Chapter Text
💚💙
Seonghwa’s world fell apart in seconds when he got that message.
Right then, he finally understood that running from your problems doesn't solve a thing. He had spent two years building a new life, balancing university and exhausting part-time jobs, convinced that distance was the perfect cure. But now, with his heart hammering against his ribs, he realized the truth, the agony that had forced him to run away was still there, untouched by time, as sharp as the moment he first walked out the door.
It was a simple message: 'Hello Seonghwa, how are you?' Nothing flashy, nothing that should have had the power to shatter his composure. It was the first contact in two years, and though he had practiced a thousand versions of this reunion in his head, he never imagined it would be like this, just a few harmless words on a glowing screen. Seonghwa knew there was no chance the past had been forgotten, as if it had never happened. Deep down, he understood the truth, the only reason his mother was contacting him was because she needed something from him. And perhaps, that was what terrified him the most, the hidden motivation behind her affection.
So Seonghwa did what he knew best, he ignored it. Locking his phone, he left it charging on the nightstand before doing something he might regret. First of all, Seonghwa needed to talk with the only person who could truly understand him, his childhood best friend, the only one who knew his past.
Turning on his PC, he opened Discord and scrolled through the long list of usernames until he found the only one that mattered: FriedChicken. Seonghwa called without asking because he knew his friend would answer even in the middle of an important match. Yeosang always complained and blamed him for the few treasures he managed to collect because of his interruptions, but he always answered no matter what.
"Hyung, seriously? I’m in a fight right now! We’re against the fucking Horizon!"
Seonghwa smiled, holding back a laugh at Yeosang's drama.
"Then it doesn't matter, because you're not going to win," he replied, adjusting his headphones and lazily logging into Iron Tides, the same game his friend was playing.
"Horizon doesn't always win," Yeosang reminded him. Seonghwa could practically hear him pouting, which made him want to laugh again. "A few months ago, they lost a fight against the Kraken."
"They only lost because their Quartermaster couldn't log in. Technically, I don't think that counts as a defeat," Seonghwa insisted. The server's loading screen was moving slower than usual, but he didn't mind. He always played solo, so team challenge rewards never mattered enough to him to actually join Yeosang's crew.
"Anyway, are you going to tell me what's going on? You called me out of the blue and started defending those Horizon tryhards... something is clearly wrong."
Yeosang always knew how to detect his bad mood, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He sighed in resignation while sailing his ship toward the area where the fight was taking place. Iron Tides was an MMORPG, so he could witness his friend being humiliated in real-time while talking about the last thing he ever wanted to discuss.
"My mom texted me," He preferred to tell the truth right away, like ripping off a band-aid and hoping it would hurt less that way.
The sound of cannon fire and crashing waves from the game suddenly felt like background noise. On the screen, Yeosang’s ship took a heavy hit from the other guild.
"Your mom?" Yeosang’s voice lost all its previous cheerfulness. "Seonghwa... she hasn't contacted you in years. What does she want now?"
"She just sent a simple 'Hi, how are you?'" Seonghwa said bitterly. "She hasn't said a word to me in two years, and now she acts like we're just chatting? I know her, Yeosang. She wants something."
The silence from Yeosang’s side, while Horizon slowly crushed his team, made Seonghwa feel guilty. He had completely thrown off his game.
"Don't text her back," Yeosang finally said, with a seriousness he rarely showed. Seonghwa could hear him smashing keys furiously, maybe trying to heal a crewmate in a desperate attempt to save the raid, or maybe out of pure rage over a situation he knew just as well as Seonghwa did. "I don't think it's a good idea, hyung."
Seonghwa felt a single tear escape, one he’d been holding back since the moment he read the notification. Two years ago, he had run away from a town that didn't understand him and a family that didn't accept him. No message, no matter how simple, could ever erase the pain in his heart.
"I don't think I should either," he whispered, his voice barely holding together. Even though a small part of him hoped Yeosang would say her message was genuine, they both knew better. "Let's... let’s just pretend I didn't say anything, okay? I’ve already ruined your game enough as it is."
"Hyung, you know damn well there isn’t a single match more important than you," Yeosang reminded him firmly, as he always did when Seonghwa tried to shut everyone out. "I’m just trying to stop you from falling into the mental state you were in when you left, and honestly? Texting her back right now is a one-way ticket to doing exactly that.
A sad smile formed on his lips “I know, Sangie. Thank you.” And he truly meant it. The world had put him through a lot, but it had made up for everything by giving him Yeosang.
