“Show me your scar my boy,” the captain of the men said while pointing his sword at me along with the rest of his men. All the men that were under the orders of the captain moved before I even got the chance to fully recover from my “Will to Survive” skill.

“What scar are you talking about,” I spat at the captain. The captain then pressed the cold steel of his blade across my throat drawing a little blood.

“You may have been blessed with a scar that brings you back from the dead, but every scar has its limits and I doubt even the Gods would bless someone to cheat death time and time again, so let’s see what that limit is shall we,” the captain spoke with venom in his tone. He then started to dig his blade deeper into my throat.

“Wait wait wait,” I said with a gulp “It’s something called Will to Survive, it’s basically a get-out-of-death-free card but I can only use it once a day.” After my sudden resurrection, I can only assume that’s what he meant when he asked what my scar was. With my explanation of my skill complete the captain removed his blade from my throat and as he did the rest of his men holstered their weapons.

“That is an impressive scar,” the captain chuckled as he spoke, “I think you will make a nice addition to my collection.” The captain turned his back to me and when he did every fiber of my being wanted to pull out an axe and chop his head off, but I quickly dismissed those thoughts as I knew I would die before I even got the chance by either the captain himself or his crew.

“Come, boy let's hear how you happen to be marooned on my island,” he said while ordering two of his men to move two of the boxes they were unloading to be placed in front of him to create makeshift chairs. As the two men set down the boxes, he sat down on one while gesturing towards the other one for me to sit down.

“Now your all ears,” I say while refusing to sit down. As soon as the words left my lips one of the men that were carrying one of the boxes quickly punched me in the stomach causing me to fall on my face. Before I could recover and get to my feet the man who gave me his term of endearment picked me up and basically threw me on top of the box.

“Thank you, Noah,” the captain said while crossing his legs “Now let’s try this again, who gave you permission to come to my island and steal my gold.”

“I can’t remember,” I said while clutching my stomach “Man Your friends hit hard.”

“HAHAHA that they do, only the men with the best scars can join my crew,” the captain smiled while looking around at his crew.

“Why do you keep saying scars, what does that even mean,” I say while finally being able to sit upright.

“Oh lad, you mustn’t ask stupid questions everybody knows that every soul has been scarred from the gods,” the captain spoke while giving me a puzzled look as if this was common knowledge. I just shook my head not wanting to cause more suspicion than I already have. It made me wonder if my skills were considered scars or if my skills were something else. I also wondered if everyone had multiple skills like me or if they just had one skill, I should just assume everyone has multiple skills until I can find out.

“Now I ask again,” the captain spoke while removing his hat as if he didn’t have a care in the world “How did you get on my island.” Seeing there was no way out of it I told him the entire story about my time here on the island leaving certain parts out about my system, as well as being vague that I’m not from this world, and the fact that I have more skills just in case it’s normal to only have one skill.

“That is some story lad,” the captain smiled while tilting his head “so you are from a land called Kansas, I must say I have traveled these seas since I was a wee lad and I have never heard of this land.” I was grateful that I didn’t have to go into great detail about Kansas and I was surprised that he even mentioned it because it seemed like he didn’t care at first.

“Yeah, it’s way the hell out there,” I said trying to dodge any more questions about Kansas. The captain's face did not change its expression and he continued to stare me dead in the eyes practically begging me to say more.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you anymore even if I wanted to, like I said before I have no idea how I got here and I have no idea how far I’ve traveled to get here,” I spoke with a slight tremble in my voice hoping that this will be the end of the Kansas questioning. The captain did nothing but stare with daggers in his eyes for a few moments that felt like eternities until his expression changed to that of disbelief.

“Well I guess it can’t be helped, I was hoping it would lead to more treasure,” the captain sighed as he finished speaking. The captain rubbed his chin clearly deep in thought and I sat there waiting patiently for any type of response.

“Your fate is in my hands my dear boy, and for someone who was able to defeat my torment apes and survive my guardians I may have some use for you,” he spoke as if he was both impressed by my accomplishment but also couldn’t be bothered if his apes were dead or not.

“However, I have two other captives that also have the potential to be great assets to my crew but my dilemma is that I only have room for two individuals, so what to do what to do,” the captain shook his head and then made a gesture one of his men. The man quickly stopped what he was doing and ran towards the captain and knelt down. I was surprised at how much influence this so-called captain had over his men and it made me wonder if it was out of fear or respect, he was definitely imposing enough to be feared but maybe it was something else that bonded these men to him. The captain whispered something in the kneeling man's ear and once he was finished whispering the kneeling man smiled and sprinted towards the ship.

