Faithless_reader

Henry Garagam, an expert player of Sea of Conquest, dies in a tragic and bizarre incident—burned alive by acid at the hands of a secret organization. When he awakens, he finds himself reincarnated in the very game he mastered. Armed with his deep knowledge of the world, Henry sets out to achieve his ultimate dream: becoming a legendary pirate feared and admired across the seas.

However, there's a slight problem. While Henry believes he is simply playing the role of a mysterious and cool pirate lord, the world around him takes his every word and action far too seriously. His exaggerated declarations, strategic "coincidences," and sheer dumb luck make him seem like a mastermind of the seas—one prophesized to shake the world itself.

As he rebuilds his ship, gathers an eccentric crew, and unintentionally sparks war between pirate factions and imperial forces, Henry’s legend grows beyond anything he ever imagined. But will he rule through fear, forge a pirate republic, or harness the lost power of an ancient civilization? One thing is certain: the saga of Henry Garagam is only just beginning.

- This is based on the mobile game Sea of Conquest. Although the main character name is the same by coincidence. I just found out recently.

Sea of Conquest: The saga of Henry Garagam

Morning arrived with the scent of salt and the distant squawking of seagulls. The Black Fang bobbed gently in the harbor, its patched-up sails fluttering in the breeze. Thanks to a combination of very aggressive haggling (courtesy of Scarlet) and mysterious blackmail material (courtesy of Shade, who refused to elaborate), Henry had managed to secure enough supplies to last for a few weeks.

Now came the hard part—actually sailing with his newly assembled, utterly chaotic crew.

Henry stood at the helm, arms crossed, doing his best to radiate an aura of cool and mysterious leadership.

"Alright, crew," he announced. "Today, we embark on our journey to become legends."

Grok, standing near the mast, nodded sagely. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Marrow was hanging upside down from the rigging, adjusting a fuse on a small explosive. "Can't wait! So, uh, how soon can I blow something up?"

Shade materialized next to Henry out of nowhere, causing him to nearly jump. "I have already scouted the surrounding waters. The tides whisper of imperial patrols nearby."

Scarlet leaned against a barrel, arms crossed. "And we should probably figure out who's actually sailing this thing before we run into them."

Henry nodded. "Right. Boggart, take the wheel."

Boggart scratched his head. "Uh, Cap'n… I was kinda hopin' you knew how to sail."

Right. In the game, he never had to personally steer the ship. NPCs did that for him. But this wasn't a game anymore, and his actual sailing experience was zero.

"…How hard can it be?" he said confidently.

Ten minutes later.

"WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!" Scarlet yelled.

"I'M WORKING ON IT!" Henry shouted back, wrestling with the wheel. The Black Fang lurched to the left, then the right, then nearly capsized.

Grok stood calmly as barrels rolled past him. "The ocean teaches patience."

Marrow cackled as she clung to the mast. "THIS IS AWESOME!"

Shade was nowhere to be seen, but Henry swore he heard a whispered, "We are all going to die."

Scarlet finally shoved Henry aside. "Alright, move, I'll steer!"

Henry immediately stepped back, pretending like this was his plan all along. "Good. I was testing you."

Scarlet muttered something under her breath and grabbed the wheel. Within seconds, the ship steadied. The Black Fang was finally sailing properly.

Henry coughed. "Well. That was… eventful."

Boggart chuckled. "Aye, Cap'n. But at least now we're actually headed somewhere."

Henry straightened his coat, regaining his composure. "Right. Next stop—adventure, fortune, and—"

A loud boom interrupted him.

Everyone turned to see smoke rising from the rear of the ship. Marrow was standing next to a very charred cannon, her face covered in soot.

Henry pinched the bridge of his nose.

This was going to be a long journey.

To be continued…

Chapter 5: Setting Sail