The gunfire gradually subsided, replaced by the moans of the wounded.
Observing from the shadows, Su Xiao sensed the time was ripe. The towering Tobey and his men had successfully driven back the opposing scavengers.
The battle among these outcasts was utterly devoid of tactics—after a chaotic exchange of shots, they simply gave chase in disarray.
Emerging from the ruined building, Su Xiao landed softly but immediately crouched low.
Before him stretched endless mountains of garbage, plumes of toxic smoke curling upward as the stench of decay assaulted his nostrils.
He ignored it all, his gaze locked onto a prize in the distance—a short-barreled flintlock pistol, worn but undeniably lethal.
Its owner lay dead nearby, his throat partially blown open by a stray bullet, the corpse frozen in a grotesque expression.
The weapon had gone unnoticed by Tobey's forces—likely due to the body's concealed position. In the resource-starved Terminal, such a firearm would never be abandoned intentionally.
Staying low, Su Xiao began advancing toward the pistol.
Then—movement.
A gaunt scavenger lunged for the weapon, grime-caked fingers outstretched.
Su Xiao's brow furrowed—not because the man had beaten him to it, but because this recklessness might alert both factions.
Snatching up a fist-sized rock, he hurled it with full force.
"Thud!"
The projectile smashed into the scavenger's arm with brutal impact, drawing a pained howl.
Su Xiao closed the distance in swift strides, pivoting to drive his knee into the man's spine.
The scavenger arched forward, vomiting a stream of bile—yet despite the vicious strike, he only staggered two steps before regaining balance.
Su Xiao's pupils contracted. Just how tough were the humans in this world? And this was merely one of the weakest outcasts.
No time for shock. The scavenger's eyes now burned with feral rage, yellowed teeth bared like a provoked beast.
An ordinary person might recoil from such savagery. But Su Xiao had fought before. He knew turning his back now meant eating a bullet.
As the scavenger struggled to recover, Su Xiao's fist rocketed upward in a vicious uppercut.
The human jaw houses dense vascular networks—a clean strike disrupts blood flow to the brain, causing temporary oxygen deprivation and unconsciousness.
"Crack!" Several bloody teeth spun through the air.
The scavenger collapsed like a felled tree—yet in this world, even knockouts were fleeting. Su Xiao flipped the body and delivered a crushing blow to the base of the skull.
A dull thud. The man went still.
Snatching up the flintlock, text immediately flooded Su Xiao's vision—
—just as distant shouts announced Tobey's returning forces.
Ice flooded Su Xiao's veins. Discovery now meant being shot on sight by these blood-crazed men.
His surroundings offered no escape—jagged trash peaks encircled him like unstable prison walls.
Climbing them risked triggering an avalanche of debris, potentially burying him alive or leaving him impaled on hidden hazards. In these filthy conditions, even minor wounds could turn fatal through infection.
Only one option remained.
Diving back into the ruined shack, he found the girl Mia cowering where he'd left her.
This time, she spoke first:
"I won't say anything."
Clapping both hands over her mouth, her fearful eyes darted to the flintlock in Su Xiao's grip.
Outside, angry voices drew nearer—Tobey's men scavenging for spoils. Their frustrated curses suggested poor pickings.
As the commotion faded, Su Xiao finally examined the system messages:
[Obtained: Worn Flintlock Pistol (White)]
Worn Flintlock Pistol (White)
Origin: One Piece World, Leopold Workshop
Durability: 6/30
Ammo: 4/6 (Repeating flintlocks are unique to this world)
Attack Power: 2~13 (Damage scales with range)
Requirement: 1 Strength to use, 3+ for full proficiency
Rating: 3 (*White equipment rates 1-10. 10-rated items are "Rare" with special traits.*)
Description: *Poor maintenance has degraded this pistol from its original 9-rating. Use cautiously—the next shot may be its last... and yours.*
Value: 150 Paradise Coins (Cannot be removed from this world)
[First equipment acquired. Initiating gear tier explanation]
[Equipment grades: White → Green → Blue... Higher tiers locked. Hunter must discover independently.]
[First contact with Paradise Coins. Currency tutorial activated.]
[Paradise Coins are the sole universal currency for transactions within Reincarnation Paradise or between Contractors.]
[Warning: Spend wisely. These coins represent your means of survival and growth.]
Su Xiao nodded thoughtfully. The Reincarnation Paradise operated with military precision—not just quantifying weapon performance, but maintaining a robust economic system.
Though he knew dangers lay ahead, anticipation stirred within him. This place could make him stronger.
The exact methods remained unclear, but the Paradise must provide avenues for growth—otherwise, future missions would be impossible.
Inspecting the [Worn Flintlock], he allowed himself a rare smile.
Finally armed. Without weapons, this world's threats would have eaten him alive.
Yet compared to firearms, Su Xiao preferred blades—specifically the slender, razor-sharp longswords he'd trained with back home.
With his personal sword, his combat effectiveness would leap by 50%.
Now that basics were covered, the mission demanded focus. 72 hours wasn't long to assassinate a king.
Su Xiao had no intention of discovering the penalty for failure.
But killing a monarch wasn't simple. He'd need an approach strategy—at minimum, a way to get close.
Stealth infiltration? Unlikely. This world possessed Observation Haki—some royal guards might detect intruders effortlessly.
Given the king's rumored ties to the Celestial Dragons, Haki-users among his protectors seemed probable. Otherwise, the mission wouldn't be rated LV.3.
Back on Earth, Su Xiao had executed revenge under omnipresent surveillance. A pre-industrial kingdom should be easier—in theory.
But first, reconnaissance. The Paradise provided no maps—he'd need to chart this wasteland himself.
His gaze fell upon the trembling girl in the corner. A lifelong Terminal resident would know its secrets.
Noticing his attention, Mia curled tighter into herself.
"What... what do you want?"
Her voice quivered with barely suppressed tears. Disguising her gender had been survival instinct—women faced special dangers here.
Su Xiao crouched before her, his smile pleasant but eyes glacial.
"Are you hungry?"
Kindness had died long ago within him, extinguished by vengeance.