Chapter 414: The Counterkill
In an instant, space itself seemed to twist. Several dazed pirates who had just begun to stir dropped again as if struck by an invisible axe, collapsing to the deck without the slightest resistance.
The Wind General, Gallagher, frozen mid-scream, suddenly felt as if he were face to face with some mythical creature. For a moment, his mind went blank, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
Knowing that such near-Demigod-level beings possessed immense mental resistance, Zhou Ning didn't hesitate. He raised his right hand, and the heavy black revolver materialized in his palm. Without a word, he pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Bang!
Two silver bullets shot out in quick succession, piercing the compound eyes on Gallagher's forehead. His head snapped backward, greenish fluid spraying into the air as he let out his first scream of the day. Two horrifyingly large damage numbers flashed above him.
Before Gallagher could recover and use the wind to retreat, the Silent Pendant's cooldown ended. Zhou Ning instantly reactivated it, interrupting Gallagher's casting once more.
Seizing the window of silence, Zhou Ning calmly squeezed the trigger again. Two more bullets drilled into Gallagher's skull, carving away another chunk of his HP bar.
Enraged by the repeated humiliation, Gallagher exploded in fury. A wall of wind surged into existence and swept outward with a deafening roar.
Crack!
The ship's rails, deck planks, and even the mast were all caught and shredded in the whirlwind. Splinters filled the air like a storm of blades. In mere seconds, the legendary vessel Headwind was reduced to a ruin of flying debris.
But Zhou Ning had anticipated this. His form flickered, gliding smoothly through the storm like flowing water. He was just about to unleash Conqueror's Haki again when—without warning—his mind went blank. A streak of blue light tore free from his body and shot straight toward Gallagher.
At the same time, a red jade ring on Gallagher's right middle finger flashed with that same blue light.
A crushing pressure emanated from him—Zhou Ning realized at once that it was his own Conqueror's Haki. Gallagher had somehow stolen it using that ring!
Though stunned, Zhou Ning's powerful spiritual strength and the First Emperor title granted him exceptional resistance to mental attacks. The domination effect lasted less than a heartbeat before he broke free.
Gallagher, however, was completely unaware of that. Still shaken from the last time he'd nearly been knocked out by Zhou Ning's Haki, he assumed his stolen power had worked.
Feigning the appearance of being mentally stunned, Zhou Ning waited patiently for Gallagher to lower his guard and walk into the trap.
As expected, Gallagher smirked, raising his massive flintlock and aiming it at Zhou Ning.
But at that very moment, the Vortex Dragon, which had been circling overhead, unleashed a blast of spiraling water from behind Gallagher. The torrent struck with enormous force, forming a vast whirlpool beneath the shattered ship. The Headwind began to sink slowly into the vortex's pull.
Though only an eight-star Common Monster, the Vortex Dragon's true tier was comparable to Gallagher's—nearly Demigod-level. After all, even the Three Egyptian Gods were only ten stars.
Its sneak attack didn't deal massive damage, but it was enough to drag Gallagher into the vortex, trapping him in its spinning grip.
Seeing his enemy finally ensnared, Zhou Ning steadied his breath, adjusted his revolver's chamber, and activated Battle Echo. He raised his gun, aiming calmly at the struggling Wind General.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The shots rang out methodically, like a marksman's training drill. After the seventh round, Zhou Ning's lips curved slightly, and he murmured—
"Goodbye."
The eighth bullet fired.
It triggered Flash of Insight again, dealing double damage. The glowing silver round pierced straight through Gallagher's chest, ending his life once and for all.
Moments later, the system notifications appeared:
[You have slain "Wind General" Gallagher (Lv. 89). You gained 148,000 EXP!]
[Escort Mission: Protect the Wings of Freedom — Complete. Claim reward?]
[Your reputation among the Northland Pirates has decreased — Hostile.]
[Your reputation with the Quiet Cult has decreased — Hostile.]
[Your reputation with the Bryston Kingdom, the Raveneth Sea Kingdom, and the Church of the Sea has increased by 600 points.]
"It's done."
Zhou Ning removed his hat and pressed it to his chest, bowing slightly in respect—thanking Gallagher both for the confidence this victory had given him and for the seventy thousand Vecktas bounty that would soon follow.
He had done it—defeated a foe close to a Demigod.
After years of growth, he had finally reached the rank of a Pirate General–class powerhouse. From this moment forward, Zhou Ning had officially stepped into the ranks of the true elites of the Apocalypse Continent.
When Gallagher's corpse vanished, it left behind a pool of dark green extraordinary material and three unidentified relics. Seeing the ship about to sink, Zhou Ning gathered them up quickly, storing them in his inventory before checking their details later. Anything useful he'd keep; anything else could be sold or traded.
"He actually did it…" Richie Burke muttered in awe as he watched from the Wings of Freedom. "He boarded the Headwind alone, faced over a thousand pirates, and killed the Wind General worth seventy thousand Vecktas."
Though he'd always suspected Wayne Sturwell possessed powers beyond mortal comprehension—perhaps even the strength of a god's vessel—he had still believed that divine descent was the source of that might.
But now it was clear. Wayne Sturwell's true combat ability wasn't just on par with Pirate Generals—it surpassed them. No wonder Richie had chosen him as his golden ticket.
As the wreck of the Headwind sank beneath the waves, Wayne Sturwell descended, carrying the corpses of the Wind General Gallagher, First Mate "Hurricane" Spike, and Second Mate "Sea Serpent" Steinbeck. He landed on the deck of the Wings of Freedom and tossed their bodies onto the planks.
Red-haired Robinson exhaled deeply, feeling as if he'd just escaped death itself. If the pirates had taken him, his hard-earned ship would have been gone, and he would've been ruined. Now, his gratitude toward Wayne Sturwell overflowed.
He glanced at Gallagher's mangled body, swallowed hard, and gave Zhou Ning a thumbs-up.
"As expected of the legendary Wayne Sturwell—the acknowledged legend of Darkland. You've saved this ship."
Around them, the sailors and passengers voiced their thanks and admiration in turn.
It's because I used the Lucky Clover, Zhou Ning thought quietly. The trouble I bring on myself, I have to clean up myself.
He pointed at the corpses on the deck and asked, "Is there any way to turn them in for a bounty?"
"Of course," Robinson said quickly. "But we'll have to wait until we reach the capital island of the Motley Archipelago—Teldron Island."
He then ordered the crew to secure the corpses of Gallagher and his lieutenants, before turning to his navigator.
"Send a telegram to the Church and the military—tell them that the Wings of Freedom encountered the Wind General Gallagher."
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