- POV General -

On the small island of Coven Island, Hestia Hellfire, Lucas Deadrose, Kali Deimos and Mysie Kortlein had gathered to pick up the last two members of their group. As with every weekend, everyone had to meet in their forest lair for a debriefing and the organization they needed to live. They made their way through the cobblestone streets with speed and finally arrived at their destination.

The four friends were now standing in front of the black door of an imposing stone building set back from the village. Looking a bit like a barn, there was no one around but loud cheers could be heard inside. Knocking on the door twice, Lucas and the others waited only two seconds before it opened and a suspicious eye looked at them very quickly.

An old man with a beard had opened the door to check who wanted to come in when his eyes swept over the group and fell on Hestia's face. The next moment the door opened without hesitation to let them pass and enter this strange building. Immediately there was a very strong smell of sweat and blood, which grew stronger as they moved towards the group of people in front of them.

There were men and women of all ages shouting, swearing in excitement as they all looked in the same direction. The place was not very clean, there was almost nothing but a large arena with a large wire mesh cage. The people around all looked like a bunch of thugs and it wasn't wrong to say that because all of them without exception were scary.

"I hope we at least made it in time to see the end of the fight~"

Hestia had spoken these words while walking forward with determination as she licked her upper lip, a cruel gleam in her eyes. As she and her group rushed through the tide of people, their presence gradually became apparent making their advance faster. The men and women in the vicinity moved aside on their way at the sight of this blonde beauty that almost everyone knew well.

The women who a few minutes ago had a frightening look on their faces were blushing and the men who had been the loudest were not even talking anymore. Soon the little group reached the end of this mass of people to stand against the rusty cage and observe what was going on inside. There, there was a man with long red hair and a bare chest full of tattoos and scars of all kinds.

"It looks like we got there just in time fufu~"

In the cage was the fifth person they were looking for, who was fighting in an arena where bets were flying everywhere. His name was Edward Hartvigsen, he was 24 years old and just like the people shouting around, he looked scary and dangerous especially when he was fighting. He was dressed very simply as he wore only a pair of shorts made of originally gray fabric that stopped at his knees.

Edward had not noticed the presence of his friends and was more than focused on the opponent who was in a bad position before him. His long red hair was dirty with blood and sweat, falling in front of his face giving him a wild look in addition to his large bushy beard. His piercing black eyes were locked on his victim and a very slight smile had appeared on his usually neutral face.

Suddenly noticing the silence around him, the young man with the barbarian look turned his head to finally notice the presence of his friends. Noticing that she had his full attention, Hestia made only one movement that Edward understood immediately. She would raise her thumb towards her own neck to mime a decapitation, a look and a crazy smile as he nodded his head full of excitement.

"Open your eyes wide my little cuties, in less than a minute it's over.."

At her words, Lucas, Mysie and Kali squinted their eyes eagerly waiting for what was to come, not in the least disgusted by the atmosphere of the place. The one standing in front of him was a head taller than him, muscular and scary but that was not enough to destabilize him, exciting him even more. He had a black bandana also covered in blood and was looking at Edward with eyes full of hatred.

"Raaaah !!!"

Suddenly, his opponent was throwing himself on him taking advantage of this moment that he had qualified as the most opportune to attack him thinking that Edward was not focused. Everything happened very quickly and while the man was charging like a bull, the young redheaded man remained calm and gently moved his left leg back. When he reached his height, the man with the bandana raised both fists and brought them down on Edward's head, who reacted very quickly.

Ducking and turning to the side to dodge the blow, he retaliated by striking his opponent's ribs violently several times. He was going at a high speed that kept increasing as his fists struck flesh and broke bones. The man with the bandana had no time to do anything as he spat out blood and fell backwards as a sign of victory for Edward.

But, Hestia's friend didn't stop there as the bell for the end of the fight rang in the large room of the building. Putting himself on top of his opponent, the young redhead continued to strike with all his strength, aiming this time at the face of the poor unfortunate who was already almost fainting. Blood splashed even more on his chest, teeth exploded and in no time, the face of the man with the bandana was unrecognizable.

"..."

Hestia watched the fight intently, her smile growing wilder and wilder as she watched Edward strike the defenseless man. Her pulse and breath quickened, her gray-green eyes turned icy and her usually defiant face became that of a sadistic woman. Hestia was enjoying every second of what was happening and the battle fever was building inside her until Mysie and Kali's voice brought her out of her trance-like state.

