Chapter 1: Buy One Get One Free? Double the Surprise!
(Wishing all my readers great fortune! New year, new beginnings!)
(The author's main profession is a pirate (serious face). Please keep reading, I won't let you down!)
[Ding! Naruto System successfully activated!]
[Detecting host's current environment... Distributing Newbie Gift Pack.]
[Newbie Gift Pack distributed, please check.]
[Obtained: Single Tomoe Sharingan (Derived from Uchiha bloodline, perfectly fused).]
[Obtained: Chakra Refinement Technique (Basic Edition).][Obtained: Ninja Tool Pouch (Contains Kunai ×1, Explosive Tag ×3, Food Pill ×1).]
Darkness. Swaying.
Victor snapped his eyes open, only to see pitch-black wooden planks.
"Transmigrated? System?"
Victor felt a cool energy in his mind, followed by a burning sensation in his eyes.
He blinked in the darkness, and the originally dark, cramped space instantly became clearly visible.
Even the direction of a single wood grain was fully captured by his eyes.
Sharingan!
Before he could celebrate for long, a sudden, intense feeling of weightlessness hit him.
Thud!
It sounded like a heavy object hitting the ground.
Immediately after, strange noises came from nearby.
"Snore... snore... meat... I want to eat meat..."
The voice was muffled, as if coming through a layer of wood.
Victor froze for a moment, then his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
That voice, those lines, and his current environment, which was most likely a "wine barrel"...
"Are you kidding me? I actually transmigrated as Luffy's 'barrel-mate'?"
...
Meanwhile, in a sunny stretch of sea in the East Blue.
On the deck of a large sailing ship flying a heart-shaped skull flag—the "Miss Love Duck."
Several wretched-looking pirates were surrounding two large wine barrels they had just fished up, their eyes gleaming.
"Hey! Koby! Hahaha! Your luck has finally turned for the better once!"
A pirate with a face full of scars "heavily" slapped the short, pink-haired boy wearing round glasses next to him.
"I thought it was empty, but I didn't expect it to be so heavy! This weight, it's definitely filled with top-quality red wine!"
"And there are two barrels!" another pirate said, rubbing his hands greedily, drool almost dripping to his chin.
"One barrel could sell for at least tens of thousands of Berries. If we make Lady Alvida happy, she might reward us with a good meal tonight!"
The boy named Koby shrunk his neck, his whole body trembling.
"Th-that, shouldn't we move them into the storage room first?"
"If Lady Alvida finds us sneakily drinking on deck, we'll be crushed by her iron mace..."
"Huh? Shut up! You coward!"
The scarred pirate spat impatiently.
"Such heavy barrels must be full! This weather is perfect for a drink. Let's open one and have a taste first. As long as you don't say anything, who will know?"
The other two pirates looked at each other and shared a knowing, wretched smile.
"Hehe, you're right! Open the one on the left first!"
The big man couldn't wait and raised his fist the size of a casserole, smashing it down hard onto the lid of the left barrel, which was covered in strange graffiti.
"Open up!!"
BOOM—!!!
There was no sound of a wooden lid breaking as expected.
On the contrary, as if an explosion had occurred inside the barrel, the entire lid along with the wooden splinters instantly burst outward.
The big man, who had leaned in to smell the wine, felt as if his jaw had been hit by a sledgehammer.
He flew backward like a broken kite, drawing a... not-so-graceful parabola in the air.
Finally, with a "thud," he slammed onto the deck several meters away, foaming at the mouth and fainting on the spot.
"Phew—! What a great sleep!!!"
Under the sunlight, a boy wearing a Straw Hat suddenly stood straight up from the broken wooden barrel.
His arms were spread wide in an exaggerated manner, and that unchanging, bright laugh was plastered on his face.
"The wind is really nice today!"
The remaining pirates were all dumbfounded, their cutlasses nearly falling onto their feet.
"A person... there's a person inside?"
"What kind of monster is this? He sent Jerry flying with one punch?"
Before the pirates could recover from their shock, the Straw Hat boy rubbed his empty stomach and turned to look at Koby, who was already paralyzed with fear on the ground.
"Hey, is there any food? I'm starving to death."
Veins popped on the pirates' foreheads: "..."
Oi! Oi! Oi!
Is this kid an idiot! Can't he read the room! We're pirates!
Just as everyone was about to attack this Straw Hat kid who didn't know his place—
Click.
The other barrel, which had been quiet all along, suddenly made a crisp sound of a latch breaking.
The pirates' nerves were already strained, and they instinctively turned their heads at the sound.
They saw the lid of the second barrel being gently pushed open by a slender hand.
Then, a handsome young man with black hair and black eyes slowly stood up.
Victor had a calm expression as he gently brushed the wood chips off his shoulders, then looked up, revealing a slightly pale face.
Victor stretched his back, his gaze sweeping over the startled pirates.
Finally, his gaze rested on Luffy, who was still blankly asking for food, and a playful smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
"Even though I expected it, this wake-up service is still a bit too noisy, Straw Hat-ya."
