The sea was calm.
Waves rolled lazily beneath the Black Claw—now rebranded in Rael's mind as The Abyss Fang. The name suited him better. A predator lost in an unfamiliar world, tasting the scent of chaos on the ocean breeze.
He leaned back against the ship's mast, his cloak fluttering behind him, arms crossed over his chiseled chest. His golden eyes stared toward the horizon in silence.[System Notification]
Nearby vessel approaching. Threat Level: Low.
Intent Detected: Hostile. Pirates aboard: 8. Estimated Bounty: None.Rael sighed. "Already?"
He glanced over the side of his ship. Sure enough, a smaller, ragged vessel with patched sails and a crooked skull flag was speeding toward him.
A scrawny pirate with greasy orange hair shouted through a megaphone, "OY! YOU THERE! SURRENDER YOUR SHIP AND BELONGINGS!"
Rael blinked. "…Are you serious?"
Another pirate, thick as a barrel and missing several teeth, pointed a rusty musket. "We saw you alone, punk! Ain't no crew with ya! That ship's ours now!"
The others laughed and cheered, their rickety boat crashing into Rael's as they threw makeshift grappling hooks onto the rails.
Rael didn't move. He didn't flinch.
He simply stared at them with disappointment.
"You have one chance to leave," he said calmly. "Take it."
The scrawny pirate snorted. "Listen to this guy! Thinks he's tough with that fancy cloak and shiny eyes!"
"Boys," the fat one chuckled, "let's teach this idiot what happens to loners at sea!"
They jumped.
Bad idea.
The first pirate who landed on the deck was instantly kicked in the stomach—so hard his body bent like a broken fishing rod before being launched back into the ocean.
The second swung his blade, but Rael caught it with two fingers.
"Light," he muttered. "Too light."
He yanked the sword forward, elbowed the pirate in the face, then spun around and delivered a roundhouse kick that sent him crashing into the mast, snapping it in half.
The rest of the pirates paused.
Rael cracked his neck. "Still want to try?"
In desperation, three of them rushed him together.
He dodged one, grabbed another by the face, and slammed him into the deck hard enough to leave a crater. The third tried to backpedal—only to be uppercut into the air with such force he went flying over the side.
The last two turned to flee.
Rael vanished.
He reappeared in front of them mid-air and smashed their heads together, letting them crumple like broken dolls.[System Notification]
You have defeated: Bandit Crew – "Rust Rats"
Loot Acquired: 300,000 Berries, Old Treasure Map (25% damaged), 3 Barrels of Rum, 1 Enchanted Compass (Weak Magic)
Seal Weakening +0.5%Rael exhaled slowly, cracking his knuckles.
"Too weak. Barely even a warm-up."
He dragged the unconscious pirates back onto their own ship, looted the supplies, and carved a quick message into the mast:"Survivors? Blame your stupidity. – R"With a firm kick, he shoved their boat adrift.
Now heavier with gold and rum, The Abyss Fang drifted toward the next island in sight.
A silhouette was forming through the morning mist—jagged cliffs, palm trees, and smoke trails rising into the sky.[System Notification]
New Island Detected: "Dawnshore"
Status: Inhabited. Civilian population. Presence of bounty hunters detected. Marine base nearby.
Rumor: Straw Hat Pirates sighted near Loguetown.Rael's eyes narrowed.
"Straw Hat?" he muttered. "Sounds like someone interesting."
He tightened his cloak, his curiosity piqued.
The wind picked up.
The dock was only minutes away now.
But as he approached, the system buzzed again—only this time, the message chilled the air around him.
[System Alert]
Unknown Entity Watching…
Origin: Not from This World…
Signature: Multiversal.
WARNING: Targeting System Core.
Initiating emergency defense—LOCKDOWN IMMINENT.
Rael stopped.
His jaw tightened.
"…What the hell is watching me?"
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