Tristan

Sometime ago…

"M-mom, what do you t-think of that guy?" Katelyn asked.

She and Mabel were huddled and covered themselves with a warm blanket to battle the cold.

"Sky? I don't know but Jericho seems to trust him a lot." Mabel did not have an honest opinion about Sky other than the fact he saved Jericho and brought her to them.

"I was really worried about Jeri. I really thought she was gone."

"I thought my baby was gone, too. But I cannot believe your father would do something horrible to his own flesh and blood. But now that he's dead there's nothing we can do."

"Mom, what's that?" Katelyn pointed at the mountain.

They saw in the distance fire was spewing out like a flamethrower.

The mountains were white and covered in snow, and there was nothing blocking the visibility.

Both Katelyn and Mabel stood up and got closer to get a better look.

"I don't know. I see the three of them but that fire doesn't look like a fireball, it's spewing out like… I don't know how to describe it."

"Like a dragon's breath?" Katelyn asked.

"Yeah, like that."

Then they saw two flamethrowers spew out in different directions leaving them confused yet astounded.

"I really have no idea what to say but I am sure that's his doing, right? Have you seen anything like it?"

"No, never. I don't think even your dad has heard of it… maybe."

A few minutes later as they were preparing coffee for everyone the portal started to shake slightly.

"Mom?"

"That means they cleared the portal. Wow and only the three of them did that?"

"Wait, won't the portal collapse on us?"

"We have ten minutes before it collapses. Oh, look, there they come." Mabel pointed to the mountain.

At the top they saw three people running down the mountain.

"Hey, they're alright… And now one of the guys fell. And he's falling down the mountain. And he turned into a huge snowball. And now he consumed Jeri and the other guy in the giant snowball. And now the three of them are rolling down the mountain in a giant snowball."

Both of them saw all that happen. Next the giant snowball stopped and fell apart in front of the ship revealing all three of them were fine.

Sky was the first to get up.

"Well that's one way to get down the mountain." Sky laughed as that was a fun experience.

Jay and Jericho were both freezing whereas Sky kept himself warm with pyrokinesis.

"S-s-s-sorry about that." Jay uttered. He didn't think tripping and falling would lead to something seen in cartoons.

"C-c-cold!" Jericho said. Both of them stood up and slowly climbed onboard the ship.

"Here, baby, have some coffee." Mabel covered her in a warm blanket and gave her some coffee.

Katelyn only gave coffee to Jay.

"Thank you." Jay said and cranked the coffee.

"Hm."

Mabel was about to offer Sky some coffee but he declined it.

Later the ship got out of the portal and went straight to the next one.

"Why aren't you cold?" Katelyn asked Sky. Jericho and Jay were shivering while Sky seemed fine.

"Oh no, I am cold. I'm just sucking it up." Sky responded.

{Cold resistance: lvl 2: 20% resistant to cold weather}

This skill leveled up again and made it easier to endure the cold without relying on his pyrokinesis.

"Hm." Katelyn left to be with her sister.

"Okay, guys, we will be in the next dungeon in forty minutes." Sky said.

"Already?" Katelyn saw her sister still shivering from the cold.

"Yes, Katelyn."

"Good." Jericho stood up and walked up to Sky. She didn't mind it because every portal they cleared they were closer to clearing their debt.

"What did you get from the dungeon?"

'Dungeon?' Katelyn and Mabel thought.

"Just these two scrolls. I read them and they only give us some strength."

"Dang." Jericho was not interested in green scrolls as they fetch for less than 99,000 shells depending on the quality or skill.

"You want these two scrolls, Jay?" Sky asked.

"Please." Jay walked up towards Sky and got both scrolls power.

{Jay Press}

{Str: 97}

"At this rate you might be able to handle Betty, unlike last time."

"Hope so, too, Captain."

Ten minutes before they arrived at the next portal Katelyn walked up to Sky.

"Hey, can I have a word with you?" Sky looked at Katelyn weirdly, but slightly nodded and both went inside the captain's quarters.

"What is it?" Sky asked.

"Can you let my sister take a break?"

"Already? We just cleared a single portal today."

Sky knew the importance of taking a break but not after the first dungeon run.

"I heard from her that you pretty much cleared the portal by yourself. You don't need her help at all."

Sky looked at her as if she was the dumbest person he had ever met, and he had met several people working at his parent's shop.

"I think you don't understand, she is helping me and you A LOT! By clearing portals with me. Besides, she is tougher than she looks and she has been through a lot these past six months." Sky needs her to find treasure chests which contain money and rare items.

"How is she helping you? She's not even doing anything." Sky rubbed his forehead. He can't explain it to her or else it would reveal certain things he doesn't want anyone else to know.

"If you can convince her to take a break she can take a break." Sky said.

"Well…" Katelyn left without saying anything else.

'What the hell was her problem?' Sky thought but didn't take it to heart.

As soon as they were about to head to the next dungeon they were interrupted by something unexpected.

