Lucy leaped down through the hole, flying toward the giant spider. Without warning, the thing gazed up at her and swung its long left arm at her.

Whack!

The slap sent Lucy off her targeted direction, sending her straight to the ground. She crouched so her rear could hit the grass instead of her head. Still, it hurt like getting smack by a frying pan.

Lucy Longsilver HP: 165/170

"Bollocks!" Lucy rose and rubbed her butt. The spider must be a very sensitive creature. Perhaps Byron's suggestion was wrong, or her stealth expired the moment she jumped from the top. If she has pistols, she could shoot the bloody thing off its web.

The giant spider leaped off its web and crawled toward her. It appeared the spider just found a worthy prey.

Lucy sipped her health potion and tossed the empty bottle so she could point her blade toward the creature with her legs spread out.

Lucy Longsilver HP: 170/170

The spider spread its long legs out too, hissing at her as drool dripped from its pincers. Was it mimicking her?

Lucy wasn’t sure if her fencing skill could work against a creature. But if she could block its pincers and dodge its attacks, she won’t take another damage that could lower her chance to survive.

“Wi coming Lucy!” Tashina and Byron charged toward the spider, but the creature shot two balls of web at them.

After they got hit, they flew backward and hit a tree. The web spread all over their bodies, sticking them to the tree.

“We can’t move!” Byron shouted.

Lucy leaped from the spider’s other spit. It hit next to her, leaving a small web on the ground. If Lucy gets webbed by the spider, it would be all over for her and her companions. She must not let that happen.

The spider swung its left leg, and Lucy slashed it.

Giant Spider HP: 83/100

The spider squealed and crawled backward. However, it didn’t retreat.

Lucy charged, aiming her blade toward the spider’s head. It fledged and parry her attack, although it took some damage.

Giant Spider HP: 66/100

Lucy smiled. No matter if the monster tried to block her, she could still hurt it. The spider was not so clever after all.

She sprinted up close to strike for its head. But the spider spat another web ball into her chest, sending her straight into a tree.

Splat!

While her back was against the tree, the web spread across her body, leaving her head, arms, and feet out. She could barely move as the strong sticky silk kept her in one place.

I’m stuck! She could only move her arms, which still gave her leverage to attack. However, she was now very vulnerable to the spider.

The creature crawled toward her and hissed in her face. Its drool sprayed across her cheeks and its breath smelled like acid.

She closed her eyes, avoiding the spider’s hideous face. “Get off me, foul beast!”

Blindly, she swung her cutlass down, hoping to hit something with flesh. To her surprise, the spider screamed through her ears.

You killed Giant Spider! You received 100 EXP!

Lucy watched the spider vanished in a flash, and then she fell to the ground after the webbing vanished too. Her friends landed next, including the parrot girl inside the giant log.

Sidequest completed! You received 1,000 EXP!

Tashina and Byron raced toward Lucy, and the panther helped her up. “Are you alright?”

Lucy nodded. “Yeah, that blasted thing almost had me. I should have saved my health potion before I killed it. I only got one left.”

“I believe the slavers have a few supplies at their outpost.”

“An wi cya ave spida soup now!” Tashina cheered while picking up the spider legs off the ground.

Lucy glanced at the log where the bird still laid inside. “Let’s check on her. I hope she is okay.”

“I wouldn’t keep that last health potion if she needed it,” Byron suggested.

Lucy dashed into the log and kneeled over the bird.

The parrot was kind of beautiful, with red feathers that sparkled like ruby stones across her body. Her arms were wings with feather blue hands above yellow and orange colors on her upper arms. Pink skin around her large eyes, and long black scaly legs with claws on her talon feet. Although naked, her feathers covered her chest and thighs like a dress. Not all birds preferred to wear clothing, depending on how much feathers coated them in public. Sometimes without clothes on, they could fly easily since no weight could push them down.

Lucy shook the bird’s right-wing arm. “Hello? Are you okay?”

The bird opened her big blue eyes and squawked, making Lucy fall back from her.

“Oh my goodness! Squawk!” She jumped onto her talons and glanced her around. “Where’s the spider? Where’s the spider? Squawk! Squawk!”

Lucy got up and held out her hands. “It’s alright! I got rid of it. You are safe.”

Kiki sighed. “Oh thank goodness…..” She rubbed her chest. “My heart was beating faster than a woodpecker. Squawk!”

“You are lucky we heard you,” said Byron, approaching the bird with Tashina. “It is rare a person at your level can survive from a spider.”

Kiki whirled herself around as if she was about to faint. “Ooooooooooh that would be horrible! Squawk!” She shook her head and smiled at the man and two women. “I'm Kiki, by the way. Who are you? Squawk!"

Lucy shrugged, not sure why the bird asked when she could see the names of Lucy, Tashina, and Byron's heads. Maybe it was a respectful thing for NPCs to ask other NPCs' names without sounding like they couldn't see the statuses at all.

"My name is Byron, and my female companions are Lucy and Tashina," the panther warrior answered.

Kiki widened her eyes. "Female companions? Squawk! You mean they are-"

"No, they are only my friends."

"Except me!" Tashina wrapped her arms around his waist. "Mi an him more dan friends. Heeheehee."

Byron snarled with his lips up as his cheeks blushed. "Please stop, Tashina."

Kiki rubbed the back of her head. "Oh well, I didn't mean to judge you but thank you for saving my life. Squawk!"

Lucy smirked and sheathed her cutlass. "Your welcome."

