Chapter 5: Find a Sheep, Fleece It for All It's Worth
After planting the explosives on the Dreadnought, Ren used [Flash] to make a safe retreat.
Alright, so he only used [Flash] to grind skill proficiency. The job itself wasn't the least bit dangerous. The Dreadnought was practically deserted; everyone had followed Gangplank to hunt down Twisted Fate.
"Alright, all we have to do now is wait. Let's head back and regroup with Captain Sarah," said Raven, Sarah's right-hand man, who had been planting the explosives alongside him.
Raven was a man of thoroughly average appearance, with no features that might stick in one's memory. He was the sort of person you could see anywhere on the street, utterly unremarkable—a trait he had, ironically, spent years deliberately cultivating.
"You head back first. I'm going to keep an eye on Gangplank. This operation has to succeed," Ren said, his eyes narrowing slightly. Beneath a deceptively casual posture, his nerves were coiled tight.
This was the territory of the Iron Hook Gang. No one else dared to come near. With Gangplank having led his men away to chase Twisted Fate, the two of them were alone outside the Dreadnought. If Raven had dared to refuse or show even a hint of displeasure, Ren would have made sure he never left.
"Understood. Be careful."
"And don't do anything rash. The Captain's plan is foolproof. Gangplank is finished."
Perhaps Sarah had anticipated this and briefed Raven beforehand. Or maybe Raven was just one of those die-hard loyalists who worshipped her, utterly convinced in his captain's charisma and the inevitable success of her plan.
"Right, I know. Don't worry, nothing will go wrong."
Of course, Ren knew what Sarah was up to. When she had first laid out her plan to the newly-awakened Ren, she wasn't actually counting on his power to help complete her revenge.
Sarah's plan was brilliant; she didn't need the help of some half-assed mage. She was using this as an opportunity to let Ren have his 'revenge,' indebting him to her. Then, she would use her wiles to bring the mage under her command.
His participation in planting the explosives with Raven was twofold. First, an operation this critical would never be entrusted to some kid she'd just met. The real responsibility fell on Raven. Raven's mission was expanded: not only to plant the explosives but also to monitor Ren and report the details of his actions back to Sarah. It was a test.
Second, it was a testament to Sarah's confidence in her own plan. She could afford to let Ren tag along on a mission like this just to get his hands dirty, fostering a sense of participation and belonging.
"By the way, is that kid alright?" Ren asked as he was about to leave, remembering the boy.
"He's fine. Gangplank tossed him a few silver pieces and gave him a meal. The kid's already gone home."
"Good to hear. I'm off to tail Gangplank. You be careful on your way back, too."
Raven nodded and ran off in the other direction.
Less than ten minutes later, Ren slipped into a manor—Gangplank's manor. Just as he'd expected, the men here had also been summoned for the manhunt.
Ren knew that acting on his own, instead of returning with Raven, would leave a bad impression on Sarah.
But so what? He never wanted to get involved in this mess in the first place. Even knowing the plot and that Sarah's plan would succeed, what of it? Gangplank was powerful and had countless men. Who knew what kind of accidents could happen if he rashly jumped in? Was he supposed to gamble his own life on everything going smoothly?
He had just gotten his System and was still weak. Even if he wanted revenge on Gangplank, there was no need to rush. He'd heard the legends of grinders who became gods in the starting zone; when the time came, he wouldn't care if you were the Pirate King or if your ex-girlfriend was some god-chosen priestess—he'd crush you all the same.
If it hadn't been for the two pistols—one to his chest, one to his back!—threatening him, Ren would never have agreed to participate.
Besides, leaving a bad impression on Sarah meant nothing. Ren had never considered making her his boss, nor was he interested in getting into her pants.
Sarah, 'Miss Fortune,' a woman of many nicknames, was certainly a capable person with impressive methods. But to win over a man with a System? She was still lacking.
For Ren to even consider taking orders from someone, they'd have to be on the level of a figure like Azir.
Is this just how Gangplank is? So damn confident, Ren mused. Building his vault in such an obvious place.
Having found his target, Ren wasted no more time and [Flashed] directly into the vault.
Inside, chests were stacked in piles on both sides of a central path. At the very end lay Gangplank's personal collection—small in number, but likely his most valuable treasures.
He opened a few chests. The ones on the left were filled with Silver Serpents, the ones on the right with Golden Krakens. No more time to waste. Ren opened his spatial storage and, with a flourish of magic, emptied the entire vault.
'Ding'
'You have emptied the Pirate King's vault. Reward granted.'
'Warning: Evade Gangplank's pursuit.'
Acquired Magical Knowledge [Enchantment - Barrier]
Acquired Magical Knowledge [Enchantment - Cleanse]
Acquired Magical Knowledge [Enchantment - Clarity]
Acquired [Intermediate Mage's Notes]
"Just as I thought. Raiding this place gives rewards too."
"The System didn't issue a quest, so I'm not sure what the exact trigger for rewards is, but it's most likely related to the 'heroes'."
"This vault belongs to Gangplank, and the Dreadnought I just lifted supplies from was also his ship. This time I got three sets of magical knowledge, plus the [Intermediate Combat Legacy] and [Intermediate Naval Warfare Legacy] from before. A pretty good haul."
His work done, Ren departed. He glanced into the distance. 'That treasury Twisted Fate stole the dagger from should have plenty of good stuff, too. If I hurry, I should be able to make it in time.'
