Markus whistled a tune to himself while swinging his sword on "The Sailing Dragon's" deck. His crew was still in his range currently fighting bears as their current training. Markus was satisfied spending a month here since everyone had improved again.
[Pirate Crew:
Celestial Dragon Pirates - E
Captain - Markus Lv. 90
Vice-Captain - Harlen Lv. 80
Navigator - Anderson Lv. 72
Chef - Rebecca Lv. 59
Ship - The Sailing Dragon Lv. 1
Increases all stats of crew members by 2%!
Increase Crew rank by recruiting members and reaching higher levels!
D-Rank Requirement:
0/4 Crew Members Level 100/ 5/100 Crew Members!]
Markus smiled at his crew's strength knowing they could handle paradise with ease. He considered it for a few minutes but decided he still wanted to gather more crewmates from the other blues. He had all the time in the world.
[World Update Initiating! Version: Beta! The Great Pirate Era! 0%... 1%...]
"What the fuck?!" Markus dropped his sword and reread the last screen multiple times. His eyes bulged out of his head trying to understand what it meant. 'Update?! Am I in a fucking game?!'
[Panic attack detected! Don't worry .Markus.! You have been reborn after an accident; however, this world is connected directly to another through destiny to be used as a battleground! The One Piece world as you know it will run the same just with unknown variables!
The world will direct itself to play out naturally but with the intruders from another world it will be difficult! Luckily they have you! A, albeit new, native of the world that can grow infinitely just like them!]
'Damn what the hell?! This is all kinds of messed up! If that's the case I need to get stronger!' Markus looked down and picked his sword up before opening his stats. He estimated he had a full day before the update was done. He wasn't entirely sure what would happen; he just knew he needed to be ready.
Markus trained the rest of the day until his crew came back at night. He was about to join them but decided to train harder. He left scars across the coastline and created waves with each slash. His Armament became denser, lighter, and expanded faster with each strike. His Observation and Conqueror's only grew slightly from use but he was just happy to have them now. He knew he would need every card he could use.
The next morning while his crew went out for training again Markus started training his Rokushiki until noon. He was in the middle of Shave practice using heavy boulders when a screen appeared in his face.
[World Update Complete! Welcome to The Seven Pirate Seas! Wealth, fame, power! Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates, attained everything this world has to offer. And so, many men head for the Grand Line to find the great treasure he left behind, the One Piece. The world has truly entered a Great Pirate Era! It has been twelve years since then and is time for you, young adventurer, to choose your path on these seas!
Estimated Players: 5,000]
Markus focused on every word instantly recognizing the line but also confirming that people had "spawned" into his new world. Markus narrowed his eyes and bit his cheek in deep thought when another screen appeared.
[World Chat:
[South Blue] 1,250/1,250
{HyDra} Man this game looks real af
{Kleptomaniac} I know! The graphics are top tier and i feel good in this new body
{SalmonRice} I love getting to use a sword this feels fucking amazing the people actually panic when you kill someone too!
{Jericho} I don't even wanna know how you found that out]
Markus was more horrified as he read. He found people joining the marines and becoming pirates across the entire world that treated each life like it was a game. To them it really was.
[{Destiny} So you can join the Marines to fight pirates or become a pirate? Idk being a pirate makes more sense and seems more fun
{H3r0} The Marines are for real men!!]
Hundreds of comments rolled in each with their own perspective of what was happening. Markus was biting his nails while reading each comment before finding another screen.
[World Ranking:
King - Level: 4 - Swordsman; East BlueH0tH3ad - Level: 3 - Brawler; North BlueSalmonRice - Level: 3 - Swordsman; South BluedArKMaMo0th - Level: 3 - Sniper; North BlueUrsula - Level: 3 - Brawler; West Blue]
Markus was happy that it had only been a day since the world update meaning they aren't growing that fast even with people grinding. Markus got off his ass and closed all the screens except the world ranking. He watched it intensely for a few seconds before he started his own training.
He trained the rest of the day until his crew came back. He decided to stay another month to increase his training and get his crew to fight him. They were confused at first but jumped at the chance to get even during training.
