“Ha, haha… um, it’s good that you’re okay, Big Sister Aoxi. I’m going to hoist the sails.” A pirate blushed and ran off.
“I’ll go check the ammunition.”
“I, I’ll go steer.”
“I’ll go to the lookout.”
“Uh… I’ll go, I’ll go to the toilet…”
……
“What just happened? Such a big commotion?”
Burufaruto, having dealt with the enemies, rejoined Aoxi on the ship. He had naturally noticed that strike like divine punishment.
Now looking at Aoxi, who was clearly in low spirits, he asked somewhat strangely.
“Brother Burufaruto, it’s like this, la la…” The big-bellied pirate from earlier leaned in and told Burufaruto what had happened.
“Oh~ So that’s what happened?”
After understanding the situation, Burufaruto nodded, but unlike his usual image, he squatted down like a gentle old father and softly comforted Aoxi.
He extended his hands, far larger than those of a normal adult, and gently stroked Aoxi’s little head as he asked:
“Aoxi, are you sad about their deaths?”
“A little. I’m not sure. I can feel their souls lingering around me. I don’t know what to do.” Aoxi lowered her eyes and answered honestly.
“I see~ Those guys haven’t left yet…”
“Yeah, they’re circling around me just like before. I don’t know why.”
Burufaruto looked at the corpses neatly placed on the deck, his tone even gentler.
“They won’t leave, maybe because they believe in you.”
“Believe in me?” Aoxi looked up in some confusion.
“That’s right. They believe you won’t abandon their bodies, that you’ll find a resting place for them.”
Burufaruto stood up as he spoke, gazing toward the distant sea and saying:
“Aoxi, do you know? Funerals are a very luxurious thing for pirates.
We guys who lick blood from the blade of a knife have seen too much death and taken many lives with our own hands.
To the point where we often lose that initial respect for life, becoming indifferent to others’ lives, even our own.”
Burufaruto’s gaze deepened as he looked down at Aoxi, as if looking at his past self.
“Keep that awe for life. That’s the most precious thing on this vast sea.”
“Respect and awe for life…”
Aoxi sensed the wandering souls of the dead around her, and the departed lives gradually took on tangible forms in her eyes at this moment.
This was something Burufaruto hadn’t expected. He thought Aoxi’s claim of feeling souls was just psychological, since this might be her first time facing death so closely.
But as the Underworld God, Aoxi could in fact clearly see and even touch these out-of-body souls.
Souls detached from the body have no consciousness; only the obsessions from life drive their actions.
Aoxi tried following her instinct to wield her authority, guiding these souls to settle them down.
An ancient sound that only the souls of the dead could hear rang out here. The moment Aoxi issued the command in her heart, the souls that had been drifting about suddenly became orderly, quietly returning to their bodies.
Aoxi could feel that with just a thought from her, these souls would all be sent to another world—a world she had never been to but was infinitely familiar with, one under her control.
『Now is not the time yet.』
Thinking this in her heart, Aoxi didn’t rush to send them into the Underworld to rest. Instead, she wanted to wait until the funeral was complete, letting them see their bodies laid to rest before leaving.
……
“Brother Burufaruto! Look, Big Sister Obei and the others seem to have already landed!” The lookout on the mast suddenly shouted loudly.
“Really? As expected of her! Give me the telescope. Let me see.”
Burufaruto took the telescope and saw that all the coastal defense cannons on Fenrir Island had been destroyed, with thick smoke rolling from the shore.
Obei’s ship was docked at the port, and the pirates on the ship were fighting with swords against the island’s last guards.
“Haha! Well done! As expected of her!”
“Brothers, full sails! We’re going to support Obei and the others. Taking Fenrir Island is today!”
“Oh!”×n
……
“I wonder how Obei and the others are doing.”
Inside a restaurant called “Syracuse,” Lapp was looking out at the calm sea surface through the window while tasting Miss Lapp’s new creation—Chocolate Jam Syracuse Noodles.
On the clean white plate in front of her, crystal-clear jam was evenly spread over the noodles, like a brilliant colorful garment, reflecting specks of fluorescent light.
The wheat-yellow noodles had beautiful brownish-black stripes on the surface, and after cooking, they were trimmed to just the right length—a gentle roll with the dining fork made one bite.
Lapp rolled up a small bundle with the fork and gently put it in her mouth, then savored it carefully.
The sweet and cloying jam paired with the refreshing Syracuse specialty noodles, the freshness of fruit and the grain scent of wheat perfectly combined, then exploded together on the tongue.
『This is… bitterness? So the chocolate is hidden here.』
As Lapp chewed, a faint bitterness with a mellow aroma began to spread in her mouth, thoroughly elevating the dish’s flavor to a whole new level.
“How is it, Miss La?” Miss Lapp, with her silver hair, waited expectantly for La’s evaluation.
“Mm, uniquely crafted, not following conventions.”
La wiped the corner of her mouth in satisfaction, then nodded in approval.
“Yay! Since even you say so, Miss La, I can prepare to put it on the menu.”
Miss Lapp excitedly clenched her fist; if she had a tail, it would probably be wagging like a fan right now.
Meanwhile, Mister Saluzzo, who was watching from the side, wasn’t in such a great mood.
He took out a delicate handkerchief from his suit pocket and kept wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Now he didn’t dare mention returning to the West Sea anymore. Otherwise, with their hometown’s simple folk customs, just these two dishes would probably get him and his daughter hacked to death on the street back home.
“By the way, Miss La, how come you have time to come here today?”
Taking a deep breath, Mister Saluzzo handed over a complimentary drink as he asked.
The townsfolk still didn’t know La’s true identity and just thought she was someone who had recently moved to the island from elsewhere.