“Now I spoke with the three men that captured you and they gave the impression that you could fight well and now hearing your story I am curious to know myself. So, I give you the opportunity to pardon your crimes against me in a trial by combat,” the captain said, and all the surrounding men echoed the sentencing of trial by combat until the entire beach was screaming trial by combat. I began to shake as I knew I was going to be thrust into another fight for my life moments yet again.

The men on the beach then suddenly stopped yelling about trial by combat and then started screaming and hollering incoherently as they pushed a person with a bag over his head through the crowd of crew members. The man the captain whispered to was now pushing the bag-headed person until he got to where the captain and I were sitting and once there, he pushed the man to the ground. I noticed that on top of him having a bag over his head his hands and legs were also bound by iron chains.

“This is one of my two captives and like you, he is an excellent fighter but like I said before I can only keep one of you. Your sentence will be carried out thusly, you either kill this man and are given the chance to join my crew orrrrrrrr,” the captain smirked as he finished his sentence “he cuts your fuckin head off.” The captain stood up and pulled his saber out of his belt and within one swift motion he cut the chains off the bagged man in such a fashion one would think his chains were made of straw.

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The bagged man then rubbed his wrists almost as if he’s been chained up for ages, and then took the bag off his head. He is a stocky, olive-skinned man with brown eyes, a pointed chin, a wide face, narrow lips, and a large silver nose piercing. He has fine black hair, bold should also a well-defined chest muscles.

“Show me you have what it takes boy,” the captain said. He then casually tossed me his saber as he instructed his men to take the bagged man to the opposite side of the beach. Now there was a good 30 feet between us, and the remaining crew members have all gathered to watch the fight that was about to commence.

“Fuck I don’t want to do this, I mean killing monsters is one thing, but I don’t think I can go through with killing a person,” I pleaded with the captain.

“Then don’t, I’m sure the other lad doesn’t share your proclivity for killing, either way, I don’t care. On one hand, you die and your punishment is carried out and on the other hand, I will have gained a crew member who can handle themselves in combat, either way, it’s a win-win for me” the captain said as he pushed me ever so lightly. I watched as a crew member gave his saber to the olive-skinned man, the man then gave a few good practice swings.

New Quest: [It’s time to da da da da da Dual]

Your first fight with a person woo hoo

don’t get your head chopped off I’m not sure even I can fix that.

Objective: Win the dual with [Thomas Williams]

Reward 1: Class change

Reward 2: +1 INT stat

I raised my saber a little shaky at first since I still had doubts about fighting and possibly killing another person at the same time though, he had a look in his eye telling me that this wasn’t his first time killing someone. We both took a step forward with our sabers at the ready expecting each other to make the first move. The first one to make a move was me as I sprinted toward him normally and not yet showing my burst of speed skill just yet so I could see how he would react at normal speed.

I was almost within striking distance until I watched as he raised his hand and opened his palm toward me. I heard him whisper something, but I couldn’t make it out and before I could focus on it I see a bright light appear in his hand. The next actions I couldn’t even comprehend as I now saw a burst of water blasting toward me like a firehouse. I raised my arms to block the burst of water but when the water came in contact with my skin, I felt a slight pain although I was expecting more pain than what I felt. The burst of water even though it wasn’t enough to cause any real pain it was enough to stop my pursuit of him nonetheless.

I stood my ground and continued to block the constant stream of water, but as he kept the flow of water going, I started to feel that he was increasing the pressure. It got to the point where I couldn’t block anymore which pushed me to the side causing me to fall to the ground. I tried to quickly get back to my feet, but Thomas was already on top of me trying to bring his saber down on my chest to finish this fight in one go.

I quickly moved to one side just barely avoiding a killing blow and before I could counterattack with my saber, he had already pulled his saber out of the sand to make another killing blow. I again moved to the side to avoid another killing blow, but this time instead of countering with my saber I channeled my inner king of the hill and grabbed a handful of sand, and threw it at his eyes.

“Haha pocket sand bitch,” I say while kicking him off me. I raise my saber to strike him down but unfortunately, he is just as quick with his water skill as he is on his feet and I come face to face with a giant stream of water. The water pushes me back a few feet away and then he quickly opens his palm on his face but unlike with me, it’s a gentle spray as he washes the sand out of his eyes.

