You let out a long sigh as you exit your home, prepared for a relaxed day. Having just turned in a small bounty yesterday, you make your way down the street toward your favorite bar, planning on making this your day off and treating yourself.

As you continue walking, you get several waves from fellow villagers in town, people you grew up with and people who seem to look up to you. Of course, this is hardly surprising. The only thing protecting this town from pirate raids is bounty hunters like yourself, since the Briss government refuses to do anything about it. However, as a young girl waves at you with a smile, you spot something unusual.

Just a short way down the road, you spot a familiar figure wielding a pistol and walking in your direction. As far as you can tell, it appears to be the man you delivered to the marines just the other day, having seemingly escaped somehow and wearing a furious scowl. You can't quite recall his name, but you do remember that he was a small fry, and nothing remotely challenging for you. Just a ᴯ500,000 bounty. Enough to get a few nice things and feed you for several months, but hardly anything to write home about.

As you stop in your tracks a few dozen feet from him, he furiously yells your name,

>Antiere Gillespie
>Bernard Summers
>Anders Acosta
>Valerio Pierce
>Write-in

>>3239648
>Valerio Pierce

I rather like this name. Let's go!

>>3239648
>Anders Acosta

>>3239648
Adrian D. Winters

>>3239668
Or what about
>Adrian D. Chambers

>>3239668
>>3239670
"D" huh? Big assumptions...

Rolled 2 (1d4)

>>3239648
Rolling randomly, top choice is one, second is two, etc.

>>3239673
Ether Aim Big or don't Aim at All

>>3239648
>>Valerio Pierce

Strong name.

YA-YO

>>3239664
>>3239679
Looks like we have a winner.
>Writing

File: Vorderlader_Pistole_-_Seite.jpg (82 KB, 1280x720)

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"Valerio Pierce, you're a dead man! You caught me by surprise before, but now it's over!", the man screams, waving the pistol around like a toy. Amusingly, all you can think is that his mess of blonde hair and his raggedy clothes make him look more like a homeless guy right now than a hardened criminal. And as much as you might feel like just ignoring him today, he does seem to be disrupting the peace, and there's a good chance you could get paid more for turning him in again.

You don't falter for a moment approaching him, taunting him in response, "That's Valerio Dentanté Pierce to you. I take it you're looking for another fight?"

Without even trying you avoid his first shot with the pistol and your hand finds itself hovering toward your favored weapon,

>A pair of knuckledusters made to drive the point home when you throw a mechanically assisted punch with your sweet robot arms.
>A belt of throwing knives (and other throwing objects), which work perfectly with your Devil Fruit ability, which allows you to perfectly control their trajectory.
>A bag filled to the brim with your own homemade explosives, ready to be thrown at anyone or anything that gets in your way.
>Write-in (No Logia or Zoan powers)

>>3239695
>Write In: A keen edged blade slides from the sheath. A swordsman for many years, the steel feels almost as second nature to you now.

>>3239695
>An old, but lovingly and diligently cared for cutlass. A gift from your mother when she felt she was getting too old to be using it any more.

Not too sure about a Devil Fruit or not

>>3239695
>A Bag and Bandoleer full of Vials with various Substances. There was a Reason they called you The Plague Doctor

>>3239695
>A Bag and Bandoleer full of Vials with various Substances. There was a Reason they called you The Plague Doctor

>>3239707
Throwing behind this then.

>>3239695
A combat knife that's been with you since as far back you can remember

>>3239707
Backing this. Wasn't there like, a OP isekai quest here at one point where the dude had a ghost cutlass?

>>3239727
Yup, he went to Akun never to be seen again

>>3239707
>>3239720
>>3239727
Welp, cutlass it is. Sorry Plague Doctor Valerio, looks like you'll never exist!

>Writing

>>3239732
Yep where Quest go to die

>>3239736
No lightning Round?

>>3239736
Even though I opposed It I feel a small feel. Rip Plague doc, I wouldn't have minded playing you either.

>>3239741
Lightning round?

>>3239743
i thought >>3239742 was samefagging i could be wrong tho

>>3239745
No, not a samefag. I just swapped to voting for the cutlass from my own swordsman vote.

>>3239755
Oh ok well goodbye my creation now we'll never achieve COMPLETE GLOBAL SATURATION

File: tenor.gif (3.25 MB, 498x372)

3.25 MB GIF

Your hand just feels right as it wraps around the hilt of the weapon. Your mother may have spent time away from home more than you liked as a young boy, but one thing she never let you do was slack off on training with a blade. As you slip it out of its sheath, the sun bounces off of it beautifully. It may not be anything special, but it's yours, and you wouldn't give it up for the world.

It doesn't take you much effort to get in close to the man, despite the fact that he's armed. After all, the man's aim is a joke, and he's so slow to shoot it's like he wants you to dodge out of the way. You step out of the way of his flurry of shots without a second thought. It takes almost a minute of just playing with him before you snap out of it and realize you're just being cruel.

You continue the same pattern of dodges as you start attacking him though, trying to demoralize him with your hits more than beat him down. Using the dull side of your blade, you smack him right where it hurts, making sure you don't give him enough time to fight back as you circle around him. Your last hit lands hard, causing him to scream in pain as a loud cracking noise comes from his shin. Surprisingly, he doesn't collapse or give up as you were expecting. Instead, he limps off quickly, like he's trying to run away.

While you don't think much of it immediately, casually walking in his direction, you realize what he's doing just a moment too late. Despite collapsing to the ground having only made it a hundred feet or so, the bastard grins and looks in your direction. His pistol is aimed straight at the girl you saw earlier, and he's got his finger on the trigger.

"Take another step and I'll shoot! I mean it!"

You...

>Dash towards him with all of your speed, trying to get to him before he can shoot. [Simple]
>Attempt a technique you've never quite managed to perfect, slashing your sword with such sheer force and precision that you slice through the air itself, slashing objects from a distance. [Challenging]
>Let him shoot the girl. Who cares about some kid when you have a paycheck laying right in front of you. [Effortless]

>>3239762
You know what? Fuckit, why not both? Alchemist swordsman style?

>>3239765
OH I LIKE IT WE CAN COAT OUR BLADES IN POISON
MAKE IT HAPPEN QM

>>3239763

>>Attempt a technique you've never quite managed to perfect, slashing your sword with such sheer force and precision that you slice through the air itself, slashing objects from a distance. [Challenging]

Time to go for broke

>>3239765
Oh? You want both? I won't oppose this as long as everybody here likes the idea.

>>3239771
Yesssssssssss GOOD.

Yessssssssssss *Maniacal laughter*

>>Attempt a technique you've never quite managed to perfect, slashing your sword with such sheer force and precision that you slice through the air itself, slashing objects from a distance. [Challenging]

>>3239771
Im ok with this

>>3239771
YES COMPLETE GLOBAL SATURATION IS WITHIN MY GRASP
Let's Become the Wesker of One Piece

>>3239769
>>3239773
You take a deep breath and crouch down slightly, raising your blade up to eye level. For just a moment you shut your eyes, preparing to strike...

>Roll 1d100, best of 3

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>3239777

Rngeesus take the wheeeeel

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>3239777
Watch this Crit be it Good or Bad

We can have the sheath filled with poison

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>3239777

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>3239777
I’m not feeling alchemist swordsman

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We could do something like this obviously with a sword instead of arrows

I'd be fine with alchemist swordsman as long as the sword part comes first

>>3239784
That'd be a good start. What about a flammable substance to coat our sword In and use a technique to spark It mid-fight? Or maybe we could go with strength enhancing potions to gain bursts of hulk strength. Hell, maybe I'm not thinking crazy enough. Why don't we make ourselves immune to a specific poison so we can hurl around that same poison gas and fight Inside the cloud while our enemies can't. That'd be killer In indoor scenarios!

>>3239797
All of those are cool but why aren't you thinking Resident Evil Viruses?

File: Item-Ultra_Poison_Vial.png (28 KB, 256x256)

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In the blink of an eye, all your lessons flash before your eyes. You can see your mother's smiling face as you cleave through a practice dummy in a single strike. You can hear her snickering as you struggle with your "great idea" to use two swords at once. You can feel the force emanating from her blade as she demonstrates a technique for you...

"Surging Strike: Wind Blade!!!"

The scumbag's grin changes to a look of confusion as you shout, then to a horrified grimace as he glimpses a wave of force tearing toward him. With his awful reaction time, he doesn't have a chance at pulling the trigger before the blow hits him, tearing up his shirt and carving a line of blood all along his chest and up his face. In an instant, the man falls to the ground unconscious.

It's at that moment that you begin to feel like the biggest idiot in the world, realizing that you didn't have to risk missing with your blade. You have a whole bag filled up with toxins made to be thrown at bad guys who are too far away to hit! Your sudden shame is cut short, however, as the young girl runs up to you, a beaming grin on her face. Her voice is extremely bubbly as she speaks, exclaiming, "Wow!! That was so amazing, mister! How'd you do that?"

Sadly, you don't have a chance to explain to the little girl, because her mother rushes over, thanks you by handing you a fistful of bills, and quickly scurries off with her daughter, apparently too busy to thank you properly. So you simply pick up the bastard who attacked you and take him off towards the bar, looking to kill two birds with one stone...

(cont.)

>>3239801
To use as weapons or enhancements? Not sure we can manage that level of science but If we're ever thrown a plot hook with some obvious 'rare plant with strange necromantic effects' shows up as a plot hook or something I'd bite It.

>>3239797
I don't feel like using roids to be honest but making us immune to our own poison probably would be a good idea and we've already seen people gaining poison immunity in Cannon as well

>>3239805
Hey if Two Half insane nut-jobs could Make TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT Viruses from a sample that had WAY more potential then we'll do just fine

File: Luffy_Wanted_Poster.png (73 KB, 180x260)

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It doesn't take you long to get to the bar. Which is quite fortunate, since you're lugging around a heavy son of a bitch. As you push open the double doors leading inside the building, you're greeted by a familiar sight. The place is filled up with people just like you, doing the same exact job that you do. And it feels even more like home than home does.

While you step up to the counter, recieving a few whistles from fellow patrons thanks to the body you have over your shoulder, you see the owner and proprietor of this building, Burdgeons "Buddy" Hodges hanging up a new bounty near the top of the board. He takes a moment to pin it up there before stepping down from his stool and making his way back toward the bar. From what it looks like, this is a new bounty, and it's one near the top. You don't quite recognize this "Monkey D. Luffy" guy, but if he has a bounty of ᴯ100,000,000 then he's clearly just a little bit above your pay-grade. Maybe one day...

You're pretty suddenly interrupted from your thoughts by Buddy waving at you and speaking up, with his deep, dulcet voice.