At this moment, within Victor's eyes, the originally black pupils had at some point been dyed with a layer of eerie blood-red.
A black tomoe slowly rotated within the iris, emitting a heart-palpitating chill.
Single Tomoe Sharingan!
"Is this... a themed restaurant that provides free lunch?" Victor asked humorously.
The deck fell into a deathly silence, with only the sound of the sea breeze blowing through the canvas.
Three seconds later, a roar of embarrassed rage erupted.
"One after another! Are you all kidding me!!"
The remaining pirates finally reacted, their faces turning red with anger.
"Where's our wine! Give us back our fine wine!"
"Kill these two brats who don't know the meaning of death!"
Three pirates raised their gleaming sabers, dividing the tasks clearly.
Two slashed at Luffy, who seemed more threatening, while the remaining bald pirate charged at Victor with a sneer.
"Pretty boy! Die!"
"Hey! Watch out!"
Koby was so scared that he covered his eyes, not daring to watch the bloody scene that followed.
"Heehee." Luffy didn't move at all, just pulled his hat brim and showed a mouthful of white teeth.
On the other side, facing the sharp blade coming down on him, the tomoe in Victor's eyes slowly rotated.
In his vision, the world slowed down.
The bald pirate's distorted expression was like a frame-by-frame playback.
He could clearly see the other's nostrils flaring due to the exertion.
He saw the small nick on the blade and even predicted the final trajectory of this strike.
Too slow.
Like an old lady crossing the street!
Victor leaned slightly and moved only half a step to the left.
Whoosh!
The heavy blade slashed down past the tip of his nose, the wind it carried ruffling his bangs.
Finally, it slammed hard into the edge of the empty wine barrel, kicking up a spray of wood chips.
"Wh... what?!"
The bald pirate's eyes widened, his eyeballs nearly popping out.
He couldn't believe his surefire strike had been dodged?
And from such a close distance, dodged so effortlessly?
Just as his old strength was spent and new strength hadn't yet formed, with his body leaning forward due to inertia, Victor moved.
His right hand, as if performing magic, instantly revealed a pitch-black Kunai.
His fingers spun it nimbly, gripping it in a reverse hold, then he closed the distance, the cold tip of the Kunai precisely pressing against the pirate's carotid artery.
"Don't move."
The cold metal touch caused the bald pirate to break out in a cold sweat instantly.
His legs went weak, and the blade in his hand fell to the ground with a "clang."
On the other side, two crisp "thud" sounds also came from Luffy's direction.
The two sabers struck him, but it was as if they hit a thick rubber tire, and they were bounced away by the massive reaction force.
"Eh?"
Luffy tilted his head, ignoring the people who attacked him.
Instead, he looked at the uninjured Victor with a curious face, "You're pretty strong too!"
Victor put away the Kunai and kicked the terrified pirate, sending him rolling away.
He turned around, his pair of crimson Single Tomoe Sharingan exceptionally striking under the sunlight.
He reached out his hand to Luffy, showing a mysterious smile.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Victor, I'm a... magician."
Luffy's big eyes instantly turned into stars, and his mouth hung wide open.
"A magician? Are your red eyes magic too? Like a monkey! So cool!!"
"My name is Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King!"
Monkey?
Victor's mouth twitched, and he was about to retort.
"Who is it!! Who dares to cause trouble on my ship!!"
A fat woman with a face full of freckles, holding a giant iron mace, burst through the door in a rage.
Koby's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he held his head in despair: "It's... it's over... Lady Alvida is here..."Chapter 2 Rubber Fool and Red-Eyed Magician
"Who is it?! Who dares to cause trouble on my ship?!"
"I am the most beautiful woman on this vast sea—Miss Alvida!"
Accompanied by a roar powerful enough to shatter eardrums.
A large, freckled woman, wielding a huge iron bar with spikes, thundered into the center of the deck.
With each step she took, the deck seemed to groan.
"Which bastard just injured my man? Was it you, you shorty, Koby?!"
Alvida's small eyes, squeezed shut by her fat, darted around before finally settling on the trembling Koby.
"No, it wasn't me! Miss Alvida!"
"No matter how you look at it, it's not me!"
Koby was so frightened that snot and tears streamed down his face as he frantically shook his head and pointed at Luffy and Victor.
"These two weirdos crawled out of the wine barrel!"
Alvida turned her head sharply, glaring fiercely at the two instigators.
A boy wearing a straw hat was picking his nose, while another boy with black hair and red eyes was smiling and tilting his head at him.
Those two guys!
They completely disregarded her!
"You two brats!"
Alvida felt that her dignity had been seriously challenged.
She raised her spiked club high and smashed it down hard on Luffy, who looked like he deserved the most a beating.
"Since you dare to provoke me like this, then turn into mincemeat!"
The howling wind terrified Kobi and the surrounding pirates, who all fled in panic.
"Hey, um... ma'am, who are you?"
Luffy looked up with a blank expression, staring at the spiked club that was coming down at him, without dodging or dodging.
"Thump—!!"
A dull, loud bang.
