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<997 – Hi Hydra (2)>

After finishing the schedule at the House of Oknodie, the group was on the Return Path.

Jigoku received coordinates for the competition venue held in the Empire for the promised Bikini Armor contest and steered the ship toward that location.

“Captain, aren’t we in deep trouble?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if the news gets out that our bribery led to the destruction of the Pirate Festival?”

“You’d be hunted by every pirate group in the world.”

“Ugh. I thought joining the Jigoku Pirate Group would bring me a bright future, but it’s only gotten worse.”

Even the low-tier members could see the bleak future of the properly endangered Jigoku Pirate Group!

Still, Jigoku ignited some hope.

After all, even if Masugaki was being bold with her words, she might actually have the pirates gathered nicely and was conducting a Bikini release review at the Empire’s prison.

That was honestly crossing the line.

But it was better than killing all the pirate groups that gathered from around the world for the festival!

‘Or maybe I’m wrong? If we’re going to mess things up, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to kill them all to prevent any future rumors?’

On their way to participate in the Bikini Armor contest, checking on survivors was also a goal with Ppyoi.

Ppyoi’s expression was equally gloomy.

“Ppyoi is in trouble. The organization Ppyoi can return to has turned to ashes along with the pirates. I shouldn’t have partnered with the pirates to recruit for the Bikini Armor Group…”

The Powerful Curse Item, Bikini Armor, was the go-to item used by pirates to subdue strong individuals.

No matter how powerful a captive was, wearing the Bikini Armor and leaving only tan lines would make them obedient pirates’ friends, fearing that perverted photos would circulate back home.

Damage suffered at the hands of pirates was disguised as attacks from enemy nations, or else it was simply packaged as the assault of sea monsters.

Many pirate groups thrived through such means.

In return, the pirate group would expand the Bikini Armor Group’s ranks and pay the Bikini Armor usage fees promptly, creating a symbiotic relationship from the standpoint of the criminal organization.

“You guys wouldn’t have had all the employees of the Bikini Armor Group show up, right?”

“Nope. They all went this year. The higher-up organization, the Wahyhiemhai Foundation, collapsed, so they went to the festival to take care of their remaining partners in style…”

The location where the festival was supposed to be held turned into a bald mountain with no traces left.

The massacre left people strewn about, with parts of the sea still showing a bloody hue and wreckage floating around.

“Help us!”

“A ship! A ship is coming!”

“We are the Greenbeard Pirate Group! If you don’t save us, we’ll put holes in your ship!”

“The infamous Greenbeard founded that pirate group?”

“That’s right!”

The Jigoku Pirates looked at each other and burst into laughter.

“What do you expect from a pirate group barely holding together by the legacy of fallen ancestors while the next generation screws everything up? Just die!”

!!

A person’s status, after all, changes depending on the time and place.

Amidst the wreckage, the Jigoku Pirate Group felt like VVIPs.

We’re notorious pirates, with notorious retinues and original members of the pirate group.

Impressive figures commanded impressive reputations.

With high levels, they received hefty amounts of potions and treasures.

Naturally, the magic spreading around them was visibly high.

From the angle of those providing ship bombardment, it felt like they were just shouting, “Please shoot here!”

It’s clear just by looking that those human target dummies have met a gruesome fate.

Without needing to think much about it, the reason why the Jigoku Pirate Group could scoff about their remaining underlings was that they had only the easiest pickings left.

“Help us! We’ll give you the treasure hidden at our headquarters!”

“That’s acceptable. Fish them out.”

With Jigoku’s direction, the crew caught the pirates worth saving and tossed aside those worthless.

Since those ‘collaborators’ would help them sweep treasures like a burglary in a completely devastated pirate group, there was no reason to leave them behind.

Landing a single trawler would yield a magical tool, meaning that the operational profit margin for the first half of the piracy season could surpass the fun they had seen in the previous Foundation Workshop Battle.

Truly, the Jigoku Pirate Group was steadily growing without a sound.

They might soon rule the seven seas as their one true sovereign.

“I don’t see a pirate group that should be showing up. Where are they?”

“The Great Pirate El Draco’s group.”

“Oh. Our academy professor…”

The members’ moods soured.

A storm was brewing over the gleaming prospects of the Jigoku Pirate Group, which planned to rule as the top group at sea while benefitting from the empty houses left behind.

If they heard that all of their business partners had been wiped out, there’s no doubt that due to Professor El Draco’s personality, next year’s lectures would all be canceled, and he would focus solely on his main activities.

A collision between the businesses led by the professors and the ones led by undergraduate students.

In every respect, the former would crush the latter.

“Don’t worry too much. After all, the professor still has the second semester lectures left, right?”

“What do you mean, Nodinode?”

“The Jigoku Pirate Group can just take a break during the second semester and either play for a year or fulfill minimum credit requirements while using points for the rest. They can buy outing rights for 4-5 days each week and roam around!”

Cramming all their academic schedules into a day or two, they’d spend the rest of the days engaged in external pirate activities.

This opened a chance for the Jigoku Pirate Group’s stature to increase drastically.

“What did you do in your old pirate group?”

“I was low-tier.”

