Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World-Chapter 241 Captured by Billy Gut

The Nautilus groaned under the strain as the capstan rotated, its massive body breaking through the ocean's surface. Water cascaded off the vessel like waterfalls, reflecting the sunlight in dazzling patterns. The sight was nothing short of mesmerizing, but Abel's focus was elsewhere.

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As the ship's body came fully into view, it became clear just how massive the creature-turned-vessel truly was. Deep scars lined its metallic surface, each one a testament to countless battles it had endured.

Abel crossed his arms, his gaze sharp as he studied the ship's structure.

The creature's size was far greater than Abel had anticipated. It occupied the entire deck, its massive bulk protruding overboard. Judging by its sheer length, it seemed capable of easily surpassing the combined size of two One Shot ships.

Under the helmsman's command, the knights worked diligently, cutting off the useless parts and tossing them into the sea. Abel quietly observed the scene, arms crossed, when a knight suddenly approached him.

"Your Highness the Duke," the knight said.

"What's going on?" Abel responded, tilting his head slightly.

"A magic stone came out of the Nautilus' body."

"Oh!"

The magic stone looked to be of exceptional quality. A tremendous amount of energy seemed to pulse within the dark blue rock.

"I'll keep it for now. Since we all caught it together, I'll settle the accounts later," Abel declared.

"Yes? But we only cut off the tentacles. Didn't Your Highness deliver the decisive blow?" the knight stammered in surprise.

"It was because you all fought at the front that I had the opportunity. Thanks to you, we were able to protect our ship," Abel replied, smiling faintly.

"T-That kind of...," the knight began, clearly flustered.

Of course, Abel was well aware that without his intervention, the odds of victory would have been far slimmer. The Nautilus' tentacles had an almost infinite capacity for regeneration, and the knights lacked the power to pierce its shell.

Still, Abel chose to share the credit with everyone. The magic stone wouldn't yield much profit if sold, and Abel's military achievements already far outshone those of anyone else aboard. Adding the fame of defeating the Nautilus to his record wouldn't make much of a difference to him.

'But for them, this is big,' Abel thought, his gaze sweeping over the deck.

Since they would be together for some time, it was important to build goodwill. Abel smiled broadly.

"Thank you for your hard work. Please get some rest," he said warmly.

"Yes, Your Highness!" the knight responded, saluting with a bright smile before rejoining his comrades.

Cheers erupted across the deck as the knight shared the good news.

"Wow!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

The jubilant atmosphere was infectious. Abel smiled awkwardly and waved a hand dismissively, though inwardly he was pleased with their joy.

Suddenly, the helmsman appeared, running out of breath.

"Your Highness!"

"What's wrong?" Abel asked, his brow furrowing.

The helmsman, who had been overseeing the dismantling of the Nautilus, delivered a report that made Abel rise abruptly from his seat.

"There's a pirate ship to starboard!"

The time had finally come.

---

"Battle...!" Abel started to shout, raising the Hector Punisher in a dramatic flourish. Then, thinking better of it, he let his arm drop limply.

Their objective wasn't to engage in battle. They needed to capture Billy Gut and infiltrate his base. Fighting now would only jeopardize their plan. The pirate ship had to believe they were nothing more than a defenseless merchant vessel.

"Let's pretend to flee at full speed. Turn the boat around!" Abel ordered.

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"Yes, sir!"

The wind direction shifted in their favor, and a tailwind helped propel their ship forward. Unfortunately, the same wind also aided the pirates, who closed the distance rapidly.

"Kehehehe! Stop right there, you lunchbox fools!" a pirate bellowed.

"I'll gut you like fish and feed you to the sharks!" another yelled, laughing maniacally.

"Oh, no! Such cruel words. Why don't you hand us over to the jellyfish instead?"

"They're all going to eat you anyway, so what's the difference?"

"Is that so? Either way, charge!"

The pirates, chattering wildly, drew closer with terrifying speed.

Whirring sounds filled the air as grappling hooks flew across the gap, catching the ship's stern.

"Zero!"

"One!"

"Zero!"

"One!"

"Let's storm the deck!"

Planks clattered into place, and pirates poured onto the deck.

Clang! Chae-chaeng!

The knights on board surrendered almost immediately, raising their hands after barely a token resistance. Abel followed suit, spreading his arms in mock resignation.

The pirates exchanged confused glances.

"That was easier than expected. Didn't they put up more of a fight before?"

"Maybe they've learned better. Resistance is useless if you're doomed to lose," one pirate reasoned.

"Ah, I get it. If you keep getting beaten down, you'll realize it's pointless to struggle," another chimed in.

"Let's loot the ship!"

The pirates wasted no time, prying open the cargo hold. Inside, they found stacks of paper, fabric, and pottery.

"Kuhahaha! The intel was right! They were headed to Jude!"

"We hit the jackpot! This must've been their last desperate attempt to escape," a pirate crowed.

The pirate captain, a scruffy figure with missing teeth and a hideous grin, turned to Abel with malicious glee.

However, his expression quickly darkened as he spotted a white and red object lying on the deck.

"What is that?" the captain demanded.

"It looks like a Nautilus shell," one pirate muttered, wide-eyed.

"You mean they caught that massive creature? No way! Why would they surrender to us so easily?"

"Maybe they picked it up somewhere?"

The captain's gaze sharpened as he studied Abel suspiciously.

Abel, feigning fear, stammered, "I-I picked it up while passing through. It must've died of old age—it was floating on the water."

"Ah, is that so?"

The captain's suspicion melted into a triumphant grin. He was ecstatic at the thought of acquiring the Nautilus' byproduct.

"Hahahaha! What a lucky haul! Lock these fools in the cabin!"

"Yes, Captain!"

As planned, Abel and his crew were captured by Billy Gut's pirate ship.