Headed by a Snake

Chapter 764 Apex Predator

?With an acrobatic flip, Wonderboy closed the distance with the Captain, bringing down his blades from above.

"?Ice BARRIER!!!?" Krysaos held out his left hand overhead, a half-fulm thick sheet of ice not quite blocking the blow... but giving him enough time to hop backward.

"[Surrender, Captain Krysaos,]" Wonderboy whirled his blades before holding them in a cross pattern over his chest. It was something the Elven Ancient liked to do. "[Thou art not only a commoner facing a king... but a mortal facing a GOD.]"

"Che! Like I give a shite about the gods," Krysaos spat... "And ANYROAD, I'm a gods-damned Captain of a gods-damned ship..."

He pointed his rapier forward, laying his offhand atop his forearm, "and a gods-damned APEX PREDATOR!!! MINA!! Do the ?THING WE TALKED ABOUT!!!!?"

Four spell-circles appeared at Krysaos' feet, shining a harsh whitish blue. Water erupted skyward, fully enveloping the gentleman... and taking the shape of...

...Not an aquatic drake.

...Nor a sea leviathan.

An Abyssal Sea Wolf would have been appropriate, but it wasn't that either.

It... could have been a shark? Those were dangerous water-dwelling creatures.

"Imperia, what is that?" Tycondrius asked.

The dark elf's eyes were wide with horror, "It's... a W-whitesaber Tuna!!!"

Tycon looked back to Krysaos' watery summon... "Ah. I see it now."

Despite the Captain's choice to conjure something Tycon thought of more as delicious rather than dangerous... he probably had good reason to do so.

...Krysaos was the water-mage, not him.

Thus the giant... Whitesaber Tuna crashed down upon the tiny-by-comparison Wonderboy.

Tycon kept his footing as water spilled outwardly into the area, the first wave going up to his knees, and subsequent waves, his ankles.

Parents in the crowd scolded their children for hopping up and down or splashing their young siblings and peers.

Tycon observed the spot where the Coral Boy should have most certainly been crushed into rocky mush.

It exploded-- which thankfully, he was prepared for. He took a step behind Imperia as she reflexively put up a ?Mana Ward? to guard herself from the shower of mud.

Wonderboy-- his eyes glowed white with fury as he lunged forward, punching Krysaos in the face while grabbing his wrist. In a savage motion, the Coral Boy wrenched the man's arm until the Heart of the Ocean splashed into the shallow water.

Tycon grimaced, upon realizing what had likely happened... though he could not yet confirm it.

To the Captain's credit, he reacted immediately, grabbing onto Wonderboy's arm and immediately throwing him over his shoulder.

Wonderboy dexterously landed on his feet, then powered his elbow into Krysaos' side.

"GAH!!" Krysaos yelped in pain, dropping into the shallows with a muddy splash.

"[I will NOT lose to you, Krysaos!!!]" The Coral Boy declared.

Slowly... Krysaos lifted his head, revealing the wide grin of a madman. He shot his arms out to the side, sheathing his forearms and fists with a protective layer of ice, "Then you better step up your game, boyo."

Then... the two began to fight.

...without weapons.

...using only their... fists.

It was... baffling.

Krysaos might have had excellent skill at weight-manipulation and combat throws... but boxing was... not one of his strong points.

The man was beyond redemption, having chosen to continue fighting disarmed. However, his stubbornness was... somewhat admirable. At the very least... if his true goal was to impress Imperia, the dark elf girl had become completely enthralled by his actions.

Granted, he was still going to lose. Besides the Ancient's centuries of developing the Blade Dance... the body he controlled also had the advantage of being multiplicatively larger and stronger than he.

The crowd knew this. Their faces were not hopeful.

Still, they spoke Krysaos' words from a short while earlier.

Talk. Sh*t. Get. Hit. Over and over.

They stomped their feet into the mud as they repeated their new mantra.

None were louder than the Coral Boys, of course... but it was an infectious chant.

"Wh...why hasn't he given up yet?" Imperia muttered... "This... is too much."

"That's the kind of man he is," Tycon mused, "a man worth following."

"My NAME is Krysaos!!" The Captain shouted, "Scourge of the SEVENTEEN SEAS!!

"Wielder of the gods-DAMNED MASTER SWORD!!!

"Captain of the Neptune's Revenge, the best GODS-DAMNED CREW IN THE F*CKIN' REALM!!!"

"And I WILL!!!" He smashed a hammer fist into Wonderboy's face, but took a punch to the kidney for his troubles.

"HAVE!!" He ducked another hook, powering one of his own into the center of Wonderboy's belly.

"Your RESPECT!!!" He slipped to the side, Wonderboy's punch clipping the side of his head and drawing blood.

"Go DOWN, you SONUVA B*TCH!!!" Krysaos shouted, powering an icy overhand towards Wonderboy's face.

Wonderboy shot his own right forward, his own fury apparent, "[FALL, MORTAL!!!!]"

Krysaos' fist struck first, the ice cracking and shattering against Wonderboy's head... but it lacked the strength of his earlier blows. The Coral Boy didn't even flinch.

That fellow's fist smashed into Krysaos' nose, launching the human backward through the air where he landed in a puddle.

Wonderboy took a step forward, eyes still glowing in rage.

--but that was enough.

In a smooth motion, Tycon unsheathed his sword and hurled it between the two. It stuck in the mud just short of Wonderboy's feet.

The lime-green Coral Boy slowly turned his head... "[WHAT... is... the meaning of this?]"

Tycon gestured over to Krysaos' corner of the arena... where Mina sat upon the muddy dirt, struggling to breathe. She had run out of mana... and her summoner was likely not doing much better.

The Coral Boy relaxed his posture, closed his eyes... and nodded.

It was done.

Tycon raised his voice, addressing not just King, but the crowd, "The match has been determined!"

All at once, the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Good fight!! Best fight I've ever seen!!"

"That Corallidus 'sa TOUGH sumb*tch!!!!"

"That Krysaos guy wasn't no slouch, either!!"

"--Wait, Krysaos? That-- that guy and his crew took out the Knights of SARLEON!!!"

"Damn good fight!! Daaaamn gooood!!!"

Of course, the... reaction of Krysaos' crew was far different... starting with Petty Officer Bob.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR 'AT YOU MUTINOUS GIT!!!"