The expected scene of blood splattering did not occur.
Alvida felt as if she had crashed into an incredibly tough, thick piece of rubber; the enormous recoil made her hands go numb, and she almost lost her grip on the iron bar.
Luffy's head was smashed so hard that it was deeply dented, then it bounced back to its original shape.
"Ouch! Ouch! That hurts! What are you doing, you barbaric old lady?!"
Luffy clutched his head and screamed.
"You...you're alright?!" Alvida's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock. "You're a Devil Fruit user too?!"
Viktor, who was watching the battle from a short distance away, had a faint red light flash in his eyes.
"The Rubber Fruit... It's quite amazing to see it in person."
He was analyzing the situation quickly in his mind.
Although he possesses the Sharingan and chakra, his physical abilities are currently only at the level of an ordinary person, even less robust than those pirates who make a living at sea year-round.
Luffy's immune-to-blunt-strike physique makes him a natural-born meat shield.
"I don't care what kind of ability you are! On this East Sea, disobeying me, Alvida, is a capital offense!"
Enraged, Alvida swung her spiked club again, preparing to launch an even fiercer attack.
"Rubber, rubber—"
Luffy also got into a fighting stance, arms outstretched, ready to retaliate, "Pistol!"
However, just as the fist was about to be thrown...
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle—"
A thunderous roar, even louder than Coby's earlier cries, came from Luffy's stomach.
Luffy's outstretched arm instantly deflated like a punctured balloon and hung limply down.
He collapsed to the ground, limp and lifeless, like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.
"Ah... I can't take it anymore, I'm so hungry, I have no strength left..."
Luffy lay on the ground, speaking weakly.
The entire room fell silent.
Even Alvida's hand, which was holding the spiked club, froze in mid-air, her mouth twitching wildly.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Viktor sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
As expected, we can't count on Luffy, that single-celled organism.
But, according to his memory, shouldn't Luffy have knocked her away in one go?
"Hey, you red-eyed kid over there!"
Alvida felt she had been thoroughly mocked, and she directed her anger at Victor, who seemed more like a normal person.
"Since you're in cahoots, then you should die in his place!"
The spiked mace whistled through the air as it swept towards Victor's waist.
This strike was powerful and heavy; if it landed, an ordinary person would definitely be broken in the waist.
"Mr. Victor! Run!" Coby shouted desperately from behind the barrel.
Viktor stood still, motionless.
His crimson Sharingan with its single tomoe turned slightly, and the world seemed to slow down once again in his eyes.
Alvida's seemingly fierce attacks were full of flaws in his eyes.
The point of muscle exertion, the unsteadiness of the steps, the shift in the center of gravity... everything is exposed.
"It's too rough."
Just as the spiked club was about to touch the hem of his clothes, Victor moved.
Instead of retreating, he took a step forward, his figure flashing like a ghost as he cut into Alvida's blind spot.
The spiked club swept across his back, the resulting gust of wind causing his clothes to flutter loudly.
"What?!"
Alvida's attack missed, and the immense momentum caused her bulky body to stagger forward uncontrollably.
"Rubber, pistol leg!"
"Wow! Isn't that the name of my move?!"
Victor appeared beside her, and with a sudden burst of power, his right foot struck Alvida precisely in the back of her kneecap.
"Click!"
A crisp sound.
"ah!!"
Alvida let out a pig-like scream, and her huge body instantly lost its balance and tilted to one side.
Before she could fall to the ground, Victor's figure flashed again and appeared in front of her.
At this moment, Alvida's front door was wide open, and she stared in horror at those emotionless red eyes.
"it's over."
Viktor clenched his right fist, gathering chakra in his knuckles, and mercilessly slammed it into Alvida's plump chin.
"Bang!"
A dull thud resounded.
Under the horrified gazes of everyone.
Despite weighing at least 300 pounds, Alvida was knocked off the ground by a single punch from this seemingly frail boy.
He spun two and a half times in the air before crashing heavily onto the mainmast.
His eyes rolled back, he foamed at the mouth, lost consciousness, and completely passed out.
The deck was deathly silent, with only the sound of the sea breeze.
Those pirate henchmen who had originally wanted to rush forward were now frozen in place, their weapons clattering and falling to the ground.
That female pirate known as the most terrifying in the East Blue... was actually killed in an instant?
And he was instantly killed by a seemingly frail boy with his bare hands?
Viktor slowly withdrew his fist, gently flicked his wrist, and the red light in his eyes gradually faded, returning to its original darkness.
He let out a breath, which was not an easy thing for someone who was not yet familiar with the place.
"Wow...that's amazing..." Koby's mouth dropped open, his glasses almost falling off.
"Ooh ooh ooh ooh!!!"
Luffy, who was lying on the ground, suddenly sprang up like a spring, seemingly out of nowhere.
His eyes once again sparkled like stars as he excitedly rushed towards Viktor.
"You're really amazing! Those red eyes, and that punch you just threw, were so cool!!"
Luffy grabbed Victor's shoulder and shook him violently.
