WebNovels

Chapter 11 - Dilemma and Conspiracies

After a brief respite, Max opened his eyes.

"Let's concentrate on the task now."

His gaze turned focused and sharp. He interlocked his fingers and leaned forward at the desk. Willing the system screen back, he summoned it once again.

Ding—!

====

Primary Objective: 

- Declare yourself as a pirate with a ship and a crew 

- Loot at least one of the settlements under the Crown 

Or

-Capture Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa and the Black Pearl

-Hand them over to the Crown and prove your loyalty 

Bonus Objective: 

- Snatch the cursed treasure — all pieces of Aztec gold 

====

His eyes landed on the mission objectives rather than on any of the insignificant information. He already knew the rest.

"So what do we have here?" he hummed while rubbing his chin.

From the given interface, he gleaned quite a lot. First of all, there were two types of objectives — primary and bonus.

Certainly, the employer required him to complete the primary one without fail. As for the bonus, its name implied what it was: optional.

If he was confident in his skills, then he should attempt that one too, provided his survival wasn't threatened.

"Hmm… Aztec Gold." Even if he denied it, bonuses thrilled most humans, and his eyes lit up at the promise of greater rewards.

It was a given that the bonus must grant him more, or at least better, rewards.

He scratched his chin. "Isn't this from the first movie?"

His brows knitted together, brooding over the provided memories of this identity. The timeline was difficult to grasp since Pirates of the Caribbean didn't exactly specify it. But he remembered certain rumours in his memory.

"We're before the events of the first movie — The Curse of the Black Pearl," he muttered, squinting. 

According to recent intel the knights received from merchants and patrons, Port Royal hadn't been raided yet, at least not that he had heard.

"So Captain Barbossa hasn't found the last piece of the gold yet." He hoped he would reach there before Barbossa.

He had no intention of intervening during the iconic plot. Why would he? To complete the bonus task, he'd need to find Isla de Muerta.

Unfortunately for him, the only person who could guide him there was the one person who'd already been: Jack Sparrow or the Cursed Pearl with its crew.

He grinned slyly.

If he timed things perfectly, he could capture both Jack and Barbossa at once.

Leaving the bonus objective aside, the main task still held more weight. It came with two entirely different paths.

He tapped his index finger against his lips while the other hand drummed rhythmically on the table.

"Why does it feel like I'll have to choose a faction?" he muttered with a slight head tilt.

The question had merit. He could either become a pirate or a loyal subordinate.

Any sane modern person wouldn't want to live as a pirate. That kind of life, constantly running from different powers, living in terrible conditions, was essentially hell unless someone was obsessed with the idea of freedom.

Whether he was a fan of Jack or not, whether pirates were the main characters or not, living as one was still a huge no.

"Heh… easy choice here. Take Sparrow as a prisoner, slowly capture Barbossa, and go back—"

His words stuck in his throat.

A wave of nausea hit him. Bitter bile crept up his throat as if his body itself rejected the idea.

Why? He had no issue with catching Sparrow or Barbossa. However, for some inexplicable reason, the idea of proving his loyalty to the Crown disgusted him.

"Fuck," he cursed.

That was what he feared. Just like in Marvel, this body and its memories, now fused with his own beliefs, were steering his decisions.

Still, emotions won't easily control him. He was thick-skinned and determined when necessary.

The real problem was deeper, and someone else entirely.

As a modern-day person, he had read history and understood how much the East India Company and European powers, along with the Crown, had exploited the world. Many had suffered terribly under their schemes.

He didn't want anything to do with them.

Furthermore, Maxwell Knight also had issues with the Crown. His family, once heavyweights among the nobility, had gradually fallen from grace.

"How obvious."

Max licked his lips. He could smell conspiracy here, and as expected, the identity of the body had slowly uncovered some of it.

Through hidden channels, he had discovered that the family's assets gradually funnelled into the Crown's treasury. Their merchant ships and influence stolen and distributed among other nobles.

"If no one was involved, then the Knights were just terrible at decision-making," he scowled, shaking his head in disbelief.

Maybe some of their choices were missteps. However, how could all of their ships be raided and their investments entirely wiped out?

And somehow, every time they lost something, the Crown, or some noble linked to it, and even the East India Company, gained more.

"What bastards," he spat. How could his body ever submit to them?

Even this current voyage, carried out using the last and best asset of the Knights, their crown jewel, with their family name embedded in it, was arranged as a one-sided mission. 

It was a desperate attempt to rekindle old business connections.

"What a mess." Max leaned back. His head throbbed. He rubbed his temples, frustration clear on his face.

"I'll decide when I reach Port Royal." He gave up and sighed tiredly.

….

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