“Then where did he go?
After he recovered, did he hunt down those crewmates who betrayed him and take revenge?
What happened to him afterward?” Light pressed eagerly for answers.
Carnes gazed at the sky, his voice calm.
“The vice captain who was nearly beaten to death survived by sheer luck and hid away on an island that nobody knew about.” “His injuries never healed.” “That battle left him with wounds that could never fully recover.” “He was no longer at his peak.
He no longer had his former strength, let alone the ability to seek revenge against the crewmates who had abandoned him.” “In the end, he spent his days accompanied by alcohol and died on that lonely island…” Just as Carnes finished speaking, a mechanical notification suddenly echoed through his mind.
[Ding!
Grand Captain System loading complete.] [Ding!
Congratulations, Host, on receiving a Beginner’s Gift Pack!] [Host: Carnes] [Influence Value: 0] [Abilities: Conqueror’s Haki (Top Tier), Armament Haki (Advanced), Observation Haki (Advanced)] [Items: Beginner’s Gift Pack ×1] [Prize Pool Access >>] [Ding!
Welcome to the World of Pirates!] Hearing the sudden voice in his head, Carnes froze.
A mechanical voice…
A system?
As if responding to his doubts, the notification sounded again.
[Ding!
Abnormal life signs detected in Host.] [Ding!
Abnormal cellular vitality detected in Host.] [Ding!
Commencing comprehensive scan.] [Progress: 10%…
50%…
100%!] [Scan complete!] [Initiating restoration program.
Estimated completion time: 4 hours.] [Ding!
Upon completion of restoration, Host’s body will return to the peak condition of its prime.] At that moment, Carnes was stunned.
It really was a system.
His cheat…
Had finally arrived?!
Back when he had first come to this world, he had spent countless days and nights fantasizing about receiving a cheat, a system of his own.
But reality had been cruel.
The system never came.
Even so, he had still chosen to sail the seas during that dangerous old era.
He had clawed his way upward with his own hands.
His first kill.
The first time he felt and awakened Conqueror’s Haki.
The first time he wielded Armament Haki.
The first time he mastered Observation Haki.
Through one life-and-death battle after another, he steadily grew stronger.
Until eventually, he joined the Rocks Pirates and rose to become their vice captain.
He had believed he would reach the summit of this world.
He had believed that with his knowledge of the future, he could change the future.
But reality was merciless.
The course of the world had not changed because of his existence.
The battle of God Valley had taken everything from him.
During the darkest and most hateful period of his life, his cheat still never appeared.
And now…
After decades of hardship, after the passage of time had worn away his anger, after he had finally learned to let go…
After he had already resigned himself to drinking and waiting for death…
The cheat arrived?
The system arrived?
Carnes fell into a daze.
A daze filled with confusion and disbelief.
He didn’t know how much time had passed before Light’s increasingly impatient shouts finally pulled him back to reality.
“Old man!
Hey, old drunk!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
What are you spacing out for?!” Carnes blinked and came back to his senses.
Yet he still looked somewhat distracted as he turned toward Light.
“Did you say something just now?” Light immediately grew annoyed.
“I said—” But before finishing, he grumbled unhappily.
“Forget it.
Doesn’t matter.
That story’s ending was terrible.” “The vice captain just dies on some island nobody’s ever heard of?
That’s way too depressing.” Carnes fell silent in thought.
A moment later, he smiled faintly.
“Is that so?
I think it’s pretty depressing too.” Light’s eyes lit up as if he had found someone who shared his opinion.
“Right?!
You think so too!” “He was betrayed!
Of course he’d hate them!” “He should’ve searched for a way to recover, then gone after those traitors and gotten revenge!” “Only after successfully taking revenge would that story have the ending it deserves!” Listening to the boy’s passionate words, Carnes once again lifted his head and looked at the sky.
“But maybe he grew used to a peaceful life…” Light stared at him with open disdain.
“Wow, that’s pathetic.
Why does it sound like you’re talking about yourself?” “With the vice captain’s personality, there’s no way he’d get used to a peaceful life.” “He worked his way up through his own efforts, becoming one of the strongest people of that era.
He defeated countless rivals and earned the position of vice captain.” “Those crewmates betrayed him.
How could he possibly swallow that?” “The vast and turbulent sea is where he belongs.
What would a drunken old geezer like you know?” Light grumbled and complained without holding back.
Finally, he turned toward his sister.
“Come on, Lily.
Let’s go home.” With that, he grabbed Lily’s hand and headed back toward the tavern.
“Goodbye, Grandpa Carnes!” Lily waved cheerfully with a bright smile.
Carnes smiled and waved back.
His gaze followed the siblings as they disappeared into the distance.
He said nothing.
He merely smiled in silence.
The sea…
is where I belong…
huh?