Pirates: I Loaded the Game Panel

[The Gift of Fate]

"Why does that sound like the hero of a famous ghost story...?"

Reading the panel's description of his first legend, Adrian had mixed feelings.

In a sense, a "legend" was much the same as an alias.

In other words, unless he did something else memorable, the name people in the pirate world knew him by would probably be White Ghost.

That nickname...

Frankly, it wasn't very good.

But the system had given it to him, and Adrian had no say in the matter.

White Ghost was at least better than “White Demon” or “White Reaper.”

Adrian looked at the panel again.

Setting aside the Devil Fruit reward and his legend...

As for experience, besides the reward for completing the mission, everyone in the Capone Gang, from its godfather to its rank-and-file members, had yielded a substantial amount upon death. Killing Capone Bege and Capone Bell had counted as defeating higher-level opponents, making those rewards enormous.

Without further thought, Adrian poured all the experience he had gained into leveling up. He raised Professional Swordsman to LV16, bringing his overall level to LV36—not far from level 40.

He put every free attribute point from leveling up and the mission reward into Intelligence. It now stood at 300, higher than his other five attributes combined.

With the mission rewards settled, it was time to tell Penelope the news.

Remembering Capone Bege's dying words, Adrian sighed and vanished.

A moment later...

Adrian reached the safe house where he had left the mother and daughter and knocked politely.

"Ma'am, it's me, Adrian. May I come in?"

Penelope had been on edge inside the room. She relaxed as soon as she heard his familiar voice.

She let Adrian in and asked with concern, "Mr. Adrian, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, ma'am." Adrian shook his head, then said in a low voice, "I have some bad news about Captain Clivatt."

Penelope's heart sank.

"Capone Bege—the son of the Capone Gang's leader—told me after I defeated him," Adrian said quietly. "He said your husband had passed away."

Though she had prepared herself for the possibility, Penelope was struck by a wave of dizziness.

She shut her eyes tight and pressed one hand to her forehead. With the other trembling hand, she found a chair and sat down, her chest rising and falling sharply.

Adrian silently poured her a cup of hot tea.

Before he could offer any comfort, Penelope opened her eyes. She did not cry. There were no tears, only reddened eyes.

For someone who looked so delicate, she showed extraordinary strength in the face of her husband's unexpected death.

"Thank you for telling me, Mr. Adrian."

Seeing that, Adrian changed his mind. Whatever else he said, he should not offer her empty words of comfort now.

Instead, he asked, "Ma'am, I plan to stay on Oatfee Island a few more days. What will you do?"

"Me?" Penelope gave a bitter smile, unsure how to answer.

"Do you have any friends or relatives in the West Blue?"

"I only know that Clivatt—" Penelope paused, but managed to continue. "He has a distant nephew who also works for Clearwater Trading Company."

"How well do you know him?" A hint of an offer entered Adrian's voice.

Penelope answered honestly, "We're not particularly close, but I know his background. He's a dependable young man."

"The Capone Gang has been destroyed. Once I clear out its remaining members on Oatfee Island, it will be gone for good," Adrian said, laying out his plan. "If that nephew of yours is as dependable as you say, would he leave Clearwater Trading Company and work for me?"

That was right!

Adrian intended to build an organization of his own!

While trading with the closed-beta players in Flower Country, he had realized something important.

When the public beta began, Adrian could act as a "class trainer" or "new-player guide," but he did not have enough goods of his own to trade with the players.

Firearms, gunpowder, weapons, medicine...

Adrian had little use for any of them, but low-level players desperately needed them!

Obtaining those supplies would not be difficult for Adrian. The time and effort involved in trading them himself, however, would make it a poor bargain.

Why not find someone suitable to build an organization for him?

The Capone Gang had just been wiped out. An organization founded in its place could make a name for itself across the West Blue almost overnight.

If things went well, Adrian could have it focus on trading goods with players, freeing himself from all the tedious transactions.

After a long silence, Penelope asked, "What exactly do you intend to do, Mr. Adrian?"

"Hmm..." Adrian rubbed his chin. "Open a trading company?"

Five days later.

Tommy arrived on Oatfee Island aboard a Clearwater Trading Company merchant ship, weary from the journey.

He felt both excited and hopeful about visiting this "gangster island," notorious throughout the West Blue's underworld.

Everyone in the West Blue knew by now that the famous Capone Gang had provoked a terrifying enemy it should never have crossed and been wiped out in a single day.

Tommy had never imagined that someone like him would catch the attention of such a legendary figure!

Even if it was thanks to a distant relative...

About half an hour later...

Tommy arrived at an unremarkable two-story building. In its sitting room, he finally met the legendary White Ghost!

Adrian gave the trembling young man in a tweed coat and newsboy cap a quick appraisal. He nodded inwardly. At least Tommy looked the part.

"Your name?"

"Tommy. Tommy Shelby, sir."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You have a very interesting name, Tommy."

"Do... do I?" Tommy Shelby answered, his face flushing.

"I believe in friendship, and I'm willing to be the first to offer mine." Adrian smiled faintly and got straight to the point. "Tommy, will you leave Clearwater Trading Company and work for me—and for yourself?"

