One Piece: Infinite Treasure Chest System.

Just as the countdown in his mind reached 16 seconds, Ben tucked the treasure chest into his personal storage space.

"Kalida Dan, thanks. That's enough."

With those final words, Ben blacked out again.

Three Days Later

"Brother Ben, are you sure you're feeling better?" Luffy asked, watching Ben as he practiced his sword swings.

"I'm fine. No big deal. Six hundred seventy-five… six hundred seventy-six…"

"Brother Ben, are you planning to become a great swordsman?" Luffy tilted his head, his usual clueless expression intact as he watched Ben tirelessly swing his sword.

"A swordsman, huh? Maybe. What about you, Luffy? What's your dream?" Ben stopped mid-swing and turned to face the rubber boy.

Getting to hear Luffy declare his dream firsthand—this was a treat for any true One Piece fan like him!

"My dream? I want to set sail and become a pirate even greater than Shanks!"

Wait—what? That wasn't what he expected at all!

"Stronger than Shanks, huh? Well, he's one of the Four Emperors. If you want to surpass him, that would mean… you'd have to become the Pirate King." Ben nudged him in the right direction.

"The Pirate King, huh? Yeah! I'm gonna be the man who becomes Pirate King!"

Finally! Luffy had spoken his legendary line.

"Then go chase that dream. I'm heading out now, but I hope to hear your name echoing across the Grand Line one day!" With those words, Ben took a step forward—and vanished before Luffy's eyes.

Watching him disappear, Luffy clenched his fists, determination blazing in his eyes.

After parting ways with Luffy, Ben sought out Ace. At this moment, young Ace was napping atop his usual treasure tree.

"Ace, someone stole your treasure!" Ben whispered right next to his ear.

"What?! Who dares—wait… Ben, you're messing with me again!" Ace sat up, glaring at him in frustration, even puffing his cheeks out like Luffy.

"Alright, enough teasing. I have something important to ask you. Why do you keep hoarding treasure?" Ben asked seriously.

"I'm gonna set sail. I want to become a pirate stronger than that man!"

Ace's face darkened, filled with resentment.

Ben knew exactly who he meant—Gol D. Roger. The identity of the Pirate King had been a heavy shadow over Ace's childhood.

"Becoming strong isn't just about saying it, Ace. If you really want to get stronger, then take these."

Ben pulled out a Devil Fruit and a handwritten guide on Haki training from inside his coat.

"This…"

"I'll be waiting for you out on the sea." With that, Ben turned and walked away.

Ace looked down at the Devil Fruit and the training manual in his hands. Without hesitation, he threw the fruit into his mouth.

"Ugh! This tastes awful!"

After that, Ben left behind the 400,000 Berries he had on him as a parting gift for Kalida Dan.

He had originally planned to find Sabo, but realized he didn't have anything to give him at the moment. Instead, he left a second copy of the Haki training manual on Sabo's bed and departed.

He had confirmed that both Terminal Station and Edge Town each had a Bronze Chest. However, to reach them, he would have to pass through the central district. And since the central district had the highest concentration of treasure chests in the entire Goa Kingdom, it was the logical first stop.

"System, open the Silver Chest."

With all his affairs settled, Ben finally remembered the two beauties still lying unconscious inside his storage space.

[Congratulations! You have obtained 1/4 of a Poneglyph rubbing.]

"A Poneglyph? Isn't that one of the clues leading to Laugh Tale?"

Ben stored the piece away. The Pirate King's final destination had to be loaded with high-tier treasure chests.

"System, open the Special Chest."

[Congratulations! You have obtained the Imperial Arm: Mostima, Wings of Freedom! This winged relic allows the user to fly and fire feather-like projectiles to strike down enemies. Its secret technique, 'Divine Feathers,' can reflect incoming aerial attacks back at the attacker. (Mostima originates from the apocryphal Book of Jubilees as a fallen angel.)]

Ben's eyes gleamed with excitement at the notification. Looks like he had a real affinity for Imperial Arms—just as he lost one, he gained another.

Five days later, Ben arrived at the heart of the city.

Along the way, he had casually mugged a few mountain bandits, adding to his Berry stash. Without hesitation, he stepped into a local tavern.

"Boss! One mug of rum and some meat." He found a seat and ordered casually.

"Open the Black Iron Chest."

He wasn't here just for food—this tavern had a Black Iron Chest, and he wasn't the kind of guy to walk into a place with a treasure chest and not open it.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: A Doll.]

"Recycle it."

Ben had opened more than a dozen Black Iron Chests lately, but ever since obtaining Mostima, his luck seemed to have run out. Everything else had been junk.

At least he could exchange them for system points.

"The Celestial Dragons are coming! Everyone, clear the streets!"

A panicked shout echoed through the city.

The next second, people scrambled into the streets, dropping to their knees.

Ben, however, remained at his table, sipping his drink. No way in hell was he about to kneel for a Celestial Dragon.

"Kid, if you don't want trouble, you should find a place to hide," a rotund middle-aged man approached him, his voice low and urgent. "If they see you standing while everyone else kneels, you won't be the only one suffering—our whole tavern could get wrecked."

"Got it." Ben nodded, dropping a pouch of Berries on the counter before stepping outside.

The moment he did, he recognized someone familiar.

Char Marco Saint.

The Celestial Dragon sat atop a towering, muscular slave, holding a chain that bound the poor man's neck.

"Hahaha! No matter how many times I see it, the sight of these groveling worms never gets old!" Char Marco Saint laughed, swirling his wine as he admired the cowering commoners.

Just then, the slave Beneath him lost balance for a second, shifting slightly to one side after pressing his palm onto a sharp rock.

"Useless filth!"

BANG!

Without hesitation, Char Marco Saint pulled out his pistol and shot the man in the head.

The crowd flinched but dared not react, keeping their heads bowed in silence.

"Hmph. That was a good one," Char Marco Saint sneered. He scanned the crowd before his gaze landed on Ben. "You there—bring that one to me. He'll make a fine new steed."

At that moment, Ben was casually strolling in the opposite direction, completely unaware he'd been singled out.

"Hey, kid! Stop right there!" one of the Celestial Dragon's guards barked as he rushed toward Ben.

"Me?" Ben turned around, feigning confusion.

"Saint has chosen you as his mount. Consider yourself lucky!" The man lifted a chain, preparing to collar Ben like a beast.

"Soaring Flight!"

A razor-sharp feather shot from Ben's winged relic, piercing the guard's hand. At the same time, he used Mostima to propel himself into the air.

"Hahahaha! Not bad! A flying mount would be even better—imagine the spectacle!" Char Marco Saint's excitement only grew. "Capture him! He's mine!"

At his command, a group of enforcers charged forward, weapons drawn.

Mission Triggered: Defeat the Guards & Escape Successfully

Objective: Sever one of Char Marco Saint's hands.

Reward: One Random Chest.

Hearing the system notification, Ben couldn't help but smirk bitterly.

Bitter—because he was making an enemy of the Celestial Dragons way earlier than planned. His peaceful days were over.

Smirking—because to him, Char Marco Saint was nothing more than a walking treasure chest.