Chapter 2: Snake Fang and the First Ticket
The tavern reeked of sweat, spilled beer, and something that smelled suspiciously like dead fish. Ayman wrinkled his nose and stayed low in the corner, eyes flicking between the gossiping locals and the dimly lit hallway that led to the backroom.
That was where she was.
Salia the Snake Fang. Bounty: 600,000 berries. Wild temper. Knife lover. Rumored to have bitten a man's ear off for looking at her sword.
Ayman took a sip of his drink. It was still awful. Worse than the water he drank earlier off the broken plank. But he needed to keep up appearances.
"So," he muttered under his breath. "I'm on an island filled with nobodies… and one crazy pirate woman. All I have is my brain, my system, and maybe a death wish."
The system screen blinked softly in the corner of his vision.
[Mission: Defeat Salia the Snake Fang (Bounty 600,000 berries)]
[Status: Active]
[Reward: 1 Gacha Ticket]
He leaned forward, pretending to rub his face, and whispered, "What do you mean by 'defeat'? Do I need to knock her out? Trick her? Sell her to Marines?"
[Victory condition: Any action that directly results in her arrest, death, or confirmed defeat counts as mission success.]
[Note: Indirect strategies are allowed.]
He grinned. "Perfect."
Now he just needed to figure out how to make a woman with a sword fetish and zero impulse control walk straight into a trap.
He waited until dusk.
The village was small—so small that the Marines didn't even have a full office here. Just two sleepy-looking guys who patrolled the dock and sat on crates all day. He'd already spoken to one earlier, pretending to be an innocent traveler.
"Snake Fang's on the island?" one of them had said, eyes widening. "You serious?"
Ayman had shrugged. "She's in the tavern. Back room. You could try knocking."
"We're not equipped to deal with her," the other Marine muttered. "She's got knives hidden in her shoes. Killed a bounty hunter last week."
So much for relying on justice.
But that was fine.
He didn't need their help. He needed bait.
And a little bit of luck.
Later that night, he returned to the tavern with a plan—and a freshly borrowed bottle of alcohol from behind the counter. The owner had passed out. Probably wouldn't notice it missing.
He walked quietly to the back hallway. The door to the pirate's room was closed. Voices inside. Loud laughter. One sounded like a drunken woman. The other… silence.
He knocked.
"What?" a sharp voice snapped.
He cleared his throat. "Complimentary drink. Owner said it's a gift. Premium bottle."
A pause.
Then the door creaked open.
The woman who appeared was not what he expected. Salia was tall and sharp-featured, with wavy black hair tied into a messy ponytail. Her eyes were narrow, and there was a tattoo of a snake curling down her left arm. Her shirt was unbuttoned enough to reveal a teasing glimpse of cleavage, and two daggers were tucked into her belt. She looked him up and down.
"You're not the bartender."
Ayman forced a shaky smile. "No, but I bring gifts."
He held out the bottle.
Salia snatched it and raised an eyebrow. "Cheap."
"But strong," he said quickly. "Good for a long night."
She smirked and turned around, letting the door swing open just enough for him to peek inside. A man was tied to a chair in the corner, gagged. Probably a bounty hunter who got too confident.
Ayman's stomach twisted. But he kept his face calm.
Salia turned back. "Thanks, delivery boy. Now get lost."
He gave a small bow. "Of course. Enjoy."
Then he walked away—slowly, carefully—and slipped out the front door. Once outside, he moved fast, ducking into an alley, heart pounding.
That woman was terrifying. If she suspected him of anything, he was done for. But if his memory was right, Snake Fang had a weakness. She liked playing with her targets before killing them. She drank too much. Got cocky.
And tomorrow morning, she'd be dragging that bottle-hangover into town.
Ayman just had to be ready.
He didn't sleep that night. Instead, he waited on the roof of the building across from the tavern, watching, planning, and hoping the system wasn't lying.
At dawn, it happened.
The door of the tavern burst open, and Salia stomped into the street, sword drawn. She looked like hell—hair wild, shirt half-buttoned, still holding her bottle. She was dragging the poor bounty hunter by one leg.
"I want breakfast!" she shouted. "And no one better look at me sideways!"
One of the Marines poked his head out from the dock. "Hey—hey! That's a wanted criminal!"
Salia turned and grinned.
The Marine immediately ducked back behind the crate.
But that was Ayman's moment.
He took a deep breath and yelled.
"Hey! Salia the Snake Fang! You left your panties behind!"
The entire street froze.
Salia stopped. Slowly turned her head.
"What," she hissed.
"You heard me!" Ayman shouted from the rooftop. "Pink. Lacy. Very unexpected."
She screamed. "I'll kill you!"
She sprinted toward the building, completely forgetting the tied-up bounty hunter and the Marines watching.
It was perfect.
As she reached the alley, Ayman triggered the trap he had set the night before. A pile of barrels—borrowed from behind the tavern—toppled from above, slamming into her. She cursed loudly, swords swinging, trying to slash her way free.
But then the Marines moved in.
Someone had called for reinforcements, and a squad of six arrived just in time. They swarmed her, and for all her fury and knife skills, Salia was still drunk and disoriented.
Within minutes, she was bound and unconscious.
Ayman, still perched on the roof, let out a long breath.
[Mission Complete: Salia the Snake Fang Defeated]
[Reward: 1 Gacha Ticket]
[New Option Unlocked: First Summon Available]
[Would you like to use 1 Gacha Ticket now?]
He smiled.
"Hell yes."
The screen shifted. A colorful wheel appeared, glowing brightly. It spun with a dramatic flourish, slowing down bit by bit, names and silhouettes flashing past.
Then it stopped.
A beam of golden light erupted beside him. He flinched, shielding his eyes. When the glow faded, a figure stood in its place.
Long black hair. A red and white kimono. A deadly aura and eyes like steel.
Ayman's jaw dropped.
"No way… Yoruichi?"
The woman blinked. Then gave a sly smile.
"Yoruichi Shihōin," she said smoothly. "Reporting for duty. You my new master?"
Ayman nodded numbly. "Uh… yeah. I guess I am."
She stepped forward, far too close for comfort, and poked his chest.
"You better be fun, master. Or I'm going to get bored."
He swallowed.
This… was going to be wild.
---
To be continued...