Chapter 1: Became a Wanted Criminal Right from the Start?Ben felt that this world was somewhat absurd.He, a tenth-degree scholar of 21st-century martial arts films, had transmigrated here with no system, no old master, and absolutely no cheat codes.He started as an orphan on an unknown island in the East Blue.His only consolation was that the people in this world seemed to have exceptionally good physical fitness.It was so good that he tried mimicking the high-flying, earth-shattering moves from the movies, and after practicing for a few years, he actually managed to make something of it.He called this set of skills the "Eagle Claw Technique."Because it sounded cool, and it relied mainly on the hands.Simple, brutal, and effective.Today, Ben just wanted to buy some black bread in town and then go home to continue his "martial arts research."But as it happened, some people just didn't want him to live in peace."Old man! Where is this month's protection money?!"An arrogant voice came, as grating as fingernails on a chalkboard.Ben's eye twitched; he didn't need to look to know who it was."Shark-Tooth" Bowler, a famous local thug who relied on his cousin, a Marine squad leader, to run amok and commit all kinds of evil.Ben's first reaction was: Time to slip away.His life motto was simple: It's better to avoid trouble than to cause it; being alive is more important than anything.He was just about to turn around and pretend he was a passing mushroom."Please, Master Bowler, business really hasn't been good today, could you give us two more days…" an old voice pleaded.Immediately after, there was the sound of a little girl crying.Ben's footsteps stopped.Damn it!The BGM of "A Man Should Be Self-Reliant" instantly started playing in his head!Wong Fei-hung! Ip Man! Chen Zhen! Their souls possessed him in that moment!Ben took a deep breath.Screw laying low and leveling up! Today, I'm going to uphold justice!He turned around, pushed through the crowd of onlookers, and walked over.He saw that guy named Bowler, tall and burly with a mouthful of jagged, rotten teeth, kicking over a fruit stand.Colorful fruits rolled all over the ground.The old vendor was kneeling on the ground picking them up, while a little girl with pigtails was crying her heart out nearby.Bowler looked impatient and lifted his foot to stomp on the old man's hand."Stop."Ben spoke up.He tried to lower his voice, mimicking the calm, unruffled tone of the heroes in movies.Internal monologue: "Cool! So cool! This atmosphere, these lines, I am the chosen protagonist!"Bowler and his two lackeys looked over when they heard him.Seeing Ben's washed-out old clothes and that handsome but clearly malnourished face, Bowler laughed."Where did this pretty boy come from, wanting to play the hero? Go look at yourself in a puddle!"The onlookers whispered, their eyes full of sympathy as they looked at Ben.Another hotheaded youngster looking for trouble."I'll say it again," Ben stepped forward, his eyes turning sharp, "take your foot off.""Oh? You dare talk back?"Bowler sneered, and instead of taking it off, he stomped down hard!"Ah!" The old man let out a cry of pain.Ben's eyes turned completely cold.He moved.Without any flashy opening stance, he moved like a hunting cheetah, instantly rushing in front of Bowler.Too fast!Bowler only felt a blur before his eyes, and the pretty boy had vanished.The next second, a piercing, agonizing pain shot from his wrist!"Ahhhhhh—!"Bowler let out a scream like a slaughtered pig.He looked down to see his wrist tightly gripped by a hand, those five fingers like iron pincers, almost embedding themselves into his bones.It was Ben's "Eagle Claw Technique"!"You... let go of me!" Bowler was sweating profusely from the pain, and he punched at Ben's face with his other hand.Ben tilted his head and easily dodged it.The five fingers gripping Bowler's wrist suddenly exerted force!"Snap!"A crisp sound of a bone breaking.Bowler's wrist bent at an eerie angle."My hand! My hand is broken!" Bowler's scream rang through the entire street.His two lackeys were stunned.What was going on?In one exchange, their boss had been taken down?Ben released his hand and shook it off with a look of disgust, as if he had touched something dirty.He looked coldly at Bowler, who was rolling on the ground: "Get lost."One word, concise and to the point.The two lackeys woke from their daze, scrambled to help Bowler up, and fled in a panic.Before leaving, Bowler looked back at Ben with venomous eyes."You just wait! My cousin won't let you off!"Ben gave a disdainful "tch."Internal ecstasy: "Holy crap! Am I this fierce?! The movies didn't lie to me! I am a once-in-a-century martial arts genius!"The old man and the little girl thanked him repeatedly.The onlookers also burst into cheers.Ben waved his hand, hiding his merits and fame, feeling