The clash of steel and roar of gunpowder echoed across Chōkoku Port. Amid the chaos, Captain Vons continued his intense clash with Yani and Anta. Every strike from Yani's cheetah-enhanced speed forced Vons onto the defensive, while Anta's stone-shifting snipes created constant openings. Vons was tough, but even he was being slowly worn down.
Elsewhere, on the blood-stained docks, Ray and Tim darted through the frenzy, ducking behind shattered barrels and toppled crates. Screams and gunshots blurred together around them. Marine bodies fell, some twitching in pain, others unmoving. Pirates laughed, jeered, and hacked their way forward.
"This is insane!" Tim gasped, clutching his side where a splinter had cut through his uniform. "We need to—!"
"Shh! Keep low!" Ray whispered, pulling him behind a tall crate stack. They collapsed for a moment to catch their breath. Ray's hands trembled slightly—part fear, part adrenaline—but his mind raced faster.
He had an ace.
Ray quickly pulled up his system interface, the translucent screen blinking into existence before his eyes.
Characters: 1/3
[N011 — Jelly]
With a silent tap, he linked to Jelly.
Across the battlefield, near the far end of the harbor where the fighting hadn't reached yet, a strange presence floated down from above. A figure—tall, otherworldly, and serene—descended through the smoke like a phantom.
The Jellyfish Man, Jelly
Ten pirates nearby, clearly not part of the elite group, turned toward it, confused.
"The hell is that...?" one of them muttered.
"It's floatin'... is that a Devil Fruit user or some kinda ghost?!"
Jelly made no sound. His translucent tendrils drifted behind him, glowing faintly in the firelight.
The pirates hesitated. One took a step forward, sword drawn.
He touched the ground lightly.
In a flash, three tendrils lashed out, snaking through the air like lightning. They struck three pirates simultaneously—necks, wrists, legs—paralyzing them instantly. Their weapons clattered uselessly on the stone floor as they dropped, twitching violently, mouths foaming.
"Don't just stand there! Kill it!!"
Two pirates lunged forward with axes, screaming, but Jelly lifted both arms, and an invisible charge snapped through the air with a crack.
ZZZT!
A burst of electricity surged through the air. The attackers seized up mid-strike, their eyes rolling back as they hit the ground, smoke curling from their armor.
Another tried to shoot from a distance—Jelly's tendrils whipped around, catching the bullet mid-air with a soft crack. Then—he flicked it back.
Right through the shooter's shoulder.
"AHHHH!!"
"He's a freak—back off! Regroup!"
"Like hell we're backing off! He's just one guy!"
The remaining five pirates spread out, trying to surround him, using crates and rubble for cover. But Jelly rose a few inches off the ground again, glowing brighter.
He was done playing.
The air shimmered. One of the pirates behind cover peeked up—only to find Jelly was gone.
"Where—?!"
CRACK!
A tendril burst from below, piercing the crate and dragging the pirate into the air before slamming him down like a ragdoll.
Another pirate turned and fired a flintlock wildly—Jelly was already behind him. A paralyzing jab to the spine, and the man dropped like a stone.
_____
From behind the crates, Ray peeked around the corner with Tim, eyes cautiously looking around the battlefield and making plans.
Ray gritted his teeth and issued a mental command to the jellyfish man: Prioritize protection. Come to my location immediately!
Ray clutched the system interface tighter, its glow reflecting in his anxious eyes.
"I need Jelly here… now."
He glanced at Tim, trembling silently beside him.
Ray's pulse thundered in his ears. Desperation clawed at him as he opened the screen again.
There it was—an option he'd used before, but never dared touch again.
[Create Character (Random)]
He stared.
Sweat beaded on his brow.
"Should I do it?" he whispered.
Ray's back was pressed against the crate as shouts and cannon blasts echoed above them. He clutched his chest, breathing hard. He could still hear distant fighting… and less and less of his captain.
The sound of Vons' battle was fading.
That hope—of a seasoned hero swooping in to save the day—was dying too.
Ray swallowed hard and yanked open the system screen again. His fingers hovered over the [Create Character (Random)] option.....
"But I don't have any berries…" he muttered.
Yet his hand moved on its own.
'If I don't press it, I'll probably die. But if I do—'
He pressed it.
At least he'd die knowing he tried.
Suddenly, red warning text blinked across the screen like blood smeared on glass:
Berries: 0
Borrowing: 5,000,000 berries
Current Berries: -5,000,000
> Warning: User cannot use the system to create any new characters until the debt is resolved.
Thank you.
Generating character...
Character Created!
Ray stared in horrified disbelief.
"…Five million?!"