The light faded.
Jack Sparrow's face, painted with kohl, was as dazed as a husky struck by lightning.
He stared at the bizarre black ship before him, its size vastly increased, its hull covered in a layer of expensive-looking silver armor, and the menacing ram on its bow still crackling with blue electrical sparks.
"Is... is this my ship?"
Jack's voice trembled.
"No, this is my ship."
Roger kicked Jack aside, then, like caressing a lover, felt the explosive power emanating from the ship's hull beneath his feet.
Awesome!
Money should be spent this way!
Spending it on the most crucial things isn't squandering; it's an investment!
Roger turned his gaze to the wooden box lying quietly on the deck.
The the heart's chest.
Davy Jones's heart.
He walked over, crouched down, and prepared to open it like a package.
Then, he discovered a rather awkward problem.
This thing had only one keyhole, no hinges, and was so seamlessly integrated that it didn't look like a box at all, but rather like it was carved from a single block of wood.
Roger refused to believe it.
He had just enhanced his physical fitness by fifty percent, a tough guy who could shatter Buck's phalanges with his pectoral muscles.
Just a mere wooden box?
He took a deep breath, gripped the edges of the box with both hands, and the muscles on his arms instantly swelled, veins bulging.
"Let! Me! Open!"
Roger used all his might.
One second.
Two seconds.
Ten seconds.
On the deck, all the pirates held their breath.
Even the monkey named Jack stopped scurrying around, staring with wide eyes.
Roger's face had already turned liver-purple.
However, that broken box remained motionless.
Not even the slightest crack appeared.
An awkward atmosphere permeated the air.
"Ahem."
Roger released his grip, stood up casually, and clapped the dust from his hands.
"Just a warm-up."
He said, his face betraying no emotion.
"Looks like this box is made of good material."
The pirates stifled their laughter, their shoulders shrugging, no one daring to be the first to laugh out loud.
"Jack."
Roger turned his gaze to the new intern.
"Here! Captain! What are your orders!"
Jack Sparrow jolted, immediately adopting a fawning smile.
"You brought this thing, so tell me, how do you open it?"
Roger pointed to the broken box.
"Oh! This! Simple!"
Jack slapped his chest, wearing an expression that said, "You've asked the right person."
He walked to the box, knocked on it with great seriousness, then leaned in to listen.
"According to my many years of wandering the seas, and the profound friendship that must be mentioned between me and Davy Jones..."
Jack began his lengthy discourse.
"This box, it has life, you have to communicate with it, you have to feel it..."
"Speak plainly."
Roger's patience was rapidly diminishing.
"It needs a key," Jack spread his hands.
"A unique key."
"And that key is hanging from Davy Jones's octopus-tentacle beard."
"So, you mean I have to find that Davy Jones first, then pull the key from his face to open this box?"
Roger felt his blood pressure rising again.
"Theoretically, yes, that's correct."
Jack nodded.
"But you can also try other methods, like singing a beautiful love song, or telling it a joke; maybe it will open by itself if it's happy?"
Roger didn't want to talk to him anymore and threw a Buck at him.
"Buck! Billy!" Roger roared.
"Bring me everything on our ship that can pry or smash!"
"I don't believe it today; a broken wooden box can't be harder than Hector's mouth?!"
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