Chapter 289: The Pitiful Planet of Rockwave.

"Rockwave has been home to us Spandals since the dawn of our civilization. It was a peaceful little world, brimming with vitality and happiness. We were even among the founding members of the Intergalactic Alliance."

The panda, a scar running down his face, continued.

"Our ancient warriors were said to rival even the Gods. But as our people grew accustomed to the peace that followed centuries of war, the Spandals slowly forgot our warrior roots and became the lazy farmers known for our rich harvests."

Pandalion smiled faintly as he recounted those memories.

"But everything started going downhill when a Spring of Necrol was discovered deep beneath Rockwave. It was so abundant that we Spandals celebrated it as the dawn of our race’s prosperity once again... but instead of bringing us joy, it attracted the attention of the Murgin Pirates, especially the commander of the Fourteenth Fleet of the Blood-Eyed Murgin Pirates."

His tone darkened.

"He was a ruthless Murgin, said to be the sworn brother of the captain of the Blood-Eyed Murgin Pirates. The Fourteenth Fleet soon attacked Rockwave for the Spring of Necrol... and only then did we realize that not a single capable warrior remained among us."

"The strongest of us was barely a C-Ranker, while the captain of the Fourteenth Fleet was a peak B-Ranker. With the help of his subordinates, he isolated our entire planet, cutting off all communication with the outside world."

His eyes trembled slightly, as though recalling something too horrifying to forget.

"He worked my people to the bone as slaves, forcing them to extract the Spring of Necrol from the Tomb of the Ancient Kings, sacrificing countless lives each day just to obtain even the smallest amounts."

"In the end, my people entrusted me with finding help and sent me away using the power of their blood. But even I failed, as the captain of the Fourteenth Fleet sent his trusted second-in-command, Krag, after me, and I was captured."

"...How will I ever face my people?"

***

I looked at the guy with widened eyes.

When I asked him to tell me more about his planet, I had expected him to share a few details, especially considering his half-dead state.

Instead, the guy somehow summarized his entire tragic backstory in less than a minute.

And damn...

I had to admit, he really did have the backstory of a tragic protagonist.

Not that I cared.

I mean, sure, I felt bad for the poor guy and all but that wasn’t my problem. And from everything he had said, that damned captain of the Fourteenth Fleet sounded like nothing but trouble.

If he was merely the captain of the Fourteenth Fleet despite being a peak B-Ranker, then I could only imagine how strong the captain of the entire pirate organization was.

It could easily be someone at S-Rank or maybe even SS-Rank and that guy considered this captain his sworn brother...

So... yeah.

As if I was going to interfere.

Maybe I would find a nice place to recite a prayer for the poor Spandals after I got out of the domain of these damned pirates in one piece.

Meanwhile, Arza was absentmindedly drawing strange patterns on the floor with a small bone from whatever had died in this prison before.

Somehow, it looked wholesome and creepy at the same time.

But who could blame her?

The poor girl was probably bored out of her mind while I chatted with that Spandal in what must have sounded like complete gibberish to her.

Still, I didn’t speak to Arza immediately and instead turned back toward the Spandal, who was busy catching his breath after his long explanation.

"...I am sorry about your planet and your people."

I continued in the same calm tone.

"But I do not understand. What is the Spring of Necrol that it is valuable enough for a pirate to dare go against the Intergalactic Alliance by enslaving one of its founding members?"

Pandalion’s eyes widened in surprise.

"You do not know what the Spring of Necrol is? Even if you belong to a Monkin race I have never heard of, aren’t you a little too ignorant? Do your people perhaps live in some backwater galaxy?"

He sounded genuinely surprised.

But I answered calmly.

"My people do not like socializing and prefer to keep to ourselves in isolation. So, could you please tell me, if it is not too much trouble?"

Pandalion sighed.

"Since we have a long journey ahead, I might as well use the time to pass some of it."

"The Spring of Necrol is a mysterious liquid that appears in different places at random. Nobody knows why it manifests or where it comes from but whenever one is discovered, it is celebrated because a single spring can bring countless benefits to those who use it."

"Some call it the Blood of the Divine while others call it the Blessing of the World itself. No matter what name it is given, however, its effects are undeniable and only known to the ones who use it.."

He continued in the same calm tone.

"But if someone’s soul is too weak, the Spring will devour it instead. That is why the captain of the Fourteenth Fleet, Roga, keeps sacrificing my people every day to extract even a small amount from it. He uses their lives to obtain the Spring of Necrol, which is said to have been left behind by the ancient kings of my race."

"...But why couldn’t your people simply use it instead of extracting it to grow stronger? You said it yourself, someone can either advance through several ranks or die trying. Isn’t your current situation worse than death anyway?"

I asked the only logical question that came to mind.

But Pandalion merely let out a weary sigh.

"If only it were that simple, young Monkin. Roga took the children of every single person working around the Tomb as hostages to make sure nobody would dare oppose him."

"And more importantly, even if someone somehow manages to use the Spring and grow stronger, how is a single person supposed to stand against an entire army of pirates?"