Victor's Magic Trick

On the vast sea, a tiny wooden boat rose and fell with the waves.

This boat had, of course, been "borrowed" from the Alvida Pirates.

As for why no one from the Alvida Pirates had chased after them?

Probably because their captain was still hanging from the mast, foaming at the mouth.

And after that terrifying red-eyed boy merely glanced back at them, everyone aboard had been so frightened that they ducked below deck.

"Great! We're finally at sea!"

Luffy sat at the bow, showing none of a captain's dignity as he shouted excitedly into the sea breeze.

"This is what adventure smells like!"

Koby sat in the middle, responsible for rowing—though he had no idea why he had become the laborer—and stared lifelessly ahead.

"Mr. Luffy... is it really okay for us to just take the pirates' lifeboat?"

"It's fine, it's fine!" Luffy waved carelessly. "They won't need it anyway!"

Victor sat leisurely at the stern, leaning against the side of the boat as he played with the kunai in his hand.

While Luffy was shouting excitedly, Victor focused his thoughts and summoned the system interface buried deep in his mind.

"System, calculate the battle rewards."

In an instant, a pale blue translucent screen that only he could see unfolded before his eyes.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the hidden achievement mission—"First Battle Under Sail"!]

[Defeated target: "Iron Mace" Alvida (bounty: 5,000,000 Beli).]

[Battle evaluation: S.]

[Reward obtained: 500 Ninja Way Points.]

"Five hundred points..."

Victor looked at the number and thoughtfully rubbed his chin.

According to the system's explanation, [Ninja Way Points] were the system's only currency.

The methods of obtaining them were simple and brutal: defeat powerful enemies, alter major plot events from the original story, or create scenes on the sea shocking enough to shake the world.

The stronger the opponent and the higher their bounty, the better the evaluation and the more points he would receive.

Although Alvida had some reputation in the East Blue, she was not even an ant in the entire pirate world.

The five hundred points were probably only because this had been his "first battle."

"Open the exchange store."

Victor's thoughts shifted, and the screen changed. A dazzling list appeared before him.

This was the function of the "Naruto System" that he coveted the most.

The store was divided into several major categories: [Ninjutsu], [Taijutsu], [Genjutsu], [Bloodline Limits], and [Ninja Tools].

Victor casually glanced at the "Luxury Section" at the top and immediately felt his teeth ache.

[Rinnegan (single eye)]: Price: 10,000,000 Ninja Way Points.

[Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan (both eyes)]: Price: 5,000,000 Ninja Way Points.

"Ten million..." Victor's mouth twitched. "How long would I have to save for that?"

He shook his head and decisively closed those advanced pages that would only give him "poverty anxiety," turning his gaze toward the [Basic Section].

Right now, he possessed the One-Tomoe Sharingan, and his offensive options were rather limited. Aside from basic taijutsu, he only had kunai.

His gaze paused over several options.

[Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique]: C-rank ninjutsu. Exchange price: 300 points.

[Substitution Technique]: E-rank ninjutsu. Exchange price: 200 points.

[Shadow Clone Technique]: B-rank ninjutsu. Exchange price: 1,000 points.

[Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique]: D-rank ninjutsu. Exchange price: 400 points.

Victor looked at his meager balance of five hundred points and weighed his options.

In the end, his gaze settled on [Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique].

"People in the pirate world generally have low magic resistance and almost no means of defending against mental attacks. Besides..."

"How could a magician not know hypnosis?"

"I'll exchange for the Great Fireball next time. It's standard Uchiha equipment, even though it never seems to kill anyone in Naruto..."

"System, exchange for [Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique]!"

[Ding! 400 Ninja Way Points deducted. Exchange successful! The relevant hand seals and chakra flow methods have been implanted into the host's memories.]

A cool stream of information surged into his mind.

Victor closed his eyes and processed it for a moment. When he opened them again, there seemed to be an additional trace of depth within his dark pupils.

Before he could think further, Luffy's voice brought him back to reality.

"Hey, Victor!" Luffy suddenly turned around and spoke with a serious expression.

"Since you got on my ship, you're my first companion!"

"I'm going to become the Pirate King, so as my first mate, you'll have to work hard from now on!"

"Pfft—cough, cough, cough!"

