N/A: This might be a bit abrupt, but I'm changing the system.
It won't lose its main function, but in a certain sense I'll "nerf" it, since the shop, the inventory, and especially the way points were used didn't feel right to me one year after creating it :v
The shop especially was way too broken.
But I assure you that now it will be much better and more balanced, with much more sense and, above all, simpler.
Now, enjoy the chapter :)
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After letting Jinx recover from her farewell with her sister, Salazar received a strange System Notification.
[Ding... System update available]
Would you like to apply it now?
Yes / No
"What is this?"
Salazar wondered, puzzled. "An update?... system, what is this for?"
He asked in his thoughts, the robotic voice of the system responding.
[There is nothing to worry about, host. This will not affect anything, it will only change some system functions and add improvements]
Upon hearing this, Salazar sighed in relief, crossing his arms and nodding in understanding. "Alright... then update."
[Update in progress... 1%... 2%]
"This will take a while..." he said to himself, Jinx being drawn by his voice and stopping at his side.
"So then... when are we leaving?" She tilted her head curiously, the former slave sighing.
"Apparently in a little while... my ability is in some kind of... rest mode. We'll have to wait." Jinx nodded at that. She wasn't an expert in teleportation powers, so she didn't comment.
"Oki, and how does this work exactly? You still haven't told me where we're going." She tried to kill time, Salazar looking at her and chuckling a bit.
"I guess this is a good time to tell you the basics. I don't think you have Kaina's patience to read the history book..." Both of them sat on the edge of the rooftop with their legs dangling, Salazar beginning to tell Jinx about his world.
"First of all, the planet Earth in my world is 90% water, so the best means of transportation are ships..."
——————
[Ding... Update complete, host. The system apologizes for the interruption]
You may access your status to view the system updates...
That was the notification Salazar received after telling Jinx a long story. At that moment, she was lying on her stomach beside him like a little girl, her head resting on her palms, her legs swinging from side to side as she listened.
"So... in your world there are mermaids?" Jinx asked with sparkling eyes at the idea of seeing one, making a drop of sweat run down Salazar's neck.
"Is that what you took from everything I said?"
"It was the only thing that interested me, aside from those... what did you say they're called? Oh, the Pacifistas." This made Salazar shake his head in surrender, whispering, —"why do I even bother?"
Looking away while Jinx rambled on, he decided to check his status.
(Status...)
Name: Salazar Walker
Race: Enhanced Human...
Enhancements: [Super Soldier Serum] [Quirk: Explosion] [Multiversal Translator] [Lady Nagant Combat] [Jinx's Genius]
Abilities: [None]
World Chaos Points: 900,000 Pt
Points required for next recruitment roll: 1,000,000 Pt
"What?... And my shop? My inventory?" Salazar exclaimed mentally, alarmed, the system responding with its robotic voice.
[Those options were removed for the proper functioning of the system, host. Due to this error, you will be compensated with the following...]
[Ding... The user has received Uncommon Skill Ticket x5]
[Ding... The user has received Rare Skill Ticket x3]
[Ding... The user has received Legendary Skill Ticket x1]
All those notifications flooded Salazar's interface, giving him a headache. He rubbed his forehead with his fingers while Jinx looked at him with her head tilted like a curious child.
"And I'm supposed to be the crazy one?" she wondered, watching Salazar make multiple weird gestures for five minutes in indignation.
All of this was ignored by the prophet, who, upon seeing everything, didn't know whether to feel relieved or irritated.
Because of an error, they had taken away a valuable resource and given him rewards, but he didn't know if that would make up for it.
"Hey... where did all that come from...?" Jinx's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked where she was pointing and saw everything from his inventory scattered behind him, giving him a massive headache.
"I couldn't even buy anything from the shop. If I had known, I would've taken more advantage of it... damn it." He scratched the back of his neck in irritation, then sighed, trying to calm himself. No use crying over spilled milk.
"Whatever... Jinx, could you put all this in your bag for now?" he asked, defeated. The blue-haired girl nodded and began storing everything while humming a song.
Salazar resigned himself and decided he'd look at the tickets once they got back to the ship. He watched Jinx approach with a bag now bigger because of all the stuff in it, staring at his gun with fascinated curiosity.
"Wow, you didn't tell me you had something like this!" she said like a kid in a candy store, analyzing it and studying its structure, disassembling it in seconds and leaving him stunned as she went full engineer mode.
"Hahaha! This little thing can fire twelve bullets with a single magazine! It's awesome! Salazaaaar, can you give it to me!?" Jinx put on puppy eyes while cradling the gun. Salazar, already having enough trouble with the system, simply nodded, earning a loud —"Yay!" from Jinx as she raised her arms happily.
"Alright, take my hand. It's time to go..." He raised his hand, waiting for hers. Jinx nodded and took it without hesitation.
"And... how does this work exactly?" she asked curiously, tilting her head, while Salazar simply mentally commanded the system to return to his world.
[Task Completed. Early Return Available.]
Would you like to return early?
Yes / No
"It just happens. It's like getting into an elevator..." he said, then heard the system's voice, ready to return.
[Understood... Beginning transfer toward companion... Lady Nagant]
Thus, Salazar recruited a crazy inventor expert in explosives and weapons—without a doubt, a great acquisition.
——————
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in an environment that made his eyes widen in disbelief.
"Damn it..." His expression was a mix of concern and anticipation. He let go of Jinx's hand as she slowly walked toward the edge of the ship with a slight wobble. She wasn't used to being on the open sea, but that wasn't what impressed her the most.
The sea—vast and endless. A clean, crystal-clear ocean where she could see her own reflection, very different from the polluted waters of Zaun she had always known. The sight amazed her, a thrilled smile forming on her face.
"It's beautiful..." she murmured, completely oblivious to the dilemmas Salazar was facing. He hadn't taken his eyes off something—or rather, someone—on the ship, when suddenly a hand touched his shoulder, making him turn around. It was Kaina, looking at him seriously.
"I know you just got back, but we've got something on our hands..."
"Yeah... I noticed..." A drop of sweat ran down his cheek as he looked at what was not far from him, on his ship. An imposing figure laughing strangely along with his entire crew. It was a party—but the unexpected guests filled him with uncertainty.
Not to mention a strange ship anchored next to his in the middle of the sea, connected by a plank like a bridge. What was curious about that ship?
Its imposing size, matching his galleon, and the figure of a smiling white whale.
"Guarararara! Looks like the captain is back!" The imposing figure never wiped the smile from his face, standing nearly seven meters tall. Even seated, he looked like a human-shaped monster. Beside him, a bunch of unique pirates stared at Salazar with challenging, daring smiles.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me..."
What the hell was Whitebeard, one of the Four Emperors, doing on his ship?
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Sorry if it's shorter than usual, but I needed to fix this system bullshit at some point.