Chapter 435: The King's Arrival
"This, this, this..."
License-less Rider was stunned, forgetting to steer and nearly wiping out.
After landing, he tried again, discovering that as long as he was riding his bicycle—or more precisely, some kind of vehicle—he could perform a midair double jump that defied physics.
Jumping off air.
In the [Monster World], such an ability wasn't unheard of.
Compared to those who could summon blizzards, undergo mechanical modifications, or unleash explosive energy attacks, this double jump was relatively weak.
But... this strange ability had manifested within him.
He, who had no powers at all, had just gained a superpower after defeating a single monster.
"When is a person at their weakest?"
License-less Rider had asked himself this question countless times.
For someone like him—
A hero who pedaled tirelessly, trying to protect civilians with his meager strength—
the moment of greatest helplessness was watching powerful monsters run amok while he stood powerless to stop them.
"I hope this isn't just a dream."
License-less Rider took a deep breath and continued deeper into Gran Forest.
With the power of his double jump, he launched surprise attacks on goblins from above.
Buzz.
A white loot chest dropped. Inside was a small crystal radiating faint icy energy.
[Frostfang Wolf]: A magical essence from the special magic world [Run Cool Every Day]. Can be used to enchant mounts, imbuing them with the power of frost.
"Frostfang Wolf... a monster?"
License-less Rider wondered if his bicycle qualified as a mount.
Thinking that it might, he applied the essence to his bent, nearly busted bike.
The thing had cost most of his savings. Its frame and tires were custom-made using top-tier materials.
But even so, after running over four goblins, it was nearly falling apart.
Fsshhhhh...
As soon as the essence made contact, white mist flowed over the bicycle like healing potion.
It began a complete transformation.
The bike's head became a white wolf's snarling maw, complete with sharp teeth.
Its rubber tires morphed into the muscular limbs of a frost wolf.
It was now a mechanical-biological fusion mount.
"This is amazing... it's like an extension of my own body."
Sitting atop the Frostfang Wolf Bike, License-less Rider felt deeply connected to it.
No longer a mere object—it felt like an ancient warhorse.
A red-skinned goblin with a burning banner on its back hurled a fireball at him.
Crunch.
License-less Rider twisted the handle. The wolf-head front opened wide and devoured the flame.
It burped out black smoke. The searing flame had been completely neutralized.
He charged.
Wherever the bike ran, it left behind a trail of frost.
Bang.
His old physical attack—Justice Charge—now carried both bite and ice damage.
He defeated the flame goblin with ease.
"Just two chests and I feel reborn... I can't afford to treat this trial as just a game."
Clenching his fists, License-less Rider muttered,
"I have to become stronger. When I'm sent back, I need to hold off Deep Sea King for half a minute. One minute. I won't let a single civilian get hurt!"
...
Akainu's face was cold. He scoffed,
"That guy... Aokiji, you didn't choose him just because he rides a bicycle too, did you?"
The rookie scoreboard updated in real time with each monster slain.
Of all the newcomers picked by top players, License-less Rider had the slowest progress.
Rascally Snake, the Holy Lord, and even Levi—all battle-hardened.
Only License-less Rider was just an ordinary man, weak and with little talent.
He was quickly falling behind.
Aokiji raised an eyebrow and calmly replied,
"Still the same as always, Akainu."
"That's why I left the navy. The Navy Alliance's version of justice no longer has anything to do with ordinary people."
"Chasing nothing but power and wealth... you'll end up just like the Celestial Dragons."
What License-less Rider had—
was something the Navy Alliance sorely lacked.
Akainu was livid.
"You dare compare the Navy Alliance to the Celestial Dragons?"
Even with all he had done, including issuing Buster Calls, Akainu still believed the Navy Alliance represented justice.
But the Celestial Dragons?
Even he considered them parasites of the world.
Aokiji equating the two was, to him, unforgivable.
At that moment, Sothia's voice cut through the rising tension.
"Wait, that black-haired boy—is he your pick, Lady Mei?"
All eyes turned to Mei, her cheeks flushed as she stared at the scoreboard.
The black-haired boy she had picked was suddenly rising rapidly in rank.
"Who is he?"
"Doesn't seem like an ordinary boy... there's a sealed power inside him."
Whitebeard, Shanks, and Aizen all turned their attention to the screen.
The moment they looked—
The black-haired boy punched a man-eating demon from the Claymore world,
his arms soaked in blood, his pale, handsome face cold as ice.
"This Reincarnation Game world... what a place."
The boy thought silently.
Years of being a hostage had taught him never to show emotion.
Even in shock, he remained stoic.
He stood atop the demon's corpse and opened the white loot chest.
Inside was a suit of armor.
[Worn Terracotta Armor (White)]: Defense +20, Strength +3, Agility -1.
"Until now, I thought pure training was a dead end,"
he thought.
"I never imagined a world where such artifacts could overturn entire wars."
Kneeling, he shaped a crude terracotta soldier from the soft earth.
"Ink Yin Yang Creation: Life."
Sweat beaded on his brow as he poured weak energy into the doll.
The palm-sized clay figure grew rapidly—
soon it stood two meters tall.
He equipped it with the terracotta armor.
"I respect Lü Buwei for helping me return to Qin,"
"but the one who should hold the reins of the kingdom..."
"...is not a crane locked in a palace."