Becoming the Dark Lord

Layla was on the ship, enjoying a rare moment of peace. Things had been calm. Or as close to calm as her life ever got. After months of worrying, she had finally found her father, and the two of them had spent the last few weeks living on deck, surrounded by the smell of salt, damp wood, and fresh wind. Jack and his drunk father were there too, of course, but they kept to themselves. They didn’t bother anyone. Unlike a certain scumbag.And thankfully, he wasn’t there.

Because of that, Layla had spent several beautiful weeks without feeling the veins in her forehead throb, without fits of rage, and without that bastard’s constant presence making her life worse.

She stepped out of the shower with the heat of the water still clinging to her skin. Jack’s father, with help from the scumbag, had built some kind of shower, or some magical thing that served the same purpose, inside the makeshift bathroom in his laboratory. It was basically a pipe hooked to a water barrel. Turn the crank long enough, and some kind of pump kicked in. Then the crank wound itself back, and water came pouring out.

It wasn’t pretty, and it sure wasn’t a real bath. But on a ship? It was luxury.

“Ah... peace. Actual peace.”

The water had been nice and warm, since Layla had filled the barrel with hot water beforehand. After her bath, she wrapped herself up as best she could and started crossing the scumbag’s makeshift laboratory, her hair still wet.

For one instant, she nearly had a heart attack when she spotted a silhouette standing in the corner. Her whole body locked up. It was just one of the lab contraptions, covered with a sheet.

I thought it was him.

Layla took a deep breath and felt her heart slowly settle back into its normal rhythm. There was no reason to think about that creature. Thinking about him caused wrinkles, and she refused to let some damn scumbag age her.

“Hello, Layla.”

“AH!” She jumped so hard she almost slipped on the floor. Her heart took off again, pounding like a hammer inside her chest.

Luke was there. Just standing there.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, as if she were the intruder.

“That’s my question!” Layla snapped, already feeling irritation crawl up her neck. “Weren’t you trapped in some crazy magic portal?”

“I came back, Layla. Now answer the question. What are you doing in my laboratory?”

“I-I was using the shower! That’s it!”

“That’s for the captain. Are you the captain?”

The veins in her forehead throbbed. He hadn’t been back for ten seconds, and the bastard had already pissed her off.

Luke looked her up and down. “Panties and a bra in my lab, Layla? With teddy bears, too...”

She looked down and nearly died on the spot. “Don’t look!”

Luke turned his face away, but he didn’t look the least bit sorry. Instead, he began inspecting the equipment scattered around the laboratory.

“Layla, I hope, for your own good, that you didn’t drink any liquid from this place.”

“Why would I do that?!”

“I also hope you didn’t shower with the original water that was in the barrel. And that you followed the proper process of draining the liquid accumulated in the pipe before using the shower. As well as sterilizing it.”

Layla froze. “I-I didn’t clean the shower pipe. Is that dangerous?”

“There were traces of acid in it.”

“What?!”

“I lied. Now go get dressed. And don’t bother trying to seduce me. I have a girlfriend.”

“I-I didn’t dress like this for you!” She stopped halfway through the sentence when she saw the corner of his mouth curl. “You’re laughing, you bastard. You’re messing with me.”

Layla snatched up her things and fled the laboratory.

***

Luke had returned to the ship. Luckily, the event had kept the halo route to the island active. One return trip. After that, the halo would go back to its original route. Outside, Luke studied the ship carefully. The difference was obvious.

“The ship really does look better. Good work.”

The four soldiers from Lagras had done a good job. The hull had been reinforced, damaged sections had been replaced, some parts had received simple enchantments, and even the sails looked new.

“We worked our asses off,” one of them said proudly. “Reinforced a lot of things, enchanted whatever we could make tougher, and replaced the sails.”

“You have my thanks, Ulric.”

“Ulric? I’m Hugo.”

“I’m Ulric!” another one said.

“Really? Then I’m guessing she’s not Roland.”

“Of course not. I’m Isolde, funny guy.”

“We should just call them Extra One, Extra Two, Extra Three, and Extra Four,” Artemis said.

Luke nodded. “Okay, Extra One. How much do I owe you?”

The soldier blinked, confused, but answered anyway. “We already told you. Nothing. We owe you a lot for what you did for us in that rift.”

“All right. Good luck, then.”

“Wait,” Ulric said. “You’re leaving?”

“Of course. I have a Phase to beat.”

Leaving the four behind, Luke asked Anne to update the changes made to the ship. Then he headed to a specific place below deck, where he had been keeping a small experiment. He called Stephen Harper, Jack’s father, and the two of them went to the storage compartment.

“I appreciate you looking after them, Mr. Harper,” Luke said, shaking his hand. “The mushrooms grew well.”

Stephen shrugged. “Wasn’t that hard. Mushrooms mostly take care of themselves.”

Luke couldn’t grow those mushrooms inside the magical dimensional greenhouse. The sunlight collection system couldn’t be turned off, and adapting the environment would have been too much trouble. Leaving everything on the ship had been the practical option.

[Energizing Luminous Mushroom]: A mushroom widely used in medicines that relieve fatigue and exhaustion, and in potions that restore stamina.

‘Mother Freya’s Note: A wonderful ingredient for “stimulating” potions for men and women. Very popular among couples in crisis.’

Stephen scratched his chin, eyeing the glowing mushrooms with curiosity. “Gotta ask. What are you planning to do with these?”

“It has to do with that adrenaline compound. I hope it works.”

“There you are.” The voice came from the entrance to the compartment. Erza Grimhart appeared a moment later, cold and flawless as always. “I’ve already been shown to my quarters.”

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Stephen leaned slightly toward Luke and whispered, “And who’s that pretty thing? She single?”

Erza’s eyes shifted to him, sharp enough to cut.

“I’m someone who enjoys spending an afternoon torturing people in every way imaginable,” she said, her tone far too calm. “Starting with toothpicks under the eyelids, then moving on to the classic heated-bucket-and-rat method.”

Stephen went pale. “Ah. I’ll be going, then. Good luck, kid.”

He slipped past Erza with his back nearly scraping the wall. “Have a good afternoon, ma’am.”

Once only Luke and Erza remained, she looked at the door Stephen had escaped through.

“That was your healer’s father?”

“Yeah. Nice guy, right?”

“I came to discuss business.” She looked at the mushrooms. “And what are those?”

“Ingredients.”

Erza narrowed her eyes. “I’m better off not asking.”

“We set sail immediately. I don’t have time to waste.”

“The advantage is that now, if Julian comes near us, Anne will know.”

Anne had used her locator right to track Julian. It gave them a simple but valuable advantage.

Luke crossed his arms. “What I’m curious about is why you’re not trying to hunt him down again.”

“The first time, I fell into the trap of an excellent strategist. He was weaker in a straight fight, and he still came out on top. So when we return to land, I’m going all in. No traps. No setup. Just a clean duel.”

“And in the meantime, he’s leveling up and getting stronger.”

“So am I. It goes both ways.” Erza smiled, but there wasn’t a trace of warmth in it. “The difference is, now he thinks I’m coming for him. He’ll be making plans, losing sleep, jumping at shadows. Meanwhile, I’ll be enjoying the comfort of a ship.”

She turned to leave. “Now we should hurry. You want to win the event, and you need more levels. There is a vampire lord, two heroes, a lich, and two half-dragons for you to kill.”

Luke let her go to her quarters. A few hours later, everything was ready for departure. The ship had been restocked with provisions, the repairs were complete, and the crew was slowly gathering.

“You’re finally back,” Jack said, stepping onto the deck.

“And we’re leaving,” Eleanor replied.

Jack looked at Anne and smiled. “You look really pretty, Anne.”

“Thank you...”

The doll woman no longer wore her maid uniform. She had on an ordinary, delicate dress, sewn by Erza. Anne had been visibly happy when she received it as a gift.

“You look like you stepped out of a storybook,” Jack continued. “It suits you. Even the bow.”

“You... really think so?” Anne asked.

“I do.”

“Do not flirt with my sister.” Erza’s voice came from behind him like a cold blade.

Jack nearly jumped out of his own skin. “L-Lady Erza? What are you doing here? And I s-swear I’m not flirting!”

Luke watched the scene in silence. Erza is definitely a little obsessed with her sister.

As the ship began pulling away from the beach, a rowboat appeared, moving quickly toward them.

“Wait, please!” someone shouted.

One of Erza’s maids had already raised her bow and taken aim, her eyes sharp. “Lady Erza, should we open fire?”

Erza looked at Luke. “Are we killing the extras?”

Luke rested his hands on the railing and stared at the approaching boat. It was Ulric, Hugo, Roland, and Isolde.

“What do you want?”

“We want to go with you!” Ulric shouted. “It would be an honor, in the name of the Kingdom of Lagras, to serve the lady aboard your ship!”

Luke frowned. “Are you Extra One or Two?”

“What?”

Erza looked at him. “What the hell are they talking about?”

“No idea. They’re extras.”

Joanna, watching from nearby, crossed her arms. “I think they realized she was important when we visited one of the nobles earlier. They’re hoping to serve her and earn some favor, or help their kingdom somehow. It’s Lagras, after all.”

“Lagras?” Erza repeated with disdain. “A tiny little nation, probably no bigger than one of our marquises’ territories. Get rid of them. I don’t want bootlickers.”

“Goodbye,” Luke said.

“Please!” Ulric insisted. “Let us help. In the name of Lagras, we are willing to be useful.”

Erza seemed to remember something. “If I’m not mistaken, that kingdom is nearly bankrupt after an attempted coup.”

“They... repaired the ship,” Anne said in her quiet voice. “They might... be useful.”

Erza shrugged. “The decision is yours, assassin. The ship is yours. I’m going to my quarters.”

Luke looked at the others on deck. “So? What do we do?”

After a brief discussion, he turned back toward the rowboat. “You willing to do grunt work?”

