Transmigrating into One Piece: The Peerless King

"I've finally reached level 20, and I can barely survive in this world now."

Zhao Hai looked at the "Strength: 200/200" displayed on the Strength attribute and nodded with satisfaction.

In the world of One Piece, pirates may seem to have a lot of freedom, but in reality, most pirates are just being used and risking their lives by powerful pirate leaders, and they don't have any real freedom at all.

This world is still largely governed by the brutal law of the jungle; having the biggest fist and the strongest power are the most fundamental guarantees for survival.

Therefore, although Zhao Hai had some strength before, he was not strong enough to have a significant voice.

Although his current strength is not very high, he can still be considered a mid-level admiral in the Navy.

"Hey, hey, hey... Hai, what are you grinning like an idiot for? Hurry up and bring this big fish up!"

Seeing Zhao Hai standing there grinning foolishly for a long time without making a move, Luffy couldn't help but urge him on.

"Oh, I'll bring it up right away, hehe..."

Zhao Hai, still immersed in joy, was interrupted by Luffy, but he still had a smile on his face.

"Wow! This leveling up is fucking awesome! Ten levels in one go! I don't know how long it would have taken me to level up slowly by myself!"

"Hmm? If we keep killing the fish, it should take five or six days!"

"Working at a slaughterhouse would take a day or two too! It's great to be with Luffy, you can always find shelter under a big tree. The ancients were right, hehe..."

As Zhao Haibian dismembered the sea king, he secretly compared it with the usual upgrade methods, and a slight smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

……

At night, the stars are shining.

A gentle sea breeze swept by, brushing against the people lying haphazardly on the deck.

"Ding! This system is now issuing a mandatory task - temporarily leave the Straw Hat Pirates and complete it to receive an unlimited level up to level 30."

"Ding! Congratulations, host, you have activated the main quest - Join Marineford, the Marine Headquarters. Completing the quest will unlock unlimited upgrades up to level 50. Please check your account."

Suddenly, Zhao Hai, who was lying on the deck, immersed in the powerful progress he made alongside Luffy and Zoro, was abruptly awakened by two system notifications.

Chapter Twenty-One: Zhao Hai's Departure

"Uh—, how could my perfectly planned path to advancement have been so blatantly blocked?"

Zhao Hai suddenly sat up, completely sober, and showed no trace of the pleasant feeling he had just had while drinking and chatting with Luffy, Zoro, and the others.

"I originally planned to use some time to consolidate the strength I gained today and not upgrade."

"The system's requirements are in line with the goal of cultivating a war god, but leaving the Straw Hat Pirates means losing an important layer of security!"

"However, I don't plan to rely on Luffy and his crew forever. I have the King System, and I believe I can catch up with them soon."

"The Navy? It's a pretty good option in the early stages."

Zhao Hai glanced at Luffy and Zoro, who were still fast asleep beside him, his expression resolute.

"Parting is always sad, even though a man's ambition lies in all directions, not in being confined to a small place or limited by momentary feelings."

As Zhao Hai recalled the joyful feast he had just enjoyed with Luffy, Nami, and Zoro, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the impending separation.

"In any case, the system only says we're temporarily separating, and we'll still be partners in the future. Since that's the case, I'll leave a farewell message."

After thinking it over, Zhao Hai, inspired, picked up his brush and began to write.

……

"Hmm? It seems incomplete, like something's missing."

After Zhao Hai finished writing, he held the letter in his hand and looked at it again and again. He always felt something was off, as if something was missing.

"Uh—I knew it, something just felt off. I forgot the most important step—writing my own name."

Zhao Hai suddenly noticed that the lower right corner of the letter was empty, and he slapped his forehead, realizing that he had forgotten to sign his name.

After writing his full name, "Caribbean Sea," Zhao Hai suddenly remembered something else.

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami all seem to have their own place on the ship, and Zhao Hai continued to write the seven eye-catching characters "Strategist of the Straw Hat Pirates" below his own name.

"It's best to leave without a trace, just like when I wave my sleeves and disappear."

After nailing the completed letter to the table, Zhao Hai boarded Luffy's small boat, which was tied to the back of the Navy's scout ship, and drifted away alone into the distance.

However, this time Zhao Hai did not act rashly as he did the first time. Instead, he left Luffy and his crew only after seeing a small town with lights in the distance.

……

……

Early morning, on the boundless sea.

As rays of sunlight streamed down, the two people lying on a drifting boat were completely oblivious to the beautiful morning seascape.

Nami, who had just woken up and stepped out of the cabin, stretched and looked at the nice weather outside, taking a deep, satisfied breath of the fresh morning air.

"These pirates are really a bunch of brutes! They've all started imitating Zoro, that sleepyhead, just lying down and falling asleep anywhere."

