'Newbie Gift Pack has been claimed.'
[Beginner Mage Talent Acquired] [Beginner Brawling Talent Acquired] [Beginner Nature Affinity Talent Acquired] [Beginner Mental Resistance Acquired] [Beginner Self-Healing Body Acquired] [Mage Apprentice's Class Notes Acquired]
Awesome, System! Nicely done! Ren cheered internally, a wide grin spreading uncontrollably across his face.
Is there a status panel? Show me, Ren called out in his mind. The system obliged, displaying a panel in his thoughts.
Character: Ren Race: Human Class: Mage Apprentice, Beginner Boxer, Beginner Brawler Status: Pirate, Bookkeeper Titles: None Skills: Magic Space Talents: [Beginner Mage Talent][Beginner Brawling Talent][Beginner Nature Affinity Talent] Traits: [Beginner Mental Resistance][Beginner Self-Healing Body] Bookstore: [Mage Apprentice's Class Notes] Evaluation: Mortal-level Combat Power
Mortal-level. Not surprising, Ren thought, then began to study the information.
The talents could be seen as aptitudes. With the Beginner Mage Talent, learning and using magic would be much easier from now on. The same applied to the other talents.
I need to stay grounded, Ren reminded himself. Having talent doesn't mean I've suddenly gained immense power. It still takes time and effort to cash in on it.
Talent was just one part of the equation. A Beginner Mage Talent didn't mean he could only ever reach the level of a beginner mage. It simply gave him a better aptitude, making learning easier than for someone without it. If you had no talent, or only a beginner's, but gave it your all, you might still reach the level of an advanced mage. Add a bit of luck or a fortunate encounter, and even higher levels might not be out of reach. Conversely, if you had god-tier talent but never bothered to study, you might end up as nothing more than an apprentice.
The traits were simpler; they could be considered passive skills.
The Mage Apprentice's Notes contained basic understandings and applications of magic, which filled Ren with joy. For a self-taught, unorthodox mage like him, access to systematic knowledge was incredibly important. The notes even included a few spells and a simple mage meditation technique he could learn. The meditation method within was far superior to the one Ren had clumsily figured out on his own.
The spells were divided as follows:
Offensive: Fireball, Wind Blade Support: Light Body Technique Utility: Purify Water
Finally, some offensive magic. Tomorrow, I'll show these guys what a real mage is.
...On second thought, no need. What if it backfires? Back in the stories, after the Monkey King finished his training, he got kicked out by his master for showing off to his peers.
Besides, as someone planning to leave the pirate crew, Ren had even less reason to show off to these pirates.
After getting a handle on the system's basics, Ren was no longer sleepy and continued to study the notes. As he absorbed the systematic knowledge, a flash of inspiration struck him. He stood up,愣愣地 thinking about something.
Time trickled by. Suddenly, Ren vanished from the side of his bed and reappeared at the door. He didn't walk or jump—he teleported.
Snapping back to his senses, Ren realized something. He opened the system panel and found that under the skills section, a new item had appeared: [Flash].
"I really am a genius! How did I not figure this out before? Zehahahaha!"
The flash of insight had consumed a lot of his mental energy, and since it was already late, Ren lay back down on the bed to rest.
The trees were lush and green, birds were chirping among fragrant flowers, and a small river meandered by as a gentle breeze blew. In his dream, Ren strolled lazily through the scene. Everything was so comfortable and warm, the scenery beautiful, quiet, and peaceful. Looking up, he could vaguely see a wedge-shaped stone in the sky, glowing with a soft pink light...
The morning sun was bright—a good day for fishing. In the harbor of Bilgewater (hereafter referred to as B-Port), ships came and went endlessly. Fishermen and those out for a living (the forceful kind) set sail, while fleets laden with bounty shamelessly cut in line everywhere to dock.
Amidst a chorus of curses, the pirates, led by Solo, disembarked and walked into B-Port.
"Hey, look! Someone's been slacking on the job," a big oaf said, pointing a finger at a cage hanging high above.
"That guy in the cage, he was in there when we set sail. Now we're back, and he's still there."
