• Action
• Adventure
• Drama
• Fantasy
• Harem
• Martial Arts
• Mature
• Romance
• Seinen
• Supernatural

• Virtual Reality MMORPG
• Real World Cyberpunk Future
• Game and Real World Intersect
• Artificial Intelligence (True AI vs. Programmed Constructs)
• Megacorporations
• Dystopian Society
• Post-WWIII Reconstruction

Protagonist:

• Mysterious Past
• Hidden Identity
• Adopted Protagonist
• Overpowered Protagonist
• Hard-Working Protagonist
• Cares Deeply for Loved Ones
• Devoted Protector
• Ruthless When Necessary
• Master Strategist
• Charismatic Leader
• Double Life (Real World vs. Game World)

Romantic Subplots:

• Strong Romantic Bond
• Loyal Love Interests
• Protective Protagonist
• Terminal Illness Love Interest
• Beautiful and Pure Female Lead
• Love Interest in Peril
• Slow-Burn Romance
• Character Dynamics & Party
• Powerful Allies
• Strong Female Leads
• Beastkin Companion
• Princess-Type Companion
• Noblewoman Companion
• Healer/Support-Type Ally
• Assassin-Type Ally
• Subordinates with Unique Abilities
• Team Synergy and Role Specialization
• Gameplay Elements
• Skill Leveling
• Equipment Leveling
• Unique Class System
• Character Stats and Builds
• EXP Boosters and Multipliers
• Epic Weapons with Growth Potential
• Life-Saving Tech (like MELSS)
• Player Housing / Customization
• PvP and PvE Systems
• Boss Raids and World Bosses
• Guilds and Faction Warfare
• Conflict and Antagonists
• Tragic Backstories
• Secret Organizations
• Corporate Espionage
• Government Conspiracies
• World-Changing Technologies
• War Between Nations (via VR Competitions)
• AI Manipulation
• Game Exploits and Hacks
• High-Level Bosses
• Betrayals and Scheming
• Revenge Subplots
• Face-Slapping Moments
• Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fusion
• Magic and Technology Blend
• Bio-Augmentation and Genetic Modification
• Fantasy Classes in Sci-Fi World
• High-Tech Magic Equipment
• Legendary Creatures (Dragons, Phoenixes, Giants)
• Artificial World Creation
• Myth-Inspired Powers and Lore
• Dimensional Merging (Real vs. Game World)

Other Themes:

• Social Stratification
• Loss and Redemption
• Ethics of AI
• Determined Protagonist
• Saving the Girl
• Secrets of the Past
• Hidden Power Within
• Resistance Against Fate
• “Man Becomes God” Theme
• Endgame is Godhood

Adam had not realized there was a dock south of the village. The scent of wood mixed with the salt of the ocean as he followed the old mayor onto a wooden platform elevated above the ocean with simple wood posts.

The dock was not very big. In fact, there was only one ship, and it was probably only fifty feet long from bow to stern. It looked like one of those classic vessels that used to exist during the early fourteenth century: a wooden vessel with a sail, a mast, and no engine.

Adam watched as the boat rocked and wondered if this was really going to take him to the mainland. How would that work? Would he get on the ship and suddenly find himself magically standing in the next village on the mainland? Would he actually have to travel across the ocean? Most video games always skipped moments like that so they could place you right at your next destination.

He could not deny that he was curious to know how travel in this game worked.

“Well, here it is,” the mayor said with a proud smile as he gestured toward the ship. “This is the ship that will take you to the mainland.”

“It has been many years since I rode on a boat,” Titania said with a nostalgic smile. “We fairies rarely travel on ships since we can just fly. However, there have been a few occasions where I traveled across the sea to the other three main continents, and I would always take a ship during those times.”

“When was the last time you rode on a ship?” asked Adam.

“About three thousand one hundred years ago.”

“… So old.”

“I heard that!”

The mayor escorted them onto the dock and spoke with the captain of the ship, a grizzled man who wore no shirt. His bare chest was covered in thick black hair, he had a gnarly beard, and there was a cutlass swinging from his right hip. He looked like a pirate, but his eyes held a surprisingly gentle expression. They seemed rather jolly. It created an intense dichotomy between his appearance and demeanor.

“So these are the two who are gonna be traveling with me to the mainland—holy mother of Davy Jones! It’s a fairy! And she’s so tiny! Why is she so tiny?!”

“Would you people give it a rest already?!”

Adam rubbes the back of his head as Titania glowered at the man for calling her tiny. He seemed like an okay guy, but he had the same problem everyone else had with regards to Titania’s presence—and her height in particular.

