Sunlight spilled across the fine sand, turning each golden grain into something almost alive, shimmering with warm radiance. Waves rolled gently against the shore, producing a soft, rhythmic hush.
Along the edge of the beach grew several tropical plants. Mo Wu could clearly make out a coconut tree standing at the far left.
With the sea breeze brushing past him, Mo Wu glanced up at the blazing sun overhead, then quickly moved into the shade and sat down beneath the tree. After that, he turned his attention to the empty space before him.
Main Mission: Faction Selection Pending
Please choose your faction: Revolutionary Army, Pirates, Marines, World Government.
Side Mission: Faction Selection Pending
Please choose your faction: Revolutionary Army, Pirates, Marines, World Government.
"One Piece, huh…"
Mo Wu murmured softly. There was no joy on his face, but neither was he especially troubled.
To ordinary civilians, this world was certainly dangerous.
But Mo Wu knew the plot well. If he wanted to, he could easily find some place to hide and live out the rest of his life in peace.
For example, Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue, the village founded by Shimotsuki Kozaburo, who came from Wano. That place was practically a paradise hidden from the world. Not to mention Zoro, the future right-hand man of a Yonko, just Kozaburo's son Koushirou alone was no simple figure. He was confident enough to secretly trade supplies with the Revolutionary Army. Going there would basically mean gaining a powerful umbrella over his head.
There was also Foosha Village in the East Blue, the hometown of the Marine hero Garp, and Loguetown, the hometown and execution site of the Pirate King himself.
Both places were exceptionally safe for special reasons.
In the first, the strongest threats were little more than the Lord of the Coast and some mountain bandits.
In the second, because of Roger, the Marines kept heavy forces stationed there year-round, arresting large numbers of pirates every year.
If Mo Wu wanted, he could absolutely live in this world until he was a hundred.
But…
Am I really willing to survive here like that?
Raising the Nichirin Blade above his head, Mo Wu murmured to himself,
"We still haven't gone back and cut down Kokushibo."
"How could I possibly stop here?"
Slash!
A wheel of blade-light flashed out as the unsheathed Nichirin Blade cut a brilliant arc through the air.
Looking at his reflection in the blade, Mo Wu could clearly see fire flickering in his eyes—
Hm?
His train of thought hadn't even finished when he suddenly reached up to touch the top of his head.
Something had just fallen onto it.
"What's this?"
He brought the strange object before his eyes.
After seeing it clearly, however, he looked puzzled.
A feather?
Its surface was covered in tiny, densely packed barbs, all arranged in perfect order. Each one looked smooth and delicate, clearly unlike an ordinary feather.
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
Several bird cries came from above.
Mo Wu lifted his head and saw an albatross in the sky staring at him resentfully. Along with it, sheets of paper were drifting down through the air beneath the bird.
Could this be…
With a burst of speed, Mo Wu leapt upward.
When he landed again, several newspapers had appeared in his hand.
He quickly unfolded one, and a look of understanding appeared in his eyes.
The World Economic Journal.
A newspaper published by Morgans, one of the emperors of the underworld and the president of the World Economy News Paper, a man who possessed the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Albatross.
It could be said to be the main source of information for the entire world of One Piece.
Mo Wu casually tossed the feather back into the sky. With flawless accuracy, it jabbed into the albatross's body. Ignoring the terrified look on the bird's face overhead, he lowered his head and began reading the paper.
Sea Circle Calendar 1498, January
"The Truth Behind the World Government Granting Roger the Title of Pirate King!"
"Pirate King Roger Disbands His Crew—Does the Great Treasure Truly Exist?!"
"Dark King Rayleigh Lands in the Sabaody Archipelago! Bounty Still Rising! 4,189,970,000 Berries!"
"5,564,800,000 Berries! Pirate King Roger! The Most Dangerous Man on the Seas!"
That's terrifying enough.
Mo Wu smacked his lips. He hadn't expected to be dropped straight into such a major point in history.
If he had guessed correctly, the timeline should now be the period after Roger reached Laugh Tale and learned the truth, then disbanded his crew and spent a year in hiding with Rouge.
"Sigh…"
Looking at the spirited Roger in the newspaper, Mo Wu couldn't help sighing.
Aside from himself, who else in the world knew that eight months from now Roger would surrender himself because of his terminal illness, and at the execution platform ignite the so-called Great Age of Pirates?
Turning the paper, Mo Wu continued gathering information until one particular line made him stop scanning the page.
"The Beasts Pirates have infiltrated Wano—what are they planning?"
Mo Wu nodded.
As expected of Morgans. He even knew that Kaido had secretly landed in Wano.
Unfortunately, this news was destined to make little impact.
Just like no one knew the Pirate King would surrender himself, no one knew that a few years later Kaido would rise as one of the Four Emperors and raise Onigashima over Wano.
Lowering the paper, Mo Wu narrowed his eyes and began thinking carefully about the Paradise system's demand that he choose a faction.
If he was right, these faction-based missions were likely ranked according to difficulty.
That would explain why the Revolutionary Army was listed first.
At this point in time, the Revolutionary Army was still called the Freedom Fighters. If he chose that faction, the difficulty would definitely be extremely high.
Trying to create something that would change the world from scratch—
Mo Wu could easily imagine the danger involved.
As for the Pirates, Mo Wu shook his head without hesitation.
He was alone. If the mission turned into something like building a pirate crew, that would simply be asking too much. Making him a captain? He'd rather go help Dragon build the Revolutionary Army.
And as for the World Government—
Mo Wu's vision darkened.
There was no way in hell he was going to become a dog for the Celestial Dragons.
Letting out a sigh, he tightened his grip on the Nichirin Blade.
Since he had already ruled out the others, there was no point hesitating any further.
With a thought, Mo Wu decisively locked in his choice.
Compared to the other three, the Marines had experts to guide him, and maybe even an admiral to teach him Haki by hand.
This faction was obviously the best fit if Mo Wu wanted to grow stronger while keeping his head down.
Not to mention that he was quite tempted by the Marine Six Powers, and especially…
Life Return, that absurdly useful technique.
Faction anchoring successful.
Loading missions…
Clearance Mission: Justice Will Not Be Late!
Objective: Lock onto three utterly heinous individuals and kill them.
Reward: ?
(Determined by the degree of evil of the targets.)
Clearance Mission: They Will Not Die, Because I Have Arrived!
Objective: Save three million ordinary people (0/3,000,000)
Reward: 2000 Dream Points
Side Mission: Cleaner 1/3
Objective: Kill one hundred pirates (0/100)
Reward: 200 Dream Points
Side Mission: Marines! Marines!
Objective: Raise your military rank.
Reward: ?
(Determined by the extent of your promotion.)
Side Mission: Devil Collector!
Objective: Collect Devil Fruits (0/3)
Reward: ?
(Determined by the rarity of the fruits.)
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