RWWOKS Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Defeated Black Cat Pirates

The data Old Cat sent was something Fang Bo had never seen before. It contained the attributes of the Marine soldier they had just encountered:

[Corporal Cole (Marine)] Strength: 10, Constitution: xx, Agility: 8, Spirit: 6, Perception: 8, Special Trait: Strong and Robust

It turned out that Old Cat had the ability to scan other people’s stats, something that piqued Fang Bo’s interest.

“Heh, impressive, right?” Old Cat fiddled with his hidden equipment, which then appeared in full view—a sleek pair of black goggles. However, the cracks running through them ruined the otherwise cool appearance, making them look more like a piece of junk you’d find in a trash heap.

In the Reincarnation Space, most equipment—aside from weapons—had a concealment feature. Like Old Cat’s goggles, they remained hidden unless needed and wouldn’t hinder their functionality.

Seeing Fang Bo’s interest, Old Cat hesitated briefly before displaying the item’s details.

[Name: Damaged Police Goggles  

Rarity: White  

Type: Accessory  

Durability: 3/40  

Attribute Boost: +1 Perception  

Requirements: 10 Perception, 8 Spirit  

Effect: Info Scan  

Origin: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners  

Description: If you can repair this, it will become an invaluable tool.  

Info Scan (Active Skill): Uses 1 Spirit to scan a target’s basic information. Limited by your Perception stat.]

“Sigh, it’s a sad story,” Old Cat said with a bitter smile, recounting his experience in the Edgerunners world.

It was the usual tale—a group of Reincarnators had confidently ventured into the plot world, only for a small mistake to result in a team wipe.

Old Cat managed to escape, but the goggles were damaged during the chaos.

“Did everyone else die?” Fang Bo’s tone was cold, showing no sympathy for the tale.

Oddly, Old Cat didn’t seem offended. Whether it was because of his easygoing nature or something else, he didn’t take it personally.

“Yeah, they’re all gone. I didn’t even get a chance to collect their bodies.”

His words carried a note of regret, but Fang Bo couldn’t help but suspect the man was more disappointed about missing out on looting their corpses.

As they chatted, Fang Bo brought up the Marine’s Constitution stat, which had been left blank. Old Cat sighed again, as if this was a familiar frustration.

“This ability isn’t perfect. It’s limited by the user’s Perception stat.”

“To put it simply, I can’t scan any stat higher than my own Perception. For the record, my highest attribute is Perception, and with my gear, it’s about 13 points.”

In other words, that seemingly low-ranking Marine corporal had a Constitution of at least 13? His other stats seemed average, so why was his Constitution so absurdly high?

Then Fang Bo remembered how, in this world, severe injuries could heal overnight, and drinking a glass of milk could instantly regrow teeth. Suddenly, it all made sense.

The signature trait of *One Piece* was that the strong always possessed monstrous physiques. Having a high Constitution was par for the course here.

Looking at his own stats, Fang Bo felt confident he could easily handle soldiers of this caliber.

Strength: 7 (+1)  

Constitution: 7  

Agility: 6 (+1)  

Spirit: 16 (+3)  

Perception: 12 (+2)

With his silver-tier gear and his Black Star pistol, he could overwhelm opponents without taking damage, showcasing the power of a summoner-style build.

Fang Bo now fully understood what the guide meant by “the strong thrive, and the weak tread on thin ice” in the Reincarnation Space.

If he felt this way, he could only imagine how much easier things were for super rookies backed by large teams. Defeating ordinary Marines must feel like slicing through butter for them.

The two of them finally arrived at the town’s liveliest spot: the tavern.

As they pushed open the rickety wooden door, a drunken man stumbled right into them. He didn’t look like a pirate, more like a local thug or petty crook.

“Hey, kid, are you blind—”

Before he could finish, Fang Bo had already shoved the barrel of his Black Star pistol into the man’s mouth, the force snapping two of his front teeth.

The intense pain shot through the thug’s body, but he didn’t dare move a muscle. His eyes widened in terror, afraid that the stranger would pull the trigger any second.

“It’s a misunderstanding—I didn’t mean it…”

Realizing he had picked a fight with a real killer, the thug quickly backed down. Saving face could be sorted out later—right now, staying alive was his top priority.

Staring coldly at the thug, Fang Bo slowly withdrew the gun and gave Old Cat a slight nod. “My friend here’s a bit thirsty.”

Without hesitation, the thug fumbled through his pockets, pulling out a wad of crumpled bills.

[You have received 2,546 Berries.]  

Berries: The currency used in the world of One Piece.

“Now get lost.”

The thug scrambled away, but not before casting one last, lingering glance at the two of them.

