Henry sat on a wooden crate, arms crossed, staring at the deck of the Black Fang. It was… rough. The planks were cracked, the sails were torn, and the whole ship creaked like it was one strong wave away from falling apart.
"This thing barely qualifies as a ship," he muttered.
Boggart stood nearby, scratching his stubbled chin. "Aye, Cap'n, she's seen better days."
Henry resisted the urge to correct him about the pirate slang. One-Eyed Boggart was an NPC—no, a real person now—but still, the way he spoke was just him.
Besides, Henry had bigger concerns. Like the fact that he had exactly one crew member, a ship that could sink at any moment, and no idea where he actually was.
He had played Sea of Conquest to its absolute limit before, but this wasn't a game menu—it was reality. If he wanted to survive, he needed a plan.
First, check inventory.
He patted himself down and found a few coins in his coat pocket, a rusted flintlock pistol at his side, and an old cutlass strapped to his waist.
Second, check resources.
"Boggart, what supplies do we have?"
Boggart frowned. "Well… we've got some barrels of fresh water, a sack of moldy biscuits, and uh… two bottles of rum."
Henry sighed. "That's it?"
"Aye."
Henry rubbed his temples. Right. Step three: find a way to not die of starvation.
"We need to dock somewhere," Henry decided. "Where's the nearest port?"
Boggart perked up at that. "There's a small island settlement not far from here. Crescent Bay. Not much there, but they've got food, shipwrights, and some folks lookin' for work."
A crew. That was exactly what he needed.
Henry stood up and dusted off his coat. He turned toward the horizon, letting the sea breeze flow dramatically through his hair. "Then set sail for Crescent Bay. We need supplies, repairs… and more people."
Boggart grinned. "Aye, Cap'n! I'll get us there safe."
As the Black Fang creaked forward, Henry felt a thrill rise in his chest. This was it. His first step toward becoming a legend.
He just had to make sure he didn't die before getting there.
To be continued…