The four soldiers of Lagras accepted, and the ship took on its new passengers while the island slowly vanished into the horizon. Luke watched the open sea, then opened the notification for the next Phase.

Phase 5 Challenge:

In this Phase, the Beacons are located in the City of Waves. Far north of the Phase 3 Beacon area lies a stretch of ocean dominated by an anomaly that keeps the sea in constant turmoil. The waves never cease, and the closer one gets to its center, the larger and more violent they become. At the edge of this phenomenon lie the ruins of the City of Waves. Though battered by time and the fury of the sea, some of its towers, walkways, and structures still stand, rising above the churning waters like a city that refused to disappear.

The Beacons have been scattered among these ruins. However, reaching the city will not be the only danger. That turbulent sea is the territory of the Sea Guardians, creatures that have made the violence of the waves their home. Among the foam, the wreckage, and the ocean’s endless roar, they wait for anyone bold enough to advance.

***

As Luke’s ship departed, Captain Thomas Schwartz watched from afar, still on the island.

“I told you, Sparrow,” he murmured, eyes fixed on the vessel sailing away. “I told you I’d get my revenge.”

He turned to his men.

“Raise the sails. We’re following Sparrow’s ship.”

Thomas and his crew took pride in their seafaring skills. They might have been the best navigators in the entire event. They had tracked Luke since he left Beacon 2 and had spent days patiently waiting for the moment he returned to his own ship at the end of Phase 4. Now, the wait was over.

“Are we taking him down in a ship battle, Captain?” asked Jack, one of his soldiers.

Thomas looked at him while controlling his outrage. “Of course not.”

“Huh?”

“We have to be smart. Why would I blow up a ship after following it for weeks? What would we gain from that?”

His men fell silent. Thomas sighed inwardly. Idiots. Loyal idiots, but idiots.

“So what are we doing?” another asked.

“We’re stealing Sparrow’s ship when he leaves to clear the next Beacon. Then we’ll loot whatever treasures are onboard.”

The men cheered, celebrating as if the plan had already worked.

Then Jack raised his hand. “But... wouldn’t Sparrow have taken all the gold with him in some storage item?”

Silence fell over the deck. Damn it, Jack. Why’d you have to get smart now?

Everyone looked at Thomas, waiting for an answer. He cleared his throat and straightened his posture.

“If we take his ship and leave him with nothing, we can demand ransom.”

“Ah,” Jack said. “Makes sense.”

“Now move. We have revenge to carry out!”

The men ran off to work, and Thomas looked back toward the horizon.

Damn you, Sparrow. I still can’t sleep properly because of you. You tricked me. Wounded my pride as a pirate. So now I have to trick you back.

This would be a coward’s battle. Captain against captain. And if anyone understood the art of winning through dirty tricks, it was Thomas Schwartz.

***

A day passed. Luke was in the laboratory, focused on preparing potions. He had made healing potions, energizing potions, and a few experimental batches with the mushrooms he had harvested. The smell of reagents, herbs, and heated liquids filled the room, mixing with the ship’s constant sway.

[You have successfully crafted a potion!]

**Your profession [Guardian Botanist of Mother Freya] has reached Level 84! (+5 Strength, +3 Agility, +4 Vitality, +4 Intelligence, +12 Free Points)**

[You have reached Level 94! Half-Demon (Rank E)] (+2 bonus points to all attributes, +5 free points)

Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Angie entered and closed the door carefully behind her.

“My lord, I can’t rule out the possibility that our guests are spies.”

The four soldiers from Lagras were sleeping in the ship’s hold. They had been accepted as handymen, but Angie, naturally, saw no reason to trust them.

“They’re not,” Luke said, without fully taking his attention off the potions. “I check on them with my skill every now and then. They just want to try to earn some favor with Erza for their kingdom. A trade route, political favor, some crap like that. They don’t even know she’s a Grimhart.”

Besides, Luke had also made a deal. He would use the locator function from the next Beacon to confirm whether Cassandra was still alive.

“Those guys were mocked by Luke and forced to walk around in their underwear in the past,” Artemis said.

“Which is exactly why they may have reason to sabotage you, my lord,” Angie replied. “But I understand the value of keeping them for dirty work, such as cleaning the deck.”

With that, Angie left, and Luke was alone again.

He took a deep breath and opened the level 95 skill notification for [Demonic Predator]. He still hadn’t decided which one to choose.

[Demonic Predator Tail (Legendary)]: Demonic Predators were forged in the hostile worlds of infernal universes, where every part of the body had to serve as a weapon. This skill grants the Demonic Predator the ability to grow a tail as fierce as its own fangs. While active, your perception of the ground and everything moving beneath it becomes nearly absolute. More than that, the tail functions as an extra limb, usable like an arm, capable of grabbing, restraining enemies, and executing even more powerful maneuvers. A sharp stinger forms at its end, shaped from the [Demonic Predator Throwing Knife], turning the tail into a lethal short- and mid-range weapon. The stinger can also be fired as an attack and regenerated afterward. The effectiveness of this skill increases with Lethality, Perception, and Willpower.

And he still had four more options to go.