After arriving in Shields Town, Shen Yuan casually found a tavern and took a seat.
"Madam, a glass of rum."
He ordered from the barkeep and leaned back, scanning the interior with calm eyes.
"There aren't many provisions left on the ship. Time to restock."
Even as he drank, Shen Yuan kept one ear open. Eavesdropping on tavern chatter was already second nature to him.
Words like "Marine tyranny" and "Roger's treasure" were thrown around casually—echoes of a world still haunted by the Pirate King's legend.
He had heard such tales countless times. But now, he had no interest in nostalgia. Shen Yuan only wanted one thing:
Power. Real power.
Now that the Goddess of Luck had chosen him, was it time for the tides of fate to change captains?
Finishing the rum in a single motion, he stood up and stepped out of the tavern.
Shen Yuan headed for the market streets, eventually arriving at a supply shop in town.
After buying a large stash of food, tools, and sea charts, his wallet was almost empty again.
"…If I robbed a Marine patrol, would I get a bounty?"
He smirked and shook his head.
Whatever. The guy I'm looking for is a notorious night thief. What's that got to do with me, adventurer Shen Yuan?
Right then, the store's entrance burst open—
And in strutted a teenage boy with a rigid center-parted haircut and unmistakable arrogance.
It was Helmeppo, the infamous son of Captain Morgan (also known as "Monka" in some translations). His nose wrinkled in disgust at Shen Yuan's gear-laden frame.
"You bumped into me. Apologize."
Shen Yuan didn't bother posturing. "Sorry."
Helmeppo scoffed. "Is that it?" He drew a pistol and aimed it squarely at Shen Yuan's chest!
Shen Yuan's eyes narrowed.
Still a brat, yet already this corrupt?
With a flick of the wrist, Shen Yuan dropped his pack—and drove a fist straight into Helmeppo's smug face.
BOOM!
The impact exploded like a cannonball. Helmeppo's body launched across the store, smashing through a wall in a burst of debris.
The surrounding Marines were stunned speechless.
> [System Notification: Defeated storyline character 'Helmeppo' — +22 Levels | +5 Skill Points]
Shen Yuan casually picked up his bag again.
Rustling sounds came from where Helmeppo lay, but no one dared to check if he was still alive.
"Troublesome," Shen Yuan muttered, walking to the docks.
After stashing a full bag of supplies on his boat, he noticed the faint creak of a nearby ship pulling into port.
His gaze sharpened.
"Brothers, we—"
The speaker didn't get to finish. A violent shockwave sliced through the air—shattering the ship's hull on impact!
"Rankyaku!"
"It's Rankyaku!" shouted one sailor. "Navy Six Powers!?"
Their captain—a rat-eyed man in a Navy coat—barely had time to scream before Shen Yuan landed in front of him using Geppo, then slashed out with another Rankyaku!
FWOOOSH!
The shockwave tore the mast clean off.
Amidst the chaos, Shen Yuan grabbed the neck of the rat-like officer.
His palm shimmered—now laced with black Armament Haki.
"I'm Colonel Nezumi of the Navy! You're defying the law!"
With a subtle flex, CRACK—Colonel Nezumi's neck snapped like a twig.
> [System Notification: Killed storyline character 'Nezumi' — Level Up to 25 | +3 Skill Points]
The other Marines trembled, paralyzed by fear.
They'd seen it. Navy Six Powers. Advanced Haki. Shen Yuan clearly wasn't a lowly pirate. But if he wasn't Navy…
"Unload your ship's cargo."
No one dared to speak. They obeyed. Crates of food and treasure were carried out and stacked by Shen Yuan's boat.
"Put it on my vessel. I'll 'settle accounts' with the base commander."
The Marines nodded like puppets and scrambled to obey.
As Shen Yuan watched them vanish over the horizon, he muttered:
"…And that was just a little warm-up."
Even now, his Armament Haki was nearing peak form.
A grin formed on his lips.
Night fell. Shen Yuan slipped into the shadows and moved silently toward the Marine base.
---
Inside the Shields Town base, torches flickered.
Captain Morgan, the axe-armed tyrant, sat brooding in his office.
His rage was palpable.
"My son was flattened with one punch! And the attacker… vanished?"
He slammed his axe down.
"Lock the town down. I want him found—dead or alive!"
Just then, a crash! shattered the window behind him!
A masked intruder leapt inside, holding a long blade glowing with jet-black Haki.
"You…! You're the one who assaulted my son!?"
Morgan rose, clutching his massive axe, eyes twitching.
Shen Yuan dashed forward, slashing with terrifying speed—cleaving Morgan's weapon in half!
With his left foot planted on Morgan's chest, he leapt into the air—then came down with a crushing axe-kick to the jaw!
CRACK!
The impact thundered across the compound!
> [System Notification: Defeated storyline character 'Morgan' — Level Up to 26 | +2 Skill Points]
Shen Yuan leapt out the shattered window, vanishing into the moonlight using Geppo.
By the time the Marines arrived, all that remained was Morgan's unconscious body.
But his ragged breathing meant—he was alive.
Just barely.
---
"R-report...!"
A Navy soldier burst in, pale-faced.
"We… found Colonel Nezumi's corpse on the beach!"
Morgan's bloodshot eyes widened. "CRACK!"
"Why… why do bad things always happen to me?"
His body convulsed again—he spat blood, coughing violently.
Another Marine stumbled in, trembling.
"C-Colonel! Our vault… it's been cleaned out!"
Morgan gasped.
Then vomited blood a second time.
---
Back on his small boat, Shen Yuan sat cross-legged.
"Max it. All five points into Armament Haki!"
> [System Update: Armament Haki — MAXED]
Power surged through his limbs. His fists turned pitch-black with glossy Haki. Wreaths of black mist curled around his hands.
Too much power, too little space.
He reeled back and slammed a fist toward the sea!
BOOM!
The ocean twisted. A spiraling shockwave shot from the depths—and seconds later, the surface erupted!
SPLASH!
Startled Sea Kings leapt out of the water, fleeing in panic!
With a wicked grin, Shen Yuan caught one mid-leap, unsheathed Tianyan, and butchered it with surgical ease.
As flames crackled from the impromptu cooking fire, Shen Yuan smiled.
Delicious.
---
Back at the coast, Morgan surveyed Nezumi's corpse.
The throat was crushed. The neck snapped. Eyes wide in eternal horror.
He swallowed. Cold sweat drenched his back.
"This… this is the work of a monster."
"…Clean the battlefield. Report it to Navy HQ."
"But, sir… didn't you say no one must know?"
Morgan's eyes twitched.
"The rat is dead. What the hell were we doing in his territory anyway?!"
Another surge of pain hit him.
He collapsed again, vomiting more blood.