"Uuuh...H-Hestia ? At this rate he's going to kill him eventually, don't you...don't you think ?"

"Umu, Mysie is right. I know you don't care but...but still..."

They had spoken out of pity for the man who was still getting hit despite the fact that he was already passed out with more broken bones than he had intact. Hestia hesitated for a few seconds before remembering that they were normally in a hurry and that the death of this poor wretch was not in her plans. Sighing with boredom, she then turned to the cage once more before raising her voice to her friend.

"Ed ! Sigh...don't kill him !"

Hestia had said these words, but despite living in a pirate village, neither Edward nor his friends had ever killed. It may sound crazy, but even the young woman known for her sadistic and cruel tendencies had never killed anyone before. Even though life on the island was more barbaric than on other islands, no one had yet crossed that line that shouldn't be crossed.

At her words, Edward stopped in mid-act with a face full of blood as if he had suddenly come to his senses. After a few seconds, he got up as if nothing had happened before heading towards the exit of the cage under the cheers. The man with the bandana was lying on the ground almost dead and the young redhead had won and all this in less than a minute as Hestia had predicted.

"Hallo boss...and the others"

Arriving at the level of his friends, Edward greeted them while the young blonde woman had a big smile keeping the silence. She was proud of him and incredibly happy to have been able to witness an execution of the kind she loved. Lucas, Kali and Mysie were smiling slightly less excited than Hestia but still impressed by the admirable performance Edward had given them.

"Good ! Go get your fucking money and let's get the Hell out of here fufu~"

"Mmmh."

The fight that had just taken place was one of many in which he participated, operating by rounds and guaranteeing a good sum of money for the winner. The room had become noisy again as a new fight was already taking place and Edward was walking to a table where his reward was waiting for him. Now it was time for the five friends to head to the sixth and final member of Hestia's gang.

____

The group of friends were now walking down the main street of the village, once again drawing attention to themselves wherever they went. They were all walking with confidence, their eyes devoid of fear and their heads held high, guided by Hestia who was in front always accompanied by her snake Seth. Soon they came to what seemed to be a park where few people were lounging in the shade of the trees.

Under one of them was a man sitting cross-legged in front of a chess-like board that was initially played by two people. He was 27 years old, named Gentlemen Joe Newgate, and was the last of Hestia's childhood friends dreaming of becoming a pirate alongside her mother and parents. Although he was the oldest, just like the others, he considered the young blonde woman to be his leader and closest friend even though she was a bit crazy.

Joe had short wavy silver-blond hair and his green eyes with slight red highlights were closed so that he could concentrate more. Possessing an uncommonly sharp mind, the man was playing with himself although at this moment no one knew if he was thinking or sleeping. Joe was dressed in a simple red and purple kimono and his hair danced softly in the afternoon sea wind.

"I wonder, how does he play against himself ? Doesn't he always know the next move he's going to make ? How can anyone do that? Isn't that like trying to surprise yourself ?"

The group was watching the man under the shade of the tree, and the first person to speak had been Mysie, who didn't get the point at all. She had one hand under her chin and her head was tilted slightly to the left showing her complete lack of understanding. The fiery-haired young woman was at that moment very cute naivety and while she was trying to understand, Kali answered her with a giggle.

"Oh my dear Mysie, don't try to understand too much you might fry your brain for good hahaha~"

"Hey !!! S-Shut up !"

"What ? It's true !"

"Take back what you said right now !"

"No !"

"Yes !"

"Make me hehe~"

While once again Mysie and Kali were arguing and the boys were rolling their eyes in amusement, Hestia raised her hand bringing silence instantly. Bringing a finger to her lips to tell them to be quiet, she suddenly took out a dagger from her belt before walking towards Joe with a mischievous grin. A few meters away, the others could see her disappear behind a tree without knowing where she had gone.

Suddenly, a dagger appeared out of nowhere and shot straight at Joe, who still had his eyes closed, seemingly trapped in his world of thought. As the weapon came dangerously close to his face, just as it was about to touch his skin, the man moved a few inches back. The dagger passed right in front of his nose before planting itself deep in the tree just behind to the hilt.

