Game Creator in a New World

"Sand Sculpture Netizens Will Never Disappoint"

Despite their often comical behavior, the "sand sculpture" netizens—players known for their humorous and unpredictable antics—never failed to entertain. Yet, even in their silliness, they sometimes displayed a surprising knack for uncovering details and piecing things together.

From countless clues, they managed to reconstruct what had gone down in Louge Town, and soon, the game forums were bustling with updates. Several videos capturing the epic events of the battle were uploaded.

The first video was titled:

[Haha! Look at this adorable newbie—remember when you were like this?]

It showed Luffy standing on the execution platform, and the footage had been caught by a passing player. The comments were full of players reminiscing about their own moments standing in that legendary spot, either out of ignorance or to take a commemorative photo where the Pirate King had once been executed.

The second video was more sensational:

[Shocking! The Man Who Called Down Divine Punishment!]

This clip captured the dramatic scene where lightning struck from the sky to save Luffy from execution. It was breathtaking, and players couldn't get enough.

The third video, however, took the spotlight:

[A Real Battle: Summoning Wind and Rain, Calling Down Thunder!]

This one was recorded by a dedicated player who had used the in-game recording feature non-stop, even at the cost of being obliterated repeatedly by Olivia's lightning. The player sacrificed countless respawns to capture the full scene. Even though the footage lagged and turned into a slideshow, it rocketed to the top of the forum in no time.

"Brother Three Seconds 666! Brother Three Seconds is invincible!"

"Respect to this legend! He must've died hundreds of times for these clips."

"Now I'm jealous again—my eyes are turning into sour lemons!"

"So it's true… In this world, the strong really can command nature and rival entire countries!"

The player who uploaded the video became an overnight sensation, earning the nickname "Brother Three Seconds" because of how quickly he perished during the battle. Few people, however, knew that Brother Three Seconds was actually the son of the wealthiest man in Seaside City.

"Heh, so what if they have Devil Fruit powers?" someone complained. "If I had the money to buy a Devil Fruit, I'd be just as powerful."

"I feel like the game is unbalanced. Is this really power that ordinary players should have?"

"It's clear that One Piece is a game for the rich. We're just extras, forced to watch the fun from the sidelines."

Sure enough, dissenting voices began to rise. Fueled by organized critics, the discussion shifted from admiration of the battle to a heated debate about whether One Piece was a pay-to-win game. Posts accusing John of rigging the game for the wealthy flooded the forum, many of them suspiciously coordinated.

One player claimed they'd fought hard to find a Devil Fruit, only to have it stolen by other players, implying that John intentionally made the game unfair. Another complained about being extorted by an auction house, hinting that the system was rigged to scam ordinary players. Some even spread outrageous rumors that John had traded Devil Fruits for personal favors.

John: ??? Where are they even getting this from?

Of course, loyal players tried to defend him, but they were disorganized compared to the well-oiled smear campaign. It was clear that rival game companies were behind the orchestrated attack.

John—back in reality—was watching the chaos unfold from behind the scenes. At the same time, in One Piece World, Sengoku at Naval Headquarters was fuming over reports from Louge Town. But in the real world, John's attention was pulled to a message from Bella.

"Boss! Check the forums! You're getting slammed!"

With a sigh, John logged onto the forums. The backlash was intense, with players and trolls throwing out accusations left and right.

John had anticipated that the battle in Louge Town would have a massive impact, but he hadn't expected such a vicious smear campaign. His expression darkened.

"Do they really think I'll just take this lying down?" he muttered.

He didn't usually get worked up over false accusations, but this time it was personal. John opened the backend of WebNet—a tool he hadn't used in ages. With a steely resolve, he composed a post and hit "publish."

[Official Response from John]

Heh. It seems some of our "competitors" just can't resist trying to drag me through the mud.

First off, to the so-called geniuses spreading lies: where did I ever say that One Piece was a welfare game or a handout? This game is labeled as "Adventure" and "Treasure Hunting" for a reason.

Do you think every adventure game hands you a max-level weapon to one-shot everything? Fighting basic, ugly mobs just to feel powerful? Oh, wait—you probably can't even afford a decent weapon and are stuck fighting low-level enemies.

And treasure hunting? Do you assume you need to pay for maps that lead to junk? Oh, wait—you likely don't even know how to design a proper treasure map. Digging in straight lines and expecting rewards, huh? Looking at you, "Sea Treasure World."

This is the world of pirates. Here, strength and cunning rule. No one's going to play fair unless you force them to. If you claim someone from my team rigged the game against you, show me your proof. I'll refund every cent—and blacklist you from all my future games. But let's be honest: that money probably wasn't yours to begin with.

Finally, One Piece is open to all adventurers. Well, except for those "geniuses." We'll pass on your wisdom.

John leaned back in his chair after posting, feeling a sense of relief. The message was blunt, fierce, and unapologetic. He knew he couldn't silence all the critics, but at least he'd defended his game and himself.

The post had an immediate impact. It made waves, fueling conversations about the integrity of One Piece and whether John was being unfairly targeted. While his message might lose some players, John knew that the real ones—the ones who embraced the challenge of his world—would stay.

A/N: Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.

Also check out my Patreon for advanced chapters: Patreon.com/AncestorX

Enjoy ✌️.