that the red scarf on his chest... oh no, the sense of justice in his heart, was becoming even more vivid.However, he didn't even stay cool for three seconds.A sound of rhythmic footsteps approached.A squad of Marine soldiers in white uniforms ran over, led by a guy with a fleshy, mean face and a "Captain" insignia on his shoulder."Cousin! It's him! He broke my hand!" Bowler, as if having found his backing, pointed at Ben and cried out.The Marine captain glanced at Bowler's miserable state, then at the calm and indifferent Ben, and his expression instantly darkened."Did you do this?" He asked Ben, his tone unfriendly."He was the one bullying people first." Ben frowned; why were these Marines not asking about right and wrong?"I asked if you were the one who did it!" The Marinecaptain drew the sword from his waist, the tip pointing directly at Ben.The surrounding crowd backed away in fear.Ben's heart sank.Oh no, he had run into the classic scenario of "officials and bandits being in cahoots.""It was me," Ben admitted frankly, but his momentum didn't waver, "he was committing a crime in the street, and I was just upholding justice.""Upholding justice?" The Marine captain laughed, a laugh full of irony, "On this island, I am the law! Men, arrest him! The charge is... committing violence in the street and causing grievous bodily harm to a civilian!"Several Marine soldiers immediately surrounded him.Ben's pupils constricted.Damn! Is there no justice? Is there no law?He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.Fight, or not fight?If he fought, it would be openly resisting the Marines and resisting the "Government" of this world.If he didn't fight, he would be thrown into jail by this group of people who couldn't tell right from wrong.Just as he hesitated, the Marine captain's expression suddenly changed, staring fixedly behind Ben, a flash of wariness in his eyes.Ben was stunned and subconsciously looked back.There was no one behind him.When he turned back, the Marine captain had already put away his sword and snorted coldly: "Kid, consider yourself lucky. Today, I'll give the person behind you some face. Get lost! Next time I see you, you won't be so lucky!"After saying that, he actually took his men, helped Johnny, and slunk away.Ben:???The person behind me?Who is behind me? Could it be... my guardian spirit?He rubbed his chin and fell into deep thought.Could it be that my damn, uncontainable aura of a hegemon has become strong enough to conjure up an peerless expert as a backer out of thin air?Wonderful!Regardless, the trouble was resolved.Ben happily bought bread and went home.The next day, a refreshed Ben hummed a little tune as he went out to buy some more food.He found the streets unusually lively today, with everyone gathered around the bulletin board in the town center, pointing and whispering."What big event happened?"Ben curiously squeezed in.On the bulletin board, a brand-new bounty poster was posted in the most prominent position.It depicted the portrait of a man.It was drawn quite vividly.Sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, a high nose bridge, and a hint of untamed arrogance at the corners of his mouth.Ben nodded: "Hmm, quite handsome."Wait.This face... why does it look so familiar?Isn't this me?!Ben's smile froze on his face.He widened his eyes and looked at the text below the portrait.[ WANTED ][ DEAD OR ALIVE ][ Gonzalez Banchi ][ Bounty: 500,000 Berries ][ Crime: Maliciously attacking Marine soldiers, colluding with an unknown pirate crew, extremely dangerous! ]Ben's brain crashed.He read it again slowly, word by word.Attacking Marines? I didn't even touch them yesterday!Colluding with pirates? I don't even know what pirates look like!Extremely dangerous? I'm just a martial arts enthusiast who wants to live a stable life, hey!Also, what's with the nickname "Sharp Claw"? Who gave it to me? It's actually kind of cool... Phew! Is this the time to think about that!He felt the surrounding air change.The neighbors who were praising him yesterday were now looking at him as if they were looking at a walking bag of gold coins.There was fear, greed, and suspicion."He is that bounty criminal...""500,000 Berries...""Hurry and report to the Marines..."Ben's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.He turned abruptly, pushed through the crowd, and ran for his life in the direction of his home.He knew that he couldn't stay on this island, in this East Blue, for even one more second!Halfway through running, he slammed on the brakes, looked in the direction of the bounty poster, and went completely numb."No, man, just because I broke a thug's wrist, I became a wanted criminal with a 500,000 bounty?""Is there any justice?! Is there any law?!"Ben, filled with indignation towards the sky, slowly spat out two words."F...k!"
