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[The Sunglassed Bandit Strikes Again]
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...
Dan stood over a high hill, a good distance away from Cocoyashi Village, looking down on the now darkness-wrapped settlement, his sunglasses reflecting the light from the few torches lit across the place.
"It's been so long, I'm a bit nervous again." He muttered, smiling faintly.
The next second, his system screen popped up beside him.
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Current Infamy Tier: Starter
▸[Current Bounty: 0 / 500K]
▸[NP: 56]
Equipped Passive Hacks [1/1]
▸ SpeedyGains → FullBright
Equipped Active Hacks [1/1]
▸ Tireless
Equipped Script
▸ None
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With a look, he swapped SpeedyGains for FullBright, while keeping Tireless on standby in case he needed to make a run for it.
With that done, he glanced at his NP count, squinting faintly at the sight of it.
"That day sure gave me quite the boost from how stale my account had been, huh?" He muttered.
The day he was referring to was the same day he'd beaten Koushirou, picked up his things, and sailed off.
He had been sitting at about 15 NP at the start of that day. When he checked his system the next day—bored out of his mind while adjusting the sails mid-ocean—he noticed his NP had jumped by forty-something points.
The only thing that came to mind that might have caused such a reaction was his fight with Koushirou—which may have elevated his status among the villagers from a mere sneaky thief to a genuine threat—and his last words with old Shun, which may have led the man to believe he'd done something to Dan, meaning himself.
If word of those events spread around, it was no wonder his NP had taken such a big jump all of a sudden.
It wasn't planned, but he wasn't going to complain about it.
Regardless, the past was the past. Now, it was time to further his riches.
"Let's see..." He squinted, analyzing the layout of the village. "A village this small... what would be the best move?"
Of course, he could just barge in and terrorize everyone. He was plenty strong, and Genzo probably wouldn't be able to do much against him.
But he wasn't that heartless.
—Also, he was currently surrounded by several other villages and nearby islands. Pouring all the terror on this one particular village was unnecessary.
Especially if he didn't want them to raise their guard all at once the way Shimotsuki had, and thus lose himself what could be a somewhat steady source of NP.
Though, on the other hand, he was operating on an unknown schedule. Rushing to collect all the NP he could at once might be the smarter move, since he had no way of knowing when Arlong would arrive.
Plus, his current plan depended on saving up quite a lot of NP.
Groaning, Dan opened his system's shop, focusing specifically on the hacks and items he'd already selected for carrying out his plan when the day came.
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≡[Active Hack: Sugar Rush] [200 NP]
▸ Like in cartoons, you enter a time-limited gremlin-like state of high intensity and hyperactivity as if you had just consumed industrial quantities of sugar. Your reflexes, creative thinking, body control, and energy all spike enormously, as you also begin seeing the world in a slight slow motion.
The effect lasts 10 minutes, and has a cooldown of 6 hours after usage.
Warning: Note that the state might look a bit goofy from outside, like a hummingbird inhaling three bags of cocaine and entering a psychotic rage.
Side Warning: Does not cause Diabetes.
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≡[Hacked Item: Bugged Smoke Pellet] [30 NP]
▸ A bugged pellet that when thrown will release a cloud of smoke that cannot be blown away or interacted with in any way for the next 5 minutes, upon which it will finally disperse.
Great for blocking visibility.
▸ Can be bought multiple times.
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≡[Hacked Item: Bottle of Hyper Glue] [50 NP]
▸ A bottle of adhesive liquid that can hold two surfaces together and cannot be unstuck by any means. The adhesive effect lasts one hour, then dissolves.
▸ Can be bought multiple times.
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≡[Hacked Item: Gravity Cuffs] [65 NP]
▸ Wearable cuffs that affect perceived gravity to an adjustable degree.
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≡[Hacked Item: Intelligent Dumbbells] [80 NP]
▸ Perfect for always surpassing your limits! The Intelligent Dumbbells 2.0 will always weigh just barely the limit of what you can lift. No matter how strong you are or become.