"Hey, Victor! Be my crewmate! Join my pirate crew! Let's go find ONE PIECE together!"Chapter 3 Victor's Magic
On the vast ocean, a small wooden boat, which seemed particularly tiny at the moment, was rising and falling with the waves.
This ship was, of course, "borrowed" from the Alvida Pirates.
As for why the Alvida Pirates didn't catch up?
It was probably because their captain was still hanging from the mast, foaming at the mouth.
The terrifying red-eyed boy merely glanced back, and everyone on the ship was so frightened that they shrank back below deck.
"Great! We're finally out to sea!"
Luffy sat at the bow of the ship, showing no awareness of his role as captain, and instead excitedly shouted into the sea breeze.
"This is what adventure feels like!"
Koby, who was sitting in the middle rowing the boat—though he didn't know why he had become a laborer—was looking ahead with a look of utter despair.
"Mr. Luffy... is it really okay for us to just take the pirates' lifeboat like this?"
"It's okay, it's okay!" Luffy waved his hand dismissively. "They don't need it anyway!"
Victor, sitting at the stern, was leisurely leaning against the gunwale, playing with a kunai in his hand.
While Luffy was shouting and yelling, Victor had a sudden thought and activated the system interface deep in his mind.
"System, calculate battle rewards."
In an instant, a pale blue, semi-transparent light curtain, visible only to him, unfolded before his eyes.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the hidden achievement quest – "The First Battle Before Setting Sail"!]
[Defeat target: "Iron Rod" Alvida (bounty 5 million Berries).]
[Battle Rating: S.]
[Reward received: 500 Ninja Points.]
"500 points..."
Viktor looked at the number and thoughtfully stroked his chin.
According to the system's description, [Ninja Value] is the only circulating currency in this system.
The acquisition methods are simple and straightforward: defeat powerful enemies, change major plot points in the original work, or create a world-shaking scene on the high seas.
The stronger the opponent, the higher the bounty, and the higher the rating and points you get.
Although Alvida is somewhat famous in the East Blue, she is not even worth mentioning in the entire world of One Piece.
The 500 points were probably given out of consideration for the "first battle".
"Open the redemption shop."
As Viktor's thoughts raced, the screen changed, and a dazzling list appeared before him.
This is the feature of the "Naruto System" that he is most envious of.
The store is divided into several categories: [Ninjutsu], [Taijutsu], [Genjutsu], [Kekkei Genkai], and [Ninja Tools].
Viktor glanced casually at the "Luxury Goods Section" at the top and immediately felt a toothache.
[Rinnegan (single)]: Price: 10,000,000 Ninja Points.
[Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan (Both Eyes)]: Price: 5,000,000 Ninja Points.
"Ten million…" Victor's lips twitched. "How long would that take to save up?"
He shook his head, decisively closed those advanced pages that only instilled "poverty anxiety," and turned his attention to the [Basic Area]**.
He now possesses a single-tomoe Sharingan, and his attack methods are relatively limited, consisting mainly of basic taijutsu and kunai.
His gaze lingered on several options:
[Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique]: C-rank ninjutsu. Exchange price: 300 points.
[Substitution Jutsu]: Rank E Ninjutsu. Exchange Price: 200 points.
[Shadow Clone Technique]: Rank B Ninjutsu. Exchange Price: 1000 points.
[Illusion Technique: Naraku's Sight]: D-rank ninjutsu. Exchange price: 400 points.
Viktor looked at his remaining 500 points and weighed his options briefly.
Ultimately, his gaze settled on [Illusion Technique: Naraku's Sight Technique].
"People in the pirate world generally have low magic resistance and almost no means of defense against mental attacks. Moreover..."
"How can a magician not know hypnosis?"
"I'll exchange for the Fireball Jutsu next time. It's the standard weapon of the Uchiha clan, even though it never seems to kill anyone in Naruto..."
"System, exchange for [Illusion Technique: Naraku's Appearance]!"
[Ding! 400 Ninja Points deducted. Exchange successful! The relevant hand seals and chakra flow methods have been injected into the host's memory.]
A refreshing stream of information flooded my mind.
Viktor closed his eyes to process the information for a moment, and when he opened them again, a deeper, more profound look seemed to appear in the depths of his dark pupils.
Before he could even think about it, Luffy's voice brought him back to his senses.
"Hey, Victor!" Luffy suddenly turned around and said with a serious expression.
"Now that you're on my ship, you're my first partner!"
"I'm going to be the Pirate King! As the first mate, you'd better work hard!"
"Pfft—cough cough cough!"
Koby, who was rowing, almost choked on his own saliva and was so frightened that he dropped the oar.
He jumped to his feet, his eyes wide as saucers, staring at Luffy in terror:
"One Piece?! Mr. Luffy, are you kidding me?!"
"That's a great pirate who possesses all the wealth, fame, and power in the world!"
"To become the Pirate King, you have to find the legendary ONE PIECE on this sea full of monsters!"
"How could something like this... possibly be possible! Absolutely impossible! Impossible!!"
"Bang!"
