"Name: Ron"
"Gender: Male"
"Birthplace: East Blue."
"Position: Admiral Candidate, Marine Headquarters"
"Crime: Slacking off during battle, indirectly causing severe injuries to Celestial Dragons; serious dereliction of duty and absence without leave."
"Punishment: Stripped of all ranks, authority, and wealth. Expelled from the Marines and permanently barred from employment!"
"Effective immediately!"
"Date: Year 1520 of the Sea Circle Calendar."
…
High in the sky, white clouds stretched as far as the eye could see. A motorboat cruised steadily through the air, neither fast nor slow, with large letters printed on the side: [WE NEWS]!
It was none other than the mobile press ship of Morgans, the man in charge of the World Economic News Paper!
"Hahaha, Ron! I didn't think you'd actually get kicked out by those Navy geezers!" Morgans laughed, a hint of mockery in his tone. "You were one of the strongest in the Marines, and now you've been dismissed for slacking off. Has that old geezer Sengoku finally lost it?"
"So, what's next? Want to join me, Morgans, and make headlines that shake the world?" He leaned back on the recliner, leisurely puffing a cigar, but his eyes remained fixed on Ron, who was quietly savoring a glass of red wine.
Ron looked calm, as if he hadn't heard Morgans at all, still sipping the wine slowly.
"Hey! Ron, don't think I'll let you freeload just because you once did me a favor!" Morgans raised his voice when he saw Ron not reacting.
…
Seeing Ron still unresponsive, Morgans grew irritated.
The guy had been like this ever since he was "rescued" from the Calm Belt—completely silent, as if he'd suffered some great trauma.
"Ron, sure, your combat strength once stood at the top of the Marines, but that was over a decade ago. Now you're almost 50 and sick. Just take my advice: stop messing around and enjoy your retirement, huh?" Morgans sighed, looking at Ron and shaking his head.
This man's life had been nothing short of legendary in the Marines, and yet because of a damn Celestial Dragon incident, he was expelled!
Damn it! How is that fair?
"Ron, listen. There are countless pirates in the seas who want you dead. You used to be protected under the Navy's banner, but now? You're old, your body's failing, and your ambitions have dulled. You're sick, and you can't even cross the Calm Belt on your own. What are you still fighting for?"
"This is fine. Tomorrow, I'll run an article saying you're dead. Then I'll find you a quiet island to spend the rest of your life on. No one will disturb you. Sound good?" Morgans kept rambling, seemingly tireless.
But after going on and on, he finally looked up—only to see Ron fast asleep!
"…."
"I really owe you one," Morgans muttered, shaking his head. "Think it over and tell me in the morning." Though grumbling, he quietly stepped out of the lounge and gently closed the door behind him, leaving Ron alone to rest.
Ron lay on the sofa, breathing evenly with his eyes closed but he wasn't sleeping. He was simply lost in thought, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Forty-seven years ago, his soul had crossed over into the body of a newborn baby who'd been abandoned in the wild, nearly freezing to death. If he hadn't cried so loudly, he might've died the moment he transmigrated.
He was raised by an ordinary Marine. After his adoptive father died, he too joined the Marines.
At that time, Luffy hadn't even been born yet. Whenever he set out to sea, he often encountered infamous pirates—Rocks, Roger, Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Ochoku, John, and many more!
Step by step, he rose from obscurity to become a candidate for admiral—at one point even designated as an admiral himself, with combat power that had reached the absolute peak of the Marines!
His strength was terrifying!
The Navy viewed him as a monster. The pirates wanted him dead.
As for the Celestial Dragons, he had secretly killed a few, but unfortunately, two involved survived, leading to his punishment. Thankfully, due to his overwhelming service record, they didn't execute him—just expelled him.
"How boring… cough, cough, cough…" A bout of violent coughing interrupted his thoughts, preventing him from falling asleep. He reached for the newspaper on the table, flipping it open. The front page prominently featured the announcement of his expulsion.
"Time really flies. It's already 1520. I'm just an old man now in the pirate world. Forty-seven years have passed in the blink of an eye…" he muttered.
"No one helped me reach the summit, but I still climbed the snowy peak on my own!" Ron took a few big gulps of wine, a lonely expression creeping into his eyes.
The world of pirates was filled with brutality, bloodshed, and war. Burning, looting, and killing were constant. When would this place become as peaceful and comfortable as his home world?
And being a Marine was monotonous, either you were hunting pirates, or they were hunting you. It was constant battle or the journey to the next one.
He was tired of it all. Getting expelled was a relief. But now he'd be hunted by tens of thousands of pirates. With his health in such a miserable state…
"Cough cough cough cough…" Another wave of violent coughing wracked his body. It felt like his lungs were going to be hacked out of his chest.
Years of overtraining had left his body in shambles. He was well past his prime.
And ultimately, everything came with a price. Nothing you gain is free. It's all been clearly marked—even the invisible costs.
"This world is so damn boring. If only there was something interesting for once. After a lifetime of fighting pirates, don't I deserve some fun?" he muttered quietly.
[Ding! Host verification complete. God-level Entertainment System has been unlocked!]
[Binding… Binding successful!]
[Due to a 47-year delay in system activation, the host will receive a special Enhanced Newbie Gift Pack!]
[Would you like to open the Enhanced Newbie Gift Pack now?]
Staring at the translucent light-blue screen in front of him, Ron's brain froze. He stared blankly for a long time before finally reacting.
[Host, please open the Enhanced Newbie Gift Pack within three minutes or it will be forfeited.]
"Ron took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Even if he only had a few more years of fun, it'd be better than wasting away alone.
[Enhanced Newbie Gift Pack]
[Item 1: Life Energy Fluid — Restores the host's body to peak condition, eliminating all illnesses, hidden injuries, and latent ailments!]
[Item 2: Global Network Access — A god-level entertainment virtual network covering the entire world!]
[Item 3: Spatial Channel Activated — Items can be transported via spatial transfer!]
[Item 4: Revenue Share — The host receives 20% of the profits from all entertainment projects!]
…
As the system's voice echoed in his mind, Ron spotted a green tube of life potion lying beside the red wine. It radiated an intense vitality. Just from the scent alone, he felt his breathing ease noticeably.
(To be continued.)