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≡[Hacked Item: Haki Knot (Weak Level)] [300 NP]
▸ A Haki Knot sourced directly from the storage of Shanks, the biggest haki knot hoarder in history.
This one is one of his lesser possessions, a haki knot passed down by a novice at releasing Conqueror's Haki, and who probably isn't all that strong in the overall hierarchy of the world.
It might be useful for sweeping hordes of cannon fodder, though, or briefly startling slightly more powerful enemies.
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…
"... The road ahead is quite long, isn't it?" He muttered, scratching his hair with a troubled look.
All of those items and the hack together brought the total to 725 Notoriety Points he had to save up—and that was without counting that he'd probably buy more than one of the smoke pellets given his plans for it. So the more appropriate number likely closed in on 800 NP.
And that was also without counting the fix-all tape also available in the shop. It wasn't a priority item, but recently he'd been having some ideas about how it could factor into his future fight as well.
Regardless, the first list came first.
As you can see, there wasn't any passive hack listed. Most of what he could buy right now wasn't really combat-oriented, and no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't come up with any unexpected application for them either.
So he discarded them entirely. He couldn't afford to waste precious NP on something that wouldn't help him deal with Arlong—or at least keep his head on his shoulders in the process.
That was also why Sugar Rush was there, to make sure he'd be able to do exactly that.
There wasn't much point in being Tireless if all Arlong needed was one kick to send his head flying.
He preferred to spike his chances of survival as much as possible. Plus, his plan for dealing with Arlong required him to weave through the fishman's attacks and get close enough, and Sugar Rush was the key for that.
All the rest of the items were part of what followed once he managed that. In short, he'd be using all of them to level the playing field in the fight.
The Haki Knot would be a last resort—in case he overstepped his limits, it'd serve as a quick escape button he could use to startle Arlong and his goons for a brief second before making his way out and trying again another day.
But, as said, all of the plan depended on whether he could accumulate enough NP.
And for that, he had to do his part.
"Let's see, let's see..." Dan muttered, continuing to muse over his next steps.
His first thought was startling everyone on the village now that night had fallen—shrieking or banging on doors the way he had at Shimotsuki.
But as convenient as it would be for his current skill set, and for his conscience, he needed something more. Something that caused a bigger impact.
So, what could it be?
'Impact, I need impact...'
He thought, eyes squinting, then slowly drifting to the NP count.
'How can I...?'
At that instant, he recalled the burst of NP that had occurred recently.
It had come either because he was believed to have killed a kid, or because he'd beaten Koushirou—the strongest swordsman in the village.
Or both.
Regardless of the answer, as he thought about it, the realization that he could actually replicate a part of that incident right here struck him like thunder.
His eyes drifted to a certain house, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.
The house in question was Genzo's—the sheriff, the representative, whatever title the man held.
The point was that he was an important figure. Probably the most combat-capable person in the village as well.
If he beat him tonight—basically proving the village was defenseless against him—wouldn't that yield a solid fetch of NP?
'And not only that...'
Dan thought with a smile, eyes glinting, recalling his earlier meeting with the man—and the two pistols he had on him.
Right now, he didn't have a single bullet for his pistol. But that man should have some in his house.
He could take some with him. Maybe even one of his pistols, in case he felt like going dual-wielding against Arlong.
His smile grew.
"And it's not only him..."
His gaze lifted from the village, scanning the horizon.
There were dozens of other villages around, some closer, others far away.
But all of them should have someone of similar importance.
And ammunition or useful supplies he could take for himself.
They were also people who should be somewhat prepared for a bit of violence, so he wouldn't feel so bad about going after them—unlike if he went after the common villagers.
"Hah." He let out a soft laugh, feeling his motivation rise.
It seemed his plan was set then.
-Swiiiish...!-
His katana let out a faint shriek as he drew it from its sheath.
"It's criminaling time."
...
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| Minutes later, Genzo's house... |
...
"Haaah..." Genzo breathed into his palms, his breath coming out misty as he tried to warm his hands.
Night had fallen, and with it, so had the temperature.
