Chapter 12

Uh, killing him is out of the question.

But agreeing to a three-year contract is impossible. Since options have appeared, it means there’s still room for choice. This must be a crucial plot branch, the moment to decide how the prologue ends.

Without hesitation, you select the second option.

“I don’t want to stay here!”

Well-versed in tugging at others’ heartstrings, you press your thumb against your thigh... Yes, you don’t even have to pinch hard—just pressing a bit too firmly on the skin causes tears to sting and spill out. With tears streaming down, you raise your arms in a pleading gesture and run toward the two surrogate guardians.

“I’m going with you onto the ship! I won’t get treatment!”

“Brother, Dad, waah waah waah!”

Exclamation marks pop up above Marco and Edward Newgate’s heads.

Sure enough, no one can resist your coquettish assault, especially since they’re currently in story mode, which makes their reactions smarter.

The blond youth bends down and picks you up. Rubbing your head, he patiently soothes you in a resigned tone: “Why are you crying? Don’t be like that, kiddo. Father and I will definitely come back for you after three years.”

“……”

Damn it.

The tears you just forced out nearly got choked back by that hateful name. Inside, it feels like a stampede of wild horses is racing through your chest.

Don’t say that name again! And why add a “little” prefix? It sounds even more ridiculous!

Your eyes are already sore from earlier crying, now streaming with bitter tears—you sob pitifully: “I don’t care, I don’t want to stay here for treatment—”

“Dad, brother, don’t leave me alone!”

“If I can’t leave, I’d rather die here!”

“Don’t say foolish things!”

Edward Newgate suddenly stands tall and shouts at you with a stern voice, startling you.

Huh? Is he angry?

But so what? Your favorability hasn’t dropped at all, it was just a feint. You’re only eight years old after all, and you fully exploit the advantage of being a child who can throw tantrums. Now you burst into loud sobs: “Waaah, Dad’s mad at me! I hate you!”

“I don’t want treatment, I really don’t need it! I was only supposed to live to eight years old!”

“We originally agreed it’d only be for one month!”

Though that was just a game setting.

“……”

The air falls oddly silent for a moment.

“All right, all right, all right.”

Marco pats your back gently as if holding a child: “If you don’t want to stay, you don’t have to. Stop crying now, little sister. Father’s just worried about you—be good, okay?”

“……”

Edward Newgate says nothing. He falls into silence, a simple bubble with ellipses floating above him. Clicking it brings no options.

You breathe a sigh of relief.

Better to follow them to the pirate ship and have an adventure than stay in this godforsaken place.

If you don’t kick the bucket after the demo ends, Whitebeard’s pirate ship might just be the first chapter of this adventure game.

“Sis, I’ll take you out for a walk.”

Marco sets you down, squats, and wipes your tears: “The others will arrive in about two days. Come with me to book a room at the inn?”

[Trigger Main Quest: Book a Room at the Inn. Quest details: To meet up with your companions, Edward Newgate and Marco plan to rest here for two days. The inn is at the southern end of the market. Accompany them there.]

“Okay.”

You naturally accept the quest.

The main storyline at the town mayor doctor’s house finally concludes, and everyone becomes stiff again. You try to say something else, but no one responds.

By the way, Rodney has stood silently aside since discovering the results, seemingly forgotten by the plot.

As you open the door to leave, Marco immediately follows.

The sky darkens the moment you step outside, shifting from dusk to night. Silvery moonlight blankets the ground. You and Marco return to the now deserted market, plunging into a brief silence.

“Um... Brother, which way to the inn?”

“Oh, sorry, did I forget to say?” Marco’s expression remains unchanged. “It’s to the south.”

“……”

Of course you know it’s south; the system just told you. But you can’t tell east from west, north from south. You can’t just burrow underground assuming north is up, south is down.

“Which way to the south?”

“Haha? Forgot already? It’s the direction of the dock where we landed.”

“Okay.”

Following Marco’s lead, you arrive near the dock and finally find an inn with a signboard. Approaching the NPC behind the counter, the plain-faced clerk immediately offers a programmed smile: “Welcome!”

Choice 1: I want to book a room.

Choice 2: Leave.

