Chapter 163: A Celestial Dragon Gets Beat Up Live!
After seven straight days of hunting, most players had reached Level 7.
There were twenty thousand players in total.
The majority were pirates, making up nearly half of them.
Pirates naturally existed in great numbers. With their ships roaming the East Blue, pillaging and raiding, their odds of finding drifted Contract Fruits were highest.
Next came the civilians and a few nobles who happened upon a Contract Fruit—roughly a few thousand.
And finally, the Navy.
Through active searching by East Blue branches, they had collected over three thousand Contract Fruits, making them the most powerful faction within the Trial Tower.
While the pirates were plentiful, they acted individually and were no match for the Navy's organized force.
The battles across Death Island were shifting from chaotic skirmishes to a centralized front, with the Navy gradually taking control.
"Get lost!"
Smoker glared fiercely at a pirate crew he didn't recognize.
Not far ahead was a lone red-robed wraith.
"You Navy types are too overbearing. This is the Game Merchant's domain—does the Navy think it rules here too?"
The speaker was a plump woman wielding a spiked mace.
Alvida, once defeated by Koby, had made her return.
Now a Contract player, her strength had surged—enough to speak boldly even to the fearsome "White Hunter" Smoker.
Of course, what emboldened her most was that deaths in the Trial Tower weren't real. Smoker couldn't kill her here.
"Boss, should we attack?"
A minion asked in a low voice.
Alvida's face twitched. Her freckles danced with frustration.
If it weren't for the Navy's presence, she'd smash that underling flat with her mace.
The strength gap was obvious.
Her crew had less than twenty people total.
On the other hand, Smoker led the Rogue Town Navy, which had grown to over two hundred members in seven days through constant reinforcements and Fruit acquisitions.
"If you're too scared to fight, then scram."
Chewing on a weed instead of his usual cigar, Smoker growled, "Otherwise, once we're out of this Tower, I'll kill you."
These damn pirates—vermin who preyed on innocent civilians—had to be wiped out.
That was the reason he became a Marine.
Even if a Navy Admiral stood in his way, he'd oppose them if they dared protect villains.
"Fine, we're leaving…"
Alvida cast a longing glance at the red-robed wraith.
These wraiths usually came with a horde of lesser spirits or were tucked away in trap-filled ruins.
But this one? Out in the open, unguarded—practically a gift.
Red-robed wraiths had dropped rare gear and skills for many players already.
"Damn Navy dogs…"
Muttering under her breath, Alvida led her crew away.
"I'll strike first. The rest of you block its escape."
Smoker surged forward, purple toxic smoke billowing from him, wrapping tightly around the red-robed wraith.
Ssss...
With the bonus from his Toxic Blood skill, his smoke burned the wraith like corrosive fire.
Behind him, Tashigi drew her katana and dashed in.
Shadow Slash!
Two cross-shaped, dark-purple slashes sealed off the escape path.
Other Marines closed in to complete the encirclement.
Just then—
"Ice Bullet!"
A cocky voice rang out as dagger-shaped projectiles laced with icy blue light exploded near the Marine formation.
The carefully planned formation was instantly broken.
"Out of the way, Navy dogs!"
Bucky, puffing from his rifle's muzzle, wiped away the frost forming on the barrel.
Dressed in a white space suit with a fishbowl helmet, he looked overbearingly at Tashigi.
"What, you dare defy Lord Celestial Bucky?"
"Captain!"
Vice-captain Mohji and the rest fell to their knees like sycophants, fawning shamelessly.
Who would've guessed their treasure-map-chasing captain would turn out to be a Celestial Dragon?
Forget the Navy— even a Marine Admiral wouldn't dare touch them now.
Bucky took every opportunity to throw his weight around.
He'd perfected the art of kill-stealing—waiting for others to wear down a target, then swooping in for the final blow.
"Don't forget, I saved you," Smoker said coldly.
If this were before the Celestial Dragon revelation, Bucky would've long been locked up.
"Saved Lord Celestial Bucky, you say?"
"Captain Smoker…"
Tashigi spoke softly, equally frustrated but helpless.
She whispered, "Please, Lord Bucky, return to Mariejois soon. Remaining here isn't appropriate."
"You dare lecture me, Captain Smoker?"
Smoker clenched his fist, closing his eyes. Toxic smoke swirled around him.
For days now, he'd led the Rogue Town Navy, driving back pirate activity across Death Island—only to be stonewalled by Bucky.
His fists trembled with rage.
Looking at the other party flaunting his power under false pretenses, Smoker really wanted to punch that red nose of his.
"Ahahaha, Zoro, look! It's a monster!"
Just then,
A rubbery arm suddenly extended, its fist coated in a bluish aura, and came crashing down on the nearly defeated red-robed wraith.
Smack.
The wraith burst into a puff of eerie mist, releasing a flickering violet glow.
"It's purple, Nami, look!"
Luffy jumped excitedly between Buggy and Smoker, and picked up the violet-glowing item.