I quickly take this moment of reprieve and I use my burst of speed skill to get within striking distance before he can react. I take my saber and try to pierce his chest, but he is able to smack my saber away with ease with his saber. After the initial shock of being blocked so easily, I try to slash across his chest and again he easily smacks my saber away. Now that he has fully recovered from my surprise sand attack, we are now trading blow for blow each of us not causing any permeant damage yet.

“You are good with your blade,” the olive-skinned man says with a smirk as we both continue to struggle for the advantage.

“You’re not so bad yourself, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve,” I say while channeling my armor-plated skin on my head. Once I feel the skin on my face tighten I headbutt Thomas square in the face, and when my head hits his nose I feel it break. If the sound of his nose breaking wasn’t a dead give away the blood spewing out his nose was sure to confirm it. Thomas stumbles back unsure of what just happened, he was sure it was going to feel like bone on bone, yet this felt like he was just struck with a metal rod.

As he stumbles backward, I channel my armor-plated to my fist now. I then lower my body in a slight squatting position and then I rotate my torso up raising my fist as I do to make an uppercut across his chin. As my fist comes in contact with him he moves slightly off the ground and moments later he falls to the ground. Seeing this I follow his range of motion and I fall on top of him as well to raise my saber to deal a death blow to his head but before I can issue out the death blow I have a moment of clarity and I stab slightly to the right of his head.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHH,” I scream in his face as I see he does not have the strength to go on. I then hear clapping as the entire crew has now started to cheer at my victory. I try to make out some of what they are saying but my adrenaline is rushing so hard I can barely make it out, that is until I see the captain has now entered the battleground and kneels in front of us.

“Congratulations, now kill him I have no use for this bilge rat,” the captain says as he turns to walk away.

“No, I won’t do it,” I say while pulling my saber out of the sand and throwing it to the floor as a sign of defiance. The captain turns around rushing toward me, and when we come eye to eye and he gives the same look he gave me before he beat me to the brink of death for hours.

“Do it or I will kill you both in such a way that you will think what I did to you before was a fucking love tab,” the captain spat at me.

“I don’t care I won’t kill someone who has no will to fight anymore,” I say steeling my resolve. The captain then grabs me by the throat and lifts me off the ground.

“That is admirable, but I have no use for weak men, and I do not take kindly for disrespect to my orders. However, I see potential in you so I will help you make the right decision. This man right here has a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a brother. If you do not kill this man right this second, I will peal the flesh off his brothers' bones nice and slow then I will have my crew mate Lincoln heal him and we will repeat the process until his mind breaks. As for the ladies in his life, they will be a gift to my crew to use as they see fit for these long treks in the ocean!” the captain said with ice in his veins.

“DO IT KILL ME NOW,” Thomas screamed at me and the captain which not only surprised me, but I could see that it surprised the captain as well. I was let go and the captain picked up the saber and tossed it back to me.

“Why is it so important that I kill him,” I said with tears in my eyes as I walked over to Thomas still lying out on the ground.

“Because you told me no,” the captain said with a scowl. I felt my heart tug in my chest as I got down on my knees in front of Thomas. Tears streamed down my face as I looked down on Thomas, however, he did not have a look of sadness instead he had a smile on his face. He then reached his hand out to mine and opened his mouth.

“It’s okay I’m finally free, but please protect Aiden,” Thomas said as he held my hand. After his request, I nod my head yes agreeing that I would find this Aiden person and protect him at all costs. He smiles and lays his head back down, and as he does I take my saber and place it on his throat.

“I’m so sorry,” I say with even more tears in my eyes than before, and with a swift motion I slit his throat. Cheers erupt all around me as the men break out in celebration of the outcome of the duel.

Quest Complete:

Would you like to receive your quest rewards:

Yes/No

I wipe the tears off my face and minimize the screen in front of me, but I’m startled to see another screen that I have also become very familiar with.

Would you like to loot [Thomas Williams]

Yes/No

“I won’t leave your body to rot away and become monster shit,” I say out loud as I move my hand toward the yes icon. As I do the captain raises his eyebrows at my actions. I click the yes icon and to my relief, the body does not dissolve into a bloody mess but instead glows brightly for a few moments and quickly turns to dust.

“What the fuck was that,” the captain says as he kneels next to me.