The wind was restless that night.
It churned the waves against the hull of the small boat, hissing with a whispering voice like it carried rumours from across the sea. Karl stood at the bow, hood drawn up, eyes fixed on the fading shoreline behind them.
Robin dozed beneath a blanket, arms wrapped around her open book.
But Karl couldn't sleep. Not now.
Not after the Redhand Pirates.
Not with the relic pulsing like a second heartbeat in his bag.
They made landfall by sunrise on an uncharted islet. A flat stretch of rocky coast gave way to inland cliffs and sparse jungle. No harbour. No town.
Just silence and the scent of sea moss.
Karl led them into the jungle's edge, looking for high ground.
Robin walked beside him, her expression thoughtful. "Do you think they'll follow us here?"
"They don't need to. The signal we triggered… It's a beacon."
Robin blinked. "For what?"
Karl didn't answer.
Not because he didn't know, but because he wasn't sure he wanted to.
System NoticePassive Mission in Progress: Vault AwakeningDanger Level: ModerateRecommended Action: Increase Power & PreparationOptional Objective: Investigate the signal's next phaseReward: Ticket Bundle (Tier Based on Outcome)
Current Ticket Balance:• 2 Common Tickets• 4 Uncommon Tickets• 4 Rare Tickets• 1 Legendary Ticket
Convert Options Available
• Convert 5 Common = 1 Uncommon• Convert 5 Uncommon = 1 Rare• Convert 10 Rare = 1 Legendary• Convert 10 Legendary = 1 Mystical• Convert 15 Mystical = 1 God
Karl ignored the prompts for now. He'd save up.
He'd need every advantage when the real hunters came.
By midday, they reached the summit.
A small flat ledge overlooked the sea, with enough cover to stay hidden. Robin laid out her books and parchment while Karl scanned the distance.
It was then he felt it.
The hairs on his neck stood up. A presence.
Not from the system.
From something older.
Something to watch.
Across the sea, aboard a sleek black sloop outfitted with modified sails and reinforced hull plating, Shuzo adjusted his scope.
The island was small, and the signal had led him here. The Redhands had been fools—brutes chasing power without understanding the rules of the game.
He wasn't like them.
He studied relics. He respected what they meant.
He hunted them with precision.
A Den Den Mushi crackled beside him.
"Boss, the Vault flare from two days ago—data confirms it's pre-World Government. Whisper Era-level tech."
Shuzo smiled. "Then it's not just some ancient toy. It's real."
He rolled up his sleeve.
A jagged brand inked like a compass dial, glowed faintly against his arm.
Back on the island, Karl stood and turned toward the jungle.
Robin looked up from her notes. "Something wrong?"
Karl nodded. "We're being watched."
A second later, a shadow moved.
Three figures emerged from the trees—mercenary types. No colours, no insignias. Professionals.
One of them stepped forward, unarmed.
"We're not here to fight," the man said. "We're here with a message."
Karl didn't move.
The mercenary held up a small stone tablet etched with red lines. "Our employer is interested in negotiation. He wants to speak to you."
Robin's eyes widened. "That's a Summoning Slate. Those are used by the Relic Guild."
Karl stepped forward slowly.
The mercenary placed the slate down and stepped back. The tablet shimmered—then projected a flickering, miniature image above it.
Shuzo's face appeared in the light.
"Hello, stranger. My name's Shuzo. You've found something that shouldn't exist anymore."
Karl said nothing.
Shuzo smiled calmly. "I'm not here to kill you. Not yet. I just want to talk. You triggered a Vault relay—the kind that hasn't lit up since before the Void Century. That makes you interesting."
"Go on," Karl said.
"I want what you found. But more than that—I want to know it. I study this world's past. I know how to unlock what you're holding."
"And if I say no?"
Shuzo's expression didn't change. "Then I'll come and take it."
The projection blinked out.
Robin exhaled. "So he's that kind of hunter."
Karl turned away. "He's more dangerous than the pirates."
Mission Triggered: A Hunter's MarkObjective: Survive Shuzo's ApproachBonus: Uncover Shuzo's IntentionsReward: 1 Rare Ticket | Bonus: 1 Legendary Ticket
That night, they moved deeper into the jungle.
Karl built a camouflaged shelter using thick fronds and dried vines. Robin kept watch with a compact telescope, scanning the beach.
Around midnight, she saw it.
A flicker of torchlight by the shore.
Then, more silent silhouettes move through the trees.
"Too many to fight," she whispered.
Karl nodded. "Then we make them hunt ghosts."
Over the next day, Karl led them through the terrain using guerrilla tactics. Traps, diversions, and misdirection.
The mercenaries followed—but never found their target.
One fell into a camouflaged pit. Another triggered a tripwire that launched a blinding powder into his eyes. A third vanished after walking into a mist-laced canyon.
Robin watched, half-amazed.
"You could've been a revolutionary leader."
Karl smirked. "Or a very creative criminal."
Mission Progress: 80%
• Mercenaries Neutralised: 5 of 6
• Bonus Objective Progress: 60%
• Reward Tiers Unlocking…
Karl crouched beside the last mercenary, who had been knocked unconscious in the final trap.
He waited until the man groaned, then pressed a boot to his chest. "Tell your boss. If he wants to talk again, he had better send words. Not blades."
The man, terrified, nodded.
That evening, while Robin prepared a fireless meal, Karl sat alone on a ridge.
He brought out the relic.
Its surface had shifted—now pulsing in rhythm with the jungle's sounds. It was syncing with something beneath the island.
Or perhaps within him.
He didn't know if he was a guardian or a thief.
He only knew this: something ancient had opened its eye… and seen him.
Mission Complete: A Hunter's Mark• Primary Objective: Survived Encounter• Bonus Achieved: Partial Intent Unlocked
Shuzo Seeks Forbidden Vault Technology
Rewards Claimed:
• +1 Rare Ticket
• +1 Legendary Ticket
New Balance:
• 2 Common Tickets
• 4 Uncommon Tickets
• 5 Rare Tickets
• 2 Legendary Tickets
Notice: Ticket Conversion Now Available
[10 Rare = 1 Legendary]
[10 Legendary = 1 Mystical]
[15 Mystical = 1 God]
Far Across the Sea…
Shuzo stood at the bow of his vessel, expression unreadable.
His subordinate approached. "They routed our team. Clever traps. Minimal violence."
Shuzo nodded slowly. "Good."
The man blinked. "Good?"
"It means he's not stupid. Means he has discipline. I want him to survive a while longer."
He turned to his navigator. "Plot a wide course. We'll surround the island next time. Tell the scholars – we've got a live Vault carrier."
He grinned.
"And he doesn't even know what it's really for."
Narrative Progression:• Shuzo confronts Karl via projection
• First mercenary encounter repelled through tactics
• Karl refuses negotiation—stakes are now personal
• System rewards unlocked through stealth success
• The relic continues to evolve