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My heartbeat was fast as I gazed upon the vast firmament. We were already sailing towards the route Marco is expected to take. Meliodas didn't come because of Maximo's decision, well, that's for his own good as there is no guaranteeing he might breakdown when he sees Marco, they were brothers after all.

"The structure of Double Deck is simple, the bridge serves as the connector," paliwanag ni Maximo habang tinuturo ang tulay na nagkokonekta sa dalawang barko, hindi ako makapaniwala na may ganitong barko—two ships connected using three metal bridges. I am amazed. I never considered the idea of having such kind of ships. This kind of complexity is hard to command after all.

Ang barkong sinasakyan namin ay isa sa mga imbensyon ni Maximo—well, he also invented the Gulliver's Grave. I concluded that he is a mad genius for all of these mad creations. He made the impossible possible. It was breathtaking. It seems like he lives in a world of fantasy. No. He is the epitome of fantasy himself.

"So, is there a storm coming?" Tanong ni Maximo, ngumiti naman ako at umiling.

"The wind is in our favor." I told him. It felt like nothing could go wrong. Mula sa aming p'westo ay kitang-kita ko ang paggalaw ng mga napiling pirata na sasama sa operasyon. They were all doing their jobs—some were cleaning the decks, inspecting the ropes, and wiping the dirt off the monkey cannons. I saw a man observing at the crow's nest, then some transporting the cannon balls. Everyone were assigned with specific tasks, meanwhile, here I am, beside Maximo as he held the stirring wheel.

Tumingin si Maximo kay Nick na nasa ibaba lang namin. May hawak siyang compass at device na nagpapakita ng pula at berdeng tuldok. I was briefed with a simple legend that the red was Treasure Trove and Double Deck was the green. "Nick, updates." Diretsong utos ni Maximo.

Tumingala naman si Nick matapos tignan ang device na hawak, "no change of course, with 80kph speed, I calculate that we'll be encountering at Trojan Seas, 8 hours from now."

We were sailing towards a straight direction, in a calculated speed, we were traveling horizontally, meanwhile, Marco's crew were in a vertical course. Maximo took advantage of the 90 degrees point of our course.

"Starfish, you hold the helm, I'm going to make snacks for us." Ani Maximo at saka pumasok sa captain's cabin. Matapos ang ilang minuto ay lumabas siya dala-dala ang tray na may lamang sandwich. "Here." Inabot niya sa aking kamay ang napalamanang tinamay.

I reluctantly accepted it. Nakita naman ni Maximo ang aking reaksyon at saka ngumisi.

"Don't worry, wala akong nilagay. I'm not like Eli, y'know." He raised me an eyebrow. As if proving, kinagatan niya ang tinapay na kan'yang nilahad sa akin. "See?"

"It's not like I was suspicious. Bumalik lang sa akin yong mga nangyari noon. After all, Eli used the sandwiches to drug my crew." Kinuha ko ang tinapay at tinitigan ang kan'yang pinagkagatan, lumunok naman ako nang bahagya.

"C'mon, give it a taste. Sorry if it was rushed."

Kinagatan ko na ang tinapay—I tasted the lettuce, mayonnaise, and tuna. The combination was superb. How can he make such a simple delicacy so tasty?

"Maximo! Code black!" Sigaw ni Charles mula sa crow's nest, nakatuon ang kan'yang mga mata palibot sa aming gawi. Kumunot ang noo ko at saka ko nilabas ang aking telescope para tignan kung ano man ang kan'yang nakita.

Mula sa telescope ay nakita ko ang maraming mga barko ng pirata, we were surrounded and caged. They were all sailing towards us from North, South, East, and West—constantly closing in the distance.

"Well, Marco got us." Ngumisi si Maximo na tila naeengganyo imbes na kabahan. Tinanggal niya ang kan'yang eyepatch at pinasadahan ng tingin ang paligid. "Thirty ships all." Wow. He counted all of it from such a distance? I tried to gaze upon the invaders with my own eyes, but couldn't see well at all. They were all just like ants scattered in the spheroid ocean. "It seems like we won't be needing to travel 8 hours more," nagulat ako nang tumalon si Maximo mula sa taas pababa sa sundeck.

He unsheathed his sword and raised it, "all hands hoay! This is your captain speaking!" Tumigil naman ang lahat sa kanilang ginagawa. "We're at Code Black—there are thirty invaders surrounding us. I'm guessing it is manned by Marco. It's shameful to admit this but he got us, but that doesn't mean we can't get back to him." Maximo was saying he was given the wrong information. Nag-isip ako kung sino ang informant, it was Meliodas!

Kumuyom ang kamao ko. I know that at this point, Maximo already knows that Meliodas is also a traitor. Na magkasabwat talaga sila ni Marco. I can't help but feel mad at him. I should have known better than to trust that man too.

I've come to the conclusion that Treasure Trove is a shark bait—somebody is commanding it, but not Marco. Marco must have foreseen it coming. Of course, Maximo will always keep track of his belongings. Of all his ships. Marco is a sharp strategist, I must say. And he took advantage of it. On the other hand, Meliodas' information served as the catalyst for this to happen, by giving false information that the Sea Brigands declined Marco's truce. Their plan is perfect, but perfection itself is a flaw. I know Marco is somewhere around the thirty ships surrounding us. I can feel it. I can smell his scent and Pearl's.

"All of you, ready the cannons! I'll be splitting the ship. Starfish," he looked at my direction, "you will command the left fleet." Bigla siyang nagbato ng walkie-talkie sa akin, agad ko naman itong sinalo. "I want you to handle the intruders from the South and West. Go. Now."

Ramdam ko ang mabilis na pagtibok ng aking puso. I wasn't nervous. I was excited! I can't help but feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I traced the daggers sheathed around the belt of my leg.

Shipwrecked HeartsTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon