16: Ocean Jack, a passionate young man

On the way to the dungeon.

"My Lord, Hogan has already given me a brief overview," Karl said as he led Linn toward the dungeon entrance at the back of the camp. "This man is named Ocean Jack. He is said to have been the leader of a small pirate force active in the southern seas. About half a year ago, his fleet was ambushed and destroyed by the Blood Claw Pirate Group, and his subordinates were all killed. Only he, the leader, refused to surrender. After Bartley captured him, he kept him in the dungeon to torture him, hoping to force his loyalty because his strength was decent. But he is stubborn and has never bowed his head."

"Ocean Jack? That name is quite interesting," Linn mused. Under Karl's guidance, they passed through several dilapidated buildings and arrived at a crude dungeon built of thick wood and rock at the base of a cliff. A dark, damp atmosphere hit them, mixed with the smell of mold and a faint scent of blood.

The soldiers guarding the dungeon saw Linn and immediately opened the heavy wooden door respectfully. Descending the narrow, slippery stone steps, the light dimmed suddenly, with only the torches on the walls providing a flickering glow. From deep within the cells, the faint sound of rattling chains could be heard.

Coming to the innermost cell, by the dim firelight, Linn saw a figure leaning against the wall, his limbs bound by several thick iron chains. The man's clothes were ragged, covered in stains and dried blood. His short golden hair was tangled, obscuring part of his face, and his exposed skin was covered in a mix of old and new scars. His breathing was very weak. Yet, even in such a miserable state, one could still feel the great strength that once resided in that body, as well as a... sharp spirit that had not yet been extinguished.

Sensing someone approaching, the man struggled to lift his head. From beneath his messy hair, a rather young, even somewhat boyish face was revealed. Though pale and haggard, those blue eyes were like unpolluted seawater, still flashing with unyielding light.

"Bartley... that piece of trash... has he finally decided to come and kill me?" His voice was hoarse and dry, yet it carried a stubborn edge.

Linn signaled Karl to open the cell door. He stepped inside and spoke calmly, "Bartley is dead. The Blood Claw Pirate Group has also become history."

The young man's eyes widened suddenly. He looked at Linn in disbelief, his voice trembling. "You... what did you say? Bartley... is dead? Blood Claw... is destroyed?"

"Yes, just three days ago, I finished him off myself." Linn's tone was indifferent, as if he were speaking of a trivial matter. "Now, I have taken over this island."

The young man stared blankly at Linn. His eyes instantly reddened, and his body trembled with excitement, making the chains clatter. He took several deep breaths as if to fully digest the news. Suddenly, he struggled, trying to straighten his back, even though this simple movement made him sweat from the pain.

Looking at the young, handsome noble youth before him with suspicion, he asked, "Did you really kill Bartley? You aren't lying to me?"

"Lying to you?" Linn said with feigned disdain. "What benefit would I get from that?"

Ocean Jack finally accepted the fact. The youth before him wore noble robes and possessed a unique temperament, and Karl's attire was the standard knight's uniform of the kingdom, proving that Linn was indeed not a pirate.

He lifted his head, a blazing fire burning in his blue eyes as he stared intently at Linn. In a tone that was almost like an oath, filled with chuunibyou passion, he shouted, "I! Ocean Jack! Twenty-five years old this year. Son of the Sea, the man destined to become the Pirate King! Here, I swear in the name of the god of dawn! You destroyed Blood Claw and avenged my Jack Pirate Group! From this day forward, I, Ocean Jack, am willing to dedicate my life to you and follow in your footsteps!"

His voice echoed in the dungeon. Although his words were full of sincerity, they made Linn feel a bit caught between laughter and tears. He had thought it would take some persuasion, but he hadn't expected to recruit him so easily.

"Karl, release him."

Karl entered the cell and unfastened the chains on Ocean Jack. Without the support of the chains, Ocean Jack instantly slumped to the ground. Seeing this, Karl quickly stepped forward to help him up.

Linn looked at the imprisoned, heavily injured, and dying hot-blooded youth who harbored the dream of becoming the "Pirate King," and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch. Has this guy's brain... gone soft from being locked in a dungeon? However, this pure passion and his grateful nature weren't exactly dislikeable.

"Pirate King?" Linn chuckled softly, looking at him with interest. "Your ambition is quite grand. The name your father gave you is pretty good."

Ocean Jack struggled to curl his lips into a smile. The blood all over his face made his current appearance quite hard to look at, but those blue eyes were incredibly bright. "My Lord! My name wasn't given to me by my father; I didn't originally have this name. Jack was my father's name, and I added my dream of conquering the ocean to it! Plus, I often fantasize about being a son of the sea. So, I changed my name to Ocean Jack."

This explanation left Linn speechless. He was undoubtedly a chuunibyou youth.

"What a pity!" Ocean Jack said with a hint of regret. "In the first month after I took my brothers to become pirates with my dreams, we were targeted by that bastard Bartley. The disparity in strength resulted in us being wiped out. All my brothers were killed by him. I thought there was no hope for revenge in this life, but fortunately, My Lord avenged me."

This kid was quite loyal and righteous. "Ocean Jack, since you have pledged your loyalty to me, I will call you 'Ocean' from now on; it sounds quite natural. Following me might not necessarily make your dream come true, but at least you won't stop here." Linn flipped his wrist, and a glass bottle containing spring of life appeared. "This potion will allow you to recover quickly."

Ocean Jack excitedly took the glass bottle and vowed with as loud a voice as he could muster, "Thank you, My Lord! I swear I will clear all obstacles on the ocean for you. Wherever My Lord's sword points is the direction I shall advance... Hiss!" Before he could finish, he aggravated his wounds due to his excessive movements. Ocean's grimacing, comical expression prevented Linn from feeling any sympathy; instead, he found it quite funny.

"Alright," Linn waved his hand to interrupt Ocean, who was about to continue blathering. "Your loyalty and promises will be proven in the time to come. For now, follow Karl to rest and recover. Tomorrow, follow me to my fief."

After recruiting Ocean, Linn now possessed two Silver-level combatants (Clay and Ocean), plus himself, a Silver Elementary Mage. Working together, as long as they didn't encounter a Gold-level opponent, they should be able to protect themselves.