"Alright, quit the overthinking. It's just your brain being dramatic and negative as always. Just watch Horizon put us out of our misery," he said, hoping to lift the heavy atmosphere just as the last cannonball hit a critical spot on Yeosang’s crew ship. It was a total wipeout.
Fighting back a laugh over his friend’s defeat, Seonghwa ran his fingers along the frame of his monitor, admiring his sleek silver ship on the screen. Discovering Iron Tides had been an accident, but the moment he started playing, something inside him just clicked. Growing up, pirates were always the 'bad guys', the villains of every story. They were fugitives on the run, and for the first time, he felt right at home among them.
It wasn’t just about the graphics or the rush of the battles. For Seonghwa, Iron Tides was his sanctuary. He’d been drawn to the pirate aesthetic, men and women living on the fringes of a world that didn’t want them, people who valued freedom over any imposed rule. Out at sea, it didn't matter who you loved or how different you were, all that mattered was loyalty to your crew and the horizon ahead. Being a pirate in the game was the only way he could breathe without feeling the crushing weight of the expectations he’d left behind in his hometown.
And Yeosang, who already loved videogames, was so hyped to join him. The moment Seonghwa mentioned Iron Tides, he didn't hesitate for a second to make an account, and they’ve been playing together in their free time ever since.
"Hyung, you there?" Yeosang was still trying to get his attention. "At least cheer me up. We got completely destroyed and they don't even have a quartermaster! That BlackCat guy and those damn cannon shots…
That sparked a flicker of curiosity in Seonghwa. "Hmm... any idea what happened to their quartermaster? Do you think they kicked him out after that Kraken mess?"
"From what I’ve heard, BlackCat was furious about his lack of commitment to the team. He was always looking for a way to steal the Captain’s spot," he explained. It was common knowledge that BlackCat was the only member of Horizon who actually interacted with the rest of the server. The other members were incredibly reclusive, staying confined on their ship and only heading into cities for errands or side quests. They almost never replied to anyone, no matter how hard people tried to get their attention.
Horizon was the top-ranked guild on their server. Their coordination was unmatched, and they ran their ship with military precision, never questioning the captain's call. No other team could match that level of teamwork. To Seonghwa, it was obvious that the main reason teams in Iron Tides disbanded was because people couldn't stand being told what to do. Most guilds dissolved within months once the infighting began. Because of that, Seonghwa had never wanted to be part of a team.
"Hm… that makes sense," he admitted. "Anyway, now that you've finally lost, let's head back to port. I need to buy some sails."
Yeosang let out a sigh. "Hyung, I need to go say goodbye to my crew and switch ships first. I'll be right back." He quickly disconnected from the call, leaving him in a bored silence.
Seonghwa leaned back, his eyes wandering across the digital ocean, until something caught his eye. A group of ships was lurking behind jagged rocks, waiting. It didn't take long for him to realize they were positioning themselves for an ambush, and judging by their formation, the target of their attack could be none other than Horizon's ship.
Seonghwa watched as Horizon tried to react, but their defensive line was flawed. They were fresh out of a battle, far from their best, and just as Yeosang had said, they didn't have a Quartermaster.
The angle is all wrong, he thought. His inner perfectionist was screaming at him to fix the mistake. Without thinking, he opened the global chat and typed:
[Global] SilverBlade: Heading is wrong! Turn 5 degrees to the right, NOW!
His message sat there, a solitary line of red text amidst the spam of trade offers and insults.
[Global] ImKnight: shut up newbie, horizon doesn't need your help lol.
Seonghwa clenched his mouse, ignoring the trolls. He watched as enemy ships emerged from behind the rocks, their cannons glowing with the charge of a skill. But Horizon didn't hesitate. As if they had been waiting for his command, the ship banked hard to the right, landing every single hit with lethal precision, destroying the weak enemy boats.
"I'm back, did I miss any…" Yeosang stopped mid-sentence. On the screen, the Horizon ship had just done a high-speed drift, barely missing the shots that would have sunk them instantly.
"Holy... did you see that?" Yeosang shouted. "They just dodged it really clean! And wait... Hyung, is that your name in the global chat?"
Seonghwa couldn't even find his voice to reply. He was so overwhelmed by his mother's message that he’d acted in a way that just wasn't like his normal self. It was the first time he’d ever posted in the global chat for something other than a trade.