In either event, everything had been taken care of. The mayor informed them that this man would be taking them to the mainland, and the pirate-like captain asked them to climb aboard. He was particularly kind to Titania, who was still upset about being called tiny and ignored him. This caused the man to shed tears and profusely apologize over and over again.

Ding!

[Warning: You are about to leave the Village of Beginnings. Once you leave, you will not be able to return. Do you still wish to leave? Yes or no?]

The warning message appeared in front of Adam the moment he was about to board the ship. He paused for a moment but only a moment. There was no need to hesitate now.

He pressed “yes.”

 Ding!

[You have decided to leave the Village of Beginnings. Please be aware that you are the first person in the history of Age of Gods to leave one of the Village of Beginnings. An international announcement will be made to let everyone know about your accomplishments. You will also be given a reward for being the first person to leave.]

Adam read the message, and Titania, who had taken to sitting on his shoulder once more, also read the message with a perplexed look on her face.

“What does this mean?” she asked.

“It’s telling me that all the other players are going to become aware of what I’ve done,” Adam said. “I am the first player to leave a Village of Beginnings. That’s a pretty big thing.”

“Is it now?”

Titania didn’t look like it was that big of a deal, but she was an NPC. She might have been the most realistic NPC Adam had ever seen, with an intelligence beyond any program generated personality he had ever met or heard of, but at the end of the day, it didn’t change the fact that she was made of polygons and programming. He didn’t think she’d understand even if he tried to explain this, and he was loathe to break the fourth wall to explain it to her.

They finally boarded the ship, and Adam was shocked when several waves caused the boat to rock. He stabilized himself, but he was still surprised. Waves lapped against the boat, a salty spray hit his face, and he could taste saltwater on his tongue. No matter how many times it was presented to him, the sheer realism of this game never failed to astonish him.

The captain was not the only person on the ship. There was a helmsman, the chief mate, the second mate, and several sea monkeys. All of them were burly men with no shirts and cutlasses strapped to their waists. They also acted the same way the captain had done when he saw Titania, right down to calling her tiny, which pissed the woman off so fiercely she flew up to the crow’s nest and refused to come down even when Adam called for her.

He’d never met a fairy more sensitive about her height.

Then again, this was his first time meeting a fairy. Maybe they were all like this?

“All hands! Prepare for takeoff! Weigh anchor! Set the sails!”

Everyone except Adam began working, running about the deck as they followed the captain’s orders. Several men used a crank to pull up the anchor, another group were unfurling the sails, and one had gone to the wheel and was preparing to steer them away from the dock. The captain stood near the helm as he shouted at the group.

With nothing to do, Adam moved off to the side and leaned against the railing so he wouldn’t be in the way. He leaned forward, placed his forearms against the rail, and looked out at the sea.

How many years had it been since he’d gone to the sea? Before Aris contracted Mortems Disease, traveling to the beach had been one of her favorite activities. He remembered the cute bikini she had worn back then to show off to him. How old had they been when she did that? She was fourteen when she contracted Mortems Disease and she was seventeen now, so it must have been… over three years ago at least.

“So much time has passed,” Adam said with a depressed sigh.

“What are you thinking about now?” asked Titania as she chose that moment to flutter down from the crow’s nest. He hoped that meant she was no longer angry. It was no fun dealing with an angry woman, especially when her anger wasn’t even his fault.

“Just thinking about the reason I began playing this game,” Adam said with a wave of his hand.

Titania frowned, but she did not say anything more.

At that moment, the preparations to set sail were finished and the captain ordered his helmsman to steer them away from the dock. The ship finally moved, slowly pulling out of the dock and the little inlet it was located in. Adam watched it all. He didn’t say anything, but he was honestly kind of excited. He couldn’t help but wonder what new adventures were waiting for him.

***

Fayte chanted under her breath as a level 10 [black bear] released a ferocious and hair-raising roar. Even though she felt goosebumps on her skin from that sound, she continued to chant as Susan fired arrow after arrow into the monster’s hide. The Archer was using the [Deadeye] skill, which increased the accuracy of her shots.

-45; -45; -45; MISS; MISS!

Two of the arrows missed as the [black bear] charged at them, but in that moment, Fayte released her spell. Bluish energy swirled around her staff as she thrust it forward like she was planning to impale the [black bear] with it. She could feel the energy being pulled from her body, like something was tugging her soul out of her chest. Then the energy congealed into a small sphere at the very tip of her staff before it was launched forward like a rocket.

[Energy Blast] was a non-elemental spell that gathered magic toward the tip of a Mage’s staff and fired it at extreme speeds. The sphere she shot forward and slammed into the [black bear], striking it on the face and sending it stumbling backward.

-124!

“I did it!” Fayte shouted in excitement. “Now is your chance, Lilith!”

