Second World

The next day, Will took John and the others to find this person whom he claimed to have traveled through the whirlpool-invested water. As they walked, they moved further and further to a different part of the port. The part where it looked deserted and fewer people were seen. The buildings and ships around the part were more rundown and broken.

"Dude… Are you bringing us to the right place?" Bowler asked.

"No worries, mate. I never lost my way when it comes to direction. By the way, what's your name, mate?" Will answered and asked.

"Can't you use your Inspect? My name is Star Bowler," Bowler answered.

"I prefer direct communication. It feels more personal. It's great to make your acquaintance, Mister Star," Will said.

"Just call me Bowler. Everyone did."

Will nodded and turned to Jet.

"Jet Hung," Jet said before Will asked.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mister Hung," Will said.

"Likewise, young weird dude," Jet replied.

They passed by several rough-looking native sailors who eyed them with unfriendly stares.

"Are we truly in the right place? I mean, in the right district, even?" Bowler asked again, anxious.

"Well, we did hear rumors about this place to be where many players got mugged by the natives," Billy said.

"Seriously, man?" Bowler said, even more anxious now.

"You people worry too much, haha… Now… I remember there should be a shack here…," Will said.

"Seriously, man?!" Bowler uttered, louder this time.

"Ah, it's over there!" Will pointed at a distance shack that bordered directly to the sea. Beside it was an anchored boat that looked like it could fall apart at any time. "See? I told you I was never wrong when it comes to direction."

"Really? You seemed pretty lost just now!" Bowler uttered, but Will had already walked away merrily toward the shack.

"You seriously recruiting this guy?" Jet asked John.

"Hm… He hasn't accepted yet. So, let's consider it a probationary period. We can always tell him that we change our mind later," John replied.

They followed after Will to the shack. When they were near, they saw someone on the derelict boat next to the shack. The person seemed to be fixing the boat. Above the mast with a torn sail, a colorful parrot perched there. Its feathers had the color red, yellow, and blue. Will came to the boat instead of the shack after seeing the person on the boat.

"Ahoy! Joe, my matey! How are you doing?" Will called the person. He then said to the others, "This here is Joe Parrot."

The others had already used their Inspect. Joe was a level 55 rare elite. They were rather astonished to find such a high-grade native in a run-down part of the port.

"Will is here! Will is here!" The colorful parrot uttered from up top, before flying down and perching on Joe's shoulder.

"That is one smart scarlet macaw," John remarked of the parrot.

Joe stopped what he was doing. He turned to Will and gave him a stern expression, which stopped Will on his track.

"Don't you matey me," Joe said. "I heard about you returning to the port, by swimming. I do remember you used my ship when you sailed out. The fact that you came back swimming did make me wonder. Hey, what happened to the ship I loaned the guy? Now, I am honestly quite surprised to find you appear before me. I thought you are going to hide somewhere. But since you don't, care to explain to me where is my ship?"

"Ahaha. How can you think that I'm going to hide from you? I'm a responsible man, matey. That being said, I need to inform you that your ship had sunk," Will said.

The two then just stared at each other for a long time. Bowler and Jet turned to each other before looking back. They wondered if they should say something or just continue watching what was going to happen between the two.

It was the parrot who broke the silence, "bad Will! bad Will!"

"You…"

"Before you say anything, know that I can pay for the ship!" Will hurriedly said before Joe could say anything.

"You can?" Joe asked.

"Of course! When have I ever lied to you?"

"Plenty of times, but I still believe you! Since you can pay for it, that means we are matey again, haha! Come here!" Joe jumped down from the boat and came to Will merrily. The two hugged and laughed together.

"No wonder they are friends. They both share the same level of weirdness," Jet commented.

"Now, where are the coins for my ship?" Joe asked after he released their hug. To which Will replied, "I don't have them." Which caused Joe's smile to freeze.

"But, my mate here has them and he will help me pay for the ship! Just tell him how much the ship costs." Will came to John and clapped his shoulder.

