Joining Ace Crew In Onepiece World

As the others kept eating, Shin caught the flying bun, stood up, and stretched.

"Haha, then I'm off for a walk. You guys enjoy the rest," he said, casually tossing the bun in his hand as he headed out.

From what he'd gathered while wandering earlier, there was a small river behind the inn. And for a fisherman like him—well, a self-proclaimed one—it was impossible to resist. Besides, Ace and Deuce would be shopping after lunch, so he had a few hours to kill.

The sound of gently flowing water greeted him as he made his way to the back. The area was quiet, shaded by trees, and painted in a golden afternoon light.

"Nice scenery, good vibes… this should be a solid spot," Shin muttered, already pulling out his fishing gear from the system's storage.

No sooner had he cast his line than the system chimed in.

[Ding! Random Task Triggered: Fishing in Gunnas River]

[Task Objective: Fish in the Gunnas River for two hours and obtain a local specialty.]

[Note: You're probably used to not catching anything by now.]

[Reward: Daily task attribute rewards x2 for one week. Surprise treasure chest included.]

[Failure Penalty: You will step on an Oli Gei (sticky mud trap) ten times. Yes, ten. Enjoy.]

"What's with the sass, huh? You trying to say I suck at fishing?" Shin scoffed. "And why is stepping on Oli Gei the punishment again? Did the system get a foot fetish?"

He narrowed his eyes and stared at the bobber on the surface, determined not to let another fishing trip end in disappointment.

Finally, after a long silence, the float bobbed.

"Aha! Got you!" Shin leaned in with growing excitement and reeled it in.

It was heavy. Not "big fish" heavy—but something.

The hook came out dragging a huge tangle of weeds and slime. Shin grimaced and was about to toss it back when he noticed the weight wasn't quite right. Digging through the muck, he found a sealed box, crusted with age and rusted shut.

"Treasure?" he whispered, rubbing his hands together.

He pried the box open—and was nearly blinded by a flash of vibrant orange and yellow.

"…What the—carrots?"

Indeed, the box was packed full of Gunnas Island's specialty—glossy, oversized carrots wrapped in waterproof parchment. A prank? A farmer's idea of treasure?

[Ding! Task Complete. Reward Granted: Surprise Chest + Daily Attribute Rewards Doubled (7 days).]

"…I got carrots. Of course I got carrots."

Before Shin could continue grumbling, he heard shouts and heavy footsteps thundering toward him.

"Stop! You little brat! Think you can run? I'll break your legs when I catch you!"

A shrill voice, laced with fury and cruelty.

"Help! Please, someone help me!"

A girl's voice, desperate and raw.

Shin turned and saw her—a young girl, maybe ten, sprinting toward him. Her face was stained with tears, her breathing ragged. Chasing behind her was a harsh-faced woman leading a pack of burly men in mismatched clothes—dock workers, waiters, street toughs.

"…You've got to be kidding," Shin muttered, stuffing his rod away.

The girl stumbled, exhaustion catching up with her. Shin stepped forward just in time, catching her before she hit the ground. Her sleeves rode up as he held her—and what he saw made his chest tighten.

Red whip marks. Dozens of them. Old and new, layered like a roadmap of suffering.

"Please, big brother," the girl sobbed, clinging to his coat. "They kidnapped me. They're gonna sell me!"

Shin didn't hesitate. He gently steadied her behind him and turned to face the pursuers.

The woman leading them stepped forward with a sneer.

"You must be the fresh meat that docked this morning. Listen carefully—this is our boss's island. You mess with his property, you're asking for a death sentence."

Shin smiled coldly.

"Oh? Then consider this my introduction."

"Wrong answer, rookie."

The woman snapped her fingers. "Get him. The girl too. If that pretty face of his survives, he might fetch a decent price."

The thugs surged forward.

Shin patted the girl's head. "Don't worry. Rest for now. I've got this."

He stepped forward, raising a single palm.

"Fishman Karate—Water Strike: Autumn Rain."

A ball of water materialized above his hand and exploded outward, breaking into dozens of droplets—each one shimmering like liquid bullets.

The droplets struck the charging men before they could even raise their weapons. Thugs collapsed one after another, clutching their arms, legs, ribs, moaning in pain and confusion.

In mere seconds, the entire gang was writhing on the ground.

"…You…you…!" The lead woman's eyes bulged. She tried to form a sentence, failed, then turned and bolted back into the alleys, heels clicking in panic.

Shin let out a breath.

He knelt beside the girl, gently checking her injuries.

"You're safe now. Just breathe."

The little girl looked up at him, dazed but full of gratitude.

Shin looked out toward the shadows where the woman had fled, his eyes narrowing.

There was more going on here. Slavery, black market deals, abuse—this island was rotten underneath its busy streets and well-lit shops.

And he was starting to get real tired of pretending he couldn't smell it.

---

A/N: Please Leave A Comment Or Drop A Powerstone It'll mean alot to me...