Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Henchman of the Sea
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The rogue user pinned beneath Lee Shin was speechless at his shout.
‘What did I just hear…?’
Only a moment later did he regain his senses and yell.
“…Are you crazy!??!”
“I am.”
“You really are cra— What!? Ah, uh….”
The rogue user stammered, taken aback by Lee Shin’s cool admission.
Given his previous actions, it was hard to dismiss it as a mere figure of speech.
This wasn't a method that would come from a sane person's mind.
The rogue user shivered, a strange chill running down his spine.
‘Is… is he actually insane…?’
He had heard that people like that existed.
People who played games to do things they couldn't in reality.
Lee Shin’s next actions only served to solidify that belief.
After handing the rogue over to the pirates, Lee Shin shot to his feet and approached the captain.
“Oh, great Captain!”
“…What is it?”
“I am not just saying this for the sake of it.”
[Your Infamy is very high.]
[The target has an Evil alignment.]
[Drake is now interested in you.]
“…Hmm.”
Timely assistance.
Lee Shin quickly continued.
“If you spare my life, I will make sure you never regret it.”
“Hoh…?”
The captain’s expression changed at those words.
A look of intrigue.
He tilted his chin and asked.
“How, specifically?”
“That is……”
Lee Shin paused for a moment.
He had succeeded in catching his interest, but if he failed to persuade him, it would all be for nothing.
In that instant, both the pirates and the users would turn on him.
But Lee Shin wasn't particularly nervous.
He had a way to convince him.
Lee Shin unequipped his gear and said.
“What adventurer could possibly be a better fit for a pirate crew than I?”
[The curse has been lifted.]
[Your Infamy skyrockets!]
[…Your Infamy is extremely high!]
[Drake now has a favorable impression of you.]
“…Gasp! Now that I look at you, I think you might be right…!?”
Thanks to his ridiculously high infamy, the captain’s opinion flipped in an instant!
Drake’s eyes widened.
He let out a hearty laugh and said.
“Indeed. Hahaha! I thought you had the makings of a pirate the moment I first saw you.”
“How could I compare to you, Captain? You are the very definition of a true pirate!”
Seizing the opportunity, Lee Shin laid on the flattery.
Having already chosen his path, he felt no hesitation.
“…You are cool, magnificent, and a role model for all pirates…!”
“Ahem. Am, am I really all that…?”
“You are!”
“Gahaha!”
Such skillful flattery!
Lee Shin had always gotten along better with evil-aligned NPCs than with normal ones.
As Lee Shin’s words expertly scratched all the right itches, the corners of Drake’s mouth curled upward.
[Drake’s Affinity has greatly increased.]
“Hahaha! Excellent! Adventurer, I shall spare your life.”
“Thank you!”
And so, Lee Shin survived.
But it didn't even end there.
Drake, who had been laughing heartily, looked at Lee Shin and suddenly spoke.
“Now that you’re a pirate, you’ll need a proper rank, won’t you?”
“Pardon?”
“I will give you the position of my second-in-command.”
[Drake’s Affinity is very high.]
[Drake’s Trust is very high.]
[Drake bestows a rank upon you!]
“…!!”
[You have become Drake's Second-in-Command.]
[You have acquired the title, <Henchman of the Sea>!]
Henchman of the Sea
•Increases the probability that pirates with low Infamy and rank will obey you.
“……”
Lee Shin’s expression turned ambiguous.
What a dubious-sounding title!
But despite his feelings, obtaining a rank was the best possible outcome.
And not just the rank of a common crewman, but the position of second-in-command.
Lee Shin bowed deeply.
“Thank you!”
The ones most surprised by this outcome were the users watching from behind.
Their jaws dropped as they watched with an air of ‘let’s see what happens.’
A moment later, they regained their senses and began to clamor.
They felt it was deeply unfair that Lee Shin, who had betrayed them, would survive while they, the victims, were going to die.
“What the hell, are you crazy!? He’s a pirate!”
“Why are you letting him live! You should kill him!”
“What are you doing!”
If we’re going to die, we’re all going down together!
“……”
Drake silenced the users’ uproar with a single, simple action.
Bang!
He drew the musket from his hip and fired it like a bolt of lightning!
And that was it.
“Gah!?”
A single shot.
The user who was hit saw his health drop to zero and was immediately logged out.
The other users who had been causing a ruckus nearby flinched.
“He’s dead…?!”
“I didn’t even see anything…?”
The user who died had even been a warrior.
A class with high health and defense.
Even if their opponent was a powerful boss, no one had expected him to die in a single hit.
Especially not from such a simple, swift attack.
“……”
“Ah…”
That one shot instantly chilled the boisterous atmosphere!
The users’ faces turned pale.
‘…We’re really screwed!’
‘Dammit! Why did we have to come all the way out here.’
‘No one will be able to rescue us…’
Lee Shin’s expression, on the other hand, brightened. He was now certain his judgment had been correct.
He had made enemies of all the users, but at this point, it didn't really matter.
There was nothing they could do here anyway.
What was far more important was that he had won the captain’s favor.
“What would you have me do?”
Lee Shin asked Drake.
Drake looked at him with a satisfied expression and said.
“I like your enthusiasm. I will give you your first mission.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Find a way to wipe out the pirates.”
“……?”
Lee Shin blinked at the incomprehensible command.
Was he asking him to find a way to kill himself…?
Noticing Lee Shin’s expression, Drake added a further explanation.
He pointed to the flag flying at the top of the pirate ship’s mast and continued.
“To be precise, I mean the pirates who do not fly that flag.”
“…Ah!”
