Chapter 182: Fang Yi: You Can Buy a Random Key to Refresh Fate Gear
The vice admirals who had just spoken out sat back down with nervous expressions.
They were used to a Sengoku who obeyed the World Government without question, a man easily constrained by political maneuvering. But suddenly, he was acting… firm.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we're only worried about potential reprimands from the World Government."
"That's right. If they decide to punish us, next year's military budget for HQ might be slashed to unbearable levels."
"Without that funding, how are we supposed to train new recruits or maintain peace in the Four Seas?"
They all talked at once, but not one dared remain standing before Buddha Sengoku, the man who had hunted countless pirates, helped capture the Pirate King Roger, and fought alongside Garp against Golden Lion.
If he got truly angry, none of them would dare challenge him.
"Do as I say."
Sengoku wasn't moved by their excuses. He didn't even bother acknowledging them. He simply gave the order to the Marine beside him.
Why had Mihawk and Doflamingo turned against them? Why had noble factions allied with the World Government also rebelled?
Sengoku had racked his brain trying to figure it out—and failed.
Until now.
He finally realized he'd been thinking about it all wrong.
From the beginning, he had viewed the Game Merchant as nothing more than a schemer, a chaotic opportunist.
Choosing to launch his operations in the East Blue had seemed like the move of a man with tricks but no real power.
But when Mihawk and Doflamingo openly rebelled, Sengoku began to suspect something deeper. Perhaps the Game Merchant's threat level was equal to Whitebeard's—or even to the legendary Rocks.
But even that wasn't enough.
The admirals, the vice admirals, the rear admirals stationed throughout the seas and Grand Line—all backed by the World Government.
With Sengoku, Garp, Aokiji, Kizaru, Akainu, Tsuru—the core of Marine power—this sea had only two words to describe their might: Unstoppable.
No one could contend with them.
It was possible someone like Doflamingo might be lured by tempting rewards, and thus abandon Dressrosa to join the game.
But the moment the noble armies rebelled?
That crushed the last remnants of doubt in Sengoku's heart.
These nobles had everything—their lives, status, and wealth—tied to the World Government. For them to turn their backs so openly, there could only be one reason:
They believed the Game Merchant could not only defeat the World Government and Marines—but completely crush them.
Only then—
would those crafty, selfish aristocrats make such a radical move.
As a general who had earned the title of "Strategist," Sengoku had considered this possibility long ago.
But it had seemed so absurd, so ridiculous, it sounded like a fairy tale from the West Blue. He simply couldn't accept the idea that anyone could beat the Marines in a head-to-head fight.
Until now.
When the Game Merchant announced the Soul Reaper's descent into reality, Sengoku could no longer deny it.
Using the deductive power he'd honed over a lifetime,
along with the observations he'd made during these broadcasts,
he could now say with near certainty: the Game Merchant was telling the truth.
"So that's what this is."
Sengoku's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "The nobles abandoned the Marines… for a new future offered by the Game Merchant."
What a ridiculous sea this had become.
If they kept obeying the World Government, the Marines would be doomed.
Thankfully, Garp and Smoker's recklessness had bought them a second chance.
He picked up the Den Den Mushi.
After a long pause, Garp's breathless voice came through: "You idiot Sengoku, can't you see I'm fighting the Revolutionary Army?! Why are you calling now?"
Still, he answered. That was their unspoken bond.
Sengoku said flatly, "I'm allocating 5 billion Berries to both you and Smoker. Unlock your full power. Hunting the Soul Reaper is now top priority."
Two seconds later.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Garp laughed through the Den Den Mushi. "This is the first time in years you've disobeyed a World Government order! Color me impressed!"
"Idiot."
Talking to Garp was exhausting. Sengoku frowned. "Watch your tone. This isn't rebellion. As Fleet Admiral, I'm doing what I believe is best for both the Government and the Navy."
This wasn't the time to openly fight the World Government.
Sengoku had planned to quietly retire in two years and pass the mantle to the steady Kuzan.
Who knew he'd face such a bizarre crisis at the end of his term?
So be it.
At worst, he'd fall from grace. That was a burden he could carry.
—
Fang Yi nodded with interest. "Looks like the Marines aren't entirely made up of fools."
He sensed tens of thousands of reward points flowing in. Garp and Smoker's strength was rising rapidly.
"Merchant, are there any other Fate Items in the Game Room?"
Smoker asked after connecting with the interface.
Unlike Garp,
even with full power unlocked, Smoker was just a mid-tier vice admiral at best—thanks to his relatively high floor as a Logia user.
But compared to pirates like Mihawk or Doflamingo, he was still outclassed.
"Of course. However…"
A holographic image of Fang Yi appeared. He held out his hand. "The Game Room updates Fate Items every seven days. There's an item called a Fate Lock that lets you preserve a current item."
"And then there's this—Random Key, which lets you refresh the inventory early."
In his palm, a golden key shimmered.
[Random Key]: Instantly replaces the five Fate Items in the Game Room. Price: 200 reward points.
"Two hundred points?"
Smoker looked up in disbelief.
He'd only been a player for a few weeks, but he'd already grasped the essence of the Reincarnation Game:
It was a gold sink.
Everything—gold, jewels, credit, even entire islands' worth of resources—could be exchanged for points.
Between pay-to-win spending and monster hunts, it seemed like he'd accumulated a fortune…
Only for it to mysteriously disappear.
In the Trial Tower, everything cost points. He half-expected breathing to have a charge.
Actually—wasn't that just a respiration tax?
And now—
A Random Key was only 200 points?
Smoker, so used to being bled dry, felt strangely unbalanced.
It had to be a trap.
Fang Yi's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Yes, just 200 points."
The Random Key wasn't meant to be expensive.
It was just like Big Mom and her sweets. Before the first taste, everything was fine. But once you tried it—you could never stop.
A level 15 purple armor set, missing just one piece to activate the full set bonus.
Could a player really wait a whole week for a random refresh?
Two hundred points might seem cheap.
But no one ever stopped at one random.
They'd burn through a fortune before they realized it—cursing their bad luck while buying "just one more."
And right now—
Smoker took a deep breath, hand trembling slightly as he accepted the Random Key and used it.
[You have refreshed the Fate Items in the Game Room. New inventory is now available.]
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