Staring at his phone screen, where poor Luffy was once again being mercilessly beaten up by Kaido, Rosen could only sit there speechless. But in the very next second—Nika appeared.
Rosen's jaw dropped even further.
"What kind of ridiculous setting is this supposed to be?"
That's right—Rosen was a seasoned One Piece fan. Sure, after the Marineford War ended, his passion for the series had dulled compared to before.
But every time a new One Piece clip popped up on his feed, he couldn't resist watching. And once he watched, he couldn't help but spit out a few sarcastic comments.
He turned off his phone. Having had a few drinks that evening, Rosen soon drifted into a heavy sleep.
In his dream, he discovered something unbelievable: he had transmigrated into the world of One Piece!
And what's more—he had become a Chief Guard in the great prison beneath the sea, Impel Down.
The dream seemed endless, as if he would never wake again. By the time he finally pried open his eyes, he found himself in an environment both strange and strangely familiar.
His gaze swept over the office before him, and a chill ran down his spine.
"Wait… isn't this the exact office I saw in my dream?!"
"No… don't tell me all that wasn't a dream after all?"
Memories from the dream kept replaying in his mind, and Rosen gradually sank into silence.
"So… I actually transmigrated? Into the body of a Chief Guard of Impel Down, huh? Heh, interesting…"
As an Impel Down Chief Guard, Rosen wasn't exactly weak.
By default, he possessed strength comparable to that of a Marine Rear Admiral.
Of course, that was just the entry threshold for being considered a true "powerhouse."
After all, this was the Pirate World—a place where the law of the jungle reigned supreme.
Only overwhelming strength could guarantee survival in this perilous sea.
Rosen clenched his fists, testing the strength flowing through his new body.
"Tch… this body is still too weak."
"Am I really supposed to rely on a Devil Fruit?" he mused.
Devil Fruits brought tremendous boosts in power, yes—but at the cost of crippling weaknesses: seawater and seastone.
That was why, in Rosen's heart, Devil Fruits were always a last resort. His priority was to master the three types of Haki.
Only then could he test the true limits of his body's potential.
[Ding! Word-Tag Plunder System loading complete!]
The sound rang in his head.
His heart skipped a beat. A golden finger?!
Now, with the system every transmigrator dreamed of, Rosen felt he finally had the capital to stand tall at the very peak of this world.
"System, what functions do you have?" he muttered silently.
[This system allows the host to plunder Word Tags from powerful beings, thereby obtaining fragments of their abilities.]
[However, only those recognized and registered by the system can have their Word Tags plundered.]
Rosen was still pondering which powerful beings might be "registered," when—
Knock knock knock!
"Report! Chief Guard Rosen!"
"The great pirate Golden Lion Shiki has been captured by the Marines and is being escorted to Impel Down! The Warden requests your presence for the handover!"
Rosen's train of thought was interrupted.
"Oh, got it," he replied casually.
"Golden Lion, huh…" His eyes gleamed.
"That madman who once stormed Marineford all by himself, just for Roger… truly awe-inspiring."
"But if he's being delivered right to my doorstep… then that makes him the perfect target. If I can plunder just some of his abilities, I'll have enough strength to dominate the first half of the Grand Line!"
With that thought, Rosen pushed open the office door and followed the jailer toward the transfer.
[Detected: Plunderable Word-Tag powerhouse nearby. Proceed to plunder.]
[Detected: Red the Aloof, Patrick Redfield — Plunderable.]
[Detected: "World Destroyer" Byrnndi World — Plunderable.]
Rosen froze, eyes wide.
"Wait… that's Redfield, the legendary vampire-like pirate… and Byrnndi , wielder of the Moa Moa no Mi?!"
Three consecutive dings slammed into his ears, leaving him stunned. Just moments ago, he was still wondering where to find strong targets—and now, they were practically lining up at his door.
"Well well… this is getting interesting."
A wicked grin spread across Rosen's lips.
"Ch-Chief Rosen, you… seem to be in quite a good mood," the jailer said nervously. The man shrank back under Rosen's burning gaze, unsettled by that hungry, sinister smile.
Inside, the jailer panicked. No way… did the Chief find out about that secret spot I use to peek at the female guards bathing? If he tempts me with a promotion, should I… should I betray my conscience?
Noticing the man's unease, Rosen chuckled and patted his shoulder.
"Relax. I'm just excited we managed to capture a pirate of Shiki's level. Work hard, and who knows? Maybe the position of Chief Guard will be yours one day."
Without waiting for a reply, Rosen strode off.
His thoughts were already drifting elsewhere:
Only by venturing into the seas could he meet more strong opponents.
Only by leaving Impel Down could he escape the World Government's shackles—
and establish a force of his own.
The jailer, meanwhile, was left trembling.
"So… he really found out?! He's even willing to hand me his position?! Damn it, this is torture! Should I give in or not?!"
Panicking, he scrambled after Rosen.
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T/N:
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