Chapter 144: Shunpo, Zoro's Challenge! (Patreon)

"Mom! Help me!"

"Please, let my daughter go!"

Rika and her mother's desperate cries echoed through the restaurant.

But most of the diners could only look on with pity. None dared to step forward, afraid of bringing trouble upon themselves.

Helmeppo was Shells Town's notorious bully. Nearly everyone despised him, but no one dared retaliate because of his powerful father.

So everyone avoided him.

Ren pushed through the crowd and kicked the wolf away with a single blow.

This sudden act stunned not only Helmeppo and his men, but also Rika, her mother, and the onlookers.

They couldn't believe anyone in Shells Town would dare to lay a hand on Helmeppo's pet wolf.

They remembered the last person who had accidentally provoked it. They had been beaten so badly it took months to recover.

When they snapped out of it, their eyes toward Ren were filled with pity.

They didn't know him. They assumed he was likely an outsider. Only an outsider would dare to provoke Helmeppo.

"GRRR!"

The wolf that had been sent flying let out a howl, then lunged at Ren with bared fangs, ready to tear apart the human who had dared to challenge it.

SHUNK!

Ren drew his Asauchi and cleanly severed the wolf's head.

In his mind, the Myriad Worlds Paradise Side Quest completion notification sounded.

Then, the Multiverse Character Template System's notification followed.

[Level EXP +15]

[Ding, the Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni Character Template has reached Level 9. Unlocked Ability: Shunpo (E-)!]

Helmeppo was a coward at heart.

Seeing the blood and his favorite pet's corpse, his first reaction wasn't grief or anger. It was terror.

He pointed at Ren and shrieked, "Quick! Seize him! I'm taking him back so I can make him suffer!"

The Marines around him drew their swords.

Helmeppo had ordered them to capture, not kill, so they didn't use their flintlock pistols, afraid of accidentally killing Ren and bringing trouble on themselves.

Hostility confirmed.

Ren muttered inwardly. Then his figure vanished from where he stood.

Zoro, who had been watching Ren closely, felt his pupils sharply constrict.

He hadn't even seen how Ren had disappeared.

SHUNK!

The sound of steel slicing through flesh drew Zoro's attention. He instinctively turned toward it, only to find Ren standing before Helmeppo's headless body.

When?!

Zoro's eyes widened in shock.

He didn't care about Helmeppo's life. What mattered was Ren's strength.

The residents of Shells Town, as if frozen in place, stared in stunned disbelief at Helmeppo's headless body.

Not just them. The Marines Helmeppo had brought were also frozen.

They hadn't expected anyone to dare kill him, right under their noses.

If Captain Morgan found out, their fate would be...

Before they could finish the thought, a sharp pain shot through their necks. They instinctively reached up to touch their necks and felt warm liquid gushing out.

As if realizing what had happened, terror and disbelief filled their faces.

They never imagined they would die here.

Their entire lives flashed before their eyes.

They clearly remembered every evil deed they had committed.

They asked themselves, We joined the Marines to uphold justice. How did we end up embracing darkness...?

But before they could find an answer, their consciousness faded into oblivion.

In Ren's mind, the system notifications continued.

[Level EXP +15]

[Level EXP +15]

...

[Level: 9 (90/100)]

"Dead... someone's dead!!"

A trembling scream rang out.

The entire restaurant descended into chaos.

The diners abandoned their meals and rushed for the exit, desperate to flee.

Though they had all wished Helmeppo dead, the reality of his death brought not relief, but terror.

They knew Captain Morgan would soon arrive, bringing his overwhelming fury with him.

They feared being caught in the fallout.

Rika fainted from the shock, and her mother was frozen in fear.

Nami walked over to Ren, who had sheathed his Asauchi, and asked with concern, "Ren, are you okay?"

Ren knew what she was asking and shook his head.

"I'm fine. They're all vermin, just like Captain Nezumi. Killing them means nothing."

As for Helmeppo, Ren had wanted to kill him ever since he first watched *One Piece*.

Despite all the evil deeds he had committed, he still ended up becoming Garp's disciple.

Ren couldn't help but wonder about Garp's thought process. Didn't he evaluate their moral character before taking them in?

Helmeppo aside, there was also Koby, the "deserter king," who not only ungratefully tried to stop Luffy from pursuing his dream but also got Garp trapped on Hachinosu after Garp went there to rescue him.

If he ever ran into Koby or Momonosuke, he'd just kill them...

Zoro overheard Ren and Nami's conversation. His heart stirred. He felt he had seen the name "Captain Nezumi" somewhere before.

Ren walked over to Rika's mother.

"Ma'am, could you prepare two of your signature dishes for us?"

Rika's mother snapped out of it. Trembling, she said,

"Sir, you should leave quickly. The man you killed is Captain Morgan's son. He'll never let this go."

Ren replied,

"If we leave, you'll face retaliation. Better to settle all the trouble before we go."

He glanced at Nami.

Nami understood. She walked over, helped Rika's mother up, and whispered to her.

After a moment, Rika's mother gave Ren a hesitant look, then carried the unconscious Rika away to prepare the food.

Looking around, Ren saw that aside from himself and Nami, the only person still in the restaurant was Zoro.

And the area near Zoro was the only clean spot left.

Without hesitation, Ren led Nami to sit next to Zoro.

Zoro's calm demeanor piqued Nami's curiosity.

"Why aren't you leaving? Aren't you afraid of getting caught up in this?"

Zoro replied, "No."

Then he turned his gaze to Ren. Fighting spirit surged in his eyes.

His goal was to become the world's greatest swordsman.

Now that he had encountered a swordsman of Ren's caliber, he naturally didn't want to let this opportunity slip away.

Without hesitation, Zoro issued his challenge.

"Hey, have a swordsman's duel with me!"

[Side Quest Triggered: Zoro's Challenge. Accept?]

[Quest Reward: Depends on the degree of task completion.]