At her shout, a figure shot forward like a bolt of black lightning, traversing the distance between it and the [black bear] in less time than it took Fayte to blink. Before she could even register what was happening, a rather large number appeared over the head of the [black bear], signifying how much damage had been done to it.

-450!

At that moment, the figure leapt backward, body flipping around like an acrobat. When the figure landed next to Fayte, it revealed a stunning woman garbed in all black. Black leather pants and a black sleeveless shirt covered her body. The pants showed off the wonderful curve of this woman’s generous hips and her shapely butt. Her shirt, on the other hand, possessed no back and even showed off a good deal of her sideboob. She wore black boots, had a black sash wrapped around her tiny waist, and a black assassins mask covered almost all of her face. The only thing Fayte could see of this woman’s face was her intense, dark eyes surrounded by beautifully unblemished white skin.

-45; -45; MISS; MISS; MISS!

Immediately after Lilith leapt away from the [black bear], Susan notched arrow after arrow into her bow and fired them. Three missed, but two hit. Likewise, Fayte began chanting for another spell, which slammed into the [black bear] like a powerful plasma bullet. Meanwhile, Lilith dealt damage by attacking from behind, using her powerful Assassin class to pull most of the monster’s agro. Not even five minutes had passed before the [black bear] was defeated.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have defeated the enemy [black bear]! Items dropped: [brown adventurer boots] and 300 gold coins! +400 experience!]

“We did it!” Fayte cheered.

“Y-yes, we did,” Susan said with a soft and timid smile.

Fayte gave her best friend a vibrant smile, even though she knew Susan couldn’t see it past her veil, before looking at their newest companion. She clasped her staff in both hands and bowed to the woman.

“Thank you very much for your assistance, Lilith. Leveling up would be a lot harder without you here.”

“There is no need to thank me,” Lilith said in a quiet voice. It was like a whisper, and yet, despite how softly spoken the words were, Fayte and Susan could hear them perfectly, like they were being projected directly into their mind.

Lilith had joined them just the other day. Neither of them knew who she was or why she had offered her services to them, but they did not regret accepting her offer. Had it not been for this woman and her incredible skills as an Assassin class player, they would have never been able to reach level 8 so quickly.

Fayte could not help but smile as she thought about the look on Adam’s face when he discovered that she was at level 8 already. She was certain he would be shocked.

Ding!

[Attention. This is an international announcement to all players. As of 9:33 am Eastern Standard Time, the player known as Adam has reached level 10 and left the Village of Beginnings. He is the first person to have done so, and as such, he has gained the reward of  +100 status points, +500 ability points, and +5,000 Reputation. We hope this knowledge will encourage other players to try harder and reach greater heights as you explore the mysteries of the Forgotten Realm. Thank you all for playing Age of Gods.]

Fayte froze when she heard the announcement. It felt like a bolt of lightning had descended from the heavens and struck her, electrifying her and frying her brain. She simply couldn’t fathom it.

Adam was at level 10.

Adam had already left the Village of Beginnings.

How was this even possible?

Fayte knew, of course, that Adam was an incredible player. Back when he first appeared in the gaming world, he had taken it by storm. He fought in tournaments against some of the greatest players of the time and left them humiliated. But even though she knew of his strength and gaming prowess, she was still completely shocked by how quickly he had reached level 10. According to the forums, only Lin Akamine and the Spear God were close to reaching level 10, and it was estimated they would need at least two or three more days.

“F-Fayte?” Susan called out timidly. “Do you think this is the same Adam you convinced to join our guild?”

Fayte took a slow, shuddering breath, then smiled. “Yes, I’m pretty sure this is the same Adam. There can’t be two people with the same gamer tag, after all.”

“He’s pretty amazing, isn’t he?” said Susan in awe.

“Yes. Yes, he is.”

Now that she had begun talking again, Fayte calmed down and allowed herself to think rationally. Adam had already reached level 10. Meanwhile, everyone else was still stuck at level 7, where the experience points required to reach the next level became utterly ridiculous. She and Susan had just reached level 8 not long ago. It was suspected that it would take the more powerful guild masters at least several more days to reach level 9.

“This is going to shock everyone,” Fayte said, finally allowing herself to smile. “I wonder what the forums will say about him?”

“Heh heh.”

“What’s so funny?” asked Fayte.

Susan blushed a little when she realized she had just laughed out loud, but then she gave a bashful smile as she said, “It’s nothing really. I was just thinking about how long it’s been since I’ve seen you smile like that. I’ve missed that smile.”

Fayte didn’t know what expression she was making at Susan’s words. She didn’t even know how Susan could tell she was smiling behind her veil, nor did she know or even understand what she was feeling. Guilt mixed with joy. Happiness congealed with sadness. She was feeling so many emotions as she looked at Susan that her face could not adequately express how she felt.

