After the ship hit the bottom, I sailed closer. There were no survivors, and even if there were, they all were sucked in by the sinking ship.

I dedicated the poor souls one minute of silence, and returned to the course.

There were some minor things, like dolphins and birds, but nothing major happened in the next hours, until we left the densest archipelago area.

Occasionally I was noticing the islands on our way. All of them were uninhabited.

“What do you think?” I asked Veronica.

“The pirates would settle in the places where nobody would search for them. The archipelagos and their coves are the best places for this. It is hard to search all of the islands, or at least to do so unnoticed.” (V)

“That port you mentioned, will it be a good starting point?”

“It will.” Our actual destination was not a dot on the map but a secluded semi-independent port. All kinds of scum pass through it. Everybody knows about that place but nobody interferes.

We continued this chit-chat, mostly just to pass the time.

---

As the night approached I felt reenergized.

“You really are a cat, aren’t you?” Veronica yawned.

“Perhaps.”

“Ufu-fu~, I really do love cats~.” She started petting me and scratching my chin.

‘Purr’

“Just thinking that I hold a cold-blooded murderer like a pet makes me feel so weird. In a good way.” She hugged me, and pushed me in her chest. I couldn’t help but cosplay a cat, and start pawing her.

‘Purr’

‘Oh my, who would’ve thought this little black kitten is a little pervert~.’ She whispered in my ear. I feigned ignorance.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t be shy, touch them if you want. You can’t hide this play from a ‘cat person’~.” I could only stop, before she is disgusted by my actions.

‘Wow, I hoped she would…’ (V)

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing.” Veronica smiled.

She headed to the bed, while I remained on the bridge.

Until the morning.

---

“Good morning, how is the weather?” (V)

“Everything is fine. Nothing to be concerned about.”

Just when I said that, I saw a couple of ships sailing from an island.

“Contact, 4700m.”

“Give me this scope. Uhu… Those are not pirates, just a couple of smugglers. Can I ask you to bring us closer?” (V)

“Rudder to starboard, half speed ahead.”

“Just what are you mumbling? Can’t you be a bit… simpler?” (V)

“I can but… I want to show off…” She is cute, so…

“Awww~! Then it changes everything, my~ knight~ in~ shining~ armor~. Literally shining, I should say.” She knocked the metal walls of the bridge.

As we approached the smugglers, they opened fire. Just a couple of cannons per side. Their shots did not even reach us.

---

IJN Kuronami – DDL. Upgrade points – 16.

Torpedoes – 1/6.

HP – 3700.

HI – 99.9%. Damage control compensation – 0.01%.

AU – 63% (1891nm).

---

Now I felt the POWAH. Instead of pitiful 57mm, I now have 76mm guns, enough to cause some actual damage.

Bang Bang Bang

As always my ranging shots missed, and I found an actually bad side effect. Slow reload.

Bang Bang Bang

I couldn’t farm hits as well as previously, since after the next salvo I had the poor ship list.

Bang Bang Bang

Just in case, I fired another salvo, and…

The ship started rapidly capsizing.

“What… is… going… on…?” (V)

“I have the same question…”

“Don’t play a fool on me, those shots are too powerful.” (V)

“Well, it's just a minor improvement.”

“…” She said nothing, and just stared in shock.

Bang Bang Bang

I fired at the other ship, that was trying to flee.

A couple of hits made them understand that I am not going to stop at this much, and they turned.

Our courses intersected, and then I had an idea.

“If they are bandits, would it not be better to capture them?”

“Got it. I will board them when they pass by.” Before I could answer, she rushed out to the deck, and prepared.

The contact was successful. The wooden hull of the clipper was slightly damaged by the glancing hit, while my hull suffered nothing. Not a single % of the integrity.

‘Ding’

‘You received 1 copper coin, 92 upgrade points’

---

IJN Kuronami – DDL. Upgrade points – 108.

Torpedoes – 1/6.

HP – 3622.

HI – 99.9%. Damage control compensation – 0.01%.

AU – 63% (1884nm).

---

[I take my thoughts back.]

With every second, the smuggler ship was further and further away. Before I could react, I saw another ship on approach.

It was a battleship with black sails.