....
"So my dad is sailing with a big-shot pirate like Shanks?!"
Usopp's eyes sparkled with excitement as Luffy recounted the tales of Yasopp, his father and one of the Red Hair Pirates finest marksmen. Lucas, sitting nearby, listened with mild interest while picking at his food. His appetite wasn't as monstrous as Luffy's, so he mostly focused on the conversation.
Nami, ever the pragmatist, leaned forward. "Usopp, since you've got connections like that, do you know anyone here with a ship we could borrow?"
Usopp deflated instantly. "Look around—this is just a tiny village. We don't have anything like that!"
Zoro, peering through the window, smirked. "What about that big mansion over there? Rich folks like that must have boats."
"NO! Absolutely not!" Usopp yelped, paling slightly before hastily standing up and bowing. "Uh, the owner here knows me, so eat as much as you want! I've got… urgent business! Bye!"
Before anyone could protest, Usopp bolted out the door.
Lucas glanced toward the distant villa. 'That's where Kaya lives… which means Kuro's there too.'
Luffy, unfazed, shoveled another heap of meat into his mouth. "Who cares? The food's great. We'll figure out the ship later."
Watching Luffy devour enough food to feed a small army, Lucas shuddered. 'How does his stomach even work?'
Lucas mentally pulled up his system interface.
[Current Emotion Points: 9,001]
"Perfect. Enough to upgrade Orochimaru's card."
"System, upgrade Orochimaru's card to Level 2."
[Ding! 8,000 points deducted.]
[Orochimaru (Gold) Card upgraded to Level 2!]
[New Ability Unlocked: Chakra!]
[New Skills: Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, Substitution Technique!]
Lucas's veins thrummed as foreign energy surged through him—chakra, the lifeblood of ninjutsu. Knowledge flooded his mind: how to mold it, how to wield it. The Three Basic Techniques of the shinobi world were now his.
//
[Status Update]
[Host: Lucas]
[Character Card: Orochimaru (Gold)]
[Level: 2 (0/500)]
[Skills: Body Replacement (Kawarimi), Clone (Bunshin), Transformation (Henge), Chakra, snake manipulation techniques]
[Equipment: kusanagi sword (Gold)]
[Equipment Skill: Transformation – The sword can transform into a small snake and return to the user]
[Combat Rating: C (B with Orochimaru's card active)]
[System Note: "Still a noob in actual combat, but hey, you've got potential."]
//
"A noob ?!" Lucas blurted out, earning odd looks from the crew.
"You okay?" Zoro asked around a mouthful of food.
"Uh, yeah. Just… thinking."
Luffy, now a human balloon, patted his stomach. "Thought you hated the meat."
Lucas deadpanned. "You ate it all before I could try any."
The door burst open. Three kids—Usopp's self-proclaimed "crew"—charged in, wooden swords raised.
"Release our captain! Where is he?!" one squeaked.
Silence. Then the smallest boy noticed Luffy's distended belly and gasped.
"D-Did you… eat him?!"
Zoro, ever the troll, grinned. "Yep. Tasty."
Nami and Lucas stood in unison.
"You monsters!" the kids shrieked.
"Wait, why am I being lumped in with her?!" Lucas protested.
Nami's eye twitched. "Who're you calling a monster?!"
The kids cowered. Lucas sighed. "Relax, your captain just left. He's fine."
Instantly, their panic dissolved. "Oh. Okay!"
"They believe anything…" Lucas muttered.
One kid piped up. "Captain Usopp left cause of Miss Kaya!"
"Kaya?" Nami's ears perked.
The trio explained—Usopp's daily visits to the sickly heiress, his wild stories to cheer her up, and the mansion's off-limits status.
"So he's a liar with a heart of gold," Nami mused.
"He's NOT a liar!" the kids yelled in unison.
Luffy, already moving, grinned. "Let's go to the villa! Maybe they've got a ship!"
"We can't just waltz in—"
"I've got a plan!" Luffy declared.
They left without paying, charging the meal to Usopp's tab.
"That's gonna be one expensive king's meal,'" Lucas muttered.
At the villa's towering wall, Zoro crossed his arms. "How do we get in?"
"Like this!" Luffy stretched his arms around the group.
"Nope." Lucas stepped back. "I'll find my own way."
"Suit yourself!"
With a twang, Luffy's rubber arms launched them skyward.
Watching them soar, Lucas smirked. "Glad I skipped that ride."
He placed a hand on the wall. "Time to test chakra."
Focusing, he channeled energy to his feet and hands. With practiced ease, he scaled the wall like a spider.
Halfway up, he glanced down.
[Ding! mood value+1 ]
"Why do rich people need walls this high?!"
Inside, Usopp was mid-tale when Klahadore, the mansion's steward, appeared.
"You again," Klahadore sneered, adjusting his glasses. "Spreading lies to the young mistress?"
Kaya, frail but fierce, protested. "Stop it, Klahadore!"
Ignoring her, Klahadore turned to Usopp. "You're the son of a pirate—a worthless, lying stain on this village."
Usopp's fists shook.
Klahadore pressed on. "What will you do? Fight me? Or spin another pathetic story?"
Just as Usopp lunged—
"Klahadore."
A voice cut through the tension.
Lucas dropped from the wall, landing smoothly.
"Should I call you Klahadore…" His eyes narrowed. "Or 'Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates? Bounty: 16 million berries."
Silence.
Then, Klahadore's glasses flashed.
"Oh? And who are you, little snake?"
....