Drumming his fingers over the desk, his eyes distant, Max recalled every detail about Pirates of the Caribbean.
It had been ages since he'd last seen the movies. The recent addition to the series was sub-par, lacking the legendary thrill that the first few films had brought to audiences.
As one of the earliest movies related to piracy and sailing that hit mainstream pop culture, it had a massive fan following.
And who could forget the infamous Jack Sparrow: the bumbling genius, the swagger, the unpredictability—it was epic.
Yet Max hadn't revisited the films in a long while. Either work kept him occupied, or repetitive rewatches had grown too boring when he already knew the plot inside out.
But now, he required every detail about that world.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, running through everything he remembered, from the beginning of the plot to the thrilling oceanic journeys in search of treasures, evading capture, or outwitting other pirates.
He frowned, looking slightly sceptical. "There shouldn't be much of a problem in that world," he muttered.
Scratching his cheek, he added, "Yeah... let's avoid Davy Jones and his Kraken. The rest will be fine."
His head turned, and his eyes landed on the clock. Evening had arrived, sun shying away from the world, calling for darkness.
Similarly, Max had completed every task for the day. The remaining time was his to spend as he pleased.
It would be better to start the mission now. The system halted time in his original world whenever he left. By the time he returned, it would be as if nothing had changed. No one would even notice his absence.
However, his journeys always caused a certain mental strain. If he plunged into the mission now and returned swiftly, he'd have the whole night left to rest and be refreshed for the next day.
Thus, he made up his mind. His eyes lit with determination, his fist clenched tightly, and he willed the system interface to appear again.
"Let's do it. No need to shy away now," he said, swallowing his nerves. He pulled up the request for transfer, anticipation and apprehension mingling like fire in his veins.
Before he knew it, darkness cloaked him. His consciousness blurred, and his vision blackened.
Stillness. Silence. Tranquil. His sensory abilities were suddenly numb.
Before Max could react, he felt a rushing breeze whip past him, tousling his hair. The salty wild wind filled his lungs, sharp and raw.
His eyes fluttered open, snapping wide as his vision filled with a vast expanse of endless rolling blue waves, stretching as far as he could see, meeting the very edge of the world.
The fleeting winds lashed his face, rising waves soaring close to the surface, many reaching out their watery claws, seemingly desperate to touch the sky.
Max stood still, breath hitched. He forgot to exhale, overcome by the sight. The winds tugged at his clothes as he soaked in the sheer beauty and terror of the scene before him.
The waves surged toward him, crashing into the wooden surface below in rhythm. The floor beneath him rocked and creaked, snapping him out of his daze.
Sunlight danced on the water, scattering shards of silver like broken starlight across the surface.
Max grabbed a nearby wooden railing to steady himself, releasing a long exhale. He took in a deep breath, still unable to look away. He had seen rivers, lakes, and even storms… but this…this was different.
This was the ocean: vast, unknowable, swallowing everything whole.
It wasn't peaceful. It was powerful. Beautiful. Unpredictable. Like a living thing that didn't care who you were or where you came from.
Max took a step forward, his heartbeat syncing with the rhythm of the waves. His voice emerged low, nearly reverent.
"…So this is the ocean."
Suddenly, the system's notification chimed in, pulling him from his reverie. He turned as the system interface blinked into his vision.
====
Identity: Maxwell Knight — Heir to the fallen noble 'Knight' family
Age: 22
Primary Objective:
-Declare yourself as a pirate with a ship and a crew
-Loot at least one of the settlements under the Crown
Bonus Objective:
-Snatch the cursed treasure—all pieces of Aztec gold
====
Max frowned upon reading his name. Tilting his head slightly, he took in the information, and his gaze stuck on the information displayed.
His fist tightened around the railing as he pondered, brows furrowed in thought. 'I'm… me in this world?' he questioned the system mentally, but of course, no response came…just like always.
"Strange, but… acceptable," he murmured thoughtfully. His family had European roots. The idea of being descended from nobility wasn't too far-fetched. But a fallen noble family? That stung more than he cared to admit.
He sighed, brushing the thoughts aside. His focus shifted to the mission as his eyes landed below on the objectives.
"Become a pirate?" he repeated aloud.
Pfft! Hahaha!
A hearty laugh burst from his lips. He doubled over, an arm around his abdomen as the sound echoed across the surrounding area, loud and contagious. His stomach ached from the force of it.
"Master Max, are you okay?"
He turned abruptly toward the voice, rough, hoarse, and aged.
Max froze, laughter dying in his throat. His vision turned hazy for a moment, and he blinked in disbelief.
"…Marco?" he asked, voice quiet with confusion and disbelief.
Standing before him was a replica of Marco, his family's longtime staff member. An old man who'd spent decades serving the Knights with unwavering loyalty. A man trusted by his family more than most.
His apprehension was visible, confusion written all over his face. And why wouldn't it be? Marco wasn't supposed to be here. Then how…?
Max's gaze deepened, and a sudden dizziness washed over him. Questions stacked in his mind, one after another, like a rising tide.
But the man before him, Marco, seemed to wear a similarly puzzled expression, as if he, too, didn't understand what was happening.
….
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