"Same one twice, huh Val? If I didn't know better I'd be suspicious of you.", he chuckles, a bright grin stretching across his round, pudgy face. "Same deal as usual? I take him to the guards for you, you let me take 5% of the pay?"

While your friend speaks, you overhear some particularly excited talk in a corner of the bar. Something about plans to take down this Monkey guy, since he apparently just got lucky and was there when the Government took down Crocodile. And stuff about how the Grand Line isn't really that bad, there are people who spend their whole lives there after all.

(You're allowed to pick more than one here)
>Thank your friend and tell him he can take the guy away while he gets you a drink.
>Stand up and see what this plan is all about. Maybe you could make a buck taking this guy down.
>Stand up and tell that group what a dumb idea it is going to the Grand Line and trying to take out such a huge bounty.
>Write-in

>>3239822
>>Thank your friend and tell him he can take the guy away while he gets you a drink.

>Stand up and see what this plan is all about. Maybe you could make a buck taking this guy down.

A group forming to take down that Straw Hats? That sounds retarded and destined for failure. Count me In! Adventure, ho!

>>3239824
+1

>>3239822
Interesting. We officially have a time frame for when this adventure takes place - sometime inbetween the defeat of Crocodile in Alabasta, when Luffy got his bounty of 100 million berries, and the raid of Enies Lobby, where his bounty is upped to 300 million.

>Stand up and see what this plan is all about. Maybe you could make a buck taking this guy down.

These guys sound like the biggest idiots on the planet. Let's see what they have to say!

I'm going to head to bed Op

>>3239835
Goodnight, anon.

"Yeah, just make sure they pay you. Really, how do you let a loser like this slip out of your fingers?" You nod at Buddy and drop the guy on top of the bar, wandering off toward the heated discussion in the corner. You do recall some news recently about how a big figure was ripped out of power, and you can vaguely recall the name Crocodile. Then again, your memory isn't great, and you can't remember if it was a few days ago or a few months ago. Regardless, you realize something unfortunate as you look more closely at the group.

It turns out the guy heading up the idea is Mikey Lucens, that mousey motherfucker, and his gang have dragged a bunch of other people into it. If it was anyone else, you would keep considering the idea of joining them, but Mikey is one of few people you're tempted to slip a deadly virus and laugh as he dies slowly. Still, the idea itself might be a good one, if this stuff about Monkey being a fraud is true. Regardless, you have a loser to make fun of. In the middle of a speech, you interject, "Great idea, Mikey! I'm sure you have all the skills to survive the Grand Line and take out a big bounty. What's next, gonna take care of Kid next?"

Several people visibly shudder as you say the name Kid, including Mikey. Apparently mentioning the terror of the South Blue was enough to shut him up, at least for a bit. Eventually, he speaks up, showing as much vitriol to you as you showed to him. "I'll have you know, Pierce, that this is a great idea. And I bet once I buy a ship with the money from Monkey D. Luffy, every pirate on the sea will be afraid of the great Hunter Lucens!"

>Continue arguing, throwing lots of insults his way.
>Give it up. He's not worth--
While you're busy deciding between just walking away or getting into another argument with him, you're interrupted by a red faced fat guy rushing in with a club in hand, pushing people out of the way. "M-Mister Lucens, we need your help! There's a lady we couldn't handle out in the alley, come quick!"

At that, Mikey forgets what he was going to say to you and sighs, standing up and gesturing for a group of his lackeys to follow him outside.

>Follow him out to see just what's going on here.
>Ignore it and go get your drink from Buddy.
>Write-in

>>3239841
>>Continue arguing, throwing lots of insults his way.

>Get our drink from Buddy, and Follow him out to see the fight

Let's let him fight and fail, then move In and sweep up a win.

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As you find yourself outside, you hear what sounds like Mikey's goon Andre trying to sound tough, rounding the corner reveals this to be the case. The big guy is glaring down at a girl while the lackeys surround her. "Listen up, girly. You think you can insult a member of the great Lucens's crew and get away with it? I'm gonna give you one more chance to come home with me before I make you come home. Or I could just have my fun right here..."

Taking a sip from your beer, you hear the girl say something about how she already told him twice that he doesn't want this fight. It's then that you spot one of Mikey's goons on the ground already, clearly knocked out somehow. It's then that Mikey speaks up, pulling out a dagger and fiddling with it. "Lady, ya really should just listen to the big guy. You make have beat down that wuss, but I guarantee you can't take all of us at once."

"You wanna bet?" Is her only response as she crouches slightly, clearly getting into some kind of a battle stance.

>Sit back and wait to see how it goes down.
>Prepare to interrupt if they start ganging up on her and she's going to lose.
>Be her White Knight and save the fair lady from harm!

>>3239853
>>Sit back and wait to see how it goes down.

>>3239853
>Sit back and wait to see how it goes down.
>Prepare to interrupt if they start ganging up on her and she's going to lose.

Because these guys can go to hell. She might be a stranger, but you don't want these assholes to win.

Trying to look past the group of bodies to get a good view of the girl, you can't really get a good look. All you can see is a bit of black hair, and a pair of what look like well-toned legs covered by thigh-high socks. You decide that you'll sit back on this one, at least for a moment. You do consider jumping in if it looks like she's about to lose, but you'll wait and see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A-q3TM8kPk

And it doesn't take long before you realize that waiting to see was the right idea. Andre swings forward and tries to throw a punch at her face, and you glimpse her swiftly dashing out of the way of his punch. Just as she does this, Mikey swings in, trying to stab her with the dagger. Before he can get near her though, you hear a loud cracking sound, and she's launched into the air, a solid fifteen feet above the group.

With the girl in the air, you can finally get a proper look. Hanging above the group and twisting her body around, you can tell from her form and her body that she's an expert martial artist of some kind. It's hard to really tell what martial art it is, but it's clear it involves a lot of leg movement.

It's even more clear that she's something special when she launches her leg toward the confused group below her. A moment of sudden silence is broken by a fierce blast as a wave of force leaves the girl's leg, almost reminiscent of your mother's technique. As the blast flies down and hits nearly every member of the group below, she does a quick flip and lands on her feet behind them.

By the time she turns to look back at them, all but the big guy, Andre, and two of the lackeys are down for the count. Andre seems stunned, but as he gets his bearings back, he growls and cracks his knuckles, approaching the girl again.

>Step over and casually beat Andre down while you say hi.
>Wait to see how she takes him out.
>Try to defuse the situation, just so she doesn't kill Andre.

>>3239861
>Try and defuse the situation, just so she doesn't kill Andre.
"Andre, my man, you might have fat in a few places brains are supposed to be, but even *you* can see this not ending well for you."

>>3239861
>>Wait to see how she takes him out.

She doesn't need the help, we'll step In If Mikey gives her trouble

>>3239863
>>3239865
Since it looks like I have two players, I'll just roll to decide the winner.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>3239867

>>3239865
Agreed, supporting this. We don't need to step in and talk sense into this sex offender, let him get what he deserves.

You spend several moments considering the virtue of stepping in, just in case the girl quite justifiably murders Andre. Unfortunately for him, you decide against it. After all, it'll just be more entertaining to watch him get his shit kicked in. Literally, in this case.

The black haired girl clearly doesn't think he's a threat, but she also obviously wants this to hurt. She doesn't hesitate for a moment, delivering a swift pair of kicks to his stomach to wind him and keep him still for a moment. Once she's done that, you hear that same loud crack from before and she seemingly disappears for an instant, reappearing with her foot in Andre's face and causing a much more painful cracking noise.

The man's body does two whole flips before he lands with a sickening crunch, his body completely limp by the time he hits the ground. It's then that the girl turns to you, still in a battle stance. "So, Mister Swordsman, planning on stepping in and helping your buddies out? Or are you just spectating?"

>Let her know you just wanted to see her handle these scumbags.
>Tell her you're not with them, but you wouldn't be opposed to seeing what she can do.
(Note: By the look of things, it seems like she does outclass you somewhat. It would be a tough fight, especially if you chose not to use your actually dangerous poisons. Especially especially if you chose not to use any poisons at all.)

>>3239875
(Actually, make that "She outclasses you by quite a bit")

>>3239875
>Let her know you just wanted to see her handle these scumbags.
"As if I'd be caught dead in the same *sentence* as Mikey and his crew."

>>3239875
>Let her know you just wanted to see her handle these scumbags.

>>3239875
>>Let her know you just wanted to see her handle these scumbags.

"Rather curious what you're even here for, missy. I suppose beating up Mikey's gang wasn't all you had planned today."

>>3239875
>>3239878
>>3239883
Supporting.

You laugh at the suggestion that any of these guys are your 'buddies', grinning and shaking your head. "I wouldn't be caught in the same sentence as these guys, I'm not even considering taking them to the hospital right now. Valerio Dentanté Pierce, at your service. But you can just call me Val."

She seems amused by the idea that you just wanted to watch her beat the shit out of them, and she drops her fighting stance. "Well, Val, you can call me Mischa. Mischa Kumadori, if you care about last names. But I'd doubt you recognize that last name anyways."

You nod at the name, looking up and down the 5'7" girl with a bemused expression. Her bright, brown eyes seem almost innocent for a girl who just beat the shit out of a dozen grown men, but you suspect that might just have to do with the fact that she only looks barely sixteen years old.

"Mischa, huh? Tell me, what's a young girl like yourself doing in a town like this? We're pretty far from the capital, and I get the feeling you're not here just to beat up losers like these guys."

She seems to think for a moment before responding, shrugging as she speaks. "Actually, that is more or less what I'm here for! I mean, not these guys specifically. I'm just looking for strong people to fight with. That and I'm trying to find somebody to help me crew my ship. Sure, it's a small, but it's hard to get a ship running all on your own! So, I asked around about the roughest, toughest bar in town and I got directions here. Speaking of which, not impressed."

>"Really? Well, I've been getting tired of Briss Kingdom anyways. I might take you up on that offer."
>Tell her you'll ask Buddy if he knows anyone, but you're not sure she'll get much luck.
>Ask why she wants to fight people so badly.

>>3239888
>>"Really? Well, I've been getting tired of Briss Kingdom anyways. I might take you up on that offer."

Ask her If she's heard about one Monkey D Luffy. Maybe try and Insinuate he'd be a worthy opponent. He took down *Crocodile* after all.

>>3239890
support

>>3239890
Sounds fine.

>>3239890
>>3239892
>>3239894
They don't want to know Mischa's edgy, elaborate "I wanna punch dudes" backstory *sob*

>>3239895
Hey, some people wanna punch dudes. And a ship sounds fine. As long as we're not becoming pirates suddenly.

