Jake stared at the translucent screen hovering in front of him.
[Grace Lightborn wishes to join your crew!]
[Accept?]
His gaze slowly drifted from the glowing words… to the woman, Grace who was still clutching his hand tightly.
Her golden eyes shimmered with anticipation, almost too bright as if she feared that blinking might make the moment vanish.
Yet beneath that radiant hope lingered something else: a faint tremor, a quiet and fragile fear.
Jake's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed this.
'Fear?'
He couldn't help but wonder what had made her so nervous.
It was as if she had been rejected before... again and again until expecting it had become second nature.
Of course, he wasn't going to reject her.
Not only was she stunningly beautiful, she was also the first person his ridiculous class had reacted to, making her the perfect choice for his first crew member.
More importantly, Jake could sense that this might be his best opportunity to learn more about his unique abilities.
Following his instincts, Jake mentally selected [Accept].
[Ding!]
[Congratulations! Grace Lightborn has become your first crew mate!]
For a moment, Jake waited.
But he felt almost nothing change, except for one small panel that updated before his eyes.
[Crew (Pirate): None] → [Crew (Pirate): 1]
[Name: Grace Lightborn]
[Bond: 0 Star]
[Class: Fail Gunner (Trash)]+
[Strength: Pathetic]+
[Intelligence: Average]+
[Vitality: Below Average] +
[Agility: Pathetic] +
[Endurance: Average] +
[Luck: Pathetic]+
[Skills:]
Basic Combat Mastery (Passive – Lv.0) +
Shaky Aim (Passive) +
Delayed Trigger (Passive) +
Wild Shot (Lv.0) +
Faulty Maintenance (Passive) +
Light Manifestation (Lv.0)+
_
_
_
Jake's gaze lingered on the skill list, his expression slowly turning complicated.
'Ah. Now it makes sense.'
Now he understood why Grace had looked so fearful.
Her class… her stats… even her skills…
They were practically screaming one thing.
Trash.
No wonder she had looked like she was bracing herself for rejection.
Who would want someone like this on their crew?
His eyes drifted back to the skill names, and his lips twitched faintly.
Shaky Aim? Delayed Trigger? Wild Shot?
"…That's rough," he muttered under his breath.
It wasn't just beginner level.
These skills sounded like they were actively working against her, making her even worse.
The whole thing was so pathetic it wasn't even funny.
She wasn't just weak... her abilities were a complete mess.
But then Jake noticed the strange "+" mark next to her stats.
Curious, he reached out with his mind and tried to tap it.
[Ding!]
[Insufficient Upgrade Points!]
Jake gave the notification a strange look.
Instead of feeling disappointed, a spark of satisfaction rose in his chest.
That single message had already revealed several important clues about his unique class.
Still, now wasn't the time to experiment further.
He had a more immediate problem to handle.
He exhaled quietly and rubbed the back of his neck before turning his attention back to Grace.
She was still watching him closely and waiting.
He could see the faint tension in her shoulders and the way her fingers curled slightly, as if bracing herself for the worst.
But just as he was about to give her the good news, Jake's eyes flickered as a thought reached him.
Or rather… a lesson his father had once drilled into him.
'Looks can mislead and first impressions deceive. Remember son,... people are oceans of untapped potential, not mere reflections on the surface. And sometimes, noticing even the smallest detail can help you decide far more than you expect.''
With that thought, Jake let out a quiet sigh and decided to test her a bit.
"Why should I accept you as my crew?" he calmly asked.
At his words, Grace hurriedly replied, "I-I can help you with weapon maintenance!"
Jake remained silent as his gaze drifted to her skill list... specifically the one named [Faulty Maintenance].
He didn't mention it.
"Is that all?" he asked calmly again.
Hearing Jake's lukewarm response, Grace began to panic.
This… might be her only chance.
Her only way to escape this place... to finally step out and see the world.
Desperate, she blurted out, "I-I can do more than that!"
Her voice rose slightly, trembling with urgency. "I can cook! Clean! Organize things! I… I won't be useless!"
When Jake remained silent, her heart sank deeper into panic.
Her breathing grew uneven.
"I.. I..!"
Seeing her pitiful state, Jake couldn't bear it any longer and gently cut her off.
"No need to explain yourself," he said. "I'll decide based on just one question… so answer truthfully."
Grace nodded frantically, her golden eyes wide with desperation as if clinging to a lifeline.
"Please ask me anything!"
Jake nodded and asked casually,
"What is your class?"
It was a simple question.
One that shouldn't have required even a second of thought.
Yet for Grace... she froze.
The light in her eyes wavered as her expression tightened, and conflict surfacing almost instantly.
One by one, unpleasant memories clawed their way back to the surface...
'Haha! To think a child of Sir Joseph would possess such a trash class… what a disgrace.'
'Get out! You are nothing but a stain on this family!'
'Oh? This worthless girl dares to talk back? It seems you need to learn your place.'
Each voice echoed in her mind, sharp and suffocating... dragging her back into a past she could never quite escape.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Those voices… those looks…
They had never really left her.
Standing before her, Jake remained silent, simply watching.
He had no idea what kind of storm was raging behind her eyes.
To him, it had been a straightforward question.
After seeing her status, he had already formed a rough understanding of his unique class.
Whether her stats were poor or her skills were flawed… it didn't matter.
What he needed…
…was loyalty.
Or at the very least, someone who wouldn't lie to their captain on their first encounter.
And this was the simplest way to test it.
Time dragged on in silence.
Then, at last, Grace seemed to make her decision.
Her gaze lowered, and she turned her face slightly away, unable to meet his eyes.
"My class is called.. Gunner," she said softly, "...A common class."
"…"