[Psychokinetic] Eyeball Pulling - Chapter 204: Rumours of the Greatest Pirate King

However, Astrids worries were laid to rest when an enormous pillar of water surged from the earth like an apocalyptic water spout.

It blasted what was left of the building into pieces, sending fragments of corpses, and debris scattering in the air.

Astrid preemptively rose her mind barrier as arms, legs, and whatever else was within the streets thudded against her shield.

Squinting her eyes through the gore, a black blob surged from within the geyser of water. It was heading straight for them.

Astrid, Daniel, and the rest of the team prepared themselves, no hope that Noah managed to survive all of that in her injured state.

She glanced at Havel, but seeing his relaxed figure covered in dust, Astrid heaved a sigh of relief.

The black blob within the pillar of liquid quickly transformed into a tall, strong body, then it crashed in front of them, creating a crater from where she stood. The pirate king dropped an enormous head on the ground with a wet thud.

It had long spiralling horns, savage rowed teeth, and long frizzy hair. It looked almost human.

Noah had survived, but at great cost.

Her armour was still in decent condition, albeit drenched in the fluids of her enemy, but her chest violently rose with every breath. Red streamed from her mouth, and chunks of flesh had been gouged out from the gaps on her armour.

Astrid’s mind twitched. Something had entered her matter field, then it tore through multiple more. Growling, Astrid shattered the air, and pieces of broken body splattered the air.

She checked for more, but they had all scattered. Whatever was once controlling them, no longer was alive to tell them what to do. Like mindless creatures, they scattered in every direction, disappearing into the shadowy void.

Noah stumbled forward. “Repair the information line, and defend the walls.” Her order rang through the air before her body fell.

Havel flashed forward, catching her body. He glanced at everyone, and said, “You heard her orders. Let’s head back.”

Astrid and the others nodded and as they retreated back to the wall, Astrid couldn’t help but gaze into the distance as the dust cloud settled. There in the distance, somewhere her family was fighting against those who wished to annihilate her home. Her friends.

And she couldn’t even help them. Astrid had her task, but she couldn’t help but feel useless. An anger bubbled up within her.

It was stupid. She knew that her rate of improvement was extremely high, if not the highest in history. Yet all she wanted was more. Never before had she felt as useless as she did now.

What if she took more risks, tried harder, when further. Would she be able to help her family in the fight? Astrid shook her head. It was the only thing that stopped her from charging ahead like she usually did. It was the only thing that made her feel better.

No matter what she did differently, the result would be the same. Maybe she would be a little stronger, but amongst the strongest of Rebirth, it would still be a mountainous climb.

I just have to help them in other ways. Astrid motivated herself.

Returning back to camp, they got to work fixing up the wall, and were about to send a team back up to the surface to relay information back to Rebirth, but something was stopping them.

“You need to return back to Rebirth.” Kaylan stood with his hands in front of his body. “You are useless as you are right now.”

“Have respect,” Havel growled.

“It is out of respect that I wish her to return to Rebirth.” Kaylan drifted his eyes to Havel, before returning them to Noah who was laying down. “She can no longer fight in her current condition. If she had any hopes in returning to fight, it is from the healers back at Rebirth.”

“She’s–”

“A warrior,” Kaylan said. “I understand. However, sacrificing a great life for that reason is laughable.”

Havel stepped forward, clearly not thinking straight. But Noah’s hand slowly rose.

“The Sinwen child is right.” Noah groaned. Havel rushed forward, helping her sit up. “I will take a team to relay information back to Rebirth, and undergo healing. Havel, you remain in charge.”

Havel grit his teeth, but nodded. “Your wish is my command.”

“Astrid–” Noah paused, then shook her head.

What did she want to say? Astrid wondered, but it seemed the pirate king didn’t plan on telling her.

Noah gathered a team, and returned to the surface while Astrid, and the others continued on with setting up the defensive line.

Motivated to help out in other ways, Astrid pushed herself to reinforce the walls with psycho warped voidbent metal. It took a couple hours, but soon, the entirety of the wall was bolstered by the alien metal.

Finishing her masterpiece, Astrid stood on the wall along with Daniel, and the others.

“How long left do you think?” Brett asked.

“One day,” Astrid said. “Thirty-ish hours?”

“One day and thirty-ish hours?”

Astrid looked at him as if he was stupid. “No, I mean thirty-ish hours.”

“Oh.” Brett nodded. “Thirty-ish hours until the end of the world, huh? It would be good to have a drink right about now.”

