Chapter 426: Flexible Bottom Line
He had stolen exactly the transcendent ability he wanted most—Zhou Ning almost regretted that it couldn't be kept permanently. Nothing else mattered; that +15% Agility bonus fit him perfectly.
This skill belonged to the rare advanced Druid class. Who would've thought the werewolf Mason was actually a Druid?
Zhou Ning's movements instantly became even faster and more precise. His base Agility was already an impressive 379. After equipping Dark Hymn, which granted +13 Agility, it rose to 392. In the past two days, his divine-level training regimen had given him another 2 Agility and 1 Strength. Adding the 300 Agility temporarily borrowed from the Prepaid Hourglass, his total reached 694. Now, after stealing this ability called Ferocity Drive, his Agility skyrocketed to 798—nearly at demigod level—allowing him to move effortlessly among these infamous pirates.
Zhou Ning could only light a candle for his next opponent.
A pirate named "Skinny Bill" clutched a handful of spell components and tossed a puff of brown powder into the air, chanting in a low, ancient Falric tongue:
"Frost!"
The powder expanded on contact with air, bursting into clusters of icy crystals that swept toward Zhou Ning.
Behind Bill, another pirate conjured a blazing fire dragon in his palm. He calmly raised his arm and thrust it forward with a roar.
Having just acquired Ferocity Drive, Zhou Ning sensed the attack from behind without even using Observation Haki. Without hesitation, he pulled out his Silence Pendant, and a cold blue light flashed across its surface.
He had targeted the fire mage with the skill Confusion.
This ability completely distorted the target's sense of direction.
The pirate's fire dragon suddenly veered off course, turning sharply in midair—and slammed straight into the werewolf Mason, whose slowed movements made him an easy target. Flames ignited Mason's black fur, scorching his flesh and forcing a pained howl from his throat.
Zhou Ning then shifted slightly to his right, feinting as though preparing to turn that way. But in the next instant, his body twisted left instead—so swiftly and fluidly it looked like a dance move—sliding right past "Skinny Bill." He activated Battle Echo, raised his pistol, and fired point-blank.
The bullet struck Bill square in the head, blowing open a massive wound as golden flames rippled outward. Bill toppled backward with a thud.
–16964!
[You have slain Skinny Bill (Lv.71 High-Tier Meteorologist). You gained 128,000 EXP!]
Even Zhou Ning hadn't expected that one shot to be so devastating. It struck a vital point and triggered Inspiration Surge, instantly killing the pirate who, with his Vin Diesel–like build, had seemed so formidable moments ago.
Seeing this, the remaining pirates' expressions hardened. Fear flashed in their eyes, then fury. They closed ranks, united by shared hatred.
Some hurled flaming spears, others drew flintlock pistols and pulled their triggers, while a few used restraining spells in an attempt to pin Zhou Ning down.
But under the combined power of Observation Haki and Ferocity Drive, Zhou Ning read every move as if watching them in slow motion. With fluid, lightning-fast footwork, he dodged, sidestepped, and twisted midair, letting every attack miss by inches. He kept the battle within his perfect 31-yard control radius, flawless and unbroken.
By now, the werewolf Mason had extinguished the flames on his body. With a powerful push of his hands, he sprang up and lunged straight for Zhou Ning. In his transformed state, his mind was clouded by bloodlust—he wanted nothing more than to rip his enemy to shreds.
His claws extended again, glowing faintly green—the infectious toxin capable of turning others into werewolves.
Then he froze. Zhou Ning's entire body radiated a palpable, crushing aura that spread outward in a visible wave, dimming even the transcendent light barrier overhead.
Zhou Ning had unleashed his full power. His Conqueror's Haki erupted at its peak, sweeping across the entire battlefield. Its innate 115% suppression effect against pirates, enhanced further by the First Emperor's Milestone, proved overwhelming. Two pirates couldn't withstand the sudden, oppressive force and froze on the spot. The others faltered, stunned or dazed.
Mason—whose will had already been weakened—was hit the hardest. He stood motionless, mind blank.
Zhou Ning seized the opening without hesitation.
He summoned Deathwing.
A colossal black dragon descended from the skies, slamming into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Just like in their earlier dungeon collaboration, Deathwing immediately followed up with Earth Spikes and Earthquake, chaining crowd control effects together and lifting six or seven pirates helplessly into the air.
Zhou Ning activated his Revenge skill. Two blazing wings unfurled from his sides, and he opened fire on the airborne pirates in two rapid volleys.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The black Ebony and white Ivory pistols alternated like black-and-white musical notes, each shot ringing with rhythm. With nearly 800 Agility, the two volleys unleashed through Revenge produced terrifying damage. Massive numbers flashed above the pirates' heads one after another. Then came the second stage of Revenge: Zhou Ning spun midair, firing wildly in all directions. Each bullet, wrapped in flames and rippling energy, found its mark.
When he landed lightly a moment later, bodies rained down around him. Every pirate caught in the attack had been slain, thudding lifelessly to the ground.
Only two enemies remained outside the attack range—one of them being the werewolf Mason, whom Zhou Ning had deliberately spared until now. But Mason's health was already hanging by a thread.
Zhou Ning drew a small silver hand crossbow, elegant and deadly, and aimed at Mason. He pulled the trigger.
A luminous bolt of pure light pierced Mason's chest, pinning him to the ground and ending his life.
A thin, shadowy human soul rose from the crossbow, letting out a silent scream.
At the same time, a game notification appeared before Zhou Ning's eyes:
[Hunt thirty-six wicked souls: 1/36.]
Hunt successful!
Zhou Ning holstered the crossbow and exhaled deeply. This confirmed it—targets like the werewolf Mason were exactly the kind he needed: vile enough to meet the "wicked soul" criteria, and strong enough for their souls to be worthwhile prey.
Of course, there were other pirates just as depraved as Mason—murderers, looters, the worst of the worst—but Zhou Ning didn't know their individual deeds, and his crossbow could only contain one soul at a time. He had to let the rest go.
In the third season of the drama, Zhou Ning had seen Professor Bislok store Charles VI's soul in a test tube. But considering the risk of being monitored by the neural network, this wasn't the time to try that.
Only one pirate remained—the one who had cast the fire dragon earlier. When Zhou Ning's gaze fell on him, the man didn't hesitate.
"I surrender!" he shouted.
To show sincerity, he tossed away his weapon, unbuckled his belt, stripped off his coat and pants, and lay flat on the ground—hands spread, utterly defenseless.
A flexible bottom line indeed.
This was, in fact, the unspoken rule among Northern pirates for surrendering. Instantly, a guard sprang forward, pinned him down with a swift scissor kick, and took him into custody.
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