The captain saw through his one eye that all of the knights of the Dragons were exhausted and sweating as he smirked at the so-called Prince. What was his name again? Ah! Demian Salamander.

He had heard his deeds as how merciless he was but never saw him. He had expected to see a grown up man instead of a child. Just a young one who had no experience in battles. He smiled inwardly as he was going to fight a winning battle. He had twenty six crew members including himself and most of them had experience in battles while the soldiers were merely a bunch of rookies. He was sure they hadn't even gone out of their protective barrier of Dragon nation.

He pouted, "I had been expecting a good fight."

The little kid smiled at him but his eyes were cold as ice as he said, "Oh! Don't you worry, I am here to grant your wish, after all that's why I came here."

He had to praise the boy for his confidence and laughed hysterically as his eye fell on the woman behind him. What was a woman doing here? Talk about some nuisance taking their plaything on the battlefield. Well, after winning, he could always take that girl as his prize. After all, it had been months since he had laid his eyes on any woman.

"Enough with the chit chat! After I win this battle, I will be taking that girl beside you," he said and the little Prince's eyes blazed devilishly as it turned two shades darker. That girl might be really important as he hadn't expected this expression from him and the captain grinned. He had hit a nerve.

He ordered his men as his left hand pointed at the enemies, "Finish them all!"

His crew immediately took action as they launched their attacks. Most of them had ground power and two of them had water power. And it seemed the environment they had chosen was in favour of them. It was a forest and just beside it was the ocean. Perfect for water users.

As the ground wizards put their hands on the soil, the ground beneath the soldiers moved in unusual ways. They looked at their feet and noticed it had started to become muddy as the knights stumbled and soon their legs were detained in it. They tried to free themselves but it stuck on them like glue.

As the soldiers' legs were finally restrained in the muddy soil, his men went forward with their swords toward the poor soldiers who were going to be dead in a matter of time. He smiled and his eyes moved toward the little Prince as he expected a shock, or fear instead he noticed, he had a smirk of his own, playing on his lips. Why was he smirking?

He might have gone insane or maybe smirking at his own foolishness. He scoffed and saw his men reaching them.

They swung their sword as his grin became widened; however, as they neared, their sword met with another set of swords in the air. He saw a few knights from behind the restricted soldiers deflect the wizards' swords in swift manner. The captain's jaw hung. From where they had arrived? He clearly saw the soldiers getting stuck.

Before his mind could register, the Dragon soldiers jumped taking their comrades' shoulders as a help to reach his crew members. As his men hadn't been prepared, they were unable to move instantly and the soldiers had already done their tasks.

A series of heads fell on the ground as fruits fell from trees along with their motionless bodies. As soon as their heads were severed, the ground became normal and the previous soldiers were released. All of them came out of the mud as they stood with their eyes blazing with fire and the captain gritted his teeth. Eight of their men were already dead all because he had been overconfident with himself and with his men.

"Useless fools! Look before you act!" He shouted as his eyes fell on the little Prince who still had the same smirk on his face. His blood boiled as how a mere child defeated him in the first hours of his battle!

He had been ruling the sea for over twenty years! He had seen more battles than the prince could count in his fingers. How hadn't he seen it coming?

"What happened, Captain Roover?" The Prince called, snapping him out of his rage-filled thoughts, "I assume, you are enjoying this as I find it very amusing to see the pathetic side of the infamous Captain Roover, Captain of Dark Maiden."

Captain Roover's eyes narrowed at the devil who had disgusted himself in a little child's body. He knew about him? And he knew about his ship's name, Dark Maiden. Who could have told him?

Irwin!

Irwin had known about his name and his whereabouts. Had he betrayed him? That coward! He knew that the smashed-face lord would sell him one day. Despite having helped Irwin with all of the bad deeds he had done. He should have placed a curse on him!

True, he had been the captain of the ship for over twenty years and he had looted, slaughtered many ships. He ought to be famous in the sea and he knew he was a wanted criminal.

His eyes turned red with rage as he saw the Prince. Looked like he had come prepared. It meant he knew all the weaknesses of his crew mates. Captain Roover washed over his eyes on his remaining members as his mind started to form theories and then he grinned.

As the Prince had no idea of his power as not even his ship's men had witnessed it. His smile turned wicked.

"Well, I have to praise you for coming this far especially, you have taken down eight of my men."

