Is This the Pirate King World?

The few of them stepped into the town, but the sight before them forced them to stop in their tracks.

Flames flickered between the broken walls.

Bloodstains snaked across the ground, gleaming with a dark red luster.

And at the center of the battlefield—

A black-haired youth was weaving through a powerful enemy at incredible speed with his movement technique.

Ronan.

He swung his wooden staff, his footwork so fast his tracks were nearly invisible.

The pirate captain was covered in wounds, his body twisted as if hammered by iron, blood streaming down his face.

The remaining pirate underlings lay fallen in pools of blood, silent and still.

The few still alive were so terrified they couldn't even hold their weapons steady, not daring to step closer.

The old man, seeing that upright silhouette from afar, his pupils trembled:

"It's him!

That young man who saved me earlier!

...I never thought he'd be this strong..."

The straw hat boy beside him lit up, his mouth stretching into an exaggerated grin.

"Oh—this guy looks really strong!"

"Hey, Zoro, this guy's pretty good, right?

Should we ask him to join us?"

Zoro's gaze fixed on Ronan, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.

He dissected Ronan's every move with clarity:

That strange footwork, those swift techniques, that reaction speed beyond ordinary people—

"Highly skilled."

Zoro nodded, giving his assessment.

"His movement technique and moves have their own logic... but—his strength is too weak."

The moment he finished speaking—

A hoarse roar suddenly erupted from the center of the battlefield.

The pirate captain swung his final furious slash; though the blade's weight was still heavy, it was sluggish from his depleted stamina.

A gleam of fighting spirit lit up Ronan's eyes.

He slid his body, easily dodging that powerful strike.

The next moment—

The wooden staff spun in his palm, emitting a humming tremor, the force making the stick whirl rapidly.

Xingyi · Spiral Force!

As the staff thrust out, the sound cut through the wind.

The pirate captain's eyes bulged, his throat not even having time to make a sound—

The staff tip viciously pierced through his throat.

"Crack—!"

Blood sprayed.

The East Blue's notorious pirate captain, with a bounty of three million two hundred thousand Belly.

Ended by a youth wielding a wooden staff—

With a single blow.

Luffy's pupils gleamed, his whole body buzzing with excitement like he'd found treasure:

"Zoro! I've decided!

This guy—I want him as our nakama!!"

The Torn Sail Pirate Captain clutched his throat, blood gushing wildly between his fingers, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror.

He staggered back two steps, and finally, under Ronan's calm gaze, crashed to the ground.

Ronan smoothly pulled out his wooden staff, blood dripping from its tip.

After a brief silence—

The remaining pirates instantly broke down!

"The captain's dead! Run—!!"

They scattered like wild dogs with their throats clamped, fleeing for their lives.

Ronan had just taken a step, ready to pursue—

Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!

Blade light flashed. A figure moved as if by Teleportation.

The cold ring of steel and the spray of blood wove together into a single line in the air.

The next instant—

All the fleeing pirates collapsed to the ground, each with a precise, terrifying blade wound across their chest.

Ronan's heart jolted.

When the figure finally came to a halt, he saw the green hair and the three swords at the waist—

His Pupils snapped tight.

—Roronoa—Zoro!!

The Green-haired Swordsman slowly flicked the blood from his blade, sheathing Wado Ichimonji with a steady, crisp motion.

He lifted his eyes to Ronan, clearly noting the shift in Ronan's expression at the sight of him. His gaze carried a hint of scrutiny and curiosity:

"You know me?"

Ronan's throat bobbed.

As a One Piece fan in his past life, he recognized Zoro at a glance.

But he never imagined—

That he would see Zoro in a world this real.

Not far off, the Youth in the Straw Hat walked over briskly, his smile as bright as ever;

And the Orange-haired Girl stood with her hands on her hips, looking exasperated yet alert as she scanned their surroundings.

Ronan froze for half a second.

—Luffy.

—Nami.

Faces he'd seen countless times on a screen in his past life now stood before him in the flesh, close enough to hear their breathing and Footsteps.

Just as Ronan stood stunned, the old man and his grandson ran over.

The old man's eyes were red with emotion as he grabbed Ronan's hand:

"Young Man! You... thank goodness you're alright!

This old man... truly owes you everything!"

Ronan nodded lightly, still processing the shock within him.

Nami stepped forward, glanced at the bodies on the ground, then looked at Zoro with a pout:

"Zoro, that 'Pirate Hunter' reputation of yours really isn't just for show.

Quite a few people recognize you."

Zoro grunted, but turned his attention back to Ronan.

"That move you just used... was unusual."

He stared at Ronan's wooden staff and stance, his tone serious and direct:

"What's your name?"

Ronan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"My name is... Ronan."

The moment the words left his mouth—

"Ronan!!!"

An ecstatic voice exploded.

Luffy shot over like a spring, landing right in front of Ronan, his eyes shining like twin lanterns, his face brimming with undisguised joy and anticipation.

He extended his hand, his voice unusually solemn:

"Become our nakama!!"

His words echoed through the air, carrying a heat that could ignite anyone's heart.

Ronan stood frozen.

Zoro raised an eyebrow.

Nami pressed a hand to her forehead.

The old man and the boy stared in disbelief.

And Luffy's eyes were fixed solely on Ronan, making his invitation without a shred of hesitation.

Ronan looked at the Straw Hat youth before him, his mind reeling.

This figure who had once only existed on screens and manga pages now stood before him with real warmth and light.

He glanced at the girl beside him—short orange hair, sharp-witted, carrying a hint of wariness—

Nami.

Looking around, however, he saw no sign of Usopp or Sanji—

Ronan instantly calculated the current timeline in his mind.

—The Straw Hat Pirates had just formed. Sanji hadn't joined yet. Usopp was still bragging in his own village.

This meant...

He was at the purest starting point of the Straw Hat crew.

A moment where he could truly participate, change things, even grow alongside them.

For someone like him—burdened with a system but still limited in strength as a newcomer—

A reliable crew was the sturdiest support.

And this crew, which valued "nakama" above life itself, was without a doubt the most trustworthy existence in the Pirate World.

Ronan looked up, meeting Luffy's eyes, which were filled with sincerity.

In that moment, a string in his heart was plucked.

He let out a soft breath and spoke solemnly:

"Alright."

"From today on... I'll be in your care."

The moment the words fell—

Nami immediately crossed her arms and sized him up, her wariness undiminished:

"Hey, you agreed that easily..."

"You don't have some other motive, do you?"

Her tone was blunt, but a flicker of guilt flashed briefly in her eyes.

After all, she had her own secrets too.

Ronan smiled faintly, neither defending himself nor getting angry.

And just then—

"HAHAHAHA!!"

Luffy burst into laughter, thumping his chest with absolute certainty:

"Nami, don't worry!"

"The person I've set my sights on—could never be a bad guy!!"

"From today on, our crew is—four people!!!"

The youth's passionate declaration echoed through the battered town.

Zoro gave a light snort, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, silently acknowledging the new companion.

Nami rolled her eyes but didn't stop him.

And so—

In the ruins where the war fire had yet to fully die out, Ronan officially joined the Straw Hat Pirates.

At that very moment, the blood and energy within him gradually settled.

Cultivation Multiplier ended.

[Strength: 11 → 12]

[Physique: 11 → 12]

[Speed: 11 → 12]

Ronan silently clenched his fist, feeling the surging vitality inside him, nearly overflowing.

This was the world of the Pirate King...

A new cultivation...

A new journey had truly just begun.