Echoes of Ragnarok – Episode 18: The Stormchaser – A New Navigator!

The Roadster rocked violently as a massive storm loomed over the ocean. Rain pounded the deck, and powerful waves threatened to capsize the small ship.

“Damn it! I can’t navigate in this mess!” Kai gritted his teeth, struggling to control the sail.

Beside him, Reizo held onto the mast, his expression calm but tense. “We need to find land or we’re dead.”

Just then, through the blinding rain, they spotted a small island in the distance. It was surrounded by jagged rocks, but it was their only hope.

“Hang on!” Kai yelled as the ship sped toward the island.

Shipwreck on Compass Isle

They barely made it. The Roadster crashed onto the shore, skidding across the sand before stopping near a dense jungle.

Kai groaned, pushing himself up. “Okay… that could’ve gone better.”

Reizo, already standing, looked around. “We need to fix the ship.”

As they gathered their supplies, they heard footsteps approaching. A group of men, dressed in torn sailor clothes, emerged from the jungle. They looked desperate.

“You two!” their leader, a burly man with an eyepatch, barked. “If you wanna live, hand over your food!”

Kai cracked his knuckles. “Oh? You wanna fight?”

But before Kai could attack, a female voice called out.

“Oi! Stop bullying the newcomers!”

A young woman stepped onto the scene, holding a weathered map in one hand and a compass in the other. She had short, wavy blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and wore a long coat over a white top and brown shorts.

The sailors froze. Their leader gulped. “Charlotte… we didn’t know you were here.”

Kai raised an eyebrow. “Charlotte?”

The girl smirked. “Yeah, that’s me. And you guys?”

“Kai. This is Reizo.”

Charlotte nodded. “Well, Kai, if you’re stupid enough to sail in a storm without a navigator, you’re lucky you landed here. I’m the best navigator on Compass Isle.”

Kai’s eyes lit up. “A navigator? Perfect! Join my crew!”

Charlotte blinked. “What?”

“You heard me! You seem cool, and I need a navigator. So, let’s go!”

Charlotte crossed her arms. “Hah! You think I’d just join any random pirate crew?”

Kai grinned. “Then let me prove I’m worth following.”

Charlotte studied him for a moment, then smirked. “Alright. Beat me in a race through the jungle. If you win, I’ll consider it.”

Kai grinned. “You’re on.”

And so, the challenge began—a high-speed race through the jungle that would determine if Kai’s crew gained its navigator.

Echoes of Ragnarok – Episode 19: Full Throttle Victory – The Navigator Joins!

The dense jungle of Compass Isle stretched before them, a twisting maze of towering trees, thick vines, and treacherous terrain. Kai and Charlotte stood side by side at the starting point—a large boulder near the beach. Reizo leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching with mild interest.

Charlotte grinned, spinning a compass on her finger. “Alright, the rules are simple. First one to reach the lighthouse at the top of the cliff wins. No shortcuts, no boats—just pure speed.”

Kai cracked his knuckles. “Sounds easy enough.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Hah! You say that now, but don’t cry when you lose.”

Kai smirked. “Nah, I’ll win. Let’s go!”

Charlotte pulled out a pocket watch. “Ready… set… GO!”

The Jungle Chase

The moment the race began, Charlotte shot forward like a bullet, effortlessly weaving through the trees.

Kai bolted after her, but she was fast—insanely fast. She didn’t just run; she glided over roots, leaped over fallen logs, and used tree branches to swing forward like a monkey.

Kai gritted his teeth. “Alright, let’s see how you handle this.”

He dug his feet into the ground, then launched himself forward.

“Gomu Gomu no… Turbo Dash!”

His rubbery legs stretched, propelling him ahead like a slingshot. In an instant, he caught up, running side by side with Charlotte.

She glanced at him, surprised. “Huh, not bad. But I’ve been running these paths since I was a kid.”

She suddenly jumped sideways onto a tree, kicked off a branch, and disappeared into a hidden shortcut.

Kai skidded to a stop. “Oi! That’s cheating!”

Her voice echoed from the trees. “I never said no shortcuts for me!”

Kai grinned. “Alright, then. I’ll just go faster.”

He took a deep breath and bent his knees. His legs started spinning—like wheels revving up.

“Gomu Gomu no… MOTOR SPRINT!”

With a blast of speed, Kai shot forward, bouncing off trees like a pinball. The world became a blur as he zipped through the jungle, gaining on Charlotte.

She burst out from her shortcut, thinking she had a lead—only to see Kai right beside her.

“What the—?!”

Kai grinned. “Told ya, I don’t lose.”

They both saw the lighthouse ahead, perched on the cliff’s edge. The finish line was just one final leap away.

Charlotte lunged forward. “This is it!”

But Kai had one last trick. He stretched his arms forward, grabbed a tree branch, and catapulted himself ahead.

“Gomu Gomu no… JET WHEEL DASH!”

He flipped through the air and landed on the lighthouse steps just a second before Charlotte.

Victory.

Kai laughed, hands on his hips. “Looks like I win.”

Charlotte panted, staring at him in disbelief. Then she chuckled. “Well, I’ll be damned… You really are fast.”

Kai grinned. “So? A deal’s a deal. Join my crew.”