One Piece:The Lust System

[Edited.]

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Soon night fell in Loguetown, and Ren slept peacefully in the hotel room, unaware of what was happening on the other side of the city.

....

Inside the weapons shop, unlike before when it was originally empty of customers, the shop was now filled with many people—specifically, they were Marines.

"So, you're saying the thief was wearing a black mask? Was there anything special you noticed about him before you fainted?" Smoker asked the elderly owner as he quietly smoked a cigarette.

The owner, who had woken up a while ago to find that the most important thing to him—besides his wife—had been stolen, was devastated. It wasn't even for sale! It was a family heirloom! How could he sell it? But now… it was gone—no, it had been stolen!

He didn't even know how the thief knew he had Yubashiri!

How?! He hadn't told anyone except his wife! This shouldn't have happened!

Damn thief!

He suppressed his frustration and anger, then answered with a stutter: "N-No, I didn't even see him well! When he entered, I was looking at him from afar, but soon I found him right in front of me in a second! Before I could do anything, I had already…"

Smoker looked at the old man, whose eyes were red from crying over his misfortune, and then sighed. Based on this old man's information, the thief was clearly targeting the legendary sword.

Smoker wasn't a swordsman, but he still knew some information about legendary and cursed swords. However, he had summoned someone who knew more than him in this regard—his assistant, Tashigi.

Looking at Tashigi in front of him, who had lost her cheerful and happy expression, he sighed inwardly.

"Another powerful sword falling into the hands of evildoers… unbelievable!" From her tone, it was clear how upset she was over the incident.

As someone whose dream was to collect all legendary weapons and protect them from falling into the hands of the "wrong" people, she couldn't help but feel sorrowful when such a theft occurred.

Smoker turned to the Marine in front of him and asked, while keeping the cigarette in his mouth, "Have you found any trace of him yet?"

The Marine whom Smoker spoke to was nervous, but he quickly replied, "N-no, sir, we have searched every inch of the city over the past few hours, and we haven't found the thief yet…"

"Keep looking for any clues, and if you suspect anyone, just let me know." Smoker wasn't angry; he knew the chances of catching the thief now were low but didn't give up.

Based on witness statements from citizens present at the time, in addition to notes from the owner and his wife, Smoker knew that this thief must have had some strength. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the courage or power to carry out such a robbery in broad daylight.

Smoker thought to himself and tried to recall any suspicious individuals he had encountered that day. Characters began to pass through his mind, one by one, until his thoughts quickly settled on a man with dark blue hair.

"He said his name was… Ren?" Smoker muttered, frowning.

When he remembered Ren being offered the chance to join the Marines but refusing, his suspicions quickly deepened.

Smoker described Ren's appearance to the Marine: "His name is Ren. Dark blue hair, symmetrical features. He stands out among people, so it will be relatively easy to locate him. According to his claim, he works as a bounty hunter and is also armed. Don't engage him unless necessary. Just inform Commander Smoker."

The Marine finished writing down the suspect's description and then ordered it to be distributed to other officers so they could instruct their subordinates.

"S-Smoker-san? Is there something wrong with Mr. Ren?"

Tashigi, who was in a sad and angry state, spoke to Smoker with tension in her voice. She didn't understand why her superior was suspicious of Mr. Ren.

In Tashigi's opinion, even though she had only known Ren for a short time, he seemed kind.… Even though he refused to join the Marines and had his own sense of justice, he wasn't a bad man!

Smoker looked at the girl and sighed, knowing that her problem was being too emotional and easily influenced by others.

He didn't bother to explain his reasoning to her and merely said that it was "just a precautionary measure" in case he was somehow connected to the incident.

....

Midnight quickly arrived in Loguetown while the Marines continued tirelessly scouring the city for the thief. In a certain hotel room, a handsome man suddenly opened his eyes.

He looked at the clock hanging on the wall; it was 12:00 midnight.

Yawning slightly, he stretched his limbs as he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

He quickly showered, dressed in black, and put his loaded gun in his jacket pocket.

As for bullets, he had been in a hurry and had forgotten to take more from the old owner's shop. He only had 70 bullets, most of which were stored in the system's 'infinity space.'

He opened the window to let fresh air into the room as he gazed at the empty streets at night.

But what caught his attention were the Marines passing by now and then, looking as if they were searching for someone or something.

"Have they already begun securing the city? With Smoker's intelligence, he should be a bit suspicious of me. I introduced myself as a bounty hunter from nowhere, declined his invitation to join the Marines, and left a poor impression. On the same day, a high-grade sword gets stolen… it must look like I came here specifically for that sword. In short, I'm sure Smoker is starting to doubt me..."

Ren, of course, was the person in the hotel room. He calmly analyzed his situation, putting himself in Smoker's position as a Marine and mentally simulating Smoker's personality based on the manga.

"But… all of this is useless."

Ren chuckled lightly, realizing that any attempt by Smoker to frame him would be futile. Even if Smoker discovered his involvement, he would already be gone.

Yes, Ren had decided to leave Loguetown tonight!

....

In Loguetown's port, activity continued even at midnight.

Merchant ships were docking, goods were being loaded in preparation for sailing, and cruise ships were receiving passengers.

More Marines than usual patrolled the area, scouring every inch for anyone matching the description provided by Commander Smoker.

Among the bustling activity, there were a few pirate ships, whose occupants behaved unusually calm out of fear of the Marines—especially Smoker. Knowing his reputation and power, the pirates dared not break the law.

"Guys! Are all the goods and supplies loaded? We need to set sail now and head to the Grand Line! Hurry!" The captain of one pirate ship called out, imagining himself as a king of the seas, sitting on a golden throne with beautiful women surrounding him.

"Yes, sir! We're ready to sail now."

"Hahaha, boss! We're going to conquer the seas!"

"Quickly, men! My sword thirsts for blood!"

"Hahahaha!"

"My name will be known across the seas! Everyone will fear me! I'm the new Whitebeard!"

....

Inside the ship, in the supply warehouse, a powerful hand emerged from a large wooden crate filled with food supplies, followed by another hand on the other side. The crate, unable to bear the pressure, broke into several pieces.

The drunken pirates on deck, engrossed in their celebrations, didn't notice this strange occurrence.