Unchosen Champion

Marcus stood proudly with both of his hands on his hips as he observed Ghost Reef’s brand new Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office. The expensive construction would empower their navy, unlocking further specialization, and it would allow the sailors to receive passive training, education, and unique skills. It was something between a naval academy and maritime department for the settlement. The features could be utilized by regular residents as well, which was the intended purpose of such a service, but in Ghost Reef’s case, it was almost entirely for the phantom inhabitants. They were effectively specialized residents in the eyes of the system. But if regular human residents were interested, they would have a pathway to joining the navy.

Captain Kayla nudged him to get his attention, always with her casually disarming charm. “So, what do you think?” She asked, referring to the new construction as it stood in all of its grand majesty. The fresh white columns stood in contrast to the slightly gray clouds that blew across the horizon. Thunderstorms appeared to be on the forecast, but they were still firmly in the dry season, according to Coop. Marcus watched the clouds reflecting off the three stories of tall luxurious windows with a raised eyebrow, doubting the expertise of their Champion a little, and not for the first time.

“A bit fancy for you lot, isn’t it?” Marcus remarked, referring to the rabble of gambling pirates sloshing drinks back and forth on the brand new docks of the Basic Port. Less than half were bothering with any appearance of productivity while the rest just enjoyed their time, taking advantage of literally any excuse to celebrate. In this case, a new marina was justification enough. The night before had been a rowdy party as the settlement received the ships that had been defeated during the siege event, though the crews remained absent with the rest of the phantoms. The Fearless and Sea Burial Corvettes had been brought back and Marcus had witnessed some of the hardiest seeming individuals weep with joy as they swept their hands across the decks of the respawned ships. He slowly shook his head at the memory of the sight.

The last round of purchases had gone to developing Ghost Reef’s maritime capabilities specifically to benefit the same pirates who seemed happier with a pair of dice and a bottle of alcohol. They were an island settlement, so they couldn’t neglect naval facilities, even if the prospects weren’t gearing toward their maximum potential.

“Maybe...” The Tempest Fleet Pirate Queen cryptically responded, though her expression was clearly hinting that she wouldn’t be uncomfortable with high class amenities despite her preferences remaining less elegant. Marcus wondered how much of her crew shared her opinion, but he was sure they would follow her lead regardless. That was one thing he was sure about the phantoms, they were loyal to the last. He would be glad to have the ones they lost back.

Marcus had to admit he didn’t actually know much else about the phantoms, or any of his other new colleagues for that matter. In the past, he had staff who would provide background information on individuals he was meeting with, but times had changed quite drastically. He was standing in front of a series of magical constructions that hadn’t existed the day before. That was proof enough of the major alterations his life had undergone.

The Admiralty was a large rectangular building that called upon colonial stylings. It was three stories tall and wide enough to mirror the entire seawall’s length. The bulk would have been a problem, as it obstructed a portion of the southwestern fort wall, blocking the cannon portals of the lower levels, but the Admiralty itself was heavily armed and fortified. The building was designed to withstand a naval siege on its own, despite its fancy furnishings, and considering the eponymous reefs that surrounded the settlement in every direction, the only threat of a waterborne attack was at the port that it now looked over. The lone channel through the reefs would lead directly to the freshly constructed defenses. Regular ships wouldn’t be able to approach from any other side.

The southern wall of the fort, which was currently the subject of the first round of repairs, would protect the port from any land based assaults, leaving the crossroads in front of the moat bridge as the choke point toward their maritime structures.

Marcus had hesitated before spending so many basic credits on anything that would go outside of the protective fort walls, fearing their destruction, but he had been convinced after understanding the design of the factionless buildings. They were designed to be frontline defenses for settlements in the first place. The location on a narrow strip of dry land between the moat and the marina further increased the entire settlement’s safety.

The Basic Port replaced the previously limited seawall with robust docks, extended piers, and simple wooden cranes. They could support a dozen ships the size of The Eye of the Storm, which meant that the Tempest Fleet would finally be whole once the settlement accumulated enough mana to summon the rest of the ships and sailors, they were still missing two unsummoned Corvettes, and they had the capacity to continue to expand.

Along with the port, they had also constructed a Shipwright and Drydock where the seawall ran up to the edge of the moat. Kayla’s captains were already working with the alien artisan with the goal of producing ships that could match the abilities of the phantom ships. They believed it was possible thanks to the inundation of spectral mana within the settlement’s territory, and Marcus had no reason to contradict the idea. It would be a boon to have the option to expand the navy’s best features. The homefield advantage of ghost ships combined with the shallow reef meant that their security was extraordinary. The additional costs were akin to upgrading equipment from Uncommon to Legendary, but they would pay happily.

The Siren herself had received an official promotion with the construction of the Admiralty. The new building had provided its own advisor slot, so she was now an official advisor of the settlement, similar to Marcus, only her system access was limited to maritime affairs, where he had responsibilities that encompassed the entire settlement. Her new designation meant that she could take care of the navy without the Champion’s direct oversight, and by proxy, his own. Given the phantoms’ absolute loyalty, they were ideal candidates for increased responsibilities.