Chapter 146: Release, Byakurai! (Patreon)

[Side Quest: Zoro's Challenge (Completed Beyond Requirements).]

[Quest Reward: 1 E-Rank Story, 1000 Myriad Points.]

The moment Zoro decided to join, the Myriad Worlds Paradise notification sounded in Ren's mind.

An unexpected bonus.

Every little reward counted.

Nami, watching from the side, smiled when she saw Zoro agree to join.

She already knew Ren's grand goal. In her view, achieving it would first require building up his own power.

Zoro was a recently renowned Pirate Hunter. Having a strong fighter like him would help build Ren's reputation. And based on their brief interaction, she already liked him.

"There he is, Captain Morgan!"

A loud shout rang out.

Nami looked up, a flicker of unease crossing her face.

She had confidence in Ren, but the sight of that towering, fierce-looking Morgan and the dozens of Marines behind him made her nervous.

Ren noticed. He reassured her, "Nami, wait inside. I'll find you once this is done."

Nami nodded. "Alright. Be careful. If things get bad, just summon Vimana and we'll retreat."

Knowing she would only be a liability, she quickly withdrew into the restaurant.

Zoro, however, was less concerned about Morgan and the Marines than he was about this "Vimana" Nami had mentioned.

He wanted to ask what it was, but now wasn't the time.

As Morgan and his men closed in, Zoro assumed his Three-Sword Style stance, his expression turning serious.

He was confident he could handle the ordinary Marines, even with their flintlock pistols.

But Captain Morgan was an unknown. He had never fought a Marine before and didn't know how strong a Marine captain was. He would have to take it seriously.

Morgan, following his subordinate's pointing finger, spotted Ren.

A flicker of surprise flashed across his eyes.

The perpetrator was this young?

"Kid, you dare..."

Morgan began, his voice full of menace. But before he could finish, he heard Ren's emotionless chant.

"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"

CRACK!

A bolt of white lightning erupted from Ren's fingertip, striking Morgan directly.

Morgan's pupils sharply constricted. A powerful sense of danger washed over him. His survival instincts made him raise the massive axe embedded in his right arm.

The lightning collided with the axe, scattering into currents of electricity that surged through Morgan's body. A numbing, stinging sensation spread through him.

Ren used Shunpo. In an instant, he appeared beside Morgan and slashed with Ryūjin Jakka.

In the next instant, Morgan was decapitated and died on the spot.

The system notification sounded in Ren's mind.

[Level EXP +40]

[Level: 10 (60/200)]

Everything had happened so fast that everyone was still processing it.

Zoro's pupils trembled.

Ren had shown another technique he hadn't seen before.

What was that white bolt of lightning?

Could humans summon lightning?

Then, a terrified scream rang out.

"A Devil Fruit!?"

"I know! He must be a Devil Fruit user!"

Zoro blinked.

In the East Blue, the weakest sea, Devil Fruits were legendary. He had only heard of them, never seen one.

His gaze instinctively fell on Ren. His grip on his swords tightened.

The "fact" that Ren was a Devil Fruit user both pressured him and filled him with boundless motivation and surging fighting spirit.

He would get stronger. Stronger than Ren.

Ren refocused his attention and looked at the Marines before him.

With a single glance, he terrified them into scattering in panic.

Captain Morgan had been an insurmountable mountain in their eyes.

Now that even Morgan had been killed so easily by Ren, how could they possibly fight him with their lives?

Ren slowly lowered Ryūjin Jakka.

He had never intended to kill these Marines.

He wasn't someone who killed indiscriminately, and not all of them were corrupt.

More importantly, killing this many Marines would likely draw Marine Headquarters' attention.

He could switch to the Gilgamesh Character Template, but revealing his true strength would interfere with leveling the Yamamoto Character Template later.

Gaining Level EXP required the target to be classified as an enemy.

Once his real power was exposed, most targets would be terrified at the mere mention of his name and wouldn't even be recognized as enemies by the system.

…

A short while later, Ren, Nami, and Zoro were eating heartily in the restaurant.

The residents, who had been hiding and watching, grew bolder once they realized Ren wasn't someone who killed indiscriminately.

News of Morgan and Helmeppo's deaths spread quickly through Shells Town.

The townspeople were overjoyed.

Weeping with relief, howling toward the heavens, dancing with celebration...

Scenes like these played out all over town.

This long-shadowed town had regained its vitality, all thanks to Ren.

Rika's restaurant was bustling once more.

The bodies of Helmeppo and the Marines had been cleared away by the villagers and laid together temporarily with Morgan's remains.

This time, the people gathering weren't there for food.

They were there to thank Ren.

Nami watched Ren become the center of attention again, a smile spreading across her face.

Pride shone in her eyes, as if she were the one being thanked.

Zoro stayed in a corner, quietly eating, as if none of it concerned him.

But in his heart, he felt pretty good about it.

If he had once acknowledged Ren solely for his strength, now he respected Ren's character as well.

…

Marine Headquarters.

Another meeting was convened because of Ren.

Though the East Blue was the weakest sea, having two Marine branch captains killed in quick succession was undoubtedly a slap in the face of the Marines.

If it wasn't handled properly and others followed suit, chaos would inevitably spread.

After the meeting, a special call was placed directly to the Marine base at Loguetown.