The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

[Ahhhhhhhhhhh!]

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

The two scurried away from each other in shock.

Through the skeleton’s appearance, Agony quickly realized where he had brought Seol.

[Isn’t this a ghost ship?! The ship is super messed up!]

“Huh? A ghost ship? I’m not a ghost, though?”

[You’re a skeleton!]

“Yeah, I am a skeleton. But I’m not a ghost.”

Agony quickly shifted to a relieved expression.

- So skeletons are safe? LOOOOOOOL

- What are Agony’s standards? LOL

- He just accepted it?

The skeleton then asked Agony a question after seeing Seol.

“Is that a corpse?”

[A corpse? Ah! He isn’t! He isn’t a corpse yet!]

It then added an unnecessary comment.

[Well… maybe he might turn into one soon?]

“Isn’t that really bad then?”

[Is that… really bad?]

“It is! Because then he would die!”

[Is that really something a skeleton should be saying, though?]

“Why wouldn’t I be allowed to say that?”

[I guess you’re right, you should be allowed to say that! Dying is a big deal! Save him!]

“Okay! But there aren’t any doctors on board.”

[Huh? Why not?]

“Because we’re dead. Did you think it was a ghost ship for nothing?”

[Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]

"Don't worry! Meeting a great pirate like me in this vast sea is proof that your friend is not destined to die!"

[Great… pirate?]

Agony confusedly looked at the skeleton.

[You were a pirate?]

"Yup, I'm a pirate! If you were bold enough to venture out into the sea, you must have heard my name at least once."

[What’s your name?]

“Nope, Not yet!”

[Your name is… Nope Notyet?]

"No, I just needed a friend's help to say my name."

[A friend’s… help?]

“Yeah. Come on out, Pupu!”

Fwoooooooosh…

A black shadow swiftly glided beneath the boat, passing the ship in an instant.

It was like a scene from a horror movie.

And then… it rose up from the waters.

Splaaaaaaaash!

A massive octopus, often called a kraken in Pandea, rose from the waters, though it appeared to be a baby.

“Puupuuu!”

Though it might have been a child, it certainly wasn’t small.

Even though the ghost ship Agony was on could be considered a large galleon, Pupu was still large enough to compare to it.

[I-It’s bald…]

“No! Pupu hates hearing that more than anything!”

“Puuuuu!”

Slap!

Pupu swung a massive tentacle onto the boat to snatch up Agony. Agony's eyes spun as it became entangled in Pupu's sticky tentacles, dangling from them.

“Pupuuuuu!”

“Pupu’s only going to forgive you this time. If you do it again, they’re going to tickle you.”

Drop.

Agony was once again back on the boat.

The skeleton then took a strange stance with Pupu.

“Now, it’s time to introduce myself! You know what to do, right, Pupu?!”

“Puuuuu!”

The two began to dance while singing a strange song.

“With just one ship, we’ll conquer the sea~ Loyalty!”

“Puupuu!”

“Friendship!”

“Pupu!”

“And love, too!”

“Puuuu!”

“We’re the great men of the sea~ Now, let me introduce you to the crew of S.S. Men of the Sea!”

- Wh-what kind of song is this…

- It’s actually not bad…

- Why is the chorus so good?

- WHY IS THE KRAKEN SO GOOD AT HARMONIZING????

The two continued their strange dance and song.

“Helmsman~ Bridon!”

“Puuu!”

“Ah, right! He died!”

“Puu…”

“Boatswain~ Malle!”

“Pupuuu!”

“Ah, I forgot! He died too!”

“Puuuu…”

“Cannoneer Jenin! Of course, he’s dead too!”

“Puu!”

The skeleton continued to list more names and positions afterward as well.

“Chef… dead… doctor… dead, too… navigator, also dead.”

“Puuuurgh…”

Agony continued to watch the skeleton’s dance and song as if it were possessed by them.

“And lastly… the captain of the great S.S. Men of the Sea! Drumroll, please…”

Rumble rumble rumble!

Pupu began carefully tapping on the ship with its tentacles to imitate a drumming sound.

“Me, Santos!”

[S-Santos!]

“You know who I am?”

Seol had definitely mentioned Santos’ name at Laven’s pier.

[Nope! I don’t!]

“Shocking!”

However, Agony was asleep when it happened, so it hadn’t heard it at all.

Agony was currently looking at Santos with gleaming eyes.

“What do you think?! How does it feel to be on the great S.S. Men of the Sea’s deck?!”

[A-Amazing!]

“Bwahahahahaha! I bet it does! Now, watch this… Glorious Biceps Pose!”

“Puuuu!”

Santos flexed his arms while Pupu flexed their tentacles. After doing so, Santos had a shocked expression on his face.

“Ah! I forgot I don’t have any biceps!”

- He’s fucking powerful!

- This won’t be easy…

- Agony’s getting pushed back! You got this, Agony!

- It’s too late! Agony’s already swayed by him!

[What was that…]

“Huh? You didn’t like it?”

Surprisingly, Agony showed a normal reaction to Santos’ strange actions.

