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

After the disaster that was their first few hours at sea, Henry had finally gotten his crew into something resembling order. Scarlet handled navigation, Boggart made sure they didn't run out of food and water, and Henry… well, he looked cool and mysterious, which was just as important.

Now, they had their first real mission—treasure hunting.

Henry unfolded an old, yellowed map on the deck. "This," he declared, "is our first step toward legend. A hidden stash of gold buried on Skull Reef."

Grok stroked his beard. "Skull Reef… A place of many tales. Some say it is cursed."

Marrow's eyes sparkled. "Cursed treasure? Even better!"

Shade, who had been hiding in the shadows of the mast for no reason, spoke. "If we do not move swiftly, others may find it first. We are not the only ones seeking fortune."

Henry smirked. "Then we'll just get there first."

Scarlet adjusted her hat. "Just so you know, Skull Reef is crawling with pirate scum who'd love to slit our throats and take the gold for themselves."

Henry's smirk widened. "Then we'll just out-pirate them."

Boggart sighed. "I really hope that means somethin' specific, Cap'n."

The Black Fang anchored just offshore. Skull Reef was exactly what Henry remembered from the game—a jagged island shaped like a skull, with eerie fog rolling over its rocky shores.

"Alright," Henry said. "We go in fast, grab the treasure, and get out before anyone knows we were here."

Marrow grinned. "Or blow up anyone who gets in our way."

Henry gave her a look. "Only if necessary."

Marrow pouted. "Define 'necessary.'"

Ignoring that, Henry led the group onto the beach. They followed the map's clues—past the old wrecked ship, through the twisted mangrove trees, and up to a massive stone formation that looked vaguely like a skull's eye socket.

"This is it," Henry said. He tapped the ground with his boot. "Start digging."

Grok, being built like a human war machine, made short work of the dirt, shoveling up huge chunks with his bare hands. After a few minutes, his fingers hit something hard—wood.

Henry grinned and knelt beside it. With a dramatic flair, he brushed the dirt off and opened the lid.

The crew let out a collective whoop of victory. Even Shade, who normally acted like a mysterious wraith, let out a satisfied nod.

"Easy money," Scarlet said, flipping a gold coin.

A gunshot rang out, striking the ground inches from Henry's boot.

He spun around to see a group of pirates emerging from the trees, weapons drawn. Their leader, a grizzled man with a scar running down his bald head, smirked.

"Well, well. Ain't every day some fools do the diggin' for us."

Henry straightened up, trying to look like he had everything under control.

"Gentlemen," he said smoothly. "No need for violence. There's plenty of gold to go around."

The pirate leader chuckled. "Oh, I agree." He cocked his pistol. "Plenty for us."

Henry's eye twitched. Why did bad guys in this world never appreciate negotiations?

Scarlet sighed. "This is why I like shooting first."

Boggart groaned. "Alright, Cap'n, what's the plan?"

Henry's mind raced. They were outnumbered, but he had something the enemy didn't.

He glanced at her. "How many explosives do you have?"

Marrow grinned, pulling out two bombs. "Enough."

"Then let's show them why messing with the Black Fang is a bad idea."

To be continued…

Chapter 6: The First Treasure Hunt