“Brother, what was that all about?” Old Cat asked, bewildered. He didn’t understand why Fang Bo was acting so boldly in this unfamiliar plot world.

Wasn’t the general rule to lay low and avoid drawing attention? Being so brazen without knowing the situation could easily provoke unknown plot characters.

The thug would likely return with reinforcements soon, and they’d be in for a fight.

If Fang Bo had killed him, it would’ve been understandable. But now Old Cat was completely at a loss.

Fang Bo simply offered a vague explanation: “Joining a pirate crew isn’t going to be easy. We need to make a strong first impression.”

At the bar, Fang Bo used the Berries he had just acquired to buy two beers, then slapped some more cash on the counter in front of the young bartender.

“I don’t care how you do it, but I need a newspaper.”

“Right away, sir. Please wait a moment.” The bartender scurried off, pleased with the extra tip.

A few minutes later, he returned with a stack of newspapers, filled with the latest news from the East Blue over the past week.

“Orange Town reports a bumper harvest this year. Fruit prices are expected to drop further.”

“Silver-Haired Swordsman loses in three moves at the Shimotsuki Village dojo.”

“153rd Marine Branch holds large-scale military drills.”

“Black Cat Pirates suffer defeat; Krieg’s bounty rises to 12 million.”

“Baratie offers a massive sale—everything at a 30% discount or more.”

The seemingly mundane headlines contained valuable information in Fang Bo’s eyes.

If he remembered correctly, when Luffy first set sail, Don Krieg, the self-proclaimed ruler of the East Blue, had a bounty of 17 million. So the current timeline was just before the main story began.

Another clue: the Black Cat Pirates had just suffered a defeat at Krieg’s hands, solidifying Krieg’s position as the most notorious pirate in the East Blue.

Captain Kuro, leader of the Black Cat Pirates and known as “Kuro of a Hundred Plans,” was a master strategist. In the original story, he had spent three years gaining the trust of the wealthy young lady Kaya in his guise as her butler, Klahadore, intending to steal her fortune.

He was eventually defeated by Luffy on the shores of Usopp’s home village, where Usopp would officially join the Straw Hat crew.

So right now, it seemed they were about 3–5 years before Luffy set sail.

With the timeline clear, Fang Bo could better adjust his plans.

To achieve his goal of boosting all five attributes, he would need to constantly challenge hidden tasks. Simply relying on plot rewards wouldn’t be enough.

Folding the newspaper, Fang Bo placed another bill on the counter and asked, “Tell me, what pirate crews are active around here?”

Having received yet another tip, the bartender’s attitude warmed even further, and he eagerly spilled everything he knew. “Pirates? It’s been pretty lively lately. Don Krieg himself is resting on a nearby island.”

Fresh off his victory over Kuro, Krieg was riding high and likely celebrating his newfound glory.

While joining his crew might seem like a smart choice, Fang Bo was more interested in the Black Cat Pirates.

“You mean the Black Cat Pirates?” the bartender asked, glancing around nervously before lowering his voice. “To be honest, they’re hiding out on the other side of the island right now. After losing, they’re keeping a low profile, replenishing their crew and supplies. You two look like capable fighters—why not try your luck with them?”

As soon as the bartender finished speaking, the system notification appeared.

[ID 14552 has triggered a side quest: Join the Black Cat Pirates.]  

[Quest Objective: Pass the test and join the Black Cat Pirates.]  

[Hint: The test may vary. Choose the one that suits you best.]

“Thanks,” Fang Bo said with a satisfied smile, downing the rest of his beer.

He had waited long enough, and with no sign of the thug returning with backup, he decided it was time to move on.

The purpose of letting the thug go was simple: Fang Bo needed to make a name for himself quickly to join a pirate crew.

Now that he had unexpectedly triggered  a side quest, the thug was no longer important.

Fang Bo appeared calm, but Old Cat could hardly contain his excitement.

Joining a faction was a main storyline quest, and usually, side quests wouldn’t appear along with it. He hadn’t expected Fang Bo to stumble into a bonus quest so easily. And what’s more, Fang Bo’s calm expression made it seem like he had known all along.

In truth, Fang Bo was still figuring things out. He had noticed that interacting with key plot characters often triggered a variety of quests.

Why not join Don Krieg? The answer was simple: Kuro’s crew was likely to offer more quests.

For now, Krieg had no plans to retire.

“Joining the Black Cat Pirates and helping Kuro retire could bring me some serious rewards.”

Bang! A gunshot suddenly silenced the tavern.

Fang Bo hadn’t intended to stay any longer, but trouble always had a way of finding him.

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