Whether in strength, speed, or magic, the Black Sea Riders can't beat Lucien's wives. Well, the weaker girls still can't face Sky Realm people, but Lucien and his Sisters deal with them while the girls kill the Mortal and Earth Realm ones.
The pirate group also has good cooperation, high-quality weapons, and many of them have powerful special abilities. However, the girls have a level of sync that only sisters, linked by a bond even stronger than blood, can have.
The girls who fight with melee weapons run in two among the Black Sea Riders, quickly killing them as the trio of Ghalenna, Ghilanna, and Neola fire deadly arrows at the less armored pirates.
Every magic or ranged ability cast on the girls is blocked by the amazing water barriers of Angela and her daughters, or by the glowing s.h.i.+eld of Jeanne, who is always at Maggie's side, using her vision ability and fire magic to counterattack.
The enemy arrows do not reach the girls as Madelyn creates wind waves to deflect them. And when enemy wind mages try the same, Olivia's black crows find them just before her katana pierces their hearts.
And anyone trying to attack Olivia from behind will find Scarlett's saber first. Though focused on the battle, she can't help but think of Carmelo's wonderful green saber.
In fact, all girls envy Jeanne's s.h.i.+ny s.h.i.+eld. They also want to have a soul weapon, and as l.u.s.t explained, it won't be long before they get it.
The strongest people get the soul weapon in Mortal Realm, but that's because they take a long time to advance layers, giving their souls time to get stronger.
Lucien's wives advance layers very fast due to his demonic energy; however, unlike him, who has a hybrid soul, the girls need more time to wake up their soul weapons.
In Jeanne's case, her soul seems to be much stronger than normal, and her soul weapon is directly linked to her special mana. Her will also has a lot of influence on that because her desire to protect her family is the main force that moves her s.h.i.+eld.
So the girls continue the bloodbath. The longer they spend with Lucien, the more similar to him they become, and by having no mercy on their enemies, they brutally slaughter them.
Well, some girls still don't like killing. Marie remains focused solely on protecting her sisters with barriers while Madelyn deviates arrows and other ranged attacks. But they don't think twice about killing an enemy to protect their family.
Amelia and especially Donna, on the other hand, enjoy killing as much as Lucien. Despite being guided mainly by their sin, they are becoming more and more sinful.
Meanwhile, Sophia and Sloth lay still on the floating pillow. They are also partic.i.p.ating in the battle and are the main reason the Sky Realm Black Sea Riders can't harm the weaker girls, yet they can do that with illusions while relaxing.
Lucien would like to be relaxing next to Sophia, but he doesn't want to let any of his girls take risks, so he keeps his eyes full on all of them to act before one of them gets hurt.
But as they are getting stronger quickly, he hopes that in future battles, he can lie still with Sophia knowing his wives are so powerful that no enemy could harm them...
"This s.h.i.+p is really something..." Pride materializes her body next to Lucien and comments. "Even with such a brutal battle taking place on it, I don't see it being damaged."
"Indeed," Lucien responds while he also sees no damage to the s.h.i.+p. Its dark wood appears to be coated with an ultra-tough magic layer or something similar.
Lucien's one-word answer doesn't please Pride, so she keeps trying to talk to him. "Your girls are fighting really well, and..."
"Thanks." But he interrupts her with one more word.
"That wasn't a compliment but an observation." Pride smiles arrogantly.
He looks into her eyes with a really grateful expression. "I didn't talk about it, but about what you've done before with that guy."
"Oh, that? I knew you could handle that sneak attack, so... well, I just don't know why..." Lucien is shocked to see Pride look confused for the first time.
He looks at his wives again while talking to Pride. "There are so many people counting on me... those precious to me, the ones I have to protect most of all. But I can't do that if something happens to me, so it's comforting to know you're on my side to protect me like that time..."
Pride remembers the first time he saw Lucien. They fought, and she defended him from the sneak attack of those angels. That was the first time they had been so close, and she could smell his devilishly addictive scent.
"Hahaha..." She starts to laugh. "While you seem to really like me, I still feel like you want to beat me."
Lucien smiles. "We still have unresolved issues for sure. I don't like the way you treat l.u.s.t, and I don't like the fact that you planned to use the b.l.o.o.d.y Rose on my sisters."
"But?" She makes a thoughtful expression, which still looks arrogant.
"But..." He continues. "I know these things aren't really your fault. You are dominated by your sin, and you were another peon in that mysterious woman's plan..."
"..." Pride can't say she likes hearing those words, but she can't say they're a lie either.
After a few seconds of silence, she starts talking again. "So... does that mean we're fine?"
"Hmm... not really." He chuckles. "I mean, look at Envy's case, she caused a lot of trouble with her stupid manipulations, but now she has what she wants but in a way that she doesn't harm my loved ones."
Pride sees Envy fighting side by side with Amelia and Lucien's other wives, which looks really different from her usual self. "So you tamed Envy and think you can do the same to me?"
"No, of course not!" Lucien quickly responds. "I know your sins are your true natures, and I wouldn't ever try to change that. You are perfect as you are."