“I am sorry,” she apologized. “I’ve caused you to worry about me. You have suffered because of me.”

“N-no! Not at all!” Susan waved her hands back and forth. “I-I’m not the one who is suffering right now! I know how much your current situation is weighing on you! I’m not blaming you at all.”

“Thank you, Su.” Fayte reached out and tenderly brushed the younger girl’s bangs away from her head like an older sister giving affection to her younger sibling. “Thank you for always sticking by my side even though I know you’re dealing with your own problems right now.”

Susan had her own hardships to deal with, but even so, she continued to support Fayte and her fight against Levon. Fayte didn’t think she’d ever be able to adequately express how much Susan’s continued friendship meant to her.

“You’re welcome,” Susan whispered as she looked down, her cheeks and ears turning red.

Since they had already killed the [black bear], Fayte decided it was time to move on. However, just as she was leaving, she noticed their other companion was not by her side. She looked behind her and noticed that Lilith had not moved at all. The young woman garbed in black assassin’s clothing looked up at the sky, her face hidden by that mask.

“Lilith? Is everything okay?” she asked.

Lilith snapped out of her distracted state and walked over to them. Even though Fayte could not see her face, she thought there was a small change in the woman’s eyes. She looked… happy? Yes, she seemed happy for some reason, though Fayte couldn’t begin to guess why.

“Yes. Everything is fine. Let’s go.”

“All right.”

With her two companions in tow, Fayte journeyed deeper into the forest in search for more enemies.

***

“Urk… I hate my life…”

“Ah ha ha ha ha! Aha ha!”

“S-shut up… stop laughing… hurk!”

It had been a very long time since Adam traveled via ship… and the last time he had done so, his life had been hanging by a thread. He hadn’t even been aware that he was on a boat until after the ship had already docked in the American Federation’s Rhode Island, since he was unconscious for most of the trip.

That was probably why he didn’t know he could get motion sickness.

Which explained why he was half-hanging over the side of the ship, vomiting the contents of his stomach.

The constant rocking, the way it distorted his sense of sight, and the feeling beneath his feet made his stomach convulse. The world was spinning. It was truly unpleasant. He would have never agreed to travel by boat had he known this would happen.

On that note, he had no idea he could get motion sickness in a game. Weren’t there settings to get rid of this sort of thing? He really wanted to turn off the motion sickness setting. Why did this game have to be so realistic?!

“I cannot believe… the most unconventional human I have ever… ever met… could get motion sick!”

Titania was floating above him, tears of mirth pouring from her eyes as she held her hands to her gut, laughing at his expense. She looked like she was having the time of her life. Adam, on the other hand, had never felt more humiliated in his life.

“It looks like yer having trouble,” the captain of the ship said, voice sympathetic. “This happens to people sometimes. Don’t worry. After a few days at sea, I am sure you’ll get used to it.”

The status screen that appeared above his head showed that his name was Red Beard, and he was at level 30. Adam didn’t know why his name was Red Beard. His beard wasn’t even red. It was black—hurk!

“Oh, God. I want to die.”

“Aha ha ha ha ha!”

“Damn fairy.”

On the captain’s suggestion, Adam went with Titania into his cabin near the bottom of the ship to lie down on the bed, but even that didn’t seem to help. No. It just made matters worse. The rocking down there was even more intense, and he felt like something was screwing up his equilibrium.

Because Adam couldn’t sleep and still felt sick, he decided to log off. The world around him faded. Then the familiar ceiling of his bed appeared over his head. He blinked several times, then felt his stomach rebel and shot out of the bed, rushing to the bathroom, where he began throwing up his breakfast from that morning. He spent nearly five minutes just hovering over the toilet.

He’d never felt so disgusted with himself.

It was around noon when he logged out, so it was about time for lunch. Adam went into the kitchen after rinsing out his mouth with mouthwash. He decided to make a grilled beef sandwich, which he did by adding beef, provolone cheese, bell peppers, and onions between two pieces of bread that he slathered with butter and fried in a pan. The scent of frying butter made his mouth water. It also attracted the attention of someone else.

“What is that heavenly smell?” Fayte asked as she wandered into the living room.

“Lunch. Want some?” asked Adam.

“Yes, please.”

Since Fayte seemed to be hungry, Adam made her a beef sandwich as well, then emerged from the kitchen carrying two plates in hand, which he set on the coffee table.

“Thank you,” Fayte said.

She was wearing pajamas that day. It looked to him like she had only just gotten out of bed. Her pajamas were pink and cute, and they seemed to create an interesting contrast with her buxom figure. Her hair, long and golden blonde like threads of honey, flowed from the crown of her head in very gentle waves… though a few ends were sticking out here and there. While her hair was a bit messy, he thought it made her look prettier somehow.

