"One Piece: Sign-In at the Start to Get Ryūjin Jakka"

As Roya stepped foot into the Holy Land Mary Geoise, the system's electronic voice echoed in his mind.

The Devil Fruit offered as a reward this time aligned perfectly with Roya's preferences.

But he had no intention of consuming it just yet.

Strolling through Mary Geoise, Roya hoped to find a worthwhile place to "check in."

However, all he saw along the way were fires and chaos.

Some slaves betrayed their companions just to buy themselves an extra second or two to flee.

Others, still bound by explosive collars, couldn't bear to watch others escape and slaughtered anyone in sight.

Some, driven completely mad, even lunged at Roya when they saw his cloaked figure—

—Only to be cut down by a single slash of Roya's sword.

Situations like that were far too common.

They ruined any mood Roya had to continue casually walking around Mary Geoise.

Just as he was about to leave, heavy footsteps echoed from behind.

The footsteps were loud and heavy—clearly not even trying to hide.

Roya turned slowly. In the flickering firelight, he saw a red-skinned Fishman with thick curly hair and an enormous mouth sprinting toward him.

Roya's eyes narrowed slightly.

It was clear the Fishman was severely wounded—his body was covered in gashes large and small, bleeding nonstop.

If not for his Fishman physiology, Roya figured he would have already been a corpse.

The Fishman, spotting Roya, didn't recognize who he was. His attire was odd, but at least he wasn't wearing a white cloak and mask—that was enough.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, Fisher Tiger took a deep breath and shouted:

"Hey! You up there! Run! Hurry! There's someone in a mask chasing behind me!"

Someone in a mask—it could only be CP0.

And without much effort, Roya deduced the identity of the Fishman before him:

This man… must be the very source of today's chaos—Fisher Tiger himself.

Despite his own critical condition, Tiger anxiously pleaded:

"Didn't you hear me?! Run!"

The moment he shouted, blood gushed from his mouth.

His body was already on the brink of collapse. Those two yells had only worsened his condition.

And yet, despite this, he kept calling out to a stranger—perhaps that was Fisher Tiger's true strength.

But then, five masked figures in white cloaks appeared behind him.

"Whoever you are… anyone who causes trouble in Mary Geoise shall die!"

Upon hearing their words, Fisher Tiger's heart sank.

He didn't expect CP0 to arrive so quickly.

Clenching his jaw, he rushed in front of Roya.

Then, spinning around suddenly, he stood protectively in front of him.

"I'm at my limit… I'll hold them off! You, run—now!"

That last sentence was yelled with everything he had left.

Roya looked at Fisher Tiger and chuckled lightly.

"You're quite bold. But I'm not the type to hide behind others."

As Roya finished speaking, Tiger felt a breeze pass behind him—

Roya had already dashed forward.

Fisher Tiger's pupils shrank.

He wanted to shout a warning—those five were incredibly strong!

But his throat was clogged with blood. All he could do was cough more violently, blood gushing out as he struggled even to breathe.

He could no longer bear to look. In his mind, it was impossible for one man to defeat five elite CP0 agents.

But in the next second—

Flames erupted in his vision, burning as far as he could see.

It was the most spectacular slash he had ever witnessed.

Searing fire roared from Roya's blade, and with just one swing, the five who had nearly killed him were instantly incinerated!

Fisher Tiger stared in disbelief, stunned beyond words.

How could this be?! Who is this man? How can he be so… powerful?!

As he struggled to comprehend what just happened, Roya calmly sheathed his sword and approached him.

It was as if none of it had been a challenge—

As if those five CP0 agents were nothing but cannon fodder in his eyes.

Steadying his breath, Fisher Tiger swallowed down the blood rising in his throat and whispered:

"T-Thank you…"

"No need. I'm just passing by," Roya replied casually.

Then, without asking, he hoisted Fisher Tiger onto his shoulder.

"Put me down… I'm just a burden," Tiger murmured, his voice growing fainter.

"Don't speak. I'll stop your bleeding first."

Carrying him, Roya headed toward a nearby mansion—one that hadn't yet been engulfed in flames.

He kicked open the door and entered a room.

Gently setting Fisher Tiger down, he used materials inside to perform basic first aid and bandaging.

"Rest here for a while. You'll be fine while I'm around."

Hearing those words, Fisher Tiger felt a strange warmth in his heart.

Just as he was about to thank Roya again, a strange noise came from beneath the floor.

Tiger instantly tensed.

Roya gave him a reassuring look, then quietly made his way to the entrance of the underground cellar.

The hallway was pitch-black.

Roya gently nudged his sword's guard with his thumb—thin flames slipped out from the scabbard, casting light down the corridor.

As he moved deeper into the darkness, the strange sound grew clearer—

It sounded like... a girl's voice.