"I don't know… it didn't feel right. It was three ships against one," he said, not feeling very sure of himself. "I'm just tired of them always doing the same thing."
In that moment, as he tried to gather his thoughts, he realized that what surprised him most wasn’t his own decision, but the fact that Horizon actually seemed to have listened to his idea.
"No way... you actually got noticed by Horizon! I'm so jealous right now," Yeosang shouted, as if he could read his mind.
"Weren't you just calling them tryhards and whining about them like thirty minutes ago?" he replied, used to how quickly the younger boy could go from hating Horizon to loving them.
"Because they are! But even you have to admit they’re amazing to watch, just like celebrities!"
Seonghwa couldn't help but snort at that. "Whatever you say. Let’s head to the port, I really need those sails."
They headed to the port, trying their best to push aside the tension of what had just happened. Seonghwa quickly bought the sails and said goodbye to Yeosang. He still had dinner to cook and his bag to pack for tomorrow’s classes. That was the original plan before his mother’s message turned his whole world upside down.
He walked into the kitchen, thinking about the fact that in a few days, Yeosang would be arriving to start his freshman year, and the silence of the apartment would finally be gone. After years of dealing with loud roommates, having the place to himself felt surreal. Seonghwa looked at his half-empty moving boxes. Despite the mess, this small corner of Seoul already felt more like home than any of the cramped rooms he’d lived in before.
With that thought, he set out to cook, filled with a renewed energy quite different from his previous anxiety.
Hours later, before turning off the lights, Seonghwa’s gaze fell once more on his phone resting on the nightstand. The screen stayed dark, but the memory of his mother’s message felt heavy in the silence. With a sigh, he lay down and closed his eyes, trying to let the quiet of the room drown out the noise in his head.
The next morning, everything was a little worse.
Seonghwa’s head was pounding. He’d barely made it through the first class, and even after two cups of coffee, he still felt like a ghost. Yesterday’s anxiety was finally hitting him physically, and even though he’d expected the fallout, it felt worse than he’d imagined. Beside him, his classmate Haru kept talking about the one thing he never got tired of: The soccer team.
"I can't even believe the best teams in the area are spending a whole week at our uni!" he exclaimed, bouncing up and down while tugging at the sleeve of Seonghwa’s sweater. "This is my chance. It’s a sign from destiny."
"What chance?" Seonghwa asked. He’d only caught that last part.
"You know I’m obsessed with that short striker from Kangwon," he reminded him with a protesting pinch to his arm. "Seeing him play last season... I can’t explain it, it was just love at first sight." He went quiet for a moment, looking up as if he could still see him there. "His team is actually coming! He’s going to be training right here. I can't even imagine all the things that could happen!"
"Oh, right," Seonghwa said. He often forgot Haru was on the cheerleading squad, a position that put him right in the middle of all the sports drama. It was usually fun to hear the latest tea, but this new obsession with a rival striker had completely distracted him. Every other piece of news had been pushed aside in favor of finding out anything he could about the mystery guy.
Still, Seonghwa loved how open Haru was about his crush, something he could never experience himself without feeling guilty. They had probably clicked so well because Haru was everything Seonghwa would have been if he’d grown up surrounded by people who accepted and loved him no matter what.
"Okay… that’s the weirdest reaction you’ve ever had. You gonna tell me what's going on?" Haru sounded genuinely worried. "You've been spacey all morning and didn't even open your notebook in Neuropsychology." It was clear Seonghwa hadn't been as subtle as he’d thought.
"I've got a killer migraine," he replied instinctively. It wasn't a lie, his head was pounding so much he thought it might burst, but he didn't feel brave enough to tell Haru what was actually tormenting him.
Haru watched him in silence for a moment, clearly unconvinced by the migraine excuse, but he chose not to push.
"Well, I hope it clears up before the weekend," He said, turning back to his phone with a mischievous smirk. "You wouldn’t want to be sick when your friend arrives on campus."
The mention of Yeosang immediately cheered Seonghwa up, he was dying to see his friend again. The last time he’d seen Yeosang was during a rushed visit while they were searching for a student apartment to move into, and they’d barely spent any time together that time.
"I really want you two to meet, but he’s a little shy, and you can be… a lot."
"Hey!" Haru protested, pouting cutely. "I am charming!"
"Then make sure you use that charm on the shorty striker from Kangwon."
