Adventure World Online (AWO)

Aside from Peach Blossom, several old friends who had been out of touch for some time were walking along behind her—Jane, Hero, Aden, Draco, Rafael, and the hilarious duo Oliang and Lidded Wet Trash Can, who were already flashing wide grins from afar. In addition, there was Phiros, the Guild Leader of Caesar—one of Pendragon's allied guilds—along with his close friend Feather, and several other members of the Caesar guild. Destiny and the Immortal guild members were chatting excitedly with Killer and Murder, thrilled that the two had successfully completed the race-change quest to become Dark Elves—even if only as half-bloods.

It seemed that the event to determine the Supreme Pirate King had become something of a grand reunion, drawing old friends back together again after a long time apart. A little further behind them, a young man who had once trailed behind Chang Long now carried himself with a dignity many times greater than before. He smiled brightly as he walked toward Chang Long, calling out to her with the title she was used to.

"Master. I'm so happy we finally get to meet again!"

"Heh. Master, huh. I heard you're now the head of the Professional Reporter's Association. And you still call me Master."

Chang Long gave a weary smile. Kimhant looked like he suddenly recognized, then laughed sheepishly in embarrassment.

"Well, I'm just used to it. Hello, big bro. You've grown up, Flatear."

The young man turned to his former superior—who used to make him feel small and inferior, because he had ended up becoming the underling of Kitsune, a pet. But time had passed, and Kimhant had come to terms with that role. As for Flatear, Kimhant had once been his caretaker—back when Flatear had just hatched from his egg. He had been stubborn, arrogant, and constantly bullied Kimhant back then.

"Hello, Kimhant."

Kitsune smiled and greeted him. As for the young kirin, he merely tilted his head up in his usual haughty fashion.

Behind Kimhant, a handsome elf stood, his captivating smile aimed at the reaper girl from afar. He slowly began to walk toward her. Though Chang Long was glad to see his face again, she kept up a nonchalant act, not wanting to let anyone—especially the tease-happy bunch nearby—see any sign of affection. Beside Siegfried, a man in a suit holding a black folder walked straight toward her.

"Player Chang Long, correct? Heir to the Pirate King Devi Jones?"

The man in the suit asked as he opened his black folder.

"Yes."

"I'm GM-008. I'm assigned to oversee all Pirate King heirs during their time on King Island. Please follow me to your designated residence."

The suited man spoke and gestured for Chang Long to follow him. She looked to Siegfried, who had arrived before her. The elf nodded in response, so Chang Long followed GM-008.

"Each heir to the Pirate King will stay in their own private mansion. These mansions are located far apart from each other around the inner perimeter of the White Castle grounds and are completely separate from the general player areas for those who came to watch the battle. Heirs are not permitted to enter another heir's mansion unless personally invited. You can easily identify each mansion by the symbol displayed on the front iron gate. Yours, Player Chang Long, is right over here."

GM-008 explained as he led Chang Long to her designated residence. It was not long before they arrived in front of a mansion whose front gate was marked with a winged skull symbol. As Chang Long stepped forward to stand in front of it, the gate automatically swung open, as though it recognized that the bearer of the winged skull had arrived.

"Please rest well today. Tomorrow, we'll introduce your personal mentor in the training dome. Don't worry about getting lost—a staff will be sent to fetch you directly from the mansion. That's all for today. You may rest or explore the city at your leisure. See you tomorrow."

With that, GM-008 took his leave. Chang Long turned to look at the friends who had come along with her, before they began deciding what to do next.

Inside the city, there were all the essential shops for players, as well as many unusual stores. However, the number of hotels was surprisingly low. Those who arrived late and could not get a room had to pitch tents or set up pavilions, either in the empty areas of the city or on the white sandy beach next to the shallow reef channel. It seemed there were far more players than the island could handle—even roadside restaurants were packed with players. The atmosphere was lively and bustling.

"Unbelievable—look. This place still has seats!"

Peach Blossom exclaimed loudly when she spotted a roadside restaurant with available seating. Upon stepping inside, she discovered it was run by someone they knew well.

"Mr. Duncan!"

Kimhant recognized Duncan immediately. He was a handsome, action-loving chef who usually hunted down his own ingredients and could cook extremely delicious meals. He had once gone on a journey with Chang Long to complete the Magical Map reading quest together. Most importantly, he was a close friend of one of the Pirate King heirs named Crown.

