Headed by a Snake

Though Tycon remained unsurprised by Barrel Boy's unexpected appearance, it seemed that the Captain still beheld his crew to logic.

The sooner he accepted it, the easier it would be for him in the future...

Krysaos booted the barrel away in exasperation. It rolled off the deck and back into the ocean with a large splash.

"Unbelievable!" He shouted, "All that work and not a single hot mermaid girl!"

Tycon pursed his lips to the side, "I'd imagine that type of creature isn't... as common as you make it seem. The ocean is a rather large place, is it not?"

"Hey, LT, I don't think you mean to insult me-- but quit it," Krysaos sneered in response. "This ain't my first voyage. I been all across the fifteen seas, guy."

Tycondrius did not bother to point out that the number of Krysaos' seas had changed once again.

THNK.

Tycon narrowed his eyes and turned towards the forward of the ship. He had felt a vibration... of something small impacting the hull.

Krysaos followed his vision, "G-get the nets, boys!! We got a fish to catch!!!"

Over a dozen Coral Boys followed the Captain as they ran across the treacherous deck.

After the brief run... eight remained. One of the casualties was the Captain, broken through the planks, with his upper torso still above deck and his arms scrambling for a hold.

"Sea god's stupid hat, I hate my life," He muttered.

Tycon sighed as he made his way over to the Captain to help him.

...

"We'z caught a fish, Cap'n," Catshit declared, his black sclera eyes brimming with pride.

"Y-yeah, good job, boys," Krysaos nodded.

The Coral Boys began to congratulate themselves, shaking hands, bumping chests, and striking each other upon the face with glee.

Tycon didn't quite understand the reason to celebrate. It was not the first time the Coral Boys had entangled a fish in their nets. Lunch was a perfect example of such.

Also, 'fish' was not... particularly accurate for their latest catch.

The unconscious girl appeared to be the age of a young adult human, her naked torso thin and lithe, and her bosom moderately large in comparison to her frame.

Upon her head of purple hair, she wore a small tiara of mediocre craftsmanship. She was royalty, perhaps... but of a small, unimportant kingdom, if at all.

From her waist, downward, was not the legs of a humanoid, but instead, was a shimmer-scaled fish-tail, also purple.

She was showing signs of a concussion, having likely bashed her head against the forward bow of the Neptune's Revenge. The Coral Boys had dragged a bathing tub to the top deck and filled it with seawater for the mermaid girl to rest and recover in.

Or rather... to keep her fresh until dinner, according to Bob.

Ishmael gestured towards the young woman.

Krysaos shook his head, "Nah, I don't touch girls when they're unconscious."

Tycon coughed into his hand, "I believe Ishmael means to inquire... does this young lady suit your tastes, considering your desire for a... 'hot mermaid girl'?"

Krysaos nodded in understanding, "Ohhh, that. Actually, I prefer when the bottom-half of a mermaid is human-ish, versus the top half."

Ishmael narrowed his golden spheres for eyes, as if disappointed.

Krysaos looked over the horizon, "I was actually just jokin' around... about the whole findin' a mermaid thing. The fates are real weird, aren't they? I mean... the ocean's a big place... but sometimes, it seems real small, huh?"

"Please don't joke about such things so lightly, Captain," Tycon chided.

If the cruel Fates were to be believed in, they were always listening.

...and they very much enjoyed dramatic irony.

"Wait, wha--" The young woman began to stir... "I feel... like my head-- like I got hit by a whole ship."

"Ya don't say," Krysaos mused.

In an icy blue flash of magic, the mermaid girl rose out of the tub... levitating in the air. Cool, bluish rock armor sheathed her chest and arms, and she wielded a mana-created sword of whirling water.

"(Who dares attack Mina, Guardian of the Amphitrite Reefs?!)" She demanded in Aquan.

Tycon pursed his lips as he observed the quality of the young lady's mana.

⟬ Mina, Iron-Rank Weapon Spirit Sea Witch. ⟭

"Hey, LT, check it out," Krysaos pointed his thumb at the young mermaid, "A Sea Witch."

"Of that, I gathered," Tycon smiled politely.

"I dare!!" Bob stepped forward, tapping the back of his axe against one of his wooden shoulderpads.

"We dare..." Catshit grinned, cracking his stony, peach-colored knuckles.

"We dare..." "We'z dare, too..." "Oh, we'z definitely dare."

Wonderboy, the Coral Boy with the barrel, Doc, Mayonnaise, and a dozen other Coral Boys chimed in, as well.

Unafraid of her larger and stronger opponents, Mina flourished her sword and gestured the Coral Boys forward, "(Come! If you are pure of heart, you may yet defeat me!)"

"If you're a virgin?" Krysaos muttered, "That's pretty specific."

Tycon shook his head, "I believe it translates better as 'pure of heart', Brother-Captain. However, If this is some sort of test, neither you, nor I have the qualifications."

"I... sorta agree," Krysaos crossed his arms and tilted his head... "But doesn't it look like that Mina girl is gonna lose? And hard?"

Tycon nodded slowly... "It does, doesn't it?"

The floating, purple-haired mermaid girl tilted her head, "(What... might I ask are you all doing?)"

"Da boys are setting up da ring," Bob casually explained.

The Coral Boys had jammed wooden posts into holes in the deck and tied ropes to make an almost square arena... which in no way resembled a ring. Then, they arranged a table and a folding ladder near its center.

As they milled about, one of the Coral Boys had pilfered Mina's tiara-- a pale-colored gentleman who had earned the name Stickyfingers, if Tycon remembered correctly. The stolen head-ornament was suspended above the square, but within reach if one were to stand on the precariously balanced ladder.

...Which should not have been an issue for the mermaid Weapon Spirit, as she could levitate.