Luffy punched Coby on the head without hesitation.
"Ouch!" Koby clutched his head and crouched down.
"Why did you hit me...?"
"Because you're noisy." Luffy picked his nose, but his eyes were unusually firm.
"It's not a question of whether it's possible or not. It's because I want to be a part of it that I'm doing it. I don't care if I die for it."
Koby was stunned.
Viktor reluctantly retrieved the oar and tossed it to Kobe.
"A very impressive declaration. But my captain, if you want to become the Pirate King, you can't do it by begging... no, we can't do it by ourselves alone."
"That's right!" Luffy immediately perked up and started counting on his fingers.
"We also need a navigator, a cook, a musician... Let me think, how about that 'pirate hunter' thing?"
"Zoro...Zoro?!"
Upon hearing this name, Koby's face turned deathly pale.
"Mr. Luffy, you want to find Roronoa Zoro as your partner? That guy who's called 'the monster in human skin'?"
"I heard he's a ruthless killer! He's currently being held captive at the naval base up ahead!"
"Got caught, huh?" Luffy said nonchalantly. "That's good. If he's a decent guy, I'll let him join!"
"Not bad... They say it's a Warcraft!"
Just as Coby was still muttering and breaking down, Luffy's attention suddenly shifted.
He turned his head, his large, curious eyes staring intently at Viktor, as if he had suddenly remembered something important.
"Hey there! Viktor!"
Luffy moved closer, almost touching Viktor's face.
"You said you were a magician before, right? That red eye is cool, but I want to see something more interesting! Show me one! Now!"
Viktor looked at Luffy's starry eyes and raised an eyebrow helplessly.
"Want to see magic?" Victor's lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Alright, since you're the captain, I'll show you a really difficult one."
"Oh oh oh!"
Luffy immediately sat up straight, and even Coby, who was rowing the boat, couldn't help but secretly glance over.
That magic trick that instantly killed a powerful pirate must be incredibly amazing, right?
Did the flames appear out of thin air? Or did they vanish instantly?
Under the expectant gazes of the two, Victor slowly extended his right index finger and held it up in front of Luffy.
"Look closely, Luffy. This is a finger, right?"
"Mmm-hmm!" Luffy nodded vigorously.
"Next, don't blink, this is the moment to witness a miracle."
Viktor took a deep breath, and then—
Start shaking that index finger rapidly from side to side.
The frequency was so fast and the shaking so violent that it even created a faint afterimage.
"Look! Change!" Victor solemnly held up two fingers.
"yeah!"
He stopped what he was doing and looked at Luffy calmly.
The scene was silent for a full three seconds.
"Wow!!!"
Luffy let out an unprecedented scream, clutching his head with both hands, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
"It's become two!! That's amazing!! It was just one a moment ago! How did you do that?! Viktor, are you a god?!"
Koby, standing to the side: "..."
Koby's expression changed from anticipation to blankness, and finally to deep speechlessness.
He clutched his head in anguish, feeling as if his future was shrouded in darkness.
"What kind of magic trick is that! It's just extending one finger; anyone can do that!"
Koby mentally ranted, his eyes filled with suspicion as he looked at Luffy.
Mr. Luffy... is he really not an idiot? He actually believes this kind of trick that's only for three-year-olds?
Victor seemed to enjoy it, and he patted Luffy on the shoulder.
"This is the essence of magic, Captain. You'll understand later: in this world, seeing is not always believing."
In this atmosphere filled with "wisdom," the distant fog gradually dissipated.
The outline of a huge island appears on the sea surface.
In the center of the island, a towering, massive fortress-like building stands out, with the huge letter "MARINE" gleaming in the sunlight.
"Mr. Luffy, Mr. Victor!"
"Seltz Town, the 153rd Naval Division has arrived!"Chapter 4 That man's name is Zoro!
"Wow—hahahaha! Is this Shells Town?"
As soon as his feet touched solid ground, Luffy spread his arms wide and let out a hearty laugh at the somewhat empty street.
He adjusted his straw hat, showing no awareness of his role as a pirate infiltrating Marine territory. Instead, he strode excitedly toward the front of the street.
"Alright! Let's go find our friends!"
Koby, carrying a huge bag that was completely disproportionate to his size, followed behind, sweating profusely, and earnestly advised him.
"Mr. Luffy, please calm down! Trying to find someone called a 'monster' as a companion is just too reckless!"
"Huh? What's going on here?" Luffy turned around, looking completely nonchalant. "I haven't decided yet. If he's a good person, I'll let him join."
Koby screamed in despair, "That's why he was arrested!..."
Luffy didn't listen at all and even started looking around.
Seeing this, Koby could only turn to Victor, who was strolling leisurely to the side, for help.
"Hey, Mr. Victor, as the first mate, you need to go and talk to Mr. Luffy! This is really going to cause trouble!"
Viktor stopped and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Well, Coby, humans are very complex creatures."
"Victo said meaningfully, tapping his forehead lightly with his finger," he said.
"Sometimes, those wearing naval uniforms are not necessarily righteous, and those bound to the cross are not necessarily demons."