"You'd think they'd get tired of the corpse's stench."
"Nah, the wind in the harbor is so strong, the smell disperses quickly. Besides, can it really overpower the smell of fish here? Haha!" a few of the other motley-looking pirates joked.
Ren walked at Solo's left, at the head of the group. After finishing his chat with Solo upon leaving the docks, he looked out at the city-state before him.
Bilgewater. Located on the edge of the Blue Flame Isles, far from the mainland, this place was an outlaw's paradise. Monster hunters, ruthless gangsters, and pirates from all over the world came here to settle down. Here, anything could happen. One second you could be rolling in wealth, the next you could be flat broke.
For fugitives and those dodging debts, Bilgewater offered a new start, because on the city's rickety streets, nobody cared about your past. That being said, when dawn broke, the careless often ended up in a pool of their own blood in some dark alley.
Suddenly, a large man cut in from the side. Not seeing Solo's group, he was walking while looking back and talking, and stumbled right into Solo.
"Are you f---ing blind?! Don't you watch where you're going? In a hurry to lick someone's ass?" the hot-tempered man cursed.
Solo himself was stunned for a second. You've got some nerve, huh? Beside him, all his men had already drawn their weapons. Even Ren had resignedly slipped on his gauntlets.
Seeing so many people, the large man on the other side actually pulled the shotgun off his back and aimed it straight at the pirates.
"Damn it, let's go at it then!"
Just as a fight was about to break out, another group appeared from the direction the man had come from. Their leader, a red-haired beauty, watched the scene with keen interest.
'Miss Fortune.' Solo recognized her. The famous bounty hunter, whose support had been growing recently, making her a power in her own right. He then glanced at the gawkers who had gathered at some point, a mix from every faction. Shit, the one with the brightest eyes is from the Ironhook Gang.
"You blind oaf, get lost and go drink your mother's milk! Don't hold up a man from getting his drink!" Solo said, making a downward gesture with his hand. His men saw it and slowly lowered their weapons, but not completely.
The man opposite him took the out he was given, slightly lowering his gun. "Heh, then hurry up and go drink your piss-water. If you're late, it won't be warm anymore."
The two sides stared each other down for a moment before walking away as if nothing had happened.
"Booo~" "Bunch of cowards!" "Boring!" The crowd of onlookers, disappointed, began to disperse.
Solo's group headed towards their usual tavern. Ren walked along with them, his gaze distant as he got lost in thought again.
I have to get out of here soon. I've got my golden finger now, there's no reason to stay.
I wonder where the timeline is at right now. Are the others in Zaun okay? No, wait, Mylo and Claggor are definitely not okay. Poor brothers...
What kind of excuse can I come up with? I don't have any feelings for Solo. Even if they all died one day, I wouldn't feel sad.
But he wouldn't agree no matter what reason I give. Should I just sneak away? Or take him on directly? Better not... after all these years, he's fed and housed me and never forced me to do things I didn't want to.
The rising clamor of the tavern pulled him back. The irritated Ren scratched his head and looked at the tavern entrance. Whatever. He'd have a couple of drinks and a bite to eat first. You can only think properly on a full stomach.
Just then, the tavern doors were pushed open, and a group of people walked out.
The surrounding crowd saw the leader and instantly fell silent. Ren's group proactively moved to the side. As Solo stepped aside, he couldn't help but stare a little too long.
The leader noticed Solo and started walking towards him, his men following close behind.
"What're you lookin' at?"
Solo hurriedly tried to explain, his words already starting to stammer, "No- It's not, I didn't mean to, Gangpl..."
BANG!
Solo, who had been trying his best to explain a second ago, collapsed to the ground as a hole was blown wide open in his head.
Gangplank, lowering his pistol, glanced at Ren's stunned crew and barked an order at his men.
"Kill them all."
At Gangplank's command, the members of the Ironhook Gang said nothing more. With savage grins, they drew their weapons and charged. Before the ones with blades could even close the distance, gunshots rang out.
If Ren hadn't reacted in a flash, there would have been one more body lying on the ground.