With that thought, Ren set off toward the treasury.
'BANG!' Graves gunned down one of the Iron Hook grunts and roared, "Sons of bitches, don't you fucking get in my way! If Twisted Fate gets away, I'll kill every last one of your mothers!"
He glanced over. Thankfully, the Iron Hook bastards had managed to slow Twisted Fate down as well.
Having just blown away the surrounding enemies with a spray of three red cards, Twisted Fate saw Graves, reloaded and charging, and felt a headache coming on.
He had no choice. With a flick of his wrist, three more red cards flew toward Graves. Without waiting to see the result, Twisted Fate turned and fled.
'BANG! BANG! BANG!'
He didn't need to look back to know that wouldn't stop him. Twisted Fate picked up his pace and sprinted onto Butcher's Bridge. If he could just get across this bridge, turn onto Channing Street, and follow his pre-planned escape route, he'd be home free.
"GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" Graves bellowed.
He charged onto Butcher's Bridge, catching up to Twisted Fate, only to see him stopped in the middle. Looking ahead, the other side of the bridge was swarming with men—the Red Hat Gang, more of Gangplank's lackeys.
Twisted Fate turned back, trying to reason with him. "Malcolm, do we really have to settle this here and now? And throw our lives away to this scum? If we work together, like we used to..."
"And then you can do what you do best and sell me out again," Graves spat.
At that, Twisted Fate fell silent.
The men from the Iron Hook Gang had caught up from behind, flooding the bridge. The pirates weren't in any hurry now. It was a simple matter of cornering their prey. They flashed predatory, bloodthirsty grins as they slowly closed in on the two men.
Graves took another step forward.
This big oaf has completely failed to grasp our situation.
Twisted Fate felt a daze come over him, as if he were back years ago. The two of them had faced countless similar predicaments, but this time, the big oaf wasn't going to listen to him anymore.
He backed up to the edge of the bridge. Below was a dizzying web of cables and hanging baskets, and further down, the inky black water. A wave of vertigo hit him. How funny. A man of the River Folk who couldn't swim. The irony was suffocating.
Leaning against the railing, Twisted Fate looked around and felt a surge of despair. Wolves at his back, tigers at his front, and a complete moron stuck in the middle... It was time for a desperate move. He climbed onto the railing.
"Get the hell down from there, you son of a bitch!"
Did he hear that right? The tone was... off. Twisted Fate took a deep breath. A fall from this height would be more than his slender frame could take.
"Huuu... Tobias. Get down," Graves said, his voice now a sigh.
Twisted Fate froze. That name. It had been a long, long time since he'd heard anyone call him that.
And then he jumped.
The Nine-Headed Rattlesnake was one of the few high-end taverns in the city. Its decor was elegant, almost opulent, unlike the other mud-caked holes where the common thugs gathered.
A red-haired beauty sat at a booth, sipping her drink leisurely, a mountain of a man standing behind her.
The other patrons stole glances at her as they raised their mugs, their burning gazes obvious, but no one dared to approach and disturb her.
No one noticed when the tavern door creaked open and a man with an ordinary face walked in. He went to the bar, ordered a beer, and began drinking alone.
The red-haired beauty drained the last of her amber ale, rose, and headed for the door, the large man following close behind her.
As soon as she was gone, a collective sigh went through the room, punctuated by a few wolf-howls lamenting her departure. The ordinary-looking man at the bar pursed his lips, finished his drink, and also left the tavern.
"How did it go?" Sarah asked, looking at Raven as he caught up to her.
"Everything went smoothly, Captain."
"You weren't spotted, were you? And Ren? Did he go after Gangplank?"
"No, we weren't. Gangplank took everyone with him for the manhunt. The port was unguarded, and there were barely any men left on the ship."
"As for Ren," Raven reported, "he said he was going to keep a close watch on Gangplank."
"What about the boy?"
"The little one's acting was superb. He's already withdrawn safely."
"Excellent. Let's head back to the Siren."
On the dimly lit street, Sarah continued walking forward, with Ramsey and Raven following behind her.
The pieces of fate were all in place. All that remained was for the right moment to arrive, and the dirge for the Pirate King would begin.
'Ding'
'You have salvaged over half the treasure from Gangplank's treasury from the great fire.'
'You have helped Gangplank. He wishes to thank you.'
Acquired [Fire Element Resistance]
Acquired [Fire Element Affinity]
"Thanks, System. But what tier are these traits? Am I supposed to test them out with my own body?"
Ren wondered with some difficulty. He suddenly thought that the mobile games he played in his past life, the ones that used colors to denote rarity, had the right idea. It would be nice if the System could do something like that.
And what stage was his power at now? He'd checked his status panel earlier, and his evaluation had already changed from 'Mortal' to 'Elite.'
He'd figure all that out later. The most important thing now was to rush to the port, hide nearby, and find Gangplank after the Dreadnought exploded.
As he moved, Ren focused his mind on his magic storage for a moment. He made a silent decision: he absolutely had to find Gangplank later and thank him properly. It was all thanks to him that Ren had become a very wealthy man.
When he found him, if he wasn't dead, he'd lend him a hand and make sure he didn't suffer. If he was dead, he'd put another blade in him, just to make sure he didn't come back to life in this 'place of sorrow.'
I'm just too kind, he thought.