One Piece: Global improvement system

October 2h, 1498, Age of the Sea Circle

"Help you?" the pirate said with a mocking smile after hearing the marine captain's plea for assistance.

"And why should I help you? Don't you know a real man never meddles in someone else's fight?!" Hanafuda finished in an imposing tone.

Hearing those mocking words, the marine began to grow alarmed again. If this powerful Shichibukai refused to intervene, there was no way they could face the enemies they had provoked this time.

"What do you mean?! You signed an agreement with the Navy! You're obligated to help us against our enemies!" the captain shouted, exasperated.

Immediately, Hanafuda's previously relaxed and mocking expression turned solemn, and an oppressive aura began to emanate from his body. He stepped forward, the multiple weapons strapped to him clattering against each other.

He approached the marine until his face was just inches away from the terrified captain's. Even though his mask covered most of his face, the aggression in his expression was unmistakable.

"Are you giving me orders? You? Do you want me to remind you of your place in this world?" Hanafuda said, slowly drawing his scythe.

The marine captain paled instantly, his legs trembling in fear. Gaining Hanafuda's help was the only way to stand a chance against Orion and Olive, but instead, he had ended up angering this fearsome pirate—who now seemed intent on killing him personally.

Hanafuda was one of the most notorious pirates in the world, which was precisely why the World Government had recruited him to become a Shichibukai. This new system, which granted certain pirates the freedom to move without Navy restrictions, had been implemented to counter the rise of powerful pirate crews in the New World. Not even a month had passed since its introduction, so many Marines still didn't fully understand how it worked.

Especially low-ranking ones like this Marine captain. To them, the Shichibukai had "sold out" to the World Government—becoming its dogs in exchange for benefits—and thus were obligated to help the Navy whenever called upon.

He was about to learn firsthand the terror a Shichibukai truly represented, and the real freedom they wielded with their new title. Far from being the Government's dogs, they had established themselves as allies—partners whose position was far less subordinate than many Marines assumed.

Hanafuda saw the captain practically about to wet himself from fear and instantly lost interest. He had no habit of bullying the weak. Though he was a notorious pirate who committed all sorts of crimes, he wasn't some maniac who went around cutting down anyone he disliked with his scythe. If there was no immediate benefit, he had no interest in dirtying his hands with such trash.

What Hanafuda enjoyed—and one of the reasons he'd accepted the Shichibukai title—was facing powerful opponents. He relished a good battle, feeling truly alive when he could trade blows with someone on his own level, though sadly, there were few in this world who could withstand a fight against him.

His new Shichibukai status gave him an excuse to challenge all sorts of strong pirates, while also getting the Navy off his back and granting him more freedom to pursue his other ambitions—making it the perfect deal for him.

"Enough. Disappear from my sight now, and I'll spare your life," Hanafuda said indifferently, turning to look at Orion and Olive.

The Marine heard Hanafuda's words and felt as if he had been granted divine pardon. Without a moment's hesitation, he bolted, running at full speed without looking back, not caring in the slightest about the rest of his subordinates who had been left behind.

His subordinates, used to his personality, didn't hesitate to follow his example when they saw him flee, abandoning their fallen comrades without a second thought for their wellbeing.

Neither Hanafuda, nor Olive, nor Orion made any move to stop the retreating marines, and within moments, the only one left in the area was Hina.

She had no intention of following that pitiful group she had just witnessed. For now, her concern was the interaction between this mysterious man who had appeared out of nowhere and Orion. It was obvious that Hanafuda was incredibly powerful, and Hina feared Orion might be seriously hurt if he fought him.

Although she knew she wouldn't be able to help much if a fight broke out, she still wanted to be present and lend a hand if necessary, even if it meant getting hurt in the process. Of course, this was a decision she had made unconsciously—if she thought about it logically, she might force herself to leave without looking back. She was quite stubborn in her thinking.

Hanafuda looked at Olive, and his eyes lit up immediately.

Seeing his gaze fixed on Olive's sensual figure, Orion's muscles tensed, preparing for an imminent confrontation. However, to his surprise, a moment later Hanafuda turned his gaze away from Olive and focused entirely on Orion—and this time, there was far greater interest in his eyes!

Orion shuddered involuntarily, wondering if perhaps this pirate had strange tastes. But Hanafuda's words quickly dispelled those suspicions.

"Hey, kid, I see you've got a fine sword there. How about a little sparring match?"

Although Hanafuda clearly had an aggressive look in his eyes, Orion couldn't sense any hostility from him. It seemed he was simply interested in a fight, not in harming him or provoking a real conflict.

Orion let out a sigh of relief upon realizing Hanafuda wasn't the reckless type of pirate, but someone with a certain code, someone who didn't simply give in to his whims. Just as he'd let the Marines go without injuring them, he hadn't attacked Orion outright, even though it was clear he was eager for a fight.