"Seeing is not always believing—that's the first lesson a magician should learn."
"ha?"
Coby looked completely bewildered. Before he could react, Luffy in front of him had already cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted into the street:
"Hey—!! Where is that guy named Zoro?!"
That shout was like a bomb dropped on a calm lake.
The townspeople who were walking in the street screamed and scattered in all directions when they heard the name "Zoro".
The shops on both sides were frantically closing and locking their doors with a series of loud bangs.
In the blink of an eye, the entire street became deserted, not even a fly was left.
"Hey? Everyone's running so fast!"
Luffy tilted his head, looking completely innocent.
Viktor sighed helplessly, stepped forward, grabbed Luffy's shoulder, and lifted up the terrified Coby with his other hand.
"Alright, Captain, stop shouting. Since everyone's so afraid of him, isn't it obvious where he is?"
Victor raised his chin and gestured towards the towering naval fortress in the distance.
"Let's go to the naval base first. Coby, haven't you always dreamed of joining the Navy? It's on our way."
Upon hearing the word "Navy," the fear in Koby's eyes lessened slightly, replaced by a sense of anticipation.
"Yes, yes! I want to join the Navy!"
"Oh! No wonder he's the vice-captain! He's got a lot of drive!" Luffy chuckled and started running towards the base.
"Wait! Mr. Victor, Mr. Luffy! I... I'm not mentally prepared yet..."
...
The sun was blazing overhead. Outside the base perimeter of the 153rd Naval Division.
The three stood beneath the towering wall.
"Oh, this is it!"
As he spoke, Luffy, like a nimble monkey, quickly climbed up the high wall and sat on top of it, looking around.
"Where is he? That monster named Zoro?" Luffy put his hand to his forehead.
Koby stood at the base of the wall, tilting his head back and speaking softly.
"It won't be here, Mr. Luffy. Those extremely dangerous criminals are definitely locked up in specially constructed, dark underground cells..."
"Ah, found it."
Luffy's voice interrupted Coby's reasoning.
He pointed to the playground inside the wall, "It's right there."
"Huh?!" Koby was taken aback.
Before he could react, he felt a tightness around the back of his collar.
Viktor lifted him up like a chick, unleashing a burst of chakra beneath his feet, and with a light leap, he jumped onto the three-meter-high wall, standing steadily beside Luffy.
With that one glance, all three of them could see the scene inside the wall.
In the center of the wide, loess playground, a single cross stands alone.
A man was tightly bound to it with thick ropes.
He wore a black headscarf, a dark green bellyband, and a dark green belly wrap around his waist.
Although he looked a bit disheveled at the moment, covered in dirt.
But the ferocious aura emanating from him, like that of a wild beast, could be felt from a great distance.
"It really is Roronoa Zoro…" Coby said, his voice trembling as he leaned against the wall, "He's just been left to bake in the sun like this…"
Luffy stared at Zoro for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.
"It doesn't look like anything. All we need to do is untie that rope, right?"
"Stop joking, Mr. Luffy!" Coby shouted in terror.
"That's a monster! If you untie the ropes, it will definitely kill you immediately!"
"It's okay." Luffy patted his chest confidently. "I'm strong!"
Koby's lips twitched, and he subconsciously glanced at Victor, who stood calmly beside him.
"Ah...it would be more convincing if Mr. Victor said that..."
Just then, the man on the cross seemed to notice the prying eyes.
Zoro slowly raised his head, his sharp, tiger-like eyes piercing through the blinding sunlight and coldly staring at the three people on the wall.
"Hey, you guys are in the way."
"Get out of here if you don't want to die."
"Eek—!" Coby immediately shrank back and hid behind Luffy.
Just as the atmosphere became tense, a childish voice suddenly came from under the wall.
"Excuse me... big brother, please move aside."
Viktor looked down.
There was a little girl with pigtails, struggling to hold up a ladder taller than herself, trying to lean it against the wall.
The little girl blushed shyly when she saw Viktor looking at her.
"I want to go in."
Luffy and Coby were still exchanging glances with Zoro and hadn't noticed what was happening below.
Viktor looked at Rika, the famous "rice ball girl" from the original work, and a hint of gentleness flashed in his eyes.
He nimbly jumped down from the wall and landed in front of the little girl.
"The ladder is too dangerous."
Viktor took the ladder from her with one hand and put it aside, then extended his hand to her with a smile.
"Are you going to deliver food to that 'big brother'? Let me help you go in."
Lijia paused for a moment, looked at the handsome older brother, and subconsciously nodded.
"Um... I want to give rice balls to Zoro, my big brother."
"Hurry up."
Without saying a word, Victor picked up the little girl and held her in his arms.
Then, he slightly bent his knees, and chakra instantly gathered in the soles of his feet.
"Whoosh!"
There was no running start, no climbing.
Viktor, like a feather blown by the wind, leaped into the air with the little girl in his arms.
It flew straight over the high wall and landed lightly on the grass inside the playground.
It landed silently.
