Chapter 4: New Member
An awkward silence filled the atmosphere, as Leon lifted his left eyebrow, "…just why…?"
[Do as I say or you will be punished]
"This doesn't even make any sense," he breathed in and out, then looked at the woman.
The time slowly turned back to normal, "I'm sorry…" he whispered and pushed her into the water.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" She lost her balance by the sudden push and joined the pirates.
"Sixto! Are you mad?!"
[Now tell her in order to be able to join you, she needs to learn how to swim first]
"What the? She can't swim?" His mouth formed a perfect 'O' of surprise, and he looked down beyond the deck.
His breathing thickened as he tried to process the information, "she's going to die! You idiot!" As he was about to jump into the water to help the struggling woman, the system spoke again.
[If you jump, you lose points. Losing points leads you to death.]
It spoke calmly, like Leon's life meant nothing to it.
"Damn it!" He gritted his teeth and tightened his hand on the deck, "how many points do I have, to begin with?"
[One hundred.]
"And how many points would I lose if I'd jump now?"
[One hundred.]
"What?! Just what kind of math is this?!" His eyebrows shot up so high, almost disappeared into his hairline.
[A simple one]
"Stupid system…" he murmured under his breath, "fine!"
The time turned to normal, and he watched the girl almost drown, "if you want to stay on my ship, you must learn how to swim first…" he ordered the girl, avoiding eye contact.
Leon's heart was racing as he watched the girl flailing in the water.
He felt terrible for pushing her, but he was trapped by the system's rules.
To his surprise, though, the girl began to move her arms and legs in an attempt to swim.
She was gasping and coughing, but she was managing to keep her head above water.
Slowly, she made her way to the rope hanging from the side of the ship.
With great effort, she grabbed the rope and started pulling herself up.
Her arms were weak, but the will burned in her eyes. She climbed onto the deck, dripping and breathing hard. She stood in front of Leon, her eyes stared at him.
"Sixto, please... I've learned how to swim, now let me join your ship," she pleaded, her voice shook from exhaustion and the cold.
Leon could hardly believe what he had just seen. The system's voice interrupted his thoughts.
[New crew member acquired. Name: Isabella. Abilities: Navigation and cartography.
Powers: She has an ability to predict the weather, a valuable skill for a pirate.]
Leon was stunned. Isabella had potential, and the system had recognized that. But what about the other two women? He had to know.
"What about the others?" he asked the system.
[The first woman, name: Maria. Abilities: Expert at hand-to-hand combat.
Powers: Enhanced strength, making her a formidable opponent in battle.]
Leon nodded, impressed despite himself. Maria could be a great helper in a fight.
[The second woman, name: Greta. Abilities: Skilled in medicine and healing.
Powers: Accelareted healing process, allowing her to recover from injuries much faster than a normal person.]
Leon's mind raced.
His crew was shaping up to be quite diverse in skills and talents.
Isabella was like a navigator, Maria a warrior, and Greta a healer.
"Alright," Leon finally said, looking at Isabella with a new respect. "Welcome to the crew."
Isabella smiled, relief washed over her face, she sighed. She had passed the test, and now she was part of Sixto's ship.
Leon turned and addressed the rest of his crew. "We have a new member joining us. Let's welcome her properly and get back to work. We have a long journey ahead."
'I have no clue where we're going actually…'
As they prepared to set sail with his new crewmates, Leon watched them closely.
He had a good feeling about this. Despite the system's cold calculations, he believed these new additions would make them stronger.
And with that, the ship began to move, slicing through the waves towards their next mission.
"Where are we going?"
[To Geneva. There will be a new place for you to stay and gold to collect.]
"Alright…"
Leon felt the ship sway gently beneath his feet as it caught the wind and began to sail away from the defeated pirates.
The air was filled with the salty taste of the sea, and the creaking of the ship's timbers was a comforting, familiar sound to him.
Leon decided it was a good time to explore the ship and check on everything himself.
He walked across the deck, his boots were thudding softly against the wooden planks.
He passed by them three, who were busy with their duties—hoisting sails, securing lines, and navigating the ship.
"Nothing to fear yet…"
Leon continued his inspection, peering into the hold, checking the supplies, and making sure everything was secured.
He nodded to himself; all was as it should be. The ship was his domain, and he knew every inch of it like the back of his hand, "I wonder if it's because I'm this character now…could it be…?"
Eventually, he made his way to his cabin.
It was a small room, but it was his private space where he could think and plan in peace.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind him.
The cabin was dimly lit by a single candle that swayed with the motion of the ship.
Leon sat down at his desk and rested his elbows on the weathered wood, his fingers locked as he leaned forward.
"Just what did I get myself into…?" He looked at his bed, it was quite big and made of wooden frames, "do I sleep here alone?" He spoke without even realising it.
[No. You spend your nights here with your crew members]
"This…is just fantastic…"
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