The golden light of the contract faded into the gloom of the office.
A profound, unnatural silence descended, broken only by the ragged, wet sound of Axe-Hand Morgan's breathing as he slumped against his desk, the bullet wound in his shoulder a dark, weeping hole.
The system in Luffy's mind updated with cold, digital finality.
[Task Complete: Topple a Tyrant]
[Reward: 1 Contract]
[Contracts Remaining: 12]
Luffy stood over the defeated Marine, his expression unreadable as he observed the terrible aftermath of his choice. The system had always offered a variety of contracts, each a different tool. Alvida and Nami were bound by Subordinate Contracts, powerful chains that demanded loyalty and punished betrayal with agony.
Coby was bound by Favor Contract, a favor must always be repaid, it ensured the boy wouldn't backdown when the time came to repay his debt.
But what he had just used on Morgan was different. It was the first time he had resorted to the third, most absolute, and most terrible option: the Slave Contract.
He had presented the shimmering scroll, and Morgan, even with a gun to his head, had sneered. A man of his stature, signing a contract for a mere pirate? Preposterous. But the pain from the bullet was intense, and his pride demanded he show no weakness by quibbling over terms. He had assumed it was a simple non-aggression pact, a temporary truce, and had signed without reading, a fatal act of hubris.
Now, he was paying the price.
The slave contract didn't just chain the will; it shattered the mind. It created the perfect puppet, unable to even greet someone without a direct command. Using it for simple, present-tense orders—to walk, to fight, to stand guard—had no cost. This was the intended, "normal" way to use it. The true price was only paid when one demanded the impossible: commanding the blank slate to remember. This act, forcing a shattered mind to rebuild a ghost of what it once was, burned the slave's life force as fuel.
Simple orders are free, Luffy thought, his gaze cold. Intelligence has a cost.
He watched as the change took hold. The fury in Morgan's eyes vanished, replaced by a dull, unnerving blankness, like the eyes of a doll. The man was gone. All that was left was an empty vessel awaiting orders.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sudden, sharp sound at the door made the now-empty Morgan flinch. "Captain Morgan, sir?" a muffled voice called. "We heard a gunshot."
Luffy focused his will. The first expenditure. "Answer him," he commanded. "Recall your former personality. Use your original voice. Tell him everything is fine and to return to his post."
Morgan's body moved with a stiff grace. A flicker of the old arrogance returned to his face, a phantom wearing a dead man's skin. "Everything... is fine, corporal," he said, his voice a perfect, booming imitation of his old commanding tone. "A training demonstration. Return to your post."
"Y-Yes, sir!" the voice replied, followed by retreating footsteps.
The moment the command was fulfilled, the mask of "Morgan" dissolved. The puppet slumped slightly, a low gasp escaping its lips. It seemed natural, like a man relieved after a tense talk. But Luffy saw it for what it was.
One command, he noted. A small price.
A bleeding puppet was a liability. "Your wound," he commanded, a simple, cost-free order. "Tend to it. Replace your damaged parts."
The shell of Morgan moved without a word, cleaning the wound with detached efficiency. He showed no pain as he unscrewed the buckled jaw-guard from his own bone and fitted a new one with a series of sickening clicks.
"Good," Luffy said. "Now, order a feast. Enough for ten men. Have it brought here. I'm hungry."
___________
Down on the docks, the world had settled into a tense, waiting quiet.
Nami sat on the deck of the Miss Love Duck, hugging her knees to her chest. The phantom agony of the contract's punishment still echoed through her nerves, leaving her feeling hollowed-out and dispirited. The brief, exhilarating hope of freedom had been crushed, leaving behind only the bleak reality of her servitude.
There was no escape.
She was so lost in her bleak thoughts that she didn't notice Coby's return until he was standing at the foot of the gangplank, struggling with a massive, iron-bound chest. He was panting, his face flushed with a mixture of exertion and a newfound pride. He had done it. He had faced down Marine officers, filled out the paperwork, and secured the payment. He felt, for the first time in two years, like he had accomplished something.
"Nami-san!" he called out, his voice strained. "I... I got it! The full six-point-five million! But it's... really heavy."
He looked up and saw the haunted, distant look in her eyes, the way she was staring at nothing. "Are you alright? You look pale."
Nami blinked, snapping back to the present. She forced a thin, brittle smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. Just tired." She stood up, her movements stiff and weary. "Come on, let's get this aboard before someone gets any funny ideas."
Together, the two of them managed to haul the chest onto the ship. The triumphant clinking of the Beri inside was a hollow, meaningless sound to Nami's ears.
