After adjusting her Rain-Rain Fruit powers, Kaka lifted her palm, and mist gathered in her grasp.
She could feel it—the rainfall thickening, her control subtly improving.
"This attribute point really works! I can feel the difference—more rain, wider range!"
She experimented again and again, grinning like a kid with a new toy.
Meanwhile, in White-Clad Drunkard's stream.
After hearing that Kaka had opened a Purple-Gold Chest and pulled a Devil Fruit, all four players—White-Clad Drunkard, I'm Just a Fisherman, Sword-Shadow Flowyear, and Net-Addict Girl—were green with envy.
Sure, Kaka's Rain-Rain Fruit seemed weak right now… but it was still a Natural-Type.
Just the immunity to physical attacks alone was enough to make them drool.
At that moment, White-Clad Drunkard was wearing a Marine recruit uniform, following Tashigi through drills at the Loguetown base.
The sun was blazing, the air heavy with heat. Tashigi, glasses glinting, led the group through sword practice.
For someone who looked soft-spoken and mild off-duty, she was a completely different person with a sword in hand—serious, intense, radiating a quiet authority.
"Swordsmanship is the path of persistence. Only through unwavering practice can one reach the ultimate realm."
Her tone was calm but firm, the words of a true believer in the way of the blade.
White-Clad Drunkard nodded absently, glancing at his status panel.
[ID: White-Clad Drunkard]
[Level: Lv1 (3%)]
[Faction: Marines — Loguetown Base, East Blue]
[Rank: Recruit]
[Abilities: Melee (Untrained), Swordsmanship (Untrained)]
[Items: None]
[Achievements: None]
[Points: 0]
He muttered into his mic, sending his thoughts straight to the live chat.
[Brothers, I've figured out how Marines earn points.]
[Patrols, catching pirates, upholding justice, rank promotions—all those give points.]
Then his tone turned bitter.
[But why does Kaka get achievements for everything—joining Shanks's crew, eating a Fruit—while I get nothing?!]
[I even "checked in" at Roger's execution platform and still no reward!]
As he complained, a notification suddenly popped up.
[Ding! Congratulations, Player White-Clad Drunkard! You have checked in at the historical landmark: Gol D. Roger's Execution Platform. Reward: Purple-Gold Chest ×1.]
[Ding! Congratulations, Player White-Clad Drunkard! First player to join the Marine faction. Reward: +1 Free Attribute Point.]
"WHAT THE—?!"
He froze.
Then his chat went absolutely insane.
[No way, complaining actually worked?!]
[LMAO, this game rewards whining?!]
[@Gu Feng, old dog—when's the public beta, huh?! Fishermen's Age already announced theirs for the end of the month! If you don't open yours, we're switching games!]
[Yeah, Gu Feng! Great Voyage Era is way better, but we can't wait forever!]
At Sea Breeze Studio HQ, Li Jing stared at the comment feed, thumb flying over her phone to confirm the rival game's announcement.
She turned to Gu Feng, her brow furrowed.
"Gu Feng, when are we launching our open beta?"
He said nothing at first.
Yes—Wind & Snow Studios had just announced a large-scale open beta for Fishermen's Age at the end of March.
And while Great Voyage Era had more potential and stronger momentum, Fishermen's Age was already mainstream—popular, polished, dominant.
If Great Voyage Era didn't go public soon, its surge could stall, forever stuck under Fishermen's Age's shadow.
In the ongoing "Three-Month Maritime Game Competition," there could only be one victor.
The official spotlight never shone on two titles at once.
But Gu Feng only smiled faintly.
"Wind & Snow is panicking. Why should we?"
He looked calm—though truthfully, it was half composure, half helplessness.
Open beta wasn't something he could just flip on.
They'd only just hit ten million popularity, unlocking the Power System.
The next milestone—thirty million—would unlock the "Memoir System," which could multiply player engagement.
Until then, open beta was a dream.
Still… he glanced at the calendar, musing.
"End of the month, huh?"
A grin tugged at his lips as he recalled an iconic East Blue scene.
"Sorry… I don't have a smaller blade than this…"
That line alone might just blow the roof off.
Back in-game.
White-Clad Drunkard's stream had calmed down; viewers stopped roasting the devs and focused back on gameplay.
Because on screen, while Drunkard was gaping at his new rewards, his character had stopped moving mid-swing.
And Tashigi noticed.
Her brows knitted. She strode toward him, face tightening.
Now she understood why Smoker had complained this year's recruits lacked discipline—this one right here was the reason.
"Drunkard! What are you doing?!"
Her sharp tone made him snap back to reality.
He turned just in time to meet her icy glare.
The normally shy, soft-spoken Tashigi was gone—what stood before him was a swordswoman radiating fury.
"You spaced out during training? What will you do when a pirate's blade is inches from your neck—daydream again?!"
"If you can't focus now, you'll lose your head on the battlefield later!"
Her scolding voice cut sharper than her sword.
White-Clad Drunkard looked at her flushed, angry face and—against his better judgment—almost laughed.
"I understand, Sergeant Tashigi. My bad."
"Hmph. That's more like it."
She turned to leave, shoulders stiff…
But then he spoke again.
"Um, Sergeant… I think I've already mastered the basics. Can I end training for today?"
Her footsteps halted.
She turned slowly.
Even with the gentlest temperament, that line lit a fuse.
Tashigi's expression darkened; her voice dropped to a dangerous low.
"...What did you just say?"
And in the next second, the entire training yard trembled beneath the storm of her wrath.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
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