RWWOKS Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Successfully Boarding the Ship

After explaining his intentions to the pirate lackeys, Fang Bo was quickly led aboard the *Bezan Black*’s deck.

“Head inside, follow the hallway to the left, and remember to mind your manners. I don’t want to see your blood splattered all over the walls.”

The old pirate’s tone was harsh, clearly not expecting Fang Bo to pass whatever trial lay ahead.

Though the Black Cat Pirates had recently lost to Krieg’s fleet, their core leadership remained intact. The regular pirates, however, had suffered severe casualties. Now, they were mainly looking to replenish their ranks. Finding a top-tier fighter was unlikely, though. Most of the tough ones had already fallen during the trials, with one poor soul even having his arm broken by Buchi.

From the pirate’s menacing demeanor, it seemed like he expected Fang Bo to come running out of the vice-captain’s office in tears soon enough.

But Fang Bo paid no attention to their thoughts. Instead, he focused, carefully making his way down the hallway to the end.

**Knock, knock, knock!**  

He politely knocked on the door and soon heard light, cheerful laughter from within. “Come in.”

Pushing open the door, Fang Bo immediately saw the hypnotist Jango, wearing his signature heart-shaped glasses.

No matter what the test was, Fang Bo had to be cautious of Jango’s tricks. A Marine captain had already given him a tough fight; Jango, the second-in-command of the Black Cat Pirates, was likely far more dangerous.

If he wasn’t careful, he might get hypnotized in an instant.

Interestingly, hypnosis was also a form of mental ability. Perhaps Fang Bo could learn a thing or two from this.

“One, two, Jango!” Suddenly, he heard Jango clapping his hands.

[You are being hypnotized by the plot character Jango. Mental attribute check in progress…]  

[Mental resistance failed. You will be in a hypnotic sleep for 120 seconds.]

Without seeing the usual hypnotic tools, Fang Bo found himself inexplicably under Jango’s control.

Compared to how the character appeared in the anime, the real Jango was clearly more versatile. Anything could become his tool of hypnosis—the friction of the door on the floor, or even the dizzying graffiti on the walls of the room.

“I was careless.” Fang Bo calmly assessed the situation, beginning to observe his surroundings.

After falling into Jango’s hypnosis, he found himself transported to a strange open field. Surrounding him were countless Marines, their guns pointed at him, sending shivers down his spine.

Jango’s voice echoed in the illusion: “Kid, I’ll give you two minutes. If you can survive without dying, you pass.”

In other words, Fang Bo had to survive the Marines’ assault for two minutes.

For the infamous pirates, taking down a group of grunts would be no challenge. To gain Jango’s approval and become an official member of the Black Cat Pirates, he had to avoid being defeated in this illusion.

It sounded tough, but Fang Bo was never one to play by the rules.

Sure, Jango’s hypnosis might trap his mind, but could it prevent his equipment from working?

As golden lightning flashed, three Abnormal Titans materialized in the room. Due to the small space, Tutu’s massive body was half sticking out of the doorway.

The sight left Jango dumbfounded. He had never encountered anything like this before.

When Fang Bo was finally shaken awake by a punch from one of the Titans, the vice-captain understood what the man had done.

“Interesting,” Jango chuckled, clapping his hands in amusement. “Congratulations. From now on, you’re an official member of the Black Cat Pirates. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Jason.”

“Great, Jason. Before we begin work, how would you feel about helping me tidy up this office?”

“I’d be happy to, sir.”

[You have successfully joined the Black Cat Pirates.]  

[Jango’s favorability towards you +20.]

Seeing the unexpected favorability boost, Fang Bo began to realize how important it was to pay attention to interactions with plot characters.

Each character had their own personality, and every world carried its unique tone. Going along with this flow could bring twice the results with half the effort.

Had he behaved rudely or disrespectfully earlier, he likely wouldn’t have received Jango’s 20 favorability points.

Fang Bo hadn’t even considered that his other trait, *Artistic Aura*, might have contributed. As a hypnotist, Jango was something of an unconventional artist, which could explain why he felt an affinity towards Fang Bo, who possessed a similar aura.

If he worked hard at building favorability, Fang Bo might even be able to inherit some of Jango’s abilities.

Canceling the summoning of the Titans, Fang Bo left the dilapidated office. He figured someone else could take care of the repairs—his priority was returning to complete his trade with the other Reincarnators.

On the way, a task completion prompt appeared, signaling that the rewards for the mission were now available.

[Side Quest: Join the Black Cat Pirates (Completed).]  

[You have earned 80 plot points.]  

[You have earned 20 Pirate faction reputation points.]  

[Achievement Unlocked: Pirate – You have received the title “Pirate.”]  

[Pirate II achievement unlocked: Become a core member of a pirate crew.]  

