[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully signing in. Reward obtained: Supreme Paramecia-type Devil Fruit—Illusion-Illusion Fruit, with no side effects. This fruit can create Phantoms with combat capabilities, useful for disguise, combat, and group battles—a versatile fruit in every aspect!]
The system's electronic voice echoed in Roya's mind the moment his feet touched Mary Geoise.
This fruit ability suited Roya perfectly.
But he had no intention of consuming it just yet.
Strolling through Mary Geoise, Roya wanted to see if there were any other check-in spots.
Yet everywhere he looked, all he saw were flames and strife.
Some slaves betrayed their comrades for an extra second to escape.
Others, unable to break free from their explosive collars, slaughtered indiscriminately in envy of those who fled.
Some, bloodlust overtaking them, even lunged at Roya in his cloak—only to be cut down by his blade.
Such scenes were far too common.
They quickly extinguished Roya's desire to continue his leisurely walk through Mary Geoise.Just as Roya was about to leave, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching from behind—someone clearly making no effort to conceal their presence.
Turning slowly, under the flickering firelight, Roya saw a red-scaled fish-man with thick, curly hair and a wide mouth sprinting toward him.
Roya narrowed his eyes slightly.
Even from a distance, he could tell the fish-man was gravely injured. His body was riddled with wounds of varying sizes, each oozing blood. If not for his fish-man resilience, Roya suspected he would already be a corpse.
The fish-man—Fisher Tiger—had also spotted Roya. Though Roya's attire struck him as odd, as long as he wasn't one of those white-cloaked, masked pursuers, it didn't matter.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Fisher Tiger took a deep breath and shouted, "Hey! You up ahead! Run! There are masked bastards chasing me!"
The masked ones were undoubtedly CP0 agents.
And the man before him? Roya instantly deduced his identity—Fisher Tiger, the so-called "instigator" of this chaos.
Yet Fisher Tiger grew frantic when Roya remained unmoved.
"Are you deaf?! Run, damn it!"
His second shout sent blood gushing from his mouth. Already fleeing on the brink of collapse, the exertion worsened his injuries. Still, he didn't hesitate to warn Roya again—such was Fisher Tiger's character.
Then, five white-cloaked, masked figures emerged behind Fisher Tiger.
"No one who defiles Holy Land Mariejois shall escape judgment!"
Fisher Tiger's heart sank. He hadn't expected CP0 to catch up so quickly.
Clenching his teeth, he staggered forward, positioning himself between Roya and the agents.
"I'm… at my limit," he rasped. "I'll hold them off. You—run! NOW!"
The final word tore from his throat with all his remaining strength.
Roya chuckled. "How domineering of you. But I don't make a habit of hiding behind others."
A gust of wind seemed to brush past Fisher Tiger as Roya darted out from behind him.
Fisher Tiger's eyes widened in alarm. He tried to warn Roya—those five were deadly—but his throat clogged with blood. All he could do was cough violently, staining the ground crimson, his voice utterly silenced.Fisher Tiger could no longer bear to watch. In his eyes, it was simply impossible for one person to defeat those five powerful individuals.
But the next second!
A blazing light erupted in Fisher Tiger's eyes.
It was the most exaggerated slash he had ever witnessed since birth.
Scorching flames filled the sky as they burst forth from the man's blade.
With just one strike, the five who had inflicted grievous wounds upon him were slain on the spot!!!
Fisher Tiger stared in disbelief at the scene before him, his heart trembling with shock: How is this possible! Who is this guy?! To be... to be this powerful!!!
Just as Fisher Tiger was reeling from the shock, Roya slowly sheathed his sword and walked up to him.
As if it had all been effortless.
In Roya's eyes, those five formidable opponents seemed as insignificant as cannon fodder.
Regulating his breathing, Fisher Tiger swallowed the blood in his mouth and whispered to Roya, "Th-thank you."
"No need. I was just passing by."
With that, Roya bent down and hoisted Fisher Tiger onto his shoulder.
"Put me down... I'm just dead weight."
Fisher Tiger's voice grew weaker toward the end.
"Don't speak. I'll take you to stop the bleeding."
Carrying Fisher Tiger, Roya headed toward a nearby mansion.
The mansion had not yet been engulfed by flames.
Roya kicked the door open and entered a room.
He carefully laid Fisher Tiger on the ground and used materials from the room to perform a makeshift bandaging.
"Rest here for a while. You'll be safe with me."
Hearing Roya's words, Fisher Tiger felt a warmth in his heart.
Just as he was about to thank Roya again, a sudden noise came from beneath the room.
Fisher Tiger immediately tensed up.
Roya glanced at him, signaling that it was nothing to worry about, then alone found the entrance to the basement.
The corridor leading to the basement was pitch black.
Roya lightly pushed the sword guard with his thumb, and faint flames flickered from the scabbard, illuminating the hallway.
As Roya ventured deeper, the noise grew clearer—it sounded like a girl's voice...