"Gekko Moriah?"
Kazuma's brain spun rapidly. He had never heard of this name. But that wasn't the point right now.
The Raid Faction!
They would actively attack other players!
This petite, cute Gothic girl in front of him was a deadly enemy!
Kazuma's muscles tensed up. He shoved Gintoki, who was still clinging to him, away and forced himself to calm down.
Fear wouldn't solve anything, especially when facing an enemy who could make you lose your will to fight at any moment, leaving you wanting to draw circles in the corner like a mushroom.
"Hey! You doll-like creature!"
Gintoki finally recovered from his terrified shock. He hid behind Kazuma, daring only to peek out with one dead fish-eye, pointing at the ghosts beside Perona.
"Hurry up and put away these green cotton candies! What if you scare the kids? Even if you can't scare the kids, scaring a kind-hearted adult like me is bad!"
Perona couldn't even be bothered to roll her eyes at him. She lightly flicked the tip of her umbrella, pointing it at the two huddled together, a devilish smile curling at the corner of her lips:
"Horo horo horo—what trashy men, not even half as good as that Mosshead. But, considering you are the first batch of 'Reputation Points' I've encountered since coming to this World, I, this princess, will be merciful and tell you."
Her expression suddenly became incomparably excited and longing, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes sparkled with a fanatical light.
"As long as I save up enough Reputation, I can see Gekko Moriah again! I once thought he had died—I didn't expect, I didn't expect he was actually still alive!"
Speaking of this, Perona's voice carried a hint of a sob, but her face was overflowing with a happy smile.
This nonsensical talk left Kazuma and Gintoki completely confused. But Perona clearly had no intention of clarifying things for them; she was already completely immersed in her own World.
Her thoughts were instantly pulled back to a few days ago, to that gloomy, huge, yet incredibly reassuring castle on Kuraigana Island.
Ever since she sent that green-haired, directionally-challenged swordsman off on a ship at the Sabaody Archipelago, the massive castle had been left with only her, "Hawkeye" Mihawk, and a group of baboons imitating human behavior.
Days passed, boring and peaceful. Her daily amusement was directing the baboons to clean, cook, and tease the World's greatest swordsman, who had nothing to do but drink, practice swordsmanship, and read newspapers.
That day, she snatched the newspaper from the delivery seagull as usual, preparing to see if there was any boring news.
However, a photo in the newspaper, a name, struck her like a thunderbolt.
[Former Seven Warlords of the Sea — Gekko Moriah, appears on Hive Island in the New World!]
"Gekko—Gekko Moriah!"
Perona's pupils constricted violently, and the newspaper in her hand drifted to the ground. She covered her mouth, and bean-sized tears rolled uncontrollably from her eyes.
After the Marineford War, she had learned from the newspaper that Gekko Moriah had been erased by the World Government.
During that time, her whole World had lost its color; it was the darkest period of her life. She thought she would never see the man who, despite his laziness and arrogance, had taken her in like a father.
But now, the newspaper clearly stated that he was still alive!
"Great—that's great—waaaaaah—"
Perona couldn't hold it back anymore, squatting on the ground and crying loudly, sobbing like a child. The baboons in the castle were startled, surrounding her and scratching their heads in confusion.
She didn't know how long she cried, but she suddenly wiped away her tears and leaped up from the ground, her face filled with unprecedented determination.
She had to go find him! Immediately! Right now!
She rushed into the castle and found Hawkeye, who was enjoying red wine alone in the courtyard.
"Hey! Hawkeye! I'm leaving!" She declared loudly, hands on her hips.
Mihawk merely lifted those hawk-like sharp eyes, not even changing his posture, his tone flat and waveless: "Hmm."
"I'm really leaving! I'm actually leaving!" Perona emphasized.
"After I leave, no one will clean this castle! No one will wash your clothes! No one will cook! You'll rot here all by yourself! Get moldy! Grow mushrooms!"
Hawkeye picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and still only said one word: "Hmm."
This cold attitude infuriated Perona. She had stayed in this godforsaken place for two years, taking care of him for two years—did this man not feel even a little bit of reluctance?!
She turned around angrily, grabbed her packed suitcase and parasol, and walked toward the castle exit without looking back.
"Goodbye! You cold-blooded wooden man!"
She grumbled in her heart as she walked. However, just as she was about to step out of the castle gates, that man's deep, clear voice came from behind her.
"Take care on your way."
Perona's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
All of Perona's nagging instantly stuck in her throat.
She was stunned, unable to believe her ears. This man, who had been as cold as ice for two years, doing nothing but practicing swordsmanship, drinking, and reading the newspaper—actually said such gentle words to her?
A wave of heat surged into her eyes, and the tears that had just stopped burst forth again.
"Waaaaah! Why would you suddenly say something like that! You jerk, Hawkeye!!!"
She shouted while crying, turning and running out of the castle; she was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to leave.
Then, dragging her suitcase, she fled the castle as if escaping.
However, just as she stepped out of the castle grounds and prepared to summon her ghost clones to scout the path, an irresistible force enveloped her.
The World spun, and the scene before her turned into fragments of brilliant light.
The next second, she appeared in this abandoned church, with a thing called a "System" in her mind.
Kazuma and Gintoki looked at the girl who was crying and laughing, her emotions extremely unstable, and looked at each other.
"This guy... is there something wrong with her brain?" Gintoki muttered quietly in Kazuma's ear.
"Shut up, did you forget she can hear you?" Kazuma retorted in a low voice.
Perona pulled herself out of her memories. She mimicked the actions Kazuma and the others had made earlier, swiping in the air in front of her, and her own System interface appeared.
The blood-red interface was full of ominous and aggressive energy.
She skillfully clicked on "Bond Summoning," searching for the name that haunted her dreams.
[Gekko Moriah — Summoning Reputation Cost: 4,000,000]
"Four million..." Perona bit her lip. This number gave her a headache, but her eyes were filled with the flames of determination. "Wait for me, Gekko Moriah! I will summon you soon!"
Out of curiosity, she scrolled down the list and saw that familiar name.
["Hawkeye" Dracule Mihawk — Summoning Reputation Cost: 12,000,000]
"Twelve million?!" Perona exclaimed.
"Three times that of Gekko Moriah?! Why is that guy so expensive!"
Although she was complaining, she knew in her heart that the man's strength was indeed worth that price.
Finally, her gaze fell on the icon of the green-haired swordsman.
[Roronoa Zoro — Summoning Reputation Cost: 8,000,000]
"Hmph, that directionally-challenged Mosshead actually costs eight million." Perona pouted, remembering the bitter days of taking care of him for two years.
Closing the interface, Perona locked her gaze back onto Kazuma and Gintoki in the corner.
Her goal was clear: earn four million first and summon her most respected Gekko Moriah.
And these two men in front of her, who looked weak and terrified of ghosts, were her first pot of gold in this World.