Of course they were soon disappointed that Markus's Haki completely overshadowed theirs to the point they were basically fighting without it. Harlen was the only one able to use his Armament to any effective level leaving small bruises if he hit hard enough.
They trained hard all day every day until their month was up. Markus was laying on the dragon figurehead when another screen appeared before him.
[World Version: Beta! Complete! World Version: Alpha! Estimated time, 1 Year before Launch! Thank you for participating in World Version: Beta!]
[World Version: Beta; Gift Pack x1]
'Already done? Does this mean everyones gone?' Markus checked the world chat and rankings to see no activity on either.
[World Ranking:
King - Level: 12 - Swordsman; East BlueH0tH3ad - Level: 11 - Brawler; North BlueSalmonRice - Level: 10 - Swordsman; South BlueHellScrapper- Level: 10 - Swordsman; South BlueUrsula - Level: 10 - Brawler; West Blue]
Markus sighed before looking at his own status.
[Name: Markus
Level: 96
Primary Class: [Advanced Swordsman - Level: 9]
Secondary Class: [Beginner Marksman - Level: 10]
HP: 100%
SP: 100%
HK: 100%]
[Skills:
[Advanced Swordsmanship - Level: 65 [201,985/2,450,000]
[Armament Haki - Level: 9 [243,903/500,000]
[Observation Haki - Level: 9 [405,039/500,000]
[Conqueror's Haki - Level: 4 [636,450/800,000]
[Beginner Marksmanship - Level: 60 [305/2,100]
[One Sword Style - Flow - Level: MAX]
[Cooking - Level: 34 [1,598/3,400]
[One Sword Style - Advanced Flow - Level: 3/7]
He planned to reach level 5 in Conqueror's however it was much harder to gain Conqueror's experience even compared to his twice evolved Swordsmanship skill that was just draining his experience gain. Even with Harlen being an exp gold mine his gain was slow.
Markus then opened the gift box.
[Gift Pack Opening! …
Received 10,000,000 Belly
Graded Katana
1 Level Up!
Markus sat up from his figurehead seeing a ship in the distance. A Marine ship. He closed all his System windows before calling his crew.
"What's up captain?" Harlen wiped some sweat off his brow having finished some extra training.
"Marine ship heading our way. Let's go see what they want." Anderson and Rebecca manned the ship while Harlen nodded and followed Markus onto land. Anderson and Rebecca guided the ship around to the otherside of the island only barely making it back to see the Marines getting ready to dock.
Markus stood tall and watched the marines with a smile. He waited patiently as they filled out of their ship and armed themselves. Markus started walking until he was a few feet away from who he assumed was the leader. A young man only about 20 years old with thick mutton chops. The man held a blank face as he faced Markus.
"Are you "Blashmemer" Markus?" Markus nodded and laughed loudly.
"Yep! The one and only captain of the Celestial Dragon Pirates! Why? Got a problem with that?" A thick wave of Conqueror's rolled out stunning the marines present but Markus made sure to not knock anyone out yet. The head marine held strong only slightly wavering under the pressure before sighing.
"No. No I don't." The man stepped aside and waved his hand. The marines behind him all stood down and lowered their weapons. "I know the limits of my men and I won't risk their lives for something as petty as this."
Markus hummed to himself before his smile widened and he nodded slowly.
"Say… what's your name?" Markus leaned in, making the man gulp before straightening his back.
"Klark. With a k. Captain of the 120th Branch!" Markus nodded along.
"Well Klark with a k wanna abandon the marines and join my crew?" Everyone froze while Klark became alarmed in confusion.
"I… I'm sorry I think there is some misunderstanding here. I am still a Marine Captain! I just believe attacking you is petty and a waste of time and resources!" Markus kept nodding along.
"Yes, yes, the specifics aren't really important to me! You meet all the requirements to join my crew and I could use more man power for the future so come on! Join me! We would have so much fun!" Harlen was confused standing behind Markus not seeing where he was going with trying to poach from the marines.
Anderson and Rebecca off to the side were mutterning about getting popcorn to pass the time.
