As the two sides remained deadlocked,the number of pirate ships dwindled around them, while the roar of thunder grew ever nearer.
Even the pirates and the fighting chefs of the Baratie could see the jagged flashes of lightning streaking across the sky.
Then, in a sudden instant, the thunder ceased.
But no one felt relief—only a suffocating pressure, like the stillness before a storm.
At some point, a lone figure appeared upon the rolling waves.
"Kill them all."
Ren strode across the sea, spear in hand. His eyes swept over the battlefield as he flicked his wrist.
Fate Lock — Target: Pirates, Range: Baratie Restaurant.
A crimson spear wrapped in lightning whistled through the air!
The lightning that had vanished now burst forth again above the Baratie, impaling one pirate after another. Screams echoed as the red spear pierced bodies, leaving behind only charred corpses.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Pearl barely got the words out before a thunder spear struck him.The massive shield on his chest melted under the crimson thunder, fusing his armor into his flesh and searing his organs.
He fell to the ground, burning alive, writhing and screaming in agony.
The thunder spear that danced in the sky came crashing down again.With a deafening crack, Baru's charred body went still.
Sanji barely avoided being struck by the lightning. Landing on the deck, he looked toward the approaching man with wide, uncertain eyes.
The stranger had already stepped onto the Baratie's battlefield.
Who is he? Was that terrifying display his doing?
Ren noticed Sanji, but ignored the blond cook entirely.
He walked straight to Pearl's corpse and crushed three Mana Crystals in his hand. A magic array flickered to life in his palm.
Then he stretched his hand toward the still-warm body.
—[Ghost-Making Technique!]
Though Pearl still had a trace of life, the Gáe Bolg's mark had already judged him as dead, making him the perfect candidate for the spell.
Golden runes coiled around Ren's fingers as he pulled a struggling soul from Pearl's body. The magic circle descended onto the spirit's head.
The soul's wailing cries filled the air as it was forcibly refined into a Ghost Servant!
The fighting chefs watching this scene felt their scalps crawl. Death itself wasn't frightening—what was terrifying was not even finding peace after dying.
And worse, to be slain and then turned into some twisted creation made from one's very soul.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing? Isn't that a bit—mmpf!"
Before Sanji could finish, Zeff appeared beside him and covered his mouth.
"Quiet."
The old man restrained the agitated Sanji and kept his eyes locked on Ren.
Seeing that no one dared interrupt, Ren turned his attention back to the ghost he had just created.
It was semi-transparent, with humanlike arms and a tapering tail in place of legs, hovering weightlessly around Ren as though wanting to draw closer but fearful of his ominous aura.
Ren quickly assessed its stats:
[Ghost Servant]
Type: Semi-Soul Entity
Abilities: Phasing, Ignition, Weak Intelligence, Shared Vision
Consumption: Mana
Phasing: Created from a modified soul, the ghost can enter an intangible state, passing through any material. In its solid state, it can slightly affect physical objects (e.g., knocking over a candle).
Ignition: Inherits the original host's innate traits. By consuming part of its soul, the ghost can ignite unnatural flames. Mana can replenish this loss.
Weak Intelligence: The ghost retains limited instinct and simple reasoning, capable of obeying basic commands such as scouting, recording, and reporting.
Shared Vision: The ghost may consume a portion of its soul to link vision with its creator for a limited duration depending on the energy invested.
Not bad, Ren thought. And apparently, I can make several of them. Ten million Beli well spent. It even inherited Pearl's ability to self-ignite when injured? How interesting. As a reconnaissance unit, it's excellent... I wonder if Haki can counter it.
He let the ghost circle him while observing the battlefield.
Boom!
The lightning spear streaked across the sea, annihilating every pirate it had marked. Even those who jumped into the water were electrocuted to death.
Only after every marked pirate perished did the spear stop midair, drawing a jagged Z-shaped trail before embedding itself beside Ren's feet.
"Who's in charge here?"
Ren grasped the crimson spear. The searing heat around his golden-lined fingers vanished instantly.
He strode toward Zeff and Sanji, the red tip of his spear scratching deep lines across the wooden deck.
An invisible pressure bore down on everyone present—like a mountain crushing their shoulders.For a fleeting instant, they saw the ghostly, monstrous shadow looming behind him.
[Killing Intent Stack: Asura Demon!]
Even Sanji's breath hitched under that cold, demonic gaze.
