The moment Su Xiao's blade pierced through both men, he immediately noticed a faint red health bar appearing above Oka's head.
There was no need to explain—this was undoubtedly Oka's remaining life force. The stab had severed Oka's spine, leaving him in a state of near-death rather than outright killing him.
This so-called "near-death" state meant his body had lost the ability to resist, but his brain was still alive.
This was the first time Su Xiao had seen a health bar. When he killed the black-market merchant earlier, it had been a clean headshot, so no health bar had appeared.
The health bar was undoubtedly one of the benefits of semi-digitalization—it allowed him to gauge whether an enemy was truly dead and estimate their remaining vitality.
Right now, Oka had about 5% of his health left, teetering on the brink of death.
Pulling the blade free from Oka's skull, Su Xiao adjusted his grip, switching from a reverse hold to a standard one, and slashed toward Oka's neck.
"Schlick!"
Blood sprayed several meters into the air, a few droplets splashing onto Su Xiao's face, making him appear even more cold and ruthless.
With that single slash, Oka's head flew off, and his health bar instantly emptied.
[You have killed Guard Captain Brandon Oka.]
[Brandon Oka was an official of the Kingdom of Goa. Obtained 3.6% World Origin. Total World Origin acquired: 5.7%.]
[Your innate talent 'Soul Devourer' has activated. Permanently increased Mana by 10 points. Current Mana: 75.]
[Your innate talent 'Soul Devourer' has activated. Permanently increased Mana by 1 point. Current Mana: 76.]
Su Xiao skimmed through the flood of notifications.
The fact that killing Oka granted World Origin was unexpected. If he killed even stronger enemies, the amount would surely increase.
If he were to slay someone like Fleet Admiral Sengoku or Red-Haired Shanks, the amount of World Origin gained would undoubtedly be staggering.
But for now, that was just a fantasy. Su Xiao had no way of encountering such powerhouses—and even if he did, attacking them would be suicidal.
The exact function of World Origin was still unclear. The Reincarnation Paradise had only mentioned that it affected the rewards he would receive upon leaving this world after completing his mission.
These so-called rewards were likely the key to his growth.
The One Piece world certainly had many ways to grow stronger, but all of them required time. He only had 72 hours in total, and now just over 60 remained. Completing the mission within the deadline would already be a stroke of luck—he had no time to consider anything else.
As for Devil Fruits, those miraculous treasures of the sea? Su Xiao didn't even entertain the thought. Without a solid foundation of strength, he had no right to seek or seize them.
He was just an ordinary person with slightly enhanced physical abilities—fundamentally different from the true powerhouses of this world.
Under normal circumstances, a newcomer's first world would never be a high-risk setting like One Piece. This was all because of his identity as a Hunter.
The current situation was like tossing a Level 1 player into an endgame zone, where even the weakest enemies were boss-tier threats to him.
That Su Xiao had made it this far was already extraordinary. An average contractor would have likely died long ago—perhaps even in the Terminal outside the capital.
Setting aside the World Origin, the Mana he gained was even more perplexing.
He had no abilities that consumed Mana. No matter how much he accumulated, it was useless in combat.
The beginning is always the hardest. He could only rely on himself.
A white treasure chest floated above Oka's corpse, identical to the one he had opened before.
Su Xiao picked it up, stashed it in his storage space, and quickly left the scene.
He was now a guard, and this identity was crucial.
If anyone discovered he had killed Guard Captain Oka, he would become a wanted criminal in the Kingdom of Goa.
Not only would his mission fail, but evading the kingdom's soldiers would become a nightmare.
The cool night breeze ruffled Su Xiao's black hair, gradually dispersing the scent of blood.
Returning to the abandoned house where he had bathed earlier, he checked the makeshift alarm he had set—a short twig and a few strands of hair. No one had come. It was safe.
Entering the house, Su Xiao didn't turn on the lights. Instead, he sat in the pitch-black bedroom and took out the chest he had obtained from Oka.
[Treasure Chest (White). Open: Yes/No?]
He chose Yes.
A necklace materialized in his hand.
[You have opened a Treasure Chest (White). Obtained the following items:]
300 Paradise Coins
[Deceased Wife's Pendant]
[Deceased Wife's Pendant (White)]
Origin: One Piece World, Garrett Gemstone Company
Type: Accessory (Rare equipment category)
Durability: None (Accessories do not degrade and require no repairs)
Requirement: Can be equipped by anyone.
Effect: Strength +1
Rating: 8 (Note: White equipment is rated from 1 to 10. A rating of 10 is labeled 'Rare' and grants special attributes.)
Description: "I loved you… just as much as you loved your mistresses." —Oka's wife, before her suicide.
Value: 1,600 Paradise Coins.
...
Clutching the necklace tightly, Su Xiao's lips curled into a smile.
He had finally—finally—found a way to grow stronger.
This gemstone necklace could increase his Strength.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he equipped the [Deceased Wife's Pendant] around his neck.
Checking his status again, his Strength, which had been 6, was now 7.
A surge of warmth spread through his body. The difference was immediate and tangible—his strength had leaped forward.
The increase wasn't a mere one-sixth boost, but something far more substantial.
This meant each point in an attribute brought exponential growth, not a linear addition.
"The Reincarnation Paradise… truly is a miraculous place."
Su Xiao clenched his fist, knuckles cracking. Power thrummed through his veins.
The sensation of sudden strength was intoxicating, but it didn't cloud his judgment.
He understood clearly—the necklace's enhancement was external. His base strength hadn't changed. If he removed it, his Strength would drop back to 6.
The joy of newfound power didn't blind him.
Almost immediately, another thought struck him: This pendant had belonged to Oka. What if someone recognized it?
That could spell disaster.
Just as he began to worry, a line of faint text appeared in his vision—almost imperceptible.
[Enable Equipment Concealment? Cost: 100 Paradise Coins. (Permanent ability.)]
Su Xiao wasn't yet sure of the purchasing power of 100 Paradise Coins, but he knew every coin he had was earned through life-and-death struggle.
Yet, this function was undeniably useful. Without hesitation, he activated it.
[Equipment Concealment enabled. You may now hide equipped items at will. (Weapons cannot be concealed.)]
The pendant around his neck vanished from sight, but the Strength boost remained.
Su Xiao was satisfied. This was worth every coin.
When he first entered the Reincarnation Paradise, he had been skeptical. What was the purpose of this unfathomably powerful entity?
From what he could see now, as long as he completed missions, the Paradise would reward him.
As for whether the Paradise had ulterior motives—Su Xiao wasn't overly concerned.
The fact that it had healed his fatal injuries and transported him to the One Piece world spoke volumes about its power.
Su Xiao wasn't one for paranoia. If the Paradise wanted him dead, why bother saving him in the first place?
Even if this was a relationship of mutual exploitation, Su Xiao stood to gain something he could never obtain in the real world—true strength.
Perhaps after completing his first mission, he would understand more. For now, growth was the priority.
Weakness was the original sin.
This was a lesson Su Xiao had learned in the cruelest way possible. If he had been stronger back then, the tragedy could have been avoided.
The image flashed in his mind—a white floor stained red, shattered corpses, and that—
He forcefully severed the memory, his pitch-black eyes wide open in the darkness.
Lying on the bed, wide awake, he forced himself to rest. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, and he needed to be at his best.
The first step had been taken. If everything went smoothly, he was confident he could kill the King of Goa.
Not just kill him—but escape unscathed.
He wasn't some disposable assassin sent by the Reincarnation Paradise. There was a fundamental difference.
An assassin was just a pawn. Su Xiao had his own goals.