It Was a Rofan All Along
I loved pirate manga.
An endless horizon stretching out forever, the dawn rising over the waves, upbeat music flowing freely, and the glug-glug of rum sloshing around—ask me why, and I could go on all day. I was hooked.
But what really set my heart on fire was the manga's core message.
Freedom.
Who the hell doesn't love freedom? Everyone's just given up on it for practical reasons, but deep down, we've all dreamed of a life without chains.
I was no different. Sometimes I wanted to play the dashing hero like these pirates, or spend all night boozing with my crew, salt spray whipping our faces.
Then one day.
I opened my eyes under a flock of seagulls.
The body I'd possessed belonged to a boy, maybe ten years old.
Skin and bones poked through his rags—he looked like he could drop dead any second.
I shoved down the shock and scanned my surroundings.
Suddenly, a sea breeze grazed my cheek. And in my vision, tattered sails fluttered wildly.
That's when it hit me: I was on a wrecked ship.
'No fucking way...?'
My heart started pounding.
Lips dry with excitement, I licked them—salty tang flooding my mouth.
I snorted hard and bolted forward.
Screeech! Screeech! The rotten deck boards groaned underfoot, but who gave a shit.
Finally, I reached the end of the wreck.
- Shwooooosh!
Blue filled my vision.
The sea. The goddamn sea. An endless expanse right in front of me.
My heart raced like mad.
Because I was sure now.
This was the world from my favorite pirate manga. No doubt about it.
Looking back, it was a fucking retarded idea. Just because I was floating on the ocean?
But back then, my brain was pickled in that briny sea air.
More importantly...
- Grrrooowl!
I was starving. At this rate, I'd croak before I could even pirate.
No choice—I scavenged the deck's trash and rigged up a crude fishing rod.
Bait? Maggots crawling out of the rotten wood.
Once I had food in my gut, the ship itself started giving me grief.
Holes everywhere meant it nearly sank on me more than once.
But the real kicker? Actual pirate ships showing up now and then.
Luckily, my tiny kid body let me curl up under the deck and dodge their eyes. Small mercies.
Survival wasn't smooth sailing otherwise, but weirdly, I enjoyed it.
The more I went through, the more convinced I was this was the manga world.
The clincher? Spotting that massive squid.
Kraken.
The monster squid from the manga that sank countless pirates. Each tentacle rivaled a Seoul skyscraper—pure legendary terror.
I swallowed hard and vowed.
'You're mine someday.'
But first, I needed a crew.
I rowed endlessly.
The wreck finally sank, leaving me clinging to a plank, paddling onward.
Hit land? Hunted, swung sticks around, took it easy for once.
That's when I found kids being dragged off by slavers in the woods. Any pirate with a shred of romance can't just walk by.
I mustered every ounce of strength and freed 'em.
The kids hailed me captain. Handy ones among them built us a ship before long.
Ten years passed.
I planted my foot on the bowsprit, the long prow jutting ahead.
Gripped my cutlass, thrust it forward, and bellowed.
"We're sailing!"
My real adventure was underway.
***
"...I was out of my fucking mind."
Why the hell did I decide this world was pirate manga?
No explanation unless I was insane.
But anyone seeing that Kraken would've thought the same.
Plus, there were powers like in the manga—spraying water from your hands and shit!
Turned out it was just magic.
Explains why I could swim, huh.
"Captain, what're ya doin' with yer head down like that, shu?"
I was sighing my guts out when the captain's cabin door slammed open.
Jack—one of the kids I'd saved from slavers ten years back.
One look at his face: holy fuck.
The cute kid was gone; now a bushy beard swallowed half his mug. Stereotypical pirate ad, that face.
"Clear off, you fuck. I'm already queasy from the seasickness."
"Huh? Captain gettin' seasick? More importantly, preparations're all done, shu."
At Jack's words, I yanked down the cheap captain's hat I'd bought at the market.
Stepped out, and on deck: guys looking like Jack's clones, all trussed up.
I tapped one's shoulder with the back of my cutlass.
You know, that curved pirate sword. Cutlass.
Anyway.
Simple reason they were tied up.
"Why the fuck you stealin' folks' freedom?"
I spoke, and they all trembled like leaves.
"P-please, spare us! We won't trespass your territory again!"
Tears and snot streaming—pitiful sight, but these were real scum.
They docked at islands, kidnapped, massacred for fun. Big names around here.
Ran into 'em by chance, beat their asses on the spot.
A tiny girl peeked out from my side.
"Captain! They said I looked all soft and chewy! And like, they were all like!"
This squishy-looking girl was Elise, my adoptive little sis.
Another kid I'd rescued from slavers, like Jack.
She was pissed—thumping her flat chest, jabbing fingers at the pirates.
"They're bad pirates, not like us! Execute 'em! Totally execute!"
"N-no, misunderstanding, sir! We were just complimentin' the pretty lady!"
"Bullshit! Execute the ugly one first, Captain!"
"...You little bitch!"
"Eek!"
At the gravelly growl, Elise ducked behind me.
I laughed heartily and reached out to her.
She instantly fetched a bottle of rum from the hold.
"If you're that scared, why yap?"
"B-but it's unfair..."
I chugged the rum straight and turned back to the pirates.
"You know why I bothered keepin' you alive?"
"..."
No one answered.
I nodded. Jack headed off somewhere.
Minutes later, folks trailed behind him.
Husbands, wives, kids.
Or fathers, mothers.
Whatever—they'd been dragged to sea just for catching these pricks' eyes.
So, show the victims their kidnappers' end. Only polite.
Kids pulled back, of course.
I smirked.
"Wanted you to see 'em blow a gasket."
"...You bastard!"
One exploded. Shaking so hard, the deck wobbled.
Quit shaking, fucker. This old girl's fragile.
"You're no different from us, spoutin' your fake-ass hypocrisy!"
True, I'm a pirate.
But I don't kill people just 'cause they piss me off like you lot. And stop shaking, damn it? Gripped tighter.
- Splat!
His head rolled.
I toed the headless torso off the side.
Silence crashed down.
Fucking hell.
These assholes were tormenting the weak just hours ago, now quaking at their turn.
No wonder I need a drink.
Sober? I'd puke.
One crawled, begging.
Answered with my blade.
"All done, Captain?"
Jack wiped sweat—he'd helped with the executions.
"Yeah. Good work."
"You did more, Captain. I'll sink the rest, shu."
"Do it."
Then a crewmate across from Jack whispered.
"What about her? Looks like fancy nobility."
He pointed at one of the shivering captives behind us.
Yeah, one woman stood out.
Silver hair like the Milky Way, ruby eyes fit for a treasure chest, sharp features.
Impossible to miss.
Though maybe she was meant to stand out.
She was the heroine from my sister's rofan novel.
Yeah, a rofan protagonist.
Guess what I felt when I first saw her?
Nothing. Shock that big blanks you out.
I didn't wanna know. Then our eyes met.
"Hic!"
Fuck, we're screwed for real.