Chapter 151 - Under the Black Flag (Patreon)

“This is the place,” Viers said solemnly as he stood before the entrance of a dark cove.

“You sure? This is the fourth time you’ve said that,” Clarissa sneered skeptically.

“I’m sure! Look, the landmarks on the map all fit!”

His voice came out a tad more defensively than he liked. He hoped he got a digital minimap on his HUD, or a wayfinder, or a go-to function; finding places was a real pain sometimes.

Viers walked into the dark cove. The sun was still out but light got increasingly less as he went further in. By the state of the ground, the place or at least his footing would be underwater when high tide came.

In the dark, Viers didn't need a torch. Euryale Sight provided excellent night vision and just like Viers, there were things that didn't need light to see.

Viers saw the monster on the ceiling. Inert. Viers was preparing his preemptive strike but the big bat monster turned active immediately, flapping its wings to pick up speed, charging toward Viers.

Viers side-stepped out of the way, preventing any damage. As the bat monster the size of a horse went past him, he gave it Vengeful Spirit Arte as a parting gift. It screeched and dived into a wall as a result. The cave was rumbling and Viers had to swat down a stalagmite.

A miniboss. Let’s kill it.

Viers hit it again with Vengeful Spirit, the attack was twice the size as  the first time and twice as destructive. As it staggered, Viers approached it to plant Guren Muramasa into its neck but the bat was not done yet. It swung its wing in Viers’ direction. The attack was anticipated, Viers parried it perfectly but was sent flying by the force of the strike.

Bah! This never happened in Sekiro, Viers fell victim to his game logic and picked himself up from the ground. The bat monster managed to rise into the air in the meantime.

Flying enemies, huh? Don't fight much of your kind.

Because it wasn't his expertise. This time though, refusing battle wasn't an option. Viers equipped the katana and summoned a revolver.

Little Friend on the left hand, pale green magic on the right hand.

“Come at me!”

Typical of flying monsters, its movement was fast and tricky but Viers' attack power and rate of fire were too high. Bullets after bullets, Artes after Artes. Viers maintained his distance and dealt steady DPS. The battle in the complete darkness didn't last for long but not because of one party’s death.

“Stop!”

When the bat screeched its death throes and Viers was about to relieve it from its misery, a figure appeared between him and the bat.

“Please don't kill my friend,” the man said.

Viers raised an eyebrow. “Curious... mind telling me what’s going on, mister ghost?”

***

The ghost introduced himself as Charles.

He said he came to these waters with four others, searching for the legendary City of Pearl.

Three friends and a pair of brothers.

“Pyke is my older brother,” Charles said as he led Viers deeper into the cove.

They were a tight-knit group that got along well with each other. It took many years but they found the City of Pearl and had seen the trident with their own eyes.

However, they found out a terrible truth. The trident was left there for a reason: to seal an evil entity.

“He called himself the Deep Dweller God.”

Subtly, since the five set foot on the City of Pearl, the entity tempted them. Showed illusions and visions. Planted seeds of doubt against each other. Promised them immeasurable power, riches, glory and longevity.

“And oh, he was so very tempting,” Charles shuddered.

Pyke was the first to accept. He struck at his former friends and his own brother without hesitation. The three he twisted into half-fish half-man, they were corrupted by the Deep Dweller God’s influence.

Viers remembered seeing formidable three fish-headed people standing behind Pyke when he sent the Crew of the Damned to attack Viers’ ship. He guessed Charles must be talking about those three.

“Binve, Phic, Noban… They are my brother's lieutenants now. The men they once were are long gone.”

Charles was more fortunate than the other three. He managed to escape for some time but Pyke got to him in the end. He cursed Charles to this island. Unable to die, unable to leave. His fleshy body died but his spirit was unable to move on to the next plane. His own brother condemned Charles to a prison of loneliness.

“That was about twenty years ago. That bat is one of the few friends that I made over the years. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive her.”

“Hmmm…” Viers hummed noncommittally. “I got a feeling you want to ask me something. You want me to find a way to break your curse?”

“Pyke already told me how to break the curse from the start. By basking in the light of the sun, I will be free. But as you’ve no doubt realized, the island is perpetually misty under dark clouds. Another present from the evil god that sunk its claws into my brother.”

“So you want me to bring you out. Yeah, about that. Your brother destroyed my ship. I'm pretty much trapped here on this island the same as you. Worst case scenario, I’ll have to build a raft using tree logs.”

But you have a way out, don't you?

This was an ‘event’, Viers expected nothing less.

“Also,” Viers realized something. “You got cursed to be unable to leave the islands but you’re asking me to bring you out of the island to break the curse. That’s a contradiction.”

C’mon Aletro. This is not lazy writing, is it?

“Indeed. But I didn't spend twenty years doing nothing. Here’s what I want to show you.”

Charles and Viers reached the deepest part of the cove, thick with mist and low temperature. Charles waved his ghostly hands and the deep mist dispersed, unveiling the visage of a ship.

The ship was the same size as Viers' recently deceased brig. It was a wreck likely risen after a century underwater. The wood was barely holding the frame together. However, the ship was emitting smoky, milky vapor as if the whole ship was made of dry ice. On the bow of the ship, there was a figurehead of a mermaid.

While Viers was awed, Charles continued.

“I plan to make my prison mobile. Nearly two decades I spent constructing the ship. Ironically, I am only able to do this because I’m a ghost. At first, she was only the remains of a sunken ship but I fixed her.”

