Barraba practically tumbled into the dock.
Behind him, only three or four equally furious loyalists followed.
The grand sea serpent now had only a few isolated figures left.
When Barraba saw Hanson's group standing with Gibbs and Billy, chatting and laughing, and even wearing clothes with the simple emblem of the explorer, his eyes instantly turned red.
It was a red mixed with the anger of betrayal, the panic of abandonment, and the madness of losing everything.
"Hanson! You damn traitors!"
Barraba pointed at them, his voice trembling violently with rage.
"Have you forgotten who led you to fortune?"
"Have you forgotten who bought you drinks?"
"How dare you betray me!"
Hanson faced Barraba's accusations, a flicker of guilt crossing his face, but it was quickly replaced by resolve.
He stepped forward, looked Barraba directly in the eyes, and said in a deep voice:
"Captain, we haven't forgotten."
"But we also haven't forgotten who, after finding the treasure, tried to take ninety percent for himself, treating us like fools!"
"We also haven't forgotten who, after getting the gold coins, turned into a coward who just hid in his cabin going mad!"
"We are pirates, we risk our lives, we're not here to go mad with you!"
Hanson's words were forceful and echoed the sentiments of all the crew members who had switched sides.
"You..."
Barraba was choked into silence, his face turning a purplish-red.
He suddenly turned his head, staring intently at Roger, who was slowly descending from the explorer.
"Roger! This is all your doing, isn't it!"
"It's you! You seduced my crew!"
He roared hysterically, like a beast driven into a corner.
Roger walked up to him, his expression still calm.
"Captain, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't just say whatever you want."
"Don't you have any idea why your crew would leave you and choose me?"
"Following you, they saw a mad, unpredictable captain with an uncertain future."
"Coming to me, they see a brand-new warship, ample supplies, clear goals, and hope."
Roger's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a heavy hammer, striking Barraba's heart.
"People strive for higher places, water flows to lower grounds."
"This is the simplest truth."
"They chose me; I didn't seduce them, it was their own decision."
Roger spread his hands, looking innocent.
"I can't just push away brothers who want to join me, can I?"
"That would be too unethical."
"You're full of it!" Barraba trembled with rage.
"They are my crew! You must give them back to me!"
"Give them back to you?"
Before Roger could speak, Billy couldn't hold back.
He stood in front of Roger, carrying a large axe, looking at Barraba with disdain.
"Barraba, are you still dreaming?"
"Do you think it's still your time to call the shots?"
"Look at the sorry state you're in now, then look at Brother Roger!"
"Brothers following you don't even know where their next meal is coming from."
"Following our Brother Roger, we're about to go take down the Royal Navy!"
"They'd be idiots to go back with you!"
Billy's words were a bit crude and wild, but the logic was perfectly sound.
Hanson's group of newly joined crew members also stood behind Roger, demonstrating their stance with their actions.
The awe they once held for Barraba was gone from their eyes, replaced only by pity and distance.
Barraba looked at the clearly defined, united front before him, and his last shred of fantasy shattered.
He knew he wouldn't get these crew members back.
His ship, his team, his authority as captain, had all crumbled overnight.
And the cause of all this was the young man he had fished out of the sea.
"Roger... I'll kill you!"
The immense humiliation and anger finally broke Barraba's last bit of sanity.
He roared, drew the jewel-encrusted scimitar from his waist, and lunged at Roger!
However, his sword hadn't even been raised halfway.
"Click! Click! Click!"
A series of crisp metallic loading sounds abruptly echoed in the dock.
Hanson, Billy, Gibbs, and all the surrounding explorer crew members raised their flintlock pistols at the same time.
Over thirty dark muzzles, from all directions, were aimed at Barraba and his few pitiful loyalists.
Barraba's movement froze mid-air.
He looked at those who had once been loyal to him, now pointing cold gun barrels at his face, and his mind went blank.
Only then did he realize with horror that, without him noticing, he had truly become a solitary figure.
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