Fayte Dairing was someone he had only met recently and yet, despite this, he felt shockingly comfortable around her. He’d never expected to feel this way around anyone whose name wasn’t Aris. It made him a little worried since he wasn’t sure he wanted to become personally invested in Fayte… though perhaps it was already too late for him to concern himself over such matters.

They ate in silence, both thinking their own thoughts, but once they were finished, Fayte smirked at him.

“So… level 10, huh? You realize that you are the first person to reach level 10 and leave the Village of Beginnings, right? Not even Lin Akamine or the Spear God has achieved that feat yet.”

“I am aware,” Adam said with a slow nod. “But this is good. I’d like to keep ahead of everyone else in the game since becoming more famous will make helping you win your bet that much easier.”

Adam was working for Fayte to help her win a bet she made against Levon Pleonexia—the heir of the Pleonexia Family, which was the current most powerful family in the American Federation. The bet was that she needed to earn half the Dairing Family’s annual income, increase her reputation to match or exceed the least powerful among the top ten most powerful families in the American Federation, and create a guild in Age of Gods that ranked among the top five guilds.

Anyone of these would be hard to achieve. Together, they were basically impossible. Despite this, Fayte refused to back down and continued to try. It was for this reason that Adam felt such a great amount of respect for Fayte—and perhaps why his feelings for her were stronger than they should have been for someone who was just a client.

Fayte looked like she was touched, but she didn’t dwell on that topic for long and instead asked for tips on reaching level 10. Adam told her about how he had reached level 10. Fayte was shocked when he explained how he ended up in a dungeon and faced off against several 2- and 3-star monsters that were over a dozen levels above him. She didn’t think she could do that, which caused Adam to shrug when she intimated as much.

In return, Fayte told him about her new companion, praising Lilith’s strength and abilities. There was an odd look on his face as she talked about the woman. This caused her to ask about it.

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking about how impressive Lilith sounds,” he said with a smile. “You should definitely stick by her side. I’m sure she’ll prove to be an asset in the future.”

“I agree,” Fayte said with a nod.

After lunch, Adam went into Aris’ room to check on the girl and tell her stories about his time in Age of Gods. He noticed that the gauge, which showed how much Mortems Disease she had left to cure, was about three-fourths covered in blue. That meant she was nearly 75% cured. This shocking development made him incredibly happy because it meant she might be able to leave that cryochamber early.

He wasn’t sure how long he spoke with Aris, but it was about 2:30pm by the time he ran out of topics. Adam wandered into the bedroom, grabbed some medicine meant for motion sickness, and swallowed it. He didn’t know if this would help him in-game. At the same time, he had no desire to begin puking the moment he entered Age of Gods.

Once he logged on, Adam again found himself in the familiar Age of Gods world. The rocking of the ship still made him feel mildly uncomfortable. Oddly enough, however, he did not get sick nor did he feel a strong desire to vomit. Did that mean the medicine he took in the real world was working in the game? How did that even work?

“ADAM!!!!”

The shout startled Adam so much that he nearly fell off the bed. Leaping to his feet, he stared in shock at Titania as she flew in through the door. Her face was pale and panic stricken. He’d never seen her like this.

“There is big trouble! Come quick!”

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“We’re under attack by pirates!”

Adam’s mind nearly blanked at the mention of pirates, but then he hurried out of the cabin, up the stairs, and onto the deck. Just like Titania said, they were indeed under attack by pirates. There were currently ten people dressed in red pirate-like outfits on the deck and more coming via boarding planks. They wore cotton shirts with puffy sleeves that showed off their burly chests, their faces were covered in sweat and looked greasy, and they were all swinging cutlasses with reckless abandon as they attacked the panicking crew members of the ship he was on.

“Damn. We really are under attack!”

“I told you that already! Now hurry up and help them!”

Adam didn’t need to be told twice. He gripped the [Rusted Spear] in his hand, activated [Blood Sacrifice], and charged into the fray.

The pirates were all at level 15. They were called [Black Beard’s Pirates] in the status display screen when Titania used [scan] to help him see what levels they were. They had several attacks, but all of them were sword techniques like [thrust], [slash], and [swashbuckle]. The only one Adam really needed to worry about was [swashbuckle], which was a debuffing skill that had a 25% chance of causing the [fear] status effect.

Name: Black Beard’s Pirates

Description: Pirates sailing under the flag of the infamous Black Beard.

