Three days later.
Genta leaned over the railing of the Surrey, squinting into the distance as he watched Tsuneo row a tiny dinghy toward the so-called Devil's Island.
"Is he really going to be okay?"
The Vice-Captain couldn't even see the island yet, not even with the telescope.
"There's nothing else we can do. We can't bring the ship any closer. Heaven only knows what's waiting for us in those waters," Ruth said, rubbing his face hard with his rough palms.
This was an island that radiated pure, unadulterated malice.
That was the evaluation Tsuneo gave as he drew closer. From a distance, the island was shrouded in a thin, sickly mist. It lacked the vibrancy and life of their starting island; here, the land was barren and jagged. Waves slammed violently against the reefs, letting out guttural roars like a wounded beast.
The harbor was packed tight with pirate ships. Tsuneo noted three or four vessels that were significantly more imposing than even the Surrey. This appeared to be a neutral ground for various pirate fleets; they seemed to follow a strict set of unspoken rules, showing no desire to cause trouble with one another.
Ruth had mentioned that Devil's Island had a "Manager." The defensive force protecting the island was supposedly so powerful that all these pirates combined wouldn't be able to defeat them.
As for the identity of this Manager... it was highly likely to be the hegemon of the First Sea: the Kingdom of Seris.
On one hand, they allowed pirates to pillage other small nations; on the other, they had created a sanctuary like Devil's Island. No matter how you looked at it, it felt like they were "raising venomous insects"—letting the pirates fight and grow until only the strongest remained.
The "Repairman" rowed his small boat onto a secluded stretch of beach. Perhaps because his target was so small, no one noticed his landing. Or perhaps the sentries in the watchtowers simply didn't care about a lone wooden dinghy.
"How tragic," Tsuneo muttered after walking only a few paces. He found three corpses slumped behind a massive boulder.
Their attire was typical of mid-century pirates, but their bodies had already begun to rot, emitting a foul, cloying stench. As Tsuneo watched, the corpses seemed to be affected by the game's internal logic, gradually beginning to pixelate and dissipate.
Simultaneously, a soft set of footsteps echoed from the other side of the boulder.
"You seem to be enjoying this game quite a bit."
It was the voice of Noah's Ark.
Tsuneo looked up. The hyper-realistic world around him seemed to grind to a halt. The wind died, the mist froze in mid-air, and even the distant cries of seabirds were abruptly severed.
"I figured you'd come for a chat eventually."
Tsuneo showed no surprise at the sight of the young boy appearing before him. To the AI, he was undoubtedly the greatest variable in the system.
"You give me a very strange feeling," said Noah's Ark, having taken the form of the boy, Hiroki Sawada. His voice was no longer a cold, mechanical drone. At this moment, it was better to call him Hiroki.
"Strange?"
Tsuneo shook his head slightly and glanced at his own health bar. It was pretty strange.
"The Cocoon analyzes a player's physical condition and translates that data into the virtual world, creating nodes that allow people to meet in this space," Hiroki explained.
With a casual wave of his hand, a virtual interface shimmered into existence between them—a feat of digital magic. The panel displayed all of Tsuneo's physical stats and recorded data.
"Before this launch, the staff of the Cocoon project entered the game many times. But I have never seen values like these."
From the sounds of it, the AI had been monitoring the entire development process from the shadows.
"It's not that much, really," Tsuneo said, looking up at the panel.
If they pulled Kyogoku Makoto in here, his Strength and Agility would probably be higher than mine, he thought. Though in terms of HP and Endurance, he definitely wouldn't stand a chance.
"If it were just that, it wouldn't be an issue," Hiroki said, shaking his head. There were always outliers in the human race. He swiped his finger across the air, and the personal status window shifted into a series of records.
Tsuneo's brows knit together.
"You... it's as if you appeared in this world out of thin air."
By "this world," he meant the reality outside the game. Every digital footprint, every record in the global network, every police file entered into a computer—the AI could see it all.
"'Appeared out of thin air.' I like that phrase," Tsuneo said, mimicking the motion and scrolling through his own sparse records. He nodded in satisfaction. This little AI certainly had a high-tech feel to him.
"But why...?" Hiroki seemed genuinely preoccupied by this. Living in a modern society without leaving a trace was impossible, yet everyone in the world seemed to accept this unique individual's existence as a given.
"I suppose the 'Conan-logic' of this world influenced everything," Tsuneo replied. "But even the most advanced AI can't know everything, right?"
Tsuneo looked directly at Hiroki. "Like the erratic changes of the seasons, or the twisted timeline of this world. There are things you can't explain—things you might not even be able to perceive."
"I won't deny that," Hiroki said with a faint smile. Still, he looked at Tsuneo with newfound respect. To be able to eliminate so many pirates without a flicker of emotion was truly impressive.
"Go on then. Perhaps the Manager of this island will give you quite a surprise."
In the blink of an eye, Hiroki's figure vanished. He was replaced by the characteristic, emotionless voice of Noah's Ark.
"A surprise?"
Tsuneo had a feeling the AI was about to stir up some trouble...
The prosperity of Devil's Island far exceeded Tsuneo's expectations. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a gold-swallowing pit built upon the sea. Here, you could buy anything your heart desired and receive service to match—though the prices were high enough to scare a man to death.
It was a true paradise for hedonists!
However, the atmosphere of this place was about to change drastically. Because a certain human-shaped Boss had arrived...
"Vice-Captain, it's been a day and a night. Do you think the Captain is ever coming back?"
Ruth seemed to have returned to his "normal" NPC self, losing his child-friendly flair. He slumped over the railing, a look of utter despair on his face. If the Captain didn't return, the next in line for the throne was the little chubby kid standing next to him. It was no wonder he was worried.
"Of course he's coming back. He'll definitely be back!" Genta said. Though he had doubted for a second, he quickly reinforced his own conviction.
As he spoke, the boy took a massive bite of the eel rice in his hand. Earlier, he had cast his fishing rod, wishing he could catch an eel—and to his shock, he actually hooked one. It was as if someone had heard his wish and personally hooked an eel onto his line.
Choosing the Pirate World was definitely the right move!
"We're doomed..." Ruth groaned, holding his empty rice bowl with a look of speechlessness.
He had to go get the Vice-Captain a refill...
Meanwhile, the battle to purge the pirates of Devil's Island had entered its final phase.
Over the course of a day and a night, Tsuneo's health bar—the representation of his life force—had dropped by half. His body was covered in wounds. Though most of his enemies had been drunks, there were simply too many of them. He had only been able to clear out all the pirates, including the Manager's lackeys, because he was constantly leveling up in the heat of battle.
At this moment, the "Repairman," even with only half his health remaining, possessed a total HP value exceeding 15,000.
He was the type of monster that only grew stronger the more he killed.
[Chapter End]
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