Zhang Ba Hai did not immediately attack, instead standing still to observe what strange abilities the Water Master might possess.
Lan Hao Tian also ceased talking further. He waved his hand toward the sea, and dozens of liters of seawater flew up toward him. The water transformed into a flowing current that smoothly encircled his body. He waved his hand in a signaling motion and said:
"I'm ready now. Let's begin."
At this moment, Zhang Ba Hai did not pay attention to what seemed like an action meant to humiliate him. Instead, he focused on the strange movements of the seawater.
"How curious!" he thought.
"It seems this ocean is far more vast than I imagined. The road ahead promises to be truly interesting."
He then raised his spiked mace, pointing it directly at Lan Hao Tian's face, and declared:
"Come at me! No matter how much water you bring, the result will be the same."
"Haha, then allow me to serve you a 'water arrow'." Lan Hao Tian replied, raising his hand. The water swirling around him transformed into dozens of large drops. He flung his hand toward Zhang Ba Hai, and the drops were shaped into arrows, flying swiftly in unison.
Seeing the small size of the water droplets, Zhang Ba Hai sneered in disdain. He said:
"Tiny water arrows like those can't do anything to me."
Lan Hao Tian did not respond, only smiling as he used his own strength to increase the speed of the flying water.
Boom!
Several water droplets struck him in rapid succession, pushing Zhang Ba Hai back. The spots where the water arrows hit turned red.
Zhang Ba Hai was taken aback by the power of the attack, but at this moment, he had no choice but to endure the blows, having missed the opportunity to dodge.
Boom!
His body slammed against the side of the ship once more, but this time, his injuries were far more severe. A small trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
The water arrows did not stop their relentless assault, and with each strike, the damage to him only grew.
Crack! Crack!
The wooden plank snapped in half, sending Zhang Ba Hai flying into the sea.
Seeing his opponent fall, Lan Hao Tian stopped. He showed a concerned expression and said:
"Hey! You're not dead, are you? We're still fighting."
If Zhang Ba Hai had heard these words, he would have been furious. Here he was, a pirate of some renown, knocked into the sea by someone who appeared to come from nowhere—and on top of that, the person had the nerve to pity him.
Of course, he didn't hear it, as he was still lying beneath the ocean, caught in a moment of existential doubt. He thought:
"What the hell? How can such a small amount of water have so much power? Ah, I understand now. The strength doesn't come from the water; it comes from within his body."
Having figured this out, he immediately swam up. Though knocked into the sea, he still clung tightly to his spiked mace. The weight of the mace dragged him deeper into the water, but it was nothing compared to the terrifying willpower within him.
Before long, he surfaced and quickly looked for a way to climb back onto the ship's deck.
Meanwhile, his crew members were also somewhat panicked:
"Do you think the captain's going to be okay?"
"Maybe. I'm not sure."
"Stop talking nonsense! The captain's not the type to die so easily. Stop looking so stupid if you don't want a beating."
Although they were frightened by Lan Hao Tian's strength, their fear of Zhang Ba Hai's power was far greater. They believed their captain would return soon.
And sure enough, Zhang Ba Hai did not disappoint. He dragged his slightly reddened and soaked body onto the deck.
While he looked a bit battered, a closer inspection would reveal that he hadn't lost much of his combat strength.
Seeing his opponent return "intact" to the battlefield, Lan Hao Tian smiled joyfully and waved his hand, saying:
"Hey, are you okay?"
Hearing such a sincere inquiry didn't make Zhang Ba Hai grateful; rather, it made his expression darken even more.
However, after exchanging blows for a while, he understood that his opponent was a lunatic, so he didn't dwell on it too much. He replied:
"Those minor injuries are nothing. I could take on ten more of you."
Seeing that his opponent still had such spirit, Lan Hao Tian did not hold back. Once again, the water formed around him. He said:
"This time, don't underestimate me. Water strikes really hurt."
"Hmph, stop looking down on others, kid." Zhang Ba Hai retorted.
In contrast to the tense battle between the two captains, Wu Xian had been lying motionless on the ship's deck this whole time. His hands were placed behind his head as if to make it easier for someone to capture him.
At this moment, a pirate holding a rope approached him and said:
"You're surrendering, right? Then stand up so I can tie you up."
Wu Xian looked up at him and asked:
"No fighting?"
"Of course not. You've caused enough trouble. Besides, you're not a monster like that kid over there."
Seeing that his opponent had no intention of attacking, Wu Xian cooperated. He allowed himself to be tied up and stood quietly in a corner of the ship.
After all, this small rope could do nothing to him. He could easily break free in a few seconds if he wanted to.
"Well, this is definitely more comfortable than lying face down." he thought to himself as he continued watching the fight.
Dozens of water arrows were fired at Zhang Ba Hai like a machine gun.
Though his body looked quite large, Zhang Ba Hai was incredibly agile. He swiftly moved to dodge most of the attacks, using his mace to block the remaining arrows.
Seeing that there were not many arrows left, Lan Hao Tian immediately charged toward his opponent.
He directed a few water arrows to attack Zhang Ba Hai's rear, while he himself attacked from the front.
Zhang Ba Hai kept his eyes alert, observing the situation from all directions. He quickly discerned his opponent's intentions and made a decision in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, he changed his movement. From a defensive and evasive stance, he put all his speed into charging straight at his enemy.
Lan Hao Tian was momentarily taken aback. He realized that his opponent intended to exchange injuries, trading blows for damage.
However, the difference in attack power between the two was quite large. If they collided head-on, Lan Hao Tian knew he would definitely lose.
He immediately altered his trajectory and concentrated the water around him once more.