Tyrant Of Seas

"Alright boys. Looks like this stage is all about coordination. So we'll have to work as a team." The redhead's sweet voice clashed completely with the five daggers strapped to her vest.

"I agree with fire-hair over there! The first test was clearly about individual strength," said a man with skin as dark as a starless night. He was massive, and a receding hairline hinted he was likely an old man, probably past his forties.

"I'm gonna kick that guy's ass the first chance I get."

"Kick whose ass?? Bring it on, you twig."

Two teenagers, right in the peak of adolescence, pointed their middle fingers at each other. Both had short, styled blond hair and of course, they were twins.

Talon had no clue how two twins ended up on the same ship, unless they had landed on the same island, which kind of defeated the whole supposed purpose of the first trial.

"Maybe better to kick his ass while we're still on the ship. Judging by its build, it can run fine with five people, though it's designed for six…" A scrawny man with glasses was saying while studying the ship's sails. One of his lenses was cracked, but it didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Talon stood quietly. He was the one who moved best with the ship's rocking, but he always faked a near stumble just to catch one of the twins snickering at him from the corner of his eye.

"Alright, no ass-kicking for now, you brats! Our goal is to coordinate and get everyone to 80% [Saturation]. So I think it's only fair that everyone shares their real numbers so we can figure out how many beasts we'll need to hunt in the next ten days." The two teens shrank like they were being scolded by their mom and for some reason, Talon was pretty sure that was exactly the redhead's intention.

"She watched everyone for a few minutes and is now using the best tone to manipulate them all to her advantage? I'm not overthinking this, right?" Talon thought, his mind flashing back to business meetings he'd had alongside his former captain.

That witch used to do the exact same thing the one in front of him was doing now.

"52%," said the dark-skinned old man.

"What the fuck?! That's more than double mine and I almost died like six times yesterday!" Talon's anger came flooding back the second he heard the number.

"55%! I win!"

"56%! I win more!"

The twins instantly started bickering over who had the higher [Saturation] as if that somehow proved who was better. Mentally, Talon faceplanted.

Several long seconds passed before the nerdy guy with glasses even realized everyone was staring at him and snapped out of his little trance about the ship's specs.

"55%," he said robotically, calmly. After wiping his glasses on his sleeve, he went back to inspecting the ship's mast.

"Well, I'm at 62%," said the redhead, her voice dripping with pride and for some reason, Talon really didn't believe her.

But her tone was so confident, her performance so flawless, that everyone just accepted it without question.

"And you, quiet guy?" Talon noticed the old man was staring right at him, and with an awkward smile, he replied.

"25%." The twins burst out laughing, but Talon caught it, that look. The redhead's eyes condemned him the moment she heard the low number. The old man seemed to see him as a liability now too.

"All good, folks. Now we just need to figure out how to actually sail this thing and we can start our high seas adventure!" Her judgmental look vanished, and that bright, contagious smile brought some lightness the group appreciated.

"I can do that. I'm good with directions. And if this is the kind of ship I think it is, I can serve as the navigator." The nerd didn't even stop evaluating the side dinghies and the ropework as he spoke.

"Perfect! So you, big guy, can help with the sails and ropes. The kids are fast, so they can handle the bow and stern. I like the helm and can coordinate orders with the glasses guy… and you…" The redhead spoke fast and with such authority that everyone just nodded along. 

Until she got to Talon. 

Then she sort of froze, like she had nothing to assign him.

"We'll find something for you." A dazzling, innocent smile appeared on her face, but Talon knew she did that on purpose.

"Lookout, cartographer, fighter, gunner, cook, cargo master... there are so many roles on a ship that if she really wanted to include me, she could just make one up and no one would notice," Talon's mind hadn't stopped working since last night.

Orders began being barked by the unappointed captain the redhead had become. In minutes, the anchor was lifted and the ship was moving.

The nerd climbed up with a bunch of nautical equipment that had likely been inside those crates.

With the ship in full motion, Talon started examining what kind of vessel he was on.

It looked like a miniature Spanish galleon, the kind from legend. 

Only four cannons, two on each side and their ammo likely stored down below, along with two lifeboats per side.

The top deck had nocaptain's cabin, making it even smaller, but its sails were white and powerful.

It was a ship that could easily carry, albeit tightly, at least 25 men.

"What're you doing out here, son?" The deep voice of the towering old man came from behind just as Talon was standing near the lifeboats.

"I was a sailor, and I say this with pride, old man. This knot is absolute garbage." A knowing grin spread across Talon's face as he turned around.

"Served in the marine corps thirty years ago back in my country. And let me tell you, my fellow man, that knot looks like a horse's ass." The two men laughed, and Talon let him work.

"A former marine, huh…" Talon climbed up to the bow, feeling the strong winds pushing through his hair.

But he could feel the burn on the back of his neck.

He knew the redhead was watching him... and Talon wasn't making it through this night aboard that ship.