When Genji woke up, his entire body felt sore. This came as no surprise since he had severely overexerted himself when he fought the Kraken. Make no mistake; the Kraken was a tough boss for anyone, especially Genji, who hadn't even reached the point of talent molding.
The only reason he could fight off the creature was due to the techniques he had developed with his energy and his immense pool of it. Although he didn't know how much the 20-point benchmark boosted his total capacity, Genji knew his capacity had surpassed the normal standard for the first step.
Genji opened his party list and looked at the names. Seven names were lit up, implying only one casualty. Not a bad result considering the enemy they had faced. Genji got up and observed his surroundings: broken shards of metal, planks of wood, glass bottles, and the acrid scent of rotting food. There was no doubt about it; he was in some kind of trash zone.
The sound of the ocean waves came from behind, but the beauty of nature was no more. Gone was the light blue color that people so admired, replaced by floating debris and trash that defiled its natural beauty. It was a strange sight for the time, considering how a community would allow such a thing to ruin their home.
Genji also spotted a few figures in tattered rags reminiscent of the prison clothes he had started with. Their skin and malnourished flesh revealed the contours of their bones as they searched for anything to improve their situation. It was unsightly, but Genji was more occupied by the implications of such a situation.
Under normal circumstances, a place like this shouldn't exist in the current era. There should be no reason why a landfill like this would exist, nor any reason for people to dig around it. Not in a time of abundant resources.
Genji observed them for a few moments before turning his attention to the dirt path in the distance. He walked over and followed the path until he was stopped by a group of people with swords and flintlocks.
"What are you doing?"
"Following the path?" Genji replied, confused about their unfriendly tone that bordered on disdain.
*Pou*
The person spat on the ground, looking at him with disgust.
"Trash like you dares to think about entering the town? You should be content with staying in the slums and not think about something beyond your reach. I always hated it when people like you think you can change your life. Now leave before I force you."
Genji gleaned a good amount of information from that statement, but it was the way he said it that caught his attention. It was as if he didn't consider himself part of the people on this island.
"You talk as if you're not from this place."
"Of course. Who wants to be like them, searching through all that trash?"
"That's all I needed."
Genji walked past them, sheathing his saber. Then everyone collapsed as cuts sheared their necks.
'When?' This thought was on everyone's minds as the last of their life slipped away.
"Pay more attention in your next life. Don't let someone walk right up to you and cut you down."
The problem with these people was that they were too arrogant. So much so that all it took was for Genji to circulate his energy and minimize his presence for them to disregard him.
Genji continued walking until he came across a town. After observing the place, he came to a simple conclusion: this was a town of crime. A remote place to let one's desires run rampant and filled with the scum of the earth. Genji knew this because he'd seen this side of the world.
After realizing this, things became easier. The underworld was his forte. Looking around, Genji soon spotted a bar and walked in.
"Anything fancy around here?"
He sat down and made some small talk with the bartender, who shot him a light glance before ignoring him.
"I might not look the part, but I'm pretty used to the underworld." Genji continued, paying no attention to the bartender's response.
"You just judged me based on my looks, didn't you? Although I look beat up right now, don't you think it's stupid to offend someone you just met?"
A green blur flashed behind the counter as a saber rested on the bartender's neck.
"Well? What's your answer?"
Genji smiled as if nothing happened. The other patrons looked at this scene and went back to their drinks. They were used to this, which further confirmed Genji's suspicions of this town.
"If you know the underworld as well as you said, then you should know one thing." The bartender was very calm, despite the blade threatening to cut him.
"Oh? And what would that be?" Genji asked, faking curiosity.
"That you should never pull a weapon unless you are ready to die."
With his words, a gunshot was heard. Yet the shot missed as Genji dived out of the way before the bartender finished his sentence. Then he pulled out his own gun and burst the head of the assailant, leaving his flintlock smoking.
"Makes sense, but the rule I know is a little different. You never pull a weapon unless you are prepared to kill. Otherwise, you would seem weak," Genji said, walking back over.
"So how about we stop probing each other, and you tell me the information?"
Genji put down his gun and looked at the bartender. The bartender gazed back before letting out a small laugh.
"Interesting. It's been a long time since I met someone so bold. Very well. What do you want to know?"
"Money. Are there any jobs that would allow me to earn some fast coins?"
"That's a tall request you have."
"Who cares? I'm sure you have some information about certain people who are willing to pay lots to get a job done."
"Well, you're not wrong."
The bartender reached down and brought out a piece of parchment. Then he placed the leather in front of Genji, allowing him to read it.
"So this guy wants this other guy to meet an accident?"
"That's one way to put it."
"Very well. I'll be back."
Genji put away the parchment and walked out of the bar. The parchment recorded the basic information about the target, so Genji planned on starting the job right away. Since the target was on the island, there was no need to delay. Although there was a possibility that it was a trap, Genji wasn't worried. He would first scout out the situation before deciding if he wanted to continue."
