Restart:Untalented Man-Chapter 499: Repair

The crew worked quickly, though many of them were injured and weary.

They sorted through the debris, carrying whatever crates and goods they could salvage back onto the remaining ships.

They prioritized food, water, and valuable items that can be resold. The rest were tossed overboard and left to sink beneath the waves or drift aimlessly in the sea.

After hours of gruelling work, the two surviving ships were loaded as best they could be.

The merchant captain watched as his crew finished their preparations.

The losses were staggering. It's far worse than he had anticipated.

But, they had no other option. They're vulnerable right now. Staying longer in these waters would only invite more trouble. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Jon Blue was not the only pirate roaming this sea.

After an eternity of salvaging, the crew signalled that everything was ready.

"Set sail!"

The two battered ships carrying the remaining crew and a fraction of their goods began to move.

Though the threat had passed, the tension was still on the deck.

The captain's brow furrowed.

With the extent of the damage sustained, it was impossible to follow the original course. Their ships were in dire need of repairs.

Both vessels were barely holding together.

"We won't make it..." he muttered, "If another storm hits or if we run into more trouble, we're done for."

"Then, what's the plan now?"

"We need to stop at the nearest port city and get these ships repaired."

The captain took a moment to think. His options were limited. However, his current location is favourable.

"Vaale. It's the closest port from our location. We'll head there and make repairs."

....

The Port City of Vaale.

If one excludes Hagen Island, Vaale would be Blande's southernmost city.

Because of its strategic location, this place prospers as a south gateway to the inner regions of the country.

Looking at the bustling port city, the captain sees sea vessels of all sizes gathered.

He wondered how long he had to wait to get his ships repaired.

"Go find someone to repair our ships. Make sure they're the best shipwrights this place has to offer."

"Aye, captain!" the crewmate responded before disappearing into the chaotic docks.

The captain remained on the deck.

Not long afterwards, the crewmate returned with an old man.

His skin was deeply tanned and etched with wrinkles. His grey hair was tied back in a rough knot.

"Captain, he is the best I can find. The other master shipwrights are swamped. If we want their help, we'd be waiting in line for days."

The captain looked at the shipwright up and down.

His first thought was that the man looked far too old to be working.

"Is he reliable?"

"From what the locals say, he is. They call him Old Garry and say he used to work on warships back in the day."

The captain sighed heavily, "Alright, whatever works, I guess. Let him check the ships."

Garry stepped forward and began to examine the ship.

His hands ran along the hull, feeling the cracks and the splits caused by the recent skirmish.

After a while, he speaks to the captain. "What kind of monster did you people meet?"

"An iron monster." the captain replies, "Is it bad?"

Garry scratched his chin, "She's in rough shape for sure. Hull's damaged in a few places. Rigging needs a lot of work. Sails are torn, but I've seen worse. With some solid repairs, I can get her seaworthy again."

"How long?"

"A few days, maybe a week, depending on the materials I can get. If you want her in perfect shape, it'll take longer."

The captain frowned, "Too long. Do what you can in the shortest time possible. She doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough to get us moving again."

"That, I can do. Pay upfront for materials first. I'm not working for free. This kind of repair isn't cheap."

"No problem."

"Alright, be patient. I'll start tomorrow morning. Make sure your crew's ready to assist."

The captain's frown deepened.

"What? Why use my crew? Don't you have your own workers for this kind of thing?"

"I don't have workers. You said you wanted it done fast, right? If we're going to get this ship repaired quickly, I don't have time to go recruiting workers. So, I'll make use of the manpower I can."

"Then what's the point of paying you a high price if it's just you doing the work? What am I paying for, exactly?"

"My skill and experience. Do you want to proceed or not?"

The captain stood there for a moment, glaring at the old shipwright.

"Fine!" he growled.

He turned to his crew, who had been watching them. "No rest for you lot. You heard him right? Be ready tomorrow to help with the repairs."

The crew had little choice in the matter so they simply agreed.

....

On the next day, Garry came early to the port, just as the sun began to rise.

He's here to ask for the crew's help. "Alright, lads. We've got materials to move. Let's get to it."

The crew begrudgingly followed him. It was way too early to be working.

Perhaps trying to lighten the mood on their way there, Garry says, "Don't make that face. What kind of crew doesn't have affection for the ships?"

One of them said, "Old man, we aren't getting paid enough to love that ship. So much has gone wrong on this trip."

"Can you tell me more about that?" Garry asked as he recalled the captain's words yesterday.

"He said it was an iron monster. Is it Leviathan? Those beasts had hard outer scales."

The sailor snorted, "It wasn't a beast but a pirate."

"Pirate? What's they have to do with iron beast?"

"It's not some sea creature we ran into. It was their ship. The damn thing was made of iron."

"An iron ship?! It exists?" Garry asked.

Never in his wildest imagination that he think it was possible.