Night settled over Orange Town, but the ruins still whispered with life. Broken houses leaned like tired old men, shattered shops lined the streets, and the wind whistled through gaps as though mourning the city itself.
The mayor marched stubbornly ahead, cane tapping with every step. His voice rang out in defiance:"I won't let some clown rule our home!"
Luffy grinned brightly. "I like this guy!"Zoro muttered, "He's brave… but reckless."Nami sighed. "He's insane."Adam? He was fiddling with his invisible menu, nearly walking into a lamppost.
[Quest Update: Help the Mayor Confront Buggy – Progress 25%.]
Adam whispered: "Nice… just walking behind the old man gives me quest progress. If I keep this up, maybe I'll earn points for breathing too."
Suddenly, barking echoed down the street. Ahead, a half-destroyed shop stood stubbornly in place. Guarding it was a small white dog with ruffled fur, eyes blazing with determination.
The mayor's expression softened. "Chouchou… still guarding the shop?"
Luffy bent down with a wide grin. "Wow! What a cute little guy!" He reached out to pet him.
Chouchou bit his hand instantly.
"OWWWW!" Luffy yanked his hand back, laughing instead of yelling. "Hahaha! You've got guts, pup!"
Adam chuckled. "This dog's braver than me."
A system message popped up:[New Side Quest: Protect Chouchou's Shop.]Reward: +60 points.
Adam slapped his forehead. "Are you kidding me?! Even the dog gets his own quest? What am I, an NPC in my own life?"
…
The mayor sat down on a piece of rubble, voice heavy with sadness:"This dog's name is Chouchou. His owner was the shopkeeper here. The man passed away, but Chouchou… he hasn't moved from this spot. He guards the store like his master is still inside. His loyalty surpasses most men I know."
Everyone fell silent. Even Nami, who rarely cared for sentiment, looked away with a faint flicker of sympathy in her eyes.
But the moment didn't last. Heavy footsteps echoed down the street. A massive man, one of Buggy's crew, emerged with a sack slung over his shoulder.
"Hahahaha! Well, look who it is—the mayor's still kicking? And who are these clowns with you?!"
Luffy stepped forward with his carefree grin. "Us? Just adventurers!"
Adam muttered: "Adventurers… yeah, lost ones."
Zoro's hand rested on his sword, Nami stepped back, and Chouchou's barking grew frenzied.
The thug sneered at the little dog. "Still guarding this dump? You stupid mutt. Let me put you out of your misery."
Without thinking, Adam shouted: "Wait! That dog's a main quest NPC! If he dies, I'll fail the side mission!"
Everyone turned to stare at him.
Luffy tilted his head. "NPC? What's that mean?"Adam stammered. "Uh—I mean… he's rare! Valuable! We can't let him die!"
The thug ignored him and charged at Chouchou.
Zoro moved like lightning. One swift slash, and the man collapsed like a sack of rice.
Chouchou stood his ground, still barking furiously at the fallen pirate, as if to declare victory.
The system chimed:[Side Quest Updated: Chouchou Protected – Progress 50%.]
Adam pumped his fist. "Yes! Points are rolling in!"
Nami frowned at him. "You really talk like this is a game."
Adam laughed nervously. "Game? No… maybe… kind of."
…
But there was no time to explain. More voices filled the street.
"Hehehehe! The mayor brought backup?!"
A dozen of Buggy's men spilled out of the alleys, brandishing weapons.
The mayor gripped his cane, trembling but defiant. "This is my town! You won't destroy it further!"
Luffy stepped forward, smile bright as ever. "Yeah! Leave them to us!"
Zoro smirked, drawing his blades. "Finally, a warm-up."
Nami muttered, "Great. Surrounded again. I knew sticking with you guys was a mistake."
Adam's heart pounded, but the system flashed a new alert.
[Quest Update: Confront Buggy's Men.]Reward: +100 points / Random Item.
Adam groaned. "So if I die here… at least I'll die grinding XP."
…
The fight erupted.
Luffy's arm shot forward, knocking one pirate into a wall with a single Gum-Gum Pistol. Zoro danced between foes, each swing of his swords precise and devastating. Nami, though reluctant, swung her staff and cracked a pirate across the back, sending him sprawling.
Adam? He crouched behind a barrel, shaking.
[Passive Skill Activated: Stress Resistance.]
Adam whispered: "Stress resistance?! If I had that, I wouldn't be hiding behind wood!"
One of Buggy's thugs spotted him. "You! Get over here!"
Adam panicked, grabbed a rock at his feet, and hurled it with all his might. To his shock, it hit the thug square in the forehead, dropping him cold.
Luffy cheered. "Wooo! Nice shot, Adam!"
The system dinged:[New Skill Acquired: Improvised Throw (Lv.1).]
Adam froze. "Wait… I get skills for random nonsense now?! I really am an RPG character!"
…
The battle wrapped up quickly, thanks to Luffy and Zoro's overwhelming strength. The surviving pirates scattered, running for their lives.
The mayor raised his cane triumphantly. "See? There's still hope for this town!"
Chouchou sat proudly in front of the shop, barking in victory.
[Side Quest Completed: Protect Chouchou's Shop.]Reward: +60 points / Item Unlocked: "Small Biscuit Bag."
A pouch of biscuits appeared in Adam's hands. He opened it, inhaling the sweet smell.
"Finally, something nice for me—"
"BISCUITS!" Luffy lunged like a missile, snatching the bag and devouring everything in seconds.
Adam's jaw dropped. "My reward! That was mine!"
The system chimed again:[Item Consumed by Ally. +10 Relationship with Luffy.]
Adam slumped. "I swear, I want a refund on this system."
…
But the laughter died abruptly. From the far end of the street, a large shadow appeared.
"HEEHEEHEEHAHAHAHAHA! Who dares oppose me?!"
Buggy the Clown had arrived. His wide grin stretched under his bulbous red nose, his menacing aura filling the ruined street.
The mayor trembled. Zoro readied his blades. Luffy's eyes gleamed with excitement. Nami clenched her staff, torn between fleeing and fighting.
Adam's system pulsed with a new alert:
[Main Mission Update: Buggy the Clown Appears.]Condition: Stay alive and contribute to his defeat.Reward: Doubled.
Adam swallowed hard. "Great… the clown's here… and I'm still level one."