Chapter 31

Before the people could act, the trio of troublemakers had disappeared.

Smoker's mind was in turmoil. He couldn't believe he was now bound to a pirate. His whole body seethed with frustration, his instincts screaming at him to break free, but every time he tried, the damned seal kept him in check. His glare could have set fire to the very air as he stared at Luffy, the so-called future of piracy, with pure, unfiltered loathing.

If not for the seal, Smoker would have strangled the rubber bastard right there and then.

"Hey, hey, don't gaze so lovingly at my bro. I know he's lovely, but you can't have him."

Ace's teasing voice snapped Smoker out of his thoughts. The Fire Fist had thrown a casual arm around Luffy's shoulders, grinning like they weren't in the middle of some crazy situation.

Luffy, however, looked far more serious than before.

"I don't feel right about this…" he admitted, his voice uncharacteristically low. His eyes, usually filled with boundless energy, now held a weight Ace wasn't used to seeing. "But I've been convinced that this is necessary. So, please bear with me, Smoker. You'll see the world become a better place."

There was no mockery, no arrogance—just raw conviction.

Smoker gritted his teeth. "Why should I believe in you? You bring nothing but trouble wherever you go—"

Then, suddenly, something forced his mind to shift. Like an unseen hand gripping his thoughts, memories flooded his brain in an instant. He saw the truth, unfiltered, undeniable.

Loguetown? Luffy had caused chaos, but it was never intentional. Everywhere else? Alabasta, Drum Island, even back at Arlong Park—Luffy had only ever helped people.

Smoker's jaw clenched so tightly he thought his teeth might crack.

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Hey, what's up with your face? You look like you swallowed a cactus."

"I know it's hard to believe," Luffy continued, undeterred. "So I'll share a secret that no one outside of my crew knows. It's the source of this power."

Smoker narrowed his eyes, but he couldn't deny the flicker of curiosity stirring within him. Ace, too, seemed intrigued.

Luffy raised his hand, and in an instant, something appeared in his grasp.

A strange brick-like object.

Smoker and Ace stared at it, unimpressed.

Luffy's expression twitched. "Man, I felt the same way the first time I saw it…" He exhaled before pressing something, and suddenly, a voice—not human—spoke.

"I have defeated a Captain with assistance and captured him. What is the assessment of this task?"

A sudden beam of light covered Smoker before he could even react. His instincts screamed at him to move, but his body refused to budge. Then, just as quickly as it came, the light faded.

Smoker felt nothing. No pain, no change—nothing at all.

His brow furrowed. "What the hell just happened?"

A mechanical voice answered.

"Target is 20% stronger than the user and has abilities which the user has no counter for. As such, with assistance from a strong fighter, the points gained are 500."

Ace and Smoker both looked at Luffy, utterly baffled.

Ace crossed his arms. "…Okay. I have so many questions."

Smoker, meanwhile, was still struggling to process what had just happened. "What is this? Who's speaking? What points?"

Luffy just grinned. "Cool, right?"

Ace groaned. "Luffy, you better start explaining before I throw you into the sea."

"Straw Hat, well done. I know this is hard, but it is the right thing. Continue on this path. I will provide you with a gadget of mine that will help you analyze your foes better."

Luffy nodded, his usual excitement barely contained. "Thanks, Don!"

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Don? Who's—"

Before he could finish, the air itself seemed to shift. A presence far greater than anything they had ever encountered descended upon them, a golden glow illuminating the area.

A voice—deep, commanding, yet oddly warm—spoke.

"So, I believe you require my help here. Hello, young mortals. I am the Emperor of Mankind and the one who granted this power to your little friend here."

Ace and Smoker stiffened as the presence fully materialized. Before them stood a figure bathed in golden radiance, his very form exuding dominance. He was unlike anything they had ever seen, an entity whose power felt infinite—yet, there was no hostility, no malice.

"I am pretty much the Immortal Ruler of my world and already a part of yours as well, though I have not had the time to visit in person yet."

Smoker swallowed thickly. He had faced monsters before, but this? This was different. The sheer existence of this being made him feel like an insect standing before a storm.

"I have chosen this little friend to fight for the good of the world. It is truly corrupt, and he will be the one to cleanse it. A minor task for someone like me, but an important one for him."

Luffy scratched the back of his head. "Minor task? I dunno, it seems pretty big to me…"

Naruto chuckled. "You'll understand soon enough."

Then, his gaze shifted to Smoker.

"To help you understand his purpose, I will allow you to feel his soul. You are not beyond reason, and I believe this will help."

Smoker barely had a second to react before his mind was flooded with an overwhelming sensation. It was like he was suddenly transported into another world—no, not a world.

Luffy's soul.

It was vast, wild, pure. A boundless sky filled with adventure, laughter, and an unbreakable will. But beneath it all, Smoker saw the truth.

Luffy was just a child.

A child who had taken on the burden of others, a child who had no hatred in his heart, only an endless determination to move forward.

Smoker gasped as he returned to reality, his head spinning. He had seen many things in his life, but nothing like this.

Ace clapped a hand on his shoulder. "So? Still think my bro's the bad guy?"

Smoker exhaled heavily. He was a Marine, sworn to justice, but… justice wasn't always black and white. His rigid view of the world had been shattered, and for the first time, he didn't hate it.

With difficulty, he nodded. "…Fine."

A small, knowing smile played on Naruto's lips.

"Thank you for honoring me with your presence." Smoker muttered, bowing his head slightly. It wasn't submission, just respect.