[Path of Crime achievement unlocked: Complete 0/5 plundering missions.]

Pirate: You can now use the “Plunder” ability to increase Pirate faction reputation.

As Fang Bo reviewed the notifications, his eyes lit up.

The *Plunder* function was essentially a way to steal weapons and equipment from plot characters. 

While the stolen items couldn’t be used by Reincarnators, they could be gifted to other plot characters to enhance the pirate crew’s overall strength.

In simple terms, it was a function designed to help develop plot factions. Without it, non-treasure chest items and equipment couldn’t be looted by Reincarnators.

“Nice, this *Plunder* ability might let me snag some really good loot.”

As one of the top pirate forces in East Blue, the difference in power between the major players wasn’t too large. Kuro was known for his speed and cunning, while Krieg relied purely on numbers and defense.

If Fang Bo could find a way to break Krieg’s golden armor, taking down the Pirate Admiral might be possible.

And if Krieg were defeated, the treasure chest reward would surely be incredible.

Two main problems now lay before him: 

First, how to break through Krieg’s golden armor. 

Second, how to deal with Krieg’s enormous crew of 5,000 pirates.

Lost in thought, Fang Bo left the *Bezan Black* and returned to where the other Reincarnators were anxiously waiting.

“Well? Did you make it?” Old Cat asked, visibly excited.

“Yeah,” Fang Bo nodded casually, turning to face the group. “The side quest reward is 80 plot points and 20 Pirate faction reputation. Go ahead, make your offers.”

The group exchanged glances before hastily scribbling down their bids on slips of paper. 

Since private messaging wasn’t allowed in plot worlds, they had to use this old-school method to avoid revealing their funds.

“200 plot points. Let’s be friends, what do you say?”

“160 plot points, plus a piece of chocolate that restores HP.”

“How about 180 plot points? I’ll throw in a big secret for free.”

It was clear that these three were trying to lowball Fang Bo.

Even without considering the side quest rewards, the *Bloodstained Captain’s Cloak* alone could grant a significant reputation boost with the Pirates. Not to mention, it saved time searching for another pirate crew.

Joining the Black Cat Pirates meant reaping future rewards, and the value of those benefits far exceeded 200 plot points.

Without a word, Fang Bo ripped the slips of paper to shreds, making his stance on the lowball offers clear.

Seeing this, the remaining two Reincarnators hesitated before rewriting their bids.

“320 plot points, plus a white-grade glove that boosts attack speed.”

This person mistakenly thought Fang Bo was a close-combat specialist based on the omni-directional mobility gear on his waist. But attack speed wasn’t a priority for him. Adding strength was far more effective.

Still unimpressed, Fang Bo remained silent.

Finally, the last bidder took a deep breath and passed over his slip of paper.

“450 plot points, plus a white-grade ring.”

Now *that* was more like it. This was closer to what Fang Bo had been expecting.

The others might not understand, but Fang Bo knew that the Black Cat Pirates’ hidden missions were extremely lucrative. Kuro’s *Retirement Plot* alone could make someone filthy rich.

A quick stop by Usopp’s village could yield a treasure trove of rewards.

Tossing the *Bloodstained Captain’s Cloak* to the highest bidder, Fang Bo smiled. “It’s yours.”

Watching the man happily board the ship, the Reincarnator who had made the lowest offer couldn’t help but grumble, “Hmph. The mission limit is a week. I bet I’ll find a better pirate crew than Black Cat by then.”

He wanted to say more, but when he met Fang Bo’s gaze, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head, bringing him to his senses.

This guy had passed the test and even acquired an item that bypassed the entry conditions. Clearly, he wasn’t someone to mess with.

After venting a little, the man decided it was best to keep quiet. He wasn’t confident he’d survive an altercation with Fang Bo.

Once everyone had left, Fang Bo picked up the ring and examined it.

[Name: Fine Ring  

Grade: White  

Type: Ring  

Durability: 10/10  

Attribute Boost: Spirit +1  

Usage Requirement: Spirit 5, Perception 5  

Effect: None  

Origin: Goblin Slayer  

Item Description: This worthless trinket doesn’t even have a special effect—what were you expecting?]

“Yeah… nothing special.”

Although the ring wasn’t powerful, it suited Fang Bo’s current needs. He was short on spirit-boosting equipment.

Spirit: 17 (+4)

With *Mental Shock* plus bullet fire, he could easily chip away at an enemy’s HP in one round. Combined with a summoned creature’s focused attack, squishy Reincarnators wouldn’t stand a chance.

Flipping through his attribute list, Fang Bo recalled the hypnotic scene he’d experienced earlier.

“If I can use mental energy to unleash a *Mental Shock*, maybe I can learn some of Jango’s hypnosis techniques?”

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