"Fifteen degrees to starboard!"
With Captain Barbossa's roar, the Old Helmsman shivered, and almost by muscle memory, he spun the helm hard to the right.
"Squeak—creak—"
The heavy rudder groaned again.
But this time, it carried the hope of survival for everyone on board.
The sea serpent's bow struggled to change direction in the waves, its side almost scraping the edge of a small whirlpool, causing the pirates on deck to gasp in alarm.
The bow was precisely aimed at the calmest looking patch of water Roger had pointed out.
"Hold steady! Maintain this course!"
Roger shouted, his eyes fixed on the front like a hawk, his brain rapidly calculating wind speed, current speed, and ship speed.
Everyone held their breath.
The ship was like a needle, about to pierce a death-net woven from violent currents.
The moment they successfully entered that stable patch of water, the ship's pitching indeed lessened significantly.
Although it still swayed, it was much better than the frantic, potentially disintegrating chaos from before.
"My goodness... we really... really made it in..."
Gibbs mumbled to himself, his single eye filled with disbelief.
The other pirates also looked shocked.
They had actually entered the Devil's Triangle, and the ship was still intact!
Captain Barbossa's fingers, gripping the ship's railing, were white from exertion. He looked at Roger's back, his gaze incredibly complex.
This young man, he had truly done it.
He was like the most experienced pilot, leading them into a route no one dared to take.
However, before they could rejoice for more than three seconds, a new crisis emerged.
Ahead, two enormous, opposing ocean currents violently converged, sending spray skyward and forming a natural barrier.
And behind that barrier, a whirlpool, larger than any they had seen before, was slowly rotating, like a deep-sea monster opening its massive maw.
"We can't get through!"
The Old Helmsman cried out in despair.
"It's a dead end! We'll be swept directly into that massive whirlpool!"
The spark of hope that had just ignited among the pirates was instantly extinguished by a bucket of cold water.
"Shut up!"
Roger suddenly turned, sharply cutting off the helmsman's shouts.
His gaze was cold and sharp, carrying an undeniable authority.
Stared at like that, the Old Helmsman was so startled he swallowed the rest of his sentence.
The entire deck fell silent again; everyone looked at Roger, awaiting his next command.
At this moment, no one questioned him anymore.
"Ten degrees to port! Lower the main sail a little! We need to accelerate!"
Roger gave his orders at a rapid pace.
"What? Accelerate?"
Barbossa exclaimed.
"There's a strong current ahead, isn't accelerating suicide?"
"That's not an ordinary strong current!" Roger roared back, without turning his head.
"That's an upward current! We must 'jump' over it using that upward force before we get swept away by the lateral currents!"
"If we're too slow, we'll be torn apart!"
Upward current? Jump over it?
These terms sounded like Arabian Nights to Barbossa and his crew.
Could sailing really involve "jumping"?
"What are you still standing around for!"
Roger, seeing no one move, his eyes turned red with urgency.
"If you want to die, keep standing there! Execute the orders!"
"Move it! Quickly!" This time, Barbossa didn't hesitate for a second.
He personally rushed towards the mainmast's ropes, shouting at the few dazed sailors.
"Didn't you hear him! Lower the sail! Do as he says!"
The captain's authority finally took effect.
The sailors, as if waking from a dream, clumsily began operating the ropes, carefully lowering a corner of the furled main sail.
The moment the canvas caught the wind, the entire ship lurched violently, and its speed suddenly increased.
The sea serpent, like an arrow released from a bowstring, shot straight towards the turbulent current.
"It's over... it's over..."
Billy hugged a pillar, closed his eyes, and had already begun repenting to the heavens.
The moment the bow crashed into the current, a massive lifting force came from beneath the hull.
The entire ship seemed to be suddenly pushed upward by an invisible giant hand, its bow rising high, almost lifting out of the water!
Everyone felt their bodies lighten, and the sensation of weightlessness made them scream in terror.
The sea serpent truly "jumped" as Roger had said!
It leaped over the most dangerous convergence zone, tracing a brief and perilous arc in the air, then slammed heavily into another current behind the whirlpool.
"Bang!"
The violent jolt sent everyone sprawling.
But when they steadied themselves again and looked ahead, everyone was stunned.
They... had made it across!
They had truly "jumped" over that deadly intersection!
Behind them, the raging current and the massive whirlpool were receding.
"A miracle... a miracle..."
A young pirate trembled and knelt on the deck, facing Roger's direction as if worshipping a deity.
"He's not human... he's the son of the Sea God..."
"We're saved! We're truly saved!"
On the deck, there was first a deathly silence, then an explosion of deafening cheers.
The pirates laughed and shouted, embracing each other, releasing the wild joy of surviving a catastrophe.
Their gazes towards Roger had completely changed.
It was no longer awe, but fervent worship.
Captain Barbossa stood by the helm, his body trembling slightly with excitement.
He looked at the figure still standing at the bow, appearing somewhat thin yet incredibly reliable in the wind and rain, and a monstrous wave surged in his heart.
Talent?
No, this was no longer within the realm of talent.
This was a prodigy! A monster!
He had been a pirate for half his life, sailing the Caribbean Sea for so many years, seeing countless formidable captains and navigators, including those legendary figures.
But not a single person could compare to this young man before him.
He played with navigation skills to perfection, as if he were mastering an art!
He had actually thought of treating such a person as free labor... Barbossa felt a chill of fear and relief.
Fortunately, he ultimately chose to trust him.
"It's not over yet!"
Roger's voice came again, interrupting their revelry.
"The core of the storm hasn't passed!"
"Everyone return to your posts!"
"Gibbs, report the ship's condition!"
His voice carried a powerful penetrative force, instantly calming all the overjoyed pirates, who instinctively obeyed his command.
"Yes, sir!"
Gibbs responded loudly without thinking, even using a respectful address.
"No serious leaks found in the hull!"
"Just a few small seepages, already plugged!"
"Good!"
Roger nodded.
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, finally resting on Captain Barbossa's face.
"Captain,"
Roger's tone was calm, but his words were undeniable.
"For the rest of the voyage, please hand over command to me."
"I guarantee, I will lead you safely out of here."
Barbossa looked at Roger's confident eyes, then at his crew who were now completely obedient to him.
He knew that from the moment Roger roared, "Shut up! I'm in charge now!" the command of this ship had, in fact, already changed hands.
He took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
"Alright! From now on, on the sea serpent, you're in charge!"