>>3239895
Shhhh…. no tears. If we stick with her we'll learn It, no need to throw away all those notes just yet.

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>>3239897

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"Is that so? Well, if those punks you just dealt with aren't enough of a nuisance to make me wanna leave town, I don't know what is. So I might take you up on that offer. Now, let me buy you a drink." You pat her shoulder and lead her along into the bar.

Inside, she gets quite a few curious looks while you approach the counter, and she cocks her head at you. "I'm not old enough to drink yet though. I'm not even eighteen."

"...fair point. I would offer you a drink anyways, but to be honest I think Buddy might lynch me if I started passing out booze to minors. I think he has cola if you like that though."

You sit down at the bar with her and drop a few bills onto the counter, waving at Buddy. "Hey! Another beer for me, and a bottle of your finest cola for the girl here!"

She slowly kicks her legs in the chair, cocking her head at you and staring with those innocent eyes. "Really though, why would you wanna leave, Swordsman guy? This seems like a nice enough place, and you've clearly been here for a while."

You think on the question for quite a while before you respond, Buddy delivering your drinks and leaving the two of you to talk in the meantime.

>"Well... boredom, I suppose. Nothing interesting around here."
>"Sure, it's a nice place, but... who wants to stay at the bottom for their whole life?"
>"This place is... a stepping stone. Sure, it's comfy here. But one day I need to follow in my mother's footsteps. I need to go to the Grand Line."

>>3239901
>"Sure, it's a nice place, but... who wants to stay at the bottom for their whole life?"
"No offense meant, Buddy."

>>3239901
>>"This place is... a stepping stone. Sure, it's comfy here. But one day I need to follow in my mother's footsteps. I need to go to the Grand Line."

Not for Piracy, but for adventure, power, money, all of those good things. Gotta follow In mom's footsteps and be a great swordsman that roams the seas looking for the next adventure just over the horizon.

>>3239901
>"Sure, it's a nice place, but... who wants to stay at the bottom for their whole life?"

>>3239901
>"Sure, it's a nice place, but... who wants to stay at the bottom for their whole life?"

>>3239902
>>3239904
Since these two are somewhat similar, let me know if you just want to combine the two.

>>3239909
I'm down for It.

>>3239909
i do not

>>3239909
Combine them. Two outta three!

File: Grand_Line_Infobox.png (184 KB, 375x288)

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"I mean... I can't say it's not nice here. God, I love this bar more than my own kids! ...if I had any kids."

Mischa nods, popping open her bottle of cola with her bare hands and taking a hearty drink from it. "Yeah, if it's so nice, why leave?"

You glance over at the bounty board for a moment before you look back at her, wearing a determined expression. "I'm not about to hang around at the bottom for all my life. Er... no offense meant, Buddy. But there's so much more to life in this world, and I'm not about to spend it sitting around beating up two-bit criminals and dragging them here. I could be out there doing something! I could become the next "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk! Or... who knows what I could be! But whatever it is, I already know it's gonna be great!"

As you finish your spiel, Mischa starts laughing with her mouth closed, her eyes widening and a choking noise leaving her as cola suddenly goes up her nose. After swallowing properly and recovering from the intense pain of her awful wound, she giggles again, grinning at you with a cheerful expression. "I love it. You're coming on my ship now whether you want to or not! Whaddaya wanna do first? Go beat up everyone on Karate Island again? Find Jewelry Bonney and beat her up until she promises to never be a pirate again?"

You shy away at her sudden flurry of suggestions, holding up a finger and pushing toward her face until she stops talking. "Alright, we're going to take things slow here. First off, I'm not going to just go rushing off into danger for the hell of it. That's how you get killed. You gotta use each place you visit as a stepping stone, not try to jump all the way across the river."

"It's like this place. This is a stepping stone. I'm not here because this is where I want to end up, I'm here because I need to make sure I'm ready to go elsewhere. If I'm going to follow in my mother's footsteps, I should make sure I'm ready. One day I'll make it to the Grand Line, but not today. Not until I'm really ready for it." You speak calmly, trying to keep the girl from going off on another bunch of excited suggestions.

Before either of you can continue, Buddy steps forward with a concerned expression, raising an eyebrow at you. "So, you really leavin, Val? I knew it was comin' some day, but I always thought that was a ways off."

>"Afraid so. We might never meet again, but I'll miss you a lot."
>"Afraid so. Don't worry though, I promise I'll be back someday."
>"Yep. Just promise me you won't try and chase after me, alright?"

>>3239925
>"Afraid so. We might never meet again, but I'll miss you a lot."

>>3239925
>"Afraid so. We might never meet again, but I'll miss you a lot."
"Also, here's the tab I owe you. Just so you don't chase me halfway across the Grand Line for it."

"Afraid so, Buddy. I'm sorry to say it, but I'm leaving. Good chance we never meet again, so... here's my tab. Don't want to get chaced halfway across the Grand Line by a crazed barman. I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"Well, hell. I'll be right back, Val, just gimme a minute." Buddy sighs and pushes away the wad of bills you hold out. He walks off into the kitchen behind the bar, leaving you and Mischa alone once again.

She's clearly still buzzing with excitement, like this is the best day ever. A big difference from the girl you saw outside, with a nearly murderous look in her eyes and the strength to beat down a dozen men in an instant. "So! Does this mean we're leaving today? I could go get the ship ready and you go pack your stuff? Oh, and where will we be going? I kinda liked that Bonney idea, or we really could go to Karate Island and beat them--"

You hold up your finger again, cutting her off and letting out a sigh. "First off..."

>"Yes, we can leave today. I'll go to my place and get my things."
>"Not yet. Give me a day or two, then we can go. I still need to say goodbye to this place."

"And second..."

>You think the Bonney idea is stupid. She has a ᴯ60,000 bounty, there's no telling if we could win.
>You think the Bonney idea is great! With the two of you, taking her down is sure to be a cinch!
>"What do you mean... beat up everybody on Karate Island... again?"

>>3239934
>"Not yet. Give me a day, then we can go. Need to say goodbye to this place
>You think the Bonney idea is a bit much. For now.
Stepping stones, kid. Stepping stones.

>>3239934
>"Yes, we can leave today. I'll go to my place and get my things."
>You think the Bonney idea is a bit much. For now.

>Just a ᴯ500,000 bounty. Enough to get a few nice things and feed you for several months,

>She has a ᴯ60,000 bounty, there's no telling if we could win.

>>3239954
What do you mean 60,000? That clearly says 60,000,000.
I obviously didn't fuck up. How could that possibly happen?

>>3239934
>"Yes, we can leave today. I'll go to my place and get my things."
>You think the Bonney idea is a bit much. For now.

Check the board for other bounties. Look for something in the range of 10 to 20 million.

"So, you have any other crew members, or am I the first one?"

>>3239958
For context, I should specify some things. Your character's record is a bounty of 45 million, although that was only achieved by spending quite a bit to make sure his crew was separated from him and it was a one on one fight. An average Marine bounty in this sea is 8 to 15 million.

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"Listen, kid. I get your excitement. Frankly, if I could, I would go out there right now, and I would beat Captain Kid's face in so hard he'd be crying for Mommy. But I can't." You sigh, patting her shoulder. "This is the stepping stone thing I was talking about. I know neither of us are pushovers, but neither is Jewelry Bonney. She may be an upstart, but that only makes her more dangerous. I mean, in less than half of a year, she made her way all the way from being completely unknown to being second only to Kid in terms of South Blue infamy. You don't casually mess with someone like that. You carefully plan around them, and make sure you can really take them."

As you explain, she seems to get what you're saying. She thinks for a moment, in a bit of contemplation you genuinely weren't expecting. Eventually, she looks up at you with a question, asking, "So, if we gotta do stepping stones, you mean our goal is taking out Bonney, and to get there we're gonna have to take some steps along the way first?"

"Exactly! And when the time comes, she'll be a stepping stone as well. For the time being though, even if we are strong enough to beat her straight up, we just don't have the manpower. If we want any chance at beating someone like her, I'd say we need... at least four members in our crew. Speaking of which, do you have any other crew members, or am I the first?"

She shakes her head at the question, shrugging her shoulders. "Nope. I've been sailing alone for a few years now, I just now realized how much easier things would be with someone helping out."

You nearly spit your drink out right in her face as she tells you this, but before you can ask if she's serious about being alone for years, Buddy steps up to the bar and gives you another surprise. The man drops a burlap sack right down on the bar in front of you, coins and bills spilling out as it lands. Just a glance inside the thing makes it clear that there's probably something like five million berries inside. With a cheeky smile, he tells you, "This is for you, Val. Think of it like a gift for continued patronage. And don't even think about saying no, it's yours."

>Try to say no anyways, you can't accept this!
>"You are. The best friend ever."
>Tear up slightly. "...fuck I'm gonna miss you, Buddy."

>>3239971
>"You are. The best friend ever."

>>3239971
>"You are. The best friend ever."
>Tear up slightly. "...fuck I'm gonna miss you, Buddy."

"You are... the best friend ever." Your eyes start tearing up as you look your friend in the face, wearing a dumb, sappy expression. "...fuck. I'm really gonna miss you, man."

The man just laughs heartily, his smile as warm and inviting as ever. "I'll miss you too. Now take your money and get the hell out of here, before I change my mind."

Laughing and getting up, you nod and make your way towards the door with Mischa. It's obvious that at least a few other people are all teary eyed like you are, and you give Buddy one last wave before stepping out of the door, turning to Mischa. "Alright. Alright, I'll meet you at the docks. I just need a little time to pack everything up and say goodbye to home."

"Speaking of which, does your ship have an empty space for a laboratory? ...eh, I'll find space either way. See you soon!" With that, you rush off toward home, finally allowing yourself to get really excited about all this. After all, when you woke up today, you couldn't have possibly imagined that you'd be here. Really, you'd had no real plan for how you were going to leave eventually, besides just saving up and buying a small boat. And suddenly a girl waltzes into your life, offers you a spot on her boat, and encourages you to dive right into your dumb dreams? How crazy can the world get? At this rate, next thing you know you're going to be sailing in the clouds or fighting giant lizards.

As you reach your front door, you notice tears forming in your eyes again, and wipe them away. Today's the day, you're gonna make Mom proud. As you step inside, you take stock of everything you need to take with you.

>Thank god I live a pretty spartan lifestyle. Most of what I own is part of the lab.
>There's a lot... god, this will take a while.
>Well... hopefully she won't mind if I end up showing up at about midnight. After all, I need all of this stuff. Yes, even the old newspapers! They're important memorabilia!

>>3239980
>Thank god I live a pretty spartan lifestyle. Most of what I own is part of the lab.

>>3239980
>Thank god I live a pretty spartan lifestyle. Most of what I own is part of the lab.

