One Piece: sign-in to Ryujin Jakka

C-Colonel, there's… there's a massive warship [ heading towards Cocoyashi Village!"

Inside the office, Colonel Nezumi glared at his subordinate and barked, "Don't you know how to knock before reporting?!"

"S-sorry, Colonel! But that warship is enormous… Judging by its class, it… It might be an Admiral-class vessel!"

Nezumi waved it off dismissively at first. "So what if it's an Admiral-class ship? Is that really something to panic ab-?"

He suddenly froze, his expression shifting.

"Wait, what did you say? Are you sure it's Admiral-class?!"

"I-I'm not sure… but I've never seen a warship that big in my life!"

"…Fine. You may—you may leave now!"

The very man who had mocked his subordinate for stammering now found himself tripping over his own words.

The room grew quiet again. From the shadows stepped out a tall, fearsome fish-man, with a long, jagged nose—Arlong.

"Nezumi… why the hell would an Admiral-class ship come here out of nowhere? You didn't rat us out, did you?"

"You're asking me?! How should I know why an Admiral would suddenly leave Marineford for the East Blue?! And why the hell would I snitch? What would I gain from that?!"

Nezumi growled.

"No matter why he's here, I paid you, and you took it. We're in the same boat now. If I go down, you're going down with me."

With that, Arlong jumped out the window.

Relying on his powerful fish-man physique, he vanished into the jungle in just a few leaps. Just in case, he planned to have his crew evacuate Arlong Park—because he knew better than anyone just how terrifying an Admiral could be.

Back in Mary Geoise, Admiral Kizaru once crushed a rebellion single-handedly… That kind of power? Arlong didn't dare imagine it.

Nezumi, meanwhile, rushed down to the port to personally welcome Roman.

He made a huge show of it, giving the impression that he and the Admiral had an excellent relationship. It was all an act, meant to scare the villagers into silence and make them think he was above reproach.

The massive warship docked slowly. Roman and Kalifa disembarked.

[Ding! Sign-in complete. You've received: Noah's Ark!]

Noah's Ark is the Vessel of Oath. According to Neptune in the original story, it was part of a pact between humans and the mermaid princess during the Void Century. The mission was never fulfilled, and so it sank into the ocean's depths, its promise remained unfulfilled.

[This is the new Noah's Ark.. Accepting it means accepting the pact. Under certain conditions, the system will trigger special quests.]

[These quests are extremely difficult, but the rewards are luxurious. Host, do you accept?]

"I accept."

Roman didn't hesitate. If he couldn't even face this, how could he confront the monsters ahead?

[Ding. Acceptance complete. Noah's Ark has been stored in your system space. It can be summoned at any time.]

As Roman approached Colonel Nezumi, the system notification faded.

Nezumi saluted sharply. "Welcome to Cocoyashi, Admiral White Dove!"

"I'm not here to inspect. Just resupplying."

Nezumi instantly barked at his men, "What are you standing around for?! Go get the supplies! Or do you want Admiral White Dove to carry them himself?!"

He then turned to Roman. "Would you like to rest in the office while we prepare? It might take some time."

Kalifa leaned toward Roman. "Since we're already here, let's have a look around. I've never visited an island in East Blue before."

"…As you wish."

Nezumi immediately offered, "Allow me to guide you, Admiral White Dove. I know Cocoyashi like the back of my hand."

Roman nodded silently.

But deep down, he was suspicious. Nezumi was being awfully welcoming. Was he not afraid of being exposed? Or simply confident he had buried his crimes too well?

How interesting.

The island breeze was gentle.

Nezumi led the way, proudly introducing Cocoyashi Village like it was paradise, untouched by pirates and perfectly protected under his "leadership."

But once they reached the village square…

Kalifa noticed something off.

There wasn't a single smile on any villager's face.

Worse, they all avoided eye contact and walked wide arcs around them.

Kalifa could feel the hatred in their eyes.

She interrupted Nezumi mid-speech. "Are you sure this village is as peaceful as you say? I don't see a single smile."

Nezumi cursed internally: Damn woman, why are you so nosy?!

Outwardly, he smiled. "Ah, they're just like that. You can ask them yourself—they wouldn't lie to you."

As he spoke, he secretly glared at the surrounding villagers.

Frightened, the villagers immediately looked away.

In their eyes, Nezumi and Arlong were untouchable mountains. And with Roman looking so stern, they assumed he was just like Nezumi.

How could they dare expose the truth?

Nezumi had ruled through fear for far too long.

These villagers didn't know what Roman's uniform really represented.

Kalifa approached an old woman at a vegetable stall.

"Granny, how has the public safety been lately? Is there anything in your life you're unhappy with?"

The old woman glanced nervously at Nezumi, then quickly shook her head. "All is well, dear. Life's been so much better since Colonel Nezumi arrived. He takes such good care of us…"