Class: 1-Star

Lvl: 15

Health: 10,000/10,000

MP: 500/500

Strength: +100

Constitution: +200

Dexterity: +100

Intelligence: +10

Speed: +50

Slash: A slashing attack that does 200% damage and has a 100% chance of causing bleed

MP Cost: 50

Cooldown Time: 0 Seconds

Thrust: A thrust technique that causes critical damage

Damage = Strength * 3

MP Cost: 100

Cooldown time: 5 seconds

Swashbuckle: A taunting skill that has a 25% chance of casting the fear status effect

MP Cost: 120

Cooldown time: 30 seconds

After casting [scan] on the pirates, Titania flew behind Adam and began singing [Song of Vigor].

Adam flew across the deck and swung the [Rusted Spear], activating the [slash] skill. The blade of his spear tore through the pirate who was attacking one of the crew members. Adam was surprised when the man squealed like a gutted pig.

-3,640!

“What the heck?!”

Even Adam was shocked when he saw the amount of damage his attack had caused. That was a ridiculous amount of damage, but Adam didn’t let his surprise stop him from using [slash] five more times, whittling away at the pirate’s health until the man went down. He did notice every attack after that first one only did -1,320 points of damage, so that previous attack must have been a critical hit.

Adam’s shockingly powerful attack caused all the pirates to lock onto him, and he soon found himself being trapped within a whirlwind of cutlasses. He was fortunate. These enemies might have been at a higher level than him, but they were not trained fighters. All of them telegraphed their moves like a bunch of rank amateurs.

Taking advantage of their lack of skill, Adam wove through the hailstorm of attacks. He spun the spear around in his hand and carefully parried each and every attack with a dancer’s grace. Not only did he not allow himself to get hit even once, but he protected Titania as she sang behind him.

-1,320; MISS; -1,320; -1,320; MISS; MISS; MISS!

Despite the fact that this was a video game and this body of his was not real, Adam still felt his limbs growing heavy as the battle continued. He danced across the deck, spun his spear, and used [slash] multiple times in quick succession to cut down one of the pirates. This must have been the fourth one he’d killed. Adam didn’t know how many more he had to defeat because it seemed like two more pirates replaced each one that died. To make matters worse, [Blood Sacrifice] ended and the cooldown time appeared.

“Adam! The ship! Let’s take this fight to the pirate ship!” Titania shouted.

A glance at where Titania pointed revealed the pirate ship that had attacked them. It was much larger than their own vessel by at least fifty feet, making it around one hundred feet in length from bow to stern. Several boarding planks attached the two ships together. The pirates kept running across the boarding planks and landing on the ship he was on.

With a grimace, Adam leapt onto the nearest boarding plank and began swatting off the pirates attempting to walk across it. He didn’t use an actual skill, so the amount of damage he did was only -1, but they were all knocked aside and fell into the water with a loud splash.

Adam landed on the pirate ship and was immediately attacked by at least ten pirates. All of them were at level 15. He gritted his teeth hard and began dancing across the deck, shuffling his feet along the floorboards as he spun the spear around his body to both attack and defend. His movements were swift like a rabbit hopping back and forth. While he managed to avoid letting himself be hit, he couldn’t really attack either, and since he wasn’t using [slash] or [thrust], it meant his attacks were still only doing -1 damage.

With a snarl on his face, Adam leapt back and thrust out the spear, then spun around to avoid being struck by an incoming pirate and thrust his spear out again. He caught the man in the chest. However, he did not remain there for long and kept dancing around his enemies while also unleashing a flurry of [slash] attacks.

-1,056; MISS; MISS; MISS; -990; -990; MISS!

Sweat formed on Adam’s brow as the attacks continued coming in ceaselessly. He ducked under a cutlass swung horizontally, stabbed out with his spear to impale the attacker, then yanked his spear back out and twirled the weapon around his body to [slash] at multiple targets. He was glad this skill had no cooldown time. His attacks hit several pirates and dealt them -990 damage, though he also missed several times.

More enemies were incoming. He had already adjusted his stance into a defensive form, feet planted firmly on the planks so he could knock back any attack that came his way. He was like a turtle hiding within its shell. The incoming swings from cutlasses glanced off his spear as though it was a shell instead of a weapon, but he knew he couldn’t remain on the defensive forever.

As the battle continued, Adam realized he could feel the intent coming from his spear. It felt like it wanted him to attack. Then again, he could have just been imagining things.

Either way, he renewed his assault, attacking with an elegance and grace that caused the pirates around him to back off. They seemed wary of how intense his assault was. Thrust his spear. Danced again. Thrust his spear again. Had someone been looking at his dance from a bird’s eye view, they would have seen how his movements formed the shape of petals on the ground.

-1,056; -1,056; -1,056; -1,056; -1,056!

Ding!

[Congratulations! Thanks to your comprehension of Spear Intent, you have learned a new skill: [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms]!]