Nami glanced at the people lying on the deck, and couldn't help but feel a little disdain and contempt.

"Ok?"

"Wait a minute! Why are we only talking about Luffy and Zoro? What about the Caribbean Sea?"

"How did a letter suddenly appear on this table?"

Nami quickly noticed the letter Zhao Hai had left on the table on the deck, and instinctively walked over and picked it up out of curiosity.

"My dear friends: I'm leaving. I don't know how many years it will be since we parted. I know you will all be sad to see me go, so I left after you were all asleep. After all, I can't bear to see the sad scenes of parting..."

"Hahaha... Caribbean Sea is gone, now I'm finally free. I can sneak away from the next town, hahaha..."

Upon seeing the letter saying that Zhao Hai was actually leaving, Nami suddenly smiled with delight.

Nami was already reluctant to cooperate with Zhao Hai because of his coercion, but now that no one was holding her back, she was overjoyed because happiness had come so suddenly.

"Ok?"

"That bastard Hai! He's already gone, but he still won't leave me alone!"

Suddenly, Nami, who was initially overjoyed, noticed the last line of Zhao Hai's letter and instantly became furious.

The last line clearly reads:

Oh, right, my last words are for our beautiful navigator, Nami: you absolutely mustn't even think about escaping the Straw Hat Pirates, or I'll definitely report you to the Navy.

Oh, and I left a few Den Den Mushi on the ship, so don't think you can just throw them away and be done with it.

I've already given my contact information to Luffy and the others, and I'll keep in touch with them anytime. Even though I've left, I'll always be a member of the Straw Hat Pirates.

By the way, since I was short of money, I borrowed a little from you. I'll definitely pay you back double next time we meet. —The Caribbean Sea, Strategist of the Straw Hat Pirates

"Caribbean Sea, you bastard!"

"Don't let me catch you red-handed! From this day forward, I, Nami, will never forgive you! Aaaaah..."

After suppressing her rage and reading through the entire letter left by Zhao Hai, Nami finally couldn't hold back and let out a long howl towards the sky.

"what?"

"What happened? Are the enemies here?"

"This way of waking you up is really unpleasant!"

……

Meanwhile, in a remote town in the East China Sea, at a hotel that was doing fairly well.

"Ah—tch—"

"I hope it's not that Miss Nami is still holding a grudge against me."

Zhao Hai pulled out a tissue, blew his nose, and muttered to himself.

"Honorable guest, here is your order of wine and food. Please enjoy."

A gentle voice rang out, and Zhao Hai temporarily focused his attention on the food on the table, instantly putting his worries about Miss Nami out of his mind.

"Here's your tip. You can go now."

Zhao Hai very generously pulled out a few bills and handed them to the waiter next to him.

If Nami finds out that Zhao Hai is spending money lavishly and openly, it will definitely lead to another argument.

Fortunately, Zhao Hai was the only one leisurely enjoying the delicious food on the table, so he didn't have to worry about anything else.

Why waste the most joyful things in life today and leave them for tomorrow?

"Yes! Please enjoy your meal. If you need anything, just let me know."

When the waiter saw that Zhao Hai was so generous, spending thousands of Berries in one go, which was his wages for quite some time, his eyes lit up and he became energetic. He patted his chest and loudly assured Zhao Hai.

The waiter perked up, and the greedy glint in the eyes of several burly men sitting not far from Zhao Hai became even more undisguised, flashing and exchanging glances.

"Tsk tsk... this meat is really good, fatty but not greasy; and this soup is also great, refreshing and delicious!"

As Zhao Haibian savored the various delicacies, he kept making "tsk tsk" sounds of appreciation.

"Of course, what's even more delicious is that none of this cost me any money, hahaha..."

Zhao Hai became more and more excited as he thought about it; the feeling of spending other people's money was really great.

Zhao Hai was excited, but the three burly men opposite him, who were eyeing him menacingly, were not so friendly.

Looking at the table of the three burly men, there were only a few vegetables and a bowl of soup. Then they looked at Zhao Hai, a small figure, who occupied a table full of fine wine and delicious food.

Even Zhao Hai's small figure was completely obscured by the abundance of food, with only half of his head visible.

They swallowed hard, nodded deeply to each other, and then a strong, tall man stood up and slowly walked towards the table where Zhao Hai was.

"Great! I didn't come to the wrong place today. This chicken leg is especially amazing; it even has a hint of Peking duck flavor."

"When I make a name for myself in the future, I'll definitely set up a special imperial kitchen or something, hahaha..."

Zhao Hai was deeply engrossed in his own fantasy, completely unaware that a burly man was steadily approaching from behind, his face still bearing that utterly lewd expression.

"Snapped!"

The burly man standing behind Zhao Hai couldn't stand Zhao Hai's lewd smile any longer and slammed his hand hard on Zhao Hai's table.