He still didn't understand much about loot and gear in the Reincarnation Game.
He only knew what Nami told him—anything that sparkled brighter was probably valuable and should be brought to her.
A violet drop.
This was the first time a violet-grade drop had appeared on the first floor of the Trial Tower's Death Island.
"Damn you, Straw Hat brat!"
Buggy finally snapped out of it as the violet light gleamed.
His eyes almost popped out of his skull as he shrieked, "That was my red-robed wraith! My drop! Give it back!"
Even Smoker was stunned by the sudden twist.
He'd been planning to let Buggy take the red-robed wraith.
Who would've guessed Luffy would swoop in and finish it off—earning an unprecedented violet drop in the process?
"Oh, you want it back?"
Luffy scratched his nose, holding out the violet glow in his palm to Buggy.
Buggy lunged to snatch it but was stopped by the system—loot ownership had been assigned to Straw Hat Luffy, making it unlootable.
The taunting manner of the gesture nearly made Buggy pass out from rage.
"Damn you, I'm a Celestial Dragon! Are you trying to die?!"
"Dragon?" Luffy blinked.
"No! Celestial Dragon!"
"Heaven person?"
"CELESTIAL! DRAGON!!"
"Celestial dragon?"
"...Dragon!"
Luffy clearly had no idea what a Celestial Dragon even was, bungling the name so badly Buggy's lips were quivering.
He pointed a shaking finger at Luffy and screamed at Smoker, "Navy! Kill Straw Hat Luffy for me!!"
Smoker, usually stoic, was barely able to contain the smirk forming at the corner of his lips.
"Sorry, I was ordered by Navy HQ to ensure your safe return to the Holy Land. Nothing more."
"Die!!"
Buggy raised his new water-magic rifle and fired a piercing shot.
Intent Trigger!
Boom.
Luffy's straw hat hit the ground, sending out a ripple effect.
Buggy felt the ground wobble beneath him, and before he could steady himself—
A rubber-coated, glowing fist punched him square in the left cheek.
"Stop!!"
Nami finally arrived, her face pale after seeing Buggy sent flying.
She hadn't fully grasped what a Celestial Dragon meant earlier, but now that she understood, she was losing her mind.
Who would've thought there were people in this world who didn't need to work, raked in the world's riches, and were protected by Navy admirals?!
Naturally, she'd come to fear their power and status.
"Luffy, you've lost your mind…"
Smoker's blade of grass fell from his mouth.
His gloved hand trembled slightly.
Regardless of how suspicious Buggy's identity had been,
a command had come down from the Five Elders themselves.
As long as there was a chance he was a Celestial Dragon, no one could question it.
Smoker had even tolerated his taunts and given up the wraith for him.
And now...
Celestial Dragon Buggy had been punched?!
This world is insane.
"Luffy, are you nuts?!"
Nami, nearly crying, bonked Luffy on the head repeatedly.
She'd wanted to scold him more,
but her eyes fell on the violet drop—and her focus instantly shifted.
"Forget that for now—let me see what dropped!"
"It's a broom," Luffy said, pulling out a refined-looking broom with a pure white brush that radiated elegance. He handed it to Nami.
She took it, and a window popped up with its stats:
[Doria's Lady's Broom (Violet)]
Type: Weapon
Durability: 35/35
Attack: +35 Energy Damage
Equip Requirement: Level 10, 13 Spirit
Bonus Effect: +2 levels to a random Magitech skill
"Holy…"
Nami's eyes lit up like stars.
The whole Celestial Dragon fiasco faded away in the face of treasure.
She immediately equipped it, activating the bonus effect.
[Randomly selected: Magitech Creation – Electric Eel] +2 levels
Note: Once activated, bonus effects cannot be easily changed. To modify, purchase a Trait Rewrite Pen from the in-game shop. Bonuses are lost when unequipped.
"Perfect!"
Nami clenched her fists and leapt with joy.
The Pirate Starter Zone had few players and therefore a severe gear shortage. This was by far the strongest broom she'd seen so far.
"Hey Nami, you killed a Celestial Dragon," Luffy said casually with a thumbs up.
If nothing else, his navigator's combat power had clearly surpassed even his own.
"Shut up!!"
Now it was Nami's turn to go pale.
She hadn't meant to kill him. She'd seen the ice bullets flying in and reflexively counterattacked.
But with her new weapon and Level 10 Electric Eel,
the lightning damage was so powerful it insta-killed Buggy.
"Maybe no one saw…"
Nami trembled as she turned around.
And froze.
Over two hundred Navy personnel stood frozen in place, eyes locked on her.
Smoker, ever the professional, awkwardly looked away, pretending not to have seen anything.
Surely...
Surely only Rogue Town Navy saw that, right?
He looked up—and his heart stopped.
From his vantage point, he could clearly see beyond the Death Island skies,
at the countless video Den Den Mushi mounted all around the Trial Tower zone.
The entire world had just seen a Celestial Dragon get punched and electrocuted live.
On camera.
By Straw Hat Luffy and Nami.
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