83 Vol 2. pt. 20 Patch 4.0: The First Round (2/2)

The crowd outside of the dome and the crews within it both cheer.

”You have two hours to catch as many fish as you can! There are almost two thousand crews participating in this first round, and we expect most of you to be sitting at the bottom of the ocean by the end of it! The top twenty ships to survive and catch the most fish will be moving onto the second round!” the announcers explains.

”Wait – seriously? Only twenty out of two thousand ships are going to make it to the next round?” Fenrir asks.

”That many ships on the water at once – my steering isn't going to be enough if you don't want to hit anything. It's going to be ship-to-ship out there. A thousand could sink and it's still going to be congested,” Oleander says.

”This is what happens when you don't restrict how many people can sign up,” Cassiel adds on. ”But if you do, players complain, so instead this ends up happening.”

”Tabs, you make any of those carcass shots?” Fenrir asks.

”Only finished a couple of 'em, and they'll be way too dangerous to use with how busy it's gonna be out there,” Tabitha answers.

”Yeah, I'm not a fan of starting some uncontrollable fire that spreads between all the ships. I just want to take down that prick's ship.”

”What's the plan?” Oleander asks.

”There are no rules for this first round! You may fight, you may steal, player kill, and you may use whatever tricks you have – anything goes! Now, put on a show for the King of Pirates and all of those whom have gathered to watch you compete! Begin!” the announcer declares.

The cheering is almost loud enough for Fenrir not to be able to hear himself think.

Ships launch from the piers all around them and head out onto the water.

It takes less than ten seconds for volleys of cannon fire to erupt.

One stray cannon shot shoots right past The Shoebill and collides into the dome erected around them, instantly vaporizing the shot.

”Guess that explains why a miniature war is allowed in the middle of the city,” Fenrir says.

”Captain, what are we going to do?” Corwin asks.

With a roll of his shoulders, Fenrir picks up Rod, walks over to the side of the ship facing away from the pier they are docked at, and drops his line into the water. ”We fish,” he answers.

”Right here?”

”Why not? No point in leaving the pier right now. It's the safest spot from everybody else, we won't be jammed between hundreds of other ships, and all the fighting and movement out there is going to scare all the fish away from the center where everybody else will be at.”

Corwin looks around and sees a few dozen other ships near their section of the piers doing the same thing. Jax's The Weeping Tit is one of them.

Serra and Cassiel pick up their rods and stand next to Fenrir.

”Are you not worried about being a still target?” Corwin asks.

”The only ones able to easily shoot us right now are the others staying over here, and I'd bet you money that they're in this for the fishing instead of the fighting. So, let's get ourselves a nice lead on the fish count, and then we'll see what the situation is like out there,” Fenrir explains.

Corwin picks up his rod and walks over to them. ”If you believe that this is the best course of action, then I will have faith in you.”

”And what are we supposed to do while waiting?” Oleander asks.

Now that Fenrir thinks about it, he probably should have bought a few more fishing rods so that the others could help out or at least to use as spares.

”Uhh,” Fenrir tries thinking of an answer. ”We can take turns?”

”This why I hate fishing. Too boring,” Bonekraka groans.

”If ya don't mind, I'll be layin' at the bow gettin' some sun,” Tabitha says.

Another cannonball flies by the ship's mast and slams right into the electric dome. While everybody else flinches from it, Tabitha slips down the goggles that are usually on her forehead and secures them around her eyes before sprawling out on the deck next to her still-covered contraption.

”High power level,” Serra whispers to Fenrir.

”Yeah, she's definitely got a high one,” Fenrir says, looking at the orange-haired loli kicking her feet with her hands behind her head as a miniature war rages before them.

Cassiel's rod is the first to get a tug. ”Got one!” she announces.

Fenrir and Serra return their attention to their own rods.

He sees dozens of fish swimming beneath the water and more are arriving every minute to escape the disturbances near the center of the dome.

With cannons firing, players shouting and screaming, and nearby crews cheering with every catch they make, Fenrir couldn't ask for a better environment to fish in.

One of the fish below takes a bite out of his lure. Jerking his rod in the opposite direction that it is swimming in, he successfully hooks it and begins the fight to reel it in!

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A fiery determination fills his eyes, and both of the girls can see it just by taking quick looks at him.

The depressed, angry boy from yesterday has been replaced by the determined, fiery man that they both fell for. Just looking at his eyes fills them with confidence that they are going to win this tournament. At this moment, not a single other soul is as determined as him to win.

His competitive side has been brought out in full, and now he will show the sort of confidence and determination that was required to lead one of gaming's most notorious groups.

Catch fish. Sink that annoying bastard's ship. Win the tournament. Save Nell.

That is his plan, and it is a plan that he has no intention of failing.