Shells Town.
Two ships—one large, one small—cut steadily across the horizon before finally docking at the port.
Adrian stepped off the Merry.
"Boss, allow me to accompany you," Grimmjow said immediately. He appeared beside Adrian in a flash, dropped to one knee, and spoke with unwavering respect.
System-forged loyalty was absolute.
But personality?
The system didn't touch that.
And Grimmjow—being Grimmjow—
was already bored out of his mind after two days trapped on the ship.
So the moment they reached new land, he pounced on the opportunity to move.
"Fine," Adrian said after a brief consideration. "Let's go."
Not because he needed protection—far from it.
He simply enjoyed not needing to lift a finger when his subordinates were present.
A boss shouldn't have to fight random small fry personally.
…
The two walked off the ship.
The port was deserted.
Naturally—
the Arlong Pirates' symbol painted loudly on the Shark's sailcloth had scared everyone off. And repainting sails would take weeks; they weren't going to sit around waiting.
As a bandit, Adrian didn't care.
Sure, bandits and pirates weren't very different in the eyes of the world—but Adrian considered himself a high-end bandit.
He had standards.
He only targeted worthwhile enemies or genuine scum.
Random helpless villagers? That lacked dignity. Style. Presence.
Kaya, for example, was a good person, yet he still forced the Merry out of her hands—but that was because it mattered, and because she cooperated. Otherwise… well, things would've gotten rougher.
Adrian prided himself on being a bandit with class.
In modern terms—
a bandit with aesthetics.
"Come, Grimmjow."
Adrian walked into town. The emptiness didn't bother him. If civilians feared him, good—better fear than being another T-Bone, loved by civilians only to be stabbed in the back by them.
He didn't harm the innocent, but he wasn't here to play hero.
Unless something directly affected him, he wouldn't intervene.
"Aye, Boss," Grimmjow said, following obediently.
Though irritable by nature—and unimpressed by the comparatively weaker Yoriichi, Zabuza, and Lucci—he tolerated them because they were loyal to Adrian.
Walking deeper into Shells Town, it wasn't long before Adrian saw the towering building of Marine Branch 153.
Impossible to miss.
They approached, unhindered by anyone—the streets were empty.
Then Adrian saw the person he came for.
"Roronoa Zoro."
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
The man tied to the execution rack was exactly as memory had described.
Adrian hadn't wasted these days.
He had confirmed the timeline.
Luffy set out in May.
Shortly after, he came here and recruited Zoro.
Zoro had been tied up for almost a month—voluntarily.
Luffy found him when he'd already starved for around twenty days.
Which meant—
Zoro should be here right now.
He had simply come to test his luck.
And his luck had paid off beautifully.
Adrian stepped into the execution ground. Grimmjow followed silently behind him.
Their footsteps woke Zoro from a light sleep.
Twenty days without food or water would kill any normal person.
But Zoro was anything but normal. His willpower was monstrous, and this world's bodies far exceeded modern human limits.
"Who… are you?" Zoro rasped, raising his head to squint at the two approaching figures.
Adrian smiled pleasantly.
"Me? I'm a bandit. And I've come here specifically to kidnap you, Roronoa Zoro."
Anyone unfamiliar with him would think he was joking.
Zoro clearly did.
"I'm not in the mood for jokes," Zoro said, eyes half-lidded. "I'm trying to rest. Go away."
He closed his eyes again.
He didn't have the energy for nonsense.
"You little brat… you dare speak to the Boss like that?!"
Before Adrian could speak, Grimmjow snapped.
Zoro's lack of respect toward Adrian enraged him far more than any insult toward himself ever could.
Grimmjow took a step forward, reiatsu beginning to stir—
And Adrian smiled lightly.
This was going to be interesting.
…
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