Chapter 6: [6]First weapons
Chapter 6: [6]First weapons
[Edited.]
In the best weapons store in Loguetown, a red sign with Japanese writing displayed two crossed swords. Inside, shelves and barrels were filled with various weapons: rifles, sniper rifles, small pistols, daggers, sabers, spears, knives, giant axes, and many others. There was also a variety of ammunition, including bullets and colorful sword sheaths.
The store owner felt disheartened; business had slowed, with no customers around. Sales had been declining recently due to the severe pirate shortage, a result of Smoker's presence in the city. Because of him, many East Blue pirates avoided Loguetown, fearing an encounter with the "White Hunter." This was good for ordinary citizens, but bad news for the owner, whose livelihood depended on pirate traffic.
Just then, he heard the door open. His spirits lifted, and he quickly put on a professional smile, clasping his hands politely to welcome the customer. If he was lucky, maybe he could sell the weapons at a higher price-or even trick a naive buyer.
"Welcome, sir, to our store..." he began, only to stop abruptly upon seeing the customer wearing...a mask? More intriguingly, the stranger carried a bulging bag. The owner's thoughts went straight to money, and greed gleamed in his eyes.
Ren didn't respond. Using the speed he gained from consuming the "Tempest Kick" ability, he reached the owner in an instant.
*Bam!*
Ren struck the back of the owner's neck with precision, just enough force to knock him out without killing him. As an experienced soldier, Ren knew exactly how to make someone "sleep," and with his control over his power, the owner fainted instantly. Catching him before he hit the floor, Ren gently laid him down, minimizing noise.
Ren glanced around, cautious. He didn't know where the owner's wife was and wanted to avoid unnecessary attention.
"If I remember, Zoro found the cursed sword Sandai Kitetsu in one of these barrels..." Ren muttered to himself, recalling the OG.
There were three barrels in front of him. He reached into the middle one and pulled out a sword with a red sheath. He unsheathed it, examining the blade to ensure it matched the Sandai Kitetsu he remembered.
"Yes... This is Sandai Kitetsu!" Ren said excitedly. He quickly searched for a sturdy leather sword holder, selecting a stylish black one, and attached it to his waist before securing the sword.
'I need to hurry before someone shows up,' Ren whispered, moving to the next room.
There, on a wooden table, he spotted a long sword covered by a cloth. Removing the cloth, he found a black-sheathed sword-Yubashiri. He examined it as he had with Sandai Kitetsu, then placed it in another sword holder.
"Now that I have what I came for, it's time to leave." Ren moved toward the exit.
An idea struck him. He made his way to the pistols section and selected a black pistol with a gold-yellow trigger, slipping it into his pocket. He then reached for the door, preparing to leave.
But just then, the door opened on its own. Through the mask's eyeholes, Ren saw an elderly woman entering with a bag full of vegetables, meat, and other groceries.
"You... who are you?" the old woman asked, sensing something was amiss. She noticed the masked man leaving the store in silence and felt her heart sink when she realized her husband hadn't greeted her.
'The owner's wife?' Ren thought, surprised at her timing. Without hesitation, he struck the back of her neck, making her faint as quietly as possible, and left her lying at the entrance. As Ren left, the commotion outside grew.
"He's a thief!"
"The gun shop's been robbed! Someone call the Marines!"
"Did you see his face?!"
"No, he was wearing a mask!"
Shouts and conversations erupted as the Marines were notified. Soon, a squad arrived, led by Smoker.
"For the city's most famous weapons store to be robbed in broad daylight, right under the Marines' noses-what a disgrace!" Smoker growled.
The Marines around him remained silent, familiar with their leader's temper. While he wouldn't kill them, they knew he'd put them on overtime.
....
"Huff... I didn't expect that woman to enter the store at such a time," Ren muttered as he ran. "She caused a huge scene, and there's no doubt the Marines and Smoker are on high alert."
Ren decided on his next move, removing his mask. After buying some new clothes for 30,000 Berries, he found a hotel in the southeastern part of the city, far from the weapons store, and paid for one night.
Standing in front of a large mirror, Ren examined his reflection in his new outfit. He wore long black pants with a sword holder at the side, though he hadn't yet placed his swords in it. He planned to store them more securely later.
He also wore a gray sleeveless shirt, a black jacket with pockets, and the stolen pistol rested in his right jacket pocket. The clothes complemented his dark blue hair and deep Blue eyes, enhancing his sharp, masculine features. Many girls in town found his look attractive. "Sigh... I need to get to Cocoyasi Village soon, but the problem is I don't know the way..." "Oh...This might work!"
An idea came to him about reaching Cocoyasi Village to confront Arlong and gain "two beautiful girls."
"But first, I have to secure these two swords," he said, glancing at Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu lying on the bed.
The hotel room was dimly lit, with the curtains blocking most sunlight. Ren approached the bed, exhausted but focused on securing his new acquisitions.
'System,' he called mentally.
A gentle female voice responded in his mind:
[Yes, host.]
'Oh? So the system doesn't only appear for missions? I can actually talk to it? Interesting!'
"Can I store items somewhere? Is there a place for my swords?" Ren asked.
[You can view available commands by saying "commands" in your mind.] Ren did so, and a blue interface appeared before his eyes:
List of Commands:
1-Host status.
2-Crew member status.
3-System Shop.
4-Infinite Space.
"I already know the host and crew members status, and the system shop... but Infinite Space? That's great! I was hoping for an inventory function," he mused aloud.
[Host, Infinite Space is a unique system feature allowing the host to store anything except living organisms, with unlimited capacity as implied by its name.]
Satisfied, Ren nodded. "This is great."
"This system gets more interesting by the minute," Ren thought, reaching for Sandai Kitetsu
and Yubashiri.
He said, "Store," in his mind, and a pale blue light enveloped the swords, which promptly disappeared. Opening the Infinity space, he saw thumbnails for Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu
in an infinity interface.
Ren repeated the process for his money, then lay down on the now-empty bed.
"I'll leave Loguetown tomorrow. For now... I need some sleep."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
After a long day filled with challenges in this new world, Ren finally drifted off to sleep.