Chapter 2

8 years.

It has been the time since I, an ordinary college student from South Korea, ended up in this world.

The RPG game I used to enjoy the most, “Kill ‘Em All: Forest of War.”

This game was acclaimed as a significant work, given that there are numerous playable characters, each with their unique stories.

As the name suggests, the backdrop is a war-torn era where countless nations are engaged in bloody battles, and the primary storyline revolves around playable characters acting as heroic figures in their respective nations and locations.

However, whether it was the creators’ preference or a harsh way to showcase the brutality of war, the main story endings for the player characters were always death endings.

While they might save their countries, the protagonists ultimately meet untimely deaths, leaving a bittersweet conclusion.

For users like me, who immersed themselves in playing, this was a rather unfortunate ending.

Yet, right after I fell into that world, I quickly realized something.

Though it’s the same universe, the chances of me meeting those protagonists was extremely slim.

The reason for this being,

In a work where battles take place in mountains, fields, and wilderness, the entity I had possessed was neither a player character, a knight guarding a castle, nor even a farmer plowing a field.

What met my eyes immediately after my possession was an endless expanse of ocean, with not even a trace of dirt visible.

And my profession was… a pirate.

At my 30-something age, I was just an ordinary crew member of a small pirate crew, a pirate named Ezra Drake.

Given that my active domain was limited to the sea and islands, and at most coastal areas, it was nearly impossible for me to encounter the protagonists unless I deliberately changed professions.

Thus, not only was my area of activity drastically different, but even the timeline was ten years away from when the original story began.

From my standpoint, there was absolutely no reason to crawl into the land of bloodshed and suffer in place of the protagonists.

So, I cleanly decided to give up any contact or interference with them and focus on enjoying this fantasy world for once.

Surprisingly, my previous experience in the navy proved unexpectedly useful, but what truly helped me immensely was…

The translucent window that appeared before my eyes just after my possession…

The one referred to as the status window.

<Special Mission Occurred - The Unremarkable Pirate of the Mediterranean>

[You are an unnamed member of a small pirate crew.


In the upcoming battle, make your mark.


The blood of your enemies will become your strength.


Their deaths will be your fame.


Objective: Eliminate 4 or more enemies in battle.


Reward: Experience, a bit of fame, the combat technique “Sword of Waves.”]

The missions were simple yet offered generous rewards, similar to those in the original game.

Through this, I could grow far more quickly than others while enjoying significant convenience in living my life as a pirate in this world.

Moreover, the rapidly accumulating fame was a bonus.

So, with the help of the quest status window, now 8 years have flown by since I began living as a pirate.

Starting from an unknown pirate in my early 30s,

I became the vice-captain, then the captain,

rallied a great fleet,

and announced my domain.

Now, having entered my 40s, I had reached the pinnacle of ruling these waters,

the very thing that the protagonist of a certain pirate anime aimed for…

I had become the Pirate King.

A being that ruled the five seas, enveloping the continent inside and out.

Honestly, even during the quest progress, I had sensed signs of this.

The steadily increasing combat ability correlated with the rising scale of the missions.

When a quest arose to dismantle the Barbarian Pirate Crew, who had reigned over the Mediterranean Sea for centuries, I began to vaguely grasp where this quest might end.

Ultimately, having vanquished all major pirate crews of the five seas and brought peace to the region.

Yet at this moment,

Having just ambushed a slave ship passing our territory near the Island of Creta, flying the ridiculous banner of some petty noble from the Kingdom of Frantz.

As I basked in the thrill of rescue, I found myself genuinely perplexed when I saw the young girl I had saved.

Ambasha, a name unmistakably extraordinary even in this world.

And the small cross-shaped scar on her forehead.

For someone like me, there was only one person I could think of who possessed such distinguishing features in this world.

Slave Knight Ambasha Abigail.

A playable character from the original work, regarded as essentially the true protagonist due to her popularity and significance, starting as a slave knight of the Kingdom of Frantz, destined to become the Emperor’s sword and carve countless legends.

However, right now,

This troubled protagonist girl was standing before my eyes in the waters near Creta, over 1000 kilometers away from her original Kingdom of Frantz.

And at 16, she was two years younger than her original self in the game.

It was a situation where the wild protagonist had suddenly appeared.

Sensing that this seemingly casual event was somehow turning weird, I sank into contemplation.

At that moment.

-Ding!

<Special Mission Occurred - Slave Girl>

[You have picked up a slave girl.


Take her to her original destination, the Kingdom of Frantz.


Objective: Bring the slave girl to the Port of Marinseu in the Kingdom of Frantz.


Reward: Future assistance.]

“…”

This status window, which usually triggers missions with decent timing.

Ever since becoming the Pirate King, the frequency of main quests had significantly reduced, but still assigned miscellaneous tasks.

Such as quests to liberate slaves,

or tasks to hunt down sea serpents as per merchants’ requests,

Though it felt like I had reached the max level, the quest window still kept me entertained, and I had greatly benefited from it until now.

However.

At this moment, I became consumed by thought.

Should I follow the flow of the original story and take this girl to the Kingdom of Frantz as instructed by the status window?

Or should I choose a different path?

For the so-called flow of the world, it would be correct to take this girl to the Kingdom of Frantz following the quest.

Though Ambasha is just a small and fragile girl right now.

However, she would soon awaken her talent for the sword and become a hero.

Making significant contributions in transforming the Kingdom of Frantz into an Empire, and later making her name known through numerous accomplishments in the continental wars.

And…

‘And in the end, she will die…’

In just 13 years.

This girl, now merely 16, would lose her life on the battlefield before even turning 30.

Her life would begin and end with war.

While the world would call her a hero,

Ultimately, what remained for her would only be a blood-stained sword and a tattered military uniform.

No one to call family.

Not even a chance to experience happiness…

Just fighting over and over according to orders, buried in mud along with countless corpses, without receiving even a proper funeral.

That would be the fate that awaited this girl if I headed her towards the Kingdom of Frantz.

Would it really be right to leave her like that?

I felt the need to make a choice.

Whether to let this girl be caught in the wheels of fate and die,

Or to save her, even if it meant breaking those very wheels.

‘Perhaps… it might have been better not to know the original work…’

The pre-existing knowledge was only making me hesitate.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine the ripples this decision might cause at this moment.

And finally.

I reached a conclusion.

*

The giant pirate who saved her.

With a terrifying appearance that could make anyone burst into tears if seen at night.

And now, he was looking down at her silently for a while without saying a word.

Ambasha just silently watched that sight.

A mannerism that had naturally ingrained through a lifetime of slavery.

She wouldn’t speak until “her master” opened his mouth.

Even though she had gained freedom, her instincts as a slave still lingered.

She was still lacking in thinking for herself and acting on her will in many ways.

And now,

Her instincts were accepting this person standing before her…

This man who had saved her as her new master.

So she waited.

Waiting for what he would command her next.

With a vague hope that he wouldn’t treat her with the same violence and insults as her previous master did.

And…

To Ambasha, the pirate slowly reached out and spoke.

“You, be my daughter.”

“!”