Koby on the wall stared wide-eyed, then covered his head with his hands and screamed.
"Aaaaah! Mr. Victor! That's a naval base! How could you imitate Mr. Luffy's reckless behavior?!"
"Hehehe, this is really interesting!"
Seeing this, Luffy laughed loudly, pressing down on his straw hat, and grabbed Coby, who was still screaming in pain: "Then let's go!"
"Huh? Huh? No way—!"
With Koby's desperate screams, the two of them tumbled down from the wall and crashed heavily onto the playground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
This commotion finally made Zoro, who had been keeping a cold expression, frown completely.
"A bunch of ignorant brats..."
Zoro gritted his teeth, his brow furrowed as he looked at these uninvited guests who had trespassed on the execution ground.
His knife was taken by Bellemere.
At that moment, Victor put the little girl Rika down and patted her head: "Go on."Chapter 5 Forced Sex
The sunlight was a bit too bright.
The little girl, Rika, carefully presented Zoro with two crookedly shaped rice balls in her hands.
The rice ball was still covered with a little black icing, making it look neither appetizing nor refined, but it was full of her heartfelt sentiment.
"Big brother, you must be hungry, right?" Li Jia looked up, her eyes clear. "This is a sweet rice ball I made especially for you. Eat it."
Zoro, who was bound to the cross, slightly bobbed his Adam's apple.
He had been starving for twenty days, and the aroma of the rice ball was simply torture.
But when he glanced around, his eyes instantly turned fierce.
"You're in my way, get out of here!" Zoro gritted his teeth and roared fiercely, "I'm not hungry! If you don't leave, I'll beat you up!"
"But…" Rika was startled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Just then, the door opened.
A blond man wearing a flashy purple suit and sporting a strange "butt chin" hairstyle swaggered over, surrounded by two navy men.
Bellumeber looked on with a mocking expression.
"Don't bully little kids, hahaha!"
"Hey, this place's lively! How dare you trespass on a naval base? Do you know what the consequences will be?"
As he spoke, he reached out to snatch the rice ball from Rika's hand. "This kind of junk food should be fed to ants!"
"Smack."
A soft sound.
Bellemere's wrist was gripped tightly in mid-air, as if clamped by an iron clamp, and he remained motionless.
"You can't bully little kids."
A voice, tinged with laughter but devoid of warmth, rang in his ear.
Viktor appeared between the two of them without them noticing, one hand in his pocket, the other gripping Helmeppo's thin wrist, his fingers exerting a slight pressure.
Bellemere felt as if his wrist was about to shatter, and his face instantly turned a deep purplish-red.
"Who...who are you?!"
"Let go! Let go now! I am Berubeber! My father is Colonel Morgan!"
"Oh? So you're just a good-for-nothing who relies on your father."
Viktor's smile deepened, but he suddenly increased the pressure on his hands.
"Click."
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
A piercing scream echoed across the entire playground.
Helmeppo collapsed to his knees in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face. "It's broken! It's going to break! My hand is going to break!!"
The two naval soldiers behind him were horrified when they saw this. They raised their rifles and aimed them at Viktor, but the muzzles of the rifles were trembling violently.
"What are you doing?! This is Colonel Monka's son! Are you trying to rebel?!"
Koby was already terrified and skillfully hid behind Victor, clutching his clothes and trembling.
"Mr. Victor! Go and explain to them! We're really wanted criminals now!"
"Explain what?"
Luffy, however, acted as if nothing had happened, squatting down in front of Zoro and asking curiously.
"Hey, you green-haired guy. Since this little girl brought you food, you must be a good person, right?"
Zoro's forehead veins bulged and his mouth twitched.
"Who's the green-haired guy?! What do you want? They're the Marines! Get out of here if you don't want to die!"
"No! Big brother is a good person!"
Suddenly, Rika shouted, her voice trembling with tears, as she revealed the truth.
"It was because the wolf that Bellmarebe kept was trying to bite me, and my older brother killed the wolf to save me!"
"He voluntarily stayed here to prevent the navy from arresting us!"
Upon hearing these words, the two naval soldiers holding guns changed their expressions, and lowered their guns slightly.
They were locals too, and they certainly abhorred the brutality of the Monca father and son.
But in Shells, Colonel Monca was the absolute and only "law".
"You bunch of good-for-nothings, what are you waiting for!"
Bellemere knelt on the ground, clutching his wrist and roaring hysterically.
"Kill them! I'm the colonel's son! I order you to open fire! I'm going to slaughter them all..."
"Bang!"
Before Bellmare could finish speaking, a fist rapidly enlarged in front of him.
Without a word, Victor delivered a simple, straightforward punch that landed heavily on Bellmare's repulsive face.
Although this punch didn't use chakra, it was incredibly powerful.
Bellmare spun twice in the air, his two bloody front teeth flying out, before collapsing to the ground like a dead dog.
"It's noisy."
Victor shook his hand and wiped it disdainfully on Bellemere's suit.
The entire room fell silent.
Viktor raised his head, his red eyes sweeping over the two terrified naval soldiers behind him.
