Hey everyone,
Quick heads-up. I'm making some changes to how chapter access works across Patreon tiers.
Previously, all my drafts—usually around 100 chapters ahead—were locked under the Author Only tier. I decided to scale that back a bit and open things up more. Here's the updated access:
Seafarer Saga Tier – $35 → Full access to all drafts (usually ~100 chapters ahead)
Mythical Mapmaker Tier – $22.5 → 50 chapters ahead
Epic Explorer Tier – $14 → 35 chapters ahead
Supernova Tier – $11.50 → 20 chapters ahead
Captain's Bounty Tier – $8.50 → 15 chapters ahead
Rookie Pirate Tier – $5 → 10 chapters ahead
--
Coby dragged the fake Luffy over to the rest of the battered crew. "You wanna play pirates?" Coby asked, his tone almost mocking. He kicked fake Usopp in the ribs, then stomped down on fake Sanji's leg, hearing the crack of bone. They screamed, but no one dared to interfere. The crowd watched in terrified silence.
"Real pirates don't pull this crap," Coby growled, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "You're all pathetic."
His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, and he grinned slightly. "But don't worry—I'll put an end to this little charade."
The fake Nami started to sob, begging for mercy. "Please, no! We'll leave! We'll never come back!"
Coby ignored her, drawing Shusui in one smooth motion. He flicked the blade lightly, the sound of metal singing in the air. With one clean swing, he slashed through the group, blood spraying from multiple cuts as their bodies slumped lifelessly. He made quick work of the imposters, leaving them in a crimson heap on the ground.
"Idiots." He wiped his blade clean on the grass and sheathed it.
The crowd was dead silent. The bystanders who had once believed the fake crew to be real now backed away, realizing the deadly seriousness of the situation. Some whispered in horror, while others just stood there, paralyzed by fear.
Without a second glance at the mess of bodies, Coby turned and started walking away, adjusting his coat as if nothing had happened. He wasn't about to let these idiots ruin the reunion for the real Straw Hats.
Grabbing the recruitment poster the fake crew had spread around, Coby crumpled it in his hand and tossed it aside. He headed straight for the gathering point, knowing Caribou would be there. It didn't take long before he spotted the scrawny swamp pirate and his equally disgusting brother, Coribou, near a group of gullible recruits.
Caribou, with his slimy grin, was preaching to the crowd about the strength of his "crew" when he noticed Coby approaching.
Coby didn't bother with small talk. He drew Shusui in one fluid motion and slashed at the ground between them. The crowd scattered in fear, sensing the dangerous aura around him. Caribou sneered and raised his hands, ready to transform into his Swamp-Swamp Fruit form, his body turning into a thick, oily liquid.
Caribou's grin faltered as Coby seemed unfazed. With a flash of steel, Coby swung his sword down, releasing Razor Gale Edge. A concentrated air blade cut through the swamp below, splitting it apart. Caribou screamed as the force of the wind tore into him, his swampy body struggling to reform after the blow.
Coriboo, who had been watching in horror, scrambled to draw his flintlock, aiming it at Coby. Before he could pull the trigger, Coby was already behind him, having used Shadow Step to close the gap. With one swift motion, Coby thrust his finger into Coriboo's chest, killing him with a single move before he could react.
Coby turned to Caribou, his fist darkening with Armament Haki. "Now you join your brother," he said coldly. Caribou, still reeling from the earlier attack, staggered back, his swampy form struggling to reform.
Without giving him a chance to respond, Coby slammed his Haki-infused fist straight into Caribou's chest. The impact sent the swamp pirate flying into a nearby wall, leaving a deep crater. Caribou groaned, trying to pull himself together, but Coby didn't let up. He grabbed Caribou by the throat, lifting him effortlessly.
Caribou's eyes widened in fear, realizing Coby was about to kill him. "W-wait! You don't—"
Before Caribou could finish, Coby slammed him into the ground, knocking the breath out of him. The swamp pirate wheezed, his body struggling to maintain form.
With that, Coby drove his sword into Caribou's chest, silencing him for good. The swamp pirate's body slumped, lifeless, as Coby pulled Shusui free and flicked the blood off the blade.
He stood up, scanning the empty street. The recruits had long scattered, and the area was quiet again. Coby sheathed his sword and took a moment to assess the situation. He'd cleaned up the fakes and dealt with Caribou. The real crew would be arriving soon.
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Numa Numa no Mi (Caribou's Swamp-Swamp Fruit)'. Analysis in progress… The Numa Numa no Mi (Swamp-Swamp Fruit) is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into a bottomless swamp. The user can generate and control swamp-like substances, using them to trap enemies or absorb attacks. This fruit offers both offensive and defensive capabilities by allowing the user to engulf opponents in an endless swamp. As a Logia fruit, it also grants the user intangibility, making them immune to most physical attacks. Estimated cost for acquisition: 230,000 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Storage Ability (Numa Numa no Mi)'. Analysis in progress… The Storage Ability of the Numa Numa no Mi allows the user to store items, people, or weapons inside the endless swamp within their body. This storage can be accessed at will, making it a highly versatile ability for carrying large amounts of equipment, treasure, or even people for strategic purposes. The user can hide objects in their swamp form indefinitely, keeping them concealed and safe until they are needed. Estimated cost for acquisition: 50,000 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
Coby ignored the fruit and focused on purchasing the storage ability. He'd been eyeing a power like this for a while. Blackbeard's fruit had been too costly, so this was a perfect middle ground. After sealing the deal, Coby stashed the golden trident and jitte inside the storage, feeling the items vanish into his body.
He turned to leave, but a familiar voice called out. "Coby the Copy Ninja. As I guessed, you're back. Thanks for handling those fakes for me."
Coby glanced up to see Sentomaru stepping into view, flanked by two Pacifistas. They towered over him, their cold, mechanical eyes scanning the area.
"Didn't think I'd see you here, Sentomaru," Coby said, casually resting a hand on Shusui's hilt. "Still babysitting robots?"
Sentomaru grunted, scratching the back of his head. "You're still the same cocky bastard. I'm not here to babysit. The Marines want to know if the real Straw Hats are back. And seeing you here? I've got my answer."
Coby grinned. "Maybe. But if you're thinking of causing trouble, you'll regret it."
Sentomaru wasn't a bad guy, and Coby knew they'd cross paths again in the New World sooner or later. Even the first time they met, Sentomaru hadn't enjoyed going after the Straw Hats—he was just doing his job. But Coby wasn't about to go easy on him if he attacked. Sentomaru, bound by duty, didn't look eager to fight either, but that didn't mean he could back down now.
"Capture him, Pacifista!" Sentomaru ordered, and the two massive robots stepped forward.
Coby didn't flinch. He knew what these machines were capable of, having seen them before. The crowd around them scattered, knowing a fight was about to break out. Coby sighed and loosened Shusui from its sheath, giving the blade a quick spin.
The first Pacifista charged, its arm shone with a laser cannon. It fired a bright beam straight at Coby, but he was already moving. With Shadow Step, he disappeared and reappeared behind the machine in the blink of an eye. His sword came down in a smooth arc, slicing through the Pacifista's arm, sending sparks flying.
The robot staggered, but didn't go down. It spun around, throwing a massive punch toward Coby, who easily dodged it. In a flash, he used Razor Gale Edge, sending a sharp wind blade cutting through the air. It sliced clean through the Pacifista's chest. The machine collapsed in a heap of flesh, metal and wires.
--
Read up to 100 chapters ahead!
patreon.com/pinkisjustice
Tell me what you think!