Conquering Heroines: Starting From A World Of Zombies

"It ended this easily?"

Vivi crouched beside the unconscious Crocodile, her expression twisted in complicated disbelief.

She couldn't help but question everything she thought she knew.

Her country's greatest crisis—resolved by a man whose priorities seemed to be sex, training, and eating?

Crocodile's schemes, the bloodshed, the national despair—

It all felt so… meaningless.

Vivi thought back on her time with Ryuji. Sure, she'd seen him training hard, but he always gave off this sloppy, unserious air. Like nothing in the world truly mattered—unless it involved sex, getting stronger, or eating.

This was a man who didn't care how he dressed. Didn't care how others looked at him. All he ever seemed to care about was:

"Can I sleep with you or not?"

Rude as it sounded—ungrateful, even—she couldn't shake the feeling that her entire nation had just been saved by someone like him.

And the worst part?

He was grinning like an idiot.

Ryuji, for his part, was just as shocked.

He'd prepared himself to go all-in with his Waterbending if things got messy—after all, there was a whole damn ocean nearby. It would've been a shame not to drown the guy for a little fun.

But no.

Turns out that when you deal true damage, stack absurdly overpowered Observation Haki, and go up against a guy with the mobility and physique of a dying lobster—

You win.

Utterly. Absolutely. Comically.

Still, even with all those logical advantages, he couldn't help but feel weird about it.

I mean, come on... Crocodile was supposed to be a major threat, right? Big-named villain. Total field-controller. A desert Magneto.

And yet here he was.

Lying in the sand, utterly cooked.

"Maybe it's just my outrageously good looks and next-level IQ," Ryuji mused, "Maybe the world itself decided to swap me in as the protagonist."

He was starting to seriously consider it.

After all, he could hear the Voice of All Things—and the words he heard back at Reverse Mountain? Very suspicious. Like the world was trying to choose a new dual narrative or something.

"Wait a sec… Blackbeard's dead. Ace doesn't get captured. So… who the hell's the final boss now?"

That realization hit hard.

Because of him, Blackbeard got killed by Roger. So who was left to fulfill the grand villain role?

And in One Piece, villains aren't just evil for evil's sake—they're mirrors. Foils. Perfect counterweights to Luffy's ideals.

Ruthless where Luffy is kind.

Destructive where Luffy builds.

A taker, not a dreamer.

And the final boss had to check certain boxes:

Stole something precious from Luffy.

Stands ideologically opposite to him.

Has an elite crew with personal ties to Luffy's journey.

And both must be recognized equals in power, will, and ambition—two inheritors of Roger's dream who chose completely opposite paths.

"Who the hell is that gonna be…?"

Ryuji thought hard, eyes unconsciously drifting to the swaying hips of Nami and Robin as they walked.

It wasn't Whitebeard—too old.

Not Big Mom or Kaido—they were anomalies.

Red-Haired Shanks? Practically brothers.

Dragon? That was Luffy's dad. Out of the question.

Imu? Please.

"This is One Piece. The Celestial Dragons aren't allowed to be the final boss!"

"...Wait. Is Blackbeard really dead?"

Ryuji couldn't help but think, Roger did the killing. The body was returned to Whitebeard's crew. Seemed final.

"Unless… this is some kinda resurrection BS? No way."

So then… who?

He sighed and kept thinking.

"I can't figure it out, how's the story gonna finish?"

Robin glanced at him and shook her head.

"As long as you're happy..."

She didn't care for his storytelling tone. But even as she looked at the defeated Crocodile, she couldn't help feeling conflicted.

Say what you will about Crocodile—he had, in his own twisted way, protected her. Had promised to help her find the Poneglyphs. Had been reliable, in his own selfish, cruel fashion.

And now, just like that, he was lying in the dirt.

Unconscious. Beaten.

It was almost a shame. If he were awake, she imagined the conversation between the two men would've been… bizarre.

Robin cleared her throat, snapping Ryuji out of his rambling.

"Ah—right. Business."

Ryuji turned to Vivi and flashed her a thumbs-up.

"Your turn now, princess. Time to handle the 'please-don't-let-the-Navy-hunt-us-down' part. I'm sure a competent lady like you can manage that?"

Vivi nodded seriously.

"Mm!"

Vivi's heart brimmed with joy. As long as Crocodile was taken down, everything else should fall into place… right?

What she didn't know was—

"Like hell it's all settled."

Ryuji lounged at a food stall, casually chewing on a strip of beef jerky while holding Nojiko and Nami in his arms. His eyes swept over the rebel army outside the royal capital. Sure, thanks to Robin and Crocodile's confession, the entire nation now knew the drought in Alabasta was Crocodile's doing.

But would that actually solve Alabasta's problems?

Not even close.