Klark was absolutely bamboozled and staring dumbfounded at Markus. A tick mark quickly grew on his forehead as he took his hat off and swung it around.
"Goda damn it!! I'm a Marine Captain for Christ's sake! Why would I abandon my post, my crew, family, friends, and life for you?!" Markus continued nodding along.
"All valid I'm sure if I listened. Again you meet all the requirements plus I am the man who will be King of the World. I can promise great things once I kill Im and take the "empty" throne." Markus made sure to spout some rather sensitive information that Klark caught and was quickly confused.
"King of the World?! Im?! What the fuck are you talking about?!" Markus nodded and Conqueror's infused laughter erupted from him.
"I will become the Strongest Man! Creature! Swordsman! King of the Pirates! I will rule this World! Help me! Join me in my journey to take out the man that's ruled for the last 800 years and bring in a new age! No more slavery! No more piracy! Just laughter! Food! Love! Peace!! Join me in turning this world UP, SIDE DOWN!!" Klark took a step back as Markus's Kingly Spirit did its job showing off Markus's true ambition.
Klark examined Markus and knew he was serious and for some reason felt Markus could actually do it. He looked around at Harlen seeing how serious he was not having moved once yet while Anderson and Rebecca were still watching intensely this time just as serious. He then moved his head to look at his crew.
"What about my crew?" Markus hummed.
"Anyone willing to join can as trainee crewmates but honestly I mainly want you. You got that pazazz factor that makes me want you on my crew. What's your decision?" Klark looked around at his crew before thinking about himself.
Though he said it he didn't actually have a family and all his friends were on his crew. He looked at his friends and saw they were all looking at him as well. Klark clicked his tongue and looked back to Markus.
"Everyone! From this moment forward, anyone that doesn't want to join me, may lay down their arms and leave now! From this moment forward I Klark am now a member of the Celestial Dragon pirates!" Klark watched as no one laid down their weapons and instead gathered with him all dropping their marine hats. They had all abandoned the Marines.
[Due to poaching 38x Marines you have been awarded 3 Legacy points!]
'Oh! More ways to gather LPs!' Markus quickly waved the screen away and laughed and he patted Klark's shoulder. "Welcome aboard! For your first mission I need you to raise a black sail with my flag and create your own flag with this design on the back to put on your sails!"
Klark looked at the design and his eyes widened before he gulped. He slowly nodded.
"Ye-yes sir!" Markus patted his back with Armament and laughed.
"No need to be so tense! After that your second mission is to learn and teach your crew these." Markus slid Klark two little journal's he made himself on the Rokushiki and Haki. Klark instantly recognized the Rokushiki even if he couldn't use it he had seen it in use before. He had heard of Haki but not much so he focused on the Rokushiki. "Don't ask! Trust me!"
Klark simply pushed it out of his mind for now.
"Understood Captain!" Markus nodded and patted his back again making him grunt.
"Your third mission is quite simple. I need you to find Nico Robin." Everyone including Markus's main crew froze.
"Um… yes sir but… why?" Klark was hesitant to ask, having heard many horror stories about O'hara and the supposed 'Devil Child' Nico Robin.
"Well she can read the ancient language also being the only, and only, reason the World Government wants her dead but we need her to read the ancient history as well as read the road poneglyphs so we can find the One Piece! Without her I have no chance of becoming the King of the World so please find her! Hahahahaha!" Everyone was stunned before Harlen finally broke.
"How can your entire dream rely on a child?!!? Why?!" Markus laughed louder and patted Harlen's back.
"No need to be stressed!! I trust Klark! After they are a little more trained up they can sail directly through the calm belt to fishman island then through the calm belt again to the West Blue making it much more efficient! Plus we'll also be looking when we can!" Klark nodded but was still contemplating what he just got himself into.
Markus smiled and quickly decided his next course of action.
"Alright! Anderson! Klark! Set courses to Fable Island!" Both were confused but nodded along wondering why they needed to go to an abandoned island like Fable just for Markus to loudly proclaim their reason, "I got a sword to tame!"
2500~ Words