[Edited.]
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Ren, emerging from the wooden box, looked around curiously. His face quickly lit up with a smile upon seeing several barrels and boxes filled with food—it reminded him of the first scene involving this world's "hero," Monkey D. Luffy.
Back then, Luffy had emerged from a barrel in the sea, surprising the crew of Alvida's ship, then met Coby, and so on.
Returning to the story, Ren recalled what had happened before leaving the hotel.
[10 minutes earlier.]
Ren quietly leapt from the room window, slipping into the dark streets undetected, thanks to the cover of night that obscured him from the Marines' sight.
At the port, he spotted several pirate ships and decided to sneak aboard one of them to escape Loguetown. He identified his target, rushed to a crate of goods, and began clearing it of food to make space inside.
"Who are you, bastard?" A voice shouted in annoyance.
Realizing he'd been discovered, Ren turned towards the source—a bulky pirate holding a wine bottle, his eyes barely open.
"He's alone… everything's fine," Ren muttered to himself. He advanced swiftly, silencing the pirate by covering his mouth and choking him with a powerful grip.
The darkness concealed Ren's actions, allowing him to carry out the assassination perfectly. The pirate couldn't cry for help, silenced by Ren's firm hand that wouldn't relent.
"Umgh… Ahhh… Aghhh!" Weak sounds escaped the pirate's mouth before his body gradually stilled from lack of air.
Once Ren confirmed the pirate was dead, he hoisted the bulky body and dumped it into the sea, letting the waves swallow it.
Afterward, he quickly returned to the crate, climbed inside, and covered it.
"I need to learn Observation Haki as soon as possible…" Ren thought, as he waited for someone to load the crate onto the ship. The close call had heightened his urgency—he hadn't noticed the pirate until he'd heard him. If it had been a sober and determined opponent, they might've attacked him outright.
After a few more minutes of waiting, two more pirates arrived.
"Damn, where did that idiot Karenbo go?"
"Maybe he got lost taking a piss and forgot his way back to the ship?"
"Or passed out somewhere around here."
"Hahaha!"
They laughed, joking about their comrade who, unbeknownst to them, was already dead. They lifted the crate and carried it aboard.
....
Currently, in the ship's food hold.
"It seems this crew is heading for the Grand Line. I need to act before they stray too far from my destination."
Ren cautiously opened the food hold's door and moved towards the deck, finding the corridor empty—everyone seemed to be celebrating topside.
Once he reached the deck, he silently unleashed his attack.
"Tempest Kick!" He kicked out powerfully, generating a blue energy blade almost two meters long. The blade slashed into two unfortunate pirates, leaving deep wounds across their bodies.
They had no chance to scream; their consciousness faded as they collapsed in their own blood, faces frozen in shock.
"You bastard!"
"Where did he come from?!"
"Kill him! Rip him to pieces!"
The pirates rushed to Ren with swords and rifles. One fired, but Ren vanished and reappeared behind a large barrel.
*Bang! Bang! Bng!*
A flurry of gunfire tore into the barrel, but Ren remained unscathed. When the shooting paused, the pirates with swords charged with vengeful expressions. Ren launched a series of swift, slicing kicks, sending multiple energy blades through his attackers.
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
The blades severed limbs, leaving most of the attackers dead and a few injured. Yet the pirates kept advancing. As another wave of gunfire erupted, Ren grabbed a wooden box, flinging it towards an attacker.
*Bang!*
*Bang!*
*Bang!*
*Bang!*
The box shattered under fire. The pirate captain shouted in fury.
"Stop running, you motherf—!" The captain cursed, enraged by the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere and slaughtered his crew with ease.
Ignoring the captain's outburst, Ren unleashed another Tempest Kick, cutting through the charging pirates. Their screams filled the air as they fell.
The captain momentarily lost sight of Ren, and when he looked again, Ren was gone.
"Looking for me?" Ren's voice, calm and almost friendly, sent chills down the captain's spine as he felt the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his head.
Heart pounding, the captain froze, his mind filled with terror as Ren's words echoed.
"Drop your weapon, raise your hands, and tell your men to do the same."
Ren held the captain by the neck, his gun poised to fire. Silence fell over the deck as the crew watched, fear evident in their faces.
"Do as he says!" the captain shouted desperately, abandoning his pride to survive.
The pirates hesitated but eventually complied, throwing their weapons down.
"Good. Now, who here is the navigator?" Ren's gaze swept over them.
After a moment, a muscular man stepped forward, visibly nervous.
"Do you know how to reach Cocoyasi Village?" Ren asked.
"Yes, sir… it's a day's journey at top speed," the navigator stammered.
"Perfect. I'll need your help."
Ren looked around, tightening his grip on the captain.
"Now… I want you to…die for me!"
*Bang!*
The captain's head exploded as Ren fired, leaving the pirates in stunned horror. Taking advantage of the chaos, Ren unleashed a series of Tempest Kicks, mowing down those who tried to flee.
I will update another chapter in a few hours! Enjoy!