Nicolas followed the map that the old man had given him, and sailed south. He was curious and excited about what he would find in the cave, and what the old man's stuff was. He wondered if it was something valuable or dangerous, or maybe both. He hoped it was worth the risk.
He enjoyed sailing the boat, feeling the wind and the waves. He felt free and adventurous, like a real pirate. He thought about his future, and what he would do once he got the boat and the 100 golds. He imagined traveling the seas, exploring new lands, meeting new people, and finding new treasures. He smiled and said to himself, "This is the life I want."
He sailed for four hours, until he saw the beach and the cave. The cave was dark and gloomy, and the light from the sun didn't reach inside. But Nicolas was prepared. He had brought a torch with him, and he lit it up. He left the boat on the shore, and entered the cave. He followed the map, and walked deeper into the cave. He saw stalactites and stalagmites, and heard the sound of dripping water. He also heard the sound of flapping wings.
He turned a corner, and saw a large bat hanging from the ceiling. It was the size of a dog, and it had sharp teeth and claws. It looked at Nicolas with red eyes, and hissed. Nicolas was shocked and scared. He said, "What the hell? Do bats grow that big?"
The bat flew towards Nicolas, and tried to bite him. Nicolas dodged and said, "Augh, I can't get to the treasure if a large fucking bat is blocking my way." He looked around and saw a large stone on the ground. He picked it up and threw it at the bat. The stone hit the bat on the head, and knocked it out. It fell to the ground with a thud. Nicolas said, "Yes, phew. That stone is heavy as fuck. Let's see what's in this chest that the old man wants."
He walked past the bat, and reached the end of the cave. He saw a wooden chest, locked with a padlock. He used the key that the old man had given him, and opened the chest. He was surprised and amazed by what he saw. Inside the chest, there was a pile of gold coins, jewels, and pearls. There was also a sword, a gun, and a compass. There was also a letter, addressed to the old man.
Nicolas said, "Wow, this is the stuff that the old man wants? This is a fortune. Why did he leave it here? And what's this letter?" He was tempted to take some of the treasure for himself, but he decided not to. He thought it was best to deliver it to the old man, and get his reward. He said, "Maybe he'll give me some of this treasure, if I bring it to him. Or maybe he'll tell me the story behind it. Either way, I'm curious."
He closed the chest, and carried it to his boat. It was heavy, but he managed to lift it. He put it on the boat, and sailed back to the city. He hoped that the old man was still waiting for him, and that he would keep his promise. He wondered what the old man would say, when he saw his stuff. He wondered what the letter said, and who wrote it. He wondered what secrets the old man had, and what mysteries the treasure hid. He said to himself, "This is the life of a solo pirate. Full of surprises and adventures."
Nicolas sailed back to the city, carrying the chest with the old man's stuff. He was curious and excited about what he would find in the chest, and what the old man would say. He wondered if the old man would give him some of the treasure, or tell him the story behind it. He hoped that the old man would keep his promise, and give him the boat and the 100 golds.
He arrived at the port, and looked for the old man. He saw him waiting at the same dock, where he had left him. The old man smiled and waved at him, and said, "Ah, young man. You're back. Did you find my stuff?"
Nicolas nodded and said, "Yes, sir. I did. Here it is." He handed the chest to the old man, and said, "It was quite heavy, but I managed to bring it. What's in it, anyway? And why did you leave it in the cave?"
The old man took the chest, and opened it. He looked at the treasure, and said, "Ah, yes. This is it. This is my stuff. It's a long story, young man. A very long story. But I'll tell you later. First, let me give you your reward. You've earned it."
He reached into his pocket, and took out a bag of gold coins. He said, "Here you go, young man. 100 golds, as promised. And the boat, of course. It's yours now. You can take it and sail away. You've done me a great favor, and I'm very grateful."
Nicolas took the bag of gold coins, and felt them. They were heavy and shiny, and he heard them clink. He said, "Wow, thank you, sir. Thank you very much. This is more than I ever had. And the boat, too. Thank you for giving me the boat. It's a great boat. I like it a lot."
The old man said, "You're welcome, young man. You're welcome. You deserve it. You're a good and brave young man. And you have a bright future ahead of you. You can be a great pirate, if you want. You have the skills and the courage. And now, you have the boat and the gold. You can go anywhere you want, and do anything you want. You can live the life of a solo pirate."