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Hours later, Genji finished the job. It hadn't been as difficult as he had anticipated; everything had gone according to plan. It had been straightforward because the target was an ordinary person with influence, something Genji was accustomed to.
All it had taken was replacing one of the guards to sneak into his room while he was enamored with a female servant. A small tap on the head and a specific method to induce a heart attack had been all it had taken.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
When the servant woke up, she would take the blame for everything. Genji had made sure to stay out of sight for this. Then Genji returned to the bar, tossing the parchment onto the counter.
"The job's done. When will the payment arrive?"
"That was quick."
"It wasn't that difficult. Give me something to drink."
Genji took a seat, and the bartender produced a bottle of rum, pouring him a cup.
"Do you have any oranges?"
The bartender retrieved one and handed it to Genji, who proceeded to cut it in half and squeeze it over the cup. Genji gave the cup a swirl before chugging it down.
"Give me another job, and you can deduct the payment for this when the money arrives."
Then Genji took the new parchment and left the bar. As for the bartender pocketing some extra change, Genji didn't care. It wasn't the money he was after, but the pirates it could attract.
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Two days passed before Genji received his payment for the first job. He had completed three more jobs since then, in a similarly easy fashion. It was just dirty work that people with influence couldn't do themselves. If they had the power, they would have done so long ago.
Genji gathered the stack of coins and headed to the red-light district. His goal was to bait a pirate crew, so he needed to attract a lot of attention. What better way to do that than to blow a lot of money for pleasure?
Genji swaggered into the largest establishment and threw the bag of coins onto the counter.
"Give me your best women."
His tone was overbearing and loud as if he wanted everyone to know.
"Right away, sir." The pimp put on his best smile when he felt the weight of the bag. "Sarah, lead our guest to the red room."
At his call, a woman on the side waved at Genji with a light smile.
"Come this way, dear guest."
Genji followed the lady into a room at the back of the building, featuring a large bed.
"Your services will arrive shortly."
Genji nodded and jumped into the bed. He removed his dirty cloak and focused on calming his breathing. Minutes passed before a knock came at the door. It opened, and several scantily dressed women entered the room.
"Hello, dear guest. I am Anna. My coworkers and I will be providing your services today."
Genji ignored them and continued to breathe. More time passed, and the situation grew awkward. Anna didn't know how to respond. Why was he ignoring them? Weren't men normally barbaric and preferred to jump right into the action? Why was this guest so different? It had been like 30 minutes!
If it weren't for his posture, Anna would have thought the customer was asleep. His breathing was that calm. Anna exchanged puzzled looks with her coworkers, who were fidgeting on their feet.
Could this customer be impotent? That would explain why he hadn't even looked at them. But then why would he spend so much on them? To brag about his money? Why would he do that and not enjoy the services? No matter how they considered it, nothing made sense.
"How skilled are you at giving massages?" Genji finally opened his eyes and addressed the group.
"We're proficient," they answered superficially.
Anna felt the situation becoming stranger but decided to respond nonetheless. They were getting paid for this, and in this business, money was king.
"Then give me a massage."
Anna glanced at the other women and assigned tasks. Since the customer requested it, they would oblige. Maybe he wanted one before the action? After taking their positions around Genji, they tried their best to squeeze Genji's firm muscles.
This, however, proved to be challenging as his muscles were like steel. So much so that their hands began to ache from it.
'What's going on with this customer?' Anna asked herself as she rubbed her sore palms together, switching places with another woman.
During this time, Genji took the opportunity to completely relax his body and clear his mind. He had recently endured a grueling battle and needed to recuperate. Since this world had lasted longer than his previous ones, he hadn't had the opportunity for thorough healing. Given the current pace of mission progression, this world wasn't ending anytime soon.
In situations like this, Genji had to regulate his body to maintain peak conditions through alternative methods. It just so happened that this method aligned with his goal of baiting a pirate group.
"That's enough. You may leave now." Genji dismissed the women after a couple of hours, but they remained in the room.
"What's wrong?"
Anna hesitated but decided to speak her mind.
"Are you sure you don't want us to do anything else?"
"You mean sex? That's not necessary. I have better ways to relieve my stress."
Genji was telling the truth. If he had time to indulge in worldly desires, he might as well spend it on training and meditation. After all, nothing compared to the feeling of becoming stronger. For Genji, nothing could surpass the feeling of breaking past his limits and becoming stronger.
It was this mindset that allowed him to develop his energy applications to briefly battle the mythical creature known as the Kraken.
Although his stats remained unchanged, Genji felt himself growing stronger. His energy techniques had improved significantly compared to before. For an entire month, all he had done was practice with his energy. Besides the few battles and meals, he dedicated his time to training. Sleep wasn't even necessary, as his meditation was a semi-sleeping state. He simply sat there, in the open, delving his mind into his talent.
The other women were speechless at his dismissal. If you're not interested in sex, why did you come here? Could it really have been for a massage? Was it worth spending so much for it? The women decided not to dwell on the issue any further, as they might become green with jealousy.