They both laughed at the same time, and for the first time that day, Seonghwa felt the pressure in his head ease up. They leaned back at their desks, waiting for the lecture to start, as Seonghwa reached into his bag for his phone. It had been buzzing with notifications all morning, and he had finally decided to put it on silent.
He froze for a second when he saw that all his notifications were from the Iron Tides chat application. He was sick of receiving random friend requests just because of his high solo battle ranking, but it was strange to receive so many in such a short period of time.
And then, right in the middle of all those requests, he found the reason for the chaos, a pink and extravagant message stood out from the rest: a marriage proposal.
Seonghwa blinked once, twice, and maybe even three times, hoping it would disappear from his sight. It didn't.
[IRON TIDES: NEW NOTIFICATION]
Type: Marriage Proposal - From: TheCaptain To: SilverBlade
Personal Message: "Maybe this will finally get you to read my DMs."
[Accept] | [Decline]
It had to be a damn joke.
Seonghwa’s instinctive reaction was to lock his screen and put the phone back in his bag.
'If you don't look, it’s not there...' he began to chant in his mind, over and over. Maybe the headache really had gotten to him, because there was no way that TheCaptain, the leader of the Horizon guild, had actually sent him a public marriage proposal.
When the professor finally walked in, Seonghwa was glad for the distraction. He opened his notebook to a blank page but found himself unable to write a single word, the only thing he could think about was how much he’d disliked TheCaptain when he first started playing Iron Tides. The game’s obsession with realism meant no symbols or numbers in usernames. Seonghwa loved seeing people's creativity when they couldn't just use symbols to copy existing nicknames. Because of that, someone choosing the name 'TheCaptain' when everyone else in the game was also a captain of their own ship just felt incredibly arrogant to him.
But as the game seasons passed it became impossible to deny the truth. No one else had managed to build such a loyal team, where every member followed him blindly without ever doubting. He wasn’t just another captain anymore, he was truly the captain of all captains.
So... what the hell did the Captain of all captains want from him? Was it because of the message he sent yesterday? He only corrected his coordinates, something anyone could have done.
The teacher turned off the projector, announcing the end of class. Seonghwa hadn’t even realized how quickly time had slipped away while he was lost in thoughts about TheCaptain. Around him, the other students started packing their bags and chatting loudly, but Seonghwa stayed frozen in his seat. He reached into his bag and felt the cold surface of his phone. It was vibrating again.
"Are you coming?" Haru said, leaning on the desk.
Seonghwa forced a smile and quickly grabbed his things. "Yeah, sorry. I was just... thinking about the project. I need to use the bathroom, don't wait for me!"
He rushed out of the classoom. As soon as he found a quiet corner in the hallway, he couldn't wait any longer and pulled out his phone. The notification was still there, glowing on his screen like a ticking bomb.
With trembling fingers, and deliberately ignoring the marriage proposal notification, he finally tapped on the application and opened his DMs.
[Private Chat: TheCaptain - SilverBlade]
TheCaptain: We want you to be our new Quartermaster.
TheCaptain: Hm… maybe that was too direct? Sorry, I don’t like wasting time.
TheCaptain: Okay… BlackCat said I need to be more sociable. I guess that's true.
TheCaptain: Hello, SilverBlade. I’m the Captain of Horizon. We’re looking for a new Quartermaster and you acted fast yesterday. That’s exactly what the team needs right now.
TheCaptain: Would you like to give it a try?
TheCaptain: … hi?
Seonghwa stared at the screen, completely speechless. The "Captain of all captains" had been waiting for a reply for almost three hours. He looked at that last "hi?" and for a moment, he forgot about his migraine. The most feared player in Iron Tides sounded… almost insecure.
Without overthinking it, he couldn't help but snap back.
SilverBlade: You realize people have lives, right? I'm not just waiting around for you. I’m in class.
To Seonghwa’s surprise, the reply came almost instantly.
TheCaptain: Oh… but you were online.
SilverBlade: Everyone with the app on their phone appears online. It doesn't mean I'm playing!
TheCaptain: And how exactly was I supposed to know that?
God, he was so annoying. Seonghwa quickly checked the time, he still had fifteen minutes before his next class.
SilverBlade: So your brilliant solution to get my attention was a public marriage proposal? The whole server is losing it.
TheCaptain: It worked, didn't it?
Even though he hadn’t hated TheCaptain for a long time, he couldn’t help but feel some resentment toward him for using something he cherished just to get his attention. The game’s marriage feature allowed any player, regardless of level, guild, or gender, to get married. There was even a couple’s ranking that Seonghwa had dreamed of joining one day with the right person.