The rebellion wasn't just about Crocodile. It was sparked by economic collapse caused by a severe water shortage. Crocodile's schemes merely accelerated the inevitable. That "Dance Powder" nonsense was just an excuse—at the heart of it, Vivi's father simply failed as a ruler.

Defeating Crocodile didn't fix the real problem.

"Unless someone overwhelmingly powerful shows up to suppress both sides, there's no way this is getting resolved," Ryuji muttered while sipping juice. He wasn't a fan of alcohol—fruit juice was his preferred drink when on land.

Outside the city, refugees struggled to get a single sip of clean water, while the noble districts of Alabasta flaunted fountains and blooming gardens. What were the people supposed to think?

"Then go help them already," Nami spoke, clearly exasperated. If he could see the problem so clearly, why was he still here fondling her chest?

"Not my damn problem," Ryuji yawned. "At best, I'll evacuate Vivi's family when the city falls. Sure, they're good people, but ruling? They're laughably incompetent. And those starving rebels? They're Vivi's father's people too. They couldn't survive under his rule, and that's not all Crocodile's fault. If it wasn't him, it'd be someone else. The real issue is they just can't govern."

In his eyes, Alabasta's core issue was water infrastructure—or rather, the utter lack of it. He didn't know how much corruption was involved or who was sabotaging things, but Vivi's father was clearly powerless to fix any of it. So, if the king was overthrown, Ryuji wouldn't lose sleep.

The Marines and World Government had already declared Crocodile a traitor, stripping him of his Warlord title and slapping a huge bounty on his head. Ryuji wasn't a pirate, so Alabasta's fate didn't concern him.

"You're really something else..." Nami muttered, unable to refute his logic. As harsh as it was, everything he said was true. Crocodile might've been strong, but Alabasta was already rotten from within.

The royal family lacked real power, and Baroque Works had run rampant through the country with help from corrupt officials and nobles. No need to even mention that.

"That's just who I am," Ryuji shrugged. "As long as Vivi keeps warming my bed, I don't give a damn about the rest."

He had wandered through the city a couple times, but after seeing nothing but starving people, he'd quickly lost interest.

"Then what would it take for you to help me bring peace back to this country?" Vivi asked, her voice trembling. Her eyes were red with tears, desperation thick in her tone. She had entered into a deal with hhim, but never imagined him to be like this.

"Hah... Let's be honest. This is your mess. And Vivi, weren't you afraid I'd do something terrible to your country at first? That's why I said all I wanted was you. But now you expect me to fix everything too? If you want help, then pay up."

He looked her straight in the eye. He hadn't been using Observation Haki, only his basic danger sense. He hadn't even noticed her approaching—it was too tiring to keep that ability running constantly.

"I'll sign another ten-year contract!" Vivi blurted out without hesitation.

"You even have ten years of youth left to offer?" he shot back instantly.

"....."

She bit her lips. She wanted to say yes—but the truth was, she didn't.

A woman's youth didn't last nearly as long as a man's. A man in his thirties could still marry a teenager and be in his physical and professional prime. But for women… even with the best care, being over thirty rarely counted as youthful anymore.

"You don't have the capital to bargain with me," he said coldly. "Your father does. I want a ship, paid for with national funds. Officially, it'll be a reward for resolving your civil war."

"But… we don't have that kind of money..." Vivi's voice was barely audible.

She knew their treasury was all but empty. And the kind of ship Ryuji was asking for? Top-grade. Adam Wood would be the minimum, plus rare materials stacked on top. That wasn't something you could cover with just a few billion Berries.

But as she looked into his eyes—serious, unyielding—Vivi found herself unable to argue. He was their last hope.

"Then make the nobles and officials pay. If the mob breaks through, their money's gone anyway."

Ryuji casually groped Nami again, marveling at how quickly her body had blossomed after a few days of pampering. It was truly a divine gift.

"But—"

"Don't tell me the nobles, the officials, and all those rich merchants are broke."

He laughed dryly and looked back at Vivi.

"The number of rebels isn't up to me—it's up to you and them. If you want to erase the debt you owe your people, then you have to pay the price."

Vivi wanted to argue—what if this made the nobles even more corrupt? But she could tell… Ryuji wasn't refusing to help. He simply believed the people of Alabasta had to fix their own mess first.

Otherwise, why would he have helped defend the city those first few days? Why was he still here watching everything unfold?

In truth, neither side's soldiers would hurt her or her father. She had even spoken to the rebel leader—but it didn't matter. When people were starving, they stopped caring about peace or nations.

All they wanted was to survive.

But the longer that desperation festered, the harder peace became.

"I… I'll try," Vivi whispered, then turned and left with a gloomy face.

He noticed some of the servant girls quietly leaving as well.

Not long after, someone came to report that visitors had arrived.

He waved for Nami and the others to get dressed, then casually pulled a desert dancer into his lap and wrapped his arm around her as he greeted the guests.

"We're willing to fund the construction of the finest ship for you—just please, stop this rebellion," the representatives said directly.

