"Hahaha! He wants us to surrender? What a joke!"

Yonji burst into laughter at Sora's words.

As a genetically modified soldier stripped of emotion, fear wasn't even in his programming.

But then he glanced at the two women standing beside Sora—Anna and Shalria—and his eyes lit up.

Their beauty alone explained why Sora kept them close. They were rare, special crewmates—and extremely easy on the eyes.

"He... he's the Godslayer…"

Reiju, staring at Sora at the ship's rail, suddenly gasped. She had just read about him in the newspaper and instantly made the connection.

"Godslayer?" Yonji looked at her, puzzled.

He hadn't heard that title before.

Reiju handed him the paper with a bitter expression.

"Today's headline: The Godslayer, Sora, killed World Nobles and the King of the Kachinov Kingdom in the North Blue."

"He also abducted Shalria, a Celestial Dragon, and Princess Anna of Kachinov."

"He's suspected to have the strength of a top-level swordsman… and his bounty…"

She paused for effect, then added,

"1.5 billion."

"That kind of bounty puts him at the level of a Four Emperor's commander."

"Plus, with his eerie ship control abilities and that enormous vessel… we can't handle him."

She turned her gaze toward the two women beside Sora—Shalria and Anna—both matching the paper's descriptions exactly.

There was no doubt.

He was the Godslayer.

"Germa 66, surrender now, and not a single one of you will be harmed."

"Refuse… and not a single one will be spared."

Sora's voice rang out over the sea.

Yonji, now finished reading the paper, turned to Reiju silently.

"What now?"

Even if the two of them joined forces, they couldn't take on someone with strength equivalent to a Four Emperor's top commander.

And with that freakishly fast ship, there was no way to escape.

"Message Father, then surrender."

"He's not attacking outright. That means he has a reason—some kind of goal."

"If we stall long enough, Father might come rescue us."

It wasn't ideal, but Reiju saw no other choice.

They couldn't win. They couldn't flee. What else was left?

More importantly, Reiju feared that if they refused, Sora would unleash his ship's full broadside and reduce them to floating wreckage.

Even if she and Yonji could survive using their transformation suits, without a ship to stand on, capture was inevitable.

Surrender was the least terrible option.

"Fine, we'll do it your way."

Yonji shrugged and signaled the crew to raise the white flag.

"They really surrendered?!"

"And we didn't even do anything!"

Anna and Shalria were stunned as Germa's white flag rose.

Even Sora, holding the megaphone, hadn't expected them to give up so easily.

His bluff—"You are surrounded by me alone"—was just for fun, a meme he couldn't resist trying out.

Still, if they surrendered, all the better.

He'd just saved himself from using a Swordmaster Experience Card.

Though Sora's infamy had spread, he was still just a weakling at the rank of Ensign—barely stronger than early-stage Tashigi.

But out at sea, with the Divine Slave at his command?

His combat power matched his 1.5 billion bounty—maybe even surpassed it.

If Germa 66 had resisted, most of them would be feeding fish by now. Only Reiju might've survived.

"Bring two pairs of Sea Prism Stone cuffs and two slave collars. Make them wear them."

As they approached Germa's snail ship, Sora issued the order to Shalria.

"Yes," Shalria replied, fetching the cuffs and tossing them over to Reiju and Yonji.

Reiju and Yonji exchanged glances, both hesitating.

The cuffs were bad enough. But the collars? That was just humiliating.

Sora narrowed his eyes, pulling out his Swordmaster Card. His finger hovered over the activation.

"Do it."

One glare from Sora—and a glance at Shalria already wearing the collar—was enough. Reiju reluctantly cuffed herself and fastened the collar. Yonji followed without protest.

"You. Get on board. The rest stay put."

"Wait for your father to come pay ransom."

Sora pointed at Reiju.

"Hear that?" Reiju said softly to Yonji, then climbed aboard the Divine Slave.

To her, this was the best outcome. At least she was the only hostage.

Once she was on board, Sora steered the ship away from Germa's vessel.

Taking Reiju was half the plan done. Now all he had to do was wait for Judge to show up—then negotiate.

"What are you looking at?!"

"Keep staring, and I'll gouge out your eyes!"

Shalria snapped, embarrassed and angry at Reiju's curious gaze.

She hated being seen like this—a noble World Noble, now a maid-slave aboard someone else's ship.

But the moment Sora's eyes shifted her way, all her frustration vanished. She lowered her head instantly.

Fear replaced rage.

She knew her place.

Among the crew, she was ranked lowest. Even Anna didn't wear the slave collar.

And Sora hated the Celestial Dragons.

If she ever provoked him, she'd be the first to die.

Reiju couldn't help but be shocked by Shalria's obedience.

As Germa's princess, she understood what it meant to anger a Celestial Dragon.

And yet this man had killed them—and even forced one into submission.

Sora was insane.

She would obey him—because angering a madman like that? Not a good idea.

Sora turned from Shalria and looked at Reiju's pink hair with a grin.

"Lady Reiju, mind telling me where Germa is located?"

"Point me in the right direction."

Waiting around was inefficient. He wanted to strike first.

Reiju nodded. She was thinking the same thing.

She pointed ahead.

"Half a day's sail in that direction."

_____

You give me a power stone, and I will give you a mass release deal? And if you like this story, add it to your library and give me a review, and I will reward you with mass release.