This kind of situation wasn’t uncommon here; many in town had come because they couldn’t survive in their hometowns.
A few vendors selling vegetables and tobacco did know she had some connection to Old Cook of the Beasts Pirates, but they didn’t think in terms of pirates, assuming she was just an ordinary apprentice.
After all, La’s temperament really didn’t match that group of fierce-looking pirates.
“Because the lord at home took the sisters out to sea, so I had time to come out.” La said honestly.
“Out to sea at a time like this? And bringing the other daughters… Didn’t bring you along?”
The townsfolk all knew that the Beasts had mobilized everyone that morning, and they generally wouldn’t go out to sea lightly at such times to avoid misunderstandings.
“Probably because they needed to leave me to watch the house. After all, someone has to stay here.”
“Haha, watch the house… Then you can’t go running around like this~”
“Mm, I’m planning to head back too.”
After paying, La pushed open the door and left the restaurant.
Due to the departure of a large number of pirates, the town inexplicably felt a bit desolate, and the cries of the hawkers seemed softer than usual, a little listless.
……
“Haha! Obei, I’m here to help you!”
Victorious Burufaruto took the lead, jumping off the ship from far away from the shore.
The battlefield situation was already quite clear now. The island guards, seeing the fleet of their own executives’ support ships all sunk, had lost the will to resist and were scattering in all directions, some even dropping their weapons and surrendering with hands on heads.
“Spare the lives of those who drop their weapons! Don’t kill those who surrender!”
Obei kicked away a pirate about to attack a captive and said loudly.
Her handling had an immediate effect; another group of pirates stopped upon seeing this and surrendered, dropping their armor.
The other Beasts Pirates members, seeing the situation, also waved their long swords and shouted:
“Drop your weapons! Drop your weapons! Drop your weapons!”×n
Amid the resounding intimidation, the remaining pirates on the island all dropped their swords and guns, squatting down with hands on heads.
“Gather all their weapons together.” Obei ordered.
Her subordinate pirates immediately got to work, and soon piles of weapons were stacked in front of her.
“Rest assured, I keep my word. If I say I won’t kill you, I won’t.”
Looking at the pirates squatting on the ground, uneasy but not daring to resist, Obei began to soothe them a bit.
“Haha~ I didn’t expect to be late. You actually handled it so quickly.”
Burufaruto, who had swum over, saw this scene upon landing and couldn’t help but marvel at the younger generation.
Obei turned her head to look at him upon hearing his voice, her gaze carrying a question.
Burufaruto understood her look and said to the surrendered pirates:
“By the rules, none of you would have a chance to live today, but the Beasts Pirates are short on personnel right now. Those willing to join can stand up now.
Those unwilling, I won’t take your lives either. Work as coolies on the island for a while, then go wherever you want!”
The pirates, whose hearts had risen again at Burufaruto’s arrival, hurriedly stood up one after another upon hearing his words.
Only a few who didn’t want to continue being pirates chose to work as coolies for a time and then return to their hometowns in the Four Seas to live steadily.
Burufaruto was very satisfied with this result.
“Good! Deke, take them to unload all the supplies from the supply ship and repair the island’s defenses on the spot.”
“Yes, Brother Burufaruto.”
“Obei, you took this island. The credit for seizing the flag goes to you. Go take down John’s flag.”
Burufaruto pointed to the John Pirates flag hanging in the most conspicuous spot on the island. The flag seemed unaware of its fate, still freely fluttering in the wind.
Obei wasn’t one to be polite. She took the Beasts Pirates flag and headed toward that high ground.
Without any dramatic tearing or burning of the flag, Obei simply pulled down John’s flag and tossed it aside, then raised the Beasts’ flag.
Though the action was simple, the Beasts Pirates members below couldn’t help cheering upon seeing it.
“Oh!!!”×n
“Obei! Obei! Obei!”×n
In this fervent atmosphere, even the newcomers who had just changed from captives to members unconsciously waved their hands.
“Beasts! Beasts! Beasts!”×n
……
“Yes, just like that. Put them all in place properly.”
Unlike the fervor on Obei’s side, in one corner of the island, Aoxi was directing the crew members to bury the bodies from the deck. The atmosphere around was solemn and quiet.
One by one, pits were dug, bodies placed in, trees felled one by one, tombstones erected one by one.
Those remembered had names engraved; those not remembered just had “Beasts Pirates” carved.
Everyone was busy, but everyone was very quiet.
Finally, all the bodies were buried. Aoxi looked at the dead souls standing quietly by their new graves, as if knowing they now had a new resting place.
『It’s time.』
Aoxi closed her eyes and activated her authority.
An invisible gate appeared out of thin air, filled with light inside, obscuring everything within.
“Go.”
The young Underworld God gently waved her hand, and the souls standing quietly were drawn by some force, surging into the gate one after another.
“Big Sister Aoxi? They…”
The nearby pirates didn’t know what Aoxi was doing, but their intuition told them their comrades had truly departed now.
“They’ve gone to another world.”
After the last soul crossed the gate, Aoxi opened her eyes and answered calmly.
“Really? That’s great. To have a peaceful place after death.”
That pirate sighed, and the surrounding pirates nodded in agreement.
“Let’s go back. Join up with the others. There’ll probably be more to do later.”
Aoxi took one last look at this simple little graveyard, then walked straight toward Obei’s side.
Watching Aoxi’s small figure walk away, the remaining pirates didn’t hurry to leave but stood in silence before these simple tombstones.
“That’s great. I want to keep following Big Sister Aoxi too.” One pirate suddenly said.
“Me too.”
“Me too…”
“And me.”
……
