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"Hey, you little brat, you dared to break the captain's rules?"
"Jack, why aren't you apologizing to the captain already?"
The moment Ark regained consciousness, several rough voices thundered around him.
He opened his eyes and discovered that he was tied tightly to the ship's mast, completely unable to move.
All around him stood a group of burly, coarse-looking men glaring at him with murderous intent.
What is going on? Where did they take me? Am I still even in the same country? Wait... did I get kidnapped?
Before he could process anything, a stabbing headache surged through his skull, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut.
Someone nearby immediately fanned the flames. "Captain, Jack shows no remorse at all. We cannot let him off easy."
Other crewmates joined the chaos, shouting for him to be punished.
Seeing the captive Jack clenching his eyes shut and saying nothing, the captain's expression darkened.
While the voices of shouting and cursing swirled around him, Ark finally pieced his memories together.
He had once been a regular employee of Blue Star Corporation.
Then a hundred-ton truck came out of nowhere and flattened him, ending his previous life in an instant.
When he woke again, he found himself in the world of the Pirate King, reborn as Kaz Jack.
Jack's parents had died under the oppression of local nobles, leaving him no choice but to join a pirate crew just to survive.
But even among pirates, he still clung to his conscience. Unable to bear the evil happening on the ship, he had secretly freed several kidnapped young girls while everyone was drunk the previous night.
Unfortunately, a sailor who happened to wake up in the middle of the night caught him and reported everything. That was why he was now tied to the mast, awaiting punishment.
And just moments ago, he had broken through a mental fog and recovered the memories of his past life.
"Hmph. On this ship, no one disobeys my rules."
Captain Collins spoke coldly. "Men, execute him. Throw him into the sea and let the fish eat him."
"Yes, Captain!"
"We should torture him first. Let him learn his lesson."
"He must be regretting it now."
Watching the armed pirates closing in while he remained bound, Ark felt his heart sink to the pits.
Seriously? Are you kidding me?
I have been in this world for barely three minutes and I am already about to die?
This is the wrong script.
Other transmigrators become kings or overlords or at least get to build a giant harem. Why do I have to die the moment I arrive?
Seeing no way out, he began yelling inwardly like someone clinging to a last hope.
"Any god will do. Immortal or demon. East or West. Fictional or real. Anyone who can save me right now is a good god."
Please show yourself.
A barrage of names raced through his mind like rapid-fire bullets.
"Buddha, please save me."
"Merciful Guanyin, you are the kindest of all. Help me."
"Jade Emperor, Lord of Heaven!"
"Monkey King, the great sage equal to the heavens!"
"Mazu, goddess of the sea, this is your domain. Say something!"
"God of Wealth, if all else fails, let money knock these pirates unconscious!"
"Praise the Fool!"
"Lord Jesus, amen. Is it too late to convert now?"
"System. System, my dear father. Stop playing dead. Where is my starter pack?"
Why does my storyline begin with me tied up?
His mind was a mess as he called out to every deity he had ever heard of, heart filled with despair.
Save me. I am online waiting for help. This is urgent.
And then, whether by prayer or miracle, something happened.
With a crisp ding, a pale blue screen flashed before Jack's eyes.
Cold words scrolled across it.
[Host has successfully survived to age eighteen. Dimensional Summoning System activated.]
At the brink of death, who had time to read terms and conditions?
Survival instinct overrode everything.
Ark roared internally at full volume.
Open the starter pack. Activate every function. Anything is fine. Just hurry.
[Ding. Strong desire detected. Newbie Summoning Permission granted.]
The system notification sounded like divine music.
At that exact moment, a huge, thick-armed pirate grinned savagely and swung down his wickedly curved blade with all his strength.
Ark could already feel the icy edge nearing his skin. His eyes closed in despair and cold sweat soaked his back.
Critical moment.
A deep humming sound erupted.
A strange, powerful energy wave blasted outward from Ark's body, vibrating the air like invisible strings being plucked.
A blinding violet light burst forth without warning, swallowing the descending blade.
The pirates, who had been smiling with cruelty just moments ago, instinctively shielded their eyes and cursed blindly.
"What is that?"
"Where is that light coming from?"
"My eyes!"
As the light dimmed slightly, a complex magic circle, as tall as a person, appeared in dazzling violet radiance. Mystical runes flickered like stars.
The light contracted sharply.
Before the stunned eyes of every pirate on deck, a small figure appeared at its center radiating icy coldness.
She had short, lake-blue hair, a few strands resting playfully on one cheek while the other side exposed her pale neck.
She wore a pristine white maid headpiece and a classic black-and-white maid dress, the layered ruffles making her look delicate and charming.
But the cuteness fell apart when one saw her eyes.
Her gem-like eyes were filled with pure, merciless killing intent.
With one slender hand, she seized the muscular pirate's wrist. Though he used his full strength, his blade could not descend another inch. It was as if her grip had welded it in place.
In her other hand, she held an enormous weapon completely mismatched with her petite frame.
A metallic flail, or rather, a morning star. Its spike-covered head was slightly larger than her own.
The chain connecting it to the handle hung loosely and clinked softly.
A suffocating silence settled over the deck.
The wind still howled, ropes creaked, but the pirates who had been shouting moments ago stood frozen like strangled ducks.
Their earlier malice and swagger turned to shock and disbelief.
They looked at Jack tied to the mast, then back at the mysterious blue-haired maid who had appeared from nowhere and caught a blade with her bare hand while holding a deadly weapon in the other.
Their minds could not begin to process the scene.
Even Captain Collins, who always kept a calm and intimidating facade, leaned forward slightly. His narrowed eyes revealed fear and unease.
The blue-haired maid ignored all the terrified stares around her.
She tilted her head and spoke in a quiet, cool voice, tinged with confusion.
"Where am I? Was Rem... kidnapped?"