Inside the personal dimension of the Mirror Mansion...

  Jack stared at the floating system interface. The words [FATELESS THREAT ELIMINATED!] hung in the air like a neon sign.

  He rubbed his chin. "Fateless Threat..." He muttered.

  The term gave him much to think about. Jack knew he was a fateless being. An anomaly in the eyes of fate. And he wasn't the only one.

  What about the undead pirate captain they had just annihilated? Was he also 'Fateless' like him? Or, was the captain a creature designed to be a threat to handle fateless characters?

  Either way, the captain was now just a memory. He had turn into less than a pile of ash. Jack was the one who survived. The one who gained the victory reward.

  He turned his attention to the reward screen. Three choices...

  First was the [Flaming Undead Chariot].

  Jack snorted decisively. "Pass!" He muttered. It was obviously redundant.

  Jack Night, his human form, already had the [Lightning Hoverbike]. Jack Mystery could fly. And so could Jack Lantern. Racer Jack was a kamaitachi, who could definitely run faster than the chariot. As for Judge Jack? The rakshasa's weight would probably crush the chariot the moment he stepped onto its floorboards.

  Jack looked at the [Cursed Dragon Mount] option. This one gave him a pause. But only for a second.

  "A dragon is cool." Jack admitted. "But the word 'Cursed' is a deal-breaker."

  As usual, the system gave no details for the reward choices. He didn't know the specifics. What kind of curse did the dragon suffer? Would it damage its sanity? Would it affect the riders? Was the curse infectious?

  Jack might gamble when he had to. But, he wouldn't when there was another choice. Besides, he didn't really need a pet-mount that might decide to melt his head during a mid-air flight.

  The last choice was the [Eldritch Ghost Ship].

  "Now this..." Jack whispered. "... has potential."

  There was a drawback for this, of course. He didn't have a crew. And he wasn't planning on recruiting crew members anytime soon. He also had no plan to explore the sea yet.

  But the world was big. Elrush Kingdom was just one small piece of the puzzle. Eventually, he would need to explore the oceans.

  Well, he could do it just with his [Lightning Hoverbike]. But, having a bigger supernatural vessel that likely came with its own set of magical perks should be a great investment.

  He decisively tapped the [Eldritch Ghost Ship] option.

  The screen flickered. It didn't give him the boat right away. Instead, it exploded into a holographic 3D customization interface. Just like when he designed his devil puppet incarnation.

  "Design, huh? Let's make it a small and efficient ship." Jack decided.

  He didn't want a massive galleon or a multi-decked frigate. Managing a large number of crew sounded like a headache he didn't want to deal with. He selected the small sized layout. It was single-masted, fast, and nimble. A Sloop.

  He began to tweak the exterior. He chose a dark, weathered wood for the exterior hull appearance. Timber that looked like it had spent centuries at the bottom of a trench. These things looked rotten and easy to break. But looks could deceive. Especially when it was related to supernatural constructs.

  For the figurehead, Jack selected a screaming mermaid statue. A beautiful yet eerie mermaid, whose mouth was frozen in a silent, jagged wail.

  The sails were the color of a dark midnight. Purposefully shredded and tattered, yet held together by wisps of dark energy.

  "Needs more flair to make it spooky enough." Jack muttered.

  He added some visual effects to the ship. Parts of the hull, the deck, and the mast ignited with a cold, silent purple flame. A soft white mist began to spill from the gunwales. Pooling around the imaginary water line.

  Jack smiled in satisfaction. It was creepy enough now. It looked like a nightmare birthed from a sea captain’s delirium.

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  Then came the interior. Jack was done with 'spooky' when it came to his living quarters. He scrapped the cargo hold. His Mirror Mansion handled storage far more efficiently. He also deleted the cannon bays.

  "My steamrune shotgun can do better than cannons." He remarked.

  And then, he quickly amended. "After I fix it, of course." He had just remembered that his shotgun was broken. After all, he used it to block the undead captain's strike.

  Back to the ship interior... Jack remodeled the inside of the ghost ship into a comfortable luxury. He added several soundproofed cabins, a high-end kitchen, a library with mahogany shelves, and a sterile infirmary.

  He truly focused on comfort... plush carpets, enchanted lighting, and a bath-place with self-heating water. It was less of an explorer ship and more of a classic-themed, luxurious cruise ship.

  He did more alterations. Determined to turn the ghost ship into a truly convenient and comfortable vessel. Finally, once he was satisfied enough with everything, he finished the customization.

  The system chimed...

  [PERSONAL ARTIFACT ACQUIRED: ELDRITCH GHOST SLOOP]

  The ship vanished into his inventory. He couldn't summon it here. obviously. He would need a large enough body of water to do so.

  ...

  The following morning, there was a knock at the door of their hotel room. It was a courier from the Mercenary Union. Flanked by two city guards.