Adam felt shock course through him like lightning when he saw the skill name, but he did not hesitate to activate it.

His dance continued the same as before, but this time, his attacks began dealing serious damage to the pirates. He shuffled along the ground and thrust his spear at lightning speed. None of his enemies could follow his movements either. They tried to attack him, tried to keep up, but he was constantly in motion.

-1,056; -2,112; -4,224; -8,448; MISS!

Adam had yet to see what the skill did, but the longer the dance continued with consecutive hits, the more damage he seemed to inflict on his enemies. Every time he missed, the amount of damage he could do was reset and his skill went into cooldown.

The unfortunate aspect of this skill was that it was limited to one person at a time, which meant he couldn’t focus on multiple enemies. That said, the amount of damage he could deal with this new skill was enough to one-shot the pirates attacking him. As the amount of damage he inflicted increased, the pirates began falling in droves.

“What be going on here?!” a voice suddenly shouted.

The pirates all stopped attacking Adam and backed off as someone walked up to him. The dull thunk, thunk of a wooden leg echoed against the deck as a man dressed in a red overcoat with a lot of frills along the cuffs and collar appeared. He was a gnarled man with black hair and a thick beard. He was wielding two cutlasses. Titania cast [scan] to let Adam check his stats.

Name: Black Beard

Description: Black Beard is the king of the pirates in the Southern Sea. He is well-known for being vicious and never showing mercy even when the people he captures are women and children.

Class: 3-Star

Lvl: 25

Health: 60,000/60,000

MP: 5,000/5,000

Strength: +1,500

Constitution: +1,000

Dexterity: +100

Intelligence: +50

Speed: +200

Slash: Black Beard cuts into his opponent with one or both cutlasses

Does 200% damage and has a 100% chance of causing bleed

MP Cost: 50

Cooldown Time: 0 Seconds

Thrust: Black Beard thrusts his cutlasses into his foe, piercing them and causing critical damage

Damage = Strength * 3

MP Cost: 100

Cooldown time: 5 seconds

Dual Wielding: Black Beard can wield two weapons of the same type at the same time. This allows him to attack enemies twice as much!

MP Cost: 0

Cooldown Time: N/A

Ye Scurvy Cur: Black Beard has an incredible amount of charisma thanks to the fear he invokes in companions and enemies alike

All enemies have a 50% chance of gaining the fear status effect; Allies receive a boost that increases morale and lets them attack two times faster than normal

MP cost: 250

Cooldown time: 60 seconds

This [Black Beard] had some incredible stats, and he was a 3-Star enemy at level 25 to boot. Adam almost groaned when he saw that. Was it fate or ill-fortune that had him constantly running into enemies he had no right defeating? When had he accrued such bad karma?

“Ya scallywag!” Black Beard shouted when he saw Adam standing in the center of his pirates. “What do ya think yer doing on my ship?!”

“The fuck kind of question is that?!” Adam snapped. “What do you think you’re doing attacking my ship?!”

“Gya ha ha ha! A good question deserves a good answer. I be taking over that ship of yers. It is now me property, which means yer also me property. I bet ye’ll fetch a lot of gold if I sell ya as a… slave…” Black Beard trailed off when he caught sight of Titania, but it was only for a moment. “A fairy?! Is that a fairy?! Why she be so short?!”

Titania bristled. “Stop! Calling! Me! Short!”

“Listen up, ye scallywags! The one who captures that tiny fairy will receive twice the profit as everyone else!”

“I’m not tiny!”

Those words caused the pirates to all yell and charge at Adam and Titania, who no longer found time to speak up. No witty comebacks for them. Adam activated [Blood Sacrifice] again as Titania sang [Song of Vigor] to increase his attack power. Then Adam once more began dancing, and this time, the damage he did was astronomical.

-1,056; -2,112; -4,224; -8,448; 16,896!

When Adam used [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms], the amount of damage he did at first was negligible, but it quickly stacked up as he continued attacking without missing. The following attacks became one-shot kill attacks. While he did sometimes miss and that caused the cooldown time on his skill to reset, it didn’t matter because he continued to dance, deflecting and countering numerous sword swings with his incredible spear work as he waited for the cooldown time to end. One. Two. Three. Six. Twelve pirates were cut down in less than half as many seconds.

“Arg! Ya blasted cur! I’m gonna rip ya to shreds!!!”

It wasn’t until he’d killed what seemed like half the crew that Adam was attacked by [Black Beard] himself. The man wielded his two cutlasses with incredible skill. Each swing felt like a truck was slamming into Adam, but he was skilled enough to avoid blocking the attacks. Instead of blocking, he deflected them with his spear like he was parrying them, which caused Black Beard’s swords to go wide and knocked the man off balance. This left him open to Adam’s [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms].