>>3239980
>Thank god I live a pretty spartan lifestyle. Most of what I own is part of the lab.
This is pretty good so far

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By the time you finish up, well... your bags are still pretty damn full. But hey, moving a whole lab without breaking any part of it isn't an easy task! Not to mention the dangers of if you spilled some of the vials you have stowed away right now...

Regardless, you got the task done in just a few short hours. And with that finished, all that's left are personal effects. Obviously the few things you do need are fairly limited. Combat items and such, and of course your stash of money. With all of it together, including what Buddy gave you, you have a total of ฿17,342,225.

Before you leave, however, you remember something. You very nearly forgot, the last thing your mother gave you when she said your training was finished. As you lift up the glass case surrounding the thing, it sparkles in the light. You're not really sure what makes it so special, but your mother insisted that this whetstone was one of the finest in the world. You've never really had to use it in the past, as your mother's blade has remained sharp through all these years, but... maybe that's why? This whetstone is so good that you only need to use it once?

Regardless, you're not here to reminisce, as nice as that would be. You quickly slide it into a silk pouch and stuff it into a bag, rushing out the door of your now almost empty home. Your bags are pretty stuffed, but they manage to stay together all the way to the docks. It's there that you find your new companion waiting for you, standing in front of a sloop and looking around until she spots you.

"Hey, sword guy! I made space for that lavatory thing you wanted! Now come on, let's get going!"

You wave back at her and make your way up onto the ship, tossing your bags down into the hold for the moment, as Mischa asks you a question. "So, you said all this stuff about Stepping Stones, but where are we gonna go next? Got any idea?"

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"Well, I was thinking..."

>Centaurea. A somewhat prosperous kingdom to the north. Things have been calm there for quite a while, but rumor has it that revolutionaries have begun a war against the nation, and the World Government is having trouble keeping that fact a secret. Just rumors though, of course.
>Golden Mountain. To the east, a shimmering, shining pile of rock juts out of the water. The whole thing, from top to bottom, is made entirely of fool's gold, causing it to glitter and shine in the light, pulling in travelers. Despite the mundane nature of the rock it's made of, rumors still spread quite often about how at the center of the mountain, or at the peak, or somewhere else, there's a giant hoard of treasure to be found. And obviously, treasure attracts pirates...
>Ilha Arena. Off to the southeast lies one of the most tenuous kingdoms in all of the South Blue. Frankly, it's hardly a kingdom at all. The place is really just a big rock with hardly anything on it, that just happens to be owned by some rich and powerful people, so they call it a Kingdom. In reality, the only reason anyone is still there, however, is for the Ilha Arena. On the northern side of the island, at the top of a rocky precipice over the ocean, lies a colloseum, in which sporting events are regularly held. That includes, of course, gladitorial combat. And often, pirates and other neerdowells will opt to join in on the events...

>>3240026
>Ilha Arena. Off to the southeast lies one of the most tenuous kingdoms in all of the South Blue. Frankly, it's hardly a kingdom at all. The place is really just a big rock with hardly anything on it, that just happens to be owned by some rich and powerful people, so they call it a Kingdom. In reality, the only reason anyone is still there, however, is for the Ilha Arena. On the northern side of the island, at the top of a rocky precipice over the ocean, lies a colloseum, in which sporting events are regularly held. That includes, of course, gladitorial combat. And often, pirates and other neerdowells will opt to join in on the events..

>>3240026
Three options. Just the right amount to start off with. Now the sandbox is opening up a little.

Centaurea sounds interesting, the conflict could make for a cool story to get involved in. Fight some bad guys, help some people. Our own Alabasta.

Golden Mountain seems to be an opportunity for treasure and making money.

Ilha Arena sounds like a place to test our combat capabilities and find other people who could be useful additions to the crew.

That being said, my vote's going for Centaurea. Any one of these places will most likely give us a chance to recruit people, and the best friendships are forged in fire.

As for crewmates, there are four positions we need as soon as possible:

Navigator - For travelling between islands, and vital to survival on the Grand Line.
Cook - We need to eat and keep our strength up.
Doctor - Somebody to patch us up between fights.
Shipwright - The ship will need to be maintained, or we'll find ourselves swapping vessels in a hurry.

>>3240026
>Golden Mountain. To the east, a shimmering, shining pile of rock juts out of the water. The whole thing, from top to bottom, is made entirely of fool's gold, causing it to glitter and shine in the light, pulling in travelers. Despite the mundane nature of the rock it's made of, rumors still spread quite often about how at the center of the mountain, or at the peak, or somewhere else, there's a giant hoard of treasure to be found. And obviously, treasure attracts pirates...
Sounds interesting, I'd love to see a golden island like that
>>3240030
Right that technically makes us First Mate, neat

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And with that, I'm afraid I think this is the end of this session. I'm kinda reaching the point where being tired is making it hard to write, so I think I ought to get some sleep now.

I'll probably be back to continue this... maybe tomorrow? But probably not. More likely the next day. We'll see though! Feel free to vote on this choice in the meantime, I'm eager to see what ends up getting picked.

I'll stick around for a little while to listen to anything people have to say, but for the time being the quest itself is on hold. Let me know if you have any questions or want to tell me anything. Especially advice. That would be appreciated.

>>3240038
You're doing good so far QM. I will say that since you seem to running in that sweet spot between many anons going to bed and anons getting up in the morning, don't get too discouraged whrn it feels like the playerbase falls a bit midway through.

>>3240042
Thanks! I'm probably going to be running at earlier hours from now on, to be honest. Sorry if that keeps anyone who played today from joining in next time.

To be honest I only started at the time I did because I'm a lot better at making impulsive decisions at night. So it was almost midnight when I decided to go through with it and just post the thread. Hence, late night questing.

>>3240026
>Golden Mountain. To the east, a shimmering, shining pile of rock juts out of the water. The whole thing, from top to bottom, is made entirely of fool's gold, causing it to glitter and shine in the light, pulling in travelers. Despite the mundane nature of the rock it's made of, rumors still spread quite often about how at the center of the mountain, or at the peak, or somewhere else, there's a giant hoard of treasure to be found. And obviously, treasure attracts pirates...

I like the cut of your jib, OP. Will keep an eye out for updates.

>>3239646
>one peace quest
>first quest
>well done
I hope it lasts but I know OP will die

>>3239732
little do any of YOU know he's thinking of running again! I heard from him personally.

>>3240252
I seen him talking on Twitter about it but that was a month or two ago

>>3240026
>Ilha Arena. Off to the southeast lies one of the most tenuous kingdoms in all of the South Blue. Frankly, it's hardly a kingdom at all. The place is really just a big rock with hardly anything on it, that just happens to be owned by some rich and powerful people, so they call it a Kingdom. In reality, the only reason anyone is still there, however, is for the Ilha Arena. On the northern side of the island, at the top of a rocky precipice over the ocean, lies a colloseum, in which sporting events are regularly held. That includes, of course, gladitorial combat. And often, pirates and other neerdowells will opt to join in on the events...

Probably the best option to bring on new crew members.

>>3240308
+1

>One Piece quest
Well boys, these next 2-4 threads will be good fun.

Oda has been a real fucking hack lately, anyone else caught up?

>>3240412
Eeh, I tried to get back into One Piece but I stopped early into the samurai land arc

>>3240467
Was it the time travel?

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>>3240473
>Time trave
EXCUSE ME WHAT
I didn't get that far and it's good I didn't - I dislike time travel as a plot device in any measure!

>>3240513
Yeah, Momonosuke, Kine'emon etc. are time travelers.

>>3239794
what mangs is taht from

>>3240794
Kingdom.

Ehh, I'm honestly not really feeling the alchemist swordsman thing, but this seems interesting enough.

>>3241204
Well with our lab and sword we come off like the trick/tech guy right? Think of all the cool shit we can do. Fog covers, expslosives, poisons, tonics to keep us going in emergencies. We could go chomper route and make tonics/pills that give us temp strength/speed/stamina buffs mid combat. We have a bag of tricks we can play with.

>>3240524
>>3240513
In their defense it's not THEM but rather Mononosuke's mother who sent them forward in time with the Toki Toki fruit. Because yes there is a fucking time fruit out there and no for some reason it's not the most sought after fruit in the entire world.

>>3241442
To be fair, how useful is exclusive forward time travel? And who's to say nobody else has eaten it in the twenty years since.

Also, I'd appreciate if in threads for this quest everyone kept any spoilers in spoiler tags. At least, anything post-Dressrosa or so.

>>3241452
Big Mom has amnesia.

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>>3241452
your mom is a spoiler

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Session two of OP Headhunter quest starts in like... a half hour or something.

>>3241765
Session 2 of at most ten desu.

>>3241805
Fuck off

>>3241765
Cool beans

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNi5bO2KQUU

"Well, I was thinking... ever heard of Ilha Arena?"

A grin overtakes Mischa's face as you mention the place, and she starts bouncing with excitement. "Do you know how to get in?! The last time I went there they told me I wasn't allowed to compete. Ooh, have you fought there before? Is that why you're a swordsman, you fight in the arena all the time? And are you gonna--"

Holding up your finger again, you get the feeling this is going to be a pattern. "How about this. We start sailing the ship, and while we do that I give you a basic run down on Ilha Arena?"

"Deal!" She grabs your hand without you even extending it, vigorously shaking it and then rushing off to untie the ship. While she does that, you take the liberty of going into the hold and starting to set up the important parts of your lab. By the time you finish and come back to the top deck, the ship is already moving, Mischa swinging around on the rigging while she unfurls the sails.

You join in with her in getting the ship ready for sailing, starting to explain your destination while the two of you work. You explain that it's only about a day away from where you are, and that you'll be sailing to the east. You're not exactly a navigator, but the ship has a compass and you know vaguely how to get where you want to go.

While you leave out the curious political situation of the Dutz Kingdom and its King who owns the island Ilha lies on, you do explain the city of Ilha itself in some detail. You've only been there a few times, and have never gone to participate in the arena yourself, you are aware that the city is functionally run by the owner of the Ilha Arena. The owner is a man who goes by the name "Mister Ekel." As far as you're aware, his personal identity isn't public knowledge, but there's not enough suspicion of him for the World Government to do an investigatio into the matter.

As for the Arena itself, it holds events on nearly every day of the week, though gladitorial battles aren't the only kind of event they run. There are plenty of plain sporting events, as well as plays and other entertainment. Those really are just there to fill time, however. All of the money is made through bloody battles on which millions of berries are regularly bet. Most of these battles are between hardened warriors of the colleseum, but they do have regular events where the average man is invited to join in and do battle with their veteran fighters. Unfortunately, the next one of those won't be for several days, so you'll probably end up having to wait a while once you're there if you want to join the fun.

