The Marine captain, initially tasked with eliminating the insignificant Evil Wolf Pirates, felt his blood turn to ice as he comprehended the catastrophic reality before him. His carefully planned mission had devolved into a nightmare—confronting a swordsman whose casual demonstration of power had reduced dozens of his men to nothing and bisected their warship with a single swing.
"Retreat! All units fall back immediately!" The captain's voice cracked with barely contained panic as he led the desperate withdrawal.
"Sir, our warship has been completely destroyed!" a Marine gasped, pointing toward the two halves of their vessel slowly disappearing beneath the waves.
"Then we commandeer the pirate ship anchored in the bay!" the captain ordered, his tactical mind grasping for any escape route. "Move! Now!"
As the surviving Marines scrambled toward their only means of escape, Ronny's cold smile widened with predatory satisfaction. Did these fools honestly believe they could simply flee after attempting to hunt him like prey?
With his dramatically enhanced physical attributes—agility rivaling the fastest combatants, strength surpassing most Devil Fruit users, and reflexes honed to supernatural precision—Ronny moved like a phantom across the battlefield. One moment he stood motionless among the scattered bodies; the next, he materialized beside the fleeing Marines with terrifying suddenness.
The cutlass in his hand sang through the air with lethal efficiency. Each swing claimed multiple lives as the panicked soldiers fell like wheat before a scythe. When he finally reached the Marine captain, the man barely had time to register his approach before Ronny's blade separated his head from his shoulders in one clean stroke.
Within moments, every soul who had served aboard the Marine warship lay dead upon the blood-soaked shore.
An oppressive silence descended over the battlefield as the surviving pirates stared at Ronny in absolute bewilderment. The teenager they had known as a weak, ordinary crew member had transformed into something beyond their comprehension—a monster wearing a familiar face.
"That... that can't possibly be Ronny," whispered one pirate who had sailed alongside him for months. His voice trembled with disbelief. "Ronny could barely swing a sword without stumbling. How could he suddenly possess such terrifying power?"
"It's impossible!" another crew member insisted, shaking his head vigorously. "This must be some master swordsman who happens to look like our Ronny. There's no other explanation!"
"Completely unbelievable!" a chorus of pirates agreed, their minds struggling to reconcile the ordinary young man they knew with the devastating force of destruction before them.
Captain Wolf stepped forward cautiously, his weathered face showing a mixture of awe and desperate hope. Bowing deeply with the respect due to a superior, he spoke with profound gratitude. "Great swordsman, I cannot adequately express my thanks for your intervention. The Evil Wolf Pirates owe you a debt that may never be repaid. Please, honor us with your name so we may properly acknowledge the one who saved our lives."
Ronny's expression brightened with genuine amusement as he responded with casual warmth. "Come now, Captain Wolf! Surely you recognize me? It's still me—Ronny!"
"WHAT?!"
The open admission of his identity sent shockwaves through the assembled pirates. Several crew members collapsed to their knees in pure shock, their minds reeling from the impossible revelation.
"How... how can you truly be Ronny?!" Captain Wolf's eyes bulged from their sockets as he stared at the teenager he thought he knew. Ronny had been nothing more than an ordinary, weak pirate serving on his crew—how could he possibly wield such godlike power?
"As you can see, I've been concealing my true abilities while training among your crew," Ronny explained smoothly, knowing he couldn't reveal the system's existence. "Today, when the Marines came to destroy the Evil Wolf Pirates, I had no choice but to reveal a portion of my strength. I owe this crew too much to stand by and watch you all perish."
The explanation struck the pirates like a lightning bolt of understanding. It all made perfect sense now—Ronny had been a legendary swordsman all along, joining their humble crew to gain invaluable experience while secretly honing his already formidable skills in the crucible of pirate life.
"Of course! Everything becomes clear now!" Captain Wolf released a long breath of relief, his tone shifting to one of deep reverence. "It has been an extraordinary honor for the Evil Wolf Pirates to earn Lord Ronny's favor. I deeply regret that we failed to properly recognize and entertain someone of your incredible stature during this past year!"
"Think nothing of it," Ronny reassured the captain with genuine warmth. "Every member of the Evil Wolf Pirates has treated me with nothing but kindness and respect during my time here. Nobody ever mistreated me, and I found exactly what I sought—the authentic experience of ordinary pirate life. Now that this crisis has passed, the time has come for us to part ways."
"But Lord Ronny, won't you consider remaining with us?" Captain Wolf urged desperately, recognizing the incredible potential that Ronny's presence represented. With such overwhelming power backing them, the Evil Wolf Pirates could ascend to become a legendary crew capable of conquering the Grand Line itself. "Allow us to properly express our eternal gratitude for saving our lives!"
"I appreciate the sentiment, but I have other pressing matters to attend to," Ronny replied with firm finality. His mind was already set on departing this crew and pursuing greater ambitions. "Since we're quite distant from Loguetown at present, could you transport me to Foosha Village on Dawn Island?"
Ronny knew he had arrived in the One Piece world roughly three years before the canonical storyline would begin. Since the main plot hadn't yet unfolded, this represented a perfect opportunity to position himself advantageously for future events.
While he couldn't yet claim to surpass the Four Emperors in raw power, he certainly wasn't far behind their level. The primary difference lay in Devil Fruit abilities and their unique advantages—something he intended to thoroughly investigate. Ronny's immediate goal was gathering comprehensive information about suitable Devil Fruits that might complement his abilities. Whether he would eventually consume one remained uncertain, given the significant drawbacks associated with Devil Fruit powers. With his incredible system providing virtually unlimited growth potential, such a risky gamble might prove unnecessary.
For now, however, the path forward was clear. It was time to leave the Evil Wolf Pirates behind and begin carving his own legend across the seas.