Lee Shin now understood Drake’s words and nodded.
He was talking about other pirate factions not under his command.
‘So that’s what he meant.’
Just because they were pirates didn't mean they were all on the same side.
Considering their evil alignment, it was only natural.
They would willingly submit to an absolute powerhouse, but otherwise, there was no way to control them besides crushing them with force.
“Are you planning to take control of this sea?”
Lee Shin asked cautiously, having grasped Drake’s intention.
Drake nodded readily.
“That’s right.”
“How many factions are there that do not follow you, Captain?”
“There is one faction of a similar size to my own.”
“And the rest…”
“The rest are mostly small groups of two or three ships. But there are quite a few of them.”
“I see.”
Drake asked.
“Can you handle it?”
If there was another group of a similar size, they couldn't afford to lose too much of their strength while dealing with the smaller fry.
“……”
Lee Shin fell into thought for a moment.
But his contemplation wasn't long.
He instantly came up with a method perfectly suited for the situation.
“How about we do this?”
“?”
“We use the prisoners.”
The method Lee Shin conceived was to use the players.
Since he had already betrayed them, he might as well exploit them to the bone.
“Let’s put them on the front lines.”
The users’ levels were by no means low, so they were certainly useful.
Moreover, no matter whose orders they were following, they would gain contribution points for catching pirates, so the users had no reason not to comply.
Drake looked intrigued.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. And…”
Lee Shin continued speaking.
Having firmly chosen his side, he spoke without any restraint.
“While we’re at it, why don’t we take down the naval fleet as well?”
“The naval fleet?”
“Yes. In fact, a punitive force was recently formed. The reason we came so far out to sea was because of it.”
This seemed to be new information for Drake, whose eyes widened.
“How many are there?”
“Seventeen ships.”
“That’s… not a small number.”
“But they are all operating separately. If we lure them out one by one, we can definitely take them.”
“……”
Drake sank into thought.
After a moment, he asked.
“Can that be done?”
It was a valid point, but it was a loaded question asking how they would accomplish the prerequisite of ‘luring them out one by one.’
To this, Lee Shin simply pointed at the users and answered.
“We’ll make it happen.”
“Hm?”
“Not us, the prisoners. If they don’t want to suffer alone, they’ll do a good job of tricking and luring them here, won’t they?”
“…!!”
A truly demonic plan!
Drake, being of an evil alignment, was greatly pleased and clapped his hands.
“…That is an excellent idea!”
* * *
“He said he’ll spare you.”
“…! Really?!”
“Yeah, I’ll untie your ropes. Hold on.”
The users were startled when Lee Shin appeared a while later and told them the news.
He didn't betray us?
We thought he was going to kill us and take our items…
The users who had been fervently badmouthing Lee Shin in his absence looked embarrassed.
“Ahem! Th-Thanks…”
“But there are conditions.”
“Ah…”
Of course, there were.
The users were slightly disappointed, but they decided to think positively.
“Still, at least we get to live, right?”
“That’s true.”
“What do we have to do?”
Lee Shin answered.
“From now on, we’re going to be hunting pirates. The ones with different flags from that one.”
“Ooh! Really?”
“That’s not bad.”
“But you’ll be the vanguard.”
“Ah, that’s… fine!”
Contrary to their worries, the users were excited by the very reasonable conditions!
But Lee Shin wasn't finished yet.
“…And, if we happen to see any friendly fleet ships along the way, we’ll be sinking them too.”
“Ooh… oh?”
“Excuse me? That’s…”
The cheers gradually died down.
A moment later.
“……”
“…Umm.”
The users exchanged glances with each other.
The situation was what it was, but as fellow players, they felt conflicted.
‘Is… is that really okay?’
‘Isn’t that a bit… much?’
Even if it was to survive… it was an act that pricked their consciences!
And, of course, their infamy would skyrocket.
Unlike Lee Shin, they possessed normal sensibilities, so they couldn't readily agree.
‘Hmm.’
Lee Shin could read the mood.
And the path he chose was not persuasion.
He wasn't confident he could do it in the first place, and besides, he had a better way.
“So.”
“Huh? Yes?”
Lee Shin opened his mouth.
“Are you going to suffer this alone?”
“…!!”
*Are you going to suffer this alone?*
At those words, the hesitation in the conflicted users’ eyes completely vanished.
* * *
“I’ve persuaded them.”
“Already? Remarkable!”
[Drake’s Affinity has…]
“It would be better if you took command of them yourself.”
[Drake cedes a portion of his command authority to you. You can now command the prisoners.]
“It was nothing.”
“Humble, too…!”
“…In any case, how about we set off now?”
Drake nodded.
He signaled the helmsman, and the ship began to move in search of enemies.
“We’re moving out!”
“Yes, sir!”
How much time had passed?
About ten minutes after they had moved from their initial position.
‘Found them.’
[Pirate ship discovered!]
[Friendly vessel discovered!]
And it was both pirates and allies at the same time.
Far in the distance, a single friendly vessel was surrounded by three pirate ships, engaged in a fierce battle.
The corners of Lee Shin’s mouth rose at the perfectly orchestrated situation.
‘What should I do?’
Lee Shin’s mind raced.
He formulated a plan in an instant.
‘I’ll approach pretending to help… and then attack them both.’
A truly terrifying plan!
But for the perfectly evil-aligned NPC Drake, there could be no plan more perfect.
He accepted Lee Shin’s proposed plan with a continuous, satisfied smile.
“Do it.”
[Drake has given his permission.]
[You may now attack the enemy with the prisoners.]
Lee Shin gave the command.
“Let’s go!”
“Waaaaah!”