Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse
Chapter 117: Horde

“Captain?” Jack said, knocking on the door. As the captain had only called him, he’d left Brock behind. “It’s Jared.”

“I know. Come in.”

Jack pulled the handle, opening the door. The captain’s cabin was a tidy mess of color. The walls were built to resemble polished wood, as were the floor and ceiling. A small window was at the side, circular and made to look like a fenester.

The floor was covered by a sideways, oblong carpet of concentric rings. Finally, an old lamp hung from the ceiling, flickering with yellow light.

Trophies mounted the walls, most of them parts of monsters the captain had personally slain. There was also a cupboard with souvenirs whose significance eluded Jack—a snow ball, a rusty gear, a miniature of a ship, a little doll, and many others.

At the back of the office stood a solid, heavy-looking, wooden desk, and behind it sat Captain Dordok, lounging on a wide chair and scribbling on a parchment with a feathered quill. He raised his gaze as Jack walked in.

Jack took this in all at once. “You asked to see me, captain?”

“Yes. Take a seat.”

The captain seemed to be in an excellent mood. His square teeth flashed a smile, his orange skin was shiny, and his one eye glimmered with joy.

Oh no. Did Vlossana get to him, too?

Jack grabbed one of the two chairs before the desk and made himself comfortable.

“Are you enjoying the trip, Jared?” the captain asked.

“As much as I can,” Jack replied cautiously. “The view still awes me, the company is pleasant, and cultivation is a good way to pass the time.”

“I’m surprised to hear that. Not many enjoy cultivation. They find it a tedious, boring, exhausting experience that sucks them dry for little to no benefit.”

“Is the strength to crush mountains a little to no benefit?”

The captain smirked. “It can seem so. Most people have to spend decades on a single insight, going over the same thoughts again and again to find one tiny mistake. It drives them us crazy.”

Jack pictured that. It was not pretty.

“You see, Jared,” the captain continued, “not everybody advances at breakneck speed. Bless your lucky stars. And don’t waste your talents.” He blink-winked.

“Yes, captain,” Jack replied, puffing out his chest. He made a mental note to show off less. He didn’t want to attract any more attention than necessary.

“Good. But I did not call you here for that. I am happy that you’re enjoying your time on the Trampling Ram. I also find you satisfactory as a crew member, at least for now. Therefore, it is time to discuss your payment.”

“Payment? I thought taking me to the Belarian Outpost was payment enough. That’s what we’d discussed, no?”

The captain laughed. It was a deep, rumbling sound, like rocks rolling down a hill. It filled the little room and Jack’s heart all the same..

“I only said that to send you away, boy,” Dordok finally said, wiping away a large tear. “I did find it strange that you weren’t put off. Then again, you’re newly-Integrated; how could you know how things work?”

“I do lack experience, captain,” Jack replied, nodding.

“For a middle E-Grade guard, the normal fee is five thousand credits a month,” the captain explained. His eye shone with that glimmer of fierce intelligence again, the one that was usually hidden under carefree, simple-minded conduct. “I could give you more. However, given the circumstances of your arrival and the secrecy you carry, I believe that sticking to the five thousand is the fair choice.”

Jack considered denying the secrecy part, but there was no point. Plus, he really didn’t want to. His responsibility to his people might be stronger than his guilt, but the nicer the captain became, the harder it was for Jack.

“Absolutely, captain. In fact, we could even go lower. Truth is, I am in such a rush to reach the Belarian Outpost that I wouldn’t mind traveling for free.”

The captain shook his head. “We can’t have that. I take pride in being generous, and I can’t let a rut who’s still wet behind the ears spoil that. Five thousand it is.”

“Then, thank you, Captain,” Jack said, lowering his head in gratitude. A new pang of guilt seared his heart. The captain and everyone in the ship were being so good to him, and he was putting them all in danger to save himself.

But what choice did he have?

“No big deal,” Dordok replied, reclining in his chair. “Besides, you’re going to need that money soon.”

“I will?”

“You will. It’s been almost two weeks now, and we’re approaching our next stop: the Amethyst Mountain. Ever heard of it?”

Jack’s eyes shone. “No.”

“It’s a dock built at the top of a lush mountain. Pretty practical if you ask me, since starships come from the sky. It’s on Earth-321. And the town can be quite novel for young people such as yourself, so I’d recommend taking Vashter and Achilles and going for a stride. Maybe Vlossana, too—the girl could use some company.”

“Has she been pestering you too, captain?”

“Like you cannot imagine.” They exchanged a pain-filled gaze. “Thank the System you came along. At least I get some moments of peace now.” Jack’s gaze turned to one stunned by utter betrayal.

The captain laughed again, then continued. “As I was saying, you could use some fresh air after being cooped up in here for weeks. We’ll only stay for three hours, so I expect you to make the most of it.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Dordok must have seen the disappointment in his face. “I would normally dock for a couple days at least, but we’re booked for a fast trip. There’s no time to waste. I believe that coincides with your interests, as well?”

