Time flowed quietly in Marine Headquarters, and for half a year, Liam Ross lived exactly the way he liked it unnoticed, unbothered, and unhurried.
During that time, he completed twenty-four weekly sign-ins and six monthly ones. The daily sign-ins had become rather mundane since he had already explored every corner of the base, and without any special bonuses left, the rewards were hardly impressive.
But the weekly and monthly sign-in chests were another story. Each one offered something extraordinary, gifts that sharpened his strength to terrifying heights.
Two of those sign-ins had been particularly remarkable.
The first had him "sign in" with Fleet Admiral Sengoku, earning a fragment of the man's legendary intellect. The second was with Vice Admiral Garp, granting him profound insight into the use of Armament Haki.
After the fusion, his mastery of Haki skyrocketed his Armament Haki alone gained five hundred experience points.
That evening, after finishing his daily duties, Liam stepped into a rear office belonging to a Rear Admiral and initiated his nightly sign-in.
"Congratulations, Host! You have received one Basic Experience Card!"
Liam nodded absently as he walked back toward the logistics division, pulling up his personal stats panel out of habit.
Host: Liam Ross
Age: 19
Bloodline: None
Skills: Six Styles (Master), Swordsmanship (Great Swordsman), Terra-Terra Fruit (Top Tier), Armament Haki (Top Tier), Observation Haki (Top Tier), Marksmanship (Expert), Invisibility (Perfect), Insight (Intermediate).
Items: Friendzone Card (1), Charm Card (1), Basic Experience Card (1), Premium Flintlock (100 bullets), Superior Telescope (1), Senzu Bean (1), Seastone Handcuffs (1), Pleasure Magazine (1), Instant Noodles (8), Spicy Strips (5), Rice Crackers (3), Donuts (2), and 3,000,000 Berries.
Overall Strength Rating: Elite Tier (Comparable to a Junior Admiral)
Liam grinned as he read the summary. In just six months, he had gone from an inconspicuous recruit to someone whose strength could rival even the likes of Akainu, Aokiji, or Kizaru though, at this time, those three were not yet the peak monsters they would become.
Work-wise, life was simple. A week ago, he passed his probation and was officially promoted from a common laborer to a Private Third Class.
It was almost comedic. No one in Marine Headquarters could possibly imagine that among the humble ranks of third-class soldiers hid a powerhouse capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Admirals.
Liam often thought this was the beauty of staying low-key. No worries, no enemies, no attention just peace.
Well, almost.
Ever since the "Exhibitionist Incident" half a year ago, Akainu had been a walking volcano of humiliation. The man had spent months hunting the mysterious intruder who had pranked him, but not a single clue had surfaced. His temper worsened by the day; subordinates trembled under his glare, and he snapped at the smallest mistake.
More than a few Marines had already requested transfers to avoid working under him.
"Hey, Liam, you off duty yet? Feel like hitting the port bar?"
Jennings called out as he approached, grinning, with another marine Jabibo by his side. Both had been promoted recently, and after months together, the three had grown quite close.
"Sure," Liam replied with a laugh.
Life was good. His daily workload was light thanks to his superior physical condition, and evenings often meant a few drinks and some good company. His power continued to grow quietly in the background while the higher-ups like Sengoku and Garp were constantly buried in missions from the World Government.
Liam sometimes saw Garp leaving the base with a young Aokiji in tow, setting sail for weeks at a time.
Just watching them made him feel tired.
"Being a strong but lazy man feels way better than running around saving the world," he muttered to himself.
A capable slacker that was the dream.
Another month slipped by.
It was now the second year after the execution of Pirate King Gol D. Roger.
Liam was cleaning the docks that morning when a sudden commotion caught his attention. The sound of synchronized boots thudded rhythmically from the direction of the headquarters.
He turned his head.
A massive formation of Marines marched toward the harbor, rows upon rows of soldiers led by Akainu and Aokiji. Their presence radiated authority and power.
"What's going on…?"
Liam frowned. Such a large-scale mobilization hadn't happened once in the past two years.
Then, through the drifting sea mist, ten massive warships emerged, anchoring along the coast in perfect formation.
The sight made his heart skip a beat.
This lineup… it's just like the Buster Call on Ohara.
He sprinted back to the logistics building, tossed his cleaning tools aside, and checked the calendar on the wall.
Sea Circle Calendar: Year 1500.
A cold chill ran down his spine.
"So it's really happening," he whispered.
Just as he suspected, the World Government was preparing to erase Ohara the island of archaeologists and the birthplace of Nico Robin. Under the guise of preventing "dangerous research," the real reason was far simpler: to bury the truth of the Void Century forever.
For a moment, Liam felt conflicted. Then he shrugged.
"Eh, not my problem."
After all, Nico Robin wouldn't die there. Fate had plans for her. Twenty years from now, she'd meet the man destined to reshape the world Monkey D. Luffy.
He bent down to pick up his discarded tools.
That was when the familiar digital chime echoed in his head.
Ding!
"Special Sign-in Mission Triggered: Target Location West Blue, Ohara!"
"Mission Reward: Mystery Treasure Chest!"
Liam froze.
"…You've got to be kidding me," he muttered. "System, are you trying to get me killed?"
"According to calculations," the system replied blandly, "the Host will not face life-threatening danger."
"Not life-threatening?!" Liam barked back in disbelief. "That's a full-scale Buster Call! You think I'm stupid?"
He was strong, sure, but not invincible. Aokiji and Akainu would both be there, and though they weren't at their peak yet, facing both together was suicide.
Still, ignoring a system mission wasn't an option. The consequences were… unpredictable.
"Fine," he grumbled. "Let's get this over with."
Liam rushed to his superior officer, Bark, and requested leave, fabricating a story about delivering supplies to a nearby island. Once granted, he discreetly slipped away to the back mountain, activated his Invisibility skill, and launched himself into the sky using Moonwalk.
In moments, he was gliding silently over the base, heading straight for the port.
Ten warships stood ready, their flags billowing in the morning wind.
Liam landed unseen on one without a stationed Vice Admiral, blending into the shadows between supply crates.
Moments later, the fleet's horns blared across the sea as all ten warships unfurled their sails in unison.
The Buster Call was underway.
And hidden in the heart of the fleet, the invisible trickster of Marine Headquarters followed silently toward the island where history itself was about to burn.