For the sake of his already fragile mental health, he decided to ignore it.
SilverBlade: Anyway, about the Quartermaster thing… are you guys holding trials? Because I’m not interested.
TheCaptain: No, no trials. They're a waste of time. We trust our instincts and look for natural talent.
SilverBlade: So... you’re just picking people based on a 'feeling'? That’s a great way to sink a guild.
TheCaptain: It hasn’t failed me yet. I saw you helping your friend's crew at the Kraken raid. You were the only one keeping that ship afloat.
Seonghwa bit his lip. He remembered that raid, the same one Horizon had lost because of their former quartermaster. He usually avoided team play, but that day was a total mess. He only helped them because he hated seeing everything so disorganized. He hadn’t realized anyone, especially not someone like TheCaptain, had been watching him so closely.
He stood there doubting, not sure how to respond, but it was clear that TheCaptain wasn't the patient type.
TheCaptain: I’m really enjoying this conversation, and I bet you have more questions, but I have to go now.
TheCaptain: Here’s the link to our Discord. Join whenever you’re ready.
He logged off before Seonghwa could even reply, leaving him with more questions than before.
It had to be a prank, right? He clicked the link, expecting a joke or a jump-scare video, but his Discord app opened, showing him the official discord of the Horizon guild.
Fuck, it was a legit invitation to join the team's Discord.
Not knowing what to do, he locked his phone. He couldn't afford to miss his next class, so he ran to the classroom and sat by Haru, pretending everything was fine. He tried his best to act normal, taking notes and chatting with Haru over lunch. But the moment he finally got home, the weight of everything that had happened hit him completely.
Seonghwa had never joined a guild before, especially not one as big as Horizon. He didn’t think he was good at teamwork, mostly because he hated when players tilted and argued over dumb stuff. However, he knew Horizon was different, everyone on the server had seen how good they work together. As he turned on his computer, he started weighing the pros and cons of TheCaptain’s offer. It was something he’d never even wanted, but he had to be honest, joining them was every player’s dream.
So he did the only thing he knew how to do when he felt overwhelmed. He called Yeosang again.
"Hyung," Yeosang's deep, calm voice appeared almost instantly. "Two random calls in a row… tell me you haven't done anything stupid."
Seonghwa ignored the teasing and went straight to the point. "Sangie, are you on Iron Tides right now?"
"Yeah, but I’m AFK, I still have a mountain of things to pack," he explained. "Why? Did something happen?"
"Yeah, well… I don’t even know how to explain it," Seonghwa hesitated. "You’d better just check the global chat. I’m sure they’re still talking about it..."
Seonghwa heard the distant sound of a chair screeching against the floor. Yeosang had clearly abandoned his boxes and rushed to the computer.
There was a long silence, only broken by the clicking of Yeosang's mouse. Then, a deep breath.
"Hyung..." Yeosang's voice was no longer calm. It was a mix of horror and pure amusement. "The chat is literally scrolling so fast I can barely read it. Why is everyone shouting that Horizon just got a 'Queen'? And... why are they spamming heart emojis next to your username and TheCaptain’s?"
Okay, this was even worse than Seonghwa could have imagined.
"What?" he exclaimed, rushing to log in. "This is all that idiot's fault!"
The loading screen felt endless, but the second the game finally opened, Seonghwa’s heart sank. The global chat was a total mess.
[Global] StormChaser: TheCap finally found his match 👑💍
[Global] DarkLord: Is the wedding today? I need to buy a suit…
[Global] TheWind: I wanna be his queen too... why is life so unfair? 😭
"I'm going to kill him," Seonghwa hissed through his teeth, staring at the screen in disbelief. "I'm actually going to kill him."
"Hyung… sorry if this sounds weird but… are you getting married to TheCaptain?" Yeosang could barely hold back a laugh. "Have you been hiding a secret romance with the most famous player on the server this whole time?"
"Of course not! That idiot… he just wants me to be his new Quartermaster!"
"And one of your conditions for accepting was marriage?" Yeosang teased.
"Yeosang, I'm serious. You're supposed to be on my side here!" Seonghwa was completely defeated. "The whole proposal was just to get my attention. He wanted me to reply to his DMs."
In the middle of the chaos, one message caught his eye. He recognized the username instantly, it was a member of Horizon.