Koby, who had been rowing, nearly choked on his own saliva. The oar in his hand flew away in fright.

He sprang to his feet, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared at Luffy in horror.

"P-Pirate King?! Mr. Luffy, you're joking, right?!"

"That's the great pirate who possesses all the wealth, fame, and power in the world!"

"To become the Pirate King means finding the legendary One Piece on this sea filled with monsters!"

"How could something like that... how could that possibly be done?! It's absolutely impossible! Impossible, impossible!!"

Bang!

Luffy mercilessly punched Koby on the head.

"Ow!" Koby squatted down, clutching his head.

"Why did you hit me..."

"Because you're noisy." Luffy picked his nose, but his eyes were unusually determined.

"It's not about whether it can be done. I want to become it, so I'll become it. Even if I die for it, I don't care."

Koby froze.

Victor helplessly fished up the oar and tossed it to Koby.

"That was a spirited declaration. But Captain, if you want to become the Pirate King, we can't rely on just the two of us begging... ah, no, just the two of us."

"That's right!" Luffy immediately perked up and began counting on his fingers.

"We still need a navigator, a cook, a musician... let me think, how about that 'Pirate Hunter'?"

"Z-Zoro?!"

At the mention of that name, Koby's face instantly turned pale.

"Mr. Luffy, you want Roronoa Zoro as a companion? That guy they call a 'Magic Beast wearing human skin'?"

"I heard he's a demon who kills without blinking! He's locked up at the Marine base ahead right now!"

"He got caught?" Luffy looked unconcerned. "Perfect. If he's a decent guy, I'll make him join!"

"A decent guy... they said he's a Magic Beast!"

While Koby was still muttering in despair, Luffy's attention suddenly shifted.

He turned his head, his large curious eyes staring directly at Victor as if he had suddenly remembered something important.

"Hey, hey! Victor!"

Luffy leaned closer, almost pressing his face against Victor's.

"You said you were a magician before, right? Those red eyes are cool, but I want to see a more interesting magic trick! Show me one! Right now!"

Victor looked at Luffy's starry eyes and helplessly raised an eyebrow.

"You want to see magic?" A mischievous smile appeared on Victor's lips.

"Fine. Since you're the captain, I'll show you a difficult one."

"Ooh, ooh, ooh!"

Luffy immediately sat up straight. Even Koby, who was rowing, could not help secretly glancing over.

The magic trick of someone who had instantly defeated pirates had to be incredible, right?

Would he conjure flames from thin air? Or disappear in an instant?

Under their expectant gazes, Victor slowly extended the index finger of his right hand and held it up before Luffy.

"Watch carefully, Luffy. This is one finger, right?"

"Mhm, mhm!" Luffy nodded furiously.

"Next, don't blink. This is the moment you witness a miracle."

Victor took a deep breath, then—

He began rapidly shaking that index finger from side to side.

The movement was so fast and violent that it even left a faint afterimage.

"Look! Transform!" Victor solemnly held out two fingers.

"Ta-da!"

He stopped moving and looked calmly at Luffy.

The scene was silent for a full three seconds.

"Wow!!!"

Luffy let out an unprecedented cry, clutching his head with both hands as his eyes nearly popped out.

"It turned into two fingers!! That's amazing!! It was obviously one finger just now! How did you do that?! Victor, are you a god?!"

Koby beside him: "..."

The expression on Koby's face changed from anticipation to blankness, then finally into profound speechlessness.

He painfully covered his head, feeling that his future was pitch-black.

"What kind of magic trick is that?! It's just holding out another finger! Anyone can do that!"

Koby ranted furiously in his heart, his gaze toward Luffy full of suspicion.

Mr. Luffy... isn't really an idiot, is he? He actually believed a trick that could fool a three-year-old?

Victor, however, seemed quite pleased. He patted Luffy on the shoulder.

"That is the essence of magic, Captain. You'll understand someday. In this world, what you see is not necessarily real."

Amid this atmosphere brimming with "wisdom," the distant mist gradually dispersed.

The outline of a massive island appeared on the horizon.

At the center of the island stood a towering fortress-like building that reached into the clouds. The enormous word "MARINE" gleamed under the sunlight.

"Mr. Luffy, Mr. Victor!"

"Shells Town, Marine 153rd Branch is here!"