"Go get your king to say it," Ryuji sneered. "I agree in principle."

These men were obviously just middlemen. The real powers behind them clearly didn't think much of him—afraid of Crocodile, but not of him.

How amusing.

He dismissed them with a wave, and the rest panicked.

"Wait—we have more to discuss—"

"Wait! We have other proposals—"

Their voices turned sharp with urgency, but Ryuji didn't even look at them. With a casual motion, he unsheathed his sword and slashed forward. In a single sweep, he tore through all their clothes, leaving the men standing there in their undergarments like shaved pigs.

They screamed like slaughtered swine, pitiful and loud—causing Ryuji to burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Let someone with real authority come speak to me!"

His face twisted into a mocking grin.

Just because he didn't want to become a pirate didn't mean he wouldn't do pirate things when necessary.

And so, soon after, the real powers behind those intermediaries—Alabasta's elite—were forced to step forward. They formally requested his help in quelling the rebellion. Ryuji, of course, made his conditions clear—tax exemptions, full sponsorship of a top-tier ship, and official recognition of his role. Pressured by merchants and nobles, even Vivi's father had no choice but to agree.

Later, Ryuji stood atop the city walls, gazing out at the seemingly endless sea of rebels. Below him, the kingdom's army waited in tense silence, and behind him, royalty and nobles anxiously watched, all awaiting his next move.

He couldn't help but laugh.

They were all waiting for him to descend upon the battlefield, to slaughter the so-called "commoners."

But he had no intention of doing that.

He had once been among the oppressed, and he had no desire to become one of the so-called "superiors."

The only thing he ever planned to rise above… was women.

Because bullying people too weak to fight back was just plain boring.

"As expected, these people are nothing but insects," he muttered.

And with that thought, something deep within his body stirred—a vague, elusive force he'd sensed before.

How could he not feel it? That faint, flickering power he'd first noticed under Roger's overwhelming pressure…

He had simply refused to believe that he, too, might possess the potential for Conqueror's Haki.

But now, standing here—deciding the fate of king with a word, forcing nobles and officials to submit, even as they cursed him under their breath—he couldn't hold back his laughter.

The arrogance of a transmigrator. The confidence of one who had power. The pride of one who could travel through worlds.

At that moment, Ryuji fully accepted it.

He had the right—To do whatever the hell he wanted.

Morals, ethics, social rules, customs—He would follow them only when he chose to.

Trends? Standards? Laws? Politeness?

He would live on his own terms.

He didn't need the approval of others.

He was enough for himself.

If he wanted to eat, he'd eat.If he wanted to sleep, he'd sleep.If he wanted a woman, he'd chase her, seduce her and get her.

The shackles of modern society—the values it had instilled in him—shattered in an instant. That hidden power inside him erupted at last.

It was the influence of this world, yes, but it was also the path he was always meant to walk. The chains had long since rusted and cracked. In truth, they had never really existed at all.

A crushing aura burst forth, flooding into the minds of everyone nearby—a sudden, primal sense of predator versus prey. Move an inch, and you might die.

It wasn't just pressure—it was will.A declaration of self.The affirmation of a chosen path.

This was not the power of someone who sought domination or glory, but one who refused to be bound by any rules but his own.

His behavior was tyrannical.

His is the—King.

"STOP."

No justification. No reasoning.

He simply desired it, and the world obeyed.

Because he had arrived.

And so all others must yield.

That overwhelming pressure rippled outward, blasting through the minds of everyone within tens of kilometers around him. It was as if the world itself trembled—acknowledging his fury, his dominance.

He was here.He was displeased.And he was coming.

To avoid invoking further wrath, the crowd instinctively chose to shut down. Even the air began to shimmer faintly with static, reacting to the sheer force of Ryuji's unleashed will.

The world, without a doubt, was favoring him—accelerating his growth, urging his hidden power to rise more swiftly and safely.

His body now had no limitations—no talent walls, no aptitude blocks. As long as his will held firm, as long as he kept training, he could climb as high as the world allowed. No bottlenecks. No boundaries.

All he needed to do was train.

"So… has the war ended yet?" he asked casually.

Ryuji leapt down lightly from the city wall.

But no one was there to respond.

Because every last one of them had fainted under the pressure.

"Hah…"

He looked at the unconscious bodies sprawled around him and let out another burst of hearty laughter.

So this... is what it feels like to be a King?

Interesting.

~~~~~~~~~~

Note: "KING" here is referred to the "Conqueror's Haki" as the {Conqueror's Haki, also known as King's Haki or Haoshoku Haki, is a rare and powerful type of Haki in the One Piece universe. It allows the user to exert their willpower to overwhelm the will of others, potentially knocking them unconscious or causing them to fear and hesitate. Only one in a million people are born with this ability, and it's associated with having the (qualities of a king or supreme ruler.) }