"Sky!" Jericho called out to Sky from his quarters.

"What?" Sky walked out. He soon noticed the Caribbean ship that was following them were catching up to them.

They were signaling to them telling them to stop.

"That can't be good." Sky said.

"I mean we haven't done anything wrong, have we?" Jay said.

"I think it might be us two but it's not like we're not allowed inside of a red dungeon." Katelyn added.

"If the worst comes, be prepared to fight back." Sky urged. He wants to settle this peacefully if possible.

Sky's ship stopped in the middle of the ocean and the Caribbean caught up to them in no time.

They brought out a long wooden plank to make a bridge between the two ships.

One of the Caribbean men boarded his ship. He had three tidal waves on his shoulder signifying his rank and authority within the Caribbean.

He has a medium body build, average in height, with a thick black beard but no hair, was tanned and had a tattoo of a dragon on his shoulder.

'Identify.'

{Tristan Marks}

{HP: 7,870/7,780}

{Mana: 2,605/2,605}

{Str: 2,300 Dex: 1,760 Spd: 900 Int: 600 Mind: 521 Vig: 777}

{Eye of truth: lvl 6}

{Fireball: lvl 8}

{Search: lvl 2}

{Ice trident: lvl 5}

{Curse of slowness: lvl 8}

{Curse of blindness: lvl 6}

{Curse dispel: lvl 3}

Sky had to admit this guy was very strong and he only had three tidal waves. The most tidal waves a Caribbean man can have is five or six, Sky wasn't sure.

Tristan took his time to access the ship and the crew.

"So she must be Jericho Haydie." Jericho did not react at all but kept looking at him.

"Well this confirms she is back and is alive. Good."

"What do you want?" Sky asked.

Tristan took a good look at Sky.

"What's your name, son?"

"Sky."

"Sky? I've heard weirder names. Anyways, what do you think you're doing with this family?"

"I'm a friend and I want to pay back their debt."

"You want to pay five hundred million shells?" Tristan's eyebrows arched up. It was a lot of money for anyone.

"Yes, I do. I don't have the money yet but I will in five months."

"Hmm, we'll see how that goes. I came here for two reasons: to tell you three," he points at Jericho and her family, "that I just got some news that your father/husband is confirmed to be dead. He died at the hands of some fishmen."

"Did he have the scroll?" Katelyn asked.

Jericho looked at Katelyn wondering why she asked that question when they all knew Jericho had its ability.

Sky wanted to smile but didn't.

'Hm, she's smart to feign ignorance.' Sky thought.

"Huh, it seems you already knew he was dead and don't care much, maybe you're right about that since he left you an enormous debt and fled like a coward. As for the scroll he did not have it when we found it, which means you still have to pay the debt."

"Damn." Katelyn covered her face.

She already knew the purple scroll was never there, she was acting so no one would know that Jericho got its power.

"Secondly, I came here to tell you two, Katelyn and Mabel that you are forbidden from entering a portal ever again."

"Wait, I thought you said we could go anywhere we wanted?" Mabel asked.

"Yes, I did, but I don't want you guys to die before you pay back the debt. If you die no one can pay the debt and your corpses will be worth nothing."

"So you're okay with them living on that dangerous island for all this time and now you're worried about their well being?" Sky asked.

"These two are stubborn. They would not leave the island until they confirm the youngest daughter was alive, and that Harvey Haydie would come back as well." Tristan said.

"Wait, am I also not allowed to enter the portals now?" Jericho asked.

"You? You're not even a part of this according to the deal your mom and older sister made." Katelyn and Mabel closed their eyes as Jericho looked at them confusedly.

"Oh, they didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"We gave them five years to pay back the debt your father left you, and if they fail all three of you will be enslaved until you pay back the debt. But they made us a counter-offer: we don't include you as part of the debt if we shorten it to one year." Sky, Jay and Jericho stared at the two older girls.

"Oh no. Mom, Kate, why?" Jericho asked, sadly.

"We didn't want to include you in this, honey." Mabel kneeled to face her daughter at eye level.

"You're too young, Jeri, to have that sort of life."

Sky grabbed his face. It was an idiotic move but he knows they did it to protect Jericho from harm.

Because they knew if they took that deal the Caribbean would hunt Jericho and they would know of her ability, and once they found out there was no telling what they would do to her.

"I take it you're the Captain of this ship?" Tristan asked Jay because he was older.

"No, he is." Jay pointed to Sky.

"Hm, so you heard me? If you bring these two to another portal or outside of the Land of the Dead you'll be imprisoned, you have been warned. Where are you even heading?"

"Marjack."

"Oh? That's kinda far but it is closer to HQ so it benefits me as well." Tristan left the ship and went back to his own ship.

"Sorry about that, Sky, we didn't think this could happen." Mabel said.

"Hmm… we'll be set back two weeks at most but that just means we have to work harder."

Sky set course to Marjack as the Caribbean followed him.