“It does,” Jack replied. “I can handle some isolation. Reaching the Outpost quickly is more important. I can just cultivate to pass the time. Besides, traveling in space isn’t that bad.”

“Of course it isn’t. In any case, our stop will be short and hopefully uneventful. If nothing goes wrong, we’ll be there in two hours.”

“Don’t say that, captain,” Jack replied, laughing. “What could possibly go wrong?”

A knock on the door interrupted whatever the captain was going to say next. “Bomn,” a voice came from outside.

“Come in,” Dordok replied.

Bomn entered the room. He looked even larger here. His horns scraped the ceiling, almost carving trenches in the captain’s woody paint, and his width almost matched the door’s. However, despite his size, the aura he exuded was one of calmness, like a still pond. Jack felt at peace.

It was the exact opposite of the bloodthirsty beast he became during battle.

Bomn nodded at Jack and the captain both, then took a seat opposite Jack. Unarmed, of course.

“Welcome, Bomn,” the captain said. “Jared here was just telling me he wants to see the mines under the dock on Amethyst Mountain. If you’re interested, you could take him, Achilles, Vashter, and Vlossana for a tour. The mines are too dangerous for just them.”

Bomn thought about it for a moment. “Okay.”

Not a man of many words, Bomn. But he was strong and kind-hearted. Jack still remembered how, on their departure from Pearl Bay, Bomn had traveled farther away than necessary before warping. It was to give Jack a chance to enjoy the scenery.

After traveling on the Trampling Ram for a while, Jack had realized there were two groups of people. The seniors, which included the captain, Bomn, and—more reluctantly—Count Plomer, and then were the rest of them. In theory, Bomn should be hanging out with the captain when they landed, not with the “kids.”

However, Jack had once been a PhD student—still was, technically—so he realized why the captain was putting Bomn in this position. He was training him to be the next captain—the first mate. If anything happened to Captain Dordok, Bomn would take over, and he ought to have the crew’s trust and loyalty by then.

Since he didn’t talk much, protecting and leading them through dangerous areas ought to do the trick. It was a bonding exercise.

“Very well,” Dordok said joyfully, clapping his hands. “That’s all. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed.”

“Actually,” Jack cut in, drawing both their gazes, “there is something I’ve been planning to ask you, Bomn. If you don’t mind.”

The minotaur inclined his head, giving Jack the go-ahead.

“Well, I’ve been struggling with a new skill recently, and I thought you could maybe weigh in a bit. It’s about inciting terror in your enemies, and well… I’ve seen you fight.”

The captain beamed at the suggestion. Since he was looking for ways to assert Bomn over the crew, this fit like a good shoe.

Bomn himself considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Come,” he said.

He stood and headed for the door. Jack threw the captain a hasty glance and a nod before following. Surprisingly, Dordok himself was behind them. Perhaps he was curious. Or bored.

They followed Bomn to the main room, seeing stars all around. Vashter was reclining on a chair, dozing off, but he jumped to his feet the moment everyone entered.

“Easy, Vashter,” the captain said, laughing. “Bomn has some things to show Jack.”

Vashter hesitated for a moment.

“I don’t mind you staying,” Jack said quickly. Bomn nodded too, and Vashter relaxed a bit, though he remained upright in his seat.

“What is this about?” he asked curiously.

Surprisingly, Bomn was the first to respond. “Bloodlust.”

Suddenly, gone was the calm Bomn. A beast stood before Jack, a minotaur drenched in the blood of his enemies and desperately thirsting for more. He was a monster of muscle and violence, a relentless slayer of men, a gigantic, bipedal, red-eyed bull. From the side, Vashter gasped, and the sound of a tumbling chair followed soon.

Jack didn’t expect the change to come so abruptly. Bomn’s pressure washed over him, a Dao far stronger than Jack’s, and he backpedaled for two steps before steadying himself.

His fists balled on reflex. His eyes widened. Power coursed through his veins, pumping him up. Though his heart shook like a leaf, he stood defiantly against Bomn’s presence like a tree to a storm.

A moment later, he caught himself. Bomn reverted to his normal self. “This?” he asked.

Jack had to blink a few times. His body was filled with tension like he was about to enter a battle. Bomn’s aura had been similar to the bare-chested man’s, but only to a degree. It was infinitely weaker. Jack could stand against it—though his heart was flooded by primitive fear, he hadn’t collapsed like the people did in the vision.

And there was also another difference, one that Jack couldn’t quite put his finger on, but he knew was important.

“Yes, kind of like this,” he finally replied. “But I was hoping to ask you some questions about the specifics, actually. You see, I have a Dao Vision about this skill, and—”

Something changed in the air. Jack’s skin stung with pinpricks. He turned around to find that Captain Dordok’s smile had been wiped off, and his eyes were dangerously narrow. The power of a D-Grade immortal rolled out of his body, most of it contained, but even the barest hints were enough to make Jack sweat.

For a moment, Jack thought the captain was participating in their demonstration. Then, he realized that his eyes were lost in the distant stars.

“Every hand on deck. Grab your weapons,” the captain said. His voice was projected over the entire starship. “We face a horde.”