The Game Merchant Who Started from the Ninja World

Chapter 32: Soul Rune

"You dragged us all into this shipwreck. Damn it, how are you going to compensate us?!"

The speaker was a tall, thin man wearing cat-paw gloves.

Beside him stood another man with the same gloves but a much bulkier build, half his face marked with a black birthmark.

They were the combat captains of the Black Cat Pirates.

Behind them stood a curly-haired man wearing flashy, patterned clothing and rose-tinted glasses.

"Oh no, it's the Black Cat Pirates!"

A crew member from the Otrluk merchant ship recognized them and shouted in alarm.

"What? Weren't the Black Cat Pirates already wiped out? Even their captain was imprisoned by Captain Morgan…"

"The Black Cat Pirates—all of them are infamous with bounties near 20 million berries. I don't want to die!"

"Maybe it's a fake, just a copycat crew. Don't panic."

The head of the ship's guards—a burly middle-aged man—gulped and tried to calm the others, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

Despite his intimidating size, reality had long since beaten any illusions out of him.

In the pirate world, physical size meant little. Combat techniques, body-honing methods, and Devil Fruit powers mattered more.

If these really were the Black Cat Pirates, he'd give up immediately.

"No way I'm risking my life for a job that pays 300,000 berries a month!"

Despite putting up a strong front, the guard captain was mentally preparing to surrender.

Otrluk, meanwhile, hid behind the others, trying to avoid drawing the pirates' attention.

Arrogant as he was—treating all commoners like trash—he wasn't stupid.

If caught by the Black Cat Pirates, he might survive, but would definitely be ransomed for a hefty sum, damaging his noble reputation.

And he cared deeply about that reputation.

Years ago, he had burned down the Gray Terminal just to impress the Celestial Dragons, even letting his own son Sabo die in the process without a hint of remorse—relieved that the Celestial Dragons never learned they'd attacked a noble's child.

"Sam, go pick out the nobles. Their families will pay ransom."

"What about the others?"

"They're useless. Let them go."

Buchi smiled faintly, waving his clawed hand.

To the guards, it seemed like he was evaluating a hopeless ant resisting pointlessly.

But it was all a ruse. Buchi secretly signaled Sam.

They wanted the crowd to relax. The real plan was to kill everyone here.

Anyone who recognized the Black Cat Pirates couldn't be allowed to live.

If the captain's cover in Syrup Village was blown, they'd all be executed.

The nobles could be held for ransom first—then killed.

Just as tensions peaked and violence was about to erupt, a wave of energy swept across the area.

Everyone, strong or weak, suddenly felt a crushing pressure.

The pirate world didn't have chakra, but it did have the three types of Haki.

The rarest—Conqueror's Haki—mixed overwhelming physical and mental energy into a tangible aura that could suppress anyone weaker.

Fang Yi hadn't awakened Haki, but his condensed energy form held far more power.

He deliberately released just a sliver of it to break the standoff.

"Welcome, lucky players, to the Reincarnation Game."

Fang Yi spread his arms, like a farmer admiring a fresh crop of sprouts.

His enormous, towering form floated in midair—dwarfing even giants.

No one dared move.

"Please, save us! I'll give you all my treasures—I swear it on the honor of the Otrluk family!"

Otrluk, who'd been hiding, suddenly cried out.

This mysterious giant clearly wasn't a pirate. He wasn't attacking and seemed open to negotiation.

Otrluk didn't believe the Black Cat Pirates would let them go.

He just wanted to muddy the waters.

If he couldn't recruit the giant, maybe he could incite a conflict and escape in the chaos.

"I'm not interested in your treasures."

Fang Yi glanced at him and smiled. "If I wanted wealth, I could cover the whole world in gold."

As he spoke—

The entire rocky beach began to shake.

Countless black stones shimmered and, in a blink, turned into glittering gold fragments.

The sand sparkled.

In the corner, a young orange-haired girl pretending to be unconscious peeked out and discreetly slid two gold pieces into her pocket.

"You're a Devil Fruit user!"

Otrluk gasped.

As a noble, he was well-informed. He knew about Devil Fruits.

This man… had to be a user of the Gold-Gold Fruit, capable of turning anything into gold.

Despite the danger, greed crept into Otrluk's heart.

"Esteemed giant, we meant no offense. Please… let us go,"

Zango the Hypnotist stammered, visibly nervous.

Size didn't always mean power—but only when both sides were human.

This giant had crossed that line.

He looked capable of crushing the entire pirate crew under one foot.

Even their captain, with a 16-million bounty, might be flattened like a bug.

"Leave?"

Fang Yi slowly took out a rune that glowed with divine light and merged it into the game tower.

He scanned the crowd.

[Zango the Hypnotist (Blue)]

[Buchi the Pirate (Green)]

[Sam the Pirate (Green)]

[Palu the Pirate (White)]

[Otrluk the Noble (Green)]

[Nami the Thief (Silver)]...

It was a Soul Rune—a new creation that cost 50,000 reward points.

It allowed Fang Yi to read basic information about a person's world and soul potential.

Most regular people had White-tier potential—low talent, weak fate, little Origin.

Essentially cannon fodder.

Green-tier was slightly better. They might have a useful skill or lucky fate, or just more Origin.

Blue-tier meant notable talent in the Pirate World.

Someone like a pirate with a bounty over 10 million, or a navy officer of warrant rank.

In the Shinobi World, they'd be Chūnin-level.

"Didn't expect to get so lucky. Just arrived in the Pirate World and already found a player with Silver soul potential."

Fang Yi's gaze landed on a black rock near the shoreline.

A figure lay motionless—covered in seaweed, mud, and sand, only two nostrils visible for breathing.

Nami, taking advantage of the confusion, had disguised herself as a drowned sailor.

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