“Are you sure you were low-tier? Your muscle compression rate is quite impressive compared to ours…”

“That’s just water muscle.”

“The tattoos make you look tough. Aren’t those executive tattoos?”

“Fake. Our organization normally tattoos the reverse side. We made this to fool outside people unfamiliar with the organization.”

Meanwhile, the pirates rescued on the Jigoku Pirate Ship did everything they could to look low-tier.

You can’t trust the strong.

You can’t allow them to live either.

They worried that if a strong one were to rebuild the pirate group they once were part of, their own livelihood would diminish, leading to their fierce scanning of powerful individuals in the Jigoku Pirate Group.

The atmosphere was charged with this tension, leading many to try to engage in even slight weakling cosplay!

People become weak when they become Oknodie, and this was another example of that.

“Over there. The coordinates Masugaki sent.”

As they neared the venue of the Bikini Armor contest, Jigoku’s mood grew steadily worse.

The members squeezed out a glimmer of anticipation.

“Don’t get too disappointed, Captain. If it’s an event hosted by the Empire, there might be a lot more sights to see than usual.”

“That’s right. Captain, it’s been a while since you visited the Imperial City since it became the Dark Empire. I’m looking forward to seeing the Empire too.”

“Moreover, the location of the Bikini Armor contest hosted by the Empire is our hometown. Haha! Leave the directions to us!”

With their subordinates cheering them on like this, it would be a disqualification of the captain to stay moody alone.

“Alright, let’s make sure we have some fun.”

And so they landed in the city.

No sooner had they disembarked than fireworks erupted.

“Welcome to Bikini City!”

“Bikini City? What city?”

“Oh, this time the Dark Empress designated our city as a tourism special zone and even renamed the city! Originally, this was a small city near a deserted countryside, but if you wear a bikini, they’ll just give you a house, and that’s how the news spread. Now it’s packed with tourists!”

Stepping off the dock with dumbfounded faces, women dressed in Bikini Armor strolled the streets, and tourists followed them like puppies, creating an extraordinary scene.

With the crowds resembling amusement park parades, the crew’s eyes sparkled.

“Wow, look at those figures!”

“Unbelievable, abso-freaking-lutely.”

“What about the Bikini Armor contest?”

“Oh, that’s conducted via popularity voting.”

“Popularity voting?”

“As you go by, you can vote for the Bikini Armor wearers you like with the vote you receive for free upon entry, and you can pay for extra votes if you want! The number of votes you have determines the rankings. The participants can also register to join.”

The perfectly constructed ecosystem of Bikini Armor thrilled Ppyoi, who belonged to the original Bikini Armor Group.

“We’ve arrived! It’s the golden age of the Bikini Armor Group! Now our members can walk proudly without being called perverts!”

With excitement from bouncing up and down, Ppyoi’s Bikini Armor outfit was revealed, attracting a crowd of tourists.

“Wow, check her out! She’s so cute!”

“How many votes do you need for a handshake?”

“Here, sister! Take this!”

“I’m a fan!”

“Please sign this!”

The festivity of the pirate group’s networking had changed beyond recognition.

“This is incredible!”

Jigoku’s anger disappeared entirely.

Whether it was abducted women or female pirates wearing Bikini Armor, the contest atmosphere would surely be diminished.

However, here, everyone voluntarily wore Bikini Armor, and they didn’t have to be forced to watch someone they didn’t want to see because that person was a crew member of a famous pirate group.

Women in Bikini Armor were as numerous as ants.

There was hardly enough time to just look at the people one wanted to see or start a conversation with those they favored.

Some tourists, aiming at the slightly less attractive women due to the overwhelming popularity of the Bikini Armor wearers, began to approach them, creating a reverse effect where they weren’t discriminated against due to looks, but instead enjoyed a spillover effect.

“Everything is great, but let’s maintain our expressions for a sec.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you see how satisfied the captain looked?”

Jigoku’s eyes sparkled.

“If I act a bit angry, can I pin the blame on Oknodie too?”

“Ah!!”

Oknodie, who had worked everyone to the bone all vacation long.

Jigoku’s plan to give Oknodie a taste of Bikini Armor was backed up by the crew’s enthusiastic support and explosive cheer from other students.

Thus, a protest line had formed before Oknodie.

“Take responsibility! Take responsibility!”

“Put it on! Put it on!”

Oknodie stood puzzled with a children’s bikini in hand.

“I’m not really sure, but wearing this will mean I can let go of the anger that has piled up against me during the vacation, right?”

“That’s right!”

“Then, does that mean I don’t need the potions and points prepared for my hard work?”

“How shameless! Are you trying to bribe us with money?!”

“I’ve also got equipment items ready, but if nobody wants them, I might as well give them to the first years!”

The evil actions of Oknodie, who crushed everyone’s opinion with money, earned a response from the third-years.

“With just one Mini Hydra, what more do you need? With just this one, the second semester would be super easy!”

“Right? If I rely on the spirit giant monster, I can gain points and achievements and use that money to buy the potions and equipment myself!”

“Is that so?!”

The force of karma was strong.

Even the wicked persuasion of Oknodie’s vast capital had no effect!

 

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