Tashina rubbed her small chin. "Wi cya aks weh yuh cum from?"

Kiki shivering while snapping her beak. "Ooooooooooooh! It was horrible! Squawk! I was just flying over the sea, minding my business. Then out of nowhere, a net caught me and dragged me to a slaver ship. Squawk! Those meanies stopped by here to collect more slaves while they locked me up in a cage. Squawk!"

She scratched her tiny nostrils above her beak. "But thank the winds, I picked the lock and ran away into the jungle. That is when I ran into the web, meeting the giant spider. Squawk!"

Tashina crossed her arms. "Yuh neva try flying away instead?"

"Nooooooo….." Kiki spread out her wings while frowning at the ground. "Those meanies chipped my wings to prevent that. Squawk! Luckily I am a fast runner. Yahoooo!"

"So you escaped from the slavers' outpost," said Byron, "we are heading there to free the other slaves from their captivity. They are holding my tribe against their will, preparing to sell them off."

"Squawk! That's good. If I knew rescuers were coming to everyone, I would have stayed. Squawk!"

"If you like, you can join us or continue where you are going," Lucy suggested.

The parrot looked around at the jungle outside the log. A ripple of shudder vibrated down her back. "You know, coming with you does sound like a good idea. Squawk! Especially how dangerous this island is."

"Eff yuh joining wi ow much useful yuh cya be?" Tashina asked, raising one of her eyebrows up.

Kiki rubbed her cheeks while looking down. "Uuuuuuuh-" she held up one feather finger. "I can scout! I'm good at scouting! Squawk!"

"But you said the slavers clipped your wings, Byron said, pointing his finger at Kiki.

"But I can still look around on foot! Squawk!"

"Can you explain what the outpost has when we get there?" Lucy asked.

Kiki nodded with a grin. "Yes! Yes! Squawk! I will be very happy to help if it means becoming a hero and-" she gulped- "staying away hungry monsters. Squawk!"

Lucy placed her hands on her hips, smiling with satisfaction. "Then you should also be happy to join my crew.”

Kiki scratched her head. “Squawk?”

“Lucy is building a pirate crew for her ship,” Byron explained. “My chief offered her his men if she helps free our tribe.”

Lucy smirked, showing her white teeth. “Technically, it isn’t my ship. It actually belongs to a friend of mine, Charles. We are only sharing it.”

“Squawk! What do I get in return if I join?” Kiki asked.

“Food, shelter, and protection against scoundrels.”

“Do you have Mongo fruit? I love Mongo fruit! Squawk!”

“We can get some at my village,” said Byron. “The fruit make great wine for our feasts.”

“Squawk!” Kiki flapped her wings up. “Mongo rum is good too! Squawk! Squawk!”

“Suh, yuh wi join fi wi crew?” Tashina asked.

Kiki nodded. “I will if I can have plenty of Mongo fruit!”

“Sure, and help us free the other slaves so we can return,” said Lucy.

“Yes! Yes! Squawk!”

Congratulations! You received a crew member. Collect more for your ship. Crew: 03

*****

“Ivy, do you have two mermaids?” Charles asked, staring at his cards in his hands over the table inside the navigation room.

“Nope! Go fish!” Ivy stated, keeping her face covered by her cards.

Charles sighed and drew one card from the deck.

Staying and watching his ship felt like a big mistake to him. When he was the captain, he never remained to watch his own vessel like a bodyguard. That was his crew’s job, but the only crewmate he has now been Ivy while the others left to visit the island. Of course, he needed to protect his own ship, but waiting for the others to return was very boring. And the sun was already setting behind the island. What was taking Lucy and Tashina so long?

“You know, Lucy is exquisite,” said Ivy with a grin. “I would carry her in my arms across the sea.”

Charles lowered his hand, glaring at the cat girl. “You know she probably likes men, right? Plus, you are young and not her species.”

Ivy giggled. “I know, but a girl like me can still fancy her to lose the stress at sea. Maybe I will change her mind. Hahaha!”

Charles gave off a soft growl. “Don’t even think about it.”

Ivy eyed Charles and stretched her grin. “You like her, don’t you?”

Charles gazed at her until he shrugged. “I will admit that. She is strong and full of potential. When I first met her, I tried to kidnap her to escape from the authorities. But she proved to be more of a pain than she was worth. However…..” He turned to the ceiling and smiled. “When I kissed her, I felt something warm inside of me, growing hot. There is something special about her that made me want to get to know her more.”

“Awwwwwwwww! Did you tell her your feelings yet?” Ivy asked while blushing.

Charles shook his head and glared at her. “How about you go back outside and check the perimeter! You don’t need to know my personal feelings!”

Ivy rolled her eyes and got up. “Geez, you are barnacles.”

After the tomboy left, Charles placed his cards down.

If Charles didn’t get arrested at Oyster Haven, he wondered if he could have taken Lucy anyway to become his bribe.

Nope! He wasn’t that type of man. Bedding women was one thing, but marrying them would end his career as a pirate. And as an outlaw, his family would suffer from the Empire’s wrath because of his treason.

But he will find the right moment to show his deeper feelings to Lucy. If her mind on vengeance consumes her quickly, perhaps they could start a new life together, as a pirate couple.

“Charles!” Ivy’s voice shouted. “Get out here, quick!”

“What now?” Charles marched out onto the stern castle deck, finding Ivy looking through the spyglass at something. “What is it, lass?”

Ivy handed him the spyglass. “Look!”

Charles took the spyglass and peeked through it. His mouth dropped. “Oh, no…..”