"All right, but this isn't a good place," Orion said with a nod. Truth be told, he was also interested in sparring with Hanafuda—after all, the only way to improve in combat was to face strong opponents.

"Fine, then we'll fight on the surface. But first, I need to pay a visit to the blacksmith," Hanafuda said, sheathing his scythe once again.

"Care to join me? If you're not busy, we could talk for a bit," added the pirate, whose aggressiveness seemed to vanish completely the moment he put his weapon away—almost as if he were a different person.

Orion glanced at Olive, then at Hina, and shook his head.

"I've got some things to take care of right now. But I'll see you there later."

Hanafuda simply nodded and walked off toward the blacksmiths' and artisans' district, the same place Orion had visited hours earlier to meet with Sharinguru.

Once they were alone, Olive placed a hand over her chest and let out a relieved sigh.

"That man truly gives me the chills. When he looked at me for that instant, I felt as if I were being watched by a predator," Olive said, recalling the sensation she had experienced moments earlier.

Orion gently stroked her cheek, tucking her green hair behind her ear, then gave her a brief, tender kiss on the lips.

"Don't worry—even if he had attacked like a beast, I would have protected you," Orion said affectionately, and Olive melted happily in his arms.

From a short distance away, Hina saw the two begin to flirt just as they had countless times during their journey together, and she approached, somewhat irritated.

"Orion! You made Hina worry! Why do you have to get into trouble with the Marines every time you see them?" she scolded.

Orion raised both palms and shrugged.

"There wasn't much choice—they tried to harass Olive, so I gave them a little lesson. Then they just came at me for hurting their comrades," Orion said with resignation.

Hina didn't continue scolding him—she knew that, with the attitude of this unpleasant group of Marines, it was very likely they had indeed tried to harass Olive, only to end up completely beaten down by Orion.

"So, what are you going to do now? Even if they started the conflict, you'll no doubt attract the Marines' attention in this area," Hina said with concern.

"Don't worry—we don't plan to stay here for long. In fact, we're just going to buy supplies and set sail again immediately," Orion replied with a smile.

Hina felt a little disappointed to hear that he would be leaving soon, but she said nothing about it. Their paths were bound to head in different directions, so it was better to part ways before growing too attached.

"And what about you? Planning to stay with this group?" Orion asked, pointing to the Marines lying unconscious on the ground after being thoroughly beaten by Olive.

Hina's face showed reluctance—she didn't want to remain with this band of degenerates and would have preferred to head for Marineford Headquarters on her own. But right now, she had few options; she was alone in unfamiliar territory, and this group of Marines was her only choice for the moment.

Orion noticed her expression and smiled, fully aware of the young girl's dilemma. During the time they had traveled together, he had come to understand Hina's personality well enough to guess her current thoughts with ease.

"Do you want to travel with us? According to the information I got here, there's a Marine base not too far from this island. If you want, I can take you there," Orion said.

Hina's eyes lit up, but she immediately thought about Orion's ambiguous status, and an internal struggle flared up within her. However, after a few moments, her truest feelings won out, and she nodded slightly, saying,

"Hina would like to travel with you, if possible. Hina thanks you for your help!"

Orion burst out laughing at Hina's shy, bashful demeanor, placing a hand on the girl's head and ruffling her soft hair roughly.

"Hey! Stop! Don't mess up Hina's hair!" the girl protested indignantly, hitting Orion weakly in an attempt to make him stop.

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help it. Hina's just so cute I acted on reflex, haha," Orion said cheerfully.

Hina's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said nothing about Orion's words.

Orion wrapped an arm around Olive's waist, and she hugged him affectionately in return.

"All right, Hina, come with us to buy supplies, and then we'll head back to the surface," Orion said, starting to walk with Olive.

Hina immediately ran to his side, walking next to him with a bright smile she couldn't possibly hide.

…

Hanafuda walked through the streets of Poober Cedy, glancing at the shops around him just as Orion had done earlier. This was also his first time here, and the strange scenery piqued his interest.

The reason he had come was to repair his weapon, which had been slightly damaged during a clash with a formidable pirate.

His kusarigama was no ordinary weapon. This scythe was one of the 21 Great Grade Blades, and it also carried a curse, making it difficult to control. It had taken him years to master it and wield it effectively, so now that it was damaged, his combat level had dropped slightly.

Hanafuda had heard the legends about these underground cities where a lineage of legendary blacksmiths supposedly lived, so he had decided to come straight here to see if he could repair his prized weapon. His plan was to get it done quickly, as he wanted to return as soon as possible to his territory, to be with his newborn daughter who needed his protection.

The Warlord walked through the streets until he finally stopped in front of a blacksmith working at an open-air forge—the uncle of Sharinguru.