(Cont.)

While you're explaining everything to her, you do think to ask an important question. "Mischa? We're probably going to be looking for another crewmember here. What sort of person do you think we should look out for?"

She gets thoughtful at the question, but she ultimately gives you a shrug. "I dunno. I mean, I'm not the guy with the big plans, I don't really know what our crew needs. I guess somebody really strong? What do you think?"

>You agree. You need someone strong, you two can't reach the heights you want without more muscle.
>You think the crew needs a navigator. Your skills alone are alright, but you're not about to get very far being lead around by an amateur.
>You think the crew needs a cook. Nutrition is the most important thing when you want to do battle regularly, and neither of you really know how to cook, as far as you know.
>You think the crew needs a doctor. Medical aid is going to be absolutely vital if you're getting into a bunch of fights.
>You think the crew needs a shipwright. How else are you going to keep your ship from falling apart?
>You don't really know either. Maybe you'll just take the first person who seems promising?

>>3241891
>You think the crew needs a navigator. Your skills alone are alright, but you're not about to get very far being lead around by an amateur.
Since we're legit, the others aren't particularly important.

>>3241891
>You think the crew needs a navigator. Your skills alone are alright, but you're not about to get very far being lead around by an amateur.
It's kind of the most important part, unless you want to get lost in world encompassing ocean.
>Inb4 we perfectly mirror the strawhats in new crew members

>>3241891
We should probably try to get a Navigator than a Doctor this place is probably a good bet on a Doctor though i don't see a reason why a navigator would be here

>>3241891
>You think the crew needs a navigator. Your skills alone are alright, but you're not about to get very far being lead around by an amateur.

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You put some thought into it, but to you the answer is pretty obvious. "Yeah... we need a navigator. At best, I'm capable of sailing us around. But I have no idea how to read the stars or anything like that." She nods at that, looking around at the open ocean all around you.

"I can totally see that. I mean, I've mostly been wandering around and just running into islands at random. I still think we could use some more strong people in our crew though. Like... man, if we could get somebody with a Devil Fruit power that'd be sick!"

Much to her confusion, this response elicits a snicker from you, and you give her an incredulous look. "You believe in those Devil Fruit fairytales? I mean, they're just a myth, Mischa."

"Wha? Fairytales? Val, are you telling me you've never met anyone who ate a Devil Fruit?!"

"Nnnnnno?" Well, now you're the one with the confused expression. "Are... are you implying that you have?"

"Sure! My village used to get attacked all the time by losers who thought that being part lion or having nine arms made them hot shit. Most of them were pushovers, really. My dad beat up a whole ton of them, and I even got to take care of some of them when they bothered people in town."

"What do you--"

"Oh! I should proooobably let you know. I grew up on the Grand Line."

>Gawk at her in confusion and shock.
>Shake your head and look down. She must be lying for attention.
>"...fair enough."

>>3241968
>My dad
So she has a dead father huh.

(Can we write in for this?)
>Ask her what she's doing in the South Blue.

If not then
>Gawk at her in confusion and shock.

>>3241968
>"...fair enough."
>what was it like?

>>3241973
>dead father
Big assumption there.

Write-ins are completely allowed whenever you want. I'll specify if write-ins ever aren't allowed.

>>3241968
>Gawk at her in confusion and shock.

>>3241982
>Big assumption there.
Well, it's One Piece. You don't mention your parents if they're alive. Unless she's a Charlotte.

>>3241968
>"...fair enough."
>what was it like?

"...fair enough. I feel like that explains a lot. So what was it like?", you ask, surprisingly calm in the face of such sudden culture shock.

"What was what like?"

"Living on the Grand Line. Isn't it supposed to be the most dangerous place in the world?"

"Huh? Oh, nah. I lived in Paradise, man. The worst we usually got were upstarts who thought that we were free game just because our island didn't have a Marine base. Otherwise its kinda like living anywhere else, as far as I can tell."

"Riiiight. Crazy world, I guess. Well, I'll stop asking dumb questions now. I can tell this stuff is a little bit above my pay grade at the moment. Let's just get back to sailing."

"Okey-doke!"

Over the next few days, your suspicions about needing a navigator are very confirmed. As far as you're aware, the trip between the Briss Kingdom and Ilha is only supposed to take a day. Instead, the two of you are wandering around in the ocean for five whole days trying to find the island, and once you finally do, you're on the exact opposite side from where you need to be. So the two of you spend another half-day sailing all the way around it. By the time you see a port off in the distance, the two of you are practically starving.

As you near the shore, you watch as Mischa jumps something like sixty feet from your ship to the dock, and immediately sprints off to find whatever food she can get her hands on.

>Sail the ship in and tie it up as quickly as you can to chase after her.
>Sail the ship in and tie it up as quickly as you can to go get food.
>Roll your eyes and take your time securing the ship.

>>3242078
>Roll your eyes and take your time securing the ship.
I forget, is North Blue the worst, or is it West Blue?

>>3242078
>Roll your eyes and take your time securing the ship.

>>3242082
I genuinely can't remember, were any of them stated to be the worst? I know the East Blue is the weakest ocean, but I can't remember any of the others being specified as super awful.

>>3242078
>Roll your eyes and take your time securing the ship.

>>3242090
East Blue is the weakest, but one of the Blues is stated to be particularly bad.

I feel like it's West because that sea is ruled by crime families. But it could also be North because the Germa are from there.

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You roll your eyes and finish sailing the ship in. How in the world did that girl manage to survive out here for so long all alone? Only once the ship is properly secured so it won't float away or slam into the docks do you follow after your friend, wondering just where she went. Thankfully, the villagers around here are more than happy to point you in the direction of the rowdy girl sprinting down the road, and eventually you make your way to a restaurant in the middle of town. Some place going by the name "Ilha Spago." As you enter, you hear the telltale sound of Mischa slamming her hands on the table she's seated at, obviously impatient.

Normally, you might scold her, but right now you're just as hungry. So you make your way inside and sit down in the spot across from her, looking around the place. "I assume you ordered food for me too?"

Her eyes widen as you ask the question, and she looks away shamefully. "Uh. ...you can have one of the plates of spaghetti I ordered? ...also you've gotta pay."

"...what am I gonna do with you?", you chuckle, rolling your eyes again.

While you wait for the food she ordered to show up, you notice a few figures sitting in places around you. Most of them seem to be giving you strange looks, although you're not really sure why. There's a small family all dressed up in fancy clothing, as well as a pair of burly guys eating together, and a few unremarkable villagers otherwise. Aside from them, the only other patron is a kid who looks a bit older than Mischa sitting in the spot right behind her, wearing a hat that looks like he just dropped a couch cushion on his head and left it there.

(Cont.)

>>3242078
>Roll your eyes and take your time securing the ship.
We're gonna be her straight man from here on aren't we?

>>3242163
How could you tell?

>>3242164
Oh yeah, quick question but are her body proportions disgusting?

>>3242192
No, I'm afraid I won't be continuing the One Piece tradition of giving every single girl the same exact body shape, with the exception of extremely obese characters.

>>3242192
She's underage, dude.

>>3242203
She's 16, that's old enough to have E-cups and a 10 inch waist in One Piece.

>>3242200
Obese characters and children.

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Waiting for your food does give you a chance to examine the other patrons more closely. The family don't seem to be anyone special. Probably a merchant and his kids and wife coming out for something like a fancy dinner, despite this place looking less like a fancy restaurant and more like a cheap diner pretending to be fancy. The two burly guys are having a conversation about the arena, leading to the conclusion that they're regular players in at least one of it's events. And the kid with the hat sitting behind Mischa is... having a conversation with nobody?

You can't see his face from this angle, behind his unkempt, dark brown hair. But it's pretty obvious that he's talking to someone. There's just... nobody else there. All he's doing is sitting down with a plate of spaghetti and a book, and having a hushed conversation with the open air. Something about how he "really shouldn't go over there" and "did you see the way she slammed that door open? I'm pretty sure she almost knocked it off the hinges!" Aside from that, you catch the name "Fleur" somewhere in there.

>Get up and ask the kid who he's talking with, and why he's talking about your friend.
>Get up and tell the kid that if he has a problem with you, you can both take it outside.
>Ignore him. He's probably just crazy.

>>3242211
>>Get up and ask the kid who he's talking with, and why he's talking about your friend.

>>3242211
>Ignore him. He's probably just crazy.

>>3242211
>>Get up and ask the kid who he's talking with, and why he's talking about your friend.

>>3242232
+1

We should go talk to the two guys talking about the arena

>>3242211
>Get up and ask the kid who he's talking with, and why he's talking about your friend.

You get out of your seat with a sigh, getting a confused look from Mischa before she shrugs it off and goes back to impatiently waiting for food. Obviously she wasn't listening to the voice just a few feet behind her. Regardless, you approach the kid and sit down across from him, looking him in the eyes.

Now you can get a proper look at his very obviously startled face. While he recovers from suddenly choking on his spaghetti, you watch him push the glasses back onto his face, his bright blue eyes shining as much as the gold trim on the purple suit he's wearing. It's pretty obvious from here that he's not the kind of person who would go out of his way to antagonize dangerous people.

"Kid. Why are you talking about my friend there? And who exactly are you talking to, you're the only one here."

He chokes up for a moment before glancing back down at his book and speaking up. "U-uhm. I-it's just Fleur, and-- and I didn't mean anything bad! You... you're just... scary is all."

"Not that I mean anything bad by that!!", he suddenly blurts out a few moments later, fumbling over his words, "I just mean like... well..."

"Listen, kid. Do you need anything from us or not? We're absolutely starving, so we'd like to get to our meal."

He stares at his book for quite a while, possibly just trying to hide his face from you, before he speaks up again. "Okay, um... My name is Trace. You're... new in town, right? If you need someone to help you find your way, like... like a guide... I could do that for you. If you want..."

>Tell him you don't need a guide, you can find your way around on your own.
>Let him know that you actually could use a guide, neither of you know this town.
>Ask why he would offer that. What is he looking to get out of you?

>>3242318
>Ask why he would offer that. What is he looking to get out of you?

>>3242318
>Tell him you don't need a guide, you can find your way around on your own.

>>3242318
>Ask why he would offer that. What is he looking to get out of you?

Come on kid, spill.

"Uh huh, right. You're gonna show us around, help us get places, tell us how to get into whatever business we have here. And what, praytell, are we going to be doing for you in exchange?" You ask him, your voice dripping with cynicism.

"Well... you two are strong, and... and it seems like you're both here for some reason. Also... Fleur says she thinks you two can do it..." He swallows as he speaks, refusing to make any eye contact with you. Obviously something is suspicious here, and as soon as he's done speaking he buries his face in the book again and starts muttering.