“I want to book a room.”

“Alright, how many rooms do you need?”

“...Three?” You glance uncertainly at your surrogate older brother.

“1200 Beli per night, breakfast included.”

Marco, standing nearby, doesn’t deny your answer and pays exactly for two nights. The clerk’s bland face instantly blooms into a wide smile as he eagerly hands over three keys.

Besides the keys, he inexplicably pulls out a paper note and gives it to you.

[System: Player completed main quest “Book a Room at the Inn”! Gained 1240 XP, 1000 Beli, Marco favorability +5.]

[System: Level up! Player reached Lv. 16!]

...Though you understand the money is just a quest reward, is it really okay for a shopkeeper to give cash to a customer?

You silently pocket the 1000-Beli note.

More absurdly, Marco takes the keys and suddenly disappears, performing a blatant “big transformation”... no, a “human vanishing act.”

Seeing one key left on the counter—probably for the clerk himself—you sigh and tuck away your keys, then head upstairs to check your new room.

It’s modest: a plain wooden bed, a simple desk and chair, and a cheap bedside table. No bathroom.

Opening the bedside drawer, as expected, you find a small square package.

[System: Obtained unbranded condom ×1.]

Huh?? This isn’t what you expected! Why would there be a condom in the drawer!?

Well, it’s not too strange to find such an item in an inn, but this is a no-name product. The downstairs clerk is truly unscrupulous.

After a few seconds of silence, you stuff it into your backpack; after all, there’s plenty of space.

You then move closer to the bedframe. The familiar dialogue box pops up.

Choice 1: Sleep.

Choice 2: Leave.

Not sleeping.

Your stamina bar is still full; no need to replenish now.

With nothing else to explore—the tiny room lacks even a bucket or box—you leave feeling bored.

Marco and Edward Newgate’s room is next door. Pushing the door open, you shockingly find them actually inside...

Not surprising for Marco, at least he came this far with you. But when did the surrogate father arrive!?

The two stand stiffly in place, faces grim, unmoving. It’s eerie.

The atmosphere in the room feels off. You can’t quite put your finger on it. It’s supposed to be a game world with stiff NPC dialogues, yet something feels wrong...

Your instincts tell you to hold off exploring inside for now. You decide to wander outside first.

Near the inn is the seaside dock, where the salty air is stronger. Walking back about ten meters brings you to the beach.

Nighttime is perfect for practice—you have to grind somehow. Maybe there are crabs on the beach to help you train your Conqueror’s Haki and Armament Haki.

No, forget crabs.

Maybe razor clams instead, keeping the number under a hundred, so no sudden sea clam king appears.

You have to admit, though the NPC reaction system is poorly done—each NPC feels like a shell-covered puppet—the scenery remains very realistic. Walking along the path toward the dock, you see waves gently washing the shore from afar. Several fishing boats sway with the waves, their wooden bows occasionally clinking with crisp sounds.

Come out, great razor clam!

You step onto the soft sand, rolling up your sleeves with energy. Suddenly, you notice a strange little glow about ten meters away—

Choice 1: Investigate.

Choice 2: Leave.

Investigate.

Unexpectedly, options even pop up in such places. You choose, and the next second an unnatural wind rises before you.

Loose sand swirls, specks of faint yellow light dance and spin under the moonlight, gradually sketching a vague human shape.

What the hell?!

Is this a ghost story at night???

You gasp and quickly draw your dagger from your backpack. Before your eyes, a strange NPC materializes out of thin air. She wears a pink kimono, her delicate features framed by pale green hair fluttering in the night breeze. Above her head floats an unfamiliar name—

Amatsuki Toki.

The faint glow fades completely as the beautiful woman opens her eyes. She looks around, then slowly fixes her gaze on you and initiates conversation.

“Little girl, where is this place?”

Having asked, she remains still, raising her hand to tap a bubble above her with ellipses. The familiar options appear before you.

Choice 1: You’ve finally arrived. This is Konoha Village.

Choice 2: This is the Land of Wano.

Choice 3: This is the Kingdom of Dashedo, Doctor’s Town.

Choice 4: Why should I tell you? You impolite, rude creature—I am a Celestial Dragon!