Brain Storage Facility “””
“Kid, what did you say?
You want to join my Roger Pirates?”
On the ruins, the wind howled fiercely.
Roger, with a long sword slung over his shoulder, looked down from above, scrutinizing the young man below.
He had just finished his duel with Rocks, and now his face was filled with exhaustion.
“Mhm.” Ron nodded lightly.
He had been transported to this old-era timeline for over a year now and had grown into a somewhat notorious pirate.
And the Roger Pirates were the most ideal and safest haven he had chosen after careful consideration.
Of course, he had also considered the Rocks Pirates.
However, based on what he knew from Blue Star, that place was filled with too much scheming and intrigue.
With his current insufficient strength, he could easily become a sacrificial pawn.
The Roger Pirates were different.
Companions treated each other with honesty and shared deep trust.
Their voyages were filled with hearty laughter and unwavering support in times of crisis.
The atmosphere on the ship was free yet measured, inclusive yet not indulgent—truly fertile ground where one could take root and hone their skills diligently.
As for where to go, what stance to take, or which path to choose after fully maturing…
Ron hadn’t thought it through in detail yet, nor was he in a hurry to decide.
He just wanted to step onto this ship first, see it with his own eyes, experience it firsthand, and then decide from the heart.
“Hahahahaha!” Roger looked at Ron and suddenly threw his head back, laughing heartily.
“The so-called ‘Devil Butcher’ making waves across the seas lately is you, isn’t it?”
After a pause, Roger added, “Someone like you, who kills indiscriminately—even if I agreed to let you on my ship, my companions wouldn’t allow it.”
Ron was momentarily stunned.
His pupils contracted slightly, his eyebrows lifted a fraction, and a flicker of disbelief flashed in his eyes.
He hadn’t expected Roger to refuse—after all, the man was known for his high standards and strict criteria for choosing allies.
But…
he never imagined that Roger, also a pirate, would reject him for this reason.
Ron didn’t consider himself a saint who cared for all living beings, nor did he claim to be benevolent or kind.
Every life he took had a clear reason behind it; those he killed were all wicked, with evidence of their crimes.
Yet, in Roger’s words, he had become “a bastard who treats human lives like weeds”?
“Isn’t being a pirate about living on the edge of a blade?” Ron paused, explaining in a low voice, “Those I killed were all scum who deserved it.”
Roger’s expression suddenly turned grave.
His lips moved slightly as he said solemnly, “Are you saying…
all the villagers of Biren Village deserved to die?”
What Roger referred to was an incident involving Ron several months prior.
A group of mountain bandits with a bounty of 50 million Berries had entrenched themselves in the mountains near Biren Village.
To rid themselves of this thorn, the villagers secretly sought someone capable of dealing with them.
Ron thought he could both earn the system rewards and receive payment from the villagers—a plan that would kill two birds with one stone.
But unexpectedly, the plan was leaked.
To appease the bandits, the villagers chose to sacrifice Ron.
What a joke?
Did he train so hard just to become your sacrificial pawn?
Fortunately, Ron was kind-hearted and continued to help the villagers eliminate the bandits.
However, he later discovered that the despicable bandits had even possessed the villagers.
Adhering to his principles, Ron took the opportunity to eliminate them all.
After being sensationalized and exaggerated by the news agencies, complete with inflammatory headlines and deliberately misleading images, Ron overnight became known as the “Cold-Blooded Butcher” and the “Demon Who Disregards Life,” his reputation tarnished and his infamy spreading far and wide.
Ron stared straight at Roger, no longer in the mood to explain, because he already knew that he and Roger were not on the same path.
“Actually, I would have preferred it if you had just refused outright,” Ron said with a relaxed smile.
After all, as fellow pirates, who was truly any better than the other?
In the original story, Ron remembered that when the army insulted Roger’s companions, Roger had gone and slaughtered the entire army.
The difference was that Ron had wielded his blade against unarmed villagers.
While Roger had drawn his sword against the armored, armed, and battle-ready imperial army.
Though the two seemed worlds apart, in Ron’s eyes, there was no fundamental difference.
In his view, the villagers deserved to die even more.
Before Roger could say another word, Ron quietly took a step back and gave a slight nod.
“My apologies.”
With that, Ron turned and left, and Roger said no more.
“Tap, tap, tap, tap…”
Not far away, Ron heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
Following closely was a series of breathless, scolding yet deeply concerned inquiries.
“Hey, Roger, you reckless fool!”
“Are you hurt?
Is your arm still bleeding?”
“You madman, you’re way too reckless.”
“Hahahahaha!” Roger laughed heartily.
“Rocks and I were just sparring.
Indeed…
I still have a long way to go before I can match him.”
“Who was that guy?” Rayleigh squinted, watching Ron’s receding figure in the distance, and suddenly asked in a low voice.
“A kid who wanted to join us, but I turned him down,” Roger replied calmly, his gaze returning to Ron, his tone indifferent.
“Why?” Rayleigh tilted his head, a slight frown forming on his brow, genuine curiosity flickering in his eyes.
“I don’t want a bloodthirsty companion on my ship.
Hahahahaha.”
“I see,” Rayleigh nodded, though inwardly he thought, ‘Roger’s at it again, rejecting people based on a feeling.
But…
that young man’s retreating figure didn’t look like someone who should feel relieved after being rejected.’
…..
“Hahahaha~~”
A rough, hearty laugh suddenly echoed in Ron’s ears.
At a corner of the ruins, piled with charred beams and broken bricks, a towering, mountain-like figure came into view—it was Rocks, who had just finished his duel with Roger and hadn’t gone far.
He was sitting casually on a thick, fallen log, his feet resting on cracked bluestone slabs, his long sword deeply embedded in the fissured soil.
Grinning widely, he looked directly at Ron, laughing without restraint.
“Kid, didn’t Roger accept you?”
When Ron had approached Roger after the spar, Rocks had stopped and listened with keen interest.
Ron’s face showed no trace of disappointment.
He merely lifted his gaze slightly to meet that scorching stare, then let out a faint, soft laugh.
“My reputation is too tarnished.
I’m not suitable.”
“Hahahahaha!” Rocks burst into laughter once more.
Slowly rising to his feet, he gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand.
The long blade slid free with a resonant hum, and he casually slung it over his left shoulder.
“Reputation too tarnished?
That kind of hypocritical ship isn’t worth boarding anyway!
On my ship, we never ask how you kill—only whether you can kill!
Whether you’re ruthless enough!
Whether you’re mad enough!”
Ron fell silent.
The most crucial part of his plan had failed, leaving him somewhat adrift.
“Hehehehe…
Hahahaha!” Rocks’ laughter suddenly rose to a crescendo.
He spun around abruptly and strode forward, his black cloak billowing wildly in the wind.
“When the fated day arrives!”
“Whether you follow me is up to you!”
“If your mind is made up, then follow!”
“I’ll show you the view from the peak of the world!”