The light faded. Pierre blinked away the afterimages, expecting another sterile office or maybe the promised game world.
Instead—darkness. Again.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me." His voice disappeared into the void, swallowed by nothingness.
Pierre floated in the emptiness, neither falling nor rising. Just... existing. Suspended in a digital limbo that stretched forever in all directions.
"Hey! Administrator lady!"
No answer. Just the sound of his own breathing.
"First a truck. Then a bureaucrat. Now this." Pierre tried to move his arms, surprised to find they responded normally. "I'm getting real tired of this teleportation void bullshit."
A soft blue glow appeared before him. Not the blinding white of the Administrator's office, but a gentle pulsing notification hovering at eye level. Text materialized within the glow:
[WELCOME TO CHARACTER SELECTION]
[PIRATE LORD'S GREAT ADVENTURE v3.42.1]
[PLEASE SELECT YOUR STARTING FACTION]
"Character selection?" Pierre reached out, his finger passing through the blue light. "What is this, a video game?"
The notification expanded, revealing three rotating icons:
[OUTLAW]
[HERO]
[WORLD NOBLE]
He stared at the options, remembering the Administrator's words. Perhaps you'll have the opportunity to create a better story.
"Fine. Let's see what we're working with." He tapped the [WORLD NOBLE] icon.
The blue light expanded, enveloping him in a sphere of information. Images flashed around him—opulent palaces floating above the clouds, men and women in elaborate bubble helmets and flowing robes, slaves kneeling at their feet.
Text scrolled across his vision:
[WORLD NOBLE - THE DIVINE ASCENDANTS]
Born into the twenty ruling families of the Exalted Pantheon, the Divine Ascendants stand above all other humans. Descendants of the founders who created the United Government 600 years ago, they possess absolute authority, unlimited wealth, and the protection of the Navy's strongest forces.
Benefits:
Unlimited financial resources
Immunity from most laws
Access to restricted technology and knowledge
Personal slave retinue
Navy protection
[CENSORED]
[CENSORED]
Drawbacks:
Target for revolutionaries and pirates
Limited physical capabilities
Restricted movement (must remain in Divine Territories)
Dependency on life support systems
Weak starting combat abilities
[CENSORED]
BASE STATS:
Strength: F
Endurance: F
Dexterity: F
Agility: F
DANGER LEVEL: MEDIUM
POWER POTENTIAL: LOW
"You've got to be joking." Pierre swiped through the images. "These are the assholes from the story. The ones who can kill anyone they want and get away with it because they're 'divine.'"
He remembered the chapters he'd read—Divine Ascendants hunting humans for sport, keeping mermaids in aquariums, burning islands that displeased them.
"Hard pass. I'd rather die again than be one of these pieces of shit." He dismissed the information sphere with a wave. "What else we got?"
He tapped the [HERO] option.
The blue light shifted to a cool green, and new images surrounded him—disciplined soldiers in white and blue uniforms, revolutionary fighters hiding in forests, naval battleships, and secret bases.
[HERO - NAVY/REVOLUTIONARY]
Those who fight for justice take two paths in this world. The Navy serves the United Government, maintaining order and hunting pirates. The Revolutionary Army works from the shadows to overthrow the corrupt system and liberate the oppressed.
NAVY BENEFITS:
Structured advancement
Access to military technology
Legal authority
Stable income and housing
Training from veteran officers
NAVY DRAWBACKS:
Rigid hierarchy
Must follow orders (even unjust ones)
Potential corruption exposure
Limited freedom of movement
May be ordered to protect Divine Ascendants
REVOLUTIONARY BENEFITS:
Freedom of action
Strong comradery
Purpose-driven existence
Access to forbidden knowledge
Connection to underground networks
REVOLUTIONARY DRAWBACKS:
Always hunted
Limited resources
High mortality rate
Sacrifice-heavy lifestyle
No stable home base
BASE STATS (NAVY):
Strength: C
Endurance: D
Dexterity: C
Agility: C
BASE STATS (REVOLUTIONARY):
Strength: D
Endurance: C
Dexterity: D
Agility: C
DANGER LEVEL: HIGH
POWER POTENTIAL: MEDIUM-HIGH
Pierre studied the options. "Better, I guess. Navy seems stable but corrupt as hell in the story. Revolutionaries are the good guys, but they die like flies."
He remembered criticizing the author for making the Revolutionary Army too weak, always losing despite having the moral high ground.
"Typical shonen bullshit. The good guys have to suffer first while the villains prosper from the beginning." He dismissed the green sphere. "Let's check the last one."
He tapped the [OUTLAW] option.
The light shifted to a deep crimson. New images appeared—pirates sailing under black flags, bounty hunters stalking prey through crowded markets, treasure hoards, bloody battles, and wanted posters.
[OUTLAW - PIRATE/BOUNTY HUNTER]
Those who live outside the law choose their own path. Pirates form crews and sail the Great Blue in search of freedom and treasure. Bounty hunters work alone or in small groups, hunting criminals for profit while answering to no one.
PIRATE BENEFITS:
Complete freedom
Potential for vast wealth
Strong crew bonds
Adventure and exploration
Possibility of finding legendary treasures
[CENSORED]
PIRATE DRAWBACKS:
Hunted by Navy and Bounty Hunters
Increasing bounty restricts movement
High mortality rate
Crew management challenges
Must constantly prove strength
BOUNTY HUNTER BENEFITS:
Independent operation
Legal prey acquisition
Respect in lawless territories
Access to black markets
No permanent enemies
BOUNTY HUNTER DRAWBACKS:
No institutional support
Limited resources
Dangerous targets
Isolation
Competing hunters
BASE STATS (PIRATE):
Strength: F
Endurance: C
Dexterity: F
Agility: F
BASE STATS (BOUNTY HUNTER):
Strength: D
Endurance: D
Dexterity: D
Agility: C
DANGER LEVEL: VERY HIGH
POWER POTENTIAL: VERY HIGH
"Huh." Pierre examined the stats more carefully. "Highest power potential, but also highest danger. Makes sense."
He thought about the story he'd read. The protagonist had been a pirate—a generic, overpowered idiot who gained new abilities whenever the plot required it. No struggle, no growth, just convenient power-ups and plot armor.
"If I'm stuck in this world, might as well have options." He scrolled through the information again. "Outlaw is definitely the best one to choose from..."
A new notification appeared:
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO SELECT A FACTION?]
[YES] [NO]
Pierre hesitated. "Wait, do I get any other information? Starting location? Special abilities? That 'gift package' the Administrator mentioned?"
Another notification appeared:
[ADDITIONAL OPTIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER FACTION SELECTION]
"Of course they will." Pierre sighed. "Fine, let's go with Outlaw."