John simply nodded with a smile and said to Joe, "How much does this fine gentleman owe you, Mister Parrot?"

"Uh… Are you talking to me, or her?" Joe asked while pointing at the parrot perching on his shoulder. "You should address her as Miss Parrot if so."

"I'm Miss Parrot! I'm Miss Parrot!" The parrot echoed.

Jet looked at John with a look that asked, 'Are you sure we should be working with these crackpots?'

John continued to force a smile on his face. "Mister Joe, How much is Mister Corner's debt?" Jack clasped Will's shoulder to make sure Joe understood the person he was referring to.

"Oh, yes. The boat he owes me. Mmm… three hundred gold coins," Joe replied.

John's smile froze upon hearing it. The others had stronger reactions.

"Three hundred? Are you trying to rob us?!" Bowler exclaimed.

"How about you find someone else to scam, you punk!" Jet added.

"Mister John, don't need to listen to him. Let's just leave them and let them settle their debt issue themselves," Billy said.

"Three hundred is almost the price of a caravel, you know!" Rough Criminal uttered.

John looked at Will with a questioning stare. Will laughed awkwardly. He then turned to Joe and said, "Come on, mate. Don't joke like that. The sailboat I borrowed from you can't be that expensive. You are making me look bad, mate."

"Well, I am in need of coins, you see. Without that sailboat that I lent you and this junk here also nowhere near fixing, I can't sail the sea. You know how I get if I don't sail the sea."

"I am here exactly for that!" Will said. "These fine gentlemen are here to hire you to sail the sea. You see? It's a win, win solution. They rent a ship for you to sail the sea, and you help them go where they need to go."

"Oh? Where do they need to go?" Joe asked.

"The Demon Tooth Rock," Will answered.

"Demon Tooth Rock? Do they have a death wish? It is impossible to sail into there with a ship."

"What? You said you have sailed there before, didn't you? Are you lying to me, mate?"

"I did sail there. But not with a ship. I sailed there with my soulmate, the Grey Jewel."

"Who's that?" Bowler asked.

"Uh… Grey Jewel is his ship," Will answered.

"…"

"I think we should really turn back, man," Jet said to John.

"Grey Jewel is NOT a ship. She is the queen of the sea!" Joe exclaimed.

"Queen of the sea! Queen of the sea!" The parrot repeated.

"I concur with Jet's suggestion," Bowler said.

"And where is this Grey Jewel of yours?" John asked Joe. "You said before that you can't sail the sea. Something happened to her?"

"Oh, right. Now that he pointed it out. I don't see her as well. Where is she?" Will asked.

"Um… She had been impounded," Joe replied.

"Impounded?!" Will uttered.

Joe nodded. "I happened to gamble with some folks and I don't have the coins to pay… So, they seize my soulmate. Hey, speaking of which. If you want to go to that Demon Tooth Rock, you will need my Grey Jewel. Only she has the ability to sail through those whirlpools. Help me reclaim it back and I will take you to that rock, or anywhere else on the sea, capisce?"

"Well, I figure you will need to pay off this gambling debt to get your ship back. How much is that debt?" John asked.

"Um… three hundred gold coins," Joe answered.

"Motherf*cker! John, let's go look for another sailor and ship. I'm sure we can find one that can take us to the Demon Tooth Rock," Bowler said. He then turned to Billy and asked, "Right, Billy?"

"Uh… I mentioned yesterday that the Demon Tooth Rock is an impossible place to sail into. So, I don't think we will find any other sailor who is willing or crazy enough to take us there."

"Are you confident that you can take us to the rock if we get your Grey Jewel back?" John asked.

"One hundred percent!" Joe exclaimed.

'Ugh, so that's what it feels like,' John said in his mind. He had done the same thing many times already he could recognize it when someone was boasting confidence. Still, this man was currently their best option to reach the place. Only very few of them had the Soar spell at the moment, while he wanted to bring all one hundred of his members to the place. They needed the ship.

"All right, let's go get your ship!" John uttered.