"System, where's my newbie gift pack?"
Renji Kuro quickly remembered the key issue and hurriedly asked in his mind.
"In my current state, I don't even have the strength to tie up a chicken. Out here on the sea, I'd be finished the moment I run into a pirate with a gun or a Sea King. There should at least be some starting protection, right?"
Almost as soon as his thought ended, the system's notification sounded again.
[Host meets the conditions for a beginner gift pack. The reward has been issued. Please check.]
Immediately after, a golden-glowing can phantom appeared before his "eyes," identical in appearance to the Gold Can on the deck.
[Beginner Gift Pack: Gold-tier Can ×1. Open now?]
"Open it! Right now!"
Renji Kuro gave the command without hesitation.
The phantom Gold Can in his consciousness trembled lightly, then shattered into countless fine golden particles, dispersing like fireflies before fading away. At the same time, the system's notification became clear and distinct.
[Beginner gift pack opened. Reward obtained: Max-Level · Iron Body.]
"Iron Body?"
Before Renji Kuro could even process the meaning of the name—
A surge of indescribable heat suddenly erupted from deep within his body, sweeping through every limb and bone in an instant!
"Ugh!"
He couldn't help but groan as he felt his muscles, bones, tendons, and even his skin undergoing intense and rapid transformation.
His previously somewhat lean frame—
Began to grow visibly stronger and more defined at a speed noticeable to the naked eye.
His muscle lines became clean and fluid, not overly bulky, but filled with streamlined strength. A faint sheen flickered across his skin before fading, leaving it tougher and tighter than before.
He could clearly feel it—
Power surging.
Stamina skyrocketing.
Every part of his body seemed filled with endless energy.
The weakness and unease caused by his sudden transmigration and dangerous situation were swiftly replaced by a sense of solidity and fullness.
He subconsciously clenched his fist.
Crack.
His knuckles gave off a faint popping sound, as if they contained the power to crush stone with ease.
A strong intuition rose within him—
Right now, taking down a full-grown bull with his bare hands might not even be difficult.
At the same time, information about Iron Body naturally surfaced in his mind.
It was a defensive martial technique originating from another world. Those who mastered it could withstand ordinary blades with ease, possessing bones and physique far beyond normal humans, with immense resistance to blunt force and sharp weapons.
And the system's "max-level" version—
Had eliminated all possible weaknesses or vulnerabilities from the original technique, making its defense completely unified and flawless.
In a world like One Piece, where combat was largely physical—
As long as he didn't encounter top-tier powerhouses with bizarre rule-based abilities or devastating internal destruction techniques, this Iron Body alone was enough for Renji Kuro to stand his ground in most sea encounters.
At the very least—
He now had the capital to protect himself against ordinary threats.
"Good! This is great!"
Renji Kuro felt a surge of excitement.
This beginner reward was like help in a snowstorm.
It had turned him from a defenseless lamb awaiting slaughter into someone with a solid shell—
No, a powerful defensive body.
His sense of security rose by several levels instantly.
Letting go of the railing, he lightly jumped on the deck, feeling the surging vitality within his body. Then he slapped his arm with force—
Thud.
The sound resembled hitting thick leather, and the pain transmitted through his skin was almost negligible.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He slowly began to adapt to this brand-new body, thinking about how to make use of the system and his newfound strength to survive in this dangerous yet opportunity-filled world—
And perhaps… live even better.
Just as he was starting to familiarize himself with the changes in his body and his mindset gradually stabilized, beginning to consider how to sell those outrageously priced cans—
Creaaak…
A faint sound—so subtle it was almost drowned out by the waves—came from the left side of the ship.
It wasn't the sound of waves hitting the hull.
Nor the wind brushing against the sails.
It sounded more like—
Something hard lightly scraping against wood.
Or a very careful step landing.
Renji Kuro's body stiffened slightly.
The max-level Iron Body had not only enhanced his defense and strength—
It seemed to have sharpened his senses as well.
He immediately stopped all movement, held his breath, and subtly tensed every muscle in his body, entering a state of alertness.
His ears carefully picked up surrounding sounds, while his gaze casually swept toward the direction the noise came from.
Someone.
And they had boarded the ship silently.
The other party moved lightly, stealthily. If not for Renji Kuro's drastically enhanced physique, he likely wouldn't have noticed at all.
Who could it be?
A pirate? Or something else?
In the middle of this vast ocean, an unknown person silently boarding his ship—
No matter how he thought about it, it was definitely not a good sign.
His heart tightened.
But compared to before, he now had some confidence.
The Iron Body gave him a certain level of assurance when facing sudden danger.
What made Renji Kuro feel even stranger was—
At the very moment he sensed this uninvited guest, a vague sense of familiarity rose from deep within him.
This familiarity wasn't tied to a specific person or appearance—
It was more like a subtle, intangible feeling.
As if this person boarding the ship—
Would have some important connection with him…
Or with his can business.
"Could it be…"
A thought flashed across Renji Kuro's mind.