Pirates: Seeing My Proficiency, I Became a Legend

The sun rose over the boundless sea, its golden reflection shimmering on the water's surface. A new day, a new adventure.

A lone ship drifted across the vast East Blue. Underneath a large parasol, Nico Robin lounged in a revealing swimsuit, legs elegantly crossed, a quill in one hand and a notebook in the other. The quiet scratching of her pen filled the air as she immersed herself in calculations. Ancient texts, cryptic symbols—she was trying to decipher something, but her brows furrowed in frustration.

Meanwhile, Dongze was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly, a black-red slash cut across the sky, its devastating force splitting the clouds. In an instant, the ocean trembled, massive waves erupting and crashing down with terrifying force. A torrential downpour followed, drenching the deck and sending rain cascading off the sails.

Robin's thoughts shattered like glass. With a sigh, she tucked her legs beneath the umbrella, her expression a mix of irritation and resignation. Just as she had started making progress, the sudden storm had ruined everything.

She exhaled sharply, gripping her quill tighter before angrily scribbling over her notes, reducing the entire page to a blackened mess. With an exasperated huff, she crumpled it up and stomped on it, venting her frustration on the ruined parchment.

Not far from the ship, a massive ripple spread across the water. Moments later, a figure emerged from the sea, leaping gracefully onto the deck.

His bare torso gleamed under the sun, his physique chiseled and perfectly proportioned. Water trickled down his skin, highlighting the sharp contours of his muscles. A long sword rested in his grip, its blade still emanating residual energy from his previous strike. The corners of his mouth curled into a smirk—he was in an exceptionally good mood.

With a light tap on the air, he twisted midair and landed at the ship's stern. The dark aura that had enveloped his body dissipated, revealing his sharp, battle-hardened features.

Dongze.

"Hey, Robin! You still haven't figured it out?"

Hearing his voice, Robin's cheeks flushed slightly. She had passed the world's most difficult archaeology exam at the age of seven, her intellect hailed as a prodigy's. But this problem—a seemingly impossible equation Dongze had given her—had kept her occupied for two entire days.

She glanced away, feeling an uncharacteristic pang of embarrassment.

"…Sorry, Mr. Dongze, I'm not smart enough," she admitted reluctantly.

A smirk flickered across Dongze's lips. "Really?"

That problem had been carefully chosen—something requiring advanced calculus and relativity theory, concepts that simply didn't exist in this world. Even if Robin lost all her hair in frustration, she wouldn't be able to solve it.

From the corner of her eye, Robin spotted the massive carcass of a Sea King drifting to the surface, its immense body dwarfing their ship. She stiffened.

"I-I'll go cook," she blurted out, quickly making her escape.

Dongze chuckled, watching her disappear below deck.

He exhaled slowly, turning his gaze toward the horizon. His panel finally reflected a long-awaited update.

Conqueror's Haki: 1200/1,000,000.

It wasn't much, but it was progress.

With no crewmates to train with, he had been forced to find alternative methods. After some trial and error, he had stumbled upon an excellent way to increase his Haki proficiency—hunting Sea Kings.

The ocean was a vast, untamed battlefield. Here, the monsters lurking beneath the waves weren't just fish—they were titanic, ferocious predators.

That's right.

The Sea Kings.

He planned to clear the East Blue before heading toward the Calm Belt, the breeding grounds of these monstrous creatures. It was the ultimate Haki training ground, a place where legends were forged.

The battle just now had been grueling. Fighting underwater was nothing like fighting on land—water resistance made every movement sluggish, turning even the simplest attacks into a struggle. Dodging became nearly impossible, and every swing of his blade required ten times the usual effort.

His stamina had been pushed to the limit.

He checked his updated stats:

Armament Haki: +2000 points. Equivalent to slaying 40 Sea Kings.

Observation Haki: +50 points.

The difference was glaring—his ability to "see" underwater had improved, but actually dodging in such conditions was another challenge entirely.

Still, the rewards were worth it.

He had even unlocked a new passive skill.

Abdominal Breathing: 100/100,000.

Dongze sighed. This was the first skill he had unlocked against his will. Nearly drowning had forced his body to adapt, improving his ability to hold his breath for extended periods.

It was progress—but at what cost?

…

"Sir! Food's ready! Grilled Sea King tenderloin set meal!"

Robin appeared on deck, wearing nothing but an apron.

Dongze blinked. His mind blanked. His body froze.

His nose stung.

A second later, a warm trickle ran down from his nostrils.

Robin raised an eyebrow, smirking at his reaction. Even the ever-composed Dongze had a weakness, after all.

She twirled playfully. The apron barely covered anything.

Dongze averted his gaze, pinching the bridge of his nose to stop the bleeding.

"Robin. Don't wear that again. I have anemia," he muttered.

Robin giggled. She had always suspected her new boss was too inhumanly composed—it was refreshing to see him flustered.

"I understand, Master Dongze~~" she purred, pulling at the apron strings before sauntering back into the cabin with deliberate, cat-like grace.

Dongze turned away instantly, raising a hand as if shielding himself.

That curve—damn it.

He sighed heavily. "What a damn vixen…"

…

Two days later, they encountered a pirate ship.

From a distance, Dongze could see a banquet in full swing. Laughter, clinking mugs, and drunken boasting filled the air.

Pirates.

They were a rare sight lately. But then again, it was no mystery why. Few had the guts to set sail knowing Dongze was hunting them down like prey.

His Observation Haki spread outward, scanning the ship's interior.

"Starting so young, huh?" he muttered.

On deck, the pirates reveled in their victory, bragging about their latest loot.

"Boss, I don't know who tipped us off, but we owe them big time!"

"Those black-market merchants were sitting on mountains of treasure! Can you believe they were just gonna toss all that milk?"

"Right?! Stuck-up bastards! Let's burn their whole stockpile!"

Dongze listened with mild amusement. So they had raided a group of black-market dealers?

Not exactly a crime worth avenging.

Back in his old world, he had despised black-market traders—they were parasites, always profiting off others' misfortune.

Still, he wasn't about to intervene just yet. He'd let these pirates enjoy their spoils before cutting them down.

"Not gonna make a move?" Robin asked.

Dongze cracked open a cold can of cola, taking a long sip.

"My stomach hurts. We'll go later."

Robin side-eyed him. He didn't look sick at all.

But then—her gaze sharpened.

A familiar presence was on that ship.

A petty thief, a survivor, a girl carrying the weight of an entire village's fate.

The one who would later become the Straw Hat Pirates' navigator.

Nami.