"I'd be honored, sir!" Tommy Shelby nodded at once, answering loudly.

Wasn't that why he had come all the way to Oatfee Island?

A moment later, Tommy lowered his head and said a little awkwardly, "Godfather!"

Adrian chuckled. "No need for that, Tommy. I didn't ask Penelope to bring you here because I wanted to start a gang. I'm going to establish a company—a legitimate trading company. Would you still like to help me?"

Young Tommy Shelby looked up in confusion. "You want to open a trading company, sir?"

"Yes." Adrian nodded. "It won't be connected to me, at least not openly. I'm thinking of calling it Shelby Company. What do you think?"

"I think..." A brilliant light filled Tommy Shelby's eyes. "It's absolutely wonderful!"

"Of course, as the company grows, we may occasionally need to resort to violence," Adrian added. "It can't be helped. The cruel seas have a way of wearing down a businessman's noble character."

Tommy Shelby's mind raced, and excitement crept into his voice. "So we'll also need a little muscle from the underworld."

Adrian smiled with satisfaction. "Exactly. Do you think 'Razor Gang' would make a good name?"

[Return to Ohara]

Several days had passed since Shelby Company officially opened its doors.

Preparations had been brief, and the company's public head, Tommy Shelby, was still an unknown young man. Most islanders had no idea a "maritime trading company" had appeared in their midst.

Adrian was in no hurry to make Shelby Company famous. Its main customers would be players who had yet to arrive, and the public beta was still nearly a year away. There was plenty of time.

Behind the scenes...

With the notorious Capone Gang wiped out in a day, its remaining assets and territory became prizes everyone fought to claim.

The gangs elsewhere could fight over those spoils as fiercely as they liked.

On Oatfee Island, the Capone Gang's former stronghold, a small organization called the Razor Gang rose from nowhere. It recruited freely, seized territory, and united the island's underworld with astonishing speed.

By the time people recovered from the shocking news of the Capone Gang's destruction, Oatfee Island already had a new master.

After repelling gangs from other islands in several open confrontations, the Razor Gang established itself in the West Blue underworld as a new force that could not be ignored.

Tommy Shelby, the Razor Gang's leader, also began to make a name for himself.

But that would come later.

After clearing out Oatfee Island's remaining underworld factions and attending Shelby Company's opening ceremony, Adrian felt his work was done. He prepared to leave the gangster island.

One morning...

A brand-new two-masted sailing ship lay moored at the harbor.

Its figurehead was a goddess's bust, a common sight at sea. What made it unusual was the lifelike little bird perched on her raised right hand.

The hull had sleek lines, and the raised sails bore Shelby Company's emblem: a crossed cigarette and whiskey bottle.

Leaning against the deck railing, Adrian looked down at Tommy and waved. "I'm leaving Oatfee Island in your hands, Tommy. Don't forget what I told you."

"Rest assured, sir." Tommy stood on the dock, his eyes burning with fervor. "I won't let you down!"

Tommy Shelby unconsciously touched the inside pocket of his coat. It held a newly bound booklet titled Godfather's Classic Quotes...

Adrian nodded slightly and turned toward the cabin.

Penelope followed close behind, carrying one-year-old Perona in her arms.

Yes.

After asking Adrian's opinion, Penelope had decided to leave painful Oatfee Island behind. She would accompany him to Ohara and settle on that world-famous island of knowledge.

Adrian, naturally, had no reason to refuse her outright.

Three days later...

The merchant ship arrived at Ohara's port.

Penelope admired the sights around her, so different from those on other West Blue islands. Then she spotted a little girl standing on the dock, eagerly watching for someone.

"Mr. Adrian—"

"Just call me Adrian, ma'am."

"Adrian, that little girl on the dock—do you know her?"

"Hmm?"

Adrian looked where Penelope pointed and saw Little Robin waving excitedly toward them. His expression turned a little odd.

If he remembered correctly, he had only met Little Robin a handful of times. Why did she always seem unusually close to him?

Was it because of the few comforting words he had offered when they first met?

"Her name is Robin. Nico Robin," Adrian told Penelope briefly. "Her father died when she was very young, and her irresponsible mother... left Ohara for some reason. She's living with her aunt and uncle now."

Penelope's eyes filled with sympathy.

With that, Adrian jumped down from the merchant ship's deck and landed in front of Little Robin. "It's been a while, Little Robin," he said with a smile.

"It has, Adrian!" Robin replied brightly.

Penelope came down from the ship too, carrying Perona, and gave Little Robin a warm smile.

"This is Aunt Penelope, a friend I met at sea. The little girl she's holding is little Perona, and she's only one year old." Adrian crouched to meet Little Robin's eyes. "Big brother Adrian has some things to look up at the library. Could you show Aunt Penelope around the island for me, Little Robin?"

Hearing Adrian's words, Little Robin couldn't help puffing out her cheeks. She looked up at the kindly Penelope, then reluctantly nodded.

"Good girl!" Adrian patted Little Robin's head and took a small Den Den Mushi from his pocket. "Here's a reward for Little Robin."

"A Den Den Mushi that can make long-distance calls!" Little Robin's eyes lit up. She reached for the snail with its pink shell, then quickly drew her hands back.