His uniform was rather skimpy as well, leaving his forearms and legs below the knee bare to the cold. But it was his uniform, so he wore it with pride, even if his teeth were gnashing against each other right now.
He was currently sitting on a chair by the porch of his house, overlooking the street that ran through most of the village, watching as the last of the villagers made their way home for the night.
He was the village's security, after all. Of course, so far that title only ever amounted to resolving conflicts between neighbors, helping drunkards find their way home, or lending a hand to the older residents with their things.
In such a peaceful village, there was never any real danger to deal with.
Which he was satisfied with. His old yearnings for adventure and action from his teenage years had calmed down a long time ago. Now he knew to appreciate this peaceful village for what it was.
A place untouched by the tragedies going on across the world.
He hoped it could stay that way forever.
'Well, there's dozens of other villages around. How unlucky would we be if we were the first to be raided by pirates or anything of the sort?' He mused, scoffing at the thought.
-Crash!-
"...?!"
Just then, the loud sound of a window being smashed inside his house cut his thoughts short, his head snapping around in an instant.
He stood up in a hurry, drawing his sword and making his way to the door.
-Creeeaaaak...-
The old door opened with its usual ominous creaking as he stepped inside, scanning the darkness with squinted eyes.
Soon, he found the window in question. The curtains were flapping gently from the air seeping in, shards of glass spread across the floor.
Something had clearly come through.
Eyes alert, he swept the rest of the house. It was dark, so he took extra care to analyze everything from the entrance.
Table and the leftovers of his lunch—untouched.
Kitchen, nothing out of the ordinary. Everything where he'd left it.
None of the other rooms had their doors open, so either nothing was in them or whatever had come through was hiding inside before he could check.
Bookshelf—untouched. No books missing.
Couch with a person in sunglasses sitting on it.
Door to his storage, still locke—hold on!
His eyes snapped back to the couch.
"Who are you?!"
The person sitting on the couch smiled faintly, then stood up slowly and calmly.
Next, the gaze hidden beneath those sunglasses locked directly onto Genzo's, like a sword piercing into his very soul.
And thus, the person opened his mouth to speak.
"..."
—Only to freeze mid-motion, mouth still hanging open.
"...?" Confusion struck Genzo.
On the other side, the person closed his mouth again and stood there in silence for a moment, seemingly thinking something through, a small bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.
It was only when Genzo was about to ask again that the unknown person finally spoke.
"I'm uh... a bandit."
He then slowly drew a sword from within his cloak, pointing it at him.
"And I've come to rob you."
"What...?" Genzo's worried expression turned flat.
What kind of introduction was that?
—Unfortunately, he didn't have time to dwell on it. Or rather, he wasn't allowed to—
"...?!"
—CLANG!—
—As the person broke out of his hesitation and suddenly lunged, sword swinging in a wide arc.
Genzo barely managed to block with his own sword, though he winced heavily as both blades met—the weight behind the other sword nearly making his arms buckle.
For someone so short... he was strong!
In an attempt to escape, he caught his breath for a moment before throwing all of his weight back into his own push, knocking the "bandit" back several steps.
Yet just as he was beginning to catch his breath—the figure in front of him blurred.
-Thud!-
A heavy kick landed square on his chest.
Genzo's body was sent flying backward, hitting the door and crashing through it, rolling out across the porch.
By the time he caught himself, a sword was already swinging down on him.
-Clang!-
"Ah—!"
He swung his own in an attempt to meet it—but all it did was send his sword flying from his grip from the force of the impact.
Luckily, even without his sword, the collision had altered the bandit's swing just barely enough to avoid getting cut down by a hair's breadth.
Though the relief of not being cut down didn't change the fact that he was now defenseless at the bandit's feet.
-Swish-
With a smooth motion, the bandit leveled the sword at his face, the tip stopping just a hair's breadth from his nose.
Just like that, he had been defeated. In three moves, it was over.
Genzo could only stare at the sword before him with shock written all over his face.
And as he did, several doors began opening all around.
"Who is it—do they know what time it is?"
"What's all that noise...?"
"What's happening—Genzo-san?!"