[Global] PurpleCat: SilverBlade is our new Quartermaster! ~
Seonghwa felt his jaw drop. They weren't even waiting for him to say yes. They were already announcing it to the entire server.
"I haven't even accepted yet! Look at that message from PurpleCat!" Seonghwa was losing his patience. "TheCaptain sent me the link to join their Discord when I'm ready, but I haven't said yes!"
"Everyone expects you to accept because they’re the top guild," Yeosang pointed out. "I’m honestly a bit jealous, but if anyone deserves that spot, it’s you."
"I don't know if I want to do it... especially when they all seem to be completely out of their minds."
"I think they're just charismatic." As usual, Yeosang had a strange way of seeing things. Seonghwa was completely surrounded by lunatics.
Maybe that meant he was crazy too.
"Fine," Seonghwa sighed. "I'll join their Discord and hear what they have to say, but I’m not promising anything."
"Yes!" Yeosang started clapping. "Ask them if they need a Surgeon. I honestly don't understand how they've never had one."
"I'm not promising anything," He repeated, more to himself than to Yeosang.
He finally clicked the link, accepting the invitation. He couldn't deny that a part of him was dying of curiosity to see how the best guild in the game operated. As he scrolled through the voice channels, Seonghwa had to admit that Horizon really took the game seriously.
⚓ HORIZON | Official Server
— SOCIAL —
💬│General
📢│announcements
— HORIZON SHIP —
│Captain's quarters (1/1) 🔒
-
TheCaptain
│The Galley (3/7)
-
BlackCat
-
PurpleCat
-
LuckyAnchor
│Quarterdeck (0/7)
│Crow’s Nest (0/7)
│Crew's Quarters (0/6)
│The Plank (0/7) 🔒
— RAID OPERATIONS —
│kraken (0/7)
│Ancient Treasure (0/7)
"Oh…" Seonghwa gasped, completely caught off guard. He leaned into the monitor, his eyes reflecting the organized rows of channels. He had always wanted to be in a Discord server where you could actually simulate being in different parts of a ship. "They have themed voice channels."
"I expected nothing less from Horizon, they don't just play the game, they live it." Yeosang said excitedly.
Seonghwa rolled his eyes, though he couldn't hide a slight smile on his lips. "You're such a fanboy."
"Yeah, whatever! Just stop wasting time and get in there already!" Yeosang shot back.
Seonghwa took a deep breath and finally double-clicked on "The Galley" channel, ending the call with Yeosang. The familiar Discord bloop echoed in his headpones as his name joined the list of active members.
Immediately, a wave of excited voices hit him.
"Here he is! I actually thought he wouldn’t do it!" an energetic voice exclaimed.
"Hello, SilverBlade! Welcome to Horizon!" Another voice added, bright and welcoming. Seonghwa watched the green circles light up, identifying this one as LuckyAnchor.
"Cap must have scared him so much this morning that he can't even speak," a third voice chuckled. It was BlackCat.
That was the exact moment Seonghwa remembered he was far from being a people person.
"Hi... sorry," he managed to say, his voice sounding more formal than he intended. "I'm not used to such a loud welcome."
"Oh my god, what a voice! I love it!" PurpleCat squealed. "I get the marriage proposal now."
The other two members burst out laughing, and Seonghwa felt his face flush a deep red.
"It has nothing to do with my voice!" he protested. He wasn't sure where this sudden burst of confidence was coming from, he just knew he had to clear up the misunderstanding. "The proposal was just a way to get my attention, and I haven't even agreed to be your Quartermaster yet."
"Hm... true, but you haven't rejected the marriage either," BlackCat added. "I don't blame you for doubting, you’d have to be crazy to actually marry Cap."
Apparently, BlackCat chose the worst possible moment to mess with his captain.
"Watch your mouth, brat," A firm, nasal voice appeared out of nowhere, sending a shiver down his spine. TheCaptain had entered the channel suddenly, as if he had been waiting for Seonghwa's arrival.
"Yeah, yeah... whatever you say," BlackCat replied. From his tone, Seonghwa could practically feel him rolling his eyes, it was obviously their usual dynamic. "But I have to admit, Hyung, I wasn't familiar with your game. You’ve got the whole server losing their minds."
"I’ve done nothing. It’s not my fault they make such a big deal out of every little thing," he replied. For the first time, Seonghwa felt himself agreeing with him. "Anyway, welcome Silver. I’m glad you chose to join us."
