"Haha, well, I'm going to head out," Jerry announced, deftly catching the bread roll Deuce had thrown at him. "You guys take your time. I'm going for a walk."
He already had a destination in mind. On their way to the restaurant, he'd spotted a small river just behind the row of buildings. With Ace and Deuce still eating and Skull cataloging information, he figured he had a solid half-day to himself. A perfect opportunity to cast a line.
He followed the sound of gurgling water and soon found himself standing by a peaceful, tree-lined riverbank. "Not a bad view," he mused, pulling his fishing gear from his system's inventory. "Should be a good spot."
With a practiced motion, he set up his gear and settled in, enjoying the tranquility.
[Ding! Random Quest Triggered: The Gunnas Island Catch.]
[Reward: 2x Daily Quest attribute rewards for one week & one (1) Surprise Treasure Chest.]
[Penalty for Failure: You will slip on something unpleasant ten (10) times while walking.]
"You're telling me I'm going to fail again, aren't you?" Jerry grumbled at the air. "And what's with the obsession with 'unpleasant' things? Does this system have some kind of weird fetish?" Shaking his head, he focused his gaze on the water, determined to prove the system wrong.
After what felt like an eternity of patient waiting, his float began to tremble.
"Aha! Here we go!" he whispered, a thrill running through him. He gave the rod a gentle tug. It was heavy. This is it. A big one. He pulled harder, and with a great splash, his catch flew out of the water.
"Are you kidding me?"
It was a massive, tangled clump of seaweed. Disgusted, he was about to fling it back into the river when he noticed the weight felt... off. He paused, pulling the dripping mass closer. Hidden within the tangled weeds was a small, waterlogged chest, its lock rusted shut.
"Well, well. Is this my lucky day?" he grinned, his excitement returning. He broke the rusty lock with a sharp twist and pried the lid open. Inside, he found a large, heavy bag wrapped in thick, moisture-proof material. The careful packaging only fueled his anticipation. Tearing it open with gusto, he was met with a blinding flash of... orange.
At the same time, the system pinged.
[Quest Complete.]
He was staring at a box full of carrots. Very fresh, very bright, very much not treasure.
"Son of a..." Jerry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's a bunch of plants. I should have known when I hooked the seaweed."
Before he could properly lament his misfortune, the sound of frantic footsteps and panicked shouting echoed from behind him.
"STOP! You little brat! I'll break your legs when I catch you! How dare you run!" a sharp voice screeched.
"Help... huff... Help me!!!" a child's desperate cry followed.
Jerry instantly put away his fishing gear and the disappointing carrots. He turned to see a little girl, no older than ten, running for her life. Chasing her was a cruel-faced woman leading a motley crew of thugs—some dressed like dock workers, others like restaurant staff. It was a grim procession.
"You have got to be kidding me," Jerry muttered. "Broad daylight..." He didn't know the full story, but he saw a terrified child running from a pack of predators. As a fisherman of principle, he had to act. Besides, in this world, there was no risk of being sued for getting involved.
Just as the girl reached him, her legs gave out. She staggered, about to collapse from sheer exhaustion. Jerry stepped forward and caught her, his hands gently steadying her shoulders. As he did, the sleeve of her tattered dress slid up, revealing a horrifying lattice of red, angry whip marks on her small arm. They were a silent testament to unspeakable cruelty.
"Wuwu... Mister, please save me!" the little girl cried, clinging to Jerry's arm as if it were a life raft. "They kidnapped me! They're going to sell me!"
Human traffickers.
The words, combined with the scars on her arm, ignited a cold fury in Jerry's chest. His fists clenched, veins bulging on his forearms.
The mob chasing her skidded to a halt in front of them. One of the thugs whispered to the leading woman, pointing at Jerry.
"You're one of the new pirates who just docked, aren't you?" the woman sneered, her chin held high with an air of absolute authority. She looked Jerry up and down with disdain. "You should know, this is his territory. Hand over the girl if you know what's good for you. Otherwise..."
Jerry just chuckled, a dark, humorless sound. He gently patted the little girl's head. "Welcome to the Grand Line, rookie."
The woman's face twisted in rage at his insolence. "Get him!" she shrieked, waving her hand. "A handsome boy like him might even be worth a good price!"
Her thugs charged forward, a wave of snarling faces and brandished weapons.
"Just rest for a second," Jerry whispered to the girl, his voice calm and steady. "This will be over soon." He stepped in front of her, facing the oncoming mob. He held out his hand, palm open.
"Fishman Karate: Water Shot..."
A perfect sphere of water materialized in his palm, shimmering in the sunlight.
"...Autumn Rain!"
With a flick of his wrist, the water ball exploded into dozens of smaller droplets. They shot forward with the speed and force of bullets, a deadly, beautiful shower. It was a technique he had been developing—a crowd-control move perfect for dealing with ordinary minions.
A chorus of pained screams erupted. The woman had barely lowered her hand when she saw her entire crew on the ground, clutching various parts of their bodies, wailing in agony.
"You... you... you!" she stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief, unable to process what had just happened.
A moment later, raw terror finally registered. She let out a piercing shriek, spun on her heel, and fled, disappearing down an alley in the blink of an eye.