__________
High above, in the tyrant's office, the feast had been delivered. Piles of roasted meat and bread sat on the grand desk.
Luffy was now eating, tearing into a massive drumstick with a feral hunger while the repaired, impassive form of Axe-Hand Morgan stood at attention by the wall. The slave contract had wiped the slate clean; now, Luffy had to painstakingly command Morgan to access the data that remained buried in his muscle memory and subconscious.
"Recall all high-value intelligence assets stored within this base's secure locations," Luffy ordered between mouthfuls.
The shell of Morgan stood at attention, his eyes vacant. "Accessing... One primary asset. The base armory contains a high-security safe. Protocol dictates it holds a detailed Marine chart for navigating the entrance to the Grand Line, including Reverse Mountain and the surrounding islands."
Luffy's eyes narrowed. A map to enter the Grand Line. That was a prize.
"Show me."
The shell of Morgan led him to the portrait, swung it aside, and opened the safe. Inside, there was only the single, folded piece of paper. The body of Morgan picked it up. There was no rage, no purple-faced fury that the real Morgan would have felt. He simply read the note aloud in his dead, robotic voice.
"Note reads: 'Flashily stolen by the great Captain Buggy! Wahahaha!'"
Luffy swallowed a huge bite of meat, a flicker of annoyance passing through him. He filed the name 'Buggy' away. "Recall all high-value personal assets in your possession prior to contract."
The body of Morgan turned, its movements stiff, and retrieved a worn, leather-bound book from the desk's hidden compartment. Luffy took it, intrigued by the simple, powerful calligraphy on the cover.
"Tekkai: The Iron Body."
He didn't recognize the style or the term, but the implication was clear. This was valuable.
"Recall the method of acquisition for this asset."
"Asset was acquired from a Marine Headquarters contact in exchange for all accumulated career merits and a forfeiture of a pending transfer to Grand Line base G-1," the shell recited, no trace of the bitter resentment that choice had once caused him. "The objective was the acquisition of personal power over rank."
Luffy nodded, placing the book beside his plate. So he traded his entire future for this book. It must be worth it.
He continued his interrogation, moving down his mental checklist. "Recall the prisoner currently detained in the courtyard. Roronoa Zoro."
Morgan's head tilted slightly. "Subject: Roronoa Zoro. Alias: 'The Pirate Hunter.' Occupation: Bounty Hunter. Noted for three-sword style combat. Currently detained due to a public disturbance and assault on the son of the base commander, Helmeppo. An agreement was made: if subject survives one month tied to the execution cross without food or water, he will be granted freedom."
Luffy's chewing slowed. A smirk touched his lips. An agreement. How interesting. That piece of information was the key. It was the lever he needed to break the man's will.
He took another large bite of meat. "Recall all significant pirate and Marine threats currently active in the East Blue."
The shell of Morgan began its report. "The largest known pirate fleet, the Krieg Pirates, have reportedly entered the Grand Line. Locally, the most significant threat is the Arlong Park syndicate, run by the Fish-Man pirate Arlong. Intelligence is minimal; all reports are routed through and suppressed by Commodore Nazumi at the 16th Branch."
"Marine threats."
"The most powerful Marine officer in this sea is Captain Smoker, stationed at the Loguetown base. Subject is a Logia user of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. Conventional attacks are ineffective. Standard protocol for engagement requires seastone weaponry."
Luffy absorbed the information silently. A man made of smoke. Weak to a special kind of stone. Future problems.
He looked back at the note from the safe. "One more thing," he said, his voice low. "Tell me about 'Buggy the Clown'."
This time, there was a small delay before the puppet spoke. When it did, the words were a little slower "Subject.. Buggy the Clown... Captain of the Buggy Pirates.... User of the Bara Bara no Mi.... Subject is immune to cutting attacks... Last known location.... Orange Town."
Morgan was still standing perfectly, but Luffy saw a slight tremor in his hands. His limit was getting closer.
Luffy absorbed the final piece of information, a cold smirk touching his lips. The full, intricate picture was now complete. He looked at the hollow shell of the once-great tyrant, a chilling sense of absolute control settling over him.
The time for gathering information was over. The time for giving orders had come.
__________
Author's Note:
Hello people. I hope you are doing fine.
The comments are still a ghost town, and it looks like nobody replied to my last note.
Okay, let's try again. Any manga readers here? I know it's a little late to ask now, but have you read Chapter 1163? What are your thoughts on it? Let's discuss.