[That’s so cool…]

Or at least that was what the viewers thought.

“Bwahahaha! Right?!”

[Me too!]

“Huh?”

[Can I do it too?]

“Hm… I don’t normally let people copy this…”

[Please?! Can I try it too, please?!]

“Hmmm…”

Santos seemed to be puffing his chest at Agony’s request.

[I’ve never met anyone as cool as you!]

“Hm…”

A little bit more…

[I want to be like you!]

“Krahhhhh!”

Santos fully puffed his ribs.

“Alright, you pass! You can do it too!”

[Really? Really, really?! Then…]

Step…

Agony took a stance before copying Santos’ actions exactly.

[Glorious Biceps Pose!]

“Huh?! Are those… biceps?!”

[Ah! I don’t have any biceps, though~]

- Ah! They fooled me completely!

- I thought Agony had biceps for a second!

- Ahahahaha! I got completely fooled!

The viewers were beginning to enjoy their strange actions more than anything now.

“Bwahahahahaha! Perfect! That was perfect! What’s your name, by the way, sea urchin?”

[Agony! It’s Agony!]

“A fine name. Welcome to the ship!”

[Yeah!]

“However, you must treat me as your captain!”

[Yes, captain!]

“Agony! Have you scrubbed the deck?!”

[No!]

"Excellent! I like it when my ship is dirty! It was exhausting because Malle kept it too shiny! You're quite talented, aren't you?!"

[Thank you!]

“What about the gunpowder? Have you made sure to keep it dry?”

[There was gunpowder on this ship?]

“I like it! We shouldn’t be using something real men wouldn’t use! Gunpowder is now banned from this ship!”

It was getting to the point where viewers were beginning to doubt if Santos was still sane.

However, Agony sensed something from his actions. Agony, still not fully grown, felt an indescribable emotion.

“I spotted an island in front of us during our conversation!”

[An island? It’s an island! Where is that, though?]

“I don’t know either!”

[Huh? Is it okay for you not to know?]

“I don’t know the answer to that question either! It should be fine then, no?”

[Ah! I think you might be right!]

- They say that two negatives make a positive. Does that also apply here?

- It does in the School of Santos.

- Agony already knew this fact, though.

And like that, they had arrived at an unknown island.

* * *

Fwooosh…

As the ship lowered its anchor, Pupu vanished back into the ocean

Although they seemed to be going far, it was clear they would swiftly return whenever Santos called for them.

Flare…

[Why are you lighting a fire? Do skeletons get cold too?]

“Nope!”

[Then why…?]

“Because your friend might get cold!”

Santos was a friendly skeleton.

Agony glanced at the unconscious Seol for a moment before looking back at Santos.

[You! I like you!]

“Really? That makes sense, though! I have yet to meet someone who hated me, Santos!”

[Yeah, that’s why I’ll corrupt you no matter what!]

“Huuuh? Who? Me?”

[Yep!]

Agony began to nod quickly like an excited child.

“Why?”

[Because that’s why I, Agony, was born!]

“......”

[...Why? You don’t like it?]

“No, not at all! I was just surprised. You weren’t just any other sea urchin, huh?”

[I’m not a sea urchin! Agony is something greater than a sea urchin!]

“Sea urchins are amazing too, though!”

[R-Really…? Are sea urchins… really that amazing?]

“Of course!”

Agony was the type who eagerly sought any title that seemed positive.

[Then from now on, I, Agony, am a sea urchin!]

"Okay! Then I hereby pronounce you... sea urchin!"

[Still, I was serious about wanting to corrupt you!]

“What?! Why?”

[Huh?]

“Hm?”

Agony was deeply confused.

Corruption.

This desire had been ingrained in Agony since its birth, almost like a conviction. However, Agony was different from typical demonic spirits.

Thanks to Seol, Frannan, and the pearl, which was a holy relic from Montra, the sinister energies within Agony had diminished.

As such, it was in quite a confusing situation right now.

[Yeah… Why do I want to do it?]

“Is it fun?”

[Urm… How should I… Hm…]

Agony then gave its answer.

[Maybe because that was the reason I was born?]

“The reason you were born, huh…”

[Agony was born to corrupt others. I guess Agony wouldn’t be Agony if I forgot that, right? I’d lose my reason for existing, wouldn’t I? Isn’t everyone the same?]

Santos held his clattering jawbone for a second to think.

Then, he opened his mouth.

“No, there is no such thing as a reason you were born.”

[Huh?]

“But there are reasons to exist.”

[Aren’t those two the same thing?]

“I thought you would understand what I meant if you were a glorious sea urchin…”

[I do know! I know, I know! Agony understood everything just now! The two of them are different.]

Pouuuur….

Santos returned to his usual jovial tone as Agony accepted it.

“To be honest… I used to be a noble.”

[What…? You’re lying!]

“I’m serious! I was the successor of an extremely distinguished noble family, guaranteed to receive the fief!”

[It doesn’t suit you at all!]

“Yeah, thanks!”

If Seol had been awake right now, he would have definitely sympathized with Santos.

“One day… my entire family was poisoned.”

[Suddenly?]