This leaves you dumbfounded for a short while. You don't really know how to respond to the vague stuff he's saying, so you wait for him to clarify. After an unusually long time, he takes a deep breath and looks up from the pages of his book. When he looks at you now though, it's like he's picked up all the spaghetti that's been spilling out of his pockets since you showed up.

https://youtu.be/IWi_giKPB84

Now, you can see an intensity in his eyes, and in the most serious voice he can manage, he tells you, "I want you two to fight in the arena. And I want you to win."

>Sure, you were planning on doing that anyways. Why not?
>You'd rather not be at the beck and call of some kid. No deal.
>"Okay... but why?"

>>3242375
Okay but why

>>3242375
>"Okay... but why?"

>>3242375
>Sure, you were planning on doing that anyways. Why not?
>Ask him who Fleur is.

>>3242375
>>Sure, you were planning on doing that anyways. Why not?

>...but why?"

File: Lotsa Spaghetti.jpg (294 KB, 1600x800)

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"...yeah, okay." You respond, nodding at him. "First, I need to ask, why--"

Before you can finish your sentence, a familiar voice pipes up from behind Trace, talking through a mouthful of food. "Yeah, shure! We can beat up shome dudesh for ya, kid!"

You're about to roll your eyes again as Mischa starts carting plate after plate of food over to the table you're sitting at, but you consider the very real possibility that one of these times you'll roll your eyes so hard they'll fall out of your head.

"As I was saying. Why exactly do you want us to win in the arena? Are you just hoping to bet on us and make a quick buck, or what?"

"Oh, uh... no, nothing like that. It's... a lot more complicated than that."

He starts speaking in a hushed tone, glancing nervously around the room. "I... can't really talk about it in public. We're not supposed to let outsiders know..."

"Then where can ya tell us, kid?", your friend asks, without a hint of subtlety. "Got a secret hideout or somethin?"

"Er... yes. Something." He answers, his face turning red. "Also... why are you calling me kid, Miss Kumadori? You're clearly younger than I am."

"Alright. How about we finish eating here and then you can take us to your hideout. Also..."

>Write-in any questions you have.

>>3242428
>Who's Fleur?

>>3242432
+1
what's in it for us

>>3242432
>>3242484
support

"First off, I need to know. What's in it for us, agreeing to do this for you?", you ask pointedly.

Before he responds, Mischa butts in, folding her arms at you. "Come on, Val! We were already gonna do it anyways! You don't gotta rake him over the coals, we can just do him a favor."

"I um... I can also assure you that it will be worth your while.", he mumbles, that earlier confidence having seemingly drained from him again. "You're a bounty hunter, and there's someone you could turn in here..."

"I see. Well--", you start to say before being interrupted once again. This time, it's by your grumbling stomach, begging you to start shoveling food into your mouth. And frankly, now that you remember just how hungry you are, you don't have time to finish what you're saying before your body grabs a fork and goes for it.

While you and Mischa dig into your food, Trace stands back up, placing his book into a leather holster on his hip which fits it perfectly. He lets you know that he'll be waiting for you outside and leaves the room. Between the two of you not much conversation happens, your mouths being too busy with the huge piles of pasta sitting in front of you. When you finish, the plates in front of you have been practically licked clean (Literally, in the case of Mischa's fettuccine alfredo). And without hesitation, Mischa stands up and leaves. Leaving you to pay the bill...

After a short argument with a manager on what is and isn't a fair tip on a meal that cost you more than ten thousand berries, you step out of the building and find Trace standing in front of Mischa, white-faced in the middle of a conversation on how the two of you ate all that food so quickly. It's then that you remember what you were going to ask earlier.

"Trace? You kept mentioning someone named Fleur. Who exactly is that? Is it... whoever you were talking to before I stepped in? Do you have an imaginary friend or..."

He pauses for a moment, seeming confused by the question, before his eyes light up and he suddenly grabs his book out of the holster, it's cover not having any text, but emblazoned with a very intricate image of an hourglass. "I can't believe I didn't tell you! She gets mad at me so often for doing this, I just forget that nobody else knows!"

He smiles and holds the book up to you, telling you, "This is Fleur!" without a hint of embarrassment or shame in his eyes.

>What?
>Huh?
>Eh?
>Wha?
>Oh, you are crazy!

>>3242565
>....I think i'm missing some context here

>>3242565
Backing >>3242570

>>3242565
fuck it.

"Ah of course, good to meet you miss Fleur. Trace care to Introduce me properly to her? How did you two meet?"

Fight crazy with crazy.

>>3242565
>....I think i'm missing some context here

>>3242565
"Do you need to see a doctor ooor what?"

>>3242572
Is it bad when you really want a specific write-in to win while you're the QM?

>>3242584
Yes. No

"...I think I'm missing some context here." You give him a confused expression, hoping he'll explain this in a way that will make perfect sense and not be crazy at all.

Your hopes are shattered as he responds, "I don't think so. Fleur is the book! She can talk to people. Although usually she just talks to me. She doesn't really like most people."

The worst part is what comes next. While your brain is desperately trying to process this without jumping to the conclusion that Trace is just crazy, Mischa jumps in and says, "That's pretty cool! Nice to meetcha, Fleur. She can hear me, right?"

Trace nods, smiling at Mischa and opening up the book. "Yeah. If she likes you, she'll talk to you, just look here."

A few moments pass, and Mischa pipes up again, talking to the book now. "Haha, really? You're the one who told Trace to ask for our help? Cool!"

>"What."
>"Oh, fuck, you're both crazy."
>Write-in

>>3242598
That's it I'm going back to the ship

>>3242598
>Eh I've heard of weirder shit. Nice to meet you Fleur!

I'm heading to bed Op don't do anything stupid you guys

Rolled 1 (1d1)

>>3242652
roll to seduce

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>3242609
>>3242615
Rolling to choose between these two.

>>3242652
Sleep tite.

Not sure if I’m just retarded, but at some point you mentioned this takes place before Marineford, but potentially only months after Crocodile was defeated. You also know Luffy, Kid, and Bonney, which all have DF. Unless in your story none of these 4 people have a DF, how does our MC not know about DF?

>>3242664
What we know we assume are somewhat rumors. Less, “Crocodile was defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates using their Devil Fruits.”, and more, “I *heard* that that Crocodile guy from way over there got dumped on by these Straw Hat Pirate folks.” I don’t think we know that Devil Fruits were involved, and assume that our character assumes news can get exaggerated the longer it has to travel.

>>3242672
Of course this isn’t all conjecture based on what I *think* is true

>>3242664
Being aware of the fact that there are powerful pirates out there doesn't mean that you're aware of why they're so powerful. Only people who've had a direct confrontation with those pirates and not died would know that they could do magical stuff, and even then they wouldn't know that it's caused by a Devil Fruit. In the world you're playing in, Devil Fruits are just so uncommon outside of the Grand Line that most people consider them to be just another myth, like the One Piece.

>>3242678
>>3242672
Alright I see, makes more sense. I think what gets me most is how Kid is from South Blue, and he, if I recall correctly, would kill people for fun or something. I’m positive if this mad man was killing people with a fruit, especially in the same region you’re from, you’d hear that news. Moreover, you’re a bounty hunter, shouldn’t Kid have a bounty by now if Bonney has one? And surely if he has a bounty and kills/hurts people, he would be on your radar as a target. If that were the case, the MC should know about his DF, and even if he believes the news is exaggerated, how can one even believe anything besides DF are real after hearing about Kid’s DF especially.

Of course this is your story OP please continue as you see fit. I am enjoying it a lot. Just comparing it to canon One Piece doesn’t add up to me. Of course this isn’t canon it’s no big deal. I wasn’t just curious is all.

>>3242687
No problem. I'm going to try and minimize discussion like this, but I feel like it's only right that you know what your character knows.

As far as you're concerned, with the information you've received, Eustass Kid definitely does have some kind of weird magical powers. Nobody really has a solid explanation for them, besides crackpot stuff like "Devil Fruits" and "Superhuman Mutations." Also some people think he's secretly a fishman. But most importantly, for the time being, he really isn't a target for you. Not because you wouldn't want to see him dead, but because reports say he's gone into the Grand Line.

File: ilha public library.jpg (774 KB, 2318x1565)

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While trying to process the event taking place in front of you, you realize something. You just met someone who confirmed for you the existence of Devil Fruits. The best way of getting into the grand like is, from what you hear, to take a river which flows up a mountain. One of the most powerful people in the world is called "Big Mom." There are definitely more strange things out in the world than a talking book.

"Uh. Nice to meet you, Fleur.", you mumble out, trying to ignore the fact that you're talking to a book. "...enough about the book though. Let's get going to that hideout."

https://youtu.be/Oun0owBiepY

Trace gives you a nod and puts Fleur back away, starting to walk down the street with the two of you in tow. As you walk through the town, you realize that this place is a lot bigger than you ever imagined. Ilha is a town so bustling with life and energy that it rivals even Blissdor, the capital of the Briss Kingdom. And as far as you're aware, apparently the only reason for it is because of the one little arena. Otherwise, the island Ilha rests on has almost no other natural resources. Somehow this one building manages to pull in so many people and so much money that the town around it has become huge.

Before long, Trace leads the two of you into a squat building with a small sign on the front reading "Ilha Public Library." Inside, you find a quiet space absolutely packed with bookshelves. It isn't exactly some kind of grand library, and the building seems rather underfunded, just judging by upkeep, but it does have plenty of books inside. You see a short man with a long, curly beard standing at the front desk, but he doesn't seem to pay you any mind, seeing that you're coming in with Trace.

Trace leads you along through the maze of bookshelves like it's second nature to him, and eventually he swings open a door and leads you into a small room with a bed, some seats, and piles of books all over. "Welcome to my place. Please, take a seat. I really want to tell you everything. You both seem especially nice now that I've met you. Especially you, Miss Kumadori."

>"Alright. Let's get down to brass tacks."
>"Actually, first I have something to ask you about." (Write-in questions)

>>3242705
>"Alright. Let's get down to brass tacks."

>>3242705
>"Alright. Let's get down to brass tacks."

>>3242705
>"Alright. Let's get down to brass tacks."

"Okay. Time to get down to brass tacks, kid." You take a seat and give Trace a serious look. "You seemed serious back at that restaurant. Why? What exactly is going on here?"

The kid takes a deep breath and collects his thoughts before speaking, giving you that same determined look from before. "Okay. Keep in mind, this isn't something you're supposed to know. If anyone found out I'm telling you this, it could mean the end for me."