"If you're really that worried, you can stay here until the time is up. Just don't bother me."
Genji closed his eyes and assessed his body's state. Seeing the customer ignore them, the women agreed to remain in the room. Not only could they rest for the time being, but they would also get paid for it. It's not like they enjoy selling their bodies, so this moment of peace was welcomed.
A few hours later, Genji rose from his position and left. It had been a satisfying session indeed. Over the next few days, Genji continued to take jobs from the bartender and spent everything at the brothel once he received the money. And because he always paid generously, he always received the best service, which consisted of Anna and her group.
As a result, the women developed a love-hate relationship with this peculiar client of theirs. They loved serving him because they could slack after a while. They also disliked him because massaging Genji's muscular physique was very taxing on their arms. Some women even had to decline other customers' requests that involved using their hands due to this.
As for the pimp at the front desk, he felt he was lacking in imagination. He couldn't fathom what had caused the women to consistently complain about sore arms. When he inquired about it, none of the women spoke up. Regardless, he couldn't deny that this generous customer was very vigorous with women's arms.
This lavish lifestyle continued until someone finally couldn't tolerate it anymore. On this day, Genji was stopped outside the brothel by a group of menacing pirates.
"That's him, Captain." One of the underlings pointed at Genji.
"I heard you have some money. If you know what's good for you, you'll hand it over," The captain said, waving his sword threateningly and causing Genji to smile.
"The fish finally swallows the bait."
"What fish? Cut the nonsense and hand over the money!"
Flashstep
Genji appeared behind the group with a bloody head in his hand.
"Here, I'll return this to you."
Before anyone could react, he turned around and tossed it at the group. Upon seeing the face on the severed head, the pirates froze. Then, they slowly turned to the former owner of that head to see a fleshly stump spewing blood everywhere.
"Captain!"
"It's 'former captain' now, you know?" Genji leaned [Jaguar] on his shoulders and slowly walked over. "So, do you want to do this the hard way or the bloody way? I personally prefer the bloody way, so please, do resist."
The panicked expressions of the pirates intensified as they reached for their swords with trembling hands. But before matters could escalate, someone stepped out from the group.
"Please wait, sir. If you are willing to accept us, we hope to become part of your crew," the man said, causing Genji to raise his brow.
"Interesting. How do you know I wanted to subjugate you?"
"I didn't, sir. But instead of needless casualties, we believe it's better to submit. We promise we can be a valuable asset for you."
"Very well. Come and find me at the bar tomorrow. You know the place, right?"
Genji was surprised at how smoothly the subjugation had gone, but he wasn't going to complain. Why make life harder when it's being made easier?
"Yes, Captain."
The person then led the group away, leaving behind a body soaking in a pool of blood and a decapitated head. Since this was a crime-ridden area, no one paid any attention to the body. They were accustomed to street violence, and it was only a matter of time before the body was removed.
Once the pirate group had gone a considerable distance, an underling with an unwilling expression spoke up.
"Vice-Captain Hendrickson, are we really going to submit like that?"
"What do you know? Now that Captain Solander is dead, we have to find support, or we might get overwhelmed by hyenas."
"Hyenas?"
"Yes. Many pirates are eager to capitalize on Solander's death. If we're not careful, we might end up annihilated."
This revelation alarmed the group. They hadn't even considered such a possibility, but they could foresee a bleak future.
"But it's not all bad. Since that person was able to instantly kill Solander, it must mean he's stronger than him. And that much safer for us. You have to remember, we can only enjoy our loot when we're alive. If we end up dead, there's no point in hoarding everything," he explained, understanding forming on everyone's faces.
"Vice-Captain is wise."
"Of course. How else do you think I've survived this long?" The vice-captain replied smugly.
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As Genji received his massage, he recalled the prompts from when he killed the pirate captain.
[You have slain the captain of the Red Hand.]
[You have gained 6120 ever coins.]
[You have obtained the Scurtaculous Eyepatch]
[Scurtaculous Eyepatch]
Rating: Rare
Durability: 30/30
Effects:
1. Focus Eye (Passive): Lose sight in one eye, but the other eye becomes enhanced.
2. Captain's Call (Active): Yell out "Arrr matey" and grant all friendly targets +1 strength and +1 constitution. No cooldown. Does not stack.
Description: A weird eyepatch that possesses morale-boosting capabilities
From the loot drop alone, it was evident that the captain possessed formidable strength. Only mini-bosses or stronger enemies dropped equipment. Genji sensed this danger and chose to disregard the strain on his body, using his fastest movement skill to finish the fight.
He was relieved he had done so because fighting a mini-boss with his crew's support would have been disastrous. Fortunately, the crew was intimidated by his show of strength, making it easy for him to assume control.
With this crew and ship, he could now continue his search for mission clues. There was no need to find his teammates. As long as the mission was completed everyone would be happier.