"Hm... well, actually, I haven't decided yet," Seonghwa said, feeling the sudden silence his words left in the call. "As much as you trust your instinct, I think we should go on test quest first to see if I actually fit with the crew."
Several sighs were heard before LuckyAnchor replied, "Good luck trying to convince him. We’ve already discussed this, and he thinks the best way is to just wait for the Kraken raid this weekend. To us, you're already part of the team. Cap has been obsessed with you for months."
"I am not obsessed! All I said is that there's no point in testing him. We already know how he plays, he's the best for the position," he reminded them, sounding annoyed. His voice seemed to get incredibly deep and nasal whenever he was angry, and it felt like he was angry all the time.
"Oh, really? Do we know, Hyung?" BlackCat chimed in. "Because you’re actually the only one who sneaks off in solo mode just to stalk his matches."
"Guys, you’re scaring him," PurpleCat interrupted, putting an end to the argument. "Let’s not fight over this. What matters is that SilverBlade is the Quartermaster we need. We get illegal attacks every week and we can't keep tanking this. No matter how much we report those users, they always come back with new alt accounts."
He went quiet for a moment, his tone growing softer as he spoke directly to Seonghwa. "The reality is, we've almost lost our ship several times.... and I’m not ready to lose everything we’ve built together. I get it if this feels like a lot, you barely know us, after all. But we have total faith in what you can do, and we’re hoping you’ll be able to trust us too. That’s all we need."
Seonghwa felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time swell in his chest at those words. Every ship in Iron Tides had different levels that could be reversed or lost if a battle destroyed it. Horizon had the most powerful ship on the entire server, they had completed quests no other guild had touched yet. If anyone wanted to take them down, the best way was to start by shattering their ship.
Seonghwa didn't know what it felt like to work as a team, but he understood the feeling of losing something precious perfectly.
"Fine. I'll be the Quartermaster," he finally accepted. "We'll do the trial during this weekend's raid, but I have one condition."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the channel erupted.
"Yes!" LuckyAnchor cheered, and PurpleCat let out a shout that probably peaked his mic. Even BlackCat gave a sharp whistle of approval. They were already losing it, celebrating like they’d just won the lottery.
But through all the noise, one voice stayed quiet. TheCaptain waited for the hype to die down before speaking.
"And what exactly is this condition?" he asked, his voice cutting through the remaining chatter.
"I want my friend FriedChicken to join. He's a surgeon, and from what I can tell, you guys are missing one," he finally admitted, anxious they might say no. Horizon had never had a surgeon in their history, perhaps there was a reason for that.
For a few seconds, no one said a word. They probably hadn't expected a request like that.
"He's good," BlackCat broke the silence. "I’ve seen his stats. He's efficient, quiet, and doesn't make mistakes. I think he’d be good for the team."
"He probably has the best username on the entire server, so I'm down." It seemed that, for PurpleCat, the criteria for recruiting new members were always bizarre.
"Are you kidding? I'm a boarder, I've been dying for a good surgeon since day one!" LuckyAnchor’s hype made Seonghwa laugh. Boarders always took the most damage, as they were on the front lines boarding enemy ships. A surgeon to heal them was always their best ally.
But even with the support of the three members, he knew deep down that the captain’s decision was the only one that truly mattered. He took a few more seconds to respond, probably wondering if it was really worth the risk to bring in two new players instead of just one.
"Fine, let's do it," he finally said, and a chorus of clapping broke out through the mics. To Seonghwa, it felt like a total win. "I’ll DM him the Discord link so he can join. I’m also sending you both the requests to join the guild now."
And as if by magic, or just really fast fingers, the invite flashed across his screen in giant letters.
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]
You have been summoned! - The Guild [HORIZON] has invited you to join them!
| Position Offered: QUARTERMASTER |
| Owner: TheCaptain |
"To the ends of the world, until the sea turns red."
[ ACCEPT ] [ DECLINE ]
For the first time since he’d started playing Iron Tides, Seonghwa didn’t hesitate, he clicked "Accept" before his doubts could catch up. A wave of nervous excitement washed over him. Having a real team, a real purpose... it was a dream he rarely let himself have. Even though he wasn't sure if he’d ever truly fit in, for once in his life, he gave himself the chance to believe.
And when Yeosang called him five minutes later, screaming his head off about an invitation to join Horizon? Seonghwa just smiled. There was no doubt about it: this was the start of something that would tear his world apart too, but at least this time, he hoped it would be to build something better.