File: shackles.jpg (155 KB, 1060x900)

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https://youtu.be/iC9rXTkAxTY

"Ilha isn't the happy, prosperous city you see when you walk down the streets. You're a bounty hunter, so I'm going to assume you have at least a cursory understanding of how the underworld functions. Most people who come here are lead to believe that Ilha's main export is entertainment. That all of the money flowing through here is a result of spectators coming to the arena. Obviously, that's not remotely true. We're at the center of the underworld in the South Blue."

"This city's real export is people. Human beings. The arena is more than just a stage made to entertain the public. All of the entertainment is there as an excuse. A smokescreen to keep anyone from looking this direction and realizing how shady things are around here. The reason anyone truly rich and powerful comes here isn't to watch some people beat each other over the head with sticks. It's because they all want their own slave."

Trace spits on the floor just mentioning it, a vitriol in his eyes which is nearly palpable in the room. He takes a moment to breathe, calming himself down.

"Every so often, a citizen will disappear in the middle of the night. Occasionally, it's in the middle of the day. Every time though, it's the city guard taking them to the arena. And when you're taken to the arena, you're there to end up as the next day's entertainment. In front of a cheering crowd, you're pushed out to fight with one of their veteran gladiators. If you win the fight with them, you're pushed out to fight another one. Over and over again, until you lose a bout. When you lose, you're chained up and auctioned off, and they use your winning streak as a selling point, so they can make more money off of you. It's all a scheme to turn people into profit."

"The citizens of this city are captives in their own homes. We're given happy, healthy lives in a thriving, beautiful town up until it's decided that another sacrifice is needed to line some pockets. It's absolutely disgusting."

"Nobody here is even allowed to leave. Citizens of Ilha are all kept here for life, that's the unspoken rule nobody here will ever tell you. If anybody gets caught trying to leave, they're sent to the arena, along with anyone remotely involved in their attempted escape. If anybody goes missing, everyone who they lived with and everyone they associated with are assumed conspirators, and are either executed or sent to the arena. Everyone involved in any attempt to escape this hell just become another victim of it."

"Ilha is the furthest thing you can imagine from a free city, Mister Pierce. We're all just chattel, here to make a profit for the sake of the ones running the show. That's why I want your help. Ilha needs someone who can stand up and tell the people running this place no. Then maybe I'll be able to go live the life I want to live..."

>Nod solemnly, and ask what he needs you to do.
>Tell him that you're sorry, but you can't get wrapped up in this.
>Write-in

>>3242794
Nod solemnly

>>3242794
>Your tattoo B͔͙̬̩̼͙̤̄̀̑̉͆͘͢͡͡Ư͕̪͎̦̗̞͇̏̋̒̂̆͑͛͌͢R͉͕̦͎̟̺̝̐́́̑́̂̈͘̚Ņ̜̮̻̟͚̠̟̔̈̋̐̓͂͜S̴̢̧̡̛̜̺̞͚̗̺̃͒̒̚͞ on your Back

>>3242794
>Nod solemnly, and ask what he needs you to do.

>>3242897
Oh if I wasn't clear this implies we're an escaped slave and we're gonna help him with all our Power

>>3242794
>Nod solemnly, and ask what he needs you to do

>>3242794
>Nod solemnly, and ask what he needs you to do.

File: Preview.png (268 KB, 862x821)

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OP Headhunter quest will resume in about an hour.

>>3243835
What a manlet.

https://youtu.be/iC9rXTkAxTY

You give the kid a brief, solemn nod. A part of you wishes you couldn't believe this story. That a city of people being used and abused for someone's profit was so unbelievable that Trace has to be lying. But you're well aware that this happens everywhere. All over the globe, horrible people are out there exploiting the innocent, whether it's by enslaving them, making them pay protection money, or outright robbing them. Whatever the method, exploitation is everywhere, and nearly every time there's a pirate at the center.

"Okay, Trace. We're in. What do you need us to do? How do we fix this?", you ask, glancing over and noticing that Mischa's fists are clenched and she looks like she's about to punch a hole in the wall.

Trace pulls out the book again, setting it down on his nightstand and opening it up. "Me and Fleur have been thinking about this for a long time. The two of us have been wanting to take care of it ourselves for a long time, but neither of us really had a solution that didn't involve someone like you showing up. But now that you have..."

As Trace trails off, you see something that makes a lot of sense of what happened outside that restaurant. Right before your eyes, words start forming on the empty pages of the book, speaking to you directly. "Valerio Pierce. Mischa Kumadori. Thank you both for your assistance. The only way I believe this city can be saved is by ending the life of the man at the center of it all. You might know him by his alias, Mister Ekel. His real name is Capone Dario. I hope that helps you to understand the gravity of this situation."

File: Five_Families_of_the_West.png (305 KB, 420x475)

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The words "Capone Dario" hit you like a truck as you read them. Mischa doesn't seem to understand, but you do. Capone Dario is a man that the Marines have been hunting for decades now. Back about fourty years ago, he was a young member of one of the Five Families of the West. As an upstart, he managed to tear his way through the ranks, nearing the top of his family at only thirty years old. Before anyone knew it, Dario had pulled himself into a position of immense power, and his next steps were all a part of an attempt to unite the Five Families into one single organization. One which could severely threaten the balance of power across every sea.

Unsurprisingly, this pushed the Marines to act. They very swiftly started using their influence, getting their own agents into position to do something about the upstart Mafia Don. It took several years, but just as they had him cornered... he slipped out of their fingers. The man showed up a few other times in the following years, leading to the Marines scrambling to try and catch him, but each time he got away. Until the one time he was finally caught. Unfortunately, this last time seemed to be intentional. As if he was flexing his muscles, just to show the Marines how powerful he was, he let himself be escorted all the way onto a marine Battleship. Once there, he somehow managed to turn the ship's crew against itself. This caused an absolute bloodbath, with one of the largest death totals outside of the Grand Line, and it let Dario escape with a ship that could travel not just through a regular sea, but through a calm belt, granting him free travel throughout the world.

Since that day, Capone Dario has disappeared from the world, as though he'd never existed at all. Despite his bounty reaching all the way up to ฿150,000,000, nobody has ever managed to even find a body to deliver to the Marines. And apparently he's been hiding away here the whole time, continuing business in the Underworld right under everyone's noses.

Fleur continues, despite your shock at hearing who you're up against. "If Dario is defeated here, news of the event will spread so swiftly that the Marines will surely catch wind of it. When they learn Dario has been here the whole time, they'll have no choice but to come here and weed out every criminal element in the city. With that, you'll have saved this city, and Trace will be free to leave Ilha and live the life he's always wanted.

"The only way you'll be able to manage that, however, is by getting close to Dario, and there are two methods for doing so. You need to either spend an amount of money neither of us have, or you need to do battle in the arena and become one of his champions. If you make your way into the arena, Valerio, and you defeat the strongest warriors there, Dario will personally offer you a chance to join his enterprise as a Champion of the Arena. That will be your chance to strike."

>You understand. You'll do your best.
>Write-in

>>3244011
>You understand. You'll do your best.
I can't believe we'll only get 113 million from him.

>>3244011
>You understand. You'll do your best.

>>3244011
>You understand. You’ll do your best.
>Put your hand in Mischa’s shoulder and assure her together you’ll save the city
We have to make sure her anger doesn’t get the better of her later and fuck us over

"I understand. We'll do our best, Fleur.", you assure the book, standing up out of your seat. "Let's get going, Mischa. I don't want to let this go on any longer."

Your friend clearly agrees with you, standing up out of her seat with a quiet fury in her eyes that you can practically feel. You gently rest a hand on her shoulder as the two of you walk, trying to be there to help her hold it together. Trace grabs Fleur and quietly follows the two of you, showing you the way out of the maze of bookshelves. As the three of you leave, the bearded man standing at the front counter gives you in specific an intense look, like he knows what this is all about. He remains silent though while you all walk out the door, making your way toward the large collosseum at the cliff's edge.

When you arrive, you're greeted by the sight of a grand entryway, practically taunting you with it's grandiosity. You don't hesitate to make your way inside, following signs in the building which lead you to a "Sign-up Area."

You're greeted by a friendly-faced man wearing a suit and tie, and he waves at the three of you as you approach. "I take it you're all planning on signing up? Just fill out this form, and sign these waivers here..."

A few minutes later, you've finished signing yourself and Mischa up, and the two of you head back to the counter, handing the forms to the man standing there. He gives you a confused look as he reads through them, asking, "Where's your third competitor? Did you not hear? Today we're doing team battles. If you want to fight, you have to fight in a group of three."

Trace's face goes white as the man says this, and he looks at Fleur for just a moment. Taking a deep breath, he looks up and you and tells you, with that determined look in his eyes, "I can fight, Valerio. I'm not as strong as you two, but I can do this. I promise."

>"Alright Trace. We'll sign you up."
>Tell Trace you won't let him fight. You'll come up with another solution.

>>3244171
>"Alright Trace. We'll sign you up."
>"...I need to hand it to you, you're a brave lad, even if you don't look like it."

>>3244171
>"Alright Trace. We'll sign you up."
And when he's gone, the book waifu will be all ours!

>>3244171
>"Alright Trace. We'll sign you up."
>"...I need to hand it to you, you're a brave lad, even if you don't look like it."

File: Banquet.jpg (860 KB, 1000x672)

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"Okay. We'll sign you up, Trace. Just promise me you won't get yourself killed." You take the paperwork back from the suited man and fill it out with Trace, patting him on the back while he signs the forms. "I really have to hand it to you, you're one brave kid. Even if you look like the type who'd run away screaming just because you found a spider in your bed."

When you finish, you hand the paper back to the man and he checks it over. "Alright! Wonderful, it looks like everything is in order here. I'll take these papers, and my friend here will escort you to where you'll be waiting." As he slides the papers off into a cabinet, he gestures toward a heavyset man who looks super serious and doesn't say a word.

Your little group is lead along into the waiting area for fighters, and you're told that your match will be starting in approximately thirty minutes. All around you, you see people of all sorts, owing to the fact that several of them aren't here willingly. You see some people who look like hardened fighters, people who've been doing battle for years now. You also see some people who look like they're headed into the very first real fight of their life. Some of them even look like they're old enough to be your grandparent, not remotely in shape to be doing battle in an arena.

The room is also stocked with all sorts of weapons and tools, as well as a table filled with food and drink for the combatants. Since you have thirty minutes before your fight, that gives you time to prepare for it. How do you prepare for the fight?