"Go and inform your Colonel Monca."
"I'll tell you that our captain Luffy wants to challenge him. If he doesn't come... I'll kill this pig."
He casually kicked Bellumeber on the ground with his toe.
Bermbel was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and forgot all about the excruciating pain. He cried out loudly.
"What are you waiting for? Go now!"
"Huh?! Challenging the colonel?!"
The two sailors were terrified by that terrifying gaze and broke out in a cold sweat.
They exchanged a glance, threw down a "You wait!" and scrambled toward the base building.
"Hahaha! How funny! Is this the first mate's style of doing things?"
"But why me? Hahaha."
Seeing this, Luffy was not afraid at all; instead, he excitedly slapped his thigh and laughed.
He turned to Zoro and said, "That's it! Zoro! I'll untie you right now! Be my partner!"
"You bunch of lunatics..."
Zoro looked at the scene before him and felt that he had used up all the shock he had ever experienced in his life today.
"Are you inviting me to be a bastard with you? I refuse! I have my own ambitions!"
"Is there a problem?" Luffy picked his nose. "Anyway, you're already a bad guy with a terrible reputation."
"Look at it however you want!" Zoro gritted his teeth, his eyes resolute.
"No matter what, I will live on! I will become the world's greatest swordsman! I will not die here! I will fulfill my destiny..."
Zoro was speaking passionately, preparing to deliver a moving vow.
Suddenly, a hand reached out.
"Huh?!"
Before Zoro could react, Viktor grabbed the two rice balls covered in icing from Rika's hand.
With a shove of his right hand, he forced another rice ball into Zoro's mouth, silencing his vow.
With his left hand, he stuffed a rice ball into Luffy's mouth, just as he was about to speak, silencing him.
"Ugh!!" Zoro's eyes widened, and he almost choked to death.
"Too much nonsense."
Viktor clapped the rice off his hands, calmly looked at Luffy who was chewing a rice ball with his cheeks puffed out, and said in a serious tone:
"Luffy, Zoro just told me something with his eyes."
He said, "I'd be willing to join you if you could help me get my confiscated knife back."
Luffy, who was enjoying his chewing, suddenly widened his eyes and exclaimed in a daze, "Anko-ni?!"
"Waaaaah!! (I didn't!!)"
Zoro shook his head frantically, trying to argue, but his mouth was stuffed full of rice balls, so he could only make muffled protesting noises.
"Look, he's so excited he can't even speak."
Viktor pointed at Zoro and spouted nonsense without batting an eye.
"Hahaha! It's a deal!"
Luffy immediately believed it, swallowed the rice ball, and roared excitedly.
He scooped up the unconscious Berumeber from the ground, carrying him like a sack.
"Alright! I'll go get the sword! Wait for me, Zoro!"
After saying that, Luffy, like a bull, carried the hostage and charged straight towards the base building, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.
"Hey—!! Wait for me, Mr. Luffy!"
Only Victor, Coby, Rika, and Zoro, who had finally swallowed the rice ball and was coughing violently, remained at the scene.
"Cough cough cough...you bastard!"
Zoro coughed until his face was red, and glared angrily at Viktor.
"When did I ever say such a thing! You're so despicable!!"
"How does it taste?" Viktor completely ignored his anger and asked with a smile.
Zoro paused for a moment, subconsciously savoring the sweetness in his mouth, then turned his head away and snorted.
"...Not bad. It's the best I've ever eaten in my life."
Hearing this, Rika's eyes narrowed into crescents.
"That's great! Rika is a rice ball genius!"
Viktor smiled and turned to look at Koby, who was staring in disbelief.
"Koby."
"Yes! Yes! Mr. Victor!" Koby immediately stood at attention, filled with awe for the "brutal" Victor.
"Take Rika away from here and find a safe place to hide. What follows is not suitable for children."
"Okay, okay! I understand!" Koby didn't dare to delay and quickly pulled Rika along.
"Little sister, come with me quickly, this place is about to turn into a battlefield!"
After everyone else had left, only Viktor and Zoro remained on the playground.
Viktor walked slowly behind the cross and pulled out a black kunai.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Zoro asked warily. "Didn't that straw hat idiot go to get the sword?"
"He went to get the knife, and I put you down. Was there a conflict?"
Viktor swung his kunai, chakra clinging to the blade.
"brush!"
That incredibly tough hemp rope was as fragile as a piece of paper in front of the kunai, breaking and slipping away instantly.
Zoro relaxed and fell back to the ground.
He moved his stiff wrists and neck, making a "crackling" sound.
He then looked at the mysterious red-eyed boy in front of him with a complicated expression.
"Aren't you afraid I'll go back on my word? Or kill you?" Zoro asked in a deep voice.
Viktor put away his kunai, a smile appearing on his lips.
He looked at the future great swordsman and extended his right hand:
"If you're the kind of person who would back out, then you don't deserve to carry the dream of being 'number one in the world'."
"Welcome to the Straw Hat Pirates, first mate... oh no, I should say combatant, Zoro