"Kimhant. And Chang Long and Siegfried too—I never thought I'd see you all again!"

Duncan cried out in delight upon seeing the new group of customers arriving at his shop. The young chef quickly welcomed Chang Long and her group inside, even though he had to extend several tables. With Chang Long's group, Siegfried's group, members of Caesar Guild, and Immortal Guild combined, there were over thirty people—making it look like a lively alumni reunion. As always, Lamia was dashing around serving the food.

"Hey, Sieg—is Heaven's spirit still with you?"

Chang Long asked, even though she could not see anything.

"Hmm, I haven't really paid attention. Is something wrong, Chang Long?"

Siegfried asked in surprise. Normally, when Heaven turned invisible, he could not see him either. But Chang Long had always been able to see the spirits—even when they were hiding themselves. The fact that she was asking meant something had to have gone wrong.

"Devi-chan is missing. I haven't seen him at all. No matter how I try to communicate, I can't reach him. Even though the spirit tablet is perfectly normal."

Chang Long replied, her worried expression making the elven young man feel uneasy as well. He whispered to summon Heaven, the spirit of the former Pirate King tied to him—but the spirit did not show up, no matter how many times he whispered. The result was exactly the same.

"Something's definitely wrong. Normally, a Pirate King's spirit would stay close to their heir, regardless of whether they're bound to a spirit tablet or not. But ever since I stepped foot on this island, Devi-chan vanished without a trace."

Chang Long looked thoughtful, wondering why both her and Siegfried's former Pirate King spirits had disappeared.

"Should we try asking the other Pirate King heirs?"

"And who would we even ask? Most of them probably see us as enemies anyway."

Chang Long looked at the elf with a puzzled expression. He smiled back at her, then turned to look down the city's path—where a group of players just happened to be passing by.

"Well, at the very least, this guy would definitely be happy to answer your questions, Chang Long."

"Aswa?"

Chang Long frowned when she saw who Siegfried was referring to.

"Ah, Chang Long. Hey, someone bring another chair over for me—right here next to Chang Long!"

Aswa, Guild Leader of Dark Horse Guild, uninvitedly walked up and squeezed Kitsune aside to sit down in his place without any regard for the stares he received from everyone around him. A bird with long, vibrant reddish-orange feathers perched on his shoulder, and a little green-haired girl in a flowing Chinese-style dress followed closely behind.

"You're..."

Chang Long muttered, exasperated.

"This must be fate. To meet Chang Long like this. Looks like we're truly destined for each other."

Aswa beamed as he spoke, which irritated the two Pendragon guild siblings immensely. Lamia came over and added another chair for the person who had been pushed aside—since Little Jade had come over to sit as well.

"Hey. No one even invited you, and you just sat yourself right next to Master Chang!"

Peach Blossom snapped. Aswa turned to look at her and gave a smile without saying a word—but judging by his expression, he clearly did not care, even though she was basically calling him shameless to his face.

"Aswa, is Rogy with you?"

Chang Long cut in, changing the subject—causing those who did not know about Aswa's former Pirate King spirit to wonder who Rogy was, and why did his name sound like a joke.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't really noticed. But ever since I set foot on the island, he seems to have gone completely silent."

Aswa's answer only made Chang Long more certain—all the former Pirate King spirits that followed their respective heirs had to have vanished. But what the cause was, she still did not know.

"This time, I'm really all on my own, huh."

Chang Long murmured before turning her attention to the familiar-looking little girl sitting next to Aswa.

"And who's that? Your girlfriend or something? She still looks like a kid."

That question left the young man stunned, his jaw hanging open before he quickly denied it in a panic. Meanwhile, Little Jade's cheeks turned red with embarrassment, and she looked at Aswa with eyes full of sugary sweetness.

"N... No. That's Little Jade. You know—Little Jade. That rebellious dragon of yours!!"

"Eh?"

Chang Long exclaimed in surprise, then leaned in to take a better look at the cute little girl.

"Hello, Chang Long. It's me—Little Jade."

The girl greeted her politely, her voice shy. This time, it was not just Chang Long whose jaw dropped—everyone who knew Little Jade was left gaping. The Little Jade they knew had been rebellious, self-centered, foul-mouthed, and constantly picking fights with Chang Long. The Little Jade sitting in front of them now was a completely different person.

"How the heck did you get Little Jade to behave!"