>Go through and reprepare all of your poisons. This will make them more effective at debilitating your opponents.
>Use the whetstone your mother gave you to sharpen your blade. Your blade isn't dull, but she did make it seem like the whetstone had some kind of special property to it.
>Quickly prepare a tonic for Mischa and Trace. This will temporarily improve their strength and reflexes, hopefully making them more effective in combat.
>Eat some food. It won't really provide a tactical benefit, but if you don't you'll miss out on free food.
>Write-in

>>3244275
>Use the whetstone your mother gave you to sharpen your blade. Your blade isn't dull, but she did make it seem like the whetstone had some kind of special property to it.

>>3244275
>Quickly prepare a tonic for Mischa and Trace. This will temporarily improve their strength and reflexes, hopefully making them more effective in combat.

>>3244275
>Quickly prepare a tonic for Mischa and Trace. This will temporarily improve their strength and reflexes, hopefully making them more effective in combat.

File: The Arena.png (901 KB, 1029x702)

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https://youtu.be/vhCQ6jQIgeQ

While you wait for your match to begin, you find an open space and set down your bag, starting to dig around in it for the reagents you need. Much to the confusion of the competitors around you, you start pouring liquids into beakers, boiling fluids with a portable hot-plate, and crushing substances in a mortar. It takes some work, but before you know it, you have a beaker full of bubbling green liquid.

Looking around, you stand up to see what your friends are doing. Mischa, unsurprisingly, is alternating between filling herself up on food and shadowboxing (shadowkickboxing?) to get herself ready. Trace, in contrast, is busy having some kind of conversation with Fleur and grabbing various objects from the stands. You can't tell what he's stuffed into the bag on his hip, but it seems he's picked up a shield and has it strapped to his back. You're not sure what he plans to do with it, though.

As a part of your preparations, you head over to them and ask them each to spit into a vial, so you can complete the tonic. Once you have that, you finish up the process, creating two separate brightly colored liquids for each of them. Mischa's turns a bright red as you finish it, and Trace's turns a dark blue color. And before you know it, the thirty minutes have elapsed. Handing each of your friends a bottle and telling them to drink it right before the fight starts, you do a final check to make sure you have everything prepared.

Soon enough, another attendant calls out your name, and the three of you make your way to the arena's entrance. As you all walk down the path leading into the stage where you'll be battling, you're informed of the rules. "Knock your enemies into the water and you win. All weapons are allowed, with the exception of firearms. Killing an opponent, or attacking a member of the audience will get you disqualified. You'll be awarded winnings based on your performance."

Once everything has been explained you leave the large archway which serves as your entry point, and you can hear an announcer loudly bellowing your names for the crowd, giving you all an intro. The arena appears to be a rather large circular area made of some kind of stone, with several pillars of various sizes dotted around it, and surrounded by a moat on all sides. There are two short bridges on either side for combatants to enter from, but as the three of you make your way inside a gate closes behind you, locking you all in.

On the opposite side, a group of three fighters wearing what looks like the same uniform enter. At a glance, you'd guess that the uniform signifies that they're veteran fighters hired on to fight challengers. One of them appears to have a lithe build, and looks like he could run circles around you in a race. The second is quite a bit bulkier, wearing some heavy armor and carrying around a sword nearly as tall as you are. The third is clearly some kind of martial artist, with the look of a fighter from Karate Island.

>>3242903
We had a family life dude and never really left our Island as far as I know. I doubt slavery was ever on the table.

While you prepare for the fight to start, Trace and Mischa drink the tonics you gave them. What do you tell them to do when the fight starts.

Trace
>Should stay back and try to keep safe.
>Should stay close to you. You'll focus on protecting him.
>Should stay with Mischa. She'll focus on protecting him.

Mischa/You
>Should stay back to protect Trace.
>Should rush in and go for one of them (Specify)
>Should rush in and go for two of them (Specify)
>Should rush in and try to take care of all three of them.

>>3244435
>Trace
>>Should stay back and try to keep
>Mischa/You
>>Should rush in and try to take care of all three of them.

https://youtu.be/9feq908XxTM

You quietly share your plan with your allies in the moments before the fight starts. Trusting that Trace can keep himself safe, the two of you step forward and wait for the signal that you're allowed to start the fight. As the announcer shouts, "BEGIN!", you immediately dash forward and draw your sword, trying to close in on them quickly. Mischa, however, just stands there and cracks her knuckles, wearing a big grin.

With that telltale cracking noise you remember from when you first met her, Mischa disappears from sight. An instant later, she reappears right in front of your opponents, with her foot in the big guy's face. Much to the crowd's amazement, he goes down with the first hit, tumbling backwards and landing on the ground with a huge thud. Mischa then disappears again, reappearing a few feet away from the martial artist.

While she sizes her second opponent up, you quickly approach the lithe man, who seems to have pulled out a pair of daggers. He seems to be rushing straight for you, twirling the blades in his hands.

>Try to catch him off guard with a Wind Blade [Challenging]
>Play it safe. Try to size him up before attacking. [Simple]
>Go in for an early slash, trying to break through his defenses. [Challenging]

>>3244724
>Go in for an early slash, trying to break through his defenses. [Challenging]

>>3244724
>Go in for an early slash, trying to break through his defenses. [Challenging]

>>3244736
>>3244744
You push yourself forward with an extra burst of speed, hoping to dig your cutlass into him before he has a chance to block it.

>Roll 1d100, best of 3

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>3244781

>>3244786
You break in close and artfully step just outside of the man's reach, causing him to swing at you and miss entirely. This gives you the perfect opportunity to step in and drag your cutlass across his chest, giving the man a deep wound.

He stumbles back in pain, but he doesn't collapse, tensing up and preparing to rush in and attack you.

>Dodge out of the way of his next attack, and counterstrike. [Simple]
>Dodge away from his attacks continually, until he gives up. [Simple]
>Hit him with a Wind Blade before he can reach you. [Challenging]

>>3244825
>Dodge away from his attacks continually, until he gives up. [Simple]

>>3244830
You prepare to start dodging away from his attacks, hoping that the wound you gave him will prove to be too much for him.

>Roll 1d100, best of 3

>>3244825
Dodge

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>3244882

Rolled 19 (1d100)

File: Dodge.gif (495 KB, 350x263)

495 KB GIF

>>3244899
Once again you let him swing at you. Unfortunately for him, you had just as much training in how to avoid being hit with a blade as you have in using one for yourself. For quite a while, you stand a short distance from him, stepping out of the way every time he tries to bury those daggers into you. You both do this until he just collapses where he is, groaning in pain on the ground.

While you were busy waiting for him to tire himself out, however, it seems the big guy has gotten back up onto his feet, and he's fighting with Mischa alongside the other guy. She's holding her own, but it's hardly a fair fight, with her having to deal with an enemy on both sides.

>Go rush over to hit the big guy from behind. [Simple]
>Try a Wind Blade strike to hit Mischa's enemies while they're busy with her. [Challenging]
>Walk back over to Trace and let Mischa handle the two of them. [Effortless]

>>3244934

>Go rush over to hit the big guy from behind. [Simple]

>>3244934
>Rush over and hit the big guy from behind

>>3244953
>>3244981
You quickly kick your downed opponent off the edge of the arena and into the water, and charge toward the big guy attacking Mischa.

>Roll 1d100, best of 3

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>3244991

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>3244991

Rolled 78 (1d100)

File: Splash.jpg (136 KB, 962x560)

136 KB JPG

>>3245007
>>3245008
Thanks to that huge sword he's carrying, the guy does manage to spot you coming, but the weapon slows him down so much that you can get a solid slash on his leg, digging into the flesh painfully. With that done, you kick the guy in the side and cause him to stumble backward until he simply falls off the edge, landing in the water with a massive splash.

With him out of the way, all that's left is the martial artist, who seems to be having a lot of trouble dealing with Mischa. As she smacks each of his blows out of the way, she takes a step back, a look of realization forming on her face. "Hey! You're one of the guys I beat up on Karate Island a few years ago! How've ya been, buddy?"

>Interrupt Mischa's attempt at friendly conversation and knock the guy into the water. [Simple]
>Let Mischa talk all she wants. She's going to win anyways, you can step back and take a breather. [Effortless]

>>3245032
>Let Mischa talk all she wants. She's going to win anyways, you can step back and take a breather. [Effortless]

>Let Mischa talk all she wants. She's going to win anyways, you can step back and take a breather. [Effortless]

You decide to take a breather while Mischa does her thing. Stepping back and sheathing your cutlass, you let out a yawn and stretch your limbs, listening as the martial artist awkwardly answers her friendly questions with a confused expression. Suddenly, you hear the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and Mischa yelps, taking a step back. "Hey!! That was super rude!"

Before you can even react, she zooms forward, planting a kick in his face that launches the man straight off the edge of the stage, to the applause of the audience. And like that, you've won your first round of combat, Trace breathing a sigh of relief while the announcer does his thing.

A minute later, the announcer asks the audience, "Do you think our three contestants are ready for round two, though? We'll just have to see how they fare in these exciting one-on-one bouts!" As he says this, someone working for the arena steps out and tells Trace and Mischa to make their way back into the arena's entrance, and to remain behind the gate while your fight begins.

>Object to the fight. You had no idea there would be one-on-one fights!
>Accept the challenge and get ready for your opponent.

>>3245032
>Let Mischa talk, but keep an eye on the karate guy.

>>3245107
>Accept the challenge and get ready for your opponent.

>Accept the challenge and get ready for your opponent.

You glance in Trace's direction, worried for the kid, before turning around and preparing for your fight. He'll... probably be fine.

You aren't left waiting there for too long though. It's only a short time before a man comes out of the other gate, walking toward you with a pouch on his hip and some kind of leather strap in his hand with a cup on the end. He hardly looks like the most athletic person you've ever fought. Then again, looks can be deceiving. As he approaches you, the announcer bellows, "Coming in to face our challenger first is a crowd favorite, Billy "Quickfeet" MacDoore! As a former member of the infamous Captain Eustass Kid's crew, Billy is one of the most dangerous opponents in our great arena! Can this challenger come out on top against a foe like this? We'll see, right now! BEGIN!!!"

>Stay back and try to gauge the man's skill before you go to attack. [Simple]
>Rush forward and try to catch him off guard. [Challenging]
>Try to hit him with a surprise Wind Blade. [Challenging]

>Rush forward and try to catch him off guard. [Challenging]

>>3245175
Rush foward

>>3245175
>Stay back and try to gauge the man's skill before you go to attack. [Simple]

>>3245175

>Stay back and try to gauge the man's skill before you go to attack. [Simple]

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>3245187
>>3245209
Rolling to pick between these two.

>>3245209
>>3245225
Judging by the name "Quickfeet," you conclude that chasing after the guy and hoping to outspeed him is probably a bad idea. Instead, you opt to stay where you are and wait to see how he fights.

>Roll 1d100, best of 3

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>3245268

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>3245268