"Hey, blacksmith, I need a repair," the pirate said, unsheathing his scythe and showing it to Sharinguru's uncle, who, upon seeing the blade, immediately took a step back as if he might catch the plague.

"N-No, no, I can't help you with that," the blacksmith said, afraid of offending the imposing pirate but even more afraid of getting close to the scythe.

Hanafuda frowned, slightly irritated. He hadn't expected that even in the legendary city of blacksmiths, he would receive the same answer he had gotten everywhere else when he'd asked for his weapon to be repaired.

Still, he kept his composure and said,

"Is there anyone in this city who can repair it?"

Intimidated by the pirate's presence, the blacksmith almost answered instinctively, pointing toward the figure that had flashed in his mind. But as soon as he remembered the curse on the scythe, and that anyone who tried to handle it would be at great risk, he clenched his teeth and stayed silent.

The reason he refused to name the person in his mind was because it was his own brother!

Hanafuda, of course, noticed the slight changes in the blacksmith's expression, and his aura grew much darker. He was a powerful man, and as such, he had a certain dignity that wouldn't allow him to ignore someone lying so blatantly to his face.

The pirate took a step forward, ready to make the blacksmith talk, but at that exact moment, a youthful voice rang out behind him.

"Uncle, I've come to help with the sword order!" Sharinguru called out, completely unaware of the tense situation.

"Sharinguru! I'm busy right now! Go away and come back tomorrow!" the blacksmith said hastily.

"Really? Well, I guess I have the afternoon free then," the boy replied, a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be working at the sword forge. Then, looking at Hanafuda, he said with a smile,

"By the way, sir, if you're looking for someone to repair your weapon, my father's the best blacksmith in the city! If he can't fix it, then it's beyond repair!" he concluded proudly, patting his chest.

If there was one thing he took pride in, it was his father's skills—skills passed down for centuries. He was next in the family line and hoped to one day be the best blacksmith, just like his father.

Hanafuda immediately understood what was going on, and seeing the worried look on Sharinguru's uncle's face, he decided not to punish him for hiding the information. After all, the most important thing right now was to get his weapon fixed as soon as possible and return to his sweet little daughter.

"Could you take me to your father?" Hanafuda said in a deep voice.

Sharinguru nodded, waved goodbye to his uncle, and began walking back to his family's shop, with the Shichibukai following closely behind.

…

Orion and his two companions finished stocking up on provisions for their trip and started heading toward the stairway that led to the surface.

Orion didn't want to linger in this place for long, risking another run-in with the Marines, so he had decided to simply leave for the surface, leaving behind this peculiar underground city.

However, before they could reach the stairs, Olive felt something moving against her butt. Turning around, she noticed an unusual bulge in Orion's pants as he walked behind her, holding her close. Without hesitation, she slipped her hand into his pocket and pulled out the Den Den Mushi, which had been ringing insistently.

When she answered, Sharinguru's panicked voice filled the air.

"Orion? Are you there? I need help! You're a king, right? You have doctors under your command? My parents… my parents are about to die!"

Orion immediately opened the system map and saw Sharinguru's marker right next to that of the pirate Hanafuda!

"Sharinguru, calm down. Tell me what happened—I'm on my way to your location," Orion said, trying to soothe the boy while simultaneously opening a door in the air for Hina and Olive to enter the Pocket Dimension.

"My dad was trying to repair a cursed weapon and it affected him—if he doesn't get help, he'll die any moment! I don't know what to do, it's my fault…"

"Stay calm, I'll be there in a moment," Orion said, and using Soru, he sped toward Sharinguru's family forge.

A few minutes later, he arrived—only to find a terrible scene.

Hanafuda stood off to one side, gripping his scythe with both hands. His arms bulged with strain, veins standing out as he exerted all his strength to keep it under control.

Orion had heard of a similar incident from his master Roger, and he recognized that the curse of Hanafuda's weapon had been triggered, causing an uncontrollable backlash. He didn't know the exact details, but he knew that if he didn't act quickly, it would end in tragedy.

Right in front of Hanafuda lay two people on the ground, their bodies covered in deep wounds, with black energy coursing over them. These were Sharinguru's parents—struck by the curse and teetering on the brink between life and death.

Orion wasted no time. Drawing his cutlass Ace, he unleashed his most powerful attack.

"Kamusari!"

The scythe in Hanafuda's hands clashed with Orion's blade. After a brief stalemate, it was blasted away, flying into the distance and embedding itself in a wall. The pirate's face showed visible relief as the curse's effect was contained the moment it left the smiths' bodies, and he turned to Orion with a curious gaze.

Orion didn't spare a second. The first step—removing the source of the curse—was done. Now he had to treat the smith couple's wounds urgently before they met a tragic end.

Once again, Orion's medical skills would have the chance to shine.

...

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