Chang Long asked, clearly astonished.

"Oh, I didn't do anything. I just used a beast trainer service."

Aswa answered while awkwardly trying to nudge Little Jade—who had started to lean in and cuddle up to him—away, flustered by the many eyes watching them.

"Is that so. Strange though, she's clinging to you pretty tightly."

Chang Long still looked suspicious. Were they really just master and pet?

"Well! I am handsome and kind… Wh—Little Jade. Why are you hugging me all of a sudden!"

He was about to explain further, but suddenly jolted when Little Jade threw her arms around him in a tight hug. And that just confirmed to everyone watching that there had to be something more between them than just a master–pet relationship. Aswa stood up, his cheeks slightly red, and quickly excused himself in a hurry—with Little Jade clinging to him tightly and refusing to let go.

…..

The next day, all seven Pirate King heirs were brought to the Training Dome, a facility within the White Castle grounds designed for honing combat skills. They stood waiting in a spacious room with shock-absorbing mats laid out on the floor. Along the walls were all kinds of weapons to choose from. One section of the room was filled with training equipment, and there was a simulation room for virtual combat, where the conditions and style of the fight could be customized freely.

Chang Long, Siegfried, and Aswa stood near one side. A short distance away was Crown, who smiled and waved at Chang Long in a friendly manner. Further from the Crown stood Narada, standing about two arm-lengths apart. Another two arm-lengths beyond her was Q, the reclusive Guild Leader of Bat Guild. The last was Demos, the man who cared for no one and wore a look of pure boredom as he waited.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

GM-008 stepped out from one of the doors and walked directly toward the Pirate King heirs, who had been quietly waiting in the center of the room.

"Now I will introduce your mentors. Each of you will be assigned a personal mentor who will stay with you for the duration of your time in this city. They'll share important information and teach you specialized combat techniques."

"There's no need for mentors or whatever. Isn't this just a battle where we fight to the death or until someone wins!"

Q, a man dressed in elite ninja attire with an elegant silver chest plate, spoke up with a displeased expression. He had been left waiting for a long time despite there being no pressing matters, and in his opinion, there was no need for these so-called mentors at all.

"Why not meet them first? Since you've waited this long anyway. If you still feel that having a mentor is unnecessary, you can always decline afterward."

GM-008 smiled in response to Q's words and proceeded to explain the players' rights to the heirs before inviting the seven mentors to come out and introduce themselves.

The moment the Pirate King heirs' mentors stepped into the gym, the heirs were left stunned—unable to believe their own eyes. Because the seven mentors were none other than the former Pirate Kings themselves—the very ones who had bestowed upon them the title of Pirate King heir.

"Devi-chan!"

Chang Long gasped softly when she saw the spirit of her former Pirate King, now alive, without needing to rely on her skills as before. Devi-chan looked more majestic and dignified than ever, truly befitting a Pirate King—far more than when he was merely a spirit bound to her. He smiled at Chang Long, as if he no longer remembered the bond they once shared, or the long journey they had undertaken together.

"These are the former Pirate Kings, revived for this special occasion. All past memories of their time spent following you have been temporarily erased. Their role now is to pass on unique combat techniques to each of you—their respective heirs. Player Q, do you still wish to decline your right to a mentor?"

GM-008 introduced the mentors to the heirs, then turned to Q with a faint smirk as he asked his question. Q had insisted earlier that he had no need for a mentor—but now that the mentors turned out to be the actual former Pirate Kings, veterans of combat and intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of each other through their fights, he found himself speechless. Seeing that all the other heirs were willing to accept their mentors, GM-008 continued speaking:

"Before the official tournament begins, there will be a special preliminary mission. Consider it a small taste of what's to come—a warm-up to test how difficult or easy things might get before the real battle. For now, I'll leave you to get to know your mentors and begin training in your assigned techniques. Twenty-four hours from now, a mission notification will be delivered to your individual mansions. That's all from me for now—see you again very soon."

With that, GM-008 took his leave, leaving behind only the Pirate King heirs and their mentors, fourteen people in total, who began pairing up with nervous anticipation. Shadin Creepin grabbed the hand of his heir, Narada, and immediately pulled her out of the training dome—completely ecstatic over his revival. Q and Kamaku Hayasa simply looked at each other without saying a word, before the former Pirate King took the lead and walked off—still visibly annoyed at having been rejected earlier.