  They delivered a heavy looking leather bag. Inside were the rewards for their contribution to the city.

  Jack received it and brought it into the room. Tossing a decent amount of tips to the courier and guards.

  Inside, he sifted through the gold coins with a nonchalant attitude. Money was good. But it was just a tool.

  He found the two [Black Sapphire Tokens]. Thick metal cards. Black in color with a single picture of blue gem etched within the city's seal. These were more interesting. They were practically accesses to rare resources.

  He tossed them to Reina. And she caught them easily with a graceful flick of her wrist.

  "Keep those, Love." Jack said. "They'll make resource gathering easier next time we're back to Lonestone."

  "Alright, Dear." Reina replied. Smiling. She was just out of the bathroom and looked refreshed. Her long black hair was tied back in a practical ponytail.

  The final item was a leather-bound tome. It was the [Advanced Steamrune Engineering Notes]. The one Jack considered the most precious among the rewards.

  Jack sat on the edge of the bed and began to read. Rune perched on his shoulder. Joining him reading the notes.

  Most people would have spent months deciphering the complex diagrams and esoteric formulas inside. But Jack's mind was quite different. The information clicked into place like the gears of a clock very quickly.

  After two hours of silent reading, the system notification flashed in his eyes.

  [SKILL ACQUIRED: STEAMRUNE EXTRACTION]

  Jack smiled. He finally leveled up his Steamrune Engineer class. He focused on the new entry. He activated [Eyes of Judgment] to see the information.

  [Steamrune Skill: Steamrune Extraction. The ability to surgically dismantle non-living objects to harvest specific components or elemental energies without damaging the core structure. Can be used on corpses, mechanical constructs, enchanted artifacts, natural minerals, and regular objects.]

  "Finally..." Jack whispered. "No more smashing things with a hammer and hoping for the best."

  This skill wasn't as great as the one he wanted, the [Steamrune Division] which separated objects into its more basic elements. But it was good enough. It would allow him to extract useful components from raw materials, broken machines, or ancient relics. Useful for material gathering.

  Unlike with the [Steamrune Division], using [Steamrune Extraction] would still leave waste materials. But, it was acceptable.

  ...

  Jack, Rune, and Reina didn't stay in Sapphire City for long. They returned back to Lonestone Capital City that night. Using the [Nine-Anchor Portal Ring] to teleport to their home just before midnight.

  Lonestone, the vibrant capital of the Elrush Kingdom, was the same as usual for them. The familiar rhythm of their lives resumed. Charity activities and information gathering for Reina. Completing multiple projects in the workshop for Jack Night.

  And, as Jack was back in Lonestone City, the vigilante kamaitachi and the invisible spirit of judgement were also back in action.

  For four days, life was back to their regular routine. But on the fifth day...

  There was a knock on their front door. Followed by some more knocks in rhythmic sequence.

  Jack opened the door to find a familiar man. A tall, broad-shouldered man with weathered face and sharp eyes. He was wearing old leather coat. A lute case was strapped to his back.

  It was Barnaby. The transcendent lute player Jack and Reina were acquainted with during the Symphony Garden Trials.

  "Barnaby!" Jack said with a wide smile. "Nice to see you."

  Barnaby didn't offer a celebratory greeting. He looked weary. "Jack! Reina! I wish I were here for a drink and a jam session. But I really need help now."

  "Come in, first." Jack opened the door wide and gestured him to enter.

  Barnaby followed him into the living room. Refusing the tea Reina offered. He stood by the window. Looking out at the soot-stained streets of Lonestone.

  "There is a devil moving into the city. Or more likely, returning to the city." Barnaby began. His voice was solemn. "My partner and I hunted him for weeks. This devil uses a demonic flute. He calls himself the Piper of Golden Haven."

  Jack crossed his arms. "Sounds like a bad stage name. What's his game?"

  "Desperate parents..." Barnaby said. Turning to face them. "People crushed by debt. People living in the slums. He offers them a pact... something he calls... a song of prosperity. He plays his flute, and suddenly, gold coins appeared. True coins, not illusionary glamor. At least, not a common illusion."

  Reina frowned. "There is always a price with devils. Gold never comes for free."

  "The price is steep." Barnaby agreed. "A few days after the gold appears, the music returns. But this time, their children disappeared. The Piper took them as an exchange for the gold."

  Jack's eyes narrowed. He wouldn't care too much if the devil messed with the ones who received gold. But messing with kids...

  "How many victims?" He asked in serious tone.

  "Thirty in the last month." Barnaby said. "From two towns and five villages. We've tracked him here, to Lonestone. But then, my partner is missing. I can't contact her at all since the day before yesterday."

  Jack looked at Reina. "Looks like we have a case to handle here, Love."