Chapter 135: The Uniqueness of the Pirate World
"The Pirate World is very unique."
Fang Yi picked up the debt note signed by Koby and casually tossed it onto a shelf.
Unlike the ninja world,
in the Pirate World, most of the world's source energy was concentrated in Devil Fruits. Aside from those, the source energy naturally resided within lifeforms with decent soul potential.
In the ninja world, unless you were from a bloodline clan that innately possessed some measure of source power—like a kekkei genkai—most ninjas were born with no source energy at all. They had to cultivate relentlessly, study jutsu, and gradually accumulate power to strengthen their source.
But in the Pirate World, life was born already carrying source energy. That source determined whether someone could become strong.
Take Koby, for example.
Despite being extremely weak—still just a lowly deckhand on Alvida's pirate ship—he already possessed the source needed to one day awaken Observation Haki, learn the Six Powers, and master powerful hand-to-hand combat techniques.
That source was like a locked box, slowly unlocking as Koby trained.
Or take Kuina from Shimotsuki Village.
She had astonishing talent in swordsmanship, able to defeat young Zoro consistently, yet she died by falling down a flight of stairs in a world where people had monstrous endurance.
All because she lacked sufficient source.
If the ninja world carried a whiff of fatalism,
then the Pirate World was pure fatalism.
As reward points suddenly began dropping, Afu asked with concern, "Master?"
"So that's what it is."
After probing the core of the Pirate World, Fang Yi opened his eyes and smiled. "What an absurd world."
"Absurd?" Afu didn't understand.
Fang Yi gave a strange smile. "Ever heard of ladder ranking in competitive games? Winners steal points from losers and climb higher."
Afu, the sheltered one, shook her head in confusion.
"In the Pirate World, every life-and-death battle results in the victor stealing source energy from the loser."
"That's why there's the Grand Line, the New World. Why there are multiple sea routes designed to force pirates into conflict—so the survivors can become the rising Supernovas."
"Like how Gecko Moria fell to Kaido and ended up rotting in the Florian Triangle…"
It was a narrative kill—like someone had written a script for this world.
Source energy was the fuel for power. Lose your source, and you lost your chance at glory—unless you stole it from others by pillaging and murdering.
It was like raising venomous insects in a jar, cultivating the strongest one through mutual slaughter.
Sun God Nika?
Fang Yi smirked. That was precisely why he was willing to lend Koby reward points.
Once the contract was signed, even if Koby died, his source would no longer be reclaimed by the Pirate World's will. It would be bound by the contract and flow directly into the Samsara Game.
"It seems the world consciousness here isn't so obedient after all…"
"But with the arrival of the Samsara Game, this grand stage play will finally be torn apart. All pirates who become players will once again gain the chance to seize their destiny."
"And it all starts from the East Blue."
...
"Run! Run!!"
"Useless trash! Get this ship moving!"
Dozens of massive pirate ships swayed violently in the sea. Broken masts and shredded sails flapped wildly in the wind.
Don Krieg cowered behind his crew, trying to make himself as invisible as possible.
It was beyond belief that the so-called overlord of the East Blue would, upon entering the Grand Line, encounter a monster capable of destroying his entire fleet.
Seven days.
That was all it had taken. The Grand Line truly was terrifying.
Not far away,
a lone coffin-shaped ship followed slowly behind the scattered pirate fleet.
With a gothic cross-shaped mast, black sails, and twin ghost-green candles flickering ominously, the ship gave off a chilling aura.
Seated atop it was a man in a black coat and white-feathered hat, looking profoundly bored.
His eyes—sharp as an eagle's—fixed on the ships ahead.
"Is this the best the East Blue has to offer?"
Dracule Mihawk pulled back his gaze, disappointment etched into his features.
He had hoped to test the strength of the new generation by picking off Don Krieg's pirates. But clearly, they weren't even worth the effort.
Then suddenly,
a strange fruit bobbed its way over with the current and rolled onto his ship.
"A Devil Fruit?"
Surprised, Mihawk picked it up. Its odd shape caught his attention.
As the world's greatest swordsman, he had seen countless Devil Fruits.
Usually, they appeared at auction houses, as tournament prizes, or locked away in pirate treasure troves.
But a Devil Fruit drifting randomly through the ocean?
That was a first.
Interesting.
Compared to Krieg's terrified retreat, this fruit was far more intriguing.
"Paramecia? Logia? Zoan?"
With mild curiosity, Mihawk examined the fruit. Despite the intricate patterns, it didn't look quite like a typical Devil Fruit. Its markings resembled some sort of arcane script.
The next moment,
those script-like patterns began to twist and move as if alive. A crack appeared, and the fruit split open—transforming into a strange scroll.
[Contract Quest (1/5)]
Quest Objective: Destroy one of Don Krieg's support ships.
Quest Reward: Lv.1 Beginner Iron Sword (White)
Note: Complete five bounty quests to become a Samsara Game beginner player.
Suddenly, memories flooded Mihawk's mind, like long-forgotten recollections being unearthed.
Devil's Contract.
Complete the tasks, and you could become a Samsara Game player. Wealth, power, fame—anything could be exchanged, as long as you had enough reward points.
"What a strange Devil Fruit ability…"
Mihawk figured it was simply an unusually designed Devil Fruit.
After all, the Pirate World was full of bizarre abilities—some so strange they could even ignore Haki.
Like now—
BOOM.
A terrifying aura burst from Mihawk, stirring waves several meters high.
The contract scroll floated midair, completely undisturbed.
"Fascinating."
Mihawk unsheathed the small dagger hanging from his necklace, using its hilt to nudge up his hat. His eyes lit up with rare interest.
He had only wanted to kill time.
Don Krieg's pirates had proven boring.
Perhaps this mysterious person who dared send him such a challenge would be more entertaining.
He raised his arm and swung his blade.
A casual wave unleashed a powerful shockwave that split the sea and slammed into one of Krieg's fleeing ships.
CRACK.
The specially reinforced vessel, designed to navigate the Grand Line, was cleaved in two by a sword barely wider than a palm.
It began to sink slowly.
[Quest Completed. Reward Granted]
Mihawk's expression didn't change. He held his sword mid-swing as if he'd just sliced an apple.
A plain iron sword materialized on the coffin ship's deck.
"No… aura?"
Even Mihawk's Observation Haki couldn't detect how the sword appeared.
He picked it up, brows furrowing slightly.
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