"The town... what's going on?"
The expressions of the townspeople turned deathly pale.
Their battered ship drifted into the harbor without meeting any resistance. A few of the more desperate civilians jumped into the water and swam toward the shore.
"Captain Sarg, are we still looting?" Lily glanced at him, unsure.
The town had already been wrecked—what was left to rob?
They came here to plunder, not to scavenge through ruins.
Sarg's face was dark, his eyes narrowed.
You've got to be kidding me.
All he wanted was to plunder a town—was that too much to ask?
"Get down there."
Sarg ground his teeth.
"No pirate leaves empty-handed! Half the town's still standing. There has to be something worth taking!"
But then he swept his gaze across the wrecked ruins—buildings barely recognizable as structures anymore—and added,
"...At least grab some supplies."
"Yes, Captain Sarg!"
Akin was the first to leap off the ship, landing on the dock with a dozen pirates behind him. The rest stayed on board as a precaution in case of ambush.
It was rare for pirates to all go ashore at once.
If they had a base, Sarg would've let the crew roam free.
But for now, he stepped off with Lily and made his way toward the town from the harbor.
A massive gash had been carved straight down the town's main road. On either side, buildings bore scorch marks from cannon blasts—but deeper in, some structures looked like they'd been smashed by something far heavier than a cannonball. The entire area was cratered, wreckage strewn across the path.
"No... it's gone!"
As they neared the town square, a wail echoed ahead.
They turned the corner and saw a crowd gathered in the center.
Beyond the ship's refugees, there were more survivors here—grimy, battered, exhausted.
Sarg noticed something odd: no corpses.
The people of the town had survived—somehow.
"What's gone?" Sarg asked instinctively.
One of the ship's civilians turned to him, tears in his eyes.
"Our Solar Canvas! It was stolen!"
"Solar... canvas?" Sarg raised an eyebrow and looked to Akin.
"I think it's Campas' most famous product," Akin replied. "I've only heard of it."
"That's the finest canvas in the world!"
An elderly man with a cane stepped forward, pride flickering in his eyes.
"It's our treasure!"
"And who are you?" Sarg asked.
"I'm the mayor of Campas Town. I heard about you—thank you for saving our people."
The old man nodded respectfully.
"We're a town known for canvas craftsmanship. The finest in all the East Blue. Every twenty years, we gather the greatest weavers from across the sea to craft the ultimate sail—made with the best hands, the best materials, at the peak of summer. It's more than a product. It's our legacy."
Something about Campas—maybe the island's soil, maybe its climate—meant every two decades, the town harvested materials of unrivaled quality. That's when the master sailmakers gathered to forge the strongest sailcloth ever made.
The result was rare: enough to outfit a single ship.
Each time one was completed, it would be hung in the town square, honored by all.
"This canvas—our Solar Canvas—can withstand cannon fire. No storm can tear it. Its elasticity, its resilience, its ability to harness the wind... unmatched. Even fire can't easily damage it. That's why it's called Solar Canvas—it's crafted under the fiercest sun."
Pride warmed the mayor's face for a moment—then he sagged.
"But it's gone now…"
"Pirates?" Sarg asked, frowning.
"Of course it was pirates!" the mayor snapped.
"A pirate ship came two days ago. Strong—too strong. They crushed our guards, even the marines were useless. Then they began destroying everything. One of them... a huge man in a black cloak, he took the Solar Canvas!"
He slammed his cane against the ground.
"That was the best we've made in decades! They don't even know how to use it!"
That's what you're upset about…?
"Yes, truly despicable pirates!" a refugee growled.
Then he looked to Sarg and froze. "Ah—n-not you, Captain—"
"So... this was looting?" Sarg clicked his tongue.
"No, this was just wanton destruction. Absolutely disgraceful."
The townsfolk turned to him, surprised.
The refugee who'd spoken looked moved.
"Captain…"
Sarg scowled.
"What's the point of wrecking the place? If they rebuild, it'll take years. And then what? Next time I come back to rob the place, there'll be nothing left. That's just bad business!"
Lily: "…"
That… is not the point.
She turned to the mayor.
"How much is the Solar Canvas worth?"
Sarg shot her an approving look.
Right to the core of it.
The mayor shook his head.
"It's not about the money. That kind of sail… you don't measure it in coins. It's meant to catch wind—meant for only the finest ships. If it's not the best, we won't sell it."
"So the last one," Sarg pressed, "how much did that go for?"
"We don't know. It was stolen too, twenty years ago."
So it gets stolen every time they make one!?
"What a shame," Sarg sighed. "If you'd managed to sell this batch, it would've fetched a good price."
The mayor nodded, then added,
"Captain, if you're here to purchase something, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. As you can see... we have nothing left."
Normally, the canvases were stored near the docks for sale.
But when the pirates attacked, they burned the market and destroyed everything else.
There wasn't even a scrap left to sell.
"I'm not here to buy."
"Then...?"
Sarg smiled, slowly drawing the flintlock from his waist.
Bang!
The crack of the shot echoed across the square—
—and every pirate's face twisted into a savage grin.
"I'm a pirate too," Sarg said calmly.
There were only a dozen pirates, but with no one left to defend the town, that was more than enough.
"Pirates!!"
The townspeople finally reacted, their faces twisting in fear.
"Another raid? I knew it... Every time the Solar Canvas appears, pirates come for it…"
The mayor sighed again, but lifted his chin.
"Still, it's our pride. Even if we're robbed, we will make it again."
"Mayor!!"
The crowd looked at him with admiration, voices trembling.
"That's all nice and noble, old man," Sarg muttered.
"But I'm not here for your history lesson. Just hand over some supplies. I won't take anything else."
He looked around at the ruined town and scoffed.
Not worth it.
He wasn't interested in broken towns. He wanted to plunder prosperity, not rubble.
But still—he had to take something.
If other pirates could loot, why shouldn't he?
No valuables? Fine.
There was always water.
There were always spices.
There had to be food somewhere.
One way or another, he wasn't leaving empty-handed.
He was a pirate, after all.