“The world isn’t going to end, Brett,” Lisa said as she kept her eyes glued to the horizon. There was now a gap where they had torn down the massive skyscraper. “Lord Sinwen will come out victorious.”

“Lady Sinwen isn’t weak, either,” Leena added.

“She’s in charge of the Sinwen guards after all,” Daniel said with a smirk. “I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side, that’s for sure.”

“All the Sinwens are monsters.” Havel walked up the stairs with a bottle exuding a perfume of strong ale. “Even a girl not yet seventeen can catch the attention of the pirate king. What do they feed you, anyway?”

“That’s the second time someone has said that.” Astrid pouted.

“Well, what is it then?” Havel asked. “Enchanted cow juice, fermented glowing mushrooms, or perhaps your parents fed you with legendary fruits?”

Astrid grimaced. “What the hell are fermented glowing mushrooms?”

“Oh you wouldn’t know having been brought up with the finest steaks, or the most succulent three-course meals from the most luxurious restaurants on the top decks of Rebirth.”

“You know, I don’t mind sending you up to the stratosphere.”

Havel laughed. “I believe you,” he continued. “Fermented glowing mushrooms are only found on mountain tops within the dead sea. Only the most vile fauna can grow there, and most of it is inedible, corrupted by a strange energy. Only after fermenting the glowing mushrooms do they turn edible.”

“Who discovered that?” Astrid wondered in marvel. It truly was interesting how humans managed to discover things like that.

Most likely out of sheer desperation. Astrid guessed. It turned out she was correct.

Havel’s smile of amusement turned to that of reminiscence. “Noah, she wasn’t all powerful like she is now. She took a long time to reach where she is, and don’t let her young face fool you. She should be around the sixty year old mark.”

“Sixty?!” Astrid’s brows rose. “She’s ancient.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Havel warned with an amused scoff. “She was only twenty-eight when she took command of her own ship. But she was inexperienced, young, and still too weak. After a mutiny gone wrong, Noah found herself drifting into the dead sea. With no food, no water, and powerful monsters roaming the sea’s by the hundreds, she had every right to fall, never to be seen again.”

“Then what happened?” Astrid asked. She was enthralled with the story.

Astrid had heard all about the dead sea. It was an area that no-one could survive. Rumours have it that beasts even more powerful than the Leviathan itself reside, but Astrid didn’t believe it.

If that was the case, why had they never been spotted before?

However, the fact remained, not even Lord Sinwen himself dared to venture into that land without an important reason.

Losef butted in. “Who else do you think discovered fermented glowing mushrooms?”

“Oh!” Astrid gawked. “But how did she drink water?”

However, the moment she said that, she remembered what the pirate king’s ability was.

“Oh, nevermind,” Astrid continued. “Then how did she escape?”

“No-one knows,” Havel said. “Noah’s never told anyone before, so only speculation is left.”

“I heard she commanded a mighty ocean monster and rode it like a surfboard,” Brett said.

Daniel scoffed. “That’s nothing, I heard she was swallowed by an enormous whale-like Spawn. Only after seven days and seven nights did she eat her way out of its stomach.”

“Ate her way out of the stomach?” Astrid felt like that was a little far fetched.

“And I heard that Noah teleported back to safety from a bubbled town–” Lisa said, but couldn’t help but pinch her chin as she finished her sentence.

As did Astrid and the others.

“Well.” Astrid chuckled. “We know which one is most likely now, don’t we?”

Havel said, “I’ve never thought about that before. Amongst the rumours, there is always some truth, isn’t there?”

“Why has Noah never said anything about it before?” Rachelle asked.

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Havel added. “That’s if the rumour is even true.”

“Yeah, but let’s say it is,” Astrid said. “That means Noah knew about the dungeons years before anyone else. I’m not saying Noah definitely did travel within a dungeon, I’m just speculating.”

“And I’m sure Noah wouldn’t want you speculating, either.” Havel warned.

Astrid shrugged. She decided to drop it, but she couldn’t help but internalise a question.

Just how did Noah survive the dead sea?

“Well, it seems that the wall is safe for now.” Astrid turned her gaze from the open field, and turned toward the camp. Floating, she continued, “I have some mental demons to fight, try not to disturb me.”

“Mental demons?” Havel asked.

“Don’t ask.” Leena sighed.

Returning to camp, Astrid found a place to sit down that was away from the others.

It was time to battle the Eye-Queen Trials.