I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 149: Maria Frostvile [1]

Clank—

The wooden bar fell on our cruise from above, connecting us with the warships standing high before us.

From afar, these warships looked like normal, tiny ships with cannons and guns on their bodies. But when viewed up close, they resembled a mountain loaded with high-tech missiles and rockets.

Turning my head to Ruby, who was subconsciously clinging to her dimension cloak, gripping it closer to her body, I gulped harder.

"It'll be fine. Just don't let Lily come out." I shot her an assured smile, calming her mind, before she freaked out more.

She shot me back a tensed smile, and seeing that, my heart clenched tightly.

Gripping my katana, I walked forward, about to climb onto the wooden bar.

And from behind, Ruby followed me. Her mask concealed her expression as she tightly gripped her sword.

I was still wearing the AI mask and was in my 'Star Eye' persona.

No matter what, in front of an authority holder, this disguise meant nothing.

Step. Step. Step.

When I entered the warship, nearly twenty pirates with their weapons in their hands greeted me.

But one thing I noticed, despite my Ruler skill being used just a minute ago, is that they all seemed unnaturally calm. It seemed like my Ruler skill had no effect at all.

Broad men with topless outfits and a few females carrying bows and shields in their arms were daggerring at me with a look of malice.

Their gaze didn't bother me much, as the main thing I was concerned about was her. She held the position of authority at that moment. Who might be among them?

I ran my gaze through each one of them, catching any similarity about authority holders.

I acted unfazed. I was unusually calm.

One of the men with blue hair and a scar running across his chest stepped forward. He was wearing a metal gauntlet on his fist.

Changing it together, and with a smug face, he asked me directly.

"Are you that bastard who dared to enter our territory?"

He lowered his body to match my height.

"Don't you know… We're the Red Skull. We can squash a brat like you any time we want."

He mocked, drifting his gaze to Ruby behind me.

"Oooh, you got a pretty lady with you," his smile widened. "Is this the reason for that smug look on your face?"

I stared at him intensely, lifted the katana from the side, and rested it on my shoulder. I answered with coldness in my tone.

"Call the most powerful person in your crew."

"..."

If I want to get out of this situation, then it's better to just face the time authority directly. And it's not like she will harm me, at least until I meet with Karton.

"Hahaha haha!" the man laughed, placing his palm over his head. "Are you for real, kid?"

He was looking down on me.

That's perfect.

"Do you know the situation you were in, kid?"

He paused, taking a step back and spreading his hands.

"Look around, you're surrounded. There's nothing you can do now but to run away, can you?"

Indeed, our small cruise seemed like a fly in the face of the warships, and not to forget, their ships have the highest-grade weapons and missiles attached to them. It's a sailing disaster, and encountering one was a disastrous decision.

For others, that is…

But what does this mean for Ruby and me?

Well for us, it's like hunting your regular demon.

Smirking at the man standing in front of me, I said with confidence.

"Five warships? Want a joke? If you want to land a bit of a scratch on me, then you better gather fifty of them."

Hearing me talk like this, the rest of the pirates began to murmur among them.

'Aren't you talking too much?' Concerned, Sera.

It's fine. I got this.

Currently, I am mocking them; I'll make them feel that they mean nothing to me. Such behaviour will instil in the pirates a sense of pride, leading them to divulge crucial information that I am currently seeking.

The man with blue hair gripped tightly on his garnet; I could see the veins on his head popping up. Grinding his teeth, he tensed his shoulders.

"Haha…" The man turned away from me and said with pity, "If it weren't for our captain's order, your head would be in between my fists."

Captain, huh?

If it's due to their captain that they didn't attack us, then that captain must be the time authority holder, who noticed my presence and instructed his crew to halt any attack directed at us.

Tilting my head to the side, I asked with a grin.

"Oh my, I'm grateful for the mercy she had shown to me," I hummed, taking a step closer to the group of pirates, "so, where is that captain you speak of anyways?"