Viers and the ghost toured the second bona fide ghost ship Viers had seen in the Book World.

“Can she sail?” Viers asked.

“Almost… There’s something missing. The spirit of the ship was incomplete. She-”

While Charles was trialing on, Viers saw the problem. The ship’s wheel was missing a handle. Viers smiled and placed the piece of wood that he mysteriously received from the top 10 reward along with a map to this island, completing the wheel.

There was a thrum, like something stirred and awakened from a deep slumber.

“She’s ready now,” Viers grinned.

“...Yes,” Charles was halfway to tears after the initial shock. “Yes, she is,” he caressed a railing on the deck.

“Shall we go then, mister Charles?”

“Wait, I have a second request.”

“About your brother, I assume. You want me to save him.”

“That too but the focus is the Crystal Trident. I humbly asked you to protect it from my brother’s hand. The Deep Dweller God must never be free.”

“Oh? It thought the evil god had been freed,” Viers pressed for details. “In the head of your brother.”

“Not yet. Pyke was only touched by a sliver of its power. The Trident possessed the blessing of the Sea God. The Deep Dweller God had been using my brother and friends to weaken the seal. It won't be long until they come to take the trident from its pedestal and break the seal completely.”

“You do know that I want to take the Trident for myself, right? I’m a treasure hunter. I want that Trident for myself,” Viers replied.

“Without the Trident in the City of Pearl, the evil god will break free. When that happens, calamity will fall upon these waters. The City of Pearl itself houses more treasures than you can carry. Just, leave the Trident alone.”

Bleh, Viers put his tongue out in his mind. What do I care about the fate of a fake world inhabited by a bunch of NPCs?

“Even if I wanted to, this protection detail will set me on a collision course with your brother. I met him twice now. He got this fear power thingy, courtesy of the god in his head, I think. I can't fight him.”

“I know,” Charles nodded. “But there’s still hope. My brother's fear and my curse originates from a similar source: the Deep Dweller God. I can teach you how to ward yourself from it.”

Ah, the key to defeating a boss neatly fell to my hand. Very RPG-like.

“How can I get to the City of Pearl?” Viers asked the ghost who claimed he had been there.

“The locals should be able to tell you more. The way to enter the sunken city has changed since my time.”

In other words: talk to other NPCs.

“...Your knowledge of the outside world is very substantial for a prisoner on an island in the middle of nowhere,” Viers said to the soulless NPC ghost.

“I have my ways,” Charles replied curtly.

“Oh really,” Viers' skepticism was sky-high. “I’ll decide what to do with the Trident when I see it with my own eyes. Now teach me this fear blocker. I’ll make sure your brother gets what he deserves.”

“Very well. This method requires some skill in soul utilization. Fortunately, you seem well taught in that regard. You should master the technique in a week.”

Time passed.

With Charles’ guidance, Viers' understanding and skill pertaining to the soul expanded.

Coincidence? I wager not. Aletro must be giving tailored gifts for the other nine.

Viers mastered the fear countermeasure in three days but he didn't stop there.

“The deal is one week. Now teach me the opposite, how to weaponize fear like Pyke.”

It was outside of the NPC’s programming but Viers was adamant. Through soft and hard persuasion, Viers learned deeper secrets for the next four days.

***

Seven days had passed since the day Viers met with Charles.

Viers stood before the remains of the ship that Pyke destroyed, the one he used to sail to this island. Torch in hand, he looked sad.

“Merry… Thank you for carrying us all this time.”

Viers set the timber remains on fire.

“You are a splendid ship, Going Merry… Your spirit will live on within our hearts, always,” Viers said his farewell.

“Didn't he call the ship ‘Jackdaw’ last time?” Clarissa whispered.

“Just let him be, Clar,” Paina replied.

“Shhh! Don’t ruin Lord Viers’ moment!” Farley added.

Soon, the small fire became a great blaze. Viers turned his back to the splendid pyre and the ghost ship was waiting for him at the coast. He made his way to the deck and the crew greeted him.

“Captain.”

“Welcome back, Captain.”

“She’s ready to sail, sir.”

These were Viers crew that died on the island. When Viers successfully raised the ghost ship, they appeared. Ready to offer the great captain their service once more.

Viers’ steps made thumping sounds like the heartbeats of the ship. The crew was not the only people on board. There were new additions.

Viers walked past Charles, to the upper deck where the ship’s wheel waited for the touch of his hand.

Paina, Farley, and Clarissa materialized and stood on his left and right. These three deserved a special place by his side.

“Frozen Siren...”

The ship hummed eagerly as if it was a puppy who heard its name called by the beloved owner.

As the Captain, Viers had the responsibility to address his crew.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the sea lies before us once more. I have failed you in life, but I won't fail you in death. This… I promise you.”

The crew’s enthusiastic cheer went past the crow’s nest and reached the clouds.

“Hoist the colors of the jolly roger and let the steel taste the blood of our enemy! Those who are with me shout AYE! And those who don't… whimper nay. The time has come. Let us sail… to the Grand Line! This is Romance Dawn!”

A white skull on a black flag fluttered in the wind, showing Viers' true colors.

As the white ship traversed the waves to the open seas, Viers hummed the tune of One Piece’s first opening song. Horizon, both inside and outside of his body, sang in joy.

151.04%!