Title: One Piece: Gacha Hunter of the Grand Line
Chapter 20 - Kraken's Warning
The afterglow of their successful mission didn't last long.
By morning, the townsfolk of Eldoradus were whispering about the explosion on the eastern ridge. Smoke still curled lazily from the destroyed comms tower, and the pirates—now furious and confused—began lashing out randomly. The tension in the air thickened like fog.
"Kraken Jaws will retaliate," Calla warned, pacing in front of Ayman and the others in the aqueduct hideout. Her voice was tight with urgency. "You just clipped the eye of his operations. He'll respond with a fist."
"Then we need to prepare," Ayman said, checking the scrolls they had stolen from the tower. They showed scheduled ship movements, troop assignments, and—most importantly—the pirate lord's command compound in the northern fortress.
"We need to fortify the town. Dig trenches, set traps, reinforce the aqueduct," Tsunade suggested. "I've got enough tags and sealing jutsu to hold back a small army—if they don't blow everything to bits first."
[New Mission: Prepare Eldoradus for Defense. Timeline: 3 Days. Reward: 1,500,000 Berries. Bonus: No Civilian Casualties — 1,000,000 Berries.]
Ayman read the system message and relayed it to the group. "Looks like we've got three days to turn this town into a fortress. And we're not allowed to lose a single civilian."
"No pressure," Yoruichi muttered, already darting off to scout the rooftops.
Day One passed in a blur of blueprints and sweat.
Ayman used his funds to buy Earth-based defense items: sandbags, spike strips, early detection alarms, and a shipment of infrared night vision goggles—earning more than a few raised eyebrows.
"You're pulling these out of thin air," Calla said, watching crates appear beside him. "Are you some kind of god?"
He chuckled. "Let's just say I've got good suppliers."
Tsunade trained local medics, while Android 18 hauled massive stone slabs to block off main roads. Yoruichi coordinated rooftop snipers and lookout points. Even the townspeople pitched in, driven by desperation and the strange confidence these newcomers inspired.
By Day Two, Ayman had transformed the aqueduct into a command post, lined with blueprints and communication scrolls. He even wired up basic lighting using salvaged generator parts.
"This is actually fun," he admitted to Android 18 as they sat back-to-back during a lunch break.
"You call trench digging fun?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, when you've got a tank like you throwing around boulders, everything feels easier."
She smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Day Three arrived with the sound of distant drums.
Calla stood atop the watchtower, spyglass to her eye. "They're coming. Not a full army, but an advance strike team. Maybe a hundred men. Fast-moving. Light armor."
"They want to test our defenses," Ayman said, eyes narrowing.
"Or break our morale," Tsunade added.
As the sun began to set, the town braced itself. Torches were lit, barricades reinforced, and traps buried.
Ayman stood at the front gate with his summons, his hand resting on the hilt of a cutlass he'd bought from Earth's antique collection. Not particularly useful—but it looked cool.
The first pirate squad charged under the cover of smoke bombs, yelling and firing pistols wildly.
BOOM!
A trap triggered—Yoruichi's tripwires ignited a blast that sent five of them flying. Android 18 launched forward, her fist crunching into the lead attacker's armor and sending him tumbling into the rest like bowling pins.
Tsunade sealed two charging pirates into a scroll with a wave of her hand.
Ayman shared energy with Yoruichi, speeding up her movements even further. She blurred through the enemy ranks, striking with precision and knocking men unconscious with non-lethal pressure points.
[Enemies Repelled: 30%. Civilian Casualties: 0.]
As the enemy began to retreat, a single large man stood out from the shadows. He wore a jagged shark-tooth pauldron and carried a massive anchor over his shoulder.
"You're the ones stirring my waters," he growled.
Ayman's eyes narrowed. "Kraken Jaws."
The pirate lord grinned. "I'm not here to fight tonight. Just wanted to meet the fool who thinks he can steal my island."
"It's not your island. It never was."
Kraken chuckled. "We'll see, little guppy. I'll return when you've got something worth breaking."
With that, he turned and vanished into the smoke.
Ayman exhaled slowly.
"This just got real."
[Defense Mission Progress: 75%. Continue Strengthening Defenses. Final Attack Approaching.]