Chapter 41: Pirates of the Holo

Mateo said, “Is that right? Then let’s attack them at once and destroy every single one of them!”

Ervon said, “What happened?!”

One pirate replied, “It was some kind of enemy attack! I’m going to check what happened!”

Jone slowly started waking up. Avery said, “Are you not going to look at our cell”

BOOM!
A cannon hit the ship. Jone didn’t hear what Avery said. He walked toward the stairs, about to step on the ladder, then suddenly looked back at the cell.

“Did any of you say something?” Jone asked.

Ervon replied, “We didn’t say anything.”

Jone walked toward the basement door, opened it, then looked back at Avery and Ervon with wide eyes and a creepy expression.

Avery thought, What in the hell is this guy? He looks scary…

Jone closed the door toward the basement and thought, This is impossible… They just said that he can’t be killed…

Name: Jone
Position: Vice Captain of the Holo Pirates
Age: 39
Height: 5'10
Bounty: 600 million GPD
Abilities:

Thoughts, lets Jone hear anyone he wants, but not clearly.

Speed, Jone can touch someone, make them slow, and steal their speed.

Illusion, allows Jone to show anyone anything anywhere, but it makes him visually age. It works on anyone who has lied even once in their life.

Gelt, Jone can give his pain to others or take others’ pain to save someone.

Cost: If Jone kills someone with this ability, he will be hunted.

If he saves someone, one of the beings haunting him will stop.

Jone can use this to take the antiforce of anything haunting him, becoming a monster to defeat enemies.

Jone touched the ship with his hand and said, “Illusion.”
Then he said, “Gelt.”
He jumped to the enemy ship, touched it, and whispered, “Speed… Gelt…”

A red light came down from the sky. Jone said “Illusion,” then “Thought.”

Thought depends on the user’s body. If the body is small, the user hears less. If the body is big, the user hears more.

One pirate thought to himself, Sad… I fell into his trap…

Jone’s monster form roared. Cracks appeared on the enemy ship. Jone smiled as four wings burst from his back:

Left top: Red

Right top: Green

Left bottom: Black

Right bottom: White

Jone ended the illusion. Some of the pirates threw baboons onto the Holo ship to get close.

The enemy attacked. Cannons fired everywhere.

Ervon and Avery listened from below.

Avery said, “It sounds like hell above us.”

Ervon replied, “But hell is supposed to be underground.”

Ervon stood up. “If these attackers catch us, we’re as good as dead.”

Avery said, “But I died like… three times?”

Ervon sighed. “No, it’s not good. You can only die four times in this game. And if you don’t complete the 1150 years, then you’re as good as dead.”

Avery asked, “Is there any way to get another life?”

“Yes,” Ervon said. “You must find a certain item. If you do, it gives you another life. But this only works for us players.”

Avery said, “Many others are here… You said 46, but what is the total number?”

Ervon replied, “It’s beyond hundreds. I sent 46 players at first, I was 47. Then I sent around 50 more. And now you’re here. I don’t even know how many people are inside this world.”

Avery blinked. “What do you mean you sent them?”

Ervon said, “Oh… I never told you, did I? I am the one who made this game.”

Avery stared. “How old are you!?”

Ervon answered, “I’m about 25 years old.”

“No, in real life!”

“I’m 55.”

Avery’s eyes widened. “Eww! I’ve been in the same cell as an old uncle!”

Ervon glared. “If you want to act like a brat, go ahead. And let me tell you something else—if you die in this game, you die forever. There is no return. We will all be stuck here forever.”

Avery said, “Well, what if someone removes the headset?”

Ervon laughed. “Funny. The thing in the headset? Your soul was taken into something that can hold your soul and thoughts.”

“In short, you were dead since the moment you stepped inside this world.”

Avery said, “I was just joking…”
But I wasn’t joking at all… she thought. The more he talks, the scarier this gets… I shouldn’t bring this up. I might go depressed…

Suddenly, a pirate kicked the basement door open.

“Who’s there!?”

Mateo rushed in. “Is anyone still here!?”

His crew said, “No, Captain.”

Mateo said, “You guys go back to the ship.”

His crew left.

Mateo looked down. Chains wrapped around his hand. A body was dragged behind him.

It was Jone.

Mateo’s crew asked, “Sir, should we take these prisoners to our ship?”

Mateo said, “No. You go on.”

He continued dragging Jone’s limp body.

Jone groaned, confused. “How… did I lose…? I was at my best…?”