-1,056; -2,112; -4,224; -8,448; 16,896!

Adam wore a fierce snarl as his first five attacks cut down more than half of [Black Beard’s] health. He only needed to land one more successful [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms] on this man. If he could just keep up this level of intensity, he would be able to easily win!

Unfortunately, Adam’s [Blood Sacrifice] chose that moment to run out of time, and then to make matters worse, Titania found herself unable to help him as a pirate managed to sneak up on her from behind and grab her. She screamed, which caught Adam’s attention. This, however, distracted him long enough that Black Beard was able to land a blow.

-432!

The first attack hit Adam, but he managed to dodge the second attack. He was incredibly lucky. While [Black Beard] had a Strength of +1,500, Adam had a Defense of 560, and his newly acquired armor had a combined 55% resistance to slashing damage. Cutlasses did primarily slashing damage, so his armor was even more effective against it. Even with that level of defense, however, the searing pain of being attacked with a cutlass was burned into his mind.

This made him angry.

Adam felt a cold chill settle over his mind.

The first thing Adam did was take two [health potions], but then he spun around and sliced off the hand of the pirate… and he felt some surprise that he could actually cut the hand off. A large -5,000 floated over the screaming pirate’s head. His attack also freed Titania, who began singing [Song of Vigor] again, which increased his attack power and allowed him to quickly dispatch the now one-handed pirate who had grabbed her.

[Black Beard] released an enraged cry and began swearing like a… well, like a pirate, Adam supposed. The man charged at him, wooden leg thunking against the deck, and Adam met his attacks head-on. The cooldown time for [Blood Sacrifice] ended, and so he activated the skill and used [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms] to finish the man off.

-1,056; -2,112; -4,224; -8,448; 16,896!

Adam took several deep breaths as [Black Beard] fell backward after Adam cut through his neck with his spear. The man twitched several times. There was no blood, but that somehow made the death twitches he released even creepier than if he had been bleeding.

Ding!

[You have defeated twenty-four 1-star [Black Beard Pirates]. Items dropped: x10 [Cutlass], x20 [Pirate Shirt], and 10,500 gold coins. +36,000 experience points earned! +5,000 ability points! +16,000 Reputation!]

Ding!

[You have defeated the 3-Star enemy [Black Beard]. Items dropped: [Black Beard’s Twin Cutlasses], [Pirate Profession Scroll], [Black Beard’s Hat], and 16,000 gold. +85,000 experience points! +6,000 ability points! +5,000 Reputation!]

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have leveled up. You are now at level 11! +300 HP! +10 MP! +5 SP!]

Ding!

[Congratulations! Titania has leveled up! She is now at level 10! +200 HP! +1,050 MP! +10 SP!]

Ding!

[Congratulations! Titania has leveled up! She is now at level 11! +200 HP! +1,050 MP! +10 SP]

Step-by-Step Guide to Sideload EPUB Files Purchased from Shopify onto Kindle

Amazon now supports EPUB files on Kindle, but you need to send them through Send to Kindle or convert them. Follow these steps to get your EPUB books on your Kindle.

Method 1: Send to Kindle (Recommended)

Amazon now allows you to send EPUB files directly to your Kindle via email or the Send to Kindle app.

Step 1: Find Your Kindle Email Address

Go to Amazon → Manage Your Content & Devices (Link).

Click the Devices tab.

Select your Kindle device and note the "Send-to-Kindle Email" (e.g., yourname@kindle.com).

Step 2: Send EPUB to Kindle via Email

Open your email client (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).

Compose a new email to your Send-to-Kindle Email.

Attach the EPUB file you purchased.

Send the email. Amazon will convert it and deliver it to your Kindle.

Alternative: Use the "Send to Kindle" App

Download the Send to Kindle App (PC, Mac).

Drag and drop the EPUB file into the app.

Select your Kindle and send it.

Method 2: USB Transfer (For Advanced Users)

This method requires converting the EPUB to Kindle’s MOBI or AZW3 format.

Step 1: Convert EPUB to MOBI or AZW3

Download Calibre (Link).

Open Calibre and add your EPUB file.

Click Convert books → Choose MOBI or AZW3 as the output format.

Click OK to convert.

Step 2: Transfer to Kindle via USB

Connect your Kindle to your PC/Mac using a USB cable.

Open the Kindle folder in File Explorer (Windows) / Finder (Mac).

Drag and drop the converted file into the Documents folder.

Eject your Kindle, and your book will appear in your library.

Bonus: Use a Third-Party App

Apps like Send to Kindle for Android/iOS or Readwise Reader can also sync EPUBs to Kindle.

Now, enjoy your book on Kindle! 📖🔥