Title: One Piece: Gacha Hunter of the Grand Line
Chapter 16 - Arrival at the Island of Chains
The sun hung lazily in the sky, its golden light shimmering over the still waters as Ayman Arif's ship creaked gently into harbor. The sea breeze carried with it a strange silence—one that seemed almost unnatural. No bustling dock workers. No laughing merchants. No eager children running about. Just stillness.
Yoruichi stood on the deck with her arms crossed, squinting at the distant outline of the town. "This place gives me bad vibes already," she muttered.
"It's... too quiet," Ayman agreed. He checked the [System Map] again, which displayed a blinking dot labeled: [Eldoradus Island - Status: Unknown].
Android 18 leaned on the railing, her expression unreadable. "So what's the mission this time, boss?"
[System Mission: Investigate the Island's Status. Reward: 150,000 Berries. Bonus Objective: Interact with a local NPC. Bonus: 50,000 Berries.]
"Looks like we're here to figure out what's going on," Ayman said. "Let's head out, but keep a low profile. Something's off."
The crew disembarked with cautious steps. The port, once clearly built for trade and prosperity, now lay in disrepair. Wooden crates were broken open, doors hung off their hinges, and signs of a struggle could be seen—scratch marks, broken tools, and bloodstains faded into the cobblestones.
Esdeath clicked her tongue. "Pirate activity? This place has been hit hard."
Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "Maybe they're still around. Let's find them and teach them some manners."
"We're not here to fight—yet," Ayman warned. "Let's learn what we can first."
They wandered deeper into the town, stepping past shuttered windows and locked doors. Occasionally, a curtain twitched or a shadow moved behind glass, but no one came out to greet them. Eventually, near a dried-up fountain, Ayman spotted a small figure collapsed on the stone steps.
"Someone's here!" he shouted, rushing forward.
It was a girl—no older than ten, covered in dirt and trembling with hunger. Her lips moved soundlessly.
Tsunade kneeled beside her, gently lifting the girl into her arms. "She's dehydrated. Malnourished too. What the hell happened here?"
Yoruichi scanned the rooftops. "We've got company. Two o'clock. Shadows."
Just as she said it, five men in patched-up pirate uniforms stepped from the alleys, their weapons drawn. One wore a jagged eyepatch and grinned with yellowed teeth. "Newcomers, eh? Looks like we've got fresh tribute for the Boss."
Ayman's hand twitched near his sword. "Tribute? What are you talking about?"
"No one steps into Eldoradus without paying the tax. Gold, supplies, or blood. Your choice."
Esdeath smiled. "Blood, it is."
The battle was over in moments. Android 18 knocked two of them into the walls with a flick of her wrist. Yoruichi blurred behind another and tripped him with a swift kick. Tsunade headbutted the leader so hard his eyepatch flew off, landing with a thud.
The pirates groaned in a pile as Ayman stood over them. "Tell us who did this to the island."
The leader, barely conscious, coughed up blood. "Kraken... Jaws. He owns this place now..."
[System Update: Eldoradus Island – Enslaved by Pirate Lord Kraken Jaws. Sub-Missions Available.]
Tsunade looked at Ayman. "We can't just leave this place like this."
He nodded. "Yeah. We're staying."
Far above them, on a distant watchtower, a cloaked figure watched through a telescope. The figure lowered it slowly and turned to speak into a den-den mushi.
"We've got a new player on the island... and he's got a strange crew."
Back at the town square, the little girl finally opened her eyes. She looked at Ayman with fragile hope. "Are you... here to help us?"
Ayman smiled. "Yeah. We're here to help."
[Mission Complete: Investigate the Island's Status. +150,000 Berries. Bonus Objective Complete. +50,000 Berries. Total Funds: 200,000 Berries.]
The wind began to pick up again, rustling the empty market stalls and whispering of the storm that was soon to come.