Naruto patted his shoulder. "No problem, Smoker. You're a fun guy, so help our little friend here succeed in this task."

And then, just like that, he was gone.

The golden radiance faded, and the world returned to normal. But nothing felt normal anymore.

Ace let out a sharp exhale before breaking into a wide grin. "Bro, bro… bloody hell. I can't believe I just went through that." He looked at Luffy, half-amused, half-in awe.

Luffy turned to Smoker with a grin. "Do you believe me now?"

Smoker crossed his arms, his mind still adjusting. "…People change with time, so this is not permanent. Never let down your guard, Rubber Man. If you take the wrong turn, I will drown you like a sack of puppies."

Luffy blinked. "Why puppies?"

Smoker's lip curled. "Because I hate dogs."

Ace nearly choked on air. Then, laughter exploded out of him, loud and uncontrollable. He gripped his sides, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

"The Justice Hound hates dogs!? Oh, man—the boys are gonna die when they hear this!"

Luffy just tilted his head in confusion. "So… what about wolves?"

Smoker sighed. It was going to be a long journey.

Renegade Immortal World:

The time had finally come for Wang Lin to step beyond the familiar embrace of home and venture into the mighty world. Days had passed in quiet arguments and heartfelt persuasion as he sought to assure his parents that he was strong enough to travel.

Though reluctant, they eventually relented, their eyes filled with worry and love. Wang Lin understood their concerns—his father's calloused hands gripping his shoulder a moment too long, his mother's lingering gaze as he packed his belongings—but he had to leave.

This was his path.

'I need to make my parents proud. I need to make my master proud. I cannot let him down. I have to walk towards a destination worthy of my master's praise.'

With that conviction in his heart, Wang Lin set forth.

Rather than taking the well-worn roads leading to the city near his village, Wang Lin chose a different route. He had already been there before—there was nothing new to gain. Instead, he would take the unknown path, the one few dared to tread.

The road before him was wild, untamed. Thick trees lined the edges, their gnarled roots snaking across the ground. The air felt heavy, carrying the scent of damp earth and something else… something predatory.

The area reeked of monsters.

Wang Lin's lips curled slightly. He had hoped for a battle, a test of his strength, an opportunity to earn points and coin. But despite the ominous atmosphere, his journey remained frustratingly uneventful.

By the time he reached a small village the next day, his irritation had reached its peak.

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

It wasn't until he stopped to reflect that he realized the problem.

'I was leaking a death aura stronger than ever since acquiring the Shadow Skill...'

A deep breath. A slow exhale.

'I seem to have been corrupted by my colleagues. I need to take care not to tarnish my name as the Grand Scholar.'

The image of a savage brute, fighting without grace, eating with no manners, flashed in his mind. His face twisted in horror.

"The Horror." Wang Lin muttered unconsciously and cringed.

"Get out of the way, boy!"

A sudden voice snapped him from his thoughts.

The ground rumbled.

Without hesitation, Wang Lin leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding a fast-moving carriage barreling down the dirt path.

As he landed, dust swirled around him. The carriage sped past, drawn by massive red bulls clad in armored plating, their hooves pounding against the ground like war drums.

His eyes flickered to the insignia etched onto the side—a bull, emblazoned in gold.

A noble family's crest.

But Wang Lin had little knowledge of the kingdom's nobility. It meant nothing to him.

Still, he wasn't one to hold a grudge over a moment of recklessness.

"Thanks." His voice was calm, indifferent.

The carriage riders likely hadn't even heard him.

His thoughts drifted back to the words of his master.

'People are far worse than the monsters of the wilderness.'

Wang Lin sighed.

'I really hope I don't have to deal with some young master throwing a fit over a minor inconvenience…'

Shaking his head, he continued on his path, stepping forward into the unknown.

Fate World:

The room was filled with an uneasy silence as the three magi sat together, staring at the sleek, unfamiliar device in Shiro's hand. The glow of the screen cast faint shadows across their faces, yet none of them could truly comprehend what they had just witnessed.

"So… what do we do now?" Shiro finally muttered, breaking the tension as he plopped down onto the couch.

Across from him, Rin sat frozen, her brows furrowed in deep thought. Her mind raced with questions, spiraling into a whirlpool of speculation and uncertainty.

— How did he reach such a level?

— How did he breach the barrier?

— What will happen as he fights against Gaia?

— Am I witnessing the end of days… or am I overthinking this?

— Maybe this is just a dream?

— What is real? Am I real?!

Her breathing grew uneven, her mind slipping into chaos.

Smack.

A light slap to the cheek startled her back to reality.

"Rin, snap out of it." Archer sighed, standing beside her with arms crossed. His expression was calm, but there was a faint trace of amusement in his red eyes.

"Huh… What?" Rin blinked drowsily, as though waking from a long, exhausting dream.

Across from her, Shiro merely sighed, looking at her with the expression of a man who had long given up on expecting anything useful from his so-called genius magus ally.

Before any further bickering could begin, a soft voice chimed in.

"Why think so hard?"

Illya's delicate fingers traced the edges of her phone as she smiled—a gentle, almost innocent expression that contrasted the weight of her words.

"Let's be heroes… just as the Emperor of Mankind wishes."

The air shifted.

For a moment, there was silence.

Shiro turned to look at her, eyes unreadable, then back to the glowing screen in his hand. The phone—the gift of a being far beyond human comprehension—held the power to change everything.

The weight of choice, of destiny, hung heavily over them.

Then, he exhaled.

"Alright." His voice was steady. "So… who's our first target?"**