Chapter 40: The Grandpa in the Ring
July 1, 1516. You were adrift on the vast ocean, completely lost, clinging to a piece of driftwood. Worse, you had nothing to eat or drink, save for a ring on your finger. Luckily, your swimming skills were excellent, and you were like a fish in water.
July 2, 1516. After a day at sea, you discovered that while the ocean currents were sluggish, the water was teeming with fish. This defied all biological logic, but it wasn't a bad thing; at least you wouldn't starve. Strangely, however, by evening, you noticed your stored food supply had mysteriously dwindled.
July 4, 1516. It rained today. You collected some fresh water and food, but by evening, your supplies were low again.
July 10, 1516. You've been adrift for ten days. As your fresh water ran out, you began to feel weak and drowsy, your lips cracking from dehydration. With your physical strength completely gone, you relied solely on willpower to survive. You held on.
[You have gained the feat: Intermediate Endurance.]
July 12, 1516. After twelve days adrift, you finally encountered a passing merchant ship and were rescued. You couldn't understand their language, but based on their appearance, you guessed it was of Indo-European origin. Using gestures, you communicated with the beautiful captain, Tracy, who informed you they were heading to a distant island to sell goods. You offered to serve as the ship's doctor. They were skeptical at first, but after you demonstrated your exceptional medical knowledge, no one questioned your abilities.
July 14, 1516. It took three full days of rest to recover. Today, however, something shocking happened. With your food supplies once again running low, you discovered your ring had begun to speak. Was this your cheat ability? Could it be the legendary "old master in a magic item" trope? But after a brief exchange, you were dismayed to find you couldn't understand a word it was saying. What good was a magic guide who spoke a language you couldn't understand? What the hell?!
July 22, 1516. You threw the ring into a drawer today—you had no interest in listening to its incessant chatter. Instead, you began taking language lessons from Captain Tracy. Despite the language barrier, love, it seems, can be unreasonable. You remembered that body language often speaks louder than words.
[Happiness +1]
July 25, 1516. Teacher Tracy's tutoring was highly effective. After three days, you've learned the basics of this world's language. While you still struggled with many syllables, you could now communicate. After speaking with the "grandpa" in your ring, you learned his name was Roger and that he was a death-row inmate with amnesia. You were unconvinced. Why did other protagonists get all-powerful mentors while yours was a common criminal?
[You have gained the skill: Esperanto (Basic).]
July 26, 1516. An unexpected incident. A group of pirates attacked the merchant ship. They snared the ship's hull with hooks and swarmed the deck using gangplanks. You finally witnessed this world's combat firsthand. The fighting was primarily done with cold steel—rapiers and scimitars—and hand-to-hand techniques. The ship's crew was quickly overwhelmed. But then, your companion, Roger, stepped in. Under his guidance, you picked up a longsword and swiftly dispatched the pirate leader, sending the rest fleeing in terror. Tracy thanked you, cut off the pirate leader's head, and told you it could be exchanged for a five-million-berry bounty on the next island.
July 28, 1516. Your relationship with Roger improved after the attack. He told you he was supposed to be very powerful but had forgotten how. He taught you basic swordsmanship and a set of physical training exercises. According to him, they should be very useful, but he had also completely forgotten why. What a useless old man.
July 29, 1516. The ship finally docked at a large island called Loguetown. After one last language lesson with Tracy, you prepared to trade the pirate head for the bounty and settle down. However, when you saw the navy's seagull flag and a muscular, white-haired man with three cigars clamped in his mouth, you were completely stunned.
Back in reality, Zhou Ning stared in shock. So much for thinking this was 'Once a Thief.' This is 'One Piece'! Which means the old man in the ring has to be the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. And he was a death-row inmate, so that tracks. No problem there.
Keep the simulation going!
July 30, 1516. Despite your suspicions about the world, you chose to trade the pirate captain's head for 5 million berries and settle in Loguetown. While 5 million berries didn't go as far as you'd imagined, it was more than enough to open your own clinic.
[Wealth +1]
[On August 1, 1516, your clinic quietly opened for business.]
August 5, 1516. Business was slow. You felt your talents were being wasted.
August 1516 to June 1517. Business remained lukewarm. You weren't worried, however, as your reputation as a doctor was slowly growing. During this time, you diligently practiced the physical techniques Roger taught you, though your natural talent seemed average.
June 8, 1517. Today, a major opportunity arose. The Loguetown Navy wiped out the nearby Black Cat Pirates but suffered heavy casualties. With their hospital overwhelmed, they transferred a dozen seriously injured marines to your clinic for treatment. Faced with the marines' skepticism, you put your medical skills to the test and managed to save all ten of the most critical patients.
June 12, 1517. Your performance astonished all of Loguetown. You became known as the "Hogback of the East Blue." Your reputation as a miracle worker began to spread to neighboring islands.
July 15, 1517. Your business was booming, but Roger hated this quiet life. He urged you to go to sea, insisting it was a man's duty. The problem was, you had no money and no boat. What were you supposed to do? Go out there with nothing?
March 4, 1518. Tracy returned from her voyage, and the two of you had several more "language lessons." Meanwhile, Roger's constant nagging finally got to you, and you began to feel the urge to set sail yourself.
September 21, 1518. After more than two years of practice, you finally mastered the martial art Roger had taught you. It turned out he wasn't lying; it was truly useful.
[You have gained the skill: Armament Haki (Basic).]
1518 to 1520. Your fame as a doctor grew immense, and your former patients could be found all across the East Blue. Now financially secure, you began treating the poor for free. At the same time, your fluency in the local language became perfect, indistinguishable from a native speaker.
[You have gained the skill: Esperanto (Master).]
March 9, 1520. You learned that Tracy's merchant ship would be joining the Lost Chamber of Commerce's fleet to travel to the Iron Kingdom on the Grand Line. You signed on as the ship's doctor.
April 9, 1520. After a month of preparation, the fleet was finally ready to enter the Grand Line. The target: Reverse Mountain.
May 5, 1520. Standing on the deck, you watched the distant seawater surge upward, flowing toward the summit of Reverse Mountain. It was a sight you would never forget. As your ship rode the turbulent current toward the peak, you felt truly blessed to witness such a spectacle.
[Happiness +2]
May 6, 1520. You successfully reached the Grand Line. When you saw the bright moonlight glinting off the Twin Cape Lighthouse, everyone on board cheered.
July 3, 1520. The voyage was smooth, but on the eve of reaching the Iron Kingdom, the fleet was attacked by a large pirate crew. Even with Roger's help, you were killed in the raid. The last thing you saw was a flash of yellow hair and a pink flamingo coat.
[You have earned the achievement: Pink Flamingo.]
[You have died.]
Summary: You lived a decent life, saving people and earning their gratitude, while also becoming keenly aware of the world's harsh realities. You did well. But in this world, weakness is a sin, and you simply died as collateral damage in a clash between greater powers.
Rating: D-
World Exploration: 21.8%
As your exploration exceeded 20%, you have been awarded 6 Time Travel Coins. Please continue your efforts.
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