Zeff inhaled deeply, forcing down his fear, and stepped forward.
"I'm Zeff, head chef of the Baratie. Were you the one behind all that? You have my thanks for saving us."
Before he could say more, Ren interrupted.
"First off, it wasn't saving—it was rescuing. Krieg is dead. Over half of the Krieg Pirates' fleet is destroyed, and the survivors are scattered. They no longer pose any threat to your restaurant."
His tone was flat. "Do you acknowledge that?"
"...I do."
Zeff nodded after a moment's thought. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe they could've won on their own. The Krieg Pirates had too many men, too many ships, too many cannons.
One true bombardment, and the Baratie would've sunk.
"Then I want compensation," Ren said bluntly.
"What do you want?"
Zeff's voice was now formal—this was no longer camaraderie, but a transaction.
"I heard you keep a navigation log. Make a copy, and give me the original. Also…"
Ren paused briefly, then continued, "Ten million Beli. And every recipe and cooking technique your restaurant has. I won't be staying in the East Blue for long. After that, we're even."
The logbook was for Nami—to ensure safer navigation on the Grand Line.
The recipes were for Nojiko—to help her improve as a chef. That's why he added he wouldn't linger in the East Blue.
The ten million Beli would serve as emergency funds—no more, no less.
Given the Baratie's size, they could afford it.
He had no intention of befriending Zeff or taking Sanji away. This was simply a business deal.
And the truth was, his arrival had saved them.
Mihawk? That man had cut once and left. If Ren hadn't killed Krieg, the Baratie would have fallen anyway.
Even though Gin had died, Baru was still there. Out of five thousand men, two thousand would've remained—enough to grind the restaurant down.
That was why Ren executed a decapitation strategy from the start.
"Alright," Zeff agreed without hesitation. Considering their situation, the trade was more than fair.
"I'll return later to collect," Ren said, turning away and stepping back onto the sea.
A moment later, he was aboard the Pipi Shrimp.
No pirate dared to approach—the ship's defenses had already been proven lethal.
Nami and Nojiko were in Ren's cabin tending to Zoro.
They poured Health Potions into him as if they were free, combined with supplies from the medical kit. After much effort, they finally stabilized his condition.
Mihawk hadn't struck to kill, after all.
"What in the world happened out there?"
Nami washed the blood from her hands in the kitchen, frowning. "My sister and I saw those flashes from afar—half of Krieg's ships just vanished! If it were your doing, you wouldn't have hidden it. And then you come back with Zoro half-dead. So... what really happened?"
The Pipi Shrimp hadn't been close enough to see clearly—the surrounding pirate fleet had blocked their view. They only knew something enormous had occurred.
"We met the World's Greatest Swordsman."
Ren summarized the events. Nami and Nojiko listened, stunned speechless.
They never imagined that the flashes had been flying sword slashes—and that such an inhuman swordsman truly existed in this world.
Ren only smiled faintly. "This world is fascinating."
And indeed, it was.
The essence of the four seas all converged on the Grand Line—the true stage of the world.
Ren was already preparing to head there, though he planned to strengthen his trump cards first.
After that, things proceeded smoothly.
With Chester and his Ghost Servants aiding him, Ren scoured the wrecked ships for treasure.
Unfortunately, Krieg himself hadn't survived. Mihawk's flying slash had been far too savage—its residual force alone shredded him.
That meant Krieg's personal hoard was gone.
Ren even tried the Desire Compass, but his vague intent yielded nothing.
He had to give up.
Still, the remnants of the Krieg Pirates' wealth amounted to over thirty million Beli, much of it gathered from various captains' cabins.
Ren tossed the spoils into Chester's mouth for safekeeping, then returned to the Baratie.
He easily received Zeff's promised payment.
Though the blond cook seemed a bit displeased, he ultimately held his tongue.
The Pipi Shrimp departed from the Baratie waters, fully loaded.
That night—
Zoro slowly regained consciousness, blinking his eyes open.
Ren leaned in just in time to drop a bombshell.
"You're awake? Good news—the operation was a success. You're now a lovely young lady."
Still groggy, Zoro froze for a heartbeat—then launched forward, headbutting Ren with explosive force.
Just like the day they first met.
Bang!
A sharp crack echoed as both reeled from the impact.
Zoro fell back flat, while Ren crouched, clutching his forehead, grimacing in pain.
He could only regret one thing—Why didn't I wear a helmet?!
(End of Chapter)