“Yeah, and they suspected me for it.”

[Oh… Did you do it, though?]

“I didn’t. I liked my family, after all.”

[Family… I don’t have a family.]

“Really?”

[Yes, really! So, what happened next?]

“I left the fief. I was at my end, and I couldn’t endure it anymore.”

[Isn’t that just admitting… that you ran away?]

“I am! You’re smart, aren’t you?”

[A sea urchin should be at least this smart, you know!]

"I tried to kill myself. I thought it would be easier if I were dead... That's why I went to the sea. I was too scared to hang myself, and I thought jumping off a cliff would hurt less."

[You’re a coward, aren’t you?]

“Yup, I’m a coward!”

[You’re just a kid! You shouldn’t be allowed to be the captain of a ship!]

“Mutiny, is it?! Then I should also punish…”

[You’re going to punish me?]

“Are you going to revolt?”

[No.]

“Then I won’t either.”

- What the hell are the two of them talking about? LMFAO

- I think we need a new patch admin… We’re not understanding their conversation at all LOL

- I can feel my brain cells dying with each word…

Santos continued to recall his past.

“I fell into the sea with a big splash.”

[Was that how you died? Is that why you’re a skeleton?]

“It wasn’t! I couldn’t breathe underwater, so I just chose not to die!”

[What?!]

"But when I resurfaced and looked around, everything was peaceful except for me."

[...Peaceful?]

"Yeah, I got so upset that I didn't want to die anymore. That's why I chose to live. But that moment also ignited a great desire within me, and that's when Santos, the man of the sea, was born!"

[A great… desire?]

“Yeah, like a dream.”

[What’s your dream then, Santos?]

Stand…

Santos quickly stood up before pointing at the sea.

“Taking over the sea!”

[Is that even possible?]

"The only thing that can cool down the fiery heart of a man of the sea like me, Santos, is the seawater!"

[Woah…]

“Do you have a dream, Agony?”

[...No?]

“Then why don’t you think of one now?”

Agony closed its eyes, thinking hard, before opening them and pointing at Seol.

[Corrupting him?]

“You can’t do that! That’s not cool!”

[Does it have to be cool?]

“Of course! The crew of the S.S. Men of the Sea all have grand dreams! You should have one as well!”

Agony tilted its head in confusion before giving another answer.

[...To become an even greater sea urchin?]

“That’s perfect!”

- I’m leaving the stream.

- Wake up, Snowman! Please wake up! We need you, pleeeeease…

- That Time Demonic Spirit Agony Became the Greatest Sea Urchin…

Though Santos complimented Agony’s improvised dreams, a dark expression remained on Agony’s face.

Noticing that, Santos asked Agony a question.

“What’s wrong?”

[I just… don’t like it…]

“Don’t like what?”

[I don’t know what my dream is. Dreams are reasons to live, right? Agony doesn’t have things like that.]

"Hahaha! I can solve that for you right now! Dreams don’t need to be something as grand as that! It could start with something simple. Dreams always grow bigger with time, after all! What do you want the most right now?"

[What I want the most right now…]

“Yup! A dream that’s within arm’s reach! Men of the sea always begin with a dream that’s close!”

Agony glanced at Seol.

He had been continuously on its mind.

“...Are you worried about your friend?”

[He’s not my friend… He’s someone I need to corrupt…]

“......”

[Or at least he used to be, but… I guess he’s just someone close to me now?]

“Agony, what do you want?”

[...I want him to wake up.]

“And?”

The elf who used to pull on its cheeks, the intelligent spirit who always seemed shocked when speaking to him, and the human who used to pet him from time to time.

Agony came to a realization after organizing its thoughts.

[Captain!]

“Yeah?”

[Agony has a family. I just realized!]

“Really?”

[Yeah! Agony’s family is inside there!]

Agony then pointed at Seol.

Santos failed to understand what Agony meant, but he still nodded his head as if he understood.

“Then what Agony wants is…”

[I… I want it to get loud again! It does get too loud from time to time, but…]

“But…?”

[I can take better naps when everyone’s loud! I like that more!]

Santos then raised his right hand into the sky.

“Alright! Then let’s make your dreams come true, Agony!”

[Yeah!]

“But for me to help you… I want you to help me with my close dreams first!”

[What are your dreams, captain?]

Santos' jovial mood quickly grew cold.

[Captain?]

“It’s to… get back my crew.”

[That’s it?]

“Yeah. Right now, it’s a much more important dream than taking over the sea.”

[Then we have to make them come true, no matter what! What do you need me to do?!]

“Will you be helping me?”

[Yeah!]

“That’s good, but in truth… this ship had been heading there from the start!”

[There?]

“Yeah, where my crew is!”

[And where’s ‘there’?]

The crew of the S.S. Men of the Sea had their souls stolen by Vitona.

Santos, the ship’s captain, managed to escape successfully but failed to take his soul with him, leaving him with only his body.

And now… he was trying to return.

To Vitona, the Soul Reaper.

“The Alfrina Strait,” answered Santos.

To the Alfrina Strait, where she was.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.Com