"You are mistaken, Captain Roover, it's not eight," The Prince said as his deep blue eyes moved toward Roover's left side and as he tilted his head, Captain Roover's one eye came out of his socket-since the other one had an eye patch. Three of his soldiers had killed two of his men from behind. As the prince finished, "But ten."

Demian added, "Oh! If I add the previous two men, then it's twelve, however you killed the one with vine powers." He shrugged as his eyes moved lazily.

Captain Roover felt his blood boiling in his veins as the cunning Prince had sent three soldiers sneakily. He growled, distaste carved on his face, "You! Sneaky little bastard!"

"Ho! I had expected some respect as I am giving you what you have wished for. A good fight!"

"You are playing unfairly!" He growled.

"You haven't mentioned playing fairly." Demian said as he held his gaze and there was a mocking expression on his face which irked Captain Roover more.

A few curses came out of his mouth in which Demian smiled, "I take it as a compliment, Captain Roover as now you have known me for real."

The Captain could not decide what to do as his head throbbed painfully with the anger accumulating there and he wanted nothing but to kill this little brat right there and now. He shouted, "Kill them! And make sure to check your surroundings, you fools!"

The wizards were a bit perplexed at the Dragon warriors' presence as they fought like experienced battalions which was a surprise for them. They had thought they were a bunch of inexperienced bunch but seeing them now, as they were striking at them toe to toe made them feel how wrong they were. Despite fighting for quite a while, they weren't least exhausted.

At their captain's order, a few of them who had air magic, came forward. They concentrated on their surroundings but it was hard to move the air as their air slash wasn't working in the salted air. Normal ground air could have been great but when it came to salted sea air, it was a bit heavy to move. They tried again but after reaching a certain distance, the slashers were released in the air. They exchanged glances among them as the captain shouted, "What are you doing? You fools!"

"But captain, it's not working!"

"Then use it together!"

So, they used it together as a gust of wind appeared before them and went toward the Dragon soldiers like a typhoon on the sea. A few of the soldiers went flying but a few jabbed their sword on the ground and held it as if their life depended on it. As the five of the air wizards were trying to cut them with the air slash attacks, they heard a swish from behind them.

*****

The three wizards before Casian had the power of ground and it was getting annoying for him that they were aiming at the soil beneath his feet. "Honestly, do you have no other way to make me suffer?"

"This is what you get, you, a servant of the Dragon Prince." The wizard hissed as it made Casian more irritated and he halted, "Hey, you bufferd, I'm Prince Casian and no way, I'm his servant."

The wizard bobbed one of his brows, "Never heard of ye."

Casian's brow twitched as he drew out his sword and launched forward. The wizard's eyes could not follow him as within a moment, he came near one of his men and slashed his sword through his abdomen. Blood splattered as Casian stepped back immediately, his face twisted at the sight.

The wizard got perplexed at his speed and looked at him warily as the Prince's grey eyes glinted although he still was gagging. He seemed like a viper as he smiled. The wizard gulped as the sound of a tumbling body came to his ears. He tilted his head and saw the other wizard was already dead as a man with glasses, wiped his sword with a handkerchief. His face bore no emotion instead his eyes gave him a sign of a cold killer.

"Allison! Gross, don't wipe it out like this," The man who claimed to be a Prince said as he gagged, "I feel sick."

"But you have commanded me to start with their faces." Allison said, "and I have disfigured the poor man's face."

The wizard gulped but had no guts to see what he had done with his comrade.

"Urgh! Yes." Prince Casian looked the other way.

The wizard's eyes drifted between them as he thought what was wrong with them? Were they stupid, or something? But seeing their skills, it didn't seem like they were stupid. They were just playful because they were strong and he had been feeling a dangerous vibe from both of the men. Should he run away?

No, if he tried to run, his captain would chop his head off. But if he didn't, these men will do that instead. This was a very complicated situation as he wanted to live but whichever option he chose, he would die. So, he did what a poor, helpless wizard would do at a moment's notice.

He spun on his heels and started to run leaving the prince and his attendant in a slack jawed state. Who cared about the battle when he had enough jewels to have a good life!

"Err... Well, I didn't expect this." Casian said seeing the wizard running away from them as Allison nodded.

"It seemed he would rather choose life over death, smart fellow." Allison said, which failed to satisfy Casian. He scowled.

The wizard ran as far as his legs could take him and now he would be free. He had served Captain Roover for over a decade but he was tired of his angry comebacks. Now he would not have to listen to him.

A grin formed on his face but immediately replaced by a frown as he ran further ahead and wished he should have taken another root.