Several villagers stepped out of their homes, glancing around before they all noticed the shocking sight of Genzo lying on his back with a sword pointed at him by a stranger standing over him.
"W-who are you?!"
"What are you doing to Genzo-san?!"
Some tried stepping forward to help, but the bandit simply pressed the sword closer, making Genzo grunt.
They all stopped in their tracks, teeth gritted as they understood the gesture.
With them still, the figure smiled, then leaned down and snatched one of Genzo's pistols before the man could react.
"W-what are you planning to do?!" Genzo demanded, worried he was about to turn it on one of the villagers.
The bandit paused and looked at him with a puzzled expression before a smirk spread across his face.
"Calm down—I just needed one. Now that I have it—"
He sheathed his sword, then moved quickly and grabbed Genzo by the hem of his clothes, swinging him toward the crowd.
The sheriff's figure crossed the air for a moment before several people rushed in to catch him.
And in the split second of confusion that followed—
"He's running away!"
One of the villagers spotted the bandit already making his escape.
Many of them immediately moved to give chase.
"Stop!" Genzo called out, bringing most of them to a halt.
"Genzo-san?"
"He's highly skilled with a sword—pursuing him is dangerous." He sighed, wincing at the bruises from the brief but rough fight while slowly standing back on his own. His gaze then lifted once more, settling on the already-disappearing back of the bandit. "—Especially now that he has a gun. If you pursue, there's the chance someone will die… just let him leave, he didn't take much anyway."
"Who was that person, Genzo-san?" A man standing beside him asked.
Genzo went quiet for a moment or two, seeming to turn over how to answer.
Then he spoke, a frown settling on his face.
"A bandit... a sunglassed bandit."
...
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| Near the village, through the forest |
...
Dan ran through the vegetation with a wide smile across his face.
He had forgotten this feeling. The thrill of doing something bad. Of escaping unscathed despite it.
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Current Infamy Tier: Starter
▸[Current Bounty: 0 / 500K]
▸[NP: 56→71]
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And of being rewarded on top of that.
He had missed it more than he'd expected.
Chuckling to himself, he slipped a hand under his cloak and pulled out his new gun.
The chamber was full. He finally had more than just a sword and an empty pistol. He had actual means to fight back against that fish!
Given the gap between Arlong and himself, a gun was something Dan needed desperately—it might be the only thing capable of helping him level that gap even slightly.
Although, he had vague memories of one of the fishmen blocking bullets, so maybe it wouldn't do much.
But on the other hand, he doubted Arlong was entirely invulnerable.
The eye, the throat, the stomach—there had to be somewhere he could fill the fishman with lead.
All he'd need would be to find it.
"Ah!" Dan's smile froze all of a sudden.
He checked himself over and frowned deeply, his mouth twitching.
"Did I seriously forget to steal more bullets?"
It seemed all these months without farming NP had left him sloppier than he'd realized.
Earlier, when he came face to face with Genzo, he'd even forgotten the lines he had prepared.
So he ended up saying something as dumb as "I'm a bandit, and I've come to rob you."
He ran a hand down his face as he kept running, his expression dark.
Ultimately, however, he shook his head, shrugging the embarrassment off and pulling his composure back together.
"Whatever, it's fine." He looked up at the rising moon, a mischievous glint crossing his eyes. "The night is still young, and there's plenty of villages out there laid bare for the taking!"
Today was going to be a plentiful harvest, that was for sure.
A loud laugh filled the forest at that.
...
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-To Be Continued...-
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(A/N: Classes are finally over, hopefully I can focus on writing this a bit more now.
Into the chapter, the grinding at last begins, and so does the NP accumulation.
How was the fight? Not that it was much of a fight, actually. Still, it comes to show just where Dan stands right now.
As to why Genzo didn't draw his pistols right away—I just didn't think that would be in character. He seems like the rather gentle uncle.
First I think he'd need to make sure that going for the kill is the right path, and only then draw his pistols—which he clearly wasn't able to do in the brief moment he and Dan met.
Next time he might not be so hesitant though.)