"Captain, was he strong?" Jay asked.

"Very. There was no way we could win against him. Not to mention his crew members are also slightly stronger than me."

"Really?" Sky identified the majority of the crew in the Caribbean ship, their stats were around 300-500 each. They all had annoying abilities to boot and even magical items.

Sky knew he was strong but everyone in the Land of the Dead had a huge head start. But Sky knew he could grow stronger than them as long as he is patient and grinds.

"Jericho, set course to Marjack. Jay, I need you to practice your curse of slowness on me." Sky sat down.

"Really, Captain?"

"I need to practice to dispel curses and it's also a good practice for you. Since we can't enter another portal again until we drop these two off we have to get stronger one way or another."

"You're right, Captain. Curse of slowness."

{Speed has decreased by 5%}

Sky could feel something was slightly weighing him down. This wasn't the first time he experienced being slowed down.

"Dispel,"

{Curse has been removed}

The heavy feeling around his body was gone.

"Again. We won't stop until one of us is too tired to continue." Jay smiled and nodded, "Slowness."

{Speed has decreased by 5%}

"Dispel."

{Curse has been removed}

"Slowness."

"Dispel…"

Until night fell they did not stop once.

"Have they been doing that all day?" Katelyn asked Jericho.

"Yeah, I used to do the same thing when it was just the two of us." Jericho smiled.

"No wonder he's strong enough to clear a dungeon by himself. He's stubborn like you." Kate rubbed her head.

"I can't go on, Captain." Jay said while lying on the ground dead tired.

Between them was a set of board games they brought to pass the time. Sky also used his telekinesis and other abilities to be efficient.

They didn't just sit all day playing games, but the majority of the time Sky and Jay practiced all day long.

Behind them was the Caribbean ship tailing them but that was hardly a surprise.

"Sure, go to sleep." Sky smiled to see both of them progress.

Jay dragged his tired body to his hammock.

{Jay Press}

{Curse of slowness: lvl 3: slows target by 15%}

{Dispel: lvl 5: Dispels curses below the same level}

Sky wished his crew members would grow as fast as him but it was a part of the system and he cannot change that. Jericho, who was watching, sat down in front of Sky on the same spot Jay was lying down moments ago.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sky asked.

"Practice, what else? Unless you're too tired to keep going." Sky smiled.

"Fine by me. Chess?"

"I don't know how to play that but sure. Slowness."

"Dispel."

Katelyn, who was watching from the side, could not recognize Jericho at all.

Jericho used to be spoiled by her mother and herself. All her life Jericho would barely lift a finger to do anything around the house. By her age Katelyn was cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, studying the Dead language to be able to read scrolls.

It is why seeing Jericho work hard was a surprise. To think the younger, spoiled sister she knew would change so much.

'Maybe it was a blessing in disguise after all. At least we don't have to worry about her if mom and I get enslaved.' Katelyn went to bed shortly after.

By morning Mabel was the first one to wake to get ready to prepare food for the crew. To her surprise she saw Sky and Jericho still practicing. Jericho's eyes were closed while Sky was spanning objects in the air with his wind ability.

"Oh. hi Mrs. Haydie. Morning already?" Sky hadn't noticed the sun was about to rise.

"Please do not refer to me by that name. Instead call me Mabel."

"Hm, alright. Jericho, wanna call it a day?"

"No, I can still keep going… zzzzzz."

Mabel laughed, it reminded her of when Jericho used to fall asleep in odd places around their house.

"I'll take her to bed. You should rest as well."

"Yeah, sounds good." Sky stood up and stretched out his arms, cracking every bone in his body.

{Dispel: lvl 6} Sky would not be satisfied until this ability of his was level nine, evolved, or maxed out.

Majority of the people don't have skills at level nine meaning if he could grind his dispel to level nine there is no curse he can't dispel.

Sky soon went to sleep in his Captain's quarters which is the only part of the ship that had a bed.

Later that day the only ones who were awake were Katelyn, Mabel, and Jay.

"Hey, Jay, was it?" Katelyn asked.

Jay was reading the map Mabel brought with her.

"That's my name."

"Did Jeri and Sky really meet like they told us?"

"I don't know. I wasn't there when it happened."

"Right… How did you meet him?"

"How? Hmm… Well back at my island I chased after this girl who I loved, whom I have known all my life and who I could consider my best friend. And when she rejected my love I was alone in this restaurant. Then Sky out of nowhere comes to me, offers me to be a part of his crew, re-ignited my long lost passion for adventuring and… the rest speaks itself. Although this is not the adventure I was expecting."

"Oh… can you tell me more about this love life of yours?" Katelyn sat down beside him.

Katelyn loves reading books, and her favorite happens to be romance stories with happy endings.

And she also loved the stories where the main character chases someone they love, most typically a close childhood friend, who rejects their love only to end up regretting their decision and getting what they deserve.

Katelyn also loved revenge stories.

"Really? Sure, why not? So her name is Abigail…"