Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1519
East Blue — Early Morning
Gentle sunlight spread across the vast blue sea as seabirds cried overhead from time to time. A cool morning breeze swept over the slightly damp deck, carrying with it the scent of salt and freedom.
Today was shaping up to be a good day.
A warship sailed steadily across the sea, its black flag fluttering proudly. The flag bore a strange and ominous symbol—four open palms, each with an eye embedded in its center.
Target: Cocoyasi Village.
On the second deck, a massive white Divine Dog over four meters long lay sprawled lazily. Rody, dressed in a black coat, reclined against its broad back, one hand holding a glass of watermelon juice while he gazed thoughtfully at the horizon.
---
Kill Value: 1
Rody glanced at the number hovering on his system panel.
He had slaughtered hundreds of pirates yesterday. Aside from the one with a ten-million-Berry bounty, the system had only responded once.
After that—nothing.
"So they were too weak?" he muttered.
"This trash system doesn't even come with instructions. No explanation of what Kill Value is even used for."
A smile tugged at his lips.
"…But that's what makes it interesting."
At that moment, Nami emerged from the ship's cabin, struggling slightly under the weight of a large bag stuffed full of jewels and gold.
She tossed it onto the deck with a thud, dusted off her hands, and shouted toward Rody.
"Roddy! I found a ton of treasure on this pirate ship! Want to see if there's anything useful?"
"Not interested," Rody replied lazily. "You can keep it. Manage it however you want."
The sun gradually dipped lower as the coastline began to emerge in the distance.
Rody stroked the Divine Dog's head, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Nami. Is that it?"
Reluctantly pulling her attention away from the treasure she had already counted countless times, Nami hurried to the bow. She squinted at the distant coast, her expression tense.
"Yes… that's it. Once we go around this stretch and sail a bit longer, we'll reach Cocoyasi Village."
She hesitated.
"But… fish-men often patrol this area."
The moment her words fell—
Splash!
A lime-skinned fish-man burst from the sea and landed heavily on the deck. Seven or eight more followed, each wielding blades and weapons.
"…Kuroobi?" Nami whispered.
The fish-man named Kuroobi glanced disdainfully at Rody, who was still lounging against the Divine Dog, before turning his gaze toward Nami.
"So, Nami," he sneered. "It seems you've given up on buying back Cocoyasi Village."
"Do you really think you can rely on a weak human like this to resist us noble fish-men?"
The other fish-men laughed loudly.
"Humans are naturally inferior!"
"We fish-men are ten times stronger!"
"How dare you oppose us?!"
"Noble fish-men!"
"I—!" Nami stood frozen, panic flashing across her face as she stared at them.
"Oh?" Rody said lazily. "Noble?"
He crossed one leg over the other, resting his chin against his fist, eyes filled with amusement as he looked at them.
"It seems that after escaping the Grand Line with Arlong and hiding in the East Blue, you've forgotten something."
"You were once nothing more than slaves."
"And commodities."
The moment those words landed—
Kuroobi's expression twisted violently.
The deck fell silent.
Nami turned toward Rody, hope flickering in her eyes.
Veins bulged across Kuroobi's arms as he clenched his fists.
"Very good," he growled. "Very good, human. You've succeeded in angering me."
"I'll use Fish-Man Karate to smash that filthy mouth of yours first."
"Then I'll kill you."
The fish-men roared.
"You're dead!"
"Kuroobi is a master of Fish-Man Karate!"
"And his bounty is 9,000,000 Berries!"
"That's right! Nine million!"
Kuroobi bent his knees, muscles tightening. With a violent push, he launched himself forward.
"Fish-Man Karate—!"
Rody didn't move.
He only smiled.
In the next instant—
Kuroobi's head separated from his neck.
The headless body ran forward two steps before collapsing onto the deck with a dull thud. Blood erupted from the severed neck, spraying across the wooden planks.
Kuroobi's head rolled to Rody's feet, mouth still moving.
"Coco…yasi…"
---
[Kill Value +1]
"Oh."
Rody ignored the system notification.
He stood up calmly, grabbed Kuroobi's hair, and lifted the severed head.
He examined it closely.
Aside from the grayish skin tone, it was nearly identical to a human's. The blood was red. Warm.
He glanced at the corpse.
Because Kuroobi was a cartilaginous fish-man, his head showed fewer fish-like traits—but the body was unmistakably monstrous.
The remaining fish-men stared in disbelief.
"N-no… Brother Kuroobi…"
"He was a master of Fish-Man Karate…"
"H-he died… just like that?!"
Hatred, fury—and raw fear filled their eyes as they stared at Rody.
A taller hammerhead shark fish-man stepped forward, hands shaking violently as he gripped his blade. Veins bulged from the strain.
"D-don't be afraid!" he shouted hoarsely. "Let's kill him together! Avenge Brother Kuroobi!"
The others hesitated—then charged.
Rody casually tossed Kuroobi's head beside his corpse.
With a lazy flick of his hand—
Slash.
Every fish-man except the hammerhead was cut cleanly in half.
Blood sprayed across the deck.
"Re…venge… Kro…"
The hammerhead fish-man finally broke.
His blade slipped from his grasp and clattered onto the deck. Tears streamed down his face as his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.
"So many… so many dead…"
Rody walked toward him slowly, boots echoing against blood-soaked wood.
He looked down at the trembling fish-man with indifferent eyes.
"Oh?" he said calmly.
"Do you still want to kill me?"