Chapter Three: Setting Sail, Becoming the Mightiest Pirate Hunter

The mountain bandit leader stared, mouth agape, at the blood-soaked youth before him, who now seemed like a demon incarnate. His entire body trembled as he recalled the legend...

"Stay back... stay away from me! You... you’re a demon cursed by the sea... don’t come any closer..." The mountain bandit leader retreated in terror.

"Oh? A demon cursed by the sea?" Shu Mingyuan let out a mirthless chuckle. Evidently, his Chidori Lightning Shield had been mistaken for a Devil Fruit power.

"Where’s the arrogance you showed before, slaughtering villagers with impunity? With so many subordinates, I suppose you must be a wanted bandit yourself?" Shu Mingyuan asked, voice cold.

"Yes, yes! The government’s put a bounty of one million Berries on my head. If you spare me, I can give you all my treasure."

"Oh? All your treasure? That’s a tempting offer..." Shu Mingyuan rested his chin on his hand, pretending to consider.

"Yes, yes, all of it... you demon..." The bandit leader made his promises in a rush, but suddenly, the sound of Chidori crackled through the air. His expression changed drastically. Looking down, he saw the youth’s lightning-wreathed hand piercing his chest.

"Unfortunately... what I seek is not treasure, but justice."

Shu Mingyuan slowly withdrew his hand. The bandit leader’s gaze faded, and his corpse thudded heavily to the ground, lifeless.

"A bandit with a million Berry bounty... I wonder how many Justice Points that’s worth," Shu Mingyuan murmured to himself.

"Congratulations, Host, for successfully killing a bandit with a one million Berry bounty, ten bandits each worth less than fifty thousand, three at one hundred thousand, and one at two hundred thousand. Total reward: 40 Justice Points, 40 Chakra Points. Only 55 more Chakra Points needed to become a trainee ninja."

Hearing the system’s prompt, Shu Mingyuan understood: the one million Berry bounty for the bandit leader amounted to about twenty Justice Points. So, on average, every fifty thousand Berries yielded one Justice Point.

He opened his status and, as expected, saw changes in his stats. The one-time reward of a thousand Chakra Points for the battle had already vanished.

Character: Shu Mingyuan

Chakra: (45/100)

Justice Points: 45

Acquired Jutsu: Lightning Release: Chidori (evolution conditions unmet)

Ninjutsu Value: 10

Taijutsu Value: 2

"Forty-five Justice Points... let’s see what jutsu I can exchange for that."

With a thought, Shu Mingyuan accessed the system. He found a new D-rank jutsu option among the redeemable techniques, requiring between 10 and 100 Justice Points. E-rank jutsu ranged from 1 to 10.

By this logic, C-rank jutsu would cost between 100 and 1,000, B-rank between 1,000 and 10,000, A-rank up to 100,000, and S or Super S-rank jutsu would require an unimaginable number of Justice Points.

Shu Mingyuan took a deep breath, a bitter smile on his lips. He had once hoped to master every ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and sage technique from the world of the Hokage, but now he realized he could only take the elite route—no frivolous or weak techniques.

His gaze burned as he looked over the available jutsu, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and exited the system.

The problem was simply not enough Justice Points! Thankfully, he had the system’s initial gift: the A-rank Chidori. For now, in the weakest of the Four Seas, the East Blue, it was more than enough.

But acquiring Justice Points would be an issue.

On land, the highest bounty among the bandits was an eight million Berry criminal named Sig. Even that would only net him 160 Justice Points, barely enough for a single C-rank jutsu.

"Should I become a pirate, or join the Marines?" Shu Mingyuan pondered this daunting question. Without Justice Points, he couldn’t grow stronger through the system. Chidori alone would not suffice.

The Marines did indeed hunt many evil pirates, but their regulations were too restrictive, not to mention the darkness within their own ranks. Justice? It was nothing more than a cloak worn by a different breed of pirates.

Suddenly, he remembered another profession in the pirate world—his eyes lit up. Pirate Hunter. A career dedicated to hunting pirates for bounties, free and unfettered, perfectly suited to his system.

...

A month later.

On the shore of the fishing village, the remaining villagers gathered to bid Shu Mingyuan farewell.

"Mingyuan, are you truly set on going to sea?" the village elder asked once more.

"Yes. My dreams lie on this boundless blue ocean. There’s no need for further farewells," Shu Mingyuan replied, gazing at the endless horizon with a cheerful smile.

"But I’ve heard the seas are filled with countless sea beasts, unpredictable weather, and even more fearsome pirates. Child, you must be careful. You’re so young to travel alone, with no one to look after you. If you ever grow weary of the sea, come home. We in the village will always welcome you," an old man said kindly.

Shu Mingyuan leapt aboard his boat—a small vessel, once used for fishing, now refitted for travel and stocked with supplies.

Standing at the bow, the youth suddenly clasped his fists together, a surge of heroism welling up inside him.

"Fellow villagers, old and young, ladies and gentlemen, I won’t say much. I, Shu Mingyuan, am an orphan. It’s only thanks to your care these past years that I am who I am today."

He paused, smacked his chest, stood tall, legs set wide, arms spread as if loosing an arrow at the sun. Striking an awkward, almost comical pose, he shouted, "Rest assured, everyone! If I, Shu Mingyuan, cannot make a name for myself on the sea, I won’t come back!"

His proclamation was like a boulder splashing into water, sending ripples through the crowd. Memories of his mischievous deeds brought forth laughter and applause from all.

Embarrassed, Shu Mingyuan scratched his nose. "It’s just a journey to sea—no need for such a grand sendoff, is there?"

With the sail unfurled, Shu Mingyuan rowed his boat away from the shore, waving farewell to the villagers as he drifted farther and farther.

Watching the shrinking silhouette of his boat, the villagers couldn’t help but laugh and curse good-naturedly. "If he doesn’t come back until he’s made a name for himself, maybe we’ll never see him again. That’s probably for the best—let the world handle this rascal, so long as he doesn’t die at sea, all will be well."

Alone on the water, Shu Mingyuan calculated the time. This was the year 1520 of the Sea Circle Calendar, the very same year Luffy set out on his journey. He marveled—in his previous life, he’d been an obsessed pirate fan, and now, in this life, he had the chance to compete for the peak of the world alongside the future Pirate King.

"Twenty-two years ago, Gol D. Roger hid all the world’s treasures at the bottom of the sea, launching the era of the great pirates. Now, let it be I, the greatest pirate hunter in history, who brings this age to an end."

"Pirates, your goal is One Piece. My goal is to hunt the Pirate King!"

"The sea awaits me. All you vile pirates, it’s your turn to tremble!"