"Right here." A maiden's voice came from behind the pirates.

The group of pirates moved to the sides, creating a path directed to me.

Click. Click. Click.

Her heels clicked on the wet floor, thumping the quiet atmosphere.

Long black hair and deep blue eyes, wearing a black sailor uniform with a white gradient and a long sabre resting on her thin waist, she walked towards me.

"Captain?" The man with a scar chimed in confusion.

The captain ignored the man, merely warning him with a hint of coldness in her tone.

"Don't mock him, Jack; you aren't of his equal."

The man turned his gaze to me and then to his captain before shutting his mouth.

Seeing her walk towards me excited my heartbeat.

Her gaze and confident smile all shouted that she was the one.

Lowering my katana from my shoulder, I greeted her by slightly bending my back.

"We met sooner than I expected," I spoke.

The gaze of the time authority holder met mine.

Lifting her skirt in courtesy, she greeted me back.

"It is just the flow of time. Take my apologies, Paradox."

Lifting her head, her calculative gaze scanned me from top to bottom.

"What brings you here?" She inquired.

Chuckling, I answered her. "Why am I not allowed to? Or, 'He' doesn't want me to."

Narrowing her eyes, she shook her head.

"That's not the case; you're free to go anywhere. It's only fate that brings you straight to me."

You call it fate. I refer to it as my unfortunate destiny!

Cursing my luck for the 100th time, I asked cautiously.

"Are you going to take us hostage for passing your territory?"

"Not at all."

"It's surprising for a captain of an infamous pirate group to be one of us."

I never thought a fellow Authority holder would be a pirate captain.

"You're not wrong," she answered, placing her hand on her chest, "I'm someone who was destined to be a pirate. It's written in the flow of time. Every version of mine was destined to be a pirate, no matter the time, no matter the world."

I didn't understand a single thing she was talking about. However, ignoring the issue at hand, I introduced Ruby to her.

"This is my companion. Her name's…"

Fuck! I forgot to ask Ruby's name.

Seeing me stuck, Ruby hurriedly stepped forward, lifting the sides of her dress; she politely bowed and introduced herself.

"Greetings, the name's Jasmine."

The captain turned her head to her and greeted her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jasmine. My name's Maria. Maria Frostvile."

"Huh?!" Ruby froze in her stance.

And I was no different.

Frostvile?

Did I hear it incorrectly?

I glanced at her again, but this time I scrutinized her more closely.

She had black hair and deep blue eyes. She was a citizen of the Frostvile kingdom no doubt. But that surname…

It's bothering me.

I have heard it somewhere… but I can't seem to recall where.

Ruby, noticing my silence, asked Maria.

"Are you related to Queen Alice Frostvile?"

"...Hm?" Maria's eyes widened slightly before she said, "It's been a while since I heard that name. You two seem to know a lot about history."

Alice Frostvile.

Of course, I could forget. She was the one who gave the Frostvile Kingdom its current name.

The first queen to rule over. The person who founded the Frostvile kingdom thousands of years ago.

That means Alice was Maria's great-ancestor.

Seeing both of us in confusion, Maria spoke.

"Alice Frostvile was none other than my mother."

"Huh…?"

My eyes widened at her words.

What is she talking about?

That was her mother?

But she existed for over 1000 years in history. This longevity makes her a significant historical figure.

Maria's eyes shifted back to me.

This time she smiled before throwing me a pitiful look.

"Fate truly is cruel."

I didn't speak.

"Time will flow on infinitely, but for some…" Her gaze met mine. "It just stopped completely."

I listened, carefully understanding each word she spoke.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.

"I never expected that Paradox and I would be this similar."

"Maybe meeting you was truly fate…"

"This brightens my mood, to meet someone just like me."

Parting my lips, I asked her.

"What are you saying? How am I like you?"

A pleasant smile formed on Maria's face before she spoke.

"Immortality is a curse, don't you think?"