Then his expression becomes loving. "Envy is like that; she needs to be jealous and desire things… I just make her want something more than anything, and then I give it to her, making her feel so good."
"Hahaha..." Pride laughs arrogantly again. "Are you talking about that stupid thing you guys call love?"
Lucien shakes his head. "Actually not."
Pride is confused. "So???"
He slowly moves his hands, drawing her attention and making her look where he points, that is, below his tattoo. "My c.o.c.k... and all the pleasure I can give her."
"..." Pride just shakes her head. "Okay, I understand how this can work with Envy, l.u.s.t, and Sloth, but I don't see how it could work for me."
"I think I'm starting to understand your needs." He explains. "You need to feel better than everyone else, and so that everyone respects you for that, right?"
She doesn't respond, and he continues. "I bet I can make you feel better than ever. Think about it; we could be so powerful together…we'd be like two halves of the same thing."
Despite hating to share and not accepting to depend on others, Pride can't deny that Lucien's proposal seems tempting.
She makes a thoughtful expression. "I'm not sure you could make me feel that good..."
He smiles teasingly. "There's only one way you can be sure..."
Pride has seen that smile on Lucien's face many times and what comes next. She thinks about getting back into Eve's soul before he does anything, but her personality doesn't allow her to back down.
Attacking Lucien doesn't look good either. So Pride finds herself in a situation where she doesn't know what to do.
Her heart starts to beat faster while her mind starts to wonder what he will do and how that will feel…
First, he slowly moves his left hand to her waist and starts stroking it with the tips of his fingers. Without stopping to look into her eyes, he moved his right hand to her waist and then her back before starting to pull her body toward his.
Even unintentionally, she lets him bring her body so close to his that many parts of their bodies touch. He runs up his right hand, stroking her body until he reaches her shoulders, her neck, and then her face.
Gently, he caresses her chin and tilts her head as he approaches their mouths. She doesn't want to be so pa.s.sive, but at the same time, she wants so badly to feel that wonderful feeling she felt the first time he kissed her…
That sneak kiss he gave her while fighting the angels.
So she allows him, just this once, to do as he wants.
Time seems to slow down as their lips approach... and then they touch.
Lucien's wonderful scent invades Pride's nose while the taste of his mouth pleases her so much.
She can feel his tongue trying to get inside her mouth, and she wants that too.
Then, as he moves his lips onto hers, she lightly opens her mouth. Their tongues quickly start dancing together, so they both feel great pleasure.
That is perfect.
But that's only happening in Pride's mind.
And she's forced to wake up to reality, where she doesn't know if she could willingly let that kiss happen.
"What's on your mind?" Lucien asks as he notices a vague look on Pride's face.
"Is nothing." She responds before dematerializing her body, going back to Eve's soul. As Lucien hasn't really tried anything, she doesn't feel like that's backing down.
l.u.s.t materializes her body in front of Lucien and looks at him with a confused expression. "Why didn't you kiss her?"
"That wasn't the right time." He responds as he hugs and kisses l.u.s.t.
"Hmm..." She makes a thoughtful and slightly concerned expression as she is hugged by him.
He starts to smiles as he continues caressing and kissing her. "I don't need to be Envy to see you're jealous."
l.u.s.t pouts. "I just... I know it's nonsense, but I'm afraid that when you conquer Pride, you get so addicted to her that you start to let me aside..."
"You're right…" Lucien returns in a neutral tone, which makes l.u.s.t tense. But then he smiles lovingly and kisses her as he speaks in her mind. 'It's nonsense. I can't be addicted to anyone more than you.'
l.u.s.t smiles as she kisses Lucien pa.s.sionately. It's because she loves him so much that she always fears something could get in the way of their perfect relations.h.i.+p.
They keep kissing each other in the air above the Sea Devil as the girls finish off all the Black Sea Riders except for the Scout. The battle lasts almost half an hour because, without Lucien's direct interference, those enemies are a challenge for his girls.
When the last pirate is killed, Lucien puts down the barrier and gathers his group on the deck. There's blood and bodies everywhere, but all the girls have proud smiles on their faces for their great victory.
"We're going to have a lot of work to clean up this mess…" Aria comments as she wipes the blood off her feathers, pirates' blood and not hers, of course.
Angela smiles as she raises her hands, causing the water columns to rise from the sea around the s.h.i.+p. "Not really..."
The girls start to laugh as Lucien looks at Genevieve. "Loot the bodies and bring me everything useful."
"Mm." She nods and quickly obeys his orders, while Helena looks at him with a thoughtful and timid expression.
Lucien has a lot on his mind right now, but healing Helena is one of his main concerns. Now that they have that giant and luxurious s.h.i.+p full of big rooms having alone time with all the girls will be easier while still traveling.
While Lucien thinks about that, l.u.s.t looks towards Carmel's cabin. "Wait! There's still someone inside the s.h.i.+p..."
"One of them?" Lucien asks.
"I'm not sure..." She comments. "Whoever it is, her aura is very weak... she's dying..."