Gentlemen Joe had avoided the attack that was intended for him with disconcerting ease and that was all to the good because the dagger had literally blown a good part of the tree away. Without his action, his head would have suffered the same fate, especially considering Hestia's strength. Eyes still closed and calm as the sleeping ocean, the man opened his mouth to speak knowing full well who he was dealing with.

"Hello Boss... what brings you here ?"

Hestia then appeared perched atop the tree below which her friend was standing, crouching on the highest of the branches and looking down at him with a smirk. Her long blonde hair also fluttered in the wind and as she jumped and landed on the ground, the young woman replied with amusement.

"Always so responsive to what I see fufu~ Joe, it's time to go, we have important things to talk about."

"Sure boss as you like, I'll be there in a few minutes..."

Satisfied with the answer, Hestia was about to join the rest of the group taking out a cigarette from her pocket and lighting it with a match nonchalantly. As she took her first puff with satisfaction, Mysie, Lucas, Kali, and Edward finally arrived at her side. As Joe calmly put his game away, the two young women next to Hestia approached the tree with one hand on their chin.

"Phew...that was close. I mean, it was all over for him if he didn't back off."

"That's true, it's pretty...crazy. Hestia, what would you have done if you had touched him ?"

As Mysie and Kali spoke, the former had put her hands on the shaft that had sunk into the tree to pull it free. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she pulled, nothing happened and the hunting knife remained as embedded in the wood as ever. Putting her foot against the tree for more strength, Mysie pulled harder and harder without ever moving it an inch as Hestia replied.

"I knew Joe was going to avoid it and besides, this isn't the first time, no need to worry girls fufu~ until proven otherwise, he's still alive."

Finishing her sentence, as the singular smell of the vanilla tobacco she used to smoke, the young blonde woman walked towards her two friends. Moving back to let her pass, she put in her turn her hand on the dagger embedded deeply in the tree. Then, it is with a disconcerting ease that Hestia withdrew it, putting hardly more force in her movement than when she opened a door.

"Well, as long as you don't do anything like that to Mysie and me, I guess we'll be fine. I personally don't have the pretension to be able to dodge a blow like that."

"Umu umu ! We'd end up with our heads blown off like a bottle of rum on a holiday, not to mention the blood and mess it would make."

"Pfffahahahaha~"

Hestia who had been leaning against the tree waiting for Joe, burst out laughing at the words of Kali and Mysie who at that moment had a disgusted look on their faces while they shivered. Without saying anything more, she stared at them with her piercing eyes and a smile that could almost be considered dangerous. Just as she was about to answer, two knives came out of nowhere and suddenly came straight at her face just like with Joe earlier.

*clang clang*

Grabbing the blade of one between her index and middle fingers of her right hand and the other blade with her teeth, Hestia turned her head to the left. Spitting out the dagger she had in her mouth and which was sticking straight into the ground, she began to play with the second one with a smile on her face. The young snake woman knew perfectly well who was behind this sudden attack that hadn't scared her if not excited her.

"Tch, again missed."

"Mmmh."

Lucas and Edward hitherto silent had been the perpetrators of this combined and discreet attack that had unfortunately not been successful. They stood a little further away and while the long-haired young man clicked his tongue, the one still covered in blood shrugged. At that moment, her blood bubbling in her veins and a smile on her face, Hestia pulled out four knives hidden in her clothes as she sneered.

"Hehehehe~"

"H-Hestia !"

"Arrg here we go again !"

Knowing full well the young woman's personality, which was more like madness than recklessness, Mysie and Kali knew what was coming. Always returning blow for blow and always in excess, it was not difficult to understand that these knives were intended for Edward and Lucas. However, as Hestia was about to go on the offensive for her greatest happiness, a hand came to rest on her shoulder to stop her.

Joe was ready to leave, without even worrying about the crazy situation that was actually more than natural in the group, considering the atypical personality of each one. The sun was going to set in a few hours and the fresh spray caressing their faces seemed to remind them of it. Sighing at not being able to go any further but aware that it was time to leave, Hestia put away her knives before speaking.

"Sigh…okay okay. Now let's go, you bunch of freaks~"

The six friends were now reunited and about to return to their den where a surprise that would change their lives awaited them. No one knew it yet, but in a month's time, their adventures as pirates would begin and so would the beginning of the Legendary Tale of the Hysterics and their Captain.

[N/A: Link to my discord in the synopsis if you want to come see the first map of Coven Island and talk to the 6 characters themselves (yes yes)]